"Great" albums you really hate

[mobias]

OK Computer.
Never understood why it's considered Radiohead's masterpiece when The Bends is vastly superior.

Ok Computer like Radiohead in general is just one of those musical phenomenas that utterly passes me by. I can see why people love Radiohead but its absolutely not for me. I think I just find it all fairly boring. Its music devoid of much charm or charisma, to my ears anyway. I have the same issue with some of Pink Floyd's output. Certainly The Wall anyway and the other Waters centric albums. 

[Serge]

'Pet Sounds' - basically, enough songs for a decent EP ('Wouldn't It Be Nice', 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)', 'God Only Knows' and 'Caroline, No') and some other stuff. I really wish I could hear what other people hear when they rave about The Beach Boys, but for me, they're a pretty good singles band with the odd nice album track.

'Loveless' - I've tried and tried with MBV, but it just sounds like a bunch of out-of-tune feedback to me, no matter how you try and explain to me that it isn't. And I like a lot of out-of-tune feedback, but this just takes the piss. It doesn't help that I've always found Shields to be a complete arse as well.

[greenman]

Ok Computer like Radiohead in general is just one of those musical phenomenas that utterly passes me by. I can see why people love Radiohead but its absolutely not for me. I think I just find it all fairly boring. Its music devoid of much charm or charisma, to my ears anyway. I have the same issue with some of Pink Floyd's output. Certainly The Wall anyway and the other Waters centric albums.

The Wall is really the breakdown of the Waters/Gilmour partnership I would say when the former took control, as much as I love the most of their output up until that point I find it outside of a handful of tracks(most of which Gilmour was clearly more involved with) bland and annoyingly self centred. The only post Animals album connected to Floyd I really enjoy a good deal is Gilmour's solo album from 78.

[Don_Preston]

Hate may be a bit strong, but I've never gotten on with Raw Power. I think after the brilliance of the previous two albums, it falls into a far more conventional 'rawk' album.

[clingfilm portent]

'Pet Sounds' - basically, enough songs for a decent EP ('Wouldn't It Be Nice', 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)', 'God Only Knows' and 'Caroline, No') and some other stuff. I really wish I could hear what other people hear when they rave about The Beach Boys, but for me, they're a pretty good singles band with the odd nice album track.

I'll go one better. I think it and all Beach Boys stuff is shitehouse. Its twee in the extreme. It makes Cilla sound like Jimi bastard Hendrix.

[Serge]

Ha ha! I just realised that seeing as I do like a handful of songs from it, it's probably overstating it to say that I hate it, rather that I'm puzzled by its charms. I stand by what I said about 'Loveless' though.

[Squink]

'Loveless' - I've tried and tried with MBV, but it just sounds like a bunch of out-of-tune feedback to me, no matter how you try and explain to me that it isn't.

There is almost no feedback on Loveless though, as Shields has often maintained (usually when met with the "it's just a lot of feedback" criticism).

[alan nagsworth]

"Oooo, if you like Cardiacs, you'll loooove Biffy Clyro!!!"

Fucking hell, cringe. I'd imagine that this is because Biffy in their prime had a penchant for very occasionally switching up the time signature in their songs with hints at experimentation and quirky song titles within their predominantly post-hardcore framework. I can't stand it when conversations come up like that. "Oh, you like Mr. Bungle! Do you like Incubus? They used to be well weird before they went pop!" No, I don't like Incubus, and "weirder than they are now" doesn't necessarily mean they were ever weird to begin with, does it? "Oh do you like Primus? You don't?! I thought you said you were into alternative stuff!" IS IT REALLY SO FUCKING SURPRISING THAT I DON'T LIKE A THING THAT YOU LIKE? We're not some fucking clique or a dying breed that needs to stick together against the barrages of pop music, fuck off away from me.

Incidentally, Biffy's second album has its moments and hasn't aged as badly as a lot of its contemporaries, but they certainly had a lame run after that didn't they? The third album was a lot more experimental and then all of a sudden they dropped everything and went completely middle of the road. Some of their more recent material is utterly, incomprehensibly dire. That one that goes "I talk to god as much as I talk to satan because I wanna hear both sides" got played a lot in a pub I used to work in, and it made me want to completely murder the lot of them.

Fuck Storm Thorgerson as well.

