Underrated Albums by Famous Artists
dp
artists known more for other albums.
Examples: "Mean Business" by Van Halen, "Black Rose" by Thin Lizzy
Brett A. Pasternack
Back To The Egg by Paul McCartney and Wings!
M2FN
Songs For The New Depression-Bette Midler- I liked her 1st 3 albums,
including this one, much more than anything else she ever did, except
maybe for "My Mother's Eyes". I particularly mention "Songs...",
because that album seems to be the low point in her career,
emotionally, and by the reviews of the album, however, the album is
nowhere as bad as one might be led to believe. It's really quite an
enjoyable album to listen to. It has disco, French, rhumba, and who
knows what else, and shows off her talent in a wide variety of styles.
m.
andy749
Little Feat - Sailin' Shoes
Runt - The Ballad of Todd Rundgren
Jimi Hendrix - Rainbow Bridge
Spirit - Feedback
M2FN
>Hat Trick - America (actually all their stuff through Hearts is great)
I had several of the America lp's over the years, and last year I
got them on import CD's, including Hat Trick. I had heard very little
of Hat Trick, and hadn't even seen a copy of it since 1975. It is a
good record, even Muskrat Love.
m.
Paul Bailie
David B. Thomas
"Donald Clark Osmond" by Donny Osmond. All his life he had been
recording what other people told him to, but this 1977 album was for
him. It's wonderful... and highly underrated.
Actually I have another one from Donny to submit. His 1998 Christmas
album, "Christmas at Home" is an artistic pinnacle. Again, this is
one that he had been wanting to do, and he did it for himself. As
songwriter Jason Blume says, "It's tough to beat what's real."
I believe Donny was raised to obey rather than lead in the studio, and
most of his albums seem to reflect somebody else's idea of who Donny
is or what he has to say. These two albums were done by an unusually
confident and perhaps slightly rebellious Donny, who felt he had
something of his own to express, and wasn't willing to compromise it.
David
Andreas Grimmig
"M2FN" wrote:
> I had several of the America lp's over the years, and last year I
> got them on import CD's, including Hat Trick. I had heard very little
> of Hat Trick, and hadn't even seen a copy of it since 1975. It is a
> good record, even Muskrat Love.
>
highly underrated.
--
Andreas
- For replies, remove "NOSPAM" -
Lv70smusic
of this, though it's unlikely to happen because it sold so poorly. A couple of
cuts did get airplay in the Detroit area, though, and Cher's and Greg's voices
sounded great together. I think the album came out in 1977 or 1978.
>Subject: Re: Underrated Albums by Famous Artists
>From: "Paul Bailie" paulbaili...@hotmail.com
>Date: 6/20/2002 6:56 AM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <aesmus$9cmfc$1...@ID-112977.news.dfncis.de>
Dan McGuire
Moby Grape - 69
Lou Reed - Live in Italy
Nils Lofgren - first Grin album
Abbedd4
Short Stories-Harry Chapin
Life and Times-Jim Croce
Abbedd
Tim Neely
dp wrote in message ...
>Please give me albums that were great but hardly played on the radio, by
>artists known more for other albums.
>
>
>Examples: "Mean Business" by Van Halen, "Black Rose" by Thin Lizzy
>
it sold a comparatively high number of copies, when was the last time you
heard anything off it on the radio? -- I would choose another album that
came out the same year: "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac.
Quite simply, this is Fleetwood Mac's version of The Beatles' "White Album,"
teeming with great songs, and (especially Lindsey Buckingham) willing to
take chances. The title song may have been the most unlikely lead single by
a major artist in the 1970s -- I could have seen "Tusk" being the *fourth*
single from the album, but the *first*?? At the same time, hearing "Tusk" on
the radio -- it was SO different than anything on "Rumours" -- made me want
to hear the album. It sure seemed to me that, despite all the problems the
album had getting finished, all three composers contributed top-notch
material. And Christine McVie even made a nod to the band's past by using
Peter Green as (uncredited) guitarist on the hauntingly beautiful "Brown
Eyes."
I can't say enough about "Tusk." But because it sold maybe 1/5 the number of
copies that "Rumours" did, and because its best-known song "Sara" is edited
on the U.S. CD version (it first appeared on CD in the mid-1980s, before the
advent of the 80-minute CD, and Warners hasn't bothered to officially
remaster it in all the years since), it doesn't get the attention and
respect that the other Buckingham-Nicks era Fleetwood Mac albums receive.
