Thoughts on the double album

Meta wrote: In my opinion, most double albums would be better off as singles. Too often bands resort to filler to extend the length.

Certain bands like TFK are quite an extreme band and bash their music out every year.  But seem now to have  got quiet.  Flower Kings were too much to handle for me, good music much of the same.  IQ's Subterranea's album is pure brilliance.  Every track quite unique and different, but keeping that Subterranean feel to that album..

In olden days, double albums made record companies and artists more money. That's all.

I thought we were talking about progressive rock, not classical?

I think going "Right, I need a double album ! Let's write 1h and a half of music !" is doing it a bit wrong (*cough*Ayreon*cough*cough*) except when you're Yes and you can write TfTO. But it is sometimes welcome (Happiness is the Road) and even needed (Grace for Drowning, The Wall ...)

Overall I'm more inclined to give them a negative review - it's a risk to be taken, but I don't dislike double albums as a sub-category.

I'm going to have to agree with Meta on this one.  I like the idea of a double album, but I think most bands just don't have that much good material for a double.  The only double albums I can think of that I like are:

For me it all depends on the music. If it was Metallica and Lou Reed's laughable and heinous attempt at avant-garde rock with their little crapsterpiece, Lulu, then no . If it was an album such as The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway by Genesis, then more of that please !!

Hi,

aginor wrote: the first three Chicago albums where Double albums,

Generally, I don't have a problem with double album, full length CD album, or even double full length CD albums.  If a bands style does not appeal to me, then I'm not going to want to listen to ANY length album they care to release.  Sure, on long albums I often find a song or two that I find "weaker" than the rest, but that is just my opinion and doesn't reflect on the quality of it for anyone else.

Since the Flower Kings get mentioned here a good bit, I should probably point out that according to their main composer, Roine Stolt, he usually has another CD worth of material that didn't make the cut for the album.......even the double albums this was true, apparently.  Some might not believe such prolificness is possibly, but there it is (he plans to possibly add some of this material as bonus tracks when the whole catalog is re-released in the near future).  I often find that I love stuff that many people refer to as "filler".  My opinion is, if the artist put it there, then it's there for a reason, even if I don't understand what that could be.  I don't, after all have to listen to it if it doesn't appeal to me (which, of course, applies to any and all music).  I do sympathize with people who find it a struggle to get through a double FK's album.....it can be difficult to focus on the music of one band for 2 hours (or more).  I don't always want to hear the entire Unfold the Future album, for instance, but will play selected tracks or one of the two disks instead.  I don't see this as any sort of problem or drawback of the album and am glad to have all those songs to choose from and listen to as I see fit.

The most interesting "filler" is Lucky Man, which was added to the first ELP album because they didn't have enough material to fill up side 2, so Lake broke out a song he wrote at age 12.  Emerson didn't like it, so didn't participate in the recording of it (his moog solo was "noodling" according to him, and he hadn't intended to have it on the album).  It went on to be their most famous song and biggest hit.  Go figure.  So a song that was truly "filler" (according to the band members, anyway) went on to be their most iconic song.......not to proggers, of course, but that's beside the point.


Edited by infandous - June 15 2012 at 12:50