Alright, I did a quick search through the topics here, and I didn't see any threads on the subject of album openers. Soooooo, I decided to start one. If there is another thread on this subject, then I'm sorry. Anyway...

WHAT ARE THE BEST ALBUM OPENERS?!?! I know that we often have more insightful and critical topics than this, I definitely occasionally like to read a "fun" topic. Also, although this topic could be extended to a large degree (i.e. we could talk about Pink Floyd and Wish You Were Here's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but obviously this forum is called "Indie Rock" for a reason). That being said, I don't think we need to limit ourselves that much. I say we include non-indie artists that we often talk about....such as Tom Waits, Talking Heads, Eno, Nirvana, Velvet Underground, etc.

Anyway, here is my list, which clearly isn't a complete list...rather, it's primarily the favorites of the groups I've been listening to more recently:

"A Life of Possibilities" - Dismemberment Plan's Emergency and I
"Sentimental Man" - Dismemberment Plan's Change (I've saw The Dismemberment Plan play a few times before they broke up, and I've heard the reason why they never played this at shows is because Travis Morrison couldn't replicate the vocals)
"4" - Aphex Twin's The Richard D. James Album
"Breadcrumb Trail" - Slint's Spiderland
"Singapore" - Tom Waits's Rain Dogs
"Stereo" - Pavement's Brighten the Corners
"Frownland" - Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica
"Pinch" - Can's Ege Bamyasi
"You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son" - Wolf Parade's Apologies to the Queen Mary
"Stadiums and Shrines" - Sunset Rubdown's Shut Up I'm Dreaming (Clearly, I think Spencer Krug has a knack for writing openers)
"Let's Move to the Country" - Smog's Knock Knock (Wonderful mellow lead in song)
"See No Evil" - Television's Marquee Moon
"Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads' Speaking in Tongues
"Broken Witch" - Liars' They Were Wrong So We Drowned
"Everything In Its Right Place" - Radiohead's Kid A
"Untitled" - Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights
"Random Rules" - Silver Jews' American Water (This very well may be the best of the bunch IMO)
"Debaser" - Pixies' Doolittle
"Pole Position" - Folk Implosion's Dare to be Suprised
"Yeti" - Caribou's The Milk of Human Kindness
"Dummy Discards a Heart" - Deerhoof's Apple O'
"Leaf House" - Animal Collective's Sung Tongs
"Panda" - Dungen's Ta Det Lugnt
"Strange" - Built to Spill's Ancient Melodies of the Future
"3rd Planet" - Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica
"Teeth Like God's Shoeshine" - Modest Mouse's The Lonesome Crowded West
"Fight Test" - The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
"The Kind of Carrot Flowers, pt. 1" - Neutral Milk Hotel's In an Aeroplane Over the Sea


Alright, there's my list. Obviously, it's not complete, because I could put in numerous songs by Talking Heads, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, and Pavement, but it's a pretty accurate representation of my opinion on the subject.

Thoughts? Anyone? Eh?

"Family Entertainment" from The Undertones
Can I do this? "Back in the USSR" from The Beatles
"Blitzkrieg Bop" from The Ramones
"Street Life" from Roxy Music's Stranded
"The Thrill of It All" from Roxy Music's Country Life
"Love is the Drug" from Roxy Music's Siren
"Goin' Against Yor Mind" from Built to Spill's You in Reverse
Shut up, mark!

I forgot about the following four...

"Ether" - Gang of Four's Entertainment!
"Atrocity Exhibition" - Joy Division's Closer
"Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again" - The Books' "Thought for Food
"Fire Back About Your New Baby's Sex" - Don Caballero's American Don

Yeah, Mark, I thought about Built to Spill's "Going Against Your Mind"....easily one of the best build-ups in a song that I've ever heard.

My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow"
Nirvana - "Serve the Servants"
Radiohead - "Airbag"
The Appleseed Cast - "The Waking of Pertelotte/On Reflection"
Fennesz - "Made in Hong Kong"
Animal Collective - "Did You See The Words"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jonathanbrisby,

quote:

Originally posted by jonathanbrisby:
My Bloody Valentine - "Loomer"

The first song on Loveless is Only Shallow, I believe. Soo... on to my list

"Race for the Prize"- Flaming Lips
"Talkin' Bout the Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues"- Flaming Lips
"Born Under Punches- Talking Heads
"Thank you for Sending me an Angel"- Talking Heads
" I Don't Want to Die"- The Unicorns
"Capture the Flag"- Broken Social Scene
"Candy Says"- VU
"White Light/ White Heat"- VU
"Sunday Morning"- VU
"Who Loves the Sun"- VU
"It was there that I Saw You"-Trail of the Dead
"Neverevereverdid"- Architecture in Helsinki
"Stars of Track and Field"- B & S
"State I am In"- B&S
"The Pull"- The Microphones
" I Want Wind to Blow"- The Microphones
" Silence Kit"- Pavement
" Summer Babe (Winter Version)"- Pavement
and finally... "Clap Your Hands"- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah...

