Purrfect Albums Updated

A while ago I made a list of albums that could be listened to all the way through and had lasting impact on me. After a decent while I knew I wanted to keep a list of albums that I consider the minimum of my library. If I loose a hard drive or want to give someone music, it's nice to have a list to fall back on as your favorite albums collection grows. It's a maintained list and not infallible, sometimes I will purge albums that don't have the same luster they once had. Adding new finds that have potential is great as long as you are open to reconsidering their place after a lot more listens.

Each of the albums on my list fits my personal criteria which takes in account a lot of subtle factors. I feel that each of them affected my life in some way and that they represent a unique example of good music. I try not to add albums that are similar in sound and have chosen one album over another many times. I think this happens most with albums by one band that are similar in sound and so the weaker one gets cut out. I also really like albums that you can  listen to the whole way through without feeling big lulls in the quality. Granted that in different moods, a quiet section can be the worst and others it's the most artistic thing you've heard (looking at you, Cloud Cult).

One of the strongest influence on my choices is also their live efforts. Seeing a band live has pushed multiple band's albums onto this list. I believe that some bands record albums that do not do their live shows justice. And while some bands blow me away live, I do realize that  there is something special about delivering a worthy album release. I know there are a lot of good musicians out there playing shows in thousands of bands, but only a few put out rock solid albums. My impressions of live shows are are clouded by all the influences that come along with going to a live show. You can't really hear the lyrics most of the time and I think that it is important that you understand what the explicit intent of the music is. If I can follow the content of the singing, I can get an even deeper connection with the music. It's awesome and I recommend following along with lyrics as you listen to music. It's surprisingly easy to sing along with music without knowing what they're talking about (being down with OPP, when it's about poor relationship choices). 

I also feel that as much merit in individual experiences are, we all have our own and so these are mostly based on being repeatable experiences. I can expect to listen to any of these and feel good and I have enough variety for most any time I need. If I could, this would be what I based my life's soundtrack on. So, after a while I ended up with about one hundred fifty three albums as of this past month. I hope to own these albums on physical media as I go on through the years, the albums I look for at the merch table and in the record stores, my favorite albums:


