The Cheap Completist
December 23, 2011 11:37 AM Subscribe
Google Music is selling $4.99 albums, but songs are only 49 cents each. Help me beat the system by suggesting great albums that include just a handful of songs.
Last night I was able to buy the 2011 remasters of Pink Floyd's Animals (5 songs x $.49 = $2.45) and Meddle (6 songs x $.49 = $2.94) real cheap by purchasing the songs individually, rather than buying the albums at the $4.99 sale price.
What are some other albums I should own that feature no more than 5 or 6 songs? I've been building my music library for the past year or so, filling in the gaps by consulting "best of" lists. I'm not too adventurous, but like most kinds of rock, punk, pop (nothing too avant-garde or electronic), folk, jazz and country (the rootsier stuff, not the kind they play on the radio these days). At various times in my life I've been heavily into metal (Sabbath, Priest, etc.), the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and cool jazz. My interests at the moment range from Ray Lamontagne to the Black Keys.
So what albums with few songs are on your "best of" lists?
Last night I was able to buy the 2011 remasters of Pink Floyd's Animals (5 songs x $.49 = $2.45) and Meddle (6 songs x $.49 = $2.94) real cheap by purchasing the songs individually, rather than buying the albums at the $4.99 sale price.
What are some other albums I should own that feature no more than 5 or 6 songs? I've been building my music library for the past year or so, filling in the gaps by consulting "best of" lists. I'm not too adventurous, but like most kinds of rock, punk, pop (nothing too avant-garde or electronic), folk, jazz and country (the rootsier stuff, not the kind they play on the radio these days). At various times in my life I've been heavily into metal (Sabbath, Priest, etc.), the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and cool jazz. My interests at the moment range from Ray Lamontagne to the Black Keys.
So what albums with few songs are on your "best of" lists?
It's not a classic, but I bought the new Beirut album, Rip Tide, this morning. Two of nine songs are free and the other seven add up to less than $4.99.
posted by Xalf at 11:50 AM on December 23, 2011
posted by Xalf at 11:50 AM on December 23, 2011
The version of the Mars Volta's album Frances the Mute that was sold on iTunes has only five tracks; not sure if the Google Music version is the same, or is like the physical CDs (where the final song is chopped into eight tracks). But it's an incredible album.
posted by neushoorn at 11:56 AM on December 23, 2011
posted by neushoorn at 11:56 AM on December 23, 2011
You sound like you might enjoy Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is a double album composed of four tracks.
posted by griphus at 11:56 AM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 11:56 AM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Thick as a Brick! And you can get the whole original album for a buck!
posted by supercres at 11:58 AM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by supercres at 11:58 AM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also, King Crimsons' In The Court of the Crimson King (five tracks) and Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat (six tracks.)
posted by griphus at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It'll probably help to look for albums from the LP era, which, due to the shorter running time, are more likely to have 9 or fewer songs. Big guitar rock bands will probably provide the best results. So, here's some:
Television - Marquee Moon (8 songs)
Led Zeppelin - IV/untitled/runes (8 songs)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (5 songs)
Emerson Lake & Palmer - s/t (5 songs)
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (8 songs)
Blind Faith - s/t (6 songs)
You could also go pretty far with a lot of classic jazz albums - most bop albums (from late 40s through early 60s basically) have 5 or 6 tracks.
The absolute opposite of what you want to do are Double Nickels on the Dime by the Minutemen and Pink Flag by Wire.
posted by LionIndex at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Television - Marquee Moon (8 songs)
Led Zeppelin - IV/untitled/runes (8 songs)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (5 songs)
Emerson Lake & Palmer - s/t (5 songs)
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (8 songs)
Blind Faith - s/t (6 songs)
You could also go pretty far with a lot of classic jazz albums - most bop albums (from late 40s through early 60s basically) have 5 or 6 tracks.
The absolute opposite of what you want to do are Double Nickels on the Dime by the Minutemen and Pink Flag by Wire.
posted by LionIndex at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: The version of the Mars Volta's album Frances the Mute that was sold on iTunes has only five tracks
Unfortunately only one of the songs from that album is available for individual purchase from Google. But I will check them out.
Thick as a Brick! And you can get the whole original album for a buck!
I'd grab it if I didn't already have it on CD!
posted by Knappster at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011
Unfortunately only one of the songs from that album is available for individual purchase from Google. But I will check them out.
Thick as a Brick! And you can get the whole original album for a buck!
