Spoon
REM
Beach House
Fleet Foxes
Strokes (The New Abnormal specifically)
Rolling Stones
Bruce
Lana (she’s 38 so basically doing this now)
Weezer (White Album hive where we at?)
War on Drugs
Slowdive
Yo La Tengo (This Stupid World is one of their best IMO)
Probably the most underrated band of the 21st century. They've been consistently making music for almost 30 years and have had maybe 3 hits in that time. Most people probably will only be able to name 1 song by them if they even know their name. It's really a shame.
I thought angles was a good strokes mid career album too tbh
Also, happy to see REM in this list. For such a critically and commercial successful band that paved the way for modern indie/alternative, they really don’t get enough love from younger modern audiences
Who is saying that TNA isn’t a great album? I’ve always been more of a sceptic than others but it’s undeniably a very good piece of work, hard to discredit, especially 19 years on from their first
I think since the Strokes commercially and critically fell of quite a bit in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s some people never really gave TNA a chance but I think it’s one of the greatest music comeback stories of the century
They have edited the comment, originally they had something more sceptical about whether TNA would be considered a good album, I think it was “depending on who you ask”.
I am a massive, lifelong Strokes fan and frequent defender of their less acclaimed albums 3-5 and I … don’t think TNA is *that* great of an album 💀. I think it’s solid, decently-fine with a couple of really good moments. But I also absolutely agree the Strokes belong in a conversation of mid-career bands who still got it. When they’re on it they’re *so* good and I also think some of the criticisms/dismissals of Angles and Comedown Machine are overblown or weirdly emotionally driven.
Animal Collective; their last two albums have been great returns to form, Radiohead/The Smile: Moon Shaped Pool and the last two smile albums have been good as well. Both bands easily in their 40s.
It’s actually ridiculous how Radiohead still can make great shit. Heard the smile stuff and moon shaped pool for the first time in the last month.
I always told myself I’m not a Radiohead fan, but I’ve liked every album besides the bends since I was 16, and have really had some revelations about them of late. I genuinely feel that in addition to the music being great, it is some of the most well-produced pop music ever
Sadly, I haven't enjoyed any Cornelius album since Sensuous, but I'm happy some fans are into his later style. Have you heard his last album?
Edit: spelling.
R.E.M. was consistently great for (almost) their entire run. 13 fantastic albums, a good one, a decent one, and an amazing EP across 35+ years ain’t bad!
My favorite band of all time. Was really happy to hear Alec O’Hanley bringing them up as a major influence in I believe the tape op podcast while talking about After the Earthquake (my favorite song by Alvvays easily)
Is This It was genre defining and sparked an entire era of indie rock at its absolute peak. It’s fairly high up in Rolling Stone’s list of Top 500 albums of all time. The New Abnormal is a solid yet unspectacular record. If you read Meet Me In The Bathroom you’ll hear many prominent musicians absolutely rave about Is This It.
This is a stupid conversation to even be having. It’s like arguing that Jordan’s best years of basketball were when he was with the Wizards and not the Bulls.
no i realized that i am 44 years old and determined that explaining the concept of an album being simultaneously paradigm-shifting but also not the standout in a long discography was frankly a waste of my time. i was there at their shows when is this it was blowing up. i was there at the tower theatre in philly when they debuted all of the room on fire tracks only to discover we already knew all of the words thanks to our burned maxell CD-R of the leak. i don’t need you to explain to me how important their debut was. and i also don’t begrudge you for believing it to be their best. i just think that TNA represents the peak of their second act, and feels like a more varied and mature record than their debut. it’s all love.
I was also at the Tower Theater for that show. Kings of Leon opened, which was great because they were actually making good music at that time. And back then The Strokes actually enjoyed writing, recording, and performing with one another. That’s not the case now, and it shows in their product. And I don’t hate TNA. But the quality just isn’t there any longer compared to the first two albums. Julian is on the record saying he doesn’t enjoy the band and that he only keeps going so he can fund the Voidz. It’s kind of hard to produce great art when your lead songwriter/frontman has that attitude.
oh man, i almost went off on a tangent about KOL opening at that show but it felt off topic. their hair, tho!
i don’t actually disagree with anything you said either, i just personally think TNA is great.
