ipaul Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Does anybody else have a thing for the first track of an album? A lot of the songs I love seem to be the opener of an album. So much so that I don't really think it's a coincidence, more the way bands seem to go about making them. Some favourites: Lovely build up song filled with a slight anxiety/tension. Picked this one for similar reasons, just love the way the song keeps changing and is constantly on edge, so to speak. One of the very few songs where I really love it for the lyrics. Great atmosphere. Such an awesome riff when it kicks in. YES. Floored. The start of something truly great. That'll do for the videos, feel like I've already used too many. But other special mentions go to the songs Rocks Off, Black Dog, Sleep Deprivation, Europe Endless and Hunter. I'll probably think of more later...
Goafer Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Coheed and Cambria - Keeping the Blade My Chemical Romance - Look Alive Sunshine Just the spoken bit. Before the music kicks in (up to "Listen up") is the first track, then the rest is on Na Na Na.
Wesley Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Awesome thread. Also a little freaked out because I was thinking about this quite a bit this morning. I always wished that The Bends was the opening track on The Bends. But my favourite actual openers are: And...
Charlie Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 I used to have a smart iTunes playlist which automatically had the first song of every album in it. Fantastic playlist as you rarely get a bad first song of the album!
Jon Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Having thought about it, and looked through iTunes, i'm surprised at how many of my favourite songs are the first track of the album. Randomly going by the last 3 albums played on iTunes:
ipaul Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 I used to have a smart iTunes playlist which automatically had the first song of every album in it. Fantastic playlist as you rarely get a bad first song of the album! Why have I never thought of that before?! @ Wesley, good choices. Pretty much all Radiohead openers are just great.
S.C.G Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Interpol - Pioneer to the Falls One of the best opening tracks I've heard in a long time from what's considered to be the best album that Interpol have prodcued to date - Our Love To Admire - and is a decent track in its own right which sets the scene for the start of the album perfectly. The whole album flows really well generally but the first track in particular stands out for its all-round excellence, I'd highly recommend it to anyone even a little bit curious about the band as it's the first album that actually got me into them. I've had it since its release in 2007 and its never disappointed in the many times that I've listened to it.
chairdriver Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 I understand what you mean, often it feels like they've whipped up their best in order to stun. I hate posting loads and loads of youtube videos, so I'll just give you a list. If you have faith in me, you'll listen and enjoy. Some album openers I love: All I Really Want - Alanis Morissette In The Flowers - Animal Collective Hope There's Someone - Antony & The Johnsons Horse And I - Bat For Lashes Glass - Bat For Lashes Hunter - Bjork Blood Bank - Bon Iver French Navy - Camera Obscura La Jeune Fille Aux Cheveux Blancs - Camille Like A Star - Corinne Bailey Rae Money Changes Everything - Cyndi Lauper Here Lies Love - Florence & The Machine Here With Me - Dido The Long Way Around - Dixie Chicks So Sorry - Feist Time Will - Hercules & Love Affair Black Sand - Jenny Lewis Honor My Wishes - Joan As Police Woman Easy - Joanna Newsom Intro (Noche Sin Fin) - Juliette Lewis Moving - Kate Bush Little Favours - KT Tunstall Uummannaq Song - KT Tunstall Devil's Spoke - Laura Marling Fire Snakes - Laura Veirs Are You Satisfied - Marina & The Diamonds Get Lucky - New Young Pony Club Oh My Lover - PJ Harvey Angelene - PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love - PJ Harvey The Life & Death Of Mr. Badmouth - PJ Harvey Everything In Its Right Place - Radiohead Ode To Divorce - Regina Spektor S&M - Rihanna The Good That Won't Come Out - Rilo Kiley It's A Hit - Rilo Kiley In My Eyes - Robyn L.E.S Artistes - Santigold Fawn - Scarlett Johansson Maybe Angels - Sheryl Crow Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel Feels So Different - Sinead O'Connor Jackie - Sinead O'Connor I Was Married - Tegan And Sara Arrow - Tegan And Sara Give - Tori Amos Beauty Queen / Horses - Tori Amos Spark - Tori Amos Crucify - Tori Amos New Age - Tori Amos Bliss - Tori Amos Those in bold are the stunners that make the album for me.
jayseven Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 While I've quickly associated the entire album with memories of when i stayed with my girlfriend for three weeks (I'd listen to it daily on a walk to the shops and whatnot) and sessions of Darksiders... This intro really grabbed me. So mellow. I love the build up. Kind of a shame there's no repeat of such awesome instrumental in the rest of the album. Generally I like instrumental album starters like this.
