# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/21 "2020-01-09T01:14:57Z")
[Diamond Head](https://www.allmusic.com/album/diamond-head-mw0000205703) from Phil Manzanera (ex Roxy Music). If you liked Roxy Music, and are into Eno and Robert Wyatt, both of whom play on the album, you’ll like this. ---
**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 9, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/22 "2020-01-09T01:31:01Z")
Most people haven’t heard of the original Renaissance – they’re more familiar with the Annie Halsam version of the group.\* The two leaders were Keith Relf and Jim McCarty after they left the Yardbirds. They added Louis Cennamo on bass and John Hawkin on piano. Keith’s sister Jane added vocals. The result it a melding of blues rock and classical that has never been topped. The opened with “[Kings and Queens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrkk6nCDIgQ)” and the album doesn’t let up from there. \*Long story, but after their first album, there were a lot of shakeups and personnel changes; the Renaissance more people know have none of the original members. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/23 "2020-01-09T01:41:45Z")
BTW, the best “weirdest” rock album no Doper’s ever heard is [The Wozard of Iz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wozard_of_Iz) (Mort Garson). Unique when it came out. Over fifty years ago. It’s actually [available on TouYube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGH61asO3Tc). ---
**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, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/24 "2020-01-09T01:52:45Z")
People of an age remember “White Bird” and _It’s A Beautiful Day_, but very few have heard of their (much superior) follow-up album Marrying Maiden. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/25 "2020-01-09T01:57:14Z")
[The Law of Devil’s Land](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Law_of_Devil%27s_Land) by **Loudness**. ---
**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 9, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/26 "2020-01-09T02:53:37Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Granted completely. > Still doesn’t mean _Men Without Women_ is better than _Hearts of Stone_. 😃 Tell you what. I know a few songs from that album. I’ll go ahead and listen to the whole thing, and then get back to you on which one is best. 😉 ---
**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 9, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/27 "2020-01-09T03:03:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’d go with _Electric Bird Digest_ as their peak, but any Young Fresh Fellows works for me. My first response was “huh. I don’t know that album.” But then I realized that I OWN it. Never listened to it enough to have it create the earworms that other YFF albums have laid on me. It’s kind of a headbanger, not really my thing. I gotta go along with **TroutMan** … **This One’s For the Ladies** doesn’t have one bad track on it. In addition to the great “Picture Book” cover and “Taco Wagon,” there’s “Carrothead,” “Middle Man of Time,” and “When I’m Lonely Again.” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/28 "2020-01-09T03:15:11Z")
Whenever a question like this comes up, I always say “Hollywood Dream” by Thunderclap Newman. [Thunderclap Newman - Hollywood Dream Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/hollywood-dream-mw0000203577) If all you know about Thunderclap Newman is their 1969 hit “Something in the Air,” this will be an eye-opener. Another great group, known mostly by those in Chicago, Indianapolis and Gainesville, FL, is The Vulgar Boatmen. Their first album, “ You and Your Sister,” was excellent, but their follow up, “Please Panic,” was superb. [The Vulgar Boatmen - Please Panic Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/please-panic-mw0000276335). Both are well worth seeking out. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/29 "2020-01-09T03:52:44Z")
Ednaswap- Wacko Magneto Really, any Ednaswap album. Serious rock, seriously overlooked music. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/30 "2020-01-09T03:56:14Z")
