I'm aware that I've written about Album Openers before but this time, I'll be looking at what mistakes to avoid when arranging your tracklist as well as reminding you of examples where an album has picked a spot on opening tune.
Once again, this is a work of opinion and there may be exceptions to the rules that I've forgotten about but if that turns out to be the case, feel free to educate me in the comment section or via Twitter.
DO make sure it reflects the rest of the album
Even if the band have released one or two singles from the album before it drops, the album opener will be the first thing fans listen to when they eventually purchase the record. Whilst lead singles are designed to get people interested in the album so they want to buy it, the album opener is only truly enjoyed after the sale is complete. If your album opener is weaker than the rest of the album (or is a shining diamond in a 40 minute slog of shite), you're already setting listeners up for a bad experience.
The same can be said if your album opener stands apart from the rest of the songs. Got an album full of Riff Based Hard Rock? Open on a "Highway Star" or "Rock Brigade" type number, something catchy with plenty of awesome guitar. Got an album that's meant to represent a return to your older work after a dodgy previous album? Open on a song that showcases hallmarks of your classic sound, "The Threat Is Real" or "The Getaway" being great examples. It sets the expectation for the listener and if they like what they hear, it'll make them more excited to listen to the rest of the album.
DO try to save your title track/lead single for later
Sometimes, these tracks make great album openers. "Help!" immediately springs to mind but that's an example of an album opener that follows the other Dos on this list. However, for the most part, title tracks/lead singles are better saved for later on. See, most albums have two or three main beats. Album opener, title track & lead single. These are your three most important songs and since your average album has about 8-12 songs, you want to space those out appropriately.
Combining two leaves a lot of filler tracks which can cause problems for mediocre bands so the safest option is to leave them until later, although more talented bands that are sitting on a goldmine of quality material can get away with this. For example, Metallica could get away with "Enter Sandman" due to it representing their slightly more commercial sound in The Black Album, not to mention the fact that when all's said and done, it's a pretty sweet track.
DO pick a brilliant song
This should go without saying but I know there are some musicians or casual readers who'll assume an artist will think "Well every song on the album is brilliant, otherwise why would I release it?" and use that as an excuse to pick any song to open the album. Trust me, if a band comes out with that, they're full of shit. Producers might try that one on but there's nothing wrong with having favourites in your own collection, or at least thinking "Yep, that song is not as good as that one". The album opener shouldn't just be any old song that sounds OK, it needs to be a highlight. However, it's important not to confuse what I'm saying here with the next paragraph...
DON'T pick the best song
Rookie mistake, this. For the same reason that you should avoid opening an album with your title track, opening the album on your greatest song sets the rest of the album up for disappointment as you'll never be able to reach that peak again. Granted that opinion is subjective and one fan's "best song ever" is another's "shitty sellout track" but there are some albums where you can tell the producer has singled out the strongest song to open a relatively dull or unimpressive album. On an unrelated note, here are some random albums!
Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne.
Redeemer Of Souls - Judas Priest.
Wasting Light - Foo Fighters.
Hidden City - The Cult.
The Ritual - Testament.
DON'T start with conversation/an outtake
Yes, I know I claimed "Kielbasa" - Tenacious D is a great album opener and yes, that starts with pointless conversation. However, I did claim that the rest of the song makes up for the weak intro and if it just started with the main melody, it'd be so much better. There are other album openers that contain a false start or a few seconds of pointless feedback/warming up, wasting time before the song starts, and those always hinder the listening experience. Sometimes album openers are a short tune that plays before the TRUE album opener ("The Hellion" before "Electric Eye", for example) and those are fine, provided they either don't go on too long or aren't too short to deserve their own track.
DON'T feel the need to show off right away
This is similar to an earlier point but applies more to individual band members. If the guitarist wants to push themselves and create a solo that will inspire young musicians for decades to come, they don't need to pack it into the first song if it doesn't fit. Start with a solo that's appropriate and write a song with an opulent three minute guitar odyssey for the second half of the album if that's what you want; just don't assume that if you have a point to prove as a new musician that it needs to be made in the first four minutes of the album.
