Best four-song run on an album?

My vote is possibly for the first four songs on the Walker Brothers' "Nite Flights". Failing that, the first four tracks on Plaid's "Double Figure".

i was thinking about this recently actually.

i think parklife has a pretty great run from "london loves" through to "magic america".

also, the first four tracks on wild gift by x.

Can It All Be So Simple -> Da Mystery of Chessboxin' -> Ain't Nothin' Ta Fuck Wit -> C.R.E.A.M.

New Order - Technique
Al Green - Call Me
Imperial Teen - What Is Not To Love

Led Zep III:
Gallows Pole -> Tangerine -> That's the Way -> Bron-Y-Aur Stomp

Low - Trust

In The Drugs -> Last Snowstorm Of The Year -> John Prine -> Little Argument With Myself

Good one - that Low run is what made me a fan.

One More Time -> Aerodynamic -> Digital Love -> Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

"Peter Piper"
"It's Tricky"
"My Adidas"
"Walk This Way"

The Ruler's Back > Takeover > Izzo > Girls, Girls, Girls

Thin Lizzy Jailbreak:

The Boys Are Back In Town -> Fight Or Fail -> Cowboy Song -> Emerald

the first four songs on scott 3.

Slanted & Enchanted

Summer Babe - Trigger Cut - No Life Singed Her - In The Mouth Of A Desert

The second side of Sulk by The Associates.

Skipping - It's Better This Way - Party Fears 2 - Club Country

These are also impressive runs.

Prefab Sprout-Steve McQueen
Bonny - Appetite - When Love Breaks Down - Goodbye Lucille

Roxy Music-Stranded
Serenade - A Song For Europe - Mother of Pearl - Sunrise

^ otm was just going to post Stranded.

how about:
"It's No Game (Part 1)"
"Up the Hill Backwards"
"Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)"
"Ashes to Ashes"

One More Time -> Aerodynamic -> Digital Love -> Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

that's the first one I thought of too. Totally unstoppable

KP, you and I seem to be cut from the same post-punk cloth, your choices are ace.

My pick is the first 5 tracks on The Chameleons "Script Of The Bridge": Don't Fall / Here Today / Moneyland / Second Skin / Up The Down Escalator

the v.u.
candy says/what goes on/some kinda love/pale blue eyes

Low - Trust

In The Drugs -> Last Snowstorm Of The Year -> John Prine -> Little Argument With Myself

― It would have been better with burger sauce (aldo), Saturday, 18 September 2010 15:15 Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^this

KP, you and I seem to be cut from the same post-punk cloth, your choices are ace.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, September 18, 2010 4:41 PM (10 minutes ago)

Thanks. Most of the albums that first came to mind where from around that era. Either sides of Dare and The Lexicon of Love would be up there too.

Slanted & Enchanted

Summer Babe - Trigger Cut - No Life Singed Her - In The Mouth Of A Desert

― kornrulez6969, Saturday, September 18, 2010 3:57 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

inna slightly noisier/rockier 90s indie vein, Vee Vee offers:

Harnessed in Slums -> Nevermind the Enemy -> Greatest of All Time -> Underdogs of Nipomo

Sinead - The Lion And The Cobra

Jackie > Mandinka > Jerusalem > Just Like U Said It Would B

It Was Written

The Message --> Street Dreams --> I Gave You Power --> Watch Dem Niggas

pretty powerful suite

(cheats) I Am The Walrus/Hello Goodbye/Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane

('songs') The Plateaux Of Mirror/Above Chiangmai/An Arc Of Doves/Not Yet Remembered

A 7" of yakety sax played four times

anyone for Stormcock, Godbluff and Ys?

One More Time -> Aerodynamic -> Digital Love -> Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

― lol @ dog w/ sunglasses (Pillbox), Saturday, 18 September 2010 14:20 (3 hours ago)

Yeah this is amazing, obviously!