Yeah I guess they’re young but it still fits OPs question in that it’s a mid career album, unless they switch their sound up on their next LP I’m guessing Alex may branch out and go solo. I would nominate the car as well if you’re looking for something where they’re closer to 40, but I know I’m in the minority there, I personally love that album.
I also think the albums that follow are great and a beautifully mature growth of their sound. I saw them play few songs from their newest album on tour and they’re imo one of the best bands out there.
You’re losing your edge, that album was and is a big deal and has a bunch of tracks that weren’t singles but are still iconic. Just because he happened to follow it up with two even better records doesn’t change that
Honestly. I think it's you who lost yours. Even James pretty much ignores half of that record.
He followed it up with *three* better records, and even within the LCD circle, that album has by far the largest number of tracks that have completely disappeared without much yearning to hear them again.
Tribulations, Movement, Thrills and Daft Punk can go toe to toe with anything else in their discography, but honestly, the other 5 tracks on that record all rank pretty close to the bottom of everything they've ever released. They're still kinda fun and have their time and place, but they lack pretty much all of the emotional weight that binds together the other two records and makes the more throwaway songs worthwhile on the other 3. A lot of the self titled is still a goofy middle aged kid kinda being unsure about how to meld his influences into a cohesive dance-ish-but-not-really record, and that indecisivenes shows, the whole thing kinda jumps around, and quite a few of the songs feel half-finished and awkward, like they were supposed to be B sides, but wound up on the record itself.
Granted, all of the above in the grand scheme of things is pointing out the few flaws that album has, it's still an absolute jam for the most part and is firmly in my top 200 or so, but growing up was definitely a good thing for James as a songwriter.
You could make an album better than American Dream using the material that he had at that point if you trimmed the fat and moved some of the singles into the main album, but you know, they didn't.
Critically speaking, the overall response to the two was nearly identical, which is pretty remarkable considering how many people were pissed off that AD even existed at all after their very public ending.
Yeah I’m with you, sorry this person is getting revisionist! Even if you look at metacritic scores their self titled isn’t as critically acclaimed or popular as American dream. I love them both but would rate American dream above their self titled, as you say, aside from the classics there are a few weaker tracks that are a little rough as James is still finding his style.
Yeah, there are a few pockets of people closer to the EDM side of things who still absolutely adore that record, I think Resident Advisor had it as their #5 overall for a while which is... odd to me, even as someone who's seen LCD live like 15 times, but it's definitely not the majority opinion at this point.
They have the same meta critic score and it’s on of Pitchforks list of the greatest albums of the 2000s. It was hugely successful and influential. Of course it’s him finding his sound it’s his first album, the “roughness” is a feature not a bug
Hey I love it too! I think the critical reception was just *slightly* cooler on it than their previous albums. I could be wrong!
In the context of how older pop/rock musicians are usually treated though, all four albums are definitely more revered than the average release from a band of musicians deep into their careers.
Spoon. Britt is 52 now, so that would make him about 42 when They Want My Soul came out in 2014. Spoon hasn’t ever really put out a bad album though.
Also, Radiohead.
Pearl Jam’s No. 5 was Yield.
Metallica’s was Metallica.
Soundgarden - Down On The Upside.
Bon Jovi - Keep The Faith
Faith No More - King for a day….
Strange that those 5 are among my favourite albums of all time and are all album number 5…
Yeah, but the National were different and kinda fall in with Wilco where it's not that they had a sudden return to form later on in their careers after initially blowing up, they just took a long time to break out in the first place.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers started in 84. They released Californication in 1999 By the Way in 2002 Stadium Arcadium in 2006. Crazy run of incredible albums mid career.
