Best ever "difficult" second album

[Thatch]

Hopefully haven't done this yet, I was going through my CD's this morning and started picking out second albums and rating them against second albums by other artists. We've all heard the music industry cliche "Difficult Second Album" so what is your favourite number 2 ????

Some of mine....

No More Heroes - The Stranglers
Give Em Enough Rope - The Clash
And more recently..

In it for The Money - Supergrass

[Gooders]

eels...electro-shock blues

[Shoreditch CPFC]

Coldplay - Ruch of Blood......

[Baloo]

Stone Roses - Second Coming
Mansun - Six

Although I am usually the only one to have this opinion on both accounts...

[Skin Up]

Placebo-Without you I'm nothing

[Ouch that Hurt!]

As much as I hate to say it Whats the Story Morning Glory has some fine fine tracks. As well as Roll with it to bring it down.

[greybot]

Radiohead - the bends

[DedBallSpeshlst]

Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion

[Amsterdam Eagle]

Guns & Roses - Appetite for Destruction

[olreagle]

Darklands - Jesus And Mary Chain

[Captain Pizza]

I'd agree with The Bends, In it for the Money and Second Coming. Although in the case of Supergrass & Radiohead the third albums were even better.....

[BringBackSasa]

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead

[Men At Work]

30 Something - Carter USM
Floodland - The Sisters Of Mercy

[Men At Work]

Originally posted by Amsterdam Eagle
Guns & Roses - Appetite for Destruction

Wasn't that their first one? I thought the half live/half acoustic one was second.

[Benzhiyi]

Mansun - Six

marvellous record. :)

[Amsterdam Eagle]

Originally posted by Men At Work
Wasn't that their first one? I thought the half live/half acoustic one was second.

Lies was the first album

[DANGERMOUSE]

With the Beatles is one of my favourite albums by them, so that'll have to go down. I also think that Kula Shaker's Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts was criminally under-rated by everyone else but me. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads is my favourite of his albums, and I think that's his second. The Bluetones' Return to the Last Chance Saloon is superb, and is probably more different in style to their debut album than might be said for the other acts I've mentioned, so I suppose it should get bonus points for that!

[Elephant with mouse gyp]

More Specials - The Specials

[Men At Work]

Originally posted by Amsterdam Eagle
Lies was the first album

From http://www.geocities.com/lori_in_texas/discography.html :

Appetite For Destruction : Released: July 31, 1987
Gn'R Lies : Released: December 6, 1988

Sorry to be so pedantic :)

[El Aguila]

Stooges - Funhouse, obviously.... Big Star's "Radio City"..... Mercury Rev, "Boces" erm, there must be loads..... White Light White Heat by the Velvets, the Buzzcocks' Love Bites, Dragnet by the Fall

[Amsterdam Eagle]

Originally posted by Men At Work
From http://www.geocities.com/lori_in_texas/discography.html :

Appetite For Destruction : Released: July 31, 1987
Gn'R Lies : Released: December 6, 1988

Sorry to be so pedantic :)

No I'm happy to be corrected :o

[Maz]

More Songs About Buildings And Food - T. Heads.

(It's also on my list of top ten album names...)

[Gooders]

Originally posted by DANGERMOUSE
I also think that Kula Shaker's Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts was criminally under-rated by everyone else but me.

Not guilty - I think it's a brilliant album. :p

[Oz_da_Eagle]

Stone Roses - Second Coming

[Baloo]

Originally posted by DANGERMOUSE
I also think that Kula Shaker's [i]Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts was criminally under-rated by everyone else but me. And me. :cool:

[TAK]

Morning Glory - Oasis

[hilairehair]

Seventeen Seconds - The Cure

[slowdog]

Blur - Modern Life is Rubbish

[DANGERMOUSE]

Originally posted by slowdog
Blur - Modern Life is Rubbish I shouldn't have forgotten that one!! :p

[Shoreditch CPFC]

Originally posted by Amsterdam Eagle
No I'm happy to be corrected :o

If memory serves (and it often doesn't) Lies was all stuff recorded before Appetite for Destruction & then patched together and quick released after the success of Appetite for Destruction.

