i find it really difficult to listen to anything but a full album. there's a reason for why most artists order songs, and to get the whole picture, that's the only way to listen. "cities" by anberlin (from debut to *fin, there isn't a misstep) and the self-titled bayside cd are both two that come to mind for me. they're just incredible albums. also, "lifted, or the story is in the soil keep your ear to the ground" by bright eyes is one that demands a whole listen, as do most of their albums. the themes, both lyrically and musically, need to be heard as a complete piece.

I feel, as a listener, a connected album is more interesting and the anticipation of the next song in the same order takes the whole set of songs to a different lever..but as a musician, i think i would always prefer to make singles..or may be 2-3 connected songs max..i feel differently at different times and as the mood changes .the songs, the flow, the chord chart, everything changes..and anyway, it is always better to explore and surprise one self with different kinda songs ..
The album that i generally listen to without any shuffle would be 'Juturna' by 'Circa Survive'

Originally Posted by nrm8821

I'd have to go back and really listen. but that's exactly how I felt about Four Year Strong's full length

Four Year Strong are one of my least favorite bands for that very reason. I started on track 1, and then found myself on track 6 before I knew it. I feel like a lot of pop punk bands like that feel like they have to have some sort of hardcore energy about them so much so that its annoying. Fireworks has that problem. Set your goals used to have that problem, which is one of the very reasons why I love This Will Be The Death Of Us. Its not too hardcore, its a lot of really good upbeat pop punk, progressive at times but used correctly.

But the band that has that problem the most now-a-days would have to be New Found Glory. Catalyst was a badass pop punk album that at least sounded unique, because on albums like those, songs like Truth of my Youth and I Don't Wanna Know can exist alongside each other. On an EP, maybe not. Whether the sound is too different or the message of all of the songs come out incomplete, two songs like those wouldn't necessarily work together as well as they could.

To keep this on topic (since I feel like I kinda lost it), there are so many bands that put almost the same song with the same vocal style and the same progression and the same drumbeat one after another and thats when albums fail. I am a songwriter myself and the reason my band All of a Kind will probably never do an EP is because EPs limit an artist to an extremely small sample where the songs have to sound similar to each other, or else they just sound like a mix.

My defense towards that is this: there are x amount of notes and x amount of possible progressions. Most of them have PROBABLY been done before and there's not much new to be discovered. Thats why the most important part of the song is the arrangement. Personally, I use the F power chord a lot (E-1, A-3, D-3) but I make sure that when I do use it, its in the right place, has the right amount of impact without sounding monotonous.

For me, the definitive album where the songs are finally making sense to be lined up where they are would be Folie a Deux by FOB. The songs are awesome on their own, but together the message of the album is almost subliminal its that brilliant.

I read a comment here by somebody that they "hope full lengths don't die out". They will not. At all. Even if sub-par albums get released, there will still be full lengths. Thats a fact, but the rest is entirely my opinion so no hating plz.

My lord I rambled so much hahaha. I'll stop here.

Originally Posted by nrm8821

for me the first 4 songs of Mutiny! by Set Your Goals. I feel like they always need to be together. As well as Kill Me Quickly into A Subtle Dagger on Thrice's Illusion of Safety. I personally don't want to see an end to the album but it almost seems like we're going back to how it was before with single's being released. A lot of bands now are focusing more on EP's than full lengths

The entire Mutiny! album is one cohesive, great album. As much as I love This Will Be The Death Of Us, SYG will never create another album that has the flow and cohesiveness that Mutiny! has.

define the great line flows great

Originally Posted by nrm8821

sadly it's prolly about 50/50. New Found Glory made Coming Home so they could fulfill their contract at Geffen (I think) before making the switch to Epitaph

Not really. There was about 3 years between them being on Geffen and being on Epitaph. And Coming Home is a great album so I don't know what you're saying with that.

But this discussion is relevant to me this week because I told my roommate and a few others that I pretty much only listen to full albums and rarely use shuffle. After I said this he said I was a pretentious music listener for doing so. Sorry I like to listen to music the way the artists wants it to be.

Originally Posted by towrope

Without a full album we would never get ballads. I am thinking of New American Classic by TBS or The Secret by Emery.

An album allows bands to take more risks and challenge themselves - singles need to sell to the most people possible.

this.

The songs on Razia's Shadow segway perfecty into each other

Incubus - Make Yourself
Consequence/The Warmth

is the first one that comes to mind

Bonus Mosh Part II must always lead into A Deacade under the Influence or I'll feel thrown off. Pretty much listening to any album a lot makes you anticipate the songs flowing together, in my experience.

Originally Posted by nrm8821

I'd have to go back and really listen. but that's exactly how I felt about Four Year Strong's full length

Yeah, I'll agree with that album too. Don't get me wrong, I still like them but certain styles of music can only go so far.

Listening to any of Between the Buried and Me's Colors on shuffle on iTunes turns the song transitions into a mess, seeing as how it's essentially one long piece of music.

Also, "Chump" into "Longview" on Dookie doesn't sound right on shuffle.

Sometimes I've downloaded albums, and they're in the wrong order and I don't realize until I buy the album. That throws me all off, because I've been listening to it in the wrong order.

It happened to me with Relient K - MMHMM and Sherwood - QU.

"Attractive Today" and "Everything Is Alright" for sure.

Chump & Longview off of Dookie was what initially did it for me.