Most Under-rated Album

Martin/12 · 03-01-2001, 12:19 PM

I don't know if this topic has ever been raised, but what do you think is Lightfoot's most under-rated album. By that I mean what album do you think was a considerable treasure which did not have as much impact as say Sundown or IYCRMM.

I'm sure Lightfoot would say East of Midnight, but to me this project--even though it has some gems--was over-produced and tried too hard to appeal to the adult contemporary crowd.

My pick is Dream Street Rose. Ghosts of Cape Horn, Make Way for the Lady and Sea of Tranquility are some of my favorite songs. But this album never had a huge impact. It was on the heels of huge successes like Endless Wire and Summertime Dream. Singer/Songwriter music was beginning to decline in popularity in the 80's. There was also no heavy hitter on this album which might have made the difference.

It still stands as one of my favorites, and the production quality takes a great leap forward--being the first digitally recorded album. I am praying for the day it becomes available on CD.

Martin/12

03-01-2001, 04:31 PM

SHADOWS. Great production, as well as some of Lightfoot's most beautiful melodies and most heart-breaking lyrics.

joveski · 03-01-2001, 06:20 PM

I started a similar thread on underrated songs, but for albums:

Back here on earth - bitter green is the song everyone knows, but it has other treasures like long thin dawn and if i coul

The whole DSR-salute strings are also underrated (and unreleased Grrrrrrrrr!)

fezo · 03-03-2001, 12:44 PM

Oh, boy! This is an interesting one. No arguement at all on Shadows. And "Back Here On Earth" - what a great overlooked album.

As much as GL fans appreciate "Don Quixote" I don't think it gets the respect it deserves. I consider it his masterpiece.

Another one is "Old Dan's Records" - the idea that this is not available on CD is one of life's great mysteries!

SilverHeels · 03-03-2001, 04:52 PM

Although I heartily agree with 'Shadows'
and 'Back here on Earth' for me it has to
be 'Don Quixote'. Each track is a gem.
And besides it has 'Christian Island' too. lol.

SilverHeels · 03-03-2001, 04:54 PM

ODR is the other one. SUPERB!
I played it to death and replaced it
over and over - I now have three worn
vinyl copies!

Borderstone · 08-10-2003, 06:56 PM

I can't believe no one mentioned,"Cold On The Shoulder"! While this LP gave us the hit,"Rainy Day People" it has other great tracks like Cherokee Bend,The Soul Is The Rock,Bend In the Water,All the Lovely Ladies,Now and Then,Fine as Fine Can Be and the title track. Although Gord's described it as "a bit uptight" I think it's at least a 4 star rating. Agree? Disagree? - Oddly enough I saw it in the CD section of this library. The only GL they have. Been me,later!

------------------
Borderstone (An,"Avid Listner" of G.L.)

[This message has been edited by Borderstone (edited August 10, 2003).]

Restless · 08-10-2003, 07:48 PM

Agree. The title track, "All the Lovely Ladies" and "Now and Then"...these alone...make the album great. Unfortunately, we must suffer "Rainbow Trout" along the way, A TUNE WHICH I CANNOT TOLERATE! But this is merely my unpopular opinion.

Rob1956 · 08-11-2003, 06:59 PM

At the time DSR came out, I recall a reviewer saying that, in digital, Lightfoot's voice sounded like someone trying to sound like Lightfoot. I never got that. I don't think he ever recorded digitally again..at least, I think all his subsequent voice tracks have been recorded in analog. Anyway, DSR is indeed a gem. The way he gets in a mention of all those cities
in "On the high seas" is great. Also "Sea of Tranquillity" is one of my favorite "outdoors" themed songs of his.

Martin/12 · 08-12-2003, 10:12 AM

"I don't think he ever recorded digitally again..at least, I think all his subsequent voice tracks have been recorded in analog."

That's an interesting point. The quality of DSR is excellent, but following albums do seem to have tape hiss. I wonder why GL opted to go back to analog. SUrely the latest CDs are digital??

gwen snyder · 08-12-2003, 02:18 PM

I agree with silverheels, it has to be Don Quixote. But, APPT and WFY are unrivaled art yet due to the timing it seems Gord did not get all the due accolades.

Rob1956 · 08-15-2003, 06:34 AM

All cd's are digital to the extent that the final mastering and encoding are done on a digital machine. However many recording artists continue to use the 2" wide reel-to-reel tape running at 15 inches per second to record their vocal and instrument tracks. For some it's just cheaper, and others still fell that analog gives them a warmer, more accurate sound. With the advent of much higher resolution playback in the form of
DVD-Audio and SACD, more artists are turning to all digital recording in the studio.

shustad · 08-15-2003, 08:31 PM

I've gotta say that I think GL's most underrated album is Salute.
It's my (current) favorite, and has wonderful melodies like on "Biscuit City" and "Romance" which are my tow favorites.
This album is also more 'electric' than most of his others, and his voice was still in fine form (unlike on A Painter Passing Through)
I guess I like this album so much also because it contains no overtly 'country' songs on it!
Just a really great, underrated album all around.

shustad · 08-15-2003, 08:33 PM

I've gotta say that I think GL's most underrated album is Salute.
It's my (current) favorite, and has wonderful melodies like "Biscuit City" and "Romance" on it which are two of my favorites.
This album is also more 'electric' than most of his others, and his voice was still in fine form (unlike on A Painter Passing Through).
I guess I like this album so much also because it contains no overtly 'country' songs on it!
Just a really great, underrated album all around.


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