In the category of debut albums, I do have to nominate Boston, though I'm no longer into that music as I once was. Not only was their first album and enormous commercial success, the story goes that it was essentially a meticulous home recording that required very little in the way of post-production for its commercial release. If that is true, it is an astonishing feat, especially in the days before inexpensive digital quality home recording systems.

The other album that leaps to mind (and is also a strong candidate for the false hopes category) is Rickie Lee Jones' first album. I listened to that one just the other day, and I still think it's great. According to AMG, she did releaese some impressive stuff later in her career, but I think she's flitted between genres to the extent that she has been lost in the mix.

And while I'm at it, two more debut albums that I really loved were Crowded House and the Bodeans' Love and Hope and Sex and Dreams. But I don't expect that either of those albums garnered enough critical acclaim to appear on any definitive lists.



Mike