Album That Surprised You The Most

[PranK]

So, sometimes you hear an album from an artist or band that you had some kind of predisposition to and you were surprised that you dug it.

For me its a lot of Cold Chisel's work. Growing up they were never played in our house and we kinda made fun of the bogan-ness of them.

Another one would be the Metalica Black album.

[Burger]

Another one would be the Metalica Black album.

Took the words right out of my head there with the Black Album. For myself, I would have to say Offspring's Smash. Just from looking at the cover, it seemed like another boring, average 90's punk release, but it stands to be one of of favourite albums to date. Really surprised me the first time I heard it.

[PranK]

I would have to say Offspring's Smash.

I don't think i've ever listened to an Offspring album start to finish.

I'll start with this one.

[Burger]

I don't think i've ever listened to an Offspring album start to finish.

I'll start with this one.

Americana is also a pretty good one.

[The Bogan]

Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your asshole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

[PranK]

Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your asshole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

Wow, thats a helluva write up. Who is Christy and Sabrina anyway? They sound like fun.

I'l definitely give this a listen.

Two other surprises for those following along at home is 'Cocker' by Joe Cocker and any Fleetwood Mac before Stevie joined. Just really cool to hear these bands and artists before a style/theme/commercialism grabbed them.

[The Bogan]

But seriously, I'm a big fan of Nick Caves "Kicking against the pricks".

[Robzilla32]

Ha. American Psycho....great dialog.

Johnny Cash American IV. The cover of NIN's "Hurt" is worth the price of admission.

[tridentt150v]

King Crimson's Earthbound blew me away, its still on my regular playlist and its been almost 40 years [Robert Fripp actually hated it but thankfully went back and cleaned it up for our digital sanitary modern world].

Black Sabbath's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, was groundbreaking in so many ways, I think it actually opened the minds and doors of many future groups like Metallica, Sepultura etc

Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dreams just took me in another direction.

[PranK]

Best music thread ever.

[Sinista32]

Overkill by Motorhead

Complete LP of the same music, from the first track till the last

OVERKILL !!!

Biggest waste of money ever for young guy. The cover was cool so I thought this is worth a risk ...

So yeah the Album that surprised me the most.

[Robzilla32]

Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dreams just took me in another direction.

Siamese Dream didn't surprise me. I was expecting it to be outstanding. It was, is and I still listen to it weekly now.

[junkie]

The Fragile by NIN surprised me. Was never really on my radar until I gave it a couple of good listens

[The Bogan]

Every album by Leonard Cohen.

Also another artist who's influenced many big names from multiple music styles over he last 60 years.

[tridentt150v]

Lol I'm liking too many replies here, really good thread, I could tick 'em all!!!

One [of many] other Miles Davis - Bitches Brew, I am not into jazz much, and I only 'discovered' this 1969 album recently, I could become a jazz fan if all jazz was like this album.

[PranK]

Bitches Brew is heavy. Have you heard Kind of Blue, Miles Davis?

[tridentt150v]

Will look it up, thanks Prank.

[Floyd Westwood]

Radiohead - The bends really surprised me. I thought they were another sonic youth Brit pop rubbish wannabes.

They stumbled for a bit but then ok computer really got me hooked. Bit of a masterpiece even if those kind of tunes aren't up your alley.

[NISSAN GTR]

Opeth - Blackwater Park - was probably the first Opeth album i heard , wasn't sure whether i would like it , but now Opeth is my favourite Band. Having said that, I am also heavily influenced by Mastadon, and Lamb of God. I am also into Gojira, Tool, The Faceless, among scores of other bands, This is intended to convert a music lover with the slightest of inclination towards metal into an Opeth fan. If you’re one of the “o:Metal is noise” folks who never really gave a crap about trying to understand the beauty, the pain, the appeal, of Metal, this is your chance to redeem yourself. There is more to Metal than you think, and if you open your mind, you might just find a part of you that you never knew about.

