Double albums that should have been single albums

[The Ugly Thief]

I got thinking about this after starting the The Smashing Pumpkins thread.

Which double albums would have been much better if they were just reduced to a single (and much leaner) album ?

"Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" - The Smashing Pumpkins ; I would have listened to this album so much more if it was just reduced to about 12 or 14 tracks instead of 28.

"Speakerboxx/The Love Below" - Outkast ; There is so much fat on this album. So many times meaningless rambling kills the pace of the album.

any others ?

v

[Seattle93]

Wu-Tang Forever: Too much filler on what could've been a great disc.

[Chespo]

The 16-year-olds are saying, "What's a double-album?"

The Cure- Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
So many of the songs are just rewritten versions of other songs on the album.

The Clash- Sandinista (triple-album)
I've had this album for decades and I don't know that I've ever listened to the entire thing. There's only so much dub you can throw at me before I lose patience.

XTC- Nonsuch
Includes too many of Andy's attempts to appease Virgin by writing a radio-friendly hit.

Stevie Wonder- Songs in the Key of Life
Yeah, yeah, masterpiece, yadda yadda yadda. It's bloated by at least 25%.

I second Speakerboxx/The Love Below, with the stipulation that I'd get rid of all but 3 songs on Speakerboxx and keep most of The Love Below.

[Kevinmack9]

Originally posted by Chespo


The Clash- Sandinista (triple-album)
I've had this album for decades and I don't know that I've ever listened to the entire thing. There's only so much dub you can throw at me before I lose patience.

You took mine. It is a good 2 cd set, but would have made a Great album, had you cut some of the fat...

[JSpaceman]

No matter what George Martin says about the White Album, there are far too many gems that would've been left out if they'd pared it down to a single album...

[sirgareth]

I'm allright with Speakerboxxx/Love Below being separate if for no other reason than that they present two very different aesthetics. This way, they get to exist in their own spaces.

Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness should be the freaking poster child for this thread. I ran around with $30 in my wallet earmarked for WEEKS for this release.

And then it happened.

And what could've been a decent album became a bloated and crushing dissapointment. Arrghhh.

[primative]

I'll cast my vote for Wilco's 'Being There.' I have an unhealthy obsession with the band and actually love this album. But with only 19 tracks (two versions of Outtasite are still just one song) it clocks in at under 80 minutes. It's actually almost the exact same length as 'Summer Teeth.' So why two discs? Why why why?

[aqualou]

Guns N Roses' Use Your Illusion: I mean really. It could have been one great album pushing them into superstardom, but instead it set them up for the Spagetti Incident.

[ajax]

Nellie McCay- Get away from me. It's a double album thats only 1 hour long.

[aqualou]

Also casting a vote for NIN The Fragile. Could have been a much stronger album if it was just one disc. I'd swear a couple of songs appear on both discs. Another case of an artist thinking they're better then they really are. In general, I think double disc sets are for artists who can't crystalize their grand idea to one disc.

[Digit1001]

Originally posted by primative
I'll cast my vote for Wilco's 'Being There.' I have an unhealthy obsession with the band and actually love this album. But with only 19 tracks (two versions of Outtasite are still just one song) it clocks in at under 80 minutes. It's actually almost the exact same length as 'Summer Teeth.' So why two discs? Why why why?

In Wilco's defense.. they put it together in a way that it cost the same as a single album I believe.

I third, forth, or fifth Mellon Collie. Not a terrible album by any means, but I don't think I play it nearly as much as if it'd been a single album.

[tobedawg]

I agree on "Melon Collie" and "Use your Illusion", and I'll add to the list Most of Ani Difranco's live double CD sets..

Regardless of whether she is acoustic or with a jazz band, it's still the same freakin' songs (with maybe 1 or two new tracks)..

[JSpaceman]

What about double albums that ARE great? I'd throw in Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, the Beatles' White Album, Manic Street Preachers' Generation Terrorists, and probably Springsteen's The River...

[the happy prole]

Originally posted by JSpaceman
No matter what George Martin says about the White Album, there are far too many gems that would've been left out if they'd pared it down to a single album...

hmm. . . Toss out Bungalow Bill, Sexy Sadie, Birthday, Yer Blues, Glass Onion, Revolution #9, Revolution #1, Honey Pie, Wild Honey Pie, Sexy Sadie, Everybody's Got Something to Hide. . , Piggies, Mother Nature's Son, Savoy Truffle, Long Long Long, Martha My Dear, I'm So Tired, I Will, Cry Baby Cry, and Julia.

Put in Revolution (the single) and that's a fine punk-length album.

[Chespo]

a few more bloated ones:
Prince- 1999
Sex Pistols- Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

Great double-albums:
London Calling
Louder Than Bombs
The Wall
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

[The Ugly Thief]

Use Your Illusion I & II - I have a personal theory that Billy Corgon would never have been given permission to make a double album as the follow up to his major label debut if Guns N' Roses weren't able to do the same a couple of years earlier.

v

[brainslosh]

George Harrison's All Things Must Pass didn't need three records (two CDs).

Yes's Tales from Topopgrahic Oceans could have done better with two fewer records (out of two). Four songs on two discs! Don't ask me how I know that one...

[rockineug]

Originally posted by brainslosh
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass didn't need three records (two CDs).

Yes's Tales from Topopgrahic Oceans could have done better with two fewer records (out of two). Four songs on two discs! Don't ask me how I know that one...

Dude, I love that album. for real. It's a must have whenever I go on a road trip cuz it kills time. That and Yes's Fragile, which is not a double disc.... but should have been.

[JSpaceman]

Originally posted by brainslosh
George Harrison's All Things Must Pass didn't need three records (two CDs).

I'll agree for the most part on that one. Although it definitely warrants a double album, the third record wasn't necessary. Which is probably why they excluded tunes like It's Johnny's Birthday and Thanks For the Pepperoni from the original CD release...

[JSpaceman]

Originally posted by the happy prole


hmm. . . Toss out Bungalow Bill, Sexy Sadie, Birthday, Yer Blues, Glass Onion, Revolution #9, Revolution #1, Honey Pie, Wild Honey Pie, Sexy Sadie, Everybody's Got Something to Hide. . , Piggies, Mother Nature's Son, Savoy Truffle, Long Long Long, Martha My Dear, I'm So Tired, I Will, Cry Baby Cry, and Julia.

Put in Revolution (the single) and that's a fine punk-length album.

Are ya serious? Not release Birthday? Yer Blues? Sexy Sadie? Piggies? I'm So Tired? JULIA? All of those tunes are better than a lot of the output of a majority of other bands. I'm not saying that it wouldn't make a much more consistent single album release, but all of those tunes are worthy of release in my book...