Bands That Bow Out Gracefully

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Many times an acts initial release captures an essence that their remaining work fails to equal but i submit that there's a certain type of satisfaction from the band whose career ends with the proper coda -- Ideas appear more fully developed and almost casually mature while still eluding to the youthful exuberance that got them there. We can sight far too many bands who clearly should've long ago moved on, but the acts that call it quits while making their most effective music are what i think seems as the truer success.

Name some noteworthy swansongs. ¥

christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

If you liked them in the first place: Jonathan Fire*Eater.

dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

pink and brown. called it at the apex...

marcg, Friday, 10 January 2003 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Jonathan Fire*Eater

Bowing out and nodding off are two separate things.

hstencil, Friday, 10 January 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden gets my vote.

Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

The Beatles: Abbey Road
Big Star: Sister Lovers

mike a (mike a), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

SPIRIT OF EDEN wasn't their last album, LAUGHING STOCK was.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

antipop consortium w/ arrhythmia?

fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Janes Addiction ALMOST. They had to go and F it up though.

At the Drive-In.

Uncle Tupelo.

nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

big black
my bloody valentine
big star

gygax!, Friday, 10 January 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

--Most of those sound good, but shouldn't there be like a three album minimum?

christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)


Talking Heads' Naked
Swans' Great Annihilator

christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Heh, certainly you're not counting the Big Star reunion then, gygax!?

hstencil, Friday, 10 January 2003 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I was gonna say Talking Heads, 'cause Naked was great, but I don't know about Little Creatures...

nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 10 January 2003 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Little Creatures blew. C'mon nickalish, whatcha got?

christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Oooh, I got a good one!

Disposable Heroes of Hiphopracy!

nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 10 January 2003 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Josef K

Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 10 January 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Debut = Swansong (?)

christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Captain Beefheart?

dleone (dleone), Friday, 10 January 2003 20:19 (twenty-two years ago)

SPIRIT OF EDEN wasn't their last album, LAUGHING STOCK was.

Crud you're aboslutely right Alex. I was going to use both of them which was why I made the screw up.

Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 10 January 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

you got me there hstencil.

gygax!, Friday, 10 January 2003 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

My usual, indefatiguable subjects: Lifter Puller and the Stockholm Monsters. Ludus fits in here as well.

J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Friday, 10 January 2003 21:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Patti Smith almost did it. Almost.

David Allen, Friday, 10 January 2003 21:41 (twenty-two years ago)

"Bowing out and nodding off are two separate things."

Ooooo, snap!

(Coincidentally, The Walkmen is on my stereo currently.)

Mer (Mer), Friday, 10 January 2003 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah well you know Mer I'm never gonna live it down that they stole mics from Jeff Karsin.

hstencil, Friday, 10 January 2003 21:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Buzzcocks, before they blew it and reformed.

Wire, before they reformed in the '80s (though their later stuff is something of a return to form).

Essential Logic.

mike a (mike a), Friday, 10 January 2003 21:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Swans' Great Annihilator
Wasn't their last album, either. Soundtracks For the Blind gets that distinction, no? (not counting live stuff, that is?)

Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

No shit? Heeee hee hee!

If I'm ever over at Marcata again, I'll be sure to ask about that.

Oh, I thought of one. Neutral Milk Hotel.

(They're done, right? Last I heard, Mangum had moved on to making sound collages and, uh, playing with gerbils...)


Mer (Mer), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

if bands reformed then it doesnt count!

chaki (chaki), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Faith no More - Album of the Year
very underrated.

chaki (chaki), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

The Jam, "Beat Surrender"

(please let this be right and not "Bitterest Pill" -- I'm too tired to look it but but htis is what I recall)

felicity (felicity), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, the Pixies, anyone?

o. nate (onate), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

o nate- they should've split after doolittle surely?

