the Music Tapes! I think this is the coolest, most creative band in the world! Julian Koster is a genius, providing amazing work on Aeroplane Over the Sea and is all over the best E6 material
Love Music Tapes. And one of the most unique live performers you can ever see. the concerts are more of an interactive performance art than a regular old show.
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I'd like to recommend 41, by Swell (1994). And if you like it, try their other LPs, Too Many Days Without Thinking first. It's indie rock, but with acoustic guitars as well, a tinge of slowcore and post-SF psych (not totally dissimilar to Mazzy Star in that aspect), and a great exhausted singer.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds self-titled debut is the only album I can think of on my chart that is underrated. I understand that people on this site are not fond of Oasis, but Noel Gallagher's new direction in music is a wise one and he's much more capable and creative when he's on his own. It is probably the most important album in his career since (What's the Story) Morning Glory, oh yeah! I went there. _________________
Hey, I listened to this album. Thanks! It was great stuff with a cool psychedelic 60s vibe to it. It didn't sound like the 90s. Directly on my year chart, let's see where it goes from there.
Here's an underrated album from my chart:
When the Deer Wore Blue - Figurines
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Also in the psychedelic end of the spectrum. Great 60s baroque pop inspired indie-rock (don't know how exactly to label it). It ranges from great fun to deeper melancholic tunes. It's my favourite Danish album. Well, that one or Kashmir's The Good Life (check this one out instead if you're a big OK Computer-fan). I've already managed to get an_outlaw, gussteivi and ~SMiLE~ on the When the Deer Wore Blue-wagon. Check it out! _________________ "The Beatles, the greatest band known to mankind." - Bismah Mughal
Hey, I listened to this album. Thanks! It was great stuff with a cool psychedelic 60s vibe to it. It didn't sound like the 90s. Directly on my year chart, let's see where it goes from there.
Here are some albums from my chart that are currently outside the Top 2,000 (though not all of them, just a handful that I'd particularly like to shed some light upon). I wouldn't really regard some of these albums as particularly underrated by fans of their respective genres, but they're certainly underrated - or underheard - on this site. Anyway, here goes:
Gregory Isaacs - More Gregory (1981; overall rank #5,400; on my chart #5)
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More Gregory is a collection of lush lovers rock and roots reggae by one of my favourite singers of all-time in any genre. The songs are uniformly catchy and accessible, but it's the way Isaacs' silken voice glides over the full, heavy, but essentially clean production that really does it for me here. The rhythm section stands out with remarkable clarity throughout the album, which is testament to both the players and the producer, whilst compositionally this contains many of Isaacs' finest works.
Blu & Exile - Below The Heavens (2007; overall rank #2,639; on my chart #8 )
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I'll never understand why Kendrick has succeeded commercially whilst this album failed. A Dr. Dre co-sign probably. Anyway, this is just great West Coast hip-hop that straddles the line between introspective backpack rap and joyous party hip-hop brilliantly. Exile's soulful, sunny beats are the perfect foil for Blu's complex flow patterns and wise-beyond-his-years lyrics, and his humble everyman persona gives him a relatability that many other rappers lack, even amongst the amongst the impressive boasts and braggadocio that are staples of the genre.
Roc Marciano - Reloaded (2012; overall rank #6,854; on my chart #23)
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lethalnezzle wrote:
There isn't anybody in hip-hop (or any other genre, for that matter) who puts words together like Roc Marciano. And the production is surprisingly experimental - I don't remember a hip-hop album on which the drums were less prominent than they are here. Anyone who dismisses Roc Marciano as a Mobb Deep knockoff or '90's throwback is missing the point and just being plain lazy in their judgement. This is a cold record, but so vivid - and whilst people have lauded Kendrick's album for being so 'cohesive', I genuinely think this album is even more so. It's just amazingly crafted. Even better than his impeccable debut album. One of rap's most distinctive voices, and a fully fledged artist to boot. They are becoming rare in hip-hop, so cherish Roc Marci whilst he's here.
