Trees, Earth & Beehive - best 'popular' triple whammy ever?

[Haldeman Gracie]

A message on another thread about the glorious DS holy trinity of Brilliant Trees, Gone To Earth and Secrets of the Beehive got me thinking... was that the best 1-2-3 album run anyone has ever managed?

I would guess that most of us in the forum would, at the very least, hold all three albums in something approaching high regard, although there is a chance you may prefer Blemish - Snow Bourne Sorrow - Manafon for instance. But there was definitely something earth shattering and unstoppable about Big Dave's first three solo albums (*Alchemy doesn't count - indeed the lack of a UK LP release was precisely because DS didn't want it to count, and that's fair enough).

It was an amazing achievement, especially given the fact that there weren't any major gaps between albums - three albums in four years. (I wouldn't count something like Kate Bush's three album run from Sensual World - Red Shoes - Aerial given it took over 15 years).

If we're not handing him the title for best 1-2-3 whammy ever in 'popular' music, then what's his competition? Only been thinking about it for about two minutes, but I guess the following might take the battle into extra time.

Prince: any three (in order) from the following run: 1999, Purple Rain, Around The World In A Day, Parade, Sign O' The Times, Lovesexy ('82 - '88). I'd go for the latter three myself.

The Beatles: any three (in order) from this run: Rubber Soul - Revolver - Sgt Pepper - Magical Mystery Tour (EP) - The White Album - Abbey Road. I'd go for Pepper, MMT (the EP and the contemporary singles that have now been added) and The White Album.

(Needless to say from my first two examples, a six album run would be fought between the best band ever - The Beatles - and the greatest artist ever - Prince, all in my opinion of course). Another couple of examples off the top of my head - the most critically lauded band since Lennon's lot, and another solo artist much loved by DS and who has, in the eyes of the fans, also produced a very distinct 'trilogy' that defines his career.

Radiohead: The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A. Impressive, but I'm definitely giving Big Dave the nod on this one - too many numbers I think weigh down the latter two albums.

Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones - Rain Dogs - Frank's Wild Years. A great run, but I'm giving Big Dave victory in this one too.

Any others? Any thoughts?

[BobbyVey]

OK, let's try.
Jean Michelle Jarre: 1976 Oxygene, 1978 Eqionoxe, 1981 Magnetic Fields
Depeche Mode: 1986 Black Selebration, 1987 Music For The Masses, 1990 Violator, 1993 Songs of Faith and Devotion
and what about Japan's hattrick 1979 GTP, 1980 QL, 1981 TD?
all of these are remarkable series of consecutive albums which only came to my mind first...

[natsume]

I think of Kate's The Dreaming - Hounds of Love - Sensual World as being a pretty astounding trio, but that took 7 years....

[inkinthewell]

The Cure: 1980 Seventeen Seconds; 1981 Faith; 1982 Pornography
Porcupine Tree: 2005 Deadwing; 2007 Fear Of A Blank Planet; 2009 The Incident

[Blemished]

Peter Gabriel: 3 (intruder), 4 (melt), 5 (so)
Talk Talk: Colour of spring, Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock

That's a tight call with Radiohead...

[ScottR]

How about Quiet Life, Gentleman and Tin Drum? I'm sure it out sold the Sylvian trilogy by a mile.

[javier]

Pink Floyd (an unbelievably great string of releases): Dark Side/Wish You Were Here/Animals/The Wall/The Final Cut

Brian Eno (a stunning run of 7): Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror/Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics/My Life in the Bush of Ghosts/Ambient 4: On Land/Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks/The Pearl/Thursday Afternoon

For me both of these beat Sylvian's run of 3, mainly because I've never rated Brilliant Trees at all - a couple of great songs, but I'd definitely rank it the lowest of his career (I know others disagree but hey....)

Honourable mentions also to these, although they don't hit the same emotional levels as the above:

Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express/Man Machine/Computer World
Yello: Pocket Universe/The Eye/Touch Yello
Ozric Tentacles: Erpland/Pungent Effulgent/Strangeitude/Jurassic Shift

[digimarsh]

Its an intresting debate,and one which could have plenty of milage too.
The diversity of Sylvians triple along with the quality of the music will trump most pretenders to the crown i'd say.
Suprised Brilliant trees is not rated by Javier , but its all about opions, not a big pink floyd fan myself(my brother was ,still is). those albums i would say a couple of decent tracks on each but thats about it, for me.

Maybe some of Bowie's 70's stuff Aladin Saine, Ziggy stardust,Diamond dogs* or the"Berlin trilogy " worth a mention.
(*pin ups does not count, as it was a retrospective)

[Chet]

Nick Drake: His only three albums, and Davids BT GTE SOTB.
and what about Bowie... Low Heroes Lodger

[baht habit]

Peter Gabriel: 3 (intruder), 4 (melt), 5 (so)

I think 5 was Security which included Shock The Monkey.

[heartofdavid]

although there is a chance you may prefer Blemish - Snow Bourne Sorrow - Manafon for instance.

Those would be my preferences.

Roxy Music - Roxy Music, For Your Pleasure, Stranded
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black, Red, Discipline
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Left-Handed Dream, Ongakuzukan, Esperanto
Beatles - Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's, Magical Mystery Tour
Stones - Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street
U2 - War, Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree
Bowie - Station to Station, Low, Heroes
Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing
Kate Bush - The Kick Inside, Lionheart, Never for Ever

[ob8]

No contest, Blemish, Naoshima and Manafon. Thank you David.

[Tin Bird]

I second: Talk Talk: Colour of spring, Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock

[Tin Bird]

No contest, Blemish, Naoshima and Manafon. Thank you David.

Can't agree w this one though...for Sylvian gotta be the first three. Loved Blemish, the other two don't make "best ever" status w me. esp. Naoshima...

[javier]

Peter Gabriel: 3 (intruder), 4 (melt), 5 (so)

I think 5 was Security which included Shock The Monkey.

Gabriel's first 4 untitled albums were (by cover image):
1 Car
2 Scratch
3 Melt (which includes the song Intruder)
4 Security or Mask (includes Shock The Monkey)

Followed by :
5 So (as in "Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So")
6 Us

after which to me he lost the touch.

Definitely agree that this run of albums is up there with the best.