Another great show guys & a great topic. My choices would be Alter Bridge - debut (2004) through to Walk The Sky (2019). 6 albums. 2022’s Pawns & Kings is also really good, but not as good as WTS. John Mellencamp - Nothin’ Matters (1980) to Cuttin’ Head ( 2001). 13 albums. Cheating slightly as Scarecrow is my favourite, but I love all those albums. Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick (1997) to In Another World (2021), 7 albums. Could also have had Debut through to Dream Police. H/M - Queen, debut through to News Of The World.
ELO from “On The Third Day”,”Eldorado”, “Face The Music”, “A New World Record”, “Out of the Blue”, “Discovery”, “Time” and “Secret Messages”. 1973-1983. BOC from 1972-1981. Even though their other albums are also strong. Also loved the Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ catalog from 1987-1997. No one talks about them. Drive By Truckers from 2001-2010, love this stretch, their albums from 2011-2023 are all good to excellent, “Club XXIII”, is a masterwork.
10cc self titled - Bloody Tourists, they kept getting better and better and better. Bloody Tourists is my favorite 10cc album, love the reggae tinge on the album.
Excellent show! Thank you for the shout out, Jeff! Judas Priest and Jethro Tull are excellent choices! I would go with Talking Heads. Each album from their debut '77 through their fourth album, Remain in Light, showed an improvement and you could also add the more accessible Speaking in Tongues in there too. Cheers!
Sure, loved that show. And this was great fun, thanks for having me on Grant. Looking forward to doing more, at least on topics where I have something to contribute.
I'd never heard of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood before, but really classy. Sort of The Grateful Dead, but also sort of Lynyrd Skynyrd and that Texas sound. Worth a lot more exploring.
17:30 thank you, Tate Davis! I agreed Drive-by Truckers have incredible albums thru Blessing & A Curse where quality starts to fall and lost their way afterwards. Never cared for Isbell solo stuff. When Mike Cooley is engaged and cynical his song writing is top self. Trouble is he's not prolific and Patterson Hood is too prolific. When in DBT, Isbell raised the bar and challenged the others to match him. Decoration Day and Dirty South are totally classic southern rock rate up there with Skynyrd, Blackfoot, CDB, and the Allmans best albums.
When Pontus chose XTC, it reminded me of how much I used to love - and listen to - R.E.M. Personally, l would say their run from Murmur in 1983 to New Adventures in Hi-Fi in 1996 is all top notch stuff. After that, they got a little spotty to me. However, from 1983-1996, their songwriting, playing ability and recording quality kept improving throughout that time period. Another captivating show, cats! Cheers from The Big Apple. 🍏 Rock Out, Prog On & Pogo! Your pal and mine, ~ The Incredible, Edible Dave. AKA Davey Cretin from CRETIN CLASSICS.
Sabbath original lineup actually deserves this distinction. The later albums are not necessarily better but you could argue that the musicianship gets better, if not the direction of all of the songwriting. The last two albums are getting different and disconnected but the performances are excellent
This topic seems conducive to prog groups for some reason. Rush from Fly by Night through Hemispheres Yes from their debut through Close to the Edge Genesis from their debut through Lamb I'd add the wildcard of Hendrix. Only three albums during his lifetime, but I think each was an advancement of the prior. Yes from
I agree with what Grumqa said about Tangerine Dream from 1973 to 81 with one exception: Cyclone from 1978 (the one with the dodgy vocals). For me (and a lot of fans) that album breaks the perfect streak. I acknowledge that some people see is as underrated/a hidden gem though.
I think Mellencamp looks cool in pretty much every album cover, and I do like Jamie's choice. For me, nothing is cooler than Mellencamp on the cover of Whenever We Wanted. That is as rock star as it gets!
April Wine - April Wine - On Record - Electric Jewels - Stand Back AC/DC High Voltage Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Let There Be Rock Powerage Highway To Hell Queensryche - Queensryche E.P. - The Warning - Rage For Order - Operation Mindcrime - Empire
Peter Kerr may slightly disagree with me, but I think INXS improved on every album from their first (S/T) in 1980 to their sixth (KICK) in 1987. I would even dare say their seventh (X) was still strong (albeit safe), and their eighth (Welcome To Wherever You Are) is their most creative. Where could they have gone next, if Michael had not gotten into his accident? Who knows.