And it's a damn shame.
Still another great underrated album, and also from 1979 (what was it about
that year that led to underrated albums? did they got lost in the disco
haze?), is "George Harrison" by George Harrison. "Blow Away" appears on
here, as does his "official" version of "Not Guilty," the White Album
outtake, plus "Love Comes to Everyone" and the UK hit "Faster." I love this
album; it was the third Harrison CD I bought, after "Cloud Nine" and the
first Traveling Wilburys CD.
Tim Neely
Goldmine magazine
Jeff Troutman
> and...@webtv.net (andy749) wrote in news:16547-3D11A59B-40@storefull-
> 2318.public.lawson.webtv.net:
>
> >
> > Spirit - Feedback
> >
>
> Perhaps one of the most underrated albums ever.
>
It's often considered a "bogus" Spirit record, because California and
Ferguson weren't involved.
Jeff Troutman
Jeff Troutman
> "Jeff Troutman" <yourhe...@starpower.net> wrote in
> news:af0s9e$7mb$1...@bob.news.rcn.net:
> Andes were at the center of this album. They had all been playing in and
> around Randy for years and continued to for years after. To me , this
album
> was like Genesis' Trick Of The Tail - the only post-Gabriel Genesis album
> that I like. The band was trying harder and it showed. To make up for the
> loss of Jay Ferguson, their signature vocal sound, they had to put some
> great stuff up and they did.
IIRC, the other originals bailed out shortly thereafter, and the Staehelys
toured using the Spirit name. That may have been where the "bogus" charges
stemmed from.
>
> Bogus might be a bad choice. I remember buying the album back in the early
> 70s expecting more Dr. Sardonicus. Initially I was pissed off. After a few
> listens to Mellow Morning and You Came Right On Time, I forgot all about
> the "Jay Ferguson" sound. Jay kinda went downhill after that as well. I
> liked the Joe Walsh Band with Jay singing on "All Alone In The End Zone" ,
> but after that he went more MOR and the magic was gone.
>
Agreed, sadly. Spirit were one of those bands that just never got the
success they deserved. A perennial choice in the "most underrated"
contest.
Jeff Troutman
LRossi3940
Rising - RAINBOW
Wind & Wuthering - GENESIS
Come Taste The Band - DEEP PURPLE
R.E.O. - REO Speedwagon
Secret Treaties - BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
Peace
Pete & Lorna
3 years ago) the sound is still there and they do a great concert
performance, I think the rookie in the touring band has been with them 20
years! I have everything they've released and all the albums have their own
charm. The style did wander a bit in the early eighties most notably on the
album "Perspective" but they got back to their roots and there are lot's of
albums for fans to catch up with.
Silent letter does strike a chord with us. My "All my Life" was a special
dedication at our wedding reception.
Regards,
Pete
Visit the spectrum of our lives at......
http://www.gwi.net/~spectrum/quotes.html
Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see. Moderation seems to be
the key.
"Andreas Grimmig" <scrooge.mc...@t-online.de> wrote in message
news:aet80f$tvt$02$3...@news.t-online.com...
Brett A. Pasternack
> In addition to Brett's choice of "Back to the Egg" by Wings -- even though
> it sold a comparatively high number of copies, when was the last time you
> heard anything off it on the radio? -- I would choose another album that
> came out the same year: "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac.
>
> Quite simply, this is Fleetwood Mac's version of The Beatles' "White Album,"
> teeming with great songs, and (especially Lindsey Buckingham) willing to
> take chances.
Interesting choice. A very apt comparison, as like the Fabs they tried
to capitalize on their success in an artistic way (by getting the
opportunity to do things that most bands seeking commercial success
couldn't) rather than in a financial way.
>The title song may have been the most unlikely lead single by
> a major artist in the 1970s -- I could have seen "Tusk" being the *fourth*
> single from the album, but the *first*?? At the same time, hearing "Tusk" on
> the radio -- it was SO different than anything on "Rumours" -- made me want
> to hear the album.
