> when a "perfect" or near-perfect album is followed by a less exceptional performance it makes the second look bad even though it might be pretty good on it's

> when a "perfect" or near-perfect album is followed by a less exceptional performance it makes the second look bad even though it might be pretty good on it's own The Cars, Boston, and Van Halen come to mind (though as somebody born in the early 90s I would argue that VH II is _superior_ to their debut even if saying so is heretical).