Words get in the way: your favourite instrumentals

[Trollheart]

Sometimes you just want the singer to go take a smoke break and let the music do the talking. Post your favourite instrumental tracks, any genre.

First off and I have to tip my hat to an all-time classic, Fleetwood Mac's unmistakable "Albatross". Released in 1969 - over fifty years ago now, can you believe it? I was only six! - it crops up on just about every instrumental compilation album with names like "Relaxation", "Moods", "Chill" or any variation of such. It's a lovely, relaxing piece, led by John McVie's almost heartbeat bass, Mick Fleetwood's cymbals that seem to sigh like waves, and Al Green's guitar work, starting mid-range and later going into the higher scales. The perfect piece to kick back to and let it all wash over you.

Another one I really like is from one of the Alan Parsons Project's early albums, I, Robot. It's a great little piece that also crops up on Vangelis' The City, under a different title, but here it's called "Genesis Ch 1 V32", whihc presents something of a mystery to me, but you don't care about that. Both tunes though do engender a great feeling of drama and majesty.

This one, I have to admit, took me so by surprise when I first heard it, as I had no idea it was an Eagles number. You'll recognise it probably as the theme music to the old BBC sci-fi TV show The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but it's actually called "Journey of the Sorcerer" and is from the Eagles' album One of These Nights. Great banjo from Bernie Leadon and some truly exceptional keyboard with powerful drums. Great music, but I can only ever seen Arthur Dent in space when I hear it!

[SGR]

Okay, I'll take the low hanging fruit for lack of something better to think of off the top of my head at the moment. No 'Best Instrumentals' thread would be complete without this one:

[Trollheart]

Love this one!

"Chi Mai (The Life and Times of David Lloyd George)" - Ennio someone

[Oriphiel]

[Guybrush]

I like quite a bit of instrumental music, but here are a couple.. that I may already have posted elsewhere.

The title track on Return to Forever's No Mystery has been a regular in my rotation the last 15-20 years or so. I adore it 🙂 and prefer it over the similarly acoustic Romantic Warrior title track which I'm sure has many more listeners.

I'm sure I posted this before too, but whatever. On an album full of great songs and moments (We Like It Here), I've found myself returning to this one as I just live the groove, riff and energy of this one 🙂