most underrated album or band ever

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i cant think of anything now....what do ya think

― mart, Saturday, 27 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Most underrated band ever is Royal Trux, they always are portraited as lazy postmodern stoners whilst at least in my head they are obviously the best rockband ever. I'm amazed how gracefully they transcended all their influences. Most underrated album, probably 'Radio Ethiopia' by Patti Smith.

― Omar, Sunday, 28 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

You're so damn right about Royal Trux!!! There are many underrated bands out there, mostly because no one is aware of their existence... Half Japanese are a good example. Still, the palm of victory is due to Go-betweens...

― , Sunday, 28 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Fishbone, Truth and Soul. It's sad what awaits black artists who don't fit the hop hop and R&B pigeonholes. Or I should say *contemporary* R&B, 'cause Fishbone did play R&B, just not the Anita Baker/Bobby Brown kinds that were acceptable at the time. They wouldn't fit too well between Ginuwine and Destiny's Child either.

― Patrick, Sunday, 28 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

"Emergency Third-Rail Power Trip" - Rain Parade "Underwater Moonlight" - Soft Boys "Whitechocolatespaceegg" - Liz Phair "Sextet" - A Certain Ratio "Go 2" - XTC "L.A.M.F" - Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers "Every MAn and Woman is a Star" - Ultramarine

Some albums which are 'supposed' to be crap, but are in fact fantastic :

" Second Coming" "Sandinista" "Rhythm and Stealth" and "Kinda Kinks". I guess "Radio Ethiopia" fits into this category, but sadly I've never heard it. I've always loved "Easter" and even "Wave".

― Dr.C, Sunday, 28 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

With a bit more thought I came up with this. I reckon one of the most underrated albums ever is VU's "Loaded" . For me it's streets ahead of of the first three, especially "Banana" and "White Light..." which I don't really enjoy. On Loaded, I love the way that each track is very different, yet very VU. For me, Doug Yule's vocals are good and provide a nice contrast to Lou. To be even more heretical, decent drumming gives some of these tracks a real kick. Imagine "Head Held High" with useless old Mo flailing away. The double CD with demos and outtakes is fantastic. I've always been a sucker for extra tracks.

― Dr. C, Monday, 29 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Oooh. The Primitives. Oooh.

― JM, Monday, 29 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Sly Fox's "Let's Go All The Way" is quite possibly the most underrated song of the 80's.

And yes, I'm serious.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

1991's - or even 1996's - "criminally underrated" are 2001's "establishment classics", of course. So don't think you will always give the same sort of answers in these sorts of threads; quite the opposite, I suspect.

But, for what it's worth, and taking in my collection only for ease of choice, The Style Council's "Confessions of a Pop Group". Dismiss it as MOR or washed-up pop and you dismiss the most complete and sonically and lyrically rich dissection of the dregs of Thatcherism ever recorded. How often do I need to bang on about it before the world comes to its senses?

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Huggy Bear released some fucking fantastic records in their day, only ruining it by releasing the disapointing 'Weaponry Listens To Love'.

Check out the singles compilation 'Taking the Rough with the Smooch' and the split LP with Bikini Kill: 'Our Troubled Youth' to see what a great band they were.

― Chewshabadoo, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

I always liked Slowdive, but everyone keeps telling me that they're shite.

― Michael Dieter, Thursday, 1 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Slowdive are shite.

― Tanya, Thursday, 1 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

slowdive WERE shite, mojave 3 ARE shite

― cw, Thursday, 1 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Yet again, I am going to have to reply to this question with the answer: Lush's 1994 album, Split. A pop masterpiece if ever there was one. Really. I honestly think this is one of the best records ever made. Or am I just deluded?!

Bill

― Bill, Thursday, 1 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

I have a bit of a soft spot for Slowdive too. I particualarily like their last album 'Pygmalion' which I didn't hear until about two years ago, and it is definitely their strongest album. Very minimal and with loads of space everywhere. It reminds me of La Bradford - but made before they had recorded anything - mixed with the Enoesque side of Warp, but with guitars. Definitely THE shit.

I agree about one thing though: Mojave 3 are really shit.

― Chewshabadoo, Thursday, 1 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

JJ Cale's Troubadour album is underrated...at least I havent heard anyone else say anything about it...a lovely mix of funk, blues, jazz and pop...check it out

― Michael Bourke, Friday, 2 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

the Boo Radleys. brilliant, beautiful tunes. Giant Steps written whilst in their early twenties.

― Ben Doughty, Friday, 16 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

Hell, why not say Radiohead and the Beatles, at least here.

― Jack Redelfs, Wednesday, 21 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago) link

four months pass...

Ken Nordine 'The Best Of Word Jazz, Vol.1' is the most underrated work of pure genius ever.

