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User
Reviews 14
Approval 98%
Soundoffs 47
News Articles 4
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Album Edits 77
Album Ratings 3934
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Last Active 07-19-17 8:34 am
Joined 08-17-09
Review Comments 5,481
| Biggest Improvements- Part Two
Second installment where I list albums that took major leaps above those that came before. Gonna put a bit more effort into this one. | | 1 |  | Radiohead
The Bends
Now, don't get me wrong- I really like Pablo Honey a lot. But it can't be denied that The Bends was a huge leap in sonic majesty that truly set them apart. | | 2 |  | Weezer
Everything Will Be Alright in the End
Although Hurley and Death to False Metal were in themselves improvements over the shite they'd been putting out through the 00's, with their ninth studio effort Weezer created their finest work in almost twenty years. Hopefully this can continue for as long as Rivers writes music. | | 3 |  | Iron Maiden
Brave New World
Even though he was only their second vocalist and only joined them with their third album, Maiden without Bruce Dickinson just doesn't seem right. That opinion was shared by millions of fans when Brucey departed in 1993 and was replaced by Blaze Bayley. While a competent singer in his own right, the boots Blaze had to fill were far too big and the fact that he fronted two boring, uninspired albums in The X Factor and Virtual XI didn't help. With Bruce's return in 2000 as well as that of Adrian Smith, Maiden were reinvigorated and while they will probably never quite recapture their glory days, they continue to put out good NWOBHM with a hint of prog. | | 4 |  | Bjork
Debut
Despite its name, 1993's Debut was not actually Bjork's first album, having put out an obscure trippy eponymous folk album in 1977. Debut was more what one would expect to hear from the Icelandic star and it remains one of the most influential classic alt albums of the 90's. | | 5 |  | Alanis Morissette
Jagged Little Pill
Another perhaps surprising entry as JLP is not Alanis' first album either, having released two dance pop albums in her native Canada as a teenager. JLP shot Alanis into superstardom and stands as one of the defining alternative rock albums of the 90's. | | 6 |  | Therapy?
Troublegum
Although their major label debut Nurse was fine for what it was, Irish alt-metallers Therapy? didn't truly hit their stride until this stellar sophomore release. | | 7 |  | Judas Priest
Screaming for Vengeance
Although Priest were an established Heavy Metal act beforehand, it wasn't until their classic 1982 album that they were truly in a league of their own. The opening double-whammy of The Hellion/ Electric eye is probably the greatest beginning to a metal album ever. | | 8 |  | Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin'
There were quite a few dips in Dylan's career that gave way to huge comebacks, but his first leap came in the form of his third release. His first album of fully original compositions, it was a landmark folk release and oft-cited as one of his best works, the title track in particular being an anthem of the 60's. | | 9 |  | Fear Factory
Mechanize
Though Transgression in 2005 was by no means a bad album, it sounded only half-finished. 2010's comeback Mechanize was far more aggressive and heavy, thanks in part to the sensational Gene Hoglan on drums. | | 10 |  | Dark Tranquillity
The Gallery
Though Skydancer may have been one of the very first melodeath albums, The Gallery was a huge improvement on the unfocused debut and one of the finest metal albums to come out of the Gothenburg scene. | |
LepreCon
03.19.16 | Still plenty more where that came from. | JamieTwort
03.19.16 | A lot of people will probably question 8 but I definitely agree that as an album it was an improvement over the rather uneven Freewheelin' (although that album does have a few classics that beat any of the individual tracks from The Times). | LepreCon
03.19.16 | I do love The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan but yeah as a whole Times was his first truly amazing record. | JamieTwort
03.19.16 | "Although Priest were an established Heavy Metal act beforehand, it wasn't until their classic 1982 album that they were truly in a league of their own."
I disagree with this so hard, I mean I can't even begin to explain how hard I disagree. Sad Wings and Stained Class were leagues ahead of anything Priest did in the 80's (and beyond) including Screaming, which admittedly was their best 80's album but still nowhere near the level of their best 70's material which marked the only point in their career that they were ever in a league of their own. | LepreCon
03.19.16 | Sad Wings is just about my favourite Priest but only because it happened to be my first Priest album, I think Screaming is a far more accomplished work. Dunno about Stained Class being better than Screaming either but hey. |
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