Sophomore album better than first album?

[Chankgeez]

This's a good thread. Not sure I agree with this though:

i'm amazed no one's mentioned gybe! yet..."...Skinny Fists..." > "F#A#[infinity]."

[dubkitty]

well, you're entitled to disagree.

[Benn Roe]

the Assistant: We'll Make These Roads By Walking > self-titled
Botch: We Are the Romans > American Nervoso
Cave In: Until Your Heart Stops > Beyond Hypothermia
Guilt: Bardstown Ugly Box > Synesthesia
Lady Gaga: the Fame Monster > the Fame
Majority Rule: Emergency Numbers > Interviews With David Frost
Off Minor: the Heat Death of the Universe > self-titled (split with I Am the Resurrection)
Shipping News: Very Soon, and in Pleasant Company > Save Everything
Shotmaker: Mouse Ear Forget-Me-Not > the Crayon Club
Wolves: Simulation.Transparency.Alienation > Art.Culture.Work

[Chankgeez]

well, you're entitled to disagree.

No, I'm not.

I'd think most people would agree with you.

[lost in music]

Veruca Salt - Eight Arms to Hold You > American Thighs

[Ugly Nora]

..

[JonnyAngle]

SNAPCASE
progression through unlearning > Looking Glass Self

RATM
Evil Empire > Self Titled

[tremolo3]

RATM
Evil Empire > Self Titled

Dude, no.



Low
Long Division > I Could Live in Hope

Bowery Electric
Beat > Self titled

[JonnyAngle]

RATM
Evil Empire > Self Titled

Dude, no.

I knew that would grind someone's gears!

Evil Empire:
PPL of the Sun
Vietnow
Revolver
Tire Me
Down Rodeo
Boomerang

Self Titled:
Bombtrack
Killing in the Name of
Know your Enemy

[goroth]

RATM
Evil Empire > Self Titled

Dude, no.

I really, really cannot decide on this one.
I've liked each RATM less than the previous one, but at the same time found more stuff to dig about each successive one. So they all kind of mash into all of them (including Renegades) being awesome. Except that I still want to say that S/T is the best.
Hmm.

Killers>Iron Maiden.
T.N.T>High Voltage
Danzig II>Danzig I
Dirt>Facelift
The Gallery>Skydancer
Demanufacture>Soul of a New Machine

[$harkToootth]

I'm going to try....
Come My Fanatics > Electric Wizard
The Aftermath > Human = Garbage (I happen to be on a DYSTOPIA kick again)

Killers>Iron Maiden

YESSSS!!!

EDIT: Also, Handsome Nora's ROXY MUSIC example is usually my go to when giving an example of 'sophomore album' exceptions.

[Strange Tales]

Coheed
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3 > Second Stage Turbine Blade

Envy
All the Footprints You Ever Left... > From Here to Eternity

The Get Up Kids
Something to Write Home About > Four Minute Mile

Life At These Speeds
To Your Health > ST

[Benn Roe]

I nearly put the Get Up Kids on my list too, and you're right about Envy (altough A Dead Sinking Story is better than either of them), but no way on Life at These Speeds. That self-titled record is perfect.

[tremolo3]

(altough A Dead Sinking Story is better than either of them)

u wot?

(both are awesome but All the footprints is very special for me)

[lordgalvar]

The Aftermath > Human = Garbage
.

Good one.

The MITB one too (whoever did that).

GISM....M.A.N. > Detestation (in a weird way)
Discordance Axis....Jouhou > Ulterior
Melt Banana.... Scratch or Stitch > Speak Squeak Creak
Slim Cessna....Always say please and thank you > s/t (even though I think some of the songs on the s/t are better)
Munly....de Har he > Galvanized Yankee (even though both ain't good)
Toy Dolls...A Far Out Disc > Dig That Groove Baby
TSOL....Beneath the Shadows > Dance with Me


Beck....what was even his first album? Is stereopathetic soulmanure an album? Does golden feelings count? Midnight Vultures is the best anyway, so it don't matter.

Stations of the Crass > Feeding.of the 5000