2012-Zammuto-Zammuto
2012-Purity Ring-Shrines
2011-Youth Lagoon-The Year of Hibernation
2011-James Blake-James Blake
2011-SBTRKT-SBTRKT
2011-Nicolas Jaar-Space Is Only Noise
2010-Caribou-Swim
2010-Beach House-Teen Dream
2010-Gayngs-Relayted
2010-Massive Attack-Heligoland
2010-Jónsi-Go
2010-Panda Bear-Tomboy
2010-Claps-New Science
2010-Yeasayer-Odd Blood
2010-Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2009-Animal Collective-Fall Be Kind
2009-Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavilion
2009-Anni Rossi-Rockwell
2009-Various Artists-Dark Was the Night
2009-deadmau5-For Lack of a Better Name
2009-Dirty Projectors-Bitte Orca
2009-Neon Indian-Psychic Chasms
2009-Jookabox-Dead Zone Boys
2009-Phantogram-Eyelid Movies
2009-Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
2009-The Antlers-Hospice
2009-The Flaming Lips-Embryonic
2009-The xx-xx
2009-tUnE-yArDs-BiRd-BrAiNs
2009-Dan Deacon-Bromst
2008-Caroline Smith & The Good Night Sleeps-Backyard Tent Set
2008-Cloud Cult-Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
2008-Crystal Castles-Crystal Castles (I)
2008-Dark Dark Dark-The Snow Magic
2008-Dosh-Wolves and Wishes
2008-Fleet Foxes-Fleet Foxes
2008-Wale-The Mixtape About Nothing
2008-Fuck Buttons-Street Horrrsing
2008-Gospel Gossip-Sing into My Mouth
2008-M83-Saturdays=Youth
2008-Noah and the Whale-Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down
2008-Solid Gold-Bodies of Water
2008-Santigold-Santogold
2008-The Tallest Man on Earth-Shallow Grave
2008-WHY?-Alopecia
2008-Tim Fite-Fair Ain't Fair
2007-Panda Bear-Person Pitch
2007-Animal Collective-Strawberry Jam
2007-Battles-Mirrored
2007-Beirut-The Flying Club Cup
2007-Black Moth Super Rainbow-Dandelion Gum
2007-Bon Iver-For Emma, Forever Ago
2007-Building Better Bombs-Freak Out Squares
2007-Cloud Cult-The Meaning of 8
2007-El Ten Eleven-Every Direction Is North
2007-Flobots-Fight With Tools
2007-Explosions in the Sky-All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
2007-Kanye West-Graduation
2007-MGMT-Oracular Spectacular
2007-Menomena-Friend and Foe
2007-Radiohead-In Rainbows
2007-Spoon-Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2007-Justice-† (Cross)
2007-Yeasayer-All Hour Cymbals
2007-Vampire Hands-Virgin Dust American Lips
2006-Beirut-Gulag Orkestar
2006-Destroyer-Destroyer's Rubies
2006-P.O.S-Audition
2006-Jeremy Messersmith-The Alcatraz Kid
2006-Subtle-For Hero: For Fool
2006-The Black Keys-Magic Potion
2006-The Plastic Constellations-Crusades
2006-TV on the Radio-Return to Cookie Mountain
2006-The Knife-Silent Shout
2005-Gorillaz-Demon Days
2005-Animal Collective-Feels
2005-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
2005-Hockey Night-Keep Guessin'
2005-Lightning Bolt-Hypermagic Mountain
2005-M83-Before the Dawn Heals Us
2005-Sigur Rós-Takk...
2005-Sufjan Stevens-Illinois
2005-The Books-Lost and Safe
2005-The Mae Shi-Heartbeeps
2005-STNNNG-Dignified Sissy
2004-Animal Collective-Sung Tongs
2004-Arcade Fire-Funeral
2004-Best Friends Forever-Best Friends Forever
2004-P.O.S-Ipecac Neat
2004-Grizzly Bear-Horn of Plenty
2004-Heiruspecs-A Tiger Dancing
2004-Modest Mouse-Good News for People Who Love Bad News
2004-Subtle-A New White
2004-Sufjan Stevens-Seven Swans
2004-The Streets-A Grand Don't Come for Free
2003-Explosions in the Sky-The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
2003-The Books-The Lemon of Pink
2003-The Shins-Chutes Too Narrow
2003-The Knife-Deep Cuts
2002-Iron & Wine-The Creek Drank the Cradle
2002-Johnny Cash-American IV: The Man Comes Around
2002-Queens of the Stone Age-Songs for the Deaf
2002-Sigur Rós-( )
2002-The Streets-Original Pirate Material
2002-Wilco-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2001-Daft Punk-Discovery
2001-Gorillaz-Gorillaz
2001-The White Stripes-White Blood Cells
2000-Godspeed You! Black Emperor-Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
2000-Modest Mouse-The Moon & Antarctica
2000-Radiohead-Kid A
2000-Deltron 3030-Deltron 3030
1999-Panda Bear-Panda Bear
1999-Sigur Rós-Ágætis byrjun
1999-The Flaming Lips-The Soft Bulletin
1998-Beastie Boys-Hello Nasty
1998-Neutral Milk Hotel-In the Aeroplane over the Sea
1998-Fugazi-End Hits
1997-Jurassic 5-Jurassic 5 EP
1997-Radiohead-OK Computer
1996-Weezer-Pinkerton
1995-The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
1994-Blur-Parklife
1994-Weezer-Weezer
1993-Built to Spill-Ultimate Alternative Wavers
1992-Rage Against the Machine-Rage Against the Machine
1991-Red Hot Chili Peppers-Blood Sugar Sex Magik
1991-Nirvana-Nevermind
1989-Pixies-Doolittle
1989-Fugazi-13 Songs
1988-Pixies-Surfer Rosa
1986-Beastie Boys-Licensed to Ill
1983-Tears for Fears-The Hurting
1980-Talking Heads-Remain in Light
1979-Neil Young-Rust Never Sleeps
1979-Pink Floyd-The Wall
1979-The Clash-London Calling
1977-Pink Floyd-Animals
1976-The Modern Lovers-The Modern Lovers
1975-Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here
1973-Pink Floyd-The Dark Side of the Moon
1971-Led Zeppelin-Led Zeppelin IV
1971-Pink Floyd-Meddle
1971-The Kinks-Muswell Hillbillies
1970-Black Sabbath-Paranoid
1968-The Kinks-The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
1968-The Zombies-Odessey and Oracle
1967-Pink Floyd-The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
1967-The Doors-The Doors
1967-The Jimi Hendrix Experience-Axis: Bold as Love
1967-The Velvet Underground-The Velvet Underground & Nico
1966-Bob Dylan-Blonde on Blonde
1963-Bob Dylan-The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan