Best debut albums

[bada]

Second album.

[Norah]

the mynabirds debut record is really good, but they only have two albums, so it's hard to really evaluate them in the spirit in which I think this question is being asked.

Ten is an obvious one.

Murmur

I'm actually having some trouble thinking of debut albums that stand up to the best work of an artist. I guess it's less common than I would have thought.

Dan Bern and Ani Difranco's debuts.


Sponge and Bush, but those are minor bands.


The Counting Crows, I guess.

I'd agree with you on Murmur, especially if you consider (as I do) Reckoning to be a more fully realized idea of what Murmur was going for.

[Lament]

[Kevin Davis]

[stip]

Liz Phair is a good call.

That's the Boy album cover, right? U2 is one of those bands where there was (I think) such a quantum leap forward in quality a few albums into the career that it doesn't count. This isnt' a fully realized product yet.

[stip]

Someone should say bleach. Not me, mind you, but someone should.


Oh, Arcade Fire, I guess.

[Kevin Davis]

[stip]

ohh, the dresden doll's first album

[Norah]

[Lament]

That's the Boy album cover, right? U2 is one of those bands where there was (I think) such a quantum leap forward in quality a few albums into the career that it doesn't count. This isnt' a fully realized product yet.

I think part of U2's early stumbles came from the fact that they so realized what they were going for on Boy. While I love October, it definitely suffers a bit from trying to figure out where it wants to go from Boy and taking on more than it can chew (especially with the "big themes"). War is actually one of my least favorite U2 albums. It kind of deconstructs everything they accomplished on the first two records without really suggesting much in terms of character to replace it. It could just as easily be an Alarm record for the most part. The Unforgettable Fire is the first album that I think puts them back on the level Boy had them at.

[stip]

fair enough. I'm not a huge fan of boy. I think there's just an enormous leap in the quality of everything once you get to Unforgettable fire

[Birds in Hell]

Still their best.

[tattooedeverything]

R.E.M., Murmur
Pearl Jam, Ten
Anna Calvi, Anna Calvi
Patti Smith, Horses
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, B.R.M.C.
Echo & The Bunnymen, Crocodiles
The Jesus & Mary Chain, Psychocandy
Morrissey, Viva Hate
Nine Inch Nails, Pretty Hate Machine
Pixies, Surfer Rosa

[BurtReynolds]

The Tennessee Fire by MMJ


Truckfighters

[stip]

I don't know the group but truck fighters is an awesome name

[Rangi Guy]

[super nintendo chalmers]

Funny I never noticed the similar typefaces before.

[KurtLeon]

Still their best.

[ridleybradout]

Still their best.

Though I respectfully disagree with Spenno on this one, those first 3 songs are unfuckwithable.

Some noteworthy others whose first album is probably their best:

[Jorge]

Some noteworthy others whose first album is probably their best:

Well... I mean...