In terms of runs of albums...if I liked Get Hurt as much as some of you I'd put Brian up there with like...Bruce's first six, REM's first 10, Costello's first nine...but my winner might actually be Paul Simon -- from the first Simon & Garfunkel album through Rhythm of the Saints. Only problem is One-Trick Pony isn't as strong.
Graceland is still so good. I remember my grandpa had a cassette tape rotation in his car of Born in the USA, Graceland, and some live Eric Clapton album. Whenever I’d be with him as a kid, that was all he listened to. For years, I swear.
REM is a reasonable one to discuss, I'm just not as high on their first 4 albums as everyone else. Vastly prefer #5-#10 but I certainly don't dismiss them as a candidate for this discussion New Adventures in Hi-Fi is ridiculously underrated
New Adventures is back in constant rotation for me and has climbed my rankings quickly. Probably fourth at the moment. The same happened recently with Tunnel of Love. I re-listened to it and it's probably fourth in my Bruce rankings now. Brian's run is incredible but I'd consider Get Hurt and part of Painkillers a couple of relative flat spots. The first two Bruce albums never grabbed me much either outside of the obvious standout tracks (Growing Up, Rosalita etc). I wouldn't say I bundle them together in terms of sound or anything, but I bundle them in terms of "I don't like this Bruce as much as what came after". Also I think The River is pretty overrated... (sorry). The Beatles' run from Hard Day's Night to Abbey Road isn't perfect but it is fantastic. REM's first 10 albums are all good to great but I can't get around Fables too much (Driver 8 aside) and Green isn't my fav either. Dylan's run of albums through to Nashville Skyline is super impressive but I don't obsess over his music the way I do with those aforementioned artists. Many would put Radiohead up there but I don't personally love Amnesiac or Hail to the Thief as much as what came before. Then after In Rainbows King of Limbs is a low point. Moon Shaped Pool was good but I have no desire to revisit it really. As for other more recent runs Kanye was seven from seven through to Yeezus (including Throne which I love). Eight if you want to be really generous and include Pablo (but I don't because that album is like 10 good songs and rest not up to standard). I also don't love 808s as much as the others. The National probably lost me with Sleep Well Beast (the back end is great though). So really only four albums in a row that I consider great. Modest Mouse had a great run from Lonesome Crowded West to We Were Dead (sorry Long Drive) but again that's only four albums. I think The Wonder Years have made five straight great albums. The Menzingers are going for five straight but I have to exclude them because I don't rate Rented World as highly. And finally for the take that will accompany me to my grave: Green Day belongs here. Dookie through 21CBD is one of the best six-album stretches in history. If you wanted to be harsh you could cull 21CBD (it's great but does represent a drop-off interms of absolute top-tier Green Day songs). But by the same token you could add Kerplunk (never did a whole lot for me personally though).
The Rise and Fall was the first tour of his I ever saw live, so I've got a soft spot for that one. I'd probably put it above The Spade most days, though those two are close.
"I age by years at the mention of your name" Fallon seriously snapped on Elsie jfc. Every song has at least one line that can knock you dead if you hear it at the right time.
I just listened to Elsie again because of the discussion in this thread, and yeah, it’s a near perfect album. It might be Brian’s best work lyrically, and it’s produced so well. And “Blood Loss” is easily one of my top 5 favorite songs he’s ever written. The line “I believe my trouble and your trouble shook hands” really hits home with me the closer I get to my wedding day.
Yes, Tunnel of Love is so so great Agree slightly on the River, it drags a little on disc 2, it's a little too long Green Day is a great call and I would also add that I think the trilogy are all highly underrated. Yes, not as good as their other stuff, but people strangely overlook those albums. Tons of great songs on those albums. Nimrod is the one that I think is a little hit and miss, actually.
I’d also like to throw Green Day in there as well. I would not include the trilogy though, the quality overall is just lower than normal GD. No Weird Al love in here, huh? jk
I’d say Gaslight/Brian because I still listen to Sink or Swim straight through to Sleepwalkers a lot a a lot. There hasn’t even been a stumble album in his discography.
I would go with Brian Fallon/Gaslight as most consistent. Absolutely. I think we did this convo in another thread, but my #2 WAS Frank Turner but then his last album fell hard.
This isn't how I feel about the album at all, but this actually makes sense to me. Elsie does have a very distinct and singular identity. The same way a lot of people seem to regard it as his absolute best, it makes sense that some people would feel quite the opposite about it.
Elsie is certainly great lyrically, and I really enjoy it overall. But musically it is the most "different" of all his stuff, I think. Admit it's a great album, but it's still my easy #8 of all of them.
I really didn’t get into Shape Shift With Me at all, i prefer Get Hurt to it which puts Gaslight over the edge for me