Still few acts that have never had a short breath of improving quality though. The only one I can think of whose albums have always been worse than the previous one is Howard Jones.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 19 May 2005 17:57 (eighteen years ago) link
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 17:59 (eighteen years ago) link
(i've explained both of these on other threads, i think.)
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:00 (eighteen years ago) link
― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:00 (eighteen years ago) link
― mike a, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:04 (eighteen years ago) link
― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:08 (eighteen years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― rogermexico (rogermexico), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:15 (eighteen years ago) link
Really? You liked Drop that Bottom better than Grab It?
Does anyone else agree here? The majority of people only know Cars that Go Boom and maybe Grab It, which both are on the first album:
Grab It (1988)
A1 Push It (Grab It) (4:37) A2 Cuttie Pie (4:19) A3 He's A Mutt (4:02) A4 Don't Come To My House (4:26) B1 Cars With The Boom (3:54) B2 Better Yet L'Trimm (4:50) B3 We Can Rock The Beat (3:25) B4 Sexy
Drop That Bottom (1989)
1 Drop That Bottom (3:15) 2 Low Rider (4:24) 3 Trouble In The House (3:25) 4 It's Working (3:40) 5 Heaven Sent (2:55) 6 My Heart Went Boom (3:20) 7 Why Would I (Go Back To The Burn) (3:28) 8 We Got Our Own Thing (4:16) 9 Double Trouble (3:10) 10 Grab It (Again-The-Remix) (4:28)
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:20 (eighteen years ago) link
almost true: Ramones, Sonic YouthI said almost.
― theophilus jones (theophilus), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:23 (eighteen years ago) link
I think Squeeze might work, too, if you count *U.K. Squeeze* (which isn't as good as *Cool For Cats*) as a different band. That's probably cheating, though. (Boomtown Rats, maybe? Hmmmm.)
As for L'Trimm, I like *Grab It* fine, but as Frank Kogan pointed out recently, it only has one song as good as "Cars With the Boom", whereas the 2nd album has ten songs as good as "Cars With the Boom."
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:24 (eighteen years ago) link
(discounting "The Masterplan")(admittedly, I haven't heard all of their albums. But I'm sure that a reasonable argument can be made for them here.)
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:31 (eighteen years ago) link
A testament to the marketing genius that was Paul Klein/Henry Stone.
Then again, they gave direction to that mess of a third album, which the girls bailed out on part way through the sessions.
I think loving the 2nd album based on the formula is not universal though.
I suppose Cypress Hill falls into this same description, as their 2nd album is full of 'Insane in the Brains', whereas the first seemed like a genuine hodge-podge of somewhat inspired efforts.
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:32 (eighteen years ago) link
― -stefan, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:35 (eighteen years ago) link
And the third L'Trimm album *Groovy* is actually surprisingly good, but nah, not nearly on a par with their first two.
The Beastie Boys (at least if you discount pre-debut-album hardcore crap)? TLC? Kris Kross? Hansen? The Circle Jerks? Black Flag? Just throwing a few more names out there...
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:37 (eighteen years ago) link
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:39 (eighteen years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Bloody-Minded Shitstirring (Dan Perry), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:44 (eighteen years ago) link
Extreme?Ratt?Roxette?Quarterflash?Loverboy!!
I kind of agree with the Butthole Surfers, though I think it's very possible they may have improved when they finally sold out in the early '90s (arguments might be made for White Zombie and maybe even Soundgarden along the same lines, though I'm not sure Soundgarden ever actually sold out, come to think of it.)
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:50 (eighteen years ago) link
Not to pick on your selections only, but being you're listing the rap stuff (which I know more about), that's where my opinions may be more relevant.
Beastie Boys - I think Check Your Head is half assed, whereas at least Licensed to Ill feels like a better executed version of Check Your Head, so I have to disagree. And I think it is kinda universally accepted that Paul's Boutique is better than Licensed to Ill. That's my opinion at least, and I love Licensed.
Public Enemy - Same thing. Their 2nd album was better than their first for sure, so nope not them. Sadly, the deabte over whether album 2 or 3 are better rages on. I'm a Nation of Millions fan, and always encounter the notion that Black Planet is better. Ugh.
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:51 (eighteen years ago) link
― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:54 (eighteen years ago) link
*Russians/Russophiles will know what I'm talking about.
**No, I did not mean Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.
― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:57 (eighteen years ago) link
The Pogues?Fishbone? (Though again, I know zilch about their later stuff.)
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 18:59 (eighteen years ago) link
Liz Phair is just so wrong.
― dan. (dan.), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:01 (eighteen years ago) link
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:02 (eighteen years ago) link
Yeah, on every level. I wish I'd never heard her.
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:03 (eighteen years ago) link
That logic would only work if every track on their second album was as good as "How I Could Just Kill a Man." When in actuality, no tracks are.
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:04 (eighteen years ago) link
― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:05 (eighteen years ago) link
I think Criminal Minded is incredible if taken out of context. It's raw, minimal, and passionate...however, it was so disconnected from the massive blossoming process that Eric B/Marley Marl/Bomb Squad were discoering thanks to the SP1200 and Ultimate Beats & Breks series.
