Underated albums

[Sir Rob]

I actually think Pet Sounds is extremely over-rated.. everyone says how amazing it is all the time (the general public doesn't know anything, by the way; ask a random person on the street what band did Exile on Main Street, for example, I doubt they'd be able to tell you).. I think my Amazon.com review sums up my ideas on it:

Many people call this one of the greatest albums in the world, but I think that's only because they read that one issue of Rolling Stone. Pet Sounds is not my favorite album ever, it's not even my favorite Beach Boys album (Friends and Wild Honey are my faves), but I love it nonetheless. Not for the production, not because it was ahead of its time. None of that nonsense. Pet Sounds, to me, represents the summers when I would drift off to sleep listening to it and staring at the ocean on the horizon outside my window. When I would feel exceptionally lonely and just listen to "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" again and again and again. When I would listen to the lyrics of That's Not Me and try my hardest to imagine would he could be talking about. When I would complain about this punk/ska-type CD my sister would listen to... until their cover of Sloop John B came on, and we would be singing along together, and vice/versa for when I was listening to Pet Sounds. When me and my (then) new girlfriend decided "Wouldn't It Be Nice" would be our song.

This album was not any sort of monumental listen for me in terms of sound quality or harmony between instruments or anything like that. Pet Sounds was the soundtrack to my life.

For an album you consider over-rated that's a pretty favourable review.  If it means so much to you, if you listened to it over and over, gazing at the sea etc.  that would indicate to me that there is something pretty great about the content of the record itself.

[Campion Bond]

Not only is New Adventures in Hi-fi underrated I also think REM's last one 'Around the Sun' was unfairly reviewed when it was released. I think it's a fine album.
I think most of REM's output since 'Automatic for the people' has been a little overlooked, especially the ones released after Bill Berry left. I think they are all great albums, with New Adventures the pick of the bunch for me.

[cta]

Underated:

REM's "Monster" rocked.  Crunchy, loud - pure Peter Buck in his Spector wall-of-sound phase.
Ocean Colour Scene - Mosely Shoals - very 60's influenced
CSNY - 4 Way Street
Seal - IV
Police - Synchronicity (everyone likes "Ghost" and "Zmm bada" or whatever it's called)
RHCP - By The Way

Overrated:

Anything by The Eagles, Dave Matthews & Jimmy Buffett
Nirvana - Nevermind (more of a statement and indicator than an album - In Utero was 100x a better album)
Anything by Sting (minus Blue Turtles)
RHCP - Californication

[Aegir]

I actually think Pet Sounds is extremely over-rated.. everyone says how amazing it is all the time (the general public doesn't know anything, by the way; ask a random person on the street what band did Exile on Main Street, for example, I doubt they'd be able to tell you).. I think my Amazon.com review sums up my ideas on it:

Many people call this one of the greatest albums in the world, but I think that's only because they read that one issue of Rolling Stone. Pet Sounds is not my favorite album ever, it's not even my favorite Beach Boys album (Friends and Wild Honey are my faves), but I love it nonetheless. Not for the production, not because it was ahead of its time. None of that nonsense. Pet Sounds, to me, represents the summers when I would drift off to sleep listening to it and staring at the ocean on the horizon outside my window. When I would feel exceptionally lonely and just listen to "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" again and again and again. When I would listen to the lyrics of That's Not Me and try my hardest to imagine would he could be talking about. When I would complain about this punk/ska-type CD my sister would listen to... until their cover of Sloop John B came on, and we would be singing along together, and vice/versa for when I was listening to Pet Sounds. When me and my (then) new girlfriend decided "Wouldn't It Be Nice" would be our song.

This album was not any sort of monumental listen for me in terms of sound quality or harmony between instruments or anything like that. Pet Sounds was the soundtrack to my life.

For an album you consider over-rated that's a pretty favourable review.  If it means so much to you, if you listened to it over and over, gazing at the sea etc.  that would indicate to me that there is something pretty great about the content of the record itself.

