RANT- Second Album Slip-Ups

Join the Hudson Valley Squares (Pete Pardo, Chris Alo, Ryan Skow, and Nick Franco) as they discuss bands who followed super debuts with second albums that didn't quite measure up.
💰Donate via Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/pete...
👕Order your SoT merch: www.t8cloth.co...
🖥 Visit our website: www.seaoftranq...

[@pizzamachine4193]

Please don't stop doing this lineup on Mondays. It really helps me wind down on a Monday night.

[@corvidcorpusofficial]

Dude same, glad someone feels the same

[@zandig666]

Always glad Alo is on board !!! 🤟🤟

[@michaeleaster1815]

31:05 Glenn Frey said "you get 25 years to write your first album, and 6 months to write the 2nd".

[@richardpeiser4359]

Interesting insight by Glenn..... Don't forget the insistent record companies who want more(usually the same!) product and fast!.... I guess bands feel the pressure to "rinse and repeat" instead of let's say expand and evolve upon their original success... Ghostrider Rick

[@kayfimt7769]

Always great to see the Hudson Valley Squares. SOT is good all round but I've gotta say the Hudson Valley Squares have become my favourite segment.. Hoping for a scariest/least-scariest album Halloween special from the boys.

[@mr.jamesvincent3519]

This was a fantastic topic, guys! ... How about the reverse? - A Rant show about bands who made a mediocre debut but their second album was phenomenal. - For example, Judas Priest. Their debut album "Rock- Rolla" was pretty good but, not really great...Then, their second album "Sad Wings of Destiny" was an instant classic .

[@markfurru3368]

Another mediocre debut and kickass sophomore, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet and Waking the Fallen from Avenged Sevenfold!

[@mortimerbustos4487]

Switching from get off of my lawn to get out of my house, is a jump. Too funny!

[@alexandergilles8583]

Rant idea: Bands you don’t like with an album you do. So bands/artists that as a whole, don’t do much for you or you don’t like, but who have one studio album you DO like. Like for me, I’m not a huge Billy Squier fan. A lot of his music doesn’t do much for me. Not BAD, but not an artist I gravitate towards. But MAN, Don’t Say No is an AWESOME album

[@tamibrandt]

Eh.. it's Billy SQUIER but yeah.

[@steveseim]

I agree, but check out his debut, Tale of the Tape, if you haven't heard it. It's definitely not as polished as Don't Say No, but it has a few insanely catchy hard rock songs.

[@AllThingsElementor]

They did do Songs You Love by Bands You Hate: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4ere42dl96AiKc

[@purpletemple1]

A few years ago I would have agreed with you guys about G'n'R and the UYI I&II. Then during the lockdown I gave them a spin again, and have to say there's a lot of good stuff on them. It's very eclectic and it has a lot of variety which I really like.Some epic songs, some punky, some ballads, some straight-forward hard rock,... Some might be fillers, but still very enjoyable. The only song I cannot stand is "Knockin' on...". But then again, I don't think that over here in Europe those songs were played as much as they were in the U.S.

[@knightvisioniixv]

This was extremely difficult for me. Pete mentioned the two albums I had as possibilities for this topic: Boston's Don't Look Back, and King Crimson's In The Wake of Poseidon. The latter only by way of the self-conscious attempt to replicate the debut (to a certain extent, anyway.) This was not a precipitous drop in quality (not even close), it's still an awesome album. I think Tom Scholz was pressured to have Don't Look Back completed far quicker than he would have liked, which may explain the slight dip in quality (particularly on the second side), as compared to Boston's debut. Still a great album, though.

[@darkhymnsfromthecoldnorth]

What a great topic. I wouldn't even know where to start! I love watching these guys, I'm constantly checking to see if there's a new video to watch. Thanks, Pete! And everyone else, as well.

[@chetgreblowski7811]

I saw SOD on the speak English or die tour, they opened up for Overkill at L'Amour in Brooklyn. Great show, had a beer with Billy Milano at the bar.

[@JohntheMusicNut]

Spin Doctors: Their studio debut, Pocket Full of Kryponite, is a near non-stop party. Their followup, Turn It Upside Down, has a few decent songs but was a huge step down.

[@toddhowe427]

Agree - although “Cleopatra’s Cat” is some serious funk!

[@richardpeiser4359]

Nice call on The Spin Doctors.... I don't think I've heard a more promising debut from a young band... Packed to the gills with get up and dance tunes and then some, etc... Again, songs they had worked on and honed for years with nothing left in the well for the disappointing followup... Sad they couldn't keep it up!.... I think Soul Asylum suffered the very same fate after Grave Dancers Union, their best ever album.... Ghostrider Rick

[@chrisstory563]

yeah, their second album I heard cost of a fortune to make and was a sales flopped. which led them to be dropped from the label. it was begining of the time when label started to no longer allow bands a chance to grow if they put out new album that did not meet good sales. they started throwing artist under the bus if they put out poor follow up album after the first one doing very well.

