Best Record You Have Ever heard


Thought I would start this thread for all you vinyl lovers out there.

The rules are simple:
1. Only post one album, the absolute best you have heard.
2. It must be something you have heard on VINYL.
3. Both the recording AND musical content must be impeccable
and I do mean BOTH!
4. Try to be as specific as possible i.e/ version, year, re-issue, original, 45RM,direct to disc, half speed mastered etc...

Here is mine.

Artist: John Frusciante
Album: Curtains
Release: Record COllection
Date: 2005
Recording: It was done in his living room, fully acoustic album. Mastered by Bernie Grundman Hollywood CA.
dfelkai
I'm going to hi-jack this thread for just a moment, as this record loses out on the sound quality, but for the musical ideas, and the number of people who haven't heard it, Quicksilver Messenger Service, "Happy Trails". Note: this is a mostly electric guitar album, and probably is not for most people's tastes. It also gives away it's age(the era it was made). Maybe it's the best record you "never" heard. It definitely is not an "audiophile" recording.
mmakshak,

Quicksilver; Happy Trails. Great record!!!!!! 
Back to the OPs rule; to many to pick one. I have most that are mentioned so far.

Casino Royal, Dusty Springfield, Burt Bacharach is everything HP said it was; if you have the right copy/ pressing. Have (4) copies, only (2) are right.
 My vote for recently released is:
Santana Abraxas , MFSL, UD1S - 001. Absolutely Spectacular 
Stanley Clark "If this bass could talk"
1988 CBS Recordings
Mastered by Bernie Grundman
incredibly dynamic, excellent recording
my favorite version of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"

All the Sheffield Lab direct to disc recordings produced by Doug Sax are just excellent and among the very best recordings ever made but the music can leave you wanting. Certainly not this one and a few others including the superb Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker mentioned above.

"The King James Version"
Harry James and his Big Band
Sheffield Labs Direct to Disc 1976
Produced by Doug Sax and Lincoln Mayorka
Thomas Dolby - Aliens Ate My Buick
Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All
Talk Talk - Colour of Spring
Loudon Wainwright lll - Love Songs

Er...I broke the rules. Sorry .