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Harsh album track juxtapositions
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Gordy View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 03 2025 at 13:33
The Faust Tapes!
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Steve Wyzard View Drop Down
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I've just been reminded of two more examples from Peter Gabriel's So album:

"Sledgehammer" followed by "Don't Give Up"
"Mercy Street" followed by "Big Time". 
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Points: 24636 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote someone_else Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 15:44
One of These Days followed by A Pillow of Winds (Pink FLoyd - Meddle)
Cirrus Minor followed by The Nile Song (Pink Floyd - More)
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(at least) two of those listed were, originally, at the end of side one of vinyl lp and the start of side two (and also cassettes) so that gives a 'natural' break when an album was conceived so any perceived incongruity was created by the whole running together in the CD format.

Kings of Speed by Hawkwind was recorded as a stand-alone single along with their version of the track Motorhead as the 'B' side.. i think it was added to the lp fairly late in the production of the album, perhaps to lighten the mood a bit.. but i agree, as good a 'single' as it is, it jars a bit as the closer on the end of side 2.  

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Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

Contrast is, of course, necessary on an album. Otherwise, all the songs would sound basically the same. I've used the word "harsh" to suggest that in some cases, the contrast can be difficult or glaring enough that it interrupts the "flow" from one song to the next. I realize that sometimes this is done intentionally to make a statement, or that sometimes songs are just thrown together on an album to fill the run time. My original idea was to mention those occasions when two consecutive songs on an album are just so different that the effect is neither positive nor negative, but rather "stunning".  That's the best way I can think to describe it.
 
Ok, so contributions to this thread shouldn't just be contrasting tracks but especially jarring (for the want of a better word) juxtapositions.
 
Anyway, I've said before that I don't think "Kings Of Speed" belongs on Hawkwind - Warrior On The Edge Of Time as the style of this track just doesn't fit the style of the rest of the album.
 
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Steve Wyzard View Drop Down
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Originally posted by I prophesy disaster I prophesy disaster wrote:

Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

Harsh album track juxtapositions

What am I talking about? Harsh album track juxtapositions occur when:

1) a bizarre, experimental song is followed on the album by a sweet, simple song (or vice versa)
2) a loud, fast, ferocious song is followed on the album by a quiet, stately song (or vice versa)
3) an amusing, joke track is followed on the album by an intense, serious song (or vice versa)
4) a mind-blowing epic is followed on the album by a commercial pop song (or vice versa).
 
I'm not sure that I agree with the concept. What you are describing is contrast. But is contrast necessarily harsh? I think that contrast can be very effective and beneficial. Contrasting sections within a piece of music can certainly be used to great effect.
 


Contrast is, of course, necessary on an album. Otherwise, all the songs would sound basically the same. I've used the word "harsh" to suggest that in some cases, the contrast can be difficult or glaring enough that it interrupts the "flow" from one song to the next. I realize that sometimes this is done intentionally to make a statement, or that sometimes songs are just thrown together on an album to fill the run time. My original idea was to mention those occasions when two consecutive songs on an album are just so different that the effect is neither positive nor negative, but rather "stunning".  That's the best way I can think to describe it.      
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I prophesy disaster View Drop Down
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Points: 4918 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote I prophesy disaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 13:31
Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

Harsh album track juxtapositions

What am I talking about? Harsh album track juxtapositions occur when:

1) a bizarre, experimental song is followed on the album by a sweet, simple song (or vice versa)
2) a loud, fast, ferocious song is followed on the album by a quiet, stately song (or vice versa)
3) an amusing, joke track is followed on the album by an intense, serious song (or vice versa)
4) a mind-blowing epic is followed on the album by a commercial pop song (or vice versa).
 
I'm not sure that I agree with the concept. What you are describing is contrast. But is contrast necessarily harsh? I think that contrast can be very effective and beneficial. Contrasting sections within a piece of music can certainly be used to great effect.
 
No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man.
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Points: 37232 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 11:50
Swans' Children of God is the first album to come to my mind (I could think of plenty of Swans examples) from the harshness of "New Mind" to the melodicism and fragile beauty of In My Garden. Then "Oor Love Lies" To "Sex, God, Sex" etc. Lots of contrast in the album, especially with the Michael Gira and Jarboe contrasts.
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Points: 12395 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Grumpyprogfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 11:40
21st Century Schizoid Man followed by I Talk To The Wind.
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Points: 18576 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 11:28
First thing that comes to mind, after ELP above:

King Crimson: "Cat Food" followed by "The Devil's Triangle," from In the Wake of Poseidon.
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Points: 2835 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steve Wyzard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2024 at 11:13
What am I talking about? Harsh album track juxtapositions occur when:

1) a bizarre, experimental song is followed on the album by a sweet, simple song (or vice versa)
2) a loud, fast, ferocious song is followed on the album by a quiet, stately song (or vice versa)
3) an amusing, joke track is followed on the album by an intense, serious song (or vice versa)
4) a mind-blowing epic is followed on the album by a commercial pop song (or vice versa).

I am not limiting the possibilities to only prog, which is why I am posting this under General Music Discussions. Here are the best examples I could find:

The Beatles: "Revolution 9" followed by "Good Night", The White Album.
The Beatles: "Within You, Without You" followed by "When I'm 64", Sgt. Pepper.
Queen: "Sheer Heart Attack" followed by "All Dead, All Dead", News of the World.
Yes: "Sound Chaser" followed by "To Be Over", Relayer.
FM: "Riding the Thunder" followed by "Nobody at All", City of Fear.
Keith Jarrett Trio: "You Won't Forget Me" followed by "Butch and Butch", Bye Bye Blackbird.
Simple Minds: "The Kick Inside of Me" followed by "Shake Off the Ghosts", Sparkle in the Rain.
Pink Floyd: "Seamus" followed by "Echoes", Meddle.
Mike Oldfield: "Taurus II" followed by "Family Man", Five Miles Out.
E.L.P.: "Benny the Bouncer" followed by "Karn Evil 9", Brain Salad Surgery.

What are the best examples you can come up with?  
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