So I wasn't seeing it wrongly, Matt? The horizon IS tilted a little in the first? To the right, just a tad? I was almost going to get out my ruler to prove it, but if your (much younger than mine!) eyes see it too, then: yes. Photo 1 is really crisp, well composed, well spotted and exposed ... but the horizon is not quite level.
And why does the poor kit lens the cameras come with always have to suffer from so much negative commenting on them, when these photos show that you can create good photography with them?