May 2021 - Vinyl Spins Challenge Thread

Day 2: Difficult Second Album

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Their debut is fantastic, but I think they really knocked it out of the park for their follow-up, taking some of their trademark harmony sounds and combining them with influences like Van Morrison's Astral Weeks and Roy Harper's Stormcock. The result was a not-quite freak-folk masterpiece that voiced the ennui of a generation who grew up in the aftermath of 9/11 and entered adulthood in the midst of the Great Recession. A defining album for me in my 20s, coming out near the end of my time in university. This album could double for tomorrow's challenge, as it will mark ten years since its release on May 3rd and is a staple springtime record for me.

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Day 2: Difficult Second Album
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

For anyone who’s into hip-hop, this album needs no introduction. I think everyone can agree that Kendrick has become one of the most important figures in hip-hop history at this point, having released some of the most impressive conscious hip-hop of the 21st century. People were really impressed with his debut, Section.80, and they knew this dude was going places. When GKMC dropped, I was a senior in highschool, and this album got played like every fucking day, as I went along my merry business being a delinquent in an upper-middle class suburban town (in contrast to the lyrical content, which highlights life growing up in Compton, CA and the struggles that come with trying to merely survive while living in such a hostile environment).

Anyway, this album was a HUGE step up for Kendrick, and I can confidently say that it became an instant classic.image.jpg
 
Day 2: Difficult Second Album
Pick an album where you think the artist has made light of such notions and absolutely smashed it out of the park.

Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion

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Kiss was a great record but this one is what made her stand out as a true leader in the current pop music world

EDIT: Dang it, just remembered her debut was Tug of War. Updating:

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

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When given more freedom with her second album, she went out and handpicked her producers and made some really great tracks, including one of the greatest pop songs of the last decade
 
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Day 02: Difficult Second Album

Pick an album where you think the artist has made light of such notions and absolutely smashed it out of the park

Beastie Boys - Paul’s Boutique
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Coming off of their blockbuster debut The Beastie Boys could have decided just to give everyone a sequel and it probably would have sold like hotcakes but instead the boys decamped to LA, and Handed over the production to up-and-coming, song-splicing wunderkind’s, The Dust Brothers and released this, a masterpiece of an album. Though the album was critically lauded it didn’t sell particularly well at the time, though that had as much to do with an unsupportive record label as much as anything. Paul’s Boutique was the album where the Beastie Boys announced that they were more than just rude party bros, they had something to say and had began to develop their own voice in which to say it, setting the table for what would be a brilliant career.

Fun Fact about this video: The Beastie Boys blew everyone’s mind with this “live” Soul Train performance. I say “live” because on shows like Soul Train or American Bandstand the performances were all lip synced to the studio track. Well, The Beastie Boys decided to instead head into the studio and re-record “Shadrach” to include a seemingly impromptu shout out to the show legendary host, Don Cornelius. This caused the crowd to cheer and even the host question if they had somehow managed to preform the track live.
 
A bit late, but here we go...

Day 1: Workers Unite

A working class hero is something to be...

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - s/t

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A Canadian original pressing my dad picked up months ago that neither of us had the chance to play until today.
 
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Day 2: Difficult Second Album

Madonna - Like a Virgin

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Her first album was pretty successful, but this was the album that made Madonna a superstar, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and becoming her first album to top the album chart, also boasting four top 5 hits (with the title track becoming her first #1 hit)!
 
Wicked Dreamer said:
Day 2: Difficult Second Album

Madonna - Like a Virgin

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Her first album was pretty successful, but this was the album that made Madonna a superstar, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and becoming her first album to top the album chart, also boasting four top 5 hits (with the title track becoming her first #1 hit)!
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I was totally gonna play this but decided I should chill out on playing her records lol
 
Day 2 - Difficult Second Album
Built to Spill - There is Nothing Wrong with Love

Sophomore Classic.

My stepfather looks
Just like David Bowie
but he hates David Bowie
I think Bowie's cool
I think Lodger rules, my stepdad's a fool

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Day 2: Difficult Second Album

Feist - Let It Die

Her first, self-released album is pretty good, but on her second album her work becomes great.

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