[@claytonhegarty7190]

I really enjoy you four and this series. Great discussions and funny banter. You guys cheer me up after a hard day. Keep it up \m/

[@Maximillian200HP]

Cool video! I these are quickly becoming my favorite on your channel along with your Deep Cut Dives.

[@suedemutant8196]

Aaaa, the classic 4 piece SoT-lineup. Great start in the morning. Greetings from Sweden 👋😃👋

[@gilesglossop5071]

I think I'm pretty much alone in this but I absolutely love the 'Illusion' albums. The variety is magnificent; there's the long tracks such as Civil War, Locomotive, Breakdown and the epically vicious Coma which are hard rock classics, one and all. Also the more bluesy stuff like Dust N' Bones, 14 Years, Bad Obsession as well as the punky rantings of Right Next Door to Hell, Shotgun Blues and Perfect Crime are all brilliant. And the ballads are magnificent too, with awesome solos in them. Oh well, the world can be a lonely place sometimes.

[@ScubaDiverPicker]

You’re not alone. These guys have shit taste in music. The UYI albums are classics full of amazing songs. These guys are just the worst people to talk music.

[@inmyhouse11]

This is definitely must see tv that needs to be on more than once a week. These rants with these guys are awesome and very entertaining

[@DadE.O.Records]

I still give Appetite for Destruction a spin every couple years or so. It always kinda surprises me how strong a record it is. Then I put it back away for a couple years or so...

[@Danimal77]

Imo, there are more than 4 good songs on Use Your Illusions 1 and 2. My favorites: Live and Let Die (it's a cover I know), Don't Cry, November Rain, Dust N' Bones, Perfect Crime (could have easily fit on Appetite For Destruction), Civil War (AMAZING song), Yesterdays, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Estranged (EPIC song), You Could Be Mine (could have fit on Appetite For Destruction), Don't Damn Me, and some other good songs like: Right Next Door To Hell, Bad Obsession, Back Off Bitch, Garden of Eden, 14 Years, and You Ain't The First. That's 17 out of 30 songs.

[@dannybursace9151]

Oh hell yeah, agreed! That choice I couldn’t disagree more with...I listen to UYI I & II all the time....I like the stuff you don’t hear on the radio even more, both discs have a ton of variety too & since they only made two more LP’s in the course of almost 30 yrs I’ll take as much Guns as I can get!

[@RhetroAktive]

They are definitely entitled to their opinions but the sales of those two albums and the singles they produced prove otherwise.

[@richardpeiser4359]

I am sooo with you, man.... Incredible albums with incredible performances by the band.....OK, maybe Coma could have been left on the cutting room floor, but the rest of the tunes are wow factor all the way..... I love Slash's Spanish guitar outro on Back Off Bitch.... Ghostrider Rick

[@kyle.sterritt]

I think gnr should've put 10 songs on the first one so that you get 3 albums outta the 30 songs they recorded

[@brianpetty6323]

I agree also, I love Use Your Illusion. Too many great songs to list but my fav is Locomotive. For some reason that song reminds me of Lord of the Thighs by Aerosmith.

[@4themusicman]

Here's a topic for discussion. I lived in Nashville, TN for awhile recently and was able to meet several musicians. Before the Covid struck, the biggest topic of conversation was the demise of the music business and what each musician was doing to supplement their income in order to overcome lack of album sales and the effect streaming has had on the music industry. One guy in particular told me, if someone ever came up with an idea for musicians to get paid for their contributions to songs/albums similar to the days before digital streaming, that person would become a millionaire/billionaire overnight and be the savior/hero to every individual involved in the music business. So my question to the Hudson Valley Squares is, what would your suggestion be? How would each of you supplant the current arrangement of how musicians/singers/producers/engineers get paid? Or has the mp3 indeed killed the record industry?

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

Perhaps Avoiding Record Companies Completely..1- Dont sell the rights to your Master Recordings 2- Self Finance any Hard copy Material ( CDs, Lps etc..) 3- Dont sell Rights to the Merch & 4 - Tour every year...

[@diannecarpenter7718]

Thank you guys for your RANT- Second Album Slip - Ups🎤🎸🎵🥁

[@littlejerkgaming7508]

As soon as I started watching the video I came up with some bands I felt did had amazing first albums but then flopped on the second album. My picks were Mayhem, Dark Funeral and Beherit. It was really cool that later in the video Mayhem was mentioned.

