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Bands that got better

Fast_Eddie said:
We're on the same page- it's splitting hairs between the two. Ok, to sound like a record reviewer for a minute- I can see where Sync is a *better* record, but I enjoy listening to Ghost more. I like that there is still just a little bit of those punk kids who started the band in it.
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I agree, and totally understand. :yes:

Synchronicity just "flows" better to me, and Ghost has songs like "One World" that just drag it down a little for me.

And I care less about a band's attitude/persona than their level of musical artistry. Hell, I wish they hadn't broke up and were still around putting out good material as "old conformist men"! Given that Sting did have some good solo material (and some horrid stuff as well there can be no doubt) there is a chance this could have very well have happened.
 
Permanent Waves said:
I agree, and totally understand. :yes:

Synchronicity just "flows" better to me, and Ghost has songs like "One World" that just drag it down a little for me.

And I care less about a band's attitude/persona than their level of musical artistry. Hell, I wish they hadn't broke up and were still around putting out good material as "old conformist men"! Given that Sting did have some good solo material (and some horrid stuff as well there can be no doubt) there is a chance this could have very well have happened.
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A few things:

1) Nothing drags an album down more than "Every Breath You Take" or "Wrapped Around Your Finger". Cool videos, but interchangeable and boring to me. My opinion. Still, even as their "worst" album, it's still in heavy rotation at my house.
2) Even if "One World" gets old, focus in on Stewart Copeland's drumming. The cadences/beats towards the end are stunning. In fact, focus in on all of Copeland's drumming, in general, it's (to me) the best part of The Police.
3) If The Police had been around any longer, I think Stewart Copeland would have smashed Sting's head off. Too much bad blood in that group.
 
dodog said:
A few things:

1) Nothing drags an album down more than "Every Breath You Take" or "Wrapped Around Your Finger". Cool videos, but interchangeable and boring to me. My opinion. Still, even as their "worst" album, it's still in heavy rotation at my house.
2) Even if "One World" gets old, focus in on Stewart Copeland's drumming. The cadences/beats towards the end are stunning. In fact, focus in on all of Copeland's drumming, in general, it's (to me) the best part of The Police.
3) If The Police had been around any longer, I think Stewart Copeland would have smashed Sting's head off. Too much bad blood in that group.
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I am in the camp that believes the Police are among the few bands to go out on top. If Synchronicity is not their best work, it is pretty darned close, and IMO, a better record than Ghost in the Machine, but we are splitting hairs here, as the Police never made a bad record.

They also had a relatively short run, basically 5 lps spanning the late 70s through the early 80s. I applaud them for knowing when to call it a day and move as individuals in new directions. I think a lot of bands could learn from their example.
 
dodog said:
Even if "One World" gets old, focus in on Stewart Copeland's drumming. The cadences/beats towards the end are stunning.
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Totally agree. And as much as he seemed to want to kill Sting at the time, the two of them were a tight unit in that song. One of the best sounding, punchy and live-like recordings they ever made, imo.
 
dodog said:
A few things:

1) Nothing drags an album down more than "Every Breath You Take" or "Wrapped Around Your Finger". Cool videos, but interchangeable and boring to me. My opinion. Still, even as their "worst" album, it's still in heavy rotation at my house.
2) Even if "One World" gets old, focus in on Stewart Copeland's drumming. The cadences/beats towards the end are stunning. In fact, focus in on all of Copeland's drumming, in general, it's (to me) the best part of The Police.
3) If The Police had been around any longer, I think Stewart Copeland would have smashed Sting's head off. Too much bad blood in that group.
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I LOVE Every Breath You Take! :music: Never get tired of that one. One of the great classic rock songs.

I admit Wrapped/Finger can get repetitive, but it's still a great song.

Copeland is an awesome drummer, and I like my drums! :D

I don't know anything about the band or their personal dynamics, I wasn't around when they were around (well I was a baby/toddler), and I haven't, and don't care to, research it.

mrt2 said:
I am in the camp that believes the Police are among the few bands to go out on top. If Synchronicity is not their best work, it is pretty darned close, and IMO, a better record than Ghost in the Machine, but we are splitting hairs here, as the Police never made a bad record.

They also had a relatively short run, basically 5 lps spanning the late 70s through the early 80s. I applaud them for knowing when to call it a day and move as individuals in new directions. I think a lot of bands could learn from their example.
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Agreed. Synch and Ghost are close, but Synch just edges it out. And yes too many bands go on for too long, even after they cease to even be the same band: one or two original members does not equal the same band (like Black Sabbath!).

And now that I think of it, I think Outlandos is their worst album; there are some songs I really dislike on there (Peanuts and Sally being two).

How did this get into a Police discussion thread? Sorry Enrico! :D
 
marqueemoon said:
Crazy. I picked up The Colour of Spring on vinyl like a month ago for $8.
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First, my hat's off to you for mentioning Talk Talk first, very nice. I totally agree. They made some nice synth-pop in the 80s, then produced two unique albums at the tail end of their career that had almost nothing to do with anything that came before - and one of those, Laughing Stock, is a masterpiece IMO. Absolutely love that album.

I quoted what you said here because The Colour of Spring is not hard at all to find on vinyl. Laughing Stock is very difficult to get, probably because it was released when vinyl was already considered obsolete (hehe), and was never destined to have a wide audience. It's not necessarily $220 hard-to-find, but I recall seeing it go for a lot on ebay, and that was years ago. Man I wish I had a copy.

I did pick up a vinyl copy of Spirit of Eden in Germany, but it's not in the best condition, and I didn't realize til after I bought it that someone had written on the back of the cover, something to the effect of "Dear so-and-so, I hope when you listen to this you will always think back on your visit with us in Frankfurt."

Anyway, here's some ever-improving bands I can think of off the top of my head:

The Church - This Australian band started in the early eighties, they remain prolific and have released more amazing albums in the last ten years than most bands do in their entire careers. The solo output of Steve Kilbey, the bass player/singer of The Church, also continues to get better and better.

Radiohead - This has already been mentioned many times in this thread, but I agree that they've gotten progressively better, I listen to their later albums more than any of the others these days. Thought I was the only one!

New Order - Again, I listen to their last two albums more than the older ones. It always amazes me when a band this old can manage to put out such excellent material.

As someone with a Robert Smith silhouette tattoo on my leg, I'm sorry to say I think their best years were behind them after 1996. Not happy with the last two albums...
 
We saw the Police last year at Red Rocks and watching Copeland play is like watching a magic show. It's amazing. He hasn't lost an inch.
 
The Go-Betweens
American Music Club
Jawbox

Another band I think improved but didn't get a fair shake is The Sundays.
 
a band that has recieved tremendous critical acclaim and has a hard core cult following is the new prog/ alternative band "Elbow"....started out really great, and have blossomed with each record...I never hear their name, well very , very rarely...very cool live show..

another band that many of the same things can be said about that keeps getting better...Incubus...

I can't help but mention Mastodon again..used to be a god knows what brand of metal band of the worst ilk, but they were horrid..this year they did a concept/prog record "Crack the Skye"....they must have gotten struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration...the song "Oblivion" is primo rock music..who knew....:music:
 
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kneeOhFight said:
I can't help but mention Mastodon again..used to be a god knows what brand of metal band of the worst ilk, but they were horrid..this year they did a concept/prog record "Crack the Skye"....they must have gotten struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration...the song "Oblivion" is primo rock music..who knew....:music:
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That they've latched onto the AdultSwim (Dethklok) crowd will be a VERY good thing for them. See where this got Danger Mouse (in no part to has crazy talent though).
 
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