The first Athlete album – Vehicles and Animals, a spry quirky poppy addition to the tail end of Britpop – Westside, You Got The Style, El Salvador. Nice album. Promising debut. Bought. Seduced by perhaps having very young children at the time, and the lead single Wires being about a newborn in hospital, bought the second album in the pre-spotify days when you couldn’t listen easily to a whole album in advance. Utterly turgid sub sub sub Coldplay. One-paced, platitudinous drivel striving for entirely unearned epicness and meaning. So I have finally after a decade of it lurking in the A’s consigned it to the Oxfam pile. Where if I’m not mistaken it will join many other copies of Tourist. Come clean with your regretful purchases you’ve summoned up the courage to bin. I’m not going to post anything from Tourist…
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moseleymoles says
So here’s one from their debut instead.
Moose the Mooche says
Many bands lose their sense of humour over a period of years…. Athlete did it in one album. There’s something almost HMHB about a duff song being saved by a chorus of “LET’S GO TO DUNGENESS!”… no such fun on the sophomore effort.
Milkybarnick says
It’s a great album. They were the first band I watched the only time I went to Glastonbury, and they cheered up a drizzly Friday lunchtime no end.
retropath2 says
93 or 94. Christ, they were shite….
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Not so much ashamed, more too afraid to admit that (more than) a few records I’ve bought over the years were either supposed to impress the non-hip by their hipness or because the NME (or whichever rag was currently in favour) told me they were great.
I could post twenty or thirty of these turkeys but thank god I’m now too old to be hip and thank god for Spotify (I’m looking at you, Tigger)
Lodestone of Wrongness says
I should make it clear that the last comment was not meant as a criticism of the Mighty Tigger. It’s just that he writes far too eloquently about music that mostly passes me by.
Tiggerlion says
You are too kind. No offence taken.
I was once suckered into buying a Richard Thompson CD. Mock Tudor is now in the bin.
Dodger Lane says
Snap, did the same.
I bought an awful load of rubbish during the Britpop years, sounded good at the time, don’t know where most of it is now nor could I care less.
davebigpicture says
I have Tourist (in the loft). It was a freebie when I used to do some work for EMI. I’m pretty sure I never listened to it and I’m not likely to now.
minibreakfast says
I get rid of duff stuff all the time (luckily mostly cheap chazza buys), as storage space is always at a premium. No point in keeping music you can’t warm to.
Thanks to this place I have to find room for the flippin’ 3-disc Britxotica set tomorrow!
moseleymoles says
Examples please – something you thought would be good, is in fact not
minibreakfast says
Most recently (stuff bought by reputation, not just albums I’d never heard of that looked interesting – that would be a whole other list!):
Led Zep – Houses of the Holy (bad version of CD could be to blame, though)
Boz Scaggs – Silk Degrees
Mari Wilson – Showpeople (one very good single)
Bjork – Post
Beta Band – The Three EPs
Lindsey Buckingham – Law and Order
Mike Oldfield – Five Miles Out
Rory Gallagher – a budget comp LP
Little Feat – The Last Record Album (not chucked yet, but perilously close to the lip of The Dumper)
Pretenders – debut (I really tried, but snoozerama)
James Taylor – Mud Slide Slim
Thomas Dolby – The Flat Earth (sorry Moose)
Dire Straits – all of them
Supertramp – Crime of the Century/Crisis? What Crisis? (I kept Breakfast In America)
ELP – Brain Salad Surgery (the horror! This went to the chazza the very next day)
Off the top of me head, like. Life’s too short.
retropath2 says
Interested to see Boz Scaggs, so beloved of the hip. I remember loathing Lido shuffle as disco of the bottom drawer, but still bought the 2 album retrospective, no doubt buoyed by this site or its predecessor. Starts with a great blues with an Allman or 2. Then it is all shite. He cannot sing. Fact.
in fact i’m always buying bollocks commended here or in Boho/Unshod.
mrxsg says
I love Boz Scaggs; well Hollywood Boz (Silk Degrees, Middle Man), but has he ever been hip?
John Walters says
His last 2 albums are excellent.
Think early 70’s Al Green on the Hi Label.
SteveT says
His last two albums are indeed excellent – in fact I think HP Saucecraft reviewed one rather glowingly which lead me to purchase. One of the few times I agreed with him.
Sitheref2409 says
Boz Scaggs saved my sanity.
I was admitted to hospital (via the ER) on the Sunday just before 9/11. I woke up in ICU, and was then transferred to a general ward.
