Bands who got better

[pedro]

I disagree. The first albums were raw, and were a representation of what the band was like live. I know, I saw them in 1964. Later albums were crafted painstakingly in the studio, and lost a lot of that live feel.

I don't think anybody would disagree with that but that doesn't mean that they didn't improve. They became better musicians and learned to play a new instrument - the studio.

 

[rickenbaker]

I'd say my few are:

My chemical romance
The killers
Angels and Airwaves
Blink 182
Jane's Addiction
Taking Back Sunday
30 seconds to mars

 

[Muddslide]

The Flaming Lips were the first band I though of. I can't think of another band who has transformed so consistently throughout their career.

Hear It Is (1986)
Oh My Gawd!!! (1987)
Telepathic Surgery (1989)
In a Priest Driven Ambulance (1990)
Hit to Death in the Future Head (1992)
Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993)
Clouds Taste Metallic (1995)
Zaireeka (1997)
The Soft Bulletin (1999)
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
At War with the Mystics (2006)
Embryonic (2009)
The Dark Side of the Moon (2009)

I enjoy the first couple, but they are not of the same caliber as their later work. In A Priest Driven Ambulance started to show what they were capable of. My favorites are Transmissions... (6th), The Soft Bulletin (9th) and Embryonic (12th), but I love them all after ...Priest..., except for At War with the Mystics. Some great songs, but as an album, it just didn't work for me.

The Lips have been through a lot of changes over the years. I was at their first three or four shows and they were fun as hell, but boy were they awful! (In a good, humorous way.) They were always cool guys but seriously, when they first started playing live around '82-'83 they were such a glorious sloppy mess.

They did a couple of free-form, psychedelic Pink Floyd-like improv jams, a few really poorly executed covers (Who, Zep) and since their repertoire was so llimited, they'd do The Batman Theme (from the old 60s TV show) sometimes as much as three times a set. They got serious, and seriously good, really quick though.

Growing up with them back then, those early albums mean a lot to me and my old friends. They've lost members and added new ones over the years (Wayne and Mike Ivins are the only original members.) They are fearless and let me tell you, Wayne is probably the single most creative individual I have ever known. His mind is perpetually on fire dreaming up new music, new approaches to music, new stage shows, artwork, etc.

Likewise, Steve Drozd (who came along for the Transmissions album and has been a centerpiece since then) is probably the finest musician I have ever been around or seen in action. The guy can play, literally, any instrument you hand to him. He can get something musical out of it. I've never seen anything like it. He could build a symphony from a beer can and a blade of grass.

I love all their albums (like you I thought Mystics was their weakest) but Priest, and the albums they made with Ronald Jones are highlights to me. I got to be in the studio with them for some of the recordings back then and this is a band who takes great pains to really craft ALBUMS--albums with dynamics and different emotions and sonics. They are just endlessly creative and willing to get as experimental as can be while still being able to put forth quirky, catchy songs. There's really nobody else like them.

 

[Heathen]

Pantera (wasn't a huge fan of CFH, but it's not that bad. VDOP is a masterpiece)

Actually, CFH was their 5th album. But they're still relevant in this thread because their first 4 were completely terrible glam metal shite.

 

[Heathen]

Well, megadeth. K.I.M.B. isn't my favorite, but RIP was the bee's knees.

and the band Death, their last album was amazing.

On Megadeth - Even K.I.M.B. was good compared to the shite they put out after CTE - think Risk. Or rather, don't if you wish to keep any brain cells

On Death- that's opening a massive can of worms there
suffice to say that I think their early and later albums are good for different reasons.

 

[EdHunter]

Thin Lizzy. First three albums were "meh", but a switch from just Eric Bell to Goro/Robbo, Moore, Snowy White (yes, Chinatown and Renegade are superb albums!) and Sykes combined with Lynnott's ever increasing elàn for writing such varied songs (compare Angel of Death with Didn't I!) meant that from Fighting onwards, Lizzy were superb.

 

[Sharpie555]

I sort of agree with The Killers although I feel Sam's Town was weaker than Hot Fuss. I do agree however Day & Age is there best.

I personally have always felt this way about Modest Mouse. Long Drive was a good album and established their sound but every subsequent release has built on it and improved. Does anyone else feel that way or is it just me?