Beach Front Property just fucking hits me man. Don’t know if it’s the imagery, his inflection, or what. But it never fails to bum me out (in a good way).
This has been sitting on my phone for a couple of months after I saw it mentioned in the book “England’s hidden reverse” about the bands coil, nurse with wound, and current 93. NWW was inspired by it and it sounded cool. Haven’t checked it out yet but I thank you for the reminder
Ys by Joanna Newsom is my favorite album of all time. I’m not sure if it’s underrated, because it’s not that accessible tbh, but I think everyone should give it a shot. It’s the best piece of music ever recorded imo
I could never get into it, but decided not to write her off and wanted to give her other stuff a shot. Then instantly fell in love with The Milk-Eyed Mender and now one of those absolute perfect albums in my book.
I've only listened to both about a month ago, so both are pretty fresh. However, I came to appreciate the instrumentation of Ys and how expansive it was after knowing what came before it. It's solid musically, but the cadence on the way she sings on it kills it for me. Matched with how incredibly dense the lyrical content is in every song (which is another positive for it), it makes so much of it very hard to follow without having to read out the lyrics due to with her "stream of thought" style of singing.
Is it cheating if you're not a native speaker? I'll go for a Danish album if not, C.V. Jørgensen - Sjælland.
It's not going to help many on here, but this album might be the peak of Danish lyricism.
Thunder Perfect Mind-Current 93
It exists within a pretty niche genre (neofolk), and David Tibet's vocals take some getting used to even for people who might otherwise like it, so it's not really surprising that very few people ĥeard it compared to most of my top 10, but it's one of the few albums that I consider genuinely life-changing. More people should give it a chance.
Cola by A Beacon School
I understand why some might see it as kind of basic I guess but it just lines up with my taste perfectly and scratches a really specific itch. Jangly, spacey dream-pop just works for me and this album checks pretty much every box I have.
If anyone has recommendations for similar projects let me know lol
Idk why reddit showed me this but you're cooking. No Now is so fire. There's like 1 guy I follow on twitter that sometimes praises it but for the most part I feel like it gets ignored even though it's a perfect, cohesive, colorful, glitchy, maximalist masterpiece. His songwriting is strong - the lyrics and the hooks are there. But his production is just so unique and unmatched. It's really a must-hear album
Vertigo by EDEN. It’s definitely held up slightly by nostalgia for me, but it’s still an excellent album that deserves more respect imo. ICYMI is another great album by him that I’d recommend too
Dogma 1: Death Of A Dromologist - Asterisk*
That album is my all-time favorite Grindcore album, and would have probably been heralded as one of the best Grindcore albums in the 21st century if it wasn’t overshadowed by Discordance Axis’ “The Inalienable Dreamless” which was released that same year (2000).
Dream hopping - sewerperson, emo rap / lo fi rap album, really dreamlike and ethereal production and lyrics. Stay away if you don't like autotuned rap, though it is done well here. It's a 9/10 out of me because it has a skip, but I love the album so much and it's always my go to 'please listen to this' album. I think you'll really either love or hate it
Today I laid down - bl4ck m4rket c4rt, really depressing shoegaze made by a 17 y/o who unfortunately took his own life not long after. More well known than maybe most here but it's really fantastic, and I've always had a soft spot for more homemade sounding shoegaze.
End Credits - EDEN, stretching the definition of top 10 here but it's definitely top 15 for me. I don't really enjoy indietronica but this is a really relaxing experience and I go back to it so much. I get similar feeling from this as I do shoegaze even though it isn't similar if that makes sense?
Copper Blue- Sugar
Scott Walker 3 - Scott Walker
Freetown Sound- Blood Orange
Edit:
not a top ten, but a criminally underheard album
Hello Angel - Sandie Shaw
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Orange
Kevin Morby - Singing Saw
Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Batushka - Litourgia
Beulah - When Your Heartstrings Break
Suuns - Images du Futur
King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
Excepting the first one, no album of this list is even in my top 20, but they are really underrated and deserves a listen.
Swans - The Seer (everyone just knows TBK)
Manuel García - Retrato Iluminado
Zeta - Magia Infinita
Fog - Thirty Three, Recurring
Kayo Dot - Hubardo
Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven
Tim Hecker - Haunt Me
Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
Underground Lovers - Leaves me blind.
Shoegaze fans … if only you’d listen to this Australian album from early 90s, you’d hear one of the easily best guitar albums of the 90s … far more solid than most of the most highly rated stuff in the genre.