Things I remember:
1. Completely missing 9/11.
2. It’s nice being washed and shaved by someone.
3. Catheters. Kids, avoid them.
4. Dad brought me in a radio, and headphones. Thank Fucking God. I was listening to Terry Wogan,, and I think Boz Scaggs was his album of the week. Salve for the wounded soul. Just the right thing at just the right time. I will not have his name sullied.
5. Catheters. Kids, avoid having your visitors inadvertently getting them wrapped round their feet so that when they get up to leave….
6. Catheters. Kids, avoid having them pulled out by not having them put in in the first place.
7. Did you know that you can scar your throat so much through vomiting that you won’t be bale to eat solids for a number of weeks? I didn’t either, and now we all do.
Leave Boz alone!
Tiggerlion says
Oh dear. I frequently bathe in the balm of The Last Record Album and Silk Degrees. They are both beautiful albums with big hearts.
I’m also fond of the quirkiness of Post (Oh So Quiet aside). I’m surprised you kept Breakfast In America, unless it’s because it’s named after you.
minibreakfast says
Don’t get me wrong, none of the albums were awful (except Brain Salad Surgery – OH boy), just still very meh after several listens. I buy literally hundreds of car boot and chazza CDs and LPs each year, nearly all around a pound each, and this list of rejects is a drop in an otherwise very enjoyable ocean. I’ll never be short of music, but space, time and patience are at a premium.
Beany says
*crosses Mini off my Christmas list*
I even have the NME flexi disc somewhere in my collection. Just don’t ask me to find it – it’s *somewhere*.
minibreakfast says
You’re just cross with me for leaving those double-signed copies of Sing Lofty in the £1 bins yesterday 🙂
Beany says
I’m burning all my Tijuana LPs in protest.
minibreakfast says
Wait – I’m off the Christmas list?
*does victory dance*
Beany says
*anonymously mails Rolf Harris LP to mini*
minibreakfast says
*hurriedly moves house*
Arthur Cowslip says
Holy god. Houses of the Holy and the Beta Band three EPs?? Please don’t throw them out, I promise they’ll grow on you!
Did you listen to Dry the Rain all the way to the end? And The Rain Song?
minibreakfast says
Yep. Maybe I expected the rest to be as good as DTR, or maybe it just needs a couple more spins before I fall in love. It’s not gone yet, but the Chazza Reaper is approaching, scythe aloft. For a quid I’m not going to to worry unduly.
ganglesprocket says
She’s The One! The House Song! Inner Meet Me! Dogs Got A Bone! Dr Baker! Basically everything except Monolith! The 3 EPS is GREAT!
minibreakfast says
The main problem with HOH was the weedy sound. I looked the CD up on the SHF and it seems this particular mix/mastering/whatever is the worst, and is probably why it was donated in the first place. I’ll get another one when I see it. No hurry.
Hawkfall says
I wouldn’t bother Mini, HOH is a Meh album that I’ve had for ages in different (two different CDs!) and I just can’t warm to it. Two good songs (The Rain Song, No Quarter) and a lot of filler. Same thing with Presence and ITTOD.
Dodger Lane says
Beta Band, I’m thinking of this scene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppJAkN4m9bY
Rory Gallagher, give Wheels within wheels a try.
Carl says
I think Boz Scaggs is excellent.
The Last Record Album is pretty good. Worth hanging onto, if only for Long Distance Love.
Mud Slide Slim is fabulous. James Taylor was someone I disavowed in the late 70s and through the 80s because he was not hip. However once I started going out with the woman who is now my wife in the late 80s, she made me see sense. JT was rehabilitated and I repurchased Mud Slide Slim many years ago, having sold the original vinyl copy I owned.
I have a 4 CD bootleg compilation called Treasure Of A Man. That I think is a pretty good summary of Mr. Taylor. Treasure him indeed.
NigelT says
Similarly in our household, along with Joni, Carole King, Cat Stevens, all far to popular for me to like. Guess what, they were popular for a reason! James Taylor is an absolute delight live – go see if at all possible!
Moose the Mooche says
The Flat Earth is a biiiiig disappointment after the minor masterpiece that is the Golden Age of Wireless. Worth keeping for the singles Hyperactive! and I Scare Myself though but.
Chuck out The Last Record Album, however, and you chuck out my heart.
mrxsg says
Screen Kiss is fab though.
bricameron says
bricameron says
@minibreakfart. “So darling. What shall we listen to tonight?”
TrypF says
I’m with you on most of that Mini, but with a few exceptions (Pretenders, All of Supertramp) but what a boring world it would be if we were all etc etc.
