Bands/Artists that have done no wrong?

[kirksnosehair]

I honestly could not think of a single band that falls into this category.  Not for me, anyways.  If it weren't for Heritage, Opeth would be pretty close.  If it weren't for their Self-Titled album and Feel Euphoria which I think has a few duds on it, Spock's Beard would be close.  I think Andromeda has a very solid catalog.  Perfection, though?  nah.  Avantasia's catalog is tight, but again, perfection?  I don't think so.

[Mebert78]

Kevin Moore

[nightmare_cinema]

I can think of bands that are more consistent than others, but even my absolute top bands all have songs and sometimes albums I just think are fair to shit. I really can't imagine any band ever writing music that is consistently incredible and that never drop the ball in terms of my own unique personal taste. The closest band would be Dream Theater. And that's why they're my favourite band, because across 25 years of music every single album has multiple moments of absolute jaw dropping awesomeness and several of their albums are consistently phenomonal imo. But even they have songs I dislike.

[TioJorge]

Kevin Moore

I dunno how I forgot about this mangod. Add him to my list as well. OSI could be counted in that as well. Pretty much anything Kevin has touched, I don't think I've actively disliked. 

[black_biff_stadler]

Flame on, y'all, but I think Nirvana never disappointed their fans at all. Bleach was raw and fitting, Nevermind was remarkably well-rounded, Incesticide was a very interesting and eclectic odd and ends, and In Utero was seemingly the dawn of a new era that would unfortunately never see the full light of day. Also, Unplugged in New York was a fantastic offering that showed their relative ease in making a great show out of a lowkey setting.

[MoraWintersoul]

Kevin Moore

I dunno how I forgot about this mangod. Add him to my list as well. OSI could be counted in that as well. Pretty much anything Kevin has touched, I don't think I've actively disliked. 

Since the title thread goes "bands/artists"... yup, Kevs all the way.

[robwebster]

What's the deal with Frost*, I don't know anything about them? Is it time for me to make another amazing discovery through Dream Theater Forums?

I think it might be.

They're a UK band, sort of formed around the main songwriter Jem Godfrey. His day job is writing jingles, (he's responsible for all the jingles on BBC Radio 2 right now,) his second job is as a pop producer, and his third job is progressive rock.

Basically, then, he's a prog rocker trapped in a popsmith's body, and it shows, and it's brilliant. His stuff's very keyboardy, very instrumental, very turbulent, but there's a sort of pop discipline to them. It's still progressive rock, but it doesn't sprawl like it - it's curt, concise, and honed, melodically driven with choruses that roar like a radio single. Very unique among the prog world, a brilliant anomaly, and it's very hard to describe what Frost* do - you can't quite put your finger on this very particular character they've got - so the best thing I can do is show you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru7mWyM_tc8

Here you go. Little eight minute video where Jem (eventually!) talks you through a song he's writing. If it's piqued your interest, check them out. If not, oh well!

[RuRoRul]

I think it's hard to categorise songs as "perfect" or "wouldn't change a thing about it"... I mean, even in songs that I consider some of my absolute favourite I don't think it'd be too difficult to suggest small changes that might make me like it even more, or at least not impact how much I like it. At the same time, just because I think a song is "perfect" as in I don't think there's any small change that could improve it doesn't mean I necessarily think it's that good.

But just in terms of what band do I love that I rate even my least favourite stuff from them very highly, it'd probably be Alter Bridge. Even if there are songs I can easily pick out as my least favourites, in the grand scheme of things I still love those songs. They meet the at least 3 albums requirement - just. On a larger scale, I'd maybe say Mark Tremonti. Not including every song he's had a guest solo on or anything like that, as I don't even know all of them, but across Creed, Alter Bridge and Tremonti there isn't an album I can say I don't like (although I definitely don't rate the worst Creed stuff as highly as the weakest Alter Bridge songs).

If I were only including Labrie era stuff, Dream Theater would also be quite a contender as there are definitely no albums I don't think are great and no songs I can think of that I absolutely hate. But they do have plenty of stuff that's a bit weaker, and then taking into account WDADU, demos, B-sides and whatever I definitely can't say their weakest material holds up enough for me to say they've done no wrong.

