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Lewian View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 26 2021 at 04:34
I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

Are there any other bands that
a) have at least four albums, and
b) their last album is the best and their first is the worst, or, even better, of which every album is better than the one before?

Seems quite unusual to me. Most bands tend to pack it in after a last album that didn't really work, or they go on well after their prime. I'm not blaming them... play as long as you have fun, but don't be surprised that fans tend to be nostalgic...
"First album worst" is probably more normal; many bands take some time to find their best shape. (I'm not asking to list all those.)


Edited by Lewian - August 26 2021 at 06:45
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Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 05:47
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote omphaloskepsis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 05:58
Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, and Wobbler come close.
If you had asked this question in 1981, I'd nominate Rush.
Cocteau Twins got better with each album until 1990's Heaven or Las Vegas.


Edited by omphaloskepsis - August 26 2021 at 06:07
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Lewian View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:02
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink

Now mine may be a minority position, and I do realise that the last two albums are not for everyone, but yours seems to be even more outlandish. You seriously prefer The Party's Over to It's My Life and The Colour of Spring? Shocked
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chopper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:13
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink

Now mine may be a minority position, and I do realise that the last two albums are not for everyone, but yours seems to be even more outlandish. You seriously prefer The Party's Over to It's My Life and The Colour of Spring? Shocked
To be fair, Talk Talk's last few albums sound like a different band to the one who made their debut album. I once saw them in their early days supporting Duran Duran, they were very much a synth-pop kind of band then. Having said that, "Spirit of Eden" is the best album that they, or in fact anyone, made. imo of course.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:18
A rare thing--especially for bands with long careers. These are the only ones that come to mind for me:

maudlin of The Well
Pendragon
Cicada (the Tiawanese Post Rock chamber band)
Monobody
Weserbergland
John Holden
Karnivool
Bubblemath
Motorpsycho
Midas Fall
Landberk
Battlestations
Anna Von Hausswolff



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omphaloskepsis View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote omphaloskepsis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:30
Originally posted by BrufordFreak BrufordFreak wrote:

A rare thing--especially for bands with long careers. These are the only ones that come to mind for me:

maudlin of The Well
Pendragon
Cicada (the Tiawanese Post Rock chamber band)
Monobody
Weserbergland
John Holden
Karnivool
Bubblemath
Motorpsycho
Midas Fall
Landberk
Battlestations
Anna Von Hausswolff

That's a good list.  Ciccada (Greek Eclectic Prog) has a solid three album run...alas one short. 



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Saperlipopette! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:33
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink

Now mine may be a minority position, and I do realise that the last two albums are not for everyone, but yours seems to be even more outlandish. You seriously prefer The Party's Over to It's My Life and The Colour of Spring? Shocked
Yours is not a minority position really. The ratings (and number of ratings/reviews) at RYM is close to "consensus" among music interested people and critics alike in regards to their album post break-up popularity. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:43
^ Nice one. I tend to think that this illustrates how strange a bunch of people RYM raters are. I'm fine with that of course.

@BrufordFreak: Nice list. I don't know all Battlestations and Motorpsycho albums, but from those I know I tend to agree that they got better and better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 06:58
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink

Now mine may be a minority position, and I do realise that the last two albums are not for everyone, but yours seems to be even more outlandish. You seriously prefer The Party's Over to It's My Life and The Colour of Spring? Shocked
Actually, I think yours is the majority opinion here at ProgArchives, seeing as many PA members regard Spirit of Eden as being Talk Talk's best album by far, but yes, in my case I really do like The Party's Over album best of all. After all, it's the only Talk Talk album I bought on the original vinyl and it also features the two hit singles, "Today" and "Talk Talk" Thumbs Up

Going back to the subject of your original question, I think YES are one of the bands that have improved over time, with Talk (1994) and The Ladder (1999) being my two favourite YES albums overall. Yes, really! Smile

