Mar 302009
LEUctR-pw5k]
I can only think of a couple of good reunion (or post-reunion) albums. Cheap Trick’s Rockford is pretty good but I’m not even sure that counts as they never took more than 4 years between releases. Did they ever officially call it quits?
I digress.
The Buzzcocks Flat-Pack Philosophy is pretty good and clearly a post-reunion album.
I thought about this other day when Simply Saucer’s reunion album, Half Human, Half Live, (and actual only official album release) was recommended. I picked it up on eMusic and it is good, but not great.
Am I missing something obvious? Are there any great reunion albums?
Unless it doesn’t count since key members of the band are now dead, you are missing something obvious. The New York Dolls’ ONE DAY IT WILL PLEASE US TO REMEMBER EVEN THIS is tremendous, every bit as good as anything you could expect from a 70s band recording in the 00s, and in my opinion as impressive as the 00s comebacks of Dylan and McCartney.
Meanwhile, the Stooges’ reunion album is an absoute disgrace, sounding like nothing more than one of Iggy’s worst solo records.
Also, this isn’t a reunion album, but it’s a similar type of comeback album: Marianne Faithfull’s BROKEN ENGLISH completely blows away anything she did in the 60s.
Single artist “comeback” albums are not included.
Can’t say that I was that impressed with The New York Dolls reunion. Though, honestly, I’m not really all that taken with the Dolls as a whole so my opinion may not count.
Any Dolls fans out there want to stand-up for their great reunion album?
I’d say the eponymously titled Television reunion album was good but not great.
I think the Dolls’ reunion album was quite good, but not great. It definitely doesn’t compare to their ’70s stuff, but I didn’t really expect to it, especially considering that only 2 of them are still alive.
I agree completely about The Stooges’ reunion album. What a turd!
The s/t Television is OK but nowhere near their 1st 2 albums.
Cheap Trick never broke up, but I much prefer the ’97 s/t one to Rockford, which sounds like one of their mid ’80s albums to my ears (and without the songs).
My choice for best reunion album? Mission of Burma’s The Obliterati. I liked their 1st reunion album, 2004’s OnOffOn, but it was (as one of their song titles go) “Good, Not Great”. The Obliterati, on the other hand, is a crushing powerhouse of thrills that at times rivals some of the finest moments on Signals, Calls and Marches and Vs. I’m not kidding. Skeptics who are curious should check it out. At the time, it was favorite album of 2006.
Oh and if you like Flat-Pack Philosophy, check out the self-titled Buzzcocks album from 2003 on Merge. It’s a better version of that Flat-Pack, I think.
I though Trade Test Transmissions was the Buzzcocks comback record (mid 90’s)
Overall the comeback record has the same fate as the “post drugs” record that we discussed a few weeks back. At best it’s a shadow of another record.
I liked “God Save The Smithereens” but again they didn’t really break up, just lost their label.
The new Gary Louris / Marc Olson record is fantastic, but since it is not billed as “The Jayhawks” it may not count.
Mudcrutch, maybe? Never had a real first time to come back from (on record at least)
Steely Dan’s comeback record got good reviews (and a Grammy) but I never play it. Same with Blondie.
I kinda like Big Star’s comeback record, it’s no where near as good as the original ones, but I do play it from time to time.
I won’t stand up for that Dolls album. It was alright but there sure isn’t a Jet Boy on it. I think they already said what they had to say. I will completely agree with Pudman’s assessment of The Stooges. Man, that’s embarassingly bad.
Is Flat Pack Philosophy the Buzzcocks comeback? I liked that self titled album better. Sick City Sometimes is an awesome song, and the rest of the album is pretty crackin’ too.
I’ll give you two excellent ones, though. I mean excellent as in as good as anything they ever did. I’ll throw in a third bonus that’s awesome, too. First, Mission of Burma’s OnOffOn. It’s terrific and fits into their career perfectly. It’s like they never went away, but it’s also like they were growing and changing. Second is Dinosuar Jr.’s Beyond. Same thing as Mission of Burma. It’s like they never stopped and they rock impressively.