Also, I'd say Seventh Wonder if I could restrict it to only their albums with Tommy Karevik. The songs from the first album are not necessarily bad but it just has such poor production and no where near as good a singer. But if I counted only the three after that they'd fit the bill perfectly.

[wolfking]

A band that has never created anything less than perfect (in your opinion, of course).

No such thing exists.

Even if I like everything a band has done, not every single album can be held in the same regard with no flaws whatsoever.  Unless the band only has released one album.

[DebraKadabra]

Alice in Chains

The stuff with Layne?  Oh yeah, undeniably awesome.  The stuff with William?  Ehhh... not so much for me.

Now, don't get me wrong - I LOVE William's stuff... with Comes With The Fall.
 

[?]

Kevin Moore

I dunno how I forgot about this mangod. Add him to my list as well. OSI could be counted in that as well. Pretty much anything Kevin has touched, I don't think I've actively disliked. 

Since the title thread goes "bands/artists"... yup, Kevs all the way.

I would've picked him as well if Graveyard Mountain Home was a better album - I just can't get into it... Fortunately the rest of his works are so strong.

[MoraWintersoul]

I would've picked him as well if Graveyard Mountain Home was a better album - I just can't get into it... Fortunately the rest of his works are so strong.

I really recently got into it and it's amazing for me now. Still haven't heard Memory Hole and Ghost Book, though.

[Adami]

You know what is frustrating?

Out of the over 15 albums I have with Anneke Van Giersbergen, only 1 do I consider to be mediocre.....not even bad, just not brilliant.

Screw it, I'm counting her.

[?]

Still haven't heard Memory Hole and Ghost Book, though.

Actually I haven't heard those (or Shine) either - I forgot about all these releases he has put out with his own name! I've "only" heard the OSI and Chroma Key albums.

[nightmare_cinema]

Mine would have probably been dredg up until Chuckes & Mr Squeezy. Leitmotif, great CD and awesome first effort. El Cielo absolutely beautiful (best album closer on there too), CWA easily my favourite non-DT album by any band. Pariah another incredible and consistent album. And then... Chuckles is shit.

[ReaperKK]

Mine would have probably been dredg up until Chuckes & Mr Squeezy. Leitmotif, great CD and awesome first effort. El Cielo absolutely beautiful (best album closer on there too), CWA easily my favourite non-DT album by any band. Pariah another incredible and consistent album. And then... Chuckles is shit.

totally, I wanted to put dredg so bad up on the list.

[nightmare_cinema]

I was so disappointed with Chuckles. Parts of it are just laughable they were capable of so much more and maybe they'll come back with something better but for a band to be so utterly consistently fantastic and then take such a nosedive is sad, I hold out hope for their future though. If I ignore that album then I'd say dredg probably come closer than DT to having done 'no wrong' for me.

[Mladen]

Transatlantic.

Thank you. I almost answered the question with no. I don't think there are other examples...

[The Letter M]

Transatlantic.

Thank you. I almost answered the question with no. I don't think there are other examples...

I'm glad someone else agrees! Each of their 3 albums, for me, have been nothing short of A+'s, Gold Stars, 10/10's! Every single song of theirs has been wonderful, and while each artist in the band individually have produced some clunker songs and albums, I can comfortably say that the sum is definitely greater than it's parts in this case! When these four come together, they make magic, and this is why I am eagerly awaiting the release of TA4 next year. The Whirlwind was my AOTY for 2009, even beating DT and PT, and I'm sure TA4 will be a top album for 2013!

-Marc.

[jingle.boy]

Transatlantic.

Thank you. I almost answered the question with no. I don't think there are other examples...

Yeah, I would agree.  But again, a fairly limited discography.  There are several other '3-album' bands that could apply.  Circus Maximus (already mentioned) comes to mind.

[Nel]

Alice in Chains

The stuff with Layne?  Oh yeah, undeniably awesome.  The stuff with William?  Ehhh... not so much for me.

Now, don't get me wrong - I LOVE William's stuff... with Comes With The Fall.

You mean Black Gives Way To Blue? But... but that's the best one next to Jar Of Flies! Besides, Layne's era ended with their s/t album, which was pretty much awful.

[Implode]

Transatlantic is the only one I can think of at the moment.

