# The Best Rock Album Dopers Have Never Heard **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126 "2020-01-08T14:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/1 "2020-01-08T14:53:52Z")
First off, apologies for limiting this to rock albums, but I believe it will keep the thread from getting too off focus. The category is somewhat flexible, however. Just use your best judgement. That being said, here is the best rock album Dopers have never heard: _Men Without Women_ - Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul Steven Van Zandt finally steps out of the shadow of Bruce Springsteen and turns in a terrific album, full of tough rockers and tender ballads, and showcasing an affecting singing voice that was only hinted at, however considerably, on his work with the Boss. From the explosive opening of “Lyin’ in a Bed of Fire”, and with songs like the moody “Under the Gun” and the heartfelt “Princess of Little Italy”, every song is a gem. And while no one who was paying attention at the time could doubt the talent of Little Steven, to me the album was an unexpected surprise. Even now, when I listen to it in the context of a first solo album, his burst of amazing songs still continues to wow, however familiar they are to me. And Van Zandt wrote every song on the album! Undoubtedly, this is the best rock album Dopers have never heard. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/2 "2020-01-08T15:00:16Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Undoubtedly, this is the best rock album Dopers have never heard. Am I right? No. 😛 Close, but no cigar. I think _Hearts of Stone_ by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes is better. Often called “the best album Springsteen never recorded.” ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/3 "2020-01-08T15:57:24Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Undoubtedly, this is the best rock album Dopers have never heard. Am I right? How would we know, if we’ve never heard it? 😃 My vote would go to the Keith Richards solo album “Talk Is Cheap”. I bought a copy back when it first came out, due to it getting lots of positive reviews. And it really is a solid solo album, nothing like the Stones. But sometimes I get the feeling that I’m one of maybe ten people who own the album, I’m not sure most people these days (including Stones fans) are aware it even exists. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/4 "2020-01-08T16:21:13Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > How would we know, if we’ve never heard it? 😃 🙂 Thanks for asking, and allow me to clarify if I wasn’t clear: the thread is meant to showcase somewhat (or even more so) obscure albums that YOU believe others aren’t aware of. So, the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Are You Experienced” wouldn’t work, but “Band of Gypsys” might, as it was recorded without the Experience and isn’t well known (I suppose…) ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/5 "2020-01-08T18:51:01Z")
I’ve got all of the albums mentioned so far. I’ll add Iron City Houserockers - Have a Good Time…but Get Out Alive In the Little Steven/Bruce/Southside genre > **[Iron City Houserockers - Have A Good Time... But Get Out Alive - Amazon.com...](https://www.amazon.com/Have-Good-Time-But-Alive/dp/B00H8B8E1Q)** > > Iron City Houserockers - Have A Good Time... But Get Out Alive - Amazon.com Music > **[40 years ago, the Iron City Houserockers changed Pittsburgh rock](https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2019/05/13/Love-s-So-Tough-Iron-City-Houserockers-40th-anniversary-of-debut-Grushecky/stories/201905130099)** > > Joe Grushecky tried his best in the mid-’70s to lead the kind of suburban cover band that was popular in the clubs, but there was a problem. > “We... ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/6 "2020-01-08T19:00:32Z")
The “new” Steely Dan work is excellent. **Two Against Nature** came out in 2000 so it’s not so new but it won Grammy’s for: Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Engineered Album, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for the song _Cousin Dupree_. I’ll bet most classic rocker fans have never even heard of it. **Everything Must Go** from 2003 has some great tracks on it. Donald Fagen’s solo extends well beyond **The Nightfly** from 1982. In 1993, his follow-up, **Kamakiriad**. is regarded as great from beginning to end. Completing this pseudo-trilogy is 2006’s **Morph the Cat** which includes Fagen’s musings on death and September 11. **Sunken Condos** from 2012 is solid. That’s a lot to take in but I’ll provide just one link, the title track of Morph the Cat. [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6daGTR45Y) Let us know what you think. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/7 "2020-01-08T19:38:22Z")
I’m a big fan of [Kak.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsmHpihgNrg) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/8 "2020-01-08T21:49:05Z")
A lot of you probably have never sat down and listened to [Bloodrock USA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodrock_U.S.A.). [YouTube full album (with ads sorry)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2JiJSyU1-c&list=PL94gOvpr5yt3pK53LeHlX58saqMU0nM7K) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/9 "2020-01-08T22:10:17Z")
[Furthermore](https://www.allmusic.com/album/furthermore-mw0000042734) and [Do You Wonder](https://www.allmusic.com/album/do-you-wonder-mw0000049012) by Shawn Phillips are remarkable, old favorites of mine. (Has anyone even heard of Shawn Phillips?) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/10 "2020-01-08T22:12:35Z")