For a bonus I’ll toss in The Lemonheads self titled album for a Boston Trifecta. It’s a really solid album and sounds like Evan Dando benefitted a lot by having two guys from The Descendents working with him. It’s a cool album, if you ask me.
I’m also including anything post-reunion.
Mudcrutch is interesting. It is a reunion album and it is great…
jungleland2, I really like that Steely Dan album, too. I didn’t even think about that one. I play it pretty often. The one that came after wasn’t as good, but it’s not awful or anything.
Everyone here should have paid attention to KingEd’s review of Mudcrutch and ignored it. I’m out six bucks cuz I had to hear it for myself and it’s aural Ambien.
I think we’re going to be able to come up with a bunch in the ‘not embarrassing’ to ‘very good’ range (the Soft Boys’ Nextdoorland comes to mind), but great? That’s going to be tough.
I like The Obliterati a lot too, Berlyant. Mission of Burma came back and did it right. I think both those albums stack up with anything else they ever did.
I’d put the Dinosaur Jr. into the good category as well. Bug was great. You’re Living All Over Me was great.
I think Beyond is great, too. I bet I’ll crank it up a lot as the weather breaks around here. It’s just one of those albms I can listen to over and over.
I can’t even go as far as “pretty good,” Geo. I thought that third Television album is boring as hell. I’d rather hear almost any Tom Verlaine solo album than a Television album with the rhythm section of Ficca and Smith in shackles and loaded up on saltpeter.
I can’t speak for any of those Mission of Burma albums, because I lose interest in them following the two singles that the bassist wrote. For me, as some of you know, they go into that category of Calesthenics Rock.
It’s hard to believe there aren’t more *great* comebacks, simply as a result of the numbers in recent years. I’m sure we’re forgetting a few excellent examples.
The only album that comes to mind right now is Squeeze’s “Play”, which is pretty good, but certainly it’s no “East Side Story”.
The best that’s coming to mind for me so far is the Pere Ubu comeback album The Tenement Year, which is in that “good but not great” territory. At least it has the balls of their first run of albums, which is my problem with a lot of comeback albums, like that Television album.
I also like the two recent Steely Dan albums, even if they veer into Weather Channel jazz on occasion. Lyrically, they are still really sharp.
The Crowded House disc from last year was good but not quite great.
Play is not a Squeeze reunion disc. They had gotten back together, making albums again, about five years previous. Play is okay, but a lot of the latter-day albums I heard are incredibly dire. That band really wore out its welcome in my life.
Cheap Trick never broke up.
The Soft Boys-Nextdoorland
really really good. but great? maybe.
The Go-Betweens three reunion albums are amongst their finest albums, particularly for me, Bright Yellow Bright Orange, which is my favorite album of theirs. A totally great comeback album.
i remember that when yes ‘re-united’ to make “90125”, the review in rolling stone said “this is one reunion that might actually top the original” or words to that effect. still….not great.
it’s funny, though…”rock time” elapsed more slowly then than it does now: that album came out only three years after “drama”, but i remember my yes fan friends talking about those two albums as if an eternity existed between them. nowadays, that’s not considered such a long time at all.
pylon’s reunion album, ‘the chain,’ aint great either.
I like the Television reunion almost as much as Adventure, the first saltpeter record.
I’ll second the Tenement Year. It wouldn’t be inconceivable that someone might pick that as a favorite over Modern Dance or Dub Housing. It was right up there.
King Crimson’s Discipline is the first thing that came to mind.
King Crimson’s Discipline is indeed great. But is it a reunion album? Isn’t Fripp the only constant there? And the music isn’t much related to the original KC. In fact if you played Court and Discipline for the average Joe I bet they couldn’t tell it was the same “band”.
If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be able to tell.
Feel free to agree with me.
Candi Staton hadn’t made a secular album in decades when she released “His Hands,” and it’s awesome. I suppose that won’t qualify, but it’s the best I got.