[black_biff_stadler]

Alice in Chains

The stuff with Layne?  Oh yeah, undeniably awesome.  The stuff with William?  Ehhh... not so much for me.

Now, don't get me wrong - I LOVE William's stuff... with Comes With The Fall.

You mean Black Gives Way To Blue? But... but that's the best one next to Jar Of Flies! Besides, Layne's era ended with their s/t album, which was pretty much awful.

No way brah! Heaven Beside You, Again, Over Now, and Grind are awesome even if they're to be held to the expectations of those who were expecting a traditional AiC album. If we throw out traditional AiC expectations then Nothing Song may be the only one that isn't appealing from the getgo. I liked the change in direction in the long run since we got songs like Frogs, God Am, and Head Creeps which may not have fit so gracefully onto earlier albums had they been around at those times.

[DebraKadabra]

No way brah! Heaven Beside You, Again, Over Now, and Grind are awesome even if they're to be held to the expectations of those who were expecting a traditional AiC album. If we throw out traditional AiC expectations then Nothing Song may be the only one that isn't appealing from the getgo. I liked the change in direction in the long run since we got songs like Frogs, God Am, and Head Creeps which may not have fit so gracefully onto earlier albums had they been around at those times.

Le BINGO.  I don't know WHY Tripod gets so much hate - it was a fucking BRILLIANT album.  Sure, it got its start as a Jerry Cantrell solo album (due to Layne's drug issues/rehabs) but once Layne came back into the AiC fold, he added his own special brand of dark, beautiful insanity to the already dark, insane music Jerry had started writing (which also foreshadowed the full-length Degradation Trip - Jerry started the writing for that around 1998ish).

Nothing Song is AWESOME and you know it, floydie.

Oh, and about God Am?  Had the 1996 tour not stopped (again because of Layne), God Am would've been another single (after Grind and Again).

I'm a treasure trove of AiC knowledge, in case you folks didn't notice.

[black_biff_stadler]

I'm kinda neutral toward Nothing Song. I appreciate the whimsical way in which it speeds up in a jarring, herky-jerky manner with the goofy vocal style in the chorus but the verses strike me as mundane at times. Nice bits of trivia in your post though

[Dark Castle]

I wish Zetro hadn't been Exodus's vocalist for the early albums and for the last few before the Rob Dukes Era.  Rob Dukes era Exodus is just completely golden but Zetro is so hit and miss.  Like Fabulous Disaster is pretty cool, but I never really liked his voice.

[Super Dude]

The Dear Hunter for sure, but other than that, I'm at a loss. Even my all-time favorites like Linkin Park and Glass Hammer - heck, even OSI and Porcupine Tree - put out a stinker or two.

[TioJorge]

I don't think I'd officially add them to my list, but Daft Punk is really, really close to being on that list. They're so french and awesome.

[Dark Castle]

I don't think I'd officially add them to my list, but Daft Punk is really, really close to being on that list. They're so french and awesome.

Discovery is perfect from beginning to end 

[Zook]

Hmmm, Although Iced Earth made a few stinkers of songs in their time, their whole albums are all pretty stellar...


...Until they made Dystopia.

[TioJorge]

I don't think I'd officially add them to my list, but Daft Punk is really, really close to being on that list. They're so french and awesome.

Discovery is perfect from beginning to end 

So very true, if it were album-by-album, that would certainly be on the list. Das baby-makin' music.

[Dark Castle]

After listening to Grimes first album last night, I can definitely say I love all of her work.  It's a really interesting growth her music has gone through, each album showcasing different sides of her music that I'd say all came together for her most recent Visions.

[Rob]

I don't think I'd officially add them to my list, but Daft Punk is really, really close to being on that list. They're so french and awesome.

Discovery is perfect from beginning to end 

Oh yes, Discovery is an incredible and unique album! Nice to see some love for it here. 

[Heretic]

now that I think about it, Between the Buried and Me don't really have a song I dislike or think is bad. the first album has some not-so-amazing songs, but they're all still pretty good. also agree with RuRo on the Seventh Wonder thing, if their first album didn't count, they'd be the top contender for this spot.

[fibreoptix]

I would put forward The Mars Volta as my pick. They haven't put out a single album I haven't loved.

Yes, even Octahedron. I know that isn't seen as favourably as their others, but I could listen to that over and over again as well.