Opeth first started as a dedicated Death Metal band in Stockholm, Sweden. They have released ten outstanding studio albums since they first came out in 1990. Opeth isn’t an English word, it’s perhaps the best made up band name ever. Some folks have a story about how Opet was the name of a fictional city in some novel, which stands for the City of the Moon, and Opeth was named after Opet. Anyhow, Opeth’s sound evolved over the years, and they are no longer the death metal band they started as. Having said that, if you have an ear for Death Metal, you’d realize that their soft songs are still pretty heavy, and you can feel their death metal roots even in their softer music. The rest of this post is a list of songs which you should definitely listen to, to be able to complete the intended transformation. If you’re trying Metal for the first time, you might want to stick to the regime I dictate in the remainder of this post, for I present Opeth to you in a manner you’d be able to appreciate, starting from their more recent softer tracks, going back to their heavy roots. Personally, I think the best way to really understand a band you have never heard before is to stop listening to everything else, and dedicate a weekend to discovering the band in question. So, take this as an activity for one of your weekends, and hear them out.

Heres my 15 songs you should listen to before you die .

If you fall in love with Opeth after you’re done listening to this list

Beginners (Soft stuff ) – Start with these tracks if you don’t have an ear for Metal. The first thing you’ll notice about Opeth’s softer tracks is the fact that their vocal melodies are hauntingly beautiful, and Mikael Åkerfeldt’s singing voice is, well, sweeter than honey. Opeth has dedicated two albums entirely to soft music: Damnation, and Heritage. The first two tracks on this list, are however, not from their softer albums, but from Watershed.

1. Burden – You might want to skip the last part where the guitars are gradually put out of tune to create a psychedelic effect.
2. Coil – This is the only Opeth track with a female vocalist.
3. Hope Leaves – One of the best softer tracks.
4. Harvest – This is from Blackwater Park, one of Opeth’s heavier albums. The vocals spring up on you, as the chord progression changes suddenly when the vocals start. After you’ve heard this song once, play the song from the beginning, and try to sing along in the correct scale. It took me a dozen tries to get the correct scale.
5. Devil’s Orchard – This is perhaps the heaviest of the softer tracks, and this is your portal to the next set of songs. This was incidentally the first song that I ever saw Opeth play live.

Intermediate (Some of Opeth’s heavier tracks) – This set of tracks is significantly heavier than those in the last set. Opeth’s diversity is most palpable in these tracks: there are moments of absolute calm, and moments of utter chaos. Opeth’s music is really powerful, and is a sublime expression of life, with all the turns and the bends.

1. The Drapery Falls – Starts off soft, grows heavier, quintessential Opeth track.
2. Funeral Portrait – Great Bass, great vocals. Starts heavy.
3. Baying of the Hounds – One of the heavier tracks on the Ghost Reveries album. This is my favourite album, alongside Blackwater Park.
4. Hessian Peel – Another haunting track, this has elements of Black Metal. One of the riffs in the track reminds me of Dimmu Borgir.
5. The Grand Conjuration – One of my favourite Opeth tracks, the music is really powerful.

Advanced (Expect some Anal Bleeding; this is the good shit) – Opeth started as a death metal band. These are the tracks which are windows into Opeth’s true soul: the darkness inside is pitch black.

1. Reverie, Harlequin Forest – This was a song which I paid attention to really late in my life with Opeth. It was my favourite track for a long time, until I rediscovered the Moor.
2. Deliverance – This is regarded as one of the fastest Opeth tracks.
3. Heir Apparent – One of the best death metal tracks in history.
4. The Moor – This is my current favourite Opeth Track. If you find the studio version, the riff that marks the beginning of the song is the most morbid riff in musical history. And this song has a great introduction.
5. Ghost of Perdition – I saved the best for the last. This is arguably the best song ever written.

I hope you realize that Opeth is more than just these fifteen songs listed here. Opeth is beyond what can be expressed in words .

[NISSAN GTR]

Radiohead - The bends really surprised me. I thought they were another sonic youth Brit pop rubbish wannabes.

They stumbled for a bit but then ok computer really got me hooked. Bit of a masterpiece even if those kind of tunes aren't up your alley.

Ok Computer - definitely one of the best albums ever , similar to Air ( Moon Safari)