I'll also mention ELP too, where Works Vol. 1, Love Beach and Black Moon are all preferable to Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery, although I realise that's a minority opinion here. Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chopper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 07:06
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Going back to the subject of your original question, I think YES are one of the bands that have improved over time, with Talk (1994) and The Ladder (1999) being my two favourite YES albums overall. Yes, really! Smile

I'll also mention ELP too, where Works Vol. 1, Love Beach and Black Moon are all preferable to Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery, although I realise that's a minority opinion here. Wink
As you say, minority opinions and the op says bands who's best album is their last. You're not going to convince many people that Heaven & Earth is Yes' best album (or the next one when it comes out). Same with ELP.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 07:17
Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Going back to the subject of your original question, I think YES are one of the bands that have improved over time, with Talk (1994) and The Ladder (1999) being my two favourite YES albums overall. Yes, really! Smile

I'll also mention ELP too, where Works Vol. 1, Love Beach and Black Moon are all preferable to Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery, although I realise that's a minority opinion here. Wink
As you say, minority opinions and the op says bands who's best album is their last. You're not going to convince many people that Heaven & Earth is Yes' best album (or the next one when it comes out). Same with ELP.
Even I wouldn't go so far as to claim that Heaven & Earth is the best Yes album, or that Love Beach is the best ELP album, although they're both in my respective Top 7 albums lists for each band. Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Saperlipopette! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 07:17
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

^ Nice one. I tend to think that this illustrates how strange a bunch of people RYM raters are. I'm fine with that of course.
Not really. It reflects what music interested people around the world are into - and still listen to. You'd find the same "result" at Allmusic, Pitchfork (where only their two last albums are reviewed). Here's the incoming result from Sputnikmusic (and you'll find a similar trend at PA, except that Spirit of Eden is 1 and Laughing Stock 2):

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 07:20
^ Maybe music interested people around the world are a strange bunch of people. Big smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miamiscot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 07:57
Talk Talk is the right call here. All five albums are super cool but they got better and better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Saperlipopette! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 09:03
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

^ Maybe music interested people around the world are a strange bunch of people. Big smile
Perhaps. People that aren't interested in music probably recognizes It's My Life and Life's What You Make It (+ maybe It's A Shame), but probably doesn't don't know the name of the band behind them. They most certainly doesn't have any Talk Talk album preferences.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nogbad_The_Bad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 09:34
Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I wrote in the "best album worst album" thread that Talk Talk's worst album is the first and their best album is the last. The latter one may be an unpopular choice (most probably think that The Spirit of Eden is best), however I think that they really became better with every single album (if over the last three only by 0.01% per album Wink).

 fans tend to be nostalgic...)

Funnily enough, while we're talking about Talk Talk, their "best album" for me is their debut and their "worst album" is a Laughing Stock, which is no laughing matter. Wink

Now mine may be a minority position, and I do realise that the last two albums are not for everyone, but yours seems to be even more outlandish. You seriously prefer The Party's Over to It's My Life and The Colour of Spring? Shocked

I'm with you Lewian
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mirakaze Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 09:36
If you'd asked me a year ago I would have answered Rascal Reporters (and I apologize for talking about this band too much). Their debut is a bit patchy and meandering but every album they've made after that has been great, and while I don't think they followed a consistent upward line of quality the whole time, their 2019 album Redux 1 is one of my favourite albums of all time. Their latest release from this year is still really good but not quite up to that standard in my opinion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Progmind Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 10:35
Agree with Lewian, Talk Talk is the right answer.

Another great band that evolve is Enslaved
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progaardvark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2021 at 11:29
I combed through my entire collection and found this to be an especially difficult task. The only artist I found that qualifies is Versus X (four albums all better than the previous; PA also reflects this). Two other artists where I feel like they've been better with each album, but isn't reflected with PA ratings is Discipline and The Horse Lords.

It seems many bands followed a bell curve pattern (with some wobbles) or wobbled around a bit. A few start off going in the opposite direction: great debut, but each following release was slightly less interesting.

I'm not familiar with Talk Talk, but they have been on my list of future things to listen to for a long while now.
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