the background music is maddening

The Kinks are The village green preservation society, is also near perfection. 🤘and numerous other albums, It’s a tough one. Your list is great tough.

Mazzy..love your selections. Wrecking Ball ...wow that album is in my top 5 all time. So impressed you know Sam Phillips...saw a gig of hers in Nashville that was my favourite gig of all time. She is such an astounding yet sadly underrated artist.

LOL ... “slow down, Mazzy ...” This is a great video. I’m amazed at how much you know about this tremendously diverse collection of music you have and the artists who make it. My brain doesn’t work that way; I wish it did. But watching this was great, checking out Sam Phillips now, and Beck’s Mutations (I LOVE Odelay!), and a few others. Funny, I don’t think I could even think of 25 perfect albums. Offhand, the one that comes to mind is Tears For Fears - Everybody Loves A Happy Ending. It’s a pop- psych masterpiece; I think it’s their best. And it’s never been released on vinyl - I would LOVE to see that happen, and soon! Very Beatle-like - like an extension of “Sowing The Seeds Of Love”, which practically IS a Beatle song. Love it. Good stuff, Mazzy!

I used to listen to the Low Symphony a lot when it came out, and it was nice to revisit it in the background. Nice selection, and oddly for a VC video, I have most of the records you showed. I love Delaney & Bonnie, but I always feel they get overshadowed by the guest artists. It's like they've become a footnote in the career of a more famous musician. They deserve better. It reminds me of the marvellous song Vic Chesnutt wrote called Guilty By Association, about his relationship with Michael Stipe. It was a stroke of genius for Chesnutt to record the song as a duet with Stipe. I miss Vic. Calexico's Black Light is without a shadow of a doubt definitely possibly maybe my favourite album of all time. I first heard the song Trigger on a seminal compilation Uncut magazine produced in 1998 called Sounds of the New West. It introduced me to a number of Americana bands and artists which would become firm favourites. Funnily the compilation also had Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris. Keep safe, and I hope the Marshalls don't come for you. Hedley

Thrilled to see Tim Buckley’s “Greetings from L.A.” on your list. Buckley is perhaps my favorite musician of all time. What a great songwriter and, oh man, that voice! It is interesting to hear the many styles that Buckley went through throughout his career. Great choice. What a fun video, thanks Maz! 👏

Max, love the list. I have so many of these and always felt they were my secrets. The Band, Calexico, Jayhawks, Kate Bush, Delaney and Bonnie, Donovan, Fairport Convention, Eels, Fleetwood Mac’s Kiln House, Sam Phillips, so many more on these lists; these are my treasures! Nevada Fighter by Michael Nesmith.

This may be my favorite (so far) of your vids. For the last couple of years I've been discovering roots country and bluegrass, digging deeper into folk/folk rock, and listening to the gamut of styles they call "Americana". You have led me to some things in those genres I've never heard before and I thank you for that. I'm so glad to see Courtney Barnett on your list , she's brilliant. (I'm also jealous, she's at the top of my 'wannasees' and I haven't made it yet.) I,too, have a perfect album list, but I won't put it out here. However, I can't resist mentioning Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (Lucinda Williams), and my favorite, Horses (Patti Smith). Thanks, love all your stuff.

Can't say I disagree with any of these picks!! LOVE LOVE LOVE The Band! I just found the "Last Waltz" live record and It's been spinning non-stop!! I always loved playing that Bee Gees 1st album and singling out the song "In My Own Time" and convincing my father it was the Beatles! Haha! My favorite Rascals album is "The Island Of Real" BEAUTIFUL album! Great video!!! Stay safe out there!!

There are very few albums that I can listen to all the way through without skipping one or two off the top of my head: Here Come The Warm Jets- Brian Eno Murmur-REM Tiger Milk- Belle & Sebastian Sticky Fingers- The Rolling Stones

Excellent selection of perfect albums 👍👍👍 Cheers from Serbia!!!

