Album length and listenability

[NoQuestionsAskd]

I have heard that artists try to keep their albums done to the 45-50 minute length [the length of a conventional record] even though the CD format can fit up to 77 minutes of music. As I recall even Stevie mentioned this in an interview for TISL, although she referred to the 12 track rule [and that she had broken it because she thought insisted on having "If Only Love.." on the album..]

Since this album appears to now be 18 tracks on 1 CD, I'm curious to see how this affects its listenability. I was hoping for two CD's not only for more music but also so that the album would be "broken up" into two sections..maybe even two moods [as Smashing Pumpkins did with their double CD]...

I know with the last Tori Amos album it took me weeks to get to the end of it, because I would start listening at the beginning and never gpt to the end. Being a much bigger FM fan than TA, I'm sure I will get to the end on the first listen, but nonetheless I wonder how its length will affect the album as a whole, and even the reviews?

Any thoughts?

Of course, in the end the more Mac the better!

[FiercestCalmSea]

Good question...i suppose it will depend on the songs..assuming they are good(which of course the WILL be,lol) and the length..i don't forsee having trouble getting through it..I'm gonna come home and blast that sucker on the surround sound and just sit there and listen

[chiliD]

My home-burnt GOS has 20 songs...it seems like it's just an LP length album..."time flies when you're having fun" type thing, I guess.

[Livia]

18 songs at 4 minutes apiece is 72 minutes, which seems very limiting per song, even if a few of those go slightly over 4 minutes.

What I'd REALLY like to see is a double CD, with the 18 songs and a lot of extra enhancements (videos and maybe even some DVD audio and video stuff).

YEAH, baby!!

[estranged4life]

if FM included a mp3 disc with extra tracks with the new album...Hey Mick, I just thought up another $$$ idea for ya...lol...Brian J.

[Wldhrt315]

They supposedly have 2 CDs with of completed material already. What I am hoping is that

A) they offer the 1st 5000 (randon #) copies sold to have the 2nd CD

or

B) They eventually put it out in the mist of the year of Fleetwood Mac. It is tooooo sad to think that a full disk of new songs wont see the light of day. Actually that makes me want to cry. boo hoo!!!!

[CarneVaca]

The sweet spot tends to be 12 to 14 songs. Anything more gets a bit long, and inevitably some songs get thrown in that slow down the flow. But considering the breadth of material and the time it has taken to put Say You Will together, I doubt there will be many stinkers. Of course, I could be wrong.

[Skylark]

You mean... if they crowd too many on
a single cd you lose quality in the recording?
Maybe that is why they cut LB's screamer to
4 instead of 6 min! Hope its a good listen!Sky

[strandinthewind]

Something else to remember is record companies and perhaps the artists themselves do not want to put too many good songs from established artists on the same record. That way, they can sell two separate records thereby making more money.

Unfortunately, in FM's case, there is the fear that given their age, they will never do this again

Fortunately, FM's complete production of at least 23 songs that we "know" of and actual usage of only 18 (?) songs hints strongly at a second CD in the "near" future. I mean who knows how many more songs they have worked on in these last five or so years. I guess FM has taken the "Lord of the Rings" view of production and produced two records at once!!!

[Sorcerer386]

Originally posted by Skylark
You mean... if they crowd too many on
a single cd you lose quality in the recording?
Maybe that is why they cut LB's screamer to
4 instead of 6 min! Hope its a good listen!Sky

No, I think what they mean is that, because the album is so long, people may rarely get through the whole album in one sitting. Or if they do get through it, they might be a little tired of hearing it by the end. It's kind of like really long movies...no matter how much I like them, by the time the end comes I'm so glad. It's just another battle in the ever shrinking attention span of America. Another probably better example is the length of songs on the radio these days. It seems that they edit anything over 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

[seteca]

Originally posted by Livia
What I'd REALLY like to see is a double CD, with the 18 songs and a lot of extra enhancements (videos and maybe even some DVD audio and video stuff).

YEAH, baby!!

[Villavic]

I think that if it's a good album, I'll enjoy listening the whole work.

But my fave point about Fleetwood Mac was that I liked three voices/authors. Now that it's just L&S, I don't know if the same magic will be there. I don't know if they will get enough balance as when Chris was present.

Not only because of the main singer on each song, but also because you could (almost) always feel the presence of the other two (something that I did miss in TUSK, that's why Rumours is my fave album).

Anyway I just wait to listen this new album, and I'll give my final opinion.

[LindseyRocks]

I think it really depends on how advid of a music fan one is. If you're the type of person who is more of a "casual" listener, then it's probably a little too much of a drain on your time to listen to ANY album for more than 50 minutes (unless of course, you're obsessed with one artist in particular).

But the more intense music fan often listens to the artistic statement as a whole, and then takes great joy in experiencing all the little nuances in production, instrumentation, layering, etc. In such a case, it's likely that that person will usually welcome a lengthy recording, because of all the enjoyment it provides. Some people just aren't capable of experiencing music on that level (probably the same people spending their money on Britney Spears albums, etc), or at least haven't developed that musical sense yet.

Of course, it's worth noting that the depth and breadth of the material is a factor too - it has to be good stuff to the ears of the listener. Too many weak songs can drive anyone to push the old eject button.

But the point remains - I think it depends largely on the role music plays in the individual's life. I think mainstream America as a whole doesn't really place too high of an importance on music, which is why it gets so much crap fed to it by the industry. It's more about what makes you feel good RIGHT NOW, THIS INSTANCE, rather then tapping into something deeper, more substantive - something which requires a lot of patience from people.

Now, keep in mind that my opinion is pretty skewed, as most of the artists I listen to and am passionate about are not big mainstream acts. For me, FM just happens to be one of only a handful of exceptions to what I just said. They are one of the few truly BIG (popular) groups that I really get into on that level, and even they started at a time when the face of the music industry was a lot different than it is today. Not to mention the fact that the things that attract me to a FM record are not often the aspects of the record that the masses in general are attracted to.

Whew! - sorry friends - I don't know where the hell that just came from

david