For me and my little rap buddies between 86-88, the growth was THE excitement of Hip-Hop, so Criminal Minded seemed like a step backwards at the time.
Over the years, I've learned to appreciate it on its own.
Then Scott La Rock Died, they changed direction, and they released My Philosophy as a single, which sounded up to date and great...but I got the album and was bored.
I've only revisted it a couple times since then, and I remained bored...so maybe you're right. BDP is not my area of expertise.
And Paul's Boutique is better ;-)
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:07 (eighteen years ago) link
Also, I'll give you this: Boces < SYOTOS
But no way to this: SYOTOS < Deserter's Songs
― dan. (dan.), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:08 (eighteen years ago) link
― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:15 (eighteen years ago) link
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:16 (eighteen years ago) link
Eric B and Rakim might hold true. I think the first 3 songs of their second album are their strongest, but then the album sounds rushed. Their first was a collection of a couple of singles, and the album...so it's a bit disjointed - but if you didn't hear those singles prior...
EPMD fucking mumble over Zapp. I like thier first few singles, but lost interest quick.
Run DMC's debut changed my life. Their 2nd album seemed to me like the first marketed piece of Hip-Hop...like, let's cash in on our image and let's make a song for every situation or whatever. That damned reggae song and such. I think the intro on that album is the best thing on it. Raising Hell was mostly a stronger marketing album, with some superb Rick Rubin driven tracks next to some Rick Rubin driven novelties. Their 4th album is sorely overlooked. Beats to the Rhyme is incredible.
Fat Boys...
I think this back-and-forth can easily stir up more thoughts on Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons marketing and visions than anything else. Rick's use of the 808 is the cornerstone of Bass music. Russell's marketing schemes made Hip-Hop known, but tarnished many of the acts. Beastie Boys, Fat Boys, and Run DMC all fall into this to some degree.
Grandmaster Flash's work is before my time, so I just buy it and lisen and sing along and forge no opinions about its relevancy.
No more bait taking for a bit. I need a bite to eat.
― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:22 (eighteen years ago) link
― ZionTrain (ZionTrain), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:23 (eighteen years ago) link
― xhuxk, Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:30 (eighteen years ago) link
― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:30 (eighteen years ago) link
― rogermexico (rogermexico), Thursday, 19 May 2005 19:32 (eighteen years ago) link
Metric. they went from apathetic, melancholy electro-pop w/ witty lyrics - to stadium rock, to dollar store yeah yeah yeahs... emily haines' solo stuff means the world to me, though.
― meaulnes, Tuesday, 4 December 2018 14:18 (five years ago) link
i wish those first two self-released albums didn't exist so i could say mitski
― austinb, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 03:58 (five years ago) link
What exactly does everyone dislike about Moby Grape's Wow? Moby Grape '69 was more straightforward and conventional, but also not very memorable IMO. Wow could have benefited from fewer sound effects and gimmicks, but the underlying songs are mostly solid.
― Lee626, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 06:50 (five years ago) link
Disclosure's stuff from this year has been way better than anything from the second album BTW.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 09:30 (five years ago) link
I like "Wow", better than the debut even.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 09:33 (five years ago) link
I don’t dislike Wow at all, but too much of it feels/sounds like not particularly clever goofy filler, like the song that can only be played at 78rpm, or “Funky Tunk.” And yes, I think “The Baby Song” on Flip Your Wig is fun and hilarious, but the difference is that the non-goofy songs on Wow are nowhere near solid enough to justify the goofiness.Moby Grape ‘69, on the other hand, is all killer/no filler (goofy or otherwise), and has “Seeing,” which is probably the best thing they ever did.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 23:57 (five years ago) link
(xp) Yes, but you are literally the only person who has ever existed who thinks that.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 December 2018 00:46 (five years ago) link
Underworld, mk. 2 mostly works.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 6 December 2018 10:44 (five years ago) link
^ Nah, it doesn't.
Their last album was easily their best since Beaucoup Fish
― groovypanda, Thursday, 6 December 2018 11:18 (five years ago) link
Hence the 'mostly'. I can't say I liked it better than Beaucoup Fish, but Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future was definitely a step up from Barking. Still, I wrote them off a long time ago, alas.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 6 December 2018 11:35 (five years ago) link
Yes but Barking was better than the one before it
― groovypanda, Thursday, 6 December 2018 11:46 (five years ago) link
Eh, it's been a while, but I don't recall that being the case. I'll have to give them both another shot.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 6 December 2018 11:47 (five years ago) link
Boards of Canada
― Neil S, Thursday, 6 December 2018 12:00 (five years ago) link
Katy B.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:19 (five years ago) link
― groovypanda, Thursday, December 6, 2018 4:46 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
actually untrue imo
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:22 (five years ago) link
None of this matters seeing as there's no way in hell that Second Toughest is better than Beaucoup Fish.
― Matt DC, Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:24 (five years ago) link
Neu!