Greetings from LA. Great 👍

Forever Changes.....Love

Loved seeing Calexico & Fairport in your picks. A few of my "Perfect" albums are Sandy Denny's "Like an Old Fashioned Waltz," The 1st Dillard & Clark album, "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark," Byrds "The Notorious Byrd Brothers," Tom Russell's "Borderland," & I play "Music From Big Pink" by the Band over their 2nd album.

The idea of the perfect album crossed my mind some while back and for me there are just two. (A possible sub-topic: albums with just one not good track- the almost-perfects. I think Joy Division’s Closer is one such- it could lose Atrocity Exhibition, which I always skipped, and be perfect. And what an opener Isolation would make!). The two albums where I think every track is great are Marquee Moon by Television and Raw Power by Iggy and the Stooges.

Great list! This indeed could be a great thread. I'm still undecided which record by Fairport Convention is my favorite pick; Liege & Lief or Unhalfbricking. They are both so unique, folk music that keeps you focused on what's happening in the song structures. Still sounds refreshing to me. Thanks again for the great content!

1: Nick Drake - Bryter Layter 2: Lou Reed - Transformer 3. Television- Marquee Moon 4: The Unholy Modal Rounders - Have Moicy! 5: Elvis Costello - My Aim is True 6: Richard & Linda Thompson - Hokey Pokey 7: Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo 8. Grateful Dead - Workingman’s Dead 9. Radiohead - Kid A 10. Bob Dylan - Love & Theft 11: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours 12. Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust 13. David Bowie - Hunky Dory 14. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks 15: Burial - Untrue 16: Paul Simon - There Goes Rhymin’ Simon 17. Ramones - Road to Ruin 18. Allman Brothers Band - Live at the Fillmore 19: Ray Charles - Cryin’ Time 20. Hendrix - Are You Experienced? 21. Talking Heads ‘77 22. Jim White - Wrong-Eyed Jesus 23. Frank Sinatra - Sinatra and Swingin’ Brass 24. Laura Nyro - First Songs 25. Zombies - Odyssey and Oracle

Great, thank you, look forward to discovering and rediscovering this list. We owe you a big thanks for Orville Peck Bronco you recommended a while back. My wife totally loves it as does her brother in law who is great song writer in his own right with number one hits.

I'm 62.. my perfect albums are al the ones that take me back to my teens :)

Thank you for that BeeGees LP. I forgot how perfect is is. Childhood memories for me.

Jefferson Airplane does tune Fat Angel on Bless it's Point. etc , am I right ?

Excellent choices for perfect albums, I like that they were not obvious choices and that you went off the beaten path. I’ll definitely be following this thread, thank you!

You have excellent taste in music. Thanks for the recommendations!

Love love love your videos, Mazzy!! I’m a teen and only a couple years ago got into record collecting - channels like yours actually made me feel comfortable and involved with the “vinyl community”. Now working at a record store! I put on your videos when eating, going to bed, even stretching! They’re very therapeutic, and every story you give for each album has its own little world… some crazy stuff..

Love your selections! Great video Mazzy! Thanks

Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow" is a perfect album -- not one clunker. Also, the Bee Gees' "Holiday" from the band's first LP is hugely underrated and nearly forgotten today.

Mark Knopfler's Down the Road to Wherever is a wonderful album with lots of gold and hangs together well. I love it.

“Let It Bleed” from The Stones for me. Kicks off with “Gimme Shelter” ends with “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and not a “Yellow Submarine” anywhere in between 😉

Thank you for mentioning the Bee Gees, To many people only think of them as "Disco", I love their early years, and their last two albums. Kiln House is my very favorite " Mac" album, it was their first album I ever bought, I love " Earle Grey" . Donovan love his music,esp. " Wear your love like heaven". Procol Harum..yes ! I first heard them on the album " Home" which sadly I purged when cd's took over. Thanks for another great video ! Cindy 🌞

Best summer song, ' Stoned Soul Picnic' (1968) by the great Laura Nyro.

