Best First Album?

[jclark]

I've been a member the past few months and noticed that Elliot Easton has been posting reasonably frequently, which got me thinking about The Cars and their first album. IMO, it's one of the very best first albums ever put out by a band; they really knocked it out of the park, and it's just as good today as when I was younger. Another band that comes to mind is Van Halen. I remember listening to it in my friend's living room and being blown away by EVH's guitar work. Jimi's first is also way way up there.

So I thought I'd put the question out there for everyone - what do you think the best first album is, by what band, and why?

[Capperdan]

How about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers...Was that their first album with Refugee, Here Comes My Girl? Those songs still get lots of play and sound fresh.

[vjf1968]

If your asking for a list than my choices would be;

The Cars-Even after the rise of punk but before New Wave this album proved that good song writing and great guitar playing was still viable in the pop market. No filler.

Boston-Same reason as above. Probably the first time a record sold so many copies for a debut. Some may be a little put off by the production but I think that was part of the whole package and if you were growing up in the 70's you know every song.

Pink Floyd / The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn-Discovered this when I was in high school. It was a lot different than most of the other stuff from that era and under Syd Barrett's leadership the band could whimsical and scary at the same time. Interstellar Overdrive still makes my hair stand on end.

The Mothers Of Invention / Freak Out-Another discovery from high school. I thought I discovered gold when I first heard this and still listen to it to this day. Humorous, thought provoking, and avant garde in one package.

Cheap Trick-I think this has to be their best one. It had more power than pop but the songs are strong and the muscianship of the band is top knotch. When punk and disco were still king this was a bit of fresh air.

Van Halen-This album proved that to be a true innovator you take from your influences and distill your own sound from it. Nobody was doing what EVH was doing in 1978 especially within the confines of a 3 to 4 minute song. Unfortunately there were a lot of copy cats to follow.

Nick Lowe / Jesus Of Cool-If the title wasn't enough the music is clever and well crafted considering the conditions in which they were recorded. Just goes to show that talent and skill are more important than a big budget.

[Fret Wilkes]

Originally Posted by Capperdan

How about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers...Was that their first album with Refugee, Here Comes My Girl? Those songs still get lots of play and sound fresh.

Great record, but not their first.

[Telemarkman]

I guess Elliot wouldn't mind much if I said that "Music From Big Pink" by The Band was the best debut album ...

It definitely was a milestone in rock history - mixing country, rock, soul, blues, folk, hillbilly and gospel into a style that was unmistakably their own.

Though Robbie Robertson was the main songwriter, all of them contibuted equally to the sound of the band, and who's ever heard of another rock group with three main vocalists?

Their ability to play a variety of instruments, also contributed to the versatility of their style.

[getbent]

Willis Alan Ramsey

and no on Tom Petty... his first album had breakdown on it.. you are thinking of damn the torpedoes...

The Cars record is awesome.. all great songs and really great sequencing of songs...

[fattybrisket]

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks . . . as long as you don't count the compilation that was released without his approval called "Blowin' your Mind."

I know that Morrison doesn't count that one.

[swooda]

The Allman Brothers Band original release on Capricorn.....

[hekawi]

to those already mentioned, i'll add:

Dire Straits: self-titled 1st album...introducing Mark Knopfler, overflowing with tasty guitar licks

REM: "Murmur"....not counting the 'chronic town' ep, this was their first full length album. a great beginning for the guys from Athens GA

Kate Bush: "The Kick Inside"...hauntingly beautiful debut from the mysterious English songbird

Eagles: self-titled...a bit more country than their later efforts before they got rich and famous. "Train Leaves Here This Morning" alone is worth the price of the disc.

The Beatles: "Please Please Me"...their real 1st album as released in the UK. even more amazing when you consider it was recorded in less than 10 hours.

Elvis Costello: "My Aim Is True".... new wave with brains

The Pretenders: self titled....Chrissie Hynde's rocking debut

Steely Dan: "Can't Buy A Thrill" great songwriting, great musicianship, and less jazzy than later works. even sounded great on 8-track in my car.

Bad Company: self titled...one of rock's greatest singers, Paul Rodgers along with former Free bandmate Simon Kirke on drums, ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell and former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs team up for great batch of power-chord rock. good stuff.

[Robert H.]

Jimi--Are You Experienced.

[Tele-Jones]

Led Zeppelin

[J-man]

Radiohead - Pablo Honey

[DougieLove]

I want to throw in this one:

The Sundays - Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic

Beautiful voice, tasty guitar work - on a Telecaster, and catchy pop songs.
Of course, I had a crush on Harriet Wheeler for some time...but that does not influence my thoughts on this album.

[Mark Davis]

Originally Posted by Robert H.

Jimi--Are You Experienced.

Yep Are You Experienced. It was Jimis 1st album and nothing else like it has been made since. .

[mlove3]

I'd argue that 75% of rock bands' first records are their best effort.

[newrider1969]

NRPS

[dean]

Some favorite firsts:

Can't Buy A Thrill - Steely Dan
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Greetings from Asbury Park - Springsteen
Buffalo Springfield (self-titled)
Fresh Cream - Cream

These are a few of the great "firsts" on my list.

Dean

[Califiddler]

Originally Posted by mlove3

I'd argue that 75% of rock bands' first records are their best effort.

This is probably true, and here, I think, is one reason for it. I remember seeing Julian Lennon on Letterman after his first record ("Valotte"?) came out. Julian told Letterman that he was working on material for the second album. Letterman asked him "How long do you have to write the material for an album" and Julian answered "Well, for the first one you have your whole life, and for the second one you have six months."

[Tele-Jones]

The first Black Sabbath album.

[Nighthawk]

Wow! Nobody mentioned The Doors... In my opinion their first was their best.

Then of course there's Moby Gape's first album but that might be a bit obscure. However, in my opinion one of the best first ablums ever.

[6942]

+1...........Willis Alan Ramsey

One of the earliest....and best....Alt. Country albums ever made.

Steve

[refin]

King Crimson---In The Court Of The Crimson King

[maestrovert]

Another vote for Jimi's "Are You Experienced" here.....

[Jimo]

+1 on the Willis Alan Ramsey---saw him a couple of years ago--he is still working on the follow up album---only took him 30 years---hey its cheap to be a Willis Fan. Brilliant, Brilliant record------------cheers!--------JIMO

[Escondido Bound]

Lenny Kravitz, Let Love Rule

and if it counts, the first Traveling Wilburys album

[Doug Ferguson]

Several have already been noted, so I'll add:

Marquee Moon -Television (my personal favorite of the CBGB bands)
This Was -Jethro Tull (a strong portent of great things to come)
The Rainmakers -The Rainmakers (Stephen King quoted them in "The Tommyknockers" and "Gerald's Game")