Back to The Egg has been a favorite of mine since the day I brought it home at the age of 11. it was the first "Beatles" album I ever owned and remains not only a great link to my past but a solid album - despite "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" missing from, what should have been, side two for me. Great list, John. It was nice to see the ELO and Paul Simon albums on your list. I much agree.
John, Fantastic video again as always. Definitely agree with Communique being an underrated album. Critics rebuked it for being "uninspired" and "pale" even though it is classic Dire Straits and a continuation in style to the first album.
Agree with you on Songs For A Tailor. I have a feeling that people only overlook that album because it's so different from what Jack Bruce was doing with Cream, but I think it's a really good album.
Communique by Dire Straits I totally agree, I always ask someone “What’s your favorite DS album?” And they never say Communique, honestly most of the songs on there are still amazing. Definitely deserves a superb amount of more applaud!
Great list, I always loved Communique, Back to the Egg and Blue Moves was the last great Elton John album. But your best find was Self Portrait, which you could always find in the clearance selection for next to nothing. It's a mixed bag for sure, but the good tracks make it very interesting.
Another interesting topic John. I totally agree with you with E.C. Backless, Dire Strairts Communique, Paul McCartney and Wings Back to the Egg, and E.L.O. for sure. Brad.
David Sylvians Brilliant Trees and Secrets of the Beehive are immense. Love these videos. Glad you mentioned The Raven by the stranglers. Another fantastic album.
I was cruising by and you got me with The Raven. This changed my musical world back in 1980. It made me broaden my musical tastes and opened up a world that I never bothered to explore before. Great fan until Hugh left the band.
So glad to hear you give "One Trick Pony" some love, it's my favorite Paul Simon album. Not a weak song on the record, and it has a wonderfully understated quality to the production. A real gem. And "Back to the Egg" is another great choice. No hit singles, but I find myself listening to it as much, if not more, than the other more commercially successful Wings albums. It stands alone in Paul's vast catalogue as a "loud" album, fun and unique.
Thanks for the insight AND acknowledging Jack's "Songs For A Tailor" LP, surely unlike any other. His "Out Of The Storm" ('74) LP is my 2nd favorite album of all time.
Listing albums and artist would've been a nice touch. But agree with your choices, don't know how underated some are. Given me a few to look into. Thanks, found a new channel to watch.
Right with you on Egg and Backless (his best for me, together with the 'Clapton' album from a few years later). One Trick Pony ties, for me, with Paul Simon's first as his best solo work.
Back To The Egg is a classic album for me, loved it since I bought it on release, Paul was criticised for his silly love songs then criticised for producing an album with a harder edge, he just couldn't win !
I think the reason he got so heavily criticized is because the songs are tonally inconsistent and the lyrics are below average. I love the album, but it has its flaws.
It's great to see someone mentioning Short cut draw blood. It's one of my most played albums. Side 1 is absolute perfection. 'It's all up to you,' and 'Seagull,' (from side 2) are particularly fabulous, along with big hit 'love hurts' and the cover of 'Johnny too bad.'
Good idea for a discussion.....one that springs to mind for me is the Beach Boys L.A. album from 1979 which was generally slaughtered in the music press but has some great tracks on it in particular Baby Blue.....
ELO Time is one of my favourite albums of all time and what I consider the very best ELO album. Some of the songs on it are phenomenal. I don't understand why he never talks about it or plays any of the songs from it. It's like one of those hidden gems that a lot of people don't know about. I always (highly) recommend that album to everyone who come in our record shop. As soon as they hear a little bit of Rain Is Falling, it's sold!
I love Back to the Egg and always have - it is in my top 2 or 3 of the Wings albums. I agree strongly with you on One Trick Pony and Blue Moves as well. I just bought the ELO Time album 3 weeks ago after having heard a review of it in the VC. I had never even heard of it before that. I think that it is really good! Prior to buying that, I only had the ELO Out of the Blue album. I bought that in 1976 and saw ELO in concert during that time - loved it but didn't have any other ELO albums. In the last several weeks, I bought Face the Music, Time and El Dorado. I am very late to the ELO party!
Great video John... I’d add anything by the Liverpool band ‘Shack’ Waterpistol in particular...Declan O’Rourke ‘Since Kyabram’, The Cardigans ‘Long Gone Before Daylight’, Kings of Convenience ‘Riot on an empty street’ and absolutely anything by Nick Drake
I'll look at O’Rourke, I don't remember the name. I am more interested in lesser known people now, with respect to the creator of the video here which does focus on famous names. With Nick Drake I like Five Leaves Left the most, the arrangements add enough but not too much either.
Overlooked in part because it generated no singles: "The Ballad of Calico" by the First Edition. Double LP telling the stories of residents of a Mojave desert ghost town during a 19th-century silver boom. Songs written by Michael Murphey ("Wildfire"). To the best of my knowledge it's never been released on CD (I originally heard it on 8-track!).
Led Zeppelin Presence is hugely underrated, written off as "one of the last two". In a way Radiohead "The Bends" is underrated as in "that stuff they did before they got interesting". I'd call it the last time they made truly great music....
TIME by The Electric Light Orchestra has become one of 'the' main red lines in my life...one could consider this masterpiece by Jeff, as slightly underrated, in the sense of: it should have been a world number one record, because of original songs, made up of magical ingredients that last for eternity. It changed 'my' life, so maybe it did for you (the viewers of this YT-upload) as well? Communiqué by Dire Straits means so much to me too, caus of special memories and never left my heart.