[@LeatherRebel75]

1. When Rob Halford left Judas Priest and he formed Fight, the debut "War of Words" was fantastic. The follow up, "Small Deadly Space" was okay, but it was totally forgettable. 2. I loved Pearl Jam's debut "Ten" but I liked each of their subsequent albums less and less. "Ten" still sounded a lot like Mother Love Bone, but by the time they made their second album, they changed their sound, and not for the better. 3. Brother Cane's first album was a great hard rock album from the early 90's. Then they went post-grunge on their second album, and I was like "WHY!?!?" 4. The first Damn Yankees album was good AOR fun, but the second was really meh.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Rob Hanford seems to have a problem with second albums. His second solo album couldn't touch Resurrection. I like both versions of Brother Cane.

[@JohntheMusicNut]

Great call on Damn Yankees.

[@LeatherRebel75]

@@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812 I actually liked "Crucible." I didn't hate grunge Brother Cane, it just wasn't as good as their sound on the first album.

[@andybrett1152]

Contreversial but i prefer Pearl Jams Vs to Ten but both are great albums !

[@durbofficial]

War Of Words kicks ass. Good call. That first Brother Cane album is amazing too.

[@colinfrench5190]

hi from the uk. yes great rant kinda made me think of anextension to this with albums that followed double albums and couldn't possibly hold up. I mean what could follow physical graffitti, exile on main st, out of the blue, quadrophenia or the wall. and sure there's many others. keep up the good work. cheers curly

[@Cotter2000]

Thanks to you all - I have loved watching these on Monday nights over the last few months! Here's a topic idea - holes in your collection. In other words, popular rock/metal albums that you hadn't heard until recently, or listened to for this topic, and it would blow the others minds. Having heard the singles on the radio is OK, just not the entire album until recently. The topic is inspired by me FINALLY picking up Highway to Hell, listening it all the way through, and wondering why on Earth it took me so long!

[@scottmcgregor562]

Boston is the one for me. It sounded like a bizzarro world version of the debut. I have always thought that good themes would be with bands whose live performances are better than their albums or bands who have great albums that are terrible live.

[@seanschmidt8408]

My choice is Boston 2 also. They basically re-recorded the first album with different lyrics. Very disappointing. Plus they were a pretty crappy live band also.

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

Saw *Don't Look Back* tour in Germany back in 1979 was good. Saw Boston's *Walk On* & *Greatest Hits* shows. They were crappy then.

[@kitoyobeni1]

I love the first 3 Boston albums, but the debut is clearly on its own level.

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

That Debut was so Good It was hard to Top or even Come Close...

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

@@seanschmidt8408 I Agree Sean, I saw them Live in '85 at Texxas Jam w/ Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Grim Reaper & an Unknown Band called Bon Jovi..& Boston was NOT Good Live!!

[@IcedEarthMinion]

I gotta tune in each week to hear Chris say, “that sucked.” Makes me laugh every time. Thank you, Chris for your candor. Love this weekly gathering, Pete. Thank you!

[@cheezesteak]

Many thanks!!

[@neugey]

My 3 picks - Living Colour - Time's Up (it's all over the place and experimental. Some good moments on it but really it's one of the most disjointed records I've ever heard, especially after Vivid which had a perfect flow to it) Bad English - Backlash (totally phoned in. Almost all the good material was used up on the first record. The lone exception is Time Stood Still) Creed - Human Clay (just too commercial and fluffy. A few okay tracks but they ruined the vibe they established on their debut)

[@JohntheMusicNut]

I actually prefer Time's Up over Vivid because of that experimentation. Both great though. Completely agree on Bad English.

[@baldersackthethird768]

@@JohntheMusicNut Time's Up is epic!!

[@4themusicman]

Hey Pete, you guys have done a couple rants about terrible concert experiences. How about sharing awesome concert experiences? Like were there any concerts that were even better than you'd hoped? What's the farthest each of you guys have traveled to see a show? Assuming concerts resume in 2021, who are you most looking forward to seeing?

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

Great Suggestion..

[@LuisGarcia-ee2tr]

Again a very good show by " the fabulous four ". I agree with Chris that "Use your illusion" is not a good double album, but I must also say that there are several tunes that are very good. Civil war. Patience. November Rain. Do not Cry. Estranged (agree with Nick, a great song).

[@gerardcolavito8174]

I see you covered it later on in the video. spot on!!!

[@hellojimmypage]

Captain Beyond - Sufficiently Breathless, I enjoy it and it's solid but feels like they are saying sorry for having been sort of heavy on the debut, sounding at times like Santana.

[@tookmyjob]

I can't get through that album. I wanted it to be good, but it is everything the first album isn't.

[@garyjoyce2160]

Tremendous show on a dreary , raw, chilly 🥶 night in Northern New Jersey. Way to go guys ! 🐵💯/ thank you lol. Nick / dead on. I never listened to Machine HEAD since second one.

[@bartrobinson2103]

Dreary indeed also here in rural South Jersey.

