Lowly regarded early and/or late albums you like

What are some early albums by favourite-of-yours acts (artists/bands) with quite a few releases that seem to be commonly considered weak (or rated lowly) that you really like, but subsequent albums get critiqued well?  And/or, what are some of your favourite bands/artists where the latest albums are rated considerably lower by others than you would but earlier releases seem to be critical darlings?  That may be the same act where the early albums are not held in high esteem generally, then there is the golden period where the albums are loved by many, and then the latest ones are low-rated.

I sorta dig it!  Only problem I hear is repetition.  (The Sufjan Stevens clips)

Edited by Valdez - 19 hours 52 minutes ago at 11:25

Edited by Valdez - 18 hours 55 minutes ago at 12:22

^^ I like Buzzcocks too. Done well really does depend on taste commonly. I think one should very be careful when making claims of quality (objective). I've had so many people complaining about music as if it was poor over the years where kinds of thematic repetition are important to the structure that resonates so deeply with me. And some of those would then suggest music that does nothing for me and to me seems shallow and boring (for my tastes). To each their own tastes. I can't think of any artist whose music both moves me and interests me more than Sufjan Stevens. I;m sure some would complain about Beethoven's Seventh's second movement as being too repetitious, but it's one of my favourites. What sometimes gets to me with some arrogant people is that they act like they know better than the composers or appreciators what's good and lose sight of the subjective nature of appreciation. Of course there are some standards of good and bad and metrics to objectively gauge that, like on the imitative performance level.

Edited by Logan - 18 hours 42 minutes ago at 12:35

^ Thanks, I was thinking specifically of the earliest and latest albums being lowly rated or regarded commonly as compared to the subsequent or previous albums. Say the first one or two and the last one or two. For instance, Genesis' From Genesis to Revelation is generally held in much lower regard than subsequent albums, but someone might still love it and hold it in much higher regard. It has a 2.83 rating at RYM compared to the subsequent Trespass which has a reputable 3.65. Incidentally, to me that's a fair rating for Genesis debut although I do like "The Serpent" off it very much.

Giant for a Day - Gentle Giant

moshkito wrote: ...AMON DUUL 2 - DANCE OF THE LEMMINGS -- it might be the cover and how it just explodes in your imagination and you can't get out of it easily. But by the time you sit through the MM Soundtrack thing, with closed eyes and in the dark, you end up wondering where all this heavenly stuff is coming from. And then, if that is not enough, your mind, that appreciates art in all its styles, goes to get a cup of tea and spends its time wondering about "Mona Lisa has a bird brain" ... as you splash too much honey in your tea!...

Lots you mention that I like, and please don't consider removing your post even if it's not quite what I had in mind. That does not negate its value and I am not much of one of those "stick to a narrow topic" kinds of people. To me that can be really boring, I prefer more openness, and digressions can make the best reading and conversation. It also can be the most infuriating. Depends often on attitude and the open mindedness of the participants/ conversationlists.

I really like ADII, Yeti is a particular favourite album of mine, and I really like Tanz der Lemminge. While it often does get favourable reviews, I have noticed myself appreciating, and certainly recognising, the debut, Phallus Dei, more than many. It does have very good ratings at PA and RYM. To me it is one of the great albums of the 60s, but quite a few at PA don't seem to hold Krautrock in high regard or be very familiar with it. The post Wolf City album are not held in nearly as high regard (I like Vive la Trance, but don;t know the vast majority of later releases, only heard Made in Germany of post 1974 ADII albums).

Am I wrong for simply loving Amon Duuls HIJACK?  lol.

Edited by Valdez - 18 hours 7 minutes ago at 13:10

Paul Roberts and Baz as vocalists after Hugh Cornwell left the Stranglers... Wow do they get the critiques!!

Edited by Valdez - 17 hours 7 minutes ago at 14:10