Best second album?

[Steeb]

Frances The Mute and Downward Spiral for the win (Y)

[Farmer Reil]

Sonic Firestorm by Dragonforce deserves a mention. Valley of the Damned was unlike anything most people had ever heard. It got a sort of "Who're they? And what the fuck is this?" reaction from a lot of people (me included), it made people curious. Then SF rocked our fucking cocks off. Sonic Firestorm was the 'real' birth of Dragonforce. No, wait, the Sonic Firestorm tour was the 'real' birth of Dragonforce.

You don't go from a nine-date tour (on which they played the fucking Full Moon in Bristol. Hardly a huge venue), to a 52-date European tour (during whch you sell out the London Astoria and Mean Fiddler and Bristol Bierkeller twice each) because your last album sucked" You do it because your last album fucking owned everything.

...and then came Inhuman Rampage...

If you want to talk "Best Second Album", this has to be up there.

Also, Judas Priest's second release was a little album called Sad Wings Of Destiny which was quite good

[YI]

Thought of another one. "The Understanding" by Royksopp. I lliked "Melody AM", I just preferred the second release much more.

And I agree with "Frances The Mute" as well.

Edited July 17, 2006 by BillyGunnPinchedMyBum

[Guest Ringo Hates Divers]

Neutral Milk Hotel's On An Aeroplane Over The Sea

[Benji]

Shame on you all for going a thread without Audioslave.

[Liam]

Neutral Milk Hotel's On An Aeroplane Over The Sea

In An Aeroplane Over The Sea

Fool

[Toe]

CKY's Infiltrate.Destroy.Rebuild is a great second album, one that I would rate above there first CD.

[Rashid]

An example of a second album being better than the first would be Sum 41. Half Hour Of Power was their first album and what is they needed to get some exposure. Although it only actually had 1 hit single: Makes No Difference. All Killer No Filler which was released just a year later is what stopped Sum 41 from becoming a One Hit Wonder. It had the singles, Fat Lip, Makes No Difference, Pain For Pleasure, and Motivation. In my opinion, their second album is better than their 1st, 3rd and 4th, and is on par with their live album.

[The Dork Knight]

System of a Down - Toxicity

The Offspring - Ignition

Faith No More - Introduce Yourself

[Jook]

I'll echo everyone else and say Muse, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails...

The Mars Volta as well. I think FTM was much better than Deloused, but I know that it's a much debated subject...

Biffy Clyro too, The Vertigo of Bliss pissed all over Blackened Sky, which I thought was a fairly standard rock record.

The Dears 'No Cities Left' is probably my favourite second album. It's a masterpiece. Not only that, but the first album was pretty awful.

A few others would be Secret Machines, The Smiths...

Some bands that I've loved the debuts of have came back with terrible second efforts: The Strokes, Funeral For A Friend, The Libertines, Hope of the States, Yeah Yeah Yeahs...

I'm currently waiting for The Departure, Kasabian, Death from Above 1979 and yourcodenameis:milo's second records... let's hope that they live up to the first albums.

[Ash J. Williams]

Against Me! As The Eternal Cowboy

Boy Hits Car - Boy Hits Car

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On On Your Own

Coldplay - A Rush of Blood To The Head

Offspring - Ignition

Soul Coughing - Irresistible Bliss

Edited July 17, 2006 by Ash J. Williams

[EndOfAnEra]

Some bands that I've loved the debuts of have came back with terrible second efforts: The Strokes, Funeral For A Friend, The Libertines, Hope of the States, Yeah Yeah Yeahs...

I'm currently waiting for The Departure, Kasabian, Death from Above 1979 and yourcodenameis:milo's second records... let's hope that they live up to the first albums.

[zero]

ome bands that I've loved the debuts of have came back with terrible second efforts: The Strokes, Funeral For A Friend, The Libertines, Hope of the States, Yeah Yeah Yeahs..

What's wrong with the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs? While it's not as crazy and wild as Fever to Tell, there are a lot of really great songs on Show Your Bones. It's definitely different, but it's far from terrible.

[YI]

Some bands that I've loved the debuts of have came back with terrible second efforts: The Strokes, Funeral For A Friend, The Libertines, Hope of the States, Yeah Yeah Yeahs...

I'm currently waiting for The Departure, Kasabian, Death from Above 1979 and yourcodenameis:milo's second records... let's hope that they live up to the first albums.

The Strokes? I'd say their second album was hands down better than the first. Honestly though, I thought the Strokes were shit the first time around.

[TAFKA Castroneves]

Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May, Easily tops the original Stone Sour album and anything Slipknot have ever done - excellence.

