Oh, Marshall. I have been listening to The Eminem Show which is, possibly, one of my favorite albums ever made. Second only to the Annie soundtrack and Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. You’re in good company.
I would even venture to say that The Eminem Show is almost – ALMOST – a “perfect album”. This is a rare thing as we all know. And you came very very close.
It would have been perfect. It would have been …
Except for Track 9.
I yearn to listen to the album all the way through, because each song just adds on the one that came before. I never feel like skipping around from track to track (which is one of the marks of a perfect album … where each song flows naturally into the next) – but Eminem – I am a huge fan of yours, so you should listen: I ALWAYS skip Track 9. The first day I got the album, I sat down in my room, popped it on … and listened to the entire thing. Exhilarated beyond belief. I was out of my mind. White America?? Please!! And you OPEN the album with that song?? Dude. You’ve got some major balls, and I love that. Who else would ever do that? And each song followed the one before with inevitability … never disappointing, full of surprises, humor … each one with a different beat, a different story to tell … but still … somehow all adding up.
Until Track 9.
I listened to it once. The first time. And I haven’t listened to it since. What’s the problem with Track 9? It just doesn’t “go”. Not only that, but it has no beat. At least not one that I feel like listening to. I also am not wacky about Obie Trice in general, although I know you love him. Don’t like his voice. He sounds slowwwwww as molasses compared to you. It’s not because of the content of the song – which actually I get what you’re going for there. It’s basically a “HAVE SAFE SEX” message. Excellent message. But who cares if there’s no beat, and Obie Trice is at the wheel? It just plain ol’ don’t add up.
Bummer, man. You almost had it. You really did. Stupid Track 9.
Track 9 is sort of like the grapefruit in a fruit salad. You know. It ruins the whole flavor. So I just skip it. I pretend it doesn’t exist. To my mind, the album goes from Say Goodbye to Hollywood to Without Me.
Just a small word of love/critique … from “your biggest fan, Stan”. No, just kidding, Em. You mind if I call you Em??
Letter to Eminem Complete. Now comes for the audience participation moment
I know in my mind what I think a perfect album is. You know. “Perfect”. All elements go together, nothing is missing, lacking – everything is equally good: vocals, songs, lyrics, music, production … song ORDER … all flow together. It’s not an album of disconnected songs – the album itself is a whole. It tells a story.
The first “Perfect Album” that comes to my mind is Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors. I kind of think you can’t get any more perfect than that album.
I’m also considering Rubber Soul to be pretty much perfect. It’s another album that I listen straight through, never skipping around.
What say you all? Perfect albums??
Well it ain’t perfect but Hotel California is the only album that I don’t skip any songs.
I don’t think it’s perfect in terms of continuity or telling a story, but in terms of perfect music, the Legend collection of Bob Marley’s music is one of the best. You cannot listen to that album without feeling better for it. The songs are all just so well done, so well put together, so perfect.
I am sure I could think of other ‘perfect albums’ that maybe fit what you’re thinking of better, but it’s funny as my husband and I were just talking about this yesterday, how perfect Marley’s music is. So there you go. :-)
PS, I am sorry, but I could not helping laughing when you put Eminem in the same category as Annie and Elton John. Oh, man. Now that is funny. Not quite the company his image keeps! :-)
I know, right??? hahahaha
It’s okay, Eminem. You’re still a bad-ass. You and Annie both had hard-knock lives.
PET SOUNDS by the Beach Boys…brain child of an insanely brilliant 24 year-old Brian Wilson…
Perfection!
Albums on which I never, ever skip songs:
* Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Springsteen
* Who’s Next, The Who
* It Takes A Nation of Millions…, Public Enemy
* The Pretenders, Pretenders
* Shoot Out The Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson (although the original CD release’s “bonus track” gets skipped, that doesn’t count)
* Sign O’ The Times, Prince
* Pet Sounds, The Beach Boys
* And of course, Born To Run.
Albums that come VERY close to perfect, but have one crucial flaw (a la your review of Eminem Show:
* London Calling, The Clash; I love the whole album, but I always get restless during “Lost In The Supermarket” and “Lover’s Rock”.
* Unforgettable Fire, U2 – My favorite U2 album…if I skip “Elvis Presley And America”.
