| 12/9/2003 2:14 PM |
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Howdy all,
What are the most overrated albums of all time?
In my humblest of opinions,
1. U2 - The Joshua Tree
Why is that considered such a classic? I find it pretty average to tell you the truth. I thought All That You Can't Leave Behind wasn't great either, but I can't fault Achtung Baby, that's a great album
2. Damian Rice - O
At the risk of being unpopular I know, but I've tried to listen to this record about 10 times and could never make it to the end of it before switching it off. I think it's an incessant bore.
3. Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory?
Probably due to a teeny-bopper thing, but I think's it's a bit comical that this is among the 10 highest selling records of all time.
4. The Thrills - So Much For The City
This is an album that has been blown way out of proportion in my view.
Any thoughts on this folks?
Q2
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| 12/9/2003 2:31 PM |
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I have tried very hard to like the Flaming Lips album but apart from maybe 2 songs I can't see even remotely what all the fuss was about.
I like the Thrills album and it has been overrated by some people but I think it has been underrated by other people so I reckon on average it gets what it deserves.... 
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The Human Fly New Member Posts:16  
| 12/9/2003 4:12 PM |
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any album radiohead have released since the bends
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Binokular Veteran Member Posts:1665
| 12/9/2003 4:28 PM |
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Q2, I totally agree with you about Damien rice, he just lacks any kind of sonic ambition. I like the Joshua Tree, but would definitely agree that Achtung Baby is a far superior album.
I think a lot of Pink Floyd albums like "Dark side of the moon" and "The Wall" are overrated. They're extremely well recorded, produced and mastered albums, the technical standard of musicianship is very high, but they are just so boring. Proof that big and clever does not always mean good.
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Vent My Spleen Advanced Member Posts:500
| 12/9/2003 5:34 PM |
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I suppose you have to think of the music against the backdrop of the times in which it was recorded. DSideotheMoon was pretty ambitious stuff and very innovative - it laid the groundwork for the whole ambient side of music as we know it today.
As for the Joshua Tree, it was a balls out rock and roll album in a time where everything was either synth pop or completely overproduced (check some of Springsteen's work from that era, Dancing in the Dark for instance). U2 went back to basics, channeling the dirty blues that had inspired the Stones & Zeppelin in the sixties. It was they album that made basic rock cool again.
That said, I like neither of these albums (particularly the U2 one although my judgement may be clouded by the memory of the awful Rattle and Hum thingy). OK, they might me over-exposed but I'd find it difficult to say overrated.
Over rated is a term I'd apply to David Gray, Damien Rice, The Strokes....
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conor-immediate Basic Member Posts:100
| 12/9/2003 7:57 PM |
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"Vent My Spleen" - is that name a reference to Pavement?
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vandalaBasic Member Posts:267
| 12/10/2003 7:22 AM |
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"Nevermind". Dull as dishwater in my book.
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BinokularVeteran Member Posts:1665
| 12/10/2003 8:30 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Vent My Spleen
I suppose you have to think of the music against the backdrop of the times in which it was recorded. DSideotheMoon was pretty ambitious stuff and very innovative - it laid the groundwork for the whole ambient side of music as we know it today.
The thing is Dark Side of the moon is regarded as a "classic" album, a truly classic album should stand up just as well today as it did in 1973. I should be able to enjoy it today regardless of context. DSOTM just does not stand up today for me, yes it was ambitious, yes it was innovative but that does not make it good by default. I would also question its influence on ambient music, this album was more the tail end of psychedelic music rather than a move into a new genre. While it undoubtedly had some influence, Brian Eno was a far greater influence on the genre. |
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Vent My SpleenAdvanced Member Posts:500
| 12/10/2003 8:36 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by conor-immediate
"Vent My Spleen" - is that name a reference to Pavement?
It is a partial nod of the head to the excellent Pavement and a good description of what we all do on discussion boards (well, it sounded a damn sight better than "Pulling it out of my arse"!) |
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Vent My SpleenAdvanced Member Posts:500
| 12/10/2003 8:52 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Binokular
The thing is Dark Side of the moon is regarded as a "classic" album, a truly classic album should stand up just as well today as it did in 1973. I should be able to enjoy it today regardless of context. I would also question its influence on ambient music, this album was more the tail end of psychedelic music rather than a move into a new genre. While it undoubtedly had some influence, Brian Eno was a far greater influence on the genre.
I'm not so sure I'd expect a classic album to stand up as well today as it did when it was released, very few albums do. I'd regard a classic album as one that changed the course of music, and DSOTM certainly did. Granted, Eno is the granddaddy of ambient but I also feel that the commercial success of DSOTM meant a lot more ambient music made it to disc in the 70s. I suppose a better example would be The Sex Pistols - the music, playing and songwriting were piss but it is a classic because of the influence it had. Ditto anything by the Velvet Underground - barely sold an album in their day but every musician of note through the eighties had their stuff.
I suppose, it all depends on your definition of classic. Me, I can name a string of classic albums that I really do not like but will readily acknowledge the influence.
P.S. I'd regard the new Outkast album as a classic of the future. |
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| 12/10/2003 9:15 AM |
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Spleeno,
I notice you also mentioned the Strokes being overrated in another thread as well as this one and I'd agree. "IS This It?" was good but it wasn't THAT good. And whatever I've heard from the new album doesn't sound much different from before, much less original either. So much so, I haven't even bothered to buy it. I'd agree they're overexposed.