**The Crazy World of Arthur Brown**. The guy was a [one-hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1uwIzI3SE) wonder back in the late 60s, but I bought his album at the PX in Vietnam just for the hell of it, and really liked it. But for a very long time afterward, any time I mentioned the guy, I just got blank looks. I’m sure others on this board know of the guy, but has anybody listened to the entire album? ---
**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, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/31 "2020-01-09T04:13:33Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Ednaswap- Wacko Magneto > > Really, any Ednaswap album. Serious rock, seriously overlooked music. Heh. I actually know that name, as the band who wrote “Torn” that was covered by Natalie Imbruglia. (And first released by a Danish singer – Lis Sørensen – in Danish as “Brændt” before being released by Ednaswap and then made a worldwide hit by Natalie Imbruglia.) I’ve heard their recording of “Torn” several times, but nothing else. (The Natalie Imbruglia version takes most of its musical cues from Sørensen). I’ll have to check out their other work. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/32 "2020-01-09T04:34:14Z")
I actually know the names **Young Fresh Fellows** and **Ultra Vivid Scene** , but couldn’t name a song by either of them. I also know **Buck Pets** , but that’s because I lived in Dallas when they briefly surfaced. I will add the album “Wet Dreams” by Pink Floyd keyboardist **Richard Wright** , which is hard to find. I’m also tempted to add the “Duckstab/Buster and Glen” double-EP by **The Residents** because of Crafter Man’s avatar, but as great as it is, I fear it’s an acquired taste. ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/33 "2020-01-09T05:13:58Z")
I am going to go with Spice Doubt by Ozric Tentacles. https://www.youtube.com/embed/rWHY_evJ2mI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL8a8cutYP7fr6IlAbUs89OmA4G_Mek69Q Runners up are: Space Ritual by Hawkwind https://www.youtube.com/embed/zSOvhMVFU0U?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL94gOvpr5yt17TbaH-yEFlSqg8jk9Sab7 Age of Winters by The Sword https://www.youtube.com/embed/j03eHqOdf3k?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLD105C7D59A60BFE2 Suspended Animation by John Petrucci [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IUj6nDs_Mqg/hqdefault.jpg "John Petrucci — Suspended Animation (2005) [Full Album]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUj6nDs_Mqg) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/34 "2020-01-09T05:22:15Z")
From 1968, **Touch**. Name of the group and their only album. A terrific psychedelic and (early) Progressive Rock album that seemed to fly under a lot of people’s radar. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/35 "2020-01-09T05:25:02Z")
> [@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?) Well, _somebody_ bought hundreds of his LPs and promptly sold them to second-hand record stores. Seriously, I hit a lot of record shops and thrift stores (in Wisconsin, Chicago and all the small towns between). And I know I can walk into a random St. Vinnie’s and find _Contribution, Second Contribution, Furthermore_ and at least two scratchy copies of \*Collaboration. \* Was never tempted to listen to his stuff, though, until this thread. I’ll give him a listen. ---
**Author:** ![bionic\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@bionic\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bionic_man)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/36 "2020-01-09T05:51:25Z")
Skin alley two quad two there other albums I heard wearnt so hot. Someone mentioned. Talk is cheap by keith Richards I liked that abut.also Paul macartney press to play. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/37 "2020-01-09T12:45:08Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I will add the album “Wet Dreams” by Pink Floyd keyboardist **Richard Wright** , which is hard to find. A fine choice. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/38 "2020-01-09T13:11:31Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I’m also tempted to add the “Duckstab/Buster and Glen” double-EP by **The Residents** because of Crafter Man’s avatar, but as great as it is, I fear it’s an acquired taste. I’ve played **Duck Stab** so often that the laser has burned a hole in the CD. 😛 Fantastic album. I’m going to make the assumption I am the only Doper who has played the followup album in its entirety: [Eskimo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_(album)). ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/39 "2020-01-09T13:28:04Z")
I know that **Clutch** is familiar to at least a few of you, but: _Pure Rock Fury_. “Pure Rock Fury” is not an album title, it’s a description. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/40 "2020-01-09T14:17:59Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I’ve played **Duck Stab** so often that the laser has burned a hole in the CD. 😛 Fantastic album. > > I’m going to make the assumption I am the only Doper who has played the followup album in its entirety: [Eskimo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_(album)). You can assume I listened to everything up to “Mark of the Mole” many times, and that still have all of them on vinyl, even though I have nothing to play them on. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126.md?page=3)