ipaul Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 While I've quickly associated the entire album with memories of when i stayed with my girlfriend for three weeks (I'd listen to it daily on a walk to the shops and whatnot) and sessions of Darksiders... This intro really grabbed me. So mellow. I love the build up. Kind of a shame there's no repeat of such awesome instrumental in the rest of the album. Generally I like instrumental album starters like this. I was thinking of that one myself. Shame I don't really like the rest of the album, good as it is. On the theme of brevity:
Ganepark32 Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 (edited) The album opener is obviously important because if that fails to grab your attention, you're not in the right frame of mind to receive the rest of the album. Don't think I've ever come across and album opener that was bad. Anyway, one of my favourite album openers, from an artist with a sound and style that pretty much defines the marmite taste, i.e. love it or hate it: Truth be told, I love the entire album, although I have a special place for Shallot thanks to being a take on Tennyson's poem The Lady of Shallot. And I love this as an opener: Edited January 9, 2011 by Ganepark32
MoogleViper Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 My favourite Kings of Leon song. First song on Only by the Night.
tapedeck Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Radiohead's Kid A and OK Computer album intro's are stand-outs for me. Tracks are: Everything in it's right place Airbag Both are utterly sublime. 'Airbag' sets the scene for OK Computer's texture perfectly whereas Kid A opens with a strong synthesised statement. Wonderful. (Closing tracks are also usually astounding).
ipaul Posted January 9, 2011 Author Posted January 9, 2011 How on earth did I forget... Get Innocuous! Daft Punk Is Playing At My House Dance Yrself Clean. All of them are so friggin' awesome.
Dan_Dare Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 As emotional opening statements go, this is flawless. Absolutely sublime introduction to the album as a whole.
drahkon Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 How could I forget. Gorillaz - Intro (yeah, technically not really made by Gorillaz but it's still an awesome intro to one of the best albums of the last decade) Audio
Beast Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 My Chemical Romance - Look Alive Sunshine Just the spoken bit. Before the music kicks in (up to "Listen up") is the first track, then the rest is on Na Na Na. Was about to mention this, I love the way the album starts! I think my favourite is Kelly Clarkson- All I Ever Wanted which starts with My Life Would Suck Without You and Eminem- Encore, which starts with what sounds like Eminem about to go onto stage and then starts singing Evil Deeds.
S.C.G Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 (edited) Interpol - Pioneer to the Falls As emotional opening statements go, this is flawless. Absolutely sublime introduction to the album as a whole. I'm glad we agree... : peace: also any luck on finding the official video to it? I had to make do with the static - yet still sublime - coverart to the album. As a sidenote did you happen to catch their latest - self titled - album? It seems to have some decent tracks on it but it still doesn't touch the greatness of Our Love to Admire but then, I didn't exactly expect it to. Edited January 9, 2011 by S.C.G
Tellyn Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Love the completely over-the-top and powerful openers for Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations.
Dan_Dare Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 I'm glad we agree... : peace: also any luck on finding the official video to it? I had to make do with the static - yet still sublime - coverart to the album. As a sidenote did you happen to catch their latest - self titled - album? It seems to have some decent tracks on it but it still doesn't touch the greatness of Our Love to Admire but then, I didn't exactly expect it to. Interpol was ok, but not so memorable. Fittingly for a self titled album, it kind of felt a bit Interpol-by-numbers. It's no write off, but it didn't exactly stand out.
Dyson Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Someone mentioned Captain earlier, but it's got nothing on this opener: Whilst the obvious thing to pick up on here is the striking intro (which is frustratingly unavailable on YouTube), that's not what does it for me. It's the immense build up and the climax of the 'main' song that makes it feel as if you've just listened to an entire album (in a good way). This might be my favourite album opening track.
Fierce_LiNk Posted January 9, 2011 Posted January 9, 2011 Awesome thread. Also a little freaked out because I was thinking about this quite a bit this morning. I always wished that The Bends was the opening track on The Bends. Nooooo. Planet Telex is a brilliant opening. I love the first few seconds of that. I imagine a crowd in my head going "wooooooo" when they recognise it. I love album introduction songs, as well. They're very important. Like the first scene in a film. It sets the landscape for what is about to come. I really adore the first track on Definitely Maybe. Rock 'N' Roll Star. Its a classic as far as I'm concerned. Then, there's Slash 'N' Burn on the first Manics album Generation Terrorists. Both make me moist.
Recommended Posts