I'd grab it if I didn't already have it on CD!
posted by Knappster at 12:03 PM on December 23, 2011
Response by poster: Television - Marquee Moon (8 songs)
Led Zeppelin - IV/untitled/runes (8 songs)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (5 songs)
Emerson Lake & Palmer - s/t (5 songs)
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (8 songs)
Blind Faith - s/t (6 songs)
I already own three of these (bought the remastered Wish You Were Here last night). Can't find the others on Google Music, but they are right up my alley.
posted by Knappster at 12:12 PM on December 23, 2011
Led Zeppelin - IV/untitled/runes (8 songs)
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (5 songs)
Emerson Lake & Palmer - s/t (5 songs)
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (8 songs)
Blind Faith - s/t (6 songs)
I already own three of these (bought the remastered Wish You Were Here last night). Can't find the others on Google Music, but they are right up my alley.
posted by Knappster at 12:12 PM on December 23, 2011
How about Tangerine Dream ?
Phaedra has 4 tracks, Rubycon and Ricochet each have 2 tracks.
posted by rfs at 12:15 PM on December 23, 2011
Phaedra has 4 tracks, Rubycon and Ricochet each have 2 tracks.
posted by rfs at 12:15 PM on December 23, 2011
Best answer: Great idea! Sounds like you might be in to prog, in which case I'd recommend:
Yes - Close to the Edge (4 songs)
Gentle Giant - Three Friends (6 songs)
The Moody Blues - Days of Futures Past (4 songs)
Genesis - Foxtrot (6 songs)
King Crimson - Red (5 songs)
And for more rock, there's:
Neil Young - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (7 songs)
Black Sabbath - Paranoid (8 songs)
Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (8 songs)
Not sure if you're in to jazz, but a bunch of great jazz albums fit the bill too, like Kind of Blue, Blue Train, and Blues and Roots (weird that they all have the word "blue" in the title...).
posted by saladin at 12:27 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yes - Close to the Edge (4 songs)
Gentle Giant - Three Friends (6 songs)
The Moody Blues - Days of Futures Past (4 songs)
Genesis - Foxtrot (6 songs)
King Crimson - Red (5 songs)
And for more rock, there's:
Neil Young - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere (7 songs)
Black Sabbath - Paranoid (8 songs)
Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (8 songs)
Not sure if you're in to jazz, but a bunch of great jazz albums fit the bill too, like Kind of Blue, Blue Train, and Blues and Roots (weird that they all have the word "blue" in the title...).
posted by saladin at 12:27 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Speaking of jazz, A Love Supreme has even fewer. And is incredible.
posted by supercres at 12:36 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by supercres at 12:36 PM on December 23, 2011
Best answer: Miles Davis' Kind of Blue: 6 tracks. :)
posted by homodachi at 12:38 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by homodachi at 12:38 PM on December 23, 2011
eurythmics-sweet dreams and touch (8 songs each) have really held up well...
posted by sexyrobot at 12:40 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by sexyrobot at 12:40 PM on December 23, 2011
Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters: 4 tracks
posted by cardioid at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by cardioid at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Speaking of jazz, A Love Supreme has even fewer. And is incredible.
Miles Davis' Kind of Blue: 6 tracks. :)
Already have both, but I might expand my Miles and Coltrane collections in other directions.
posted by Knappster at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011
Miles Davis' Kind of Blue: 6 tracks. :)
Already have both, but I might expand my Miles and Coltrane collections in other directions.
posted by Knappster at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011
Rush - 2112.... damnit, 2112 the song is not included.
posted by deezil at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by deezil at 12:41 PM on December 23, 2011
Response by poster: Rush - 2112.... damnit, 2112 the song is not included.
Yeah. See also "The Camera Eye" on Moving Pictures. Some of their other early albums are complete, though. Might have to buy the 6 songs on Permanent Waves.
posted by Knappster at 12:50 PM on December 23, 2011
Yeah. See also "The Camera Eye" on Moving Pictures. Some of their other early albums are complete, though. Might have to buy the 6 songs on Permanent Waves.
posted by Knappster at 12:50 PM on December 23, 2011
Best answer: Bowie's Station to Station is pretty unbeatable. Six amazing tracks.
posted by cincinnatus c at 12:54 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by cincinnatus c at 12:54 PM on December 23, 2011
Response by poster: Bowie's Station to Station is pretty unbeatable. Six amazing tracks.
Perfect. Buying it now.
posted by Knappster at 12:57 PM on December 23, 2011
Perfect. Buying it now.
posted by Knappster at 12:57 PM on December 23, 2011
Response by poster: Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat (six tracks.)
