Critically panned albums that would've been praised if......

[DoubleDare]

....put out under a different band name.
What I am talking about is the albums put out by bands that usually go in a different direction sound wise and alot of people did not like it at the time, but if it wasn't for knowing what the band did earlier and was under a different name, people probably would've been saying what a great album it was. So lets list those type of albums!



Ah yes the load's by Metallica, while I do think there is an appreciation out there, for the most part people did not like these because well its not the metallica they knew and love! It was even different than the black album was going in a more bluesy direction.
But these are underrated imo, and if they weren't out out by a band best known by their thrash metal stuff, would've been greatly received in the 90s if put under a different band name than metallica. Both have mostly solid tracks, while reload during the 2nd half may have a few tracks that are just ok, alot of the songs are good, its just that a track like Bleeding Me was probably a turn off to the "metal" fans, but when you actually listen to it, its an awesome track. So I say these 2 for sure, and I know usually Reload gets panned a but more, but I like it, yea it has a few more filler songs near the end, but the strong songs are really strong.

[Jiren]

Iron maiden - Virtual XI & X factor

Both decent albums but Maiden without Dickinson at the time just felt wrong.

It's like Freddy without Englund while Hayley was fine something just felt off

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

That horrible fourth Liz Phair album probably would have been a modest hit if the songs were done by some young up and comer or someone like Pink...but coming from the woman who did Exile in Guyville, it was just a nightmare.

[abjordans]

I am going to say Nas- Nastradamus. Leaned a bit to the "jiggy" side of things that were pretty popular right after BIG'S death. Still, I recently listened to it, and in retrospect, it is not as commercial as it was claimed to be at the time. If a new MC dropped that album, people probably would have been like "this is dope". However, it will forever be remembered as Nas's most blatant and failed attempt at mainstream. It is one of the two albums that Jay Z referred to as "doo".

Also, I don't care. Making a song about murder to the style of Carol of the Belle is still one of my favorite things Nas has done.

[Mozenrath]

Different names don't always help. Chris Gaines, for instance.

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

I imagine that The Final Cut would have been better received as a Roger Waters solo album rather than Pink Floyd's follow-up to The Wall.

[Deleted]

May 27, 2015 8:47:40 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Different names don't always help. Chris Gaines, for instance.

still gave Garth Brooks his only #1 hit.

[Just call me D.j.m.]

OP, you already mentioned Load & ReLoad, but would St. Anger have been taken the same way if a new band had put it out and not Metallica?

[A Platypus Rave]

May 27, 2015 9:44:49 GMT -5 Just call me D.j.m. said:

OP, you already mentioned Load & ReLoad, but would St. Anger have been taken the same way if a new band had put it out and not Metallica?

I think people would still hate the audio mix.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

May 27, 2015 8:59:24 GMT -5 Hulkshi Tanahashi said:

I imagine that The Final Cut would have been better received as a Roger Waters solo album rather than Pink Floyd's follow-up to The Wall.

It's not like Pros and Cons did Floydian numbers. Nobody knew who Roger was until he started suing the band in '85.

[DoubleDare]

May 27, 2015 9:44:49 GMT -5 Just call me D.j.m. said:

OP, you already mentioned Load & ReLoad, but would St. Anger have been taken the same way if a new band had put it out and not Metallica?

No, i feel like it would be said there's potential, but the production would've still been panned and alot of songs going alot longer than they should.

[Hulkshi Tanahashi]

May 27, 2015 10:22:30 GMT -5 "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay said:

May 27, 2015 8:59:24 GMT -5 Hulkshi Tanahashi said:

I imagine that The Final Cut would have been better received as a Roger Waters solo album rather than Pink Floyd's follow-up to The Wall.

It's not like Pros and Cons did Floydian numbers. Nobody knew who Roger was until he started suing the band in '85.

I meant critically.

[Mozenrath]

May 27, 2015 10:03:30 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

May 27, 2015 9:44:49 GMT -5 Just call me D.j.m. said:

OP, you already mentioned Load & ReLoad, but would St. Anger have been taken the same way if a new band had put it out and not Metallica?

I think people would still hate the audio mix.

Their mix stle determined its deathstyle.

[StuntGranny®]

Load and RELoad were the first albums to pop into my mind. Those albums aren't perfect, but there's a ton of great songs on both. It was just a case of bullshit heavy metal close-mindedness.

[chazraps]

May 27, 2015 8:03:05 GMT -5 abjordans said:

I am going to say Nas- Nastradamus. Leaned a bit to the "jiggy" side of things that were pretty popular right after BIG'S death. Still, I recently listened to it, and in retrospect, it is not as commercial as it was claimed to be at the time. If a new MC dropped that album, people probably would have been like "this is dope". However, it will forever be remembered as Nas's most blatant and failed attempt at mainstream. It is one of the two albums that Jay Z referred to as "doo".

Also, I don't care. Making a song about murder to the style of Carol of the Belle is still one of my favorite things Nas has done.

That album f***ing sucks. Commercial or not, it was rushed to create tracks to make up for the ones early MP3 bootleggers alreadys leaked to the street and we got half-assed awful dance music. I Am is a C-/D+ at best, but at least that album has the all time Nas classic "Nas is Like."

Nastradamus has f***ing nothing, and it's largely Nas' fault. It's doo, plain and simple.

