Albums You Love But Most People Dislike

I still don't get it. Aw, heck. OK, here's a thread.

I think Brian Wilson's "Gettin' In Over My Head" is absolutely brilliant - it basically stayed in my CD player for a year after releae (well, it was one of a revolving three - where the other two would change). I absolutely love it.

But people here seem to think it's not great - and some hate it. But I haven't seen anyone praise it and I can't stop listening to it. It's so fantastic. Musically, who's to say it's better than "SMiLE?" Well, I can't - but I ENJOY it a lot more. A LOT more.

I think it's the best Brian Wilson solo album and definitely in my tops including The Beach Boys.

I really don't get why people dislike it. That "Wall of Brian" - the tunes, the production - everything. But this isn't about "Gettin' In Over My Head."

I'm curious what people really dig though most people don't like.

I'm certain "McCartney II" will pop up on here soon, but not in my post!

JEFF!

 

I love McCartney II, although many people seem not to like it. On the other hand, I fail to see much of interest in Ram or much in any of McCartney's releases in the past 15 years (I haven't had a good listen to his latest yet).

 

Back to the Egg is one of my favorite McCartney/Wings albums that is usually not rated very high. But I think it rocks!

 

Liz Phair's self-titled album. Sell-out? Maybe. But darned catchy fun.

 

where's the obligatory "Van Halen III"?

 

I think McCartney II is a good album.

Others I like:
Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band-s/t
Hell Cows-Toothless
DJ Carhouse & MC Hell S**t-Live!
Tiny Tim-Tiny Tim's Second Album

 

R.E.M. Monster. Got great reviews when it was released and seemed to be equally well-received by fans at the time. Now appears universally derided. I loved it then and still love it now.

 

off the top of my head, butthole surfers "weird revolution." its a love/hate kind of album for most. hardcore surfer fans seem to hate it as well as pitchforkmedia but i have loved it from the first time i heard it.

 

U2's Rattle and Hum generates similarly polarizing comments. The love/hate dividing line seems to be dependent on whether or not the album was heard before seeing the movie (which was an overblown mess). I happen to enjoy the album since I didn't rent the video until 3-4 years later.

 

What's wrong with Monster? Probably the best album REM has put out.

 

I dont understand all the hate toward the Rattle and Hum movie either. I mean, it wasnt the best thing ever, but it's not horrible by any means. The album has some good stuff on it.

 

Van Halen "Live-Right Here Right Now"

 

Great thread idea! Here are some of my picks:

Bob Dylan - Dylan : I don't love this, but I like it, & I have no idea why!
Jethro Tull - Crest of a Knave : one of my favorite Tull albums
Rolling Stones - Still Life : My favorite live Stones album besides Get Yer Ya Ya's
Out
The Band - Cahoots : criminally underrated
Pete Townshend - Psychoderelict : sheer brilliance, most people hate it
The Who - Who Are You : certainly not a top contender on most people's lists,
it is one of my favorite Who albums

 

I like Van Halen's "Diver Down" a lot, but most people don't seem to.

 

I loved Rattle & Hum as an album, and the movie was great. Would love to see Criterion be able to do a deluxe version of that on DVD, with all of the extra songs and outtakes that have surfaced over the years in bootleg form.

 

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Goodbye Cruel World
Bob Dylan - New Morning
The Smashing Pumpkins - Adore
Ween - White Pepper
Jan & Dean - Pop Symphony, No. 1
Stevie Wonder - The Woman In Red Soundtrack
The Grateful Dead - Terrapin Station
The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile / Wild Honey / 15 Big Ones

 

Replacerments - All Shook Down
Little Steven - Freedom No Compromise

 

I think Ryan Adams "Rock and Roll" is a great pop album, but all of the comments I've seen here seem to disagree.

 

George Harrison - Wonderwall Music
Tom Lehrer - The first two
The Doors - Other Voices and Full Circle (most of the songs, anyway)

 

Well, Lou Reed's 'Metal Machine Music' comes to mind.

