Vheissu on the list, but it didnt even make #1 on your AOTY list that year smdh


How's that Spill Canvas album holding up, Jason?

The first one that comes to mind for me is HelloGoodbye's Would It Kill You? Now that came out of nowhere. Still spin it daily.

The new album from The Ghost Inside met my high expectations, oh yes. Can't wait for everyone to hear it.

Originally Posted by randys950

true
although fighting the gravity is about the only song i ever skip when i play this album

----
as for albums that exceeded/met my expectations...i'd have to go with the forever sickest kids self titled album, afi-december underground, say anything-anarchy my dear

and for some weird reason i have high expectations for the new mest album

That and Love Is Dangerous I can't get over how awful that song is but just my opinion

As for my upper echelon, I would say these 5 made it in with the rest of the list being stunning follow-ups as well:

Thrice - Vheissu: I was far more into pop-punk & emo (e.g. TSL, STD, TBS) with Thrice being the only "heavy" band I really enjoyed. This album, however, made them my all-time favorite band and forever set me on new musical paths. I will forever be attached and indebted to this album and band for raising music to a new, previously un-reached level.

Underoath - Define The Great Line: Sure, I liked a few songs on Chasing Safety but it wasn't my cup of tea although it seemed to be just about EVERYONE elses... then this dropped on my head like a ton o' bricks! I had never felt the depth and complexity from any of their "metalcore" contemporaries and feel the same way today about their subsequent releases.

Brand New - TDAG: From June 2003 until November 19, 2006 I told myself "They hit their watermark on Deja and that was it." I thought they would continue to chase that sound the rest of their careers and they would continue to fall short. Just like a few months before though (see: above), I was proven wrong 100x over. This album redefined the band in my eyes as a group that could shrug off an entire scene and do what they wanted.

The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth: In a way, I feel like this album's keeper. I felt they had taken a bigger leap from album to album than any other band I’d followed. Sonically, it wasn’t a step away from but rather a giant leap forward. A lot of artists hyped this album but I feel like it went under the radar and to this day still is.

The Dear Hunter - Act II: The Meaning Of, And All Things Regarding Ms. Leading: The theatricality of Act I was original (as it could be) and interesting but sounds like a shotty 4-track compared to this truly amazing piece of work. It is a fully realized masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Saves the Day - In Reverie: Yeah, I said it!
Name Taken - Hold On: A quantum leap forward and a classic as it stands IMO
Finch - Say Hello to Sunshine: I had grown out of screamo after loving their debut and this hit the spot
The Bled - Found in the Sound: They expanded their sound while still equaling their beloved debut
Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors: Went to a level I didn’t think they could
Manchester Orchestra - METN: A stunning debut overmatched by its successor
Rx Bandits - Mandala: I still think Battle is my fav but I didn’t think they’d match it
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest: Yellow House was fantastic but they really stepped up
Thursday - No Devolución: One of my fav bands stepped up and equaled their classics with their swan song
I Am the Avalanche - Avalanche United: It was quite a wait but they did it... and then some

O'Brother - Garden Window: While I tried not to be too “prisoner of the moment” (while a couple from last year snuck in there) but this already feels like it will be a true classic for years (and years and years) to come!

Originally Posted by waltz_alone

Color Revolt - The Cradle
After the lineup change I was not sure what I was going to get, but this album killed it

I Am the Avalanche - Avalnche United
This album was many years in the making and was clearly worth the wait.

Agree whole-heartedly with both of these; props!

I bought The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me without having heard Brand New before; I just thought the cover art looked cool when I glanced at the CD in Best Buy. "Handcuffs" ended and I put the album on repeat for the next three weeks.

Most of mine have already been said but the ones that haven't:
Dear and the Headlights - both albums
Go Radio - Lucky Street

An odd one for me would be, Black Swan - Story of the Year.
Started listening to them and got addicted right after the prior release. I remember seeing the first advertisement in an issue of AltPress and freaking out. As soon as that opening scream broke the intro radio broadcast, all was perfect.

And I feel like I'm going to get ripped apart for this. Burning at Both Ends - Set Your Goals
I will always have a special spot in my heart for these guys. TWBTDOU is one of my favorite albums of all time, so obviously this was much anticipated. Maybe it was the experience over the actual music. But going to bed early, waking up and rushing to the store to buy the physical copy and finally putting into my car stereo. The opening riff put an instant smile on my face that never left.

Originally Posted by tacosforcharles

I remember going into Circuit City looking for that one as well, classic haha. I was on vacation when the album was released, had it pre ordered but couldn't wait to get back home so I bought it out there. Couldn't get enough of this when it was released.

I did the same thing for circa survive on letting go I preordered it. And it didn't come the day it came out in stores I broke down and bought it at best buy it was worth it.

Originally Posted by Larsfan

The first one that comes to mind for me is HelloGoodbye's Would It Kill You? Now that came out of nowhere. Still spin it daily.

This all day such a great album totally caught me off guard I listen to it a lot still as well can't wait for the follow up.

Every Kanye West album after TCD (Watch the Throne excluded)

blink-182, selftitled

Someone said hellogoodbye's Would It Kill You? and I think that's a good choice, though after everything the band had gone through between those albums I think my expectations ended up lowered in caution, but wow that album was great

Originally Posted by brook183

Kanye West - MBDTF.

I had never really gotten into any hip hop albums, but after listening to all the G.O.O.D. Friday tracks, I preordered this right away. Blew me away on first listen.

THIS.

I don't like Kanye at all but once I heard the G.O.O.D songs and MBDTF, I was sold finally.

Other recent albums that went past expectations are;

Now,Now- Threads:

I liked Cars and when I heard "Dead Oaks" I was excited to hear the full album. I figured the new album would be solid but holy fuck- it was so much more. It came out right when I had a insanely messy break up with a girlfriend of 3.5 years and this album spoke to me. I'm a huge Now,Now fan.. now ha. I'll be seeing them at the Bootleg Bar in LA next month!

Mansions- Dig Up The Dead:

It's obvious how big of a fan I am of Chris but this album is going to always be one of my favorites ever. I was a big fan of New Best Friends so this album was highly anticipated and the album blew all my expectations away. Every song is perfect. "Seven Years" and "Wormhole" give me chills, "You got cool" features one of my favorite lyrics Chris has ever wrote;

"You found God hiding underneath the stairs,
Popping pills you're making sure you say your prayers,
Convince that you've been cured
But you're alone just like the earth".

The album is amazing and if the next album is as amazing as Chase (Chris's manager) and Casey (runs Burning House Records- the label Chris is on) are saying the demos for it are... I'll die of happiness.

Yellowcard - Paper Walls
Fireworks - Gospel
The Story So Far - Under Soil And Dirt

I agree with so many of the albums people have already stated in this thread. Lots of great records.

I've got to go with Autopilot Off - Make A Sound.

They're my favorite band, so the expectations would have been high regardless. But what ended up being the album version of "Clockwork" had been floating around for awhile, and I enjoyed "What I Want" when they put the single out, so that added to it. I then saw them play a set consisting mainly of songs from that record about 2-3 weeks before its release, and my expectations shot through the roof. The album exceeded every one of them upon first listen.