[abjordans]

May 27, 2015 12:29:00 GMT -5 chazraps said:

May 27, 2015 8:03:05 GMT -5 abjordans said:

I am going to say Nas- Nastradamus. Leaned a bit to the "jiggy" side of things that were pretty popular right after BIG'S death. Still, I recently listened to it, and in retrospect, it is not as commercial as it was claimed to be at the time. If a new MC dropped that album, people probably would have been like "this is dope". However, it will forever be remembered as Nas's most blatant and failed attempt at mainstream. It is one of the two albums that Jay Z referred to as "doo".

Also, I don't care. Making a song about murder to the style of Carol of the Belle is still one of my favorite things Nas has done.

That album f***ing sucks. Commercial or not, it was rushed to create tracks to make up for the ones early MP3 bootleggers alreadys leaked to the street and we got half-assed awful dance music. I Am is a C-/D+ at best, but at least that album has the all time Nas classic "Nas is Like."

Nastradamus has f***ing nothing, and it's largely Nas' fault. It's doo, plain and simple.

Do not agree. Family is the best Nas/Mobb Deep collab in my opinion. Shoot Em Up is an all time guilty pleasure. Quiet N's is probably the best thing The Bravehearts were on. Come And Get Me is super dope. Owe Me Back was a catchy single.

Also, I thought the hate for both It Was Written and I Am has been retroactively amended? Favor for a Favor with Scarface? Small World is a classic Nas joint. Hate Me Now is the definition of stadium music.

Eh. Maybe bad Nas is still good Nas to me, I guess.

[Deleted]

May 27, 2015 12:24:15 GMT -5 StuntGranny® said:

Load and RELoad were the first albums to pop into my mind. Those albums aren't perfect, but there's a ton of great songs on both. It was just a case of bullshit heavy metal close-mindedness.

Some of that...

But also, they sound sort of obnoxious on those 2 albums. It's not just "THIS SUCKS I WANT METAL", it's "you guys are a lot better at metal." I'm not a metal head at all, but I do like a band that doesn't have vocals like James chose to start doing on Load and Reload. I guess he loosened up and trying to expand his style, but the result makes me cringe and/or laugh a lot of the time.

[chazraps]

May 27, 2015 12:38:45 GMT -5 abjordans said:

May 27, 2015 12:29:00 GMT -5 chazraps said:

That album f***ing sucks. Commercial or not, it was rushed to create tracks to make up for the ones early MP3 bootleggers alreadys leaked to the street and we got half-assed awful dance music. I Am is a C-/D+ at best, but at least that album has the all time Nas classic "Nas is Like."

Nastradamus has f***ing nothing, and it's largely Nas' fault. It's doo, plain and simple.

Do not agree. Family is the best Nas/Mobb Deep collab in my opinion. Shoot Em Up is an all time guilty pleasure. Quiet N's is probably the best thing The Bravehearts were on. Come And Get Me is super dope. Owe Me Back was a catchy single.

Also, I thought the hate for both It Was Written and I Am has been retroactively amended? Favor for a Favor with Scarface? Small World is a classic Nas joint. Hate Me Now is the definition of stadium music.

Eh. Maybe bad Nas is still good Nas to me, I guess.

Yeah, it's all bad Nas. The hatred for both still exists. It Was Written hate was retroactively amended now that people are fine with Nas being mafioso immeadiately after Illmatic, as well as being able to just delete "Nas is Coming" from their MP3 players.

"Hate Me Now" is still f***ing terrible. "Owe Me Back" is up there with "Braveheart Party" and "Who Killed It" as the worst f***ing Nas songs ever.

[StuntGranny®]

May 27, 2015 12:38:57 GMT -5 @lovehater said:

May 27, 2015 12:24:15 GMT -5 StuntGranny® said:

Load and RELoad were the first albums to pop into my mind. Those albums aren't perfect, but there's a ton of great songs on both. It was just a case of bullshit heavy metal close-mindedness.

Some of that...

But also, they sound sort of obnoxious on those 2 albums. It's not just "THIS SUCKS I WANT METAL", it's "you guys are a lot better at metal." I'm not a metal head at all, but I do like a band that doesn't have vocals like James chose to start doing on Load and Reload. I guess he loosened up and trying to expand his style, but the result makes me cringe and/or laugh a lot of the time.

Like I said before, I certainly don't think they're perfect albums. However, if another band puts out either, I think they would've been praised a bit more.

I'll always respect Metallica for trying something different and doing what they wanted. You never really know what you're going to get with a new Metallica album. You can't say the same for a lot of other bands (Slayer and AC/DC, for example).

[Deleted]

May 27, 2015 12:46:35 GMT -5 StuntGranny® said:

May 27, 2015 12:38:57 GMT -5 @lovehater said:

Some of that...

But also, they sound sort of obnoxious on those 2 albums. It's not just "THIS SUCKS I WANT METAL", it's "you guys are a lot better at metal." I'm not a metal head at all, but I do like a band that doesn't have vocals like James chose to start doing on Load and Reload. I guess he loosened up and trying to expand his style, but the result makes me cringe and/or laugh a lot of the time.

Like I said before, I certainly don't think they're perfect albums. However, if another band puts out either, I think they would've been praised a bit more.

I'll always respect Metallica for trying something different and doing what they wanted. You never really know what you're going to get with a new Metallica album. You can't say the same for a lot of other bands (Slayer and AC/DC, for example).

I do respect them for that, I never bought that they "sold out". Selling out would've been to make the Black Album five more times and being bored with their music.

Agree that it would've been better received by a new band. There wouldn't be anything to compare it to, the change was so jarring that critics sort of have to talk about it and compare.