There was a time when MCA Records had a truly unfortunate nickname in “Music Cemetery of America,” but that’s pretty cruel, inaccurate, and silly. Originally known as Decca Records, the label formed in 1934, infamously turned down The Beatles, stating that The Pre-Fab Four had no future, and famously ALMOST fixed their gaffe by signing their counterparts The Rolling Stones, before going through a name change and rebrand as MCA Records in 1972. Shortly after the modification, the label had an insane starting run with acts like Neil Diamond, Elton John, The Who, and Lynyrd Skynyrd releasing classic albums. Sadly, the label became defunct in 2003, and absorbed into Geffen Records. We attempt to list the top ten underrated MCA Records albums below, so settle in, and let’s take a trip back to a simpler time.
Darwin’s Waiting Room “Orphan” (2001)
You may not have heard of Darwin’s Waiting Room, or the actual Charles Darwin himself, but both the entire country of Jamaica AND the staff at the now legendary hip hop label Cash Money Records sure have… Apology accepted! Honestly, a Shaggy feature would’ve been more than enough to add Darwin’s Waiting Room’s “Orphan” to this here list, but Miami, Florida’s Darwin’s Waiting Room rock so hard that they even epically covered Juvenile’s party anthem “Back That Azz Up” and said rendition appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of “Orphan.” Why this version is NOT on United States editions is beyond us, as the dual vocal combo of lead singer Jabe, yes, Jabe with no last name, and Michael “Grimm” Falk provided a unique/enjoyable rock-tinged listen of a late-90s/early-aughts club banger. To bastardize a quote from WWE’s Sheamus, “It’s HEADbanger after headbanger after headbanger!”
doubleDrive “1000 Yard Stare” (1999)
MCA Records truly had its ears and eyes searching for post grunge-esque active rock in the ‘90s and beyond, as Atlanta, Georgia’s doubleDrive released one of the more high quality and even more underrated full-length debut studio album “1000 Yard Stare” just before Y2K to some, but certainly not enough fanfare. Also, this LP did not have enough staying power as it was the lone MCA Records effort. Want proof? Find someone, potentially ANYONE, who has spoken to you about the lowercase and capitalized act, and even dive into the depths of social media for some shoutouts. Spoiler alert: You’d be hard pressed to find any! Even if you did, they’re all gone now. So, if you want to help the cause, you can tattoo a bruise on your chest, dress yourself in light for the sacrifice, change your belief system, and stand by Mexican Radio like it’s 1999!
Fenix TX “Lechuza” (2001)
Formerly known as Riverfenix, Fenix TX certainly raised the stock of Drive-Thru Records, a then imprint of MCA, with their sophomore studio album, which catapulted the four-piece to a management deal with Mark Hoppus and eventually blink-182’s team, a tour with blink and Bad Religion which eventually got immortalized with blink’s live album, “The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back),” legit airplay from popular rock radio stations across the U S and A, and video play from MTV. Tearjerker: Sadly, “Lechuza,” the band’s third and last album as of now, and likely forever, just didn’t connect when it was released quite like its former. Maybe it was because the pop-punk crowd thought that it was way too heavy instead of sunny? The world may never know but thankfully streams have picked up on this one through the years. And now we’re onto the second DTR album!
Midtown “Living Well Is the Best Revenge” (2002)
Easily a top ten Drive-Thru Records release, Midtown’s sophomore full-length studio album “Living Well Is the Best Revenge” is eleven solid pop-punk/pop-rock songs that open with guitar feedback and close with a badass Vinnie Caruana from The Movielife and I Am The Avalanche feature. There has been much lore about the strained relationship between the band and its subsidiary label, but Google and/or Reddit will provide far more intel than us; have fun. The band had one of the better three album runs from 2000-2004, and sadly split up about a year after their ambitious third/Columbia Records LP “Forget What You Know.” Emo hearts in the know collectively grinned when the band announced that they were going to be a support act for various My Chemical Romance reunion shows. So come on, let go, become what you hate, and request “Still Trying” at your next emo night.
