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The difficult second album...........

cubastreet said:
David Bowie too - first album was pretty weak.
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Bowie just kept on going though, an amazing run of albums right through the ‘70s and then another resurgence towards the end of his life. I have a feeling if I really had to pick just two Bowie albums I’d go for Low and Blackstar!
 
The Colourfield - Deception. Apart from a stonker at the end of each side nothing much to get excited about (and a fair bit to run screaming from), which was a real letdown after Virgins and Philistines.

Kirsty MacColl too - though there were 8 years between the debut and Kite, which would've been even better if some of the B sides had made it on.

And conversely World Party. The debut was patchy IMO, with only Ship of Fools (and its B side World Groove) getting played regularly in deebsterville. But the follow-up Goodbye Jumbo hit all the right notes.

And Radiohead. Pablo Honey I just never liked, but The Bends very much so.
 
For me that is super furry animals. Debut album ‘fuzzy logic’ is great but follow up ‘radiator’ is outstanding!
 
deebster said:
And conversely World Party. The debut was patchy IMO, with only Ship of Fools (and its B side World Groove) getting played regularly in deebsterville. But the follow-up Goodbye Jumbo hit all the right notes.
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I like all of the World Party LP's and you have just reminded me that most have or are about to be repressed for the first time in may years. About to order Dumbing Up as don't have that on vinyl.
 
Neutral Milk Hotel: 1st album good but not really notable, 2nd album a now-legendary indie rock classic
Diiv: 1st album an excellent portrait of a particular sound at a particular time, 2nd album an over-wrought self-indulgent plod that was nevertheless devoid of new ideas (but then the band came out of nowhere with the 3rd album that was probably their best IMO)

Someone mentioned Nirvana but I think Nevermind, good as it was, was far too polished. I'm one of those rare people who prefer In Utero as something of a return to form.
 
Focus...went from pop ditties on the first to their more instrumental (and better) side on Moving Waves
Genesis...obvously, from a album of short tracks to Trespass
VDGG...Aerosol Grey Machine, to The Least We Can Do Is Wave...nuff said
 
DipsyDave said:
Sorry, don't agree with you (and most other people I reckon). I thought Frank was much better.
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We got into Winehouse with Frank, so that is the album we know best.
Both albums have very different production, and are both worth a listen lyrically, even if one dislikes her voice. Frank is sassy and honest, Back To Black has a theme, that being Ronson, edging his strings in where Amy was reluctant.
I like both albums, they have a stamp of young love about them, and we listen to them whole to savour the emotional journey. This is heightened by her death we find, making the lyrics more meaningful.

We went to the Frank tour to see Winehouse at Rock City. It was a mess of a performance. We were annoyed at the gig, but it makes more sense in retrospect.
 
Tarzan said:
Stone Roses - Second Coming - Prime example there Jez- personally l really liked their second album.
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Always gets quoted as the worst follow up album. Not sure why. It's largely excellent with only a couple of fillers.

Love Spreads, Tightrope, Good Times, Day Break and Driving South are up there with the best 90s Indie songs. Ten Storey Love Song could easily have been included on the first album and is probably the only one that stuck to the original style.

The main thing the debut had going for it was it was the era defining sound of the Madchester movement which is why it is held as a classic. I'd much rather have waited 5 years for the Second Coming than to hear more of the same but substandard songs in the same style.
 
Countdown to Ecstasy is my favourite 2nd album. By anyone. Ever.

Had tickets to see 'em in Scarborough back in 1974. Biggest regret in life. That cancellation.
 
Colonel_Mad said:
Always gets quoted as the worst follow up album. Not sure why. It's largely excellent with only a couple of fillers.

Love Spreads, Tightrope, Good Times, Day Break and Driving South are up there with the best 90s Indie songs. Ten Storey Love Song could easily have been included on the first album and is probably the only one that stuck to the original style.

The main thing the debut had going for it was it was the era defining sound of the Madchester movement which is why it is held as a classic. I'd much rather have waited 5 years for the Second Coming than to hear more of the same but substandard songs in the same style.
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I think the first album was the offering of a new fresh sound and scene, Kelly's 'Indie Disco' almost changed overnight, it's also an excellent album of very well crafted songs, all killer no filler.
The second LP just doesn't seem to flow as well, maybe not as accesable or catchy? However John Squire's guitar playing is excellent.
 
The difficult second album is not really the right description for me, it's how an artist/band follows up a massively successful album that seems to be tricky. For instance The Human League. Dare was massive but was not their first album, but Hysteria that followed it was a bit of a mess.

If you want a classic example of a genuine second album syndrome then look at FGTH, but again this falls into the above for me, it just so happened that their big hit was their first album.
 
Tony L said:
REM emerged perfectly formed IMO. I love the IRS label stuff and whilst the rougher new-wave edges got rounded off when they signed to Warners they didn’t ever [stop reinventing] themselves.
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Tony - hope you don't mind the edit. ;)

I'd put Husker Du in the latter category - their albums got better and better as they went; arguably cresting with Flip Your Wig although I think everything after Metal Circus is SO brilliant it's impossible to separate them on any kind of principled basis. It's telling that fans still argue between Zen Arcade or Warehouse . . .

In the former category, Boston's first album was terrific (albeit overplayed!) while their second was quite simply "meh."
 
I need to pull Warehouse out for a spin. I’d always put Zen Arcade as the peak, though that may well be more about my taste at the time than the albums themselves. I’m not complete on Husker Dü, but I’ve got most of it (Metal Circus, Flip Your Wig, Zen, Warehouse and Candy Apple Grey).
 
Tony L said:
I need to pull Warehouse out for a spin. I’d always put Zen Arcade as the peak, though that may well be more about my taste at the time than the albums themselves. I’m not complete on Husker Dü, but I’ve got most of it (Metal Circus, Flip Your Wig, Zen, Warehouse and Candy Apple Grey).
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New Day Rising is well worth picking up. A similar peak to Flip Your Wig; some Husker fans prefer NDR to FYW - I usually lean to FYR, but it's splitting hairs. I think the Huskers are one band where it's impossible to pick just one album as the peak - and not many bands fit that category. The Velvets, the Beatles, and . . . ?

I think Warehouse shows a lot of growth in terms of songwriting as well as being much more polished sounding, even if it's pretty easy to hear the rivalry between Mould and Hart. A straight line between albums, though.
 
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