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Music - Albums that are better than more popular releases by the same act


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Was listening to Blue Lines by Massive Attack and it struck me how much more praise their third album, Mezzanine, seems to get. Great tunes, of course, but I don't feel it's half as brilliant as Blue Lines.

Which got me thinking about albums which are more popular despite being (IMO) less good than others by the same people.

All subjective of course, but what are yours?

Mine:

- Blue Lines by Massive Attack - better than Mezzanine

- Music for the Jilted Generation by The Prodigy - better than Fat of the Land

- Vs by Pearl Jam - better than Ten

- Definitely Maybe by Oasis - better than what's the Story (Morning Glory)

- Most albums by R.E.M. - better than Out of Time/Automatic for the People

- Exit Planet Dust by the Chemical Brothers - better than Dig Your Own Hole or Surrender

- Better Living Through Chemistry by Fatboy Slim - better than You've Come a Long Way, Baby

- Rubber Soul and Abbey Road by The Beatles - better than Sgt Pepper or Revolver

 

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I would have thought Music for the Jilted Generation was commonly regarded as the Prodigy's best album. It's definitely better than Fat of the Land, although I prefer Experience to both.

Blue Lines is definitely better than Mezzanine but, again, whenever I've seen lists of the "greatest albums of all time" it's usually Blue Lines that gets the mention.

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Just now, DA-go Par Adonis said:

I would have thought Music for the Jilted Generation was commonly regarded as the Prodigy's best album. It's definitely better than Fat of the Land, although I prefer Experience to both.

Blue Lines is definitely better than Mezzanine but, again, whenever I've seen lists of the "greatest albums of all time" it's usually Blue Lines that gets the mention.

It's possible I've started from an erroneous premise. Still though.

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Just now, DA-go Par Adonis said:

Dunno mate, just my reading of the situation re those two bands.

Don't know enough about the others to comment. I agree re the Chemicals though, I just don't know what the common perception is.

Yeah, I could be way off. I just remember so much praise for Mezzanine at the time and in the years that followed, like it was revolutionary. 

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2 hours ago, Al k said:

Fleetwood Mac anything Peter Green era is greater than Rumours. Anything non Peter Green then Tusk is better than Rumours.

Beck The Information is better than Odelay or Guero.

Nirvana In Utero is better than Nevermind

That Nirvana one is a good one and I totally agree. Love In Utero.

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19 minutes ago, Digs said:

I don't think anyone regards What's the Story as better than Definitely Maybe? Not anyone who was there at the time at least. 

Agree on Versus over Ten. So many great songs on that, had it on the other day.

I'd had said Vitalogy knocks them both out the park.

Blur Parklife better than Blur

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2 hours ago, Digs said:

I don't think anyone regards What's the Story as better than Definitely Maybe? Not anyone who was there at the time at least. 

Maybe not better, but WTSMG was a lot more commercially successful  - 22 million sales vs 8.5m for DM. 

 

2 hours ago, Al k said:

I'd had said Vitalogy knocks them both out the park.

I really must give Vitalogy another listen - I wasn't really sold the first time I heard it, and I don' think there's been a second!

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12 minutes ago, SanguinePar said:

Maybe not better, but WTSMG was a lot more commercially successful  - 22 million sales vs 8.5m for DM. 

 

I really must give Vitalogy another listen - I wasn't really sold the first time I heard it, and I don' think there's been a second!

I've played it so much now i swear its a light weight vinyl as oppose to the heavy version i bought about 12 years ago. Hadn't listened to it again until i was 25 (from about 16)  and forced myself to listen to every cd i had as had been cherry picking songs on my mobiles SD card for years. Blew me away such a good album.

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26 minutes ago, Al k said:

I've played it so much now i swear its a light weight vinyl as oppose to the heavy version i bought about 12 years ago. Hadn't listened to it again until i was 25 (from about 16)  and forced myself to listen to every cd i had as had been cherry picking songs on my mobiles SD card for years. Blew me away such a good album.

Going to stick it on now, as I wait for Monday to end!

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