Beyond that. Most everything else gets it's due (if not much more than it's fair share) in one way or another at some time or another, so.

― michael g. breece, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Gluecifer are the most underrated band ever, because they are the best band ever but no one ever says that they are. Ainigma's Diluvium is the most underrated album ever, because no one has heard it. Fumbling Towards Ecstacy is also very underrated, it's Sarah McLachlan's best album, you know. Sarah McLachlan is very underrated.

― Otis Wheeler, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Did you meet a girl or something, Otis?

― Josh, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I'd like to offer the Straitjacket Fits' _Melt_ in this category, but I'm not sure it's even rated. An unfortunate thing.

Sonic Youth's _Experimental..._ is a damn fine album that trumps everything _Dirty_ tried to do. (And, while I enjoy Lee Ranaldo's contributions once in a while, I like the fact that it's just Kim & Thurston mouthing off.)

― David Raposa, Monday, 2 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

three months pass...

I agree with the mention of 'Radio Ethiopia' by Patti Smith. Under- rated album - umm, a few off the top of my head (i know that u asked for one :oP ) red crayola 'parable of arable land', david peel 'have a marijuana', colosseum 'valentyne suite' . most underrated band is maybe popol vuh (why does it make me a snob to like this band? i think they are brilliant).

oh, and the vampire rodents album 'lullaby land'...

― chris, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Where to start?

Bugskull, for one. Completely ignored blissy/psych indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The whole initial hype around Flying Saucer Attack pissed me off, because Bugskull was doing similar stuff but more playfully -- and was completely overlooked. (And don't get me started on how they pretty much forecasted Modest Mouse, in ways.) Their recent "Distracted Snowflake" releases are classics...

The Gordons.. from NZ. Listen to any early Sonic Youth or Unwound record, then listen to the Gordon's first record and tell me what the difference is, aside from the vocals. (By the way, I adore Unwound and early SY)

Shoeface.. great Pomono punk band. Feat. Bob Durkee, who's practically a San Gabriel Valley, CA rock luminary.. having engineered many a punk band's first demo tape. He's the guy wearing the Angry Samoans shirt on the Nirvana "Bleach" album cover.

Chicken Lips.. overlooked squelchy electronic house music duo.. on the Kingsize record label. Feat. Sir Drew and a guy from Atletico. If you like Daft Punk, certainly trek down the "Git Back" and "Show Beast" 12" singles.

Renegade Soundwave.. I think Ned called them "the Chemical Brothers of the 80s". The 2CD collection is a good place to start, though the quality starts to fade after 1992. But "Kray Twins", "Cocaine Sex", "Biting My Nails".. dear god.. music like that just doesn't get made anymore.

The Poem-cees from DC. Recent hip-hop duo. I'm sure Dan P. will weight in here.

Azalia Snail.. Hypnolovewheel.. Tackhead/Mark Stewart.. Refrigerator.. Riow Arai.. Si Begg/Buckfunk 3000.. Uberzone.. Climax Golden Twins.. Ectogram.. earlier Supreme Dicks.. The Stereo Shoestrings.. Tomoe Shinohara.. etc. etc. etc.

And sorry... Royal Trux are way overrated. (I like the Trux, too)

― Brian MacDonald, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Most bands I like have received their due from the press somewhere, but what springs to mind for me is The Who. Not because they weren't critically recognized, I just happen to like them more than the Beatles & The Stones. Oddly, even the Kinks are mentioned more now in crit. circles, but The Who top them all in my book. I even like most of the 70s stuff, & Townshend's first two solo LPs.

― Mark, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

ROC>

ROC! Underrated to fuck, and it pisses me off.

― DavidM, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Idaho are a grrreat extremely underrated band but I can't make any claims for most underrated band ever.

― Damian, Saturday, 6 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Cripes, even I can't listen to Jet Set. I thought it was generally agreed that that was the album we pretend never happened.

I think you were joking, Otis, but was Sarah McLachlan as big worldwide as she was in Canada? It was physically impossible to avoid Fumbling Towards Ecstasy for about three years. I remember a period where any party would have a section where every girl in the room would sing along to the entire album. I don't think I've ever tried so hard to like an album and failed so totally. I think I still know every word. It was not possible for the album to be underrated, however much one likes it.

I of course think Evol is the underrated Sonic Youth album since it's among the ten or so albums that I consider the greatest ever depending on my mood and it never gets the same press as Bloody Daydream Bloody Nation, not even as much press as Sister.

Led Zeppelin III contains their tightest, liveliest rockers and sweetest folk ballads and the devastating "Since I've Been Loving You" and is for some reason widely regarded as their worst album, in favour of the monstrously self-parodic second album.

