Your favorite LP nobody has ever heard of


I prefer threads that talk about music than gear...and here is one. I assume everybody has a "go to"LP in their collection. A record that has formed a deep connection. A record you are protective of. A record you want to keep to yourself. A record so personal it hurts to reveal. For me it is... the Church...the Blurred Crusade.
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For me it's "Straight to the Heart" by Navarro on Capitol Records, circa 1978. Great songs and performances, and clean crisp recording (if you find a copy where the vinyl isn't too polluted).
They were the backup band for Carole King for a time, and guitarist.vocalist Mark Hallman has a long list of musician, producer and engineer credits.
I was working at a hifi store in Detroit when a Capitol rep came in with a load of albums for us to demo with - this was one that I fell in love with. To my knowledge, never made it to CD.
The Blurred Crusade is one of my favorites and I finally found an excellent copy on vinyl a few years ago. Great choice.
For me I would propose Happy The Man (1st album)
"A record you are protective of. A record you want to keep to yourself. A record so personal it hurts to reveal."

What the hell is on your records? If I were you, I would just keep this kind of info to myself, or the only record you are going to have is a criminal one.
Alfie by sonny Rollins. Overlooked, different format musically, but great playing and good sq.
I guess there are several, depending on the mood. The first that came to mind is "War Babies" by Hall & Oates. Strangely, they hate it.
Mine would be the first Warren Zevon LP, "Warren Zevon". His debut album is wonderful.
Patbrennen, that is a great album. I got to see him open for the Moody Blues. What a great solo performance.

Michael Dinner-Tom Thumb the Dreamer
Flash in the Pan-Early Morning Wake Up Call

to name a few
Spaces by Herb Pilhofer recorded by Sound 80 Studio in Minneapolis. It's like jumping in a clean, clear lake. It never made it to CD.
Dust: Dust - '70s American heavy metal (Suicide Metal)
Cactus: Cactus - '70s American Funk-boogie-metal
Jefferson Starship - Blows Against the Empire (w/G. Garcia)
Captain Beefhart - Spotlight Kid (gets better w/age)
T Rex - A Beard of Stars (My god, it's made out of stars!)
John Mayall - Turning Point (drumless live bluesy jazz)
Mine would be the first Warren Zevon LP, "Warren Zevon". His debut album is wonderful.

This is, indeed, a great record--one of my favs--but it's not actually his first. That would be Wanted Dead or Alive from 1969, re-released on Pickwick in 1979, which is when I found it. A bit rough in places, but one can readily hear the artist he would become.
Mine is the eponymous LP by Skip Battin, bass player for the Untitled Byrds, released in 1972 on Signpost Records. It's filled with great, quirky songs co-written with Kim Fowler, and features Clarence White and Roger McGuinn, among others. I stumbled across it in 1974 and it's been in rotation ever since. Seems nobody's heard of this one--for some reason it just sank out of sight.
it's an extreme longshot that anyone here has heard it, but i have an 80s lp by a band call sponsors (s/t) which is absolutely brilliant--ten tight, hooky sorta new wavy guitar power pop gems. from what little i've been able to glean, they were from new york and the lead singer (who's amazing) was reputedly 14 years old. there's a few videos of their songs on youtube, one of them called in and out of love.

my second pick is jules shear, the third party, which features only his voice and marty wilson piper from the church (blurred crusade connection?) on very basic acoustic. the songs are great--funny/poignant--and i like that he printed the chords on the liner notes. i read that this was was one of his label's lowest-selling albums ever, although shear was very successful as a hit songwriter for the bangles, cindy lauper and the like.
"This is, indeed, a great record--one of my favs--but it's not actually his first. That would be Wanted Dead or Alive from 1969, re-released on Pickwick in 1979, which is when I found it. A bit rough in places, but one can readily hear the artist he would become."

Wrm57...sorry, I stand corrected, thanks. I have never heard of this album. HERE is the info on this album.
It's worth checking out, Mofi, if you're into Zevon.

Typo correction in my Battin post above: should read Kim Fowley, not Fowler. He's actually same guy who started producing Zevon's first LP and then walked out in frustration, as per the link Mofi supplies.
That's easy. The long departed Norwegian singer Radka Toneff's last album, "Fairytales." Out of print but still available NOS for a reasonable price from Elusive Disc.

