[skullguise]

Was listening to some music this weekend, and 3 bands I heard reminded me of just how great their debut albums were. Made me wonder what others thought....

Through history, there have been some great bands that came "on the scene" with some incredible music. Some went on to even greater glory, some went away after one or two great albums.

What are your thoughts?

The ones I listened to this weekend:

1) October Project - s/t - incredible debut, second album was nice but not as good as first. Band broke up and members went solo or partially reformed

2) Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures - although they had a couple ep's out, and some music on compilcations, their debut album took them in a more polished direction, was truly incredible. Their second album, Closer, was as good or better in some ways, IMO. Ian Curtis killed himself, ending the band (posthumous releases were a fair amount, though, including bootlegs)

3) Nine Inch Nails - Pretty hate Machine - I saw this noname band open up for The Jesus & Mary Chain a long time ago. After the concert (where NiN blew away the headliner), I recognized about a dozen people from the show in Tower Records snatching up the NiN disc.

I'm sure there are other bands I can think of if I exercise my aging brain (Led Zeppeling, Cream, King Crimson, Sex Pistols, others). What other great debuts do you recommend?

 

[zombieDave]

Hi Todd,

U2 - "Boy"
Ramones - "Ramones"
Nirvana - "Nevermind"
Foo Fighters - "Foo Fighters"
Pearl Jam - "Ten"

To name just a few...

zD

 

[TKO]

Boston
Van Halen
Asia
Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell
AC/DC - High Voltage

just to name a few.

Cheers.

 

[TylerEaves]

Warren Zevon's first album is extremely good. Not a weak song on it. The follow-up Exciteable Boy had a few strongs that were stronger/more known (the title track, Werewolves of London, Lawyers, Guns, and Money, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner) but also had some filler.

Oh, and zombie, Nevermind was not Nirvana's debut.

 

[Duggeh]

REM - Murmur.

A brilliant album, but would its sound have lead you to think that they would become one of the biggest bands in the world?

 

[virometal]

I will spin off the JD for post punk:

Gang of Four - Entertainment
The Fall - Live at the Witch Trials
Television - Marquee Moon
Wire - Pink Flag

What a great bunch that was! I've been in love with each album at different times in my life. Pink Flag is my recent re-infatuation. I first discovered Wire when Elastica broke and introduced that stripped sound to many in my generation; been coming back ever since.

 

[Sordel]

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!
The Police - Outlandos d'Amour
The Jam - All Mod Cons

 

[Emerge]

RJD2 - Deadringer
Portishead - Dummy
The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes

Those four debut albums I would consider to be "life changing" albums for me. Each fueled my "musical exploration fire". Amazing debuts for those artist and for me they where amazing introductions into different genres as well.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif REM - Murmur. A brilliant album, but would its sound have lead you to think that they would become one of the biggest bands in the world?

I can't believe you didn't add Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

Here's more of what I consider great first albums of bands/artists that had staying power

Zappa/Mothers - Freak Out
Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool
Crosby, Stills & Nash - Crosby, Stills & Nash
Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Cream - Fresh Cream
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Jethro Tull - This Was
Santana - Santana
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced


Some from bands that haven't had staying power or aren't as well known (but should be)

Monsoon - Third Eye
Ekova - Heaven's Dust
Prototypes - Prototypes (US release, they had other releases in France)
CéU - CéU
Mouth Music - Mouth Music
Galactic - Coolin' Off
Duke Levine - Country Soul Guitar
Patrick & Eugene - Pictures from Summerisle
Rusted Root - When I Woke
Rashanim - Masada Rock
Steve Vai - Flex-able

 

[Happy Camper]

Tales of Mystery and Imagination- Alan Parsons Project
Pronounced- Lynyrd Skynyrd
Can't Buy A Thrill- Steely Dan
Queen- Queen
Texas Flood- SRV
Boston- Boston
Mr. Fantasy- Traffic
Dire Straits- Dire Straits
Aerosmith- Aerosmith
Eagles- Eagles

 

[Sordel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tales of Mystery and Imagination- Alan Parsons Project

Wow ... that's an unexpected choice. I'd file it under "guilty pleasure".

 

[scott_d_m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombieDave /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Todd, U2 - "Boy" Ramones - "Ramones" Nirvana - "Nevermind" Foo Fighters - "Foo Fighters" Pearl Jam - "Ten" To name just a few... zD

Great albums zombieDave, but Nevermind wasn't Nirvana's debut. Bleach came first.

Apologies, I just noticed this was already mentioned.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

Divine Heresy - Bleed The Fifth
Pearl Jam - Ten
Alice in Chains - Sap
Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

 

[breakfastchef]

virometal made a really good call with Gang of Four - Entertainment. I would put the first album from The Pretenders on top. The English music scene recognized their talent way before the Americans. The first Pretenders album was a huge U.S. success.

 

[kyleisgreat]

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Calculating Infinity
DJ Shadow - Entroducing..
Rage Against the Machine
System of a Down