I’ve never been a huge Dire Straits fan. However, “Making Movies” is not only my favorite album of theirs, it’s in my favorite all time top list. Fantastic.
Tunnel of Love by Springsteen is like that for me. Was never a huge fan, still ain't really, but the album is in my top 3. Strange how that happens. Btw, Making Movies is completely awesome
My 2 favorite underrated albums: 1) Dave Mason "Alone Together" and Art Garfunkel "Break Away" which has a wonderful old Beach Boy song with the Beach Boys doing perfect backing vocals as only they can do.
I just listened to another favorite album most people don't know about: Flying Cowboys by Rickie Lee Jones from 1989, well produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan. There are street themes, songs about horses and rodeos, reggae, a cover of 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying,' some mystical type songs. And the single was brilliant, 'Satellites.'
I always loved Orleans " Waking and Dreaming " . Very underrated album And group , another one is " Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti " by the brilliant Squeeze , Cheers all x
ELO Time is one my top 20 records possibly. Very underrated, very well produced, quality Lynne album. Great lyrics, great melodies and a fine concept .-)
Most albums released since that advent of the CD would have been double albums based on the 40-minute limitation of an LP. People tend to frown upon releasing an album these days, or for the past 30 years really, that is only 40 minutes long. That's unfortunate really as there are a lot of so-so albums that might have been good or even great had they been pared down to 40 minutes. Sometimes, less is more.
Blue Moves is great from "your starter for..." right to the end. masterful and mature, I also love one horse town, crazy water, chameleon, and cage the songbird always makes me tear up, the backstage baby princess passed away...
Back to the Egg was one my first albums and it certainly didn't deserve it's critical panning at the time. Some superb songs like Arrow Through Me, Winter Rose and mental fast Spin It On... and of course the superstarstudded Rockestra Theme and So Glad To See You Here. However he really should have had Goodnight Tonight and Daytime Nighttime Suffering on it.
Back to the Egg is very solid form front to back. Have always loved it. But will have to question your comment about Dire Straits going down hill. Brothers in Arms is a classic. Thanks for the reviews, gonna check out some of these.
The Isley Brothers album 3+3 is very underrated! Incredible band, hard edged guitar riffs, attitude, groove and funk all incorporated into this 1973’s masterpiece.
Thanks for the list: very interesting! What makes us like a certain album more or less? For me it depends a lot on the moment of life I was in, if those songs served as a good soundtrack for that moment. So records that are precious to me may not be relevant to music critics in general. Examples: 1) Meredith Monk - "Dolmen Music": to listen in the dark and chill your spine; 2) Mike Rutherford - "Smallcreep`s Day": Genesis with Noel McCalla on vocals; 3) The Style Council - "Confessions Of A Pop Group"; 4) Supertramp - "Indelibly Stamped"; 5) Ginger Baker - "Horses And Trees"; 6) Merchants Of Venus; 7) Robert Plant - "Fate Of Nations"; 8) Tori Amos - "Scarlet's Walk".
Self Portrait is really good, but (going by reviews) clearly not for everyone. I only needed a couple of listens and I was hooked. Great fun from Bob. Also, I'd put Back to the Egg high on my list of best McCarney albums. Loved it in '79 and still do. Getting Closer is a brilliant opener, and the "outro" of that song is stunning.
Back to the egg! Superb, not a bad song on it, and most every track is very good......Communique i like, Backless is as you say a very warm album, Time by ELO is very good too. The Raven, fine choice!
I will agree with “time” by ELO! Not only Jeff Lynne’s last great effort but a great memory of my childhood, as my dad had this and played it constantly! Infact this is my favourite ELO album of them all! It’s a pity they didn’t include “Julie doesn’t live here anymore” but maybe it was left off to reduce compression on the lp??
I love all of your choices. I think the critics gave Dylan grief about Self Portrait because he did the covers of Lightfoot and Simon, songwriters to whom the critics thought Dylan was superior. Blue Moves is my favorite Elton John album. The Capaldi album is also amazing, but I love everything Traffic related.
Time. "Jeff Lynne's last masterpiece" - I wholeheartedly agree. Perhaps his greatest masterpiece. It's the ELO album I always go back to. After these two most recent videos, I hope you share you Top Ten Overrated albums.
time was one of those albums i liked the more i listened to it. i think sometimes people dismiss these types of albums after one or two listens and that's too bad. you're right it's a masterpiece and unbelievable that it could be created at that level.
E.L.O.'s Time is definitely underrated, didn't rate it at first now I think it is a great album. In my opinion Chris Rea - Auberge, Queen - A Day At The Races and Genesis - And Then There Were Three are all underrated classics. Perhaps a top 10 underrated artists list would be interesting.
I have thoughts on Dire Straits and Paul Simon. I totally agree in regards to the assessment of Dire Straits. It’s unfortunate that most of the songs from those first two albums are forgotten by both the public and by Mark Knopfler himself. It kills me Mark hasn’t played all but maybe 2 of these songs since 1981. However I disagree about Paul Simon’s later work. I would urge people to check out his later albums, much of which I think eclipses his earlier work. Check out the 2000 version of “Darling Lorraine” or the versions of “Cool Cool River” and “She Moves On” from the album of his concert in Central Park. It’s gold.
