10 Rock Music Bands That Quit On Top
9. Unwound
One of the great bands emerging from the pacific Northwestern USA in the ‘90s, Unwound didn’t just bow out with their best album, but with one of the best albums of the century thus far. 2001’s Leaves Turn Inside you is nothing short of a masterpiece, a sprawling record that takes the harsh post-hardcore of their earlier work and stretches it out, adding extended string sections, chilly electronics, and beguiling samples.
That’s not to say the rest of their oeuvre is lacking, though. Unwound’s seven albums all boast great riches, from the unforgiving noise-rock of debut Fake Train to another career high point, 1996’s Repetition. This one features “Corpse Pose”, the closest Unwound have to a signature song. It’s a raucous, lurching track, as sinister as the name would forget. Closer “For Your Entertainment” is another smash.
True to form, Unwound gave little explanation as to their break-up. With a decade of unimpeachably great music under their belt, though, perhaps it simply felt wise to get out while the getting’s good. They’re back playing the odd festival show now; in the interim, their reputation has only grown.