# The Worst Album By A Band U like **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 20, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058 "2020-09-20T03:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/81 "2021-05-09T19:48:20Z")
Queensryche the Promised Land marked the end of growth for the band. It sucked due to infighting within the band and I believe a disbuted contract with the record company. They never recovered and lived on past glory ever since. What a waste. Guns and Roses the Spaghetti Incident was the same, but for different reasons but same result. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/82 "2021-05-09T19:59:46Z")
_The Who by Numbers_ is the worst from their classic lineup. Not terrible, but “Squeeze Box” is overrated and most of the other songs are forgettable. Townshend has said he felt detached from the songs, and it shows. I love the Bonzo Dog Band, but _Let’s Make Up and Be Friendly_ isn’t all that good. They toned down things from being wild and bizarre to being only mildly funny. It was a contractual obligation album, so it’s not surprising that it doesn’t have the old elan. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2021, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/83 "2021-05-09T21:46:20Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > I also like Live at Leeds because it captured the energy of a Live performance that wasn’t really done too well previously, it was a balls to the wall rock and roll performance IMHO and a lot of critics agree. > [@cormac262](#): > > With the possible exception of a couple bootlegs I have, “Live at Leeds” is **The** live Who album. The extended remaster is awesome. “Magic Bus” alone makes the album a masterpiece - truly captured the energy of a live performance. > The relatively recent “Live at Isle of Wight” is a close second, but I still prefer “Live at Leeds”. Bolding mine. Couldn’t concur more - can’t think of many more galvanizing live albums - the dirtiness of rock’n roll reigns supreme here. > [@paulmarkj](#): > > Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Pictures at an exhibition (I know, I won’t be popular for that!) Unpopular! Unpopular! (heh - over ELP 🤓) I was more or less ok with that one. Huh - you like _Love Beach_ more than that one? (or you just dislike _PaaE_ more. 😉) ---
**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:** [May 9, 2021, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/84 "2021-05-09T22:18:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Townshend has said he felt detached from the songs, and it shows. Though Daltrey did describe it as his favorite Who album. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/85 "2021-05-09T23:54:02Z")
U2 _Pop_ ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/86 "2021-05-10T01:10:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _he Who by Numbers_ is the worst from their classic lineup. Not terrible, but “Squeeze Box” is overrated and most of the other songs are forgettable. Townshend has said he felt detached from the songs, and it shows. It’s actually my third favorite, behind Who Are You and Quadrophenia. I don’t like Squeeze Box, but Slip Kid is one of my favorite Who songs. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/87 "2021-05-10T02:09:02Z")
Not at all a fan of Squeeze Box, but They Are All In Love (and to a lesser extent, Slip Kid) rescued the album. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/88 "2021-05-10T03:14:08Z")
> [@paulmarkj](#): > > Pink Floyd - Final Cut The Final Cut was really a Roger Waters solo album with the Pink Floyd name on it. As such, I personally did not find it terribly disappointing, because Roger Waters is a fucking artíste, he is sensitive as shit. If you want disappointment, try A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Utter pap. Even Gilmour’s About Face was better than the Fake Floyd stuff. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/89 "2021-05-10T03:39:08Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > It’s actually my third favorite, behind Who Are You and Quadrophenia. I don’t like Squeeze Box, but Slip Kid is one of my favorite Who songs. I should’ve said above, this is one of my top three or four for them. It’s a change of pace, but a really good one. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/90 "2021-05-10T16:02:45Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _The Who by Numbers_ is the worst from their classic lineup. Not terrible, but “Squeeze Box” is overrated and most of the other songs are forgettable. Townshend has said he felt detached from the songs, and it shows. I am also a fan of **Who by Numbers**. I was never a fan of “Squeeze Box” (cringed when they would play it live), but “Slip Kid”, “In a Hand or a Face” are among my favorites (definitely not “forgettable”). But the most _impactful_ song for me is “How Many Friends”. Kind of like the entire album of **Quadrophenia** , this song came along during my teenage angst years, and asked the question I had been pondering as my circle of friends were “shifting”. I was finding that some long time friends that I thought I could always count on, were letting me down. Yet new friends were turning out to be more reliable and there for me. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/91 "2021-05-10T18:29:58Z")
