It was me, I got into them from watching a Hockey Guy YouTube video where he talked about Bill Barilko. Probably the only American who listens to them. Pissed I never found out about them earlier. RIP Gord
Yeah they’re massive in Canada, but it’s so interesting how nearly no one knows about them in the US even though they’re a better version of some bands of that era, IMO
This is addressed in the documentary I mentioned. I am personally glad they never really made it big in the US. Made being an American Hip fan special, and kept them in the smaller, more intimate venues when they toured here.
American. I lucked out discovering them in NYC during the Fully Completely tour. For the record, you could tack on Trouble at the Henhouse and Poets to their run.
I don't care for either of the DiAnno albums, but for sure TNotB through Seventh Son are tip-top albums all. That era of Maiden has aged better than most 80's metal.
Agreed on Metallica: I'd give them five, including the Black Album, which I think is excellent from start to finish even if it's a departure from the progressive thrash sound of AJFA. If only Hell Awaits or Divine Intervention were any good, Slayer would make the cut; alas. And Megadeth was uneven: Peace Sells, Rust in Peace, and Countdown were all excellent, but SFSGSWTF.
I have to disrespectfully disagree. And Justice 4 All was the album in which the rest of the band decided to humiliate Jason Newstead and cut his bass out of the mix. Also, no list with metal bands can be credible if it excludes Tool, as they haven't made a bad album, or even a mediocre one.
Master is mine, visceral melodic, intense. They were running on all cylinders. It's not that I don't like Justice, it's just it's hard to listen to and not think about the internal strife that was behind the recording. They were in a bad place. Take for instance VH Diver Down. A great album but knowing that Eddie wasn't happy with it changes the feeling for me.
Tool have released five studio albums, with a boxed set (containing live songs, remixes, a cover) in between. This would not violate the rules you set out, correct?
For an exact four album set I'd have to choose
Aenima
Lateralus
10,000 Days
Fear Inoculum
I adore their first studio album Undertow and while it's a great set of metal songs, it doesn't encapsulate the singular sound they began to refine with Aenima.
I recommend to you a deep dive when you're, say in a contemplative mood.
The Salival versions of Pushit and Third Eye are transcendant. The No Quarter cover is amazing. Aenima is so fucking dark like Jimmy and Stinkfist. Lateralus feels like a rebirth and an awakening. If the song Lateralus doesn't make you tear up when you really listen to it you may not be alive.
You could put the artists into groups and create a playlist for each category. Done that way the playlists could be released over time, instead one huge playlist that takes forever.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre & The War on Drugs -- yay, younger listeners with great taste in music pulling our somewhat skewed demographic into ever so slightly newer music
Co-signing on at least half of this list and sending many thanks to Matt Welch who is (I've said it before & I'll say it again) an indefatigable man of the people 🙏
I assumed part of the challenge to this was that it had to be a band with multiple members. If that's not the case, Kanye clearly has the definitive 6-album run between College Dropout and Watch the Throne. He may have paid for his sanity with it, but I think it was a fair trade.
Interestingly enough, Drake also has an initial 6 album run if you count the two mixtapes between Thank Me Later and Views. Perhaps the same thing also could be said about his sanity at this point...
Steady Diet Of Nothing is the only rotten egg in Fugazi’s entire discography based on sonics alone. The band itself admits it’s a shitty record. Even KYEO can’t save it and that’s one of the best Fugazi tracks ever written. Also 13 Songs is a compilation.
The correct four record run starts with In On The Kill Taker. I made these points perfectly clear in the comments that week but APPARENTLY I needed to make them again via email.
I love it here❤️
Made it in a Fif article! Day is made.
Shoutout to whoever offered up The Tragically Hip. Solid documentary on Canada's finest just dropped on Amazon Prime for anybody who's interested.
It was me, I got into them from watching a Hockey Guy YouTube video where he talked about Bill Barilko. Probably the only American who listens to them. Pissed I never found out about them earlier. RIP Gord
Yeah they’re massive in Canada, but it’s so interesting how nearly no one knows about them in the US even though they’re a better version of some bands of that era, IMO
This is addressed in the documentary I mentioned. I am personally glad they never really made it big in the US. Made being an American Hip fan special, and kept them in the smaller, more intimate venues when they toured here.
Great point. Can sometimes be what you hope for with some of your favourite bands.
If you’re American, it’s awesome you even know who they are
American. I lucked out discovering them in NYC during the Fully Completely tour. For the record, you could tack on Trouble at the Henhouse and Poets to their run.
The thing I’ve heard is the Canadian expats would buy up all the tix before the locals
This is so rad! Thanks for compiling this, Welch. And well done, Fifdom!
So many great bands and tunes!
Also, I just remembered this band’s four album run:
Faith No More:
The Real Thing (1989)
Angel Dust (1992)
King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime (1995)
Album of the Year (1997)
Can we do a March Madness style tournament for this?
