There’s a pervasive school of thought that music artists today are under a much greater strain to hit home runs out of the part on their first at-bat.
Twenty years ago, if your first album didn’t sell well, your record company (who undoubtedly saw your talent, or likely wouldn’t have signed you) generally had the courtesy to stick with you through the production of your second album. Today, many believe that stars don’t have that luxury.
So I’d like to get some thoughts – what are some great second releases, that immediately followed up poorly-selling, poorly-promoted, or badly-made first albums?
Bob Dylan springs to mind. While the first album was okay, it was more normal folk, and a pale reflection of the second album with "Hard Rain, “Masters of War,” among others.
The most shocking thing in Chronicles to me was that he didn’t start writing until he had moved to New York. I had always assumed Dylan had written from the beginning.
I do not know how well the albums did (or did not do) but I was never very fond of Pink Floyd when Syd Barret was with the band. Not till Roger Waters came on board do I think the band really began to shine. That said I know that Syd had a lasting effect on the band that went well past his leaving the band early on. Whether you can say Roger Waters turned the band into what it became or whether Waters just got on for the ride at the right time I can’t say. Nonetheless I think their first albums weren’t so hot.
I did nto like Rush’s first efforts either but again do not know if they were successful anyway.
Well, Waters was with the band from the beginning. It was David Gilmour that wasn’t originally included. Barrett’s heavy influence on Piper at the Gates of Dawn is what made that album so great though, imo. When Gilmour came along, Syd was eventually ousted, and the Waters/Gilmour combination is what sparked the commercial boom of their success.
So in a way, you could say the non-Syd Barret PF of albums of Meddle/Dark Side of the Moon would qualify as the 1, 2, not-so-great, unbelievably great combo we’re looking for (although I love Meddle too).
Nightwish’s first album, Angels Fall First, is pretty much for serious fans only. Their second album, Oceanborn, put them on the map, right at the center.
I don’t know about sales, but songwise these second albums were superior and far more popular…
Death Cab for Cutie - We Have the Facts… followed Something About Airplanes
The Wallflowers - Bringing Down the Horse followed their eponymous debut
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream ->Gish
Nirvana - Nevermind ->Bleach
The Promise Ring - Very Emergency ->30 Degrees Everywhere
Simon and Garfunkel - Sounds of Silence ->Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m.
Wilco - Being There -> A.M.
I think Tom Waits’ first album, Closing Time (1973) was pretty standard singer-songwriter stuff, but his second album, The Heart of Saturday Night (1974) was a quantum leap forward in terms of subject matter (everything from maudlin barroom ballads to seamy nocturnal cityscapes), style (experimenting with everything from beatnik jazz to sea shanties), musicianship, and the beginnings of the familiar raspy voice all Waits fans love and expect.
Warren Zevon’s first album, Wanted - Dead or Alive, is almost unlistenable. The next one, Warren Zevon not only sounded totally different, it was one of the best albums of the 1970’s, and in my opinion the best album of his career.
No Doubt’s “second” album, Tragic Kingdom, was their big breakthrough. Their first self-titled album was certainly much weaker. (They also released an unofficial album between the two called The Beacon Street Collection, but this was more of a promotional thing than a general release.)
Then he followed it up with Skunkworks, shudder. I haven’t put that album in in a long time. He did follow that up with Accident of Birth.
Some people say Iron Maiden’s Killers is better then Iron Maiden, I’m not one of those people though. I would say that Motorhead’s Motorhead is not as good as Overkill.
Billy Joel’s Cold Spring Harbor did have a couple of good songs, but it was just fair overall, and the record company sped the entire thing up so it would have more of a beat. It was a flop. However, his second, Piano Man was great from start to finish and spawned several classic songs.
Elton John had a similar history. His Empty Sky was so-so, and sold hardly at all, but he scored big with his second album Elton John, partly because Gus Dudgeon took over as producer.
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off was not overly impressive, and barely made a dent in the charts. Surrealistic Pillow, after they added Grace Slick, is a rock classic.