Sunday, May 29, 2011
Must Be The Music Today: A Song You May Not Know
Must Be The Music Today: A Song You May Not Know: "This is a new segment that I'm doing that I'm hoping to will be a permanent fixture on this blog. What it is, is that every so often I'll ch..."
A Song You May Not Know
This is a new segment that I'm doing that I'm hoping to will be a permanent fixture on this blog. What it is, is that every so often I'll choose a song that many people may not know. The songs that I choose will not necessarily be by unknown artist, but they will be songs that I feel should be spotlighted more. So here's the first song
Two Way Out by Darker My Love
So Darker My Love is basically a psychedelic indie band from Los Angeles who have been together since 2004. They have released three studio albums. This particular song is from their second album, "2". The song is called Two Ways Out. Some who might have heard this song, may remember it from the MLB 2009 Baseball game.
This song begins with an eerie riff which sounds like its should be creeping out from the ends of the universe. Then some great heavy drums come in to add a nice punch and beat to the song. The best part of this track other than the riff, is the lead singer's voice. Rob Barbato's vocals are haunting and matches perfectly with the also eerie guitar riff heard throughout the song. This song is a much listen and I definitely recommend you to listen to the album "2". Which song is from. Happy listening.
Two Way Out by Darker My Love
So Darker My Love is basically a psychedelic indie band from Los Angeles who have been together since 2004. They have released three studio albums. This particular song is from their second album, "2". The song is called Two Ways Out. Some who might have heard this song, may remember it from the MLB 2009 Baseball game.
This song begins with an eerie riff which sounds like its should be creeping out from the ends of the universe. Then some great heavy drums come in to add a nice punch and beat to the song. The best part of this track other than the riff, is the lead singer's voice. Rob Barbato's vocals are haunting and matches perfectly with the also eerie guitar riff heard throughout the song. This song is a much listen and I definitely recommend you to listen to the album "2". Which song is from. Happy listening.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 2
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 2: "The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 2 5. Imagine - John Lennon Imagine is a good album and probably has my two favorite John Lennon songs, ..."
The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 2
The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 2
5. Imagine - John Lennon
Imagine is a good album and probably has my two favorite John Lennon songs, but it is overrated. And again, it comes down to a numbers games. There are 10 tracks, and only 4 are above average. The rest are either average or below average. Jealous Guy, Imagine, How Do You Sleep?, and Crippled Inside, are the standouts. While the rest stand away. When people list Imagine as a great album, I always get the feeling that when some listen to it, they listen to it while having a great nostalgia for what John Lennon and the Beatles were, rather than what that album actually is. John Lennon was an amazing songwriter, and the Beatles were an amazing group, but Imagine is not an amazing album.
4. Sandinista! - The Clash
The only band that matters, indeed. The Clash were one of the greatest punk groups ever (some consider them to be the best). They made classic albums such as Give Em' Enough Rope, The Clash (US or UK, which ever suits you), and London Calling, but often Sandinista! is also put up alongside these classic works also. Unfortunately though, it does not stand up. Yes I'm picking on the triple disk album. And yes I'm sure I'll hear the "its not fair to pick on the weak songs, its a triple disc album". My retort is, "if you know you have a lot of weak songs, then why make a triple disc album?" Anyways, Sandinista! has some great songs, but there are just too many weak songs. I often think that this album would have been one of the greatest albums ever, had it not been a triple disc album. There was just not enough material to spread across 3 discs, and the album as a whole suffers for it.
3. Exile On Main St. - The Rolling Stones
Now don't act surprise now. I previously went after Bob Dylan and The Beatles for having overrated albums, so you had to expect the Rolling Stones at some point. And yes, I am picking on another multi-disk album. This was one of the hard albums to put on this list, just because it has one of my favorite Rolling Stones song on it (Shine A Light). But just as with the Clash, there seems to be a lack of quality. I also wonder how much better this album would have been if the Rolling Stones had scraped the idea of a double album, and had only gone with a one disc album that only had their best songs. Songs such as: Shine A Light, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice, Rocks Off, and Soul Survivor). Unfortunately though the Rolling Stones went on a different path, and I think that the album suffers as whole for it.
