Maligned albums that are actually pretty good

[ZoSoRose]

This topic popped in my head and I thought it might be kind of interesting. I'll purposely leave Chinese Democracy off my list because we have all (and continue to) discussed it ad nauseam, but it does certainly fit in this category.  Anyways, albums by big bands that get a bad rap, but you might really like them. Here are some of mine-

 

1. A Momentary Lapse of Reason - Pink Floyd

Despite having a big hit or two, this is consistently regarded as one of the worst Pink Floyd albums. I love it! I understand how some might not dig the production, but I think the 80s synth and reverb soaked production is a great "time in a bottle" sort of situation. It is an over- processed Pink Floyd- lite record that is probably more of a Gilmour venture, but I think the guitar playing is great. Fantastic, thick delay- soaked lead tones with great overdrive. I'm here for it. Yet Another Movie, Sorrow, On the Turning Away, One Slip... great songs. AMLOR is one of my most listened to PF albums and I prefer it to the Division Bell (also a great record that could probably be put on this list). It definitely isn't DSotM, WYWH, Animals, or The Wall, but I prefer it to pre- Dark Side Floyd (aside from things like Echoes), and I'll also take it over anything Roger has done since The Wall, including The Final Cut. Even where the album doesn't stick it like with A New Machine I and II and The Dogs of War, I appreciate them for being kind of weird. Plus, did I mention the killer solos on this album? Gilmour with a vengeance.

2. No Line on the Horizon- U2

This album was really hyped and I think that ended up hurting it. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (which I actually think is a much weaker album aside from the two big hits) was massive with Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights, and then U2 took a while to come up with a follow up. They went to Morocco for inspiration, said they were going more experimental, and then.... wimped out and put up a far inferior Vertigo clone as the lead single. Get on Your Boots is not as awful as I remember. Actually, it isn't a bad song but it does suffer from very stupid lyrics for the hook. Aside from that misfire, I revisited the record and was really blown away by what I heard. The first 3 songs are extremely strong. Title track is great and I love Magnificent. Magnificent should have been the lead single. It sounds like classic U2. I do wish they went more experimental, overall, but the album is actually a dark horse for me. Moment of Surrender is beautiful and a modern day opus worthy of being the 360 closer every night, Fez/ Being Born is another highlight later on. The album really got lost in its hype and was torpedoed by a weak lead single. I think it also is the symbolic shift from U2 going from a relevant, music- making force with their All That You Can't Leave Behind comeback and Vertigo success to a legacy band being propelled and kept up by their past work. Maybe that was bound to happen no matter what at this point in their career. 360 is the biggest legacy NLOTH leaves behind, but the tour's success was going to happen with or without the record it backed. By the time I saw it in 2011, only two album songs remained in the set. Its a shame, there is some great stuff on the record and even the band doesn't seem to recognize that after the public shunned it. I believe it’s the only album not represented on their new Songs of Surrender project.

2. Songs of Innocence- U2

Probably a cop out to have two U2 albums, but I think this one fits the bill. This is one of the most infamous records of the 2010s because of how it was released. I can see why Bono thought the iTunes thing was a fun idea and a good gimmick to make the release seem relevant. The band was probably afraid after NLOTH tanked and by releasing it free to the world in a time where CDs still were kind of being sold but dying, it was a great cop- out to say the record was a success if it didn't sell (and it didn't sell well when the CD came out). The release definitely made headlines and got lots of people talking, but not for the right reasons. The release was the last time people would think of iTunes regularly, as streaming was just starting to explode. Nonetheless, enough random people who had not ever cared to listen to a U2 song would now have Bono and co. blasting on their playlists. I believe it was kind of a pain to delete, too. If all publicity is good publicity, this album was a success I guess. Buried under the controversy, I actually really dig this album. Its a great collection of safe, poppy, U2 tracks. Every Breaking Wave would have been huge in the early 2000s (and should have been this album's lead single), but at this point, I don't think U2 could put out a song that would be a crossover hit like Vertigo or Beautiful Day. The NLOTH era put them in the legacy category. Volcano is catchy, Sleep Like a Baby Tonight is cool, I dig The Troubles, and Crystal Ballroom rocks. Solid record that also doesn't receive the reputation it has. Songs of Experience, on the other hand, was a huge letdown for me.

