Thursday Discussion: Albums That Met (Or Exceeded) Your Lofty Expectations
 

I don't always know what I am going to write about for each week's Thursday Discussion. Sometimes there will be an event throughout the week that is just perfect for a starting point of inspiration for what I want to write about. Sometimes I'm looking at a bunch of random ideas I have stored in a notebook. This week my inspiration comes from a blog post I wrote late last night. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to say about the new The Gaslight Anthem album, trying to figure out exactly how I wanted to word a post about the album, band, and my thoughts on it. I haven't written a full on album review in a long time (apparently to Drew's chagrin) -- I enjoy being able to just open up on a completely personal level instead of worrying about how to tackle a review from a more critical or objective viewpoint. I like being able to just flat out talk about the music and how it hits me ... instead of worrying about some of the politics that go into "official album reviews" (introduce band, worry about scoring, blahbalhablah). And I enjoy being able to talk about my evolution in how I feel about an album. What my "first impressions" are ... how they evolve with time ... and then come back and revisit an album a year or so down the road and see if I still feel the same way. Music, to me, is a journey.

So, with that, what I picked for today's topic is a look at those albums that have met my expectations over the years. We spend a lot of time in the forums (too much?) talking about the albums that we are expecting to be great, and how they don't live up to expectations. We call them "sophomore slumps" or complain about the singer being too happy now. Or we talk about the albums that really "grew on us" over time and how we learned to love them. But, for once, I wanted to really focus on those albums that I wanted to be something special from the first listen - and were. The ones that I was hoping were going to knock me on my ass - and did. The ones that my first impression of "holy shit" ended up standing the test of time five years later. I don't know how Handwritten will do on that time frame, but it's clearly now in the running.

So, here are the top albums that lived up to my expectations when I first heard them -- I'd love to hear your thoughts in the replies, or give me a rundown of the albums that would be on your list.

1) Thrice - Vheissu

Note

After listening to Thrice's The Artist in the Ambulance, I was anticipating their new album in a bad way. I remember knowing that it was going to be "different" ... but I was ready for whatever they were going to throw at me. That album hit me like thunderclap. Just massive. From the first listen through I was captivated. It ended up being a "grower" album for a lot of people ... but for me ... my expectations were insanely high and from first listen I couldn't believe how much better the album was than I even thought it could be. This one continues to hold up quite well for me. Passionate. Thick. Great album.

2) Brand New - Deja Entendu

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I feel like I bring this album up a lot in these discussions. It seems that anytime I am talking about an album that shaped my life or moved me ... this one has to be in the running. It sounds weird to say, but upon first listen I knew we had a classic on our hands. I got called out for my overhyping of the album pretty mercilessly at the time. But I feel like time has vindicated me on this one. I was hoping for a great album ... and I got one of my favorite albums of all time.

3) Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree

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I remember thinking "please be good, please be good, please be good" ... hitting play ... and having a smile on my face for pretty much the entire album. It was that smile of "this band was about to be one of the biggest in the world" mixed with "damn, they wrote a really great album." They set the bar pretty high with TTTYG , and I was a worried they'd wouldn't be up to the task. I think the band had been poised as "next big thing" for a year or so and the expectations were that anything else would just not compute. They stepped up, called their shot ... and sent it over the fence.

4) Blink 182 - Enema of the State

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Dude Ranch was nothing short of life-changing. So how does a band meet my expectations after that? Eh, just go out and make arguably the best pop-punk album of all time. No big deal. Just another day in the life of Blink 182.

5) Bon Iver - Bon Iver

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As one of the newer albums on the list - it just feels too important to pass up. This was a situation where after all of the hype and buzz about the first two releases, I wasn't sure it was even possible for the album to meet expectations. Where I thought it would just flat out have to be one of the best albums of the entire year ... or it would be seen as a massive disappointment. First listen through just flat out blew me away. What an album.

6) Jimmy Eat World - Futures

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There were all kinds of rumors around this one ... because of the producer change, the "Trombino sessions," and the hype coming off of their previous album. I would say it it's in my top 5 of "most anticipated" -- and that first listen payed off like a "top 5 album" should.

7) Death Cab for Cutie - Plans

Note

The anticipation over this album was at fever-pitch. I think just about everyone on this website at the time was wanting this one ... after they started to see mainstream success with Transatlanticism, I think we were all curious what direction they'd take. This album remains one of the more powerfully emotive albums in my collection. That first time you hear "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"? Yeah, expectations met.

Fun. - Some Nights

Don't like it as much as A&I, but I didn't think it'd even come close because A&I was so perfect to me. That said, Some Nights is still much, much better than I imagined or expected it to be.

