Best long-distance driving albums

[BoMac]

So it's a long weekend in most of Canada, and between now and Labour Day weekend many people will be going on road trips of varying lengths.

So, I was wondering what Interference thought were the best albums to listen to while on a long-distance drive (for the sake of this thread, let's say any drive one hour or more). What albums make the drive fun, enjoyable, and seem way shorter than it really is?

To make it interesting, maybe people can add memories associated with a road trip and a particular album (or song).

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

these are some of my go to albums for road trips:
depeche mode: music for the masses
fleetwood mac: rumours
u2: pop

the only specific memory i can think of for any of these though is for pop. whenever i listen to it, especially sats, i think of a road trip i took back in the summer of 97. for sats in particular, i think of being backed up in traffic with the windows rolled down, waiting to go through a toll booth.

 

[LMP]

Any Explosions in the Sky album should do.

 

[cobl04]

It'll be hard to find... but maybe a copy of the Robin Sparkles album?

 

[AndrewCowley]

One especially for the Aussies: Midnight Oil - Earth and Sun and Moon.

A fantastic driving album for Australia.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Used to do Melbourne-Adelaide road trips, 800km or 8 hours. Had the first 2 Buffalo Tom CDs on cassette that we used to play over and over. Tail lights Fade works really really well when you're driving through the Australian country nothingness. Anything in that vein also works, REM, Ryan Adams, "rootsy guitar-y"ish stuff, if you're driving through flat brown nothingness.

I found Kylie does not work so well.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

Achtung Baby!

 

[mikal]

i'm telling you, the new Yo La Tengo album.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde (if you're into Dylan, if not, disregard that suggestion)
The Beatles - Abbey Road
The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

A few hip-hop albums:
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Danger Mouse/Jay-Z - The Grey Album
Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Radiohead - OK Computer
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Two friends and I drive around to these albums constantly, and we always have an awesome time listening to them.

Any Explosions in the Sky album should do.

Also, this.

 

[Salome]

just about any Creedence Clearwater Revival, Frank Zappa live or AC/DC Bon Scott era album will do fine
I also like driving to Aphex Twin and Horace Silver Quintet

 

[martha]

Unforgettable Fire has a nice rolling rhythm to it; Pop is good too. I find hip-hop doesn't work so well for me because my road trips are through empty landscapes and hip-hop needs people and cityscapes to work for me. OK Computer works well. Joshua Tree through the southwest is wonderful.

I damn near fell asleep on I-40 in broad daylight through northern Arizona listening to Haydn's Creation, an otherwise lovely piece of music, so I don't recommend that.

 

[martha]

Oh, and I took almost the entire Black Keys catalogue with me on this last trip; they work well for distance driving.

 

[lazarus]

Mercury Rev, Deserter's Songs

 

[u2popmofo]

I like electronic or post-rock for that sorta thing. You don't need to focus on lyrics, and can just get sucked into the sound and imagery, makes for some beautiful driving moments.

 

[corianderstem]

If I'm driving by myself, I'll listen to anything I can sing along to. If I'm road-tripping with someone else, I don't subject them to my top-of-the-lungs belting. (Well, maybe a little.)

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Born To Run

 

[lazarus]

If I'm road-tripping with someone else, I don't subject them to my top-of-the-lungs belting. (Well, maybe a little.)

(makes note to bring earplugs just in case)

 

[beegee]

I like We Were Dead... by Modest Mouse.

It's not my favorite album of theirs but it's a good one for driving.

 

[lazarus]

Probably not a good one to listen to when you're on a cruise or trans-atlantic sea voyage, though.

 

[financeguy]

Automatic for the People.

 

[beegee]

Probably not a good one to listen to when you're on a cruise or trans-atlantic sea voyage, though.

Exactly.

In that case I'd be listening to The Love Boat theme song.

 

[agentorange]

I think some good driving albums are...

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Doves - Lost Souls
The Cure - Disintegration

 

[lazarus]

I think some good driving albums are...

Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Doves - Lost Souls
The Cure - Disintegration

More like good driving off a CLIFF albums...

 

[bigjohn2441]

Machinehead - Deep Purple

 

[angelordevil]

Unforgettable Fire

Neil Young's Harvest Moon comes to mind for long drives that stretch into the evening. Especially great if the moon is really clear, and if it's harvest time.

 

[martha]

Machinehead - Deep Purple

That's a good one for distance driving.

 

[Mr. V]

It's just gotta be Joshua Tree.

 

[agentorange]

More like good driving off a CLIFF albums...

 

[redhotswami]

most of my roadtrips involve the appalachian mountains, which hold a special place in my heart. so if the roadtrip is during the day, i'll go for some mountainy countryish folk type music, most of it is stuff i listened to when i lived there:

carbon leaf (any album, really)
alison krauss (with or without union station, also with robert plant)
bela fleck & the flecktones
ani difranco
john waite (i know, i know...)
lynn miles

oh and i agree with GAF on Born to Run

if driving at night i usually go for something loud and/or groovy that i can sing along with, just to keep me awake.

 

[cobl04]

I like electronic or post-rock for that sorta thing. You don't need to focus on lyrics, and can just get sucked into the sound and imagery, makes for some beautiful driving moments.

Manners really worked for me in this regard

i vote that gaf wins the thread for his suggestion fantastic driving album