I've always found debut albums to be full of either innocence, youthful spirit, naive experimentation or heart-and-soul that's pretty hard to capture when an artist enters his (or her), say, third decade of recording music. What are the 10 debut albums that speak to you most? I don't want this to be an objective 'rock's greats' list but if certain albums fall under both categories of 'beloved' and 'changed-rock-music-forever', feel free.

My list:

1. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen
2. Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
3. Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath
4. Blue Oyster Cult - Blue Oyster Cult
5. New York Dolls- New York Dolls
6. Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!
7. Bevis Frond- Miasma
(There's something about Nick Salomon recording all by himself in his bedroom (two track I guess!) and singing, "all this time...spent in splendid isolation", that creeps me out. There's no justice in this world when you see Nick struggling to make ends meet)
8. Blue Cheer- Vincebus Eruptum
(Before Sabbath, several elephantine amplifiers were blown off by this San Francisco power-trio. "Doctor Please" is one of the earliest slices of loud-and-proud Hendrix-ian amplifier worship showcase. Dumbass heavy rock for the hippies. The Hell's Angels' favourite band, that says something...)
9. Can- Monster Movie
Technically not the debut album, but officially is. These Germans thought that art-rock with its classical influences was 'too bourgeoisie' and stuck to their own brand of concoction from James Brown, Velvet Underground and a strong background in modern avantgarde. Shame Michael Karoli passed away few years back. "You Doo Right" is infectious, funky and bloody awesome. Definitive krautrock, although Faust gave it the name.
10. The 13th Floor Elevators- Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators.

I always feel bad if I leave out Beefheart's Safe as Milk, In the Court of the Crimson King, Soft Machine, Faust, Velvet Underground or the Stooges' debut or even Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, Iron Maiden but that's it I guess.

Some of my favorite debut albums are

VU & Nico
Original Pirated Material (the streets)
Funeral (Arcade Fire)
Are You Experienced? (Was this Hendrix's debut? I think so.)
Desperate Youth Bloodthirsty Babes (TV on the Radio)
Franz Ferdinand
My Aim is True (Is this Costello's debut?)
Psychocandy (Jesus & Mary Chain)
Creek Drank the Cradle (Iron & Wine)
Up the Bracket (Libertines)

Probably forgetting a lot, o well.

I remember going absolutely nutz over the debut albums from Boston and Foreigner when they first came out.

You couldn't pay me to listen to either of them now.

The first Ambrosia offering ages well, though.

.

quote:

Originally posted by paxsoprano:
Are You Experienced? (Was this Hendrix's debut? I think so.)
My Aim is True (Is this Costello's debut?)

Yes and yes.

I thought Arcade Fire has a self titled debut in 2003.

quote:

I thought Arcade Fire has a self titled debut in 2003.

I think that was an EP.

Whether you like them or hate them, at least three of the biggest selling rock albums of all time are debuts:

Alanis Morrisette: Jagged Little Pill (#12 all-time, 16 million copies sold)

Hootie and the Blowfish: Cracked Rear View (#14 all-time, 16 million)

Guns and Roses: Appetite for Destruction (#20, 15 million sold)

A few that I'm pretty sure are debuts that are high on the sales charts...

Boston: Boston (#11, over 16 million)

Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell (#27, 14 million)


Of those, I still enjoy the Hootie and Meat Loaf records. And, of course, Guns and Roses may have hit a pinch hit grand slam in their first major league at bat with "Appetite." A stone cold classic. For my money, THE all time best hard rock/heavy metal record, beating out Led Zep, Metallica, and many others.

Let's see...

Well, the obvious ones are items such as:

Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
VU - &Nico
Derek and the Dominos - Layla (Not sure if this counts)
Beck - Mellow Gold
Elvis Costello - Aim Is True
Talking Heads - '77
The Band - Music From The Big Pink
X - Los Angeles
Nico - Chelsea Girls
Stone Roses - s/t

I could have sworn Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere was his debut...nope. Amazing how many classic bands had crappy or so-so debuts.

Here are some other good debut albums that I just couldn't bear to put in the same group as the above ones.

