Two errors, it’s Stewart and there not their.
Yes, good one. Also, did we decide if disbanding-due-to-death counts or not, because if so, Joy Division’s Closer and Nick Drake’s Pink Moon are examples.
I don’t think LPs like “Blind Faith” or “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” should count in this thread. I’m not saying that they aren’t great albums, but when they were made, the musicians did NOT go into the studio with the attitude “Well, this will be our last album, we might as well go out on a high note!”. Blind Faith and Derek et al broke up on their post release promotional tours. “Good-bye Cream”, on the other hand, could count.
Was it? I’d always heard “Tapestry” was, although Wiki rounds both off to 25 million.
I didn’t know about those three post-LW studio albums they made without Robertson (who was their main songwriter), so you’re right - that alone disqualifies them by my own criteria. Sigh - another illusion shattered.
I think disbanding due to death counts, since there are several examples of the remaining members of a band trying to keep it going after a death of a key member (like The Doors, as mentioned- shoulda hung it up after JM’s death and let LA Woman stand as the last album).
What I don’t think counts is saying, “LA Woman, because I don’t count the albums after Morrison died” or “Van Halen’s “1984”-- I don’t count the later albums with that guy who can’t drive the speed limit”. They made many albums as Van Halen with that guy, and if you consider those inferior, that’s the very definition of milking it. If you want to make an argument that their last album with the speedy guy (or was it the guy from Exxtreme)? Was a high point to go out on, fine, though I may personally not agree. Pink Floyd arguably did their best work with Roger Waters after Syd Barrett left. Someone up thread said he thought post-Waters “Division Bell” was a high point for Floyd to go out on. I don’t personally agree, never liked the post-Waters stuff, but I think it’s a valid argument under my OP.
Well, I was going by what Wikipedia said (always a questionable move), but the point is still valid – their S&G’s last album was immensely popular. So I think you can say they went out on a high note.
The Police’s last full studio album was Synchronicity. Far and away their best recording, with Side 2 being a perfect side, no duds. The only real bleh song on the entire record was “Mother,” an Andy Summers oddity, and even that has an interesting 7/4 (or possibly 7/8, I haven’t looked at the sheet music) time signature going for it.
I mean, this single album includes “Synchronicity I,” “Synchronicity II,” “King of Pain,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” “Tea in the Sahara,” and “Murder By Numbers.” It’s crazy! I consider “O My God” and “Walking in Your Footsteps” solid songs too, especially the former. Even “Miss Gradenko” is cute, if not on a par with the rest (albeit still better than “Mother.”)
Yeah, it’s an agreeable set of songs, even if it doesn’t reach the transcendent heights of their earlier work. In addition, the only time that I ever saw them play live was when they were touring behind this album, so it gets a few bonus points for me on pure sentimentality.