The Album They Should've Stopped With

[Splicer]

There are bands that put out an album that I think are so definitive that in an alternate universe it's the one that they should've called it a day with. One example from our universe that did happen is Synchronicity by The Police. It's only my opinion but I think they broke up at the right time because I don't think they could've topped that one.

Others off the top of my head:

Remain in Light - Talking Heads
Aja - Steely Dan
The Wall - Pink Floyd

I'm just curious if others have an opinion on this subject and if there are bands/albums that they would add.

[battema]

Obviously VERY subjective and I'd best get out my flame-retardant undies for these but...

Genesis - We Can't Dance
3rd and the Mortal - In this Room
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Van Halen - Balance

Although in a few of these cases, rather than "they should've quit after this" I'd probably go with "they should've taken a breather rather than trying to push ahead."

[SteveSly]

There are bands that put out an album that I think are so definitive that in an alternate universe it's the one that they should've called it a day with. One example from our universe that did happen is Synchronicity by The Police. It's only my opinion but I think they broke up at the right time because I don't think they could've topped that one.

Others off the top of my head:

Remain in Light - Talking Heads
Aja - Steely Dan
The Wall - Pink Floyd

I'm just curious if others have an opinion on this subject and if there are bands/albums that they would add.

I would agree with you on "Synchronicity". The perfect end to their career.

[moecurlythanu]

I'm a "more is better" guy. Rather than quit on a high point, which strikes me as a 'navel gazing for academics' kind of thing, I'm glad for every good song these bands put out after their high point was past, even if that also means wading through some garbage.

[battema]

I'm a "more is better" guy. Rather than quit on a high point, which strikes me as a 'navel gazing for academics' kind of thing, I'm glad for every good song these bands put out after their high point was past, even if that also means wading through some garbage.

I'm a Yes fan too

[battema]

I'm a "more is better" guy. Rather than quit on a high point, which strikes me as a 'navel gazing for academics' kind of thing, I'm glad for every good song these bands put out after their high point was past, even if that also means wading through some garbage.

Joking aside, I agree. I don't need or wish that a band had stopped at any given point, and I don't buy into the whole "they tarnished their legacy with this release!" nonsense. My list is indeed mostly a navel-gazing thought experiment into the points where, had these bands stopped at that moment and not continued, I don't think I would feel I missed anything essential or classic.

[Splicer]

I'm a navel gazer - my own and everyone else's. Like it was said above, it's a thought experiment and not some definitive statement on a band or music. Although I don't think anything that came after Remain in Light was as good.

[Splicer]

Also, it's a whole other discussion about how I think a track list of an album should've been put together.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

I think a better title for this thread might have been "If

Chicago -- VII (or arguably XI).

The Who -- either Who Are You or, for the more generous, It's Hard.

Nektar -- I do love Magic Is a Child, but really, nothing after Recycled comes close to the run of albums that ended with it.

Pink Floyd -- I'm going to argue and say Animals. The Wall would have been a great album by someone else, but compared to the three album run beginning wiht DSotM, it's really weak.

Bowie -- Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). Though that last album might still change my mind.

Gentle Giant -- Interview. (This one is just shooting fish in a barrel...)

The Beatles -- Abbey Road. Oh, wait...

[3LockBox]

Talking Heads Little Creatures was a great album. Steely Dan Two Against Nature was superb.

[3LockBox]

Joking aside, I agree. I don't need or wish that a band had stopped at any given point, and I don't buy into the whole "they tarnished their legacy with this release!" nonsense.

[cough, cough] Love Beach[cough, cough]

[Tangram]

I’m not in the camp that a group should stop. The fans and or sales will tell them that. If I don’t like what the band is offering, than I don’t buy it. Of course this is from someone who had some groups on auto buy for decades. But that list was small. Stopped Chicago after VII which is one of my favs. Sporadically got some others over the years but decided the boxes were the way to go. All things Floyd except Syd. All things Genesis although my SH and AP sections need work. PC and Mike + wore out there welcome. TB got to 6 and PG still going strong. I stopped Yes after the wonderful Magnification. Saw no reason to return. I have all things APP and AP until the last album. It doesn’t work for me so no need getting something to take up space.

I’ve jumped off back on the good ship Tangerine Dream several times over the decades.

Basically there is no AutoBuy anymore. Yeah that would have made a much shorter post. I try before I buy.

[JKL2000]

Talking Heads Little Creatures was a great album. Steely Dan Two Against Nature was superb.

Not to mention Speaking in Tongues, which for me is tied with Remain in Light for first place.

[MudShark22]

There are bands that put out an album that I think are so definitive that in an alternate universe it's the one that they should've called it a day with. One example from our universe that did happen is Synchronicity by The Police. It's only my opinion but I think they broke up at the right time because I don't think they could've topped that one.

