It's all about the Ending

[blackwasp]

What song do you think is the best album closer? You can base it on the song alone or the closure it brings to the record as a whole.

I'll save my runner-ups and get straight to my favorite: "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" from Radiohead's The Bends.

 

[philN]

Wow. I have a few albums that I really enjoy the endings on:

The Bends has a terrific ending

Also,

Let's Not [*poop*] Ourselves - Bright Eyes, Lifted
The Transfiguration - Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans
Vito's Ordination Song - Sufjan Stevens, Greeting From Michigan

I also really like how Piebald's We Are The Only Friends That We Have album ends. Sex Sell (and Unfortunately I'm Buying) fades out with a dual trumpet solo thing and then all the guitars come back in to finish the last little bit. It sounds really cool.

 

[JaelWasWickedCool]

vroom's "dumb like that" from ...throws like a girl is amazing. also, "bricks and windows" from brandtson's trying to figure each other out, "lost at sea" from craig's brother's lost at sea, and i'm sure if i took the time to think about it, i could come up with a bunch more. those were just the ones that first came to mind.

 

[philN]

oh man, I forgot about Dumb Like That. Such a great song, such a great album, such a great band.

I think the Wilderness (Jon Vroom) album should be coming out pretty soon, I am pretty excited about it. I heard the rough mix of it last summer, but I heard alot of stuff was re-recorded. There's one song on it that rivals Dumb Like That for my favorite vroom-related song, but I forget what it's called.

 

[nadroj1985]

"Street Spirit" is my pick as well. "Sister Ray" is also a last track, but it stands alone on the album, IMO, and thus is not what I think of when I think of great album closers.

Other great ones:
The Doors- "When the Music's Over" (Strange Days)
The Decemberists- "California One/Youth and Beauty Brigade" (Castaways and Cutouts)
Bob Dylan- "Restless Farewell" (The Times They Are A-Changin')
Jimi Hendrix- "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (Electric Ladyland)
Modest Mouse- "Styrofoam Boots/It's All Nice on Ice, Alright" (The Lonesome Crowded West)
Neutral Milk Hotel- "Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2" (In the Aeroplane Over the Sea)
Radiohead- "The Tourist" (OK Computer)
Slint- "Good Morning Captain" (Spiderland)
Van Morrison- "Slim Slow Slider" (Astral Weeks)

 

[creep]

Ever heard Stonesour's self titled dubut? the last track is just a three minute monologue. Its kinda orwellian, but just sums up the album in a way, and leaves you kinda thoughtful, but elated in a way. like ''the world sucks, all you gotta do is realise it and make the best of it'' type way.
Its very good.

ps. im loving the radiohead goodness going on here. The Tourist is such a sad ending to a creepy album. But sooo goooood.

 

[blackwasp]

Neutral Milk Hotel- "Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2" (In the Aeroplane Over the Sea)

I wasn't aware that there was a second part. I guess I need to stop being cheap and just by the album.

My honorable mentions:

"Singunchaser" -- Modest Mouse, Sad Sappy Sucker. Although it's only 27 seconds long, it has the great line, "Make us depressed or just sad. Make us happy or something."
"A Riff to the Lord" -- Jedick/Phan, ...and Mustard. "I love you, when caught in reverie/Silence seems to bring you closer to my hands/Silence keeps on pushing, I don't know where it ends."
"A Day in the Life" -- The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's
"Dancing With the Wind" -- Days of the New, Days of the New III (Red). Epic!

 

[musicPhan#41]

Dave Matthews Band always ends their albums well.

Under the Table and Dreaming ends with the beautiful instrumental piece #34.

Crash ends with Proudest Monkey, a really chill jam song that builds slowly, but eventually is rocking.

Before These Crowded Streets also ends with the more relaxed song Spoon, featuring Bela Fleck and Alanis Morissette, and it eventually builds to an explosive ending.

Busted Stuff also ends with the powerful song Bartender.


if you like good music, you should check out those albums.

 

[nadroj1985]

"Proudest Monkey" is a good choice. I should've put that on my list, too. It's my favorite DMB song in some ways.

 

[Western Deity]

Poet Laureate II... it's monstrous .

 

[JaelWasWickedCool]

oh man, I forgot about Dumb Like That. Such a great song, such a great album, such a great band.

I think the Wilderness (Jon Vroom) album should be coming out pretty soon, I am pretty excited about it. I heard the rough mix of it last summer, but I heard alot of stuff was re-recorded. There's one song on it that rivals Dumb Like That for my favorite vroom-related song, but I forget what it's called.

awesome! that's really exciting. i was wondering when he'd release something. i miss vroom.

 

[Roo6339]

silverchair - the closing... it, funnily enough, closes the whole album...

 

[KristianJ]

Before These Crowded Streets also ends with the more relaxed song Spoon, featuring Bela Fleck and Alanis Morissette, and it eventually builds to an explosive ending.

And the reprisal of Last Stop at the end as well - there's something about that which makes it so haunting...

 

[blackwasp]

Dave Matthews Band always ends their albums well.

Under the Table and Dreaming ends with the beautiful instrumental piece #34.

Crash ends with Proudest Monkey, a really chill jam song that builds slowly, but eventually is rocking.

Before These Crowded Streets also ends with the more relaxed song Spoon, featuring Bela Fleck and Alanis Morissette, and it eventually builds to an explosive ending.

Busted Stuff also ends with the powerful song Bartender.


if you like good music, you should check out those albums.

I'm not overly familiar with DMB, but "Bartender" and "Proudest Monkey" are two of their songs that I do enjoy.

 

[musicPhan#41]

I'm not overly familiar with DMB, but "Bartender" and "Proudest Monkey" are two of their songs that I do enjoy.

you should check out the albums i listed. bartender and PM are sweet.

 

[MoreInSorrow]

DMB always ends their albums well.

I'd have to say "Hurt" on NIN-Downward Spiral. That song encapsulated the entire album's tone.

 

[Idicious]

I feel that good closers are the ones that make you want to start the cd from the start again.

Dissection - Storm of the lights bane - No dreams breed in breathless sleep
Antestor - The Forsaken - Mit Hjerte
Metallica - Ride the Lightning - Call of Ctulu

 

[Bargainfluger]

Neutral Milk Hotel- "Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2" (In the Aeroplane Over the Sea)

That's a great album as a whole as well.

One of my personal favorites is Eclipse on Dark Side of the Moon. It's the perfect climax to the album, and love it every single time.

 

[anathema]

Zao - where blood and fire bring rest and peace - violet
blindside - about a burning fire - about a burning fire
Finch - what it is to burn - what it is to burn
Juliana Theory - understand the dream is over - constellation
Nine inch nails - the downward spiral - hurt
M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us - Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun
Sigur Ros - () - Untitled 8
Onesidezero - Is this Room Getting Smaller? - Underground
Stavesacre - speakeasy - this love

 

[Roo6339]

blindside - about a burning fire - about a burning fire

that is so true...