[Shoreditch CPFC]

The Bends was definitely a good call - one of my favourites ever. Bit surprised about the second coming which wasn't a patch on the first album IMHO. In fact its a good example of a band who couldn't cope with the huge expectations and apart from 10 story love song it bombed and the band split shortly afterwards.

[Pub Idol]

Originally posted by Ouch that Hurt!
As much as I hate to say it Whats the Story Morning Glory has some fine fine tracks. As well as Roll with it to bring it down.

I like " Roll with it" as it reminds me of the 97 play off final.

[AJ1969]

Oasis - Morning Gory
Metallica - Ride The lightning

[as216]

Originally posted by Shoreditch CPFC
If memory serves (and it often doesn't) Lies was all stuff recorded before Appetite for Destruction & then patched together and quick released after the success of Appetite for Destruction.

Half true - the first four tracks were from the debut EP Live Like A Suicide but the second four tracks were new studio recordings done after Appetite especially for the Lies release.

[Shoreditch CPFC]

Originally posted by as216
Half true - the first four tracks were from the debut EP Live Like A Suicide but the second four tracks were new studio recordings done after Appetite especially for the Lies release.

I stand corrected and you shall be known as music statto for ever more :p

[mosschops]

De Stijl - White Stripes. There best effort in my opinion.
Modern Life by Blur is brilliant.

[BUNGLE]

Originally posted by TAK
Morning Glory - Oasis


That'd be my choice as well.

[Men At Work]

Originally posted by as216
Half true - the first four tracks were from the debut EP Live Like A Suicide but the second four tracks were new studio recordings done after Appetite especially for the Lies release.

I also stand corrected. Do EPs count, though? I have an 8 track Radiohead EP that was released in the year before 'The Bends' which would make it their second release...

[hangingmonkeys]

Black Sabbath-Paranoid
Led Zeppelin-II

[Brett]

What's The Story Morning Glory.

PS Ouch, Bring It On Down is from Definitely Maybe and not 'Morning Glory.

[Maz]

Originally posted by Brett
What's The Story Morning Glory.
Blimey. The music people choose doesn't half date them! ;)

[The Omen]

Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise

Skunk Anansie - Stoosh

[El Aguila]

Pixies - Surfer Rosa, Blondie "Plastic Letters".....

[Brett]

Originally posted by Maz
Blimey. The music people choose doesn't half date them! ;)

I've never kissed the editor of the Radio Times.

Yours,

Brigadier, Sir Arthur Strong. (Mrs)

[firesign]

I always thought that the 'difficult' album was supposed to be the third one? Most decent bands have two albums worth of material in them before it starts to become a struggle.

[Batsta]

Ocean Colour Scene - Moseley Shoals

[daz_eagle]

Recovering The Satellites - Counting Crows

[Fide et Fiducia]

Prince - 'Prince'.

"I wanna be your lover" & "Why you wanna treat me so bad" are his two best tracks ever IMO, and thats up against some classics!

[will hung]

Funhouse - Stooges
Dragnet - Fall

[Niceaction]

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins is the dogs bollox, together with If Your Feeling Sinister by Belle and Sebastian.

[El Aguila]

Originally posted by firesign
I always thought that the 'difficult' album was supposed to be the third one? Most decent bands have two albums worth of material in them before it starts to become a struggle.
Yes, maybe.
I would happily argue that all the bands whose second albums I praised have made great third albums.
Stooges - Raw Power... The Fall - Grotesque (after the Gramme), Big Star - Sister Lovers, Velvet Underground, Pixies - Doolittle, Blondie - Parallel Lines, Buzzcocks - Different Kind of Tension, Mercury Rev - See you on the other side.
Bingo!

[heinz 57]

Pearl Jam - Vs

Black Crowes - Southern harmony & musical companion

And I think Pablo Honey is Radiohead's best album - they sold out after that :p

[Curry]

Interplol's next one probally, judging from what I saw last night :)

[RtS]

PK can't have seen this yet.He may well have voted for "Too Ry Aye" or however you spell it. We have debated it's merits before on these boards. To me, following on from the exquisite "Searching for the Young Soul Rebels" it is complete and unadulterated bilge. My learned friend takes a different view.(Come on Eileen indeed
:confused: )

Led Zeppelin 2 wasn't a bad follow up album.

