They got better with every album

[ronmac]

Getting back to the other three albums, I think his songwriting actually peaked on "Axis: Bold As Love," but his playing and arranging was at it's finest on "Electric Ladyland." YMMV.

I prefer Axis, but most consider Electric Ladyland his masterpiece.

[Superfly]

There are a few newer bands that I feel has bested themselves with each new release...Midlake, even losing their lead songwriter didn't stop Antiphon from being a killer disc. Cloud Cult are another group that has defied the odds and continue to progress.

Japan is a great example, you have to wonder how great the follow up to Tin Drum would have been...but Oil On Canvas will have to suffice.

[jake]

What about the Move
1. Move - a bunch of singles and would be singles great stuff all 3 minute songs.
2. Shazam - bit of a turnaround - more heavy longer songs - dare i say more proggy. the late Carl Wayne had a really great voice.
3. Looking On - Love it - the origins of the ELO sound are to be found here as Jeff Lynne really starts to get a foot in the door.
4. Message from the Country - their masterpiece? Lynne totally incorporated into the band now and the 50/50 balance saw them ready to end the Move on a high and head off onto something else.

[miamiscot]

There are a few newer bands that I feel has bested themselves with each new release...Midlake, even losing their lead songwriter didn't stop Antiphon from being a killer disc. Cloud Cult are another group that has defied the odds and continue to progress.

Japan is a great example, you have to wonder how great the follow up to Tin Drum would have been...but Oil On Canvas will have to suffice.

I like the way you're thinking!!! Cloud Cult and Midlake might just meet the criteria.

[NogbadTheBad]

I'd probably pick Henry Cow as Western Culture is my favorite followed by In Praise Of Learning, Unrest then Leg End

Thinking Plague may also be a candidate, A History Of Madness may be a slight step back from In Extremis but Decline & Fall is top form material.

What's your minimum for number of albums? If we can count 3 as enough then I might have a few modern candidates

Unit Wail
Scherzoo
North Sea Radio Orchestra
Diablo Swing Orchestra

[mogrooves]

What about the Move?

Song for song I think Looking On is stronger than Message.

[SteveSly]

Steven Wilson

I might agree with this one. I have liked each one of his solo albums better than the previous ones, although I know people who feel the exact opposite.

[SteveSly]

In thinking about this, it seems that most bands undergo somewhat of a bell curve, starting and ending their careers with music that doesn't approach the peak of their greatness.

Iron Maiden comes to mind. Starting off slow with the debut, a nice boost with the second, classic albums through Powerslave, and then a descent. Yes fits this mold, too.

Other bands exhibit the ramp effect: start out with stone cold classics and then ramp down to various levels of bottom. ELP?

A corollary would be the upward ramp effect. The Beatles exemplify this. A slow start with more or less consistent brilliance to the end! They may be the closest to the OP's mark. I can't really think of any band or musician that consistently outdid his previous work. Beethoven?

Mmm…..I think Maiden has really been on a roll since they got Bruce back. I rank “Brave New World” right up with their best and think “Final Frontier”, “Matter Of Life And Death” and “Book Of Souls” are all solid too.
I like some of the latter day Yes as well, although would agree that they have not released anything to rival their classics.

[Magic Mountain]

When I read the title of this thread, the person I immediately thought of was Loreena McKennitt, but I remembered that one of her recent albums, while good, wasn't up to par with her previous offerings. She comes close though.

[bob_32_116]

I didn't actually call them "clunkers." But we all have our tastes. "Come Together" is okay, not great (imo of course). And though "Something" is a well loved song, I never cared for it much; I think it's pretty hokey. Maybe this is weird, but I think the best tune George Harrison wrote for The Beatles is "Don't Bother Me."

I was the one who used the word "clunkers", so I'm the one who should explain. The only song on side 1 that I genuinely like is I Want You (She's So Heavy). Octopus's Garden is OK, a nice sing-along bit of fun. As for the rest:

Come Together - I think it's monotonous
Something - just so-so, one of Harrison's more boring songs
Maxwell - puerile, both musically and lyrically
Oh Darling - should have been left off the album and buried, whether or not there was anything available to replace it.

[arabicadabra]

But I think the OP was talking about a streak - not counting break up, then reunite albums - and Free Fall, What If, Night Of The Living Dregs, Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, culminating in Industry Standard is an incredible run.

But then they made "Full Circle," which is their worst album imo. Not that they ever made a bad album, but personally, I think they peaked out with "Dregs of the Earth."

[rcarlberg]

Mandrake Memorial
Shadowfax
Stefan Grossman
Pekka Pohjola
The Fourth Way

[No Pride]

But I think the OP was talking about a streak - not counting break up, then reunite albums - and Free Fall, What If, Night Of The Living Dregs, Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, culminating in Industry Standard is an incredible run.

Are there any acts you can think of where each album was better than, or at least as good as, the preceding one?

I took it to mean the entire discography. But you're right of course; all of those Dregs albums are great!

[Lopez]

Mandrake Memorial

Yes, indeedy-do. You are so right, sir.

[bob_32_116]

But I think the OP was talking about a streak - not counting break up, then reunite albums - and Free Fall, What If, Night Of The Living Dregs, Dregs Of The Earth, Unsung Heroes, culminating in Industry Standard is an incredible run.

I don't mind if there was a breakup and a reunion; they can still be included. I just wanted to exclude bands whose music you think got worse, or who might have been generally good but had one or two serious missteps.

[ronmac]

Blind Faith

[No Pride]

Blind Faith

[JJ88]

Well, Cream might qualify. It's quite a leap from Fresh Cream (a terrific debut anyway) through to things like 'As You Said', 'Passing The Time', 'Deserted Cities Of The Heart'...very ambitious, complex pieces of music.

[mogrooves]

^^^ Wheels has some good songs, but they peaked with Disraeli Gears, imo.

[NogbadTheBad]

^^^ Wheels has some good songs, but they peaked with Disraeli Gears, imo.

I tend to agree

[SteveSly]

I was the one who used the word "clunkers", so I'm the one who should explain. The only song on side 1 that I genuinely like is I Want You (She's So Heavy). Octopus's Garden is OK, a nice sing-along bit of fun. As for the rest:

Come Together - I think it's monotonous
Something - just so-so, one of Harrison's more boring songs
Maxwell - puerile, both musically and lyrically
Oh Darling - should have been left off the album and buried, whether or not there was anything available to replace it.

Different strokes I guess, I love all of those tracks. Even “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” is cool in it’s own unique way.

[ronmac]

^^^ Wheels has some good songs, but they peaked with Disraeli Gears, imo.

I tend to agree

Add me to that list. I tend to reach for Fresh Cream more often, though.

[JJ88]

I love Fresh Cream but that stereo mix is appalling- one of the worst ever, I think. Esoteric did use a few songs from the mono version on the Jack Bruce set, which is something.

Disraeli Gears is probably the peak, yes, but I admire the ambition of Wheels...

[interbellum]

There are a few newer bands that I feel has bested themselves with each new release...Midlake, even losing their lead songwriter didn't stop Antiphon from being a killer disc. Cloud Cult are another group that has defied the odds and continue to progress.

Japan is a great example, you have to wonder how great the follow up to Tin Drum would have been...but Oil On Canvas will have to suffice.

We almost had the chance to hear how Japan would have developped, but Sylvian changed the entire mix of the recordings of Rain Tree Crow, which made it sound like one of solo-recordings. Too bad, because according to Mick Karn in his autobiography it was something more experimental than we know from these excellent musicians.

[No Pride]

Well, Cream might qualify. It's quite a leap from Fresh Cream (a terrific debut anyway) through to things like 'As You Said', 'Passing The Time', 'Deserted Cities Of The Heart'...very ambitious, complex pieces of music.

Add "Those Were the Days" and the instrumental section that begins "White Room" to that. Bruce's composing was starting to get into something like prog (or proto-prog if you like).

^^^ Wheels has some good songs, but they peaked with Disraeli Gears, imo.

Yeah, their most consistent album for sure. Still, I think they would've gone on to make some very interesting and progressive music if only 2/3rds of the band could stand each other.