Which albums are overated / underrated?

[The Film Director]

Cheers 

Charles Sharr Murray from the NME

Just thank your lucky stars it wasn't Paul Morley, I suppose. 

[The Film Director]

plus Wild Eyed boy from Freecloud and Letter to Hermione

... and Memory of a Free Festival.

[tesla]

... and Memory of a Free Festival.

forgot that one, sold all my records years ago so don't have the album cover to look at as a reminder

[Kool Keef]

I can't say they're underrated because they are held in pretty good regard, but I want to raise the flag for Creedence Clearwater Revival for the volume of quality records they put out in a short time - six LPs in three years with three released in one year (I bet that's down to shitty contractual obligations but that's another story). So many good songs of their own and complemented with a fine selection of takes on older songs. I saw John Fogerty at Glastonbury one year and I was amazed at how many great songs he had in the bank.

And I'm not counting Mardi Gras in this.

Great band, John Fogerty has one of the all time great rock voices, their cover of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' is fantastic imo

[The Film Director]

forgot that one, sold all my records years ago so don't have the album cover to look at as a reminder

There's always that new-fangled inter-web thingy.

[WARSZAWA16]

There's always that new-fangled inter-web thingy.

That will never catch on. 

[NIK]

Great band, John Fogerty has one of the all time great rock voices, their cover of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' is fantastic imo

CCR were one of the great bands and incredibly productive. Three albums in 1969 alone, and six between mid 68 and the end of 70. It takes modern bands about 7/8 years to do that. I once read that they were up to that time the most successful American band in terms of record & concert sales, yet they seem to have been somewhat forgotten. You can't imagine a simple rockabilly song like Bad Moon Rising even getting in the charts today, never mind getting to no 1 as it did in the UK in 69.

Of course John Fogerty was in effect CCR. It was originally his older brother Tommy's band, and his taking the leadership went on to cause friction with Tommy leaving the band before their final album which was released in 1972. This was their weakest as Fogerty had allowed the other two to contribute some material.
His subsequent solo career developed in fits and starts and he only released sporadic albums, in contrast to his very prolific output under the CCR banner. Apparently he had serious management and business problems for some years. In addition to being their frontman and songwriter he was also CCR's manager.
If anyone likes CCR and hasn't heard Fogerty's solo material  I would recommend it, as you would expect it doesn't really sound any different. He was always rooted in rock n roll and r n b. There aren't that many solo albums. I have three and I think he only recorded four or five. There is also a brilliant live cd and dvd from a few years ago.

[tesla]

There's always that new-fangled inter-web thingy.

that's cheating, but here is Mick at his best  External Link/Members Only

[The Film Director]

that's cheating, but here is Mick at his best  External Link/Members Only

Yep, phenomenal clip, I'd never seen it before.  Funnily enough, if someone asked me for my top 20 Bowie songs (just don't  ) I'm not even sure Moonage Daydream would be in there!  I always remember the version on the David Live album, where Earl Slick goes completely OTT with the solo (I liked it at the time!), whereas Ronson's solo is, of course, perfectly judged and more in keeping with the concept of the song. 

 

[tesla]

Yep, phenomenal clip, I'd never seen it before.  Funnily enough, if someone asked me for my top 20 Bowie songs (just don't  ) I'm not even sure Moonage Daydream would be in there!  I always remember the version on the David Live album, where Earl Slick goes completely OTT with the solo (I liked it at the time!), whereas Ronson's solo is, of course, perfectly judged and more in keeping with the concept of the song. 

 

It's my favourite Bowie  track closely followed by Width of a Circle, both have awesome Ronson solos,  External Link/Members Only

[NIK]

Mick Ronson was actually the first proper concert I ever went to, indeed the first two concerts. I’d missed Bowie in 73 -  too young and couldn’t afford it, so I saw the next best thing, which was Ronson the following year. I then saw him again the year after that, this time with Ian Hunter, who like Bowie, was a better frontman than Ronson, although Mick was a truly fabulous guitarist & very talented musician.
I have never been a big concert goer and it was a few years before my next one. Which I believe was the Darts in about 78.
Don’t think I bothered at all during the 80’s.
I have actually been to more gigs as an oldie than I did as a youngster.
Maybe trying to make up for what I’d missed out on.
Guess it was the same with prossies, as I didn’t have much sex in my twenties so tried to make up for it when I reached my mid thirties. 

[The Film Director]

this time with Ian Hunter

Yep, that's the only time I saw him live too, with the short-lived Hunter-Ronson band - produced a great single Saturday Gig.    - although checking now I see this was officially by Mott the Hoople (with Ronson in the band).