The second Traffic album.... The Who Sell Out...... BB King: Blues on Top of Blues....... the first Procol Harum album....... the first Emmett Rhodes......Revolver...... The Kinks first album: You Really Got Me....... Getz Gilberto: Girl from Ipanema...... Donovan: Sunshine Superman........ Beggar's Banquet.... Animal Tracks...... Blonde on Blonde...... the first Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac..... Tom Waits: Closing Time....... the first Doors...... George Harrison: Wonderwall...... Casanova soundtrack: Nino Rota..... Axis Bold As Love........ Michelle Shocked: Arkansas Traveler...... Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman..... Abbey Road...... Atom Heart Mother...... Grateful Dead: American Beauty....... Charline Arthur: Welcome to the Club...... Jeff Beck: Truth

Holiday also makes me a Bee Gees fan of the sixties and debut seventies albums …horizontal,idea,Odessa,cucumber castle .,……

My perfect albums ; 1.CSN& Y : Déjà Vu , 2.Love : Forever Changes 3. Byrds :Notorius Byrd Bros 4. Joni Mitchell :Hissing of Summer Lawns .5.Tucker Zimmerman : Over Here in Europe and live album :Rick Nelson Live Troubadour 1970

Loved those selections. And, the Low Symphony fit perfectly as background even ending at the end of the show.

You've outdone yourself on this one, Mazzy, turning me on to many albums that I had some awareness of but obviously need to know much better! AND you picked the correct Jayhawks and Brit Folk Rock records btw ;-)

Hi, Great list but there’s a blind spot on the punk and new wave and black music : Television: marquee moon Talking heads: fear of music Elvis Costello: this year’s model The buzzcocks first album Marvin Gaye: what’s going on Stevie wonder : songs in a key of life Curtis mayfield first album...

Great vid...and you've just persuaded me to get the Glass:low symphony album for which as a massive Bowie fan have been putting it off for years...cheers mate👍👍

Thanks for this, I´ll check out some of your choices. My all time listen-straight-through album is Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come (even though it´s a compilation/soundtrack).

I was spinning Rainy Day Music 2 nights ago. I agree that it’s perfect. Such a classic. St. Dominics is such a beauty. Listen to the Lion is spectacular. This was a great video Mazzy. I’m not watching many videos in the VC right now. Summer is my time away from the VC. I tend to watch more when it’s cold and dark in Maine. Which is most of the year. Hope you are doing well, brother. Cheers, Brian🍀

Excellent, revealing list. There are several that I haven’t heard yet - so appreciate the recommendations. Check out Marshall Crenshaw’s “Life’s Too Short” ; David Mead “ Indiana” and Patty Griffin’s “1,000 Kisses” for 3 more candidates. All amazing albums.

Great Stuff Mazzy! Love the selection. As always, I see a few I don't have, but that Delaney and Bonnie is amazing! I'm a huge Leon Russel fan and he's all over that album. You showed Tim Buckley in another video and I was lucky to find a clean copy the next week. Great album! And JJ Cale!!!

Hi Norman! This is one of my favorite video's you have done but, I was hoping you would do a video in your favorite albums. The top 10-20 that you want to listen to lot, that you never get tired of hearing. his video was about 25 perfect albums but not necessarily your favorites.

Great to see The Dreaming, one of my favourites ever!

Thanks for the great list. For some of us with ADHD, that background music is super distracting and totally unnecessary.

Perfect vid Mazzy, thanks for sharing. Take care😀

I humbly offer: "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws", Bruce Cockburn; "Alone Together", Dave Mason; Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" (a perfect rainy day album in particular) and the first Fleet Foxes album. And I can't quite get there with the entire album but side one of "No Line on the Horizon" (U2) is, in my book, truly a perfect musical feast.