Zappa released 60 or so albums before he passed on, so there were obviously some stinkers in there. Thing-Fish gets a lot of stick and rightfully so; it’s a true endurance test even for hardcore fans. Personally I could also do without The Man From Utopia which I find really dreary. And I’m glad I’ve got Playground Psychotics in my collection, but I’m sure I’ll never listen to it again. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/92 "2021-05-10T20:13:50Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > But the most _impactful_ song for me is “How Many Friends”. Kind of like the entire album of **Quadrophenia** , this song came along during my teenage angst years, and asked the question I had been pondering as my circle of friends were “shifting”. I was finding that some long time friends that I thought I could always count on, were letting me down. Yet new friends were turning out to be more reliable and there for me. I loved that one as a teenager as well. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/93 "2021-05-10T22:30:35Z")
Hmph! 😠 I actually like Man from Utopia. Aside from the instrumental stuff and his classical music experiments, I’d pick Sheik Yerbouti if I had to be stranded on a desert island with every Zappa album but one. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/94 "2021-05-11T08:10:18Z")
Surprised nobody’s mentioned Zeppelin’s **In Through the Out Door**. South Bound Suarez is among my favorite Zeppelin tracks, although there are probably 20 I like more. The rest of the album is okay for my nostalgia and not much else. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/95 "2021-05-11T08:53:36Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I found Blue Oyster Cult’s “Club Ninja” to be a palpitating pile of dreck, except for “Dancin’ In The Ruins”. Eh, I’d say it’s still better than _The Revolution By Night_. I’m gonna have to disagree with pretty much all of the Who discourse in this thread and nominate _A Quick One_ for worst album. It was, as the name implies, thrown together on short notice to capitalize on “My Generation” becoming a hit, with the band members churning out mostly forgettable pop numbers on the incentive of a £500 advance each, with the ten-minute title track thrown in because they’d still only managed to write and record twenty minutes worth of music. (The cover of “Heatwave” is pretty cool, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/96 "2021-05-11T12:20:31Z")
It’s amazing how many albums that fit this criteria for me were produced by Phil Spector: The Beatles _Let it Be_ John Lennon _Some Time in New York City_ The Ramones _End of the Century_ Dion _Born to be with You_ ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/97 "2021-05-11T13:42:40Z")
@Elmer_J.Fudd heresy! lol…I love End of the Century. But to each their own. My least favorite records by da bruddahs were Too Tough To Die (annoying and thrashy with one great pop single tossed in) and Halfway to Sanity (totally forgettable songs). ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/98 "2021-05-11T15:20:07Z")
_Around the Sun_ by R.E.M… The nail in the coffin for me. They were already fading, but I liked a couple tracks on both _Up_ and _Reveal._ ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/99 "2021-05-11T15:39:58Z")
I’m a huge Lucinda Williams fan but I’ve always found _West_ kind of boring. After the untoppable _Car Wheels on a Gravel Road_ her next two albums explored different directions with some success, but _West_ felt like one too many in that vein. Since then she’s gotten a little rootsier and I’ve preferred those albums. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058/100 "2021-05-11T15:41:53Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Surprised nobody’s mentioned Zeppelin’s **In Through the Out Door**. I forgot to, but I’ll second your nomination of it. I remember well the time. There was a three year drought of LZ having no new studio albums and ITTOD was much anticipated. I was profoundly disappointed when I finally heard it: Not a single solid hard rock song in it. Oh some tracks had some passable rock riffs, and some tracks were jaunty enough in their own way so that as time passed they sounded OK, but nothing in the entire album that makes me want to go out of my way to hear any of them. Oh the critics hailed it as a great new direction for them, but critics never liked hard rock anyway, so fuck 'em. A few dyed in the wool LZ fans pretended to like it, out of loyalty I suppose, but then I suppose there was a fair degree of cognitive dissonance involved. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-album-by-a-band-u-like/921058.md?page=6)