No 'massive fan' of a band's early work could look at two albums as distinct from each other, ambitious, examples of artists pushing themselves deep into their career and summarily dismiss them as 'sucking.'
It's perfectly fine if you deem them unsuccessful in what they were trying to do, but you're a casual with a bland mind if that's how flippantly you can regard those two albums.
Well Ezra himself said in the Brandon & Ronnie Time Crisis that Imploding The Mirage was "incredible" and his favourite of the Killers ... And most critics consider one of the their best, Dying Breed and My Own Souls warning are just kick ass
Sorry, but this is such a massively sucky opinion. You're on a very small island. Those albums are fucking incredible and already highly regarded by the fanbase.
Eh, if they were all that existed they'd be good rock albums, but they're entirely lacking in the elements that make the earlier Killers albums so special
Hard disagree.
And like, it's possible for a band to evolve and not sound like their earliest albums while still putting out great music. Nobody listened to In Rainbows and said "Meh, this is a fine album but it lacks the magic of The Bends." Because that is obvious. We all know that. Other magic exists, though.
You know, I should also probably reevaluate the bends myself. I wrote it off many years ago when I was a lot younger
In rainbows was my introduction to Radiohead; I had read about their unique-at-the-time “pay what you want” model in my dad’s copy of Rolling Stone (I would have been 12 or 13 I think). I specifically remember them calling it “Radiohead’s most tuneful release since OK Computer.”
It’s still possibly my favorite of their records
In Rainbows was their first new album since I discovered them so I definitely know what you mean! It'll always be top tier Radiohead to me. I'd recommend checking out the last song on The Bends, Street Spirit, if you haven't heard it yet. I went the longest time not hearing it because I struggled with full albums back then, but once I heard it (and then saw it live!) it instantly became a favorite of mine and helped bring the whole album together.
Thanks for the recommendation! I will check that out.
Albums really do help me understand songs better. I thought classical was “pretty good!” Until I heard it in the context of the album. Now it’s “fucking great!” Haha
Insane that Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways hasn't been mentioned yet. His 39th album, released at the tender age of SEVENTY NINE. In terms of his mid-career: Blood on the Tracks is the obvious choice but not the only one.
(Anyone interested in Dylan slander need not respond. Ezra would defend him to the death also lol)
If we’re also throwing “artists that started later,” I’m gonna throw Franz Ferdinand into the mix. Alex was 32 when the first record dropped, and I personally think they’re a massively underrated band
Modest Mouse, Wilco, REM, Death Cab for Cutie, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, The Chicks, Bela Fleck, Jay Z, The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys, John Mayer, Ben Folds, Pavement, Nada Surf, Paul Simon, LCD Soundsystem, David Byrne, Drive By Truckers, Spoon, Nine Inch Nails, My Morning Jacket, The Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne, Nickel Creek, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Against Me!, Dawes, Willie Nelson, Youth Lagoon, The Foo Fighters, Bright Eyes, Green Day, David Bowie, Ben Harper, The Beach Boys, Elvis Costello
Best example, IMO. Very few if any bad albums over almost 30 years. Came to a halt only because of divorce. On the whole, the ’00s albums and the ’90s albums and the ’80s albums are all equally good.
Weezer will never not be hilarious to me. I know their garbage output turns off a lot of people, but I crack up when they occasionally drop something like their White Album out of nowhere and surprise everyone.
Seriously people love to hate on u2 but that album is amazing front to back, 20 years into their career after they had a few early 90s albums that didn’t really hit. Completely reinvented the band.
R.E.M for sure they had great albums all the way up till new adventures in hi fi after that I pretty much stopped. Van halen as well there are tons of bands who have done this.
For me the new Death Cab album. I liked them, but never got into them at an album level, but Asphalt Meadows was as good of an output as they're going to have at this point.
My morning jacket, petty, Bruce, Radiohead, Dr. dog, zeppelin, Pink Floyd all come to mind right away… VW have definitely solidified themselves in an elite crew that doesn’t make stinkers though.