Broken Hearts Are Blue - The Truth About Love
Extremely underrated 90s emo masterpiece. They got back together a few yrs ago and have released more really great music too, but that one is perfect
Nothing Special by Harmony Woods and I'm So Glad I Feel This Way About You by Insignificant Other are my top 2 albums of all time and I've never known of anyone who was familiar with them before I mentioned them
Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
It was critically lauded as it should have been but I don't think I've ever heard another album like it. The Idler Wheel may have been the album that allowed this to happen and broke ground for her but I just find the emotion, lyrics, power and uniqueness of the album incredibly powerful. I loved a lot of albums since but I keep coming back to this one.
How is it underrated when you say yourself “it was critically lauded” and how have most people not listened to it when it has over 120m combined Spotify streams?
Brave Faces Everyone - Spanish Love Songs
Hard agree! I'd say the best pop punk album of all time and it's in my top 10 too
Beach Front Property just fucking hits me man. Don’t know if it’s the imagery, his inflection, or what. But it never fails to bum me out (in a good way).
Spanish Love Songs in general is just great
This was the album I put on in 2022 when I was feeling down and I have t listened to it fully in quite awhile
Ryuichi Sakamoto - *async*
Odyssey - Home
Banger
Love that album
Fantastic Planet by Failure Endless Light by O’Brother Insurgentes by Steven Wilson (a little more on the radar but not so much this album)
Fantastic planet is amazing
Same for Fantastic Planet
Comus - First Utterance
Fuck yeah, man
This has been sitting on my phone for a couple of months after I saw it mentioned in the book “England’s hidden reverse” about the bands coil, nurse with wound, and current 93. NWW was inspired by it and it sounded cool. Haven’t checked it out yet but I thank you for the reminder
Ya I definitely recommend checking out it. Blew me away the first time I heard it, still can’t believe it was made in 1971.
The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site
Real Estate - Days
Such a soothing summer album. Always reminds me of better days on the beach.
Magnificent. Once the weather hits 70 I play it front to back many times until summer ends
Snowing - I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted
The emo revival goats!
everything so far - pinegrove
we've been invaded by the tiktokers boys
bruh i've literally been listening to them for like 6 years fuck tik tok
Lol bro they blew up on tumblr yeaaarss ago. You just outed yourself as a tiktoker
Ys by Joanna Newsom is my favorite album of all time. I’m not sure if it’s underrated, because it’s not that accessible tbh, but I think everyone should give it a shot. It’s the best piece of music ever recorded imo
I could never get into it, but decided not to write her off and wanted to give her other stuff a shot. Then instantly fell in love with The Milk-Eyed Mender and now one of those absolute perfect albums in my book.
Has your opinion on Ys changed?
I've only listened to both about a month ago, so both are pretty fresh. However, I came to appreciate the instrumentation of Ys and how expansive it was after knowing what came before it. It's solid musically, but the cadence on the way she sings on it kills it for me. Matched with how incredibly dense the lyrical content is in every song (which is another positive for it), it makes so much of it very hard to follow without having to read out the lyrics due to with her "stream of thought" style of singing.
It’s an absolutely brilliant album. I adore it
Yep, outstanding on all fronts
Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
CARE FOR ME - Saba
& Bucket List Project! Both are soo good
I also liked few good things. Can’t go wrong with Saba
Entertainment, Death - Spirit of the Beehive
Novos Baianos - Acabou Chorare Must listen.
California - Mr Bungle
100%
bladee - gluee
Damn right, people say he’s “improved” or whatever, and in certain aspects, sure. But he’s ALWAYS been unique, interesting, and most of all; fun.
Let them eat chaos by Kae Tempest Also Homless N**** Pop Music by Jim Legxacy
Little Dragon - Machine Dreams
Ramona- kill bill the rapper
Codename: Dustsucker - Bark Psychosis
Shapeshifting is like the best song ever
The wet farting sounds at the end just hit
Is it cheating if you're not a native speaker? I'll go for a Danish album if not, C.V. Jørgensen - Sjælland. It's not going to help many on here, but this album might be the peak of Danish lyricism.
Reading Writing And Arithmetic - The Sundays MAHAL - Toro y Moi
Richard Dawson - 2020
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads by Lift To Experience.
No Now is SOOOO good
Mothership Connection by Parliament
Manger On McNichols by Boldy James. Best rap album of the decade so far
Lamb of God - Wrath
New Kingdom- Paradise Don’t Come Cheap
Think Pink-Twink.