Also, Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down. I thought it'd be more of the same fun RK, but it was a much more personal and straight up great album than I ever expected it to be.

One of the few wrong answers to this question.

Jason, I agree with most of your picks. I'd put Sing the Sorrow on this list.

Anberlin's "Cities."
There were so many opportunities to download a leaked version of this record early, but I was looking forward to it so much that I decided to hold off and experience it all at once, on CD. It was worth the wait for me. I remember instantly falling in love with it. It's still my favorite of theirs.

Definitely agree on FUTCT.

Also, my friend was building up "The '59 Sound" for me, telling me how awesome it was, how I needed to listen to it, etc. Needless to say I had ridiculously high expectations, and when I finally did listen to it, I was blown away.

You didn't like it?

One guy in the world that doesn't like it and he quoted me. Shoot. :-(

Blink-182- "Neighborhoods"

Say what you want, but this album is better than a lot of fans give it credit for. "Kaleidoscope," "Wishing Well" and "Even if She Walls" are some really great cuts.

Deja is the obvious answer, as nobody really could have predicted how monumental it ended up.

As for very recent releases, Yellowcard's When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes totally took me by surprise. I thought those guys were washed up, especially after all I'd heard about for some time was the fact that Ryan was hanging out in college bars in Georgia and experiencing some sort of existential crisis. I'd go as far to say that that's now my favorite Yellowcard album. I never would have guessed they could pull that off after how their career had gone.

Butch Walker's Letters blew my mind even though I was a huge fan of Left of Self Centered. It was a Deja-like step up for him. Keeping the bits and pieces of what made him him, but then taking it to another level in an almost transcendental way. One of my favorite albums of all time.

North by Something Corporate more than met my expectations after Leaving Through The Window. Better songwriting, more of an edge, still catchy as hell.

The World We Know by I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business totally blows the debut album out of the water. The best Ace Enders release to date.

I agree with a lot of these. What's the story with Futures though? I never heard of one.

The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past

AFI - Sing the Sorrow

Hot Water Music - Exister

The Gaslight Anthem - The 59' Sound

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Shook Ones - The Unquotable A.M.H. (Wild Card Pick)

Manchester Orchestra's Simple Math comes to mind instantly.

Anberlin's Never Take Friendship Personal and also Cities.

i'll ahve to think of some more later.

oh, Why?'s Alopecia

Oh you.

I also had pretty high expectations for Midtown's Forget What You Know and it blew me away.

This topic is perfect for the way I felt about American Slang.

Lost In The Sound Of Separation comes to mind immediately. Wasn't sure how UO could have a record as killer as Define - and wow did they do it again.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness.

After Gish, I expected big things from them and they didn't disappoint. I didn't think I could be moved like I was with Siamese Dream, especially when the rumors of a double album started to leak, but damn if Billy didn't pull it off with MC&TIS. This is the only band of my youth that didn't let me down with their first 3 albums. (4 if you count Pisces Iscariot, but it wasn't a true "new" release)

Album was on some kind of different level.

Good call.. While I did enjoy Five Score, I thought it was pretty thematically weak. Forget and Not Slow Down fully restored my faith in this band though.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
I remember setting the bar low after all the controversy and stylistic change on 808s & Heartbreak. However, he blew me away, and it's undoubtedly my favorite album.

Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want To Be
I think we were all blown away by TAYF. I didn't think they'd be able to craft a follow-up that could be nearly as good, but they proved me wrong. I remember I was sold on this album one listen through and it didn't leave my album rotation for months.

Blink 182 - Self Titled

Some Nights for sure, and Dog Problems in that case

The Strokes- Room on Fire
After releasing "Is This It?" all eyes were on the strokes and they really put out a record that some argue is even better than their debut.

The Wonder Years- Suburbia
I actually enjoy this record more than the Upsides. Shows progress while still keeping their style. I don't get the whole "Deja Entendu" similarities that people suggest because I think that Brand New put out a record that literally nobody expected.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication
After recruiting John Frusciante back, this was a album that really launched them to worldwide superstardum after the horrible "One Hot Minute"

Drake- Take Care (I know I'm going to take heat for this one)
His debut album was huge and to come back with another great album. Drake isn't for everyone but for the ones who love him. This was amazing.

I agree with most of your list, but I would throw The Format - Dog Problems on there instead of Thrice. Maybe Coheed's second album too or Owen - At Home With. Wow, my tastes have changed a lot over the years.

Yeah, Five Score was kind of weak, but I still had high hopes for the next album because RK was beyond consistent prior to that release. I knew they'd bounce back, just didn't know they'd totally outdo themselves.

