The most UN- album in a band's catalog

[Garden Dreamer]

A spinoff of the "Most UN- song" thread. Name the one studio album in a band's career that is the most unlike anything else they've done. An album that would be the least-representative of the band's overall sound or style. Some bands may not qualify.

Rush - Vapor Trails
Rolling Stones - Satanic Majesties Request
Elvis Costello - Almost Blue
Humble Pie - Eat It
Kiss - The Elder
Raven - The Pack is Back
The Clash - Sandinista

[SteveSly]

This one comes to mind from The Black Crows. It is pure disco, very different from the blues rock that they usually do, yet somehow it works:

[Garden Dreamer]

Steve, are you posting an album or a song? This thread is for entire albums; the other one for individual songs.

[BravadoNJ]

Rush, Hold Your Fire.
this is a very different album in that the production, lyrics and writing align creatively together more then any other album.
they took the 'techno-rock' of the 80's to the max on this one. this is a reason why many people and fans don't like this album.
to be honest, if you give this one a chance it will grow on you. it's very under rated and even the band themselves aren't happy with it.
tracks like Mission, Force Ten & Time Stand Still seem mediocre at first, but when performed live they are received very well by the fans.
HYF is my favorite Rush album because it's something out of left field, it strikes a chord lyrically and musically equally.
if you're in doubt, just take it out once in a while and give it a listen....IT WILL GROW ON YOU.

[JKL2000]

Rush, Hold Your Fire.
this is a very different album in that the production, lyrics and writing align creatively together more then any other album.
they took the 'techno-rock' of the 80's to the max on this one. this is a reason why many people and fans don't like this album.
to be honest, if you give this one a chance it will grow on you. it's very under rated and even the band themselves aren't happy with it.
tracks like Mission, Force Ten & Time Stand Still seem mediocre at first, but when performed live they are received very well by the fans.
HYF is my favorite Rush album because it's something out of left field, it strikes a chord lyrically and musically equally.
if you're in doubt, just take it out once in a while and give it a listen....IT WILL GROW ON YOU.

I agree it's a great album, but I don't see it as very different from Power Windows or Presto - not a drastic difference anyway.

[Birdy]

Pat Metheny--Zero Tolerance For Silence
Vangelis--Beaubourg
Steve Hackett--Metamorpheus
Glasshammer--TMA2

[JJ88]

I agree it's a great album, but I don't see it as very different from Power Windows or Presto - not a drastic difference anyway.

I don't think latter-day Rush really qualifies, personally- they kind of become a 'reliable brand' somewhere in the late 80s for me, not that much change in the sound from album to album. Hold Your Fire never struck me as a particular departure, I suppose the presence of a guest vocalist on one track was different but other than that, no.

[SteveSly]

Steve, are you posting an album or a song? This thread is for entire albums; the other one for individual songs.

Oops.....I think I posted this on the wrong thread.

[jake]

Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music
Ween - 12 Golden Country Greats
ELO - S/T First Album - ('No Answer' in the US)

[Facelift]

Genesis - From Genesis to Revelations
The Pretty Things - st
Neil Young - Everybody's Rockin'
Gentle Giant - Citizen
Jethro Tull - Under Wraps
Rush - st
Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline
The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Zappa/MOI - Cruising with Ruben and the Jets
Opeth - Heritage
The Ramones - End of the Century
Yes - Heaven & Earth
Soft Machine - Land of Cockayne
Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
Brand X - Is There Anything About

[Shadow]

ZAZEN - Mystery School

[klothos]

you guys took all the good ones lol

REM - Monster
Blackfoot - Vertical Smiles

[mozo-pg]

Genesis - Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

[Facelift]

Stevie Wonder - Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants

[Garden Dreamer]

Rush, Hold Your Fire.
this is a very different album in that the production, lyrics and writing align creatively together more then any other album.
they took the 'techno-rock' of the 80's to the max on this one. this is a reason why many people and fans don't like this album.
to be honest, if you give this one a chance it will grow on you. it's very under rated and even the band themselves aren't happy with it.
tracks like Mission, Force Ten & Time Stand Still seem mediocre at first, but when performed live they are received very well by the fans.
HYF is my favorite Rush album because it's something out of left field, it strikes a chord lyrically and musically equally.
if you're in doubt, just take it out once in a while and give it a listen....IT WILL GROW ON YOU.