Other nominees:

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Barafundle: Diamond Dew, Barafundle Bumbler, Starmoonsun, Patio Song

Beach Boys have at least two:

Sunflower - Tears In the Morning > All I Want To Do > Forever > Our Sweet Love
Today! - the whole of the second side (save that stupid skit at the end)

The Sunlandic Twins:
i was never young >> wrath pinned... >> forecast fascist future >> so begins our alabee

or maybe In Sides:
girl with the sun in her head >> petrol >> the box part I >> the box part II

this is hard.

this one is probably just me but Throwing Muses "University" had a stellar run with:
bright yellow gun >> start >> hazing >> shimmer

The first four from nearly any New Pornographers will work here:

Twin Cinema > The Bones Of An Idol > Use It > The Bleeding Heart Show

Mass Romantic > The Fake Headlines > The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism > Mystery Hours

The Electric Version > From Blown Speakers > The Laws Have Changed > Loose Translation <---- a little iffy, it skipped right to Chump Change it would be perfect

Also, Belly's "Star" has Slow Dog > Low Red Moon > Feed The Tree > Full Moon, Empty Heart, which is just, like, put those four on repeat and never leave the house again.

bad moon rising lodi cross-tie walker sinister purpose

angel > risingson > teardrop > inertia creeps

I like these..
Disarm, soma, geek usa, mayonaise
Just, my iron lung, bulletproof, black star
Cups, push upstairs, jumbo, shudder/king of snake
Gigantic, river euphrates, where is my mind, cactus
Cry me a river, rock your body, nothin else, last night

The daft punk one still dominates

I think my favorite six-song run is Evenings of Damask, The Sea Beasts, Iscariot, Nijinsky Hind, The Pilgrim's Tale, The Misty Coast of Albany.

Also
Run to the sun, baby doll, am I high, rock star
Napoleon says, consolation prizes, rally, long distance call
Beat it, billie jean, human nature, pyt
...
Animal, love bites, pour some sugar on me, armageddon it

this thread has me cranking some jailbreak. loving it.

i think you could chop up Pink Flag into any consecutive four-song chunks and come up w/a winner.

^^ agreed

speed trials -> alameda -> ballad of big nothing -> between the bars

Either/or .. good one

so many great possible choices, some of which are album sides:

(FTW?) Heart And Soul/Twenty Four Hours/The Eternal/Decades

Hey Pocky A-Way/It Ain't No Use/Loving You Is On My Mind/Africa

Mr Tambourine Man/Gates Of Eden/It's All Right, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)/It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

more personal faves:

Doctor Robert/I Want To Tell You/Got To Get You Into My Life/Tomorrow Never Knows*

When A Man Needs A Woman/Passing By/Anna Lee, The Healer/Little Bird (fave Beach Boys sequence)

Chanson d'O/Le Martien/Mer/Oui, Je Dis Adieu

*(also strong: Eleanor Rigby/Love You To/I'm Only Sleeping/Here, There And Everywhere)

Also, Belly's "Star" has Slow Dog > Low Red Moon > Feed The Tree > Full Moon, Empty Heart, which is just, like, put those four on repeat and never leave the house again.

whoa, I came here earlier just to post this, but I couldn't decide whether to go with the run you posted or Low Red Moon > Feed The Tree > Full Moon, Empty Heart > White Belly. I still can't decide actually.

angel > risingson > teardrop > inertia creeps

― mookieproof, Saturday, September 18, 2010 3:13 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

God that is SO otm.

Wait wait wait we're totally forgetting one of the best ever:

Money Changes Everything > Girls Just Wanna Have Fun > When You Were Mine > Time After Time

Let Yourself Go Another Time -> The Paisley Window Pane -> I Realized You -> By The Sea

(from Wendy & Bonnie: Genesis)

Roxy Music, "Country Life:"

"The Thrill of It All"
"Three and Nine"
"All I Want is You"
"Out of the Blue"

ABC, "Lexicon of Love:"

"Show Me"
"Poison Arrow"
"Many Happy Returns"
"Tears Are Not Enough"

Of course, the ABC album just keeps killing it, and I just realized there's no reason to go with the first four songs of a album. I guess it'd be a lot tougher to think of albums in random chunks. At least for me, it would be.

