Underrated albums from legendary bands

Sandwiched between the legendary Exile on Main St. and the transitional “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll,” the Stones’ 13th studio album tends to draw the “solid” moniker, while subpar praise upon release. It’s actually quite better than that. Back-to-back hits “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” and “Angie” close out Side One, while closer “Star Star” is a fine way to end an album that actually went to No. 1 in the U.S. and United Kingdom.

Zeppelin’s eighth and final studio album doesn’t always get the credit it deserves, especially when compared to the early greatness of the group. Perhaps also because the rock climate was changing with punk, disco, and new wave becoming more mainstream. Still, this record proved that Led Zeppelin was good to the last drop. Beginning with the haunting “In the Evening,” In Through the Out Door reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Other classics from the record include the good-time romp “Fool in the Rain” and ballad “All of My Love,” complete with John Paul Jones’ memorable synthesizer solo.

Following up the ridiculously successful Rumours (1977) was certainly a chore. But instead of playing it safe and following the same formula as that previous smash album, Fleetwood Mac opted to do some musical experimentation. At least Lindsey Buckingham did, offering a more post-punk approach. There’s the title track that featured the USC marching band lending a collective hand. The complex “Sara” is Stevie Nicks’ most notable contribution to the double album that peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

This was a bridge album, in a sense, that connected Genesis’ traditional progressive rock (“Duchess,” “Duke’s Travels”) past with a future that would trend toward the more pop and mainstream radio rock (“Misunderstanding,” “Turn It On Again”) that made the band international superstars down the road. Duke was actually the first Genesis album that reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom while topping out at No. 11 on the U.S. Billboard chart.

After Keith Moon’s death in 1978, various factions of Who fans wondered if it was worth sticking with the band. That would have been wrong since the early ’80s work of The Who has its place within the band’s exceptional legacy. The better of the two ’80s studio releases is Face Dances, a top-5 album in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. “Better You Bet” and “Another Tricky Day” are the highlights of a record — from start to finish — that’s time well spent.

Inspired by the novel the Seventh Son, this concept album was Maiden’s last released in the 1980s. It was another No. 1 for the band, but some critics found the overall project a bit presumptuous, thus it can be brushed off when talking about the band’s stellar five-record run from 1982-’88. That said, some of Maiden’s most complex and intricate lyrics can be found here. “Can I Play with Madness” has the commercial appeal while “The Evil That Men Do” and “The Clairvoyant” have grown to become live staples.

The massive success of Nirvana’s breakthrough second album Nevermind brought renewed attention to the band’s critically acclaimed debut from the late 1980s. More raw and dirty than polished products like Nevermind and In Utero, but it’s no doubt grunge to the core. Songs like “Blew,” “Love Buzz,” “Negative Creep” and “About a Girl,” which enjoyed some mainstream success via the band’s MTV Unplugged appearance, should all be celebrated along with Nirvana’s more well-known tunes.

For as many eventual classics Mother’s Milk produced, “Higher Ground,” “Knock Me Down,” “Taste the Pain,” “Subway to Venus” and “Stone Cold Bush,” the album was initially panned for a lack of overall substance. With the additions of John Frusciante on guitar and Chad Smith behind the drum kit, the band still enjoyed its first true commercial success with this album. Critics didn’t show it the same level of love as 1987’s The Uplift Mȯfo Party Plan, which fused the Chili Peppers’ signature funk rock with more reggae and some metal. Yet. Mother’s Milk opened the door for the massive international success the band soon achieve.

The Beasties Boys maturation as musicians can be traced back to this, their third studio album. License to Ill was a smashing introduction, Paul’s Boutique proved they had staying power, and Check Your Head showed how versatile entertainers Adam Yauch, Adam Horovitz, and Mike Diamond actually were. “Pass the Mic” and “So What’cha Want” are pure Beastie Boys of the time, while “Gratitude” features some killer bass work, and “Jimmy James” is a trippy experience with an old-school feel.

The fact that Vapor Trails was made and Rush still existed in the early 2000s was truly remarkable. Considering late drummer and main lyricist Neil Peart was dealing with the deaths of daughter Selena in 1997 and wife Jackie one year later. However, Peart pressed on, and Rush released its first studio album in six years. It was a top-10 album in the U.S. and did not include any keyboards or synthesizers. Highlights include the title track, “Out of the Cradle,” “One Little Victory” and “Secret Touch.”