Goodie Mob's Still Standing is my favourite slice of flowing minimalist pop genius of the 90s but never gets its due.

― sundar subramanian, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

The Walking Seeds, Nico, Billy Idol

― dave q, Sunday, 7 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

four months pass...

Giant Sand. I have always had a weakness for oddballs and outsiders like Robert Wyatt, Captain Beefheart, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, Alex Chilton etc. But Howe Gelb is definitely the gratest of all unknown rock musicians. He lives music. If you like Velvet Undergound, Neil Young and some free-style (punk, jazz etc.) interludes this band is for you. They never released a bad album and they have done already more than thirty including side projects. Their music has always been growing on me. What more can you ask from music?

― alex in mainhattan, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

four years pass...

i once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ?

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:12 (eighteen years ago) link

i once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ??

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:13 (eighteen years ago) link

you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ??

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:13 (eighteen years ago) link

you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but i cant prove that - can you ??

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:13 (eighteen years ago) link

you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but i cant prove that - can we ??

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:13 (eighteen years ago) link

you once never heard of a sound from, from, but i cant prove that - can they ??

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:15 (eighteen years ago) link

i once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ?i once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ??you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but you cant prove that - can you ??you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but i cant prove that - can you ??you once never heard of a sound from balachapen, but i cant prove that - can we ??

all this from 'chi' to 'ence'

are you with me on this ?

― chience, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:16 (eighteen years ago) link

but-but-but this thread was tailor-made for me!

band: Duran Duran. definitely.
(their) most underrated album: Big Thing (especially side 2).

― Max Blazevic (kitaj), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:29 (eighteen years ago) link

Come on, people. The most underrated band is obviously The Glands. They made two records, Double Thriller in 1996 and The Glands in 2000. Both are classic, especially the self-titled record, which has at least six songs that should have been hits.

Yet they wallow in obscurity.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 23:19 (eighteen years ago) link

I've always considered Starz very underrated.

― Dave Bush (davebush), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 23:44 (eighteen years ago) link

MEAT PUPPETS I is the most underrated album of all time.

― Lee is Free (Lee is Free), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 23:49 (eighteen years ago) link

Paul Revere & The Raiders are pretty underrated.

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Thursday, 4 May 2006 00:01 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm going suggest the Cramps. As much for their attitude and aesthetic as the records. Everyone talks about how the Ramones brought rock back to simple two-minute songs, but the Cramps looked back further, started out with even more ruidmentary skills, and learned on the job more impressively. In discarding the bass and recording in mono, they embraced lo-fi before just about anyone. They revived whole careers (especially Hasil Adkins), and were major inspirations for the psych and rockabilly revivals that culminated in the success of the White Stripes. They planted the seeds for a lot of county and lounge-inspired stuff that's happend in the last decade. More than any other band, they inspired hipsters to not dismiss any genre out of hand as uncool. Every decade and every scene has it's wildness. They themselves get dismissed too often as a novelty band. They've put out subpar material, but a copy of "Off The Bone" or "Bad Music" should be in every collection.

― bendy (bendy), Thursday, 4 May 2006 19:00 (eighteen years ago) link

bands:
- swell (most psychedelic band ever in my book. see 41)
- the wipers (my post-punk fave. see youth of america)

albums:
- year after year by idaho.

- miss america by mary margaret o'hara

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Thursday, 4 May 2006 19:13 (eighteen years ago) link

most underrated?

gotta go with GREEN

chicago-based power-pop/punk/soul band

the big star of their day ... 'cept they haven't been rediscovered yet.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Thursday, 4 May 2006 19:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Experimental Jetset OTM

― Aaron A, Thursday, 4 May 2006 20:44 (eighteen years ago) link

The Swedish pop band The Merrymakers, and their "No Sleep Til Famous" album. Even most Swedes I talk to have never heard of them.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:12 (eighteen years ago) link

Better Luck by the Plugz

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:53 (eighteen years ago) link

yeah, exp jet set. still hated on

― mono tony, Friday, 5 May 2006 01:05 (eighteen years ago) link

Mansun
The Silent Type
The Moments
The Undisputed Truth
U-Roy
Fatboy Slim's Palookaville LP

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 5 May 2006 02:29 (eighteen years ago) link

After my unsuccessful attempts at hyping him here, I'm convinced that Paulinho Da Viola is the most underrated samba artist, at least to U.S. crowds.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Friday, 5 May 2006 02:42 (eighteen years ago) link

More than any other band, they inspired hipsters to not dismiss any genre out of hand as uncool.

The Cramps certainly weren't underrated in the mid-80's, but I think their unfortunate recorded legacy in the years since has caused people to forget them. I think this observation is quite accurate.
They crossed many subcultural lines back then.