My Top Ten Underrated Albums in no particular order; "The Who Sell Out" by The Who; "Muswell Hillbillies" by The Kinks; "Past, Present, and Future" by Al Stewart; "George Harrison" by George Harrison; "Jonathan Edwards" by Jonathan Edwards; "Messages from The Status Quo" by The Status Quo; "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band; "Time" by ELO; "I Got A Name" by Jim Croce; "Shot in the Dark" by Shot in the Dark.
Great choices, I love “Song For A Tailor” and “Self Portrait”. The latter got panned by so many critics and there was that Rolling Stone critic that started off his review with “What is this shit!?”. That album and “New Morning” are two of my favorite from Dylan during his Woodstock exile. “The Raven” is a great album too.
@@sspbrazil Fair enough. Apart from The Mighty Quinn, I find the Dylan originals pretty weak, and the covers are indifferently performed. It's true that it carries on the Country feel of Nashville Skyline, but that album has much stronger songs.
Nice selection, I love blue moves much more than yellow brick road everyone rants and raves about yellow but for me it’s the blue album. One trick pony for me is Simons best, very consistent album.
Their 5 album run from 'Face To Face' through 'Lola Versus Powerman' is their greatest output. Not sure how any of those albums can be considered underrated.
todd jackson yes we agree these albums are great. but my point stands that they are certainly underrated when compared to albums by other bands that get way more attention and praise. seems we’re making two separate points
Nice going, John.... Your on point as usual!....Well, here goes nothing-------Bruce: Human Touch/BOC: Club Ninja/Fleetwood Mac:Behind The Mask(why oh why aren't more people talking about this great underrappreciated gem????)/ Eric Clapton:Behind The Sun/The Cars: Door To Door(something different from them, at once punky, wistful, and dramatic featuring excellent performances by the band)/Genesis:We Can't Dance(I don't know why the fans are always so down on it----ambitious, tuneful, and atmospheric, I just luv It!).... I could go on forever...., Ghostrider Rick
ALL great choices! Just picked up Behind The Mask and really surprised at how tuneful it is! Wrongfully picked on, it still includes most Fleetwood Mac members, so of course it will be highly musical and expertly crafted! Cheers!
Wow The Raven! well ahead of it's time I also like The Gospel according to the Meninblack which got absolutely bashed on it's release by critics but if you listen to it now it's totally bizarre and brilliant! and all recorded in the days of analogue,for an album 40 years old I think should be given some re-evaluation
'The Big Express' by XTC. Mostly Ignored by the critics on it's release. By XTC standards it's quite dark (almost depressing), but i love it, and it's Andy Partridge's favourite XTC Album.
One trick pony! In 84 I was a total blues guitar nut and along with Clapton I was totally into Eric Gale who plays great guitar on One trick pony . Bought that album in Romford ha ha . Maybe from WH Smith’s . Eric Gale had some excellent solo albums too ,
I’m going to take your recommendation John, and finally get “One Trick Pony”, I have heard it a couple of times, but have never really given it a chance...I agree about “Self Portrait”, and especially “Blue Moves”, which I feel contains some of Elton’s best work - and I’ve always felt that Stevie Wonder’s “Secret Life Of Plants” album was filled with gorgeous melodies and unfairly panned by critics and the public.
Great! I would be surprised if 'One Trick Pony' disappoints.....it has the feel of classic Paul Simon for me....most of it anyway....and Tony Levin on bass and Steve Gadd on drums can't be bad! BTW would have been great to hear the 'Hearts & Bones' version with Garfunkel...but I think the tapes got wiped!
@@johnheaton5667 yes, I’ve always wondered what “Hearts & Bones” would have sounded like with Garfunkel’s harmonies - shame that they didn’t work together more after the 1970 split...Nice video John..
Thomas Calden just watching the 1983 doc of Paul performing and talking about hearts and bones...sad that that album has been forgotten or neglected by many!
As much as I respect all tastes and can learn from them, it's a rather small pond you are fishing in, being the late 60s, 70s and early 80s anglosaxon poprock. In all dimensions of time, geography and genres there's so much more.
I've seen so many armchair critics attempt these ' Best of' album pieces and this is by far the best one I've watched. Excellent and interesting choices, clearly rendered opinions from a person who not only loves the music, but *knows* it front and back and speak clearly and critically about the merit of the works included. This is what sets Mr. Heaton's reviews apart from the rest, IMHO. Nicely done!
Although praised by some in commercial terms Terry Reid's "Seed of Memory" was vastly underrated. When I foolishly sold my vinyl collection in the early 80's even though I no longer had a record player I kept this album . To me it's a slightly flawed masterpiece..
what a voice Terry had! Yeah, Seed Of Memory is life affirming.....total treasure! First heard Terry's music in that John Holmes (Val Kilmer) movie Wonderland! I immediately went out and purchased four or five albums from Mr. Reid (chosen by Jimmy to be Zeppelin vocalist and turned it down-that says it all, regarding Reid's vocal abilities!)
There are many underrated albums, I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of LP’s in peoples collections would be considered underrated by themselves. Probably that would be brought about by the fact that many of those artists would be in a “niche” market and relatively unknown to most record buyers. In my case that would include Ry Cooder whose ‘ Bop till you Drop’ album I consider a masterpiece of cover recordings. His arrangements of old RnB numbers are absolutely wonderful and in many cases take those songs into areas which far transcend their original recordings. Just as a small example, take a listen to “ Go Home Girl” which was recorded originally by Arthur Alexander.Then listen to
Sorry, hit the post button by accident. Was going to say listen to two other covers by well known bands of Arthur Alexander’s songs. First the Beatles “ Anna” off their first LP and then the ‘Stones cover of “You’d better move on” off their first EP. Both are very enjoyable but pale beside Cooder’s interpretation of a basically similar story and melody. OK, I’ll climb down off my soap box now, at the end of all these are only personal opinions and “ it’s only Rock’n’ Roll”.