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, to me it's a close call between Doolittle and Trompe Le Monde as to which is their best. Some days I say one, some days the other. But perhaps we can at least agree that they left on a relatively high note.

o. nate (onate), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

never heard trompe actually. I stopped after bossanova (its alright but nowhere near the first couple of recs). i'll prob get trompe now.

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 10 January 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)


pink and brown. called it at the apex...

they played a new years show actually...

i guess they're gone... ?

they supposedly are...???
m.

msp, Friday, 10 January 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

did hear about that nye show. coachwhips played too, no? i think things are over though (although there is a forthcoming album on load with unreleased studio / live stuff). it would be the best reunion ever if they rose from the ashes....

marcg (marcg), Friday, 10 January 2003 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you'll like Trompe, Julio. I was disappointed in Bossanova too. That's one that I used to have on CD, that disappeared somewhere over the years, and which I haven't bothered to replace.

o. nate (onate), Friday, 10 January 2003 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

the pixies?? frank black broke up the band with a fax! this is grace? probally a good thing as trompe was a bit of a let down.

kephm, Saturday, 11 January 2003 00:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Intra-band politics aside, I think Trompe was/is a fine album - but I know there are many different schools of thought on what the best Pixies album is - I think all of them have their backers, even "Come on Pilgrim".

o. nate (onate), Saturday, 11 January 2003 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd go with MBV. But there's some folks who still hold out hope...

Galaxie 500 also comes to mind. _This is Our Music_ is still a fine album, featuring a Yoko Ono cover that's actually quite listenable, amazingly enough.

The Stooges. Hell, they just got better and better, right up to _Metallic KO_ (if'n i remember correctly.) Wish i could say the same about the MC5.

Does dying young count? Then Hendrix is right in there.

-Matt, thinking he's gonna get himself in trouble...

Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Saturday, 11 January 2003 00:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, I'd make a case for the MC5's High Time. Good album, but lost in the wreckage caused by Kick Out The Jams

Crowded House comes to mind here along with Slowdive,

Chris Barrus (xibalba), Saturday, 11 January 2003 01:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd *LOVE* to say the Clash (as the myriad of Clash biographers would have you believe), but lest we forget the bucket of cold, cruel water in the face that was.....

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d772/d772067o87t.jpg

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 11 January 2003 02:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Bossa Nova IS the best Pixies album. Even Frank Black agrees.

William R Henderson (Cabin Essence), Saturday, 11 January 2003 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Drive Like Jehu "Yank Crime"
Unrest "Perfect Teeth"
The Zombies "Odessey and Oracle"
Led Zeppelin "In Through The Out Door"
Unwound "Leaves Turn Inside You"
Nirvana "In Utero"
Blue Cheer "Oh! Pleasant Hope"
Polvo "Shapes"
Beat Happening "You Turn Me On"

..and I'd say Karp's "Self Titled LP" would be one, if The Whip didn't already seem like Karp pt 2. anyway

donut bitch (donut), Saturday, 11 January 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll second Chris Barrus on Crowded House. Together Alone was probably as good a swansong as such a band could want - sounded different, less energetic (even when they tried - Locked Out tends to grate) but definitely more intricate and um.. larger (Kare Kare?). The best of and rarities albums released afterwards notwithstanding of course.

Kim (Kim), Saturday, 11 January 2003 08:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"Gracefully" isn't a word that lends itself to this band, but I think Pussy Galore went out with dignity largely intact.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 11 January 2003 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"Bossa Nova IS the best Pixies album"
-- oh 'even' i agree (the poppier the Pix', the better)

t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 12 January 2003 02:22 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, I'd really trust Frank Black what the best Pixies album is. if know anything, i know it wasn't bossa nova.

jack cole (jackcole), Sunday, 12 January 2003 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Loathed to admit it but Eric's Trip quit at top form with Purple Blue though I think they should have carried on.

Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 13 January 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

not a band, but Shuggie Otis

Horace Mann, Monday, 13 January 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Always own for "equal time" i see that I can't even post to my own tread accurately -- tips to Mr. Carruthers.

christoff (christoff), Monday, 13 January 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)


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