For my own nominations, I'd say Tiny Lights or 17 Pygmies for bands, and maybe F/i. For albums I'd say History Of Unheard Music's Drop It! and maybe Doc Wor Mirran's box set. Both of those last two were on RRRecords, fwiw.

― sleeve (sleeve), Friday, 5 May 2006 02:57 (eighteen years ago) link

Ten Years After and The Kinks, both amazing.

― Erock Lazron, Friday, 5 May 2006 04:39 (eighteen years ago) link

I listened to EJSTNS for the first time in probably 7 years recently and was actually pretty amazed and how it well it holds together! Now that I'm not as dazzled by all of SY's extended instrumental stuff, the collection of short catchy tunes with weird guitar harmonies and sick noise seems to really work.

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 5 May 2006 04:46 (eighteen years ago) link

not MOST, but "the golden age" by bobby conn

― mono tony, Friday, 5 May 2006 05:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Fatboy Slim's Palookaville LP

Not most underrated by any means, but this is indeed an underrated electronica album from an era in which electronica albums seemingly have to be very good to be taken notice of.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 5 May 2006 07:40 (eighteen years ago) link

that band called brad who had something to do with pearl jam except they played soulful r'n'b-inspired rock. their album "shame" was one of the best records to come out of the grunge era and managed to shake off any of the teenage cloying of that style. severely underrated as it was seen as a pearl jam side project.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 5 May 2006 09:20 (eighteen years ago) link

Wait a minute, wait a minute . . the Cramps' 'unfortunate recorded legacy'? "Big Beat from Badsville" is the only one I wouldn't try to defend right now, and even then, it probably deserves another spin. Every record they've ever released has its share of great moments.

― Soukesian, Friday, 5 May 2006 16:45 (eighteen years ago) link

one year passes...

Perhaps it's because i'm not situated withing the borders of the u.s's attic, but i'm of the sole opinion that Sloan and the Odds are the most obscure of my favorite recording (or used-to-be-recording in when referring the Odds) artists. I admire their work to an almost shameful (if i could feel shame) degree.

― violoncellos, Monday, 7 May 2007 03:56 (seventeen years ago) link

never attempt composition while holding a squiggling feline.

― violoncellos, Monday, 7 May 2007 03:59 (seventeen years ago) link

The Nice

― Sundar, Monday, 7 May 2007 04:00 (seventeen years ago) link

And Clark-Hutchinson, judging by the tracks Pandora has played me.

― Sundar, Monday, 7 May 2007 04:02 (seventeen years ago) link

the who and the kinks underrated? great, great bands, but come on.

― Charlie Howard, Monday, 7 May 2007 04:30 (seventeen years ago) link

along the lines of Royal Trux, Red Red Meat is the most underrated. Also Grifters because of the disfigurehead and kingdom of jones eps and all their singles. Most of the Grifters singles have two different mixes. One w/ the sound being more gritty or distorted. I prefer those.

― CaptainLorax, Monday, 7 May 2007 05:52 (seventeen years ago) link

i think a grifter posted here, once?

― pretzel walrus, Monday, 7 May 2007 06:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Geza-X - You Goddamn Kids

― shieldforyoureyes, Monday, 7 May 2007 07:05 (seventeen years ago) link

This band and this album:
http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s106966.jpg

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 7 May 2007 10:52 (seventeen years ago) link

Quicksand(NYC) and Supercar(Jpn)

― j-rock, Monday, 7 May 2007 11:43 (seventeen years ago) link

you won't see me is probably my least favourite song on rubber soul

― Charlie Howard, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:20 (seventeen years ago) link

its immaterial's LIFE'S HARD AND THEN YOU DIE.

in 1986 that wasn't a common phrase, i think perhaps tehy may have invented but no matter.

if you like 77-84 era TALKING HEADS and say PREFAB SPROUT i can't see why you wouldn't like it.

"...hey mister, have you got any good peanuts for sale?"

― pisces, Monday, 7 May 2007 14:14 (seventeen years ago) link

A lot of genre pieces don't get enough props due to their easy marginalisation. Twee-indie bollocks especially.

― Mister Craig, Monday, 7 May 2007 14:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Not EVER, but I always thought The Mendoza Line were criminally underappreciated.

― Manalishi, Monday, 7 May 2007 15:01 (seventeen years ago) link

nine months pass...

The Kinks, mainly these two albums:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ad/KinksPreservation1.jpg/200px-KinksPreservation1.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/KinksPreservation2.jpg/200px-KinksPreservation2.jpg

― our work is never over, Monday, 11 February 2008 05:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I have to go listen to these now...

― our work is never over, Monday, 11 February 2008 05:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Manalishi rip