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Which album is better?
100% "good" songs (none "great," but no clunkers) 43%  43%  [ 10 ]
75% "great" songs; 25% clunkers 57%  57%  [ 13 ]
Total votes : 23
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 Post subject: Generally speaking, which type of album is better?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:36 pm 
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Hair Trigger of Doom

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One with all good songs, or one with like 75% great songs and 25% clunkers? Please notice the distinction between good and great before casting your ballot.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:38 pm 
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I really like to listen to whole albums more than just single songs so I voted for option 1. I hate having to skip over crappy songs on an album.

Of course, it would really depend on how much of a quality difference there was between "good" and "great."


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:40 pm 
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A True Aristocrat of Freedom

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Damn, good question to which I can't answer immediately.

But probably 75% good to great, 25% crap...

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:47 pm 
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Gayford R. Tincture

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Probably option 2.

There have to be at least a few great songs for me to really care. I find a few weak songs are really easy to overlook - and often provide a sort of segue or break - on albums with really great songs.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:47 pm 
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I picked A. If an album has 3 or more clunkers, its automatic trade-in material for me regardless of how good the other songs are. I'm not a song person, I'm an album person and if I dislike enough of the album I'm not going to listen to it.

That said, does option "B" even exist in reality? I can't think of any albums that are 75% great and then have more than one clunker. I trade in a lot of stuff with 3 very good songs, 4-5 songs I'm mostly ambivalent about, and 3 clunkers. I can't ever think of coming across anything that's mostly great with 1/4 of it being awful. Give me examples of things that fit this description.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:48 pm 
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I'm a huge fan of "album as cohesive statement/idea" even if I know very well that better songs are on Summerteeth.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:49 pm 
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billy g Wrote:
does option "B" even exist in reality?


Sure, it does. I would say the new Loose Fur fits this criteria damn near perfectly. Seven of the 10 tracks are absolute gems, while the other three are sub-meh.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:49 pm 
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billy g Wrote:
I picked A. If an album has 3 or more clunkers, its automatic trade-in material for me regardless of how good the other songs are. I'm not a song person, I'm an album person and if I dislike enough of the album I'm not going to listen to it.

That said, does option "B" even exist in reality? I can't think of any albums that are 75% great and then have more than one clunker. I trade in a lot of stuff with 3 very good songs, 4-5 songs I'm mostly ambivalent about, and 3 clunkers. I can't ever think of coming across anything that's mostly great with 1/4 of it being awful. Give me examples of things that fit this description.


The first one that came to my mind is the first Ben Kweller album. There are 3-4 awesome songs and the rest I can take or leave...

Not sure why that's on my mind.

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Throughout his life, from childhood until death, he was beset by severe swings of mood. His depressions frequently encouraged, and were exacerbated by, his various vices. His character mixed a superficial Enlightenment sensibility for reason and taste with a genuine and somewhat Romantic love of the sublime and a propensity for occasionally puerile whimsy.
harry Wrote:
I understand that you, of all people, know this crisis and, in your own way, are working to address it. You, the madras-pantsed julip-sipping Southern cracker and me, the oldman hippie California fruit cake are brothers in the struggle to save our country.

FT Wrote:
LooGAR (the straw that stirs the drink)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:50 pm 
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If by "clunkers" you mean "awful", then I might have to change my answer.

But like billy g said, I'm not sure such a thing exists. I felt that the nature of this poll was the argument between "higher highs and lower lows" versus more evenly good but not great albums.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:51 pm 
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Hair Trigger of Doom

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Senator NMI LooGAR Wrote:
billy g Wrote:
I picked A. If an album has 3 or more clunkers, its automatic trade-in material for me regardless of how good the other songs are. I'm not a song person, I'm an album person and if I dislike enough of the album I'm not going to listen to it.

That said, does option "B" even exist in reality? I can't think of any albums that are 75% great and then have more than one clunker. I trade in a lot of stuff with 3 very good songs, 4-5 songs I'm mostly ambivalent about, and 3 clunkers. I can't ever think of coming across anything that's mostly great with 1/4 of it being awful. Give me examples of things that fit this description.