.

Using the above - absolutely Asia s/t would have been a contender.

Also - U2 never did better than The Unforgettable Fire.

And perhaps, The Stones Tattoo You would be a contender


Sent from my NE2217 using Tapatalk

[Progbear]

Amon Düül II: I'm going to be generous and say Made in Germany
Can: Landed. Flowmotion if I'm feeling magnanimous.
E.L.O.: Time
E.L.P.: Brain Salad Surgery
Eloy: Time to Turn
Genesis: Duke
Renaissance: Azure d'or
Todd Rundgren: Nearly Human
XTC: Apple Venus (Vol. 1)

[Trane]

My personal stops / recommended for others stops

ATTWT / Duke
On The Third Day / Out Of The Blue
Tarkus / BSS
Prologue / Novella
Relayer / Drama
Hemispheres / Moving Pictures
Wall / TFC
Crown Of Creation / Volunteers
Borboletta / Inner Secrets
Rocks / Draw The Line / Live Bootleg
Vices/Habits / Stampede
Sleep Dirt / Joe's G 3




where they're the same stops
Interview
Speaking In Tongues
Burn
LLRnR
Who Are You
House Of The Holly
Mob Rules
Stormwatch
Sardonicus
Tangram
Stunning Cunts
Broken Barricades (or Edmonton-)
Brother Where You Bound
Mysterious Traveller
Romantic Warrior
Some Girls
Rust Never Sleeps
Live Dates
Fire Unknown Origin
swirly Terminations

[chalkpie]

Aja - Steely Dan

I love Gaucho, so.....

Opeth - Ghost Reveries

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.................Ouch.

Ouch.

You couldn't have at least made it to Watershed?

[battema]

I love Gaucho, so.....



Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.................Ouch.

Ouch.

You couldn't have at least made it to Watershed?

You know I almost did

I'm not trying to troll on that one, and definitely why I said it's just navel-gazing for me. For whatever reason, I've not been able to connect with anything from their prog era *shrug*

[Digital_Man]

In an ideal musical world:

Alan Parsons Project - Turn of a Friendly Card
Genesis - Wind and Wuthering (maybe change the name of the band or something maybe Duke at the latest)
Yes - Going for the One (I like later Yes but they stopped being the same band at the end of the 70s)
Led Zeppelin - PG
Pink Floyd - Animals
ELP - BSS (I'm sure few would disagree with this)
King Crimson - Red (later stuff is not the same band imo)
The Rolling Stones - Some Girls
The Who- Who are You (not a who expert but this seems reasonable even though I like some of the later stuff)

Heck most bands should have stopped when punk came along. Lol. Ok, not really but sometimes it seems that way.

[ronmac]

Nektar -- I do love Magic Is a Child, but really, nothing after Recycled comes close to the run of albums that ended with it..

"Evolution" stacks up very well with the classic albums.

[Digital_Man]

"Evolution" stacks up very well with the classic albums.

I have the one after it, Book of Days. I played it once and really did not care for it. If Evolution is anything like that one then I would doubt it's as good (or nearly as good) as the earlier stuff. I have autographed copies of Prodigal Son and Man in the Moon (never heard the one with a young Brooke Shields on the cover though) and think those really aren't too bad.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

In an ideal musical world:

Alan Parsons Project - Turn of a Friendly Card
Genesis - Wind and Wuthering (maybe change the name of the band or something maybe Duke at the latest)
Yes - Going for the One (I like later Yes but they stopped being the same band at the end of the 70s)
Led Zeppelin - PG
Pink Floyd - Animals
ELP - BSS (I'm sure few would disagree with this)
King Crimson - Red (later stuff is not the same band imo)
The Rolling Stones - Some Girls
The Who- Who are You (not a who expert but this seems reasonable even though I like some of the later stuff)

Heck most bands should have stopped when punk came along. Lol. Ok, not really but sometimes it seems that way.

I am actually on board with all of these.

[ronmac]

I have the one after it, Book of Days. I played it once and really did not care for it. If Evolution is anything like that one then I would doubt it's as good (or nearly as good) as the earlier stuff.

If "Evolution" was like "Book of Days" (which is actually a demo), then I would have listed both, now wouldn't I?

[davis]

I'm a "more is better" guy. Rather than quit on a high point, which strikes me as a 'navel gazing for academics' kind of thing, I'm glad for every good song these bands put out after their high point was past, even if that also means wading through some garbage.

Navel Gazing for Academics sounds like a great band name.

[davis]

I think a better title for this thread might have been "If

The Beatles -- Abbey Road. Oh, wait...