Bands that had really good first albums that couldn't outdo themselves?

The Sword. KILLER first album, second is still great, but damn their first is just awesome.

Hiromi Uehara - Another Mind. See above.

 

Creed. My Own Prison was an amazing album, and they started the slide when they tried to top it.

 

Days of the New

 

Boston - The whole album played as 1 song that you just had to turn over in the middle.

The Cars - Candy-O was a good follow up, but nowhere near the original

Pearl Jam - Some great tunes there, then .....

Asia - Still sounds awesome. They've put out 9 albums since (including greatest hits).

The Knack - Yeah, I know.

 

Coldplay

 

Spin Docters

 

Living Color


Morphine



Aj

 

"Journey", Journey's first. This was before they added Steve Perry and became, IMO, over commercialized. Awesome, hard hitting progressive rock, full of extended jams. I have it on vinyl but have no record player. Maybe I'll buy the CD today!

 

Hootie & the Blowfish. Seriously. Their first album was chock full of great songs, as overplayed as they were.

 

+1

That first album was brilliant. Nothing since has come close.

Another mention here is The Futureheads.

 

Mister Mister

 

Gang of Four - Entertainment! Every song on that album is great, follow up albums had about one decent song each.

English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It.

As for more recent bands, my Ipod has changed the way I listen to music, so I don't really listen to complete records much anymore.

 

Jet
Get Born had so many great hits

And now their newish one is soooooooo bad, only one kinda good song

 

Most of the bands I like only get better as the gain studio experience... Can't think of any right now. Bush, maybe? Sixteen Stone was awesome, didn't like Razorblade Suitcase and on so much.

 

Dio.

Not sure if he counts considering he was in his 4th project by the time he did his first solo release, but I thought that Holy Diver stood head and shoulders over anything he released afterwards in terms of songwriting consistency and hooks. I will say that Strange Highways has grown on me in recent years though, I think it was just too far ahead of its time.

I haven't heard his entire solo catalogue but I think that Ian Hunter's first album may have the same quality... again, an established artist who reached fame writing and performing material prior to starting a solo career.

Joan Jett's Bad Reputation album outshines the rest of her material IMO.

Does DGeneration's No Lunch album count? Can we consider their first release with another record company which included songs that got re-recorded for No Lunch just a demo? One of the bands that never got the fame they deserved.

Oh, and going the other direction, does the Dead Boys - Younger Louder and Snottier previously unreleased demo version of Young Loud and Snotty count? It rocks far harder and rawer than the studio classic.

 

*puts on flameproof cloths*

imo metallica... there still a good band and a metal powerhouse but when i listen to there first cd i feel something different then any other cd, they had balls back then and showed them on that cd, then imo they got cocky

im not saying there other stuff is bad, i still like alot of it, its just that i feel Kill em all was an epic display of talent and inovation

dont hurt me

 

I have to hurt you a little bit =P 'cause really, Ride the lightning, master of puppets? THEY WERE FRIGGIN AWESOME!!

AWESOME!



REALLY!


Anyway, I think this describes many bands today (or maybe it has always been so?). They're lucky with one song, or maybe a couple of tunes on an album, but they just can't become legendary because they cannot repeat the success

 

K ill give you ride the lightning but i dont feel that master of puppets has AS MANY good songs as the other 2 even though there are amazing songs on that cd aswell

 

Totally Guns n' Roses! Appetite for destruction was killer from start to finish but after that..................***?