Acts that waited 10 years or more to release their best album

He waited at least ten years before making "Band on the run" i.e. *his* best album.

(I'm not saying it was better than the bugs' best album, just saying he waited etc....)

if so, kate bush!

Yes, I do think it's better than In The Court Of The Crimson King.

1975

[...]

July: EMI start negotiating to sign Kate.

June: Dave Gilmour pays for Kate to record at London's AIR studios. From Kate's large number of home demos The Man With The Child In His Eyes, Saxophone Song and Maybe are chosen to be recorded. The first two are released on her 1978 debut album The Kick Inside. (Note: 'Maybe' has never been commercially released by Kate).

Others:
Lucinda Williams, "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road."
Lou Reed's "Blue Mask" (1982) was better than anything since his solo debut in 1972.
Sinatra's best stuff was in the mid- to late-1950s, more than 10 years after he first recorded.
Charlie Rich, "The Fabulous Charlie Rich" (1969).

Charlie Rich

My favourite song, she said
It was Joni singing "Help Me I Think I'm Falling"

Apparently. :)

Then you are entering jazz territory, which brings a lot of examples. Miles Davis, anyone.

Parliament, definitely.

Michael Jackson - at least 10 years between "I Want You Back" and Thriller

Jeff Tweedy - YHF was 12+ years after debut of Uncle Tupelo.

Neil Young would qualify for those who think Rust (or something later) is his best (I vote for After The Goldrush, but opinions vary).

Shelby Lynne - signed to EMI in 1987, I Am Shelby Lynne released in 1998 (best new artist Grammy).

Tom Waits - signed to Asylum in 1971, Swordfishtrombones->Frank's Wild Years mid 80s, Bone Machine 1992

Bruce Springsteen - Lots of folks think Tunnel of Love is his best, and that would count. This is like Dylan for me -- whether or not you think it's the best, it's clearly major work more than 10 years out.

R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough did their best work in their 50s-60s. So did Muddy Waters, for that matter. Vast numbers of blues artists ought to qualify. Country artists, too, for that matter. Dolly Parton has arguably been doing her best work over the past 10 years. George Jones must have been more than 10 years in at his peak.

Emmylou Harris was recording in the early 70s; her best is probably Wrecking Ball (mid 90s).

Ted Hawkins spent about 30 years busking, and released two albums, one in the early 80s and one in the late 90s, either one of which would qualify.

Frank Zappa - not sure I know what people consider his best, but Mothers debuted in 1966, so anything after 1975 would count.

ah, another artist : r-kelly - choco fac.

And Los Lobos - indie release in 1978, Kiko in 1993.

Another obvious one is Paul Simon: Graceland 20+ years into his career.

I think this is actually more likely to happen now than in the past. Recording is cheap enough that people start releasing stuff very early, and they can spend a long time with decent, unsensational success building an audience. Also, there are enough boomers willing to buy new music by older artists, and another demographic bulge coming with today's late teenagers, and the youth rebellion aspect of pop music is completely moribund, so I suspect there will be more 40+ artists with an audience as time passes.

For example, Death Cab, which seems to be on an REM-like trajectory. It wouldn't surprise me at all if their next release is their best, or the one after that. Or Bright Eyes. Neko Case. Or people who got over-hyped too early, but actually have some talent -- a few of them are going to produce fine comeback releases.

The big question is whether there will still be "albums" by then, so we can compare apples to apples.

Um ... Sinatra ain't jazz, son. And anyway, you didn't specify a genre.

Green Day I can go with. But U2 and R.E.M. Sista pleeze.

Pretty much the same deal with REM. Lots of folks think Automatic is their best, and if that's the case, then they qualify too.

Achtung Baby better than War or Joshua Tree = Nonsense

Automatic for the People better than Reckoning, Life's Rich Pageant, or Document = Nonsense

(I'm saying that's not the case, therefore nonsense. Though I'm closer to R.E.M. because Automatic is a great album. But they ruin it with that Sidwinder Sleeps Tonight tripe. But to say it's their best is a longshot...)

If Street's Disciple had been narrowed down to a single disc, I would've said Nas.

"Automatic for the People better than Reckoning, Life's Rich Pageant, or Document = Nonsense"

This is a severe misuse of the term "nonsense". I happen to agree with you about the relative merits of the albums involved, but I know that many, many people disagree with us, and that valid arguments (assuming for the moment that the phrase is not an oxymoron) can and are advanced for the superiority of AB or AftP. The question in each case is certainly close enough that reasonable people can disagree, and what's more the majority answer is bound to fluctuate over time as current tastes change our view of the past. It's empty hyperbole to use "nonsense" when there's a bona fide question of tastes and values. ("Nonsense" would be calling All That You Can't Leave Behind or Pop U2's best.)