"Peter Piper"
"It's Tricky"
"My Adidas"
"Walk This Way"

― kenanpolaris (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, September 18, 2010 7:24 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark

hard to beat

brown sugar > sway > wild horses > can't you hear me knocking

harborcoat > 7 chinese bros. > so. central rain > pretty persuasion

runnin' with the devil > eruption > you really got me > ain't talkin' 'bout love

dalliance > dare > suck > blonde

owner of a lonely heart > hold on > it can happen > changes

i stand by mezzanine tho

Money Changes Everything > Girls Just Wanna Have Fun > When You Were Mine > Time After Time

Damn, yeah, that's pretty amazing.

The first four on "OK Computer" is a pretty mighty run.

Also:
Care Of Cell 44
A Rose For Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park

Jordan, Minnesota > Passing Complexion > Big Money > Kerosene
The Act We Act > A Good Idea > Changes > Helpless
Hunted by a Freak > Moses I Amn't > Kids Will Be Skeletons > Killing All the Flies

Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part I -> Part II -> Part III -> Part IV

Oh shit..
Things Done Changed, Gimme The Loot, Machine Gun Funk, Warning

Rumours
Dreams - Never Going Back Again - Don't Stop - Go Your Own Way

the last four tracks from What's Going On
Mercy Mercy Me - Right On - Wholy Holy - Inner City Blues

Music for the Jilted Generation
The Heat - Poison - No Good - 3 Kilos

Illmatic
NY State of Mind - Life's a Bitch - The World is Yours - Halftime

"One Day" -> "Murder" -> "Pinky Ring" -> "Diamonds & Wood"

"Like a Rolling Stone"; "Tombstone Blues"; "It's a Takes a Train to Laugh..."; "From a Buick 6"

"St. Elmo's Fire"; "In Dark Trees"; "The Big Ship"; "I'll Come Running"

"Love Goes On!"; "Quiet Heart"; "Love is a Sign"; "You Can't Say No Forever"

"Stars of Track & Field"; "Seeing Other People"; "Me & the Major"; "Like Dylan in the Movies"

I Want You (She's So Heavy)->Here Comes the Sun->Because->You Never Give Me Your Money

The QOTSA thread reminded me of Hangin' Tree -> Go With The Flow -> Gonna Leave You -> Do It Again

Mr. Robot's Holy Orders > West Germany > The Politics of Time > Themselves

Buzzards and Dreadful Crows > Tractor Rape Chain > The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory > Hot Freaks

Let Yourself Go Another Time -> The Paisley Window Pane -> I Realized You -> By The Sea

(from Wendy & Bonnie: Genesis)

ah yes, what a fantastic sequence to open a record with

Across the Sea > The Good Life > El Scorcho > Pink Triangle

People Get Ready > Niki Hoeky > You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman > Since You've Been Gone

I'm the Man Who Loves You > Pot Kettle Black > Poor Places > Reservations

the v.u.
candy says/what goes on/some kinda love/pale blue eyes
― ....some kind of psychedelic wallflower (outdoor_miner),

OTM

Down On The Street > Loose > T.V. Eye > Dirt
Sweet Thing > Cyprus Avenue > The Way Young Lovers Do > Madame George
Once In A Lifetime > Houses In Motion > Seen And Not Seen > Listening Wind
Purple Haze > Manic Depression > Hey Joe > Love Or Confusion
See No Evil > Venus > Friction > Marquee Moon

tangled up in blue> simple twist of fate> you're a big girl now> idiot wind

across the great divide> rag mama rag> they night they drove old dixie down> when you awake

made of stone> shoot you down> this is the one> i am the resurrection

Family Snapshot -- And Through the Wire -- Games Without Frontiers -- Not One of Us

1999 -- Little Red Corvette -- Delirious -- Let's Pretend We're Married [-- D.M.S.R.]

so I don't know about you guys, but my general philosophy in posting these is that if I look one or two songs beyond the boundaries of the four-song sequence and find myself saying "ah fuck, I wish I could put that one in too!" I generally don't post it. I only bring this up b/c I'm seeing stuff like:

Sweet Thing > Cyprus Avenue > The Way Young Lovers Do > Madame George
Once In A Lifetime > Houses In Motion > Seen And Not Seen > Listening Wind
Buzzards and Dreadful Crows > Tractor Rape Chain > The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory > Hot Freaks

and feelin' pretty smh

I Wanna Get High
I Ain't Goin' Out Like That
Insane in the Brain
When the Shit Goes Down

Don't Let It Bring You Down
Birds
When You Dance I Can Really Love
I Believe In You

you could start anywhere on the first side of Sloan's Twice Removed but this is my favourite...

