Albums that surprised you
 

Either in a good or bad way, albums that you either never intended to listen to and ended up doing so, or tried for whatever reason, and which either reinforced or changed your view of the artiste and/or their music.

I'd have to say that
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...s_Memories.jpg
was a big surprise to me. Expected to hate it, to sneer what's all the fuss, but ended up really loving it. After I had resisted long enough and gave in, and then wondered why I had waited so long...

You are just on a role with threads aren't ya? Anyway, I probably have a few to list off, but I'll just keep it simple.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...etalDomain.png
Cannibal Corpse - A Skeletal Domain

It took me a while to finally get around to listening to this album, and most of the stalling was due to me just not liking Cannibal Corpse that much, if at all. I found their previous albums very bland and mediocre and didn't interest me much. However, upon hearing this album, I was shocked to find that I do enjoy it quite a bit. Definitely doesn't change my opinion about the band in general, but I can say that I do like an album of theirs now.

Re: Random Access Memories...yeah, sometimes it's hard to like the Grammy Album of the Year ;)

For me, it's this one:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-_Paracosm.png

An erstwhile friend used to mostly recommend shit to me, but this is one of the gems.

I don't know what I was expecting before I listened to Trout Mask Replica, but I was surprised and perplexed all the same.

I really thought that I'd hate Death Grips like a lot, but Exmilitary was definitely an album that I still play in near constant rotation.


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtPo8Sa3NE

For me, it wasnt an album but an entire band: Marilyn Manson

I didnt like their whole "shock value" mentality and took an immediate dislike without listening to them , and I so so so wanted to keep on hatin' ---- then, in the late 2000s, I discovered that (musically and as an entertainment entity), they are absolutely phenomenal. Too bad I wasted all that hate energy for all those years......

One recently was Billie Holiday. I didn't really think much of the concept of vocal jazz. I was so serious about the creativity of the music, I missed the beauty of it. I now think she is one of the most beautiful humans to have ever lived thanks to Body & Soul.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V748PYV9L.jpg

Spent 40 years of my life thinking the Grateful Dead were a boring noodle band with no real songs that you could enjoy without being out of your mind on LSD. This album changed that for me completely. I know most people are not interested but it's a great place to start if you are interested in giving them a try. I am not one of those people that listen to a ton of them, I couldn't tell you what shows are good or what year they are from by listening. But I do like them.

^when you're out of your mind on LSD, everything is amazing

I came in here to post this. I cannot get into rap/hip hop for some reason... it's either the lyrics or something else. I love Death Grips though and the stuff people play in plug like Public Enemy.