Bring back the EP
It's quite simple - brevity is the way to go in the art of music-making. How many great albums stretch over anything more than 10-11 songs? And how many recent albums can sustain their quality over anything more than 6-7 tracks - if they even get past the opening three-track salvo and declining quality thereafter that plagues most modern albums? Very few indeed. With the rise of downloading leading to a receptiveness to new thinking in the way music is released, and with many proclaiming the album as we know it dead, I would suggest a return to reasonably priced EPs, with quality (hopefully) kept higher over a few tracks, and (hopefully again) a reduction in filler. Artists could also theoretically release them at more regular intervals and in more innovative fashions, whether by download or in interesting new sleeves. Worth thinking about at least, I think. Any thoughts?
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I like what I've heard of this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Follow-Lights-Ryan-Cardinals-Adams/dp/B000VZC4DK...
Kind of the same
Which is more or less the same as this:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=267760964...
Agreed
I'm with you on this one.
I was happy to hear on the podcast that the new REM album will be only 35 minutes long.
Interesting
For their own sake, I hope they can cram their obvious creativity into a more focussed album across that time; they've really suffered to show more than flashes for the last decade or so.
I'm in complete agreement
Over the years, I've said so many times about so many albums "It'd make a good EP".
Having said that the idea of an EP today does differ slightly from the old 4 track vinyl EP's. When you do see one now, it's more of a mini album with 6 or 7 tracks.
I think this is interesting
I've just bought a CD from iTunes. I paid 79p per track for a 12-track album. Experience suggests that four of those tracks will be worth more than the other eight. In which case, why not put it out as a four track EP but charge a pound a track? If a band had to choose to be represented by just four tracks, wouldn't they make sure those were the best? And wouldn't we, in turn, be prepared to pay for them?
Not quite the topic, but...
I get annoyed with iTunes' "Album Only" stipulation. For example, I have no interest in hearing, much less owning, any songs on Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II; except for the bootleggers' Holy Grail, the 18 minute Ordinary People. Instead of iTunes refusing to sell it to me, why don't they just charge more for songs that, say, exceed 7 minutes or something?
Not sure if I am allowed to say this
but entering any album you want and adding the words 'megaupload' or 'rapidshare' in the google search will usually bring it up ASAP. It took me about 30 seconds to find that Neil Young album.
Hope this is useful to some but please delete if this causes any offense.
iTunes pricing
Don't get me started on iTunes pricing. I wanted Music for a New Crossing by Andy Sheppard and Kathryn Tickell. Despite it being labelled as an EP, iTunes priced it at the standard album price: £7.99. Sod that for a game of soldiers: I ended up getting it from Wippit for £2.46.
Yes Yes Yes
I don't want to hear track 8 on the Maximo Park album. I don't think the Kooks really need 13 or 14 tracks on their first album. Just give me your best four tracks and come back when you've got some more really good songs.
Forget the EP even. Just pop a couple of tracks on your website and say 'there might be a couple more next month, we're working on it.'
The album should be only for those that can come up with a Coherant whole, e.g Radiohead.
(I've been mulling this subject around with friends for some time.)
Radiohead
I agree re Radiohead - one of the few bands left who can come up with a complete tracklisting that sounds like it was meant to sit together, and retains a high quality mark, the overly-long Hail to the Thief aside. The band has admitted that OK Computer is two tracks too long (which it is), produced the genius of Kid A over only ten tracks (leaving Pyramid Song off!), and left one of Thom Yorke's favourite new songs, Down is the New Up, off (the brilliant) In Rainbows 'because it didn't fit'. You have to admire them, though there are, of course, many here who don't.
Magic Numbers Ep
The recent Magic Numbers EP was nice. 6 songs, leaves you wanting more.
ep phone home!
Also 10 inch ep's looked cute as well!
Honeydrippers
Someone bought me one of those frames into which you slot an album cover and hang it on the wall, so as it's right in front of me...
The Honeydrippers Volume One. Just your six tracks of R&B classics, 45RPM and the size of an album. Guitars by Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, as they used to say, handling the vocal duties. Smart cover too.
Sadly there was never a volume 2.
The Cocteau Twins had it sussed
Surely the Cocteaus seemed to understand the beauty of the ep better than any other band? Fifteen minutes seems a nice digestible sized chunk of time for casual listening, it leaves you wanting more, unlike most albums which leave you feeling sated (like having the same thing for starter, main and dessert).