Sophomore Slumps

[Mik 0]

franz ferdinand's aptly titled 'you could have it so much better'.

 

Nah.

 

Seconded. I found it to be a fantastic CD. I put it slightly above the self titled debut.

[Gary Floyd 0]

Led Zeppelin II. Not their worst album, but not the best way to follow up their debut.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Led Zeppelin II. Not their worst album, but not the best way to follow up their debut.

 

No way. If anything, II was probably a slight upgrade over the debut album.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

franz ferdinand's aptly titled 'you could have it so much better'.

 

Nah.

 

Seconded. I found it to be a fantastic CD. I put it slightly above the self titled debut.

I'd probably sound like a broken record if I repeated my thoughts about this one, since I have a similar assessment to it as I do the Interpol album. Notable here, though, is that the cleaned up, stripped down version of "Eleanor Put Your Boots On" they released on the single is incredible breezy fun. It reminds me of some of those great jangly Cure mini-hits, especially "Mint Car."

[Red Baron 0]

Led Zeppelin II. Not their worst album, but not the best way to follow up their debut.

 

 

Agreed.

 

I also have to say Van Halen II is fairly forgettable.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Sophomore albums that aren't as good as the debut isn't the same as not being good at all. "Not the best way to follow up their debut" doesn't necessarily mean a slump.

[snuffbox 0]

Jeff Buckley really struggled to make a cd worthy of following Grace. The two disc set (Sketches...) that ended up being posthumously released was, in my opinion, a solid indication that My Sweetheart the Drunk would have been quite good had he lived to complete it. In any case he seemed to really struggle with the idea of a possible sophomore slump.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Given that Buckley himself never released a followup to Grace, it doesn't really seem right to namecheck him here; he only put a year or so into My Sweetheart The Drunk, if I remember correctly, as he burned a lot of time relentlessly touring to support Grace after it was released.

 

That being said, I do agree with you regarding the quality of My Sweetheart The Drunk, assuming that it would eventually get pared down from a double album into an LP. (Not exactly a tall order, of course, since many of the tracks repeat.)

[snuffbox 0]

His story is more of a well-documented example of an artist really struggling to avoid a sophomore slump than it actually occuring.

 

I wouldn't have been surprised if no more than a few Sketches tracks would have actually made his final cut.

[Ravenbomb 0]

"Sixteen Stone" by Bush had a bunch of good songs. "Razorblade Suitcase" didn't really have anything I'd listen to more than a couple times.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

From my understanding, a great deal of the trouble with Buckley's follow up was that he didn't see eye to eye with producer Tom Verlanie. Buckley wasn't pleased with the raw quality of the songs and wanted something similar to the densely produced "Grace." But

 

 

Here's a big sophomore slump.

 

Clash-Give Em Enough Rope. Not a bad record, but disappointing and almost written out of history. One would think "London's Calling" is their second release these days.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Here's a big sophomore slump.

 

Clash-Give Em Enough Rope. Not a bad record, but disappointing and almost written out of history. One would think "London's Calling" is their second release these days.

 

I was just going to post about this one.

 

There's some good songs on there ("Safe European Home" will always be one of my favorites), but some of the "hits" on it are rather daft. I mean "Tommy Gun?" Come on, probably one of the more bottom of the barrel Clash songs in general. Also, Mick Jones' singing on some of the songs is rather...eh. Almost like he's trying too hard to sound sincere.

 

The nice thing about this album is that it does provide a bridge betwen The Clash and London Calling, though.

[Annabelle 0]

Sophomore albums that aren't as good as the debut isn't the same as not being good at all. "Not the best way to follow up their debut" doesn't necessarily mean a slump.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

Are you talking about the Clash?

 

I really wouldn't call "Give Em Enough Rope" a good overall record, sorry. If a barely decent forgotten album sandwhiched inbetween a universally regarded classic debut and all time great isn't a sophmore slump what the hell is?

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I'm fine with other people calling Give Em Enough Rope a sophomore slump. I wouldn't call it that myself, though, as I happen to like it better than the debut, which I don't care much for at all.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Of course, it depends which version of the debut album you're talking about...The US version is generally regarded to be stronger than the original UK release.

[Special K 0]

What's the track listing for the Uk release?

 

I personally like Led Zeppelin II a lot, but some of that might be nostalgia, it's my dad's favorite album.

 

I'll say Nine Inch Nails had a sophomore slump.