Mott The Hoople were a top band, as well, of course.

[tesla]

Yep, that's the only time I saw him live too, with the short-lived Hunter-Ronson band - produced a great single Saturday Gig.    - although checking now I see this was officially by Mott the Hoople (with Ronson in the band).

Mott The Hoople were a top band, as well, of course.

I saw Bowie with the Spiders three times and Ronson twice when he was pushed out on his own by Tony DeFreis who was his and Bowie's manager

[The Film Director]

I saw Bowie with the Spiders three times and Ronson twice when he was pushed out on his own by Tony DeFreis who was his and Bowie's manager

 

[smiths]

I agree about Ronson and Bowie treated his Spiders quite shabbily and left them high and dry while he moved on to his next big thing. What that showed me was his naked ambition and how ruthless and single minded he was, well he continued to be a renowned musician until and indeed after his death though I cant say I rated his last album at all. So it worked for him, but for me how you treat your friends is important in life.

Bowie had lots of previous for leaving groups right from the beginning of his career, if they didn't adapt to what he felt was best he was off, no sentiment or loyalty in his pursuit of fame. The other thing here was he was asking traditional working blokes to wear womens make-up on occasion, they thought he was off his rocker and a right weirdo.

[Londonpunter30]

Underrated albums

Fully Qualified Survivor by Michael Chapman.  Electric guitar is by Ronson and think a few of the other spiders are on there too.  John Peels favourite album from I think 71.  Good blend of folk and rock

[badsin]

I listen to them quite a bit. I think people wrote them off as a joke band, but they are actually really good musically and play tight.

Also for obvious reasons they've never been on Top of the Pops which back then was the difference between a Top 40 song and a Top 10.

Sold Rock City out a couple of years ago.
Most folks don't get the irony, however I like the gritty unforgiving humour,  hilarious.
Personnel favourite: Buenos Aires, 1982

[Ali Katt]

Sold Rock City out a couple of years ago.
Most folks don't get the irony, however I like the gritty unforgiving humour,  hilarious.
Personnel favourite: Buenos Aires, 1982

A bit like bands like The Wildhearts, Mudhoney, Therapy?, L7, Peter and the Test Tube Babies (also heavy on irony, but not as musically gifted IMO) - they're a cult band with a steady fanbase and made a name for themselves by touring constantly in the 80s.

I think my favourite is Lady Muck, but everything is gold.

[ulstersubbie]

Iggy Pop (Zombie Birdhouse 1982).

Largely criticized at the time, this album has its moments and could be described as a noble failure. Never going to reach the heights of The Idiot or Lust For Life, still worth a listen though.

[The Film Director]

Iggy Pop (Zombie Birdhouse 1982).

Largely criticized at the time, this album has its moments and could be described as a noble failure. Never going to reach the heights of The Idiot or Lust For Life, still worth a listen though.

On the subject of the Ig, 1993's American Caesar is also a decent album.

[boardyhell]

always enjoyed aqualung by jethro tull
definitely not a run of the mill album
ian anderson i think

[NIK]

always enjoyed aqualung by jethro tull
definitely not a run of the mill album
ian anderson i think

One of my first purchases when I was originally discovering rock music as an excited teenager. Bought it maybe 3 years after its original release.

[winkywanky]

Spitting out pieces of his broken luck.

A lot of us can really empathise with that 

[dubs]

Spitting out pieces of his broken luck.

A lot of us can really empathise with that 

Its a shame there's no reviews of cross-eyed mary.  She must be good value if she "helps the poor man get along"

[The Film Director]

LAMF - Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.

Underrated by me and now re-evaluated.  It's a sort of post-New York Dolls/early Stones with a punk tinge.

Contender for perfect sub-3 minute song, One Track Mind

External Link/Members Only

The guitar break is not quite Romeo and the Lonely Girl - Thin Lizzy, but still....

[The Film Director]

Jane Moore, Sun journalist on TV this morning with a big pic of Bowie and Aladdin Sane behind her.   

[winkywanky]

Big fake tits too. I wonder if she got a discount, working for The Sun? 

[Gustav Klimt]

Underrated albums

Fully Qualified Survivor by Michael Chapman.  Electric guitar is by Ronson and think a few of the other spiders are on there too.  John Peels favourite album from I think 71.  Good blend of folk and rock

Absolutely agree, in fact I think all 4 of those albums he recorded on the Harvest label are underrated. Still touring & recording. Seen him live loads of times, most recently last year.

[Londonpunter30]

Absolutely agree, in fact I think all 4 of those albums he recorded on the Harvest label are underrated. Still touring & recording. Seen him live loads of times, most recently last year.