Nevermind - Nirvana
Okay so before anyone accuses me of hating Nirvana, just go and look at my list of the 10 Most Underrated Albums of All-Time. Okay, done? So Nevermind is probably one of the most influential albums of the 90's, which mean that I'm probably going to have to really explain why it's on this list. The reason that it's on this list is because I'm not judging on influence, but on the strength of the songs on the album. If it came down to influence, then Nevermind being on this list would be ludicrous, but I'm not. When it comes to the strength of the songs, Nevermind is overrated. Especially when one takes into account that Rolling Stone has it at #17 on its 500 Greatest Albums List. No one can argue as toward the greatness of tracks such as: Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Lithium, and Polly. Unfortunately, Nevermind also suffer from single-itis. Once one get past the singles, the rest of the songs are average. This is especially apparent toward the end of the album with song such as: Stay Away, On A Plain (which weirdly enough was a single), and Something In The Way, try to finish the album off. At some point the album just fizzles out.
1. Revolver - The Beatles
And queue Beatles fans heads exploding. I know what you're thinking. "How can an album with Elanor Rigby, Taxman, I'm Only Sleeping, Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine,, Got To Get You Into My Life, and Tomorrow Never knows, be overrated?" Well if you were counting, you'll notice that I just named off seven songs. So what about the other seven? Well that's why this album is #1 on this list. Firstly, Love You To is a pretty bad song. Here There Everywhere is an okay song, but it probably should have been regulated to b-side material. She Said She Said is actually a pretty song, so it probably should have been included with the list of seven. Also, And Your Bird Can Sing is a decent song, but it has always sounds somewhat incomplete to me. For No One is at times beautiful, but much of the time it is underwhelming. If there's a Doctor Robert fan out there, then I'm sorry, but I just do not think that this song is better than a filler. A good filler comparative to other fillers, but a filler non the less. I Want To Tell You just shouldn't be on this album. Revolver is an enjoyable listen, and certainly one of the Beatles 5 best albums, but in the end it's not the 3rd greatest album of all-time as Rolling Stone has stated. It's definitely in the Top 100. Probably somewhere between 90-100. But it is not the third best album, nor in the Top 10, 20, 50, or even 75, of all-time. A great album, but not an album that deserves to be as highly regarded as it has become.
5. Imagine - John Lennon
Imagine is a good album and probably has my two favorite John Lennon songs, but it is overrated. And again, it comes down to a numbers games. There are 10 tracks, and only 4 are above average. The rest are either average or below average. Jealous Guy, Imagine, How Do You Sleep?, and Crippled Inside, are the standouts. While the rest stand away. When people list Imagine as a great album, I always get the feeling that when some listen to it, they listen to it while having a great nostalgia for what John Lennon and the Beatles were, rather than what that album actually is. John Lennon was an amazing songwriter, and the Beatles were an amazing group, but Imagine is not an amazing album.
4. Sandinista! - The Clash
The only band that matters, indeed. The Clash were one of the greatest punk groups ever (some consider them to be the best). They made classic albums such as Give Em' Enough Rope, The Clash (US or UK, which ever suits you), and London Calling, but often Sandinista! is also put up alongside these classic works also. Unfortunately though, it does not stand up. Yes I'm picking on the triple disk album. And yes I'm sure I'll hear the "its not fair to pick on the weak songs, its a triple disc album". My retort is, "if you know you have a lot of weak songs, then why make a triple disc album?" Anyways, Sandinista! has some great songs, but there are just too many weak songs. I often think that this album would have been one of the greatest albums ever, had it not been a triple disc album. There was just not enough material to spread across 3 discs, and the album as a whole suffers for it.
