# Albums delivered after a long hiatus by the artist(s). Are these more often masterpieces or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732 "2012-12-02T04:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/1 "2012-12-02T04:04:00Z")
Just curious. Is there any pattern to the the quality of albums that have very extended gestation periods? ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/2 "2012-12-02T04:05:38Z")
Well “Chinese Democracy” didn’t exactly turn out to be a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/3 "2012-12-02T04:12:25Z")
Has there ever been one that turned out to be a masterpiece? ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/4 "2012-12-02T04:16:01Z")
Steely Dan’s recent comeback album? It had a 20 year hiatus. But generally, yeah , it’s hard to think of too many other good ones. Usually a long hiatus = lousy record. ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/5 "2012-12-02T07:01:34Z")
What qualifies as a “long hiatus”? The gap between Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde and John Wesley Harding was May '66 to December '67. 18 months is nothing to us now, but for it was significant for an artist who had put out two albums a year prior. Or the two years after Harding, when Dylan finally put out Nashville Skyline in '69? From September 1962 to May 1966 Dylan issued seven albums, close to an album every six months. Harding took three times as long, and Skyline almost four times. One or both are classics depending upon who you ask (both, IMHO). The interval between ‘Under the Red Sky’ and ‘Time Out of Mind’ was seven years. ‘Under the Red Sky’ is pretty fluffy–almost a testament to Dylan saying ‘the world has enough of my songs’ (which he said, paraphrased, in 1991). TOoM is an album any songwriter wishes s/he had written. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/6 "2012-12-02T07:35:59Z")
Portishead’s third album came out eleven years after their second one, and if it’s not a masterpiece, it’s at least as good as anything they’d done previously. However, it definitely seems like this is more the exception than not. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/7 "2012-12-02T09:24:04Z")
The Eagles’ “Long Road Out of Eden” came out in 2007, 28 years after their last studio album, “The Long Run” and 13 years after they reunited. It is a very strong album and one of my personal favorites. Boston’s “Third Stage” came out eight years after their second album, “Don’t Look Back,” and also received positive reviews. John Fogerty’s album “Centerfield” came out ten years after his last solo album and is considered one of his best. The Beach Boys released “That’s Why God Made the Radio” 16 years after their last album and it has been called a return to form. I don’t know if any of these albums would be called masterpieces, but they certainly hold up to the artists’ prior standard of work. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/8 "2012-12-02T10:09:15Z")
When Kate Bush released _Aerial_ after twelve years of silence [it received nearly universal critical adulation](http://www.gaffa.org/reaching/ro_revs.html#aer). ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/9 "2012-12-02T11:39:55Z")
The Thread Title only says “after a long hiatus” but the OP says “albums that have very extended gestation periods”. Two different questions in my mind. 10 Years between albums doesn’t necessarily mean a long gestation period. A band could break up, spend nine years apart, get back together and spend a year working on putting out a new album. I wouldn’t call that album an album that had a long gestation period. For “albums that have very extended gestation periods” I think of **DxZero** ’s example of _Chinese Democracy_. The other album that comes to mind is Brian Wilson’s _Smile_. This stricter definition leaves far fewer examples, but counting every reuinion album from bands long broken up or artists who simply took a break kind of makes for an overly broad discussion. Perhaps the OP could clarify. I think _Chinese Democracy_ was crap. I think _Smile_ was brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/10 "2012-12-02T17:23:30Z")
“The Long Road Out of Eden” would certainly qualify then. It was six years in the making. Boston’s long stretch between albums is also due to the fact that Tom Scholz is a noted perfectionist in the studio, often discarding completed recordings as not being up to his standards. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/11 "2012-12-02T17:33:17Z")
Soundgarden’s new release is getting really good reviews, I haven’t heard all of it yet, but it could be a masterpiece… ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/12 "2012-12-02T17:58:55Z")
Blondie went from 1982s _The Hunter_ (ugh) to 1999s _No Exit_. _No Exit_ did well, decent charting, esp. in their longtime fan bases like the UK. Not exactly a masterpiece but a good enough album that it was worth buying if you are a fan. (And the less said about their next album after that, the better.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/13 "2012-12-02T18:01:25Z")
Could “Chinese Democracy” even fairly be called a Guns N’ Roses album? It didn’t have the classic lineup that recorded “Appetite For Destruction” or “Use Your Illusion.” No Slash. No Duff. No Izzy. No Matt. The only original member remaining was Axl Rose. The rest of the band were all replacement members. It was a Guns N’ Roses album in name only. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/14 "2012-12-02T20:06:55Z")
Duran Duran’s Wedding Album - it was “only” a three year hiatus, but as I recall they were considered totally washed up by then. It turned out to have a very different sound from their previous work and had some of their biggest hits ever. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/15 "2012-12-02T21:08:09Z")
Its been ten years now since Shania Twain’s last album of nothing but new songs. Maybe if another one gets released it will be a master piece. 🙂 🙂 🙂 God bless you and her always!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Holly ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/16 "2012-12-03T03:54:26Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Could “Chinese Democracy” even fairly be called a Guns N’ Roses album? It didn’t have the classic lineup that recorded “Appetite For Destruction” or “Use Your Illusion.” No Slash. No Duff. No Izzy. No Matt. The only original member remaining was Axl Rose. The rest of the band were all replacement members. It was a Guns N’ Roses album in name only. Even though I’m the one who brought it up, I wouldn’t count _Chinese Democracy_ as a G&R album either. It was an Axl Rose album. ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/17 "2012-12-03T04:27:45Z")
Springsteen’s [Darkness on the Edge of Town](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkness_on_the_Edge_of_Town) wasn’t a stinker. > [@](#): > > The album marked the end of a three-year period of forced hiatus from recording brought on by contractual obligations and legal battling with former manager Mike Appel. > [@](#): > > Though the album failed to generate any substantial hit singles (“Prove It All Night” made it into the Top 40 in the U.S. at #33, and follow-up “Badlands” just missed, peaking at #42), Darkness was critically well-received and claimed the number one slot on NME album of the year ranking. In 2003, the album was ranked number 151 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[4] The same year, the TV network VH1 named Darkness on the Edge of Town the 68th greatest album of all time. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/18 "2012-12-03T08:36:21Z")
Here’s a case where I’d say no: The most recent album by Yes, _Fly From Here_. Released last year, ten years after their previous album. While the album itself wasn’t long in the making, the 25-minute title track was based on a song they wrote back in 1980. The album isn’t bad - they’ve certainly done worse. But it isn’t great, either. Just middle of the road. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/19 "2012-12-03T14:44:03Z")
**Van Der Graaf Generator** split in 1971, reformed after 4 years and released _Godbluff_ in 1975 - which I consider one of their best. They split again in 1978 and this time took a loooong break, until reforming with the classic line-up in 2005. The album they released then, _Present_, was pretty good, but not quite up to their earlier standard, although the live shows I’ve seen since have been excellent. Actually, give it time; the songs on their recent cds are competing with stuff i’ve been listening to since the early 70s! ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732/20 "2012-12-03T14:46:55Z")
I don’t know, but I am hoping that when AFI decides to stop playing around with side projects and makes another album it will be worth it. Their last album was in 2009. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-delivered-after-a-long-hiatus-by-the-artist-s-are-these-more-often-masterpieces-or-not/642732.md?page=2)