No record collection would be complete without albums like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours or Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin IV. Every music lover’s collection has classic rock staples, but what about the lesser-known offerings that tend to get lost in all those stacks of wax?
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The oddities, the rarities, the deep cuts, oh my! There is so much iconic rock that is too often overshadowed by the genre’s heavy hitters, but deserving of a spin all the same. Here are 10 obscure classic rock albums you didn’t know your collection needed.
1. Link Wray – Link Wray (1971)
Link Wray’s 1971 self-titled album was poorly received from the start; but over the last few decades, it has become one of the pioneering guitarist’s most beloved works. The 11-track album, a glorious blend of folk, country, blues, and gospel, is an honest and authentic representation of the unforgettable artist. Harboring tracks like “Fire And Brimstone,” “Fallin’ Rain,” and “Black River Swamp,” Link Wray makes any collection complete.
2. High on the Hog – Black Oak Arkansas (1973)
For any lover of Southern rock rarities, Black Oak Arkansas’ 1973 opus High on the Hog is a must-have. The album is best known for harboring the band’s take on “Jim Dandy,” but it also holds more examples of their vicious, albeit eccentric country-rock chops.
3. Weeds – Brewer & Shipley (1969)
Brewer & Shipley became a household name thanks to their 1970 classic “One Toke Over The Line,” but the albums prior to their commercial breakthrough have been sadly overlooked. Their 1969 sophomore album Weeds, especially, is an essential. The folk-rock collection is a great showcase of the duo’s artistry with songs like “Rise Up (Easy Rider),” their take on “All Along the Watchtower,” and their hit rendition of Jim Pepper’s “Witchi-Tai-To.”
4. Feelin’ the Blues – The Chambers Brothers (1969)
Any album from psych-soul heroes The Chambers Brothers fits into the record collection, but none quite like their 1969 release Feelin’ the Blues. The long-running band of “Time Has Come Today” fame takes listeners back to their blues roots with their third studio album, a collection of mostly covers that makes for a rapturous experience.
5. Just a Stone’s Throw Away – Valerie Carter (1977)
Rock vocalist Valerie Carter is an overlooked figure in music as a whole. Her 1977 debut Just a Stone’s Throw Away, especially, is deserving of so much more praise. The album, a satisfying blend of belly-aching blues and searing folk, is all at once fiery and delicate, both attitude-fueled and calculated.
6. Fever Tree – Fever Tree (1968)
Prepare to get props from the rock aficionados in your life with a copy of the psychedelic oddity Fever Tree wedged in with the rest of your vinyl. The 1968 self-titled album from the obscure psych-rock outfit Fever Tree is a dizzying masterpiece of dramatic jangles and biting riffs.
7. Gypsy Queen – Priscilla (1970)
The sister of acclaimed vocalist Rita Coolidge, Priscilla was an artist in her own right. While she never saw the success her sister did, she made an album deserving of any collection. Her 1970 debut Gypsy Queen is a bewitching dose of sweltering blues, stirring soul, and blistering rock all wrapped in her desperate, throaty croon.
8. Champagne Jam – Atlanta Rhythm Section (1978)
When it comes to Southern rock outfits, Atlanta Rhythm Section gets too often overshadowed by figures like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band. The band, however, is just as prolific with music that is a gorgeous addition to the Southern rock canon. It’s their 1978 album Champagne Jam, in particular, that holds so many collection-worthy gems.
9. #1 Record – Big Star (1972)
For years, Big Star and their 1972 debut album #1 Record, a work rife with the band’s bewitching harmonies and hair-raising melodies, went unnoticed. With tracks like the stunning “Thirteen,” it is today revered as a cult classic, one that deserves a spot on your shelf.
10. Forever Changes – Love (1967)
Love’s Forever Changes is all the best of the 1960s rolled into 11 tracks. A masterpiece in which dazzling folk rock melts with dramatic orchestral pop and off-kilter psychedelia, the 1967 album is a wild ride of a listening experience. It would take years for it to be recognized as the genius work that it is but today Forever Changes is regarded among the greats.
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