[@kyle.sterritt]

Check out through the ashes of empires abd the blackout by machine head, great comeback albums

[@luciusblackwood2640]

Great show. Oasis came to mind for me. That first album was really tight and rocking but What's the Story Morning Glory was mellow and long winded. Seems like a lot of their best stuff was non-album singles. I could also think of George Harrison.

[@patrickcrowther9195]

There’s nothing that makes me feel older than when my Mum goes on about loving ‘Civil War’ and ‘November Rain’ by Guns N’ Roses. I went off the band decades ago and there she is, loving it.

[@TheIslandersDynasty]

UYI 2 starts with Civil War, a classic. Then go to Breakdown, into Pretty Tied Up, into Locomotive for a solid 3 - skip So Fine, right into Estranged (like Nick mentions) and UYI 2 is solid.

[@outlawsandrebels7821]

Addicted to your show.

[@draven782]

This is off topic but I highly recommend checking out a band called Orange Goblin and their album Time Traveling Blues. Super Solid release by a band I myself just discovered this evening. \m/ \m/

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

Orange Goblin Is Awesome, Most of there Catalog is Great

[@jimbrady7443]

👍

[@dennisheflin2680]

Great show! Love when Pete mentions Nazareth and everyone just stares at him like.....ok, since no one lived through it and its impact was not felt by the group.

[@brucefranklin6295]

They are all younger metal guys. Hair of the Dog is probably the only Nazareth that they have ever even heard of.

[@darrendohertymusic]

I’m gonna do this idea with a few friends on zoom! This was brilliant. Can’t abide the Machinehead shout though Chris lol. I know that’s a popular opinion but I’m alright with groove in my metal.

[@beng4387]

I also can't really get into the first couple Machine Head albums, but Through the Ashes, The Blackening and Unto the Locust are fantastic metal albums IMO. The Blackening especially is just so heavy and well produced. Plus, there is a great cover of Hallowed Be Thy Name that I recommend giving a listen to.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

Have you heard Catharsis?

[@beng4387]

I actually haven’t had a chance to sit down and listen to it yet. Is it any good? I wasn’t real big into 2014s Bloodstone & Diamonds album so i didn’t listen to much after that.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

@@beng4387 Ben its one of the worst albums of all time by any band.

[@beng4387]

@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 Damn, hate to hear that. They had a great run of albums going there. I thought B&D was just lazy songwriting and stale sounding. Sounds like Catharsis is a continuation of that.

[@markpalavosvrahotes5575]

@@beng4387 Bloodstone and Diamonds is a gem compared to Catharsis. Listen find out and then get back to me lol.

[@747jono]

You guys are awesome love the honesty which these days in Metal is somewhat missing keep up the good work

[@WildBCPhoto]

I saw Mindfunk support Slayer in London on the Seasons in the Abyss tour. They were excellent.

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

1) Sniff 'n' the Tears - *The Games Up* *Frickle Heart* with the one hit wonder single "Driver's Seat". Debut album was great. 2) Dire Straits - *Communiqué* Didn't care for it. No *Sultans of Swing.* Their third album *Making Movies* is my favorite. 3) Nine Below Zero - *Don't Point Your Finger* Their first *Live at the Marquee* was very, very good live album. Their first studio album lost that umpf.

[@timkrochmalny8301]

Wow the Games up is one of my favs. Like it better than Fickle Heart.

[@brucybabyy7355]

i wear my SOT hat and t with pride!

[@MrTarkus1]

Off topic but: I got the SoT shirt today! Top quality, fits perfectly! Navy blue goes surprisingly well with the design. 👍👍👍👍

[@mck7646]

Love the guest shows Pete, good stuff.

[@sameoldeh]

The timeline facts that Chris is stating seems incorrect at around 6:00 into this.

[@jaecrowther7869]

That whould be around 85

[@mahogany174]

Irrelevant to the topic though.

[@sameoldeh]

@@mahogany174 I agree,just strange why the others in the forum didn't correct him. The last VH album with DLR was 1984 & that should have made it obvious.

[@cheezesteak]

@@sameoldeh Hey Guys, Chris here. I am a stickler for timelines too, so let me explain better. In like 1981 or 1982, Kerrang Magazine published an article about then current VH front man David Lee Roth fighting in the press with then solo artist Sammy Hagar. But I didn't buy the magazine new. I bought it years later in a box of "old" Kerrangs in like 1985 or 1986. But I guess I read it in like 1986 or so, AFTER Roth was out and Hagar was in. So my point was that my mind was completely BLOWN that these two guys were at odds from when Roth was actually originally still fronting Van Halen in the early 80's!!

[@sameoldeh]

@@cheezesteak Ok Chris,now I understand what you were saying. All clear. That is very ironic in hindsight that Hagar replaced DLR.

[@haitolawrence5986]

Some of the best songs from the Asia: Alpha sessions ended up not making the album. They eventually came out as bonus tracks. Also I read the Asia biography and Steve Howe was surprised that Wetton / Downes had written much of the material already when he arrived to work on the album. It was a less collaborative effort than the first album.

