I was recently listening to “Pink Flag” by Wire and realized that pretty much every song has inspired a different artist’s style. From the slow, emotive, post-punk “Reuters,” which lends itself well to bands like Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire, to the speed-punk of “12XU”, which not only made Minor Threat famous but inspired legions of imitators, to the very Britpop-esque acoustic rock of “Fragile” and “Mannequin,” which sounds like Oasis playing, though better. Despite this wide range of influence, we rarely hear of this album named a rock classic, in the same vein that its contemporaries, “Never Mind the Bollocks,” and “London Calling,” were. What other albums are underrated? I might want to give them a listen.
I agree with you very much about Pink Flag. It’s one of my top 5 albums. Since you obviously like British punk, I’ll recommend another one of my Top Fivers, X-Ray Spex’s Germ Free Adolescents. They featured a saxophone and were led by a woman, Poly Styrene, who railed against consumer culture and artificiality. Unfortunately, it was the only “real” album they ever released. On the plus side, you can buy [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70402041702433222&sql=Ayladqjkqojaa]The]( [url) Anthology, which has the entirity of GFA, the “Oh Bondage! Up Yours”/“I Am a Cliche” single, plenty of demos and a live performance.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch motion pictrure soundtrack is the best rock CD I have heard in years. After that I don’t know much about what is under or over rated. Maybe Allman Bros “Live at the Filmore East”?
Sorry, that second link should be The Anthology.
More on the rock front, any album from Grant Lee Buffalo is underrated, but especially Mighty Joe Moon. REM’s New Adventures in Hi-Fi is an often over looked record as well.
I know it is hard to call any Pearl Jam record “underrated”, but (as I learned with help from these boards) No Code is one of the best rock records of the 1990’s. It has all styles of music and there isn’t a subpar song on the record. And that can’t be said for their other records.
Both Strokes records are overrated.
I agree totally with the Wire and X-Ray Spex suggestions.
I would add
The Pretty Things - Picture This
The Fugs - First Album
Both are excellent examples of 60’s music that has influenced a lot of garage bands.
Also
The Feelies - Only Life
The Rezillos - Can’t Stand The…
Two of the best albums to come out of the early 80’s, yet no one, other than music critics ever seems to mention them.
Since “Allman Brothers Band Live at Filmore East” routinly gets mentioned on these forums when discussing the best live albums of all time, it’s hardly underrated.
Song Cycle by Van Dyke Parks sold poorly, despite critical acclaim, and is a fine album.
Lights in the Night by Flash and the Pan.
The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit – badly overlooked since the group broke up just after recording it so the record company didn’t promote. Also, the founder of their record company left the label and no one cared.
Macdonald and Giles – British art rock by a couple of former King Crimson members.
Waiting For Colombus - Little Feat
Love Stinks - The J. Geils Band
Usually overshadowed by the more commercially-successful, but not nearly as good Freeze Frame.
Only eight songs and one comedy bit, but they’re all good:
- Just Can’t Wait
- Come Back
- Takin’ You Down
- Night Time
- No Anchovies, Please
- Love Stinks
- Tryin’ Not to Think About It
- Desire (please don’t turn away)
- Till the Walls Come Tumblin’ Down
It’s one of my top five all time favorites.
Darling Violetta’s Parlour. It’s quite likely the best album you’ve never heard of.
RealityChuck
Usually, I’m the only one posting any mention of Spirit in one of these threads. (Most underrated guitarist, band, etc).
Needless to say, I agree with your choice of “12 Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus” by Spirit. It’s nice to know someone else has heard of it.
You’d also be hard-pressed to find a more-rocking song than “I Got a Line On You”.
As the group behind the Angel theme I’ve been meaning to look into them for a long time.
But they’ll probably stay on that very long list for a very long time.
The Kinks – Village Green Preservation Society
**The Kinks ** – Arthur
**Dave Davies ** – Bug (‘Bug – deBugged – Life after life[Transformation]’ is outstanding, especially live!)
I’ll change the category a little and post some Most Underrated Albums By Big-Name Acts (not their best albums overall, but those with IMHO the highest ratio of quality to critical acclaim and/or commercial success):
Paul McCartney’s most underrated album is Press To Play. Even if it’s not completely successful, it is interesting, and a little out of his usual vein. Even the obligatory Grandiose Love Ballad is one of his better ones. Unfortunately, the single/title track is the worst song on the album.
Elvis Costello’s most underrated album is Punch the Clock—catchy music, with some great piano and horns (thanks to producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley?) and great-as-usual Elvis Costello lyrics. Did this one disappoint fans of his earlier, punkier stuff, or did it get dragged down by its followup, Goodbye Cruel World?
The Moody Blues’s most underrated album is The Present. This mid-80’s release is, to me, the last album that still retains an appreciable amount of the Moodies’ magic, but maybe I’m biased because it was the first Moody Blues album I owned.
And while the Kinks are an underrated band, they do have plenty of supporters, and Village Green and Arthur have been rightly recognized by critics as Great Albums. For the Kinks’ most underrated album, I’d vote for Face to Face (their first truly great album), or maybe even Schoolboys In Disgrace (not a great album, but definitely a fun one, and my favorite of the RCA years).
Well, if it makes you feel any better, Pink Flag did actually crack Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list at number 410.
It is widely recognized among music afficianados to be a classic record but I see what you’re saying – in the mainstream, most people haven’t even heard of it.
You might as well put Wire’s Chairs Missing on that list, too (which I prefer to their debut.)
How 'bout Big Star’s #1 Record?
Gram Parson Grievous Angel
Pere Ubu Dub Housing – I mean, man, I’m just listening to this now and this album, like Chairs Missing is so ahead of its time.
Soft Boys Underwater Moonlight
Any of Can’s albums
I guess I wouldn’t consider any of these underrated, just overlooked by average Joe and Jane listener.
I love At Fillmore East, but it’s not underrated. It’s gotten the acclaim it richly deserves. The Allmans’ first two (studio) albums are underrated.
Hedwig is definitely considered a cult classic.
Every single album by XTC. Andy Partridge definitely gets my vote as most underrated rocker of the 20C.
If you like symphonic/progressive rock and can get hold of the CD, give Kayak’s Merlin - Bard of the Unseen a try. I consider it the best CD ever.
I don’t think The Afghan Whigs get the credit they deserve, especially ‘Congregation’ and ‘Gentlemen’.
I’m also suprised nobody’s mentioned The Replacements yet either. Big influence over Pixies, Nirvana etc.
I would also nominate Pop Will Eat Itself for their 1990 album ‘Cure for Sanity’. They got unfairly lumped in with a minor British musical movement of the early 90’s (Grebo/Crusty anyone) but I still listen to that album now. Way ahead of its time, to the point where Bentley Rythymn Ace were ripping it off a good 9-10 years later, as well as many other Big Beat bands.
I know one of the original members is in Bentley Rythymn Ace, and Clint Mansell, the singer, scored Pi and Requiem for a Dream, which IMO is one of the best soundtracks to a film ever.