3. Exile On Main St. - The Rolling Stones
Now don't act surprise now. I previously went after Bob Dylan and The Beatles for having overrated albums, so you had to expect the Rolling Stones at some point. And yes, I am picking on another multi-disk album. This was one of the hard albums to put on this list, just because it has one of my favorite Rolling Stones song on it (Shine A Light). But just as with the Clash, there seems to be a lack of quality. I also wonder how much better this album would have been if the Rolling Stones had scraped the idea of a double album, and had only gone with a one disc album that only had their best songs. Songs such as: Shine A Light, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice, Rocks Off, and Soul Survivor). Unfortunately though the Rolling Stones went on a different path, and I think that the album suffers as whole for it.
Nevermind - Nirvana
Okay so before anyone accuses me of hating Nirvana, just go and look at my list of the 10 Most Underrated Albums of All-Time. Okay, done? So Nevermind is probably one of the most influential albums of the 90's, which mean that I'm probably going to have to really explain why it's on this list. The reason that it's on this list is because I'm not judging on influence, but on the strength of the songs on the album. If it came down to influence, then Nevermind being on this list would be ludicrous, but I'm not. When it comes to the strength of the songs, Nevermind is overrated. Especially when one takes into account that Rolling Stone has it at #17 on its 500 Greatest Albums List. No one can argue as toward the greatness of tracks such as: Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Lithium, and Polly. Unfortunately, Nevermind also suffer from single-itis. Once one get past the singles, the rest of the songs are average. This is especially apparent toward the end of the album with song such as: Stay Away, On A Plain (which weirdly enough was a single), and Something In The Way, try to finish the album off. At some point the album just fizzles out.
1. Revolver - The Beatles
And queue Beatles fans heads exploding. I know what you're thinking. "How can an album with Elanor Rigby, Taxman, I'm Only Sleeping, Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine,, Got To Get You Into My Life, and Tomorrow Never knows, be overrated?" Well if you were counting, you'll notice that I just named off seven songs. So what about the other seven? Well that's why this album is #1 on this list. Firstly, Love You To is a pretty bad song. Here There Everywhere is an okay song, but it probably should have been regulated to b-side material. She Said She Said is actually a pretty song, so it probably should have been included with the list of seven. Also, And Your Bird Can Sing is a decent song, but it has always sounds somewhat incomplete to me. For No One is at times beautiful, but much of the time it is underwhelming. If there's a Doctor Robert fan out there, then I'm sorry, but I just do not think that this song is better than a filler. A good filler comparative to other fillers, but a filler non the less. I Want To Tell You just shouldn't be on this album. Revolver is an enjoyable listen, and certainly one of the Beatles 5 best albums, but in the end it's not the 3rd greatest album of all-time as Rolling Stone has stated. It's definitely in the Top 100. Probably somewhere between 90-100. But it is not the third best album, nor in the Top 10, 20, 50, or even 75, of all-time. A great album, but not an album that deserves to be as highly regarded as it has become.
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 1
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 1: "10. Disraeli Gears - Cream Cream was one of the greatest super group ever. With Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce, Cream were nea..."
The 10 Most Overrated Albums Part 1
10. Disraeli Gears - Cream
Cream was one of the greatest super group ever. With Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce, Cream were nearly unstoppable. Nearly. Disraeli Gears is considered by some to be their greatest album. Unfortunately, I believe that it is given too much credit because it is Cream and it has one of the greatest albums covers ever, rather than on the basis of the songs. Now before some call me a Clapton or a Cream hater, or a blinded Jimi Hendrix fan, let it be known that I actually love Cream's Wheels of Fire, and many things Clapton. No. Instead, this is about an album not being what it's cracked up to be. There are great songs on Disraeli Gears (Sunshine of Your Love, Tales of Brave Ulysses, Strange Brew), but there are also some songs which are quite frankly sub-par (World of Pain, Blue Condition, Take It Back). Three sub-par songs are just too many for an album to be considered truly amazing.
9. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears - The Mama and The Papas
What can be said about the Mamas and the Papas that has not been said already. An amazing group, with amazing harmonies, and great songs, but what has not been said is that their one seminal album is overrated. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears is a good album, but it is not the #127 Greatest album of all-time (as listed by Rolling Stone Magazine). Once one gets past the hits, (Monday, Monday, Straight Shooter, Go Where You Wanna Go, and California Dreaming), everything else is basically filler material. Some would argue Spanish Harlem, but to me Spanish Harlem is just a bit too dull for my taste. With these type of albums it always seems as if people see the hits and think that "this has to be an amazing album", but the measure of an album is not its singles or hits, but the supporting tracks. And unfortunately, the supporting tracks on this album just are not good enough.
8. Off The Wall - Michael Jackson
This album by the late great Michael Jackson, basically comes down to math. There are 10 songs, 5 are great, but 5 are sub-par fillers. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough, Rock With You, Off The Wall, She's Out of My League. Off The Wall suffers from single-itis. The singles are alone on this album. Such as the case with the above mentioned If You Can Believe You Eyes And Ears, the supporting tracks on Off The Wall do not support very well. They fall very short in fact. (Burn The Disco Out, It's The Falling In Love, Workin' Day And Night, and Get Off The Floor).
7. Please Please Me - The Beatles
I am sure there are people who are reading this right now who are shocked that the Beatles could be anywhere near this list. Well they're actually on here twice. So get your shock out of the way. Please Please Me was the debut album for the Beatles, and is often put on almost every greatest albums list. I have listened to this album many times, and quite frankly, I can't find anything special. Some of the songs on this album are cringe worthy. Don't get me wrong, I Saw Here Standing There, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, and Twist And Shout, are all really good songs, but the rest of the album is quite literally cringe worthy. I can not describe how bad of a song Chains is. Misery, Anna (Go To Him), Boys, Baby It's You, and A Taste of Honey, are no better. Now some will argue that you can not fault the Beatles because most of those songs are covers. True. But I'm not faulting the Beatles, I'm faulting the people who rank this album so highly.
6. Desire - Bob Dylan
If you were shocked to find the Beatles on here, I bet that you're really shocked now. Yes there is such a thing as an overrated Bob Dylan album, and Desire is it. There are nine song contained within this album, I would say that three are listenable. Again, before anyone calls me an Dylan hater, I'm actually an extremely big Dylan fan. I have listened to just about of all his album, at least twice. But Desire is extremely overrated, especially when compared to his other great albums. Which is where this album is usually placed among. Hurricane, Sara, and Isis are three amazing songs that show Dylan's classic genius, but Mozambigue, One More Cup of Coffee, Oh, Sister, and Joey, are not that good. Overrated does not mean it is bad. It just means that it's not as good as people say it is. Desire is not as good as the company that it is placed among.
Cream was one of the greatest super group ever. With Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce, Cream were nearly unstoppable. Nearly. Disraeli Gears is considered by some to be their greatest album. Unfortunately, I believe that it is given too much credit because it is Cream and it has one of the greatest albums covers ever, rather than on the basis of the songs. Now before some call me a Clapton or a Cream hater, or a blinded Jimi Hendrix fan, let it be known that I actually love Cream's Wheels of Fire, and many things Clapton. No. Instead, this is about an album not being what it's cracked up to be. There are great songs on Disraeli Gears (Sunshine of Your Love, Tales of Brave Ulysses, Strange Brew), but there are also some songs which are quite frankly sub-par (World of Pain, Blue Condition, Take It Back). Three sub-par songs are just too many for an album to be considered truly amazing.
9. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears - The Mama and The Papas
What can be said about the Mamas and the Papas that has not been said already. An amazing group, with amazing harmonies, and great songs, but what has not been said is that their one seminal album is overrated. If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears is a good album, but it is not the #127 Greatest album of all-time (as listed by Rolling Stone Magazine). Once one gets past the hits, (Monday, Monday, Straight Shooter, Go Where You Wanna Go, and California Dreaming), everything else is basically filler material. Some would argue Spanish Harlem, but to me Spanish Harlem is just a bit too dull for my taste. With these type of albums it always seems as if people see the hits and think that "this has to be an amazing album", but the measure of an album is not its singles or hits, but the supporting tracks. And unfortunately, the supporting tracks on this album just are not good enough.