I’m slowly working on getting all his albums.  Agree the Harvest ones are amazing and are career highlights.

I’ve seen him live a few times too, hopefully he can get back out on the road again when this is over

[NIK]

Another overrated artist is Van Morrison. A darling of the critics and someone you think you should like, and to be fair I do like a lot of his material, but there is a good deal I can't stand. Usually when he starts those long rambling numbers, which are only long because of his annoying and very repetitive vocal excursions. Much of Astral Weeks is like this. And his version of Georgia on My Mind, a great song which you think he would do well, is rubbish as he has to 'murder' it.

[NIK]

Another 'singer' I can't stand is Janis Joplin. She has to shriek and squawk and murder every single song she 'sings'. Even when she begins well and controlled, and when she does this she is a decent singer, she has to go on to shriek and wail like a banshee before the end. I think it's supposed to be 'soul' but to me it's just a tortuous racket.

[ulstersubbie]

Another overrated artist is Van Morrison.

Agree on this, I do find a lot of his material mediocre, but as you say the critics love him!

[PatrickCarnes]

Underrated Prince album - Parade. Some avant garde funk on there.

[BILLY LIAR]

Mick Ronson was actually the first proper concert I ever went to, indeed the first two concerts. I’d missed Bowie in 73 -  too young and couldn’t afford it, so I saw the next best thing, which was Ronson the following year. I then saw him again the year after that, this time with Ian Hunter, who like Bowie, was a better frontman than Ronson, although Mick was a truly fabulous guitarist & very talented musician.

Mick Ronson's last creative endeavour before the big C took him, was producing Morrissey's 1992 opus Your Arsenal. On Seasick, Yet Still Docked, side 2, track 3, Mick has an uncredited cameo playing backing guitar using an EBow, which has the most beautiful ethereal quality.

The following track I know It's Gonna Happen Someday was covered by David Bowie & featured on 1993s Black Tie White Noise." It's me doing Morrissey, Morrissey doing me".  Said songs coda held a resemblance to Rock 'n' Roll Suicide. When this was brought up during the production of Your Arsenal, Mick informed all he had come up with the music for R 'n' R S, even though the song is credited solely to DB. " Talent borrows, genius steals"

[The Film Director]

Another 'singer' I can't stand is Janis Joplin. She has to shriek and squawk and murder every single song she 'sings'. Even when she begins well and controlled, and when she does this she is a decent singer, she has to go on to shriek and wail like a banshee before the end. I think it's supposed to be 'soul' but to me it's just a tortuous racket.

Near sacrilege that - though I admit she does have a very 'distinctive' voice 

At her best, great though.

External Link/Members Only

[winkywanky]

Mick Ronson's last creative endeavour before the big C took him, was producing Morrissey's 1992 opus Your Arsenal. On Seasick, Yet Still Docked, side 2, track 3, Mick has an uncredited cameo playing backing guitar using an EBow, which has the most beautiful ethereal quality.

The following track I know It's Gonna Happen Someday was covered by David Bowie & featured on 1993s Black Tie White Noise." It's me doing Morrissey, Morrissey doing me".  Said songs coda held a resemblance to Rock 'n' Roll Suicide. When this was brought up during the production of Your Arsenal, Mick informed all he had come up with the music for R 'n' R S, even though the song is credited solely to DB. " Talent borrows, genius steals"

I have that album, I like it a lot. I was well aware that Ronson produced but I'm gonna dig it out and check out that track. Cheers  .

And true what you say about Ronson never getting all the credit he deserved, be that morally or financially. Such, such a talented guy.

[NIK]

Underrated Prince album - Parade. Some avant garde funk on there.

Prince is like Van Morrison for me in that I like some of his stuff and can't stand some of it. (It's actually the avant garde funky stuff I don't like!) He was very talented and truly eclectic, hence my mixed feelings about his work. I think in a way he was too prolific and the quality control wasn't always there, with some songs being mere throwaways (Paul Weller can be like that too).
I had a few Prince albums but, as even within one album there were songs I liked and songs I hated - I felt like this about the compilations too - in the end I made my own Prince compilation. 

[BILLY LIAR]

I have that album, I like it a lot. I was well aware that Ronson produced but I'm gonna dig it out and check out that track. Cheers  .

Mick Ronson's playing is very much hidden in the mix & weaves in & out but comes to the fore as the track  reaches a crescendo.

