Underrated Albums

RocknRollDave

I know we had an "underrated albums" thread on MR, but I can't see one on here, so let's revive it.

Anthrax - Sound of White Noise
Their first album with John Bush on vocals.
Also worth checking out is the fourth one they did with him, We've Come For You All.
Commercially, getting Joey Belladonna back was a shrewd move. Artistically, IMO, it was a mistake.


Mansun - Six
Thought it was absolute cobblers when I first heard it, now I think it is a work of genius.
Prog in its scope, went way over the heads of most of the Britpop crowd of its day.


Therapy? - Never Apologise, Never Explain
Massively underrated band. Much more to them than just Troublegum.




Your turn!

randomhandclaps

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mike_l

Iron Maiden  -

X Factor/Virtual11

Ok so not their bestest albums ever, but solid songs non the less  

scrumhalf

Odessey & Oracle - The Zombies. The lost psychedelic masterpeice.

ICBM

Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

I had it back in the day, and it seemed much less good than The Wall and dated badly, quickly. Gilmour even said that most of the songs were rejects not considered good enough for The Wall. I gave my copy away at some point.

I got it again a few years ago, and - apart from the last two tracks, which spoil it and you really need to skip/delete - I think it's Roger Waters' greatest songwriting work and one of Pink Floyd's best albums. Now I'm older I understand it and it doesn't seem as dated as it did twenty years ago. It's one of the most powerful and emotive albums ever made in my opinion.

not_the_dj

ICBM said:

Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

I had it back in the day, and it seemed much less good than The Wall and dated badly, quickly. Gilmour even said that most of the songs were rejects not considered good enough for The Wall. I gave my copy away at some point.

I got it again a few years ago, and - apart from the last two tracks, which spoil it and you really need to skip/delete - I think it's Roger Waters' greatest songwriting work and one of Pink Floyd's best albums. Now I'm older I understand it and it doesn't seem as dated as it did twenty years ago. It's one of the most powerful and emotive albums ever made in my opinion.

I need to dig this out again. I've got it but haven't listened to it in years.

octatonic

RocknRollDave said:

Mansun - Six
Thought it was absolute cobblers when I first heard it, now I think it is a work of genius.
Prog in its scope, went way over the heads of most of the Britpop crowd of its day.

A friend of mine did that album art- the illustrator Max Schindler: http://www.maxschindler.com

PolarityMan

Good call on Therapy? theyre massively under-rated.

RocknRollDave

mike_l said:

Iron Maiden  -

X Factor/Virtual11

Ok so not their bestest albums ever, but solid songs non the less  

In my opinion, it is the production that lets these albums down rather than the songwriting.
To be honest, I am as likely to listen to these as I am to the last two Bruce albums before he left (for a bit).

octatonic said:

RocknRollDave said:

Mansun - Six
Thought it was absolute cobblers when I first heard it, now I think it is a work of genius.
Prog in its scope, went way over the heads of most of the Britpop crowd of its day.

A friend of mine did that album art- the illustrator Max Schindler: http://www.maxschindler.com

?! :-O

Colour me impressed!
It's perfect artwork for the album, btw.

mike_l

RocknRollDave said:

mike_l said:

Iron Maiden  -

X Factor/Virtual11

Ok so not their bestest albums ever, but solid songs non the less  

In my opinion, it is the production that lets these albums down rather than the songwriting.
To be honest, I am as likely to listen to these as I am to the last two Bruce albums before he left (for a bit).

Agreed the production isn't as good as their other albums, but the songs aren't the same standard as Hallowed be thy name, The Trooper etc

Reverend

The Chemical Wedding by Bruce Dickinson. Easily one of the best heavy metal albums of the 1990's.

xSkarloey

"Looking for a Day in the Night" by The Lilac Time. 

Stephen Duffy is still remembered by most, if remembered at all, for his 'Tin Tin' phase, but he's an incredibly strong songwriter with plenty more strings to his bow. This is one of his most consistent long players. Reflective lyrics that avoid becoming too maudlin, killer melodies, country/ folk tinged arrangements and a group that genuinely swings. 

richardhomer

'Peace at Last' by The Blue Nile. Never given the same respect as 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' or 'Hats', yet a beautiful record. Happiness, Family Life and Body & Soul are the stand-out songs - but most of it is worth hearing. I am extremely partisan - Paul Buchanan could sing the contents of the phone book for me.....

Rocker

Good call on Eels @Randomhandclaps.

'Hot August Night' by Neil Diamond.  When you strip out the American BS talk to the crowd, you realise that here is a musical jem.

'A Woman's Heart' by various artists.  Played to death on Irish radio twenty years ago, listened to afresh shows this to be a very good album.

randomhandclaps

Rocker said:

'A Woman's Heart' by various artists.  Played to death on Irish radio twenty years ago, listened to afresh shows this to be a very good album.

Not many songs remind me of the good points of my childhood more than Sonny.

Bellycaster

Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet: I don't think there is a bad song on this album and it's been largely forgotten it seems

Sparks material was for the most part "underappreciated" IMO.

randomhandclaps

Portishead - Dummy.  I know this album is really highly rated but that's probably still underrating just how good it is.

viz

Anything by david lee roth. 99% of people dismiss him as a silly egotistical 80s candyfloss hair-rock lipstick pouting spandex crotch-pouch-boy without stopping to recognise what an instinctively and effortlessly natural musician he is, and the players on his records are all up to the task to boot. Listened to A lil ain't Enough this evening, and it's astounding. It's so rhythmical, tight and exciting. It's more rock cabaret than rock.

axisus

Little Angels - Young Gods

Terrible band name, awful cover, but I love this album, it is great kick ass loud Rock. Great songs, a band on top form.

historyisjunk

In the context of bands/people with other more highly regarded records-

Jesus & Mary Chain's Automatic. As I understand it critics think it's a dud compared to previous stuff, it's probably my fave, there isn't a dud track on it.

Neill Young's Re-ac-tor. I'm pretty sure even NY doesn't think much of it & I think Poncho said it was a turkey. Don't like every track, but I think some of it's stunning. I do like monotony though.
Also rather like Neil & The Shocking Pinks Everybody's Rockin' though clearly David Geffen didn't.

Steve Earle's Exit Zero. Usually heavily discounted in record shops & overshadowed by Guitar Town & Copperhead Road, I actually like it better than the latter & I think it's more consistent than the former.

Dr Feelgood As it Happens. I appreciate Stupidity was No1 etc, I just think this is a brilliant live album. Used to be able to get it for about 70p brand new, I think that's about what mine was. On The Job is excellent as well.

Lixarto

"Be Here Now" by Oasis.

It's bloody brilliant, and I think the reprise to "All Around The World" is still playing somewhere.