A Good Year for the Outlaw

So, basically, it took me a week, but I finally got my “All-Underrated” list complete. If I had to rank ‘em, here’s how it would look, with #1 being most underrated.

BJ’s All Underrated List, Music Category

• 1. Jeffrey Steele
• 2. Kentucky Headhunters
• 3. Mavericks
• 4. Charlie Robison
• 5. Jack Ingram
• 6. Bachman  Turner Overdrive
• 7. Derailers
• 8. Dwight Yoakam
• 9. Three Dog Night
• 10. BoDeans

Now, my all-overrated list. Let me preface by saying the bands/singers on this list aren’t bad by any stretch, they’re all great acts, as a matter of fact. I’ll do an All-sucks list later. But I’m simply saying these acts, while very talented, are overrated, whether it’s by too much airplay, or being too highly regarded by radio consultants, or being too critically acclaimed for what they really are/were. So here goes, and a lot of thought goes into this, some agony, a little pain, but through it all I’m quite serious in coming up with the list.

BJ’s All-Overrated, Music Category

• 1. Led Zeppelin – too much airplay. Classic Rock radio…move on already.
• 2. Toby Keith – country consultants’ Golden Child. He’s good, but not earth shattering. Pretends to be “an Outlaw”, but I’ve seen his perms in his early career…he’s no Waylon Jennings. Never will be.
• 3. The Doors – see #1 above.
• 4. Tim McGraw – sings a little bit, but mostly poses for the ladies. Has never written a song, which is important in my book. Great early, too safe and predictable for the next ten years, seems to be taking more chances lately.
• 5. Lou Reed – I never understood the fascination. Guess the fact I don’t and never have smoked weed must have something to do with it.
• 6. Fleetwood Mac  – Nice stuff, but to me, very average and fluffy.
• 7. Garth Brooks – Yes, he brought new fans to country. But he’s a bit to melodramatic and staged to me, particularly in  interviews. A bit insincere and over emotional. And while I enjoy his uptempo work, his ballads are too contrived and lame for me, for the most part.
• 8. Pink Floyd – Does the lack of pot thing come in again here? They were interesting, but no Beatles.
• 9. Steely Dan – Yawn.
• 10. Rascal Flatts – I know one thing, the only songs I’ve EVER liked by these guys turn out to be the ones that Jeffrey Steele wrote, and in several occasions I’ve heard the songs and said, “okay, that’s not too bad”, and then found out later that Jeff penned ‘em. A female act, for sure. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just overrated in my book, that’s all.

More lists forthcoming.