[Kevin T]

In Radiohead's case it was just the fourth and fifth they found 'difficult' I would argue.

[Twyford Bee]

Originally posted by Gooders
eels...electro-shock blues
Good call, didn't know there were any other Eels fans around here.

I'm gonna fly on down for the last stop to this town :)

[Gooders]

TB - I've been talking about them on the What Are You Listening To thread for yonks mate!

You really must page back a few times during your visits!

Oh and take it with the love it's given, take it with a pinch of salt. :)

[DANGERMOUSE]

Does Weller solo count? If so, Wild Wood is jolly good.

[nookiebear]

Originally posted by Niceaction
Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins is the dogs bollox

Agreed

Also, suprised no one's said this one: Nirvana - Nevermind

[Gooders]

I think it's because it was their 3rd album, Nookie. :)

[nookiebear]

Originally posted by Gooders
I think it's because it was their 3rd album, Nookie. :)

Bleach was their first, Nevermind was their second I thought...? :confused:

[nookiebear]

Bleach - 1989
Nevermind - 1991
Incesticide - 1992
In Untero - 1993
MTV Unplugged - 1994
From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah - 1996
Nirvana - 2002

Have I missed one?

[Gooders]

Years ago whilst working in Milan my colleagues and I had an "ugly music" competition one night and I'm sure that the guy that won it played tracks from 2 Nirvana albums that both pre-dated Nirvana.

Can't remember the title of the other one but I'll try to find out.

[Gooders]

Is this it?

Songs from "Hormoaning"
By Kurt Cobain :
Cuz
By Nirvana :
Aneurysm
D7
Even In His Youth
Molly's Lips
Son Of A Gun

Actually, that seems to be a Japanese import from 1992.

I think you're correct then Nookie, Nevermind must have been 2nd and I agree it's a good call. One of the best albums of all time, never mind Nirvana's best.

That guy in Milan must have played 3 tracks from Bleach (I do recall that they were all unaccountably awful!)

[nookiebear]

I think Even In His Youth and Aneurysm (both classic, overlooked Nirvana tracks IMHO) were recorded before Nevermind - but they re-recorded them with the Butch Vig magic for the single release of Smells Like Teen Spirit. The original versions ended up on Incesticide

Was Molly's Lips their debut single or was it Sliver?

[mosschops]

Da Capo - Love

[BLUE BOY]

Originally posted by Shoreditch CPFC
Coldplay - Ruch of Blood......


Top album :p

[E.X Moontoad]

The Smiths - Meat Is Murder.

[Tim of the 80's]

Is the whole premise of the difficult second album based on just how rotten "This is the Modern World" is?

[Scoot]

Originally posted by Ouch that Hurt!
As much as I hate to say it Whats the Story Morning Glory has some fine fine tracks. As well as Roll with it to bring it down.
Agree with that.
Absoloutly - Madness

[Trilby]

Originally posted by Captain Pizza
I'd agree with The Bends, In it for the Money and Second Coming. Although in the case of Supergrass & Radiohead the third albums were even better..... I still think I Should Coco is the best Supergrass album to date. Sheer quality.

[Aki Aki Aki]

Suede - Dog Man Star :p

[Duleep]

Bryter Layer - Nick Drake
Protection - Massive Attack

[Psychokiller]

Can someone explain what the term "difficult second album" means? Is it that the first one wwas so stonkingly good that it would be difficult to follow up or does it mean difficult to listen to? I found Mansun's second album Six difficult to listen to at first, it then became one of my all time favourites.

[BringBackSasa]

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation...

[Gooders]

Originally posted by Psychokiller
Can someone explain what the term "difficult second album" means?


The intention was the former, I believe.