Can I suggest 'Burnin' Red Ivanhoe' by Burnin' Red Ivanhoe? Few have heard of it (Dansk rock)... Across the Windowsill is one of many wonderful tracks. I like their very slight mistranslation from Dainish into English
You love and know your music which is a joy to watch . Wonderful albums from amazing artists. Love Dire Straits, they may have gone ' down hill" but Mr. Mark Knopfler hasn't ! Rave on real music in a world full of soulless music and artists.
After being disappointed by Discovery and Xanadu by ELO, I was blown away by Time. Very unrated album, but also very loved by those know it. Possibly Secret Messages would have been a far less disjointed album, if would have been released as a double album as intended.
Fear of Music by Talking Heads, Blondie, The Great Escape by Blur, Queen II, Adventure by Television, Lodger by David Bowie, Zenyatta Mondata by The Police, Give 'Em Enough Rope by The Clash, Led Zeppelin III, Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles
interesting list....beg to differ about Communique though....I agree under rated but no way is it better than Making Movies which is by far and away their greatest album....Knoppler's writing producing and playing were at their collective pinacle on that album....Tunnel of Love , Skateaway, Romeo and Juliet, Hand in Hand...that album is AMAZING....
My Favorite Underrated Albums 1 Alquin - Nobody Can Wait Forever 2 Gong - Shamal 3 Gang of Four - Entertainment 4 Frumpy - Best of Frumpy 5 Poison Girls - Hex 6 Todd Rundgren - Utopia 7 Earth & Fire - Song of the Marching Children 8 Zuco 103 - Outro Lado 9 Stetsasonic - In Full Gear 10 Swans - Love of Life
As a huge Dire Straits fan, I have always had Communique slightly behind Love over Gold as my top two. What it lacks in big thematic songs it makes up with in spare, almost austere interplay that is more like a concerto than a symphony. Brilliant paying has always been their calling card, and there is no shortage of it here.
Heres some more good underrated albums Status Quo - Rocking all over the world (hated my most quo fans, but it still rocks more often than not) Status quo - Back to back Judie Tzuke - Shoot the Moon Alice Cooper - Flush the Fashion Michael Stanley Band - Heartland Heart - Private Audition Legs Diamond - Self titled Trigger - Self titled UFO- all of the Paul Chapman era albums 1980-83 Aerosmith - Draw the line Aerosmith - Night in the ruts
Really appreciate your relaxed style of delivery, absolute breath of fresh air on YT.
Back to The Egg has been a favorite of mine since the day I brought it home at the age of 11. it was the first "Beatles" album I ever owned and remains not only a great link to my past but a solid album - despite "Daytime Nighttime Suffering" missing from, what should have been, side two for me. Great list, John. It was nice to see the ELO and Paul Simon albums on your list. I much agree.
John, Fantastic video again as always. Definitely agree with Communique being an underrated album. Critics rebuked it for being "uninspired" and "pale" even though it is classic Dire Straits and a continuation in style to the first album.
Agree with you on Songs For A Tailor. I have a feeling that people only overlook that album because it's so different from what Jack Bruce was doing with Cream, but I think it's a really good album.
Communique by Dire Straits I totally agree, I always ask someone “What’s your favorite DS album?” And they never say Communique, honestly most of the songs on there are still amazing. Definitely deserves a superb amount of more applaud!
6:30!!!! Yes!!! I was happy you'd include this. Blue Moves is my favorite album of his I think.
Great list, I always loved Communique, Back to the Egg and Blue Moves was the last great Elton John album. But your best find was Self Portrait, which you could always find in the clearance selection for next to nothing. It's a mixed bag for sure, but the good tracks make it very interesting.
Communique is my favorite Dire Straits album. A much underrated album from before they went mainstream and all the better for that.
Communiqué is a great album, just as good as the first one. Truly underrated!
+1 there are tracks on there that surpass the 1st album.
Bryan M. It’s my favorite Dire Straits album. Such great songs.
Single handed sailor is my favourite strait's track
Bryan M. It’s better than first
I agree!
Another interesting topic John. I totally agree with you with E.C. Backless, Dire Strairts Communique, Paul McCartney and Wings Back to the Egg, and E.L.O. for sure.
Brad.
David Sylvians Brilliant Trees and Secrets of the Beehive are immense. Love these videos. Glad you mentioned The Raven by the stranglers. Another fantastic album.
I was cruising by and you got me with The Raven. This changed my musical world back in 1980. It made me broaden my musical tastes and opened up a world that I never bothered to explore before. Great fan until Hugh left the band.
So glad to hear you give "One Trick Pony" some love, it's my favorite Paul Simon album. Not a weak song on the record, and it has a wonderfully understated quality to the production. A real gem. And "Back to the Egg" is another great choice. No hit singles, but I find myself listening to it as much, if not more, than the other more commercially successful Wings albums. It stands alone in Paul's vast catalogue as a "loud" album, fun and unique.
Love One Traick Also hearts and Bones which I have reviewed on my new channel for music reviews Check it out
Thanks for the insight AND acknowledging Jack's "Songs For A Tailor" LP, surely unlike any other. His "Out Of The Storm" ('74) LP is my 2nd favorite album of all time.
