"I heard this one first..."

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Caught myself saying this the other day about Pause by Four Tet; i.e. "I prefer this album to his others, but that may be because I heard this one first". Likewise I've said it about Akufen over Todd Edwards, Ned's said it about Laughing Stock over Spirit Of Eden, and I'm sure there are countless other examples too. So name them, and then try and extrapolate why this phenomenon is the case so often.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 14 December 2003 09:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Rest easy, lonely thread; I shall comfort you.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 14 December 2003 10:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Cos you hear that band or whatever once, love/like it, and after that it's only ever revisions etc of the same basic thing you loved the first time? I don't know, but it's often (maybe generally) the case, w/me anyway

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Sunday, 14 December 2003 10:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Or at least it SEEMS that way

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Sunday, 14 December 2003 10:50 (twenty-two years ago)

andrew pretty much OTM, although there have been several occasions for me that a newer release by a band i've loved will displace the first thing i heard by them as my favourite.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 14 December 2003 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the reason I seem to be virtually the only person in the world who has time for the Gospel According to the Meninblack by the Stranglers is because it was the first full LP of theirs I'd heard (prior to that, I was only familiar with their singles). As a lark back in 1983, it was the only LP of theirs that long-since-vanished "Music Mart" on 86th & 3rd Avenue stocked. Intrigued by the cryptic, Biblical-reminiscent album cover, I sprang for it....and soaked up its arguably ridiculous concept album shenanigans. Further scrutiny suggested that every discerning Stranglers fan regarded it as an abortive side-dish to the main entree, but I still regard some of it as endearingly bizarre (notably "Just Like Nothing On Earth" and the chilling "Manna Machine"). Let the purists click their tongues and dismiss it....I'll forever cherish it.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre700/e737/e73798bwjbf.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 15 December 2003 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

four tet's 'rounds' made me forget that the first two records were mainly crap.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 15 December 2003 01:10 (twenty-two years ago)

my buddy Jarvis and I bonded over both having heard Trompe Le Monde before the others. We both agree it's our favorite.

― roger adultery, Monday, 15 December 2003 01:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I work with a guy who first heard of Liz Phair this year, loved the album, went back and bought all the other ones, likes 'em, but still thinks the new one is best. He was amazed to hear there was a contretemps in Liz-land over it. He was like, "What? It sounds like all the other ones, but it's better." (A statement I pass no judgment on, having only heard the new one a few times. I just thought it was funny given the whole "LIZ SELL-OUT" thing and his complete obliviousness to it.)

― spittle (spittle), Monday, 15 December 2003 05:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I never understood that logic, personally. Almost none of my favorite albums by certain artists/bands that I can think of are the first I heard by them, and a lot of the exceptions are people who only had a couple albums, or one particular standout and a few clearly inferior albums.

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 15 December 2003 05:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Likewise I've said it about Akufen over Todd Edwards

Are there any other instances where this happens with similar artists rather than albums within one band's career?

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 15 December 2003 09:58 (twenty-two years ago)

My favourite clash album is Sandinista, as that was the first one I bought.

I once tried to subscribe to ZigZag magazine as the bonus was a free "London Calling". But it never happened, so ...

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 15 December 2003 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Probably my favourite Pavement album is "Brighten The Corners" cos I heard it first and no-one likes that album.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 15 December 2003 10:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course like all right-thinking people I agree that Kind Of Blue is Miles Davis' best album, obviously.

I have however experienced reactions in the past ranging from dumbfounded and perplexed through amused, bemused and incredulous right up to hysterical bordering on outright hostile when I've admitted that my second favourite of his is probably.... umm.... well, put it this way, it's: http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd600/d660/d66047554hp.jpg

Well, it was the first Miles album I bought (actually it was the first jazz album I bought!) and it was the one he was touring to support the first time I saw him live and....

I'll get me coat.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:05 (twenty-two years ago)

'Warehouse: songs and stories' was my husker du record and I do enjoy it as much as 'zen arcade'.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:09 (twenty-two years ago)

this is exactly why i sort of prefer Seconf Toughest In The Infants to Dubnobasswithmyheadman

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Are there any other instances where this happens with similar artists rather than albums within one band's career?

Shityeah:

Primal Scream > The Rolling Stones
The Jesus & Mary Chain > The Velvet Underground
Tori Amos > Joni Mitchell
Pixies > Husker Du
My Life Story > ABC
Teenage Fanclub > Big Star
Pulp > Roxy Music

and many many more.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 15 December 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

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