c/forgotten-album-club

Showerthought: Everyone's wrong about that 1997 'Soul Station' album

I was digging through a box of old CDs at a garage sale in Portland last week and found a copy of 'Soul Station' by The Blue Notes, which came out in 1997. People online always say it's a boring, forgettable jazz record, but I gave it a real listen and the track 'Midnight Drive' has this amazing, slow build over seven minutes that completely hooked me. I think folks dismiss it because it came out right when smooth jazz was huge and it got lumped in with that. Honestly, I've played it three times this month and it's way more complex than people give it credit for. Has anyone else actually sat down with this one and found something they liked?

My old CD player ate my copy of 'The Unforgettable Fire' last week

I was trying to play my original 1984 U2 CD and the tray just jammed shut with it inside. Had to take the whole thing apart with a screwdriver from my garage in Austin. Now I'm hunting for another copy and it made me remember how much I loved that album before they got huge. Anyone have a lead on where to find old CDs that won't get stuck?

Found a weird 90s electronic album at a thrift store in Boise for $2 and it's surprisingly good.

I grabbed 'Pulse Emitter' by a group called Subsurfing on a whim last month, and its mix of ambient synths and breakbeats has become my go-to work background music, so has anyone else stumbled onto a random forgotten gem like that?

My brother swore this 1997 album was a hidden gem, and he was dead wrong

He told me to listen to 'The Colour and the Shape' by Foo Fighters, insisting everyone forgot it wasn't their debut. I gave it a full listen last week, and honestly, it's just a solid rock album, not some lost classic. It sold millions and gets played on the radio constantly. Has anyone else had a friend hype up a supposedly 'forgotten' record that was actually just mainstream?

Found a scratched up copy of 'The Soft Bulletin' in a bin in Cincinnati and it changed my week

I was digging through a dollar bin at a record store on Vine Street last Tuesday, not expecting much. The cover was faded and the vinyl had a deep scratch on side two. I bought it anyway because I'd heard the name but never listened. Put it on when I got home and that scratch just made the song 'Waitin' for a Superman' skip at the perfect, saddest part. It felt like the album was broken on purpose. Has anyone else had a damaged record add something to the music instead of ruin it?

Remembering a band called The Autumn Leaves and their 1998 album 'Fading Light'

I used to find new music by digging through the used CD bins at a shop called Tracks in Ann Arbor. That's where I found 'Fading Light' for $3, and I played it constantly on my old Sony Discman. Now, everything is on streaming, but that album isn't, and I haven't heard it in maybe 15 years. Has anyone else had a favorite album just vanish like that?

Tried to play a 'forgotten' album at a party and it totally killed the vibe

I was at a friend's place in Cincinnati last weekend and put on 'The Soft Bulletin' by The Flaming Lips, thinking it was a cool deep cut from 1999. I mean, it's a great album, but after about two songs the whole room got quiet and someone just asked to put on some hip hop. Idk, maybe it's just me but I figured people would be into something different. It just felt like the moment was gone, you know? Has anyone else had a favorite forgotten album totally flop when you tried to share it?

Found a weird cassette in a thrift store bin that led me down a rabbit hole

I was digging through a box of old tapes at a Goodwill in Tacoma last weekend and found a cassette labeled 'The Jellyfish Brigade - Urban Campfire Songs' from 1994. Never heard of them, but I bought it for a quarter and gave it a listen. It's this bizarre, kind of beautiful mix of folk and lo-fi synth that sounds like it was recorded in a basement. I've spent the last three days trying to find any info online and there's basically nothing, not even a Discogs page. Has anyone else ever stumbled onto a completely lost album like this and managed to find out anything about the band?

Spent 6 months trying to find a physical copy of 'The Moon and Antarctica' by Modest Mouse from 2000, was it even pressed on vinyl?

Found a 1994 folk album at a yard sale in Asheville for a dollar, thought it would be boring.

The cover was just a blurry photo of a tree, but I put it on while cleaning and was completely wrong. The songwriting on 'The Ghost of a River' by a guy named Elias Crane is quietly amazing, full of these smart, sad stories. Has anyone else stumbled onto a record they judged by its cover that turned out to be a hidden gem?

TIL my hunt for a rare vinyl cost me $75 for a bootleg

I was trying to find a copy of 'The Moon and the Melodies' by Harold Budd and the Cocteau Twins. It's from 1986 and never got a proper reissue. I saw one listed online for $75, which seemed high but possible. When it arrived, the sound quality was awful and the sleeve felt wrong. I checked the matrix numbers and realized it was a fake pressing from the early 2000s. The seller ghosted me, so I'm out the cash. Has anyone else been burned on a bootleg they thought was an original?

I finally gave 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' a real listen after my car stereo broke down

I was stuck in traffic on the 405 last Tuesday with nothing but that old Springsteen CD in the player, and the stripped-down songs about regular folks just hit different when you're not moving. For years I'd written it off as a quiet Bruce album, but hearing 'Youngstown' with no other noise made me realize how much story is packed into those simple tunes. Has anyone else had a forgotten record completely change for them because of a weird situation?

Showerthought: I used to think that 1998's 'The Boy with the Arab Strap' by Belle and Sebastian was just okay

I pulled out my old CD copy last week and the disc was so scratched it wouldn't play past track three. I had to stream it for the first time in years, and hearing it with fresh ears totally changed my mind. The production on songs like 'Sleep the Clock Around' is way more detailed than I remembered (all those little string parts). I think I just wrote it off as more of their same gentle sound back in the day. Now I'm seeing it as a real high point in their catalog. Has anyone else had a scratched disc force a re-listen that flipped your opinion on a record?

I finally see the beauty in that panned 70s folk album

It was background noise until I heard it on a rainy day. The harmonies clicked for me then. What forgotten record surprised you?

Rant: The Fugees' 'The Score' is reduced to one hit, but the whole thing is gold

I was sorting through my college stuff and found my copy of 'The Score' on CD. It's sad that most people just know 'Killing Me Softly' and skip the rest of this amazing record. What other 90s hip-hop albums do you think are overlooked because of single tracks?

Finding a rare ska album at a thrift store led to a moral pinch...

I grabbed a copy of 'Streetlight Shadows' for a buck at a thrift shop. It looked mint, but I heard it was probably taken from a local band's pile. I still kept it, saying to myself I saved it from being tossed. Now, spinning it brings back guilt for the band missing out. Back then, music was more about real objects, and right and wrong got messy.

Found a beat up copy of 'Night Drive' at a yard sale and finally get why it's a hidden gem.

Stumbled upon a progressive rock tape from 1978 in my uncle's basement

I was sorting through some old boxes and found a cassette by a band called Silver Lining. Their album 'Distant Shores' has this amazing mix of guitar and synth that I've never heard before. It made me realize how much music from that era gets buried under today's hits. I'd love to hear if anyone else has found hidden treasures like this and what I should listen to next.