Artists which have released a bench mark album....then topped it.

[Buzzer]

I'd probably agree. What would you have as their best?

Some Great Reward is their best closely followed by Violator then Ultra, Songs of Faith and Devotion, 101. In my opinion, of course!

What's your view?

 

[Kosh]

Mountain - Climbing, topped (and then some) by Nantucket Sleigh Ride.

Totally agree with Neil Young.

Radiohead - Amnesiac, sonically their best and contains some of the best and most original music I've ever heard.

 

[Buzzer]

After the Murder Ballads, Nick Cave had some dodgy years in the early to mid-noughties until Abbattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus brought him back on track followed by Dig Lazarus Dig and that first Grinderman album. Sadly, his prolific output since then has also been a bit iffy. Push The Sky Away was definitely not one of his better moments. Let's hope the new one in September raises the bar again.

 

[kevo]

I have long blathered on about PJ Harvey's Let England Shake as being her high-water-mark and a complete work of art. The down side of such releases comes the realisation that they surely can't top this.....but then she did.

I saw the thread title and was going to say PJ Harvey.....

Other obvious one is Radiohead with the Bends and then OK Computer. Arguably Suede with the first album then Dog Man Star.

 

[5ways]

OK Computer = best album of the 90s.

Kid A = best album of the 00s.

 

[The Albion Roar]

Tommy (not a great album - but a benchamrk at the time) was topped by Who's Next, and topped again by Quadrophenia.

Nothing of note since.

 

[kevo]

And another obvious one: Joy Division.

Unknown Pleasures then Closer.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Dylan did it 3 times. Freewheeling', Highway, Blonde on Blonde, Blood On The Tracks.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Oasis's brilliant debut album Definitely Maybe was bettered by their second album What's the Story Morning Glory. Musically, they never reached those dizzying heights again.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Has anyone said The Prodigy yet? You could argue they did it twice....

Experience < Music For the GIlter Generation < Fat of the Land

 

[Seagull58]

When I first heard Arctic Monkeys' "Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not" I thought it was some of the best music I've ever heard.
Then "Favourite worst nightmare" came along and I didn't stop playing it in the car for about 3 months.

 

[Pevenseagull]

The Cure, ..... twice ..Three Imaginary Boys, Faith, Disintegration.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Guided By Voices, Propeller, Bee Thousand.

 

[Pevenseagull]

My Bloody Valentine, Isn't Anything .... Loveless

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oasis's brilliant debut album Definitely Maybe was bettered by their second album What's the Story Morning Glory.

Hugely disagree.

 

[Buzzer]

KRS-1's first two albums were mind-blowing, Criminal Minded followed by All Means Necessary - oh my goodness, I must have played them both to death but then he got involved in spats with other rappers, 90s hip-hop came along and he didn't move with it and he kind of lost his way and got very bitter about it but then in 2006(?) he collaborated with Marley Marl on Hip-Hop Lives and that was a really good album. Kill A Rapper remains one of my all-time favourite hip-hop tracks.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Elvis Costello, The Fall, Pavement, REM, Echo and the Bunnymen all had magnificent albums that they subsequently bettered

This isn't my humble opinion, it's just true

 

[Seagull58]

Hugely disagree.

I hugely disagree with your disagreement. I much prefer What's the Story.

 

[PoG]

Radiohead: The Bends, Ok Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows.

They did it 3 times.

Not really lesser known though.

I reckon A Moon Shaped Pool is better than In Rainbows so would say they've done it 4 times.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm also not sure how to rank PJ Harvey's albums

I understand where you're coming from. For me Let England Shake was a truly wonderful and complete album; the back ground, narrative, songs, art work, every element just seemed to come together in perfection. This is why I thought it stood above all her others.