Acts whose entire album output has always been on the decline, with no exception

Really? You liked Drop that Bottom better than Grab It?

Does anyone else agree here? The majority of people only know Cars that Go Boom and maybe Grab It, which both are on the first album:

Grab It (1988)

A1 Push It (Grab It) (4:37)
A2 Cuttie Pie (4:19)
A3 He's A Mutt (4:02)
A4 Don't Come To My House (4:26)
B1 Cars With The Boom (3:54)
B2 Better Yet L'Trimm (4:50)
B3 We Can Rock The Beat (3:25)
B4 Sexy

Drop That Bottom (1989)

1 Drop That Bottom (3:15)
2 Low Rider (4:24)
3 Trouble In The House (3:25)
4 It's Working (3:40)
5 Heaven Sent (2:55)
6 My Heart Went Boom (3:20)
7 Why Would I (Go Back To The Burn) (3:28)
8 We Got Our Own Thing (4:16)
9 Double Trouble (3:10)
10 Grab It (Again-The-Remix) (4:28)

almost true: Ramones, Sonic Youth
I said almost.

I think Squeeze might work, too, if you count *U.K. Squeeze* (which isn't as good as *Cool For Cats*) as a different band. That's probably cheating, though. (Boomtown Rats, maybe? Hmmmm.)

As for L'Trimm, I like *Grab It* fine, but as Frank Kogan pointed out recently, it only has one song as good as "Cars With the Boom", whereas the 2nd album has ten songs as good as "Cars With the Boom."

(discounting "The Masterplan")
(admittedly, I haven't heard all of their albums. But I'm sure that a reasonable argument can be made for them here.)

A testament to the marketing genius that was Paul Klein/Henry Stone.

Then again, they gave direction to that mess of a third album, which the girls bailed out on part way through the sessions.

I think loving the 2nd album based on the formula is not universal though.

I suppose Cypress Hill falls into this same description, as their 2nd album is full of 'Insane in the Brains', whereas the first seemed like a genuine hodge-podge of somewhat inspired efforts.

And the third L'Trimm album *Groovy* is actually surprisingly good, but nah, not nearly on a par with their first two.

The Beastie Boys (at least if you discount pre-debut-album hardcore crap)? TLC? Kris Kross? Hansen? The Circle Jerks? Black Flag? Just throwing a few more names out there...

Extreme?
Ratt?
Roxette?
Quarterflash?
Loverboy!!

I kind of agree with the Butthole Surfers, though I think it's very possible they may have improved when they finally sold out in the early '90s (arguments might be made for White Zombie and maybe even Soundgarden along the same lines, though I'm not sure Soundgarden ever actually sold out, come to think of it.)

Not to pick on your selections only, but being you're listing the rap stuff (which I know more about), that's where my opinions may be more relevant.

Beastie Boys - I think Check Your Head is half assed, whereas at least Licensed to Ill feels like a better executed version of Check Your Head, so I have to disagree. And I think it is kinda universally accepted that Paul's Boutique is better than Licensed to Ill. That's my opinion at least, and I love Licensed.

Public Enemy - Same thing. Their 2nd album was better than their first for sure, so nope not them. Sadly, the deabte over whether album 2 or 3 are better rages on. I'm a Nation of Millions fan, and always encounter the notion that Black Planet is better. Ugh.

*Russians/Russophiles will know what I'm talking about.

**No, I did not mean Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.

The Pogues?
Fishbone? (Though again, I know zilch about their later stuff.)

Liz Phair is just so wrong.

Yeah, on every level. I wish I'd never heard her.

That logic would only work if every track on their second album was as good as "How I Could Just Kill a Man." When in actuality, no tracks are.

I think Criminal Minded is incredible if taken out of context. It's raw, minimal, and passionate...however, it was so disconnected from the massive blossoming process that Eric B/Marley Marl/Bomb Squad were discoering thanks to the SP1200 and Ultimate Beats & Breks series.

For me and my little rap buddies between 86-88, the growth was THE excitement of Hip-Hop, so Criminal Minded seemed like a step backwards at the time.

Over the years, I've learned to appreciate it on its own.

Then Scott La Rock Died, they changed direction, and they released My Philosophy as a single, which sounded up to date and great...but I got the album and was bored.

I've only revisted it a couple times since then, and I remained bored...so maybe you're right. BDP is not my area of expertise.

And Paul's Boutique is better ;-)

Also, I'll give you this: Boces < SYOTOS

But no way to this: SYOTOS < Deserter's Songs

Eric B and Rakim might hold true. I think the first 3 songs of their second album are their strongest, but then the album sounds rushed. Their first was a collection of a couple of singles, and the album...so it's a bit disjointed - but if you didn't hear those singles prior...

EPMD fucking mumble over Zapp. I like thier first few singles, but lost interest quick.