[smiths]

Another 'singer' I can't stand is Janis Joplin. She has to shriek and squawk and murder every single song she 'sings'. Even when she begins well and controlled, and when she does this she is a decent singer, she has to go on to shriek and wail like a banshee before the end. I think it's supposed to be 'soul' but to me it's just a tortuous racket.

Yes Joplin is awful, I feel the same about a lot of Dylans stuff, a truly dreadful voice and a lot worse as he has got older to my ears. Great songwriter, bad voice. I stuck on some of his albums recently from the late-60s into the 70s and all the same for me, a horrible nasal racket though I do like some individual songs.

[Malvolio]

Prince is like Van Morrison for me in that I like some of his stuff and can't stand some of it. (It's actually the avant garde funky stuff I don't like!) He was very talented and truly eclectic, hence my mixed feelings about his work. I think in a way he was too prolific and the quality control wasn't always there, with some songs being mere throwaways (Paul Weller can be like that too).
I had a few Prince albums but, as even within one album there were songs I liked and songs I hated - I felt like this about the compilations too - in the end I made my own Prince compilation. 

I like all three of the artists you mention, but I think they suffered from being their own bosses and not having anyone to tell them they could do a better take, or needed to rewrite parts of the song before recording it, inevitably leading to a lack of quality control.  This is why I think the music from the great groups is better than the music from the great solo artists.

[FLYING BLUE]

Tubular Bells - very overated IMHO

Side one is good at first but then closes with 10 minutes of a single repeated phrase & some arse telling you it's a "Mandolin" or a "Pipe Organ"

Side 2 is easily forgettable......

[The Film Director]

Marc Riley on 6 Music played Firth of Fifth by Genesis from Selling England By The Pound last night ...... and then felt the need to 'profusely' apologise afterwards. 

[FLYING BLUE]

Marc Riley on 6 Music played Firth of Fifth by Genesis from Selling England By The Pound last night ...... and then felt the need to 'profusely' apologise afterwards. 

Oh dear, and I really like that album.......

[The Film Director]

Oh dear, and I really like that album.......

Obviously most of his listeners are probably not Genesis fans .... though I would still defend Supper's Ready as their greatest song.

[winkywanky]

Obviously most of his listeners are probably not Genesis fans .... though I would still defend Supper's Ready as their greatest song.

A bit fucking stupid, insulting your listeners 

If you don't like it and think your listeners don't, just don't play it 

[NIK]

A bit fucking stupid, insulting your listeners 

If you don't like it and think your listeners don't, just don't play it 

Most of the presenters on Radio 6 sound like pricks, but then with the odd exceptions, such as Johnny Walker, Ken Bruce,  Bob Harris, or Tony Blackburn (who I used to loathe but now unaccountably quite like  ) they do on all stations.
And even Bruce plays mainly shit music!

[winkywanky]

Most of the presenters on Radio 6 sound like pricks, but then with the odd exceptions, such as Johnny Walker, Ken Bruce,  Bob Harris, or Tony Blackburn (who I used to loathe but now unaccountably quite like  ) they do on all stations.
And even Bruce plays mainly shit music!

I shall have to give R6 a try.

Blimey, Johnnie Walker's still going? He always sounded like a genuine moso to me, I have no idea whether he plays an instrument but he sounds like an 'insider'.

Bob Harris, bit of a legend.

Tony Blackburn...well he's one of those guys who comes across as smarmy, but really knows his stuff and is completely and genuinely a nice guy. A bit like Bob Monkhouse used to be. I can't imagine how old Blackburn must be now, it must be not far off 80yrs old. He was at R1 the day it started in 1967 (I think).

[NIK]

I shall have to give R6 a try.

Blimey, Johnnie Walker's still going? He always sounded like a genuine moso to me, I have no idea whether he plays an instrument but he sounds like an 'insider'.

Bob Harris, bit of a legend.

Tony Blackburn...well he's one of those guys who comes across as smarmy, but really knows his stuff and is completely and genuinely a nice guy. A bit like Bob Monkhouse used to be. I can't imagine how old Blackburn must be now, it must be not far off 80yrs old. He was at R1 the day it started in 1967 (I think).

JW has been presenting an excellent Sounds of The Seventies programme on Sunday afternoons for years. And he also used to do a rock programme once a week in the evenings until quite recently.

Forgot to add Paul Gambo also knows his music.

Significantly, I reckon I like these presenters because they present retrospective shows, apart from Bruce who is compelled to play contemporary shit.

[winkywanky]

Oops, I wrote moso, that was meant to be Muso 

[winkywanky]

I reckon I like these presenters because they present retrospective shows, apart from Bruce who is compelled to play contemporary shit.

He must have been sent to Hell