Your videos are always the right length (duration). Thanks for your reviews. It's very pleasant to watch.
Listing albums and artist would've been a nice touch. But agree with your choices, don't know how underated some are. Given me a few to look into. Thanks, found a new channel to watch.
Right with you on Egg and Backless (his best for me, together with the 'Clapton' album from a few years later). One Trick Pony ties, for me, with Paul Simon's first as his best solo work.
Good picks John, I've still never heard Self Portrait all the way through. I've just got hold of a vinyl copy of One Trick Pony.
Hi John,
Always classy. Could not agree more on all your choices. Love all of these records.
God bless and keep well
Tino
Back To The Egg is a classic album for me, loved it since I bought it on release, Paul was criticised for his silly love songs then criticised for producing an album with a harder edge, he just couldn't win !
We're open tonight for fun!
She knows how it goes but you're the one that really knows.
I really love that album..bought it new, and was never disappointed "Arrow Through Me" is a fantastic song, as is "Getting Closer"
I think the reason he got so heavily criticized is because the songs are tonally inconsistent and the lyrics are below average.
I love the album, but it has its flaws.
I have only the first album of egg
It's great to see someone mentioning Short cut draw blood. It's one of my most played albums. Side 1 is absolute perfection. 'It's all up to you,' and 'Seagull,' (from side 2) are particularly fabulous, along with big hit 'love hurts' and the cover of 'Johnny too bad.'
I've always loved Self Portrait. Thanks for picking it for your list John. Peace....Steve
For me Communique is in its own orbit, I'd be happy if it was my only DS album. Love these type reviews
Like this list John. Couple on there I need to catch up with esp Bruce and Capaldi. Backless was the third album I ever owned
I've always struggled with Songs For A Taylor. I'll give it another listen shortly. Only have it on CD now.
Good idea for a discussion.....one that springs to mind for me is the Beach Boys L.A. album from 1979 which was generally slaughtered in the music press but has some great tracks on it in particular Baby Blue.....
ELO Time is one of my favourite albums of all time and what I consider the very best ELO album. Some of the songs on it are phenomenal. I don't understand why he never talks about it or plays any of the songs from it. It's like one of those hidden gems that a lot of people don't know about. I always (highly) recommend that album to everyone who come in our record shop. As soon as they hear a little bit of Rain Is Falling, it's sold!
I love 'Time' as soon as yours truly 2095 comes on.......sold! Another heartbreak......superb.
I love Back to the Egg and always have - it is in my top 2 or 3 of the Wings albums. I agree strongly with you on One Trick Pony and Blue Moves as well. I just bought the ELO Time album 3 weeks ago after having heard a review of it in the VC. I had never even heard of it before that. I think that it is really good! Prior to buying that, I only had the ELO Out of the Blue album. I bought that in 1976 and saw ELO in concert during that time - loved it but didn't have any other ELO albums. In the last several weeks, I bought Face the Music, Time and El Dorado. I am very late to the ELO party!
Great video John... I’d add anything by the Liverpool band ‘Shack’ Waterpistol in particular...Declan O’Rourke ‘Since Kyabram’, The Cardigans ‘Long Gone Before Daylight’, Kings of Convenience ‘Riot on an empty street’ and absolutely anything by Nick Drake
I'll look at O’Rourke, I don't remember the name. I am more interested in lesser known people now, with respect to the creator of the video here which does focus on famous names.
With Nick Drake I like Five Leaves Left the most, the arrangements add enough but not too much either.
I absolutely love Riot on an empty street by Kings of Convenience.
One of the best acoustic indie albums I have ever heard
Overlooked in part because it generated no singles: "The Ballad of Calico" by the First Edition. Double LP telling the stories of residents of a Mojave desert ghost town during a 19th-century silver boom. Songs written by Michael Murphey ("Wildfire"). To the best of my knowledge it's never been released on CD (I originally heard it on 8-track!).
Led Zeppelin Presence is hugely underrated, written off as "one of the last two". In a way Radiohead "The Bends" is underrated as in "that stuff they did before they got interesting". I'd call it the last time they made truly great music....
Maybee becouse the other is overrated as hell. Like the whole band. Simple as that.
Back to the Egg and London Town, both much maligned and yet I really enjoy both of them even though they are a bit patchy in places.
But what album isn't?
TIME by The Electric Light Orchestra has become one of 'the' main red lines in my life...one could consider this masterpiece by Jeff, as slightly underrated, in the sense of: it should have been a world number one record, because of original songs, made up of magical ingredients that last for eternity. It changed 'my' life, so maybe it did for you (the viewers of this YT-upload) as well? Communiqué by Dire Straits means so much to me too, caus of special memories and never left my heart.
I’ve never been a huge Dire Straits fan. However, “Making Movies” is not only my favorite album of theirs, it’s in my favorite all time top list. Fantastic.
Tunnel of Love by Springsteen is like that for me. Was never a huge fan, still ain't really, but the album is in my top 3. Strange how that happens. Btw, Making Movies is completely awesome
My 2 favorite underrated albums: 1) Dave Mason "Alone Together" and Art Garfunkel "Break Away" which has a wonderful old Beach Boy song with the Beach Boys doing perfect backing vocals as only they can do.
It''s very interesting, this treatment of timeless quality Albums, the different styles and all what matters.
Some albums here I even don't know at all, so I cannot say, if they are underrated or not. But I will listen to them, thank you.