* Van Halen I, Van Halen. I got soooo burned out on “Eruption” as a kid, and I still can’t listen to it.
Alternate Universe version of this topic: there are groups, and albums, that I hate hate hate with almost perfect precision – but they have one song, or one little passage of music, that redeems them just a bit; in other words, perfect musical wretchedity interrupted by one swatch of brilliance.
* The Wall, Pink Floyd. I hate Floyd in all its permutations – but I liked the first disk of Wall. A lot. Like, enough to make it the one Floyd record I own – but only listen to half of.
* Rocky Mountain High, John Denver. Yep, John Freakin’ Denver. Drecky career. But two or three songs on RMH are not only non-dreck, but fairly cool. I said two or three.
I love that Mitch and bill left comments at pretty much the same moment, and they both mentioned Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys. I wholeheartedly concur with that assessment. Not one damn flaw on that whole album.
Oh and mitch: your comment gave me an idea for another post.
I love Rocky Mountain High, too. I grew up with John Denver … and there are certain songs he wrote that STILL have the capacity to transport me back in time. Don’t know if they’re great songs or not, but I do know that I love them and it’s like they’re a part of my childhood.
I’ll show my age but the only album I have
consistently listened to from start to finish
(and it’s a double album) is Manassas
by Steven Stills.
Regards,
Hank
Moondance – Van Morrison
77 – Talking Heads
Excitable Boy – Warren Zevon
Tapestry – Carole King
I also agree with Rumors and Legend. Legend brings me completely back to summer of 84 at ECC.
I have considered the perfect album in depth, reviewed the choices listed here, and have come to this conclusion:
“The grapefruit in a fruit salad” is a brilliant analogy.
Dan – I must give credit where credit is due. My friend Mitchell came up with that phrase – only he used it in the context of Dionne Warwick. He loves Dionne Warwick – but his point is – that when she sings a duet, or with a group … she is the grapefruit in the fruit salad.
She is best taken ALONE. Otherwise she ruins the taste of the group.
hahaha
Paris 1919, John Cale
I presume that Jazz records should be excluded from the list, along with all non-lyrical music, but I have to insist yet again that the only perfect record ever created was “Kinda Blue” by Miles Davis.
I have a John Denver’s Greatest Hits CD set, has 2 CD’s. I love it, has all of his hits and some extra stuff that’s pretty good. There are about 5 songs of his that I swear, it’s like musical marijuana…it just lulls you and makes you feel like the world ain’t so bad afterall.
But for perfect album start to finish, I’d have to say Sgt. Pepper. There’ve been times I’ve started it, listened all the way through, and back again. LOVE it.
Well it may not be a ‘perfect’ album by the criteria set out.. more a collection of short stories on a theme than a ‘novel’ approach.. and I haven’t been able to listen to Floyd for a while.. *ahem* but if I could.. Dark Side may have crept onto my list..
Anyway.. with that proviso.. Lou Reed’s Transformer is about as close to the criteria that I can come up with.
Unplugged in New York by Nirvana
Abbey Road by the Beatles
The Downward Spiral by NIN
Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos
Prick by Prick
that’s all i can think of at the moment.
The back side of “Abbey Road”
That’s only half an album, I know. So sue me.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Your an idiot, that Obie Trice cut on there was ill. Both M.C.’s murda that track and the beat (while not being extraordinary) was perfectly sufficent.
Jim Jones: PUT DOWN THE KOOL-AID!!
(Also, just a tip: If you’re going to call me an idiot – you might want to learn how to spell correctly. “Your an idiot” should be “You’re an idiot”. Thanks.)
Ingenue by k.d. lang – a perfect accompaniment to a relaxed drive through the mountains.
Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell, almost perfect except for “My Analyst Told Me,” which is just not her.
Ray of Light, by Madonna.
Lovers Live Tour, by Sade.
Stevie – I love Ray of Light, too … There was a good 3 or 4 months when I listened to it probably once a day. Such a happy album, huh?
I’m glad you commented … couldn’t find your email … and just wanted to say: THANK YOU!!!! :) You know what for.
Is “Ingenue” the one with “big-boned girl”? I LOVE that song.