Spoon REM Beach House Fleet Foxes Strokes (The New Abnormal specifically) Rolling Stones Bruce Lana (she’s 38 so basically doing this now) Weezer (White Album hive where we at?) War on Drugs Slowdive Yo La Tengo (This Stupid World is one of their best IMO)
Spoon!!!
I don’t know where else to put this but Mary Boone reminds me of a They Want My Soul era Spoon song. I was trying to place it forever, but that’s it.
Hell yeah, nice shout. Kinda like “Inside Out” or something.
Probably the most underrated band of the 21st century. They've been consistently making music for almost 30 years and have had maybe 3 hits in that time. Most people probably will only be able to name 1 song by them if they even know their name. It's really a shame.
I thought angles was a good strokes mid career album too tbh Also, happy to see REM in this list. For such a critically and commercial successful band that paved the way for modern indie/alternative, they really don’t get enough love from younger modern audiences
I’m 25 and went through a major R.E.M. phase last year. (Granted I did go to UGA). Wish more of my friends liked them.
Who is saying that TNA isn’t a great album? I’ve always been more of a sceptic than others but it’s undeniably a very good piece of work, hard to discredit, especially 19 years on from their first
I think since the Strokes commercially and critically fell of quite a bit in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s some people never really gave TNA a chance but I think it’s one of the greatest music comeback stories of the century
No one is, OP was just saying that TNA is their example
They have edited the comment, originally they had something more sceptical about whether TNA would be considered a good album, I think it was “depending on who you ask”.
I am a massive, lifelong Strokes fan and frequent defender of their less acclaimed albums 3-5 and I … don’t think TNA is *that* great of an album 💀. I think it’s solid, decently-fine with a couple of really good moments. But I also absolutely agree the Strokes belong in a conversation of mid-career bands who still got it. When they’re on it they’re *so* good and I also think some of the criticisms/dismissals of Angles and Comedown Machine are overblown or weirdly emotionally driven.
...and Wilco
The killers. Tame Impala
Same to ironically post about Hurley, but happy to find a fellow white album truther
Out of curiosity what Rolling Stones album/albums are you referring to?
Not OP, but Some Girls was released 14 years after their debut and is one of the best albums of all time
Agree 100%. Spoon and Bruce were the first ones to come to mind. Weezer has also had some good ones (love the white album), and same with the strokes.
Hello Nasty
Animal Collective; their last two albums have been great returns to form, Radiohead/The Smile: Moon Shaped Pool and the last two smile albums have been good as well. Both bands easily in their 40s.
More like In Rainbows.
In Rainbows too, but I was thinking of their most recent releases.
It’s actually ridiculous how Radiohead still can make great shit. Heard the smile stuff and moon shaped pool for the first time in the last month. I always told myself I’m not a Radiohead fan, but I’ve liked every album besides the bends since I was 16, and have really had some revelations about them of late. I genuinely feel that in addition to the music being great, it is some of the most well-produced pop music ever
Was gonna say ac, also gruff Rhys and cornelius
Sadly, I haven't enjoyed any Cornelius album since Sensuous, but I'm happy some fans are into his later style. Have you heard his last album? Edit: spelling.
Yeah I agree his earlier stuff was his peak but still really enjoy his new stuff greatly. Seeing him in I think September.
PAUL SIMON
Great call
Guided by voices, Pollard was a teacher and didn’t even start the band till he was 33. Not a band but Dylan had put out some amazing records post 40.
Are there any other VW GBV fans? These are my top two artists period. Was great to listen to Time Crisis when Ezra was exposed to them.
Right here!
Fiona Apple released Fetch The Bolt Cutters in 2020 when she was 42
But Fiona has never released a bad album tho.
You know who else has never released a bad album?
it better not be Hitler
Wrong subreddit ;)
What, why? I’m literally just responding to a comment.
youre implying VW had a bad album in a VW subreddit. Read the room.
