# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/81 "2020-01-28T17:30:02Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > I didn’t know about it, either. Anyone else notice that the cover is designed to look like the Rizla (rolling papers) logo? I’ll also mention that I saw Roy Harper solo live, in the late 90s, and he played 3 or 4 songs off of the Jugula album. An amazing performance. I recall it was a small little outdoor stage, and sound-check took him nearly an hour fiddling with the reverb to get it juuuuussssssttt right for the particular acoustics of the place. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/82 "2020-01-28T17:47:19Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > I’ll also mention that I saw Roy Harper solo live, in the late 90s, and he played 3 or 4 songs off of the Jugula album. An amazing performance. I recall it was a small little outdoor stage, and sound-check took him nearly an hour fiddling with the reverb to get it juuuuussssssttt right for the particular acoustics of the place. I’m seeing the work “folksy” being used. Does Page play acoustic guitar on the album? Does it sound old-fashioned or something? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/83 "2020-01-28T17:57:19Z")
Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina by the Left Banke ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/84 "2020-01-28T18:12:09Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > 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) I was going to suggest Bloodrock 2. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/85 "2020-01-28T18:22:11Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina by the Left Banke According to Wikipedia, Walk Away Renee “spent 13 weeks on the US charts, with a top spot of number 5” and is 220 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was covered by several other artists, including a big hit for The Four Tops. Pretty Ballerina reached number 15 in the US, also was covered by several other artists, and appeared in at least 3 movies. With all due respect, I wouldn’t call either song obscure. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/86 "2020-01-28T19:37:41Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > I’m seeing the work “folksy” being used. Does Page play acoustic guitar on the album? Does it sound old-fashioned or something? Think of the album as being as if Bron-Yr-Aur or Babe I’m Gonna Leave you are being played on Ovation guitars miced directly into a soundboard, with open tuning, so it’s “acoustic” but with lots of droning and reverb on the trebly Ovation sound. There are also some electric tracks on top of that, not sure what Jimmy is playing for the electric. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/87 "2020-01-29T00:07:55Z")
> [@LLCoolL](#): > > This one probably doesn’t qualify for this thread, as the album went Gold in the U.S., and a couple of the tracks charted. But I think it’s criminally underrated and wrongly forgotten: “Boomtown” (1986) by David & David. Catchy music and gripping lyrics. I just thought of the band as a one-hit wonder, but have also heard very good things about that album. If I come across it, I just might pick it up and give all of it a listen. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/88 "2020-01-29T08:32:27Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > Think of the album as being as if Bron-Yr-Aur or Babe I’m Gonna Leave you are being played on Ovation guitars miced directly into a soundboard, with open tuning, so it’s “acoustic” but with lots of droning and reverb on the trebly Ovation sound. There are also some electric tracks on top of that, not sure what Jimmy is playing for the electric. Hey, thanks for responding. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to have a look online and listen for myself, which I did, about an hour after posting. And thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ve always liked Page’s work and was unaware of this recording. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/89 "2020-01-29T08:57:25Z")
“Politicians In My Eyes” by [Death](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAKkWXHBg5s), the photo-punk band from Detroit, 1971, approx. Link to documentary “A Band Called Death” from 2013. I saw them at the Roxy in 2014 here in LA. Unbelievably tight and punk. If you’ve never heard them, you’ll be blown away. Originally three brothers in the trio. One died early on, though. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/90 "2020-01-30T01:09:14Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > “Politicians In My Eyes” by [Death](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAKkWXHBg5s), the photo-punk band from Detroit, 1971, approx. > > Link to documentary “A Band Called Death” from 2013. I saw them at the Roxy in 2014 here in LA. Unbelievably tight and punk. If you’ve never heard them, you’ll be blown away. Originally three brothers in the trio. One died early on, though. Great doco! ---
**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 30, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/91 "2020-01-30T01:21:49Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > 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. 😉 Well? It’s been three weeks. Whatsamatta, you got a life or somethin’? ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/92 "2020-01-31T20:55:22Z")
> [@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?) Oh yeah. I just heard “I Took A Walk” yesterday… “Breakthrough” was the first song of his I ever heard a handful of years ago, and like his stuff. I would recommend Supertramp’s “Crisis? What Crisis?” ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/93 "2020-01-31T21:21:40Z")
I’ll throw in [The Fine Art of Surfacing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fine_Art_of_Surfacing) by The Boomtown Rats. _I Don’t Like Mondays_ was the controversial hit, but I suspect many US Dopers have not heard the rest of the album, which is eclectic and, as the kids say these days, “slappin.” A bit more pop than rock, but both albums by Love Spit Love are severely underrated winners fronted by ex-Psychadelic Furs frontman Richard Butler. I’ll nominate [Trysome Eatone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trysome_Eatone), which features what should have been several certified platinum radio hits, like _Fall on Tears_ and\* It Hurts When I Laugh\*. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/94 "2020-01-31T21:58:20Z")
The greatest rock album that Dopers have never heard is [**Combine** ’s _History of American Rock and Roll_](https://www.allmusic.com/album/history-of-american-rock-and-roll-mw0000179876) from 1996. Aye; that’s me that gave it a 5 star rating. Or it might be [**NCM** ’s _Escape from Myopia_](https://www.allmusic.com/album/escape-from-myopia-mw0001200448), released in 2007. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126/95 "2020-01-31T22:06:34Z")
The stupid server timeouts prevented me from editing and posting links. There’s only one Combine song on YouTube ([Know Regrets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS-jMIVVzi4)); I’ll have to correct that in the near future. [The NCM album is available as a playlist, tho.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUBACS2QvQ4&list=OLAK5uy_mWNNCatXoKTExYFIf66W0L26PbgQXRkdI) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-rock-album-dopers-have-never-heard/846126.md?page=4)