It's just an emotional memory connection thing, you know? Pet Sounds, Revolver, Californication, and a compilation called "Pure Funk" were the only CDs I had at one point, and while at my beach house I would listen to Pet Sounds the most because I figured it made sense because it was by the Beach Boys. If anyone only have four CDs, I'm pretty sure they're going to have warm memories attached to at least one of them. I mean, sure Pet Sounds is good, but not good enough to be the second-best album of all time! As stated in the review, I don't even consider it the second-best Beach Boys album.

[Crow]

Overrated
Anything by REM
Most things by Radiohead

Underrated
Goats Head Soup
Reprise Sinatra

[cta]

Overrated
Anything by REM
Most things by Radiohead

You've got that right about Radio head!  I've listened to Kid A and OK Computer a few times...just couldn't see the big hoo-haa about it. 

Pablo Honey is good if you want to stab yourself in the neck with a No. 2 pencil.   Only cool thing on it is the guitars.

Only thing I've ever liked from them is "High And Dry" on The Bends.

[Chris D.]

REM's "Monster" rocked.  Crunchy, loud - pure Peter Buck in his Spector wall-of-sound phase.

Yeah.  And I wouldn't call Nevermind underrated, but I don't think it's overrated anymore, either.  Most fans love slamming it, but it's the funniest album.  It's stupid to put it down to praise In Utero.  They're both great for different reasons.

[mark goddard]

Symphony or Damn by Terence Trent D'Arby is underrated

[Mitchell]

weezer - weezer (2001) aka The Green Album

Chris D. will prove this, someday.

[Chris D.]

Hell yeah, great album.

[Chance]

Symphony or Damn by Terence Trent D'Arby is underrated

D'Arby came to my mind, too. I've only heard the first two albums, the first is excellent, the second pretty good. He looked like he was going to have a pretty significant impact on the decade, but then he kind of just faded away.
And I'll add my voice to the chorus for Goat's Head Soup. Where's the problem there? First time I heard it, I thought, "I must be missing something, this is really good."

[b.dfzo]

Neil Young, "Silver And Gold".  Vastly underrated.

[Jason]

Ermmmm, The Beach Boys Love You? Smiley Smile? Summer In Paradise (kidding)?

[Billy Bob 1984]

Underrated:

One Year/Ennismore by Colin Blunstone
-I never see much about these solo efforts, but they are utterly jaw-dropping fantastic.  Blunstone's voice is in great form.  He's writing some great songs and the production by White/Argent is very tasteful.  Zombies fans should not overlook these releases.

Distant Shores by Chad & Jeremy
-A soft pop gem that is all too often ignored in favor of Wilson and Boettcher.  I love this group, but even I consider this album to be their peak.

Tim Hardin 1/Tim Hardin 2
-Again, these two records are mentioned so little (perhaps because they are out of print?) but are so fantastic.  Tim's songwriting is crisp, concise, and profound.  The songs that have been covered by other artists ("Reason to Believe," "If I Were a Carpenter) are here in superior versions.  And there are many others ("Lady Came From Baltimore," "How Can We Hang On to a Dream") that are unbelievable.  I love these records.

Pot Luck With Elvis
-This one seems to be overshadowed by Elvis is Back!, and I'm not sure I disagree with that.  But this record has some gems of its own to be discovered.  "Kiss Me Quick" is one of his all time great opening performances and "Suspicion" rocks harder than the Hitchcock film of the same name, but everything here is of a similarly high caliber.

Celebrations for a Grey Day/Reflections in a Crystal Wind by Richard & Mimi Farina
-If everyone who loves Dylan got turned on to these released, my world would be infinitely happier.  Farina's approach to folk songwriting is unique, and as a consequence he avoids the Dylan imitation pitfall (well, most of the time ) that hurt many in this same time period.  But with songs like "Reno Nevada," "Hard-Loving Loser," "House Un-American Blues Activity Dream," and "Pack Up Your Sorrows," coupled with Mimi and Richard's wonderful vocal blend, these are landmark releases.

