Best albums to play with?

[Tom Reschke]

I started getting tired of my normal practice of putting the ipod on shuffle and playing along with whatever pops up. The great thing about it is that I have such a vast array of music, that you're constantly switching styles and touch, but I have so much weirdo music on there that I don't often listen to, that I can get easily distracted and am constantly fast forwarding hoping the Gap Band will soon come up. So yesterday, I decided to pick one album and play through it entirely. That album was Thriller. It was pretty fun! I've listened to that record since I was around 5 years old, so I know the tunes inside and out, but never really critically listened to it, just listened because I love it (listening to music for pure enjoyment?!?!?!? I know! Weird, right?).
The two things that struck me immediately was how repetitive and SIMPLE the drum parts are. It's all the layers on top of such minimalist, basic drum tracks that make songs like Billy Jean really cook. Obviously, the drummers are playing great pocket, but that's pretty much it... on one of the biggest selling albums of all time. It wasn't like it was some amazing, eye-opening revelation, but was a nice reminder that you barely have to do anything drum wise, IF everyone else in the band is killing it.

So, I was wondering if anyone has any favorite albums to play along with top to bottom. Today I'm thinking of going with Ten Summoner's Tales because it's been a while, or Sinatra at the Sands because Sonny Payne is MURDERING it on that one, as is everyone else. I also just realized I've never really (like REALLY) studied much Steely Dan stuff, so I'll have to delve into that soon, too. Any suggestions or thoughts?

[Morgenthaler]

Dire Straits 'On Every Street'. Plenty to learn (for most) from Jeff and Manu. Great diversity in tempo, moods, feels, styles etc.

[Rodge]

Some old Al Jarreau with Jeff, Gadd, Ralph Humphrey and Carlos Vega, always fun to play with.

[langmick]

Bob Welch: French Kiss
Zevon: Excitable Boy
Aja
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

[Jim Richman]

Try the soundtrack for Wicked the Broadway show. Killer tunes, hits, stops and starts, and balls out drums.

[bstocky]

Peter Gabriel - So.
The Police - Any/all of them.
Zeppelin - Any/all.
Tears for Fears, The Cars, Fleetwood Mac, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones - Greatest Hits.
Any Greatest Hits album.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
U2 - The Joshua Tree or any other one.
Robbie Robertson - Self Titled. This has Manu, Bozzio and Larry Mullen all kicking ass on every tune. Great album.
UK - Night After Night Live. Probably my favorite live album. Crazy progressive rock from Bozzio.
Spin Doctors - Pocket Full Of Kryptonite.
Genesis - Abacab.
Soundgarden - Superunknown.
Pearl Jam - Vs.
Arc Angels - Self titled.
Alanis Morrissette - Jagged Little Pill.
John Cougar Mellancamp - Scarecrow.
INXS - Kick.
Tool - Any/all.
Meshuggah - Obzen, Koloss. The heaviest music I can listen to and enjoy. I can't play any of it but listen to the entire album.
David Bowie - Live at BBC.
Gavin Harrison/05ric - Any/all. I can't play any of it but it's great stuff.
Jeff Beck - Any/all.
Metric - Fantasies.
Coldplay - Any.
Radiohead - Any.
John Scofield - Blue Matter.

[Julián Fernández]

I used to spend hours and hours playing to records; but instead of the actual groove I would play my approximations. These days I play just a couple of tracks now and then but I go for nailing the actual pattern and the feel. Way more challenging and rewarding.

[Tombo 7/4]

Playing along to whole records goes back to my teen early 80s vinyl era.
I totally wore out Maiden's Piece of Mind and Powerslave, Sabbath's Mob Rules, Dio's Holy Diver, Back in Black and the A sides of Led Zep IV and Rush Signals.
I could play through the skips and scratches. Those were basically my rock foundation.

For jazz I liked to play throughout Kind of Blue and Coltrane's Sound.

[langmick]

Powerslave is the shit.