An artist’s style takes time to develop. We can’t expect anyone to know precisely how to express themselves from the get-go. We must give our favorite musicians the space and grace to find their sound. Though fans may not have known it at the time, the three rock debut albums below were only practice runs for their artists. They don’t sound anything like what came next. They were merely stepping stones that helped some of our favorite rockers earn their spot in the big leagues.
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Greetings From Asbury Park (Bruce Springsteen)
When he first launched onto an unsuspecting music scene, Bruce Springsteen was heralded as the “New Bob Dylan.” While that label would later fall out of use as his popularity as a rough-and-tumble rocker flourished, his debut album certainly reflected it. Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., sounds nothing like the rest of Springsteen‘s material, with its limited production, sprawling lyricism, and simple sounds. It doesn’t even find a kinship in Nebraksa, Springsteen’s acoustic effort. In hindsight, his debut sounds like it comes from a different artist entirely.
David Bowie – David Bowie
Davie Bowie never did the same things twice. He was only contented by complete 180s. If he did extraterrestrial rock one year, he would do dark and dingy funk the next. Perhaps that is what makes his self-titled debut album so jarring. It’s an entirely straight effort from an artist known for thinking outside the box. David Bowie didn’t consist of the strange, warbly sounds we are used to hearing from this rock legend. Instead, it sounds like an industry-compiled list of songs meant to epitomize the era in which they were released. Anyone could’ve made Bowie’s debut record, and Bowie wasn’t just anyone.
Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac
The fact that Fleetwood Mac’s first record holds little resemblance to their later works was inevitable. When you change your lineup as drastically as this band did, you’re bound to bring in some new flavors. While most of the world thinks of Fleetwood Mac in its Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham iteration, they first went through their “Peter Green era.” Green was committed to his blues inspirations. Their debut album reflects that. As the band changed hands, so went that sonic direction. We can’t say which version of the band is inherently better, despite there being no competition in terms of popularity. There are many Green fans out there who see this debut as a shining moment in Fleetwood Mac’s storied history.
(Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)
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