You have the Decembrists twice.
(Side note: I personally find Colin Meloy’s voice so annoying as to be disqualifying)
Thanks.
I don't care for either of the DiAnno albums, but for sure TNotB through Seventh Son are tip-top albums all. That era of Maiden has aged better than most 80's metal.
Agreed on Metallica: I'd give them five, including the Black Album, which I think is excellent from start to finish even if it's a departure from the progressive thrash sound of AJFA. If only Hell Awaits or Divine Intervention were any good, Slayer would make the cut; alas. And Megadeth was uneven: Peace Sells, Rust in Peace, and Countdown were all excellent, but SFSGSWTF.
I have to disrespectfully disagree. And Justice 4 All was the album in which the rest of the band decided to humiliate Jason Newstead and cut his bass out of the mix. Also, no list with metal bands can be credible if it excludes Tool, as they haven't made a bad album, or even a mediocre one.
This may be true, but even sans bass, ‘Justice’ is still my favorite from them.
Master is mine, visceral melodic, intense. They were running on all cylinders. It's not that I don't like Justice, it's just it's hard to listen to and not think about the internal strife that was behind the recording. They were in a bad place. Take for instance VH Diver Down. A great album but knowing that Eddie wasn't happy with it changes the feeling for me.
I was also surprised to see Tool was missing. Not a bad one in the bunch.
I think Tool was nominated, but not in a four-album chunk, and I didn’t know them enough to choose.
Tool have released five studio albums, with a boxed set (containing live songs, remixes, a cover) in between. This would not violate the rules you set out, correct?
For an exact four album set I'd have to choose
Aenima
Lateralus
10,000 Days
Fear Inoculum
I adore their first studio album Undertow and while it's a great set of metal songs, it doesn't encapsulate the singular sound they began to refine with Aenima.
I recommend to you a deep dive when you're, say in a contemplative mood.
The Salival versions of Pushit and Third Eye are transcendant. The No Quarter cover is amazing. Aenima is so fucking dark like Jimmy and Stinkfist. Lateralus feels like a rebirth and an awakening. If the song Lateralus doesn't make you tear up when you really listen to it you may not be alive.
Their exclusion almost caused me to unsubscribe. Tool should be included with a five album run. They only release gold, no matter how long it takes.
Tool is existential. Anyone that doesn't like them has basically stepped on my snek.
Fair. The Newsted tale is a sordid one. They really fucked him over. Rolling Stone actually wrote an article about music one time which covered it. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/metallicas-and-justice-for-all-album-what-happened-to-bass-715079/
This could be one monster "Fifth Column" Spotify playlist.
Was thinking about taking one song from each album, but even then it's ... just too much.
Plus they're *albums*. They're supposed to be listened to fully through!
Matt you should really start a separate music podcast, would definitely listen
Might do things around here now and then; obviously at least a small audience for it.
You could put the artists into groups and create a playlist for each category. Done that way the playlists could be released over time, instead one huge playlist that takes forever.
Like choosing between children 😬
Concur. And then how would one decide which song? I get anxious just pondering it...
The Brian Jonestown Massacre & The War on Drugs -- yay, younger listeners with great taste in music pulling our somewhat skewed demographic into ever so slightly newer music
Co-signing on at least half of this list and sending many thanks to Matt Welch who is (I've said it before & I'll say it again) an indefatigable man of the people 🙏
Was pleasantly surprised to see BJM here.
This was fun to read, blessings for taking the time to put it together.
Did anyone mention The National? Can't believe I didn't think of them till now.
Alligator; Boxer; High Violet; Trouble Will Find Me or you could go Boxer through Sleep Well Beast
And I would swap Fear Fun for the Chloe album for Father John Misty, but that's just me.
Torche rules. Shout out Mike Huckabee and Gutfeld.
Bill Evans:
Portrait in Jazz
Explorations
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Waltz for Debbie
Debby*
I assumed part of the challenge to this was that it had to be a band with multiple members. If that's not the case, Kanye clearly has the definitive 6-album run between College Dropout and Watch the Throne. He may have paid for his sanity with it, but I think it was a fair trade.
Interestingly enough, Drake also has an initial 6 album run if you count the two mixtapes between Thank Me Later and Views. Perhaps the same thing also could be said about his sanity at this point...
Steady Diet Of Nothing is the only rotten egg in Fugazi’s entire discography based on sonics alone. The band itself admits it’s a shitty record. Even KYEO can’t save it and that’s one of the best Fugazi tracks ever written. Also 13 Songs is a compilation.
The correct four record run starts with In On The Kill Taker. I made these points perfectly clear in the comments that week but APPARENTLY I needed to make them again via email.
I hate it here and I’m calling Ian.
😘
They were masters of the 12” EP.