Agree on both counts. Very few 'seminal' recordings have impressed me on their own. I generally believe it is because of my age (50). Many of these records were out and established by the time I ran into them. The techniques and aesthetics had already been adopted into the language of music, so much so that the initial 'groundbreaking' aspects of the record comes off as trite. At least that's what I tell myself. My wife is more blunt - she just says people just have bad taste.
There are still some that make it: Black Sabbath, Violent Femmes, Radiohead Kid A, Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue, Gang of Four. But most seminal records on my list would be considered unknown - Freeborne's Peak Impressions, Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted, Amon Duul 2 Dance of the Lemmings, Mezz Mezzrow & His Band's Blue Note 10", UT's In Gut's House, Neutral Milk Hotel, Rob Jo Starr Band anybody?
I recently picked up a copy of Television's Marquee Moon. Really trying to appreciate it, but still undecided. My first listen at age 13 - I remember thinking - what a boring record. I guess there are worse problems to have.