Underrated albums - they can't all be zingers

[Steelersfan22]

this thread is here for one reason: to discuss albums that are underrated, undervalued, and underappreciated.

I'll start:

Primus, The Brown Album (1997)

 

[Tism the Return]

Kamakiriad by Donald Fagen feels pretty much overshadowed by every other album of his being pretty great shit, it's still fantastic and Snowbound's gotta be one of his best songs.

 

[KimCoppolaAficionado]

The King of Limbs. Sure, it's more of a weird anomaly in Radiohead's discography than anything else and sounds more like a Caribou album, but "Little by Little", "Feral", and "Good Morning Mr. Magpie" are great chill tracks.

 

[Pomniman]

Outside seems like the best overlooked Bowie album.

 

[LolRaccoon]

"Meat is Murder" by the Smiths. The only bad track on it is the title one.

 

[Kamov Ka-52]

Iron Maiden's: No Prayer for the Dying.

 

[Y2K Baby]

great chill tracks.

Gay detected.

 

[8777BB5]

As I have said before It's Hard by The Who is one of their best albums. Most people only know it as the album as the one which has Eminence Front and Athena, but there are other great songs on it as well such as It's Your Turn, Dangerous, One at a Time, Why did I fall for that and Cry If You Want. The only really weak song on it is Cooks County and even then it's leagues better than the crappy Face Dances numbers Cache Cache or How Can You Do It Alone, which is the stupidest song The Who ever recorded (It still amazes me that Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend wanted How Can You Do it Alone on the album instead of It's In You or the John Entwistle penned Countryside Boogie). I think some of the reasons It's Hard isn't that wellliked is Kenny Jones is drumming on it, the first half of the album is a bit weaker than the second one, and the UK didn't get a tour of it. (though considering how awful the US/Canada tour was I think they dodged a bullet. A friend of mine still refers to the tour as It's Hard on The Ears due to Roger losing his voice on the third song on the set and John and Pete's voices not being able to compensate for its loss. If you want to listen to any live tracks from that tour listen to the ones with either John or Pete on lead vocal.

 

[Shoggoth]

Therion - Beyond Sanctorum
Now mostly known for being lame and gay, Therion used to make some damn good music. The songs in the album are well composed, have a sense of narrative, and convey a real sense of alienness, mystery, "outsidedness" and tragedy. Not in the weeping emo kind of way, but in the cosmic horror kind of way.
Truly a recommended journey.

 

[Thomas Paine]

Sap by Alice In Chains.
Features a ton of grunge legends and explores themes and styles they later left behind for a more mainstream sound.

 

[Y2K Baby]

explores themes they later left behind for a more mainstream sound.

Like botany?

 

[Thomas Paine]

Like botany?

And Mycology

 

[edboy]

Death Grips - Government Plates

 

[bonezzz]

Very enlightening fells on a cellular level.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Motörizer by Motörhead. The album got decent reviews, but no one ever talks about it, and it's a shame because I think it's got some kick-ass songs, like Heroes, Runaround Man, and When the Eagle Screams.

Out of all the Motörhead albums I've listened to, it's my personal favorite, even about Ace of Spades.

 

[Milk Mage]

Duty Now for The Future by Devo. I'd definitely consider it one of the most important albums in New Wave, but it's often overlooked considering it came between Freedom of Choice and New Traditionalists

 

[Maamtis]

Smashing Pumpkins' Machina/Machines of God. As a single album fair enough but as a double album along with Machina II/Friends and Enemies of Modern Music it's a more complete experience. Hopefully, we'll finally get the long-awaited remaster with proper track sequencing so we can finally hear the album as it was meant to be heard.

 

[Midlife Sperglord]

Ben Folds Five - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

 

[Alex Hogendorp]

This live album. Ricochet by Tangerine Dream is one of the very best albums I ever heard. It has a really good reception but not much popularity.


I find this album "Great Dirty World" by Gowan to be such a hidden gem. Really. It's amazing.


Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra by Synergy is truly a groundbreaking work for it's time that is often overlooked.

 

[FieldPiece]

Gin - Cobalt

Just a really good black metal album.

Someday This Could All Be Yours Vol 1 - The Paper Chase.

Really great noise rock/emo album probably The Paper Chase'd best album, band in general is underrated but I understand John Congletons vocals can be very offputting.

Gaburger - Gezzebelle Gaburgably

It's like a weird combination of Avril Lavigne, with the goofyness of Ween and the self hatred of Pinkerton era Weezer. Reaper Weekend, Slime, Predictable Shame, Unfathomable Pain, Heads Up, Adam And Eve, and Birdbath are all great shit. I think the only songs I don't love are You're Right and It's Over.
I only say it's underrated because it's so much more refined than her earlier stuff but gets half the attention the stuff she made when she was part of MK Ultra Support Group. Her next album may be even better if Pizza Rolls Royce is anything to off of. Ironic that the only Incelcore artist making stuff anymore is a woman.