Music opinion/question of the week...

[Flex]

Weird that you guys keep bringing up the most idiosyncratic corners of my very cool music taste, but whatevs.

[Dr. Medulla]

Weird that you guys keep bringing up the most idiosyncratic corners of my very cool music taste, but whatevs.

[WestwayKid]

Weird that you guys keep bringing up the most idiosyncratic corners of my very cool music taste, but whatevs.

Look...it's Grimace!

Grimace.jpg (170.14 KiB) Viewed 3036 times

[Dr. Medulla]

Look...it's Grimace!

That's not Grimace. Grimace is beloved.

[revbob]

Weird that you guys keep bringing up the most idiosyncratic corners of my very cool music taste, but whatevs.

Your highs are extremely high, but your lows are extremely low...

[WestwayKid]

Having a hard time thinking of a good question this week...

How about this? Give an example of a band the reunited after a period of time and released a good reunion album...something worthy of their legacy that was as good (or nearly as good) as the best they released before splitting.

You can also cite awful reunion albums.

I really liked the 2 Crowded House albums that were released after they got back together. The band chemistry was there. The overall sound had shifted, but felt familiar.

[eumaas]

Does Wire's Send count? Were they officially broken up?

[Flex]

Depends on how broadly we define a reunion, I think. The Beach Boys never broke up, in fact their constant touring is somewhat of a signature, but I think That's Why God Made the Radio could be considered a reunion album, and a damned fine one at that (best Beach Boys studio record since '77, probably).

Slapshot and the Bosstones never really truly broke up, I don't think, but they had pretty large gaps of time where they didn't tour or record. Slapshot picked up right where they left off with their post-hiatus output and the Bosstones released one of their great singles ("Don't Worry Desmond Dekker"), a kinda flat album (Pin Points & Gin Joints) and then a fantastic record (The Magic of Youth) all post-hiatus.

The most obviously correct choice to this question is Mission of Burma with the thrilling OnOffOn. As good as anything they ever released in their heyday, and they just picked it up and kept going after decades broken up. What a fucking legendary band.

[Flex]

Oh, and Blondie's No Exit was a good record with a great single. That was a danged worthy reunion album.

[eumaas]

The most obviously correct choice to this question is Mission of Burma with the thrilling OnOffOn. As good as anything they ever released in their heyday, and they just picked it up and kept going after decades broken up. What a fucking legendary band.

Oh yeah that record is tops. I saw them live here at the Cat's Cradle like five years ago and it was great.

[JennyB]

I really liked the first two Jane's Addiction albums, but the one they released after many years was just awful.

[WestwayKid]

Does Wire's Send count? Were they officially broken up?

I was actually going to mention that one - but also wasn't sure if they were officially broken up or just on hiatus. I think it still counts. Great, great record.

[WestwayKid]

Depends on how broadly we define a reunion, I think. The Beach Boys never broke up, in fact their constant touring is somewhat of a signature, but I think That's Why God Made the Radio could be considered a reunion album, and a damned fine one at that (best Beach Boys studio record since '77, probably).

Slapshot and the Bosstones never really truly broke up, I don't think, but they had pretty large gaps of time where they didn't tour or record. Slapshot picked up right where they left off with their post-hiatus output and the Bosstones released one of their great singles ("Don't Worry Desmond Dekker"), a kinda flat album (Pin Points & Gin Joints) and then a fantastic record (The Magic of Youth) all post-hiatus.

The most obviously correct choice to this question is Mission of Burma with the thrilling OnOffOn. As good as anything they ever released in their heyday, and they just picked it up and kept going after decades broken up. What a fucking legendary band.

Great call on Mission of Burma. ONoffON was a GREAT comeback album - and they've followed that up with several more really good albums.

[WestwayKid]

I really liked the first two Jane's Addiction albums, but the one they released after many years was just awful.

Yup. I think both REALLY missed the presence of Eric Avery and they sounded too slick and over produced.

[Dr. Medulla]

Does Wire's Send count? Were they officially broken up?

Yup. When they started up again in 2000, it was a helluva surprise.

Knowing full well I'm setting myself up for a "Well, of course you'd say that," the four albums Swans have put out since restarting are, collectively, the best of their career.