Best band never to release a truly great album?

"Roger the Engineer" might make the greatness cut, although I think the band's best work came earlier, in the first year with Beck and those great singles that made up Side 1 of the U.S. album "Having a Rave Up." Fill that period out ("Shapes of Things") rather than the random picks from "Five Live Yardbirds," and you would have a truly great Yardbirds album.

As for the Dead, it should be obvious that I am not among the "committed," but I'll take your word for it, Jond.

The Rolling Stones

Trey, I'm afraid you're gonna have to make your case why, if you don't consider Now!, Out of Our Heads, December's Children, Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, or Sticky Fingers (and possibly even 12 X 5, Aftermath, Exile on Main Street, or Some Girls) to be great albums.

Curbach , this is a great thread, but I have to disagree with the Tull comment. Songs from the wood is a very good record and Crest of a Knave is great. Trey, I have to agree with Zman, the stones have several great albums, Beggar's Banquet is an excellent album.

Vegasears, with the exception of Dixie Chicken (which I think is one of the best made by anyone) you're right about Little Feat -- they came reasonably close with Time Loves a Hero. Absolutely agree with Roy Buchanan. Government Mule never had a great one (that I heard) but had/have lots of talent. John Mayall too -- great talent, compiled great talent, but never had a killer album. I'd love to hear everyone's opinion on whether Clapton really had a killer album post-Layla. He had a bunch of great songs and gives a great concert, but I can't recall a great album on his own. If you want to get really, really picky, Sound Garden had a couple of great albums but they each had some pretty weak tracks (IMO). Excellent question.