8. Off The Wall - Michael Jackson
This album by the late great Michael Jackson, basically comes down to math. There are 10 songs, 5 are great, but 5 are sub-par fillers. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough, Rock With You, Off The Wall, She's Out of My League. Off The Wall suffers from single-itis. The singles are alone on this album. Such as the case with the above mentioned If You Can Believe You Eyes And Ears, the supporting tracks on Off The Wall do not support very well. They fall very short in fact. (Burn The Disco Out, It's The Falling In Love, Workin' Day And Night, and Get Off The Floor).
7. Please Please Me - The Beatles
I am sure there are people who are reading this right now who are shocked that the Beatles could be anywhere near this list. Well they're actually on here twice. So get your shock out of the way. Please Please Me was the debut album for the Beatles, and is often put on almost every greatest albums list. I have listened to this album many times, and quite frankly, I can't find anything special. Some of the songs on this album are cringe worthy. Don't get me wrong, I Saw Here Standing There, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, and Twist And Shout, are all really good songs, but the rest of the album is quite literally cringe worthy. I can not describe how bad of a song Chains is. Misery, Anna (Go To Him), Boys, Baby It's You, and A Taste of Honey, are no better. Now some will argue that you can not fault the Beatles because most of those songs are covers. True. But I'm not faulting the Beatles, I'm faulting the people who rank this album so highly.
6. Desire - Bob Dylan
If you were shocked to find the Beatles on here, I bet that you're really shocked now. Yes there is such a thing as an overrated Bob Dylan album, and Desire is it. There are nine song contained within this album, I would say that three are listenable. Again, before anyone calls me an Dylan hater, I'm actually an extremely big Dylan fan. I have listened to just about of all his album, at least twice. But Desire is extremely overrated, especially when compared to his other great albums. Which is where this album is usually placed among. Hurricane, Sara, and Isis are three amazing songs that show Dylan's classic genius, but Mozambigue, One More Cup of Coffee, Oh, Sister, and Joey, are not that good. Overrated does not mean it is bad. It just means that it's not as good as people say it is. Desire is not as good as the company that it is placed among.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Underrated Albums
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Underrated Albums: "The 10 Most Underrated Albums Part 2 1. Electric Warrior - T Rex 1971 Possible the best album to come out of England during the 70's, ye..."
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Underrated Albums
Must Be The Music Today: The 10 Most Underrated Albums: " The 10 Most Underrated Albums Part 1 6. In Utero - Nirvana 1993 It always seems as if Nevermind and Nirvana's MTV Unplugged get all the..."
The 10 Most Underrated Albums
The 10 Most Underrated Albums Part 1
6. In Utero - Nirvana 1993
It always seems as if Nevermind and Nirvana's MTV Unplugged get all the credit, while In Utero seems to fall by the waste side. In Utero should get more credit, mainly because it's probably Nirvana's best album. Whereas Nevermind fizzles out toward the end, In Utero is consistently great throughout. Heartshaped Box, Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apoligies, were some of Nirvana's best songs. In Utero displays much more of Kurt Cobain's genius, than any of Nirvana's previous albums.
7. Love Bites - The Buzzcocks 1978
While The Clash and The Sex Pistols were dominating Punk, it seemed as if people were forgetting about the Buzzcocks. Unfortunately it seems as if people continue to forget about the Buzzcocks. No matter, the Buzzcocks produced maybe one of the 3 greatest Punk albums ever with Love Bites. On Love Bites they combined Punk and Pop, to make a devastating combination. It is hard not to be blown away by Ever Fallen In Love, Sixteen Again, and Love Is Lies. If you have never listened to Love Bites, then I suggest you should. However, if you are one of the few who have heard it, then I suggest that you find some place to quickly take a listen. Please, don't wait too long.