Woops. Must've been feeling dyslexic. Problem fixed.

The best opening track on any album in the history of music is "Silence Kit" by Pavement, if only for the incredibly awesome intro. Honorable Mention to "Teen Age Riot" by Sonic Youth.

what about this...

Born Under Punches by Talking Heads (opener for Remain in Light)

definitely silence kit- pavement.. that and elevate me later is the best two-punch opener of any album i've heard

quote:

Originally posted by GG Allin:
what about this...

Born Under Punches by Talking Heads (opener for Remain in Light)

Um dude... mentioned it

He's Simple, he's Dumb, he's the pilot - Sophtware Slump - Grandaddy

quote:

Originally posted by Backcountry:
He's Simple, he's Dumb, he's the pilot - Sophtware Slump - Grandaddy

Yeah, that's a great opening....."how's it going 2000 man? welcome back to solid ground, my friend."

How about:

"Rock and Roll Star" Oasis Definitely Maybe
"Wordless Chorus" My Morning Jacket Z
"I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" Wiclo Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
"Everything Hits At Once" Spoon Girls Can Tell

My list would included the Band's cover of Marvin Gaye's "Don't Do It" on Rock of Ages. The record also has one of the best LAST songs, (I Don't Wanna) Hang Up My Rock N Roll Shoes

And that's THE Band, not to be confused with DA Band... .

"London Calling" - The Clash (from London Calling)
"No Action" - Elvis Costello (from This Year's Model)
"Roadrunner" - The Modern Lovers (from The Modern Lovers)
"Search and Destroy - The Stooges (from Raw Power)
"Blister in the Sun" - Violent Femmes (from Violent Femmes)
"I Will Dare" - The Replacements (from Let it Be)
"In Between Days" - The Cure (from The Head on the Door)
"Begin the Begin" - REM (from Life's Rich Pageant)
"Pop Song '89" - REM (from Green)
"Earth Died Screaming" - Tom Waits (from Bone Machine)
"A Salty Salute" - Guided by Voices (from Alien Lanes)
"Can't Stand It" - Wilco (from Summerteeth)
"One Beat" - Sleater-Kinney (from One Beat)
"Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - The Arcade Fire (from Funeral)
"Caring is Creepy" - The Shins (from Oh Inverted World)
"The Beast and Dragon, Adored" - Spoon (from Gimme Fiction)
"Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes (from Elephant)
"Son of Sam" - Elliot Smith (from Figure 8)

quote:

Originally posted by Backcountry:
He's Simple, he's Dumb, he's the pilot - Sophtware Slump - Grandaddy

I used to think Lytle was saying "giving in 2000 men" like there were some intergalactic battle and some general had to make a decision to sacrifice a ship with 2000 men on it. The mood of the songs really fits that story well I think. I still pretend that's what he's saying.

Damien Jurado - "Medication" from Ghost of David

It's probably my favorite song of his.

I know some have been mentioned, but here are some of mine:

Panda - Dungen - Ta Det Lungt
Leaf House - AC's Sung Tongs
Kissing the Lipless - Shins' Chutes Too Narrow
Miracle Drug - AC Newmans' Slow Wonder
Since I Left You - Avalanches (anyone know about a new album from them?)
Don't Go Near The Water - Beach Boy's Surf's Up
Colour Me In - Broadcast's HAha Sound
Yeti - Caribou's Milk of Human Kindness
Hands - Four Tet's Rounds
Le Garage - the Futureheads
Go Go Gadget Gospel - Gnarls St Elsewhere
Swans - Island's Return to the Sea
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin IV
Misunderstood - Wilco's Being There
Everything in its Right Place - Kid A
Date With the Night - YYY's a Fever to Tell

Interesting topic. Makes everyones musical tastes look all over the map.

umm.. dude, my bad .. life is so cruel
here are some others

Needle in the Camel's Eye -- Brian Eno (Here Come the Warm Jets)
Blood and Thunder -- Mastodon (Leviathan)
Neat Neat Neat -- The Damned
Your Phone's off the Hook, But You're Not - X (Los Angeles)
I Wanna Destroy You -- The Soft Boys (Underwater Moonlight)
Where the Devil Don't Stay -- Drive-By Truckers (The Dirty South)