Overlooked masterpieces.

[The Hand That Fisted Everyone]

Talking Heads 77

A great first album that gets left behind by Eno's work with the band/Speaking in Tongues. Still it's a great album, Honestly, not a bad song on the album. Tentative Decisions and The Book I Read are highlights.

Speak and Spell, Construction Time Again, and Some Great Reward by Depeche Mode

Many people only remember them from their songs "Personal Jesus" or "Just Can't Get Enough" but there are some terrific albums by them that just don't get recognized. These are the big three.

Speak and Spell sounds the least like Depeche Mode (when you compare it to the rest of their career). Nothing much here besides pure pop, unless you count some songs like "What's Your Name?" which led to the rumor of most of them being gay. Album sounds different from the rest mainly because Vince Clarke (or Erasure fame) wrote most of the songs.

Construction Time Again and Some Great Reward were the third and fourth albums by DM, but the first two featuring lead keyboardist Alan Wilder. I think you could call these the first "true" Depeche Mode albums. Great synth hooks and powerful ballads by Martin Gore (chief songwriter slash guitarist slash keyboardist slash alchoholic) drive Some Great Reward, while Construction Time Again is somewhat politically charged, though still full of flashing synths that the early DM is known for.

also, much of David Byrne's solo stuff gets overlooked. Rei Momo is great if you like south american rhythms, such as with Rhythm of the Saints by Paul Simon, then you'll probably like this. Also, Grown Backwards by DB is fantastic. It's got some opera pieces that kind of drag on, but the rest of the album is nothing but fantastic strings with Byrne's quirky twists tuned in.

A good way to get a feel for what he did with both of these is get his "Live, from Austin TX" album.

tl;dr =
Talking Heads: 77 - Talking Heads
Speak and Spell, Construction Time Again, Some Great Reward - Depeche Mode
Rei Momo, Grown Backwards,  Live, from Austin TX - David Byrne

[Lozal]

The Residents.

Fucking brilliant, but they don't get enough credit for it.