Record Labels that Draw You In But Always Dissapoint

fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
edited May 2013 in Strut Central
i keep buying records on certain labels, perhaps because of cover and label art i keep expecting to find something on them, but i never do. just curious if is there anything at all worth getting on the following labels

-Canadian Talent Library
-Abel
-Opus 3
-Rare Earth
-Choice
-Event
-Mood Records (there must be something decent on this label)

Rep some record labels that consistently dissapoint.
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  Comments


  • pcmrpcmr 5,591 Posts
    buddah records is pretty disapointing they have good releases but the promising/disapointment ratio is very high

    on opus 3 and rare earth

  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    Tony Visconti's Good Earth much more miss than hit.

    Early 70s Decca. Always disappoints.
    70s EMI gems vs turds ratio on 45 is WMIC territory. For every Pilot or FU King or Bimbo Jet killer there's about 315 Julie Covington or Sir Cliff dogs. What an ungodly waste of good natural plastic.

    Worst offender? Pye.

  • GatorToofGatorToof 582 Posts
    I was very pleased with the recent Opus 3 score. The record is from Sweden so I have no way of even vaguely recalling the title or artist, however, the pressing was pretty solid and the grooves were comfortablely spaced and the sound was clear and uncompressed.


  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:
    just curious if is there anything at all worth getting on the following labels

    -Event

    Fatback band has a great release on this label

    Peppers have an "ok" release on this label

  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    i forgot about that fatback one..

    how about:
    -karma sutra label
    -abc/bluesway

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I like the Bluesway label, but that is just me.
    Outlaw Blues Band gots breaks.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Blues label that often disappoints is Blind Pig.
    Even the Ellen McIlwaine with Jack Bruce is not very good.

    Alligator is not much better.

  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Bluesway has some great blues w/rock inspired stuff.
    ECM sucks. 2000 strikes and you're out.
    Chelsea is kinda mediocre. It always looks like it's gonna be the shit and kinda let's me down, although not bad.
    That Ray Charles label has like 3 things on it, all of which look like they're gonna be great and kinda let you down.
    There are some good Rare Earth label stuff, I dunno what yall talkin bout on that either.
    Late 70s A&M and MCA stuff is usually a bummer.

  • HumanacatHumanacat 177 Posts
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    With ECM I like the one Dave Liebman LP Drum Ode, the rest I've listened to is garbonzo.

    No too happy with vanguard 70s stuff and Warner Bros subsidiary Raccoon recently.

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Humanacat said:
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    The Pretty Things
    XIT
    Power Of Zeus
    And the band Rare Earth has some jams.

  • The one for me is definitely Light/Word.
    Where I came up digging, half the shit was xian stuff,
    and I took SO many chances on SO much crap.
    There are a few 1-2 track bangers, but the banger-crap ratio is mad high.

  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    Humanacat said:
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    The Pretty Things
    XIT
    Power Of Zeus
    And the band Rare Earth has some jams.
    Toe Fat
    Lost Nation
    there's more

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    vinylstalker said:
    The one for me is definitely Light/Word.
    Where I came up digging, half the shit was xian stuff,
    and I took SO many chances on SO much crap.
    There are a few 1-2 track bangers, but the banger-crap ratio is mad high.

    Only half is xian?

    First Gear.

    We should do a What's Good On Light/Word/Myrrh sometime.
    Unlike some other labels mentioned, like ECM or Buddah, you gotta listen to these because there is no telling what might be good there.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I never think of ECM as a label that I am taking chances on.
    Almost all the records have the ECM free/chamber/open sound.
    Almost all have the same revolving group of players.
    Almost all are beautifully recorded.
    Almost all will put you to sleep.

  • pcmr said:
    buddah records is pretty disapointing they have good releases but the promising/disapointment ratio is very high
    I learned that very early on.

    Horseleech said:
    Humanacat said:
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    The Pretty Things
    XIT
    Power Of Zeus
    And the band Rare Earth has some jams.
    XIT really? I remember the two on Rare Earth being pretty lame. Is it worth revisiting?

  • SunfadeSunfade 799 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    I never think of ECM as a label that I am taking chances on.
    Almost all the records have the ECM free/chamber/open sound.
    Almost all have the same revolving group of players.
    Almost all are beautifully recorded.
    Almost all will put you to sleep.

    Lol, I agree with this. Besides the earlier releases like the Terje Rydal or Eberhard Weber.

