Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list


I've been listening to some of my favorite recordings this weekend and was wondering what others on Audiogon felt were there favorites. We have all seen the Stereophile "Records to Die For", The Absolute Sounds recommended list, Music Directs' list, The Golden Ear, etc. now I'm hoping to assemble the Audiogon "Recordings To Die For". Please list your five favorite recordings, the ones you listen to over and over or play for friends. I would assume the sonic quality is excellent in that this is an audiophile site. The performance and enjoy ability should also be excellent. Please leave your top five, even if they are already chosen so we can discover the very top for the Audiogon listeners. ALSO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CRITICIZING OTHERS OPINIONS AND JUST LEAVE YOUR FAVORITES!

August 2002: I have compiled a summary and a full printer-friendly list of all of the recommendations below.
click here to view summary
128x128jadem6
Very hard to find but my all time favorite is out of sweden from the Propius label....Jazz at the Pawnshop.
I've got almost 1200 CDs, and it's really hard to just narrow down to five top picks. Let me mention some that haven't been listed previously:

Joe Jackson "Blaze of Glory" Excellent and ultra-clean recording; very good for evaluating systems.

Tony Levin "World Diary" Great textures, great musicianship.

Daniel Lanois "Acadie" Very creative studio work. I always enjoy recordings he produces for other artists, too.

Phish "A Picture of Nectar" Cool variety; tongue-in-cheek approach to music.

Bruce Cockburn "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws" Melody- and arrangement-wise, more hooks than a tackle shop.

I could go on to 50 or even 500, but I've got work to finish up...
1) Two Against Nature - Steely Dan
2) Trinity Session - Cowboy Junkies
3) Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits
4) Odelay - Beck
5) Ophelia - Natalie Merchant
Refer Recordings to die for: Odelay- Beck ?I like Beck's mutations, and the song' looser', but this sampling crap and him being genious an all, it is too much. Sorry, Nielro, I could not resist.All the other 4 of your choices are surely worthy.
Greg Brown- In The Dark With You(CD)
Chris Isaak- Baja Sessions(CD)
Mark Knopfler- Golden Heart(CD)
Ted Hawkins- Songs From Venice Beach (CD)
Tracy Chapman- Telling Stories (CD)