10 Bands Who Should Have Stopped After One Album
4. The Avalanches
The Avalanches’ 2000 album Since I Left You is among the most innovative and progressive electronic music albums of the early 21st century. Sampling was nothing new, with records like the Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique relying heavily on the practise, but the Australian duo took the art to a new level, creating funky, funny numbers from disparate sources.
The album was a surprise hit, but then what next? For 16 years the answer to that was: not much. Then, three years ago, The Avalanches returned with Wildflower. While it was exciting to receive a new album, ultimately it was more of the same, only not as good.
Horizons were expanded a little with live instrumentation and vocalists on some tracks, like single “Frank Sinatra”, featuring Danny Brown, but otherwise business as usual. There’s no shame in releasing a follow up that doesn’t rise to the levels of an earlier masterpiece, but when you’ve waited 16 years, there can’t help but be disappointment.
The Avalanches’ next move is as yet unconfirmed, but whether they intend on further mastering the art of plunderphonics or taking a step in a new direction, fans will be hoping they don’t leave it until 2032 this time.