Entertainment For Lively Minds
Actually that's not half bad...
Yesterday I listened to the exceptionally unloved "Blood On the Dancefloor" album by Michael Jackson. Whilst it sold 11 million copies, the reviews were largely scathing at the time of its release. Whilst there are some hilarious reviews on Amazon, it was viewed in the context of Jackson's "troubles" during the 90s, and so didn't achieve the same sort of cultural impact that his work had hitherto seemed to do.
It probably didn't help that instead of a normal advertising scheme, there was a half hour short promotional film in which Jackson dressed as a fat town mayor, as well as himself and a skeleton. Obviously.
There were some singles from the album, best of all being this:
I thoroughly enjoyed the album, expecting something awful. It had some really good tracks on it. Not "Revolver", or "Rain Dogs", by a long shot but actually quite a good selection of music.
Which of course begs the question. What other works have received a critical lashing, but actually, turned out to be quite good? What are the massive's views on this?
For example, "Around The Sun" by REM, whilst not as good as their own work, it is still enjoyable in its own little way.
And I'm thinking albums by major artists, rather than rattling off a number of obscure artists, or the 7" you made with your garage band in sixth form.
What are the albums that you listen to, and go "Actually, that's not half bad..."?
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I can't forgive him for singing
"Stranger In Mascaough" on "Stranger In Moscow". Was he trying to be a London cabbie or something?
Be Here Now.
I'm still adamant that it's their true masterpiece. It's coked to the eyeballs, overblown and excessive but so is "there's a riot goin' on" and everyone digs that album.
It's definitely much better than "Morning Glory" and far, far better than anything they've done afterwards.
Totally agree with you re Be Here Now
It's the 'Bat Out Of Hell' of the 1990s - ridiculous, over the top, a teetering pile of excess; but all the more loveable for it.
It does have its longeurs but
and a big but at that: any album that contains "Stand By Me", "D'You What I Mean" and "All Around The World" (the song guaranteed to make me smile however bad I'm feeling) can't be all bad.
Neither Fish Nor Flesh
by Terrence Trent D'Arby received terrible reviews at the time and sold about 2 copies - but in fact this is a very underated album, there are some great tracks on it.
Fish Flesh Coincidence
I was just about to start typing that TTD's 2nd album was not bad at all when your reply appeared - must be on the same wavelength dude.
Digressing into film, Heaven's Gate is actually pretty good. And Godfather 3 is a near (flawed) masterpiece.
Me
too! (Re: TTD NFNF). It must have sold 3 copies!
We need a rehabilitation of old Sananda Maitreya:
http://www.sanandamaitreya.com/
I didn't know
he was now TAFKATTD!
Mid period REM is just as good as the early stuff. Discuss.
no actually don't we'll be here all day. But Monster, Up and New Adventures... have a growing army of fans amongst The Kids too young to know what was supposed to be so great about those 80s albums where the lead singer is mumbling throughout.
Yeah Heaven's Gate. Again there's a whole heap of people who are viewing it now free from all the baggage and the bad reviews of the time and thinking it's brilliant.
Green is the one that gets cruelly ignored
After the IRS/mumbly period but before they went stratospheric with Losing My Religion. Orange Crush, You Are the Everything, Hairshirt, Pop Song 89... classic tunes.
REM
I actually rate Accelerate very highly, despite low expectations hanging over from the previous ones. I also love Monster.
Up
The only REM album I've ever 'got'. I thought 'ah! At last' only to find that everyone else thought it was a stiff. Ho hum...
Prince
in the last two decades has produced some excellent work which ranks alongside his so-called, erm, 'purple patch'. I think there were four main problems why the newer stuff hasn't received the same kind of critical and public acclaim:
1. The contractual dispute/name-changing muddle.
2. His decision to go it alone and do without a coherent distribution/marketing structure.
3. Too much material.
4. Journalistic laziness in using his eccentricities/capriciousness as a way out of giving the music a decent hearing.
I maintain that if some (not all, to be fair) of the later stuff had been put out during his time 'in the sun', they would be regarded as classics alongside his 80's work.
Supporting evidence:
Diamonds and Pearls
Come
The Gold Experience
Peach
3121
Planet Earth.
I understand from reading various reviews that his most recent works, Lotusflower/Mpls Sound, are very strong...but I haven't got them yet due to 2. above. He certainly doesn't make it easy...
'Black and Blue' by The Rolling Stones...
OK, it's no Let It Bleed, but it's funky and fun and way, way better than its lofty placing on the critical turdometer would suggest.
seconded
I spotified this recently because I wanted to find out the depths that the Stones have sunk to. It was a very pleasant surprise. I moved on to Emotional Rescue and even quite liked that one. The stinkers seem to be mid-80s onwards.
Everyone acts like its the musical equivalent of Lassa fever...
...but "August and Everything After" by Counting Crows is a great record. The follow-up was enough to make me investigate living at the bottom of a disused missile silo for a decade, but that debut was a corker.
Counting Crows
I first heard them on a Danny Baker show; established that the album wasn't available in the UK, spent a fortune on an import copy, only to find that it was released in the UK on the following Monday.
Moral: Check with the record company before spending any money!
August and everything after
is one of my favourite albums. They're much maligned but the crows are quite often brilliant.
It's actually news to me
that they're 'much maligned'.
Beauty Stab
ABC's second album. Much maligned at the time but I think it's magnificent.
Every
Ryan Adams album since 'Heartbreaker'
Let's re-start the Macca thread!
Wings Wild Life - I delayed getting this album when I was buying Macca's catalogue but it's ace and has a great vibe to it. And it has Tomorrow, the song nobody knows but everyone loves...
My Beauty, Kevin Rowland
If you can ignore 'that' cover of Kevin in his knickers and the sometimes conservative musical arrangements this is a great album.
The songs are delivered with utter conviction, and clearly have deep personal meaning to him. The song lyrics are sometimes changed in a slightly bizarre but obviously heartfelt fashion. It’s soulful, honest and sometimes inspirational (e.g. 'Rag Doll').