I'm aware I still have a post to make up for and I am currently writing one that I'll publish when it's ready. For now, it's just one post for this week. Hope you enjoyed it!
Showing posts with label Album Openers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Album Openers. Show all posts
Friday, 19 August 2016
Saturday, 10 October 2015
Tenology: Amazing Album Openers
When I review an album on this blog, one of the first things I'll talk about is the album opener. The simple reason for this is because it's the first track you'll listen from the record but, as well as that, the album opener is designed to introduce you to the band's latest release.
Think of it like a new film that's just come out; the lead single from a new album is a two minute trailer whereas the album opener is the first scene after all the production company logos have been shown. If that opening scene is crap, you're less likely to enjoy the film than if the opening scene was excellent and that same principle applies to albums too.
If an album opener is boring or completely inappropriate for the overall sound of the following songs, you've already started on a literal and figurative dull note. Nailing track number one can make all the difference and this post is designed to celebrate the ones that got it just right.
As is often the case with Tenology posts, I'm not putting these in any particular order as there are still plenty of albums I want to listen to and almost certainly many album openers which are better than some of these choices. I'm also not counting any album openers from an album I haven't fully listened to, as it might be a great track but completely wrong for the start of the record.
However, out of every album opener I've listened to and can remember, these are the ones that stand out as being particularly awesome.
1. "Rock Brigade" - Def Leppard from On Through The Night
Most of you will know late-80's material from Def Leppard when they were aiming for an American audience with stadium anthems like "Pour Some Sugar On Me" but before they became huge, their material was had more of a rough-edged sound. Their riffs were more complex, the tracks had better rhythms (although points to the band for sticking with a one-armed drummer and still sounding pretty great) and the lyrics weren't all about generic topics that Hair Metal bands were making millions out of.
"Rock Brigade" perfectly encapsulates the bands talents in their youth with a perfectly layered and performed track that any Classic Rock fan is bound to tap their feet or bob their head to. In fact, On Through The Night is possibly one of my all-time favourite albums and the album opener is one of the reasons why. I definitely recommend this album to anyone who likes Thin Lizzy or Blue Oyster Cult style Classic Rock!
2. "Aces High" - Iron Maiden from Powerslave
OK, maybe I lied when I said I wouldn't discuss Iron Maiden for a while but don't worry, I won't spend long talking about this track. After all, I talked about the album AND this song in more detail here but I will say that it was a tough decision between this track and something like "Prowler" or "The Wicker Man". In the end, I went with my gut and picked something I'd previously raved about but if you've read my Iron Maiden album shout outs, you'll know I was pretty positive about most of the band's album openers over the years.
3. "Rock And Roll Preacher" - Slade from Till Deaf Do Us Part
Slade are mostly known for Glam Rock but in 1981, they decided to toughen up a bit and release Till Deaf Do Us Part, an album that likely inspired many Hair Metal and Hard Rock bands that followed. "Rock And Roll Preacher" combines the cheeky Glam sound from their 70's material with a heavier riff, some apocalyptic organ work and Noddy's rasping vocals that the band are arguably most well known for. The album itself is pretty decent and it has an awesome title track but it's definitely the album opener that steals the show here.
4. "Wake Up Dead" - Megadeth from Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
I was torn between this and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due", as both are fantastic album openers. However, whilst I rate Rust In Peace much higher as an album, I chose "Wake Up Dead" because of the unrelenting force behind the entire track. I love "Holy Wars" but once "The Punishment Due" starts, I tend to lose interest until the final solo starts again and yes, I know this track slows down towards the end but if you listen to it, you'll agree that it's hardly dull. In short, I felt "Wake Up Dead" acted as a better introduction to a collection of Thrash Metal than "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" but honestly, both tracks deserve spots on this list (so does "Skin O' My Teeth" from Countdown To Extinction).