I Hate My Generation
People of the Sky
Coax Me
Bells On

6."Three Days" – 10:48
7."Then She Did..." – 8:18
8."Of Course" – 7:02
9."Classic Girl" – 5:07

the run from the third vu album that I would go with would prolley be:

Jesus
Beginning to See the Light
I'm Set Free
That's The Story of My Life

didnt cha know
my life
... & on
cleva

Smashing Pumpkins' Pisces Iscariot*

Hello Kitty Kat
Obscured
Landslide
Starla

*I know I get a lot of strange looks for repping for this album so much, but c'mon! ^THIS is fucking awesome!

Optimistic
In Limbo
Idioteque
Morning Bell

I'm not really a huge fan of Remake/Remodel, so I think I can post this

Ladytron
If There Is Something
Virginia Plain
2HB

Electricity
Yellow Brick Road
Abba Zaba
Plastic Factory

again: "cyber Insekt" is v. good and could be included, but at the same time, these four (from The Unutterable) flow great into one another:

Two Librans
W.B.
Sons of Temperance
Dr. Bucks Letter

Soldier
The Cell
Twinkle
Master Teachers

Arthur Russell - Another Thought

Another Thought > A Little Lost > Home Away From Home > Lucky Cloud

Kills me.

I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Here Comes the Sun
Because
You Never Give Me Your Money

The US version of the Stone Roses S/T has two great 4 song runs:

I Wanna Be Adored
She Bangs the Drums
Elephant Stone
Waterfall

Made of Stone
Shoot You Down
This is the One
I Am the Resurrection

Since I was just listening to Lifes Rich Pageant:

"Begin the Begin" > "These Days" > "Fall on Me" > "Cuyahoga"

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight:
"When I Get To The Border" > "The Calvary Cross" > "Withered and Died" > "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight"

harborcoat > 7 chinese bros. > so. central rain > pretty persuasion

― mookieproof, Saturday, September 18, 2010 6:43 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark

otm

This is a thread which is perfect for the first 4 tracks of Selected Ambient Works 85-92: xtal -> tha -> pulsewidth -> ageispolis

(said pretty much this on the recent SAWI thread, hence it springing to mind, but it's true)

Music for the Jilted Generation
The Heat - Poison - No Good - 3 Kilos

I'd go Break & Enter - Their Law - Full Throtle - Voodoo People

Just realised I posted my Beatles one twice, memory ain't what it used to be.

Clap Hands
Cemetery Polka
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Tango Till They're Sore

War Pigs-Paranoid-Planet Caravan-Iron Man

Side 2 of Every Picture Tells a Story

Maggie May
Mandolin Wind
I Know I'm Losing You
Reason to Believe

Side one of Master of Puppets, or indeed Ride the Lightning

Indeed

Clap Hands
Cemetery Polka
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Tango Till They're Sore

― rhythm fixated member (chap), Tuesday, 28 September 2010 16:32 (24 minutes ago)

really it's a 5-song run but OTM times a lot

any four-song run on tusk
teenage riot > silver rocket > the sprawl > cross the breeze
babylon sisters > hey nineteen > glamour profession > gaucho

Trying to think of occasions where Track #5 takes a distinct dip in quality/enjoyment, otherwise I'll have 175 choices to list...

"Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing"
"Maybe Partying Will Help"
"Toadies"
"Retreat"

Down On The Street > Loose > T.V. Eye > Dirt

Fastnbulbous otm

Okay...

Non-Alignment Pact/The Modern Dance/Laughing/Street Waves

Hmmmmmmmmm, I wish i liked "Laughing" more tho

... no, hold on, what am I saying, it's still awesome!

Down On The Street > Loose > T.V. Eye > Dirt

Fastnbulbous otm

― Harrison Buttwhistle (NickB), Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:22 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

yeah this is prolley the best one.

