Excellent Sophomore Albums

[jymyben]

you’re right, i forget about those first two…

at the time, the only reason i gave the real thing a listen, was because “the singer from mr. bungle was on it”….

to this day, i still check out a band just because of his involvement…

thanks for the correction..,

While Angel Dust is their masterpiece (and one of the greatest albums of all time), that was technically their fourth album (second with singer Mike Patton).

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

surfer rosa was the first no?

Come on Pilgrim!

 

[bnt]

Unless the Search function is broken, no-one has mentioned Talking Heads yet. Their debut Talking Heads ‘77 had Psycho Killer but not much else, but on their next album, More Songs About Buildings and Food, producer Brian Eno helped create the sound we remember.

 

[Rev12_11]

 

[Michedelic]

Just checked out Meddle and it's not my cup of tea. I agree that Wish You Were Here is another great album, but most of them that were post Dark Side of the Moon were pretty awesome. Towards the end though, they did seem to fizzle out IMHO.

Meddle was the last time they were truly innovative; everything on DSOTM musically was explored previously, and concept albums weren’t exactly breaking news in ‘72/‘73 anyway. They just scooped up all that they had been doing and put it in a pretty, accessible package.

 

[Michedelic]

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Pretenders II over the debut? Really? I found it to be a major letdown after one of the overall best first albums ever.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

Ah, great example. I think The Flat Earth is better, despite the huge MTV play of “Science.” Flat Earth has a great unity of writing. It could have been recorded better though, the mix is a bit 2 dimensional.

The Flat Earth has been remastered, with a few extra tracks added - I haven’t done an A/B comparison, tho.

 

[Rev12_11]

Pretenders II over the debut? Really? I found it to be a major letdown after one of the overall best first albums ever.

I went by the title of the thread without reading the context of the OP. Selective reading, LOL.

The Pretenders first album was better than Pretenders II. IMO the first album was so good that anything they did as a follow up would have been a letdown. However I believe Pretenders II had some shining moments with Message of Love, Talk of the Town & Day After Day. Would've better if they included Cuban Slide though.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

Here’s one: Fishbone’s “Truth and Soul”

And their 3rd album “The Reality of My Surroundings” improved on their previous two:

(I conveniently glossed over the Fishbone EP, technically their #2, because I have to relisten to the debut “In Their Face” to get the pecking order right, but this thread is low-stakes).

 

[evil dewars]

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

 

[JimK]

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https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa0Zawt_R6s4aV_ZR_86qJlfjxnRPsMSt

Not saying CTA and many of their other albums aren't amazing. Just saying II is the best of their catalog.

Chicago's debut is a Desert Island album for me...listened to most of it just yesterday, too.


How 'bout The Doobie Brothers Toulouse Street (with Tiran Porter onboard) over their debut?

Stanley Clarke over Children Of Forever?

AWB (AKA "The White Album") over Show Your Hand?

 

[El_Charro]

Goat - Jesus Lizard
Rock for Light - Bad Brains
Paul’s Boutique - Beastie Boys

——————
Oh man do I disagree on the Beastie Boys one…

Not even trying to change your mind, but there are few albums as high quality as License To Ill…

Thanks! \m/

 

[El_Charro]

This is the only album I've ever had to buy the CD twice. Because I wore out the first one. Radiohead's The Bends is right up there as well.

—————-
Lol-Glad to see I’m not the only one who used to buy albums on CD due to overuse…

The Black Album, Master Of Puppets and ReLoad all got re-purchase treatment due to excessive use for me around 1998 for reasons cited above…

Thanks! \m/

 

[El_Charro]

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—————-
I considered going with Evil Empire, but ultimately I couldn’t get past how angry and intense RATM’s first album is…

With all of the cr@p that happened in America last year I found that album still just as uncomfortably relevant in 2020 as it was in 1992…

Bulls on Parade is a GREAT opener for Evil Empire, but their debut album is one of those albums you put on thinking you’re only gonna listen to a song or two and wind up listening to to the whole album…

Just my .02…

Thanks! \m/

 

[58kites]

Meddle was the last time they were truly innovative; everything on DSOTM musically was explored previously, and concept albums weren’t exactly breaking news in ‘72/‘73 anyway. They just scooped up all that they had been doing and put it in a pretty, accessible package.

I really liked Meddle, but it felt like the ride was over too soon.
Dark Side felt like a more complete group of songs.
But I also think Wish You Were here, Animals and The Wall were at least as good as Meddle.
Dark Side is still my favorite because I was fifteen when it came out and it accompanied me with many firsts in my life.

Pretenders II over the debut? Really? I found it to be a major letdown after one of the overall best first albums ever.

I agree their first album had 12 fantastic songs/performances on it, not a dud in the bunch.
I think the first half of Pretenders II was just as good.

 

[evil dewars]

Here’s one: Fishbone’s “Truth and Soul”

And their 3rd album “The Reality of My Surroundings” improved on their previous two:

Thanks for reminding me of the greatness that is "Truth and Soul", I'm gonna rock that at work next week for sure.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Pure Prairie League. As great as their first album is, the second album, Bustin' Out, hit it out of the park.

 

[evil dewars]

Steady Diet of Nothing

 

[consectaneus]

Rumours (yeah, I know...but)
Meat Is Murder

 

[bearhart74]

Bustin Out of L Seven - Rick James