Harald Grosskopf - Synthesist (1980; overall rank #7,792; on my chart #24)
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German synth experimentation. Lush, ambient, beautiful. It's just completely and utterly otherworldly. I don't really have any other reference points for this album, although it's not unlike a much more serene Giorgio Moroder. I'm sure there must be other stuff that sounds like this somewhere, but I've always thought it pretty unique.
Theo Parrish - Parallel Dimensions (2000; overall rank #6,797; on my chart #28 )
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Jazzy deep house. Theo Parrish isn't one of these "throw the kitchen sink at it and see what sticks" type producers. He lovingly crafts slow-burning, hypnotic workouts of pure groove that build gradually into something all encompassing. It's not very often that electronic music producers manage to create music that sounds this effortless organic. He's unafraid of repetition, and you will be too after hearing this album.
Culture - Two Sevens Clash (1977; overall rank #2,136; on my chart #30)
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Roots reggae group produced by one the all-time greats, Joe Gibbs. Lovely vocal harmonies sing of apocalyptic prophecies and the tenets of the Rastafari religion (as a side note, the term "Rastafarianism" is considered offensive and derogatory by Rastafarians who hate the suffix "ism" and see it as being representative of corrupt, deceiving Babylon) over bouncing keyboard-laden tracks that positively shimmer with joy, even in the midst of such heavy lyrical subject matter. Catchy and totally infectious.
Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man (1971; overall rank #6,895; on my chart #40)
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The definitive Scott-Heron album. It's made up of mellow jazz-funk, courtesy of Brian Jackson, with Scott-Heron waxing lyrical on a number of worthy subjects. To be honest, the best summing up of the album I've seen comes courtesy of Sputnikmusic's Nick Butler, who wrote "think a Curtis that replaces an orchestra with a chamber band, or a What's Going On that replaces head-in-the-clouds wistfulness with earthy indignation, or a There's A Riot Goin' On without the drugs".
Steel Pulse - Handsworth Revolution (1978; overall rank #7,592; on my chart #46)
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More reggae now, but this time from my home city of Birmingham as opposed to JA, and to my mind the greatest British reggae album ever by a considerable margin. It mainly deals in anger and indignation aimed at social injustices, and does so to complex (by reggae standards) tunes with a poppy sheen that is not dissimilar to that found on the post-Tosh and Livingstone Wailers albums, though far superior and pulled off with aplomb.
Augustus Pablo - East of the River Nile (1977; overall rank #7,854; on my chart #55)
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Yet more reggae (which is a somewhat depressing reminder of how lowly the genre is thought on this website), though this time in the form of melodica-led instrumentals with occasional dub production techniques thrown in for good measure, and to keep things interesting (not that it needs anything more to keep it interesting). I just love the sound of his melodica floating above these heavyweight tracks.
Tortoise - Tortoise (1994; overall rank #7,895; on my chart #57)
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It's the two albums that followed this (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, and TNT) which tend to garner most of the praise for Tortoise, but I think this album is too often unfairly overlooked. It's lovably haphazard at times and, despite the band's clear ability and the deliberateness of it all, sounds as though it's held together with string and could fall into pieces at any moment. It's jazzy and hypnotic and tense and just downright beautiful, and it keeps me on my toes. I love it.
Vic Godard & Subway Sect - What's The Matter Boy? (1980; overall rank #12,258; on my chart #63)
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Twee, sincere, somewhat lo-fi new wave. It's got a real British bohemian feel. It takes its cues from the likes of The Kinks, and it's fun and carefree. It's just really nice indie pop.
UGK - Super Tight (1994; overall rank #10,899; on my chart #69)
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Funkier and more assured than their debut Too Hard To Swallow, and warmer and funner than their follow-up to this Ridin' Dirty, Super Tight is my favourite UGK record. This was the record on which Pimp C really started to come into his own production-wise, and his Southernplayalistic, trunk-rattling funk really complements both rappers' styles. Incidentally, they also complement each other perfectly, with Bun B's booming voice and natural flow working as great counterpoint for Pimp C's strung-out, nasally drawl. I see this album as a Southern equivalent to The Chronic, and I don't understand why it isn't regarded as highly.