Paperhouse
Mushroom
Oh Yeah
Halleluwah

it's not my favoourite but it's pretty classic

Scarface - Safe/In Cold Blood/Guess Who's Back/My Block (Keep Me Down rules as well)

Goodie Mob - Ghetto-ology/Distant Wilderness/Greeny Green/I Refuse Limitation

Tall Dwarfs - I've Left Memories Behind/Phil's Disease Day 1/Phil's Disease Day 4/Crush

Too bad "From a Motel 6" to "Sudden Organ" is a 5-song run, because that would totally be the answer.

Cannon
Astro
Broken Bricks
When I Hear My Name

"Precious" -> "The Phone Call" -> "Up The Neck" -> "Tattooed Love Boys"

• wolves, lower
• gardening at night
• carnival of sorts (box cars)
• 1M

Whatever Happened to Pong? > Thalassocracy > (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain > Calistan

Down On The Street > Loose > T.V. Eye > Dirt

Fastnbulbous otm

― Harrison Buttwhistle (NickB), Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:22 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

yeah this is prolley the best one.

― demons a. real (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, September 28, 2010 10:51 AM (2 hours ago)

^^^This 4th'd

Only thing I can offer is: Pill Shovel > Medicine > Nod Scene > Black Mastermind

Acknowledgment
Resolution
Pursuance
Psalm

Topographic Oceans (1-4) is transcendental happiness for me. (too "boring" or something for lots of other people)

Call Me, Green, Hate My Way, Vicky's Box
Colder, Mexican Woman, The River, Juno

Yeah, I been kinda getting obsessed with them all over again lately.

Women, dammit!

Whatever Happened to Pong? > Thalassocracy > (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain > Calistan

as much as i enjoyed the first two tracks - it's almost impossible for me to put on this album and not go right for Headache!

Not obsessed with women, you understand. Well, no more than usual.

Whatever Happened to Pong? > Thalassocracy > (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain > Calistan

as much as i enjoyed the first two tracks - it's almost impossible for me to put on this album and not go right for Headache!

― got electrolytes (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:10 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark

Man, it's impossible for me to not start it from the very beginning, due to those first two tracks. Speedy Marie through Freedom Rock is also a pretty awesome four-song run though, and includes Headache!

I dont know what planet you are living on if you think the Funhouse four song run is better than the Paranoid one.

the planet Beldar!!!!

first four tracks on juju

I feel like there's no way the answer isn't on a Zeppelin album, but I don't feel like thinking it through right now.

Cannon
Astro
Broken Bricks
When I Hear My Name

― nicky lo-fi, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 19:34 (3 hours ago) Permalink

oooh...

also, Bill Magill, just so you know, Tony Stark is the weakest link...

Future/Now
Poison
Over and Over
Skunk (Sonically Speaking)

the undercover man -> scorched earth -> arrow -> the sleepwalkers

listening in mourning, this just struck me:

Ashtray Heart>A Carrot is as Close as a Rabbit Gets to a Diamond>Run Paint Run Run>Sue Egypt

Reachin'
Oh! Those Sweet Bananas
I Watched You Rhumba
Radio

Is This It -> The Modern Age -> Soma -> Barely Legal
Extradition -> Best Friend's Arm -> Grave Architecture -> AT&T

Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) -> One Last Time -> Why Try -> Break Free (feat. Zedd)

cause somehow nobody's said this yet:

When Doves Cry -> I Would Die 4 U -> Baby I'm a Star -> Purple Rain

The Undercover Man -> Scorched Earth -> Arrow -> Sleepwalkers

king of jeans:
False Jesii Part 2-Half Idiot-Dream Smotherer-Pleasure Race

Echo & the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain, side 2:
Killing Moon -> Seven Seas -> My Kingdom -> Ocean Rain

Gene Clark, No Other:
No Other -> Strength of Strings -> From a Silver Phial -> Some Misunderstanding

Drop -> Another View Point -> Tone Twilight Zone -> Bird Watching at Inner Forest

on Point by Cornelius of course

Movin’ On Up > Slip Inside This House > Don’t Fight it, Feel it > Higher than the Sun is a nice run

frogbs i already did godbluff 7 years ago lol

oh and obviously

eat it up worms hero through insect hoofs on lassie AND ALSO she is hiding behind the shed through anything i can't eat

