# Bands that went out on a high note with their last album? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989 "2015-01-16T16:11:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/21 "2015-01-16T19:48:40Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Van Halen’s _1984_, the last album with the original line-up, was a great send off for Van Halen. Supposedly, 3 of the members formed a spin off band with some guy who had trouble driving under the speed limit, but that band wasn’t Van Halen. I agree about _1984_. But while it was not technically recorded by the classic lineup, 2012’s _A Different Kind of Truth_ was the first album since _1984_ to feature the guy who preceded the traffic offender. Not as good as _1984_, but loads better than the band’s 1998 effort (the last full length album). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/22 "2015-01-16T20:27:34Z")
I don’t know if this counts, but the last Lp that Janis Joplin worked on before her induction into the 27 Club - **Pearl** - is a winner, and probably her very best work. (There were several posthumous releases, but this Lp was the last she explicitly intended as a commercial release.) In fact, it’s a particularly tragic example in that it was THE album in which she came into her own. Janis was a superstar based largely on her live performances, but her releases up to that point never lived up to her promise. She recorded two Lps with the band Big Brother & the Holding Co (including the massively successful “Cheap Thrills”), but listening to them now - Big Brother was simply not a good band. Joplin’s first solo Lp “Kosmic Blues” had a slapped together feel, tried just too damned hard, and consists of unmemorable songs. **Pearl** was the album where Joplin finally had a great band backing her, solid material that suited her personality, and perhaps most importantly was clean & sober throughout the recording sessions (until the unfortunate relapse just before they ended.) It is the disc that proves she did have the talent to live up to her hype, and should have been a major musical force of the 1970s. Instead it was her epitaph. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/23 "2015-01-16T20:27:43Z")
The final album by the original incarnation of Spirit, **The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus** is one of the top ten rock albums of all time. The group knew that they were breaking up at the time, and really wanted to make something special. It’s hip to hate the Eagles, but **The Long Run** is a pretty good album. Blind Faith only had one album, so that can count. Cream’s **Goodbye** ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/24 "2015-01-16T20:37:42Z")
_Shoot Out the Lights_ was the last album Richard and Linda Thompson did together, and is still one of the best things he has done. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/25 "2015-01-16T21:09:01Z")
I’ll prolly be back with more, but for me the best example of this phenomenon is **Refused** ’s _The Shape of Punk to Come_; it’s not only their final album, it’s prolly the single greatest rock album I’ll ever hear. Yes, most days I do rate it even higher than **The Clash** ’s _Combat Rock_ (tho only slightly). ETA: oh yeah and add in **Bolt Thrower** ’s _Those Once Loyal_; it’s not my personal favorite but the band has not recorded since because they feel that they finally released the perfect **Bolt Thrower** album. Ya gotta respect that, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/26 "2015-01-16T21:15:54Z")
> [@solost](#): > > I was listening to **the** Talking Heads… Nitpick: [The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_This_Band_Is_Talking_Heads) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/27 "2015-01-16T21:17:30Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The final album by the original incarnation of Spirit, **The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus** is one of the top ten rock albums of all time. The group knew that they were breaking up at the time, and really wanted to make something special. > … This is one of _ **my** _ favorite rock albums of all time, but Spirit did make a lot of albums after that, albeit with a revolving door of band members. Did they break up after Twelve Dreams and re-group? There are several answers along the lines of “album X-- I don’t count albums Y and Z, because \_\_\_\_ band member had left”. I like the answers in general, because it’s giving me some ideas for music to listen to I’ve either overlooked or haven’t heard in awhile. But if I was to make rules for this post, they would be bands who kept on making albums under the same band name, regardless of personnel changes, without having broken up and reformed in the interim. In other words, it’s only ok to not count a later album if the band broke up, then re-formed years later and put out a crappy album. So sadly, I wouldn’t count The Door’s ‘LA Woman’ or Van Halen’s ‘1984’. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/28 "2015-01-16T21:31:08Z")