REM - Murmur
White Stripes - s/t
Pearl Jam - Ten
M.I.A - Arular (Or 'Piracy Funds Terrorism' depending on which you consider her real debut)
Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor (Take away the mainstream success and she'd still be cool)
Foo Fighters - s/t

This is a good topic. A couple I would add

The Band - Music From the Big Pink
Patti Smith - Horses
Pere Ubu - Modern Dance
Randy Newman - Randy Newman

Some of my favorite debuts:

Beautiful South: Welcome to the Beautiful South
Ben Folds Five: S/T
Big Star: #1 Record
Billy Bragg: Life's a Riot with Spy vs. Spy
The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man
Clash: S/T
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions: Rattlesnakes
Counting Crows: August and Everything After
Cracker: S/T
Echo and the Bunnymen: Crocodiles
Grant Lee Buffalo: Fuzzy
Hoodoo Gurus: Stoneage Romeos
Housemartins: London 0, Hull 4
The Jam: In the City
Jellyfish: Bellybutton
La's: S/T
Madness: One Step Beyond
Pogues: Red Roses for Me
Bob Mould: Workbook
Stiff Little Fingers: Inflammable Materials
The Stooges: S/T
The Smithereens: Especially for You
The Smiths: S/T
U2: Boy

And then there are a few of my favorite artists whose debuts are, well, um...not so hot.

Husker Du: Land Speed Record (or, if you go with studio records, the still not so hot Everything Falls Apart)
The Jayhawks: S/T
Old 97's: Hitchhike to Rhome
The Replacements: Sorry Ma
Radiohead: Pablo Honey
Wilco: A.M.

pE- that is a good list. I hadn't thought about a couple of those albums in a long time. In fact, I think I'm gonna pull out One Step Beyond right away. What a good debut. Also, it reminds me of two others to add to the list

The Specials - The Specials
The Enlish Beat - I Just Can't Stop It

It's been a long time since I've thought about those great 2-tone records.

One more for the list.
Stone Roses - S/T

There is one album on there that I have tried and tried to like, and simply can't get into- Big Star's Debut. In fact, the only album of theirs that I enjoy at all is sister lovers. I might need to add them to the overrated/underrated thread.

Just off the top of my head i'd agree with Black Sabbath, and the Foo Fighters.

Blind Melon though i guess if you are picky it isn't "rock".

beck's mellow gold.
STP - Core.
Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West
Edgar Winter - They Only Come Out at Night

Rock at large:

Pearl Jam - Ten
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
The Doors - The Doors
Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
Face To Face - Don't Turn Away
Ramones - Ramones
Oasis - Definitely Maybe
Sloan - Smeard
Air - Moon Safari
Miles Davis - Birth Of The Cool

Turn on the Bright Lights, The Ramones, Music in the Big Pink, and the Stone Roses are really good ones I have been reminded of, I will add them to my list post hoc.

Wire Pink Flag
The Undertones
The Specials
The Smithereens Especially For You
The Smiths
Los Lobos How Will the Wolf Survive?
The Pretenders
Grant Lee Buffalo Fuzzy
Pavement Slanted and Enchanted
The Modern Lovers
The Stooges
Television Marquee Moon
The Raincoats
The Pixies Surfer Rosa
The Ramones
Nick Lowe Pure Pop For Now People
Feelies Crazy Rhythms
Marshall Crenshaw
The Clash
The B-52's
Beat Farmers Tales of the New West

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark f,

Oh my god, nobody's mentioned Patti Smith - Horses yet?! That's a crime...

quote:

Originally posted by Bobthespirit:
Oh my god, nobody's mentioned Patti Smith - Horses yet?! That's a crime...

I would easily put Patti Smith in the criminally overrated list. I don't see the appeal of her music at all. I know I'm supposed to get it, but I don't.

I have Horses at #32 on my 'best albums in my collection' list. The other ones..I don't know.

I haven't heard Easter yet, but my friend who loves Horses said he didn't like it. Radio Ethiopia is...well, it sounds like Horses, except not good.

But Horses...just the rawness of the expression and the feel to it. I really think it's a great album.

I've seen her live a couple of times, as well, and I was underwhelmed, but it was better than the records. I can understand the appeal...she's passionate. There are a handful of songs that are good... "Because the Night" is an ace track, but I prefer both the Boss's version AND the 10000 Maniacs version over Patti's.

Yeah I don't see what the big deal is about Patti Smith. All I have is Horses, and it is pretty good, but not the life-changing music some people seem to think it is. She has a neat stream-of-conciousness singing method that sounds neat, but I don't think the songs are written well enough to warrant repeated listens.