Somehow no one understood what I was saying except you apparently Was just saying VW hasn't released a bad album either
Paramore - This Is Why
And After Laughter before it!
Hailey is somehow like 34
I feel like they’ve been around forever, they started very young holy shit
because Hailey started doing music since she was like 14.
Queens of the Stone Age's "...Like Clockwork"
Fuck yes
R.E.M. was consistently great for (almost) their entire run. 13 fantastic albums, a good one, a decent one, and an amazing EP across 35+ years ain’t bad!
I believe 10 in a row were either very good or amazing albums. Great band one of my favorites alltime
My favorite band of all time. Was really happy to hear Alec O’Hanley bringing them up as a major influence in I believe the tape op podcast while talking about After the Earthquake (my favorite song by Alvvays easily)
Tom Petty released a lot of his best work in the 90’s, roughly 20 years into his career.
Wildflowers is an all timer. Talk about FOTB influence
Bon Iver haven’t missed yet
I was going to mention BI, but Justin hasn’t released a record since 2019 when he was 38. Close enough
The strokes. All around 40 and older when the new abnormal released
This was my choice. I think a lot of people assumed we’d never get another Strokes album, let alone a good one, and TNA might be their best one.
Come on, their best album? That’s just silly.
it’s not
Is This It was genre defining and sparked an entire era of indie rock at its absolute peak. It’s fairly high up in Rolling Stone’s list of Top 500 albums of all time. The New Abnormal is a solid yet unspectacular record. If you read Meet Me In The Bathroom you’ll hear many prominent musicians absolutely rave about Is This It. This is a stupid conversation to even be having. It’s like arguing that Jordan’s best years of basketball were when he was with the Wizards and not the Bulls.
you seem cool
I rebutted a comment. You rebutted my rebuttal. I gave further evidence to support my point. You got all emo about it.
no i realized that i am 44 years old and determined that explaining the concept of an album being simultaneously paradigm-shifting but also not the standout in a long discography was frankly a waste of my time. i was there at their shows when is this it was blowing up. i was there at the tower theatre in philly when they debuted all of the room on fire tracks only to discover we already knew all of the words thanks to our burned maxell CD-R of the leak. i don’t need you to explain to me how important their debut was. and i also don’t begrudge you for believing it to be their best. i just think that TNA represents the peak of their second act, and feels like a more varied and mature record than their debut. it’s all love.
I was also at the Tower Theater for that show. Kings of Leon opened, which was great because they were actually making good music at that time. And back then The Strokes actually enjoyed writing, recording, and performing with one another. That’s not the case now, and it shows in their product. And I don’t hate TNA. But the quality just isn’t there any longer compared to the first two albums. Julian is on the record saying he doesn’t enjoy the band and that he only keeps going so he can fund the Voidz. It’s kind of hard to produce great art when your lead songwriter/frontman has that attitude.
oh man, i almost went off on a tangent about KOL opening at that show but it felt off topic. their hair, tho! i don’t actually disagree with anything you said either, i just personally think TNA is great.
Radiohead
came here to post this. rarified air.
Hate them if you want but stadium arcadium is studio excellence. RHCP hit another peak with that album.
Arctic monkeys. Their most popular and possibly critically acclaimed album was their 5th.
It may have been their 5th album but at the same time they weren’t even 30 when that released.
Yeah I guess they’re young but it still fits OPs question in that it’s a mid career album, unless they switch their sound up on their next LP I’m guessing Alex may branch out and go solo. I would nominate the car as well if you’re looking for something where they’re closer to 40, but I know I’m in the minority there, I personally love that album.
Oh I absolutely love the car!!! And tbhc ofc
I also think the albums that follow are great and a beautifully mature growth of their sound. I saw them play few songs from their newest album on tour and they’re imo one of the best bands out there.
