# Worst album by a major artist at or near their prime **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849 "2006-08-30T22:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/41 "2006-08-31T17:30:31Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] What was wrong with Passion Play? [/QUOTE] Hear, hear. That’s my favorite Tull album, and I speak as a major Tull freak of long standing (on one leg). ---
**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:** [August 31, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/42 "2006-08-31T17:49:07Z")
The problem with _A Passion Play_ was that it wasn’t very original and it was an mediochre album-long presentation that followed a really **great** album-long presentation. It seemed…recycled. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/43 "2006-08-31T17:50:13Z")
I really need to preview these things…I can spell, truly I can. _mediocre_ See? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/44 "2006-08-31T17:54:45Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Classic Example: Lou Reed’s **[Metal Machine Music](http://tinyurl.com/nwc53)** – he wrote it to kiss off his record company and nearly wrecked his career. It is unlistenable. Reed is quoted as saying “Well, anyone who gets to side four is dumber than I am.” [/QUOTE] I came in here to nominate this album. For those who don’t know, it’s four sides of vinyl (a double LP) of pure guitar feedback. No melody, no rhythm, no sense. It’s completely unlistenable. And Lou was otherwise at the height of his powers here. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/45 "2006-08-31T18:04:32Z")
I’ll go a bit more radical here: _Magical Mystery Tour._ Now, I’m not claiming that the album is a complete dud. But most of the good material on it was written/recorded either well before the MMT project (Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane, Fool on the Hill) or distinctly separate from it (All You Need Is Love, and that isn’t even THAT good). The rest — with the stunning exception of John’s I Am the Walrus — is the Beatles at their Summer of Love, drug-befuddled worst. McCartney’s silliness is at its most grating and his three main post-Penny Lane contributions (Hello Goodbye, the title song, Your Mother Should Know) are half-finished sketches fleshed out with production tricks and a lot of repetition. Flying is filler, and George’s Blue Jay Way should have been binned. And while Lennon gets props for Walrus, he gets the lion’s share of blame for Baby You’re a Rich Man, about as opposite from Walrus’s scathing irony and bile as it’s possible to get. Are there great songs on the MMT album? Yes, though some were previously released as singles. Do even the lousy songs have a redeeming feature or two? For the most part, yes. But considering this is the band that recorded Revolver scarcely a year prior, and still had the White Album and Abbey Road to go, Magical Mystery Tour represents a very noticeable and severe slump. There, that should start some arguments. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jean\_Poutine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a5b964/32.png) [@Jean\_Poutine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jean_Poutine)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/46 "2006-08-31T18:08:50Z")
Was Metal Machine Music on a major label? If so, why would the label spend money on releasing it (I can’t imagine they spent any promoting it with magazine ads or billboards) when even someone not in the business could tell it would sell zero copies? Did they bother to listen to it first? Even albums like No Pussyfooting at least had some potential for cult appeal, but this? Did they release it to embarrass Reed or what? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/47 "2006-08-31T18:12:27Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I really need to preview these things…I can spell, truly I can. _mediocre_ See? [/QUOTE] Hm, and I was all set to get out my color wheel to try to locate “mediochre.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/48 "2006-08-31T18:12:32Z")
[QUOTE=Jean Poutine] Was Metal Machine Music on a major label? If so, why would the label spend money on releasing it (I can’t imagine they spent any promoting it with magazine ads or billboards) when even someone not in the business could tell it would sell zero copies? Did they bother to listen to it first? Even albums like No Pussyfooting at least had some potential for cult appeal, but this? Did they release it to embarrass Reed or what? [/QUOTE] Yes, MMM was Reed’s last album for RCA, and was recorded to fill his contractual obligation to the company, with whom he was feuding. He made it a double album so that it would be even more expensive for them to duplicate and manufacture. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/49 "2006-08-31T18:16:19Z")
I love damn near everthing R.E.M. have ever done (yes, even _Monster_), but Christ, I was _so_ disappointed by _Around the Sun_. It was just so anaemic. I never thought I’d live to see the day when the best bit on an R.E.M. album would be a frigging Q-Tip raplet. [sub]And no, raplet is not a word.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Victorian\_Squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5a626/32.png) [@Victorian\_Squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victorian_Squid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/50 "2006-08-31T18:56:01Z")
[QUOTE=George Kaplin] I love damn near everthing R.E.M. have ever done (yes, even _Monster_), but Christ, I was _so_ disappointed by _Around the Sun_. It was just so anaemic. I never thought I’d live to see the day when the best bit on an R.E.M. album would be a frigging Q-Tip raplet. [/QUOTE] I loved one review of it: “I cannot imagine one musical need this would ever fulfill.” ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/51 "2006-08-31T19:16:21Z")