3. Muse- Simulation Theory

Muse has definitely been chasing their Resistance and Madness success, and is no longer on the top of the teenage world with relevant Twilight movies, but I love Simulation Theory. ST is usually at the bottom of Muse fans' lists, but I found it refreshing. It was a lot more bombastic and fun than Drones and now Will of the People. They got weird with songs like Propaganda and Break it to Me, they chased the Stranger Things- led Synthpop wave of the late 2010s, but I think they did so successfully and I love Algorithm, Blockades, The Dark Side, and The Void. If a fan wants a guitar- driven rock record, I totally understand this record not being their cup of tea, but it was refreshing for me to have a less pretentious album and one where they were just throwing the kitchen sink in to see what happens.

 

Honorable Mentions

Van Halen, Van Halen III- A poster-child record for bad albums by legendary artists. I don't listen to it a lot, but I think there is good stuff there. Love the guitars and vocals in A Year to the Day. Once and Without You are strong, too.

Black Sabbath, Technical Ecstasy- Considered a misfire and the weakest of the OG Sabbath run. I think a lot of us have a soft spot for Its Alright with the GNR connection, but the rockers are great on this album. I don't get the hate.

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by ZoSoRose

[pbj_jam]

Pixies - Bossanova (personal fave)

Melvins - Honky

Ditto with the Sabbath album/Never Say Die

Goats Head Soup

FNM - Album Of The Year

[rocknroll41]

 Studio albums that I think are underrated:

The Spaghetti Incident and Chinese Democracy

Every FNM album post-The Real Thing

Every Kiss album that isn’t Hot in the Shade (including the ‘78 solo albums)

Every Linkin Park album except for the last two

And Justice for All, The Black Album, Load, Hardwired

Every RHCP album

Edited April 10, 2023 by rocknroll41

[username]

Bob Dylan  - Together Through Life

GnR - The Spaghetti Incident 

Metallica - ...And Justice For All

Velvet Revolver - Libertad

[Gordon Comstock]

10 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Every RHCP album

 

One Hot Minute was the first one that came to mind when I saw this thread.

 

I listened to Load just a few days ago, it's a good album.

I'll also add Motley Crue's self-titled album and Aerosmith's Just Push Play.

[action]

justice for all, it's my favorite metallica album

spaghetti incident

UYI II; I prefer it to appetite. best vocals, guitars and lyrics of any GNR album. the band shines.

hot space and the miracle by Queen

[Cosmo]

 

AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video

Blues Pills - Lady In Gold

Iron Maiden - Book of Souls

Iron Maiden - Senjutsu

Megadeth - Cryptic Writings
Megadeth - Th1rt3en

Metallica - Death Magnetic

Metallica - And Justice For All (it’s a fan favourite though)

Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

The Sword - High Country

The Sword - Used Future

Wolfmother - New Crown

 

 

[Stay.Of.Execution]

17 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

 Studio albums that I think are underrated:

The Spaghetti Incident and Chinese Democracy

Every FNM album post-The Real Thing

Every Kiss album that isn’t Hot in the Shade (including the ‘78 solo albums)

Every Linkin Park album except for the last two

And Justice for All, The Black Album, Load, Hardwired

Every RHCP album

The black Album is one of the most popular albums of all time. I don't think it fits here 

[Rovim]

The Stone Roses - Second Coming

 

[rocknroll41]

4 hours ago, Stay.Of.Execution said:

The black Album is one of the most popular albums of all time. I don't think it fits here 

Yeah but metal purists always like to shit on it.

[Sweersa]

A Thousand Suns by Linkin Park

[Cosmo]

2 hours ago, Sweersa said:

A Thousand Suns by Linkin Park

One of their best, IMO

[Sweersa]

1 hour ago, Cosmo said:

One of their best, IMO

I wasn't and am not even a big fan of them, but that album speaks to me.