Relient K - mmhmm
Kanye West - MBDTF
Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz

Bjork - Biophillia

Her previous album, Volta is unquestionably her worst album, so I was a little nervous for this album. The fact that she'd had to learn a completely different technique of singing and the fact that it was going to be released as a series of apps worried me. Turns out it was brilliant, probably my favourite album that was released in 2011. It isn't quite as good as her 'classic' stuff, but not much is.

Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball

Similar story to Bjork. Working On A Dream was pretty poor for Bruce's standards, so I was concerned about Wrecking Ball. It's probably the best thing he's released in 20+ years. Fantastic album and fantastic return to form.

First two that I thought of.

As Cities Burn - Come Now Sleep. Wasnt sure how it was going to sound with removing the hardcore aspects from the band, but it is an amazing album.

Good Old War - Only Way to Be Alone. Love me some Days Away and wasnt sure what to expect from any new projects they started. One of my favorite bands now.

Edit: Add on Bring Me The Horizon - There is a Hell.... Hated their first release, but they definitely progressed a lot with this album.

Thursday - War All The Time

hmmmm first answers that come to mind :

Thursday - No Devoluçion
i didn't know what to expect because Common Existence was all over the place... but it just blew me away
And So I Watch You From Afar - Gangs
As Tall As Lions - You Can't Take It With You
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
Glassjaw - Coloring Book
Underoath - O Disambiguation

The Graduate - Only Every Time
Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
Bayside - Killing Time
Thursday - No Devolución
The Dangerous Summer - War Paint

The Cab's "Symphony Soldier"

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz
Arcade Fire - both NB and TS
Fleet Foxes - HB
The Shins - PoM
Broken Social Scene -FRR
The Antlers - Burst Apart

Yes. This. 100%. Blew me away, wasn't expecting such an awesome album after hearing Up All Night but it turned out to be the album that reaffirmed blink as my favourite band. Love it.

That’s just all old shit, man. Time goes on. The whole Futures thing, when we started making a record with Mark [Trombino], we were nowhere near ready to start making a record. It was an unfortunate result of a lot of bad decisions in the way things ended up. It doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t want to work with people who aren’t extremely passionate about their ideas and their contributions, as long as in the back of your head everyone knows they’re on the same side. Everyone’s trying to make the best song recording possible. Things can get really heated in the battle for that, but in the end everyone’s on the same side.

http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1934912

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations. After Absolution, they had nowhere to go but down, and they found a new stratosphere instead.

Honestly, for me, that album was The Black Parade from MCR. Three Cheers was an eye opener for me and I was praying their next release would be just as epic. Was not disappointed. Oh one more I just thought of! Catalyst from NFG. GREAT album!

underoath- disambiguation
tdwp - dead throne
circa survive - on letting go
la dispute - wildlife
the republic of wolves- varuna

New Found Glory - Stick and Stones
The Wonder Years - Suburbia
Punchline - 37 Everywhere

This x100. I expected it to be kind of "eh" since they only had a few good tracks on their debut but boy was I wrong. Such an underrated album.

Love this album so much. Didn't disappoint me one bit. It's actually exactly what I expected, and that's sometimes better than getting..an album that you didn't expect to be incredible because you're not letdown at all. Kalediscope will be one of my favorite blink songs

Saves the Day - Daybreak

A few that jump to mind for me that I had very high expectations for:

Eisley - The Valley
Emery - The Question
Mayday Parade - A Lesson in Romantics
Paramore - brand new eyes
Relient K - MMHMM
Saosin - Saosin
Underoath - Define the Great Line
Yellowcard - When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

Define the Great Line would probably be #1 for me. They were already my favorite band at the time, and the hype leading up to that release was pretty insane (video playing on MTV, constant articles and interviews, a leak of the unmastered version, etc). Totally surpassed my already sky-high expectations at the time.

AGE OF ADZ

Probably my favorite album of 2010 looking back now

damien rice - 9
matt nathanson - some mad hope
saves the day - daybreak
my chemical romance - danger days
william fitzsimmons - the sparrow and the crow

War All the Time.

Career Suicide.

Deja, but it took 10 listens.

Devil and God, but it took 2-3.

New Daytrader and MDaM records.

Kanye West - Late Registration
Fun. - Some Nights
The Format - Dog Problems
Hailey, It Happens - Aurora
Kendrick Lamar - Section. 80
Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
Menomena - Friend and Foe
Menomena - Mines
Mickey Factz - Mickey MauSe

and the one that exceeded it the most is Drake - Take Care

Blitzkid - Apparitional

true
although fighting the gravity is about the only song i ever skip when i play this album

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as for albums that exceeded/met my expectations...i'd have to go with the forever sickest kids self titled album, afi-december underground, say anything-anarchy my dear

and for some weird reason i have high expectations for the new mest album