Twenty-Five albums that should NOT have been recorded
Read it for the hilarious commentary, and be sure to follow the Gygax link on Number 19.
Fortunately for my aural senses, I've not heard many of the tracks on these classic discs. Except for the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band Soundtrack... Oh. My. God. Even to be reminded of its existence was enough to make me run screaming into the bathroom. (So long supper!)
Whoever thought it would be a good idea to have the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton sing Beatles songs should've been shot in the head, set on fire, cornholed with mallet, and decapitated.
Who said they weren't?
Article comments
1 - Tim Hall
Eeek! I've actually got three of those!
2 - Eric Olsen
Those are all pretty much bad, and I'm happy to say I no longer own very many of them. I would distinguish between great artists experimenting - like the Young and Reed and even the Garth Brooks - and just plain pointless crap like most of the rest.
3 - Mark Saleski
oh no....well, i guess is Tom Johnson can admit to watching Average Joe, than i can admit to owning and liking:
Psychoderelict
Dirty Work
Vitalogy (which has "Spin The Black Circle"...which rocks)
Tarkus
St. Anger
The Pro and Cons of Hitchhiking (ok...i really just like the cover...Waters sounds to me like he keeps re-recording The Wall)
4 - JR
Damn, I've only got nine of them.
I'm definitely glad "Stormbringer" was recorded. It's got at least four great songs and some fine guitar work, even if Blackmore was phoning it in.
5 - Eric Olsen
I agree "Vitalogy" has merit, but Marky, "St. Anger" isn't on the list. Is this somehow Freudian?
6 - Eric Olsen
ah, now I see it in the dishonorable mention, nevermind
7 - Mark Saleski
Any of you guys call me Marky and I'll kill ya
8 - Tom Johnson
I hate lists like this. This is the kind of thing that gives critics a bad name, showing their elitist snobbery as if it's something to be proud of.
I disagree strongly with a large amount of this list. ELP's Tarkus is, if not a great album (the filler is forgettable,) a great half-album. Pearl Jam's Vitalogy? That is a great album, period. If you're going to pick on a PJ album, it should be No Code. I like it, but I can see how people wouldn't. There's not a damn thing wrong with Vitalogy save for maybe "Bugs" and that "Heysexymophandle .. . whatever" song - complete wastes of space. And I like Townshend's Psychoderelict. Ignore the "story" and just listen to the music, it's good stuff (or just buy the version without the distracting narrative.) Genesis' Calling All Stations was okay, not great, but the best thing the band had done since Abacab, that's for sure. And Ray Wilson has a gorgeous voice. People didn't like it more because it was proggy than anything else.
The list is basically pure BS. He doesn't give any real reasons for why these albums are the "worst," he just makes fun of them. This is what small-minded people do for fun. If he'd justify his claims by backing them up with actual analysis of what makes the music bad, I'd have no problem with his views. Good criticism informs the reader, regardless of whether the critic winds up giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Bad criticism just makes a mockery of its subject matter. This is bad criticism (regardless of the humor intended in the piece.)
9 - Eric Olsen
I'd say Tom did an exceptional job of explaining my vague discomfort with things like this, even when I agree with much of the assessment.
And "Marky" is only a term of purest endearment.
10 - Tom Johnson
I think "Marky" can only be used if he has a Funky Bunch.
11 - Mark Saleski
i just may have to kill both of you.
12 - Eric Olsen
or drum for the Ramones
13 - Alan Kellog
Going back in time, we have that "Journey to the Center of the Earth" atrocity by that keyboardist from Yes. The Kevin Costner of the Moog.
BTW, google "Dark Dungeons" sometime. lots of parodies, diatribes, and "tributes" to enjoy.