[@richardpeiser4359]

I like Eye To Eye, Open Your Eyes... It's not a bad album by any means....It isn't proggy like the debut....... I finally understand the appeal of Asia... Someone called them the offspring of Yes and 80s Journey!(check out Neil's solo on Separate Ways and you hear Asia!)... How's Astra?(curious to know ) .. Ghostrider Rick

[@haitolawrence5986]

@@richardpeiser4359 I'm not a hater of Alpha either. It just would have been a more balanced album if they had not cut out those tracks in favour of what they thought might be the more radio friendly stuff. I think Astra is also an excellent album. Go, Countdown to Zero and After the War are standout tracks for me. Cheers.

[@richardpeiser4359]

@@haitolawrence5986 I'm late to the Asia party!.... Just heard Go yesterday and like double wow!.... Why wasn't that song huge for them?(I actually like the video too and I normally dislike videos).... John Wetton has to be without a doubt one of the unsung great vocalists of our time, don't you agree?... Carl Palmer also brings sooo much to the table for the band, a perfect fit.... I simply can't wait to hear more of Astra and perhaps explore the later albums with their next singer.... Nice talking to you, Ghostrider Rick

[@kevintrjohnson]

Poundhound--Pineappleskunk. Side project of Doug Pinnick from King's X. The first album, Massive Grooves, is a terrific groove metal album with a heavy emphasis on Pinnick's funky bass. Pineappleskunk--I used to own it, but I literally can't remember a single song from it. It's just forgettable. Cynic--Traced in the Air. Focus was probably my first introduction into death metal, and it's become one of my favorite metal albums from the 1990s (I think I first heard in around 2005 or 2006). Traced in the Air was never going to measure up, honestly, as a sophomore album coming 15 years later. It's not a bad album, but it's not as heavy or as memorable as the first for me. Led Zeppelin II. I don't remember if I bought this one first of if it was Untitled/4/Zoso, but for years those two were my only Zep albums. I rarely come back to II anymore. Did I get burned out on it? Did learning about Page's alleged plagiarisms sour me on the album? Is it just not as good as their other albums? It's probably some combination of all three, but I really only dig about half the songs nowadays. Rhinoceros--Satin Chickens.

[@ThrashinNSlashin]

I thought guns n Rose's 2nd album was gnr lies?

[@jeremiahpapa7868]

A Perfect Circle, Thirteenth Step. The Nurse Who Loved Me and one or two others Noose, Blue. Mer De Noms is essential listening.

[@mck7646]

Oh man, I love Thirteenth Step. The Package, Weak and Powerless, Vanishing, The Outsider. Really good stuff.

[@analogkid2869]

Totally disagree. 13th step is by far my favorite A Perfect Circle album. Then came Emotive which is absolutely horrible. 13th step is essential - by far the best A Perfect Circle album!

[@nachinarra7975]

the second album of guns and roses was ¨G n R Lies¨, UYI 1 and 2 are is their third album

[@brianhart5620]

I have always thought hat the first Thunder album was kickass, with great tunes like She's so fine, backstreet symphony, dirty love and love walked in. I couldn't name a tune off their 2nd album.

[@Katzeninsel1]

Rose Tattoo. The first album is incredible and one of the best rock albums ever. The second one is still great, but it cannot hold up with their debut.

[@independenceltd.]

I'd give "Assault & Battery" an 8 just for All the Lessons, Magnum Maid and Suicide City alone.

[@franciskocher200]

You're right Katzeninsel1.Same for Van Halen.

[@luiscontreras4718]

Interesting choices today. Totally agree on the GnR comments, Use your Illusion should have been one album with the best of all the 30 songs. For me a band to include is Allen-Lande. The Battle is a kick ass debut, but The Revenge is totally forgettable, nothing really grabs me, not bad though but not something I want to hear on repeat.

[@AllThingsElementor]

And if you consider G N' R Lies as their second album...that was awful too!!!

[@giles7662]

I love you four, it is a good chemistry guys!

[@kevinturchin]

I think the Illusion albums are masterpieces.

[@Gookrak]

Another hungarian here (not a true madman, though). When we were young (about the end of elementary school) we liked Tormentor, a local black metal(-ish) band Attila Csihar was in.

[@edlimey]

The Knack.....and I think Use Your Illusion was GnR's 3rd record. LIES was the second record Guns released.

[@LuchaLibertaria]

Vince Neil's first solo album Exposed kicks ass. However, his second solo album(Carved In Stone) sucked big time.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

I like his first album as well. The 2nd is very different mostly due to the production team. But the first track is slamming.

[@tylerpatterson4787]

Also his second album during that time he was dealing with death of his daughter so I can’t imagine what he was going through at that time

[@emersondmalfa]

Fastway ,"All fired Up", not so good, but Trick or Treat" is awesome!!!

