Also, its hard to totally dismiss the Smooth Noodle Maps era of Devo because this is such a jam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCJoe_4eYU4
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:17 (four years ago) link
i did have an image in my head of UMS seeing Neil on the street and yelling, "Neil! Landing on Water! I liked it!"
― omar little, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:19 (four years ago) link
Bad Religion - Into the Unknown
― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:19 (four years ago) link
Mott the Hoople released a couple of stinky stinkers after Ian Hunter split. They shortened the name to Mott, but it was basically the same band, sans their guiding light and anything in the way of listenable material.
― henry s, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:40 (four years ago) link
I actually kinda like CCR's Mardi Gras, but it would have been better for the other guys to write their songs and have John sing them. (I'm aware of the history, and that this was not likely to happen.) Most of the songs aren't that bad, but virtually no band needs three lead singers.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:45 (four years ago) link
Blue Oyster Cult had FOUR singers, and they needed them all, if only to assure that Eric Bloom didn't get any more time behind the mic.
― henry s, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:53 (four years ago) link
Calling All Stations
― dinnerboat, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 16:55 (four years ago) link
can't believe I've never seen the video, that's such a perfect ending for the group. still every time I hear that song I can't help but think it was written specifically to get radio play which is something they hadn't really done before. of course their comeback album in 2011 was pretty much all about that and it turned out pretty good
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 17:52 (four years ago) link
Music From 'The Elder' by Kiss used to be in this category I guess? Nowadays it sounds like the album that kicked off the epic fantasy metal genre so probably ripe for reassessment.
― funnel spider ESA (Matt #2), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:11 (four years ago) link
Jean-Michel Jarre made several of these in the 00's, he pretty much traded in his entire set up for Pro Tools/Fruity Loops type software and put out some pretty bland downtempo/trance stuff that sounds like royalty-free background music to me. Maybe Metamorphosis doesn't count (because it's actually kinda good) but the other ones - Sessions 2000, Geometry of Love, Teo & Tea - all seem to have been written out of his history already.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:13 (four years ago) link
I actually kinda like CCR's Mardi Gras, but it would have been better for the other guys to write their songs and have John sing them
i feel like mardi gras definitely fits the thread but ^^this otm
"Someday.." and "Sweet Hitchhiker" pretty top tier CCR for me
― A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Chooglin (will), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:23 (four years ago) link
According to Wikipedia, Fogerty refused to sing on Doug's and Stu's songs. I bet those were fun sessions.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:36 (four years ago) link
yeah him refusing to sing was a total dick move. otoh the other guys really didn't seem to have a clue about how much Fogerty was carrying the band. So he opted to show them in the most publicly humiliating way possible.
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:48 (four years ago) link
omar little at 11:19 10 Sep 19i did have an image in my head of UMS seeing Neil on the street and yelling, "Neil! Landing on Water! I liked it!"
I WON'T BE SILENCED BY THE MAN!!!
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:51 (four years ago) link
Not that I've even heard any of these (fitting I suppose) but the first two pre-Debut Bjork albums and the Underworld Mk1 albums
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:55 (four years ago) link
this should apply to most of weezer's discography, but doesn't
― ufo, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 18:59 (four years ago) link
Dunno if it’s “off course” but I never hear much talk about the very first Sleater-Kinney record
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:00 (four years ago) link
Iggy Pop has several of these - Avenue B, Aprés, Preliminaires, and apparently his new one Free is another.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:03 (four years ago) link
That 90's YMO reunion album called Technodon fits; sounds nothing like their previous stuff and you get the impression none of them really wanted to make it. Alfa went bankrupt but still had the rights to the YMO name so it came out as "Not YMO". Apparently it was supposed to be sample-heavy but the fallout from Paul's Boutique made that impossible. Even though YMO's stuff gets reappraised and compiled all the time these days you pretty much never hear about this album. I kinda forgot it exists. It's not that bad, but the songwriting isn't really there and it sounds dated in a way their classic stuff doesn't.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:09 (four years ago) link
The first Ministry album
― silverfish, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:27 (four years ago) link
'No Talking, Just Head', perhaps?
