Best opening track sequence to an album

[Brighton TID]

We all know that the opening track, track 4 and track 9 are generally the high points of most albums.

However, sometimes you get a straight smack in the chops, with the opening tracks sealing the deal early doors.

For me, Elbow's Seldom Seen Kid has four openers of near perfection:

1. Starlings
2. The Bones of You
3. Mirrorball
4. Grounds for Divorce

Then there are a few fillers* before track 10, One Day Like This, kicks in.

(* when I say fillers, Elbow don't really do fillers as such, only just slightly inferior Elbow tracks).

It is actually quite rare to get a perfect album with no fillers at all. Eels' "Electro Shock Blues" comes closest to this for me, however.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

In my experience its all about track ELEVEN.

 

[Nathan]

Oasis - Definitely Maybe
"Rock 'n' Roll Star"
"Shakermaker"
"Live Forever"
"Up in the Sky"

Then for good measure it kicks in with Columbia then Supersonic.

 

[Brighton TID]

In my experience its all about track ELEVEN.

A lot of albums, particularly before the advent of the CD, don't have 11 tracks, therefore, your theory may be flawed.

 

[Brighton TID]

Oasis - Definitely Maybe
"Rock 'n' Roll Star"
"Shakermaker"
"Live Forever"
"Up in the Sky"

Then for good measure it kicks in with Columbia then Supersonic.

Was gonna mention this. I remember playing it in my car when it was first released and waiting for a crap track to come on. It never happened.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

A lot of albums, particularly before the advent of the CD, don't have 11 tracks, therefore, your theory may be flawed.

If they had, though, it would have been GREAT.

 

[Worthingite]

I personally think that Rumours by Fleetwood Mac is pretty solid throughout.

 

[Mowgli37]

Dark Side of the Moon:

Speak to Me
Breathe
On the Run
Time

 

[daveinprague]

Ive always enjoyed the "Rare Earth' album 'Get ready'
...Its not reggae, but, as the whole of one side is a single track, of a great tune, (Get Ready), it works for me..

 

[Badger]

We all know that the opening track, track 4 and track 9 are generally the high points of most albums.

We do? I can't say this has been my experience of albums. Is this something which is supposed to be common knowledge?

For me, The Killers - Hot Fuss has a CRACKING first 4 track line-up:

1. Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
2. Mr Brightside
3. Smile Like You Mean It
4. Somebody Told Me

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I think the opening 4 tracks on Pink Floyd's Animals is quite a good start to the album.

 

[keaton]

Oasis - Definitely Maybe
"Rock 'n' Roll Star"
"Shakermaker"
"Live Forever"
"Up in the Sky"

Then for good measure it kicks in with Columbia then Supersonic.

I was going to suggest this.

I'd add

The Stone Roses
1. "I Wanna Be Adored"
2. "She Bangs the Drums"
3. "Waterfall"


Elliott Smith's Figure 8
1. "Son of Sam"
2. "Somebody That I Used to Know"
3. "Junk Bond Trader"
4. "Everything Reminds Me of Her"

Vanishing Point - Primal Scream
1."Burning Wheel" – 7:06
2."Get Duffy" – 4:09
3."Kowalski" –

 

[happypig]

Give 'em enough rope:

Safe European Home
English Civil War
Tommy Gun
Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad

 

[scoobiewhite]

Mgmt - Oracular Spectacular

Time to pretend
Weekend Wars
The Youth
Electric Feel
Kids

5 tracks straight out of the top drawer. Shame about pretty much everything since!

 

[GolfingGull]

Rush : 2112.

 

[Return of the Rev]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2L4hL2IvUk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otJY2HvW3Bw




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyoW0tf6N-Q

 

[spring hall convert]

In no way a major fan of the band but the opening 4 to The Joshua Tree by U2 are a bit special

1."Where the Streets Have No Name"
2."I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
3."With or Without You"
4."Bullet the Blue Sky"

Faith No More - The Real Thing

1."From Out of Nowhere"
2."Epic"
3."Falling to Pieces"
4."Surprise! You're Dead!"

Both of those could be answers to a slightly different question as the records go massively downhill after the first 4.

 

[tinycowboy]

The Stone Roses
1. "I Wanna Be Adored"
2. "She Bangs the Drums"
3. "Waterfall"

Track 4 very noticeable by its absence! Someday, I will meet someone who says it's their favourite track on the album. Possibly.

 

[tinycowboy]

Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

1. Silence Kid
2. Elevate Me Later
3. Stop Breathin
4. Cut Your Hair

REM: Murmur

1. Radio Free Europe
2. Pilgrimage
3. Laughing
4. Talk About The Passion

Teenage Fanclub: Grand Prix

1. About You
2. Sparky's Dream
3. Mellow Doubt
4. Don't Look Back

 

[BBassic]

Jeff Buckley - Grace

1. Mojo Pin
2. Grace
3. Last Goodbye

A phenomenal start to an absolute masterpiece.