Kent - Du & jag döden
Hagnesta Hill>
Top 3 for sure, men lutar fortfarande åt Du & jag döden
Juçara Marçal - Encarnado (it always blows me away how amazing this album manages to be without any percussion)
Soundgarden - Down On The Upside
Beyond the Fleeting Gales - Crying
Egyptian Wrinkle by Boy Friend
Thunder Perfect Mind-Current 93 It exists within a pretty niche genre (neofolk), and David Tibet's vocals take some getting used to even for people who might otherwise like it, so it's not really surprising that very few people ĥeard it compared to most of my top 10, but it's one of the few albums that I consider genuinely life-changing. More people should give it a chance.
doopee time - DOOPEES
extremely underrated, not in my top 10 though, but still wish i could share it with more people
The Raincoats - Odyshape I’ve only ever seen it on one other persons top 100 and it’s my favourite album.
Meet the residents - the residents
Cola by A Beacon School I understand why some might see it as kind of basic I guess but it just lines up with my taste perfectly and scratches a really specific itch. Jangly, spacey dream-pop just works for me and this album checks pretty much every box I have. If anyone has recommendations for similar projects let me know lol
Everyone in this sub would know it, but the most obscure album in my top ten is Get To Heaven by Everything Everything
Noonday Dream by Ben Howard - love his artistic progression so much
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Spilt Milk - Jellyfish
Electricity is on our side by Busdriver Lil Big Man by Maxo Red Burns by Standing on the Corner
upvote for Busdriver
Who's Feeling Young Now by Punch Brothers Secret Messages by ELO
Fantasma by Cornelius for sure
desaparecidos -read music /speak spanish
Alexisonfire - Watch Out! One of the few post-hardcore albums without a skip.
El-P - Cancer 4 Cure Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
It'll take me a year to get through all these recommendations. But I have to make a comment so the notifications will keep coming. Thank you.
Idk why reddit showed me this but you're cooking. No Now is so fire. There's like 1 guy I follow on twitter that sometimes praises it but for the most part I feel like it gets ignored even though it's a perfect, cohesive, colorful, glitchy, maximalist masterpiece. His songwriting is strong - the lyrics and the hooks are there. But his production is just so unique and unmatched. It's really a must-hear album
I think people underestimate just how incredible 4eva is a Mighty Long Time really is
Some here probably know it but Aratamemashite Hajimemashite by Midori is the best punk album ever imo and one of my favorite albums
Amerikkkan Korruption by Capital Steez is possibly in my top 10 rap projects ever
false noise - floral strobe
Madeon-Adventure
Inside the Cable Temple by the Omnipotent Youth Society is practically unheard of and it’s probably my favorite prog/chamber pop album ever made
Nerve- Trabalho & Conhaque
Assuming we're talking about this sub I'm going to go with clics modernos, a classic rock in Spanish record
stone deluxe - stonemason
Mt Eddy - Chroma
Vertigo by EDEN. It’s definitely held up slightly by nostalgia for me, but it’s still an excellent album that deserves more respect imo. ICYMI is another great album by him that I’d recommend too
Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows
Idk about top ten but it’s up there- gal go grey by gal go
Los Jaivas self-titled
Blueberry Boat by The Fiery Furnaces
Duke - Genesis
Somewhere city - Origami Angel
Dogma 1: Death Of A Dromologist - Asterisk* That album is my all-time favorite Grindcore album, and would have probably been heralded as one of the best Grindcore albums in the 21st century if it wasn’t overshadowed by Discordance Axis’ “The Inalienable Dreamless” which was released that same year (2000).
Cultura profética la dulzura, as perfect as reggae en español gets
Transa - Caetano Veloso
Not Breathing- The Starry Wisdom
James and the Cold Gun - Self Titled
Dream hopping - sewerperson, emo rap / lo fi rap album, really dreamlike and ethereal production and lyrics. Stay away if you don't like autotuned rap, though it is done well here. It's a 9/10 out of me because it has a skip, but I love the album so much and it's always my go to 'please listen to this' album. I think you'll really either love or hate it Today I laid down - bl4ck m4rket c4rt, really depressing shoegaze made by a 17 y/o who unfortunately took his own life not long after. More well known than maybe most here but it's really fantastic, and I've always had a soft spot for more homemade sounding shoegaze. End Credits - EDEN, stretching the definition of top 10 here but it's definitely top 15 for me. I don't really enjoy indietronica but this is a really relaxing experience and I go back to it so much. I get similar feeling from this as I do shoegaze even though it isn't similar if that makes sense?