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:37 (four years ago) link
Moby “Animal Rights”. the old ipod it’s on that’s constantly on shuffle tries to play something from it each time we sit down for breakfast. i totally forgot it had some great ambient tracks until it played one recently - was so disappointed in spending my limited budget on it back when it came out i don’t think i ever listened to it all the way through since then.
― scanner darkly, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 19:46 (four years ago) link
yeah that's a good one especially since it comes in the midst of his 'classic period'
Yes arguably have a bunch of these...first one that comes to mind is Open Your Eyes but I think the new one (Heaven & Earth) is even more useless
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:15 (four years ago) link
Do most Blondie fans think this about The Hunter? I think it has a number of good songs, and a number that, uh, aren't good.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:32 (four years ago) link
Discharge's Grave New World, their infamous foray into something vaguely resembling hair metal, might be an example of this. I think that album is due for critical reappraisal, though. Not because it's all that good, but just because that seems like something that would happen.
― JRN, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:42 (four years ago) link
there's a couple of Discharge clone bands that have sort of taken Grave New World as inspiration, but not quite - Thisclose is the main one, but they just sing like Cal on that album, the music is more like trad Discharge
the first Ministry album is different to their other stuff, but is actually good not bad
― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:44 (four years ago) link
was going to say Genesis' Calling All Stations but someone beat me to it. Also Yes's last one, Heaven and Earth; that has fewer defenders than CAS.
― akm, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:47 (four years ago) link
Michael Jackson's Invincible fits even though it would be by far the highest selling album in this thread. even after he died and all his music was playing everywhere all the time you never heard anything from this besides maybe "You Rock My World" once in a blue moon. I don't remember if it's bad or good, in fact I don't remember anything about it
you could probably include all his pre-Off the Wall solo albums too but that's an entirely different situation
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:53 (four years ago) link
I don't mean the bad albums, since I assume most fans will at least want to hear bad versions of their favorite artists (especially since you don't actually have to pay anything to do so these days), I mean the ones which just have nothing to do with the artist's classic style
invincible would not fit
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 20:53 (four years ago) link
yeah you're right, I wasn't thinking in terms of sound (again, I can't remember a damn thing about it outside of the single even though I'm sure I've heard it a dozen times) but rather the impact. it was kind of weird that this goliath of pop died which prompted a huge reappraisal of all his work, except for the one album he'd actually put out in the last 15 years
instead let me offer the 80's albums from the fairly successful progressive symphonic rock group Renaissance (Camera Camera & Time Line), in which the group (now a trio) tries their hand at ABBA-style synthpop. I actually thought both albums were okay but I will probably never listen to them again.
final two Gentle Giant albums are in the same boat. Civilian is actually quite decent...as a Cars album. Missing Piece at least had some proggy stuff on it.
Starcastle's Real to Reel, basically a bad Styx album, but even less proggy than that. Basically killed the band.
Triumvirat's final two also seem to fit though I haven't heard them
― frogbs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 21:01 (four years ago) link
A bunch of those were discussed in a 'prog dinos go wave' thread. ELP, Gentle Giant, Renaissance et al disappointed quite a few hippies with their commercial attempts.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 21:25 (four years ago) link
1981 = year of 70s dino rockers w modren/wavo comeback LPs
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 21:28 (four years ago) link
Train Above the City?
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:13 (four years ago) link
Scott Walker's phoned a couple in, Stretch and We Had It All for example. They're blandly pleasant-enough country and western, but given what he's capable of they may as well be screeching white noise. I've tried and failed to find a way into them.
― henry s, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:20 (four years ago) link
Behind the Mask
Time
― omar little, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:20 (four years ago) link
oops meant to italicize
― omar little, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:21 (four years ago) link
Pat Boone "In a Metal Mood"
― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:25 (four years ago) link
gtfo, that's his one totally essential lp.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:29 (four years ago) link
I was going to say Jewel's 0304, the album where she went dance pop, but apparently it wasn't received badly enough by the fans or public to be outright forgotten.
― When I am afraid, I put my toast in you (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:35 (four years ago) link
First one that came to mind, though it should be noted they've been playing the first track "Orchid Club" at most of their shows this year. As a Blondie fan I have to admit I don't often think about The Hunter at all.
