Are there any albums you consider perfect?

I've picked up some good ideas and will be ordering them. The one album listed above that I might go along with as perfect is "The Crane Wife" by The Decemberists. It flows so well from start to finish which is difficult at it's length.
I suppose perfection is relevant to the time and place as much as the particular music set.
On my honorable mention list is:
The Counting Crows, "August And Everything After"
Joni Mitchell, "Blue"
REM, "Document," no wait, that one is perfect.

>>"I'll never forget the beatdown ELP took when I saw them at the Fillmore East back in the day."<<

I am sure that could happen in some circumstances. They could hardly be termed "traditional" rockers in _any_ sense of the word and I am sure could seem lame in relief of heavy blues hitters like the Winters band.

However, I still catch my breath when I recall standing with similarly awestruck fans after ELP's rendition of Pictures At An Exhibition followed by the no less intense Hoedown. The speed, syncopation and skill on their respective instruments was like nothing I nor friends had seen or heard before--and we were a concert veteran group. Then there was the Palmer kit solo after which some sat in stunned silence while I muttered under my breath, "Holy shit". Talk about raw hand speed. Bruford from Yes and Gadd were all the talk back then. Palmer came in and just _ripped_. That guy is a legend.

I've been to more concerts than I can count in every genre from Itzak Perlman, Parkening and Stern to JMaclaughlin the Dead and Tull. I still think of that ELP concert as an awakening. Three guys that could light it up in terms of musicianship and sound like an orchestra. I started listening to classical music seriously after that and have been a nightly music fiend ever since. In their prime, they were a sight to behold.

memory lane and all that...

Rick Wakeman-6 Wives of Henry V111.
River City People-Say Something good.
Michelle Shocked-Arkansas Traveler.

I remember playing my older brothers 8-track copy of "Aqualung" by Jethro Tull over and over when it first came out. I don't know about it being perfect, but it doesn't feel right if I don't play the whole lp. Same goes for Led Zep II.