- debut > Neu! 2 >> Neu! '75 >>>>> Neu! 4 > Neu! '86
― GG Allin: The Musical (Matt #2), Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:31 (five years ago) link
Nein.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:32 (five years ago) link
4 certainly isn't better than 86 for a start.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:33 (five years ago) link
4 and 86 are kind of the same album though
and 75 is definitely better than 2, and actually better than the debut and almost every other Krautrock LP in my opinion
also strongly disagree with Underworld mk2 - Oblivion With Bells is so much better than A Hundred Days Off, for one
― frogbs, Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:58 (five years ago) link
Yes but without a lot of the pointless and annoying dreck Dinger insisted on saddling 4 with.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 6 December 2018 17:40 (five years ago) link
> and 75 is definitely better than 2, and actually better than the debut and almost every other Krautrock LP in my opinion
Ditto. Except maybe Cluster's "Sowiesoso".
May I suggest Magazine? At least the first 4, I never heard the reunion album.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 6 December 2018 18:31 (five years ago) link
its frustrating because '86 removes "Schonelle Welle" and "Bush Drum" which were two of my favorite tracks, though overall it's a better and more coherent album
― frogbs, Thursday, 6 December 2018 19:02 (five years ago) link
does MIA count or was Kala better than Arular?
― vision joanna newsom (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 17 December 2018 03:48 (five years ago) link
Oh damn I had a great example of this today that I can't remember
― flappy bird, Monday, 17 December 2018 04:00 (five years ago) link
xp re Magazine I think I like The Correct Use of Soap more than Secondhand Daylight but it's close
― Colonel Poo, Monday, 17 December 2018 11:44 (five years ago) link
Stevie: Arular beats Kala, but then Matangi beats MAYA!
― maffew12, Monday, 17 December 2018 12:32 (five years ago) link
strongly disagree with the inclusion of M.I.A. I still think MAYA is her best album and Kala and Matangi are also both better than Arular.
― silverfish, Monday, 17 December 2018 20:42 (five years ago) link
a friend suggested Laurie Anderson - thoughts? I’ve only heard the first two records so I can’t speak
― flappy bird, Monday, 17 December 2018 22:27 (five years ago) link
Secondhand Daylight is the one Magazine record that I would rescue from the fire/take to the desert island etc.
I also think Second Toughest... is Underworld's best album.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 17 December 2018 23:01 (five years ago) link
It is. Also, Beaucoup Fish is better dubno.
― I Never Promised You A Hose Harden (Eric H.), Monday, 17 December 2018 23:05 (five years ago) link
― flappy bird,
Strange Angels is her best.
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 17 December 2018 23:08 (five years ago) link
Oblivion With Bells is also much better than A Hundred Days off and I'd wager Barbara Barbara is a better album than Barking
― frogbs, Monday, 17 December 2018 23:21 (five years ago) link
I'd put Underworld Dubo thru Fish, this list. Hundred Days thru Barbara, the incline list. Crazy body of work!
― maffew12, Tuesday, 18 December 2018 00:33 (five years ago) link
Rocket From The Crypt
Mudhoney?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 18 December 2018 01:51 (five years ago) link
Ride is a good example imo
― nostormo, Monday, 3 December 2018 20:55 (two weeks ago)
Are you including last year’s comeback album in that?
― the salacious inaudible (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Tuesday, 18 December 2018 17:14 (five years ago) link
The newish Ride album has one peak era tune on it and a couple of other 3rd album quality tunes and then loads of nonsense iirc
My answer which I believe to be true (and not to everyone's taste maybe) is Mercury Rev.
― kraudive, Wednesday, 19 December 2018 01:06 (five years ago) link
If Suede hadn’t reformed, they would have worked (I’m not fond of their 3 latest albums but at least one is better than their 5th... and apparently many people consider them great).
― AlXTC from Paris, Wednesday, 19 December 2018 04:43 (five years ago) link
Strongly co-signing on Mercury Rev.
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 19 December 2018 08:23 (five years ago) link
Beat Happening
― nostormo, Monday, 14 January 2019 05:25 (five years ago) link
otm
― flappy bird, Monday, 14 January 2019 05:52 (five years ago) link
Oh it's decline right..sorry Quite the opposite for Beat Happening.
― nostormo, Monday, 14 January 2019 07:14 (five years ago) link
I still have time for Revolution Come and Gone more than anything else in their back catalog so yeah, quite the opposite
― doug watson, Monday, 14 January 2019 14:31 (five years ago) link
Pink Floyd
― Οὖτις, Monday, 14 January 2019 20:42 (five years ago) link
flatline is no decline
― mark s, Monday, 14 January 2019 20:43 (five years ago) link
I like Animals more than WYWH or DSotM. And even though I love Syd, I think Echoes is my favorite.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 14 January 2019 20:47 (five years ago) link
Pink Floyd only works if you start counting at Meddle for me. And then yes.
― akm, Monday, 14 January 2019 20:59 (five years ago) link
And when I wrote Echoes, I obv meant including the other half of Meddle haha.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 14 January 2019 21:24 (five years ago) link
This is more or less true for most bands. Only a few reach a peak at the end. Immediately springing to mind: Talk Talk.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Monday, 14 January 2019 21:37 (five years ago) link
The 3rd and the Mortal
― pomenitul, Saturday, 19 January 2019 16:43 (five years ago) link