― Josefa, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 22:45 (four years ago) link
That’s cool! I’ve put “Orchid Club” on a couple mixtapes.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:13 (four years ago) link
So, there’s a number of ways this seems to happen:
Artist moves on rapidly from early work (Ministry)
Artist makes a late period artistic shift (Love Beach)
Band continues without guiding force (Mott)
Are there examples where the artist/band, at the height of their fame, just releases a completely different product that totally backfires?
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:29 (four years ago) link
Garth Brooks in ... The Life of Chris Gaines
― visiting, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:32 (four years ago) link
Metal Machine Music too
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:33 (four years ago) link
Fourth option to add to above: Band is simply out of gas, releases crap record. Examples too numerous to list.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:34 (four years ago) link
Black Sabbath’s ‘Seventh Star’?
― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:34 (four years ago) link
Chris Gaines OTM, I thought of that one as I was typing.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:37 (four years ago) link
Goodbye Cruel World?
― And the wind... cries... Larry (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:40 (four years ago) link
What about when Sinatra had a hit with "My Way" and then came back with an album where half of it was him reciting tone poems by Rod McKuen
― Josefa, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:51 (four years ago) link
This is the most interesting category I think. Animal Rights does seem like the closest fit that comes to mind. Obviously Moby would become more famous later, but circa Everything Is Wrong he was about as well-known as it was possible for a dance music producer to be in the US, then Animal Rights killed any momentum completely.
In Australia it was released with a bonus disc of instrumentals called Little Idiot that I remember being quite good.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 10 September 2019 23:58 (four years ago) link
The Beach Boys - s/t album from 1985 and everything thereafter
nah there is absolutely good stuff on the last one
― Οὖτις, Friday, 11 October 2019 16:40 (four years ago) link
Frank Sinatra’s Trilogy: Past, Present, Future, but especially the “Future” disc.
― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 11 October 2019 19:16 (four years ago) link
That house album which the Style Council made just before the end. The record company refused to release it. I think it eventually turned up in the box set of their complete works some time in the late 1990s.― does it look like i'm here (jon123), Friday, October 11, 2019 7:09 AM
modernism: a new decade is actually really good, for what it is. sounds nothing like tsc before they made it, but that was kind of the point.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 October 2019 19:26 (four years ago) link
I guess some might say that even "hardcore" fans needn't bother with the last few Black Flag albums.
― drunk on hot toddies (morrisp), Friday, 11 October 2019 19:26 (four years ago) link
Frank Sinatra’s Trilogy does have his "Theme for New York New York", which is one of those songs one forgets was recorded in the 80s.
But yes, The "Future" part is pretty wild.
― MarkoP, Friday, 11 October 2019 20:00 (four years ago) link
Celtic Frost: Cold Lake.
― Fried Egg Sandwich, Friday, 11 October 2019 20:00 (four years ago) link
How do people feel about The Burning World?
I've always thought it was perfectly fine and not the aberration that it's kinda painted as, 'Saved' is a beautiful track as is the cover of 'Can't Find My Way Home', I don't really think it's *too* overproduced.
― Maresn3st, Friday, 11 October 2019 21:36 (four years ago) link
It's one of my favorite Swans albums.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Friday, 11 October 2019 21:40 (four years ago) link
I feel like most of Lovelife could’ve easily fit on Split, obv not Ciao or 500.
― brimstead, Saturday, 12 October 2019 01:43 (four years ago) link
Would Mott The Hoople's "Wild Life" count?
It's not a bad album, but imagine if thin lizzys third album sounded more like The Eagles. You wouldn't prefer that if you liked the other albums..
― Mark G, Saturday, 12 October 2019 23:29 (four years ago) link
I think The Burning World is the best Swans album. That might make me a pussy, whatever.
― akm, Sunday, 13 October 2019 03:37 (four years ago) link
Never heard the whole record, but that synth pop record that Jack Bruce made that was only released in Germany is definitely an outlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-siie-F4DY&list=OLAK5uy_my9jydYfDlS8BGpdfs7dQTwaEiW1hXA9c
― earlnash, Sunday, 13 October 2019 03:52 (four years ago) link
Anything from Cabaret Voltaire post-1990.
― beard papa, Monday, 14 October 2019 01:35 (four years ago) link