[@LuchaLibertaria]

Trick or Treat the movie is cool too!

[@psychedelicpunkster6840]

THE PRETENDERS debut was killer but not so much with PRETENDERS ll

[@drummer78]

Still a pretty good record though

[@anfrankogezamartincic1161]

PRETENDERS II is their best album,the first one is great,but the second has meatier sound and some kind of dark undercurrent,sounds like they know the tragedy is on the way

[@marciopainhas5828]

Fuckin great show! When this fantastic quartet meets, it’s sure to have a lot of laughs...

[@giles7662]

Discharge has connections with rock band Demon (in management, origin, label and personnel) who suffered equally with 'indentity crisis' as discussed briefly in a previous video.

[@careytamburrino746]

Love this group on Monday!!!

[@jimg6570]

Great show! Couldn't think of better suggestions. Don't Look Back is excellent but admittedly it sounds like a freeze-dried version of one of the best albums of all time.

[@kylereece1979]

Pete is right on the money about Machine Head- "The Blackening". That is a GREAT metal album for the 00s. I think that, following The Burning Red's nu-metal tendencies, they had recharged themselves with 2003's "Through the ashes of Empires". But man- The Blackening!!!! Loaded to the absolute brim with riffs and exploding with inventiveness and progression. It was absolutely praised to the high heavens in 2007. And deservingly so.

[@neugey]

I like The More Things Change but that was a good pick for this show because Burn My Eyes is so good and has held up so much better.

[@guimich2478]

@@neugey The Blackening was a great comeback!

[@kylereece1979]

@@neugey I know and remember that The More Things Change got a good response in the UK and Ireland at the time. And even when they were in the doldrums from about 2000-2002,their tours always did great business again in Europe. Theyve always tended to have had much more success in Europe from the get-go I think. I think too that 2003's "From the ashes of Empires" was a terrific return to form after the misfire of 01's "Supercharger". The fired up rage of ...Ashes set up The Blackenings success story brilliantly. As for The More Things Change-well, yeah I like it. Its got a more hardcore thrashy punk blast to it in places- "Take my Scars", "Blistering". And though it didnt take the band to say, Pantera sized arenas at the time, its still a decent album.

[@cmiller6501]

Meat Loaf, Bat Out Of Hell,..Classic! Follow up Dead Ringer good but not great.

[@AllThingsElementor]

Yeah, I was thinking of Meatloaf as well. And I agree, the second album is a decent, listenable album but not as good as the first one.

[@thomasbonnett4800]

I almost like Dead Ringer more these days because I overplayed Bat so much back in the day. But oh, the sentimental value of BOOH. Unparalleled.

[@kapnkrude2097]

I saw Mind Funk on the Dropped tour in NJ. It was over by then on stage as well. The debut was killer though

[@brandonbelt5055]

Discharge is the epitome of this. They basically invented their own genre of crossover punk (D-Beat) and went to WTF???

[@johnmichaelwilliams6694]

Aahhh...Monday night. Time for a martini and Must See SoT....the Hudson Valley Squares. Great show, guys! Pete picked my top choice which would be Boston’s second album. But a more personal hatred goes to Second Coming by the Stone Roses. I loved the debut and still have not tired of listening to it all these years later. But Second Coming? An unbelievable disappointment which I listened to twice and then never again. I don’t know all the bands discussed but understand that feeling of such a letdown after a first album you loved. Keep up the great must see TV. Already looking forward to next week.

[@captainbeyond7469]

Hey Pete where you been all day? LOL. Love these Monday night shows always entertaining.

[@panjin79]

This is such a great topic. The classic sophomore slump album to me will always be The Stone Roses Second Coming. Their debut is a perfect proto-Britpop album. Immaculate. Their second is absolutely unlistenable. Also, not sure if you guys know much about Bad Religion, but their 2nd album is...something else. Into the Unknown literally broke up the band because it was so bad. It’s worth a listen just for the experience of it.

[@Gunther-pr8jd]

I revisit Second Coming every five years or so. It never improves.

[@kitoyobeni1]

@@Gunther-pr8jd I love it, but its a blues rock slbum, far from britpop.

[@jake6887]

My list of bands with great debuts, not impressed by their second very much Bon Jovi - S/T Hardline - Double Eclipse Blue Murder - S/T Tall Stories - S/T Dare - Out of the Silence Bad English - S/T The Storm - S/T Savage - Loose 'N' Lethal

[@jollyroger4331]

I didn't even know Tall Stories and The Storm came out with more than one album each i"ll have to check them out

[@turefromfinland3264]

Bad English's second is better than debut.

[@kevinsnodgrass6222]

Bon Jovi sucks period

[@billedwards4285]

Axe also covered I Got The Fire

[@durbofficial]

Offering is a great album.

