Best Ever Albums

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:19:51 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/25/2012 19:19

I found this rather interesting, so I decided to take my song ratings list (I determine my album rankings by calculating the weighted average of ratings I assign each song on the album from 1 to 10) and calculate the standard deviation of the song ratings on each album. Here were the ones with standard deviations below 1 (meaning they are the most consistent):

A Night at the Opera - 0.372
Superunknown - 0.462
Doolittle - 0.592
In the Court of the Crimson King - 0.647
Pinkerton - 0.775
The Dark Side of the Moon - 0.897
OK Computer - 0.928
Selling England by the Pound - 0.965

Huh. Interestingly, all 8 of these albums are from my top 8. I guess that makes sense, but I would've expected a couple of them to be albums that are consistently rated lower.

Re: Evenly Good

paladisiac — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:27:35 GMT

Author: paladisiac

Posted: 06/25/2012 18:27

lethalnezzle wrote:

I love the Manics. But Know Your Enemy is terrible.

i like the manics, but i agree. "Know Your Enemy" was an unmelodious mess.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 08:45:50 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/25/2012 12:45

an_outlaw wrote:

How many albums have you listened by them? Know Your Enemy seems to be pretty out the way in their caltaloge (and it contains 14-15 great songs, proper 10/10 stuff)

The only ones I don't own are This Is My Truth..., Lifeblood and the last one. I love the Manics. But Know Your Enemy is terrible.

Anyway, in terms of evenly good: Erykah Badu.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 08:56:20 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/21/2012 12:56

lethalnezzle wrote:

Know Your Enemy is pretty poor. Utterly uninspiring drivel.

How many albums have you listened by them? Know Your Enemy seems to be pretty out the way in their caltaloge (and it contains 14-15 great songs, proper 10/10 stuff)

Re: Evenly Good

ShaneSpear — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:24:25 GMT

Author: ShaneSpear

Posted: 06/21/2012 02:24

Le_Samurai wrote:

Nobody in Wu-Tang has a discography even close to all being good.

Both of ODB's albums were amazing. Y'know, if you have a degree in crazy at least.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:18:49 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/21/2012 02:18

Le_Samurai wrote:

Actually, yeah, good point. Nobody in Wu-Tang has a discography even close to all being good. And please check out Oneohtrix Point Never. He's making some of the best experimental music out there right now and he deserves far more recognition then he is getting.

I'll definitely check him out, a quick glance at his Wikipedia certainly makes him sound like someone I'd enjoy. Going back to Wu-Tang briefly, I'd argue both of Masta Killa's albums are really strong (although granted there are only two), and that when they come together as a whole Clan they never release a bad album (although to argue that all of their albums are "evenly good" would be doing a huge disservice to the first three, which are uniformly superb, whereas Iron Flag and 8 Diagrams are simply very good).

EDIT: Just remembered Chamber Music, which is also very strong. Not sure it can be considered a Clan album as neither Meth or GZA are involved, but it's well worth a listen nonetheless if you haven't heard it.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:06:43 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/21/2012 02:06

lethalnezzle wrote:

As much as I love him, Ghostface can never be accused of being consistent. Bulletproof Wallets is awful, Apollo Kids and The Big Doe Rehab (and Wu-Massacre with Meth and Rae) are distinctly average, and - depending on your point of view - Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City (and yes, that is the title) is unbearably bad/mildly entertaining (for me it's the latter, but I know several people who think it's terrible). That being said, there are plenty of people who like Bulletproof Wallets, but when his canon includes the albums mentioned above alongside classics like Ironman, Supreme Clientele and Fishscale, there is no way his discography can be viewed as "evenly good". However, I tend to agree with your other picks, though I have to admit to knowing nothing about Oneohtrix Point Never.

Re: Evenly Good

ShaneSpear — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:48:57 GMT

Author: ShaneSpear

Posted: 06/21/2012 01:48

I'd say that with the slight exception of YHF (which is better), all of Wilco's albums are pretty equal.

Oh, and how could I forget The Black Keys?

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:35:33 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/21/2012 00:35

an_outlaw wrote:

Manic Street Preachers come to mind

Have they actually released a poor album? 🙄 Really, have they?

