best examples of sophomore records blowing the debut out of the water

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sorry if this has been done to death already

the most obvious example for me is 'spiderland'.

also, 'being there'

what else

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:04 (nineteen years ago)

Could Post by Bjork actually be better than Debut (which was already really great)? I think it is.

― Marty Innerlogic (marty innerlogic), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

i prefer debut, personally. but obviously love them both

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

It is Hello I Must Be Going by Phil Collins. Divest of its predecessor Face The Value with its irrit tendency towards left-wing avant-garde noise-making such as I Missed Her Again, this second solo outing reveals him as a true master of melodics, with beautiful rhapsodies of song such as "Don't Leave Me Wife" and "Why I Pay You To Have Another Men," but his pinnacle of this record arrives with the number one single "You Calgary Love" which is better than all amelodic, overrate Motown style songs of all times!

― Comstock Carabineri (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:12 (nineteen years ago)

what's collins writing songs about canada for

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

Teardrop Explodes - Wilder

― Jez (Jez), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

Love - Da Capo

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

The Bends
Head Over Heels

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

Nevermind

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

'post' is almost infinitely superior to 'debut'.

love/hate - wasted in america > blackout in the red room
led zeppelin - II > I
faith no more - introduce yourself > we care a lot
sleepytime gorilla museum - of natural history >> grand opening and closing
system of a down - toxicity > self-titled
dead kennedys - plastic surgery disasters > fresh fruit

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

Nevermind

commercially and in terms of critical consensus, certainly. I personally still think bleach is better.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

led zeppelin - II > I

It might be better (arguable) but it doesn't exactly "blow it out the water" does it?

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

Low End Theory
The Infamous
Liquid Swords

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

xpost:

depends how you define 'blow out of the water'. musically I see it as much better than the first, and didn't it represent something of a step up in acclaim and success? the lead track is their second-biggest track of all time.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Nico, Marble Index

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

To be honest, it happens so often, it puts to the lie the old "you have 20 years to write your debut, and 18 months to record your second"

I'm out. (In a "Dragon's Den" style)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:27 (nineteen years ago)

Zombies, Odessey and Oracle

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Transformer

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Blur - Modern Life Is Rubbish > Leisure

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Astral Weeks

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Come And Get It

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

Angels With Dirty Faces (Sugababes)

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

mclusky do dallas

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

coloma - finery

― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

― Bumblepuppy (Horbgorbling Slubberdegullion), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

"The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion"

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

xposts - I'd have Debut and Post as equally great in the final analysis (I've always preferred Debut personally too).

Joni Mitchell - Song To A Seagull > Clouds
Ellen Allien - Stadtkind > Berlinette

― dance dance counter-revolution (fandango), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

"What We Did On Our Holidays"

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Countdown to Ecstacy

― sonofstan (sonofstan), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

dammit... my > are mixed up reverse! reverse!

>:(

― dance dance counter-revolution (fandango), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

absolutely > one step beyond it takes a nation of millions >> yo bum rush the show

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

mclusky, tribe, lou reed otm

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

bad formatting. soz. back to using Lynx web browser.

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

Reel to Real Cacophony

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

Shaq-Fu: Da Return

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:07 (nineteen years ago)

Rock Bottom

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Metal Box

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

basically 'every band whose second record was better than their first', ie LOTS OF FRIGGIN BANDS.

'cupid & psyche 85'

― EARLY-90S MAN (Enrique), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

Rock Bottom

OTM

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

trying to think of some hip-hop ones

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:16 (nineteen years ago)

It Takes a Nation of Millions

― Andy_K (Andy_K), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

hahhaha. yes, andy k

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

More Songs About Buildings & Food
Candy-O
Rooms On Fire
Before Hollywood

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

to me the "blowing out of the water" thing means a sense of omg shock has to be present - kind of "WOW i had no idea they were capable of THAT". so eg justin timberlake wouldn't count because although FS/LS is much much better than justified, it's not a level which shocked me coming from justin. bjork certainly doesn't count.

it's not a sophomore album but the knife totally fit this for me - deep cuts was a collection of decent-to-good songs which somehow made for a v underwhelming album, but silent Shout is quite astonishing as an album.

xtina from whatever her first album was called to stripped, as well. i guess destiny's child as well though i haven't actually heard their debut all the way through.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

Van der Graaf Generator!