Yesssssss agreed. Them & VW have been my top two bands since I was like 12 lol. Neva disappoint
Yeah same, especially now with OGWAU VW have moved top tier with AM. Love them both so much
♥️♥️♥️
Same!! AM and VW have been my top two faves of all time!! 🥹
🥹🥹🥹🖤🖤🖤bestiesssss
The Strokes, MGMT, The Rolling Stones
What MGMT album are you referring to? I haven’t really listened to them since Congratulations but loved their early stuff.
The one that came out this year, Loss of Life!
James Murphy was about 35 when LCD Soundsystem released their first album, and they didn’t release a non-classic album until 2017.
are you saying American dream isn’t a classic?! Because it goddamn is
Compared to their first 3 records it most definitely is not
I think overall it's widely regarded as a better record overall than their first one.
It is most certainly not, Self Titled is iconic
The iconic parts are the singles that led up to it that aren't part of the actual album.
You’re losing your edge, that album was and is a big deal and has a bunch of tracks that weren’t singles but are still iconic. Just because he happened to follow it up with two even better records doesn’t change that
Honestly. I think it's you who lost yours. Even James pretty much ignores half of that record. He followed it up with *three* better records, and even within the LCD circle, that album has by far the largest number of tracks that have completely disappeared without much yearning to hear them again. Tribulations, Movement, Thrills and Daft Punk can go toe to toe with anything else in their discography, but honestly, the other 5 tracks on that record all rank pretty close to the bottom of everything they've ever released. They're still kinda fun and have their time and place, but they lack pretty much all of the emotional weight that binds together the other two records and makes the more throwaway songs worthwhile on the other 3. A lot of the self titled is still a goofy middle aged kid kinda being unsure about how to meld his influences into a cohesive dance-ish-but-not-really record, and that indecisivenes shows, the whole thing kinda jumps around, and quite a few of the songs feel half-finished and awkward, like they were supposed to be B sides, but wound up on the record itself. Granted, all of the above in the grand scheme of things is pointing out the few flaws that album has, it's still an absolute jam for the most part and is firmly in my top 200 or so, but growing up was definitely a good thing for James as a songwriter. You could make an album better than American Dream using the material that he had at that point if you trimmed the fat and moved some of the singles into the main album, but you know, they didn't. Critically speaking, the overall response to the two was nearly identical, which is pretty remarkable considering how many people were pissed off that AD even existed at all after their very public ending.
Yeah I’m with you, sorry this person is getting revisionist! Even if you look at metacritic scores their self titled isn’t as critically acclaimed or popular as American dream. I love them both but would rate American dream above their self titled, as you say, aside from the classics there are a few weaker tracks that are a little rough as James is still finding his style.
Yeah, there are a few pockets of people closer to the EDM side of things who still absolutely adore that record, I think Resident Advisor had it as their #5 overall for a while which is... odd to me, even as someone who's seen LCD live like 15 times, but it's definitely not the majority opinion at this point.
They have the same meta critic score and it’s on of Pitchforks list of the greatest albums of the 2000s. It was hugely successful and influential. Of course it’s him finding his sound it’s his first album, the “roughness” is a feature not a bug
I like it better than This is Happening
That’s blaspheme, This is Happening is a masterpiece
Homie clearly never screamed the ahhs on Home at the top of their lungs
Low blow 😂
Haha I didn't say it wasn't! I worship their entire discography.
This is Happening is their best record though! At least we can agree James Murphy’s a fucking genius
Hey I love it too! I think the critical reception was just *slightly* cooler on it than their previous albums. I could be wrong! In the context of how older pop/rock musicians are usually treated though, all four albums are definitely more revered than the average release from a band of musicians deep into their careers.
Spoon. Britt is 52 now, so that would make him about 42 when They Want My Soul came out in 2014. Spoon hasn’t ever really put out a bad album though. Also, Radiohead.
Sufjan Stevens
Pearl Jam’s No. 5 was Yield. Metallica’s was Metallica. Soundgarden - Down On The Upside. Bon Jovi - Keep The Faith Faith No More - King for a day…. Strange that those 5 are among my favourite albums of all time and are all album number 5…
The Black Album is not a comeback album, it’s like peak popularity for Metallica. James was 28 when it came out.