Bleecker and MacDougal by Fred Neil.
-The Voice.  This guy's lower than lower than low voice would be enough.  But that makes the songwriting and guitar playing all the more special.  "Other Side of this Life," "Little Bit of Rain," "Handful of Gimme," " Blues on the Ceiling" - holy hell.  For this brief recorded moment in the 60s, Neil was equal to Dylan.  Maybe better.

Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!
-An essential purchase for the fan of the Chairman's Capital era.  Though not as highly regarded as Songs for Swingin' Lovers! and A Swingin' Affair!, it is every bit as essential.  Frank hits and swings as hard as ever here.  And the renditions of the Cole Porter songs are amazing.

[JRauch]

"...I also think REM's last one 'Around the Sun' was unfairly reviewed when it was released. I think it's a fine album."


I don´t want to turn this into a R.E.M.-thread, but...

I actually think it´s one of their best, maybe even THE best. Because it´s probably their most cohesive record. There´s not one filler on it or a track that doesn´t fit. Even "Automatic" had it´s "Ignoreland". And I have the feeling that the lyrics are the best Michael has ever written. I mean...

It´s easy to dismiss the "what´s it all about"-crowd /
there is no doubt, it´s this, here, now...

[Jeff Mason]

(sits back, waits for Ian to wake up on the West Coast, waits for inevitable Elvis picture post)

[JRauch]

Me too, brother. Me too. 

[OLD GREGG]

"...I also think REM's last one 'Around the Sun' was unfairly reviewed when it was released. I think it's a fine album."


I don´t want to turn this into a R.E.M.-thread, but...

I actually think it´s one of their best, maybe even THE best. Because it´s probably their most cohesive record. There´s not one filler on it or a track that doesn´t fit. Even "Automatic" had it´s "Ignoreland". And I have the feeling that the lyrics are the best Michael has ever written. I mean...

It´s easy to dismiss the "what´s it all about"-crowd /
there is no doubt, it´s this, here, now...

I really disagree with you here, I think the albums not bad exactly but their best? I have serious reservations about that statement, I think the album is non-offensive soft rock for the most part, there is little to no of the spark that I associate with REM, I really like about half of it, the half that seems like it's following on from Reveal, but the other half is pretty hard to stomach for me. It's really bland and repetitive, Aftermath is one of the worst songs they've done I think. There just seems to be a conscious effort to go back to more Automatic For the People type music, when they really should have just gone on with their journey, they were doing great, Up and Reveal are two of my favourite albums, theyre exciting, hypnotic and brilliant examples of ambient pop music, Around the Sun sounds like REM imitating REM, which is always a bad idea. The album sounds forced I guess, it's the first time I've really disliked his voice and delivery of the material, there are some really great tracks on there though, I love Electron Blue which sounds like a Reveal outtake, The Ascent of Man is good too, so is the last track, but there's a hell of a lot of filler or I dont care music in there too. It was unfairly held up as some sign of their down fall in popular music, which I seriously doubt it is, it's simply not up to their standards, it's not an incredibly bad album or anything, it's very pleasant and the fact that you like it so much means that theyre still connecting with people, just not me this time. I have high hopes for whatever they do next, I just hope theyll continue to be as daring as they were on Reveal and Up.

[Chris D.]

Isn't most REM inoffensive soft rock?

I actually think it´s one of their best, maybe even THE best. Because it´s probably their most cohesive record. There´s not one filler on it or a track that doesn´t fit. Even "Automatic" had it´s "Ignoreland". And I have the feeling that the lyrics are the best Michael has ever written. I mean...

"Ignoreland" is cool.  "Nightswimming" needs to go.

