December 2020 Challenge Thread: Let's Go Out With A Bang (The return of the raffle!)

Day 17 - Defying The Sophomore Slump

De La Soul ‎– De La Soul Is Dead (Big Life, 1991 First UK Pressing)

I chose De La Soul blind from the racks and luckily it fits in with today's challenge. With such a fantastic debut the cards were stacked against the group when it comes to the follow-up, but in my opinion, they certainly delivered a fantastic album which was a testament to the groups writing ability. I love the story they built up across the album, its genius. This first UK pressing was a fantastic find this year, I bought it for £1 at a carboot and when I got home I discovered that a first pressing of '3 Feet High' was also in the jacket!

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Day 17 - Defying the sophomore slump

I probably would've gone for Back to Black too, but there's plenty of great second albums to choose from on here (though this theme made me realize how often I skip the sophomore albums so maybe there's some reality to it).

In ye olde days of 2015, a little-Scottish-band-that-could was following up a well liked (and in many cases loved) debut that hit the Top 10 of several end of year lists. Every Open Eye came out and kind of blew my mind. They definitely took a real step up stylistically and the album does not lack haymakers. A little brighter, a little more emphatic, but still true to their essence as a group. I've seen them play the songs from this one a few times and they have a huge sound for a relatively low-key trio otherwise. It also ended up on a ton of year-end accolade lists and still quite listenable today. Personally, that zenith on Clearest Blue is undeniable. Despite having a Junior slump if you will, I'm hoping Chvrches #4 can find its way back

Chvrches - Every Open Eye


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Day 16: The First Cut Is The Deepest
The first album you added to your collection; the one that started it all

I had my first albums so long ago, I can't remember which was first but I think it was a 45 of Snoopy vs The Red Baron. So I'm going with the first record I logged into Discogs when I got back into collecting vinyl several years ago.

Janis Joplin - Pearl

Also, this gem comes in at #24 on my Top 50 for the N&G 500
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jamieanderson1968 said:
Day 17: Sophomore Slump Play a sophomore album that followed the stereotype

The Jam - This is the Modern World

With this album, it looked like Weller, Foxton and Buckler were definitely going to fall victim of the sophomore slump and just become another couldabeen on the 1977 punk highway. In my opinion their weakest album, Weller still hand not found his song writing abilities. A mix of 2nd rate mod punk and a cover. To me the only real highlight is Standards. Of course Weller found his magic with the follow up, All Mod Cons.
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Wow....I think the complete opposite. I think this one is much better than In The City.
 
jamieanderson1968 said:
I will admit In The City is pretty gimmicky but I like the rawness a bit more than TITMW
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I think In The City is a great album. I just think they got progressively better as they went along...as far as their first 3 albums. Setting Sons is good, but can't compare to AMC. Sound Affects was an improvement and then The Gift and EP's it was obvious the end was near.
 
LeeVing said:
I think In The City is a great album. I just think they got progressively better as they went along...as far as their first 3 albums. Setting Sons is good, but can't compare to AMC. Sound Affects was an improvement and then The Gift and EP's it was obvious the end was near.
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Dems fightin werds ;)
 
Day 17: Sophomore slump

Murder By Death - Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them?

I've never really believed that the sophomore slump is a real thing. More likely, bands make a bad second album as often as they make a bad third album, or a bad sixth album, or whatever. It's just a lazy narrative. If anything, a lot of my favourite bands and artists have actually put out some of their best music as their sophomore records. Not the least of these is this all-time fave.

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