Our Favorite Musicians' Favorite Bad Albums
Artist: Battles Favorite Bad Album: Stone Temple Pilots, Purple
It's been hard to understand why Stone Temple Pilots get a bad rap when so many of their contemporaries were much worse — here's looking at you, Pearl Jam. Unfortunately, the haters always have love for Pearl Jam and none for STP. So on the Pearl Jam vs. STP rivalry tip, STP kicks Pearl Jam's ass wholeheartedly. Looking back, their recorded output is way better than anything Pearl Jam released during a long career of churning out complete shit. (SIDENOTE: Check out Battles' rockin' in their badass practice space here.)
Artist: Marcus Congleton of Ambulance LTDFavorite Bad Album: Michael Jackson, Invincible
A few years ago, Michael Jackson dropped a gem of an album with Invincible. It was largely ignored by radio and MTV. People were more interested in his cosmetic debacle, his boy-chasing, his tree-climbing and his nearly bankrupting Sony with astronomical recording bills. Those of us who weren't so easily distracted were rewarded with some of the most expensively produced and carefully mixed songs of his career. And there was even a video that featured comedian Chris Tucker, who was popular at the time.
Artist: Willy Mason, Singer/SongwriterKris Kross, Totally Krossed Out
Well, I'm not sure if it was considered a bad album or not, but I really enjoyed Kriss Kross' Totally Crossed Out when it dropped. I was pretty young then, but I heard "Jump" recently and thought it held up well. That song and the one about missing the bus were my favorites. I had it on cassette; and when my brother dropped it out a window and broke the case, I put the tape in a new one. I think that was the first time I used a screwdriver.
Artist: Brett Dennen, Singer/Songwriter Gin Blossoms, New Miserable Experience
In 1992, I was an awkward and introverted junior high student. It was a hard year for any album to come out because of the shadow cast from records released the previous year. Albums like Nevermind, Ten, Blood Sugar Sex Magic and Sailing the Seas of Cheese were in my tape deck constantly (that's right, I rocked tapes all the way till '93). Nevertheless, Gin Blossoms released their debut record, New Miserable Experience. This is a record I feel needs to be defended as one of the great releases of the early '90s. Aside from the radio hits, "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You," the record is filled with catchy mellow rock ballads that the Blossoms pioneered for bands like Blues Traveler and Hootie & the Blowfish. The songwriting is solid, and the production is bright and colorful. I find this record to be a lighter and more hopeful reply to the heavier grunge records I previously mentioned. Instead of typical teenage complaints like "nobody understands us," this record comes across with more of a late-20s "I should know better by now" sensibility. So to any of the surviving Gin Blossoms reading this, thank you for making a great record.
Artist: John Nolan of Straylight RunFavorite Bad Album: Billy Joel, Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II
Growing up on Long Island, you're sort of indoctrinated into the cult of Billy Joel. He's a singer/songwriter who has stood the test of time, and we're proud to call him our own. You grow up with his music much like everyone else grows up with the Beatles. It wasn't until I spent some significant time outside of New York that I realized the rest of the country doesn't necessarily have the complete and utter respect for him that I and my fellow Long Islanders do. I was shocked to learn that many people equate him with the likes of Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie and Phil Collins. I know he took a wrong turn with "We Didn't Start the Fire." I know that "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me" isn't the coolest song. I know that "Tell Her About It" is god awful, and most people don't know why it's on his Greatest Hits. But I think if you give Billy a chance, you'll see that "Piano Man" and "New York State of Mind" are absolutely amazing songs. And while many of his songs can be a bit on the cheesy side, they are extremely well written. And, if you're willing to admit it to yourself, they ring true.