Run DMC's debut changed my life. Their 2nd album seemed to me like the first marketed piece of Hip-Hop...like, let's cash in on our image and let's make a song for every situation or whatever. That damned reggae song and such. I think the intro on that album is the best thing on it. Raising Hell was mostly a stronger marketing album, with some superb Rick Rubin driven tracks next to some Rick Rubin driven novelties. Their 4th album is sorely overlooked. Beats to the Rhyme is incredible.

Fat Boys...

I think this back-and-forth can easily stir up more thoughts on Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons marketing and visions than anything else. Rick's use of the 808 is the cornerstone of Bass music. Russell's marketing schemes made Hip-Hop known, but tarnished many of the acts. Beastie Boys, Fat Boys, and Run DMC all fall into this to some degree.

Grandmaster Flash's work is before my time, so I just buy it and lisen and sing along and forge no opinions about its relevancy.

No more bait taking for a bit. I need a bite to eat.

They had more than one album?

Liz Phair's most recent album is either her best one or her second best one (after the debut), depending on what my mood is that day.

Totally disagree with Motley Crue.

Surprised no one's said Elvis yet.

Nope.

Rum, Sodomy > If I Should Fall >> Red Roses >> Peace And Love >>> the "rump" Pogues as an album band

^ Nah, it doesn't.

Their last album was easily their best since Beaucoup Fish

Hence the 'mostly'. I can't say I liked it better than Beaucoup Fish, but Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future was definitely a step up from Barking. Still, I wrote them off a long time ago, alas.

Yes but Barking was better than the one before it

Eh, it's been a while, but I don't recall that being the case. I'll have to give them both another shot.

Boards of Canada

Katy B.

Yes but Barking was better than the one before it

― groovypanda, Thursday, December 6, 2018 4:46 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

actually untrue imo

None of this matters seeing as there's no way in hell that Second Toughest is better than Beaucoup Fish.

Neu!

- debut > Neu! 2 >> Neu! '75 >>>>> Neu! 4 > Neu! '86

Nein.

4 certainly isn't better than 86 for a start.

4 and 86 are kind of the same album though

and 75 is definitely better than 2, and actually better than the debut and almost every other Krautrock LP in my opinion

also strongly disagree with Underworld mk2 - Oblivion With Bells is so much better than A Hundred Days Off, for one

4 and 86 are kind of the same album though

Yes but without a lot of the pointless and annoying dreck Dinger insisted on saddling 4 with.

> and 75 is definitely better than 2, and actually better than the debut and almost every other Krautrock LP in my opinion

Ditto. Except maybe Cluster's "Sowiesoso".

May I suggest Magazine? At least the first 4, I never heard the reunion album.

its frustrating because '86 removes "Schonelle Welle" and "Bush Drum" which were two of my favorite tracks, though overall it's a better and more coherent album

does MIA count or was Kala better than Arular?

Oh damn I had a great example of this today that I can't remember

xp re Magazine I think I like The Correct Use of Soap more than Secondhand Daylight but it's close

Stevie: Arular beats Kala, but then Matangi beats MAYA!

strongly disagree with the inclusion of M.I.A. I still think MAYA is her best album and Kala and Matangi are also both better than Arular.

a friend suggested Laurie Anderson - thoughts? I’ve only heard the first two records so I can’t speak

Secondhand Daylight is the one Magazine record that I would rescue from the fire/take to the desert island etc.

I also think Second Toughest... is Underworld's best album.

It is. Also, Beaucoup Fish is better dubno.

a friend suggested Laurie Anderson - thoughts? I’ve only heard the first two records so I can’t speak

― flappy bird,

Strange Angels is her best.

Oblivion With Bells is also much better than A Hundred Days off and I'd wager Barbara Barbara is a better album than Barking

I'd put Underworld Dubo thru Fish, this list. Hundred Days thru Barbara, the incline list. Crazy body of work!

Rocket From The Crypt

Mudhoney?

Ride is a good example imo

― nostormo, Monday, 3 December 2018 20:55 (two weeks ago)

Are you including last year’s comeback album in that?

The newish Ride album has one peak era tune on it and a couple of other 3rd album quality tunes and then loads of nonsense iirc

My answer which I believe to be true (and not to everyone's taste maybe) is Mercury Rev.

If Suede hadn’t reformed, they would have worked (I’m not fond of their 3 latest albums but at least one is better than their 5th... and apparently many people consider them great).

Strongly co-signing on Mercury Rev.

Beat Happening

otm

Oh it's decline right..sorry

Quite the opposite for Beat Happening.

I still have time for Revolution Come and Gone more than anything else in their back catalog so yeah, quite the opposite

Pink Floyd

flatline is no decline

I like Animals more than WYWH or DSotM. And even though I love Syd, I think Echoes is my favorite.

Pink Floyd only works if you start counting at Meddle for me. And then yes.

And when I wrote Echoes, I obv meant including the other half of Meddle haha.

This is more or less true for most bands. Only a few reach a peak at the end. Immediately springing to mind: Talk Talk.

The 3rd and the Mortal