[the psyche intangible]

I happily sold Loveless for a fair amount of money a few years ago. Near mint condition, played once.

[great_badir]

Fuck Storm Thorgerson as well.

Too late.

[23 Daves]

I happily sold Loveless for a fair amount of money a few years ago. Near mint condition, played once.

Loveless is one of those albums I occasionally revisit online to see if it's something I've grown into and I'll now understand what the fuss is all about. Never have, though. Most of my friends love it, and in fact two different friends of mine who I haven't seen in years ended up working with either MBV or Kevin Shields in different capacities - so suffice to say, I've had its appeal explained to death and I doubt anything anyone could say on here would change my mind.

In fact, whenever I state why I don't like "Loveless", people always stare incredulously at me and say "But you're just mentioning all the things that are GOOD about it!" I give up.

As for Pink Floyd, I'd say it's not so clear cut with me. All their albums (with the exception of "Ummagumma") up to and including "Atom Heart Mother" are good to great. After that, there are patches of goodness on albums which to me largely sound like some rather stoned musicians in need of a producer to occasionally suggest edits or press the stop button. "Wish You Were Here" in particular is a work of almost staggering self-indulgence, I genuinely have the physical compulsion to yawn whenever I hear any of it. Even live versions of "Crazy Diamond" tend to be better than the track on the studio LP.

"Dark Side Of The Moon" is a luxurious sounding record but to me, nothing much beyond that. And its concept is half-baked. A year or so ago I had a very vivid dream that I ought to revisit it because I'd finally understand it, but suffice to say, that dream was bollocks.

I'd defend the second side of AHM, though. It's not as interesting as the suite on the A side - which Ron Geesin has more to do with than Pink Floyd if you believe his version of events - but "Summer 68" is fantastic Beatlesy pastoral pop, "Fat Old Sun" takes its cues rather naughtily from The Kinks "Lazy Old Sun" but has a beautiful summers day bluesiness to it, and "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" is entertaining in its own way.

"If" is the only track I'd question. "If" is almost like a rough demo for "The Final Cut", isn't it? Waters realising his weary angst-songpoem concept a whole decade before it really ended up sprawling across an entire album.

[Pepotamo1985]

Loveless

Not sure whether it's insecurity on my part or Loveless' continuing cultural currency (or both), but I can't think of a record I feel more embarrassed to say I don't like than Loveless. I really like the opening track, and then nothing grabs me at all. In fact, it bores me, it frustrates me, and I find it difficult to get to the end. I find literally nothing to latch on to. As you beautifully put it, the exact things that put me off seem to be why everyone else likes it. To even suggest you don't see what's so great about it is to induce stunned reactions and accusations of contrived contrarianism.

"Dark Side Of The Moon" is a luxurious sounding record but to me, nothing much beyond that. And its concept is half-baked.

As with many Floyd albums, there are little snatches of goodness here and there, but the only thing that approaches brilliance to my ears is Great Gig In The Sky - and that's 90% Clare Torry's work. Lush production to be sure, but nothing that excites me at all.

Not sure whether this is what you're referring to, but DSOTM's status as a concept album always really irritates me. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because it really obviously isn't a concept album and it's constantly touted as the best concept album EVARRRR.

[Bingo Fury]

Back in my late teens and early twenties, I was very taken with "100 greatest albums of all time" lists. I wanted to hear great music and be knowledgeable about the landmarks of pop and rock, the ones that got referenced all the time. One particular list the NME printed around 1985 inspired me to trawl round second hand record shops and pick up classics like "What's Going On", "Let's Get It On", "Pet Sounds", "There's A Riot Goin' On", "King Of The Delta Blues Singers" ... lots of records whose greatness gradually revealed themselves to me over the following weeks and months. There was one purchase, however, whose appeal remained utterly elusive and impenetrable: "Astral Weeks". I've tried listening to it at various points over many years, hoping that this time would be the one where its majesty would stand revealed and I'd finally hear what everyone else was hearing in it. Vain hope. After a break of several years, I put it on again about a month ago and couldn't muster the energy even to turn the record over. I'm not averse to some of Van's later stuff, and there was a period in the late 80s when I caught him at a couple of festivals and thought the band he had at the time sounded gorgeous, but "Astral Weeks" sounds to me less than one of the greatest albums of all time and more of a stoned rambling phase that had to be gone through to get somewhere more interesting.