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

Randy Newman: 12 Songs
Neil Young: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Bob Dylan: The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Radiohead: The Bends
Psychedelic Furs: Talk Talk Talk

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

to me the "blowing out of the water" thing means a sense of omg shock has to be present - kind of "WOW i had no idea they were capable of THAT"... bjork certainly doesn't count.

given that (rather good) definition, bjork is the best example thus far as far as I'm concerned. I didn't like anything off of 'debut' at the time, and only one or two tracks are tolerable now. but I happened to hear 'post' and it amazed me pretty much from start to finish. it turned me around 100% from a bjork-hater to a bjork-lover.

although not in the physical sense. sadly.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

i don't think 'post' is a massive leap forward. it is better.

― EARLY-90S MAN (Enrique), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

i think debut is better! i love both but debut has 'come to me' and 'human behaviour' => WINS

homogenic is her most masterful, er, masterwork though

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

I think it's the abandoning of the already dated handbaggy club cheese that elevates it far beyond 'debut'.

'homogenic' is excellent, but I return to 'post' and 'medulla' most often.

― mister the guanoman (mister the guanoman), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

Skipping 103 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

btw liars' first record is still my favourite by them

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:08 (nineteen years ago)

Their second record should have been called BLIARS as a pungent comment on warmongering gangster TONY BLIAR

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

Do Eminem or Warren Zevon (first album rightly ignored in its day, surfaced later) count? (I mean, think about it. There must be plenty of other examples along the same lines. Oh yeah, Shania Twain, right?)

― xhuxk (xheddy), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Good God, yes, I'd quite forgotten about that first Eminem album...also wasn't the first Tim Buckley album (s/t?) a bit meh? (Goodbye and Hello was the second one, right?)

Also:
More Specials (much as I love the first one, the second one takes everything so much further out)

Was Fifth Dimension the Byrds' second album?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

Cypress Hill - Black Sunday

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

goodbye and hello is a step up from s/t, but it certainly doesn't put the first one to shame, which is a really sharp set of songs for mine

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 28 September 2006 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

funhouse

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

doesn't put their first one to shame

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

hah!

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

Natural Bridge >>>> Starlite Walker

― Jamesy (SuzyCreemcheese), Thursday, 28 September 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

Ohio Players; Pain > Observations In Time

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'm out

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 28 September 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

wait, here's another one:

Squeeze, Cool For Cats

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 28 September 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

all this talk about ghostface and the wu and we forget the MOST OBVIOUS example of a sophomore record blowing away a debut record:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f744/f74464r9k0d.jpg > http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c505/c50552xy94l.jpg

really, quite an omission y'all!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 28 September 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

Dragnet by the Fall. Okay there I said it...

― George Lochinski (Destroy A. Monsters), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

Squeeze had already proven on their debut single that they were capable of great things though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 28 September 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

Shucks, I was hoping someone was going to bash Dragnet on here...

Other ideas
The Breeders - Last Splash
Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun

― George Lochinski (Destroy A. Monsters), Thursday, 28 September 2006 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, In God We Trust >>>> All For One. All For One is pretty spotty. Try To Do Me, Who Can Get Busy Like This Man and Dance To My Ministry can all get skipped.

― mucho (mucho), Thursday, 28 September 2006 22:47 (nineteen years ago)

COMETS ON FIRE --> FIELD RECORDINGS FROM THE SUN

― Stephen Bush (Stephen B.), Friday, 29 September 2006 01:47 (nineteen years ago)

peace sells... but who's buying

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Saturday, 30 September 2006 04:15 (nineteen years ago)

Severe Exposure >> The Pigeon is the Most Popular Bird

― lrsn (larssen), Saturday, 30 September 2006 04:26 (nineteen years ago)

xpost Eisbar

I said Liquid Swords near the top of the thread.

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Saturday, 30 September 2006 05:03 (nineteen years ago)

in recent weeks, i would say junior boys and the rapture

― Arnault (arc73hk), Saturday, 30 September 2006 06:41 (nineteen years ago)

I believe the new Rapture album is number 3.

― Apocalypse '07: Rodney Strikes Back (R. J. Greene), Saturday, 30 September 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Junior Boys OTM

― Stephen Bush (Stephen B.), Saturday, 30 September 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah but there's nothing on "In God We Trust" that comes close to 'Concerto in X Minor' or 'Slow Down' or the title track. Puba's decision to leave is deeply felt (and yeah, I know he doesn't even rap on one of the tracks I mentioned. Shut up.)