The Rolling Stones are a good pick, but unlike Martin I would start right at the beginning. They kick it off with a 5 star album, their debut, and continually improve with each album with the exception of Their Satanic Majesties Request (the weakest of the early albums, though still very good) and arguably Let It Bleed, but that is splitting hairs because Beggars Banquet is the third-best and Let It Bleed the ninth-best album of all time. And of course the getting better ends with Exile On Main Street.
hard one,though i can think of a few bands that started great,got a bit shit,then got great again or bands that started great,went a bit shit,got great again,then got a little bit shit again.a band that got better and better up to obsessions is ufo
On the flip side (and I feel like maybe Martin mentioned this topic before) but how about bands who peaked on their VERY FIRST record, and it was all downhill from there. BOSTON immediately comes to mind.
Aerosmith Get Your Wings Toys in the Attic Rocks Slayer Show No Mercy Hell Awaits Raining Blood South of Heaven Kiss Hotter Than Hell Dressed to Kill Destroyer Buffalo Dead Forever... Volcanic Rock Only Want You for Your Body Soundgarden Ultramega OK Louder Than Love Badmotorfinger Sparks Halfnelson (Sparks) A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing Kimono My House Propaganda Hawkwind In Search of Space Doremi Fasol Latido Hall of the Mountain Grill Jethro Tull This Was Stand Up Benefit Aqualung Trouble Psalm 9 The Skull Run to the Light Trouble Foghat Foghat Energized Rock and Roll Outlaws Fool for the City
Boy Martin, Martin, Martin. Bowie’s glam is top tier haha. Aladdin Sane is my fav! Good discussion as always from you all.
Another great show guys & a great topic. My choices would be
Alter Bridge - debut (2004) through to Walk The Sky (2019). 6 albums. 2022’s Pawns & Kings is also really good, but not as good as WTS.
John Mellencamp - Nothin’ Matters (1980) to Cuttin’ Head ( 2001). 13 albums. Cheating slightly as Scarecrow is my favourite, but I love all those albums.
Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick (1997) to In Another World (2021), 7 albums. Could also have had Debut through to Dream Police.
H/M - Queen, debut through to News Of The World.
ELO from “On The Third Day”,”Eldorado”, “Face The Music”, “A New World Record”, “Out of the Blue”, “Discovery”, “Time” and “Secret Messages”. 1973-1983.
BOC from 1972-1981. Even though their other albums are also strong. Also loved the Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ catalog from 1987-1997. No one talks about them. Drive By Truckers from 2001-2010, love this stretch, their albums from 2011-2023 are all good to excellent, “Club XXIII”, is a masterwork.
Those Ambrosia albums kick ass. I was going to say Kansas debut thru Monolith (or stop one before at Point of Know Return ‘77) deserves mention.
10cc self titled - Bloody Tourists, they kept getting better and better and better. Bloody Tourists is my favorite 10cc album, love the reggae tinge on the album.
Excellent show! Thank you for the shout out, Jeff! Judas Priest and Jethro Tull are excellent choices! I would go with Talking Heads. Each album from their debut '77 through their fourth album, Remain in Light, showed an improvement and you could also add the more accessible Speaking in Tongues in there too. Cheers!
Sure, loved that show. And this was great fun, thanks for having me on Grant. Looking forward to doing more, at least on topics where I have something to contribute.
I'd never heard of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood before, but really classy. Sort of The Grateful Dead, but also sort of Lynyrd Skynyrd and that Texas sound. Worth a lot more exploring.
17:30 thank you, Tate Davis! I agreed Drive-by Truckers have incredible albums thru Blessing & A Curse where quality starts to fall and lost their way afterwards. Never cared for Isbell solo stuff. When Mike Cooley is engaged and cynical his song writing is top self. Trouble is he's not prolific and Patterson Hood is too prolific. When in DBT, Isbell raised the bar and challenged the others to match him. Decoration Day and Dirty South are totally classic southern rock rate up there with Skynyrd, Blackfoot, CDB, and the Allmans best albums.
Kate Bush: The Kick Inside - Hounds of Love
Marillion: Seasons End - Afraid of Sunlight
When Pontus chose XTC, it reminded me of how much I used to love - and listen to - R.E.M. Personally, l would say their run from Murmur in 1983 to New Adventures in Hi-Fi in 1996 is all top notch stuff. After that, they got a little spotty to me. However, from 1983-1996, their songwriting, playing ability and recording quality kept improving throughout that time period.
Another captivating show, cats!
Cheers from The Big Apple. 🍏
Rock Out, Prog On & Pogo!