Q2
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| 12/10/2003 9:17 AM |
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Incidently, I thought Gemma Hayes' "Night On My Side" got far more recognition than it deserved. It was a bit too Sheryl
Crow-ish for me. There's loads of female artists playing in Dublin alone that are just as good or better than her.
I suppose she was one of the lucky ones.
Q2
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BinokularVeteran Member Posts:1665
| 12/10/2003 9:46 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Vent My Spleen
I suppose, it all depends on your definition of classic.
Absolutely, the fact that Dark side of the Moon divides opinion shows that it has obviously had a great cultural impact and in that sense is a classic. I guess my definiton of a classic is a record that as well as changing the direction of music, it still has the vitality to allow you to respond to it on an honest, human level. I still listen to the Velvet Underground on a regular basis (OK maybe not White Light, White Heat), ditto Kraftwerk and New Order. On the other hand, to totally contradict myself  ... A Love Supreme by John Coltrane is another record I regard as a classic even though I rarely listen to it. I have to be in the mood for it as it requires a bit more effort to listen to, but it rewards that effort. |
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DromedAdvanced Member Posts:900
| 12/10/2003 9:52 AM |
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Vandala have to disagree there...Nevermind was a gem of a record at the time for me, I loved it and played it to death. I know I risk being lamped for this but I think the Sex Pistols were somewhat overrated, the first time I heard 'Never Mind The b****x' I was expecting to be blown away. 'What's the Story Morning Glory' must have been one of the most over hyped records ever.
I have to confess also that Pet Sounds was never as good as I had thought it would be either - I know that's like blasphmey but to be honest when I heard it it left me a bit disappointed, it's not a bad record at all, I just feel it's not as outstanding as it's always been made out to be.
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john@soundweb.ieBasic Member Posts:201
| 12/10/2003 9:52 AM |
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agree with THE THRILLS inclusion, does nothing for me and nothing i have seen of their live appearances would help to change my mind either.
i may get stick for this one but MY BLOODY VALENTINE - is this it? out of time, out of tune - anyone?
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BinokularVeteran Member Posts:1665
| 12/10/2003 10:07 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by john@soundweb.ie
i may get stick for this one but MY BLOODY VALENTINE
Yep, stick you will get, its a personal favourite of mine, but I can understand why people don't like it. Loveless is an incredibly dense, noisy record which means it can be hard to make out the melodies, kinda like those magic eye pictures where you supposedly stare at them until you see a 3D image (they never worked for me). If you can't stand its density, you're gonna hate it. |
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stephenBasic Member Posts:201
| 12/10/2003 12:32 PM |
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Hmmmm.... good question.
I find New Order over-rated (apart from a few genius singles).
But, for me, the person who consistently passes by my musical sensors is Bob Dylan. I don't own a single album of his. I've heard some great singles, some wonderful words. But few great tunes. Of the ones I have heard, I would rate Blood on the Tracks as my over-rated album. One great tune does not a great album make.
Also over-rated? Sgt Pepper (one of the Beatle's worst), anything by the Who, Jeff Buckly (over-wrought.... had great potential though).
Also an incredibly over-rated album is the new double by Outkast. The reviews have been ecstatic and I loved Stankonia. But Speakerboxx is aimless, tuneless and a real effort to sit through.
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DromedAdvanced Member Posts:900
| 12/10/2003 12:58 PM |
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Stephen can't agree with you on New Order - I think Substance was a seminal record and Get Ready was another amazin album (though not as influential granted as Substance), or Sgt. Peppers, which I reckon had a huge impact on music, or the Who because of their sheer showmanship, brilliant songs, energy and endurance (also some really beautiful moments on the Quadraphenia soundtrack, 'Love Reign O'er Me' a great piece of music), or Jeff Buckley for being a fleeting precious beautiful moment in the history of music, 'Grace' makes me weak at the knees for its unpretenciousness and its humility - but I defo agree with Bob Dylan - I've never been able to raise the slightest interest in him at all - don't know why, I think I could listen to other artists doing his songs but I just can't stomach him at all.
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BinokularVeteran Member Posts:1665
| 12/10/2003 1:07 PM |
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I totally agree Dromed, except maybe Sgt. Peppers, which I dont have as strong opinion about either way.
Stephen, I have to admire your audacity though, you definitely get the "most sacred cows tipped over with one post" high score!  |
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Vent My SpleenAdvanced Member Posts:500
| 12/10/2003 1:09 PM |
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Wow! Some fascinating choices.
Thrills - agree.
Valentine - not clssic but I really like their stuff
Nina Hynes - over rated
Strokes - I think they are more about being cool and image than the music
Nevermind - A really good album but I regard it in the same way as he Sex pistols, the album is the most recognised and associated with the grunge direction of music at the time.
The Beatles - I think pretty much all of their work is overrated.
Outkast - I love the new album but time will tell. In an era where hip hop is measured by the number of times you'vee been shot, it is great to hear a act really moving left field of this formulaic genre
As for Dylan, he was under my musical radar for many years and my interest was only really started by the vast number of great covers of his tunes. If you can get over his voice, the quality and simplicity of his songs are unparalleled. Blood on the Tracks is one is a personal fav - check the venom in the sentiment of Idiot Wind.
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