Classic sophomore albums that transcended the artist's debuts in every way

[mickill]

The Low End Theory
The Bends
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere

To a lesser degree:

Led Zeppelin II
It Takes A Nation Of Millions...
ATLiens
Paul's Boutique

[TurdBerglar]

paranoid?

[Mr Films]

Gorillaz "Demon Days"
Beck's "Odelay" which may or may not be his second album. I want to say it is.

[DipDipDive]

Beck's "Odelay" which may or may not be his second album. I want to say it is.

It isn't.

[DipDipDive]

btw Paul's Boutique ftw

edit: It was already listed. F.

[kleptomaniac]

It Takes A Nation Of Millions...
Paul's Boutique

yes (y)

[Kid Presentable]

Nevermind
Supreme Clientele
(I would say) De La Soul is Dead
Rated R
King Of Rock

[saz]

town and country
the second coming
protection
their satanic majesties' second request
a northern soul
pure phase
perfect prescription
the madcap laughs
bummed
golden greats
take them on, on your own
white light/white heat
isn't anything

[Documad]

The second Police album is my favorite.

By the way, my first year of high school was my sophmore year, and I went to college for five years, so the sophmore thing has always been a bit confusing to me.

[kleptomaniac]

By the way, my first year of high school was my sophmore year, and I went to college for five years, so the sophmore thing has always been a bit confusing to me.

ours go freshman, sophomore, junior, then senior...

[Documad]

My high school only lasted three years so there was no freshman year.

[kleptomaniac]

yeah i kind of figured that out haha

[mickill]

Paranoid definitely.

I prefer Mellow Gold, even though I believe Odelay was Beck's 4th album or something anyway.

I definitely agree with Supreme Clientele, Nevermind and Rated R, which all easily eclipsed their respective predecessors. But I think De La Soul is Dead's an iffy one. It can go either way, really. No way King of Rock's touching the debut, though.

I'm pretty sure Madcap Laughs was Syd Barrett's first album. I agree with A Northern Soul and Perfect Prescription for sure. Take Them On, On Your Own and Second Coming definitely pale in comparison to the debuts, though. I don't really see how White Light/White Heat was in any way superior to the first VU album either. They're all good albums regardless.

The first Police album's my favorite, easily.

I'd like to add:

Hell Hath No Fury
Astral Weeks
Being There
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Liquid Swords

[mickill]

And Paul's Boutique.

[kleptomaniac]

And Paul's Boutique.

yeah it deserves to be mentioned at least 10 times more to prove how great it is!

[Mr Films]

yeah, I knew Beck also had One Foot in the Grave and Stereopathetic Soul Manure but for some reason thought those were just like compilations of old material released after everyone flipped out over Odelay.

I also would have added Hell Hath no Fury but is it really all that mega-different that Lord Willin?

I would also like to add The Secret Machines Ten Silver Drops to this here list.

[ggirlballa]

yeah it deserves to be mentioned at least 10 times more to prove how great it is!


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's boutique


paul's muthafuckin boutique

[Kid Presentable]

I guess the thing about Run DMC is that up until and including Tougher than Leather, they went from strength to strength (commercially at least). This fact may have little to do with each album being better than the previous though, I admit.

Marshall Mathers LP definitely gets a nod. And Paul's Boutique, for sure. I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet.

[Lex Diamonds]

the second coming
No way. Are you mental?

I can't believe everybody here is sleeping on Paul's Boutique!

[roosta]

Liquid Swords

Haha...good one! never thought about that. "Words from the Genius" is awful...and well....Liquid Sword's is....LIQUID SWORDS. I dont agree bout Supreme Clientelle though....Ironman is a fine album and as good as if you ask me. And I dunno bout "Hell Hath No Futy" either....its not a major departure for them at all....and "Lord Willin'" Is a good album so weither it completely transcends it I dunno.

[saz]

I'm pretty sure Madcap Laughs was Syd Barrett's first album. I agree with A Northern Soul and Perfect Prescription for sure. Take Them On, On Your Own and Second Coming definitely pale in comparison to the debuts, though. I don't really see how White Light/White Heat was in any way superior to the first VU album either. They're all good albums regardless.


madcap laughs was his first solo album, whereas piper was his first album, but backed by the floyd and he wrote the majority of the material on that record. in the other cases, i don't think they're superior whatsoever, but drastically different. a northern soul sadly marked a transitional period for verve, ie from mccabe's brilliant multi-layered psychedelic walls of sound, to ashcroft's love ballad cheese and generic rock. take them on, on your own has better production, and white light/white heat great differs from the vu & nico....ditto second coming.

[yeahwho]

This Years Model, Elvis Costello. Cleaner, sharper & amazingly even more catchy than My Aim is True.

[YoungRemy]

The Bends
edit: and it's already been covered...

[kleptomaniac]

paul's boutique most definitely :cool:

[chromium05]

Gangstarr's - "Step in the Arena"

[chromium05]

ll cool J "Bigger And Deffer"

[abcdefz]

...can't agree about This Year's Model. I agree that it's a better record, but My Aim is True has too high a level of songwriting to say that the former trascends it "in every way."


The Band
Bruce Springsteen The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle
Moe Tucker Life in Exile after Abdication
Warren Zevon (His first album, Wanted Dead or Alive, was so poor that a lot of people don't even know it exists.)


..and, absolutely, Paul's Boutique and Echewta 2.


..and if we're including EPs in "first albums," then R.E.M.'s Murmur thoroughly trounces "Chronic Town."

[nypb]

Doolittle

[abcdefz]

Doolittle


Surfer Rosa's pretty great.

[Kid Presentable]

Meantime.

[abcdefz]

Squeeze - Cool for Cats

[yeahwho]

...can't agree about This Year's Model. I agree that it's a better record, but My Aim is True has too high a level of songwriting to say that the former trascends it "in every way."

I'm not knocking "My Aim is True" it is an album 99% of all pop musicians would love to claim, a truly great album by any standard.

This Years Model delivers on this promise and transcends it to an even higher level. The album starts with the 1-2-3-4 punch of "No Action", "This Year's Girl", "The Beat" and "Pump It Up" showing that Costello is in it for not only the ring, but the TKO. Radio Radio wraps up the whole package quite nicely.

The only thing more amazing is the next album, Armed Forces.

[BangkokB]

Since we're all fun and games Nazareth ~ Period Nazareth
and if you fuck with me I'll throw Jethro Tulll in the mix

Sitting on the park Bench!

[TurdBerglar]

blues for the red sun

what about dirt - alice in chains?

[Otis Driftwood]

Allboro Kings

[RoryMC]

Do people still listen to the Beastie Boys?