Underrated Albums & Hidden Gems

[Ruby]

Alrighty – let’s give this a whirl. Ideally looking for posts of deep cuts and largely unheard or non-charting songs/tracks/albums that really should be heard (in the poster’s opinion!). It’s going to be a subjective exercise, I realise – what with widely differing tastes, but that’s ok, and you just never know what might strike a chord.

If you’d asked me yesterday about Veedon Fleece, I would have been absolutely clueless as to the artist – not even wild conjecture would have provided the answer. As to what a veedon fleece might be – that still eludes me!! Not the fleece part, obviously, but where or what is Veedon? Zero to do with the album cover which really does belie its content. It remains a mystery upon which I would be most grateful for any light shed!



I have now listened to this purportedly lesser known Van Morrison album and am surprised it’s been buried so deep from my view! It’s just never surfaced for me before, and there are some magical moments. This is Van’s divorce album (1st – divorce, that is) which it is believed may explain the emotional intensity of the songs. No idea why it isn’t better known but it might have something to do with being his fifth album in the four-year span after 1970's Moondance. Prolificacy has its drawbacks.

I don’t like all of it, there are some shouty bits I can live without, and I was rather disconcerted by a falsetto that I don’t think one hears from him all that much, but for a great deal of it, the sounds are sweet – melodic - and the production is nice and clean while still retaining a slightly shambolic feel, LOL, contradictions abound! I like being able to hear all the separate instruments. Besides that, there’s a whole lot of heart which is always helpful! 

The one that stood out on first listen …

[CRAZY-HORSE]

nice idea Ruby, i will give this one some thought...

[JeromeD]

From Wiki -

Several authors have commented on the mysterious object, "Veedon Fleece" as it appears in the album title and in the lyrics of the song "You Don't Pull No Punches, but You Don't Push the River". Scott Thomas states in his review: "The Morrison-conceived Veedon Fleece is the symbol of everything yearned for in the preceding songs; spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, community, artistic vision and love." Steve Turner concludes: "The Veedon Fleece...appears to be Van's Irish equivalent of the Holy Grail a religious relic that would answer his questions if he could track it down on his quest around the west coast of Ireland."[39] Morrison explained the title with: "I haven't a clue about what the title means. It's actually a person's name. I have a whole set of characters in my head that I'm trying to fit into things. Veedon Fleece is one of them and I just suddenly started singing it in one of these songs, It's like a stream of consciousness thing."[40] Morrison once told a fan when questioned about the meaning, "It doesn't mean anything, I made it up myself."[39]

[JeromeD]

Scorpions - Gold Ballads - https://youtu.be/YwCVVB8F8K0?si=ZW__KLtL2KeMqg0l

Favourite from this - https://youtu.be/akUJ-Cd0hxw?si=vUQFQnumpUZivfbP

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Art Garfunkel - Everything Waits To Be Noticed - like most of the tracks on this album.

My favourite from this - https://youtu.be/cbjeGy-cR2k?si=ekx-eeHkjt_2Kfx6

Perfect Moment & Crossing Lines also worth a listen.

[Ruby]

From Wiki -

Several authors have commented on the mysterious object, "Veedon Fleece" as it appears in the album title and in the lyrics of the song "You Don't Pull No Punches, but You Don't Push the River". Scott Thomas states in his review: "The Morrison-conceived Veedon Fleece is the symbol of everything yearned for in the preceding songs; spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, community, artistic vision and love." Steve Turner concludes: "The Veedon Fleece...appears to be Van's Irish equivalent of the Holy Grail a religious relic that would answer his questions if he could track it down on his quest around the west coast of Ireland."[39] Morrison explained the title with: "I haven't a clue about what the title means. It's actually a person's name. I have a whole set of characters in my head that I'm trying to fit into things. Veedon Fleece is one of them and I just suddenly started singing it in one of these songs, It's like a stream of consciousness thing."[40] Morrison once told a fan when questioned about the meaning, "It doesn't mean anything, I made it up myself."[39]

Thanks Jerome - I should learn to read! 

[Ruby]

Scorpions - Gold Ballads - https://youtu.be/YwCVVB8F8K0?si=ZW__KLtL2KeMqg0l

Favourite from this - https://youtu.be/akUJ-Cd0hxw?si=vUQFQnumpUZivfbP

---

Art Garfunkel - Everything Waits To Be Noticed - like most of the tracks on this album.

My favourite from this - https://youtu.be/cbjeGy-cR2k?si=ekx-eeHkjt_2Kfx6

Perfect Moment & Crossing Lines also worth a listen.

Haven’t listened to much Art Garfunkel or Scorpions for that matter. Will be giving all the above a listen!

[Ruby]

These tracks are in the Hidden Gem department, for me ... 

Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy - "Adieu False Heart" 



 

Jim White's "Corvair" - an unlikely jewel I guess, but there it is! I have always preferred so-called semi-precious stones ...

[James Otto Sweet Heart]

Go here for everything that is out there from Mason Ramsey.

God bless you and the beautiful precious masterpiece of a young man always!!!

Holly (a girl who only discovered him three months ago)

[Music Head]

[Ruby]

^New to me! 



Fotheringay 2 - released in September 2008 - I had no idea. From the liner notes ...

"Destroyed by a misunderstanding, Fotheringay remain one of the great might-have-beens of British music. They lasted less than a year, and released just one album, but their disappearance robbed the early 70’s scene of a group of musicians capable of taking folk-rock to new heights of subtlety and musicianship. Now, the nine songs on that debut album, assumed for almost four decades to be their sole testament, are joined by the 11 that would have constituted a follow-up. After languishing as buried casualties of a sudden and pain-filled split, they have been salvaged and restored by the band’s survivors in a way that can do nothing but reinforce the admiration with which this particular group of musicians are remembered, while demonstrating to listeners of later generations the richness and continuing value of their work."