First albums that blew you away

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I think this topic could be fun as well as illuminating. Post debut albums by an artist that when you heard it for the first time it left you slack jawed because it was so damn good. There is no limit to how many you can post, so have at it. 

My first one is the first album by Polly Jean Harvey, better known as PJ Harvey.. Her first album, Dry, was so raw and powerful that I probably listened to it 4 or 5 times in a row to make sure my ears heard what they heard. I'll be back later after I give it a long overdue spin...

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Some excellent album posted above but some are not the first album by that artist. 

I remember when these "first" albums were released, damn good fun!

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> some are not the first album by that artist.

Well, "first" is kinda ambiguous in the context of your title, skifurthur. I read it as the first albums that blew me away. Whatever.

^

I can see the ambiguous nature of my post and apologize for not being more clear. 

Dire Straits

Pink Floyd's Piper

Led Zeppelin 1

 

Little Feat's first live album count?

First thought: The Band - Music from Big Pink. Played it 4 or 5 times in a row. Wow!

Led Zeppelin One

R U S H

Rest in Chaos by Hardworking Americans (their 1st album of original material)

X-Los Angeles

Santana

R.E.M.-Murmur (and also the preceding Chronic Town EP)

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Clash

New York Dolls

Ramones

Modern Lovers

Television-Marquee Moon

Bob Marley & The Wailers-Catch A Fire

A Tribe Called Quest-People's Instinctive Travels & The Paths of Rhythm

Surrealistic Pillow

Disraeli Gears

Never Mind the Bollocks

Catch A Fire

Meet the Beatles

Sex Pistols Never mind the Bullocks

Fresh Cream

Are You Experienced

 The first album I bought was a K-Tel special that feature Kung Fu Fighting, Rock the Boat, and Muscat Love. 

But the Stones Sticky Fingers and Led Zeppelin II were the ones a played over and over again

Lots of great first albums being posted including a couple I planned on posting later; Ramones and Televison's Marquee Moon.

Here's one that made it's way into a lot of people's collections that needed something fresh and different; including mine. 

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Zep I is the correct answer

Van Halen debut album is a very good answer.  Appetite for Destruction = great answer. 

I can't think of one specific album but as a whole probably the Woodstock movie blew my mind when I was young. 

For debut albums that were during my time

- Tracy Chapman eponymous (1988)

- Rhyme Pays, Ice-T

- Blondie eponymous (1976)

- Go-Gos, Beauty and the Beat

- Anthrax, Fistful of Metal

The bands first album? Boston

 

First time I listen to an album that blew me away? Pink Floyds  Animals

The album was out about 9 years and I bought it at the mall, I was 19. Went back to my newly built house (yes I built my house at 18) threw it on the turntable at 9pm on a Tuesday night.

I listened to that album over and over till 4am, absolutely mind melted blown away. 

To this day I'm looking and listening for that excitement I found that night in my dimly lit living room in PSL.

To me, that is what rock n roll is all about.

Oh, I can't forget:

AC/DC - High Voltage

I lived in Australia when that came out, and it's probably the first album that I really remember. They became huge in Australia, very quickly.

> debut albums

That's the phrase I was looking for.

The Pixies first album Surfer Rosa. Gigantic and Where is My MInd? blew mine.

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Magnolia Electric Co.

The self-titled debut of this group, that some argue is just the seventh Songs Ohia album, is stunningly good.  Jason Molina's masterwork before he succumbed to the effects of his alcoholism.  Do yourselves a favor and go find a copy to listen to.

 

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnolia_Electric_Co.

Moby Grape comes to mind.

Turns out it was the only great one.

Texas Flood
Old Five And Dimers Like Me
Enter The Wu Tang

 

good call on Moby Grape

Lotta young'ns around here.

Thanks, Mark.

Always thought their first and last were their best

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Turmoil & Tinfoil

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Billy Strings

Derek and The Dominoes. First and only studio album. 

Inner Mounting Flame

Chicago Transit Authority, my first purchase on Columbia Record Club.

Hot Tuna

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This album started my lifelong passion for the acoustic guitar. 

Boston ~ Boston

 

Not their first but Fantastic -- Kraftwerk ~ Autobahn

also LOVE Pink Floyd Animals

smileyyessmiley

Even though I suspect that some of the people who post on Viva may look down upon this album, it wowed me and a ton of others when they first heard it. 

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PINK FLOYD - meddle 

got me good (and im not a huge floyd fan....but) 

still goosebumbs whenever i hear fearless start up

(which isnt often)

Anyone who doesn't like Bat Out of Hell can fuck right off. The album is iconic.

The Police- Outlandos D'Amour is another mind blowing debut album.

>>> Anyone who doesn't like Bat Out of Hell can fuck right off. <<<

*Busy fucking right off*

Bat Out of Hell held my attention for a few weeks in high school, but blew me away? Not so much.

 Bat Out Of Hell wasn't Mr. Loaf's first album.

Bat Out Of Hell wasn't Mr. Loaf's first album.

True...kinda. Bat Out Of Hell was his first solo album. There was a group album released as Stoney & Meat Loaf previous to BOOH.

 

Here's one that still gets play at least once a month, often 2 or 3 times. 36 years ago and still in heavy rotation, Especially For You - The Smithereens

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Yep, Boston - Boston!

 

I meant that "fuck right off" comment in the nicest of ways. Paradise by the Dashboard Light might be the second most gloriously cheesy song ever written, eclipsed only by For Crying Out Loud.

Blows Against The Empire was a mind blower for me. While it isn't Kantner's first, it is the first album to use the name Jefferson Starship and I believe it was the beginning of the Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra (Perro) sessions. 

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Here's another debut album that not only blew my mind, it knocked my socks off and loosened a few of my fillings. Let me explain... About 2 weeks before, I had finally broken down and started buying CDs rather than vinyl. In my local independent CD shop, the owner recommended this new album based on his knowledge of my musical tastes. I had mentioned that I was a big Husker Du fan. Given that the shop had a full refund policy for 3 days, I plunked down my money and took this release home. I got home and was about to play it for the first time when I got a phone call from a friend who asked if I could house sit his home that was having extensive work done on it. He had to go out of town for a few days and didn't want the workers doing the renovations to be left alone because he had quite a few items in his home that were of extremely high value (museum quality furniture, artwork, etc.) He needed me to come over right away, so I packed a bag that included my new purchases and drove to his home. I knew he had a sound system that was top notch but I was not prepared for the system I was introduced to. It was located in a large room with full sound treatment, listening chairs and about as good of a stereo that money could buy. I don't remember all the components but I do remember the speakers; a pair of beautiful Klipshorns. 

After he left and I settled in, I pull out this CD out and entered a different universe. 

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The Flying Burrito Brothers-The Gilded Palace Of Sin

New Riders Of The Purple Sage

Loosen Up Naturally by the Sons of Champlin opened my mind to new horizons.
Big Pink by the Band was a new flavor I hadn't heard before.
Fresh Cream absolutely.
Live Dead was worn thin.

all the debut solo albums from CSN&Y members:

Croz: If i could only remember my name

Stills: Stephen Stills

Nash: songs for beginners

Young: Neil Young

Disraeli Gears

Are You Experienced

Zappa the one with Camarillo brillo

ELP the one with welcome back my friends

Wake of the flood

Meddle

Pearl Jam - Ten