Perfect Debute Albums

Tatw,

Props on New Radicals, you beat me to it. I'll add Joe Jackson Look Sharp and Marshal Crenshaw (eponymous).

Marty

Coffee's mention of Eels reminded me of E and his solo debut "A Man Called E". Much less mannered than Eels (so maybe less interesting to some), but utterly pure pop/rock songwriting in the vein of The Beatles. Along with his other solo effort, "Broken Toy Shop", a great record of this type.

Always wondered how these remained so obscure even after Eels achieved their cult success. BTW, Mark O. Everett (the man called E) had a fantastic songwriting partner who peforms under the name Parthenon Huxley or P. Hux. Great solo stuff there, too including another great debut from his short lived band, Veg. That one rocks a bit harder than most from P. Hux and is on my list of outstanding debuts, too.

Marty

Yet another Mumford supporter. Best debut that I can recall in well over a decade.
I'll also add The Feelies eponymous first record to the list.

Just a few more:

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
Elvis Costello - My Aim is True
Bruce Springsteen - Greetings From Asbury Park
Marshall Crenshaw - Self Titled

and some more post band/solo debuts of note:

Paul Simon - Self Titled (He recorded a different debut album before joining Simon & Garfunkel, but this was the first commercial release)

All Things Must Pass - George Harrison

Graham Nash - Songs For Beginners

Meet John Doe

Ghost,

Glad you like some of the stuff that moves me. Always cool to find a kindred musical soul.

It's strange, but I still remember exactly how I found the E solo records (and the trail that followed):

In the late 80s/early 90's, I lived at 8th and Broadway in NYC and used to browse the cut-out bins at the used record stores lining the south side of St Mark's Place. I saw "A Man Called E" priced at 88 cents and bought it on the vague recollection of a good write-up in Stereo Review (of all places!). I was completely blown away and ran back for Broken Toy Shop - also 88 cents. Blown away again. To this day, I'd number them among the best of the power pop/rock hybrid records that I own.

Some time later, I happened to notice that someone called Parthenon Huxley co-wrote a bunch of songs on the E debut and picked up "P Hux Deluxe" - another stunner in the same style. The subsequent EELS CDs have IMHO included some all-time favorites (Daisies of The Galaxy, Blinking Lights), some losers (the last three releases) and some in-between. P Hux has been the same deal - some great (VeG, Deluxe) some less great.

That one impulse purchase almost 20 years ago is still resonating today. EELs have a new one due next February and I'll be all over when it arrives (albeit with a preview on MOG, this time.)

Marty