Had a massive reorganisation of my small flat recently, and a load of stuff went to the chazza shop. A load of countryish stuff I was talked intro buying by Uncut mag went (bye Secret Sisters! So long Gin Blossoms!) My next task is to go through a load of CDs by amateur/semi pro musicians I’ve been given/drunkenly bought at gigs and get rid of most of it. But being semi-pro myself (OK, amateur) I know the effort that goes into self produced stuff and feel bad chucking them out without another listen, sentimental old sod that I am.
minibreakfast says
Don’t feel bad @TrypF, someone else will get the pleasure of them eventually, and a charity will make a little bit of dosh. It’s a win-win!
moseleymoles says
The Little Feat album for me is saved by Long Distance Love, whatever I might think of the rest of the album. I could never tire of this.
minibreakfast says
Dottie’s not entirely sure of it yet.
http://i1350.photobucket.com/albums/p773/minibreakfast/20161122_192036_zps2nmkaqhi.jpg
moseleymoles says
Up – is she going ‘sure there was a jackalope/rabbit thing around here somewhere’
SixDog says
Couple that spring to mind.
Turin Brakes -Optimist LP – looked at it for years on the shelf after one spin at the arse end of the last millennium. Tried again recently.
Binned.
My Pink Floyd collection now has a Wall shaped hole in it.
After much deliberation finally realised I could never listen to Roger Waters pompous whining over 80 minutes of plodding meat and potatoes rock (honourable exception for Comfortably Numb) the Stereophonics would balk at being too ‘dirgey’
davebigpicture says
I have the Turin Brakes too, WTF! I’m going to have to get in the loft with a bin bag.
The CD that springs to mind is The Horrors: Primary Colours. An album so wretched that when I put it on in the car my daughter said, “Make it stop Daddy.” I had to agree.
NigelT says
Yep, the Wall is twaddle except for Comfortably Numb as eny fule kno. Never understood why people like it. I’d probably never actually ditch it, perversely, as I spent real money on it rather than a quid at a chazzer.
Gary says
The Wall is overblown and pompous (though Comfortably Numb is not the only good song on it – Hey You and Nobody Home are both ace) but the thing I like most about it is that it’s good fun for a mediocre/crap guitarist (like me) to play along to, or to play with like-minded mediocre guitarist buddies. All the songs are dead simple chords with nice, interesting rhythms.
Bartleby says
Animal Collective. I tried. I knew I was supposed to like it. Just didn’t do it for me. Gone.
minibreakfast says
Thank god I Spotified that one.
Bartleby says
You dodged a bullet there mini. Classic case of believing the hype and, er, quite liking the minimalism meets dayglow packaging.
minibreakfast says
Liked the single, too. Without Spotify I would have followed my then rule for new music – wait and see if you like the subsequent singles as much.
moseleymoles says
Ah yes. That’s lurking in the A’s too and was recently given an airing. It saved itself with a stronger second half, but the first 4/5 songs are poor. Kind of like Vampire Weekend without the tunes.
SteveT says
Animal Collective – I had the misfortune of buying that one too – what a load of cack.
See also Tame Impala – overrated bullshit and tUNE YaRds or however they write their name. Nonsense of the highest order.
Locust says
I get rid of very few albums (being a bit of a hoarder when it comes to music and books), and most of the ones I’ve given away were so dull I can’t even remember them.
But I do remember one album, partly because I’ve had to give it away more than once (for some reason I was given this three times, never once wanting it), partly because it’s hailed as a masterpiece by most people. I’ve no doubt that most of you guys belongs to the “It’s a masterpiece!” crowd; I am of course talking about Joni Mitchell’s “The Hissing of Summer Lawns”. I’ve tried again, many times, but I find it both dull and annoying, in equal measure.
Still have a copy, since I bought that Complete Albums box set a few years ago (well, it was cheap, and I hadn’t heard much else by her than this album, so thought I owed her a proper try). Tried again, but still no. There are a few albums of hers that I quite like, but none that I truly love. Something about her music just slightly irritates me, I’m afraid. And that way she has of singing like she’s cornered you at a party and is telling you a long, boring story about herself.
*standing ready with the umbrella waiting for the rotten tomatoes to come hurling my way*
NigelT says
It’s odd with Joni – I always really liked Blue and Court And Spark and got the box set as a present a few Christmas’ ago, and I find that some I really like and some just don’t work for me. I absolutely adore Hejira and Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter is very good, but Mingus is poo and agree about Hissing. The early albums are quite patchy as well.
