10 sonically best rock recordings ?

Slawney unfortunately most here are not alternative rock listeners, some comments on your selections as they pertain to CD versions, my vinyl/Linn Lp12 days ended in 1991 but I had some of those in vinyl.

First the Big Star Cds are real let down, bright lean recordings, I had the #1 record/radio city CD but had to sell it because of poor recording quality, unfortunate.

Cocteau Twins and 4AD label in general had great vinyl, but CDs are hit and miss, for album "Head over Heels" opening track "mama was moth" has huge soundstage and explosive bass percussions, and "angelhood" rocks like no other CT track. Best sound for CT in CD line is "victorialand"
worst is "bluebell knoll" especially first 3 tracks. One of the best vinyl records I had was 4AD artist This Mortal Coil's 1st album, CD is nowhere near the same sound quality unfortunately, but still good.

I received a CDR of Metallica "The Black Album" This CDR BLOWS away the already great Elektra CD.Pure analog was the source for the CDR of course.Maybe the producer of the CDR could add more??

Megasam, I keep my turntable set-up going largely to play recordings like the ones on my two lists (and also musique concrete, avante-garde classical and free jazz). This is challenging music to track down and find on vinyl nowadays but well worth it: CDs of 80s recordings that were released simultaneous with the vinyl tend to be low quality, esp with independent labels. I fully agree with your remarks about the Big Star CD (the eary one omitted some songs from "#1 Record" by the way). Although the Ace Records remasters of Big Star are bright and a little veiled, they are leagues ahead of the CDs. I also agree with the remarks about CT. What is This Mortal Coil's first album titled?

Slawney,"This Mortal Coil" was a collection of many 4AD recording artists jamming with each other, including members
of Cocteau Twins,Dead Can Dance,Wolggang Press,Cindy Talk
,ColorBox and others. There are three TMC albums, the first and best one called "It Will End in Tears" is the one I was refering to above, 12 tracks beautiful music.

Dave not too surprising (but unfortunate) that home made CDR from vinyl original is better than retail CD. It is also quite simple to record your own cassette tapes at home for car use, as I do that "blow away" any retail cassette version.

Some of my favorites include:

"Songs for a Blue Guitar" Red House Painters
"What's Next to the Moon" Mark Kozelek (singer from RHPs, covering Bon Scott era AC/DC acoustic)
"Arches & Aisles" The Spinanes
"Agaetis Byrjun" Sigur Ros; ethereal sounds from Iceland