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Hat Trick

mellowinman

mellowinman

Free Man
Oct 19, 2011
11,818
18,518
63
Minneapolis
#1
Can you think of any bands that had three "perfect" albums in a row? To me, a "perfect" album is one you can listen to from beginning to end. It is especially pertinent today, when most people assert albums are a hit or two, and the rest filler. I have albums where I'm not even sure why the hit was a hit, because I like all the songs so much.

I'll give some examples:

Definitely:

Queen
A Night at the Opera
A Day at the Races
News of the World

Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
In Color (and in Black and White)
Heaven Tonight

Steely Dan
Katy Lied
The Royal Scam
Aja

Yes
The Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge

Maybe:

Aerosmith
Get Your Wings
Toys in the Attic
Rocks

or, if Get Your Wings doesn't do it, maybe

Toys in the Attic
Rocks
Draw the Line

They definitely had a twofer with Toys in the Attic and Rocks, that's for sure

Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
Houses of the Holy
Physical Graffiti

Jethro Tull
Benefit
Aqualung
Thick as a Brick

What are some others you can think of? Do you have an issue with any of mine?
 
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#3
Philonius said:
There were these four guys from Liverpool....
Click to expand...

This could be controversial!

Beatles
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

This is controversial because of "She's Leaving Home."

for me it could be

The Beatles (White Album)
Abbey Road
Let it Be

except those aren't actually consecutive, thanks to Yellow Submarine, which is far from perfect.

Rolling Stones
Beggar's Banquet
Let it Bleed
Sticky Fingers

As much as I love Exile on Main Street, I'm not sure I consider it "perfect." There are a few songs I skip. But the three I listed? As perfect as any album by any band.
 
#7
I have yet to find a "perfect" album. Most have a couple of tracks that I skip. The closest to a "hat trick" for me, though, would have to be Tool. Not including their EP, their first three albums have the best ratio of killer, to filler. There are a couple of songs on each of the three that I generally don't listen to, but I don't hate them. If I were give a choice of three albums, from one band / artist that I had to take on a long trip, given the requirement that I must listen to every track, it would be Undertow, Ænima, and Lateralus. I am markedly less enthusiastic about 10000 Days.

Primus came close with Seas of Cheese, and Pork Soda, but didn't really nail it with Tales. It might be for purely nostalgic reasons, as those were two of the first CDs I got, when I was a kid in the early 90s.
 
#9
mellowinman said:
Can you think of any bands that had three "perfect" albums in a row? To me, a "perfect" album is one you can listen to from beginning to end. It is especially pertinent today, when most people assert albums are a hit or two, and the rest filler. I have albums where I'm not even sure why the hit was a hit, because I like all the songs so much.

I'll give some examples:

Definitely:

Queen
A Night at the Opera
A Day at the Races
News of the World

Aerosmith
Get Your Wings
Toys in the Attic
Rocks

or, if Get Your Wings doesn't do it, maybe

Toys in the Attic
Rocks
Draw the Line

They definitely had a twofer with Toys in the Attic and Rocks, that's for sure

Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV
Houses of the Holy
Physical Graffiti



What are some others you can think of? Do you have an issue with any of mine?
Click to expand...

I immediately thought of the same Queen, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin albums. But also thought about

The Beatles:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Magical Mystery Tour
The Beatles (White Album)

Bad Company:
Bad Company
Straight Shooter
Run With The Pack

The Eagles:
One of These Nights
Hotel California
The Long Run
 
#13
I agree with many of these submitted. I also think this highlights just how difficult it is to put out three great albums in a row, for any band!

My Led Zeppelin example could have been:

Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin III

but III is the first Led Zeppelin album to have a couple of songs I will often skip. Not big on "Friends," "Out on the Tiles," or "Hats off to Roy Harper." They're not bad songs; they're just not my cup of tea.

I completely understand the sentiments about the Beatles White Album. Most people would have a hard time listening to that from beginning to end. For some reason, I will do so, even Revolution 9.

How about this?

Neil Young
Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
After the Gold Rush
Harvest

I really can't think of a song I would skip on those three.

as for Rush, I would not often want to listen to Side 1 of Hemispheres. I just don't get that into it.

I might be more likely to cheat, and put in the live album, and say

2112
All the World's a Stage
A Farewell to Kings

although, I don't love Lakeside Park

For me, Rush didn't do a lot of "perfect" albums, but they did a ton that came very, very close.
 
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#14
I'm sure there are more but:

Metallica:
Kill 'em All
Ride the Lightning
Master of Puppets

High on Fire:
Blessed Black Wings
Death is this Communion
Snakes for the Divine

Pixies:
Surfer Rosa
Bossanova
Doolittle
Trompe Le Monde

Beastie Boys:
Paul's Boutique
Check Your Head
Ill Communication

Black Sabbath:
Black Sabbath
Paranoid
Masters of Reality
Vol. 4
 
#20
Electric Light Orchestra: A New World Record, Out Of The Blue, Discovery
Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Trick Of The Tail, Wind And Wuthering (Bear in mind, they also lost Peter Gabriel after The Lamb album....)
 

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