The first one that came to my mind is the first Ben Kweller album. There are 3-4 awesome songs and the rest I can take or leave...

Not sure why that's on my mind.


I think that may be a Ben phenomenon, because every album I've ever heard by Ben Folds contains songs I either love or hate -- no inbetween.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:51 pm 
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FT Wrote:
billy g Wrote:
does option "B" even exist in reality?


Sure, it does. I would say the new Loose Fur fits this criteria damn near perfectly. Seven of the 10 tracks are absolute gems, while the other three are sub-meh.


I haven't heard it but I'm guessing if its anything like the first Loose fur I wouldn't think there are any gems on it.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:51 pm 
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I did option two because what I have found is that when an album has 75% great songs, the one or two or three that are just ok that I normally skip over eventually fit into the album making the whole thing enjoyed. There are exceptions, but I have found that I get bored with 100% just good song albums more quickly than the ones where I get super excited about a handful.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:52 pm 
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Option 1 (100%): first, third Walkmen records
Option 2 (75%): Bows + Arrows


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:53 pm 
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Drinky Wrote:
If by "clunkers" you mean "awful", then I might have to change my answer.


Clunkers would be anything that falls below "meh." Not all clunkers are completely awful, but can instead just be stuff you could live without. Think anything 0-4 on a 10-point scale. Great would be 8-10, good would be 5-7.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:53 pm 
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billy g Wrote:
FT Wrote:
billy g Wrote:
does option "B" even exist in reality?


Sure, it does. I would say the new Loose Fur fits this criteria damn near perfectly. Seven of the 10 tracks are absolute gems, while the other three are sub-meh.


I haven't heard it but I'm guessing if its anything like the first Loose fur I wouldn't think there are any gems on it.


It's actually a much different project/whatever this time around. Less ambling/long songs. But still, very side project.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:55 pm 
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Hegel-Oh's Wrote:
I did option two because what I have found is that when an album has 75% great songs, the one or two or three that are just ok that I normally skip over eventually fit into the album making the whole thing enjoyed. There are exceptions, but I have found that I get bored with 100% just good song albums more quickly than the ones where I get super excited about a handful.


That's a solid response, Joe. Exactly what I'm looking for here. Trying to figure out whether a handful of "wow" (super excited) moments trump the complete absence of any lows.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:55 pm 
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Senator NMI LooGAR Wrote:
billy g Wrote:
I picked A. If an album has 3 or more clunkers, its automatic trade-in material for me regardless of how good the other songs are. I'm not a song person, I'm an album person and if I dislike enough of the album I'm not going to listen to it.

That said, does option "B" even exist in reality? I can't think of any albums that are 75% great and then have more than one clunker. I trade in a lot of stuff with 3 very good songs, 4-5 songs I'm mostly ambivalent about, and 3 clunkers. I can't ever think of coming across anything that's mostly great with 1/4 of it being awful. Give me examples of things that fit this description.


The first one that came to my mind is the first Ben Kweller album. There are 3-4 awesome songs and the rest I can take or leave...

Not sure why that's on my mind.


3-4 awesome songs and the rest take or leave doesn't equal 75% great, 25% awful or really bad.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:56 pm 
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A True Aristocrat of Freedom

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FT Wrote:
Hegel-Oh's Wrote:
I did option two because what I have found is that when an album has 75% great songs, the one or two or three that are just ok that I normally skip over eventually fit into the album making the whole thing enjoyed. There are exceptions, but I have found that I get bored with 100% just good song albums more quickly than the ones where I get super excited about a handful.


That's a solid response, Joe. Exactly what I'm looking for here. Trying to figure out whether a handful of "wow" (super excited) moments trump the complete absence of any lows.


If we move this to the rap section, me Cotton and Shiv could probably waste ther rest of my afternoon naming albums that have 1-2 good songs and the rest suck asshole in hell.

And for the record, the one good Ben Folds song is Army.

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Throughout his life, from childhood until death, he was beset by severe swings of mood. His depressions frequently encouraged, and were exacerbated by, his various vices. His character mixed a superficial Enlightenment sensibility for reason and taste with a genuine and somewhat Romantic love of the sublime and a propensity for occasionally puerile whimsy.
harry Wrote:
I understand that you, of all people, know this crisis and, in your own way, are working to address it. You, the madras-pantsed julip-sipping Southern cracker and me, the oldman hippie California fruit cake are brothers in the struggle to save our country.

