Albums you consider classics that you rarely hear mention of

The Monks' Black Monk Time was something I first saw in a list of difficult psychedelic albums.

Yet I listened to it and fell in love. It's so immediate, proto-punk, pop sensibilities. It's the catchiest thing since the common cold.

Years later its sufficiently mainstream to soundtrack Apple ads. That might destroy its nomination in this thread, but that certainly wasn't my introduction. I'd even walked around a forest at night on LSD and finding the sufficient musical accompaniment to be Black Monk Time... Which is pretty, pretty far from the introductory phase! (Maybe it was for some hipsters. I hated hipsters before it was cool!)

Yet I don't see it lauded much. I truly think its a landmark record. One of those albums that's critically respected, and SURPASSES the burden that places on it, yet goes under the radar.

It isn't in the pantheon it deserves. I'm literally shocked it's not tossed around in the classic albums chat with Astral Weeks, Sgt Pepper, Led Zeppelin 4...

There's a new UK band called Monks... Playing as festivals near me. If only they knew the expectations that name set up in me.

Boys are boys, but this band's choice

 

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peepshow... pretty mellow for a goth record but the songwriting is great from front to back!

 

I take it as meaning albums not just that we like ourselves, but that we think are very high quality and / or innovative and would probably appeal to a lot more people if they were more widely talked about. EG Aural Sculpture by The Stranglers I posted above, is a very strong 1980s pop/rock album with killer hooks and brilliant melodies, I think it would appeal to a lot of people for that reason,who might not know the album, or don’t like the band’s other stuff.

On the other hand, I’d never suggest the same year’s Caribbean Sunset by John Cale, for example. Because although personally I love it, I don’t think it would appeal to hardly anybody unless they are already interested in Cale. Lots of his fans don’t even like it for a start

 

Listening to the great Richmond Fontaine Post To Wire this morning, most fans of the band would probably call it a classic in either this later vinyl version from 2012 or the original CD from 2003. Probably not enough fans to make it a true classic, but this one and their later Thirteen Cities (the expanded Complete Sessions is following Post To Wire on the table today) are both modern day classics in my mind.

 

1985

 

Captain Beyond - s/t
The Offspring - Smash
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish

 

Yes... and Express!

 

Yeah, I think though Express is already widely regarded in the US and Canada as an alt rock classic by a certain generation. But Seventh Dream is a slower burner IMO, and wasn’t even released in the US until three years after its European release, and then there’s all those messed up track sequences and inferior remix of the pivotal track Dog End of a Day Gone By on various LPs and CDs of it (as with Express) which really mess with it. The original UK 7 track Seventh Dream album, as recently excellently reissued on Drastic Plastic, is the way to go, and is a masterpiece...

 

I have two CD versions of 7th Dream and I still have no idea which one is more "correct." All the songs are good though so it doesn't matter too much! I heard that remix of Dog End first so I don't mind it, but the original is a lot more interesting. I think I'll look up that original track list to make a playlist.

 

John Cale - Paris 1919
Burning Airlines - Mission: Control!
Cressida - Cressida
Gentle Giant - Interview
Interpol - Antics
Johnny Cash - The Baron
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible 20
Midge Ure - The Gift

 

If you fancy a third CD of it .. get this one from the year 2000 with the altered artwork:



It has the original UK tracks in the right sequence followed by most of the B sides and remixes. And the sound is really great, louder than old ones but with gorgeous warm EQ, unlike the commonly owned US RCA CD which for me is the worst version of all I’ve heard.

 

Ernie Graham - s/t

 

The Wedding Present- Seamonsters
Soul Asylum- Hang Time
Rocket from the Crypt- Circa: Now!
Samiam- self-titled

 

Apart from the two singles (Sentimental lady and Ebony eyes) I had not heard this album until a few weeks ago .
It's a pleasant and very well-recorded album but I find the songwriting pretty average and there is not enough variety (mostly midtempo songs)
The two hits are by far the best tracks , although I prefer the original Fleetwood Mac Version of Sentimental lady
- in general I'd say a good album but no classic.

 

Right on! based exclusively on the John Cale. Exclusively the Cale; as I'm not familiar with or remember the others. You're inclusion of Paris 1919 moves me to explore what I don't know... that's the point right. P.S. Recently saw Cale at Brooklyn Academy of Music and it was spectacular.

 

Infidels really gets slagged by the horrible production. The songs are fantastic.

 

MC5 - High Time

The Stones are my favourite band but I've always wished they'd rock a little harder sometimes. Then i stumbled upon this gem.
Four hard rocking Stonesy groovers (Baby Won't Ya, Sister Anne, Over and Over, Skunk) and
Future/Now - like James Brown backed by the Stooges
Twin guitar attacks galore, drum solos, wild vocals.
This album never gets mentioned with all the hard rock classics of the 70s. But i never tire of it.

 

• Masters of Reality - Sunrise on the Sufferbus
• Pete Townshend - White City
• FREE - Tons and Sobs
• Mott the Hoople - Brain Capers

 

John Entwistle- Too late the hero

 

Street Legal - Bob Dylan

 

Part of the reason I chose this album is because of the impact Bob Welch had with Fleetwood Mac. It was bigger than what most people think. Personally I think French Kiss is a solid album and I have no issue with his songwriting or the lack of variety as you pointed out, but that's personal preference. I also think that for true FM fans French Kiss needs to be in one's collection. Kind of my tribute to him for his impact on the band.

 

LOL.
Stormcock is Roy Harper's best known work. Whenever anyone talks about Roy Harper, Stormcock is mentionned.

 

Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl

Probably the best studio album of The Big O, and the perfect comeback record for his late 1980s' career revival. At least half of the songs are great, while the others are pretty good as well; what a way to go out on top!

 

I think it's a pretty great record. The songwriting isn't off the charts but there's a lot of catchy grooves, kind of like a typical 70s Kiss album. "Carolene" and "Easy to Fall" are standouts. The record is also kind of unique... I can't think of another entire album that combines disco grooves and production with hard rock guitar + hard rock attitude as well as this one.