8. The Idiot - Iggy Pop 1977
What can be said about the Iggy Pop that has not been said before. He has been called a legend, one of the greatest stage performers ever, and the Godfather of Punk. What has not been said though, is how great of an album, The Idiot is. The Idiot was his first true solo album. It featured great tracks such as, Sister Midnight, Funtime, and Mass Production. Pop's second album, Lust for Life usually gets the lion share of the attention, but The Idiot is just as deserving.
9. Mezzanine - Massive Attack 1998
Raise your hands if you know who Massive Attack is. No? Raise your hand if you know the song Teardrop, No? Okay, now raise your hand if you've ever heard the theme to House md. Thought that might jog your memory. Unfortunately, that's the not first time I've had to do that when asking someone how much they know about Massive Attack. Whenever I have to do this line of questioning, I always find myself recommending to the person that I'm talking to, Mezzanine. And for good reason. Mezzanine is their best album, period. With songs such as Teardrop, Man Next Door, Angel, Black Milk, Mezzanine makes for one of the greatest albums ever. Now if everyone else could learn that.
10. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths 1986
Not many people know who the Smiths are in general, unless you're a big Charmed fan and have heard How Soon Is Now, but even less people know about The Queen Is Dead. Possibly the greatest album of the 80's. The Queen Is Dead perfectly shows the genius of Morrissey and Marr. With songs such as Cemetery Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, it makes me shake my head to think that more people do not know about this band and this album, and the fact that they have not made the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame yet.
6. In Utero - Nirvana 1993
It always seems as if Nevermind and Nirvana's MTV Unplugged get all the credit, while In Utero seems to fall by the waste side. In Utero should get more credit, mainly because it's probably Nirvana's best album. Whereas Nevermind fizzles out toward the end, In Utero is consistently great throughout. Heartshaped Box, Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apoligies, were some of Nirvana's best songs. In Utero displays much more of Kurt Cobain's genius, than any of Nirvana's previous albums.
7. Love Bites - The Buzzcocks 1978
While The Clash and The Sex Pistols were dominating Punk, it seemed as if people were forgetting about the Buzzcocks. Unfortunately it seems as if people continue to forget about the Buzzcocks. No matter, the Buzzcocks produced maybe one of the 3 greatest Punk albums ever with Love Bites. On Love Bites they combined Punk and Pop, to make a devastating combination. It is hard not to be blown away by Ever Fallen In Love, Sixteen Again, and Love Is Lies. If you have never listened to Love Bites, then I suggest you should. However, if you are one of the few who have heard it, then I suggest that you find some place to quickly take a listen. Please, don't wait too long.
8. The Idiot - Iggy Pop 1977
What can be said about the Iggy Pop that has not been said before. He has been called a legend, one of the greatest stage performers ever, and the Godfather of Punk. What has not been said though, is how great of an album, The Idiot is. The Idiot was his first true solo album. It featured great tracks such as, Sister Midnight, Funtime, and Mass Production. Pop's second album, Lust for Life usually gets the lion share of the attention, but The Idiot is just as deserving.
9. Mezzanine - Massive Attack 1998
Raise your hands if you know who Massive Attack is. No? Raise your hand if you know the song Teardrop, No? Okay, now raise your hand if you've ever heard the theme to House md. Thought that might jog your memory. Unfortunately, that's the not first time I've had to do that when asking someone how much they know about Massive Attack. Whenever I have to do this line of questioning, I always find myself recommending to the person that I'm talking to, Mezzanine. And for good reason. Mezzanine is their best album, period. With songs such as Teardrop, Man Next Door, Angel, Black Milk, Mezzanine makes for one of the greatest albums ever. Now if everyone else could learn that.
10. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths 1986
Not many people know who the Smiths are in general, unless you're a big Charmed fan and have heard How Soon Is Now, but even less people know about The Queen Is Dead. Possibly the greatest album of the 80's. The Queen Is Dead perfectly shows the genius of Morrissey and Marr. With songs such as Cemetery Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, it makes me shake my head to think that more people do not know about this band and this album, and the fact that they have not made the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame yet.