[Serge]

Ha ha! Funnily enough, with the exception of odd tracks like 'Moondance', 'Astral Weeks' is the only Morrison album I've ever been able to stick. To be fair, I was put off him slightly by being lent some of his mid-to-late eighties borefests by a former colleague[nb]The same colleague I've just mentioned in the 'Best Of's thread, oddly enough.[/nb], but even checking out some of the seventies classics has left me with the same feeling of bewilderment and jealousy that I mentioned regarding The Beach Boys above - what do other people get about these that I'm not getting? Having said that, I quite liked the conceit in Julian Cope's '131' that Van Morrison died after making 'Astral Weeks', whereas Jim Morrison lived and made a string of classic albums. (Not that I'm a big fan of Bozo Jim, but I like the Van idea.)

[Technique]

I see Hats by Blue Nile has been beaten down here. There you go. One of my all time favourites; and someone said something about Atom Heart Mother being a good album, and mentioning Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast favourably. If there is one track I would call a whole bunch of nothing it is that song and indeed, that album. Love the Floyd though.

Speaking of albums that are a whole bunch of nothing, I remember when I was getting my musical education there were several chaps who, when I would tell them I like x, would then tell me I should therefore listen to y. And I would do that as their taste was usually pretty much in tune with mine.

One of those y's was Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk. What I knew of Talk Talk then I liked so I got Spirit of Eden with high hopes. And it was just.......... meh. Didn't get it at all. Plodding, boring, turgid, boring and boring.

As the years passed I couldn't help but note how Spirit of Eden has gradually become regarded by one and all as a grade 1 bonafide classic. So I thought I'd try it again. No longer being young and shallow, age will have matured me into finally appreciating this the way the rest of the whole world does (or the majority of the 80,000 that bought it)

And yes, still plodding, boring, turgid, boring and boring.

I know people say that Laughing Stock is their masterpiece. That it's Spirit of Eden plus a lot more of whatever it is they like about Spirit of Eden. I've never listened to Laughing Stock. And never will.


Come to the think of it one of the fuckers who tried to turn me on to Spirit of Eden also had good things to say about Neds Atomic Dustbin. Fucking called him out on that one mind.

[lazarou]

Still, it's quite an interesting record I suppose - it offers the illusion of visceral anger and abrasiveness while actually being a very shiny pop album. It's punk for people who don't like punk.

I'd be inclined to come at it from the other side and say it's pop for people who don't (or can't) like pop. Singalong songs with an acceptable level of grit for the alt kids to get onboard. I'd say the real coup was selling pop songs to kids who felt above that kind of thing. Of course it works either way, which explains the ridiculous success I suppose.

I really like the opening track, and then nothing grabs me at all.

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure I don't actually love Loveless as much as I love "Only Shallow". It's a perfect encapsulation of everything about them that appeals to me and the rest of it may as well not exist for all the difference it makes. Even when I'd pig-headedly listen to the rest of the album I'd be wishing I was just listening to that again instead.

[SteveDave]

Trout Mask Replica

I've bought it about 3 times now, but each time I last about 5 songs before turning it off & giving it away to the nearest person to me.

[Jockice]

Not an album as such but a band. The Replacements. I'm sick of hearing about them. I saw them in the 80s, having been assured that they were the most fun-filled, melodic, punkiest band on earth. I was looking forward to it. What I actually saw was mediocre pub rock played by what looked like bored session musicians. I've heard a few of their albums too, but can't remember a single song from any of them, despite apparently being classics. History really is being rewritten when it comes to this band.

[Danger Man]

Not 'hate' but when 40-50% of an LP is shite, I'm not sure how it can be called great.

The Queen is Dead knows who I'm talking about.

[thraxx]

Any New Order album.  Tried so many times to listen to them, to see of I'm missing something, but every time I'm just baffled.

Also Closer.  I don't hate it anymore and can see why other people love it, but, again, it just totally passes me by.

[23 Daves]

I see Hats by Blue Nile has been beaten down here. There you go. One of my all time favourites; and someone said something about Atom Heart Mother being a good album, and mentioning Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast favourably. If there is one track I would call a whole bunch of nothing it is that song and indeed, that album.

