Underrated Albums

[Johnny Cage]

We have already established the topic of Overrated albums, now lets try the opposite.

Two that come to mind for me:

Amnesiac by Radiohead

Really, it's by no means an absolute masterpiece, but something does need to be said about Radiohead's post-Kid A album. Many people anticipated it being in the same vein of the looped drums and haunting vocals of Kid A and even went as far as dubbing it the Kid B. I think on the contrary the album shows its own uniqueness and originality, much like its beloved predecessor. The album featured songs likePyramid Song, showcasing some of Yorke's best lyrics, also I Might Be Wrong which is usually very entertaining live, and even its opener Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box which is rarely played live and when it is, it its much more jazzed up and more of a hip tune.

Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd

When most people hear Pink Floyd there are usually only a few words that fall out of their mouths. Usually they are, "Whoa, The Wall, man, 'nuff said" or something like "Dark Side, dude, Dark Side." Well, for working class heroes like myself, Atom Heart Mother and a few other Floyd albums all fell into their very mysterious "landscape-laden" catalog. Albums like Meddle, and Obscured by Clouds also fall into this. 'Mother was responsible for leading up to Floyd's claim-to-fame Dark Side album. But listening on its own, 'Mother is an enjoyment of its own. A long collection of streaming songs and just something that can provoke incredible daydreams if permitted.
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This ain't no holiday, but it always turns out this way.

[Mr.Music]

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Ice Cream For Crow(1982)
Lick My Decals Off, Baby!(1970)
Shiny Beast(Bat Chain Puller)(1978
Doc at Radar Station(1980)

Possibly the greatest rock musician of all times, and certainly one of the most original and influential geniuses of the 20th century.His style blends Delta blues, free-jazz, avantgarde and rock and roll.If the rest of rock music put its heart into music, Van Vliet put his mind into it, but not the rational mind, rather the instinctive and primordial one. His music is complex, at the same time it can be childish and playfull.

Tim Buckley - Starsailor/ Lorca(1970, 1970)

Buckley was more interested in mirroring the emotions of the soul than in emphasizing a melody. Buckley changed the very idea of what a folk or rock song is supposed to be.He turned the voice into an instrument.

Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance/ Dub Housing(1978, 1978)

Pere Ubu were the most original and important of the new wave bands. A truly experimental rock group.

The Sound - Jeopardy/From the Lions Mouth/ All Fall Down(1980, 1981, 1982)

The Sound might be the most unfairly ignored post-punk band, both in their time and currently. With their unique sound they didnt fit into any of the synth pop/new wave/new romantic stuff that was popular at that time.

Suicide - Suicide(1977)

A band that still amazes me, truly experimental electronic, proto-punk band. Their shows were often very violent and they were probably the only band thats lived on the edge.So ahead of their time that deprived of the traditional guitar, bass & drums set up, audiences could just not relate to them and frequently translated this into violence, attacking the band and their instruments.



My respect to other great bands that have pushed the limits and havent got that attention that they really diserve - Red Crayola, Vampire Rodents,
Robert Wyatt, Faust and so on....

[bc1991]

Super Furry Animals:
Guerrilla (1999)
Mwng (2000)
Rings Around The World (2001)
Phantom Power (2004)
Love Kraft (2005)
Super Furry Animals are unable to make a bad album, they are just amazing, playing any kind of genre available. Their influences are everywhere (specially the Beach Boys, The Velvet Underground and the Beatles), is like some kind of collage of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Husker Du:
Zen Arcade (1984)
New Day Raising (1985)
Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)
Husker Du were capable of doing some real heavy hard core stuff, but also some very catchy melodic songs too. Before Nirvana were the Pixies, before the Pixies were Husker Du.

[So_MucH_Critics]

I can't believe this site existed and I didn't even know about it!!! This is great! My life revolves around ranking albums like a total geek!

Anyway, that's way off subject but this is my first post on a a website forum that I hope to continue enjoying for a long time....

Since they're a British band, I'm sure they are more popular than they were here in the U.S., but I find that Supergrass is a highly underrated group. Their last album, Road to Rouen, was not a classic or anything, but their first three albums are unbelievable!!! Their music is radio friendly, but at the same time incredibly creative and original!
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[Mr. Shankly]

Summer Teeth by Wilco is really good and not rated highly enough.
Piper at the Gates of Dawn-[The Best] Pink Floyd [album].
Aquemini by Outkast

Also, does anyone have Oddessy and Oracle by the Zombies on their Best ever list?

[The_111th_Beatle]

Infidels - Bob Dylan
Not a classic and maybe it wouldn't be in most people's top ten Dylan albums but its still a really good album without a single bad song IMO. Jokerman and I and I are particularly good and would stand out on most of his other albums I think. I think it gets overshadowed by his other work and doesn't get much acclaim because it was released in what is considered a bad patch for Dylan. If a less known singer-songwriter had made this album it would be very well thought of.

Band on the Run - Paul McCartney & Wings
Even Lennon called this a great record which should tell anyone just how good it is. The title track and Jet are two stand out tracks and there are few flaws in the rest of the album. It contains lots of nice touches like repeating the title track's refrain in the final track and the great Lennon-esque Let Me Roll it. Its one of my favourite albums but it rarely makes it into any magazine's best album lists.
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"Its so easy to laugh, its so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind"

[dave74]

Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill is recognised as a great album, but everyone overlooks the BEST of her albums 'Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'.

[bc1991]

Mike Patton:

One of the most talented artists and gifted voices in rock history. Mostly known as the main singer of Faith No More, but his achievements go beyond that group.
Patton's voice can performance airy falsetto passages, rapping, death metal grunts, Medieval-style chanting, screeches; as well as beatboxing and a variety of authentic-sounding vocal emulations of flowing water, a train, a computer voice, or other items.
His talent can be mainly reflected on Mr. Bungle, in which their music often cycled through several genres within the course of a single song.

He has recorded several significant records with different artists:

Faith No More - Angel Dust (1991)
Mr. Bungle - California (1999)
Fantômas - Suspended Animation (2005)
Tomahawk - Anonymous (2007)

[Duane Cummings]

I realise that some of these blogs will be about older albums. However, Paul Oakenfold's album (2003/4) Bunkka is really good. Have a listen. For many it will be worth it.

[The_111th_Beatle]

On the subject of more recent underated albums Colm Lynch's A Whisper in a Riot is really good singer-songwriter stuff. Easily as good as anything from Damien Rice or other Irish artists who've garnered a lot of attention lately.
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"Its so easy to laugh, its so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind"