Final albums that have an unintentional finally?

[Fashionista]

What are some albums by artists whose careers were cut short either by disbandment or death, whose final releases, though not meant to serve as such, have a musical finality to them, like, with hindsight, they work as final statements even though they were never intended as such?

Two examples I will offer up:

LA Woman by The Doors - Jim Morrison had no idea what he was gonna do next but he certainly didn't intend to die four months after the album came out, and at times even said the next record would be wilder than LA Woman, yet the album as a whole really has this sense of finality pulsing through it. It's not the work of an uninspired or tired band, yet what better curtain call to a career can you get than LA Woman?

Abbey Road - Yes, the boys were nearing the end but they didn't break up until a year after it came out and John didn't even announce to the band that he wanted out until a month and a half after it came out. Even then, he flip flopped about coming back until Paul made it public and final. Yet "The End" feels like a goodbye, a great statement to close the books on, and a mighty good one at that.

[J Dog]

Nirvana MTV Unplugged comes to mind. It’s not that final official studio release like what you’re asking for, but some of those songs will give you the chills. The whole thing has that black cloud feeling hanging over it. You can just hear it in Kurt’s voice. Plus it’s great.

2Pac Makaveli. Probably gets my top vote. Sounds like a man who either knew he was about to die, or it sounds like he’s already died and is rapping in spirit form. The song selection, the atmosphere, the subject matter, the feeling, it’s all there. Sometimes it feels like it’s the ghost of Pac in the studio.

[Towelie]

I always found it strange that the final words on Michael Jackson's last album were "this could be the end of a particularly terrifying nightmare. It isn't, it's the beginning." If only he knew how true that would be.

And the final two words on the last Prince album released in his lifetime were "that's it."

Edited August 26, 2018 by Towelie

[Len Cnut]

12 hours ago, Fashionista said:

What are some albums by artists whose careers were cut short either by disbandment or death, whose final releases, though not meant to serve as such, have a musical finality to them, like, with hindsight, they work as final statements even though they were never intended as such?

Two examples I will offer up:

LA Woman by The Doors - Jim Morrison had no idea what he was gonna do next but he certainly didn't intend to die four months after the album came out, and at times even said the next record would be wilder than LA Woman, yet the album as a whole really has this sense of finality pulsing through it. It's not the work of an uninspired or tired band, yet what better curtain call to a career can you get than LA Woman?

Abbey Road - Yes, the boys were nearing the end but they didn't break up until a year after it came out and John didn't even announce to the band that he wanted out until a month and a half after it came out. Even then, he flip flopped about coming back until Paul made it public and final. Yet "The End" feels like a goodbye, a great statement to close the books on, and a mighty good one at that.

I don't see it in LA Woman myself.

[soon]

9 hours ago, J Dog said:

Nirvana MTV Unplugged comes to mind. It’s not that final official studio release like what you’re asking for, but some of those songs will give you the chills. The whole thing has that black cloud feeling hanging over it. You can just hear it in Kurt’s voice. Plus it’s great.

 

Agreed. And I've heard it pointed out how the flowers all around the stage had a funeral vibe, even.

[soon]

Soup by Blind Melon. To me it feels both like Hoon was the only one to ever reach the promised land of drug use, he was in bliss living in Never Land, and wasnt coming back. Lyrics like "No it isnt me in my galaxy" reminds me of Syd Barretts Pink Floyd exit track "Jug Band Blues." Someone who is irretrievable and knows that to some extent, and they're going with it.

But there are also very jaded and also vulnerable lyrics slipping though the groovy hippie music. Like someone who'd appreciate intervention, maybe. 

Left off the album is a track called Soup which was played on the tour previous to the recording and release of the album Soup. It was played at Woodstock 94 and is on the official live album. It too goes from a little hippie ditty with psychedelic lyrics, into a very dark place that describes suicidal ideation in no uncertain terms. 

I guess there could have been a sense in the band that it could be the last album for either of those reasons. But of course they couldnt know for sure. It makes sense as a final album because the lyrics are really autobiographical and paint a picture that, one way or another, doesnt seem to have any way to proceed. And the music is next level and while very Americana was so innovative and its hard to wrap my head around where they could possibly go next (yes theres a very amazing compilation of upcoming tracks that came out after Hoons passing). They were perfecting something very cool musically.

[J Dog]

3 hours ago, Len Cnut said:

I don't see it in LA Woman myself.

Yeah, I’d say it almost feels like the opposite to me, fresh start is too dramatic but something along those lines. It actually sounds like they’re trying to move forward past the 60s as a band. I llike their sound on that album.

[Gackt]

Layne Staley-era Alice in Chains, with their self-titled '95 album.  Over Now hits pretty hard, but the last two tracks recorded with that incarnation of the band ended up being "Get Born Again" and "Died"

 

[username]

21 hours ago, Fashionista said:

Abbey Road

Definitely. 

18 hours ago, J Dog said:

Nirvana MTV Unplugged.

First one that came to my mind as well. 

Other than that:

 

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black 

I mean, this is clear, right? 

 

The Black Crowes - Before The Frost / Until The Freeze 

It feels like a peaceful ending somehow. The last rock on part 1 and then the acoustic stuff on part 2. I love it. 

 

Janis Joplin - Pearl

I mean, it was released shortly after her death, but I don't think it was meant to be her last. It feels like a beautiful swansong though. Emotions going all over the place. 

 

Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

I saw them live that tour too. It kind of felt weird they were there at all. They'll probably get back together eventually. But yeah, that album kind of felt like it was weird that it even happened. 

 

I'm not sure if there was ever meant to be a follow-up to Buena Vista Social Club, but that has a really strong never in a lifetime and once in a fairytale feel to it. 

 

Blackstar probably doesn't count because Bowie knew he was dying and it would be his last. 

The same could be said for Leonard Cohen's You Want It Darker. 

Or Queen's Made In Heaven. 

 

 

 

[wasted]

Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers

seemed like the end of the line.

Dig Out Your Soul - Oasis 

had a sort of worn tired feeling. 

Second Coming - Stone Roses

how many times can you come back from the dead? 

Album of the Year - Faith No More 

had songs like Last Cup of Sorrow and Ashes to Ashes that seem like the end of something. 

Edited August 27, 2018 by wasted

[EvanG]

Spice Girls - Forever

The last song on it is even called Goodbye.

[El Guapo]

Buddy Guy's recent album "The blues is alive and well" has a couple of songs that deal with closure, "A few good years", "End of the line", "When my day comes". It's pretty intense.

[username]

4 hours ago, El Guapo said:

Buddy Guy's recent album "The blues is alive and well" has a couple of songs that deal with closure, "A few good years", "End of the line", "When my day comes". It's pretty intense.

I really hope it's not his last though. Loved seeing him live 2 years ago. 

[Fashionista]

On 8/26/2018 at 5:47 PM, J Dog said:

Yeah, I’d say it almost feels like the opposite to me, fresh start is too dramatic but something along those lines. It actually sounds like they’re trying to move forward past the 60s as a band. I llike their sound on that album.

LA Woman was the second album of what was a renaissance for them. Morrison Hotel was released in February 1970 and they had ditched psychedelia for a hard rock sound; LA Woman was the album Jim had ALWAYS wanted the band to make - a true blues record. But go back and listen to Morrison Hotel - that is a 70s record, and the 60s are gone.

Edited August 28, 2018 by Fashionista

[El Guapo]

1 hour ago, username said:

I really hope it's not his last though. Loved seeing him live 2 years ago. 

Yes, me too of course. I love his last two albums, very tasteful and the music really benefits from his age in my opinion.

I think he's just very aware that time runs out, so to speak.

Edited August 28, 2018 by El Guapo

[Len Cnut]

On 28/08/2018 at 7:17 PM, Fashionista said:

LA Woman was the second album of what was a renaissance for them. Morrison Hotel was released in February 1970 and they had ditched psychedelia for a hard rock sound; LA Woman was the album Jim had ALWAYS wanted the band to make - a true blues record. But go back and listen to Morrison Hotel - that is a 70s record, and the 60s are gone.

Arguable.  Extremely arguable.

[action]

no mention for "highway to hell"?

everytime I put on this album in the car, it feels like I'm gonna die the next day.

[Fashionista]

On 8/30/2018 at 2:19 AM, Len Cnut said:

Arguable.  Extremely arguable.

 

Not my opinion, essentially what Jim was saying in interviews around the time of the release's recording.

[Len Cnut]

10 minutes ago, Fashionista said:

 

Not my opinion, essentially what Jim was saying in interviews around the time of the release's recording.

As I say, extremely arguable.  Perhaps I'm being pedantic, I get your point, its bluesier but...I dunno, a 'true blues' record?  L'America, Riders on the Storm, Hyacinth House, The WASP, thats almost half of the album right there and I'm being kind to some of the other songs in that structurally they could be re-worked as blues or have a bluesy element.  I think they had their own thing, that album had its own thing, its almost doing it a disservice calling it a blues.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Len Cnut

[Fashionista]

By the way, as an outside, I love that Jim tried to purposely deconstruct the idea of the sex symbol rockstar. Intentionally put on weight and grew a big ass beard and traded all those "rockstar" costumes for regular clothes. The transformation in just 3 years is nothing short of phenomenal, he truly was a 'changeling.'

[Len Cnut]

9 minutes ago, Fashionista said:

By the way, as an outside, I love that Jim tried to purposely deconstruct the idea of the sex symbol rockstar. Intentionally put on weight and grew a big ass beard and traded all those "rockstar" costumes for regular clothes. The transformation in just 3 years is nothing short of phenomenal, he truly was a 'changeling.'

Just looks like him with a beard to be honest   And he was never really fat, thats bullshit, he just fuckin' drank a lot and had good money so he ate good and was just growing into his man body.

LA Woman though, fantastic album, its the closest on their albums got to really having like...a sort of eerie touch to it.  It has a sort of atmospheric consistency throughout.