The 10 Most Underrated Albums
The 10 Most Underrated Albums Part 2
1. Electric Warrior - T Rex 1971
Possible the best album to come out of England during the 70's, yet it's never given the credit that it deserves. With songs like Mambo Sun, Cosmic Dancer, Planet Queen, and Get It On, Electric Warrior is a must own, must listen to album. Only in recent years has it gotten some substantial acclaim, such as placing at #160 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums List, and some of its songs being included on the Billy Elliott Soundtrack. Unfortunately, very few people in America know how great this album is, and it usually gets forgotten when one talks about the best albums of all-time.
2. I Love Rock N' Roll - Joan Jett 1981
Joan Jett was first an amazing guitarist for a great group called the Runaways (a very underrated group themselves), but after she left, she started to release her own solo albums. And her best is/was, I Love Rock N' Roll. Most people only know the title track from this album, and forget that this is an extremely great album. Songs such as Love Is Pain, Nag, and her cover of Crimson And Clover, are brilliant. Jett gets down and dirty throughout I Love Rock N' Roll, and it's time that her hard work be recognized. I Love Rock N' Roll is one of the best albums of all-time.
3. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 1989
How can anyone not like a group of guys from Manchester who tried to bring back California based LSD rock? The Stone Roses like many before them, and many after, were touted as the next big British band. But like many others, they never made it. Unlike many others though, they did leave a lasting impression, and legacy. That legacy was captured with their self-titled debut album, The Stone Roses. Songs like I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall, I Am The Resurrection, oh forget it, the whole album, made many believe that they were the "second coming". With the licks performed by Jon Squire, Mani on bass, Reni on drums, and the legendary Ian Brown on vocals, how did they not become the next big thing. Well contract disputes, and not being able to perform regularly stopped them, and they only released one more album as a group. Still though, this album has influenced the likes of Oasis, Blur, Suede, and many more. This album will probably never get its due in America. A perfect example is when the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums List came out, and the Stone Roses' The Stone Roses wasn't on there. It took a letter writing campaign to get them in the revised book edition. It currently hold #497.
4. Figure 8- Elliott Smith 2000
Elliott Smith might have been the best lyricist of his generation. He released some amazing albums in his career, but he never seemed to get the acclaim from the general public as one with his talent should have. Instead, he stayed in obscurity as a critical darling, but without ever truly breaking through (though he was nominated for an Academy Award for Miss Misery). Figure 8 might have been his greatest work. In it he combined his talent for lyrics, with amazing melodies inspired by the Beatles and Oasis (and yes both are two separate inspirations.). Songs such as Happiness, Son of Sam, and Nothing Means Nothing To Me, truly encapsulates Elliott Smith's genius. Unfortunately, because of Smith's death in 2003, there will never be another album from this amazing talent. But Figure 8 will always be a testaments to his brilliance as songwriter, artist, and performer. Hopefully, more will begin to realize how truly great he was.
5. Definitely Maybe - Oasis 1994
It is hard to say that one of the greatest debut albums of all time is also one of the the most underrated, but Oasis' Definitely Maybe is. Many in America know about Oasis' sophomore album, What's The Story Morning Glory?, but few know about Definitely Maybe. I can quite literally say that there is no bad song on this album. There maybe a song that you don't like as much as the others, but there is not a bad song anywhere. And how could there be? Songs like Live Forever, Cigarettes And Alcohol, Married With Children, Slide Away (Paul McCartney's favorite Oasis songs), Supersonic, and Rock N' Roll Star, all perfectly sum up how the "average Joe" feels. With the sneer of Liam Gallagher's Lennon/Lydon voice, and the brilliance of Noel Gallagher's simplistic riffs, layered melodies, and thoughtful lyrics, Definitely Maybe can only be described as brilliant. Unfortunately though, few recognize that brilliance. When Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list came out, this album was nowhere to be found. For all the "were the best band in world", "were better than the Beatles" talk, Oasis truly were a great band. Many people forgot that, and to a point, Oasis let them forget that. But when one listens to Definitely Maybe, it is hard for one not to say, "hey, who is that band? They sound amazing."
