Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: Top 5 Daniel Amos Albums

Posted by Ritchie_az on 07-19-2008 at03:11:

Top 5 Daniel Amos Albums

What are your Top 5 Daniel Amos albums and (briefly) why?

Posted by Ritchie_az on 07-19-2008 at03:45:

1. Doppelganger. My opinion, this is the best new wave album ever recorded. Very creative, moody, deep, and progressive.
2. Alarma!. As Richard Peace put it in his review back in 1981 in Concert Magazine, "It...is a brash, new, and intensely creative musical experience."
3. Songs of the Heart. I love the concept, and DA executed it with perfection. This album should have sold 500,000 copies for the cover of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You alone.
4. Mr. Buechner's Dream. Lyrical genius, very forward thinking musically. A bit inconsistant at times, but that is made up for nicely by the large number of songs on the two CDs.
5. MotorCycle. All-around great album. I like how some songs fade into and out of each other (like on side "b" of Shotgun Angel). A little more "pop-ish" than a typical (if there is such a thing) DA album, but done very, very well.

A side note is that I've never heard all of Darn Floor- Big Bite, and I'm sure it would land in my "Top 5" if I had heard it (I can't wait for that rerelease to be done!).

Posted by Dr Rich on 07-19-2008 at04:27:

1. Darn Floor- Big Bite. "an exercise in discovery a moody, magnificent album which defies easy description. Each listening brings new insights, impressions building up like the coats of lacquer on a Japanese jewel-box."
~Harvest Rock Syndicate Mark Eischer.
No one forgets their first! Big Grin

2.) Fearful Symmetry. "On the surface, Fearful Symmetry, appears to be a fairly simple album. Each song comes across musically straightforward, yet just beneath this calm surface runs a current of amazing intricacy. These ten tunes which seem so simple are alive and teeming with complexity"
Harvest Rock Syndicate.
No one forgets their second! Big Grin

3.iAlarma! "It would be inaccurate to say that Daniel Amos is on the cutting edge of Contemporary Christian music. THe group is far ahead, preparing the way for the knife." CCM Magazine April 1981.
This record still kicks ass!

4) Bibleland. "After the smoothness of Motorcycle, to hear Bibleland is somewhat jarring. It's not just the music, either. The lyrics reflect the rawness and roughness of the music, or vice versa. A few songs are barely listenable to me, including the title cut." posted by John Foxe.
Oh yeah, I loved this one right away! Big Grin

5) Mr Buechner's Dream. "Sounds like … a cornucopia of classic rock sounds: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Clash, The Wallflowers, and Starflyer 59 to name a few.
At a Glance … this is quite possibly the best work from Terry Scott Taylor and the band, highlighted by strong alternative classic rock and superbly crafted songs. " ChristianityToday.com by Russ Breimeier
"This is the one" indeed. Big Grin

Posted by Ritchie_az on 07-19-2008 at06:41:

quote:

Sounds like...Starflyer 59

Or does SF59 sound like DA???

Hummm.....

Posted by John Foxe on 07-19-2008 at11:43:

My 2c

1. MBD
2. MC
3. SoTH
4. VH
5. Alarma

Blasphemy maybe to those who love DFBB more than me. At last my grades are different than the Dallas dude...
Cool

Posted by James on 07-19-2008 at19:01:

1. Motorcycle- Besides the fact that it's filled with absolutely gorgeous songs, they really went all out on the production side of things. Also, the lyrics are amazing (duh). A pop rock masterpiece.

2. Kalhoun- One of the more "rockin'" albums in the DA discography. I love the slightly rootsier feel of this one. Gloryhound is the closest DA ever came to a Stones song.

3. Vox Humana- Despite the dated production, I feel that these are some of the band's best songs. So catchy. This one always makes me feel good. Would love to hear these tunes with a "classic rock" production.

4. Mr. Buechner's Dream- Not only is it a double album, but it's a double album packed with great songs. No filler! For a band this long in the tooth, this album is amazingly strong.

5. Bibleland- By far, the most aggressive DA album. Sometimes bordering on grunge, even noise rock. Probably the most pessimistic, ticked off album Terry's ever made. But there's hope there, too, and some great riffs and melodies. I love this one for the fact that it was such a grower. Took several listens to truly appreciate. The best albums always do.

Edit: I don't own DFBB, nor have I heard most of it. It may very well have been on my list, otherwise.

Posted by Strange Animal on 07-19-2008 at19:34:

Thumb Down!

quote:

Originally posted by Ritchie_az

quote:

Sounds like...Starflyer 59

Or does SF59 sound like DA???

Hummm.....

uh...thats a big NO! Tongue

anyways.........

