Album Sides

I was just discussing this with my brother. He is only 25 while i'm 36, so i grew up with vinyl and he with digital. I too rarely know the songs on an album since i don't have the covers and liner notes to study anymore. Besides this, i don't know who's in what band, what they look like, how "creative" their artwork is, etc... All of this stuff added up to part of the bands' "feel" and image. With CD's, i just don't have the interest in "microscoping" all of the details that i did with LP's. Another point that you kind of touched upon is that with LP's, there was a "breaking point" to the music. With CD's, you either hit play and are "forced" to listen to the whole thing or "pick, choose & program" only what you like. While CD's tend to develop a certain "flow" for their length, LP's quite often had two different "flavors" from side to side. With the LP, you had a "small taste" and then could either choose to continue with that artist or move to something else. I think that this kept our "short" attention spans more readily than the 60 and 70 minute CD length. While some people might throw a tantrum about getting "cheated", i would rather have 30 - 40 minutes of an artists best cuts than 60 - 80 minutes of a bunch of filler. For someone to produce an entire CD's length of GREAT cuts nowadays, they truly must be talented. It was much easier for an artist when they only had to do it for 15 - 20 minutes at a time. Sean
>

I agree with everything stated above, but one thing I do like about CDs is the remote control. I can skip any song I don't like, or repeat any song I do. I use a 5 disc changer as a transport and I typically set it on random play/all disc.

I remember more vinyl in my youth that had no "b sides" like Led Zep's 1,2,3,4 Floyds Dark Side,Meddle and Wish You Were Here,ZZ Tops first 6+ Eliminator,Lynryrd Skynryds had no b sides on any releases,Robin Thrower Bridge Of Sighs,Sabbaths first,Alice Coopers Love It To Death,Killer and Bilion Dollar Babies,Aerosmith Self Titled,get Your Wings,Toy's In The Attic and Rocks,Blue Oyster Cults On Your Feet Or On Your Knees,Foreigners First,Fleetwood Mac Rumours,SRV has no b sides,Allman bros Eat A Peach,Live At The Filmore.AC/DC all the releases with Bon Scott and the first with replacement Brian Johnson.Jethro Tull Aqualung,I could name about 100 more that do not have b sides and have to admit i miss the feeling of having that new record in my hand and discovering the who ,what where and why that went along with these records as well as the art work.Sonics aside,i think the cd's them selves seem colder and lord knows i do not give them the love and attention i used to give my vinyl versions.SACD may be a worthy replacement for vinyl but nothing will ever replace alblum covers.

I've always maintained that the way the first side of R.E.M.'s second LP, Reckoning, flows together as one is just transcendent. Unfortunately, the second side falls short of the first. Yeah, I've got to agree that the second side of Blonde on Blonde is also amazing.

You nailed some great ones with Blonde on Blonde, Abbey Road (my all time favorite album side) and Moondance(I play that at least one a week). Being a stones fan, I love side one of Exile on Main Street(Rocks off, etc...) and side 4 of same album. Any side of Pink Floyd's The Wall. Robert Palmer's Sneaking Sally through the Alley, Side 1. Who's Next by the Who, Side 2.