[Copper Feel 0]

I have only heard the UK version. I recently latched on to it as quite good, but still, classic it is not.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

I prefer the flow and rougher edge of the U.K. version, only one real weak track in the annoying "Deny." Nearly every other track is a signature anthem for them and I would very much consider it a classic album. The U.S. version does have "Complete Control" though. Still, outside of a small minority your not gonna find many Clash fans that prefer "Give Em Enough Rope," it was never a well recieved album and I doubt that will change. It will always be sandwhiched between two albums that regardless of your personal prefence have the classic stigma attached to them. You really can't argue this, sorry.

[Annabelle 0]

You really can't argue this, sorry.

 

ha. no. you can have your opinion. this wasn't a stink bag album. it was a bridge between their self title & london calling. just because it dopesn't have a legendary status placed on it, doesn't mean EVERYONE must bow down & proclaim thee to be a slump. i'd say this album has less to do with being bad & more to do with just being overshadowed by the immense juggernaut london calling. i'll never admit this as being outwardly bad, nor detrimental to the legacy of the clash. no slump, says i. and i did argue this. sorry, coffin surfer.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

"ha. no. you can have your opinion. "

 

Well, obviously.

 

" this wasn't a stink bag album."

 

Nor does it need to be to qualify as a slump.

 

" just because it dopesn't have a legendary status placed on it, doesn't mean EVERYONE must bow down & proclaim thee to be a slump."

 

A slump is a dip in an ascending or straight line, no? Just because you may prefer the album doesn't change the fact that it's always been regarded as a disappointing follow up to the debut in pretty much every way possible. Sorry, but it is the exact definition of a sophomore slump. Yeessh, I'm not even that big a fan of "London Calling" but I wouldn't try to you use my personal preference for the debut to argue it as being a disappointing album in a topic like this as it was a huge, beloved success.

 

This simply isn't the same as the "Paranoid" or "Zep II" argument you tried to link it to. Both of those albums have been argued as being the best the band has ever done while featuring some of their more well known regarded songs. Precious few would say the same for "Give Em Enough Rope."

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Is 'Jail Guitar doors' on both releases of The Clash? I know it might seem a throwaway track, but I love it.

[Coffin Surfer 0]

Is 'Jail Guitar doors' on both releases of The Clash? I know it might seem a throwaway track, but I love it.

 

No, the UK version instead has:

 

"White Riot"-A different, rougher take that I perfer.

"Deny

"Cheat"

"Protext Blue"

"48 Hours

 

"Cheat" and "Protex Blue" are very good, borderline classic Clash songs. "48 hrs" is fun amd "Deny" drags.

 

The US has version has the better songs(singles and what not scrapped together), but the album just doesn't feel right to me.

[Annabelle 0]

Sophomore albums that aren't as good as the debut isn't the same as not being good at all. "Not the best way to follow up their debut" doesn't necessarily mean a slump.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Heart of Saturday Night. Closing Time is one of my favorite albums, but I can't think of a single song on HoSN that I particularly care for.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

The Heart of Saturday Night has "New Coat of Paint," "Shiver Me Timbers" and the title track, among other goodies. Straying a bit from the thread here, but its follow-up, Nighthawks at the Diner, bores me to tears, even though it is generally heralded as one of the highpoints of his 70s work.

[Ravenbomb 0]

Nighthawks at least has Emotional Weather Report, which isn't necessarily one of my favorite Tom Waits songs, but I still really like it. The title trak on HoSN is decent-ish, but other than that I just don't care for the album. Of course, I don't think he ever got back to the level of Closing Time until Heartattack and Vine and Swordfishtrombones. But Closing Time's still my favorite of his albums.

[Guest Eagle Man]

Heart of Saturday Night. Closing Time is one of my favorite albums, but I can't think of a single song on HoSN that I particularly care for.

I care for "Shiver Me Timbers," "Semi Suite," "San Diego Serenade," and the title track. I actually like The Heart of Saturday Night quite a bit. Heartattack and Vine? What? I find that one sort of dull.

[Ravenbomb 0]

The first five tracks are totally solid. And that makes up most of the album since there's only 9 songs on it.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Speaking of punk albums, this one doesn't really count in that it wasn't a true album and more of a soundtrack, but The Great Rock & Roll Swindle was clearly a huge drop off from Never Mind the Bullocks. Also, it didn't really feature the original band either.