Tiggerlion says
Everyone ‘loves’ Hejira. Surely?
Moose the Mooche says
Aggghh! You again!
One of my only “special nights” of the year ruined! You realise my birthday’s in November?? To paraphrase Chandler Bing, my virginity’s growing back!
mrxsg says
Hejira is great but T.H.O.S.L is my absolute favourite (except for The Jungle Line that everyone raves about but I think spoils it)
Locust says
IMO her only truly good album is Blue, everything else is patchy – meaning two good tracks and the rest not so much… 🙂
minibreakfast says
I used to, tigger. I used to.
Dave Ross says
“Wires” is a decent song though……….
moseleymoles says
Having played it yesterday the annoying vs tuneful scales tipped decisively in favour of the former. The fact that its head and shoulders above the rest of the album should tell you what you need to know.
Raymond says
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a middle-aged man in possession of a sizeable collection of recorded music will one day browse that collection and ask himself: “How the fuck did I end up with not one, but TWO Turin Brakes albums?”
duco01 says
I bought “Works with Flutes” by Aldo Clementi, following a rave review in the Wire magazine.
It’s an absolute stinker.
I really ought to chuck it in the bin.
Carl says
Rave review in Wire suggests to me Do Not Buy unless I’ve heard it at least half a dozen times and actually like it.
Moose the Mooche says
Ditto Pitchfork. Stupid name plus random archive photograph on the sleeve times unlistenability equals 7 or above in the ‘Fork.
Moose the Mooche says
Bloody Nora , I think I still have the first Kasabian album. What a silly band. And not in a good way.
Dave Ross says
Ah Kasabian, all the recent threads have yet to get them a mention. I love them for their nonsense. I suspect they fully realise they’re getting away with it. The fact they’re from Leicester makes for a perfect comparison with their football team last year. No one quite understands their success even those involved.
Serge has an image to die for, an ear for a quirky sound and an ability to always appear to be slightly ahead of the game, even though he isn’t. They are a fantastic night out live if you’re prepared to give them a chance. Absolutely blew Oasis off the stage when I saw the at Wembley Stadium a few years ago. A gig in Wembley arena a year or so before is up there with one of my favourites.
I have all their albums and won’t throw any of them away, even the not quite so good “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum”. In fact I’m looking forward to what they come up with next
Kid Dynamite says
But West Ryder… has Vlad The Impaler on, which is a proper corker! Kasabian are a band I’m not that fussed about, but every album has two or three decent tracks amidst the rubbish. And you are absolutely right in saying that they’re a really good live act.
Carl says
I had that album.
I bought it at the behest of the late James Blast, but could never understand what he saw in them – unlike say Sisters Of Mercy who I came to quite like.
Malc says
I like Tourist. Agree on Turin Brakes and The Optimist LP, though.
Moose the Mooche says
Is anybody still listening to JJ37 or whatever they were called?
moseleymoles says
Surely a late entry to the Indie Landfill Ball there.
Moose the Mooche says
Like the Turin chappies, their USP seemed to be their singer having a silly voice.
Bingo Little says
That and the bassist.
Rigid Digit says
I have NO shame – I even take some form of perverted pride to have on my shelves various albums by: James Last, Johnny Mathis and James Galway.
From the “Why did I buy that?” list – I spent hard earned money on 3 M People albums (Elegant Slumming, Bizarre Fruit, Bizarre Fruit II).
Listened to once and never again.
There must’ve been a reason for buying them, but I’m buggered if I can remember what it is.
moseleymoles says
Remember they won a Mercury. And Heather Small had a foghorn of a voice. Just a shame that featherlight pop-house has not worn well. But yes I can see why you might want to move them out. Here’s Heather in retro-soul incarnation Hothouse that has worn much better.
fishface says
BEING a ex fan of of metal I can hold my hand up to many terrible buys from the “just before nevermind” era.
love/hate, poison, firehouse, the almighty, babalon a d, living color……..and (the horror) WARRANT.
ALL of these and more feature HUUUGE drums recorded in a tunnel, sqiddly diddly guitar and heman vocals…….track 9 out of ten is normaly the acoustic lead ballard.
also….a couple of years back, my son went totally apple and sold off his large cd stash to a music mapie type place.
beforehand he offered me the pick of the collection and anything remotely interesting found its way to my racks.
assorted kooks, wombats, hoosiers, THREE Rhianna albums, katy perry, lilly allen etc etc.
non have ever graced my cd player.
FISH.