Right, and I think what Buckingham understood was that it would have
gone nowhere as the fourth single--stations would have just ignored it
as "too weird". But you couldn't ignore the new single by the band whose
last album was such a monster. It's a strategy that's been used a few
times since then (e.g. "The Fly" as the first single from U2's Achtung
Baby) but I think this was the first time. Of course, once the song got
the opportunity through this strategy, people heard it and liked it.
Why in the world do you never hear "Think About Me" on the radio
anymore?
> Still another great underrated album, and also from 1979 (what was it about
> that year that led to underrated albums? did they got lost in the disco
> haze?), is "George Harrison" by George Harrison. "Blow Away" appears on
> here, as does his "official" version of "Not Guilty," the White Album
> outtake, plus "Love Comes to Everyone" and the UK hit "Faster." I love this
> album; it was the third Harrison CD I bought, after "Cloud Nine" and the
> first Traveling Wilburys CD.
Right on.
JGMcLean0
>>Presence - LED ZEPPELIN
>
>I owned this on 8-track when it was current and thought it did have a good
>song or two but I never bothered replacing it on CD.
This album had a great deal of potential that was wasted (in several senses).
The sloppiness of the playing and the excessiveness of the track lengths
worked against the staying power of the album, which had at least three really
good songs within it (about par for Zep albums). They were fully into god mode
at that time, which is a pity; a strong producer might have pulled a classic
out of this muddle.
As it stands, I tend to remember the album more for its packaging than
contents. If I recall correctly, this was the first disc to use the "multiple
covers" gimmick, and also had the paint-with-water inner sleeve.
JGM
Greg Ioannou
"dp" <dphi...@ford.com> wrote in message
news:aerb0u$gr...@eccws12.dearborn.ford.com...
> Please give me albums that were great but hardly played on the radio, by
> artists known more for other albums.
>
>
> Examples: "Mean Business" by Van Halen, "Black Rose" by Thin Lizzy
A couple of sophomore albums that I've always thought were highly
underrated:
Indelibly Stamped, Supertramp
Time and a Word, Yes
A couple by performers I generally like anyway:
Cat Stevens, Catch Bull at Four
10cc (first album)
And a couple of excellent albums by performers I've never been crazy about:
Taproot Manuscript, Neil Diamond (well, most of the "African" side, anyway)
Cucumber Castle, Bee Gees
Greg
andy749
>buying the album back in the early 70s
>expecting more Dr. Sardonicus. Initially I was
>pissed off. After a few listens to Mellow Morning
>and You Came Right On Time, I forgot all about
>the "Jay Ferguson" sound.
I prefer Feedback over Jo Jo Gunne's 1st LP as well. I think they came
out around the same time...('72). Ed Cassidy and John Locke were both
still in the band, along with the Staehely brothers.
Jeff Troutman
>
> "dp" <dphi...@ford.com> wrote in message
> news:aerb0u$gr...@eccws12.dearborn.ford.com...
> > Please give me albums that were great but hardly played on the radio, by
> > artists known more for other albums.
> >
>
>
Good call. The material is certainly an improvement over the debut. I do
think it's hampered a bit by the orchestrations, though. A classic case of
a band's reach exceeding it's grasp.
Jeff Troutman
David B. Thomas
Bare Trees - Fleetwood Mac
David
Corkys3313
Wake Of The Flood - Grateful Dead
Black And Blue - Rolling Stones
Shootout At The Fantasy Factory - Traffic
Shotgun Willie - Willie Nelson
Relayer211
I think he Carpenter's "A Kind of Hush" is underrated.Karen sings so
beautifully on songs like "Can't smile without you","I need to be in love","one
more time"...
To live is to suffer,to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering
-Roberta Flack
I was so much older then,I'm younger then that now -Bob Dylan
"ALVINTCHASE"
mga707
"Down Two Then Left"--Boz Scaggs (1977)
His 'no hit singles' LP that came between "Silk Degrees" and "Middle
Man", but was comparitively overlooked...
Hoges
'Presence' was a great album given the conditions it was recorded
under. Recorded and mixed in 18 days ('Physical Grafitti' took 18
months), Page supposedly did all the guitar overdubs in a single
all-night session and Plant did all his vocals either from a
wheelchair or perched on a stool (he was still recovering from his
August 1975 car crash in Greece).
