Phenomenal 3rd Album Releases

[@LuxVivens9]

"Tumbleweed Connection" is my favorite of Elton John's also. You pair that with his live "11-17-70" (US version) and you got Elton and his band at their smokin' best!

[@pauldaniels2019]

That was a really good list. On my list, I’ll leave out the albums you mentioned. Late For The Sky- Jackson Browne On The Border - Eagles On The Third Day - ELO Born To Run - Bruce Man Who Sold The World - Bowie Live At Fillmore East - Allman Bros Groovin’ - Rascals Master of Reality - Black Sabbath Benefit - Jethro Tull Moondance - Van Morrison Surfer Girl - Beach Boys Damn The Torpedos - Tom Petty Last Time Around - Buffalo Springfield Love It To Death - Alice Cooper Vitalogy - Pearl Jam

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@pauldaniels2019 Nice list on your end. I totally forgot about Last Time Around. Such a great album. 😉

[@derekroberts6654]

Led Zeppelin 3 was always my favorite Zep album.. Queen- Sheer Heart Attack Ringo Starr- Ringo (self-titled 1973) Elton John- Tumbleweed Connection Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland The Monkees- Headquarters

[@otisdylan9532]

You mentioned many that I would have mentioned too, but here are a few more: Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen Moondance - Van Morrison Damn the Torpedoes - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Otis Blue - Otis Redding Parallel Lines - Blondie Rocket to Russia - Ramones To Bring You My Love - PJ Harvey Unhalfbricking - Fairport Convention Dirty Mind - Prince Bossanova - Pixies New Day Rising - Husker Du Argybargy - Squeeze

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@otisdylan9532 Great stuff. 😉

[@54macdog]

The Jam All Mod Cons Black Sabbath Master of Reality Rolling Stones (UK releases) Out of Our Heads

[@petercena9497]

Pink Moon - Nick Drake

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@petercena9497 I totally overlooked that one. A masterpiece.

[@1.jotabemonew]

Talking Heads - Fear of Music. My favorite.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@1.jotabemonew That would be my fave in their catalog.

[@boguslavaki]

Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon.

[@JH-oq4yh]

U2 War, Prince Dirty Mind, Blondie Parallel Lines, The Jam All Mod Cons

[@casablanca2745]

Sharing a brain on so many of these. Love Wait’s line on Nighthawks “the coffee wasn’t strong enough to defend itself”. Great stuff as always on these vids

[@kso808]

I’d probably add Head Games LP by Foreigner - so many great tracks

[@simonagree4070]

Surprised to not see XTC's Drums And Wires in this, Tom, since you mention the band twice. Just an oversight, I'm sure -- I go back and forth about whether this or Black Sea is their best. I need Hot Tuna's Burgers in this list -- it's most people's favorite. Good balance of different styles, and includes the classic instrumental, "Water Song", and "Keep On Truckin'" -- "what's that smell like fish, pretty mama?" Gotta have The Ramones' Rocket To Russia. Easy to skip, I know -- they're all great. How about Dixie Chicken, by Little Feat? I actually like their second album, Sailing Shoes, better, but the third helps define their sound a lot. Also surprised to not see Blondie's Parallel Lines. Well, dang!

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@simonagree4070 Speaking of XTC, the next video is going to be an XTC Albums Ranked video. Of course totally subjective. Stay tuned. 😉

[@toddhill7483]

Good stuff Tom. I thought you might omit Sell Out, but you mentioned it 2nd to last. Some of my favorites, Under the Big Black Sun, Forever Changes, and Tumbleweed Connection. Also some great 3rd albums: XTC Drums and Wires Wire 154 Blondie Parallel Lines Cheap Trick Heaven Tonight New Model Army Ghost of Cain Simple Minds Empires and Dance The Damned Machine Gun Etiquette Minutemen Double Nickles on the Dime Talking Heads Fear of Music Jesus and Mary Chain Automatic Caravan In the Land of Grey and Pink Squeeze Argybargy Cheers!

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@toddhill7483 Nice list. Cheers 😊

[@christianewen3227]

What a fantastic video, Tom! You showed some absolute classics there 👏

[@kingofallmediums2123]

Closer To Home by GFR! 😯 😯 😯 😯 😯 😊😊😊😊😊

[@painless465]

Great choices, that X album is absolute fire! Some others; Secret Treaties-Blue Oyster Cult Drums and Wires-XTC 154-Wire Sweet Revenge-John Prine Whatevershebringswesing-Kevin Ayers Another Green World-Eno Led Zeppelin III Wowee Zowee-Pavement

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@painless465 Just listened to Drums & Wires the other day. I’m getting ready for an XTC Albums Ranked video. 😉

[@toddhill7483]

​@@tomrobinson5776I'll be in the front row for that video.