Geo wrote:
Only on Rock Town Hall! You’re competing with your own Comment of the Month candidate, Geo:) Seen this way, however, I am almost in agreement with you!
Meatloaf and Jim Steinman
Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell.
There is a Bat Out of Hell III. Not sure if it’s subtitle is Bat Out of Hell III: Bat Back Out of Hell Again.
OK, I plead ignorance here, but the mention of King Crimson brought this to mind: true fans of Van Der Graaf Generator say that their reunion album, GODBLUFF, is, while maybe not better than their early work, of equal quality. Is there anyone here who knows that album, or the subsequent STILL LIFE, which their fans also like very much?
I’ll take the short putt.
Costello and the Attractions for Blood and Chocolate.
bruford was in early lineups of king crimson, and is on ‘discipline’, ‘beat’, and ‘three of a perfect pair.’
that stuff doesn’t hold up very well…
Indeed.
As much as I welcomed the “reunion” of Elvis and the Attractions, I think he essentially has to count as a solo artist, despite the fact that there’s no better solo Elvis than his work with the Attractions. No?
Thog by Gray Matter is better than all of their albums from their original career. Broke up in mid 80’s got back together in 90.
This is the only Dischord band I like. Maybe Jawbox too, but they are not just a Dischord band.
Go Away White, the 2008 studio album by Bauhaus was not embarrassing. Maybe a bit soul-less, not bad after 25 years.
Oats – the thread is “best reunion or post reunion album”, but I hear you on Squeeze. Cosi is overproduced, Babylon and On isn’t a bad album, really, has some good tunes. Play was my favorite and I think Domino and Frank were pretty downhill. But whatever, I’m not going to even stand near the mat on this one.
I think BigSteve will high-five me for mentioning Charlie Rich’s 1992 comback PICTURES & PAINTINGS; after more than a decade between records he released his final and finest record. I think Peter Guralnick is listed as Executive Producer.
British folk rock enigma Vashti Bunyan made a surprisingly sturdy comeback record a few years back, only her second record ever.
How ’bout The Stooges? One of the greatest live comebacks of all time, followed by one of the worst recorded ones.
I’m a fan of the afore mentioned revival of Mission of Burma (that song 2twice is as pwerful as anything they’ve done), Steely Dan’s TWO AGAINST NATURE and Television’s third. Not a fan of Big Star’s Fourth.
I second the vote on Pictures & Paintings. Peter Guralnick was indeed listed as Executive Producer. I remember attending a seminar in Memphis in 1997 on the 20th Anniversary of Elvis’ passing which was headed by Sam Phillips & Peter Guralnick & at the question ‘n answer seminar that followed, I asked Sam Phillips what his opinion of Charlie Rich was. After looking like I shot him in the chest, he went on to reply that Charlie Rich was the best musician he ever knew & that Peter helped him on his final album & then asked the audience to give a hand for him, which they did. I like to think that I gave Charlie Rich a bit of recognition in the midst of all the Elvis talk.
I’ll stand up for Endless Wire by The Who. It’s not as great as Who’s Next, but it’s far better than Face Dances and It’s Hard (which probably isn’t saying much). It’s still hard to view it as a proper Who album what with just Pete and Rog, but I like it all the same.
Has anyone heard Justus, the 1996 reunion album by The Monkees? It’s probably as good as anything they did in the 60s (as a group), but it’s an okay album I pull out from time to time. It’s hard to take that one very seriously, though. It’s The Monkees, after all.
The 2001 ELO is pretty great, but like The Who record, it’s essentially an ELO album in name only. Jeff Lynne played pretty much everything on the record with a couple of guest spots from original ELOers Ringo and George. I like the record, though. It will definitely please Lynne fans.
TB
I know Sammy stated up front that we can’t nominate solo artists for the REUNION thread, but what if a solo artist reunites with his original persona, like Prince going back to being Prince after those years of being the symbol? Perhaps there’s a Prince reunion album that is GREAT, like the new 3-CD set:)
Mod: “I know Sammy stated up front that we can’t nominate solo artists for the REUNION thread, but what if a solo artist reunites with his original persona, like Prince going back to being Prince after those years of being the symbol?”
