Matt: “Nine Inch Nails hasn’t had a good album since Pretty Hate Machine.”
I thought this meant he thought the music was crap after Pretty Hate Machine but this wasn’t the case at all. He just wanted to note that all albums have become progressively worse, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like the music. He just thinks it’s not as good as the first.
He then pointed out some interesting comparisons to other bands where he thought their best album was their first.
Pearl Jam – I concede on that one. How can a band still be so kick ass but in the end, are still best known for their first album (that, and being the best live touring band since Led Zeppelin)
The Cranberries – That’s an interesting one. I personally think their second and third albums were better than the first, but it’s all the same piece of pie really and I’ll give that to him.
Counting Crows – You know, Matt is onto something here folks. Counting Crows first album definitely was their #1 album, even though I prefer Recovering the Satellites more, you can’t deny that August and Everything After was their quintessential album.
Stone Temple Pilots – I can’t really comment on this band.
Matt brought up some interesting points and I’m wondering why there were quite a few bands back in the 90s that just couldn’t capture the magic that was their first album? Was it because they had their entire lives to hone their craft and record it for their first album, and then they have 2 years to record and release their next one? It’s an interesting point that Matt brings up and is one that I need to think about. I totally agree with him that there are quite a few bands out there whose first album is the best one. Isn’t that a bad thing as musicians? Shouldn’t these bands be achieving better? Or…is it the fact that they are better albums but popularity wise, they just don’t cut it? Now that I think of it, No Code (Pearl Jam’s fourth album) is actually my favourite, but I can see why Ten is their best one. It’s just so…amazing on so many levels. But No Code speaks to me and me alone, whereas Ten had the mass appeal to it coupled with kickass songs that no one can deny.
As for Nine Inch Nails…tis a shame that he has the opposite viewpoint than me as I think The Fragile was his best work, then Downward Spiral and then Pretty Hate Machine.
Either way, we’re going to Nine Inch Nails in November! Awww yeah!
5 replies on “First Albums Are the Hit”
Rage Against the Machine
How about Lifehouse….
I tend to disagree with Matt on the whole NIN issue.
Although for the most part, the albums were not all that great (with teeth being a prime example.) I also think that the quality reflects the lifestyles and problems Trent has had during the periods.
Pretty Hate Machine, being the first (or breakthrough) album, gives a good vision of what Trent was really about. This tends to be true from most first releases because the labels have yet to start pressuring the band to sound a certain way or to write “radio friendly hits.”
Broken show the darker side of Trent as he was fighting over a dispute over his music with the label.
Then, The downward spiral, followed by the Fragile, shows a little more creative freedom from the release of TVT and the start of Interscope records.
With Teeth reflects the escalation of the drinking problem and brought possibly the worst of all albums.
And now, with Trent getting back into his groove, I find my favourite album, Year Zero.
I could go on for a long time on this topic.
NIN in November…Awwwww YEAH!
Man, I forgot about Year Zero. What a great album. I would hope that Matt, as a fan, has listened to that album. Heck, and while you’re at it, check out the awesome backstory to it!
not huge on NIN but completely agree on STP, Counting Crows and Cranberries
Hey, thanks for the post man.
It’s all personal interpretation of course.
With NIN the albums have a lot of differences between them so it’s comes down to much more personal taste than anything else.
I have not given year zero a good listen yet, although I think I have heard a few songs on the album from the radio.
NIN in Ottawa has me stoked tho, he better not cancel again!!!