[@painless465]

@@tomrobinson5776 awesome! I don’t know if you follow the Tastes Like Music channel but they will be ranking the XTC albums soon as well.

[@toddhill7483]

@@painless465 thanks for the heads-up!

[@kevtruth]

You covered a ton of classic 3rd albums. I'll try to add chronologically - hoping it is accurate Tim Buckley - Happy Sad Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die Led Zep III Jethro Tull - Benefit Spirit - Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality Funkadelic - Maggot Brain Santana III T. Rex - The Slider Queen - Sheer Heart Attack Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight The Jam - All Mod Cons XTC - Drums And Wires Tom Petty/Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedos Squeeze - Argy Bargy U2 - War The Smithereens - 11 Elliott Smith - Either/Or Wilco - Summerteeth

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@kevtruth Great list!

[@Peter-Burbank]

Cream Wheels of Fire Lovin’ Spoonful Hums of Move Looking On Hot Tuna Burgers Randy Newman Sail Away Rod Stewart Every Picture Nirvana In Utero

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@Peter-Burbank Totally forgot about Hums Of The Lovin Spoonful and Sail Away. So good!

[@chrisboerger465]

This Is the Sea by the Waterboys, Fear of Music by Talking Heads and To Bring You My Love by PJ Harvey spring immediately to mind. Each of these is my favorite album by these artists so I feel the need to mention them. If I mentioned every great third album I'd be up all night typing, so I'm going to limit myself to those.

[@dannyschneider553]

Neil young after the gold rush

[@Cap683]

Neil's best album as far as I am concerned. Most people think of Harvest but ATGR is the bee's knees.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@Cap683 I agree 100 percent.

[@vinylrichie007]

I remember doing this a few months back. I remember including Under The Big Black Sun, The Queen Is Dead, Velvet Underground, Waiting For The Sun, Fifth Dimension, Nighthawks At The Diner, and After The Gold Rush.

[@vinylrichie007]

I just checked. I guess it was a year ago.

[@dmk7700]

Brian Eno / Another Green World Roxy Music / Stranded (Eno'f fave) John Cale / The Academy In Peril SPIRIT / Clear CAN / Ege Bamyasi Pere Ubu / New Picnic Time MC5 / High Time Pink Fairies / Kings Of Oblivion Jethro Tull / Benefit Fleetwood Mac / Then Play On Savoy Brown / Blue Matter Talking Heads / Fear Of Music Traffic / Last Exit Brian Auger's Oblivion Express / Second Wind The Young Rascals / Groovin' Beach Boys / Surfer Girl

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@dmk7700 Great list. Love “Second Wind” by Brian Auger & The Oblivion Express.

[@fiestyhamster]

You’re killin it Tom!

[@mattrobbins2268]

Summerteeth by Wilco. Sure. It's dad rock. But dad is blazing on acid, and he's coming at you with a lawnmower blade. And malice in his eyes. And a gorgeous song in his heart. Some of us like to think that still counts for something.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I had that album at one time. I still have Being There I believe…

[@keithkarlinsky6632]

I'll go with a short lived band from the 80's that ended in tragedy. Their third release is an absolute rocker, from start to finish; The Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime And I'll throw in an earlier 70's release, 'Stage Fright', from The Band.

[@toddhill7483]

Good call. A true everlasting classic album.

[@dannyschneider553]

Santana 3 1971

[@robertoparente4518]

THIRD by Soft Machine, not exactly a rock LP, but it is worth checking out.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I have it. 😉

[@stevecowder4774]

Great selection of dynamite 3rd releases. Yeah, i really need to acquire a copy of the Baxter’s album from J.A. Love their psychedelic edge. And I couldn’t agree more with The Yes Album or Gabriel 3. But I’ve gotta throw in “ The Captain and Me “ from the Doobies. It’s so consistent and loaded with diversity from one song to the next. Plus it includes my favorite hard rocker by them, “ Without You. “

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day tom also Wednesday is my younger brother birthday ❤😊

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@aminahmed2220 Happy Birthday!

[@John-n9m7r]

A great survey covering many rock and singer/songwriter styles over more than thirty years! Allow me to add “Ladies of the Canyon” (Joni Mitchell) and “Benefit” (Jethro Tull), both 1970 Hey, did you switch to a blue light for this video? Cool!