― It's the lazy and immoral way to become super hip. (Austin, Still), Saturday, 30 September 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

And hey, thanks for bringing up "Dance to my Ministry." It's skippable, but deserves mention on the token hip-house track thread that I started last night.

― It's the lazy and immoral way to become super hip. (Austin, Still), Saturday, 30 September 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

Can't agree on Ghostface or Ol' Dirty.

I don't really like the production on "Supreme Clientele" that much. And "Bigga Please" has way more skippable tracks than his first album does. Plus, the first one is one of the most comical rap albums ever. Plus it has "snakes" on it.

Anyway, my votes are -

The Clash - London Calling

K-OS - Joyful Rebellion

The White Stripes - De Stijl

Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have it So Much Better

Joanna Newsom - Ys.

Radiohead - The Bends

Offspring - Ignition

The Stands - Horse Fabulous

Ratatat - Classics

The Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy

Sean Lennon - Friendly Fire

Another good thread would be bands whose first albums blow their second out of the water. I can think of a bunch of those too.

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Saturday, 30 September 2006 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

I accidentally put "Bigga" instead of "Nigga", not because of racial tension, but merely because I have poor typing skills

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Saturday, 30 September 2006 22:53 (nineteen years ago)

You also typed "London Calling" instead of "Give 'em Enough Rope."

― These Robust Cookies (Robust Cookies), Saturday, 30 September 2006 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

god dammit !

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Saturday, 30 September 2006 23:09 (nineteen years ago)

Alright, I can't back up "Give Em Enough Rope", the debut is better.

I pretty much only focus on the first two, so I forget the order of the albums. I mean, I don't really need to hear "Cut the Crap" again, right ?

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Saturday, 30 September 2006 23:13 (nineteen years ago)

And when I say "first two", I mean the self titled and "London Calling", despite the fact that L.C. is not in fact the second Clash record.

sigh

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Saturday, 30 September 2006 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

london calling would be a good case for 3rd albums blowing the 2nd album out of the water. as much as i love give em enough rope and all...

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Sunday, 1 October 2006 03:40 (nineteen years ago)

The White Stripes though? Their first album kicks! (though De Stijl is excellent as well)

― Destroy A. Monsters (Destroy A. Monsters), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

Paul McCartney: Ram

OK, everybody knew he was capable of great things from his Beatles years, but this solo effort was still miles and miles and miles better than the a-bunch-of-songs-i-wrote-and-recorded-in-a-rush-at-homea-album that was "McCartney".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 2 October 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

I find the first White Stripes to be a lot more monotonous than "De Stijl", which is actually a nicely layered record.

The first one never appealed to me as much for whatever reason

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 03:23 (nineteen years ago)

Cat Power - Myra Lee
Indigo Girls - S/T
Grifters - One Sock Missing
Built To Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 05:32 (nineteen years ago)

Elliott Smith, surely?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 08:32 (nineteen years ago)

ha ha 'Bigga Please'

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 08:42 (nineteen years ago)

elliott smith's records are all too consistently good for any of them to be 'blown out of the water'

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

~~best~~ examples of sophomore records ~~blowing the debut out of the water~~

― eh (fandango), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh, "Roman Candle" vs. "Elliott Smith", tough call.

Best songs off "R.C." - Condor Ave, Kiwi Maddog 20/20, Last Call, Drive All Over Town, 1 or 2 of the "No Name"s, can't remember which ones are which

Best songs off "E.S." - Southern Belle, Single File, Coming Up Roses, Good to Go, The White Lady Loves You More, The Biggest Lie (one of my favourite E.S. songs)

So yeah, personally, I'd have to give this one to the second album, despite the fact that I dig the first one, though I personally think he got better with every record, with the possible exception of "X.O" vs. "Figure 8", but Figure 8 is a wicked album also.

If only we could've gotten his originally intended double disc version of "From a Basement...", with the second disc being instrumentals. That would've been siick.

― Erock Lazron (Erock Zombie), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

Elton John, rather obviously.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

either/or is close to being my favourite album of time. the man doesn't strike a note wrong with that one in my view.

s/t and roman candle are both fantastic also, with the slight edge going to s/t.

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

MEAT IS MURDER

― bham (bham), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

hahaha
i like meat is murder too, but it's my least favourite nonetheless

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

TRAVIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

I think that's the most excited I've ever seen Geir.

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Thursday, 5 October 2006 00:18 (nineteen years ago)

was 'the man who' the second one?

in that case, i'm glad i haven't heard the first one

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 5 October 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

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