My top 25 Favorite Debut Albums...

[remphish1]

1. REM- Murmur

2. Ben Folds Five- Ben Folds Five

3. Bruce Springsteen- Greetings From Asbury Park

4. Blur- Leisure

5. Wilco-AM

6. Gorillaz- Gorillaz

7. Radiohead-Pablo Honey

8. Fountains of Wayne- Fountains of Wayne

9. The Cure-Boys Don't Cry

10. Son Volt- Trace

11. Oasis- Definatley Maybe

12. Uncle Tupelo-No Depression

13. Billy Joel- Cold Spring Harbor

14. Golden Smog- Down by the Old Mainstream

15. Medeski Martin and Wood- Notes from the Underground

16. The Smiths- The Smiths

17. They Might Be Giants-They Might Be Giants

18. The Charlatans UK-Some Friendly

19. Bjork-Debut

20. The Walkmen- Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me

21. The Strokes- Is this it?

22. Soul Coughing- Ruby Vroom

23. Live-Mental Jewlrey

24. Interpol-Turn Out The Bright Lights

25. Cracker-Cracker

 

Just missed the cut

1. Elliott Smith-Roman Candle

2. White Stripes- White Stripes

3. Toad the Wet Sprocket- Bread and Circus

4. Better Than Ezra- Deluxe

5. The Killers-Hot Fuss

6. Band of Horses-Everything All of the Time

 

 

[mfwahl]

You like a lot of self-titled albums.

[remphish1]

You like a lot of self-titled albums.

 

Yeah I find it funny that many bands are creative musically but not album title wise...

[PopTodd]

This'll take a while.

But, in no particular order (just as they come to me):

 

 

[jff]

I've never given this any thought, but off the top of my head...

 

1. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

2. Cream -Fresh Cream

3. Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency

4. Traffic -Traffic

5. Breeders - Pod

6. Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!

7. Talking Heads - '77

8. Television - Marquee Moon

9. Alice Cooper - Pretties for You

10. Gang of Four - Entertainment

11. Polvo - Cor Crane Secret

12. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe as Milk

13. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

14. Aerosmith - Aerosmith

15. Firehose - Ragin' Full On

16. NRBQ - NRBQ

17. Police - whatever it's called.

18. Soft Machine - Soft Machine

19. Feelies - Feelies

20. Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers

21. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced

22. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Mounting Flame

23. Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill

24. wow, 25 is a lot. I'm just padding the list out at this point.

25. whatever the first album ever was

[PopTodd]

Shit!

I forgot Hendrix and The Modern Lovers!

[mountain bed]

I've never given this any thought, but off the top of my head...

 

1. King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

2. Cream -Fresh Cream

3. Tony Williams Lifetime - Emergency

4. Traffic -Traffic

5. Breeders - Pod

6. Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!

7. Talking Heads - '77

8. Television - Marquee Moon

9. Alice Cooper - Pretties for You

10. Gang of Four - Entertainment

11. Polvo - Cor Crane Secret

12. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe as Milk

13. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

14. Aerosmith - Aerosmith

15. Firehose - Ragin' Full On

16. NRBQ - NRBQ

17. Police - whatever it's called.

18. Soft Machine - Soft Machine

19. Feelies - Feelies

20. Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers

21. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced

22. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Mounting Flame

23. Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill

24. wow, 25 is a lot. I'm just padding the list out at this point.

25. whatever the first album ever was

I'll take a stab at this later, but I want to say - jff, we should hang sometime...nice list man.

 

remphish - did you just forget Junta? I'm curious.

[remphish1]

I'll take a stab at this later, but I want to say - jff, we should hang sometime...nice list man.

 

remphish - did you just forget Junta? I'm curious.

 

I like Junta but the second disc drags a bit too much . Not their strongest studio effort but still has some great tracks (I love Dinner and A Movie, Bowie, YEM). Phish really is a much better live band. As far as studio albums for Phish though I like Nectar, Hoist and Billy Breathes best....

[jff]

I'll take a stab at this later, but I want to say - jff, we should hang sometime...nice list man.

 

remphish - did you just forget Junta? I'm curious.

 

Thanks for the compliment. I don't know where you are, but I live in Atlanta and would be happy to get together sometime.

