Double Albums Where One of the Discs is Unnecessary (in your opinion)

I was listening to Chicago Transit Authority recently, and realized just how many tracks I end up skipping on the second disc while I absolutely love the first one. Probably the only track I like on disc 2 is I'm a Man. Lately, I've just ended up skipping the whole second disc. What double albums do you think could do without one of their discs?

 

CTA is Chicago Transit Authority. It's Chicago's first album before they were made to change their name.

 

"Chicago Transit Authority"

Yeah, the abbreviations around here can be more than a little annoying sometimes.

 

Ummagumma - pick one

 

Since it's apparently that obnoxious, I've edited it to clarify.

 

Kind of a cop-out answer, but Side 4 of Second Winter is unnecessary! I do like side 1, 2 and 3.

 

If you read the title of your thread and your entire first post, you would see that the only hint of artist or album is that there is a song called "I'm a Man".
If someone is not familiar with Chicago, and not everyone on this forum is, I fail to see how you can not understand my point.

I have this album with a song called "Dear Jill" on it. Does that mean that I should assume that you are familiar with Blodwyn Pigs' "Ahead Rings Out" LP?

 

I understand your point, that's why I changed it.

 

I sure hope you've never lowered your stylus onto side 4!

 

Physical Graffiti


(edit: by this mildly popular 1970s band called Led Zeppelin...sides three and four are mostly unspectacular)

 

I do agree that the Chicago debut is a great example of the first disc really out-shining the second, yet I'm also of the belief that doubles were put out as doubles because they were "meant" to be doubles.

Then again, I really gravitate to double albums from a theoretical sense. I like how they present four "acts", how they weave, flow, meander and change moods to present this big grand statement. While I agree that some doubles resonate more deeply than others, I'm glad that all of them were put out as they were.

I've seen criticisms for almost every double album, proposing that they would have been better as single albums. It happens in regards to the White Album, Exile On Main St, Electric Ladyland, Physical Graffiti, Songs In The Key Of Life, you name it. The thing is, the very songs that are proposed by many as "filler" are the very songs that make these albums so splendid (certainly to me and, I suspect, many others).

 

I was gonna say "Some Time in NYC", but then I realized both discs are unnecessary!

 

Second disk on CTA has one of their best songs.
"South California Purples"
The second disk is necessary.

("Liberation" isn't too bad either...)

 

Ok, South California Purples is pretty good. I wouldn't say one of their best songs though. And side 3 has one of my least favorite "songs" from a great album, Free Form Guitar. It genuinely hurts to listen to that song for me.

 

Metal Machine Music.

I kid, I kid ...

 

"Let it Be - Naked" 2nd disc total waste of time

 

I'll probably get (and deserve) a beating for this but after nary a wasted second of disc 1 brilliance, there's so little to sink your teeth into on the second disc of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

 

If you extend the premise to triple albums, the last disc of 'Sandinista' has very little of interest on it.

 

Only side 6. I like side 5 as much as the first 4.

 

Canned Heat-Living the Blues. The live disc is mediocre IMO.

 

Pink Floyd - The Wall. No, I'm not being ironic or stirring the pot. I have a very love-hate relationship with that album for the exact reason that it's two LPs. If you could condense it down to a single record, you'd have one of the best albums in rock history, but as a double it's just too much. I mean, does anyone think The Wall would be less of an album if "Bring the Boys Back Home" wasn't there? Yeah, I know, Waters was telling a story. It's a concept album. The problem is, he had a lot to say lyrically but the music didn't have nearly as much to talk about. Just saying.

 

Pretty much every hip hop double album that wasn't released by Tupac, Biggie, Outkast, or the Wu-Tang Clan.

 

The River.

Get rid of I Wanna Marry You on side two and replace it with The Price You Pay from side four, the only great track on the second half of it, and you've got a much better album, as a single.

Oh yeah and get rid of Hungry Heart and replace it with Where The Bands Are. MUCH better!

 

How about the second album of The Rascals' Freedom Suite?

 

No beating from me..
It is weaker, no doubt about it. But it is neccessary, of course, to complete the story arc. Though for me it fizzles out at the end. Side 3 is fine, though, are you forgetting 'The Lamia'?