"Are our standards for album sequencing more restrictive"
than they were in the past?
I been trying to figure out, why doesn't it bother me that, say, Stevie takes you from an emo torch song like "Too Shy to Say", to an r&b dance joint like "Boogie On Reggae Woman", to another rather melancholy love song like "Creepin'", to an aggressive funk jam like "You Haven't Done Nothin'" with very minimal transitioning?
I know that the songs on Fulfillingness' First Finale are dope, and I know that dope records are still being made, so this post is not intended to sink down into "because the music was better back then" kind of reasoning, but what holds older albums like that together?
side note: On Nas' Life Is Good album, I feel like if the songs were sequenced more effectively, "Summer on Smash" is the only song I wouldn't like. As it is, "World's an Addiction" and some others can be difficult to sit through, even though they're good records.
4. "RE: I don't think so...I believe sequencing can take an album from good ..." In response to Reply # 2
>If they're spaced out and more evenly placed, it's not even a >question. >
Is that what it is? Does FFF succeed by not placing "Too Shy", "Creepin", and "They Won't Go" back to back?
Because sometimes if you follow a light, fun record with something heavy, I'm not ready to hear the heavy one yet, and I wish the artist had put another kinda medium record or two in between to ease the transition of mood. I guess the whole post is about the fact that the relatively abrupt moves from slow ballad to funk jam to dramatic message song don't really bother me on older records, and I can't put my finger on why that is.
>There are also albums that do a nice job of transitioning >different styles and genres while still being cohesive. >There's a beauty in that.
6. "There are two things at work here though..." In response to Reply # 4
1 the sequencing ofsongs as far as moods and tempos are concerned
2 the sequencing of songs as far as quality is concerned.
I wasn't clear above...I think Life Is Good suffers because the over quality of songs drops in the middle and forces you to skip. If you have mediocre-not good -mediocre song right in a row, it's glaring at you and hurts the overall album.
If those mediocre songs were sandwiched between good and great songs you would more than likely listen through. Which is what I think you were implying by saying you would only not like Summer On Smash.
The reason sequencing didn't matter with Stevie is because ALL those songs are of high quality. At the end of the day, if you have quality records, you're good and people won't care about the sequencing.
If you have more highs and lows then sequencing becomes crucial.
As far as sounds and moods go, I still think it serves the album better to transition everything together nicely. It makes it more of a complete work as opposed to a compilations of singles.
Joe Corn Mo Member since Aug 29th 2010 15139 posts
Thu Feb-12-15 05:00 PM
5. "most albums don't completely hold together as albums. " In response to Reply # 0
even critically acclaimed concept albums have pretty lose concepts.
nobody ever explained what the "concept" of sgt peppers is. "What's going on" is relatively focused (on side 1). but even that meanders. "Songs in the key of life" flows in a dream logic sort of way... but still, what's the concept.
the most focused albums that hold together under close scruitiny as albums either became a concept album without trying to be (1999, prince) or work as cohesive albums because of a unified production sensibility (blueprint, jay z, kinda; illmatic, nas, definitely)
the achievement of kendrick lamar's good kid maad city was that it actually had the story arc of a movie... with a protagonist, relatable side characters, and a coheren beginning, middle, and end.
but that's super rare.
if all the songs on an album are dope... that's a miracle.
but even back in the day, albums weren't as coherent as we misremember.
7. "bilal "1st born second"" In response to Reply # 0
i'm picky about sequencing.
and the one example that always comes to mind when i think of albums that really could've benefitted from better sequencing is bilal's "1st born second".
my main gripe was how it ended.
i remember 'round here when everyone first heard "second child" off the advance, they were calling for it to be the closer. and maybe when heard by itself, it seemed like a good idea cuz it's such an epic song. like his "purple rain."
but in the context of the final album, it just left me feeling sad and empty. "smile" didn't end with "ms o'leary's cow/fire". it ended with "good vibrations." "brown sugar" didn't end with SDMF--it ended with "higher."
i liked "second child" right smack dead in the middle of the album. that's more badass. shit, put "sometimes" and "second child" back to back! we can recover with "home" or "soul sista".
and end the album with "love poems". leave me wanting more. give me some longing.
9. "RE: bilal "1st born second"" In response to Reply # 7
In regard to 1st Born Second, I felt as though that album needed trimming and a bit more polish. Sequencing was a big thing on it though as well. It had stronger songs near the tail-end of the record and the sequencing did throw me off (among a few other things).
I wonder if the push for shorter album lengths in recent years is a consequence of more conscious sequencing efforts.
>In regard to 1st Born Second, I felt as though that album >needed trimming and a bit more polish. Sequencing was a big >thing on it though as well. It had stronger songs near the >tail-end of the record and the sequencing did throw me off >(among a few other things).
i agree. i would've cut "for you" "fast lane" "sally" and (gulp) "reminisce". the two dre tracks seemed kinda forced to me. and guru's "certified" set my expectations sky-high for what jay dee could give bilal--that song sounded like a bilal track that guru hijacked, whereas "reminisce" sounded like a common track donated to bilal.
and that would clear space for my BIGGEST gripe about the album--giving us the edited version of "slyde". FUCK. the ending of the OG version of "slyde" was the best part of the advance.
> >I wonder if the push for shorter album lengths in recent years >is a consequence of more conscious sequencing efforts.
8. "There's more than one way to sequence an album" In response to Reply # 0
it's not always about tempo or energy. It can be about tone, or vibe, or subject matter, or any other things that can be used to hold an album together.
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
-DJ R-Tistic- Member since Nov 06th 2008 51986 posts
Thu Feb-12-15 10:12 PM
10. "I personally never cared much about sequencing until posting here" In response to Reply # 0
and seeing how the overall flow can make you enjoy certain albums more.
For me, it's not really about knocking albums that don't have a great sequence...but some album sequences really make the album great. Like with GKMC, if I heard 3-4 of those songs randomly assorted or on shuffle, I just wouldn't expect the whole album to be a classic. The sequencing on there, along with skits, is basically perfect...because I don't even think there's many standout songs as there are on an Illmatic or Doggystyle.
11. "life is good makes me thankful for itunes..." In response to Reply # 0
...or anything that makes it easier to do my own sequencing. i actually think whatever standards have arisen for sequencing offer opportunities for artists and listeners alike to be more creative with it--shake things up, subvert expectations. conceivably, one can take the same set of songs and make something different wholes of the parts. tetsuo & youth is a good example.
i'd like to use this post as an opportunity to say i'd like to hear how mama's gun was thought to have come out before the last-minute re-sequencing. as i understand it, the songs were meant to play into each other. i haven't tried listening to it with the sequencing written in the liner notes. i think i may do that now.
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
The Lesson
