Sticking Up For The Sophomores

The release of the latest Arcade Fire album (The Suburbs) got me thinking about the maturing of bands juxtaposed with the sometimes unwillingness of fans to approve of the band diverting their path from that of their first album. Case in point: Arcade Fire. Personally, I think The Suburbs is superb, and I like it more than Funeral or Neon Bible. I am probably not alone in thinking this, but I would be willing to bet a majority of Arcade Fire fans disagree. Funeral will, in some fans' eyes, always be the best album no matter what.

Arcade Fire even poked fun at this sentiment in an interview with Bob Boilen on NPR's All Songs Considered. To me, Will & Win's reaction was perfect. They definitely realize the importance and significance of their first album but also want to move on and continue to create new material. Go figure.

Of course there will always be debut albums that are considered classic - I think we can all agree that Parachutes is an amazing album - but I need to make a case for the great sophomore albums that have been made. In looking through my collection, I can find quite a few groups where I enjoy their second album more than the debut:

Radiohead: The Bends
Nirvana: Nevermind

Weezer: Pinkerton

Counting Crows: Recovering The Satellites
Muse: Origin of Symmetry
Ben Folds Five: Whatever And Ever Amen
eels: Electro-Shock Blues
Better Than Ezra: Friction, Baby

Guster: Lost and Gone Forever

Beck: Odelay

The Streets: A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique

There are a few keys to the superior sophomore album:

1) Maturity. Most groups have nearly 20 years (or more) to write their first album, and then they are expected to churn out a second, better, hit-filled album in the next 1-3 years. That's a tall order. I don't know what the formula is, but some bands just seem to have a knack for pulling it together quicker. And actually, some of the albums I listed aren't necessarily more hit-filled, but they resonated with critics and fans. Paul's Boutique is a good example of a superior second album with far less hits than the first.

2) Exploration on a Natural Path. The natural inclination of any group is to expand their sound after the first album. After playing those same songs for years on end, any group would want to change it up a little. While this feeling is normal, some fans may feel like a group has taken too much of a turn on their second release. Again, I don't know what the formula is, but an album like Origin of Symmetry is sonically more mature that Showbiz, and that is definitely a good thing.

3) Varied Production. Most of the albums I listed are sonically varied from the debut. Take Pinkerton as an example. The Blue Album has a nice polished garage fuzz to it, but Pinkerton felt more loose and jangly which, to me, feels more intimate and genuine. If a group can maintain their identity while expanding it through enhanced (or minimized) production, I say go for it.

4) Change. Don't attempt to re-create your debut.

With all of that said, there will undoubtedly still be bands whose debut is fantastic and never surpassed by subsequent albums. All I'm saying is give the sophomores a chance! They're not all bad.

Are there any sophomore albums you like better than the debut?

[Note: I realize The Suburbs is not Arcade Fire's sophomore album, but it was the crys of "Funeral is the best album ever!" that got me thinking.]

Portland Radio: opbmusic

I love radio. But I think most of all I love the idea of radio. Most of my listening these days is in the form of online streams or podcasts; however, none of this would be possible without the basic radio stations to program and broadcast the content.

Ever since high school I wanted to work at a radio station, and 94.7 NRK was the Portland station that sucked me in and made radio exciting. The music on the radio at that time (the late nineties) seemed fresh, and I was actually discovering new bands via the airwaves. I thought I would never find anything better.

Since that time my musical palette has expanded along with my radio taste and knowledge, and I realized my initial love for 94.7 was premature. There are much better radio stations out there, specifically two: KCRW in Los Angeles & opbmusic in Portland.

KCRW

I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and worked for college, corporate and non-profit radio stations. I played in bands and discovered a lot of great music beyond the scope of what would normally be played on traditional terrestrial radio. And then I found KCRW. KCRW is easily the most innovative, cutting-edge, forward-thinking radio station in the country. They have found a way to balance eclectic music, NPR and original talk programming in a way that is interesting and constantly entertaining. (There is also a 24-hour music stream: Eclectic24.) No city will ever have what KCRW is to Los Angeles or the music industry in general, but Portland is getting close with opbmusic.

opbmusic

When it comes to local Portland radio, opbmusic is setting the standard. Started by David Christensen and Jeremy Petersen a little more than three years ago, opbmusic does a terrific job of balancing local music with national acts on the weekly In House radio program (Saturday & Sunday nights from 8-11pm on 91.5FM). The only disadvantage is that they are on terrestrial radio for those 6 measly hours a week; everything else is broadcast online at opbmusic.org or via HD radio at 91.5-2. Portland needs opbmusic to be more of a presence in the local music scene. Everyone in or around music in Portland knows how amazing the scene is, but the way to promote it is lost.

There are many other local stations playing local music (see Local Cut’s extensive look at Portland radio), but opbmusic has the potential to become more. The balance of playing new, recent and upcoming releases among national and local artists alongside music relating to the thousands of shows that are coming to town is tough, but opbmusic is doing it. Their music library includes an amazing variety of music with a strong focus on local talent, and they have recently been expanding their online broadcast to include new volunteer hosts. These new hosts will bring their own distinct voice to opbmusic, which will keep the content unique. On top of that, opbmusic.org includes over 100 in-studio performances ranging from internationally known artists like Sloan to local up-and-comers such as Mimicking Birds. The foundation is solid; opbmusic just needs a bigger and more exposed platform.

I don’t believe a station has to be exclusively local to be a great local radio station. I am a fan of (and play keyboards in) a lot of local bands, but there are other bands I want to hear on the radio. This format – if you want to call it that – is exactly what opbmusic is all about: they support all things local while remaining relevant on a national level. This is the progressive, all-encompassing frame of mind that sets them apart from every other station in town.

Listen to In House and the online stream and see for yourself.

In House airs on OPB (91.5 FM) from 8-11pm on Saturday and Sundays nights. The online stream can be found anytime at www.opbmusic.org.

(Full disclosure: I was recently hired as a volunteer host for opbmusic. My show airs on Tuesdays online. Also, I worked as a volunteer at KCRW for a few years, but I can guarantee my opinion will be echoed if you give them a listen.)

Jamie Lidell

Jamie Lidell is a pre-tty pre-tty pre-tty awesome guy. I have been hooked ever since my friend Rebecca sent me A Little Bit More a bunch of years ago (long before the Target commercial).

Mr. Lidell has a new album, Compass, coming out May 18 with guest appearances from Beck, Feist & Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor (among others). Check out this video insight into the making of the album...can't wait!