Best Album Runs of All TIme?

stubhead

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Here's the category: three or more PERFECT albums in a row, the albums or CD's where it would be sacrilege to even think of skipping over songs* because the whole album is, like, PERFECT:

Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street
Led Zeppelin: I, II, III, IV  (duh....)
my winner:
Steve Morse Band: Southern Steel, Coast to Coast, Structural Damage, Stressfest

There are innumerable one-offs like "Layla" and "Dark Side of the Moon", but three in a row.... I know I am isolated in thinking great, stupendous bands like the Beatles & Hendrix often shot blanks and periodically excreted turkey poop, but I could die happy never hearing "Rocky Raccoon" or "Little Miss Strange" again. :hello2:


*(Except, of course, when you need an anthemic booster re-charge) :party07:
 
Well, part of this depends on your definition of "perfect", but there's lots of examples, mainly guitar heroes below

Jimi Hendrix (well, DUH!) - Are you Experienced, Axis Bold as Love, Electric Ladyland

And why didn't Jeff Beck - Blow by Blow, Wired , Live with Jan Hammer Group immediately spring to mind?

Tommy Bolin - Teaser, Private Eyes, From the Archives, Vol. 1 (I realize the 3rd is a posthumous stretch, but material on it would have been on the 3rd solo album)
Steve Hillage - L, Motivation Radio, Green
Savoy Brown - Looking In, Street Corner Talking, Hellbound Train

How about MORE than 3 in a row?

Allman Bros. - Allman Bros. Band, Idlewild South, Live at the Fillmore East, Eat A Peach, Brothers and Sisters

Record has to go to Little Feat, 7 in a row:

Little Feat (1971) Sailin' Shoes (1972)  Dixie Chicken (1973) Feats Don't Fail Me Now (1974) The Last Record Album (1975) Time Loves A Hero (1977) Waiting for Columbus (1978)

There's lots more....
 
Um hello.... Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper??

Edit: Oh, I also like all 6 of the White Stripes' albums.
 
Stubhead you say that Dark Side was a one off but in my opinion everything Pink Floyd recorded from Meddle to The Wall was perfect, so that's a rather impressive 5 albums:

Meddle, Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall

I'd extend the Led Zep list to include Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti.

One band that many may not think of is Godspeed You! Black Emperor, only released 3 albums and a EP but those 3 albums and indeed the EP I'd never skip a song on.

Now I move on to a band which I'm really biased in favour of, Porcupine Tree who have had a very long run of albums I'd never skip a song on:

The Sky Moves Sideways, Signify, Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear Of A Blank Planet

Rush: 2112, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres

Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun, (), Takk, Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

Van Der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts, Godbluff, Still Life, World Record

EDIT: Just thought of some more:

Bass Communion: Continuum II, Pacific Codex, Molotov and Haze

ELP: ELP, Tarkus, Trilogy, Brain Salad Surgery

Yes: The Yes Album, Fragile, Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans, Relayer, Going For The One.

 
I was tempted to add more Steven Wilson related stuff by bringing up IEM. Oh and I would also include King Crimson but my collection is still full of holes. ;)
 
Blue Oyster Cult up until Albert left.
Jefferson Airplane up until Marty left.
Hawkwind up until Lemmy left.
 
Britney Spears...Baby One More Time, Oops I did it again, Britney

You guys have no taste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Max said:
I like the Who's Live at Leeds, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia.
I think you mean Live at Leeds, Tommy, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia. 

Here are some others

Nirvana:  Nevermind, In Utero, Unplugged in New York
Santana:  Santana, Abraxas, 3

Uh... pretty much every really great band eventually releases 3 albums in a row.  That's what makes them good bands.  :D
 
dbw said:
Max said:
I like the Who's Live at Leeds, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia.
I think you mean Live at Leeds, Tommy, Who's Next, and Quadrophenia. 

Here are some others

Nirvana:  Nevermind, In Utero, Unplugged in New York
Santana:  Santana, Abraxas, 3

Uh... pretty much every really great band eventually releases 3 albums in a row.  That's what makes them good bands.  :D
Leeds came after Tommy ;) I haven't heard Tommy, so I don't know how that sounds. I guess I'll need to find a copy. I do have Leeds, Next, and Quadrophenia.
 
Nick Ellingworth said:
Stubhead you say that Dark Side was a one off but in my opinion everything Pink Floyd recorded from Meddle to The Wall was perfect, so that's a rather impressive 5 albums:

Meddle, Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall

One band that many may not think of is Godspeed You! Black Emperor, only released 3 albums and a EP but those 3 albums and indeed the EP I'd never skip a song on.

I'm with ya on the Floyd and GY!BE.  Also I haven't heard an album from Thee Silver Mt. Zion yet that I didn't love.

My list would include Silverchair (from Frogstomp to Diorama), AFI (from Black Sails in the Sunset to DecemberUnderground), The Offspring (from their self-titled to Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace), Megadeth (All their albums), Devin Townsend (Everything), Strapping Young Lad (Everything), Tool (Everything), Bloodhound Gang (Everything), Alice in Chains (Sap, Jar of Flies, Dirt)

...

I'll probably think of more, but I doubt you guys would agree anyway :p
 
Max said:
How does Animals stack up to Floyd's other releases there?

Animals is fantastic. I highly recommend it. Dave Gilmour's playing on it is some of his best ever. Great album, often overlooked.
 
GoDrex said:
Max said:
How does Animals stack up to Floyd's other releases there?

Animals is fantastic. I highly recommend it. Dave Gilmour's playing on it is some of his best ever. Great album, often overlooked.
I'll try to get my hands on it.
Isn't that were the Pink Floyd Pig came around? I don't remember, but there's a floating pig on the cover, right?
 
Yeah that's the one with the Pig.  You're lucky - I'd like to be able to hear that for the first time again. ;)
 
Animals never did it for me.  Sorry.  :dontknow:  DSOTM is where it's at.

Max, not having heard Tommy is CRAZY!!!  Go listen to it immediately.
 
I'll try. I'll add it to my list of CD;s to get. Birthday in 2 weeks, and CD's are pretty much all I want.

I've seen the movie Tommy about 3 times.  :sad1:
 
Creedence Clearwarer Revival. Up until Mardis Gras, not a dud in the bunch.
 
I didn't forget the Who, the Allman Brothers, Jeff Beck, Little Feat & Yes, I just didn't put them on the list.... gotta leave something for you guys to do. :cool01: I lost the ability to meld with Pink Floyd when I stopped smoking massive quantities of boo, back around 1982 or so. Why are they so slow..... :dontknow: Electric Ladyland is one of my all-time faves, but I still contend that songs like "Little Miss Strange" and "Crosstown Traffic" queer the deal - skip 'em like hopscotch. Hendrix contended all his life with dweebmeisters who were pressuring him to act normal and make pop songs - let's not even mention Cream's attempts at top 40 radio fare.... :sad:

(no Steely Dan?) :dontknow:
 
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