  • SunfadeSunfade 799 Posts
    Definitive Jux

  • rain103rain103 476 Posts
    I cosign with: Buddah.

    For me, these labels tend to be catnip for some reason: Spring and Capricorn

    Among others I can't think of at the moment.

  • cookbookcookbook 783 Posts
    The_Non said:
    Horseleech said:
    Humanacat said:
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    The Pretty Things
    XIT
    Power Of Zeus
    And the band Rare Earth has some jams.
    Toe Fat
    Lost Nation
    there's more

    Rustix

  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    LaserWolf said:
    I never think of ECM as a label that I am taking chances on.
    Almost all the records have the ECM free/chamber/open sound.
    Almost all have the same revolving group of players.
    Almost all are beautifully recorded.
    Almost all will put you to sleep.

    you need the Mike Naura, or the 2 Julian Priester's, or the Wolfgang Dauner. I'm sure there's some others I'm not thinking of but you're right: the music often matches the cover art.

  • HumanacatHumanacat 177 Posts
    Avante garde

  • HumanacatHumanacat 177 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    Humanacat said:
    Definitely agree with Raer Earth, so much horn rock crap.

    The Pretty Things
    XIT
    Power Of Zeus
    And the band Rare Earth has some jams.

    Some of the bad ones are really bad. I have mixed feelings on some of the band rare earth's releases.

    The cats
    Sunday funnies
    Brass monkey
    The impact of brass
    Seem to remember r. Dean Taylor being pretty bad
    Don't know xit, rustix, lost nation, I will have to check those.

  • LaserWolf said:
    vinylstalker said:
    The one for me is definitely Light/Word.
    Where I came up digging, half the shit was xian stuff,
    and I took SO many chances on SO much crap.
    There are a few 1-2 track bangers, but the banger-crap ratio is mad high.

    Only half is xian?

    First Gear.

    We should do a What's Good On Light/Word/Myrrh sometime.
    Unlike some other labels mentioned, like ECM or Buddah, you gotta listen to these because there is no telling what might be good there.

    Ha, no, I meant half the total stock of records in my shitty town.
    Anyway, yes, lets do a light/word/myrrh thread soon, it is an interesting
    hodgepodge of missed opportunities and possibility.

    Oh and cosine on Spring. So much crapolla.
    Oh

    Oh and cosine on Spring. Such crap.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Not sure why there's such a consensus on Buddah. I have a ton of good shit on that label, in all genres. There are some really obscure soul releases on Buddah that are awesome. And honestly, tho I find some crap on there, certainly not a higher ratio than any other big label from the time.

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    SoulOnIce said:
    Not sure why there's such a consensus on Buddah. I have a ton of good shit on that label, in all genres. There are some really obscure soul releases on Buddah that are awesome. And honestly, tho I find some crap on there, certainly not a higher ratio than any other big label from the time.

    I have to say that I have pulled disappointing selections from:

    -Groove Merchant (though I like the O'donel Levy joints)
    -Cobblestone (hit and miss, but more miss than hit)
    -cosine on Spring (though I love that Act I LP I have)
    -Stang
    -All Platinum
    -Vanguard

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • rain103rain103 476 Posts
    Big_Stacks said:

    -cosine on Spring (though I like love that Act I LP I have)

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

    I think that album alone made me think Spring might have some 'sleeper' heat else where (outside of a the Millie joints)...

    Same goes for Capricorn records... I find one dope 45 produced by Willie Hutch and my mind tells me there could be more! Still searching...

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    crabmongerfunk said:

    -karma sutra label



    And yet I kept on buying them. It was like the gambler's fallacy applied to digging. "This label is due for a good record...."

  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    Big_Stacks said:

    -Cobblestone (hit and miss, but more miss than hit)

    lots of great records on cobblestone. in fact, i say that almost all of them are worth getting:

    -catalyst st
    -norman conners joints
    -neal creque joints
    -erik kloss - doors
    -freddie mccoy
    -jimmy heath gap sealer
    -steve kuhn live in ny
    -the vistors
    -pat martino the visit
    -hermeto pascoal

  • LoopDreamsLoopDreams 1,195 Posts
    SoulOnIce said:
    Not sure why there's such a consensus on Buddah. I have a ton of good shit on that label, in all genres. There are some really obscure soul releases on Buddah that are awesome. And honestly, tho I find some crap on there, certainly not a higher ratio than any other big label from the time.

    x 1000

  • kalakala 3,358 Posts
    inner city
    nonesuch
    pablo
    music minus one
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