# Great late-career albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 21, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430 "2009-06-21T00:38:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/21 "2009-06-22T14:17:48Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Sorry, your thread title and the statement don’t really clarify what you seem to be looking for in this last post. I kind of see what you mean now, but I have no examples. Yeah I was baffled by that. I came in to mention someone who I have liked for about 30 years whose most recent album is clearly (IMHO) the best thing he ever did but since he was never homeless and busking on street corners to get enough for a burger I guess I better forget about posting it. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/22 "2009-06-22T16:05:35Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > …Nena has released a whole series of albums, but who knows anything other than “99 Luftballoons”? This was who I was coming in to mention. Her 2-disc 2005 “Willst du mit mir gehen” was an amazing work and arguably the best she’s ever made. It’s now one of my favorite/most-played albums of any artist on my iPod. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/23 "2009-06-22T17:04:33Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Yeah I was baffled by that. I came in to mention someone who I have liked for about 30 years whose most recent album is clearly (IMHO) the best thing he ever did but since he was never homeless and busking on street corners to get enough for a burger I guess I better forget about posting it. _Reductio ad absurdum_ much? I thought the examples in my first few posts were of artists who make enough money on the royalties of their hit(s) that they don’t _need_ another, yet they keep creating music that is only bought by die-hard fans. There’s a big difference between that and “…homeless and busking on street corners to get enough for a burger”. **Ludovic** with Echo and the Bunnymen, **GargoyleWB** with Nena, **Justin\_Bailey** with Fastball, **cactus waltz** with Sparks and **Ataraxy** with Richard Thompson are great examples. Early success with one song or style of music can damn a talented musician to a musical ghetto as well. For instance, back in 2001, Alan Parsons got a group of musicians together to do “A Walk Down Abbey Road” - two sets, one of the performer’s hits, the second of Beatles tunes. Parsons, Todd Rundgren, Ann Wilson of Heart, John Entwistle of The Who and David Pack of Ambrosia with Entwistle’s backing band. And it was David Pack, the presumed lightweight with two sappy hits - “The Biggest Part Of Me” and “How Much I Feel” - who was the revelation. He has a great voice and is a very talented guitar player and did great versions of the Beatles tunes and the Alan Parsons Project songs. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/24 "2009-06-22T21:54:39Z")
Nick Lowe’s “At My Age” could fit into this category. I think the success of _(What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding_ on the soundtrack from “The Bodyguard” gave him the freedom to get away from power pop ditties. His lyrics are still as sharp as a knife, but he’s gone more into a country/soul musical direction, with very pleasing results. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/25 "2009-06-22T22:26:46Z")
Cheap Trick’s **Rockford** (2006) is a favorite of mine. Commercially they’ve been MIA since 1988’s _Lap of Luxury_. Artistically, most albums since _Dream Police_ (1979) have consisted of a few killer singles and a whole lot of filler. But this time they came up with a great batch of songs (+ one clunker), got a lot critical raves, and made me happy to play the “new Cheap Trick” instead of putting on _Heaven Tonight_ for the whateverth time. Unfortunately, no commercial recovery so far. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/26 "2009-06-23T03:40:23Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > Cheap Trick’s **Rockford** (2006) is a favorite of mine. Commercially they’ve been MIA since 1988’s _Lap of Luxury_. Artistically, most albums since _Dream Police_ (1979) have consisted of a few killer singles and a whole lot of filler. But this time they came up with a great batch of songs (+ one clunker), got a lot critical raves, and made me happy to play the “new Cheap Trick” instead of putting on _Heaven Tonight_ for the whateverth time. Unfortunately, no commercial recovery so far. I saw them on the Rockford tour. They kicked ass. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/27 "2009-09-06T01:48:53Z")
(Stumbled across this on a Loudon Wainwright III search…worthy of a bump) Props to Dickie, but the Allman Bros’ 2003 release [“Hittin’ The Note”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittin%27_the_Note) was a real winner, from a band that was obviously not content with fading into the sunset. Ian Hunter was playing in the Ringo Starr All-Star band when he put out [Rant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rant_%28Ian_Hunter_album%29) in 2001. ---
