silent running

Completely pointless this thread, but I wondered if people feel the same way as I do? I've been a music lover for a long long time and through the 80s and 90s I bought albums like there was no tomorrow. But recently I've been 'downsizing' my collection on CDs and vinyl, and noticed that there are quite a few albums that it's no hardship to get rid of at all. Particularly disappointing are the later albums from bands/artists that were brilliant in their own time but have now had their day yet keep churning out rubbish that isn't a patch on their earlier efforts i.e. they ran out of ideas. Usually these kind of albums have one or at most two good tracks on, invariably the singles released to promote the album, and the rest is filler.

So my question is, when is the cut-off point? What and when was the last good album by a band/artist that you have been into? Is there an average amount of albums a good band can release before they go off the boil? I'm really thinking of those bands who released a lot of music - a one or two album career doesn't count. And be honest! We all love our own particular stuff, but there has to be a time when you say enough's enough...

New Order's last good album was 'Republic' which was back in the early 90's IIRC. I think the next one after that was 'Get Ready' which is so **** I've listed it twice on ebay at a quid, and still no-one wants it.

Orbital's last decent one was 'In Sides' - again mid 90's. After that it was just more of the same.

On the strength of those two, 5 albums seems about as much as anyone can make.

I'm trying to think of bands that had one good one and then the rest have been terrible...

Snazy

Under the Silver of Machines - by Last Winter

Rockin and worth buying on a shiny silver disc.

Steve vRS

What's the Story Morning Glory - Oasis

And to even things up...

Parklife - Blur. Song 2 off the self titled album Blur, was good but that was it.

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Iron Maiden

Steve

Steve

CrisPDuk

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

Blondie - Parallel Lines

Lee247

I love the 80's stuff and have downloaded loads of it but................
I am really into Muse. This album is the business: Black Holes and Revelations
Can't really think of a band that has had bad after good. sorry

James Neill

iTrader: (1)

Got given "Reverand and the Makers - The State of Things" recently. Absolutely bloody marvellous. Good music is out there, just need to hunt it down.

mart360

funny i was thinking the same on the way home today

how many bands have had an almost iconic first album, only to fall over on the second album.

Ultravox: first album, Vienna, fantastic. Second album, rage in eden.. hmm (although it has grown on me) the third album & beyond were better

Human league: first album, Dare, awesome. Second album League unlimited, good but not as good.

Duran Duran: first album, Planet earth, good. Second album seven and the ragged.. never bought any more after that


Mart

AlexJReid

High points, just my humble opinion!

Everything Must Go - Manics

Wish You Were Here - Floyd

Born in the USA - Springsteen

oh, and Air - Moon Safari

freedomfighter

amy winehouse best singer after a long time

just sad she is mentally not right but awesome talent

STi-Frenchie

Iron Maiden started off really well with a couple of good albums then went off the boil for a while but their 14th (I think?) and latest A Matter of Life or Death is spectacular!

STi-Frenchie

Korn on the other hand just continue to go downhill....all very subjective stuff.

Steve vRS

Linkin Park - Meteora - Excellent

Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight - Awful

Steve

wakeboardar

hats off to the buskers/ the view
great album from some very young guys

CrisPDuk

U2 - The Joshua Tree

spireite

Saxon denim & leather

michaelro

Agree with these

Plenty of bands / artists have great first albums and follow them up with rubbish:

Hard Fi & Kasabian are 2 recently that spring to mind (IMO)

RHCP & Foo Fighters are still going strong though

silent running

Can't believe I've got so many answers, keep them coming! I think there's definitely a few on there that are 'one album wonders'. The Killers, The Darkness and Keane spring to mind just in recent years. Coldplay had two - Parachutes and Rush of Blood, that was it for them; that X&Y was ****e (but my wife still bought it).

Obviously I can't comment on a lot of the stuff here as it's outside the realms of my own record collection, but from what I've seen so far:

Blur - totally agree. They badly went off the boil, probably due to their various side projects.
Stone Roses and Blondie - spot on. LOL I remember when they released a Stone Roses greatest hits which was basically the first album plus a couple of singles, cos the second album was ****e.
Air - yes Moon Safari was about it for them. In fact their next album was one of the ones I got rid of on ebay.
Duran Duran - LOL Seven and the Ragged Tiger. I was well into DD until at least 'The Reflex' came out.
U2 - hmmm I think 'Zooropa' was a good post-Joshua-Tree album. Marked a change of direction, although they've not matched it since.
Hard Fi - definitely right about them.

What about Happy Mondays? Seriously I think 'Bummed' was their last good album and it was only their second.

old bob

ABBA gold

Holy Ghost

aerial - kate bush. 2005. right up there with hounds of love from 20 years before. masterful. still delicious, still on the boil - even if her work rate is, well, leisurely as a glacier.

NotoriousREV

Agree with the Foo Fighters comment, the latest album is probably their best.

I'd also suggest Radiohead have done something I never thought they would by bettering The Bends and OK Computer with In Rainbows

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

I was thinking this the other day and then I got the Road To Eden......The Eagles abousoutly brilliant
Cheers
Colin

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

I don't think there's many great complete albums out there really, I mean whole albums that gel together and work as a complete piece.

Radiohead OK Computer works as one piece well IMO.

Physical Graffiti is one of my favourites but is pretty much a collection of great songs.

Dark side of the moon works as an album too.

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Metallica for the ultimate 5 album then **** up routine -

Kill Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets, And Justice For All, The Black Album........and then they released Load

(ok, some might disagree with the Black album but it is a classic unlike all that followed it).

In terms of metal there's plenty of good stuff still coming out but can't say the same for any other genres tbh.

STi-Frenchie

I think the Black album was the most commercial and most successful for Metallica but after that, oh god....St Anger was absoulte shyte.

The 2 Alter Bridge albums are class acts....maybe not in the same league as DSOTM or Physical Graffiti but they are two really great albums. Worth checking out!

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

I was going to mention Iron Maiden, and am pleased to see someone beat me to it.

A Matter of Life and Death is, quite simply, one of Iron Maidens greatest ever albums - for a band thats been going for the time they have, thats something to say.

MattW

Agree, but preferred Brave New World, that is a great comeback!

Could give you loads of examples, Marillion Mark II, Magnum, ACDC, Dio, Ozzy, Rush, Queensryce etc

All their earlier stuff was better than the last decade. Have to say U2's last few efforts have been good IMHO.

MattW

The Rising is superb

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

First band I ever saw live when I was about 13

Totally under-rated

Simon C

Rogue Traders - Here come the Drums. Good album. Their second, Better In the Dark has grown on me big time.

I'm sure STi will agree on this 1, Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage.

STi-Frenchie

Inhuman Rampage = Imhuman shredding!!! How fast can those guys play? Herman Li is amazing! DF put the young pretenders -- Trivium, Bullet for my valentine -- to shame. Bring on the twiddly widdly shredders!!! Cheers Simon!