As do the two (Bjork) KUKL studio albums. I think they rock. I seem to be alone in that.

And why doesn't everyone else love The Fall's 'Extricate' as much as me?

 

Here goes...

Yoko Ono - Plastic Ono Band

Bob Dylan - Self Portrait, Dylan

Ringo Starr - Sentimental Journey, Beaucoups of Blues and Rotogravure

Rod Stewart - His Great American Songbook series

The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile

The Beatles - The Star Club recordings (yes, I actually listen to this, and enjoy it!)

Elvis Presley - His 60's soundtrack recordings

The Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup (it might not be strongly disliked, but I rarely see it listed as anyone's favorite... it's one of mine)

Eddie Money - During his "hits" era, I felt his songs were certainly some of the best pop/rock of the time... much to my friend's embarrasment every time I played them on a juke box

 

"Visions of the Emerald Beyond"...Mahavishnu Orchestra
"Brain Salad Surgery"...Emerson, Lake & Palmer
"Starless & Bible Black"...King Crimson
"The Power & The Glory"...Gentle Giant

Many others, mostly prog stuff I love but most of my friends can't stand.

 

"Let It Be" is bashed an awful lot, but I think it might be my favorite Beatles album

 

It's one of my favorite, I dont understand why everybody hates it so much.

 

Prince-Lovesexy (my favorite of Prince's work, followed closely by Sign O The Times. No one seems to really rate this one-it's a bit hard to penetrate, but worth the effort).

McCartney-Egg, London Town (love 'em both)

Brian Wilson - Imagination (the wall of cheese production can't disguise a nice batch of tunes. And even if the vocals are pro-tools-ed to death, they still sound SO good).

Elton-Blue Moves, Empty Sky (Blue Moves is a depressing album that I love, Empty Sky is an early one I find charming and more interesting as time goes by)

Beach Boys-Love You, Friends (I know they're both critical favorites-- I just wish the public had caught on to these masterpiece works of art)

Elvis Presley-Moody Blue (I crack up just THINKING about the chorus of the title track. Also, "Way Down" is an underrated rocker!)

Kiss-The Elder (Horrid concept, Great material).

Cheap Trick-Special One (Quiet, reflective, not quite what most people expect from CT)

Stevie Wonder-Plants, Characters (Plants confused Stevie's fanbase-too bad most people wrote off or ignored some of his best-ever songs like "Come Back As a Flower", "Outside My Window" and so many more. The thin, cheezy production values of Characters couldn't obscure a very good batch of tunes.

Edgar Winter Group - Shock Treatment, S/T 1975(with blue snake on the cover)
(No hits, just a lot of Dan Hartman doing his amazing Paul McCartney imitation)

Eric Carmen - Boats Against The Current (this weepy 2nd solo album was hated by most and filled the cutout bins for years. I loved it)

Who-Who Are You, By Numbers (their last two works sound better and better as time goes on)

Cat Stevens - Izitso (did ANYONE besides me like this one?)

The Rollers - Elevator (Grade-A Beatlesque power pop)

Hudson Brothers - 72-76 (not the Beatles, but an incredible simulation.....also see Emitt Rhodes and Badfinger)

Todd Rundgren - Second Wind (an odd record from his later career, recorded entirely live before a hushed audience).

Womack & Womack - Conscience (artful, moving SOUL music, especially the track "Teardrops"--maybe the saddest song set to a dance beat I've ever heard--Elton covered it on his weak "Duets" album of a few years ago).

Three O'Clock - Ever After (the synth-y, overly poppy final release that most fans hated)

Queen - Innuendo (I thought this was a solid effort that should have sold a lot better than it did)

Sparks - Take your pick!

Michael Jackson - there are a handful of great tracks on his more recent flop albums "HIStory" and "Invincible" - granted, 70% of the material is filler (not "Thriller") or worse. But songs like "Stranger In Moscow", "Money", "Butterflies" and "Break Of Dawn" fit this category.