I actually don’t mind track 9, so The Eminem Show remains on my list. I’d also have to say Purple Rain and Appetite for Destruction.
Oh, and Sheila? Your an idiot ;)
jess … I wish I liked Track 9. I really do.
Uhm … I just think it’s so funny that
1. his name was Jim Jones of all things
2. that he was obviously so ENRAGED by my thoughts that he just kept pushing “Post” in a frenzy
3. and that, in the process of calling me an idiot, he left out a very important apostrophe.
Ah, the joys of blogging.
“I think my dad’s gone craaaazy…”
An’ you be nutz, no shizzle, if your not hype on Mahler’s Tenth. The MC murdas the beat, yo. Sheeyot.
Joys of blogging indeed. I’ve been getting an idiotswarm all weekend. I’ve taken to randomly editing their comments; it seems to shut them up.
Michele Catalano and Bill McCabe both do that, and it makes me howl with laughter.
“Hi! I have a really small penis, and here is my IP address!”
Oooh, that’s a good idea. I think I’ll go and edit my recent comment calling me a worthless cunt. Take that, Rachel Ray freaks!
jess – even thinking about someone calling you that makes me SEE RED.
breathe, sheila, breathe …
yeah, you should put words in her mouth. It’s so damn funny when Bill and Michele do it.
“Hey! I’m a geek who never leaves the house and hasn’t been laid since the Johnson administration! Here’s my IP address, everybody!”
I’ll contribute three that don’t look like they’ve been mentioned yet:
This Year’s Model by Elvis Costello
Setting Sons by The Jam
Quadrophenia by the Who (by which we mean the original, NOT the soundtrack)
Obviously, somebody here used to have a skinny tie or two.
Joni Mitchell’s Hejira (though I agree that Court & Spark comes pretty close).
– The story it tells is perhaps somewhat inscrutable, but Steely Dan’s “Countdown to Ecstasy” fits the bill for me.
– This may sound strange because I don’t think it’s his BEST album, but in terms of consistent excellence, theme, and sound, I’d also nominate Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.”
– “Purple Rain,” Prince
– “More Songs About Buildings and Food,” Talking Heads
– “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” Lucinda Williams
– “1000 Kisses,” Patty Griffin.
Sheila, don’t you have a button that lets you delete comments? It makes me sad if you don’t. I use mine every day on the Viagra salesmen who spam my site.
Quadrophenia comes very, very close to my list, too…
Sheila,
You have the most interesting readers ever. Do you know that feeling?
I’m drunk, tired, and over-worked. All of these albums sound sooooo good.
My best right now is The Basement Tapes. Dylan. The Band. In a basement. They made tapes. Cleaned up on a CD. That did and does rock.
No Guru, No Method, No Teacher by Van Morrison. Mmmmmmm … peace, tranquility, relaxation, all the way through.
And I second Born to Run.
I’ll second both Born to Run & Carole King’s Tapestry.
And would add the Stones “Black & Blue” album from the 70s but can’t find it in stores anymore (seem to recall a big “politically correct” issue over both the title & the cover art) and am going on (very very good) memories so… “Baby you’re a fool to cry….” kick butt song, don’t recall anything I didn’t like (but it’s been … a while)
nobody knows this one: “Life Begins at 40 Million” by the Bogmen
“Key Lime Pie” by Camper Van Beethoven
“Flood” by They Might Be Giants
“whatever and ever amen” by Ben Folds Five
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Abbey Road” by the Beatles
Does the soundtrack to “A Mighty Wind” count?
“You Will Go to the Moon” by Moxy Früvous
“The Buena Vista Social Club”
“The Colour and the Shape”, Foo Fighters
“Blue”, Joni Mitchell
Color and the Shape – totally. I couldn’t get over that album for about a YEAR. It was on constant replay.
Jean: have fun tonight!! Go Sox!
yes, jean yes….BLUE-Joni Mitchell..sweet, sad perfection….also Judy at Carnegie Hall…not a false moment in the bunch. i jsut found out about apunk band called Judy at Carnegie Hall..hilarious!
A punk band??? I love them already!! Don’t you think Judy would have so appreciated it too?
oh yes..i think she was punk in her spirit..letting it all hang out! the good the bad..etc. etc..