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@John-n9m7r Yes, I acquired a few tripods with some varied lighting. Couldn’t wear my eye glasses with that halo light. 😉

[@seed_drill7135]

I was a headbanger during my tween years, which was during peak NWOBHM, so I have to mention Pyromania, even though I wasn't a fan of Def Leppard's later stuff and Iron Maiden, Number of the Beast, first with Bruce Dickinson. But I was also into earlier hard rock and metal, someone's already mentioned Master of Reality and BOC's Secret Treaties but there's also Aerosmith, Toys in the Attic and KISS Dressed to Kill. Going back to the 60's you had CCR Green River; Cream Wheels of Fire; Fairport Convention Unhalfbricking; The Mothers of Invention We're Only In It For The Money; and, if you're really into the weird, Captain Beefheart Troutmask Replica. And two more: Little Feat's Dixie Chicken and The Allman Brothers Fillmore East.

[@darrellross8609]

Great just great, Best, D.

[@brianlehman710]

Tuesday Weld on the Matthew Sweet cover.

[@tomrobinson5776]

Indeed 😉

[@jessem470]

3rd times the charm My top 3 : 3rd album releases Were only in it for the Money : Mothers of Invention Lou Reed : Berlin Trout Mask Replica : Captain Beefheart

[@markrezzano6395]

Dexys Don't Stand Me Down

[@skewiff11]

A nods as good.......Faces.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@skewiff11 Fantastic Faces album.

[@steffiknicks]

a few more-Donovan-Sunshine Superman, Springsteen-Born To Run, Tom Petty Damn The Torpedos and fially Led Zeppelin 3 may favorite from them.

[@TheGamecock366]

The Monkees Headquarters was a great 3rd album. BTW, my favorite track on Nursery Crymes is 7 Stones.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@TheGamecock366 For some reason I’ve always liked Harlequin. Love the melody.

[@gorgeousninja7213]

some great shout outs, love em all

[@williamrankin2418]

😊brilliant stuff as usual “All mod cons”by the jam my suggestion

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@williamrankin2418 Great album. My fave was always Setting Sons.

[@stupendous9896]

Since someone already mentioned Headquarters, I'll go with: Chicago III - which has my favorite song "Lowdown" (time and place song) Velvet Crush - Heavy Changes (power pop masterpiece)

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@stupendous9896 Never heard that Velvet Crush album. Love Teenage Symphonies To God.

[@stupendous9896]

@@tomrobinson5776 This one kicks that ones ass, takes names, and sells those names to the Montgomery Ward mailing list. :)

[@GabrielSoma5899]

Excellent list - thanks Tom -There are many further excellent recommendations in the comments. I'd add Pentangle's ' Basket of Light' - a supergroup of sorts with Bert Jansch et. al. to these recommendations

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@GabrielSoma5899 Nice 😉

[@stabbrzmcgee825]

the third album of a lot of bands were pretty dang great. Nice list here. You could easily make another, that is how many artists had really good third albums.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@stabbrzmcgee825 Absolutely 😉

[@danhickey5707]

The Damned "Machine Gun Ettiquette". Taking Punk Rock to the next level.

[@GreenManalishiUSA]

Garland Jeffreys: Ghost Writer. It has elements of rock, reggae, Latin, and folk, all delivered in Garland's soulful voice. A landmark singer-songwriter album that captures the heart and soul of NYC in the mid-1970s.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@GreenManalishiUSA Never heard it. I’ll add it to my list of albums to check out. 😉

[@pkmcburroughs]

"The Yes Album." Definitely "The Yes Album." It's the one where they first developed their sound, plus--with Starship Trooper, Yours is No Disgrace, Perpetual Change, and I've Seen All Good People--it contains some of their greatest songs.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@pkmcburroughs It’s my fave Yes album. That outro on Starship Trooper is incredible.

[@paulgdaly]

The Drive By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera

[@russellcampbell3274]

Interesting theme, Tom. Some great suggestions for you and in the comments. Here are some others. Apologies if somebody has already mentioned any of them, Stage Fright by The Band. [I suppose it is technically their 4th album if you include The Basement Tapes.] Tattoo by Rory Gallagher. Copperhead Road by Steve Earle. Hollywood Town Hall by The Jayhawks.

[@russellcampbell3274]

Oops! Tattoo is Rory Gallagher's 4th studio album.

[@dancingbear86]

Here’s a few of my favorite third albums: Song to a seagull- Joni Mitchell Unfalfbricking- Fairport Convention Baby, the stars shine bright- Everything But the Girl Judy Collins- No. 3 Sunshine Superman- Donovan the River- John Martyn North country maid-Marianne Faithful Lizard-- King Crimson 😊

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@dancingbear86 Nice, love Everything But The Girl. Tracey Thorn has the most amazing voice.

