Rare albums where the 2nd half is BETTER than the 1st

[Mellotron]

Low by David Bowie. Massively. After that I'm struggling.

Oh and ( ) by Sigur Ros. Superb final 3 tracks.

 

[marcos3263]

Misplaced Childhood by Marillion. First side has Kayleigh and Lavender so is the well know side, other side is so much better. Childhood End is an anthem and a life motto.

 

[Nitram]

Led Zep III
Meddle Pink Floyd, Echoes but they do have One of these days as the first track, so maybe not.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

The National's 'Trouble Will Find Me' only really gets fully going for me until 'This Is The Last Time'.

That said, it's a great album start to finish.

 

[Mowgli37]

Meddle Pink Floyd, Echoes

Was just going to put that. Meddle is an enormously underrated Floyd record, every track on the disc (okay, every track bar Seamus!) is of a high standard and as for Echoes well, its certainly one of their all time top 5 tracks.

 

[big nuts]

Good question because I can't think of many obvious ones and even the ones I'm listing you wouldn't say it was clear cut:-

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig

The Strokes - Is This It

 

[BadFish]

Abbey Road

 

[Mr Icicle Boots]

Difficult question when you start to think about it. I'll go with Bruce Springsteen's The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle. The second side combo of Incident On 57th Street and Rosalita was epic when i first heard and still is now.

 

[Albumen]

Is it rare though? Often the introspective tracks are on side B (or now sides C&D). Usually the first track on side B is perky, then the rest, especially the last track are the most interesting.

 

[tinycowboy]

Thunder, Lightning, Strike - The Go! Team
Hey Babe - Julianna Hatfield
Brighten The Corners - Pavement

 

[rcf0712]

Stone Roses

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

London Calling. Side 2 is better than side 1.

 

[Mellotron]

Is it rare though? Often the introspective tracks are on side B (or now sides C&D). Usually the first track on side B is perky, then the rest, especially the last track are the most interesting.

Depends what you want from an album.

 

[Del Fenner]

I immediately thought Meddle. Have to agree all tracks are good, but Side 2 is outstanding.

Also agree with Abbey Road.

 

[spring hall convert]

Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine

 

[Dan Aitch]

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love.

 

[studio150]

London Calling. Side 2 is better than side 1.

London Calling/Brand New Cadillac/Jimmy Jazz/Hateful/Rudie Can't Fail on side 1 or Spanish Bombs/The Right Profile/Lost in the Supermarket/Clampdown/The Guns of Brixton on side 2. Personally would say that side 1 just wins, but the whole album is near prefect and one of the best double albums ever.

 

[Albumen]

Depends what you want from an album.

True true, the immediacy of the first side is usually how you attach yourself to it.

 

[Buzzer]

Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'.
Portishead 'Dummy'
New Order 'Substance'

 

[Driver8]

Radiohead - The Bends.