| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1729 Registered: 05-2005 |
This could be one of those posts that I could regret, but after listening to a good few albums tonight I thought "what happened to the killer opening track". Of course it could be argued that their are no killer songs anymore,but where are all the "Like A Rolling Stone"s, "Radio Free Europe"s,", "Teenage Riot"s, "Debaser"s,"Spring Rain"s,"Teen Spirit"s,"London Calling"s,"Disorder"s,"These Important Year"s - insert your own. Has their been a great opening track this year? | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1477 Registered: 04-2005 |
You might be on to something. I'm thinking back to the '07 albums I like, and none of them start with what I'd consider to be one of the standout tracks. Those closest I can think of is the National's "Boxer" opening with "Fake Empire," but it's not one of the most impactful songs on the album. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 774 Registered: 08-2006 |
I tent to agree, Kev, but I can think of a few killer openers of recent vintage. "Here Comes a City," anyone? | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 775 Registered: 08-2006 |
I tent to agree? Man, I need to hire a surrogate typist. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2116 Registered: 03-2006 |
I am totally sold on Boxer at this point, it's pretty much my favorite disc of the year, still, so I was going to mention "Fake Empire" as an example of a killer opening track. I realize it doesn't exactly take the breath away with its supreme rockingness, but it's very haunting and, by the time the horn section coda kicks in, transcendent in its own understated way. But pulling back to the macro view of the subject, downloading is slowly but surely killing the album as a format. The next generation down from most of the folks that post here is, I'm convinced, quite uninterested in buying whole albums, picking and choosing tracks from iTunes or wherever, when they're not just downright swiping them. So, I think that, eventually, artists won't bother packaging and releasing content as albums - everything will be bought and sold piecemeal. And, sadly, without albums, there won't be opening tracks. Which sucks. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 131 Registered: 05-2005 |
'Knocked Up', the opening track of the latest Kings of Leon album 'Because of the Times' is a gem. But I tend to agree with you Kevin that a lot of good albums that have come out in recent years do not start strongly. | ||
| Alfredo L Soto Member Username: Alfred_soto Post Number: 15 Registered: 05-2005 |
This year alone: Arctic Monkeys, "Brianstorm" Dizzee Rascal, "World Outside" Miranda Lambert, "Gunpowder and Lead" Tim McGraw, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" LCD Soundsystem, "Get Innocuous" | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 485 Registered: 04-2006 |
just two german examples: 'mein ruin' from tocotronic's album 'kapitulation' (2007) and 'lichterloh' from kammerflimmer kollektief's album 'absencen' (2005) and don't forget the opening tracks on the ....trail of dead albums especially on source, tags & codes: it was there that i saw you. o.k. i know they always have that strange intro songs/tunes... | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1730 Registered: 05-2005 |
Not being funny guys, but who will honestly be referring to these songs as great album openers in years to come? To be fair, its been a very poor year for albums and we're more than half way through July already. | ||
| Alfredo L Soto Member Username: Alfred_soto Post Number: 16 Registered: 05-2005 |
Who is this mysterious "who"? We consider great openers; that's all that counts. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 238 Registered: 05-2005 |
Maybe we've just heard too much music! It's been discussed before, but 19 year olds probably think something like the Arctic Monkeys is original and outstanding. I heard something on Triple J the other day that DID make me stop and listen. Don't know who it was, but it was fair to good indie rock with a rap over the top. Any ideas? British of course. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1648 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev, good thread point. I think its down to age my friend. The new generation know all the good tunes, and we, the old timers don't!! We're bound to be missing the next Jimi Hendrix, or the greatest album opener of '07! | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 700 Registered: 01-2005 |
"Adventure Rocket Ship" from last years Ole Tarantula by Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 is a cracker. Has anyone picked up the new Interpol album yet? It's sure getting great reviews. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1731 Registered: 05-2005 |
Michael - Interpols already been discussed on the Wilco thread (sorry that was my fault) and we unanimously panned it! | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 71 Registered: 10-2006 |
Don't know if it will live forever burning in the heart of Man, but Goodnight Rose fairly thwacks open the new Ryan Adams... |