Consistently Great Opening Tracks

Xavi6

Been thinking today about bands that have consistently opened their albums with absolute belters. I love a bit of a fast paced song to hopefully set the tone for what is to come after.

There's plenty of great opening tracks out there but I'm using a three albums or more rule to justify their selection.

For example at the moment I'm huge into the Gaslight Anthem. I can't get enough of their records and the openers are all brilliant imo -

Sink or Swim - Boomboxes and Dictionaries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9zYLE6Em7U

The '59 Sound - Great Expectations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYO3Ey8NxPQ

American Slang - American Slang

Over to you!

Cool Running

Seen the thread and was just about to quote The Gaslight Anthem then opened it and seen ya had! 3 excellent opening tracks

Cool Running

Gonna go with Five in a row from Bruce.

Five absolute belters as Xavi6 was saying to put up. Nebraska may not be fast paced song but it fairlys sets the tone for the whole album

Born To Run - Thunder Road

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngiJUNdsu0

Darkness on the Edge of Town - Badlands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF1jH6Cv0tk

The River - The Ties That Bind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-EDQEgESvw

Nebraska - Nebraska

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwcOhOv4fho

Born in the USA - Born in the USA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD4ezDbbu4

Shakey_jake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTSQZjR3DE

Probably the best opening track of the last ten years, im not ****ing kidding either!

S.M.B.

Radiohead

Pablo Honey - You (one of the few songs on this album that have aged well)
The Bends - Planet Telex
OK Computer - Airbag
Kid A - Everything in its Right Place
Amnesiac - Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box
Hail to the Thief - 2+2=5
In Rainbows - 15 Step

QUALITY!

ricero

kasabian have the best openers

kasabian - club foot
empire - empire
west ryder pauper lunatic asylum - underdog

beat that

ValJester

The Arcade Fire
Neighbourhood #1
Black Mirror
The Suburbs

Pretty good track record.

SVG

The Beta Band

Dry The Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsbR2dEmHGc

I seem to have purged something from my mind here.:eek:

Squares

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzu_as7qWSU

Assessement

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

Three out of four ain't bad!

Peyton Manning

Can't look past the three Jimmy Eat World albums released in a row - Bleed American, Futures and Chase This Light.

First up on Bleed American was the title track, which was later retitled Salt Sweat Sugar because of the 9/11 attacks. Still to this day one of their best tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yud6TmNJWhY

Then came Futures, and while Work and Pain may have been the more successful tracks, the title track Futures as the opener is criminally overlooked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qPw4kv43gk

And the final of the trio, Chase This Light, an album a lot of people don't rate but I personally love. Whatever your thoughts on the album, it's biggest single and opening track Big Casino was a cracker.

Those three songs are all very lively with great tempo. They've gone a different direction with their newest album Invented, with the opening track Heart is Hard to Find being much softer, but I still love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c2waHz1kdE

KeanSeenan

I've always loved how Alien Lanes starts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX6vRwEZFrM

Sets the tone, plus the hum in the background gets me everytime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb-54hW5Its

This is another good one, especially as how the album progresses to acceptance.

And with that Haarp too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHAxQMF_d4

jefreywithonef

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have some crackers for opening tracks.

Papa Won't Leave You Henry from Henry's Dream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoFxUJtSp4g

Do You Love Me Pt. 1 from Let Love In:
Do You Love Me Pt. 1

Get Ready For Love from Abattoir Blues:
Get Ready For Love

Into My Arms from The Boatman's Call:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS4gRmvvDsU

The Mercy Seat from Tender Prey:
The Mercy Seat

Pacifico

^^

Add "As I Sat Sadly By Her Side" to that list!

tailgunner

The opening tracks on the last few National albums have been sublime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFb9tiK0hVo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KehwyWmXr3U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G54D-Y4m_WQ

indiewindy

Shakey_jake wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTSQZjR3DE

Probably the best opening track of the last ten years, im not ****ing kidding either!

Its amazing allright, just so sad it wasnt followed by another album

KeanSeenan

S.M.B. wrote: »

Kid A - Everything in its Right Place

QUALITY!

Couldn't agree with this more.

ValJester

Tom Waits
Here's a man who knows how to open an album.
Closing Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKd4yLVARkQ

The Heart Of Saturday Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=107dADrIVBk

Heartattack And Vine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C49H3aWdiK8

Swordfishtrombones

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

Rain Dogs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOxlFJbyl94

Mule Variations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RwjpG4Xh60

Twee.

