how long before you can appreciate an album

[racquetman]

I just picked up the new albums from Coldplay and The White Stripes (both out today - 6/7/05). I'm listening to them at work, and wondering if anyone else has an opinion yet if they've listened to either album.

Also, as a general question, how long do you think it takes before you really can appreciate an album as a whole? There is always an initial feeling, but I've had a lot of albums grow on me after I gave them a chance. Hopefully Coldplay's album will impress me more on the 2nd go-around .

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

A truly great album amazes on the first listen. Example: Dark Side of the Moon.

 

[rr2465]

Not a function of time for me...

For me its not hot long I listen to a new album. I find that I'll come around to a CD on the 2nd or 3rd audition. If its something that I REALLY, REALLY like it will hit me the first time, but that is rare.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Took me several listens to before I came to appreciate Robin Trower's first two classic albums.

I didn't like Boston's first album the first time out.

I was a little put off by the "pop" quality of DSOM compared to their more spacy ventures prior, but it grew on me.

Took me months before I could listen to Lynard Skynard's first album without cringing.

 

[gene]

it often takes a few listens for me for an album to really kick in.

One prime example is the band Marillion. The Brave album took 1-2 listens until i realized what a masterpiece it truly was. This is the type of album you have to listen to the whole thing, and preferrably with the lights out when you just wanna sit back and get blasted away with awesome guitar, drums and vocals.

Shameless Plug:
We are conducting an interview with the lead singer of Marillion tomorrow, feel free to post questions at our dedicated forum area and i will try to get them answered.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11021

 

[Shinerman]

Like others have mentioned, it just depends on the album for me.

Some albums just grab you from song one, spin 1. Some take some time to grow on me.

For example, Foo Fighter's first album has really become one of my favorite rock albums after many listens. It just gets better. At first, I liked a couple of songs but now I can't just listen to a single song on it. I have to listen to the whole album.

BTW, I saw Coldplay live on MTV last night. I have never really been a Coldplay fan but the hidden track that was to be a Johnny Cash song was really cool. I might just buy it.

Shinerman

 

[pretzel logic]

Some music hooks me right away but others grow on me. Some is crap right off and stays that way. I am still getting in to the new cold play, slowly growing on me. I am A big tears for fears fan and the "happy ending" cd took a while to get into but now is one of my favorites.

 

[jaxvon]

It depends. Some stuff is infectious from the first play (Time Out, Dark Side of the Moon, Songs in the Key of Life). However, it took me about 3 listens to Steely Dan's Katy Lied to really realize the quality of that album. I'd say that anything over 4 times, and it's time to shelf it for awhile.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Some discs I love right away, while some literally take months. A good example is XTC's Skylarking. On the strength of many rave reviews I bought the Gold UltraDisc version and immediately hated it. After giving it a month, I finally tracked it to my HD and sold it. Well, after about 6 months of playing a song here and there, I finally started to warm to it. Eventually I ended up buying it again, and I've grown to really love it!

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Oh, that reminds me, some albums and songs have taken DECADES for me to like, the aforementioned Steely Dan and Songs in the Key of Life. Music I couldn't stand at the time but now I hear and (although I still don't own them and probably never will) reminds me of my youth. Heck, I now even find some disco songs from that era tolerable for that very reason.

 

[brushro]

Aprecciation

I agree I always listen to a newly purchased disc/lp constantly over & over until I know the songs thoroughly to make a determination of wether it's any good in my ears...I've wasted some cash out of curiosity but it doesn't take me long to figure it out...drives my wife crazy though! (AND ISN'T THAT WHATS IT'S ALL ABOUT ANYWAY?)

 

[aspaceintime]

IMHO, there are very few that I can say I like end-to-end; Who's Next, DSOTM, The Wall, to name a few. But it usually takes several listens to determine if I like it. Sometime I go into the local CD shop and ask the guy, tell me what your listening to and then seak it out. We have exchanged suggestions many times and sometimes I like, sometimes I don't. Problem now is the local store that's been there for 30+ years is closing. Need to find another good store.

 

[bruceh]

long player

It sometimes takes me 4 or 5 listens before I can absorb the music enough to make a judgment. I remember hating "Good News for People Who Love Bad News" the first few times I heard it, thinking it complete rubbish, but by the 5th listen I thought it was brilliant. I've almost come to live by the motto, "if I hate it the first time I hear it, I know I'll love it later." Another example is Jimmy Webb's new album, "Twilight of the Renegades," which I thought had overly complicated melody lines, but I stayed with it, and now realize how beautiful the songs are. He's a master songwriter.