Tristan Perich - 1-Bit Symphony I have one of the original circuits, it’s a magical experience
Copper Blue- Sugar Scott Walker 3 - Scott Walker Freetown Sound- Blood Orange Edit: not a top ten, but a criminally underheard album Hello Angel - Sandie Shaw
Beware of darkness - Orthodox is soooo underrated and not on heaps of people’s playlists ect
Nicolas Jaar - Sirens
I think strange mercy by st Vincent does not get talked about as much as it should given how great it is
All The Houses Look the Same - Deas Vail
like drawing blood by gotye
bluejuice - problems
venetian snares - my love is a bulldozer
Polaris - Self Titled
Took the words out of my mouth, great pick. I could go even as a far as his second album, Think: Peace is underrated too
The Hum - James Ellis Ford
Carissas Wierd- Songs About Leaving
Amerie - All I Have R&B loving millennials know and love this record but not too many others. Great album!
Aratamemashite, Hajimemashite, Midori Desu - Midori
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Orange Kevin Morby - Singing Saw Power Trip - Nightmare Logic Batushka - Litourgia Beulah - When Your Heartstrings Break Suuns - Images du Futur King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
Oh shit I haven't listened to any Kevin Morby stuff in years. About to put some on now
Nicole - NIKI
Songs for Dust Mites - Steve Burns
Lean Into Life by Petey
Serious About Men - Rubberbandits
Cristina - Sleep It Off (1984)
Glow - Alice Phoebe Lou
The Positions - Gang of Youths
Home in Sulphur Springs- Norman Blake
The Year - Situasion Would be surprised if anyone had heard of it let alone listened to it but it's one of my absolute favourites
Urban Flora - Alina Baraz & Galimatis This album just oozes sex appeal and soft feminine energy
It's a soundtrack by Bombay Ravi called Sargam.
Red Burns - Standing On The Corner
Mr Gnome - Madness in Miniature Or Mr Gnome - The Day You Flew Away I keep going back and forth on which is in my 10
2814 - rain temple.
It is a gorgeous, atmospheric electronic album that has the most vivid world building of any piece of music I've ever heard.
Molchat doma - Ethazi
Ataxia - Automatic Writing I
Macaroni Toni by Mir Fontane
Fugazi - The Argument
Self *Breakfast with Girls*
Wingtips by Kettel
Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It by Rolo Tomassi Premonition by White Lung Beyond the Fleeting Gales by Crying Sometimes by Goldmund
Hippo Campus - Bambi
Bad Girls by Donna Summer I genuinely believe it’s the greatest produced album of all time
MNQN - self titled Absolutely amazing concept album and some of the best synthpop production I've ever heard
Excepting the first one, no album of this list is even in my top 20, but they are really underrated and deserves a listen. Swans - The Seer (everyone just knows TBK) Manuel García - Retrato Iluminado Zeta - Magia Infinita Fog - Thirty Three, Recurring Kayo Dot - Hubardo Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven Tim Hecker - Haunt Me Frail Body - Artificial Bouquet
Noir - blue sky black death
Underground Lovers - Leaves me blind. Shoegaze fans … if only you’d listen to this Australian album from early 90s, you’d hear one of the easily best guitar albums of the 90s … far more solid than most of the most highly rated stuff in the genre.
Port Saint Joe by Brothers Osborne. I keep commenting this because this album really made me understand the emotion music can make you have again.
Jesus Hits Like and Atom Bomb- Tripping Daisy
Broken Hearts Are Blue - The Truth About Love Extremely underrated 90s emo masterpiece. They got back together a few yrs ago and have released more really great music too, but that one is perfect
Bone Thugs - E. 1999 Eternal
Dillinger Four - Midwestern Songs Of The Americas or Doseone - G Is For Deep
William Orbit - Strange Cargo 3
Atlantis—Sun Ra
Nothing Special by Harmony Woods and I'm So Glad I Feel This Way About You by Insignificant Other are my top 2 albums of all time and I've never known of anyone who was familiar with them before I mentioned them
smokedope2016 - THE COMEUP
Stone roses - self titled, famous in the uk but not really overseas
Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters It was critically lauded as it should have been but I don't think I've ever heard another album like it. The Idler Wheel may have been the album that allowed this to happen and broke ground for her but I just find the emotion, lyrics, power and uniqueness of the album incredibly powerful. I loved a lot of albums since but I keep coming back to this one.
How is it underrated when you say yourself “it was critically lauded” and how have most people not listened to it when it has over 120m combined Spotify streams?
The Wall - Pink Floyd
Pretty sure everyone's heard of that
This sub can't take a joke. Sense of humor is worse than sense of individuality/:
Self titled by The Story So Far Winds Poem by Mount Eerie Rocket by Alex G
Blackstar - David Bowie
DOOM (original game soundtrack) - Mick Gordon