Nick's Picks: Round 3
Posted 06/17/2009 02:22PM by Nicholas Fritz as Nick's Picks
Welcome to the third round of Nick’s Picks.
Every few weeks I’ll be choosing a music-related topic and compiling a top-ten list for that category. Since I haven’t heard every song by every band ever, this is not a “best of” list so please keep that in mind while reading it. These articles are meant to be fun and incite discussion, so feel free to add your own lists in the comments section, as well as any other topics you’d like to see covered in the feature.
Sophomore slumps will be discussed this time around. These albums are all too common in the music world, most often stemming from a hugely successful debut album that is hard to live up to on the second effort. Some of the albums on this list are technically a band’s third or maybe even fourth release, but I omitted EPs and just focused on full lengths for the purposes of this article. Enjoy!
10.) A Static Lullaby
Album: Faso Latido
Don’t Forget to Breathe is a classic release and an awesome debut from A Static Lullaby. The album caught the attention of Sony, who then signed the band and eventually ruined their sound – at least for one album. The band clearly had dollar signs in their eyes when making Faso Latido and their fans reacted very negatively towards it. Fortunately, A Static Lullaby realized their mistake and has been releasing solid albums ever since.
9.) It Dies Today
Album: Sirens
Although it wasn’t as heavy as It Dies Today’s first EP, The Caitiff Choir was an impressive debut full length for the band. However, the prevalent singing on the album hinted at the possibility of a sophomore slump for their second full length, and Sirens fit the bill exactly. It Dies Today further dumbed down their sound to increase their mainstream appeal, which resulted in a downright boring album with only a few enjoyable songs.
8.) From Autumn to Ashes
Album: The Fiction We Live
From Autumn to Ashes was once a respectable band, with an intense live show and raw, emotional metalcore jams as seen on their demo EP. The band lost a bit of its edge after signing to Ferret, but still managed to put out a decent album with Too Bad You’re Beautiful. At the time, it was one of Ferret’s best selling albums and propelled the band into the spotlight, and a record deal with Vagrant Records. The band’s second effort was ultimately disappointing, though, but not surprising to those following their career. The music was more melodic and more focused on singing and structure, but From Autumn to Ashes didn’t seem equipped to pull off the more mainstream sound. The band never really recovered since this album and has fortunately broken up.
7.) He is Legend
Album: I Am Hollywood
He is Legend was on to something with 91025, their first full length. The band successfully mixed rock and metal in a refreshing way that made me excited for their follow-up release. Although I Am Hollywood is widely regarded to be a high quality album, I just couldn’t get into it. The band gave up many of the unique qualities they possessed on 91025 and went for more of a straight-up rock sound that didn’t seem to suit them.
6.) Norma Jean
Album: O God, The Aftermath
I thoroughly enjoyed Norma Jean’s debut, mainly because of Josh Scogin’s vocals, so when I heard he left the band, I was disappointed to say the least. Unfortunately, my concerns were merited after hearing the band’s sophomore release. Norma Jean gave up their more chaotic moments for blatant ripoffs of Botch songs, which they couldn’t pull off effectively. Add to that Cory Brandan Putnam’s weak vocals, and the whole album felt like a mess.
5.) Shai Hulud
Album: That Within Blood Ill Tempered
With a span of about six years between Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion and That Within Blood Ill Tempered, to say the band’s sophomore release was highly anticipated would be a gross understatement. It felt like Shai Hulud would never release this album but when they did, it didn’t seem worth the wait. That Within Blood Ill Tempered lacked the passion and raw feel of its predecessor, and the writing sounded forced.
4.) The Bled
Album: Found in the Flood
The Bled achieved great success with Pass the Flask, earning them a record deal with Vagrant records. For their second effort, the band experimented more with singing and focused less on the breakdowns, and it ended up being to their detriment. The music was drawn out and bland, while Munoz’s vocals did not seem ready for the responsibility of more singing. The Bled made up for it on their third album, though, Silent Treatment, which sounds like the album they were trying to make with Found in the Flood.
3.) Eighteen Visions
Album: Vanity
There were many mixed feelings surrounding Vanity after its release; most people either loved it or hated it. I was in the “hated it” category because James Hart’s vocals sounded like he had his balls cut off since Until the Ink Runs Out. His deep, brutal screams from their debut were replaced by high, whiny yells on Vanity, and it was too much for me to handle.
2.) Taking Back Sunday
Album: Where You Want to Be
I felt like I should have liked this album but I just couldn’t get into it. Even to this day, I can’t remember a single song from it, and I did listen to it quite a bit after its release – in denial that it wasn’t as good as the band’s previous release. This album lacked the passion and intensity that made Tell All Your Friends so great, and didn’t show any real progression from the band.
1.) Poison the Well
Album: Tear From the Red
Poison the Well had much to live up to after the 1999 release of The Opposite of December. Their Trustkill debut become the standard on how to effectively mix aggression with melody and helped them reach superstar status in the hardcore scene. Tear From the Red followed three years later and was widely considered a huge disappointment, with boring and unmemorable songs and abundant over production. Songs like “Botchla” and “Sticks and Stones Never Made Sense” were solid songs, though, but became overshadowed by the lesser quality tracks. I revisit this album from time to time and it has grown on me; however, it doesn’t compare to their earlier or later works.