[@rft2001]

A Child's Guide To Good And Evil - West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band They were at the top of their game at this point.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@rft2001 Another album I need to check out. 😉

[@rft2001]

@@tomrobinson5776 Please do. I hope that you like it. It is weird but wonderfully psychedelic and well done.

[@pkmcburroughs]

I know you're not as familiar with Blue Oyster Cult, but their 3rd album "Secret Treaties" is probably their best album period.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I need to check that out. 😉

[@johncollier9280]

Mothers O' Invention-We're Only In It For The Money...Jethro Tull-Benefit...Tir Na Nog-Strong In The Sun...

[@jackruth2733]

Great Idea Tom. Argus Wishbone Ash, My Arms Your Hearse Opeth. Benefit Jethro Tull.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@jackruth2733 I’ve just recently been checking out Wishbone Ash. Heard some great tracks off Argus. Need to pick that up.

[@mikemahany2757]

Check on into the (presently BMG controlled) ) 3 ( by The McKendree Spring - MCA album 44 back in the day, as they say...

[@ediblehorse]

Was "We're Only In It For The Money" a 3rd? Weird timeline stuff with Uncle Meat.

[@simonagree4070]

I count We're Only In It For The Money as The Mothers' third. Lumpy Gravy came out around the same time, but it was intended as a solo Zappa album. Uncle Meat was the following year.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@ediblehorse Almost put that one on the list but thought Lumpy Gravy was the third.

[@elrobertoreal]

Wonderful list, I would like to add: "New York Tendaberry" (Laura Nyro), "We are only in it for the Money" (Mothers of Invention), "In the Land of Grey and Pink" (Caravan), "Pink Moon" (Nick Drake), "Third" (Soft Machine), "Tago Mago" (Can), "Ruth is stranger than Richard" (Robert Wyatt), "Born to Run" (The Boss), "Neu! 75" (Neu!) and - Ralf Hütter would disagree, but I don't care! - "Ralf & Florian" (Kraftwerk, not re-issued until today because Hütter doesn't like it)

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@elrobertoreal All great titles. I’m a huge fan of Nyro. Pink Moon is incredible.

[@Fastnbulbous1969]

Good call on Small Faces -- I'm looking for a copy of that. I'm going to restrict mine to just the best third albums that's the band's best: 1. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality (Vertigo/WB, 1971) 2. The Clash - London Calling (Epic, 1979) 3. Love - Forever Changes (Elektra, 1967) 4. Wire - 154 (Restless, 1979) 5. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain (Westbound, 1971) 6. Brian Eno - Another Green World (EG, 1975) 7. Ramones - Rocket To Russia (Sire, 1977) 8. Can - Ege Bamyasi (Spoon/Mute, 1972) 9. The Chameleons - Strange Times (Geffen, 1986) 10. The Damned - Machine Gun Etiquette (Chiswick, 1979) 11. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (Island, 1972) 12. The Jam - All Mod Cons (Polydor, 1978) (close one with Setting Sons) 13. Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind (EMI, 1983) If it weren't for that sketchy self-titled debut from 1967, my fave Bowie album, Hunky Dory would make the list.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@Fastnbulbous1969 I would have easily put Hunky Dory on the list if it was a third effort.

[@amanuensis9873]

Evangeline is a killer song off the Girlfriend album.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@amanuensis9873 Big time. 😉

[@dancranford5391]

Aerosmiths third lp, Toys in the Attic has to be in there.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@dancranford5391 Totally forgot that one. There’s just too many. Toys and Rocks are perfect albums.

[@aisforapple2494]

'The Blind Leading The Naked' (1986) by Violent Femmes.

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@aisforapple2494 Never heard that one. Only the debut. I’ll check it out. 😉

[@aisforapple2494]

@@tomrobinson5776 They're still on tour. I saw Violent Femmes for the sixth time in May.

[@aisforapple2494]

@tomrobinson5776 Not as good as the debut, but I like most everything they do.

[@mirandak3273]

My personal list: -A Hard Day’s Night ~The Beatles -After The Gold Rush ~Neil Young -In Utero ~Nirvana -Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness ~Smashing Pumpkins -Mona Bone Jakon ~Cat Stevens -Out Of Our Heads ~The Rolling Stones -The Man Who Sold The World ~David Bowie -The Who Sell Out ~The Who -Waiting For The Sun ~The Doors -War ~U2

[@russellkroeker2822]

The Litter from Minneapolis had three great albums. Emerge, the third is the best one. Heavy rockin garage sike!!

[@tomrobinson5776]

@@russellkroeker2822 Never heard it. Sounds cool.

[@petercena9497]

Let Go - Nada Surf (2002) What seemed like a throwaway 90s band dropped after their second album, return with a power pop classic. A must listen.