Mazzy, thank you for the suggestions. A few that are perfect to me: Dusk-The The Tea For The Tillerman-Cat Stevens This Is The Sea- The Waterboys Disintegration- The Cure The Queen Is Dead- The Smiths Excitable Boy-Warren Zevon Just Can't Stop It- The English Beat Eldorado-ELO Nursery Cryme -Genesis

The Millennium - Begin a PERFECT album.

I agree with you about the US Rubber Soul. I just picked up Son Of Schmilsson. I will have to listen to it soon. I don't have that Procol Harum album but I have picked up others thanks to you. Love them. Take care!

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight is absolutely perfect

Nice picks. Van Morrison’s first live album, It’s too Late to Stop Now-Not a speck of cereal! Layla and other Assorted Love Songs. Rust Never Sleeps. Allman Bros Fillmore East. Electric Ladyland. Highway 61 Revisited. Arthur. Yesterday and Today. Hounds of Love. And don’t forget, Aja.

My friend, an awesome list! One disagreement on the "summer" songs. Laid my soulmate to rest a month ago. I was driving and one of "our" songs came on and instead of crying I grinned from ear to ear. "Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly and the Family Stone. A "summer" song? C'mon, show Sly a little love!

Awesome list! Yes! Yes! Yes! to Son of Schmilsson! I could not agree more! One of my favorite perfect albums is The Wallflowers Bringing Down the Horse and another is Tears for Fears Seeds of Love. Stan Ridgway’s Mosquitos 🦟 is also high on the list.

Good stuff!!! Steely Dan "The Royal Scam" is a contender!!!

Shine On Brightly has held up so well. I bought a used copy about 40 years ago and was stunned by how good it was

I don’t remember there being much love for St Dominic’s at the time. It’s so cool that people seem to appreciate it more today.

MAZZY, I must say I’m certainly enjoys your videos , I’ve been a collector for many years, a lot of your picks and interests I’m totally in sync with , but I’m also finding lots of new music to check out, CALEXICO , is now on my radar , Thank you !

Just caught up on this video. I'm happily surprised you count Kate Bush, The Dreaming in your list. I discovered Kate back in the 80's myself. She's certainly getting a resurgence in the charts with Running Up That Hill thanks to Netflix's Stranger Things.

Mas... You got me again... I ordered Waiting 4 Columbus, deluxe... $58.00 on CD... Also Herbie Mann at the Whiskey-a-Go Go, 1969... $23.99 on CD... I'll keep you posted...

“Son Of Schmilsson” great pick Mazzy! And nice list :)

I was happy to see Procol Harum's "Shine On Brightly" on this list. I've loved this album since I first heard it fifty-some years ago, and I still listen to it a couple of times a year.

Perfect video, Mazzy !

Great list. Nice to see Sam Phillips and Procul's 'Shine on Brightly' on there.

I was going to do a response, but our tastes are so similar I’ll have to rethink my list. I may have some of the same artists but different albums. Randy Newman, JJ Cale etc. Great stuff and a fun watch. Take care

Thank you again😀

Thank you for doing this, Mazzy! I would nominate the late Tina Meltzer of The Serpent Power for sweetest vocals of the psychedelic era. She could soothe a hurricane with her honey-velvet voice.

In 67 my brother bought Bee Gees first. I have every note memorized. O.k. I can bear the background music, for a minute. I saw Tim Buckley in 1975. His set was mesmerizing. I've been searching, for a dolphin...

Parcel of Rogues - Steeleye Span, The Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel, The Flying Burrito Brothers, A Good Feelin' To Know - Poco, Reunion - Glen Campbell & Jimmy Webb, Country Boy - Don Williams, Elite Hotel - Emmylou Harris, Roger McGuinn, Chicago XI, Buckingham Nicks, Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen, Anniversary Special, Volume I - Earl Scruggs Review, Four Sail - Love.

Great list ! I love the Bee Gee's first LP also Odessa (on my top 10 of all time list).