1. dfbb
2. the alarma chronicles
3. when everyone wore hats
4. mbd
5. motor cycle

Posted by Dr Rich on 07-20-2008 at07:31:

quote:

Originally posted by Ritchie_az

quote:

Sounds like...Starflyer 59

Or does SF59 sound like DA???

Hummm.....

SF59 sounds like DA, and I am sure DA began to sound like SF59!
May the circle be unbroken!

My Island is very heavily influenced by DA.

Posted by Dr Rich on 07-20-2008 at07:33:

quote:

Originally posted by Dr Rich
SF59 sounds like DA, and I am sure DA began to sound like SF59!

I wish DA would make more records to prove or disprove this! Big Grin

Heck, I just want them to make more records! Frown

Posted by Audiori J on 07-20-2008 at11:49:

This is tough, since they are all so different, and each one marks a different time in my life. Right now, this would be my list, although ask me tomorrow and it might be different.

1. Mr Buechners Dream
2. Doppelganger
3. Darn Floor
4. Alarma
5. Shotgun Angel

Shotgun's second side is an alltime favorite of mine. Alarma and Doppelganger were huge for me. Central Theme being inspired by a book I like alot, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Ethics" ...Christ in the Center. Mr Bechner's Dream is just so rich, there is so much there. And Darn Floor is just so unique, nothing like it.

I think Starflyer 59 sounds like DA, Jason Martin being a fan and all... and Terry producing Starflyer 59. "Who's Who Here?" was an inside joke between Terry and Jason.

Posted by jiminy on 07-21-2008 at09:01:

Im weighing in on Horrendous disc-
surprised it hasnt been mentioend.

not my first exposure to DA (SA) - but what a great leap!

my personal would be

HD
MC
MBD
VH

all others make no 5
8-)

Posted by Chesterdox on 07-21-2008 at09:49:

My fav's:

1. HD
2. MBD
3. SOTH
4. Kalhoun
5. VH

Posted by Jerry Davison on 07-21-2008 at11:28:

Ok, in no particular order...

1. Horrendous Disc - because it was my first exposure to DA and the record that showed me Christians could actually make good music. It is so Beatlesque it won me over right away. To my mind it is a pinnacle in CCM.

2. Vox Humana - song for song my favorite. Yes, the production is dated but that only adds to it. Like a future retro thing. Or is it retro future?

3. Shotgun Angel - Again, very Beatlesque, especially with the Side 2 rock opera ala Abbey Road.

4. Darn Floor Big Bite - for its sheer lyrical and musical brilliance. Nothing short of genius.

5. Doppelganger - it's just dang cool, ya know?

Looking back over the list it's easy to see I have an affinity for the 80s DA stuff. I guess because it was the soundtrack to some very spiritually formative years for me. Thanks, Terry and co. for helping me through those years!

Posted by Ritchie_az on 07-21-2008 at11:34:

Using a not-so-scientific method based on the responses so-far, here are the fan favorites:
1 - Mr Buechner's Dream (24 points)
2 - MotorCycle (15 points)
3 - Alarma! (14 points)
4 - Darn Floor - Big Bite (13 points)
5 - Songs of the Heart (12 points)
6 - Horrendous Disc (10 points)
7 - Doppelganger (9 points)
8 - Vox Humana (8 points)
9 - Kalhoun (6 points)
10 - Fearful Symmetry (4 points)
11 - BibleLand (3 points)
12 - Shotgun Angel (1 point)

(Note: Jerry Davison's post was not included in this because we were posting at the same time. Sorry!)

Posted by jiminy on 07-21-2008 at11:38:

SHAHHH..
yer just tryin to make points......

Posted by wes berlin on 07-21-2008 at11:43:

5. doppelganger

4. kalhoun

3. songs of the heart

2. mr. buechners dream

1. darn floor big bite

Smile

Posted by dfroystad on 07-21-2008 at12:44:

in no particular order.....

Mr Buechner's Dream
Horrendous Disc
Shotgun Angel
Songs of the Heart
BibleLand

Posted by jamespop on 07-21-2008 at13:49:

Dang! This is hard...

1. Darn Floor-Big Bite
2. Mr. Buechner's Dream
3. Motorcycle
4. Fearful Symmetry
5. Alarming Vox Songs of the Doppled Kal-Bible

OK - Now this - Top 5 TST solo projects. I'll let everybody else post theirs first.

Posted by jiminy on 07-21-2008 at14:17:

does he even have 5??
Wink

Posted by Ritchie_az on 07-21-2008 at14:37:

quote:

OK - Now this - Top 5 TST solo projects.

1 - Avocado Faultline
2 - Knowledge & Innocence
3 - A Briefing for the Ascent
4 - LITTLE, big
5 - John Wayne

I guess. They are all good, but in their own (sometimes much different) ways.