What got lost when records stopped having two sides?

enochroot at 2:54 18 Sept 23

This is a variation on the same idea, but I've started skipping the second record from Fairport Convention - The History Of Fairport Convention. It's a chronological best of compilation, and it just so happens that Sandy Denny's vocals stop right at the end of the first record, so i've realized that's all I need from that set.

Side 2 of

oops, pressed send too quickly

I meant to say Side 2 of Neu! 2

I enjoy the sheer audacity of just playing the same recording at different speeds because you haven't recorded a side 2, not keen to actually listen to it though

ummm I don’t dislike it or anything, but I tend to eschew side b of discreet music

OTM

I had this thought some years ago, that if you're a hardliner about "listening to music as it was originally intended" you should actually pause the CD or stream of classic albums when a side is over, wait a few seconds to simulate the record being turned over, and then turn back on.

Lost opportunity during the CD era to make Authentic editions where each side gets a CD.

There's an AMM CD which includes a track of 10 seconds silence, included for precisely that reason – so you could program a pause and thereby simulate listening to the original LP.

Tom Petty: “Hello, CD listeners. We’ve come to the point in this album where those listening on cassette or record will have to stand up – or sit down – and turn over the record – or tape. In fairness to those listeners, we’ll now take a few seconds before we begin side two. Thank you. Here is side two.”

I enjoy the sheer audacity of just playing the same recording at different speeds because you haven't recorded a side 2, not keen to actually listen to it though

― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, September 18, 2023 1:38 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

reading the history of Neu! it really doesn't seem like they had any other options, they just ran out of money and time so they had to cobble something together

Neu! 75 is another cool LP the likes of which don't really get made anymore, you've got the Rother side and the Dinger side, both of which are like great EPs

I think it was The Whispers (maybe?) whose albums had a so-called dancin' side and romancin' side.

I think it was The Whispers (maybe?) whose albums had a so-called dancin' side and romancin' side.

The Isley Brothers were the masters of this, as Ice-T explains in this clip:

The Game Has Changed.. I miss Solid Albums. 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/KxO1qGLaZv

— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) September 6, 2023

Nice! I bet a lot of R&B artists did something like that.

was just listening to the sonny rollins album "brass/trio" where its a big band on one side and trio on the other, cant think of any off the top of my head by there must be a bunch of other jazz albums that do versions of that

I think it was The Whispers (maybe?) whose albums had a so-called dancin' side and romancin' side.

I have 3 Bohannon records on vinyl and they are all split up into a driving disco side one and a lush smoove jam side two.

Now you mention it I virtually never listen to second side of Bohannon albums.

Napalm Death did one better and had a completely different lineup on side 2 of Scum

Christmas and the Beads of Sweat by Laura Nyro had different line-ups on it's two sides: the Muscle Shoals session guys (including Duane Allman) on Side 1, free jazz players (Alice Coltrane, Richard Davis, Cornell Dupree, etc.) on Side 2.

Henry Cow ran out of material for their second album _Unrest_ so they just did a bunch of improvising

and then there's this track from the cassette version of _Neil's Heavy Concept Album_:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyL1tOogHPY

I've heard that back in the days of the LP, records would be sequenced so that the softer tracks like ballads would be sequenced to be near the end of a side for reasons related to sound quality. Is this true, or mostly made up?

Peter Gabriel resequenced So in 2002, moving In Your Eyes from the start of the second side to the end of the album. He apparently wanted it there in the first place but the bass of the track would have been lost there on vinyl.

I've read Todd Rundgren on this very subject, but I think I have it backwards. I thought that the sound quality was better on the first half of a side as there is more real estate there.

xpost Iirc that was the (questionable) justification given for "Silver Springs" getting left off of "Rumours."

Personally, I can't stand "In Your Eyes" as the last song.

Are there any books of music criticism out there that are entirely about record sequencing, choices that were made on specific records, how the final sequence affects how we hear the record and the narrative/vibe/sound that emerges from it? Because if not, I kind of want us all to go in together on writing one.

I've read Todd Rundgren on this very subject, but I think I have it backwards. I thought that the sound quality was better on the first half of a side as there is more real estate there.

― henry s, Monday, September 18, 2023 5:51 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

had Todd said otherwise? feel like this is the sort of thing he knows about and yeah it's definitely better on the outer grooves. though again a good engineer can practically eliminate that, not that Todd could be helped much given he routinely stuffs 27+ minutes on a side

No, Todd had it right. I misread the Peter Gabriel post.

I had this thought some years ago, that if you're a hardliner about "listening to music as it was originally intended" you should actually pause the CD or stream of classic albums when a side is over, wait a few seconds to simulate the record being turned over, and then turn back on.

I'll sheepishly cop to this: when I'm listening to albums from the pre-CD era, I'll sometimes stick a "10 seconds of silence" track between side A and side B. Also useful as a reminder to take a few minutes break from listening if needed, to give my tinnitus-blighted ears a rest.

belle and sebastien added a 10-15 second gap between “sides” on the cd version of boy with the arab strap, maybe on sinister too?