> [@solost](#): > > This is one of _ **my** _ favorite rock albums of all time, but Spirit did make a lot of albums after that, albeit with a revolving door of band members. Did they break up after Twelve Dreams and re-group? Three fifths of the group left and the two remaining were not songwriters. Al Staehely – the new member – wrote most of their songs, with a couple by original member John Locke (Ed Cassidy, while the “face” of the group, was not a songwriter nor a singer). So that’s essentially a different group – sort of like Ringo going out with a few musicians and saying it’s the Beatles. Randy California would come back from time to time, but it was more a reunion than the same group (and since other people here listed other groups who continued with a new lineup, Spirit clearly fit). ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/29 "2015-01-16T21:41:54Z")
Don’t know if many of the fans who were into their more hardcore earlier stuff would agree, but Husker Du went out on a high note with _Warehouse: Songs and Stories_. The Pixies would have been strong contender if they hadn’t released the godawful _Indie Cindy_ last year. Also controversial among fans, but I think _The Gift_ by The Jam is a great record. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/30 "2015-01-16T21:50:52Z")
They did follow it up with an EP of covers, but [Lulu](http://www.amazon.com/Lulu-Trip-Shakespeare/dp/B000002GJY), the last full album by Trip Shakespeare, is one of _my_ all-time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/31 "2015-01-16T21:57:53Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s hip to hate the Eagles, but **The Long Run** is a pretty good album. I hadn’t thought of the Eagles (probably because Hell did indeed freeze over in 1994, which brings up the question of whether _The Long Run_ was their last album, but that’s a point over which I have no interest in quibbling) – I’ve been listening to _The Long Run_ quite a bit in the last couple of months. Other than a couple of misfires (_King of Hollywood_ and _Teenage Jail_), it’s a great album. _In The City_ and _The Sad Café_ are two of my favorite Eagles songs. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/32 "2015-01-16T22:12:29Z")
> [@Gordon\_Urquhart](#): > > If you’re an Amazon Prime member, by the way, five of Dire Straits’ albums, including _On Every Street_, are available for free listening. I didn’t know you could do that with Amazon Prime, and I’ve been a member for a number of years now. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/33 "2015-01-16T22:16:05Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I didn’t know you could do that with Amazon Prime, and I’ve been a member for a number of years now. Thanks! It’s a recent perk. Available the last 6 months to a year or so. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/34 "2015-01-16T22:21:32Z")
When it comes to the Eagles, _Long Road Out of Eden_ is still very good, so either way they ended on a strong note. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/35 "2015-01-16T22:27:44Z")
> [@Gordon\_Urquhart](#): > > If you’re an Amazon Prime member, by the way, five of Dire Straits’ albums, including _On Every Street_, are available for free listening. So, for that matter, are some of the other albums that people are mentioning (like _Naked_ and _The Long Run_). ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/36 "2015-01-16T22:44:36Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > So, for that matter, are some of the other albums that people are mentioning (like _Naked_ and _The Long Run_). Yep – that’s how I’ve been listening to _The Long Run_. 🙂 Seriously, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, there’s a lot of free music available and not all of it is crap. I added about 300 songs to my Amazon Music player this afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/37 "2015-01-16T22:54:01Z")
> [@Gordon\_Urquhart](#): > > Yep – that’s how I’ve been listening to _The Long Run_. 🙂 Me too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/38 "2015-01-16T23:24:51Z")
> [@Gordon\_Urquhart](#): > > Yep – that’s how I’ve been listening to _The Long Run_. 🙂 > > Seriously, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, there’s a lot of free music available and not all of it is crap. I added about 300 songs to my Amazon Music player this afternoon. Yeah, I spotted a Coltrane album and albums by Getz/Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis (live), and Charles Mingus. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/39 "2015-01-17T00:04:35Z")
**Soda Stereo** left on a high note with their last album, their farewell tour, and their “back-for-one-more-tour” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989/40 "2015-01-17T00:21:49Z")
_The Division Bell_ by Pink Floyd is an excellent album. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-went-out-on-a-high-note-with-their-last-album/709989.md?page=3)