Sophomore album better than first album?

[D.o.S.]

Black Flag: My War over Damaged

Bold.

I'm comfortable making this statement.

I'd even say Slip It In is as good or better than My War

i think my real hurdle is that Live '84 has all of the great songs and none of the shit production.

[PetZounds]

nirvana - nevermind > bleach

I totally disagree with this...

I also disagree. Bleach rules.

So, here's a few others:

At the Drive-in's "In/Casino/Out"
Harvey Milk's "Courtesy and Goodwill Towards Men" (although all their stuff is super solid)
LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of Silver"
Liturgy's "Aesthetica"
Minus the Bear with "Menos el Oso" (but I do love Highly Refined Pirates)
Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"

[retinal orbita]

Black Flag: My War over Damaged

Bold.

I'm comfortable making this statement.

I'd even say Slip It In is as good or better than My War

i think my real hurdle is that Live '84 has all of the great songs and none of the shit production.

Live 84 is fuckin' tits. I wish someday, for a vinyl 2xLP version. I'm hoping with the vinyl resurgence this is sooner than later. I just love Rollins Flag. When I was a teenager I was more about Dez and the early guys but all I can listen to over the last 15 years is Rollins. Dude rules as a Black Flag singer.

[Warpsmasher]

Blues for the Red Sun - Kyuss

Backed.

Metallica: Ride the Lightning over Kill em All

Definitely. Also applies to Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Sepultura, Heathen, Coroner, Death Angel, pretty much every major thrash band except Overkill and Metal Church.

Slough Feg - Twilight of the Idols > self-titled
Primus - Frizzle Fry > Suck On This, and if live debut albums don't count, Seas of Cheese > Frizzle Fry
Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk > In the Nightside Eclipse
Iron Maiden - Killers > self-titled
Rush - Fly By Night > self-titled
Cypress Hill - Black Sunday > self-titled
Gwar - Scumdogs of the Universe > Hell-o
Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien > Not Of This Earth
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare > Flex-able
Strapping Young Lad - City > Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing

[retinal orbita]

Hmmm, I cannot echo sentiments about Death Angel, Slayer or Sepultura. Their first lps are perfect to me, unchallenged, unequalled....

Oh, but Kreator! Pleasure to Kill > Endless Pain

[lizardville]

The National

Sad songs for dirty lovers is way better than self penned first album

[doommeow]

New Order. Power Lies and Corruption.

Khanate. things viral

[retinal orbita]

Khanate. things viral

Yeah boyee....

Candlestick Nightfall over EDM....

Windhand second lp over the first

Menace Ruine Die is Cast over the first one

[coldbrightsunlight]

Guys. Guuuuuys. I found the ultimate.


Neil Young: Everbody Knows This Is Nowhere

[proroby]

These are both two of my favorites, but I'm gonna have to add to this with:

On Fire > Today

[theavondon]

In addition to lots here I already agree with, here are the clearest cut ones off the top of my head.


Elvis Costello: This Year's Model > My Aim Is True

Serious replies only please. All kidding aside, those albums are very different stylistically, which brings me to my point below.

I have never been more serious than when I say This Year's Model is a superior album. Okay, I'm kidding, I'm not feeling very serious.


The Jesus Lizard: Head>Pure (duh)
Since their first full length was more of a compilation album, LCD Soundsystem: This is Happening>Sounds of Silver
Shellac: Terraform>At Action Park
DK: Plastic Surgery Disasters/In God We Trust Inc. > Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

[bigchiefbc]

I vehemently disagree with many entries that have been put forth so far in this thread, and also completely agreed with a lot of others. But fuck it, I guess that's part of the fun. We're ignoring EPs, right? Here are a bunch I haven't seen thrown out there yet:

Isis: Oceanic > Celestial
Can: Tago Mago > Monster Movie
Autechre: Amber > Incunabula
Jakob: Cale/Drew > Subsets of Sets
Daft Punk: Discovery > Homework
Explosions in the Sky: Those Who Tell the Truth...> How Strange, Innocence
Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole > Exit Planet Dust
Lords of Acid: Voodoo-U > Lust
Electric Wizard: Come My Fanatics > S/T
Motorhead: Overkill > S/T
Muse: Origin of Symmetry > Showbiz
Primus: Sailing the Seas of Cheese > Frizzle Fry
Rammstein: Sehnsucht > Herzeleid
The Hives: Veni Vidi Vicious > Barely Legal

[retinal orbita]

Can: Tago Mago > Monster Movie

Hell yes. I don't even actually like Monster Movie tbqh....

[bigchiefbc]

Can: Tago Mago > Monster Movie

Hell yes. I don't even actually like Monster Movie tbqh....

Mooney is just so different from Damo, it's almost hard to compare them. I like them both, but Tago Mago is a fucking masterpiece.

[Mudfuzz]

Twitch > With Sympathy
Overkill > Motörhead
Amplifier Worship > Absolutego
Ozma > Gluey Porch Treatments
Spreading the Disease > Fistful of Metal
Schizophrenia > Morbid Visions

most others I can think of it's the 3rd or 4th where the bands really come into their thing