[Cosmo]

2 hours ago, Sweersa said:

I wasn't and am not even a big fan of them, but that album speaks to me.

Linkin Park was pretty much the first band I got into as a teen and, after losing interest in them and moving on to other things, ATS pulled me back. And it still does, once in a while. IMO, The Catalyst is their best song.

[Sweersa]

17 minutes ago, Cosmo said:

Linkin Park was pretty much the first band I got into as a teen and, after losing interest in them and moving on to other things, ATS pulled me back. And it still does, once in a while. IMO, The Catalyst is their best song.

2010 was an interesting year for me. My buddy told me about the new LP album, so I gave it a listen and was hooked fairly quickly. Has great mixing, overall production as well, a vibrant record with many styles.

2010 would of been a great year for CD2. At the time it was rumored for a Summer release, and was to be self-titled. 

[Jakey Styley]

I didn’t know people disliked And Justice For All?

Death Magnetic wasn’t great but better than people gave it credit for imo.

One Hot Minute by RHCP is a great album, just maybe not what people wanted from them.

[Gordon Comstock]

1 hour ago, Jakey Styley said:

I didn’t know people disliked And Justice For All?

Death Magnetic wasn’t great but better than people gave it credit for imo.

One Hot Minute by RHCP is a great album, just maybe not what people wanted from them.

 

Yea I thought AJFA was mostly regarded by rock/metal fans as a good album with terrible mixing.

RHCP is definitely at their best when with John, but Dave was a great replacement, better than Josh IMO. I can see why One Hot Minute was disliked at the time but it's aged well.

[Cosmo]

6 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

Yea I thought AJFA was mostly regarded by rock/metal fans as a good album with terrible mixing.

Even with it’s awful mix, it’s still held in very high regard by most of the fanbase. But outside of the Metallica fanbase, you’re right. It’s seen as kind of a missed opportunity because of the mix.

[username]

9 hours ago, Jakey Styley said:

One Hot Minute by RHCP is a great album, just maybe not what people wanted from them.

I think the main problem with OHM, for a lot of people at least, was that it wasn't the kind of follow-up people expected after BSSM. But you're right - it's a good album. 

[Jakey Styley]

12 hours ago, Cosmo said:

Even with it’s awful mix, it’s still held in very high regard by most of the fanbase. But outside of the Metallica fanbase, you’re right. It’s seen as kind of a missed opportunity because of the mix.

I must have untrained ears because I never found an issue with the mix. Now I’m sure the next time I listen I’ll start finding issues, lol

[Rovim]

45 minutes ago, Jakey Styley said:

I must have untrained ears because I never found an issue with the mix. Now I’m sure the next time I listen I’ll start finding issues, lol

for me the mix is painfully dry, bass is buried. It sounds lifeless. It's one of my favorite metal albums ever though and one of the things that gives it its power is that James and Lars are always upfront in the mix, everything else is just background or at least that's how it feels like to me. 

if you listen to AJFA and then the black album it becomes more clear how dry and sometimes one dimensional the AJFA production and mix are, but the music itself is brilliant and imo some aspects of the production and mix fits the music, oddly enough compared to the clear and dynamic production that Bob Rock gave the black album.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Rovim

[Cosmo]

1 hour ago, Rovim said:

for me the mix is painfully dry, bass is buried. It sounds lifeless. It's one of my favorite metal albums ever though and one of the things that gives it its power is that James and Lars are always upfront in the mix, everything else is just background or at least that's how it feels like to me. 

if you listen to AJFA and then the black album it becomes more clear how dry and sometimes one dimensional the AJFA production and mix are, but the music itself is brilliant and imo some aspects of the production and mix fits the music, oddly enough compared to the clear and dynamic production that Bob Rock gave the black album.

I downloaded a bootlegged fanmade mix with balanced EQ and instruments to listen to it without getting distracted by the awful sound