I just listened to another favorite album most people don't know about: Flying Cowboys by Rickie Lee Jones from 1989, well produced by Walter Becker of Steely Dan. There are street themes, songs about horses and rodeos, reggae, a cover of 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying,' some mystical type songs. And the single was brilliant, 'Satellites.'
I like the Girl at Her Volcano EP.
Loved Dire Straits Communique and ELO's Time. Thank you.
Dreck
Dick
I always loved Orleans " Waking and Dreaming " . Very underrated album And group , another one is " Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti " by the brilliant Squeeze , Cheers all x
stealer's wheel right or wrong would fall into the underrated catagory...i like your list john
ELO Time is one my top 20 records possibly. Very underrated, very well produced, quality Lynne album. Great lyrics, great melodies and a fine concept .-)
Most albums released since that advent of the CD would have been double albums based on the 40-minute limitation of an LP. People tend to frown upon releasing an album these days, or for the past 30 years really, that is only 40 minutes long. That's unfortunate really as there are a lot of so-so albums that might have been good or even great had they been pared down to 40 minutes. Sometimes, less is more.
Blue Moves is great from "your starter for..." right to the end. masterful and mature, I also love one horse town, crazy water, chameleon, and cage the songbird always makes me tear up, the backstage baby princess passed away...
Back to the Egg was one my first albums and it certainly didn't deserve it's critical panning at the time. Some superb songs like Arrow Through Me, Winter Rose and mental fast Spin It On... and of course the superstarstudded Rockestra Theme and So Glad To See You Here.
However he really should have had Goodnight Tonight and Daytime Nighttime Suffering on it.
Back to the Egg is very solid form front to back. Have always loved it. But will have to question your comment about Dire Straits going down hill. Brothers in Arms is a classic. Thanks for the reviews, gonna check out some of these.
The Isley Brothers album 3+3 is very underrated! Incredible band, hard edged guitar riffs, attitude, groove and funk all incorporated into this 1973’s masterpiece.
Thanks for the list: very interesting! What makes us like a certain album more or less? For me it depends a lot on the moment of life I was in, if those songs served as a good soundtrack for that moment. So records that are precious to me may not be relevant to music critics in general. Examples: 1) Meredith Monk - "Dolmen Music": to listen in the dark and chill your spine; 2) Mike Rutherford - "Smallcreep`s Day": Genesis with Noel McCalla on vocals; 3) The Style Council - "Confessions Of A Pop Group"; 4) Supertramp - "Indelibly Stamped"; 5) Ginger Baker - "Horses And Trees"; 6) Merchants Of Venus; 7) Robert Plant - "Fate Of Nations"; 8) Tori Amos - "Scarlet's Walk".
Thank You for putting Self Portrait and Blue Moves on your list.
I love Communique, Lady Writer is probably my favorite Dire Straits track
Kristian Hestås Mine too
Wild West End for me
Where do you think you're going
Ever notice that Ain’t Going Down from E.C. bears a striking resemblance to Lady Writer?
Kristian Hestås portobello belle...
Self Portrait is really good, but (going by reviews) clearly not for everyone. I only needed a couple of listens and I was hooked. Great fun from Bob. Also, I'd put Back to the Egg high on my list of best McCarney albums. Loved it in '79 and still do. Getting Closer is a brilliant opener, and the "outro" of that song is stunning.
Back to the egg! Superb, not a bad song on it, and most every track is very good......Communique i like, Backless is as you say a very warm album, Time by ELO is very good too. The Raven, fine choice!
I will agree with “time” by ELO! Not only Jeff Lynne’s last great effort but a great memory of my childhood, as my dad had this and played it constantly! Infact this is my favourite ELO album of them all! It’s a pity they didn’t include “Julie doesn’t live here anymore” but maybe it was left off to reduce compression on the lp??
Love it also, but far from Jeff's last great effort :)
I love all of your choices. I think the critics gave Dylan grief about Self Portrait because he did the covers of Lightfoot and Simon, songwriters to whom the critics thought Dylan was superior. Blue Moves is my favorite Elton John album. The Capaldi album is also amazing, but I love everything Traffic related.
;Yours Truly, 2095' on that ELO album is a fantastic track, albeit one that takes a while to get going (the back third is great).
Time. "Jeff Lynne's last masterpiece" - I wholeheartedly agree. Perhaps his greatest masterpiece. It's the ELO album I always go back to.
After these two most recent videos, I hope you share you Top Ten Overrated albums.
time was one of those albums i liked the more i listened to it. i think sometimes people dismiss these types of albums after one or two listens and that's too bad. you're right it's a masterpiece and unbelievable that it could be created at that level.
E.L.O.'s Time is definitely underrated, didn't rate it at first now I think it is a great album. In my opinion Chris Rea - Auberge, Queen - A Day At The Races and Genesis - And Then There Were Three are all underrated classics. Perhaps a top 10 underrated artists list would be interesting.
Great list.
I have thoughts on Dire Straits and Paul Simon. I totally agree in regards to the assessment of Dire Straits. It’s unfortunate that most of the songs from those first two albums are forgotten by both the public and by Mark Knopfler himself. It kills me Mark hasn’t played all but maybe 2 of these songs since 1981. However I disagree about Paul Simon’s later work. I would urge people to check out his later albums, much of which I think eclipses his earlier work. Check out the 2000 version of “Darling Lorraine” or the versions of “Cool Cool River” and “She Moves On” from the album of his concert in Central Park. It’s gold.
I LOVE Self Portrait!!