 

Usually I don't enjoy making or reading lists, but it's nice to be reminded of how many great albums there are. It's also interesting to realize how many bands/artists put out debuts that were vastly different (like Alice Cooper) and/or inferior (like David Bowie) to their later work.

 

So, Junta is Phish's debut? I always thought Lawn Boy was their first. I guess that makes sense, seeing how much more focused Lawn Boy is than Junta (Lawn Boy has none of the "Read Icculus" nonsense or other filler that appears on Junta, and is fairly common on debut albums, perhaps as a result of over-ambitiousness).

[mfwahl]

So, Junta is Phish's debut? I always thought Lawn Boy was their first. I guess that makes sense, seeing how much more focused Lawn Boy is than Junta (Lawn Boy has none of the "Read Icculus" nonsense or other filler that appears on Junta, and is fairly common on debut albums, perhaps as a result of over-ambitiousness).

Junta was released by Elektra on CD after Lawn Boy, but was available on cassette in 1989 (and later on vinyl). Originally it ended with Contact but they threw on the live tracks (Union Federal, Sanity, and Icculus) to fill up space on the 2 CD's. Fee was originally on Lawn Boy. Wanna talk about an over-ambitious debut, you could make a case TMWSIY was their debut.

 

I haven't really thought about this but off the top of my head Pink Floyd's would have to be my number 1 debut album.

[Winston Legthigh]

nice lists all around.

 

I'd add:

 

The Clash: The Clash

The Specials: The Specials

Pretenders: Pretenders

Pogues: Red Roses for Me

English Beat: I just can't stop it

Madness: One Step Beyond

Blasters: American Music

[Littlebear]

Let's see, right away...

 

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Gun Club - Fire of Love

Television - Marquee Moon

Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

The B-52's

The Modern Lovers

Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left

Mink DeVille - Cabretta

Amy Rigby - Diary of a Mod Housewife

 

OK, only nine... and not in order

[Moe_Syzlak]

Junta was released by Elektra on CD after Lawn Boy, but was available on cassette in 1989 (and later on vinyl). Originally it ended with Contact but they threw on the live tracks (Union Federal, Sanity, and Icculus) to fill up space on the 2 CD's. Fee was originally on Lawn Boy.

I actually had the original self-released Junta cassette (I wish I could still find it; I hear it is worth a mint) that I got in '88 (before it even made it to stores). Fee is indeed the first song on the cassette. It is true, however, that the original version ended with Contact. Union Federal, Sanity and Icculus were added when Elektra re-released it after Picture of nectar was released. The original cassette-length version would not fit on a single CD, so they added the bonus tracks. They were supposedly tripping when they recorded that Union Federal. It definitely SOUNDS like it.

 

As for the topic at hand, I would have to think about it. But in general I think I tend to prefer the sophomore efforts more from those that I consider my favorite artists.

[Sir Stewart]

N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton

They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants

[jff]

Junta was released by Elektra on CD after Lawn Boy, but was available on cassette in 1989 (and later on vinyl). Originally it ended with Contact but they threw on the live tracks (Union Federal, Sanity, and Icculus) to fill up space on the 2 CD's. Fee was originally on Lawn Boy. Wanna talk about an over-ambitious debut, you could make a case TMWSIY was their debut.

 

I haven't really thought about this but off the top of my head Pink Floyd's would have to be my number 1 debut album.

 

Interesting info. I'm learning all sorts of things about Phish today. What is TMWSIY?

 

Good call on Pink Floyd/Piper. I'm surprised I didn't have that one on my list.

[remphish1]

Interesting info. I'm learning all sorts of things about Phish today. What is TMWSIY?

 

Good call on Pink Floyd/Piper. I'm surprised I didn't have that one on my list.

The Man Who Steped into Yesterday...

 

Trey's college thesis which was put to music.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_S...sterday_(album)

 

I heard a few of these in concet. Including AC/DC Bag, Lizards, The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday and Possum!

[Moe_Syzlak]

Interesting info. I'm learning all sorts of things about Phish today. What is TMWSIY?