Shakey_jake wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTSQZjR3DE

Probably the best opening track of the last ten years, im not ****ing kidding either!

I was listening to this album for the first time in ages the other day, and as soon as it started I thought holy crap this is an amazing opener. It kind of shocks you into listening and paying attention.

rcaz

The Flaming Lips!

In A Priest Driven Ambulance - Shine On Sweet Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulBuNE72Cfk

Hit To Death In The Future Head - Talkin' Bout The Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues (Everyone Wants To Live Forever)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC1PewNnY-4

Transmissions From The Satellite Heart - Turn It On

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjHAQ-OfAf8

Clouds Taste Metallic - The Abandoned Hospital Ship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXHmLJFd434

The Soft Bulletin - Race for the Prize (my favourite opener ever)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mMC5CWTT0s

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots - Fight Test

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

There are more, but those are my favourites

lordgoat

Wilco - Up to A Ghost is Born. At Least That's What You Said is the one song I wish I could hear again for the first time. BRRRRUUUNNNGGGG

homerun_homer

I always love Interpol's opening tracks. They always write them to be the opener for every show on the tour so they have to be up to standard to set the mood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HC95n5y33I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haH3WSe1qtI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZmLdBOS2aI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbaXwPY0zq0

Goolay

Blur usually knew how to open an album:

Leisure: She's So High
MLIR: For Tomorrow
Parklife: Girls & Boys
The Great Escape: Stereotypes (This one not so much)
Blur: Beetlebum
13: Tender

squeakyduck

I pick Genesis by Justice from the album Cross.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThKNt-GY1ww

If I'm out and I hear this, it makes me feel powerful. Still waiting on some new stuff from them. Patiently I may add!

Muse - Uprising from the album Resistance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPE9uSFFxrI

I heard this on the bus the other night on the way home from work, I had to resist the urge to jump up and start dancing!

Muse - New Born from The origin of Symmetry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhduQhDqtb4&ob=av3e

Knights of Cydonia should have been the first track on Black holes and revelations! EPIC SONG! But, it is also a great end to the album!

Miguel_Sanchez

The Pixies. Brilliant opening tracks (except for Trompe Le Monde which I don't think was that strong an opener)

Come on Pilgrim - Caribou

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6m-pwWCDKU

Surfer Rosa - Bone Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKHsSz1dAac

Doolittle - Debaser

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

Bossanova - Cecilia Ann

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0R9kFljjv0

These guys have been one of my favourite bands since I was 10 years old. They really knew how to crank out a great opener.

Shakey_jake

Jeff_Lebowski wrote: »

The Pixies. Brilliant opening tracks (except for Trompe Le Monde which I don't think was that strong an opener)


Surfer Rosa - Bone Machine



These guys have been one of my favourite bands since I was 10 years old. They really knew how to crank out a great opener.

Bone Machine is such a great opening track, its incredible when those drums kick in. Great lyrics aswell "Our love is rice and beans and horses lard" WTF Does that even mean!!

Classic perverted weirded out lyrics from black once again!

kagni

How about these three in a row from The Jam's first three albums...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqiMfPe6U7g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dB-OMDwoO0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUYbM6KiFB8

ValJester

Try these little beauties from their 79-82 incarnation(probably best seen as Mk I of The Fall)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IOfQO9z-7g

From Live At The Witch Trials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpVTk7LoNfk

From Dragnet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWkpL8vSQ7Y

From Grotesque

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3KXTmqzsk8

From Slates

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

From Hex Enduction Hour

Sinfonia

Elliott Smith was the first name that sprung to mind

Roman Candle from Roman Candle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcK0DsFw-RA

Needle in the Hay from Elliott Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHDbCC0Ongs

Speed Trials from Either/Or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX1vIZm7NPw

Sweet Adeline from XO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe2vGhb55t8

Son of Sam from Figure 8

Five incredible openers in a row! (Coast to Coast doesn't stand up with those five for me...)

SVG

Elliott Smith- definitely!

I love Coast to Coast though.:)

KnifeWRENCH

Every Breeders alum has had a brilliant opening track that perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Glorious (from Pod)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-LDLu6Tqdc

New Year (from Last Splash)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1TOkSYmNFE

Little Fury (from Title TK)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJU9DySHaCY

Overglazed (from Mountain Battles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UCb3gCtEbg