[@jdraven0890]

Love this group, love these videos, please keep making them! Got to disagree personally on Asia Alpha. Must agree that it has nowhere near the craftsmanship and impact of the first album, but if you can accept that it is mostly ballads, they are fantastic for what they are, and several songs have become part of every greatest hits album from Asia. Midnight Sun has one of the best Steve Howe solos, ever.

[@peteworrall9203]

Hi from the UK. Loving the Hudson Valley Squares. Good shout on Mindfunk. The debut is killer. Some of my choices of killer debuts but the 2nd album didn't really do it for me: 1. Disturbed 2. Skunk Anansie 3. Wintersun

[@GrahamS67]

Totally agree with Pete about GnR. For me even appetite for destruction is largely filler. As for November rain, it's like when you see a really long movie and then buy the dvd and every time you see it on the shelf you think "I really don't want to give up that amount of time again"

[@markwebb1040]

Don't Look Back was my introduction to Boston! Feelin' Satisfied is my absolute favorite song from that album. Interesting choice, Pete.

[@johnhartman5646]

I liked the second Fastway. The production on Trick or Treat sounded like it was underwater, or I probably would have liked it better. Everything after that wasn't good, in my opinion.

[@kitoyobeni1]

I loved all the Dave King material, but the production on Waiting For The Roar was so stereotypically 80s pop that it really detracts from it. I wish they could remix that album, but those 80s reverb and gates are probably printed right on the original tracks.

[@andyparton3755]

Compared to the 1st: I'm going with Candy-O. #2, Axis Bold As Love, #3 The Go-Gos, Vacation

[@interstellaroverdriven6450]

Television "Adventure" (1978) - after the twin guitar psych proto-punk debut masterpiece "Marquee Moon" (1977), a big drop off but still some high quality songwriting. "Adventure" has great tracks like "The Dream's Dream" and "Foxhole" but the production seems to suffer - these and other songs from the time period really come to life on live recordings like "Old Waldorf 1978" and "The Blow Up".

[@Gunther-pr8jd]

I like Adventure just as much as the debut. "Glory," "Days" and "Foxhole" are the first three tracks and rank among my favorites from the band. Still, I get why Marquee Moon is more historically acclaimed.

[@derekwilliams1660]

I love "Adventure" more than Marquee Moon.

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

Adventure is Cool, But You Do Have A Point..Not as Good as Marque Moon...

[@interstellaroverdriven6450]

Matching Mole's "Little Red Record" (1972) - produced by the illustrious Robert Fripp with Eno in guest spots, found a band in the midst of internal decay after their beautifully experimental self titled debut and subsequent endless touring in support. Rumor has it that the guitar player Phil Miller and Fripp did not see eye to eye and it affected Phil's playing. It is a GREAT prog album but it suffers from control room tension and a claustrophobic production. The song versions on the live BBC recordings, "Smoke Signals", and "March" are all vastly superior. This would be the last recording with Robert Wyatt before his window accident and the following psych gloom prog masterpiece "Rock Bottom" produced by none other than Nick Mason.

[@mutant_blues]

I love every recording starring Robert Wyatt, from Soft Machine to National Health and the wonderful "A remark Hugh Made", but I will agree with you that Matching Mole debut is unsurpassed!

[@i3ar310]

The more things change is not bad at all. Oddly enough I bought it at my local record store and I opened it up to find that it was a signed copy.

[@Canuck1000]

MOD was not a side project, but the main band of Billy Milano. He obviously tried to capitalize on SOD. I remember they were opening for another band in Montreal, CA. While waiting in line to get in he walked along the line to get in into the venue. It was funny because it took a few seconds to realize that the guy cutting the line was Billy. For me, it was Hallows Eve. Tales of Terror was great and the second was big let down, with a very clean production and no power.

[@mahogany174]

Great show .... again! Machine Head and Montrose would definitely be amongst my picks. I actually prefer the second Boston album but then it was the first one I listened to. I thought the first album was disappointing when I heard it. I suppose that’s coming at it from a UK perspective. Boston didn’t get anything like the airplay here as they did in the US.

[@RobNY5150]

I agree about UYI 1&2. I think if you could take about 9 or 10 songs off both albums and put them on one album, you would have a reasonably decent follow up to AFD.

[@RueMorgueDweller]

Saracen's 2nd album first comes to mind. Heroes, Saints, and Fools is great Proggy NWOBHM. 2nd album, while not bad, was a step down. from their debut record. Sorcery's Til Death Do We Part was okay, however it had a really weak singer on those songs. Whereas Sinister Soldier's is great late 70s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. Bulldozer's Final Separation has really weak production, which hindered it from being very good. I also agree with the Discharge, and Mayhem album selections.

