Flawed, Messy and Great: The Search For the Imperfect Record

[Tequila Cowboy]

Nice thread and great examples so far (good call on Sandinista!). I may be off (perhaps even a long way off), but I'm thinking of those records that have both "That One Song You Hate and Always Skip" and "That One Song That's One of Your All-Time Favorites." Maybe even both on the same side.
Or am I overthinking this?
1. And yes, don't a lot of Stones albums fall in this category?
2. I know a lot of Parliament/Funkadelic albums do.
3. Revolver has some brilliant bits, and then there's "Yellow Submarine."
4. Lou Reed, The Blue Mask
5. Sparks' first two albums

I guess for this exercise I look at records that, as you say, might have a skipper or two (but not one that ruins the album), maybe some production flaws, or maybe some combination. I think Southern Rock Opera fits because frankly even 17-18 years ago making a record for $5K was nearly impossible so the production isn't perfect, the scope was overly ambitious and despite some brilliant songwriting there are a couple that don't quite hit the same mark. Despite all that it's a truly great record that stands the test of time. I think it's the epitome of this thread.

[4sooner]

Time Fades Away

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Time Fades Away

hell yeah!

[sactochris]

Perhaps the most underrated record in rock history.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Perhaps the most underrated record in rock history.

if I saw him do Dirge live I could die a happy man

[sactochris]

Perhaps the most underrated record in rock history.

if I saw him do Dirge live I could die a happy man

Never Say Goodbye is the song that will be played at my funeral. He's never performed it live.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Never Say Goodbye is the song that will be played at my funeral. He's never performed it live.

has he ever played Dirge live? Too busy right now to do the research

[sactochris]

Never Say Goodbye is the song that will be played at my funeral. He's never performed it live.

has he ever played Dirge live? Too busy right now to do the research

I don't know.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Never Say Goodbye is the song that will be played at my funeral. He's never performed it live.

has he ever played Dirge live? Too busy right now to do the research

I don't know.

survey says, "no"

http://bobdylan.com/songs/dirge/

[ramonz]

If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby

oh yeah, such a nugget, and with an all-star cast of thousands

[Smitty]

If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby

oh yeah, such a nugget, and with an all-star cast of thousands

In that vein:

Ronnie Wood - I've Got My Own Album to Do

[4sooner]

Has anyone mentioned The Basement Tapes?

[beantownbubba]

Has anyone mentioned The Basement Tapes?

Winner!!

I'm not too embarrassed by forgetting that one. Now if I could only remember my name...

[Tequila Cowboy]

Has anyone mentioned The Basement Tapes?

I don't think so but excellent call!

[Tequila Cowboy]

If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby

oh yeah, such a nugget, and with an all-star cast of thousands

In that vein:

Ronnie Wood - I've Got My Own Album to Do

Yep. One of my all time favorite records but it's sort of a hot mess with some really great songs and performances.

[3milelake]

[RolanK]

Yes. I was thinking of this one

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby

oh yeah, such a nugget, and with an all-star cast of thousands

In that vein:

Ronnie Wood - I've Got My Own Album to Do

ding ding!!!!

[hanklow]

perfect example

I cannot think of a better answer than this.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

this is a party I want to attend

[scotto]

Has anyone mentioned The Basement Tapes?

Winner!!

I'm not too embarrassed by forgetting that one. Now if I could only remember my name...

Seconded.

[John A Arkansawyer]

Has anyone mentioned The Basement Tapes?

Winner!!

I'm not too embarrassed by forgetting that one. Now if I could only remember my name...

Seconded.

I didn't think of it and I've been listening to a less edited version (found a disc with "I'm Not There") all week long. The word for that is sprawling. It's a sprawling record, like Sometimes A Great Notion is a sprawling novel.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Bash & Pop-Friday Night is Killing Me

This was Tommy's attempt at taking the big chair and it is loud, brash, all over the place and fantastic.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

the Basement Tapes box is, to paraphrase Ed Grimley, as stellar as stellar can be!

[schlanky]

perfect example

I cannot think of a better answer than this.

And "Time Fades Away" fits the criteria as well.

[Cole Younger]

Appetite For Destruction.

Nothing messy or flawed about it. Straight up perfect, Cole.

I mostly agree. I think of it as messy because the sound is far sloppier than all of the ultra slick stuff that came out around that time. I mean that's a big part of what I love about it and that's what they were going for but man some of the playing was pretty sloppy even though its great.

As far as flawed goes I can't help but wonder what it would have been like if they had substituted the version of Youre Crazy that showed up on Lies for the lesser one ( to me) that showed up on Appetite and many had used something else in place of the lesser songs like My Michelle and Anything Goes. Now I'll argue with anyone who slags on Think About You. That is one of Izzy's most underrated pieces of writing to me.

But still, I mostly agree. It's dang near perfect just like it is.

[Cole Younger]

Appetite For Destruction.

Nothing messy or flawed about it. Straight up perfect, Cole.

Ughhhhhhh....

That's what I think when people's eyes glaze over and they talk in reverent tones about Nirvana.

[beantownbubba]

That's what I think when people's eyes glaze over and they talk in reverent tones about Nirvana.

Geez. Democrats, Republicans, Nirvana...What's next? Apple pie?

[Cole Younger]

That's what I think when people's eyes glaze over and they talk in reverent tones about Nirvana.

Geez. Democrats, Republicans, Nirvana...What's next? Apple pie?

Lol! I like Nirvana. Loved them at one time. But even though I like them i still think they are overrated. They were the right band at the right time and made good records for sure but to me a lot of the fuss over them had to do as much with things outside of them and their music as it did with them being as great as they are given credit for being. Hair metal fatigue is a big factor in how they are remembered and regarded. And the whole " I don't want to be famous and don't want all this attention" schtick from them got pretty tiresome pretty quick. Especially when Cobain also made statements about wanting to be the biggest band in the world and told the producer when making Nevermind, "We want to be heavier than Black Sabbath." even as he publicly scorned bands like that. He was a troubled guy at the end and his decision to take his own life was sad. But, and I'm sorry for saying this but I have to be honest, I never cared much for him personally because he always came off like a narcissist jerk who liked to slag on other rock stars for being exactly that.

I like them but in the end they were one good band among several that broke around that same time. Like i said I just think they get more credit and praise than they deserve.