Gang Starr - Daily Operation (1992; overall rank #7,418; on my chart # 73)
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Just a really great example of gritty, early '90s East Coast boom bap. Primo is one of the best beatsmiths of all time, and the rugged loop-based instrumentals on Daily Operation are arguably his greatest collection of beats on any one album. It also helps that Guru is at the top of his game throughout the album, touching on a number of topics intelligently in his inimitable measured style.
Donald Byrd - Fancy Free (1969; overall rank #14,845; on my chart #79)
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This isn't groundbreaking or anything, it's just beautiful fusion with roots in hard bop. This album is all about the lovely electric piano that is high in the mix throughout, and gives the whole thing a gorgeous tone and texture. This is one of my favourite albums to play on a sunny day, and it maintains a light, airy feel from start to finish that is just so pleasant to my ears.
John Talabot - ฦin (2012; overall rank #5,659; on my chart #83)
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lethalnezzle wrote:
It's house music, Jim, but not as we know it. Whereas Theo Parrish's greatest work has often been an experiment in minimalist looping, and Frankie Knuckles can be accused of aiming straight for the gut with his hard-hitting, dancefloor-ready drum machine workouts, John Talabot is all about getting disparate elements pulling in whichever direction he wants the music to take you. Drenched in reverb virtually from start to finish, ฦin is a beautifully produced lesson in how to layer sounds and ideas together until everything is perfect. From the gorgeous, organic opener 'Depak Ine' through to the woozy, hi-hat driven closer 'So Will Be Now', Talabot offers a fascinating glimpse at the potential house music has in 2012, and adds to the short list of truly indispensable albums the oft-derided genre has provided in its' lifetime.
Half Japanese - Charmed Life (1988; overall rank #15,431; on my chart #84)
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One of the more recent additions to my chart, and an album I've been playing a lot recently. It's pretty straight ahead punk and indie rock, but it's sincere and fun and really good at what it does.
Baths - Cerulean (2010; overall rank #2,502; on my chart #85)
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Cerulean is a great pop record filtered through the sounds of the L.A. beat scene. It's glitchy and woozy and the drums are often a bit off, but instead of the electronic jazz of FlyLo or the leftfield hip-hop of someone like Nosaj Thing, Baths uses these familiar techniques to craft something completely accessible. I always expect to see this in more charts, especially amongst the Pitchfork kids (and I don't mean that in a totally derogatory way) on the site; seems like something that would really appeal to them.
Clipse - Lord Willin' (2002; overall rank #4,045; on my chart #86)
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I once saw a blogger sum up the critical reaction to the Clipse very well indeed. He mentioned the fact that this album was widely ignored in the mainstream music media upon its release, despite being amazing, and that because of the guilt many journalists felt about missing out on such a gem they overcompensated and subsequently overlauded the follow-up to this, Hell Hath No Fury, upon its release in 2006. I think that's totally correct. Both albums are great, but Lord Willin' is far superior to their second, and the group's finest work. It also happens to be The Neptunes' finest work. The beats sparkle thanks to Pharrell and Chad's effortless ability to craft poppy beats that sound familiar upon first listen, and Pusha T and the artist formerly known as Malice's cocaine raps are the coldest the duo ever laid down. When they rapped about street life, you believed them. This album should get so much more love.
Jehst - The Dragon of an Ordinary Family (2011; overall rank #15,514; on my chart #91)
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My favourite UK hip-hop albums of all-time (you may see The Streets and Dizzee Rascal higher on my chart and question that statement, but neither of those albums are hip-hop, rather UK garage and grime respectively), though I urge everyone who hasn't already to check out everything by Roots Manuva and Skinnyman's Council Estate of Mind too, which are essentials in an oft overlooked (though admittedly pretty barren) field. The beats are all great, if of a somewhat formalist bent, but it's his rapping that really sets this album apart; he's wordy, intelligent, distinctly British, and he can ride a hip-hop beat as well as anybody who ever came from these isles (except Slick Rick, if we're counting him).
Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear (1978; overall rank #2,648; on my chart #92)
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The sound of a man at the end of his tether, and yet still capable of making incredible music. Whereas What's Going On concerned itself with some of the wider issues in life, Here, My Dear is painfully personal. The lyrics are totally scathing, and a courageously unsubtle attempt to tell the story of his recent divorce, for which his disdain is palpable throughout. But it's the way that they are set against a backdrop of very pleasant soft disco and funk that make this album what it is. This album fucking hurts, but in the best way possible.
Blind Willie McTell - Last Session (1962; overall rank #16,324; on my chart #94)
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Recorded in 1956, but not released until six years later, this recording is widely thought to be the last Willie ever made. He may have lost some of the urgency of his earlier recordings, but his guitar playing throughout this is light, bright and nimble, and the recording itself is so intimate that you feel as though you're there in the room with him. His voice holds up, and often soars, and this is my favourite blues album of all-time. It's just a shame that he never got the chance to record again.
Scientist - Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires (1981; overall rank #8,655; on my chart #95)
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Currently the only dub album on my chart, and therefore my favourite obviously. The bass is heavy, the drums have a real spring in their step, and the whole album is just playful and full of energy. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone trying to get into the genre.
Quelle Chris - Shotgun & Sleek Rifle (2011; overall rank #16,160; on my chart #96)
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Lo-fi hip-hop courtesy of one of the most interesting artists in rap today. I can't say it any better than the opening paragraph of Francisco McCurry's review of the album on the brilliant Potholes In My Blog: "There is no denying Iโm a sucker for the type of rap Shotgun & Sleek Rifle encompasses. That smoked out unhinged punk-hop grounded on obscure loops and dusty drums that provide more of a pulse than a knock. Murky decapitated funk oozes out of songs, as guitar riffs flail comfortably next to forgotten soul tracks that are looped up with little to no sample chop or mix-down. Inside of this intoxicating mess is Quelle Chris spittinโ fly rhymes that seem to summon the ghost of Cappadonna circa '96. This is the type of rap music that caters to its own neglected soul: broke, dreaming big, with vice in one hand and solutions to the worldโs problems in the other, all while drunk and confident as Obama on the campaign trial."
Ganger - Hammock Style (1998; overall rank #13,727; on my chart #99)
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Another pretty recent addition to my chart, and at the rate it keeps improving to my ears upon repeated listening it could well find itself significantly further up pretty soon. It's Glaswegian post-rock, not dissimilar to Tortoise's aforementioned debut. The melodies all come from the basslines, which slink wonderfully over jazzy drums and rocking rhythmic guitars that lend some muscle to the band's sound. This has been my go-to album for the first thing I listen to upon waking up recently, and it just puts me in a good mood for the day ahead. Highly recommended.
Anyway, I hope somebody finds something they like amongst that lot. I'm going to back through everything else mentioned in the thread, and I'll offer my thoughts at a later date.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds self-titled debut is the only album I can think of on my chart that is underrated. I understand that people on this site are not fond of Oasis, but Noel Gallagher's new direction in music is a wise one and he's much more capable and creative when he's on his own.
Agree with this, its a great album.
I'd like to recommend The Charlatans' Us and Us Only. When it was released, I bought it the day it came out and couldn't wait to listen to it. I was disappointed when I heard it as I was expecting Tellin' Stories part 2, and this was so different. A dark moody sounding album without the instantly catchy singles that the previous album had that tapped into the britpop generation . After a few listens though I realised that it was far better, the sound of a band that had come of age. They never made an album in the same style as this again which is a shame.
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