[@richardpeiser4359]

These aren't debut to sophomore albums what happened (?), but a couple of huge quality drop-offs that come immediately to mind------REO Speedwagon's Good Trouble, the followup to the great Hi Infidelity is.a dog of an album(Keep The Fire Burnin' is OK and then huh?) and Foreigner's Agent Provocateur is a huge disappointment after arguably their masterpiece, which was 4.....Pete, my major problem with Don't Look Back is that it's running time is too dang short, although the quality of the tracks aren't bad(the album being a victim of a label rush job).... Ghostrider Rick

[@garyjoyce2160]

I did like “ PRETTY tied UP” 1991 on USE your Illusion 2. But/ definitely agree with you guys. 👍💯

[@slaydesaid8741]

Some good choices there. I actually didn't know that SOD had released a second album but by the sound of it, it seems I haven't missed out on anything good and will be better off pretending it never existed. Also, Pete's Nazareth pick is very good. Such a weird album in their early discography, although the final song on their debut ("King Is Dead") could be seen as a forewarning of what to expect.

[@independenceltd.]

SOD actually has three albums now and a live output.

[@Canuck1000]

Ryan is right. The debut is often excellent because the band usually spends many years writing different songs and then pick the best ones once they are signed.

[@old4mat]

My pick is a hard one since I am a fan of these guys but I'm gonna go with The Cars Candy O album. Not a terrible album by any means, but the debut was so effin epic, they could have taken their time with c.o. I dont think anybody was craving a follow up to the debut in 1979.

[@kevinthetruckdriver353]

For me. *Candy-O* grew on me. But *Panorama* was a let down for me. Cause their next album *Shake It Up* was great.

[@DonHornsby]

These guys are simply great. I look forward to seeing them together.

[@kforcer]

Kick Axe's second album, Welcome to the Club. I love it, but they went into a more pop-oriented direction after the aggression and hunger of the Vices album. Good album in my book, but I still think it hurt them, because people were expecting more based on the first album.

[@craigkracht2116]

Couldn’t agree more about Discharge. First record was seminal hardcore. “Grave New World” sucks HARD.

[@spaghetti.lee-69]

Any thoughts on The Exploiteds Later Albums?? " Beat the Bastards " & " F The System"'??? I think they were the Best "Thrash" Band of the Late '90s....

[@jmagowan12]

@@spaghetti.lee-69 I personnally believe that their best Record is the Massacre.

[@craigkracht2116]

I like pretty much everything the Exploited ever did, although “Horror Epics” and “Troops of Tomorrow” are my personal (maybe nostalgic) favorites. Unlike, say, GBH, whose old stuff I loved, but whose later, more metallic output was a little lame, to me.

[@jmagowan12]

@@craigkracht2116 I'd rather listen till G.B.H than Metallica personnally.

[@craigkracht2116]

Me, too. Any day of the week. I still LIKE GBH. I actively stopped listening to Metallica in about 1990.

[@NotesFromTheUnderground2]

Anthrax - Fistful was killer with Turbin after that they never sounded the same.

[@diamondd2778]

Spreading is their best imo

[@recordmass6298]

Fistful is actually quite generic and a bit boring. Spreading or Among the Living is where they got their identity and are the best imo

[@johnnypairoux4356]

I totally agree!! I never liked Belladonna as a singer and I was done with Anthrax when they collaborated with (c)rap

[@AXXXDEAN]

Lies is considered Guns n Roses second LP

[@DaveFineWhine]

It's fair not to count it, though, because it's more like a compilation of 2 EPs rather than a real new studio album.

[@AXXXDEAN]

Yeah I knew it was from the Ep..but every site just calls it their second studio album..so was just tossing that in here

[@mikem.7921]

Use your illusion is the second album the lies EP was put out only because of the great success of the 1st

[@eatmysteel]

A full album of mostly original material with a hit song, Patience, on it. How is this not their second album???

[@terry412]

I personally wouldn't have included "Don't Look Back". Although obviously not at the level as Boston's masterpiece debut, it it hardly a 'slip-up' like many of the others mentioned here. The first thing I thought of was "Alpha" by Asia. I won this album on the radio, listened to it once with reasonable anticipation, & then never played it again.

[@michaeleaster1815]

15:21 Guns n Roses released "G N' R Lies" in November 1988. Wikipedia cites it as the second studio album. I know it had some tracks from their initial EP, so maybe (?) it doesn't count, but that should be stated and explained. Thanks for another fun video!

[@johnnelson3665]

Michael Easter Yep!

[@kyle.sterritt]

I think its a ep two, its kinda like jar of flies by Alice in chains

[@michaeleaster1815]

@@kyle.sterritt I forgot that there were two releases after Appetite: a "Live From the Jungle" (a true EP) and "G N' R Lies". The latter has one side of acoustic material (e.g. Patience). Again, Wikipedia calls it a studio album, and they are quite persnickety. I think "Live From the Jungle" is closer to the AIC EP.