Seriously.

was my first thought.

Boy, that was easy.

Because its incredible, and not enough people have. But also, more the point, its like one of those compilations that usually come out years after they break up of a short-lived but seminal bands complete work (like the Minor Threat album, Way of the Vaselines, etc), only this one kind of came out when they were still around, only its basically just a lot of extra tracks added to the original 'Funcrusher' EP (hence the name).

Either way, Company Flow were amazing, think classic hip-hop only completely inverted into something dystopian and fiercely intelligent. El-P was in them. And he's never been better. Even producing the Cannibal Ox album. The beats are less complex in Funcrusher Plus but also less sprawling, as much as I do love Cannibal Ox, I prefer Company Flow's approach.

Pretty damn close to being perfect, also the starting point for the overwhelming majority of good music.

So maybe I'm a boring, predictable Radiohead fanboy. But I love it.

Pet Sounds

my choice of the moment is without any doubt Alligator by The National. I would like to thank all those DiSers who convinced me to get this three days ago by: a) their insistence and b) their honesty about Boxer

"Meat Is Murder" or "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea".

And not get bored.

by Nick Drake. Anyone who doesn't like it is wrong.

even though i haven't listened to it for months and months, it's easily the one album that means the most to me.

( )

is my essential album. Brings back so many memories!

by Rodan.

by Rodan.

Shut Up I'm Dreaming

the Chipmunks sing the Beatles' songs...

Today it feels like it should be Hood- The Cycle of Days and Seasons, because it's rainy.

Another day it could be something more excitable. It's the kind of question I can't really answer.

Grace- Jeff Buckley

or 'Songs For't Deaf'...
or maybe 'Dirty'

But only a few essentials.
Top of that shortlist would be;
Sparklehorse- Good Morning Spider

i'm going to get shit for this choice.

minor threat - complete discography

even though my music taste has changed quite a bit over the years, i still get goose bumps whenever i listen to minor threat.

...

It's got everything I need.

I'll say We Are The Romans by Botch, because it certainly owns pretty much everything ever recorded.

Okay you've probably all heard it! But it is a really good album, its totally listenable you can properly listen to it or just have it drifting along in the background.

... is the one I could never go without, but for this year? Beautiful Targets by Hopewell... an underrated classic of our time. Just beautiful :)

The Shape of Punk To Come.

Absolutely essential.

somewhat surprisingly was John Martyn - Solid Air

Saint Julian

Sigur Ros - Takk

An album of apocalyptic karaoke songs, Jerry Dammers' response to Thatcherite Britain, Terry Hall at his deadpan best.

was the album that first sprung to mind when i read this so i'm going to say that.

Miami or Fire Of Love are what I'd haul off to a desert island. Not sure whether they'd be essential to most people but they are to me

but tomorrow no doubt it'll be a different LP

ooh tricky but - Barafundle by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. A genre crossing, sprawling masterpiece.

It depends on my mood, the time of day, the weather, and probably hundreds of different variables, but a representative list would be:
Fennesz Sakamoto - Cendre
GSYBE - Slow riot for new zero Kanada
SFA - Radiator
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works II
Talk Talk - Laughing stock

Ask me again tomorrow and you'll get a totally different list.

...if I could only have one LP it would be 'Henry's Dream' by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

I could happily listen once a day (and have done at times in the past) and still not tire of it.

Lyrically entertaining and musically tighter than a ducks arse. Nice one Nick!