Jim Capaldi Short Cut/ Draw Blood is a really good album. I have always enjoyed Self Portrait and agree about the Clapton album.
My Top Ten Underrated Albums in no particular order; "The Who Sell Out" by The Who; "Muswell Hillbillies" by The Kinks; "Past, Present, and Future" by Al Stewart; "George Harrison" by George Harrison; "Jonathan Edwards" by Jonathan Edwards; "Messages from The Status Quo" by The Status Quo; "Winchester Cathedral" by The New Vaudeville Band; "Time" by ELO; "I Got A Name" by Jim Croce; "Shot in the Dark" by Shot in the Dark.
Blue Moves is a great one. I'd choose that one over Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - which indicates just how good it is. Both are, of course, essential.
Ah, I thought you would've brought up Mind Games! Mind Games and Some Time in New York get such a bad wrap, but I think they're great!
Communiqué is my favorite Dire Straits albums. Better production then the first one.
thanks. plenty of albums to explore here.
Great choices, I love “Song For A Tailor” and “Self Portrait”. The latter got panned by so many critics and there was that Rolling Stone critic that started off his review with “What is this shit!?”. That album and “New Morning” are two of my favorite from Dylan during his Woodstock exile. “The Raven” is a great album too.
'Rolling Stone' WTF do they know about music put Buddy Rich 15th best ever drummer ever hello!
I think the _Self-Portrait_ revisionism has gone too far! Having (arguably) been underrated, the album is now overrated.
@@simonvaughan6017 I don’t think it’s either, it’s just a nice album.
@@sspbrazil Fair enough. Apart from The Mighty Quinn, I find the Dylan originals pretty weak, and the covers are indifferently performed. It's true that it carries on the Country feel of Nashville Skyline, but that album has much stronger songs.
Blue moves and back to the egg two of my favorite albums
Nice selection, I love blue moves much more than yellow brick road everyone rants and raves about yellow but for me it’s the blue album. One trick pony for me is Simons best, very consistent album.
how about any of the kinks records ‘65-‘71? love the channel john, excellent stuff
Their 5 album run from 'Face To Face' through 'Lola Versus Powerman' is their greatest output. Not sure how any of those albums can be considered underrated.
todd jackson yes we agree these albums are great. but my point stands that they are certainly underrated when compared to albums by other bands that get way more attention and praise. seems we’re making two separate points
Nice going, John.... Your on point as usual!....Well, here goes nothing-------Bruce: Human Touch/BOC: Club Ninja/Fleetwood Mac:Behind The Mask(why oh why aren't more people talking about this great underrappreciated gem????)/ Eric Clapton:Behind The Sun/The Cars: Door To Door(something different from them, at once punky, wistful, and dramatic featuring excellent performances by the band)/Genesis:We Can't Dance(I don't know why the fans are always so down on it----ambitious, tuneful, and atmospheric, I just luv It!).... I could go on forever...., Ghostrider Rick
ALL great choices! Just picked up Behind The Mask and really surprised at how tuneful it is! Wrongfully picked on, it still includes most Fleetwood Mac members, so of course it will be highly musical and expertly crafted! Cheers!
Time by ELO is one of my all-time favourite albums
Wow The Raven! well ahead of it's time I also like The Gospel according to the Meninblack which got absolutely bashed on it's release by critics but if you listen to it now it's totally bizarre and brilliant! and all recorded in the days of analogue,for an album 40 years old I think should be given some re-evaluation
'The Big Express' by XTC. Mostly Ignored by the critics on it's release. By XTC standards it's quite dark (almost depressing), but i love it, and it's Andy Partridge's favourite XTC Album.
One trick pony! In 84 I was a total blues guitar nut and along with Clapton I was totally into Eric Gale who plays great guitar on One trick pony . Bought that album in Romford ha ha . Maybe from WH Smith’s . Eric Gale had some excellent solo albums too ,
I’m going to take your recommendation John, and finally get “One Trick Pony”, I have heard it a couple of times, but have never really given it a chance...I agree about “Self Portrait”, and especially “Blue Moves”, which I feel contains some of Elton’s best work - and I’ve always felt that Stevie Wonder’s “Secret Life Of Plants” album was filled with gorgeous melodies and unfairly panned by critics and the public.
Great! I would be surprised if 'One Trick Pony' disappoints.....it has the feel of classic Paul Simon for me....most of it anyway....and Tony Levin on bass and Steve Gadd on drums can't be bad! BTW would have been great to hear the 'Hearts & Bones' version with Garfunkel...but I think the tapes got wiped!
@@johnheaton5667 yes, I’ve always wondered what “Hearts & Bones” would have sounded like with Garfunkel’s harmonies - shame that they didn’t work together more after the 1970 split...Nice video John..
Thomas Calden just watching the 1983 doc of Paul performing and talking about hearts and bones...sad that that album has been forgotten or neglected by many!
@@johnheaton5667 is it on RUclips?
Thomas Calden yup!
As much as I respect all tastes and can learn from them, it's a rather small pond you are fishing in, being the late 60s, 70s and early 80s anglosaxon poprock. In all dimensions of time, geography and genres there's so much more.
yes agree…it’s just what i specialize in!
John, I love Carol Carpenter singing the beatles ticket to ride. what is your favourite cover of a beatles song?
I've seen so many armchair critics attempt these ' Best of' album pieces and this is by far the best one I've watched. Excellent and interesting choices, clearly rendered opinions from a person who not only loves the music, but *knows* it front and back and speak clearly and critically about the merit of the works included. This is what sets Mr. Heaton's reviews apart from the rest, IMHO. Nicely done!