Nonpoint “Development” (2002)
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida usually is in the headlines for negative reasons, with the first two words being, “Florida Man,” but it also deserves notoriety for being the home of one of the more underrated nu metal bands. Nonpoint signed with MCA Records and released their third LP “Statement”… and a literal statement it was, and likely the one you know the band from, if you know the band at all! However, their next and fourth release “Development” is where they truly came into their own, and what a day, deserves your time. Also, like the aforementioned Darwin’s Waiting Room, Nonpoint dipped their toes into hip hop with their song “Tribute,” which mashes up Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, and The Wu-Tang Clan. Funny enough, the song also features one of the vocalists of Darwin’s Waiting Room himself, Michael “Grimm” Falk!
Pretty Boy Floyd “Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz” (1989)
Just two years before Nirvana killed hair metal with a combination of lithium and territorial pissings, Hollywood, California’s Pretty Boy Floyd closed out the ‘80s with their debut LP, the intentionally or unintentionally comically named “Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz.” Sadly this was the band’s lone MCA Records album, but happily, and this is way more en vogue now, the demo version of their song “48 Hours” was in “The Karate Kid Part III,” which featured the debut of actor Thomas Ian Griffith, who played the evil AF Terry Silver, and said role got reprised on recent seasons of “Cobra Kai.” Eventual powerhouse producer Howard Benson of My Chemical Romance and The All-American Rejects fame sat at the helm for this one and the other SWEET hair metal band we’ve yet to mention. Fun fact: Drummer Nick Lane played shows with PBF THIS century, and Sweet F.A. last one!
Semisonic “All About Chemistry” (2001)
The term “one hit wonder” truly works as a double edged sword, as most people would be lucky for their band to have a scotch of a “hit song,” but no one, we repeat, no one, wants just one. If that happens, your band gets forever lambasted and relegated to a punchline that is even older than a swipe at Nickelback. It’s really a shame, but the world is cruel. So, you obviously know that Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Semisonic had a global hit in “Closing Time,” and said song will forever rival “Sweet Caroline” as a number that bar DJs play to forewarn the drunks that they don’t have to go home, but they can’t stay here. Hot take: “All About Chemistry,” the album after “Feeling Strangely Fine,” is an uncut gem and far superior to its former, and we’ve checked your free Spotify accounts, you haven’t listened to it yet!
Spinal Tap “Break Like The Wind” (1992)
This is not a joke, but as Mr. Graffin woah’d, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Want some evidence, natural scientists? 1984’s mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” will forever top many comedic movie lists, and we’re not mad about it. It is SO quotable, and relatable for ANY musician large or small. Anyway, the then-fictional band Spinal Tap’s first album was technically a soundtrack to the movie, and few expected the “band” to throw a curveball to the world by becoming an actual real band, releasing a second album, and removing the quotation marks that were normally forever applied to the group… And the album rips, bro. Just rips. MCA Records rules for signing Spinal Tap and for putting out “Break Like The Wind” during the throes of grunge, flannel, and Seattle. Still, we bet Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, and your mom loved the crap out of it.
Sweet F.A. “Stick To Your Guns” (1989)
Back to hair metal and not the cinematic or jokey kind! Speedway, yes, SPEEDWAY, an enclave of Indianapolis, Indiana, was the birthplace of a band so freaking underrated that they don’t even have a Wikipedia page for you to make silly edits to called Sweet F.A.! In a cool flex, the band signed a deal with MCA Records less than a year after their first show. In a far less cool antonym to a flex, the band left MCA after their debut “Stick To Your Guns” hit stores, released one more full-length studio album called “Temptation,” and split up shortly after. If you like your blues with an array of hard rock and, wait for it, wait for it, sleaze, Sweet F.A. is an underrated act for you to deep dive now. If not, stick to your guns, and listen to, uh, Stick To Your Guns.
Voivod “Nothingface” (1989)
Canada, eh? You bet. Metalheads love when their favorite band signs to a major label and the band’s sound changes ever so slightly to appeal to a more mainstream audience. Right? Doesn’t everyone love that? This album was successful, but when is the last time you talked about it? We thought so.