5. "Kielbasa" - Tenacious D from Tenacious D
I tend to absolutely despise tracks with a false start or silly ending as they completely piss all over the rest of the song. It takes a truly outstanding track to make me forget about a duff start or look past an unnecessary ending and "Kielbasa" is one of those...sort of. If you know anything about Jack Black, you'll know any band with him in isn't going to take itself too seriously. The first song on an album with him on the front cover has got to combine awesome music with amusing lyrics, something the D seamlessly pull off in a tune unashamedly named after a dick. "Kickapoo" could also be on this list although if you haven't seen The Pick Of Destiny film, some of the magic may be lost on you.
6. "The Heretic (The Lost Child)" - W.A.S.P. from The Headless Children
If you made a Venn diagram for music with circles reading "Over five minutes", "Doesn't lose energy throughout" and "Doesn't rely on the same riffs until they're played to death", you'd probably be hard pressed to find a truly great Heavy Metal track that would fit between more than two of those choices...well, hard pressed to find one that ISN'T "The Heretic (The Lost Child)". Clocking in at over seven minutes, this album opener may seem a bit tiresome on paper but trust me, it's a hell of a ride from start to finish. I'd recommend the album to anyone who likes Heavy Metal and Hair Metal, as the two genres are combined perfectly here.
7. "Rock & Roll Feeling" - Styx from Man Of Miracles
Another album I've already discussed on the blog and with good reason. I said there that I loved this album and that includes the upbeat album opener. Having listened to the other Styx albums from the Wooden Nickel days, this is easily the best introduction to a Classic Rock/Prog album that sounds like the best song The Doobie Brothers never recorded. You could argue that it's not progressive enough to be a good album opener for Man Of Miracles but since the album is a fair split between Rock and Prog, it's not a bad decision to place this at the top of the track listing.
8. "Help!" - The Beatles from Help!
Maybe I'm biased because this is actually the first album I bought and listened to but "Help!" is definitely my favourite Beatles album and the title track could well be in my Top 10 or Top 20 favourite Beatles songs. It's a pretty simple track with some underrated guitar licks and a catchy rhythm. What's more, it isn't wasted on anyone who hasn't seen the film (which I still love watching now) and manages to stand up on its own feet. It may not be as instantly memorable as "Twist And Shout" or "Hey Jude" but it kicks off a great album on the right note.
9. "A.I.R." - Anthrax from Spreading The Disease
It's an unwritten rule that every Thrash Metal album (especially from The Big 4) needs to start on a fast paced, angry bastard of a track. "A.I.R." starts off a bit slow but not before long, every band member is pushing their skills to the limit. It's an explosive opening to a furious album and definitely beats any Metallica album opener, despite following a similar formula with soft starts and rapid riffing.
10. "Highway To Hell" - AC/DC from Highway To Hell
Everyone knows this track. Everyone. If they don't, they're not worth talking to about music. It's arguably the most iconic Rock song and whether you like it or not, you have to admit that it's the band at their best. What some people might not know is that the entire album contains similarly awesome tracks as well, although the title track introduces the whole thing. This is another example where I was torn between two songs from one band and in the end, I decided on this one instead of "Rock N Roll Train" from Black Ice, although if that album were released in the 70's instead of Highway To Hell, that track would probably be as overplayed as this one.
Those are my ten personal favourites of the ones that I've heard but since I had a list of 45 album openers to whittle down, here are some honourable mentions that would've probably made a top 20 (also in no order of personal preference).
"Back At The Funny Farm" - Motorhead from Another Perfect Day
"More Than A Feeling" - Boston from Boston
"School" - Supertramp from Crime Of The Century
"Demon Eyes" - The Answer from Everyday Demons
"Neon Knights" - Black Sabbath from Heaven And Hell
"Immigrant Song" - Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin III
"Highway Star" - Deep Purple from Machine Head
"I Live For The Weekend" - Triumph from Progressions Of Power
"Back In The Saddle" - Aerosmith from Rocks
"Let It Rock" - Bon Jovi from Slippery When Wet
If there are any album openers you feel belong on this list, let me know in the comments. I may have left them out because I haven't heard the whole album so chances are I'll agree with you. If that is the case, I'll have to give the rest of the album a try in future.
Think of it like a new film that's just come out; the lead single from a new album is a two minute trailer whereas the album opener is the first scene after all the production company logos have been shown. If that opening scene is crap, you're less likely to enjoy the film than if the opening scene was excellent and that same principle applies to albums too.
If an album opener is boring or completely inappropriate for the overall sound of the following songs, you've already started on a literal and figurative dull note. Nailing track number one can make all the difference and this post is designed to celebrate the ones that got it just right.
As is often the case with Tenology posts, I'm not putting these in any particular order as there are still plenty of albums I want to listen to and almost certainly many album openers which are better than some of these choices. I'm also not counting any album openers from an album I haven't fully listened to, as it might be a great track but completely wrong for the start of the record.
However, out of every album opener I've listened to and can remember, these are the ones that stand out as being particularly awesome.
1. "Rock Brigade" - Def Leppard from On Through The Night
Most of you will know late-80's material from Def Leppard when they were aiming for an American audience with stadium anthems like "Pour Some Sugar On Me" but before they became huge, their material was had more of a rough-edged sound. Their riffs were more complex, the tracks had better rhythms (although points to the band for sticking with a one-armed drummer and still sounding pretty great) and the lyrics weren't all about generic topics that Hair Metal bands were making millions out of.
"Rock Brigade" perfectly encapsulates the bands talents in their youth with a perfectly layered and performed track that any Classic Rock fan is bound to tap their feet or bob their head to. In fact, On Through The Night is possibly one of my all-time favourite albums and the album opener is one of the reasons why. I definitely recommend this album to anyone who likes Thin Lizzy or Blue Oyster Cult style Classic Rock!
2. "Aces High" - Iron Maiden from Powerslave
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-387782-1279333238.jpeg.jpg)
OK, maybe I lied when I said I wouldn't discuss Iron Maiden for a while but don't worry, I won't spend long talking about this track. After all, I talked about the album AND this song in more detail here but I will say that it was a tough decision between this track and something like "Prowler" or "The Wicker Man". In the end, I went with my gut and picked something I'd previously raved about but if you've read my Iron Maiden album shout outs, you'll know I was pretty positive about most of the band's album openers over the years.
3. "Rock And Roll Preacher" - Slade from Till Deaf Do Us Part
Slade are mostly known for Glam Rock but in 1981, they decided to toughen up a bit and release Till Deaf Do Us Part, an album that likely inspired many Hair Metal and Hard Rock bands that followed. "Rock And Roll Preacher" combines the cheeky Glam sound from their 70's material with a heavier riff, some apocalyptic organ work and Noddy's rasping vocals that the band are arguably most well known for. The album itself is pretty decent and it has an awesome title track but it's definitely the album opener that steals the show here.
4. "Wake Up Dead" - Megadeth from Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
I was torn between this and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due", as both are fantastic album openers. However, whilst I rate Rust In Peace much higher as an album, I chose "Wake Up Dead" because of the unrelenting force behind the entire track. I love "Holy Wars" but once "The Punishment Due" starts, I tend to lose interest until the final solo starts again and yes, I know this track slows down towards the end but if you listen to it, you'll agree that it's hardly dull. In short, I felt "Wake Up Dead" acted as a better introduction to a collection of Thrash Metal than "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" but honestly, both tracks deserve spots on this list (so does "Skin O' My Teeth" from Countdown To Extinction).