FT Wrote:
LooGAR (the straw that stirs the drink)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:56 pm 
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all my favorite albums are imperfect so i go with the clunker answer

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:58 pm 
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I rarely find any albums to be 100% good. In fact, I'm escatic when I find one that is above 50%!

IMO, some recent examples of nearly perfect albums are:

Muse - Absolution
Spoon - Kill the Moonlight
PJ Harvey - Stories...
This new Secret Machines is a contender


Mostly though, I'm a singles guy.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:58 pm 
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A True Aristocrat of Freedom

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billy g Wrote:
Senator NMI LooGAR Wrote:
billy g Wrote:
I picked A. If an album has 3 or more clunkers, its automatic trade-in material for me regardless of how good the other songs are. I'm not a song person, I'm an album person and if I dislike enough of the album I'm not going to listen to it.

That said, does option "B" even exist in reality? I can't think of any albums that are 75% great and then have more than one clunker. I trade in a lot of stuff with 3 very good songs, 4-5 songs I'm mostly ambivalent about, and 3 clunkers. I can't ever think of coming across anything that's mostly great with 1/4 of it being awful. Give me examples of things that fit this description.


The first one that came to my mind is the first Ben Kweller album. There are 3-4 awesome songs and the rest I can take or leave...

Not sure why that's on my mind.


3-4 awesome songs and the rest take or leave doesn't equal 75% great, 25% awful or really bad.


My name is billy g and semantics get in the way of my entire existence.

Jesus dude...

How about "It's Only Rock and Roll"?! The only songs I don't really like are the title song and "If You Can't Rock Me" but the rest are awesome.

_________________
Throughout his life, from childhood until death, he was beset by severe swings of mood. His depressions frequently encouraged, and were exacerbated by, his various vices. His character mixed a superficial Enlightenment sensibility for reason and taste with a genuine and somewhat Romantic love of the sublime and a propensity for occasionally puerile whimsy.
harry Wrote:
I understand that you, of all people, know this crisis and, in your own way, are working to address it. You, the madras-pantsed julip-sipping Southern cracker and me, the oldman hippie California fruit cake are brothers in the struggle to save our country.

FT Wrote:
LooGAR (the straw that stirs the drink)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 6:59 pm 
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south pacific Wrote:
I'm a singles guy.


I would be, too, if "Dyslexic Heart" wasn't on there.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:05 pm 
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FT Wrote:
Drinky Wrote:
If by "clunkers" you mean "awful", then I might have to change my answer.


Clunkers would be anything that falls below "meh." Not all clunkers are completely awful, but can instead just be stuff you could live without. Think anything 0-4 on a 10-point scale. Great would be 8-10, good would be 5-7.


If 5-7 is good and 0-4 is clunker and clunker is below meh where is meh?

I don't mind a whole lot of songs on an album being just ok (eg I'm ambivalent towards them) if my tolerance is rewarded with a bunch of great songs. Something Else is one of my favorite Kinks albums almost entirely on the strength of Waterloo Sunset. But I'll agree with its critics that its not the most consistent Kinks album even if it has zero bad songs. However, if there are 3 songs that I actively dislike hearing whether you call them awful, bad, very bad or sub-meh then I'm not going to bother with the album.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:05 pm 
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I went with 'A', given the question, "which is better?' I'd take an album that I think is consistently good throughout compared with one that has some clunkers that I generally to skip over. That being said, I definitely see the argument. An album with 75% 'great' songs is awfully tempting as well.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 7:10 pm 
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billy g Wrote:
FT Wrote:
Drinky Wrote:
If by "clunkers" you mean "awful", then I might have to change my answer.


Clunkers would be anything that falls below "meh." Not all clunkers are completely awful, but can instead just be stuff you could live without. Think anything 0-4 on a 10-point scale. Great would be 8-10, good would be 5-7.


If 5-7 is good and 0-4 is clunker and clunker is below meh where is meh?


Meh is 4.1-4.9.

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