Boards

first!

though to be honest, I don't think I'd be at all interested in Loaded without the VU connection.

The Specials
The Birthday Party
Magazine
MC5
Afghan Whigs
Broadcast
Portishead

Loads more but can't think at the moment.

are ravaged by record companies. The simple answer to the question, although just my answer would be Joy Division. 2 perfect studio albums - which raises my point. All them needless Polygram 'Best of's, etc. Most bands are taken to town and held at the mercy of their record companies. Bands / artists that take control of their material also are mostly doing this for attention. For example Prince who thought he was a 'slave' for a while yet he's signed back to Warners.

Portishead
Aphex Twin
The Blue Nile
Boards of Canada
Burial
The Go Betweens
The Smiths
The Velvet Underground (provided we ignore Squeeze)

Rites Of Spring
The Avalanches
Lauryn Hill
DFA 1979

Even the slightly weaker albums (pained me to write that). Only band I can think of that have really held off a major (EMI / Capitol) that I can think of right now. I would say Radiohead nearly but they do have some significantly below par albums. Also The National expect the reality is it took them a few albums to really find their feet.

Loop
Galaxie 500
GYBE!
Bark Psychosis
This Heat

I seem to be alone in not liking Doppelganger, but Come Clean is kind of bad as well.

School of Seven Bells
Boards of Canada
Leftfield
Slowdive
Lush
Telefon Tel Aviv
Massive Attack

I'm haven't been as keen on the last two BoC as well. The first 3/5 of Campfire is great, but the rest is really fucking dull. I still don't get the excitement over Tomorrow's Harvest either.

Nirvana
Big Black
Slint
Spacemen 3
Crass
Depth Charge
The Fall

Doppelganger just isn't very memorable to me. it all kind of blurs together. Come Clean comes off as one of those embarrassing "Alternative goes 'electronica'" albums from the late 90s. I also don't remember much about Open Day or New Adventures.

I like Pubic Fruit, Cuckoo, and Gift, but honestly I think Curve is one of those bands tailor made for a Best Of album (and who happens have a rather decent one)

Seriously. He's stayed in control of all the music he's created including artists under his wing. Not the cool answer to this thread but possibly the definitive answer given the sales levels.

(Around The Sun is shite, but that's allowed).

Oh, and Eels. Every single album is wonderful. I couldn't do without any of them.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Blur (Leisure allowed)
The Verve (Forth allowed)
Pixies (Indie Cindy allowed)
The Beatles (Yellow Submarine allowed)
My Bloody Valentine
The Clash (Cut the Crap allowed)
This Heat
Kanye West

The Dave Conway years would keep them off.

do the mini albums count? Completely forgot about them.

Radio Dept
Cut Copy

even allowing for the dafty pointless "I'll allow 1 bad/mediocre album" caveat.

(assuming solo artists allowed)

8 studio albums over 20 years with maybe only Uh Huh Her dipping in quality. Real varied back catalogue too.

But Doppelganger stands up well and is no more of a sinner on being one dimensional than the majority of nugaze acts. I still find myself listening to Pubic Fruit, Doppelganger and Gift more than The Way Of Curve, regardless of the quality control issues, primarily because their albums (and even the EP collection) were well sequenced.

Funny how the "alternative goes electronica" trend has resurfaced in the last couple of years as "guitars go synth". Ho hum.

One dimensionality is certainly my biggest complaint about a lot of newer Shoegaze acts, but it still doesn't excuse Doppelganger from committing the same sin.

Either way, Curve has better albums, but are fairly hit or miss as a whole.

What do you reckon on the new Spotlight Kid, arrived in the post yesterday and I'm quite partial to it

or alternatively none.

Demonstrated admirably by this thread.

'should be on your shelf if you're a fan'

I don't recall disliking it, but I got a somewhat similar vibe to the first record where it was enjoyable at first, but very samey to the point where I couldn't remember one track from the next.

both of which are great, and yet he's still managed to turn himself into a bit of an embarrassment. Can't remember the last time someone was hyped on a Dre beat.

*Unless selling headphones >>> musical credibility.

At The Drive In
ISIS

Stereolab
Tortoise
Beastie Boys
Urusei Yatsura
Super Furry Animals

Probably Half Man Half Biscuit.
Judas Priest.

Every one a molten heap of amazeballs

Although Husker Du is also allowed if you are talking about the big 5. Also, there should be a minimum requirement. 1 or 2 albums is hardly a back catalogue.

ffs

But not even I would suggest them for this thread. Given the length of their career it would be miraculous if all their albums were essential. Every Fall album has at least one great track on it, but there are fair few the average casual fan could easily live without (I've got them all by the way)

The truth is though that the pre-Autobahn stuff is interesting rather than essential and Electric Cafe is very missable

i quite like compton as well, but most people don't seem to

can't think of anything else though

surely none of their albums after soon over babaluma could be classified by anyone as essential

who released maybe one album and an ep at most. I guess minor threat is the classic example. also:

- cap'n jazz
- jerome's dream
- dna
- ike yard

Drive Like Jehu have 2 albums. they qualify, right. can't think of anyone with more than two albums. probably some, though.

monkeys.

Might be bias but listened to all of their albums this afternoon and they have an amazing amount of records.

would love to see them in hyde park

I don't know why, maybe because it's easier to like.

These 2 Massive Attack albums you're talking about are a bit subpar to their high level of quality of the previous albums. For other bands these would be the peak of their career.

Tago Mago, Ege Bamyasi and Future Days

Three brilliant but patchy ones:

Monster Movies, Soundtracks and Soon Over Babaluma

The six that follow are 'interesting in parts' at best

Because you can sensibly argue that every track they recorded is 'essential', never mind every album

True Stories being the one shitty one.

I don't know about the two MA album's being career peaks for other bands. They're not bad albums, but I don't think they're very interesting. Even Protection had quite a bit of filler, but it's best tracks were absolutely great, which is something neither of the last two albums can claim.

Deserve to have a higher profile. They are my 2nd most seen band live all time on 44. Good friends with them all too.

You're right

Fugazi
Hot Snakes
Kyuss (maybe not their first one)
Nirvana

Nah

Flying Saucer Attack
The Clean
Loop
Wooden Shjips
Comets On Fire
Plastic Crimewave Sound

Sha-mazeballs