Know Your Enemy is pretty poor. Utterly uninspiring drivel.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:32:40 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/21/2012 00:32

Le_Samurai wrote:

Oneohtrix Point Never is the most recent artist who has put together multiple albums (I think about 5) that are all great. Fugazi is another band that comes to mind. All their albums are good and a few are great, with Repeater probably being one of the best, if not the best post-hardcore album ever released. I would say the Pixies as well. While Bossanova and Trompe le Monde are both really good. And then, if course, there is Pavement. Their entire run of albums were great. Sure, their first two are both far and away their best, their next 3 are great as well and would easily be career highlights for any other band. Also, Pulp's string if albums after His 'N' Hers are all great as well. For the 2000's, Ghostface Killah is the first that comes to mind. His first three albums of are really strong. I would rate Kanye up there too, but I wouldn't include his past few releases. I think he's lost his way a bit ehen it comes to his rapping, but his production is still among the best out there.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:18:27 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/20/2012 23:18

Oneohtrix Point Never is the most recent artist who has put together multiple albums (I think about 5) that are all great. Fugazi is another band that comes to mind. All their albums are good and a few are great, with Repeater probably being one of the best, if not the best post-hardcore album ever released. I would say the Pixies as well. While Bossanova and Trompe le Monde are both really good. And then, if course, there is Pavement. Their entire run of albums were great. Sure, their first two are both far and away their best, their next 3 are great as well and would easily be career highlights for any other band. Also, Pulp's string if albums after His 'N' Hers are all great as well. For the 2000's, Ghostface Killah is the first that comes to mind. His first three albums of are really strong. I would rate Kanye up there too, but I wouldn't include his past few releases. I think he's lost his way a bit ehen it comes to his rapping, but his production is still among the best out there.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:05:14 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/20/2012 23:05

DLGGLD wrote:

The Cribs - 'Ignore The Ignorant' however is dodgy in places.

They got better and better with each of the first 3. Men's Needs is one of the best of 2007.

I wouldn't call 'Ignore The Ignorant' a band album but it is one of the greatest disappointments ever for me. I had to kid myself that it was great on first listen to hide this feeling. Then each listen after that had me more and more frustrated. To top it all off I went into this on a high after receiving 'We Were Aborted' from them and actually buying th CD Single for 'Cheat on Me' (still hard to do back in 2008). Pretty much everything else after the first 3 songs leaves me cold.

They tried really hard makings that album. The charm just wasn't there.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:59:05 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/20/2012 22:59

Manic Street Preachers come to mind

Have they actually released a poor album? 🙄 Really, have they?

Re: Evenly Good

paladisiac — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:54:52 GMT

Author: paladisiac

Posted: 06/20/2012 22:54

two albums is easy. 3 albums or more, especially from the 80s and on, is tougher to find.

Re: Evenly Good

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:41:28 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/20/2012 01:41

Everyone is capable of a good run. But the first band that sprung to mind were Pavement.

Re: Evenly Good

pearljammer13 — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:24:31 GMT

Author: pearljammer13

Posted: 06/20/2012 01:24

One band that comes to mind is Modest Mouse. While I can probably rank my favorites relatively easily, I still feel that they are basically all similar in quality (very high). The weird thing is they have evolved quite distinctly with each passing album, but although different they seem to be equally good. They can play fast, slow, tight, meandering, loud, soft...and do it all well.

I also would have put Iron and Wine in the discussion, but the latest album is clearly a step down for me from the first 3 which were all excellent.

Re: Evenly Good

HigherThanTheSun — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:58:26 GMT

Author: HigherThanTheSun

Posted: 06/20/2012 00:58

Agree with most but not sure about SY, I can rank my favourite SY albums pretty easily. Kanye is a great shout apart from 808s. My nomination would be Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Re: Evenly Good

GeevyDallas — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:21:48 GMT

Author: GeevyDallas

Posted: 06/19/2012 16:21

Great thread idea,There's a few that jump out to me.There's loads of examples of bands who've only released 2 albums and both where good,but I think you're looking more along the lines of bands with 3-4+ albums that have been consistent.

Sonic Youth
Kanye West
Jay-Z
A Tribe Called Quest
Blur - Leisure get's a bad rep,but I genuinely think it's a great album
The Cribs - 'Ignore The Ignorant' however is dodgy in places.
Gorrilaz

Evenly Good

videoheadcleaner — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:23:35 GMT

Author: videoheadcleaner

Posted: 06/19/2012 12:23

Just saw someone comment on Marconi Union on Last.FM saying that all their albums are "evenly good." Got me thinking about that idea and if there are artists who have produced good albums in succession.

For me:
Elbow
Doves
Muse
Marconi Union
Mutemath
Beach House