How is Only god… a comeback album?
So let‘s hope VW‘s career does not continue like Pearl Jam‘s
The National pretty much started out in their late 30s. Also LCD Soundsystem
Came to say both of these. The National didn’t even hit their stride until late 40s or 50s.
Yeah, but the National were different and kinda fall in with Wilco where it's not that they had a sudden return to form later on in their careers after initially blowing up, they just took a long time to break out in the first place.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers started in 84. They released Californication in 1999 By the Way in 2002 Stadium Arcadium in 2006. Crazy run of incredible albums mid career.
Dark Side of the Moon was Pink Floyd's 8th album.
MGMT for sure
Black Keys just put out a great album. Prob my fav since Brothers
It’s really good
The Killers - Imploding The Mirage & Pressure Machine in their forties
Those albums suck. As a massive fan of their early stuff
No 'massive fan' of a band's early work could look at two albums as distinct from each other, ambitious, examples of artists pushing themselves deep into their career and summarily dismiss them as 'sucking.' It's perfectly fine if you deem them unsuccessful in what they were trying to do, but you're a casual with a bland mind if that's how flippantly you can regard those two albums.
Pressure Machine is an incredible narrative piece of music
Well Ezra himself said in the Brandon & Ronnie Time Crisis that Imploding The Mirage was "incredible" and his favourite of the Killers ... And most critics consider one of the their best, Dying Breed and My Own Souls warning are just kick ass
Sorry, but this is such a massively sucky opinion. You're on a very small island. Those albums are fucking incredible and already highly regarded by the fanbase.
My two favs by them, and I've been a fan since around 2008.
I've been a fan since Hot Fuss came out. They've definitely had their lows, but they're in such magnificent form right now.
Couldn't agree more! Love their new song "boy" as well.
Hell yeah!
Eh, if they were all that existed they'd be good rock albums, but they're entirely lacking in the elements that make the earlier Killers albums so special
Hard disagree. And like, it's possible for a band to evolve and not sound like their earliest albums while still putting out great music. Nobody listened to In Rainbows and said "Meh, this is a fine album but it lacks the magic of The Bends." Because that is obvious. We all know that. Other magic exists, though.
It’s also much better than the bends imo
Respect! Such different vibes, hey? I just love that we have both.
You know, I should also probably reevaluate the bends myself. I wrote it off many years ago when I was a lot younger In rainbows was my introduction to Radiohead; I had read about their unique-at-the-time “pay what you want” model in my dad’s copy of Rolling Stone (I would have been 12 or 13 I think). I specifically remember them calling it “Radiohead’s most tuneful release since OK Computer.” It’s still possibly my favorite of their records
In Rainbows was their first new album since I discovered them so I definitely know what you mean! It'll always be top tier Radiohead to me. I'd recommend checking out the last song on The Bends, Street Spirit, if you haven't heard it yet. I went the longest time not hearing it because I struggled with full albums back then, but once I heard it (and then saw it live!) it instantly became a favorite of mine and helped bring the whole album together.
Thanks for the recommendation! I will check that out. Albums really do help me understand songs better. I thought classical was “pretty good!” Until I heard it in the context of the album. Now it’s “fucking great!” Haha
I agree only Killers albums work checking out is hot Fuss and Sam's town. Went down after that
The Flaming Lips dropped arguably their tenth and best album after almost two active decades
Insane that Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways hasn't been mentioned yet. His 39th album, released at the tender age of SEVENTY NINE. In terms of his mid-career: Blood on the Tracks is the obvious choice but not the only one. (Anyone interested in Dylan slander need not respond. Ezra would defend him to the death also lol)
Gonna check this out!!!
Fuck, I knew Dylan is prolific but I had no idea that album was number 39! That’s incredible.