The first few that come to mind to me are the following: Jane Siberry - s/t The Candy Skins - fun? and the one for which I’ve spent the past 4 years making up for not hearing it for the preceding almost 40 - Starcastle’s “Fountains of Light.” ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/11 "2020-01-08T22:54:40Z")
In the early 90s, I played **Ultra Vivid Scene** continuously, and I have yet to meet someone who heard of them (actually him, it was just one guy). It’s stereotypical late 80s/early 90s college radio. My favorite album was probably [Rev](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgmiK0wStaE&list=OLAK5uy_lQxFI6g7jKe9ZRBQF0ugoNvju9WtjQyM4), loaded with long, epic songs convinced of their self-importance. UVS had [one minor hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DCjSShu_VA) with Kim Deal (Pixies) on backup vocals, but even that was pretty obscure. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/12 "2020-01-08T23:22:39Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > [Furthermore](https://www.allmusic.com/album/furthermore-mw0000042734) and [Do You Wonder](https://www.allmusic.com/album/do-you-wonder-mw0000049012) by Shawn Phillips are remarkable, old favorites of mine. (Has anyone even heard of Shawn Phillips?) Back when I was, oh, 10-ish years old, I won a Shawn Phillips album in a radio station contest. (“Contribution”, I think…) I listened to it once or twice but it wasn’t really the kind of music I was listening to at that age. That album is long gone… but yes I’ve heard of him! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/13 "2020-01-08T23:37:25Z")
Anything by the **Young Fresh Fellows,** especially the first album, _Sounds of the Pacific Northwest._ I started a Young Fresh Fellows thread here many years ago, and was shocked to find out just how obscure they were. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/14 "2020-01-08T23:52:10Z")
[Interbabe Concern by Loud Family](https://www.amazon.com/Interbabe-Concern-Loud-Family/dp/B000001HWH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=interbabe+concern&qid=1578527311&sr=8-1). The equal and more of anything ever done by Big Star. I have no idea why Joe Cocker is listed in the Amazon listing. He had nothing at all to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/15 "2020-01-09T00:15:04Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > In the early 90s, I played **Ultra Vivid Scene** continuously, and I have yet to meet someone who heard of them (actually him, it was just one guy). It’s stereotypical late 80s/early 90s college radio. My favorite album was probably [Rev](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgmiK0wStaE&list=OLAK5uy_lQxFI6g7jKe9ZRBQF0ugoNvju9WtjQyM4), loaded with long, epic songs convinced of their self-importance. > > UVS had [one minor hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DCjSShu_VA) with Kim Deal (Pixies) on backup vocals, but even that was pretty obscure. I understand that reference! From the same era, we have The Buck Pets. If they had only waited a couple of years, they may have got in on the alternative explosion of the early 90s. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vjlz7rlK1mU/hqdefault.jpg "Buck Pets - Pearls") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjlz7rlK1mU) ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/16 "2020-01-09T00:21:03Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > No. > 😛 > > Close, but no cigar. I think _Hearts of Stone_ by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes is better. Often called “the best album Springsteen never recorded.” It’s worth pointing out that without Steve van Zandt, there wouldn’t be any Southside Johnny. Maybe no E Street Band, or even Bruce Springsteen (as we know him). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/17 "2020-01-09T00:31:00Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > It’s worth pointing out that without Steve van Zandt, there wouldn’t be any Southside Johnny. Maybe no E Street Band, or even Bruce Springsteen (as we know him). Granted completely. Still doesn’t mean _Men Without Women_ is better than _Hearts of Stone_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/18 "2020-01-09T00:34:51Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Anything by the **Young Fresh Fellows,** especially the first album, _Sounds of the Pacific Northwest._ > > I started a Young Fresh Fellows thread here many years ago, and was shocked to find out just how obscure they were. I’d go with _Electric Bird Digest_ as their peak, but any Young Fresh Fellows works for me. It’s not completely obscure – I know **Snowboarder Bo** knows this one, but I’ll go with Refused’s “Shape of Punk to Come.” ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/19 "2020-01-09T01:03:35Z")
Not sure how obscure it is, but “Between Today and Yesterday,” Alan Price ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/20 "2020-01-09T01:08:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’d go with _Electric Bird Digest_ as their peak, but any Young Fresh Fellows works for me. Ah, memories. They were another favorite of mine. I liked _This One’s For the Ladies_, but that might have been more based on where I was at that point in life than it being better than any other album. Their cover of the Kink’s [Picture Book](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_G0zCBHqA) is bangin’, and I dare anyone to listen to [Taco Wagon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oGNOVPI6mg) without shouting “taco wagon!” at least once. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126.md?page=2)