Is it acceptable to expect more than one great album from an artist?
I mean, they create a genre defining debut, like Bloc Party or Franz Ferdinand, and then try to make more music. Should they be able to, or is one great album enough? I think it's quite strange to expect an artist to be able to make music that's still essentail.
Hence when it does happen R.E.M., Radiohead, maybe even someone like Coldplay, then it's quite a big deal?
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id be interested to know what genres you think bloc party and franz ferdinand defined.
Was about to say this...
shoosh you muppet
They are by fair the pick of the class of 2005.
Doesn't mean they defined a genre, even if they were (I don't think they were)
im pretty sure i can think of better albums from that year than those two
but that's not the point - how can bands which mercilessly robbed post-punk be classed as genre defining? they can't.
but i guess the question still stands - did slint really make a great album after spiderland? or television after marquee moon? does that matter? probably not
I can think of a few examples
kraftwerk, nick cave, the cure..
So I guess it does happen. But on the whole, I think it's fair to say bands that put out more than 1 great album are the ones that people look at and say, "they were/are a great act and everybody should hear them".
As it's certainly not the norm to put out anymore than 1 great album. Even if it's not their debut (the horrors are a good example of this, even though I personally aren't that into them).
it could be questioned whether they made a great album called spiderland!
really? REALLY?
ok, how about a patchy but occasionnally incredible album. And it was certainly genre defining.
maybe i should try harder
i've just never dug it much..
first time i listened to spiderland
was in the dark with headphones on, because i thought i should. recommended!
If you're into pseudo-mainstream shlock.
pseudo-mainstream
??????
bloc party and franz ferdinand made really good rock albums but i woudnt say they were genre defining. Radiohead has made 3 great albums imo but it is too much to ask most of the time i'd say
no it simply isn't acceptable.
not that either of those bands defined a genre, they just found a good sound and made goods songs.
It's perfectly acceptable.
You have a right as a paying customer to expect the best tunes possible from your favorite popular musical combo.
I think all three of Franz's records have been strong
scale of diminishing returns, sure, but there we go.
It's not acceptable to expect Bloc Party or FF to produce one good album
because they don't have it in them.
Radiohead and REM are great songwriters and great bands.
For those two bands:
FF was great but they only had one trick on that album so I didn't really expect them to 'progress' that much and if that's the case they're never going to produce an album as good as their debut.
Bloc Party hinted at a lot more on the debut and certainly showed a lot of potential but kind of blew it with future releases.
As for two great albums-
Pixies
Smashing Pumpkins
Oasis
Weezer
Coldplay
One great album can only sustain you for so long, no matter how great it is.
That is the test of a GREAT ARTIST: prolificness, longevity
It is possible that great artist might only have one great work in them.
But as far as your query goes; I can usually recognize the artists that are likely to drop a pile of amazing work as opposed to the ones who dry up after a smashing debut.
Occasionally you'll see an artist who puts out a great work, then muffs a few and then blows everyone away with something out of the blue causing a huge reconsidering of the "MUFFS".
don't expect anything and hope for the best
Um, yes, obviously
If you think an artist has done a great album then it would be really weird if you thought 'oh well, they've had their great album, next one will probably be balls but what the hey'. But I suppose you shouldn't hate them for it if they only come up with one total stunna.
I don't think it's 'realistic' to expect anything great from any new artist.
It's nice when we're surprised.