1. Electric Warrior - T Rex 1971
Possible the best album to come out of England during the 70's, yet it's never given the credit that it deserves. With songs like Mambo Sun, Cosmic Dancer, Planet Queen, and Get It On, Electric Warrior is a must own, must listen to album. Only in recent years has it gotten some substantial acclaim, such as placing at #160 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums List, and some of its songs being included on the Billy Elliott Soundtrack. Unfortunately, very few people in America know how great this album is, and it usually gets forgotten when one talks about the best albums of all-time.
2. I Love Rock N' Roll - Joan Jett 1981
Joan Jett was first an amazing guitarist for a great group called the Runaways (a very underrated group themselves), but after she left, she started to release her own solo albums. And her best is/was, I Love Rock N' Roll. Most people only know the title track from this album, and forget that this is an extremely great album. Songs such as Love Is Pain, Nag, and her cover of Crimson And Clover, are brilliant. Jett gets down and dirty throughout I Love Rock N' Roll, and it's time that her hard work be recognized. I Love Rock N' Roll is one of the best albums of all-time.
3. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 1989
How can anyone not like a group of guys from Manchester who tried to bring back California based LSD rock? The Stone Roses like many before them, and many after, were touted as the next big British band. But like many others, they never made it. Unlike many others though, they did leave a lasting impression, and legacy. That legacy was captured with their self-titled debut album, The Stone Roses. Songs like I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall, I Am The Resurrection, oh forget it, the whole album, made many believe that they were the "second coming". With the licks performed by Jon Squire, Mani on bass, Reni on drums, and the legendary Ian Brown on vocals, how did they not become the next big thing. Well contract disputes, and not being able to perform regularly stopped them, and they only released one more album as a group. Still though, this album has influenced the likes of Oasis, Blur, Suede, and many more. This album will probably never get its due in America. A perfect example is when the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums List came out, and the Stone Roses' The Stone Roses wasn't on there. It took a letter writing campaign to get them in the revised book edition. It currently hold #497.
4. Figure 8- Elliott Smith 2000
Elliott Smith might have been the best lyricist of his generation. He released some amazing albums in his career, but he never seemed to get the acclaim from the general public as one with his talent should have. Instead, he stayed in obscurity as a critical darling, but without ever truly breaking through (though he was nominated for an Academy Award for Miss Misery). Figure 8 might have been his greatest work. In it he combined his talent for lyrics, with amazing melodies inspired by the Beatles and Oasis (and yes both are two separate inspirations.). Songs such as Happiness, Son of Sam, and Nothing Means Nothing To Me, truly encapsulates Elliott Smith's genius. Unfortunately, because of Smith's death in 2003, there will never be another album from this amazing talent. But Figure 8 will always be a testaments to his brilliance as songwriter, artist, and performer. Hopefully, more will begin to realize how truly great he was.
5. Definitely Maybe - Oasis 1994
It is hard to say that one of the greatest debut albums of all time is also one of the the most underrated, but Oasis' Definitely Maybe is. Many in America know about Oasis' sophomore album, What's The Story Morning Glory?, but few know about Definitely Maybe. I can quite literally say that there is no bad song on this album. There maybe a song that you don't like as much as the others, but there is not a bad song anywhere. And how could there be? Songs like Live Forever, Cigarettes And Alcohol, Married With Children, Slide Away (Paul McCartney's favorite Oasis songs), Supersonic, and Rock N' Roll Star, all perfectly sum up how the "average Joe" feels. With the sneer of Liam Gallagher's Lennon/Lydon voice, and the brilliance of Noel Gallagher's simplistic riffs, layered melodies, and thoughtful lyrics, Definitely Maybe can only be described as brilliant. Unfortunately though, few recognize that brilliance. When Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list came out, this album was nowhere to be found. For all the "were the best band in world", "were better than the Beatles" talk, Oasis truly were a great band. Many people forgot that, and to a point, Oasis let them forget that. But when one listens to Definitely Maybe, it is hard for one not to say, "hey, who is that band? They sound amazing."
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