If only "Sister Ray" were available for 49 cents...
posted by Knappster at 1:10 PM on December 23, 2011
If only "Sister Ray" were available for 49 cents...
posted by Knappster at 1:10 PM on December 23, 2011
Best answer: Jazz:
Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, This is pretty straight ahead
Thelonious Monk: Monk in Paris, and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
Shelley Manne: My Fair Lady, this is WAY hipper than it has any right to be.
Milt Jackson: Plenty, Plenty Soul
posted by Gygesringtone at 1:14 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, This is pretty straight ahead
Thelonious Monk: Monk in Paris, and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
Shelley Manne: My Fair Lady, this is WAY hipper than it has any right to be.
Milt Jackson: Plenty, Plenty Soul
posted by Gygesringtone at 1:14 PM on December 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, This is pretty straight ahead
Thelonious Monk: Monk in Paris, and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
Shelley Manne: My Fair Lady, this is WAY hipper than it has any right to be.
Milt Jackson: Plenty, Plenty Soul
You're either reading my mind or hacking my iTunes account. The Sidewinder has moved up on my "to buy" list.
posted by Knappster at 1:36 PM on December 23, 2011
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, This is pretty straight ahead
Thelonious Monk: Monk in Paris, and Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane
Shelley Manne: My Fair Lady, this is WAY hipper than it has any right to be.
Milt Jackson: Plenty, Plenty Soul
You're either reading my mind or hacking my iTunes account. The Sidewinder has moved up on my "to buy" list.
posted by Knappster at 1:36 PM on December 23, 2011
The entirety of Rick Wakeman's "Journey to the center of the earth" is $.49, here, as the first part of the "Plus" version.
posted by Runes at 1:42 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by Runes at 1:42 PM on December 23, 2011
If you want to expand your Coltrane collection, Om is only two tracks. It ain't for everyone, but anyone who likes Coltrane should spend 90 cents to experience this at least once.
posted by dr. boludo at 2:12 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by dr. boludo at 2:12 PM on December 23, 2011
Never mind - they're selling it as a whole album only, for five bucks.
posted by dr. boludo at 2:14 PM on December 23, 2011
posted by dr. boludo at 2:14 PM on December 23, 2011
Boris' Flood (4 songs, preview)
of Montreal's Icons, Abstract Thee (5 songs, hopefully not too out there :))
Neu!'s Neu! (6 songs)
Dr. Dog's Takers and Leavers (6 songs)
Frank Zappa's Hot Rats (6 songs)
Funkadelic's Maggot Brain (7 songs)
Can's Ege Bamyasi (7 songs)
Can's Tago Mago (7 songs)
The The's Soul Mining (7 songs)
Curtis Mayfield's Curtis (8 songs)
The The's Mind Bomb (8 songs)
Songs: Ohia's Magnolia Electric Company (8 songs)
Chic's C'est Chic (8 songs)
Funkadelic's Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow (8 songs)
posted by yaymukund at 6:42 PM on December 23, 2011
of Montreal's Icons, Abstract Thee (5 songs, hopefully not too out there :))
Neu!'s Neu! (6 songs)
Dr. Dog's Takers and Leavers (6 songs)
Frank Zappa's Hot Rats (6 songs)
Funkadelic's Maggot Brain (7 songs)
Can's Ege Bamyasi (7 songs)
Can's Tago Mago (7 songs)
The The's Soul Mining (7 songs)
Curtis Mayfield's Curtis (8 songs)
The The's Mind Bomb (8 songs)
Songs: Ohia's Magnolia Electric Company (8 songs)
Chic's C'est Chic (8 songs)
Funkadelic's Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow (8 songs)
posted by yaymukund at 6:42 PM on December 23, 2011
Speaking of Yes - I don't know how Google Music break them down but ...
Tales From Topographic Oceans (almost 90 minutes of music - 4 songs)
Relayer (3 songs)
Yessongs (over 130 minutes of music - 8 songs)
posted by philip-random at 11:39 AM on December 24, 2011
Tales From Topographic Oceans (almost 90 minutes of music - 4 songs)
Relayer (3 songs)
Yessongs (over 130 minutes of music - 8 songs)
posted by philip-random at 11:39 AM on December 24, 2011
Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells/Sailors Hornpipe. Two songs, 48 minutes. Oddly enough, the album is priced at $1.98?
posted by Runes at 6:53 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by Runes at 6:53 PM on December 24, 2011
Dang, wish for an edit button. Turns out that's not the real TB, but some sort of demo tape. At least according to one of the comments on it at Amazon.
posted by Runes at 6:59 PM on December 24, 2011
posted by Runes at 6:59 PM on December 24, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by one_bean at 11:45 AM on December 23, 2011 [4 favorites]