SOAD yeah with Toxicity. I think QOTSA with Rated R took a massive step forwards, it was my best album for many years and still is one of my all-time favourites. Breed 77 with Cultura is another good example, they got much more exposure through it. Spineshank perhaps? Meh, I digress.

[reyrey619]

System of a Down- Toxcicity

Eminem- Marshall Mathers LP

Rage Against the Machine- Evil Empire

[Fitzy]

Probably Spineshank's The Height of Callousness. I don't really like Strictly Diesel and I love every song on this.

[ClaRK! Kent]

Arrived somewhat late in this thread, so a lot of my choices will have been said, but meh...

Siamese Dream - Smashing Pumpkins

See Zero's post for why. Gish was a great album, but this one was as close to the perfection Corgan was always after as can be, and happens to be the best album of the early 90s to boot, so yeah. Awesome.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan

SWERVE~! Although I mention him in every thread, this is valid. His first, self-titled album was a mish-mash of covers, re-arranged traditional songs, and the odd piece of his own creation. Freewheelin' turned him into a songwriter renowned the world over, and re-ignited the protest music movement on a mainstream level. This album MADE Bob Dylan.

Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin

Yeah, so LZ1 had Communication Breakdown (IIRC), their best early song. But, even so, it couldn't compare to the mastery of an album which included not only Whole Lotta Love, but Heartbreaker, Livin' Lovin' Maid, Bring It On Home, and the coolest instrumental track in rock.

Songs for the Deaf - QOTSA

Everything the first album was, and more, this one broke the coolest supergroup since Cream into the realm of rock godliness. Some of the coolest, most ass-kicking riffs in the genre, awesome songs, and some damn fine musicianship to boot.

Black Cherry - Goldfrapp

As CSAMH said, it's a stepping stone between the first and third albums, but somehow manages to be more than both of those two albums combined. It's euphoric, ambitious, jazzy, and generally the coolest album in the electropop canon IMO. Filled with great licks, cool lyrics, and Alison Goldfrapp's melt-your-heart voice, this is the quintessential Goldfrapp album.

Modern Life is Rubbish - Blur

THE BEST BLUR ALBUM EVER, bar none. Sure, Parklife had the pop tunes, and the later stuff was more experimental, but MLIR had the energy, the Britishness, and the pop tunes in droves. This was the first Britpop album, really, and it remains the benchmark for the genre.

What Will The Neighbours Say? - Girls Aloud

Something of a guilty pleasure of mine, these girls, but logically I dunno why. They're brilliant. This album isn't as good as Chemistry is, no, but it comes on in leaps and bounds from their first album, and cemented them as not just another reality act, but a solid pop act with great tunes, and a sharp sense of irony and humour. I defy you not to sing along to Love Machine.

Disraeli Gears - Cream

The quintessential supergroup. Clapton, Bruce, and Baker were their generation's QOTSA, but better, and this album showed why. Fresh Cream had the rock riffs, but this one delved further into the blues, into jazz, whilst also including some great rock, and some brilliant songwriting. As always, the playing was top notch, and songs like Tales of Brave Ulysses, Sunshine of Your Love, and the awesome Swlabr defined the band.

Deuce - Rory Gallagher

Barely known outside of Ireland these days, or people who supported his live act (my dad, for instance... NAME-DROP~!) and turned their sons onto his music. Gallagher was a kick-ass electric bluesman with a gravelly, train-wrecking voice and a great playing style. He also wrote awesome songs, as Deuce shows. I'm Not Awake Yet, Crest of a Wave, and Out of My Mind are awesome songs.

Meat is Murder - The Smiths

Hatful of Hollow doesn't count, as a live/rarities compilation, so this is their second album. Whilst not quite as good as the magnum opus that was The Queen is Dead, I'd say this was damn close. Great singles, the best 'two-songs-on-a-theme' double in rock in The Headmaster Ritual and Barbarism Begins at Home, and a genre-spanning romp from start to finish. Awesome.

Pawn Shoppe Heart - The Von Bondies

A band who got nowhere near enough love. Away from Jack White's frankly abysmal production on their first record, the VBs flourished with more slick, professional sound on this record, which gave them their moment in the sun with singles like C'Mon C'Mon and No Regrets, whilst also having some of the best songs in the whole Detroit movement hidden away on the album. Shame that Carrie left after this one, basically calling time on the band, as they had much more to give.

Whilst not having anything else to add on their inclusion, I'll agree to whoever mentioned Antichrist Superstar, Origin of Symmetry, and No More Heroes. Stranglers > *

Edited July 18, 2006 by Sephiroth Clone

[Jook]

People liked the Strokes second album?

Bloody hell...

I just don't like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs second album. It just doesn't work for me. The last track is amazing though.

[nihilist]

White Light/White Heat- The Velvet Underground= I win!