The Superlative Freshman Release
What is it about first albums, where they just seem to be so much better? My assumption has been that most first albums encompass a lifetime leading to that official outlet through the freshman release. Whereas the sophomore album is typically written once a band has some level of notoriety, enough of a following to warrant a demand for more and that second release is written under pressure and/or on the fly.
From an outsiders point of view, it seems there are pressures which come into play when a band carves time out to create their second album which may not have had as much of a presence in the writing of the first release. Naturally the expectation of evolution comes into play and often with many faces. Whether this drive comes from within, where a band wants to develop and explore the limits or their artisanship. Or the compulsion is derived from outside stressors such as record labels, fan cravings and/or genre trends.
Fans and art are certainly subjective. We’ve seen bands who get criticized for never adapting while others are ostracized for changing their sound too much. Some bands change as a natural consequence of lineup alterations, this can be positive, seamless or such a redirect that it turns off a fanbase. The outcome of band progressions can be negative, positive or neutral with a spectrum ranging from decimation to opening a band up to a whole new arena of fans. There are many bands, regardless of how strong their initial release is, that don’t make it past their freshman year.
I will mention bands that I personally enjoy whom embody this perceived trend. The bands I note may only reveal the limited scope of my own musical influence, but if this topic resonates with you I’d love to hear your feedback and some of your own examples.
While the first album may not be the best in terms of technicality or overall quality, yet the character of some of those first albums cause them to stand out above any which follow. Freshman releases that come to mind in this category are:
Few Left Standing – while Wormwood was still good, it just didn’t quite have the moxie that Regeneration of Self carried.
In high school, no band hit the spot quite like Slick Shoes, their first release Rusty was addicting to me, combined with their second album Burn Out, I had them on constant repeat in the tape deck of my Datsun 210.
The Showdown took a turn towards southern rock for their sophomore release Temptation Come My Way, a notable step down from the pure intensity of their unmitigatedly metal initial release of A Chorus of Obliteration. Back Breaker trends back towards Chorus yet brings with it the depth of Temptation, an enticing translation of elements melding as this band continues to grow.
For straight to the edge classic punk rock, I can think of no better offering than Officer Negative, their 98’ release Dead to the World is a model for JCHC (Jesus Christ Hardcore) mixing lyrics that express a sincere faith with a pure understanding of how to play music that reaches beyond the ears.
Destroy the Runner made a significant change in sound from Saints (’06) to I, Lucifer (’08) which was received with mixed reviews but appears to have opened them to an expansion in their fan base. We shall see what a third offering from DTR might bring.
Embodyment made a huge change from Embrace the Eternal (’98) to Narrow Scope of Things (’00) that came primarily as a transition in membership, specifically the departure of vocalist Kris McCaddon. (For fans of Embrace, be encouraged that the long awaited sophomore release of THAT Embodyment has dropped as 3 of the original members are now teamed back together as The Famine)
I think it is worth noting a category for bands which would qualify for second-birth-first-albums, bands who went through a significant lineup change and seem to have come out as good or better.
My vote goes to two bands who with intense talent and patient commitment significantly laid pavement on that stretch of road through the late 90’s which arguably brought Christian metal out of obscurity. To date they aren’t the most known or popular bands of their era/genre but current bands know the significance of their contributions.
Living Sacrifice had developed intense credibility within metal in the early 90’s and the lineup change at lead vocals for 97’s Reborn carried that cred into what would become the new era for metal. Of similar note is Zao’s Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest which showed that being cookie cutter was not the path to success but ingenuity, brutality and even spirituality could co-exist in more than just our dreams and would serve as the model for future efforts by preceding bands.
Obviously there are exceptions to the first album generalizations, as some bands get better over time and/or with lineup changes.
While I thoroughly enjoyed Symphony in Peril’s Lost Memoirs and Faded Pictures, the 2005 release of The Whore’s Trophy displayed a significant growth in SIP’s musical progression.
San Diego based Christian punk band Dogwood’s initial release Good Ol’ Daze wasn’t bad, but Through Thick and Thin (’97) and Self Titled (’98) remain my favorite even though More Than Conquerors was solid and Building a Better Me had a different but welcome progression in the Dogwood sound library.
I’ve not been a Metallica fanatic but have no doubts about the historic significance of their contributions to the world of metal. I’d say that the recent releases, 2003 onward, stand out as a sort of re-re-birthing of Metallica. There are few fans, new or classic, that I know of mark St. Anger as an album of note yet their most recent (perhaps sophomore release of the “new” Metallica), Death Magnetic, is generating excitement and even opening a fan base for a band that spans several eras/progressions of metal—from post-classic, butt rock, heavy metal and nu metal—and continues to camp near the top in each of the last 3 decades.
I’d love to hear back from any readers out there, what are your thoughts on the topic? Agree or disagree and any albums you’d add to the list? Perhaps some bands may also shed some light on the difference between what goes into that first album and what follows with the sophomore release and beyond.
I have much enjoyed the selection afforded by outlets such as iTunes, but one of the downsides is that I don’t purchase or listen to full albums as much any more. I’m just not as exposed or familiar with the totality of a bands efforts, depth and arsenal of music.