I agree that this one sort of stands on its own, meaning that certain Rush albums seem to go together as a pair but I don't link this one with Power Windows preceding it or Presto following it. It's unfortunate that they were still writing good songs that suffered from poor production once Terry Brown was let go - as you mentioned the songs on here (as well as Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows) were much more powerful live. It still retains the over-the-top keyboards of PW in spots, and introduces the more sensitive kind of lyrics that would appear on subsequent releases. And while Geddy has done chording on other albums, his style on this one was influenced by his listening to Jeff Berlin, and it lasted all of one album as it didn't carry over to Presto. HYF is a contender, but I still feel Vapor Trails is the most unlike any other Rush album.

[the winter tree]

Rush, Hold Your Fire.
this is a very different album in that the production, lyrics and writing align creatively together more then any other album.
they took the 'techno-rock' of the 80's to the max on this one. this is a reason why many people and fans don't like this album.
to be honest, if you give this one a chance it will grow on you. it's very under rated and even the band themselves aren't happy with it.
tracks like Mission, Force Ten & Time Stand Still seem mediocre at first, but when performed live they are received very well by the fans.
HYF is my favorite Rush album because it's something out of left field, it strikes a chord lyrically and musically equally.
if you're in doubt, just take it out once in a while and give it a listen....IT WILL GROW ON YOU.

I agree with 100%. It is arguably their most cohesive album and my personal favorite.

[JKL2000]

For me, Signals through Hold Your Fire was a stretch of albums that are pure ear candy. Many great albums before and after, but I think of that whole stretch as all going together, and all equally good.

[Progbear]

Joan Baez: Baptism
Pat Boone: In a Metal Mood
José Cid: 20000 anos depois entre Venus e Marte
Gentle Giant: Civilian
Nona Hendryx: Skin Diver
Elton John: Victim of Love
Kenso: Esoptron
Libra: Schock
Lucifer’s Friend: Banquet
Ethel Merman: The Ethel Merman Disco Album
Popol Vuh: Affenstunde
Ruphus: Ranshart
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Illuminations
Savage Rose: Dødens triumf
Jane Siberry: Maria
Yma Sumac: Miracles
Supertramp: 1st
Utopia: Deface the Music
Neil Young: Trans
Frank Zappa: Cruising With Ruben & the Jets

[JKL2000]

Joan Baez: Baptism
Pat Boone: In a Metal Mood
José Cid: 20000 anos depois entre Venus e Marte
Gentle Giant: Civilian
Nona Hendryx: Skin Diver
Elton John: Victim of Love
Kenso: Esoptron
Libra: Schock
Lucifer’s Friend: Banquet
Ethel Merman: The Ethel Merman Disco Album
Popol Vuh: Affenstunde
Ruphus: Ranshart
Buffy Sainte-Marie: Illuminations
Savage Rose: Dødens triumf
Jane Siberry: Maria
Yma Sumac: Miracles
Supertramp: 1st
Utopia: Deface the Music
Neil Young: Trans
Frank Zappa: Cruising With Ruben & the Jets

Is Trans that different from Landing on Water?

While we're at it:

Mel Torme - Tribute to Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel

[Trane]

Gentle Giant: Civilian
Popol Vuh: Affenstunde
Supertramp: 1st
Neil Young: Trans
Frank Zappa: Cruising With Ruben & the Jets

Much to say about these... Zappa was always a do-wop fan, so it's not a surprise he does it for a full album. There are many more-surprising albums in his discography than this one
Totally agree with Trans, but Supertramp's debut is not un-Supertramp at all, IMHO.... if anything Indelibly Stamped or Free As A Bird are
Likewise, I'd point Giant For A Day, rather than Civilian
And Affenstunde, while not representative of PV's overall sound, it's still their debut... and not the only one sounding like it (the second is also more or less the same).... Anyway, does PV has an un-PV-like album, given that they were all over the place?

Is Trans that different from Landing on Water?

Trans is a total shocker, much more than his other un-Neil 80's albums... It's really nothing to do with the usual NY sonics... even more so at the time, but it's still one of a kind.

[JKL2000]

Much to say about these... Zappa was always a do-wop fan, so it's not a surprise he does it for a full album. There are many more-surprising albums in his discography than this one
Totally agree with Trans, but Supertramp's debut is not un-Supertramp at all, IMHO.... if anything Indelibly Stamped or Free As A Bird are
Likewise, I'd point Giant For A Day, rather than Civilian
And Affenstunde, while not representative of PV's overall sound, it's still their debut... and not the only one sounding like it (the second is also more or less the same).... Anyway, does PV has an un-PV-like album, given that they were all over the place?




Trans is a total shocker, much more than his other un-Neil 80's albums... It's really nothing to do with the usual NY sonics... even more so at the time, but it's still one of a kind.

I've never heard it, but people seem to hate PVs "Sing, For Song Drives Away The Wolves"