[Psychokiller]

In which case here's a revised list:

Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Mansun - Six
Dexys Midnight Runners - Too Rye Aye
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
The Mothers - Absolutely Free
Gil Scott Heron - Free Will

[Ferris Bueller]

Thriller - Michael Jackson

[Blind_Eagle]

Originally posted by Ferris Bueller
Thriller - Michael Jackson

"Difficult" second album?

Got to Be There-Motown/1972
Ben-Motown/1972
Music & Me-Motown/1973
Forever Michael-Motown/1973
The Best of Michael Jackson-Motown/1973
Off the Wall-CBS Epic/1979
Michael Jackson -- Superstar Series Vol. 7-Motown/1980
One Day in Your Life-Motown/1981
Thriller-CBS Epic/1982



;)

[Ferris Bueller]

Self produced 2nd album - yep

[Blind_Eagle]

I think Quincey Jones would have something to say about that FB!

And I suppose that Rod Temperton had nothing to do with the song writing either ;)

[Martian]

Originally posted by Amsterdam Eagle
Guns & Roses - Appetite for Destruction

here here... what an album!

[Ferris Bueller]

Co-produced with creative input and songwriting credits - the other albums can hardly fall into the 'difficult second album' category if the artist was not involved in it's writing and production

[Blind_Eagle]

ok :)

[pete eagle]

Good call on Placebo's - Without You I'm nothing

Eminem's second album - The Marshall Mathers LP was his finest effort to date.

[BringBackSasa]

Originally posted by pete eagle
Eminem's second album - The Marshall Mathers LP was his finest effort to date.

It was his third, and utterly rubbish.

[Nelson Muntz]

Cool for Cats - Squeeze

[Nelson Muntz]

Originally posted by BringBackSasa
It was his third, and utterly rubbish.
Wasn't it his second after Slim Shady and before the Eminem Show?

[Teddy]

The Bends, a true masterwork. And as good as OK computer is, the bends is far superior.

[Hypodam]

Originally posted by Baloo
Stone Roses - Second Coming


Are you having a laugh that was the biggest disappointment of the 90s

[Baloo]

Originally posted by Hypodam re: Second Coming
Are you having a laugh that was the biggest disappointment of the 90s No way - Second Coming is my favourite album of all time. I don't understand why people find it so disappointing. It is a masterpiece.

IMVHO, of course.

[BringBackSasa]

Originally posted by Nelson Muntz
Wasn't it his second after Slim Shady and before the Eminem Show?

His first was called 'Infinite' in '96. It's conveniently been forgotten. Poor production (although not as bad as his own casio beats) and lyrically quite happy, he alludes to being a Christian and even includes a love song to Kim! That's why his re-invented forced 'shock value' is considered to be quite pathetic by people like me.

[El Aguila]

Originally posted by BringBackSasa
people like me.
Pidster?

[Nelson Muntz]

Originally posted by BringBackSasa
His first was called 'Infinite' in '96. It's conveniently been forgotten. Poor production (although not as bad as his own casio beats) and lyrically quite happy, he alludes to being a Christian and even includes a love song to Kim! That's why his re-invented forced 'shock value' is considered to be quite pathetic by people like me.
Thanks for the info. Can you run me off a copy and let me have it on Saturday?

[Lambeth Palace]

'Teddy Pendergrass - Life is a Song Worth Singing' if only for the sublime 'Close the Door'.

[AJ1969]

Oasis, morning glory
Metallica - Ride
Hendrix - Axis

[BringBackSasa]

Originally posted by El Aguila
Pidster?

Exactly, and we'll stay united until Phil Collins dies a suitably ironic death. Like being by crushed by James 'Buster' Douglas falling from a stage whilst performing karaoke of Genesis songs, while reading the beginning of The Bible and thinking to himself 'wouldn't it be ironic if I got squashed by 'Buster' singing Genesis songs...'...squish. We demand a drowning at the very least anyway. Metinks we need to recruit PK for further creative suggestions.

[BringBackSasa]

Originally posted by Nelson Muntz
Thanks for the info. Can you run me off a copy and let me have it on Saturday?

Sorry, but I don't have a copy, I'm not a fan. You should be able to find it on 'Soulseek' or similar programs though.