Written by Jacob Flores, Staff Writer
Read further about some underappreciated albums from the late 20th century.
When the subject of underrated rock-and-roll masterpieces comes to mind, Spilt Milk by The Jellyfish will always come up. Released February 9th, 1993, Spilt Milk was The Jellyfish’s second and final studio album right after their hit record “Bellybutton”. The album mixes genres such as rock and power pop but also has a variety of melancholy and dreamwave elements. With the main theme of the whole album being about the dangers of idealization, the opening track, “Hush”, starts off the album with a sweet crescent lullaby to comfort a child. This first song may seem confusing to most listeners, but it is showing the true essence and drastic change of musical production the band was going through at the time. The calming tone is then discarded for a more aggressive attitude with the second song, “Joining a Fan Club”. Along with the aforementioned track, other headliners of the album include “The Ghost At Number One”, “All Is Forgiven”, “Russian Hill”, and “New Mistake”. With the last track just mentioned being The Jellyfish’s number one single and song in their catalog, it shows resemblance to something out of a Queen or Cheap Trick album. While The Jellyfish never truly was able to have commercial success, it was critically acclaimed for its artistic and unique power pop take. After Spilt Milk’s release, the band disbanded with several members making their own power pop group, Imperial Drag, without previous bandleader Andy Strummer. Strummer decided to take his own path in the music industry separate from them, and has been compared to some music legends such as Brain Wilson and John Lennon in his career. One thing is for certain however: the album would have never been a true masterpiece without each and every one of the band members’ contributions. If you are interested in listening to a refined piece of work that truly describes the power pop genre, Spilt Milk by The Jellyfish is for you.
With the rise of foreign language albums that define a country’s taste,Vontade de Rever Voce by Marcos Valle perfectly resembles the true brilliance of Brazilian boogie. Released on January 1st, 1981, Valle decided that change was the big step up to success and creativity. With artists such as Pink Floyd, Micheal Jackson, and The Police being the major successes at the start of the 80’s, Valle took inspiration and decided to switch a samba groove into a more boogie, funk, and bosa nova style. The title track ,”A Paraiba Nao e Chicago”, is a funky and groovy jam that lays the foundation of the style that carries throughout the album. Continuing the groove to the second song, “Bicho No Cio” is quite a satisfying listening experience with funky bass lines, unique instruments, and a catchy tune popping off in the background like it’s calling out to the listener. Noticeable tracks on the album include “Velhos Surfistas Querendo Voar”, “Sei Lá, Garimpando”, “Pecados de Amor”, and “Campina Grande”. “Campina Grande”, although instrumental, is the main headliner of the whole album and one of Valle’s most famous songs in his musical catalog. With Vontade de Rever Você being a critically acclaimed and commercial success, it proved that Valle still had his spark that made him one of the most influential Brazilian artists in the music industry. He continued his journey with his proceeding, self-titled album Marcos Valle in 1983 which ended up being his most popular release. Despite the groovy magic that makes Vontade de Rever Você so remarkable, Valle could never again be in the spotlight. As of today, he continues to prove his place in the industry by singing, even at the old age of 83, but will forever be remembered for his funky and acquired taste. If you’re looking for an album that will for sure bring a vibe to your mood, Vontade de Rever Você by Marcos Valle is the album for you.
As the new era of the 90’s was approaching in the music industry, The Sundays made their debut release Reading, Writing and Arithmetic to start off a new decade. Released on January 15th, 1990, The Sundays put out what is known as one of the most sophisticated pop albums of all time. With major inspiration from The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, and The Byrds, The Sundays spent the year of 1989 recording songs for the album that satisfied the complex needs of perfectionism. The starting track, “Skin & Bones”, has an almost eerie guitar that serves as the main lead instrumentally and beautiful, dramatic vocals by Harriet Wheeler. Already showing a hint of what’s to hold on the album, “Here’s Where the Story Ends” follows up as the second track of the album. With the song being the group’s most popular song and single, it defines the band’s sophisticated pop rock style and differentiates them from any other band. Other noticeable tracks on the album include “Can’t Be Sure”, “I Won”, “You’re Not The Only One I Know”, “My Finest Hour”, and “Joy”. With Reading, Writing and Arithmetic being an immediate commercial and critical success, The Sundays proved that indie pop could achieve mainstream success without compromising artistic integrity and fame. The Sundays continued their musical journey with their second album, Blind, released in 1993, and broke up in 1997 due to wanting to raise their families. The Sundays will forever be known as one of the pop geniuses of the century and will forever live on as one of the most recognizable and acclaimed bands of all time. If you’re looking for an album that truly doesn’t have a single miss, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic by The Sundays is the album for you.