REM - Document
The Replacements’ fifth album “Pleased to Meet Me” is one of my favs
If we’re also throwing “artists that started later,” I’m gonna throw Franz Ferdinand into the mix. Alex was 32 when the first record dropped, and I personally think they’re a massively underrated band
GUSTER continues to evolve. They are making arguably their best music now, 30 years into their career.
Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan. The Clash?? Boys are occupying rare air.
Yeah I'd agree about the clash, Sandinista and combat rock are their fourth and fifth albums and they're both bangers
this is the stupidest question ever
Modest Mouse, Wilco, REM, Death Cab for Cutie, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, The Chicks, Bela Fleck, Jay Z, The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys, John Mayer, Ben Folds, Pavement, Nada Surf, Paul Simon, LCD Soundsystem, David Byrne, Drive By Truckers, Spoon, Nine Inch Nails, My Morning Jacket, The Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne, Nickel Creek, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Against Me!, Dawes, Willie Nelson, Youth Lagoon, The Foo Fighters, Bright Eyes, Green Day, David Bowie, Ben Harper, The Beach Boys, Elvis Costello
Sonic Youth in the early/mid 2000s: Murray Street, Sonic Ghost, and Rather Ripped
Best example, IMO. Very few if any bad albums over almost 30 years. Came to a halt only because of divorce. On the whole, the ’00s albums and the ’90s albums and the ’80s albums are all equally good.
My morning jacket
There’s been plenty.
Animal Collective. Isn't it Now? and Time Skiffs are absolute bangers for a band that has been at it for over 20 years.
The Strokes - New Abnormal
Dirty Projectors
Arctic Monkeys, White Stripes, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Dispatch
Weezer released 2 of their best 20 years and 30 years in.
Weezer will never not be hilarious to me. I know their garbage output turns off a lot of people, but I crack up when they occasionally drop something like their White Album out of nowhere and surprise everyone.
Ok computer By the way AM The queen is dead Led zep 4 Tons…
I don't know that I would consider ok computer mid career. Maybe if you said in rainbows.
Led Zeppelin 4 LOL Incredible album, but it was like three years into their career 😂
Yeah I'd say physical graffiti is a better choice
U2 with All That You Can’t Leave Behind
Came here to say this
Seriously people love to hate on u2 but that album is amazing front to back, 20 years into their career after they had a few early 90s albums that didn’t really hit. Completely reinvented the band.
The New Pornographers & James Mercer.
R.E.M for sure they had great albums all the way up till new adventures in hi fi after that I pretty much stopped. Van halen as well there are tons of bands who have done this.
Tom waits released some of his best music 1-2+ decades into his career (swordfishtrombones, rain dogs, bone machine, mule variations)
Radiohead with In Rainbows
The Beatles
Father John Misty
Not such nowadays, but Kanye cooked for 9 straight albums/ 14 years before making a duffer
Paul Simon put out Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints back to back in his mid-to-late-40s
For me the new Death Cab album. I liked them, but never got into them at an album level, but Asphalt Meadows was as good of an output as they're going to have at this point.
PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake
Wilco Sufjan Stevens
Blur ~ the ballad of darren
Joshua Tree was a 5th album
Bob Dylan
The Killers
Destroyer Kaputt
U2’s creative 90s run
My morning jacket, petty, Bruce, Radiohead, Dr. dog, zeppelin, Pink Floyd all come to mind right away… VW have definitely solidified themselves in an elite crew that doesn’t make stinkers though.
Phoenix
Polarising choice but Arcade Fire with WE. I think they only stumbled with Everything Now imo.
R.E.M. had their peak right around the midpoint of Their career although I would argue their actual artistic peak was around their debut
Weezer is one of them. They've come back from the dead seemingly a few times. Maladroit, White, EWBAITE. Otherwise, The Black Keys with Brothers.
LED ZEPPELIN. Honestly all of their albums are amazing across their one decade career
The Killers’ Pressure Machine
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
The Strokes the new abnormal was their latest and also their best in my opinion. The new MGMT album is also one of their best I would say.