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The one factor tougher than beginning a sizzling streak is sustaining one. Rock historical past is full of artists who failed to enhance upon and even match the promise of a very profitable album.
In fact, rock’s true legends have confirmed themselves to be able to repeatedly surpassing themselves, sharpening and refining their expertise whereas conquering thrilling new inventive territory. We requested seven UCR writers to choose one of the best four-album streaks in rock historical past, and this is what they selected:
The Who: Tommy (1969), Who’s Subsequent (1971), Quadrophenia (1973), The Who by Numbers (1975)
It is nearly surprising to contemplate the bottom coated by the Who in the midst of their profession, who began out as a comparatively typical English mod-rock band whose sound mirrored that of acts just like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. However by 1969, Pete Townshend determined to essentially let his freak flag fly with the rock opera that’s Tommy, a launch that now stands as a turning level within the historical past of rock ‘n’ roll songwriting. That was the tip of the iceberg, although. This was adopted by the stunningly highly effective Who’s Next (1971), the marginally extra convoluted but nonetheless strong Quadrophenia (1973) and the surprisingly private and complex The Who by Numbers (1975). If there was one factor proved by this run of albums, it was that Townshend was one of many period’s most proficient and imaginative songwriters and there was virtually nothing Roger Daltrey could not sing. (Allison Rapp)
Stevie Marvel: Speaking E-book (1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974) and Songs within the Key of Life (1976)
Stevie Wonder had launched a sequence of youthful, very uneven albums earlier than 1972’s Music of My Mind hinted at greatness. Then got here Talking Book, a crystallization of Marvel’s self-contained genius – and the start of among the best four-album runs in music historical past. Innervisions, with its very grownup themes, was the place he grew to become a person in full: Marvel had begun to delve deeply into the failure of the ’60s after which constructed a path out of that crushing disappointment. He obtained private with 1974’s extra intimate Fulfillingness’ First Finale, opening his coronary heart as he’d earlier opened minds. Then got here his undisputed masterpiece, 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life. These had been tales advised like no different may, with such boundless pleasure, grit, honesty, funk and hearth. He’d tentatively titled this venture Let’s See Life the Means It Is, and – as at all times – that is simply what Marvel did. (Nick DeRiso)
The Beatles: Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band (1967), The Beatles (1968)
You will not discover one other four-album run in historical past that altered the course of well-liked music just like the Beatles’ Rubber Soul by means of the White Album. Rubber Soul marked a quantum leap in songwriting for the Fab 4 and 4 rock ‘n’ roll at massive, incorporating unique instrumentation and shifting the style’s focus from singles to albums. Revolver pushed the envelope even additional, delving into acid rock, chamber pop, raga rock and the nascent psychedelic motion. An impossibly excessive bar for another band to clear, however it was only a warmup for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an album so steeped in hyperbole it feels drained to listing its achievements. Nonetheless: It turned rock ‘n’ roll right into a excessive artwork kind, epitomized the counterculture and have become a standard-bearer for idea albums (regardless that its idea is flimsy at finest). Simply when it appeared just like the Beatles had achieved every little thing they presumably may, they returned with their self-titled album — a sprawling, messy, joyful, anguished, introspective masterpiece that displayed all 4 musicians’ personalities throughout blues, music corridor, ska, heavy metallic and extra. The Beatles did not simply pull off these types higher than their friends; they proved they had been attainable within the first place. (Bryan Rolli)
The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (1968), Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Major St. (1972)
Just like the Beatles’ historic run throughout the mid- and late-’60s, the Rolling Stones’ equally momentous four-album streak – coincidentally began simply because the Beatles’ was ending – outlined an period by means of its development. And just like the Fab 4, the Stones ended their 4 basic data with a sprawling double album that exposed the scattered items left of their wake. Beggars Banquet was a back-to-basics response to 1967’s psychedelic splatter Their Satanic Majesties Request, blues for the post-Summer season of Love comedown; by 1969’s Let It Bleed, they had been saying goodbye to the ’60s altogether with a set of scarred songs about the last decade’s darkish aspect. Sticky Fingers is extra hopeful, soul music spun by means of the Stones’ filter, however it’s on 1972’s Exile on Main St. the place the band reached its zenith. Darker than any file they’ve ever made, the two-record assortment was made amid habit and artistic wrestle – no shock they’d by no means sound this uncooked and important once more. It is the fruits of a four-year and -album run that hasn’t been matched since. (Michael Gallucci)
Queen: Sheer Coronary heart Assault (1974), A Night time on the Opera (1975), A Day on the Races (1976), Information of the World (1977)
Queen spent their first few years determining precisely who they had been. By the point 1974’s Sheer Heart Attack arrived, they had been able to announce their presence to the world. The LP discovered the band combining its early progressive influences with pop constructions. “Killer Queen” was the breakout single, as Freddie Mercury and firm all of a sudden discovered themselves as worldwide stars. They had been simply getting began. Subsequent got here A Night at the Opera, a masterpiece that discovered the band at its bombastic finest. No different rock group was daring sufficient to attempt something as grandiose as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the sprawling operatic tune that continues to be beloved by generations. 1976’s A Day at the Races stored the hits coming, with “Any individual to Love” and “Tie Your Mom Down” rating amongst Queen’s greatest tracks. The fourth and remaining album on this unbelievable run was 1977’s News of the World, a strong LP that noticed the band stripping away their glam sheen for a few of the hardest hitting rock songs of their catalog (together with “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions”). That’s 4 unbelievable albums in 4 years, a run that’s nearly not possible to match. (Corey Irwin)
Foreigner: Foreigner (1977), Double Imaginative and prescient (1978), Head Video games (1979), 4 (1981)
On paper, Foreigner hardly appeared like a positive guess. However guitarist Mick Jones shortly proved the naysayers fallacious as soon as the British/American band’s self-titled debut hit the cabinets in 1977. Powered by the hovering and at occasions, emotional vocals of Lou Gramm, the fledgling group notched three straight High 20 hits, beginning with “Feels Just like the First Time” — which featured a drum breakdown that Dave Grohl later nicked with his own drumming. Foreigner finally offered greater than 5 million copies. Double Vision (1978) continued their chart reign with the muscular “Scorching Blooded” main the cost for 3 extra High 20 singles. Although their success at radio light barely with Head Games (1979), it was solely a momentary lull. 4 (1981) discovered Foreigner scaling again from six members to 4 with the departure of co-founders Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood. However paired with producer “Mutt” Lange, Foreigner notched their first and solely primary album with 4, thanks partly to the mega-success of their energy ballad, “Ready for a Woman Like You.” (Matt Wardlaw)
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971), Homes of the Holy (1973), Bodily Graffiti (1975)
Led Zeppelin‘s first six albums are all important, so the problem right here is selecting which two to depart out. Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II, launched simply 9 months aside in 1969, created the template for just about each exhausting rock and heavy metallic album that has adopted them. However when the group shifted away from bombastic blues covers and started writing extra refined unique materials, issues obtained much more attention-grabbing. 1970’s Led Zeppelin III introduced acoustic guitars and the group’s people influences to the forefront, and 1971’s untitled fourth album merged the heavy and delicate sides of their sound collectively together with their most constant songwriting. 1973’s Houses of the Holy discovered Led Zeppelin exploring a blinding array of latest types and complex preparations. Two years later, they capped off this unbelievable run with the double album Physical Graffiti, which revisited all of their previous phases whereas additionally pushing into thrilling new territory with songs comparable to “Kashmir” and “Trampled Underfoot.” (Matthew Wilkening)
37 Rock Albums Recorded in Unconventional Locations
Gallery Credit score: Allison Rapp
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