“The Soft Parade” by The Doors comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/52 "2006-08-31T22:46:46Z")
I don’t know that I can argue that he was in his prime, but I remain bitterly disappointed that, following the critical and financial success of “Brand New Day,” Sting managed to lay an egg with “Sacred Love.” The album has two, maybe three good songs on it. The rest are too bland to even bother criticizing. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/53 "2006-08-31T23:39:20Z")
[QUOTE=George Kaplin] I love damn near everthing R.E.M. have ever done (yes, even _Monster_), but Christ, I was _so_ disappointed by _Around the Sun_. It was just so anaemic. [/QUOTE] Seconded! _Reveal_ was kind of dull, but _Around the Sun_ sounds like a whole different, far inferior band. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/54 "2006-09-01T00:24:42Z")
I’ll be even more heretical and nominate _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band_. Aside from “A Day in the Life” - which is admittedly a big aside - there’s not a great song on the album. There are more than a few good songs (“Getting Better”, “Good Morning, Good Morning”, the title tune) and a bunch of half-assed genre exercises and ersatz psychedelia. I understand it’s damn near impossible to take the record out of its cultural context, but since I wasn’t even alive when the album came out and can judge it only on its musical qualities, I have to say it’s decidedly underwhelming, especially coming after the brilliance of _Revolver_. Even _Magical Mystery Tour_, which was as much a hodgepodge as _Yellow Submarine_, had more great songs than _Sgt. Pepper_ (even if they were orignally released as singles): “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “I Am The Walrus”, “Penny Lane”. My humble opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/55 "2006-09-01T03:38:57Z")
How about any album Clapton did after Cream broke up? Makes you realize how talented Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were! Eric really needed those guys to make a good album. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/56 "2006-09-01T04:02:53Z")
Here’s one that I don’t think anyone else will be able to relate to. From 1984-1987, Celtic Frost just kept getting better and more ambitious with each successive release. This rapid rise culminated with _Into The Pandemonium_, one of the most shockingly sophisticated and diverse heavy metal albums ever recorded. Celtic Frost’s fans, myself included, couldn’t wait to see what they served up next. What we got was _Cold Lake_, a tepid hard rock album obviously calculated to court the acceptance of mainstream radio and MTV. Worst of all is that the band was all glammed up like they had been dumpster diving in the alley behind Poison’s apartment. The band that had once worn armor and corpse paint onstage now appeared in towering teased hair, makeup, spandex and glitter. It still makes me angry today. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/57 "2006-09-01T09:06:06Z")
In the mid-1960’s, Miles Davis was on the greatest, longest run of classic albums that maybe anyone has been on - everything since _ESP_ had been brilliant - and then comes _Filles De Kilamanjaro_, or more specifcally side one of FDK (Side two is brilliant). Apparently it was Miles & Co trying to play the blues like Albert or BB King but what it turns out to be is an unholy racket. Side two, reflective, expansive and mysterious is primo Miles. But that one side is a pot hole in what was the highway to Jazz heaven - Miles at CBS 1965-1971. Some would argue “On The Corner” is Mile’s greaest folly at the height of his powers, but not me. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/58 "2006-09-01T09:38:01Z")
Nirvana - “In Utero” Iggy Pop - “Kill City”. I love that album, but its taken me a long time to get over the fact that it came right after “Raw Power”. A lot of people must’ve been devastated at the time. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/59 "2006-09-01T15:33:53Z")
I’ll throw Roger Waters into this shark frenzy… After the brilliant PF _The Wall_ and _Final Cut_, which were creatively dominated and driven by Waters, he released the wonderful solo project _Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking_ with Eric Clapton. And then… _Radio KAOS_. Ugh, what the heck was that? Bad synthesizers and overdubbing, a complete misuse of technology and production sounding 10 years dated, from an artist who had always been pushing the cutting edge of music production. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849/60 "2006-09-01T15:50:18Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] I’ll be even more heretical and nominate _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band_. Aside from “A Day in the Life” - which is admittedly a big aside - there’s not a great song on the album. There are more than a few good songs (“Getting Better”, “Good Morning, Good Morning”, the title tune) and a bunch of half-assed genre exercises and ersatz psychedelia. I understand it’s damn near impossible to take the record out of its cultural context, but since I wasn’t even alive when the album came out and can judge it only on its musical qualities, I have to say it’s decidedly underwhelming, especially coming after the brilliance of _Revolver_. Even _Magical Mystery Tour_, which was as much a hodgepodge as _Yellow Submarine_, had more great songs than _Sgt. Pepper_ (even if they were orignally released as singles): “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “I Am The Walrus”, “Penny Lane”. My humble opinion. [/QUOTE] Forgive us poor boomers, Wood. It was such a triumph of style–remember, this kind of music-making was still very new when the LP was released–that we completely overlooked the near total lack of substance. _Sgt. Pepper_ hasn’t aged well at all. Our bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-by-a-major-artist-at-or-near-their-prime/370849.md?page=4)