The Follow-Up I Had to Have

Dave's Side One · Sep 13, 2026 · 5m

A great first album can make the second one feel almost automatic. In today's episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave remembers buying Toto’s Hydra because the band’s debut had already earned his trust. Radio offered obvious entry points in “99” and “White Sister,” but Dave’s relationship with the album wandered elsewhere. He loved the groove of “Mama,” the introspection of “Lorraine,” and the orchestration and ambition of the title track. That is the interesting thing about a follow-up album. The first record gets you through the door. The second asks whether you’re actually going to follow the…