Big Letdowns: Controversial, Disappointing, or Awful Follow-Ups to Great or Popular Albums

Good points about G 'n' R! And yes, I bet Incesticide confused the heck out of many a grunge boy on Christmas morn '92.

 

Noooooooooooooo! While I like your description of it as "parlour warblings", I honestly can't regard Indiscreet as a "failed" follow-up, even though it certainly falls short of the previous two. Yes, its immediate predecessor, Propaganda is an undisputed masterpiece, and yes, Indiscreet is inconsistent, but it's still an intriguing and eclectic set of songs. I suppose the way I would see it is that, of that four-in-a-row on Island, it's possibly the one you'd be least inclined to listen to, given the choice. Having said that, there are those who don't like Big Beat, as they see it as too much of a departure towards "conventional" rock songs. Indiscreet might be "somewhat tedious", but it's still trademark Sparks, and Happy Hunting Ground is probably in my all-time Sparks Top Ten.

 

Chalk this one up as a technicality, then, for I can't disagree with anything you've said.

 

I've just seen this while going through the thread. I like most (in fact, pretty much all) of Boys Don't Cry, but I'm bewildered as to why she/Atlantic changed the track listing and the sequence for the vinyl version, even though it is unquestionably one of the loveliest LP pressings I have of a recent release. Andre Johray isn't deemed "good enough" to be on the CD proper, where it's reduced to being a bonus track, yet it makes the cut on the vinyl? Bizarre.
I suppose at the time, I was just glad of anything else from her, just to hear that voice again (the woman could sing the phone book), though I agree a new album is way overdue, despite her drip-feeding us the occasional download. I don't like Soulsville, Flyin' Shoes or Brave Awakening as much as the rest of it. However, I love PF Sloan, Home Thoughts From Abroad and Sara Smile, and Travellin' Boy is phenomenal.
I suppose my biggest grievance with it is that she screws up the lyrics of We Will, and nobody seems to have realised it.

 

Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans. At least Rick Wakeman agrees with me.......
I couldn't believe how much this album disappointed me at the time, coming hot on the heels of that masterpiece Close To The Edge, of which I enjoyed every minute. There's nothing on TFTO which moves me.

 

I adore Tusk. Fleetwood Mac could have simply recorded Rumors II. Instead, they did something totally mental. And a lot of it works as well as Rumors, and the stuff that doesn't is still weird and interesting.

Biggest letdown I ever had was fairly recent - Scissor Sisters Ta-Dah, the follow-up to their brilliant debut. That first record was like a smorgasbord of '70s and '80s pop - every track was catchy and clever and smartly produced. And the album opens up with great promise on "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'".

Aaaaaaannnd, then that's it. The rest of the album is pretty much ****. I haven't been able to bring myself to buy any subsequent releases, although Christgau likes Night Work, so maybe I should check it out...

 

Agreed. It feels overlong and messy.

Would also add the following:

Yes: Big Generator after 90125
Deep Purple: Who Do We Think We Are after Machine Head
Iron Maiden: No Prayer for the Dying (zzz) after Seventh Son. It has a few good songs that were ruined by the production, though they work OK live.
Black Sabbath: Mob Rules after Heaven and Hell (*ducks*) or even Never Say Die after Techical Ecstacy (I liked that one).
Dio: Lock Up the Wolves after Dream Evil
Rush: Roll the Bones after Presto
Pet Shop Boys: Release after Nightlife
Judas Priest: Poing of Entry after British Steel (even though I rarely play British Steel nowadays. Just too "worn out", as happens with most "hit albums" for me)

 

Agreed. It may have suffered a bit from double album bloat, but there's a wealth of fascinating material in there, particularly a lot of the Lindsay stuff. I appreciate the fact that he was willing to take chances at the peak of their popularity. If anything, the more safe, bland Mirage was the letdown.

 

I bought it on release day and remember being excited to see the current date. Then I heard the bloody thing

 

Oranges and Lemons has always been impossible for me to love, or even like very much. And I try every 5 years or so to listen with fresh ears.

Maybe I'll come around in 2019...

 

Focus released three masterpiece albums in a row, the third one being Hamburger's Concerto. It was followed by the truly disappointing Mother Focus; a unique album that shrinks on you the more you listen to it, and only has two great tracks (the title track and Focus IV).

 

I'm still pissed about Don't Tell a Soul.

Such an anonymous rush-job after the life-changing Pleased to Meet Me. The follow-up wasn't/isn't a terrible album--it's just a record without any real identity from a band with personality to spare!

 

Like a lot of folks, I was disappointed by The Bridge in 1986. Over time, though, I've come to appreciate it a lot more--as a snapshot of an artist coming to terms with unthinkable commercial success and celebrity. As a result it's not a warm and fuzzy album, but I like that about it.

 

Yeah, I actually think Big Beat was their first iffy release. There are some good songs on it, but the performances are so lifeless and generic.

I always think it's odd how frequently I hear people complain about "The Baby Song" as if it ruins Flip Your Wig. It's such a short tossed-off track that I find it hard to be bothered by it. We're not talking "Revolution 9" here (which I actually like BTW).

 

To be fair, the Game Theory track is called "Kenneth - What's The Frequency", and it's more an intro than a song. And, GT didn't exactly come up with the phrase.

I'm surprised it took so long for this one to get mentioned. It's by far my favorite FM record, but it definitely fits the "controversial" tag in the thread title. Heck, the single alone was "controversial".

 

Production issues aside, there are so many gems on that record. Heck, it's worth the price of admission for "The Mayor Of Simpleton" alone!

 

Although it's a favorite of mine, most would say Queen's Jazz that followed News of the World.

Also, AC/DC's Flick of the Switch following For Those About To Rock.

 

"Mayor of Simpleton" is the one Oranges song I loved then AND love now. Great tune--no doubt about that!

 

Man, I thought it was me. I get abused by a friend for not adoring that cd. 3 or 4 tunes hit me, and nothing else. And like you, I have really Tried!

 

Door to Door by The Cars after the popular Heartbeat City (neither are my favorites but HC was very popular and well made. Door to Door is pretty lousy)

 

Nope, I loved it, though it does peter out at the end. I got it from the start--Paul wants, for once in his life, to make a polished lp just like all the rock stars make. It was a fun diversion, like he wanted to do it just to f**k on the fans. A band that was built on confounding people and not meeting expectations, gives you the last thing you want or expect. It's with me at work this week coincidentally; I'll always look back on that concert with happy memories.
Before I joined here, I honestly never knew there was so much vitriolic HATE for the lp. I do get it, I guess.

 

I liked Chamleleon as well off of Pendulum, FWIW. But I generally agree that it was a disappointment. (Still not as bad as Mardi Gras though.)

 

To each his own, but I find O&L far outweighs the Dukes (which I also enjoy).

 

Queen - Hot Space after The Game.

The narrative goes (and maybe it was true) that Hot Space not only stalled their career in America, but absolutely laid it to waste. Which is a shame, because I think Hot Space is a pretty great album. It's a bit like Thriller with Freddie's vocal chops and Brian May's guitar.

Thing is, I'm not sure how highly regarded The Game was/is as an album (I like it, but that's me). It had "Another One Bites..." and "Crazy Little Thing..." so it was popular. But you don't hear too much about it beyond that.

 

A personal, extreme letdown was Catherine Wheel's "Wishville" following their excellent release "Adam and Eve". One of my favorites of the entire 90's.