Unexpectedly good albums (also okay with individual songs)

[DanielT]

What have you encountered? Then and or now.

I give this as an example. By chance I listened to this one and I'm not into 90s britpop as such. By that I mean I listen to 90s pop like any other music but this album was really good:

Favorite from that album:

This one, among others, is also good:

Supergrass are an English rock band formed in 1993 in Oxford. For the majority of the band's tenure, the line-up consisted of brothers Gaz (lead vocals, guitar) and Rob Coombes (keyboards), Mick Quinn (bass, backing vocals) and Danny Goffey (drums, backing vocals). Originally a three-piece, Rob Coombes officially joined the band in 2002.

Supergrass - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Tassin]

During Covid lockdown my wife's employer organized a living room concert via Teams. It featured a local band. We're both huge fans since that evening.

 

[DanielT]

Good tip Tassin!
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It's damn fun with songs, albums, groups that release music that you didn't think had that thing that triggers you. That if it's about something completely new, obscure or something that a well-known artist, group releases.

The best he's done in decades, and the series is otherwise damn good.

I didn't expect this:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mick-jagger-strange-games-rolling-stones-interview-1328816/

Edit:
3:15 into the video on how the team song by Mick Jagger came about:

 

[Andretti60]

Crimson jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook Vol. 1

 

[Freeway]

Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin – Lost John Dean​

 

[DanielT]

Crimson jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook Vol. 1

Here's another tip, music in the same style. Piano-based jazz. It was an unexpected but very pleasant new acquaintance for me.

Trio — Oskar Lindström

oskarlindstrom.se

A song from that album:

 

[DanielT]

I got hooked on this album thanks to watching an episode of "Rick and Morty" a while back:

https://spotify.link/sTYK1mt12xb

Here is the superb song "For the Damaged Coda" from that album by Blonde Redhead:

Blonde Redhead - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rednaxela]

Shadows Collide with People - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[DanielT]

What the hell, one more. Unexpected for me that I thought it would be so good. You'd think that they wouldn't be able to create something as good as the old classics, but boy was I wrong. A good song from the good album.

The Tipping Point (Tears for Fears album) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Andretti60]

What the hell, one more. Unexpected for me that I thought it would be so good. You'd think that they wouldn't be able to create something as good as the old classics, but boy was I wrong. A good song from the good album.

View attachment 270712

The Tipping Point (Tears for Fears album) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Many commercial synth-pop groups of the eighties were indeed good musicians, another album that surprised me was Spirit of Eden by the British band Talk Talk. Needless to say, a commercial failure, their old fans didn’t like it and it was ignored by people who didn’t like synth-pop.

 

[jsilvela]

Great idea for a thread. I've been surprised sometimes by liking mainstream acts, which I generally have a prejudice against.

But going for two less well known acts that have surprised me:

WHY? - indie rock
Album: AOKOHIO ... for a recent one.
This song from it:

Doseone - rap / hip-hop
Album: G is for JOB ... because it's recent, but doseone's other albums and collaborations are consistently good
Song:

 

[Rednaxela]

There were no expectations, just stumbled upon this.

I am kind of surprised though how much this recording moves me, given its rather unassuming sound quality. For instance I'm still wondering if it's mono or stereo. Either way it's just lovely.

 

[mhardy6647]

What happens when Berklee College of Music grads (and/or faculty) essay bluegrass.
I bought this to get a different version of my favorite bluegrass song, the Stanley Brothers' Rank Strangers. The weirdness of this album exceeded my expectations, in a mostly good way.

see if this link grants access to the various and sundry tracks of the album.

If not, here, try one or both of these.
I really like these two.

The title track:

June Apple:

Boston area faves (of the era) Jennifer Kimball, Lucy Kaplansky, and Tracy Bonham provide many of the vocals, with some pretty impressive support from some other women -- EDIT: oh, and the late "Dr." Ralph Stanley himself warbles Man of Constant Sorrow, too!

 

[DanielT]

There were no expectations, just stumbled upon this.

I am kind of surprised though how much this recording moves me, given its rather unassuming sound quality. For instance I'm still wondering if it's mono or stereo. Either way it's just lovely.

Well, BUT it can also be famous artists that you (or I, should I add) didn't think could create something new and exciting that you suddenly hear.
"Strange Games" by Mick Jagger (#3 in the thread). Okay, it's not completely out of the blue, considering what Mick Jagger was up to earlier in his career, but still.

By the way, I've now finished the series, "Slow Horses". It's recommended, check it out. If you want Brittania vibes, it's right up your alley. Dry British humor plus excitement in a nice package.

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Did you know these before, I will eat my hat, if I had any hat, #5 in the thread :

Trio — Oskar Lindström

oskarlindstrom.se