Very much agree with the US RS! First 3 Bee Gees LPs are not to be missed. Kate Bush Never Forever and The Dreaming are like a double album to me. Love the Country Joe but I'm also a big fan of Here We Are Again. That Donovan has crossed my path numerous times in record stores but I never grabbed it. Too much to say about Fairport but my favorite is divided between Unhalfbricking, What We Did On Our Holidays and Liege & Lief. Love Sam Philips. Hard to pick a favorite but that one is on the perfect scale for sure. Procol Harum has so many brilliant LPs but hard to argue with you on that choice. Nice post.

I think Eldorado ELO, Tommy the who,Revolver the beatles, aftermath the rolling stones, Lark's Tongues In Aspic King Crimson ,Selling England By The Pound Genesis. The Darkside Of The Moon Pink Floyd,Close To The Edge Yes,Queen Queen,Astral Weeks Van Morrison!, Eric Clapton Eric Clapton,Desrali Gears, Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere, Buffalo Springfield-I agree!,Agents Of FortuneBOC,Sabbatauge Black Sabbath, ZiggyStardust,Raw Power Iggy Pop Mot Mot The Hoople, Transformer Lou Reed ,As you say not my favs but perfect none the less.

I just realized at the end, you are in Seattle talking about songs about Louisiana, and I am in Louisiana taking about Seattle's Sub Pop. You wanna swap houses for a week, easier to social distance here, doubt you'd be able to handle the feels like 105 outside for long tho.

Now I'll have to listen closely to Fleetwood Mac Kiln House and compare it to my favorite Peter Green album! Also I'll have to check out Phillip Glass work on Bowie's Berlin Trilogy. Low is a favorite of mine. Bowie's Diamond Dogs brings me in and keeps me until its complete. Great video!

Of the albums I know of the ones you showed...I contemplate agree with you!

I like the way you pull out some of these albums (sometimes) and try to avoid the obvious "peak" album from the artist. Like Son Of rather than the bigger hit album Nilsson had, and Procol you could have chosen another, but went with what you did. It's more informative when you stray off the beaten track. But not everyone can do this - and knows the discographies well enough to go the road less trodden. That Randy Newman album is my fave, even over Sail Away. For Van, I was sure you were going for Tupelo Honey which I prefer over St. Dom. But surprises are more fun than sure-fire predictions.

Some less celebrated perfect albums I would add: The Nightfly (Donald Fagen), Sentimental Hygiene (Warren Zevon), Jordan: the Comeback (Prefab Sprout), Like an Old Fashioned Waltz (Sandy Denny), Skylarking (XTC), Breakaway (Garfunkel), If Only I Could Remember My Name (Crosby), Everybody is Fantastic (Microdisney), Moving Waves (Focus), Swagger (Blue Aeroplanes), A Happy Pocket (Trash Can Sinatras), Sticky George (Korgis), Horsebreaker Star (Grant McLennan), & the George Martin produced Man in the Bowler Hat (Stackridge) to name a few.

I completely agree with JJ Cale's Naturally. LS did Call Me The Breeze, probably made a bunch of money for him. Waylon Jennings did Clyde. Half the bands in the world did After Midnight. I have that Country Joe album, picked it up in a junk shop for $1 or 2, will have to dig it out and give it another listen, with purpose. Delaney and Bonnie Motel Shot album is great, as are most of their stuff. Americana before Americana! I don't dislike Wrecking Ball but I'd say ELH perfect record is Roses In the Snow. The Louvins oh yes. And St Dominic, big brother had that one when it came out, Good Old Boys big brother introduced it to me as well. I don't know if people could handle that album in today's environment. Sam Phillips sounds very interesting, will have to check her out as I know you have sung her praises on several occasions. The Young Rascals albums, including Groovin' are everywhere in the wild, but almost to a record they are trashed, a sign that people loved it and played and partied with it to death. This was an enjoyable one Mazzy, always enjoy watching.

