Mature artists doing excellent work

Ench · #1 02-06-2009, 09:14 AM

Apart from FM, can people name 70s (more or less) artists doing excellent work even though they may have fallen out of the spotlight a bit.

I've heard that Heart's album Jupiter's Moons is a return to peak form. I haven't heard it properly yet, but probably will do so.

Who else?

cratesok6 · #2 02-06-2009, 09:18 AM

I can think of two of the top of my head: The Eagles and Lynard Skynnard

TrueFaith77 · #3 02-06-2009, 09:59 AM

Bryan Ferry's Frantic (2002)
Bruce Springsteen's Magic (2007)
The B-52s' Funplex (2008)
Cheap Trick's Rockford (2006)

Neil Young and Van Morrisson always doing excellent work

HejiraNYC · #4 02-06-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ench

Apart from FM, can people name 70s (more or less) artists doing excellent work even though they may have fallen out of the spotlight a bit.

I've heard that Heart's album Jupiter's Moons is a return to peak form. I haven't heard it properly yet, but probably will do so.

Who else?

It's Jupiter's Darling, actually.

But I agree- that is easily Heart's best album ever. Usually with Heart you get a few killer tracks and a bunch of filler. But Jupiter's Darling is just solid through and through; this is by far Nancy Wilson's best material.

I think Carly Simon should be commended too. Since the turn of the century she has released two excellent original studio albums, a (relatively mediocre) standards album, an album of lullabies (pretty good) and a decent Christmas album including a handful of original songs. And this summer she is releasing an album of re-worked acoustic-ish arrangements of her classic songs. Not bad for someone who is almost 64! Take that, Stevie!

David · #5 02-06-2009, 10:40 AM

Beethoven was doing excellent work as a mature artist -- up until he expired.

BombaySapphire3 · #6 02-06-2009, 12:35 PM

I'd have to say Emmylou Harris is doing excellent work in recent years..Pretty much up to the high standard of her excellent mid 1970s string of albums.

Ench · #7 02-06-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

It's Jupiter's Darling, actually.

But I agree- that is easily Heart's best album ever. Usually with Heart you get a few killer tracks and a bunch of filler. But Jupiter's Darling is just solid through and through; this is by far Nancy Wilson's best material.!

Where's the *BLUSH* smiley?

Really? Jupiter's Darling better than Little Queen? I don't have much Heart, but always thought of LQ as one of the classic 70s albums, killer from start to finish.

Responding to other threads, I lost track of Cheap Trick first time around. I bought LIve at Budokan, Was a bit disappointed with Dream Police and then lost track. I'll check out their 2006 album online.

I have "Funplex" and enjoy it greatly.

BombaySapphire3 · #8 02-06-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ench

Where's the *BLUSH* smiley?

Really? Jupiter's Darling better than Little Queen? I don't have much Heart, but always thought of LQ as one of the classic 70s albums, killer from start to finish.

Responding to other threads, I lost track of Cheap Trick first time around. I bought LIve at Budokan, Was a bit disappointed with Dream Police and then lost track. I'll check out their 2006 album online.

I have "Funplex" and enjoy it greatly.

Little Queen has more filler .In fact Ann and Nancy have stated that because of a dispute with their label that forced them to put out the unfinished Magazine that they could have combined that best of both albums and had one killer album as opposed to two s0- so albums.

TrueFaith77 · #9 02-06-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Bryan Ferry's Frantic (2002)
Bruce Springsteen's Magic (2007)
The B-52s' Funplex (2008)
Cheap Trick's Rockford (2006)

Neil Young and Van Morrisson always doing excellent work

Also, it said 70s (more or less), so I thought I should include New Order (an extension of 70s-born Joy Division)

Both their albums this decade are great: Get Ready (2002) and Waiting for the Sirens Call (2005), but Sirens Call easily ranks with their very best masterpieces.

Ench · #10 02-06-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

Little Queen has more filler .In fact Ann and Nancy have stated that because of a dispute with their label that forced them to put out the unfinished Magazine that they could have combined that best of both albums and had one killer album as opposed to two s0- so albums.

I'm not so sure that I'm disappointed by that. I don't like Magazine so much, but like every song on Little Queen. Which songs are filler?

As for New Order, I love their recent albums too. I'm really annoyed that I can't find my copy of the Electronic album with Rasputin (?) on the front.

skcin · #11 02-06-2009, 01:54 PM

I do like the Heart album, except for Vainglorious which I can't stand.

Neil Diamond has been putting out some of his best stuff in years (seriously.)

Bob Seger's Face The Promise was pretty good, but I personally don't think it's wuite up to par with his older material.

BombaySapphire3 · #12 02-06-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ench

I'm not so sure that I'm disappointed by that. I don't like Magazine so much, but like every song on Little Queen. Which songs are filler?

As for New Order, I love their recent albums too. I'm really annoyed that I can't find my copy of the Electronic album with Rasputin (?) on the front.

I was paraphrasing what the Wilson sisters themselves had stated about the two albums but IMHO pretty much everything on Little Queen besides the title track ,Barracuda ,Love Alive and Kick it Out sound fillerish to me.

Ench · #13 02-06-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

I was paraphrasing what the Wilson sisters themselves had stated about the two albums but IMHO pretty much everything on Little Queen besides the title track ,Barracuda ,Love Alive and Kick it Out sound fillerish to me.

Well, there's no right and wrong in musical taste. But I really like the folkish tracks like Sylvan Song/Dream of the Archer. It was songs like that gave me a liking for the mandolin. . I like "treat me well" as a quality ballad, and "go on cry" makes a great finisher.

BombaySapphire3 · #14 02-06-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ench

Well, there's no right and wrong in musical taste. But I really like the folkish tracks like Sylvan Song/Dream of the Archer. It was songs like that gave me a liking for the mandolin. . I like "treat me well" as a quality ballad, and "go on cry" makes a great finisher.

Agreed about the musical taste..To me most of those songs are kind of anemic folk ballads and I do love a good folk rock ballad their own Dog and Butterfly and Storms come to mind...but still I'd even take the unfinished Magazine over Heart's El Lay hair band ****e from the 1980s ..Even they are embarrased by that era now.

trackaghost · #15 02-06-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

Neil Diamond has been putting out some of his best stuff in years (seriously.)

Yes! His last two were fantastic.

Plus, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris (her recent albums are better than her 70s output imo) and Tom Waits.