Bands That Went out on a High Note

[Incandenza]

Their final album was their best album. And let's not get cute and list bands who only released one album. (Though if we were to play that game, I'd include Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein, aka The Best Thing Anyone Ever Affiliated with Def Jux Ever Did.)

Roxy Music - Avalon 1982

Beat Happening - You Turn Me On 1992

Nation of Ulysses - "Plays Pretty for Baby" 1992

Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime 1994

Fugazi - The Argument 2001

At least I can still include Roxy Music in a list like this until they finally release that new, sure-to-be mediocre studio album they've been working on for the past five years. Along those lines, if Camper Van Beethoven had reunited to be a live-only act and had never bothered to record the stunningly MOR New Roman Times, I would have placed Key Lime Pie here.

 

[Incandenza]

By the way, yes, if a band has since reunited and played live shows BUT HAS NOT released a new album—such as Roxy Music or the Pixies (but who in the world would claim Trompe le monde to be the best Pixies record?)—you can count them.

Oh, speaking of that sort of band, I forgot to add in the first post:

Slint - Spiderland 1991

 

[Incandenza]

I was thinking of including Talk Talk's Laughing Stock in the original post, but I love it and Spirit of Eden in equal measure, so, alas....

 

[Byron The Bulb]

Loveless

 

[Gary]

Joy Division's "Closer"

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Since we're going by studio albums...

At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul

White Zombie - Astro Creep 2000

Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorism Acts

This is really hard to do with heavy music since most bands that split and don't reform for a new album do so after a majorly disappointing release or just refuse to break up. If this were a thread of what high note albums bands should have called it quits after then it would be a much longer list.

 

[Incandenza]

I've just been reminded that Beat Happening technically never broke up, in spite of not releasing a new album in nearly 20 years. Still counts for the purposes of this thread, however.

 

[Kinetic]

I don't know that Avalon would crack my top five Roxy Music albums. Siren is the best of the bunch, IMO. And while I'm seemingly the only person who feels this way, I'd gladly take The Colour of Spring over Talk Talk's two more celebrated later albums.

The Beatles.

 

[Incandenza]

I'm in the minority of Roxy Music fans re: Avalon, I know. And for what's it worth, I dislike the two albums that proceeded it—I especially loathe Flesh + Blood—though Avalon is arguably an extension of those albums.

 

[Precious Roy]

Disagree on Roxy Music and Fugazi

Have only heard early Beat Happening and Nation of Ulysses

OTT I can't think of a single band I like that would be a correct answer here

 

[Red Baron]

Northern Lights and Southern Cross by The Band.

 

[BurningPirateShipSex]

Refused-The Shape of Punk to Come.

 

[Precious Roy]

Refused-The Shape of Punk to Come.

Good answer

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

Guns N Roses

 

[BUTT]

No they didn't and do not mention Guns N' Roses on this board

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

How is Use Your Illusion not awesome?

 

[BUTT]

First off, that question will lead to anywhere between five and fifteen snarky posts in this thread discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of the UYI albums and/or the poster who named himself after them. But second, they weren't the last GNR albums and that's what this thread is for.

 

[Rendclaw]

And technically, White Zombie didn't break up, Rob fired them all after he figured out that he could do it all himself.

Actually, so did Axl.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

But has White Zombie, as a collective (Rob, J, Sean Yseult, and {insert drummer, preferably Tempesta}) released an album of new material since?

 

[DMann1979]

I love the album, but I hardly consider Nothern Lights, Southern Cross better than the first two albums. Plus, the band released Islands as the final album.

 

[FLAM]

Not my favorite of theirs, but their best.

 

[Cerebus The Aardvark]

The Afghan Whigs--1965

I consider it the best album of that entire decade, so...yeah.

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

Not my favorite of theirs, but their best.

Amazing album.

 

[Incandenza]

Duh

 

[Cerebus The Aardvark]

Duh

Man, I just don't "get" that album, I guess. It's spectacularly mediocre.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

you are mediocre

How do the Microphones fit into this discussion? Mount Eerie is arguably the best Microphones album, and I guess it was their last, but Phil Elvrum still makes records, just under a different moniker. I'm inclined to say it counts because Mount Eerie (the band) sounds a whole lot different than Mount Eerie or The Glow Part 2.

Unless you count the throwaway EP 2014 (which was made up of pre-Who-Will-Cut-Our-Hair demos) The Unicorns qualify, what with Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone being totally awesome.

 

[Incandenza]

"I Want Wind to Blow" was a mix staple back in the early part of the previous decade, but I could never get into the Microphones as much as I would've liked.

The Unicorns was responsible for the worst live show I've ever seen, but I've shared that story often enough.

 

[The Coat Is My Father]

 

[The Coat Is My Father]

But seriously...

This one is arguable, as Sleater-Kinney were a band that, in my view, had peak after peak after peak in their career, but The Woods is easily the most consistent of their great albums, even with a ten minute song.

 

[FLAM]

Yeah I wanted to post the Neutral Milk Hotel album but I felt kinda silly posting an album by a band that only put out two albums. But what a great album it is.