**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:** [September 6, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/28 "2009-09-06T02:17:11Z")
At the risk of completely misinterpreting this thread, and also exposing myself to thrown tomatoes, I would like to nominate “12 Songs” and “Home Before Dark,” Neil Diamond’s two most recent albums. After being popular in the 60’s and 70’s, he faded from the public eye, except for his most hardcore fans. He came back in 2005 with “12 Songs,” which reached #4 in the U.S. and in 2008 with “Home Before Dark,” his first #1 album in his career. Both albums were produced by Rick Rubin, who produced Johnny Cash’s acclaimed series of albums for American Recordings. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/29 "2009-09-06T02:22:52Z")
Lou Reed’s candle never quite dimmed, but it was a dark period for John Cale before they got together to record their Andy Warhol tribute album _Songs for Drella_. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/30 "2009-09-06T02:35:33Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Would Eric Clapton’s _Unplugged_ album apply? I think it really re-invigorated his career. In my opinion the only other album to bust as big for an all-but-dead-and-buried-in-an-unmarked-grave-career would be Paul Simon’s “Graceland”. Yes, there are some of us diehards who suffered thru the doldrums of both Clapton and Simons’ mid 70s-until mid to late 80’s mostly-forgettable-but-often-painfully-void-of-talent output, but I didnt know ANYONE who didnt own a copy of Eric Clapton Unplugged and Paul Simon’s Graceland when they were released. The image of the down and out ballplayer, up at bat in the bottom of the 9th, hitting one last glory shot over the fence to salvage thier legacy; a powerful reminder of it not being over till its over… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/31 "2009-09-06T02:39:29Z")
Brian Wilson put out an amazing album in 2004. He did another one last year that got similar reviews, but I didn’t care for it as much. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/32 "2009-09-06T03:02:41Z")
Blondie’s comeback album, **No Exit** , featured what I consider their best song ever, “Maria.” Bonnie Raitt, always a respected “musician’s musician,” didn’t emerge as a commercial success until about 20 years into her recording career. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/33 "2009-09-06T03:08:30Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Blondie’s comeback album, **No Exit** , featured what I consider their best song ever, “Maria.” Bonnie Raitt, always a respected “musician’s musician,” didn’t emerge as a commercial success until about 20 years into her recording career. Bonnie Raitt’s “Nick Of Time” album was a masterwork that will continue to be enjoyed for as long as people listen to music… ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/34 "2009-09-06T03:26:29Z")
It’s my understanding that _Full Moon Fever_ was kind of a resurgence for Tom Petty, rocketing him to greater fame than he had known in the first 10 years of his career. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/35 "2009-09-06T03:43:20Z")
Johnny Cash’s 1996 cover of Rusty Cage got some airplay on alternative and mainstream grunge stations. And he was a 64-year old who most people thought of as a country artist. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/36 "2009-09-06T03:48:42Z")
> [@Ataraxy](#): > > Richard Thompson, who just turned 60 this year, released the awesome Sweet Warrior in '07, most noted for the Iraq war protest song, “Dad’s Gonna Kill Me.” Although personally, my favorite of his is from '99, Mock Tudor. For many, his peak was his last album with Linda, Shoot Out the Lights, in '82. His commercial peak was in the late 80’s. Sweet Warrior is great. “Dad’s Gonna Kill Me” is far from the best song on the album, it just got the most attention. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/37 "2009-09-06T03:52:23Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I think the success of _(What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding_ on the soundtrack from “The Bodyguard” gave him the freedom to get away from power pop ditties. The song is about 15 years older than the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/38 "2009-09-06T04:12:14Z")
Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/39 "2009-09-06T04:14:54Z")
Rush has done some great work in recent years and IMHO 2002’s Vapor Trails was as good as anything they were doing in their '70s heyday. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430/40 "2009-09-06T04:19:33Z")
> [@MisterThyristor](#): > > Bob Dylan is 68 and I think his latest _Together Through Life_ is pretty darn good – bluesy, cynical, and a great fit for his voice. This is the first album I’ve heard from him in a while that I’ve really enjoyed. You didn’t like **Time Out of Mind** and **Love and Theft**? Tsk. Amazing stuff from someone who had spent years issuing junk. Which doesn’t count the two acoustic folk albums just before them, which must have recharged his batteries, and which are quite good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-late-career-albums/500430.md?page=3)