TMWSIY= The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday (also often referred to simply as "Gamehenge") was Trey's thesis. It included the following songs:

 

 

"Introduction (Wilson Prelude)"

"The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday"

"The Lizards"

"Tela"

"Traveling Narrative"

"Wilson"

"AC/DC Bag"

"Betrayal Narrative"

"Colonel Forbin's Ascent"

"Fly Famous Mockingbird"

"Errand Wolfe's Narrative"

"The Sloth"

"Forbin in the Dungeon Narrative"

"Possum"

 

It was a full fictional story that has been played live as the full narrative only a handful of times. There are other songs that are a part of the story as well (Llama, McGrupp, Punch You In the Eye, etc.) that weren't included in the original thesis.

[John Smith]

Shit!

I forgot Hendrix and The Modern Lovers!

 

 

Jimi Hendrix played with the modern lovers? Weird combo there. /humor off.

[Moe_Syzlak]

humor off/Jimi Hendrix played with the modern lovers? Weird combo there.

Fixed that for you.

[thecanuck]

Ooh, let's see if I can hit 25....

 

(In no particular order)

 

1. Elvis Costello - My Aim is True

2. Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted

3. Television - Marquee Moon

4. The Clash - The Clash

5. Sam Roberts - We Were Born In A Flame

6. The Band - Music From Big Pink

7. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?

8. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

9. Velvet Underground - Velvet Underground & Nico

10. Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield

11. Big Star - #1 Record

12. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

13. The Who - The Who Sing My Generation

14. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left

15. Bruce Springsteen - Greetings from Ashbury Park

16. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk

17. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

18. The Stooges - The Stooges

19. The Beatles - Please Please Me

20. Tom Waits - Closing Time

21. The White Stripes - The White Stripes

22. The United States of America - The United States of America

23. Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker

24. Moby Grape - Moby Grape

25. Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

[rareair]

N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton

 

i too would like to forget NWA and the Posse ever happened:

 

N.W.A. and the Posse was a 1987 Macola Records release that compiled various Dr. Dre-produced tracks and was marketed as an album by N.W.A. It includes previously released tracks by N.W.A, Eazy-E, the Fila Fresh Crew, and Rappinstine. The cover photo is the same as N.W.A's "Panic Zone" single and features people who don't even appear on the record (like future N.W.A member MC Daniel). The album peaked at #39 on Billboard magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

[jff]

The Man Who Steped into Yesterday...

 

Trey's college thesis which was put to music.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_S...sterday_(album)

 

I heard a few of these in concet. Including AC/DC Bag, Lizards, The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday and Possum!

 

Oh yeah, I had heard of that but I've never heard it. I'm not very good with acronyms, I guess.

 

I saw Phish a four or five times in the Picture of Nectar through Hoist era. I saw them do a few of those songs. AC/DC Bag definitely. I'm pretty sure I saw them do Wilson, and maybe also Possom and Sloth. I didn't know those tunes, though, so I only remember that based on post-concert conversation with my friends who were more knowledgable fans.

 

Anyway, turning this back towards debut albums...

 

Lots of good stuff others have mentioned that I overlooked... VU & Nico, B52s, Violent Femmes, etc.

 

The first Yes album is a good example of a band who had a pretty long way to go before they developed their definitive sound.

 

Sugarcubes is a band who's debut was great, and then, aside from a good song here and there, kind of went down the tubes.

 

Jethro Tull's first album is excellent. Before they went overboard with all the silly theatrics and zebra striped spandex.

 

Black Sabbath's debut is an example of a band who had their sound together from the start and stuck with it. Actually, that's probably even more true for AC/DC.

 

 

 

24. Moby Grape - Moby Grape

 

Yes!

[GtrPlyr]

Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool

John Prine - John Prine

The Millennium - Begin

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis (not sure if this counts, but it's his first record as a solo artist)

Harry Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show

Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen

Alejandro Escovedo - Gravity

Gillian Welch - Revival

Kris Kristofferson - Kristofferson

Silver Jews - Starlite Walker

The Only Ones - The Only Ones

Guy Clark - Old No. 1

Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols

 

Plus a lot of ones already mentioned:

 

X, Big Star, Pavement, Liz Phair, The Band, Nick Drake, Television, Moby Grape, Jimi Hendrix, Velvet Underground, Captain Beefheart, Talking Heads, Joy Division, United States of America...

[PopTodd]

The Millennium - Begin

Harry Nilsson - Pandemonium Shadow Show

Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols

 

All three of those could have and should have made my list.

[stooka]

I'd like to especially mention Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers debut.