Best 4 Album run

[UnderAGlassMoon]

Not sure if this list has been done before, probably has in the last 13 years I've been around here. But it occurred to me tonight while listening to Supertramp's Crisis, What Crisis? how good that four album run was for them, from Crime of the Century through Breakfast in America.

Some others that come to mind, but may be disagreed with,

Pink Floyd-Dark Side to The Wall

Rush-A Farewell to Kings to Moving Pictures

Steely Dan-Pretzel Logic to Aja (excluding Countdown to Ecstasy may ruffle some feathers)

Kansas-Song for America to Point of Know Return


Just a start, keep em' coming.

[mogrooves]

GG: AtT - IaGH
VdGG: The Least... - Godbluff
The Who: Sell Out - Quadrophenia
Steve Miller: Children.... - Saving Grace
Soft Machine: s/t - Fourth
Amon Duul: PD - Carnival...
Beatles: Revolver - The White Album
Jefferson Airplane: SP - Volunteers
KC: Court - Islands
JT: This Was - Aqualung
Dylan: Another Side - BoB

[Facelift]

Rolling Stones - Beggar's Banquet - Exile on Main Street
Led Zeppelin - I-IV
King Crimson - Larks Tongues in Aspic - Discipline
Pink Floyd - Meddle - Animals
Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill - Katy Lied
Genesis - Foxtrot - A Trick of the Tail
Radiohead - The Bends - Amnesiac
Can - Tago Mago - Soon Over Babaluma
The Ramones - st - Road to Ruin

[bob_32_116]

Re Supertramp - I thought Crisis was the weak link in that chain of albums. I love Crime and Quietest Moments; Breakfast in America is good also but suffered somewhat from too much airplay of the singles.

First great four-album run that came to my mind was Midnight Oil: 10-1 through to Blue Sky Mining.

I could be flippant and add Steven Wilson: Insurgentes through to H.C.E.

[arabicadabra]

Dixie Dregs - Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard, Full Circle

[bob_32_116]

Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind through to Fulfillingness First Finale.

I don't rate Songs in the Key of Life as highly - it has some great songs but is also where he started to sound a little bit schmaltzy.

[walt]

Spirit-Spirit s/t-Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Joni Mitchell-Ladies of the Canyon-Court and Spark

[bob_32_116]

Joni Mitchell-Ladies of the Canyon-Court and Spark

Joni is a good example to illustrate why I find it hard to think of artists who had a run of four albums that obviously stand out from the ones on either side. In Joni's case, while I love those four albums, I would also have to include at least the two preceding and the two following those four.

[progeezer's ghost]

DT- A Change of Seasons (if it is indeed an album proper)-Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
PT- Lightbulb Sun-Fear of a Blank Planet (though, imho, the band haven't released a bad album)
Marillion- Clutching at Straws-Brave (though, imho, the band haven't released a bad album)
PF- DSotM-The Wall
Genesis- Nursery Cryme-Lamb
Magic Pie- Motions of Desire-King for a Day
Neal Morse- Testimony-Testimony 2

...and countless others...

[Reid]

Zappa-Uncle Meat/Hot Rats/Burnt Weeny/Weasels

[walt]

Joni is a good example to illustrate why I find it hard to think of artists who had a run of four albums that obviously stand out from the ones on either side. In Joni's case, while I love those four albums, I would also have to include at least the two preceding and the two following those four.

Opinions will vary.

[grego]

Procol Harum s/t - Home
Jethro Tull This Was - Aqualung
Moody Blues Days Of Future Passed - To Our Children's Children Children
King Crimson - ITCOKC - Islands
Beatles - Rubber Soul - MMT
Deep Purple In Rock - WDWTWA
Free Tons Of Sobs - Highway
Robin Trower Twice Removed from Yesterday - Long Misty Days
LZ 2-3-4-5
Bad Company - Bad Co - Burnin' Sky
Gryphon - first album - Raindance
Genesis Trespass - SEBTP

[Paul]

I'll add:

Black Sabbath: s/t - Vol 4
Santana: s/t - Caravanserai
AC/DC: Let There Be Rock - Back in Black
Univers Zero: 1313 - Uzed

[Kavus Torabi]

Voivod: Killing Technology to Angel Rat

[zombywoof]

Cardiacs - Seaside / Little Man / Ships and Irons / On Land and in the Sea
Tull - TaaB / A Passion Play / WarChild / Minstrel

[zravkapt]

Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel

[bob_32_116]

Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel / Peter Gabriel

Four albums - but by whom?

[PeterG]

Voivod: Killing Technology to Angel Rat

+1, with Nothingface being my fav of the 4. And as was so often the case I discovered them from a review in Sean and Marina's Organ fanzine.

[nosebone]

Dixie Dregs - Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard, Full Circle

No

Dixie Dregs - What If, Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard

[PeterG]

Cardiacs - pick any 4 album run from their output.
Uriah Heep - Salisbury to Magicians Birthday
Black Sabbath - a solid six album run from their debut.
Iron Maiden, Bruce Mk.I - NotB, PoM, Powerslave, S in T.
Bruce Mk. II - BNW,DoD, AMoL&D, FF

[bob_32_116]

Quite the iron Maiden fan eh, Peter?

[BobM]

Lots of old bands in these lists. Doesn't seem like many current bands can replicate this kind of run.

[Udi Koomran]

Albert Marcoeur

[trurl]

No

Dixie Dregs - What If, Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard

No, What If, Night of the Living Dregs, Dregs of the Earth, Unsung Heroes

[Lopez]

Byrds - Turn! Turn! Turn!, Fifth Dimension, Younger Than Yesterday, Notorious Byrd Brothers (I've excluded the Greatest Hits LP between Younger and Notorious)
The Flying Burrito Bros. - Gilded Palace of Sin, Burrito Deluxe, s/t, Last of the Red Hot Burritos
The Sir Douglas Quintet - there must be a dozen best four-album runs
Strawbs - Antiques and Curios, From the Witchwood, Grave New World, Bursting at the Seams or go from From the Witchwood to Hero and Heroine
The Move - s/t, Shazam, Looking On, Message from the Country
Jefferson Airplane -After Bathing at Baxter's, Crown of Creation, Volunteers, Bless It's Pointed Little Head