Albums with all slow songs. Thoughts?

Do you like albums that contain all slow songs? 

Or you dislike them and prefer a CD with more a variety in tempos, even if all the slow songs are unique and beautiful?

Think Ray LaMontagne, whose songs are all pretty slow, but all pretty pretty.

What's your preference...or do you just look for general quality? 

Views: 544

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by TenLayers on January 6, 2012 at 3:02pm

In the past I have been annoyed with Neil Young's penchant for alternating slow songs with cookers.  The alternating slow/fast thing just doesn't happen: it was his choice and I didn't like it.  Now, it seems to bother me less but overall I want some reason for the change, something behind it rather than a "let's screw with their mood" idea.  

Permalink Reply by Gina Sicilia on January 6, 2012 at 3:20pm
Yep! Everything song should have a reason for being there. Having a fast song or a mid temp song just for the sake of having them or to create a balance on the record is something that's overdone.
Permalink Reply by L A Johnson on January 6, 2012 at 3:58pm

Most of Neil's songs 'start off real slow then fizzle out'....Neil Young 4-Way Street intro to 'Don't Let It Bring You Down'

Permalink Reply by Scott N McLeod on January 7, 2012 at 6:27pm

It depends on the album. The songs on The Trinity Sessions, by The Cowboy Junkies, to me, are all slow and maybe  Sweet Jane picks up a bit but over all I love the album for the mood it creates using originals and covers by Hank Williams and Patsy Cline.  It depends on keeping the mood and if that requires all slow songs to do it, great or a well placed fast one that keeps with the theme of the album great!

Permalink Reply by Greywolf on January 8, 2012 at 8:39am

Well... clearly all slow can be all good... but if I think about it, the albums I own that contain only slow songs don't get nearly as much play as those with a mixture. On a side note, not sure if the same applies to all-uptempo albums...

 

Permalink Reply by Ryan1039 on January 8, 2012 at 11:37am

Typically can't listen to a completely downtempo album from start to finish. Son Volt's "American Central Dust" may be one exception...but even that one is cuts it close. 

Permalink Reply by Rick Boardman on January 8, 2012 at 7:43pm

Well, I used to like the first album by Vanilla Fudge, back when it came out 40 some years ago.  They really knew how to slow things down.  But they haven't held up so well over time.  (Who have held up pretty good from around that time are Canned Heat.)

All of Leonard Cohen's stuff seems real slow to me, and he's pretty good.

Permalink Reply by ron victor on January 9, 2012 at 12:26pm

i mostly cant stand slow songs- with very few exceptions a few that i like  are

walls of time- monroe/ rowan

i'm so lonesome i could cry- hank

i'm blue i'm lonesome- hank

lonesome whistle- also hank- king of slow songs?

in my life- ozzy version

he stopped loving her today- jones

old man river- especially jeff beck with rod stewart

morning dew- some versions again top being jeff beck and rod same album as ol man river- truth

long black veil- most versions ive heard were great

sunday morning coming down- kristofferson

the messiah will come again- roy buchanan

some slow beatles are ok- but i cant really listen to them much- something, yesterday, long and winding road, let it be

Permalink Reply by Gina Sicilia on January 12, 2012 at 7:58am
I really love slow songs. If written and produced well they can truly have an incredible amount of power.

I don't mind listening to a full album of slow songs (love Norah Jones 1st release)

As long as the songs are each unique and not boring, I love it. If some songs are boring, my attention is gone after the first 30 seconds.

Slow songs are lovely. I think Paula Cole said something like, listening to slow songs and deep music makes you feel a sort of proximity to divinity.
I agree with that because it sure makes me feel that way.

@RonVictor just curious, what is it about slow songs that you're not all that crazy about and makes you not really wanna listen to them too much?

Ok now everybody what about all slow songs in live shows? Your cup of tea? Or NOT your cup of tea.
Tell me!! (I've sort of started a new thread within a thread!)
Permalink Reply by Greywolf on January 12, 2012 at 7:09pm

I don't know about ALL slow songs but I've always wanted to hear Robert Earl Keen do a show of his slower music, since many of those are my favorites and he rarely does many of them in concerts - at least not up here in Oregon and Washington.

Permalink Reply by Earl Cambron on January 13, 2012 at 6:05am

The new Ryan Adams CD is very laid-back.

Permalink Reply by Brian Moore on January 13, 2012 at 12:49pm

If an album's songs are good and move me emotionally, they don't have to make me move physically. Springsteen's Nebraska comes to mind. But finding that consistent emotional impact is pretty rare, so most all slow song albums get bit tiresome for me.

I think the contrast thing works better - either in an album setting (Bonnie Raitt does this well) or even within a single song (e.g. Jethro Tull's Aqualung album has no less than four songs that radically and successfully shift tempo - Cross-Eyed Mary, Locomotive Breath, Wind Up and the title track) .

RSS

Sponsors


If you enjoy this site please consider helping us with a small donation!

Don't like PayPal? Mail a check to: No Depression, PO Box 31332, Seattle, WA 98103

Notes

FAQ

Created by No Depression Feb 17, 2009 at 9:06pm. Last updated by No Depression Apr 9.