'In Through The Out Door' is more of a problem. It's the most John
Paul Jones influenced of LZ's albums I think. Page and Bonham were
determined that the next album would be return to full-on hard rock;
unfortunately it never happened.
Hoges
Jim Burgan
> beautifully on songs like "Can't smile without you","I need to be in
love","one
> more time"...
Speaking of the Carpenters, on their LP "Now and Then" they did a montage of
covers, including Fun Fun Fun, A Thousand Eyes, Johnny Angel and many more.
I always loved their versions of these songs. The background music from
these cuts were used in the TV Movie about Karen's life/death, but I liked
the covers at least as well as the originals!
Her (Karen Carpenter's) version of Jambalaya was also supreme!
I think the carpenters were underrated throughout their career!
dmtaurus
multiple octaves at the same time, or something like that. Anyone know
specifically about this?
Jeff Troutman
>
> 'Presence' was a great album given the conditions it was recorded
> under. Recorded and mixed in 18 days ('Physical Grafitti' took 18
> months), Page supposedly did all the guitar overdubs in a single
> all-night session and Plant did all his vocals either from a
> wheelchair or perched on a stool (he was still recovering from his
> August 1975 car crash in Greece).
I think _Presence_ has one of the most underrated Zep tracks ever in
"Achilles' last Stand". Otherwise, it's not up their with their best work.
>
> 'In Through The Out Door' is more of a problem. It's the most John
> Paul Jones influenced of LZ's albums I think.
It is. Jones wrote most of the music, and his keyboards are the dominant
instrument on much of the LP.
>Page and Bonham were
> determined that the next album would be return to full-on hard rock;
> unfortunately it never happened.
>
I like ITTOD quite a bit. It would be my choice for Zep's most underrated
effort.
Jeff Troutman
JGM
news:afdllc$nb2$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
> I think _Presence_ has one of the most underrated Zep tracks ever in
> "Achilles' last Stand". Otherwise, it's not up their with their best
work.
I'd agree, if only it were three or four minutes shorter, and with more
effort put into dynamics. Again, this tune, "Hots On for Nowhere", and
"Nobody's Fault" could have been the core of a classic album side had just a
bit more thought been put into polish and pacing. As it stands it sounds
like a rough mix of a practice session, entirely consistent with the
rough-and-tumble conditions Hoges describes above. However, I don't see the
fact that it was done in a hurry and under strain as an excuse; nobody
*made* them do it that way, I think their judgment as producers had just
evaporated into the haze at that particular time.
JGM
Joe Gillis
=================================================
"I don't mind lying, but I hate inaccuracy." -- Samuel Butler
Eric Holeman
Joe Gillis <cinema...@aol.comedy> wrote:
>This thread has reminded me why I hated the 70s -- and I was there...
So, it seems, were most of us--which makes me wonder: Any readers,
younger ones perhaps, who *didn't* remember/endure the 1970s, and are just
getting into it lately? What's the appeal?
(And no, this is not addressed to those of you who were there but didn't
remember it...)
--
---------------
Eric Holeman eholatenteractcom Chicago Illinois USA
Eric Holeman
Joe Gillis <cinema...@aol.comedy> wrote:
>This thread has reminded me why I hated the 70s -- and I was there...
So, it seems, were most of us--which makes me wonder: Any readers,
Chris
I grew up in the '80s. But I'm old enough to remember hearing the radio
during the late-70s, and remember the older brothers and sisters of my
friends who were very much into the music...it just seemed like something
worth looking forward to.
Then, as I became a teen in '85, I realized that the teen culture was 180
degrees removed from what it was in '79. I couldn't get into a lot of the
stuff they played constantly on Top 40 radio (too much synthesizer, too much
intentional "weirdness" and too corporate). Around '87 I began listening to
old K-Tel records and by graduation in '90 was a full-fledged expert on 70s
music.
I guess my answer to your question, Eric, is that I became a 70s music fan
entirely because I had to grow up in the 80s. And when my daughter is a
teen (she's 4 now), I'll have to explain to her how the 80s just weren't the
way they appear in nostalgia shows (much like I had to hear from my parents
that the 60s weren't entirely as advertised, either).
Eric Holeman <eh...@seebelow.com> wrote in message
news:afjhhh$838$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...