[JRauch]

You know, after the first few listens I would have totally agreed with you, Bugul. Boring, every song sounds the same etc. But then it grew on me. Not fast, but big (insert stupid joke). Yes, it´s probably not THE best. But it has far to many great moments to be considered bad in any form:

The mindblowing guitar-line in "The Outsiders", the "Dylan vs. Kraftwerk"-sound of "Final Straw". The lyrics of "Make It All Ok", nailing the confussion of a relationship. The pure joy of "Wanderlust". The pop-perfection of the chorus of "Leaving New York". The organ-solo and the YEAHS! in "Ascent Of Man"...

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. Like they say: To each their own.

[JRauch]

"Ignoreland is cool."

Totally agree. It just doesn´t fit on the album.


"Isn't most REM inoffensive soft rock?"

Have you ever heard "New Adventures In Hi-Fi"? Or "Monster"? Or "Document"?

[OLD GREGG]

I get your point, I probably over emphasized when I was talking, I don't dislike the album, not in the least, and the tracks you mentioned I love, I love the chorus in Ascent of Man, it's brilliant. It may grow on me further, I hope it does, I guess I loved Up and Reveal so much that it was just kind of a let down by default.

I don't think all REM is inoffensive soft rock, because of what else is in with that admittedly over simplified statement, Monster is a good example, I think theres a hell of a lot of passion and energy in both Michael Stipe's performances and in the production and work of the band. The difference between REM and inoffensive soft rock is Michael Stipe and the quality of their material, which I think has been fairly consistent over the years of being of a very high quality. Up is anything but soft rock methinks, its a loving mesh of ambient soundscapes and extremely angsted vocal delivery. I just didnt get that same passion from Around the Sun.

[no]

Blind Melon -- "Soup"

Oingo Boingo -- "Only A Lad"

Anything by Laura Nyro.

Patti Smith Group -- "Radio Ethiopia"

Any Allen Toussaint-related material.

Steely Dan -- "Gaucho"

Down -- "NOLA"

Bob Dylan -- "Street Legal" and "Planet Waves"

David Ackles.

Shaq -- "Shaq Fu: Da Return"

The Grifters -- "Crappin' You Negative"

Magazine -- "Real Life"

[Chris D.]

"Ignoreland is cool."

Totally agree. It just doesn´t fit on the album.

What about "Drive"?  They're both about Bush.

"Isn't most REM inoffensive soft rock?"

Have you ever heard "New Adventures In Hi-Fi"? Or "Monster"? Or "Document"?

That's just three albums, and yes I have heard all of them.  But a lot of their stuff is soft and since Mumbles isn't always easy to understand and his lyrics aren't always linear/straight forward then it's hard to be offended by his political statements.  You don't always get them.  I'm not knocking REM, but I think it's like bitching about a new acoustic Dylan track because it's acoustic.  REM has a lot to listen for, but I don't know why you'd really go to them to hear hard rock.  That's all I'm saying.

And Life's Rich Pageant is a lot more fierce than Document.  I used the production on Document to spay my dog.

I don't think all REM is inoffensive soft rock

I don't either, but a lot of it is.  Nothing wrong with that.

Steely Dan -- "Gaucho"

I have to agree here.  Conceptually it goes really far for them.  Not their best songs, but maybe their best package.

[Sheriff John Stone]

One shame about The Soft Parade is that Easy Ride closes side one when that spot really should have gone to the Wishful Sinful b-side Who Scared You. Who Scared You should have been on the album and Easy Ride should have been the b-side.

Good observation, Music Machine. But why couldn't BOTH songs exist on the album? I like "Who Scared You" AFTER "Easy Ride". Lyrically and musically, it fits; would've made a great closing song for Side A.

What do you think about a newly remastered EXPANDED Soft Parade CD, including "Who Scared You" placed right after "Easy Ride" and before "Wild Child", with liner notes and comments from Ray, Robby, and John?