Reminds me of an old joke my pals and I had back in the eighties: “Hey! Didja hear Bob Dylan is getting back together?”.
Just heard a cut from the new Dylan; sounds like he’s fronting Los Lobos.
I’ve never heard anyone go to bat for Justus before. Is it not bad?
The Lynne ELO Zoom album is good if you’re at all into Lynne: he didn’t lose anything in his voice and it sounds exactly what a respectable 20-years-later ELO record should sound like, complete with references to the old songs. But, yeah, it can’t count as a reunion album. It’s almost the exact opposite, since it was his way of pushing Bev Bevan and the “ELO Part 2” guys even further out of the way, and only one other actual ELO member makes a cameo.
Pictures and Paintings is definitely a beautiful album, but it’s a comeback not a reunion. I think it’s much easier for a solo artist to get it together and do good work again than it is for a group of people to rekindle the magic.
Regarding Little Village, I think Hiatt was actually the problem, a little case of frontmanitis. Plus the album didn’t exactly set the charts on fire, as perhaps various managers had led them to expect, and the tour that followed went sour.
Cooder, Lowe, and Keltner did a couple of benefit gigs towards the end of last year, and Cooder and Lowe will be doing a short European tour this summer, so there don’t seem to be any problems there.
Justus is okay. It’s not great, but there are worse albums and there are certainly worse Monkees albums (Pool It, Changes, etc.).
It’s a little bittle heavy on the rockin’ side and none of the numbers are going to blow your mind, but it’s worth a spin or two. I’d give it 3 stars on a 5 star scale.
TB
What about Spinal Tap?
Yes, Break Like The Wind is a worthy record. In and od itself it is not quite as good as the This is Spinal Tap sndtrk, and there was no movie to go with it, but there was a tour!
shawn, Well, there was the “Return of Spinal Tap” TV special/video release, which, in addition to a live performance, had some good non-musical comedy bits. Plus, hearing Mel Torme singing “Sex Farm” is nearly worth the price of admission, in & of itself.
Mr. Chicken, I think that 3rd Meatloaf album was called,”Bat Out of Hell III: Bat Out of Hell One Mo’ Time Again”. Or maybe it was, “Bat Out of Hell III: Rise of the Machines”, I don’t quite remember.
As a big fan of Gray Matter, I have to seriously disagree with you here. Thog, while a good record, is nowhere near as powerful as Food for Thought or Take It Back. Saturn, will you back me up on this one?
GREAT call on this one, 2000Man. I can’t wait to see them next month and to hear the new album as well.
I like that Lemonheads record, too, but I’d definitely rate it as solid or good rather than great. Plus, they never really broke up, did they? I know Dando did a few solo records, but he’s basically the only constant member anyway, right?
This also reminds me that the two Descendents albums released in the last dozen years or so (Everything Sucks from ’96 and Cool to Be You from ’04) are both solid and more consistent than their last 2 ’80s albums (though the peaks aren’t as high, if that makes sense).
Here’s how I would rate them.
Cosi: awful
Babylon and On: side 1 is great, but most of side 2 is indeed dire; also hurt by overproduction, though nowhere near as bad as Cosi
Frank: OK (some highlights)
Play: An absolute stunner! I think it’s one of their best albums, actually!
Some Fantastic Place: Everyone loves this one but I’ve always thought it was merely good and far from great
Ridiculous: a few great songs but mostly dire
Domino: I never bothered with it
I agree with you completely on The Friends of Rachel Worth and especially their last album Oceans Apart (which I thought was easily their best since 16 Lovers Lane and one of their best albums overall as well), but Bright Yellow Bright Orange is one I’ve just never been able to get into. “Too Much of One Thing” is a great song, though. I’ll have to revisit that one at some point.
The majesty of loaf, the mystery of meat…
Would a Jefferson Wheelchair album count?