Albums that let you down (band, classics, cd, genre)

[TheJickler]

Sometimes an album or band is hyped/praised to the point that you go out and get it... only to have it let you down in the end. Here are some of the ones that fit the category for me:

-The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - I consider it a snoozefest. It opens AWESOME with 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' but apart from 'Sloop John B' and 'God Only Knows' this album is a great cure for insomnia

-Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - I just don't get the big deal about this album or Mr. Young in general. 'Cinammon Girl' is okay but nothing special, and 'Cowgirl In The Sand' isn't bad, but the rest I can do without. And 'Round And Round' is an abomination. He has another song called 'A Man Needs A Maid' that literally makes me shudder at its awfulness. Those two songs might actually be worse than 'Mother' by The Police

-The Who - Who's Next - This album is not bad, but I really am not a fan of 'Behind Blue Eyes', ' Bargain', or 'Getting In Tune'. Now that I think about, I don't like much off here except 'Won't Get Fooled Again.'

I realize I've listed mostly "sacred cows" here, but this happens with lots of albums. How about you?

[BlueWillowPlate]

heh
I know what you mean about EKTIN but I always liked that album.
Neil Young is easy to pick on because he has experimented with so many different genres: blues, old school rock' roll, electronica. There is something to dismay everyone!

I agree with you about Pet Sounds, but I think it was the recording technique that was supposed to be so revolutionary and groundbreaking, rather than the actual songs recorded.

I like Who's Next, but not as a Toyota commercial.

I was let down by Bob Dylan's 2006 album, Modern Times.
It simply did not feel all that original.
The reviews wowed me, and I asked for it for my birthday without having heard any of it.
So many of the songs sounded like adaptations of classics, but then I look at the liner notes and it says "All Songs Written by Bob Dylan."
Wikipedia's take on the album confirmed some of my suspicions.
I know many artists steal a bit here and there, but Dylan seemed rather casual about the whole thing.

[Six Foot Three]

I remember when Van Halens 3rd album ''Women and Children First'' when it first came out and we were all stoked but it really sucked.

When Kiss came out with the album '' Dynasty'' with their DISCO song ''I was made for loving you'' was also a big disappointment.

Van Halen - Women and Children First
Kiss - Dynasty

[gardener34]

Every album styx made after their "pieces of eight" and "grand illusion" era.

[LRUA]

I agree with you 6 Foot 3 ....Van Halen's 3rd album sucked bigtime ...my friends and I were all big VH fans ...thought their first two album were great ...we were really disappointed when the 3rd LP came out ... sounded like second rate stuff left off their earlier albums ....

As for Pet Sounds ...it's an aquired taste ....I read in all the music books that said it is the greatest album of all time ...a masterpiece ..etc ...I borrowed the album from at friend around 1985 ...I listened to it and was very unimpressed ...and found it very boring ....fastforward 10 years ...I brought it on CD ....I don't love it but it has grown on me ...it has some interesting sounds on it ...it raised the bar for alot of other bands

Everyone Knows this is Nowhere ...I like alot ....not every song ....but Cinnamon Girl is a real classic ....amazing tone Neil gets from his Les Paul thru Fender amp with no toys between ...

[Steve-o]

Jimmys Chicken Shack, their first CD (forget the CD title). What a bum disc!!!!

The Beatles -- "Rubber Soul". Blah.

Metallica -- "Load". <--- thats exactly what it is! A LOAD of crap!

Buckcherry -- "15" One good song on the whole disc, IMO.

Brian Setzer -- "13". His worst CD.

[WeeMadArthur]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Metallica -- "Load". <--- thats exactly what it is! A LOAD of crap!

LOAD was definitely a letdown. I remember I was so excited when it came out. I went out and bought it, listened to the whole thing. Listened a few more times to see if it would grow on me. It is the only CD I have ever destroyed because I was so mad at how crappy it was.

Every Pearl Jam CD after Ten was a letdown. (I stopped trying after the second or third one)

Guns N Roses' "The Spaghetti Incident?" was a huge letdown.

Pantera- The Great Southern Trendkill

Sepultura - Roots

[LINCOLNSHIRE]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

I was let down by Bob Dylan's 2006 album, Modern Times.
It simply did not feel all that original.
The reviews wowed me, and I asked for it for my birthday without having heard any of it.
So many of the songs sounded like adaptations of classics, but then I look at the liner notes and it says "All Songs Written by Bob Dylan."
Wikipedia's take on the album confirmed some of my suspicions.
I know many artists steal a bit here and there, but Dylan seemed rather casual about the whole thing.

I know exactly where you`re coming from there. Many of my friends thought the same. It`s a funny old world. I love it for the same reasons you felt let down. For me hearing something and thinking it`s a reworked classic is an indicater that it probably is a classic!

"Mediocre writers borrow,,Great writers steal." T.S. Eliot

Speaking of suspected plagiarism brings me nicely to Oasis. Widely thought of as a Beatles copy band, very unfairly I thought..They`ve never been that good!! The first album [Definitely Maybe] was IMO as near to perfect as was possible [especially live] ,followed by two that couldn`t match it for me, but still good albums.Then we come to the `real` letdown!! Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants....OHHH Dear Me!!! Although I`m not on my own as it is widely accepted, even by Noel himself, as not being their finest moment.

[richt71]

Originally Posted by LINCOLNSHIRE

I know exactly where you`re coming from there. Many of my friends thought the same. It`s a funny old world. I love it for the same reasons you felt let down. For me hearing something and thinking it`s a reworked classic is an indicater that it probably is a classic!

"Mediocre writers borrow,,Great writers steal." T.S. Eliot

Speaking of suspected plagiarism brings me nicely to Oasis. Widely thought of as a Beatles copy band, very unfairly I thought..They`ve never been that good!! The first album [Definitely Maybe] was IMO as near to perfect as was possible [especially live] ,followed by two that couldn`t match it for me, but still good albums.Then we come to the `real` letdown!! Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants....OHHH Dear Me!!! Although I`m not on my own as it is widely accepted, even by Noel himself, as not being their finest moment.

Yes Oasis definitely. First 2 albums very good...last one good inbetween aweful! Funny as I said to a mate they could have put most of their albums inbetween together and had 4 decent songs between them!

[Six Foot Three]

Originally Posted by LRUA

I agree with you 6 Foot 3 ....Van Halen's 3rd album sucked bigtime ...my friends and I were all big VH fans ...thought their first two album were great ...we were really disappointed when the 3rd LP came out ... sounded like second rate stuff left off their earlier albums ....

So True LRUA !!