It's just her and a pianist. The recording, mastering, and pressing qualities are all superb, and she had a style that really gets into your head. Her rendition of Jimmy Webb's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is the best of all time and brings that song out as no one ever did.

She was a tortured soul. A year after she recorded this she walked deep into the woods, took all her psychotropic prescription drugs at once, and ended her life.

Bittersweet, but fantastic.
I'll give you three...

Dave Cousins-Two Weeks Last Summer (Strawbs)
Alan Hull-Pipedream (Lindisfarne)
Alvin Lee and Mylon-On the Road to Freedom

All wonderful.
i have two, though some will have heard of them. Lost Gonzo band self titled album and Cashman and West-- a song or two Both progressive country/folk from the 70's but not widely popular. Pousette Dart was my third "pick"
Ouch -my bad
Cactus: One Way or Another
Tufano & Giammarese: Self Titled (Great vocals/harmonies)
Batdorf & Rodney: Off the Shelf (Great upbeat wooden music)
Sally Rogers-Love Will Guide Us. I doubt more then 20k copies were pressed and it was never released on CD(to my knowledge).
I second "Isle of View" by Jimmy Spheeris. "All of My Reasons" by Noel Pointer(he plays violin, but I would call it a Jazz album[maybe].)
.
1. The Misja Mengelberg Quartet
2. Fish For Fish -- Self/Titled
3. Fish For Fish -- Diving
... Only 2 albums created by this electro jazz project with copies limited to few hundreds in early 90's!
Well, the OP suggests in the Subject "LP nobody ever heard of".

And yet some mention albums by Sonny Rollins, Jefferson Starship, Captain Beefheart, T Rex, John Mayall, etc. I expect if those specific LPs were not big sellers they are at least known to come extent.

So, many may know Ricky Nelson but how many have heard his last album, "Memphis Sessions"? Then there is "Jazz at Toad Hall" by Ken Moule, anyone know that one?
Mapman,
I love Nektar. How are sonics on Tab? I've never found a good sonic issue of Recycled. You?
Yep especially Jefferson Starship "Blows Against Empire" that was sold in astronomic quantities!
Not my favorite but a very good LP and hard to find....Barbara Keith's self titled debut (and I believe only record). 1970s California singer songwriter working with that era's best studio musicians and a very good quality recording. If you like this kind of music and see one in the rack buy it and try it!
Not my favorite and I doubt if anyone else will like:

Bob Summers "When I'm Dead and Gone".

I don't think anyone would be even interested listening to the album with THIS frek'n name LOL!
Joe Walsh "There goes the Neighborhood"
Elton John "A single Man"
All I can think of at the moment great thread!
Mike I have an original vinyl copy on passport records that is pretty good. There is a lot of variability in mixes as well as sound quality. I like the mix and sound on the passport vinyl. I read there are some newer cd remasters getting good buzz. I have older cd mixes/masters that are much different with decent but not great sq.
Tommy James"Christian of the world"...bubblegum gospel/r&b that only Tommy could pull off...great production as well...horns,backup singers...included the smash psych single "dragging the line"...but this LP is a forgotten gem
Mofi...picked up '76 Zevon LP based on your praise...although technically its his 2nd as others have clarified...regardless... Great album *****
Phase...yeah, it's a great album. How could you go wrong with guest players like: Jackson Browne, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Phil Everly, David Lindley, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther and songs like: "Frank and Jesse James", "Hasten Down the Wind", "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", "Mohammed's Radio", "Carmelita" plus several others.

RTI/Rhino re released this LP a few years ago on 180 gram vinyl and I'm pretty sure it was remastered too. It's a fantastic LP!

Glad you like it.
I also have "excitable boy" which I assume u have as well...and Linda Ronstadt covered "Carmelita" and "poor pitiful me"...which probably gave Zevon some nice royalties... Ironic his signature tune was "werewolves often London" which according to legend was a half-baked idea that came together rather quickly.
Speaking of debut lps...and sort of along this thread...Graham Parker "howlin wind"...great brit r&b style pub rock... The Rumour was his backing band...those cats can groove...and once again... From '76!...great production by Nick Lowe