I just want to close by saying that even though I labeled these albums as “sophomore slumps,” I still feel many of them are solid albums, especially when compared to other releases around that same time period. In many of these cases, a band went from releasing an outstanding album to releasing a good album so they still deserve positive recognition.
Comments
Minnesota
Wow. Out of this entire list, there are only four albums that I agree with you on. All of the rest I thought were better than the band's debut (or at least equal to).
You got it right with A Static Lullaby, It Dies Today, Eighteen Visions, and Taking Back Sunday. The rest... well... wrong! :-)
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Atascadero, CA
Catherine and The Secret come to mind. agree with The Bled, also think Incubus did that after SCIENCE (if that was their first lp)
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Los Angeles
I think you are COMPLETELY wrong about both Shai Hulud and Poison the Well but I agree on most of the other points of the list. Good article.
Somewhere in New York
It was their second because they released Fungus Amungus before S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Still though, Make Yourself was a slump? That album was amazing, if anything they began going downhill after that.
Nick, I Am Hollywood and O' God the Aftermath, really? I'm not mad I'm just... disappointed.
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Boston, MA
Totally agree with this statement. I also think that Where You Want to Be is TBS's best album. But seriously, That Within Blood Ill Tempered is fucking great.
Stereo Typing
Tweet at me, bro
Atascadero, CA
make yourself was amazing but it wasnt no SCIENCE. but yea should have been their first release. nevermind me, carry on.
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Quakertown, PA
Aaron - I had The Secret on my initial list but left it off for some
reason. I was definitely disappointed by their second effort. Good call
on Incubus too.
Andrew - I'm sorry man, haha. For the life of me I cannot get into O
God, the Aftermath. I liked Redeemer and loved the Anti-Mother though.
And I don't know why, but I can't get into anything He is Legend has
done since their first album, just not my thing I guess.
Dave - I definitely agree That Within Blood Ill Tempered is a
stellar album, but I hold their first release higher and was still
disappointed by it. I think it sleighs the majority of other albums in
that genre but I didn't think it was Shai Hulud's best.
Rick - 4/10 is almost 50% so I'd say that's sounds about normal for us haha.
Like I said at the end of the article, most of these albums are awesome, but I
thought they were inferior to the bands' debuts. I realize it's a bold
list so I expected alot of disagreement. Albums effect everyone
differently so it's interesting to see the various responses.
Kansas
I totally and completely disagree with 9, 8, 7, and 6. I thought every one of those albums were amazing. O God? Are you serious? I Am Hollywood?!!!!?!??!?!!?
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Lehigh Valley, PA
Man Nick, I actually agree with you on everything except for Poison The Well. I liked Tear From The Red. I can understand how it's not as strong as The Opposite of December but I still feel it's a strong album. Everything after It Dies Today's EP in my opinion is crap, but The Caitiff Choir was decent. I also agree with I Am Hollywood, everyone jocked that album, I mean it's good but c'mon.
Minnesota
Nick, it must be said. You are simply...
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Quakertown, PA
I like Tear from the Red more now than I did initially, but it didn't have nearly the same effect on me as The Opposite of December. Like alot of these albums though, it still destroys the majority of the stuff released today.
Dubuque
The Norma Jean disc is my just balls. I find myself listening to that disc more than any of their others. Shit is just insanely heavy.
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West Haven, CT
This list sucks and I disagree with you.
He Is Legend have a good CD in I Am Hollywood.
I hate Norma Jeans 2nd CD at first but after enough listens I enjoyed them for who they were becoming, even if its a Botch rip off.
Taking Back Sundays first and 2nd CD are their only good Cd's and the 2nd one has some stuff the first didn't.
Poison The Wells 2nd CD is by far their best CD ever and they'll never top it. The lyrics are the best that guy will ever write in his entire life. The fact you put that CD in there makes not want to read what you wrote.
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Raleigh, NC
Completely agree with Norma Jean, completely disagree with He is Legend.
Dubuque
The TBS CD brings me back good and really bad memories. I remember somehow getting "Bonus Mosh Part II" way before I should've and I posted about it on my old zine Breakingcustom. I received hundreds of emails and IMs about sending it and I never did. Then all of a sudden I get a phone call from Victory Records just harrassing the shit out of me. Asking me where I go the song and so on. It was fucking ridculous.
Anywho, "Where You Want To Be" was a great disc.
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I really enjoy Tear From the Red, That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, and I Am Hollywood, but I'm totally with you on each of the other picks.
Quakertown, PA
Haha, I was waiting for your response cause I figured you would destroy me. Just to reiterate, I'm not saying these CD's are bad, but inferior to the previous release. I agree I Am Hollywood is a solid release, I didn't like it nearly as much as their first album though. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the rest.
I'm considering giving the Norma Jean album a few more spins. I listened to it alot when it came out and the vocals turned me off, maybe it's time to revisit it since everyone seems to like it so much.
Lehigh Valley, PA
Eff Norma Jean! On the real.
Lakewood, OH
The only things I really disagree with are Norma Jean, He Is Legend, The Bled (I think I'm the only person who really LOVES that cd, but I do agree Pass The Flask was a few steps up), and Taking Back Sunday. Damn near nailed everything else.
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