Albums you consider classics that you rarely hear mention of

Well, a lot of people have never heard of Nirvana either, but I tend to take these type of subjects as more geared toward the forum members.

 

Free - Fire And Water

 

I think all of these are at the very least minor claasics or should be considered as such:

Gregg Allman - Laid Back
Joan Armatrading- s/t
The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Bobby "Blue" Bland - Two Steps From the Blues
Roy Buchanan - That's What I am Here For
Tommy Bolin - Teaser
Terry Callier - Occasional Rain
Camel - The Snow Goose
Captain Beyond - s/t
Catherine Wheel - Chrome
Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From My Friends
Crazy Horse - s/t
The Cranberries - Everybody Else is Doing It So Why Can't We?
The Cure - Wish
Deep Purple - Burn
The Dictators - Bloodbrothers
The Doobie Brothers - The Captain and Me
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Golden Earring - Moontan
Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball
The Hollies - For Certain Because...
The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
Ronnie Lane - One For The Road
Manassas - s/t
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs
Edgar Winter - White Trash

 

Some nice picks there @eatthecheese, and a few of my favorites too, the Catherine Wheel and Mercury Rev picks could surely use some more love, but both up there with my favorites of the 90s. Something just a touch more recent, listening right now to the always amazing Nina Nastasia The Blackened Air, no idea at this point how many times it has played around my house since 2002 but it's a lot, beautiful songs and voice and players and recording, and the full analog vinyl sounds great too. Big favorite, and an obvious classic. Wish she would come back with something new, been almost 10 years now and almost no information, she keeps a very private existence.

 

Unheralded Classics from the 21st century

Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - Tears for Fears
& - Kristian Hoffman
In Another Life - Anne Soldaat
Communion - The Soundtrack of Our Lives
All Quiet Noise on the Floor - Jason Falkner

 

For me the primary point of this whole damn forum; is to inform and be informed of artists, recordings, performances and supporting players that may not have previously been known. True enough; sometimes from reading my contributions one might get the idea the point is to be a goofball. That said; I'll definitely check out Hector Zazou and Sahara Blue. Your description in content and style has wet my appetite. It would be insane not to explore an album, commemorating 100 years since the passing of Arthur Rimbaud. Sometimes you just get a feeling from a description... I got one. As a matter of fact; I'm considering finding a copy; hoping I can find one at a reasonable price and going in blind so as to maximize the experience of discovery. Thanks Davey.

 

Sorry? No - no - no... it was a very valid point / question. Any comment which precipitates someone to think and be discerning in their choices and definitions is OK by me man. Thanks Brian.

 

Rodney; it's was and remains my hope that people explain and defend; when it becomes necessary; their categorization of a recording as being a Classic.

 

I have always had one that strikes me as not at all peculiar or outre in its greatness, but rather something half of whose tracks would make perfect AOR/classic rock radio fodder from year of release til now, one by a band by no means unknown, and an album that to me is a clear outlier in their sound, walking the line between their softer and brawnier side with a perfectly lovely and moving mix of totally normal but totally amazing rock songwriting, singing, and performing: Hot Tuna's PHOSPHORESCENT RAT, an lp I consider perfect.

 

That album is legendary in this area as Gary Burger, the leader of the Monks who did that time, was from this area.

 

An excellent list of great albums. Your distinction of "minor classics" is an interesting one. Two great ones stand out to me as hearing about relatively often: Manassas which I would; and think will be bourn out in time as being a no holds barred unequivocal classic. The other that I feel gets fair amount of positive discussion is With A Little Help From my Friends. As I'm typing this; I'm reevaluating my thought... it's really not talked about all that much; certainly anymore. It's such a strong list it's hard to pick out any to focus on. One I might call out as being right on target is: The Jayhawks Hollywood Town Hall. And then of course... Handsome Dick and company's Bloodbrothers... and Occasional Rain. And of course, of course Laid Back.

But of your entire list...without question in my book; I'd easily denote Bobby Blue Bland's Two Steps From the Blues as a top shelf Classic of the genre that amazingly never gets talked about; even in circles where you'd think it would. Great inclusion to the thread man! Thanks.

P.S. The only mention on your list I've never heard of is Mercury Rev Deserters' Songs... that'll be remedied right now.