I said it was entertaining, which was a bit of a backhanded compliment. As an atmosphere piece, it's reasonably fun to listen to and the last third of it is a joyous little pop instrumental - it's a long, long way off being the best track on the LP, though.

One of those y's was Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk. What I knew of Talk Talk then I liked so I got Spirit of Eden with high hopes. And it was just.......... meh. Didn't get it at all. Plodding, boring, turgid, boring and boring.

Utterly agreed. I had it recommended to me again by a good friend of mine only a few weeks back, actually. I should "give it another go". I might. Then again, I might not.

I haven't mentioned Love's "Forever changes", have I? It's not that I hate it as such, just that I don't view it as a mind-blowing album. I know people who are utterly obsessed with it.

[Kane Jones]

I think Talk Talk's The Colour Of Spring is a good album. Living In Another World and Life's What You Make It are fantastic. I really like Mark Hollis' voice and like the eighties-ness of his style. People don't really sing that way any more. Wild Beasts come close, which may be why Present Tense was one of my favourite albums from last year.

[Nobody Soup]

Unkown Pleasures & Closer - I have to hide this as a friend of mine thinks Joy Division are brilliant and I used to bang on how much I liked them to her. I actually do really like Substance where all the songs are bit live sounding but it's the albums everyone credits as being groundbreaking and I think they're irritatingly mixed and Curtis' voice is rythmless and shit.

[greenman]

hr]
I'd defend the second side of AHM, though. It's not as interesting as the suite on the A side - which Ron Geesin has more to do with than Pink Floyd if you believe his version of events - but "Summer 68" is fantastic Beatlesy pastoral pop, "Fat Old Sun" takes its cues rather naughtily from The Kinks "Lazy Old Sun" but has a beautiful summers day bluesiness to it, and "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" is entertaining in its own way.

"If" is the only track I'd question. "If" is almost like a rough demo for "The Final Cut", isn't it? Waters realising his weary angst-songpoem concept a whole decade before it really ended up sprawling across an entire album.

I would actually say the main weakness of the title track is the Geesin input, I'm no great avant garde expert but the Body soundtrack he did with Waters the same year was a lot more interesting and atmospheric where as the orchestra stuff here is just plodding. Generally I just listen to the middle section with the choral buildup and bluesy jam which I doubt he had much to do with.

Summer 68 works for me exactly because it deliberately misses the mark as a Beatles track, the same with the instrumentals in Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast or indeed San Trophez on Meddle that all take what could be rather familar material and give it for the want of a better description a hint of strangeness.

Compared to a decade latter I think If works because its not nearly so self obsessed and overproduced.

[23 Daves]

Summer 68 works for me exactly because it deliberately misses the mark as a Beatles track, the same with the instrumentals in Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast or indeed San Trophez on Meddle that all take what could be rather familar material and give it for the want of a better description a hint of strangeness.

That's it. It was clearly slightly woozy and off, more Cambridge and pastoral (obviously) than Merseyside. Polite vocals, a rambling instrumental section, a faintly folky feel. Provincial psychedelia rather than boho psych.

"Summer 68" and "Fat Old Sun" always make me think I want to live in Cambridge, even though I've been there many times and it's not all that much cop, really. In fact, Cambridge always sounds much better through the music it's produced than the place actually is.

[olliebean]

FWIW, if you want to compare, before Geesin's input AHM was called The Amazing Pudding, and can be found under that name on YouTube.

[DukeDeMondo]

I don't like Revolver very much. Mean, it's got some great stuff on, but also a lot of drab grey shit. I'd take a thousand of the worst of Rubber Soul over the best of Revolver any day.

[Blinder Data]

I know people have differing opinions and everything but Jesus Christ Pet Sounds is the music of heaven and if you don't like it then I pity your terrible ears.

[clingfilm portent]

I'm going to throw Anything The Pixies Did by the revered Pixies into the mix here. Never really been into yelping, you see. Musical piss.

I know people have differing opinions and everything but Jesus Christ Pet Sounds is the music of heaven and if you don't like it then I pity your terrible ears.

You're actually thinking of Motown, music's answer to honey. Pet Sounds is for squares, baby.

[Blinder Data]

But... but... Doolittle!

These are sacred cows being slaughtered - it's gonna get a bit India-Pakistan in here.

---

Motown is the music of the earth; the Beach Boys is the music of heaven. That's how it works.