Ghostface Killah (arguably Fishscale (2006) best, career measurement either begins with Enter The 39 Chambers (1993)or Cuban Linx (1995))

Blackalicious (arguably The Craft (2005) best, early singles released circa 1995)

The Roots (arguably Phrenology (2002) best, about 9.5 years after release of Organix (1993))

And all of these could still top themselves.

Bjork's first solo LP was in 1977, you're safe to nominate any other album she has ever released

-- Joseph McCombs (jmccomb...), May 23rd, 2006."

that Morrissey part is a joke, right?

Re: use of nonsense, I understand subjectivity, but what's the point of a debate about pop music without a little intractable opinion? I'm just trying to rile ya...

I agree with King Crimson/Discipline.

tom waits is a lock, as good as the early stuff is. not sure where I'd pinpoint the 'peak' though honestly.

Ghostface Killah (arguably Fishscale (2006) best

i

Except "13" was their worst.

*cue more 'Clash of the Titans' images*

13 is their best in so many different ways. Don't get me wrong, every single album of theirs is superb, but 13 is the single album I own whose every track is radically different to every other, yet throughout, a strong musical and emotional theme is miraculously sustained, and a progression is formed through the wildly disparate effects created by the imaginative instrumentation and HIDEOUSLY creative production involved. The tunes themselves are generally as strong as any in the Blur oeuvre, but on this album more than others they are back up with some jawdropping realisation.

Tender - This song was my first Blur song, yet I spent the first 6 months thinking it was some really, REALLY ace American band. There's no messing with this one, from its awesome chorus to its tastefully-applied gospel choir.

Bugman - Blur KICK SOME ASS. They never did this so well before, or since. The last two minutes are worth the album price alone, as Coxon and his guitar do some quite illegally delicious things.

Coffee And TV - EVERYONE likes this song, right?

Swamp Song - The simple 3-chord thrash to end all others. Succeeds because despite the roughness, every last detail is meticulously seen-to, eveyr crescendo and 'incidental' screech just in its right place.

1992 - Best song on the album. Marries a genius chord progression to one of the best virtuoso guitar-effects solos you will ever hear. And there's a brief yet brilliant keyboard solo.

BLUREMI - Well, there had to be ONE clunker, but it's so short (see also Chinese Bombs, Bank Holiday, We've Got A File On You) that it is forgiven. It's also quite groovy, for a clunker.

Battle - THIS IS THE SOUND OF RADIOHEAD BEING BEATEN AT A GAME THEY WEREN'T EVEN BOLD ENOUGH TO PLAY

Mellow Song - It's nice and neat, but as a comedown after 'Battle' it does the job to a T. The riff in the second half is mesmeric.

Trailerpark - THAT SOLO

Caramel - OK, this one clinches the deal. An organ-led effects-splattered climb out of darkness, when it eventually explodes (orgasms) Blur have taken the very depths of your soul and smashed them over the insides of your skull. And God does it feel great.

Trimm Trabb - Actually, when I wrote that about Bugman, there was ONE exception...

No Distance Left To Run - Yeah, a stripped-down ballad, no effects, freakouts, or curveballs here. Blur don't need to, any more. They've already done all that's needed. Some raw, unaccompanied emotion is more or less all that's left...

Optigan 1 - ...Except for the slumbering, bittersweet finale. It's a beautiful track, and spotting each layer of music peel away and then return is like watching a grandfather clock pendulum whilst half-asleep on ale. The train rides off into the sunset, and Blur have finally released the stone-dead classic they'd always promised.

Your call.

In fact, until recently they were my two favourite bands.

Then Mogwai released Mr. Beast, an album which makes 'Leisure' look like Sgt. fucking Pepper's. Who's shite now?

though it's obviously not the definitive choice.

That sentence I agree with wholeheartedly, worst two tracks on the album. I'm willing to bet that your favourite isn't Essex Dogs, though, as it is mine.

"The Great Escape" is superb, yes, and often derided by critics who don't know any better.

But I don't understand your problem with 13. You need to give reasons, dude.

Erm... the title of the thread is "Acts that waited 10 years or more to release their best album", and not their worst.

WHAT THE FUCK!

ADRIAN BELEW SUCKS!!!

besides, don't most people like starless or red a lot better than in the court of the crimson king?