Innervisions

Interesting selection - I thought I’d know them, but know! Some serious catching up needed, at 66 I’d better get going …

Hello Maz , this is a general comment from a new subscriber. I've only watched a few videos but I have found them all to be interesting and entertaining. Keep up the good work. Have you considered making a video about albums issued purely to meet contractual obligations?? Often cr*p and an insult to the fans who may have been unaware of the situation. Thanks

Good to see someone talk about Mutations!!! Feel it gets overlooked!

Yes, Beck Mutations - I agree.

I was born in 1960. My brother and sister were 6 and 7 years older then me . I grew up on Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I had the first five Beatles albums on a reel to reel tape my father had and I listened to them for hours from the age 5. I got Sgt. Pepper for my 7rh birthday and Magicl Mystery Tour later that year for Christmas. My favorite Beatles album is Magical Mystery Tour . Blue Jay Way,Fool On the Hill, Flying ,Hello Goodbye, All You Need is Love. Makes me smile ,smile,smile.

Over familiarity can sometimes breed contempt and then we seek out alternative perfect albums that are not on the main stream radar. There are many, many perfect albums based upon personal tastes and our own listening experiences. It is always interesting to discover other people's perfect albums that are not on the obvious greatest albums of all time lists, like Dark Side as you mentioned. Obviously I do not agree that all these are perfect albums based upon my own personal tastes....but interesting to see where you're coming from though...

In my opinion, the first Country Joe album is THE most psychedelic album of the An Francisco sixties.

Sone great albums there Mazzy. Many u haven’t heard so some to look out for

Yes "Fragile".

I love Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin (respect The Beatles of course) but neither one ever made a perfect album. Maybe there is not such a thing, because music is subjective and our understanding and appreciation may change over time. With that been said, great video as always!

country joe and fish is a perfect record along with jefferson airplanes surealstic pillow,you also showed Donovan live i was at that concert and it was stunning, years later i was takeing my son to see barnie the purple dinasaur,at the same venue in anaheim and i kept thinking of that Donovan concert years before haha and thought how did i get here. in fact that venue had great shows .i saw cream(both nights) jethro tull, bowie, even norman greenbalm(spirit in the sky) also led zepplin with jethro tull, hard to believe and if im not wrong it may have been same weekend of rhe manson murders.i also agree on rubber soul and the band the rest while most all good i dont feel are perfect but its your show and it was good but a lot was left off, maybe ill give my take one day,until then i appreciate your takes . i also agree with country joes voice , his record of guthrie songs is perfect,ry cooder into the purple valley is perfect,i also strongly agree on louvin brothers satin is real absolutely great , thanks for sharing. also theres a great story told when elvis had louvin on his tour and as Elvis complimented them what charlie said in response was a shocker Elvis did not respond back was a gentleman but he also never invited them to tour again with him ,which hurt theyre sales, if your not awhere of what was said by charlie to elvis check it out. i also agree with you on trumps goon s in our cities, in fact a perfect song would be the mothers of inventions-- trouble coming every day- made in mid 60s that song is just as powerful now.stay safe

Country Joe is so underrated. Very cool songs, nothing like their solo hit.

Keep the "Perfect Record" theme for future episodes. I am learning so much!!

Mazzy, great list of "perfect" albums. I watched Andrew's video recently and left him a list of seven (I think) perfect albums, though two are pairs of albums that cannot be separated. Perhaps it could be expanded into a video? Thanks, Chris

All these albums are all killer,no filler.Makes for a classic album.

Randy Newmans' mother was from New Orleans. Check his song "Dixie Flyer" for the background.

Great call on the Buckley

Rubbersoul (USA)is my favorite Beatles album🙏

Great line up. Thx

So happy to see Beck's Mutations on this list.

hounds of love...

A few more that don't have a single bad song: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - NMH Glass Houses - Billy Joel Bella - Teddy Thompson Trust - Elvis Costello Another Day on Earth - Brian Eno