Best Debut Album

[SlimChances]

What is your favorite first or debut album by a band (any genre).

I think my favorite is The Cars by the Cars which was recorded in just 2 weeks in London. Last track "All Mixed Up" in particular is an excellent track written by the late Benjamin Orr (Bassist)

[Mnyb]

Rickie Lee Jones

Just one ? , there are many great debuts if one search, but this was the first I thougth off.
James McMurtry Too Long in the Wasteland was also on my mind.
Joe Jackson Look sharp...

[Henry66]

A couple of debut albums that I think are fantastic:

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
Tanita Tikaram - Ancient Heart

Each album is filled with single-worthy tracks. In both cases they have not quite managed to live up to their first release since then.

[sebage]

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
John Prine - John Prine
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Dire Straits - Dire Straits


How about a list of albums where the 'difficult' second album is better than the first....

[garym]

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced
Guy Clark - Old No 1
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (OK, probably not fair as a "first" album")
The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Guilded Palace of Sin
Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
Steve Earle - Guitar Town
The Band - Music from Big Pink
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin


2nd Album unbelievably good:

Bruce Springsteen - The Wild, The Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle
The Band - The Band

[RonM]

Right on to Ricky Lee Jones!

Although it's not fashionable (in some circles) to even like Norah Jones, I listened to her debut Come Away With Me incessantly -- before it became a hit, and then became elevator and shopping music. It's a great recording.

And what about Feist's Let It Die? Technically, perhaps not a debut -- there was an earlier one five years before, but really it needs to be considered a debut. Again, just great.

And the Beatles Please Please Me -- Love Me Do, I Saw Her Standing There, etc.

R

[garym]

Right on to Ricky Lee sJones!

Good one!

[Percival Sweetwater]

Many first albums are often the best, full of latent rawness and urban aggression, that seem to fade when the money comes rolling in.

For me:

Ramones - Ramones

'nuf said.

[Mnyb]

A couple of debut albums that I think are fantastic:

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
Tanita Tikaram - Ancient Heart

Each album is filled with single-worthy tracks. In both cases they have not quite managed to live up to their first release since then.

Oops forgot that it was Tracy Chapmans debut a truly fantastic album, one of the best ever and possibly the best debut ever.

[Apesbrain]

Marshall Crenshaw
Los Angeles - X
Chicago Transit Authority
Boston
The Marshall Tucker Band
Jackson Browne
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek And The Dominoes
Blind Faith
Murmur - R.E.M.
77 - Talking Heads
Are You Experienced - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Horses - Patti Smith

[garym]

Marshall Crenshaw
Los Angeles - X
Chicago Transit Authority
Boston
The Marshall Tucker Band
Jackson Browne
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs - Derek And The Dominoes
Blind Faith
Murmur - R.E.M.
77 - Talking Heads

I thought about Layla and Blind Faith too, but wasn't sure it was "fair" to name a first album that was an ONLY album (other than live albums). ;-) But with this precedence, I'd add:

Stephen Still's Manassas (treating this as a band, which it really was, not simply a solo album).

and regarding really good second albums, I'd note Jackson Browne's 2nd album, "For Everyman"

[Fahzz]

Agree with all of the above. I'd throw in Counting Crows - August and Everything After and Alanis Morrisette - Jagged Little Pill.

[garym]

Ah. Good choices.

[Apesbrain]

What NME thought -> here.

Hint: None of us have mentioned their top choice but it is a good one.
Another Hint: "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine."

[garym]

Ah yes. Patti smith. Just kids is a great read by the way.