 

Lizzy Mercier Descloux Lizzy Mercier Descloux (1984)
This tends to be overlooked a bit, compared to the rightfully revered Mambo Nassau, but I find it equally wonderful - and also, again, ahead of its time.
Listening in: Dolby Sisters, Saliva Brothers; Sun’s Jive


Sudden Sway Ko-Opera (1990)
Off every beaten track - a concept-heavy post punk outfit going Acid House Pop, but not quite.
Listening in: Byron Chocolatheoria (League Of The Postal Modernists); Slumberlands Great Story Of Devotion (League Of The Incomplete)


Sly And The Family Stone Fresh (1973)
I'm not sure if this really qualifies, but, again, it tends to get somewhat overshadowed by its predecessor, There’s A Riot Going On, but it hints at the things to come.
Listening in: In Time; Babies Makin’ Babies


The Misunderstood Before The Dream Faded (1982 - recorded 1965/66)
I’m pretty sure this doesn't qualify at all, with it being a compilation and all, and they released only one single in 1966, but they did play a lot in London that year, and I guess some people listened. Mind you, that was one year before Are You Experienced and The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
Listening in: Find A Hidden Door; My Mind

 

2014

 

I second the Zazou recommendation. He made a fantastic album with piano / “ambient” legend Harold Budd too..

 

Portishead Dummy in my experience is almost up there with Nirvana’s Nevermind as a pivotal, classic 1990s album, even to people who aren’t huge fans. It was elevated to “classic status” pretty fast after release too, at least in Europe.

 

England - Garden Shed
Hambi and the Dance - Heartache
Chameleons - Strange Times
Belinda Carlisle - Runaway Horses
Gene - Revelations

 

Taste - On The Boards

 

The Raspberries - Starting Over
Marshall Crenshaw - Field Day
Al Green - Call Me

 

Stepson S/T 1974 This album is rock soul swagger attitude with lots of feel. An obscure fave of mine for long time, do yourself a favor and give a listen, it will rock like the house down and blow the roof off with a smirk and grin

 

MC5 High Time A stone classic!

 

The Angels Face to Face Pretty much all their albums are classics that are rarely mentioned and hardly known in the states, around 10 albums give or take a couple.

 

Awwright!

 

I’ll second that! I need to play it again real soon!

 

Yea, I like Glyph a lot too, that's a nice album, both artists performing a little out of character, and some thought it a bit unsubstantial at the time, but I always loved it. Got a very limited release, think I had to order it from someplace on the other side of the world.

Another Zazou album that is somewhat overlooked in his discography is the Lights in the Dark release in 1998. It's a collection of sacred Irish music, a blending of hymns written in a bilingual format (Latin and Old Irish) from as far back as the 6th century, ancient as well as contemporary, with lead vocalists Breda Mayock, Katie McMahon, and Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola, and another great cast of musicians, many the same as on Sahara Blue and Songs From The Cold Seas from a couple years later (which is also a very nice set of songs and vocalists and musicians). Beautiful engineering and recording on Lights in the Dark too.

I'd love to see Sahara Blue get a nice vinyl issue one of these days, probably be hard to license it with all those artists involved, but there's a few of us that would gladly pay a pretty big price for it. Maybe do it on nice transparent blue vinyl. Would be nice if someone did it this year for the 10 year anniversary of his passing.

BTW, speaking of vinyl and French artists with Brian Eno similarities, I know we like a lot of the same music, and one of my favorites from this year is Sur Les Autres Mondes by Egyptology, who are kind of a kosmische inspired electronic duo from France. I only recently picked up the vinyl so have been listening to it a lot, including right now and it's sounding very nice, love the cover art too, may be something you'd like ... Best New Albums of 2018

 

Some time back, around the time every magazine seemed to be doing a Top 500 albums list, I did my own. It was pretty top heavy with Dylan, Neil, Beach Boys, etc and most of what made my list is what I had been listening to for years. Three albums of more recent vintage, at the time, made the list:

Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach - Painted From Memory. This one made my Top 10. Brilliantly written, played and recorded.
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow The Green Grass. A terrific blend of rock and harmony. "Blue" is sublime and a great cover of Grand Funk's "Bad Time," among other highlights.
Jeffrey Foskett - Thru My Window. Brian Wilson's main man (for a while) now with the Beach Boys. Great uptempo tracks and beautiful ballads. Very much influenced by the Brian and The Boys but a great album on its on terms.

Those three albums, to me, are classics that I rarely hear mentioned as such.