Your pal and mine,
~ The Incredible, Edible Dave.
AKA Davey Cretin from CRETIN CLASSICS.
Prog band from the UK IQ 40 plus years an amazing back catalogue and they get better and better. New album coming by the end of '24
Sabbath original lineup actually deserves this distinction. The later albums are not necessarily better but you could argue that the musicianship gets better, if not the direction of all of the songwriting. The last two albums are getting different and disconnected but the performances are excellent
This topic seems conducive to prog groups for some reason.
Rush from Fly by Night through Hemispheres
Yes from their debut through Close to the Edge
Genesis from their debut through Lamb
I'd add the wildcard of Hendrix. Only three albums during his lifetime, but I think each was an advancement of the prior.
Yes from
I agree with what Grumqa said about Tangerine Dream from 1973 to 81 with one exception: Cyclone from 1978 (the one with the dodgy vocals). For me (and a lot of fans) that album breaks the perfect streak. I acknowledge that some people see is as underrated/a hidden gem though.
Oops! I don't have Cyclone and didn't know it existed. I'll be sure to not hurry to pick it up.
I think Mellencamp looks cool in pretty much every album cover, and I do like Jamie's choice. For me, nothing is cooler than Mellencamp on the cover of Whenever We Wanted. That is as rock star as it gets!
Rush- S/T thru Moving Pictures
Judas Priest- Sad Wings thru British Steel
Ghost- Opus Eponymous thru Impera
Evening folks
Interesting concept. You could do it the other way:each successive abum is worse than the one preceding it. A perfect example of this is 10cc.
April Wine
- April Wine
- On Record
- Electric Jewels
- Stand Back
AC/DC
High Voltage
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Let There Be Rock
Powerage
Highway To Hell
Queensryche
- Queensryche E.P.
- The Warning
- Rage For Order
- Operation Mindcrime
- Empire
Peter Kerr may slightly disagree with me, but I think INXS improved on every album from their first (S/T) in 1980 to their sixth (KICK) in 1987.
I would even dare say their seventh (X) was still strong (albeit safe), and their eighth (Welcome To Wherever You Are) is their most creative.
Where could they have gone next, if Michael had not gotten into his accident? Who knows.
radiohead till in rainbows
talk talk and the beatles
Yeah very interesting show
I think Muse, Led Zeppelin (up until Physical Graffiti) and The Kinks fit the bill here as well and I think it’s funny nobody mentioned them.
Porcupine Tree....started good....just got more focused and better....
The Rolling Stones are a good pick, but unlike Martin I would start right at the beginning. They kick it off with a 5 star album, their debut, and continually improve with each album with the exception of Their Satanic Majesties Request (the weakest of the early albums, though still very good) and arguably Let It Bleed, but that is splitting hairs because Beggars Banquet is the third-best and Let It Bleed the ninth-best album of all time. And of course the getting better ends with Exile On Main Street.
Hey yall
hard one,though i can think of a few bands that started great,got a bit shit,then got great again or bands that started great,went a bit shit,got great again,then got a little bit shit again.a band that got better and better up to obsessions is ufo
On the flip side (and I feel like maybe Martin mentioned this topic before) but how about bands who peaked on their VERY FIRST record, and it was all downhill from there.
BOSTON immediately comes to mind.
That one's a lot easier, I think. Angel Witch, Witchfynde, and for me, Def Leppard.
Guns n Roses
Aerosmith
Get Your Wings
Toys in the Attic
Rocks
Slayer
Show No Mercy
Hell Awaits
Raining Blood
South of Heaven
Kiss
Hotter Than Hell
Dressed to Kill
Destroyer
Buffalo
Dead Forever...
Volcanic Rock
Only Want You for Your Body
Soundgarden
Ultramega OK
Louder Than Love
Badmotorfinger
Sparks
Halfnelson (Sparks)
A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing
Kimono My House
Propaganda
Hawkwind
In Search of Space
Doremi Fasol Latido
Hall of the Mountain Grill
Jethro Tull
This Was
Stand Up
Benefit
Aqualung
Trouble
Psalm 9
The Skull
Run to the Light
Trouble
Foghat
Foghat
Energized
Rock and Roll Outlaws
Fool for the City
Pffff... a hard one. Couldn't come up with a good fit
Autopsy since reforming 15 yrs ago
🙄
The Stones went crap after Exile.
73-74-75-76. AEROSMITH all got better. IMO. 7️⃣6️⃣. ROCKS 👍💯