Communique is one of my favourite albums too.
Paul Simon's best for me are the last Simon and Garfunkel album and the two solo ones that followed.
Although praised by some in commercial terms Terry Reid's "Seed of Memory" was vastly underrated. When I foolishly sold my vinyl collection in the early 80's even though I no longer had a record player I kept this album . To me it's a slightly flawed masterpiece..
what a voice Terry had! Yeah, Seed Of Memory is life affirming.....total treasure! First heard Terry's music in that John Holmes (Val Kilmer) movie Wonderland! I immediately went out and purchased four or five albums from Mr. Reid (chosen by Jimmy to be Zeppelin vocalist and turned it down-that says it all, regarding Reid's vocal abilities!)
Backless, Back To The Egg, and ESPECIALLY One Trick Pony!!! Yes yes yes yes probably my fave LP’s from all of those artists.
There are many underrated albums, I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of LP’s in peoples collections would be considered underrated by themselves. Probably that would be brought about by the fact that many of those artists would be in a “niche” market and relatively unknown to most record buyers. In my case that would include Ry Cooder whose ‘ Bop till you Drop’ album I consider a masterpiece of cover recordings. His arrangements of old RnB numbers are absolutely wonderful and in many cases take those songs into areas which far transcend their original recordings. Just as a small example, take a listen to “ Go Home Girl” which was recorded originally by Arthur Alexander.Then listen to
Sorry, hit the post button by accident. Was going to say listen to two other covers by well known bands of Arthur Alexander’s songs. First the Beatles “ Anna” off their first LP and then the ‘Stones cover of “You’d better move on” off their first EP. Both are very enjoyable but pale beside Cooder’s interpretation of a basically similar story and melody. OK, I’ll climb down off my soap box now, at the end of all these are only personal opinions and “ it’s only Rock’n’ Roll”.
Can I suggest 'Burnin' Red Ivanhoe' by Burnin' Red Ivanhoe? Few have heard of it (Dansk rock)... Across the Windowsill is one of many wonderful tracks. I like their very slight mistranslation from Dainish into English
You love and know your music which is a joy to watch . Wonderful albums from amazing artists. Love Dire Straits, they may have gone ' down hill" but Mr. Mark Knopfler hasn't ! Rave on real music in a world full of soulless music and artists.
"B. Bryant" referenced twice - (Felice and) Boudleaux Bryant, the wife and husband who provided the Everlys' big hits.
After being disappointed by Discovery and Xanadu by ELO, I was blown away by Time.
Very unrated album, but also very loved by those know it.
Possibly Secret Messages would have been a far less disjointed album, if would have been released as a double album as intended.
Fear of Music by Talking Heads, Blondie, The Great Escape by Blur, Queen II, Adventure by Television, Lodger by David Bowie, Zenyatta Mondata by The Police, Give 'Em Enough Rope by The Clash, Led Zeppelin III, Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles
My 2 underrated are from same artist....Axe Victim, and Sunburst Finish...Bebop deluxe
Supertramp’s Breakfast in America hanging on the wall made me remember their underrated album: Crisis, What Crisis?
Rodger Hodgson is this you roger genius hodgson ?
@Rodger Hodgson do you mean the top 50 you like or top 50 you're in? :-)
This album moved Supertramp from very good to speechless !
bearcb ya, Crisis, What Crisis was their best! Some would argue Crime of the Century was but then it just comes down to preference.
Lowell C supertramp are pretty amazing !
interesting list....beg to differ about Communique though....I agree under rated but no way is it better than Making Movies which is by far and away their greatest album....Knoppler's writing producing and playing were at their collective pinacle on that album....Tunnel of Love , Skateaway, Romeo and Juliet,
Hand in Hand...that album is AMAZING....
Hi John agree with so much of what you said. What about "George Harrison"
Happy to see the raven and backless in there
Planet Waves would get my vote as Dylan's most underrated album.
ZIMMERMAN
nope - for me, it would be Street Legal.
New Morning
My Favorite Underrated Albums 1 Alquin - Nobody Can Wait Forever 2 Gong - Shamal 3 Gang of Four - Entertainment 4 Frumpy - Best of Frumpy 5 Poison Girls - Hex 6 Todd Rundgren - Utopia 7 Earth & Fire - Song of the Marching Children 8 Zuco 103 - Outro Lado 9 Stetsasonic - In Full Gear 10 Swans - Love of Life
As a huge Dire Straits fan, I have always had Communique slightly behind Love over Gold as my top two. What it lacks in big thematic songs it makes up with in spare, almost austere interplay that is more like a concerto than a symphony. Brilliant paying has always been their calling card, and there is no shortage of it here.
@Fenderking love over Gold is s top ten all time for me. So brilliant
Heres some more good underrated albums
Status Quo - Rocking all over the world (hated my most quo fans, but it still rocks more often than not)
Status quo - Back to back
Judie Tzuke - Shoot the Moon
Alice Cooper - Flush the Fashion
Michael Stanley Band - Heartland
Heart - Private Audition
Legs Diamond - Self titled
Trigger - Self titled
UFO- all of the Paul Chapman era albums 1980-83
Aerosmith - Draw the line
Aerosmith - Night in the ruts
"Back to the egg" Fantastic Rocker! 👍👌
Someone else who loves Songs For A Tailor. WOW!