5. "Kielbasa" - Tenacious D from Tenacious D
I tend to absolutely despise tracks with a false start or silly ending as they completely piss all over the rest of the song. It takes a truly outstanding track to make me forget about a duff start or look past an unnecessary ending and "Kielbasa" is one of those...sort of. If you know anything about Jack Black, you'll know any band with him in isn't going to take itself too seriously. The first song on an album with him on the front cover has got to combine awesome music with amusing lyrics, something the D seamlessly pull off in a tune unashamedly named after a dick. "Kickapoo" could also be on this list although if you haven't seen The Pick Of Destiny film, some of the magic may be lost on you.
6. "The Heretic (The Lost Child)" - W.A.S.P. from The Headless Children
If you made a Venn diagram for music with circles reading "Over five minutes", "Doesn't lose energy throughout" and "Doesn't rely on the same riffs until they're played to death", you'd probably be hard pressed to find a truly great Heavy Metal track that would fit between more than two of those choices...well, hard pressed to find one that ISN'T "The Heretic (The Lost Child)". Clocking in at over seven minutes, this album opener may seem a bit tiresome on paper but trust me, it's a hell of a ride from start to finish. I'd recommend the album to anyone who likes Heavy Metal and Hair Metal, as the two genres are combined perfectly here.
7. "Rock & Roll Feeling" - Styx from Man Of Miracles
Another album I've already discussed on the blog and with good reason. I said there that I loved this album and that includes the upbeat album opener. Having listened to the other Styx albums from the Wooden Nickel days, this is easily the best introduction to a Classic Rock/Prog album that sounds like the best song The Doobie Brothers never recorded. You could argue that it's not progressive enough to be a good album opener for Man Of Miracles but since the album is a fair split between Rock and Prog, it's not a bad decision to place this at the top of the track listing.
8. "Help!" - The Beatles from Help!
Maybe I'm biased because this is actually the first album I bought and listened to but "Help!" is definitely my favourite Beatles album and the title track could well be in my Top 10 or Top 20 favourite Beatles songs. It's a pretty simple track with some underrated guitar licks and a catchy rhythm. What's more, it isn't wasted on anyone who hasn't seen the film (which I still love watching now) and manages to stand up on its own feet. It may not be as instantly memorable as "Twist And Shout" or "Hey Jude" but it kicks off a great album on the right note.
9. "A.I.R." - Anthrax from Spreading The Disease
It's an unwritten rule that every Thrash Metal album (especially from The Big 4) needs to start on a fast paced, angry bastard of a track. "A.I.R." starts off a bit slow but not before long, every band member is pushing their skills to the limit. It's an explosive opening to a furious album and definitely beats any Metallica album opener, despite following a similar formula with soft starts and rapid riffing.
10. "Highway To Hell" - AC/DC from Highway To Hell
Everyone knows this track. Everyone. If they don't, they're not worth talking to about music. It's arguably the most iconic Rock song and whether you like it or not, you have to admit that it's the band at their best. What some people might not know is that the entire album contains similarly awesome tracks as well, although the title track introduces the whole thing. This is another example where I was torn between two songs from one band and in the end, I decided on this one instead of "Rock N Roll Train" from Black Ice, although if that album were released in the 70's instead of Highway To Hell, that track would probably be as overplayed as this one.
Those are my ten personal favourites of the ones that I've heard but since I had a list of 45 album openers to whittle down, here are some honourable mentions that would've probably made a top 20 (also in no order of personal preference).
"Back At The Funny Farm" - Motorhead from Another Perfect Day
"More Than A Feeling" - Boston from Boston
"School" - Supertramp from Crime Of The Century
"Demon Eyes" - The Answer from Everyday Demons
"Neon Knights" - Black Sabbath from Heaven And Hell
"Immigrant Song" - Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin III
"Highway Star" - Deep Purple from Machine Head
"I Live For The Weekend" - Triumph from Progressions Of Power
"Back In The Saddle" - Aerosmith from Rocks
"Let It Rock" - Bon Jovi from Slippery When Wet
If there are any album openers you feel belong on this list, let me know in the comments. I may have left them out because I haven't heard the whole album so chances are I'll agree with you. If that is the case, I'll have to give the rest of the album a try in future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)