Hunter > Jóga > Unravel > Bachelorette
(Homogenic)

Let's go five:

Red Hot Momma > Alice in My Fantasies > I'll Stay > Sexy Ways > Standing On The Verge of Getting It On

Funkadelic: Standing On The Verge of Getting It On

Babylon Sisters
Hey Nineteen
Glamour Profession
Gaucho

People’s Parties > The Same Situation > Car On A Hill > Down To You

Joni Mitchell • Court and Spark

perfume level3: enter the sphere / spring of life / magic of love / clockwork

can also shift it one forward to include 1mm

The blast off from Hounds of Love would melt ya reeboks if Cloudbusting was moved up a slot..

There's this passage on Yellow Magic Orchestra's BGM that just unloads impeccable electro-pop melodies on you like they're being plucked ripe from the garden.

1000 Knives > Cue > UT > Camouflage

I dont know what planet you are living on if you think the Funhouse four song run is better than the Paranoid one.

― Zeppelin to Howlin Wolf: "Suck It" (Bill Magill), Tuesday, September 28, 2010 5:38 PM (seven years ago)

classic bill magill

Planet of the Shapes > Lush 3-1 > Lush 3-2 > Impact (The Earth Is Burning)
from Orbital's brown album.

Gaucho is a good one

Tom Sawyer > Red Barchetta > YYZ > Limelight is pretty unimpeachable.

It's A Sin > I Want To Wake Up > Heart > King's Cross

Over The Hillside > The Downtown Lights > Let's Go Out Tonight > Headlights On The Parade

Accelerate > Fade Away > Silencer > Kamikaze

Planet Claire > 52 Girls > Dance This Mess Around > Rock Lobster

since somehow this isn't in here

Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) > Crosseyed and Painless > The Great Curve > Once in a Lifetime

Is This It -> The Modern Age -> Soma -> Barely Legal
Extradition -> Best Friend's Arm -> Grave Architecture -> AT&T

― empire bro-lesque (morrisp), Wednesday, August 15, 2018 3:07 PM (eight hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) -> One Last Time -> Why Try -> Break Free (feat. Zedd)

― empire bro-lesque (morrisp), Wednesday, August 15, 2018 3:11 PM (eight hours ago)

you sir have good taste

Remain In Light is one that occurred to me, but it's hard for me to think of Once In A Lifetime as part of that sequence because it's on side B.

Disengaged -> Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping -> Stuck -> When We Fall

otm

The Plan
Center of the Universe
Carry the Zero
Sidewalk

I was just thinking of two great albums where I'm not entirely sure exactly which sequence of four songs is the best:

Neil Young - On the Beach (maybe the first four? Walk On -> See the Sky About to Rain -> Revolution Blues -> For the Turnstiles)
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate (probably the last four? Love Calls You By Your Name -> Famous Blue Raincoat -> Sing Another Song, Boys -> Joan of Arc)

Still stand by my original post about Plaid's Double Figure:

Eyen
Squance
Assault on Precinct Zero
Zamami

after that the album kind of dissolves into fluffy formless gubbins for a bit and this marvellous stretch grinds to a halt, but this is the best sequence of their career.

Duran Duran - Rio, side 2:
New Religion -> Last Chance on the Stairway -> Save a Prayer -> The Chauffeur

you could pick any run from that album tbf

but yes

The Triffids - Calenture
Bury Me Deep in Love / Kelly's Blues / A Trick of the Light / Hometown Farewell Kiss

Pulp - His 'n' Hers is another one where I find it hard to decide exactly which sequence is the best, but I think this one is particularly strong:
Lipgloss -> Acrylic Afternoons -> Have You Seen Her Lately? -> Babies

Kid Charlemagne
The Caves of Altamira
Don't Take Me Alive
Sign In Stranger

.. pretty decent.

^nearly posted this instead of Gaucho

The last four songs on Ghosts by the Marked Men are such an amazing piece of album sequencing. You get to the song "Ghosts", and you're like, "Great title track, great hyperactive ambulance siren riff to wrap up a buzzy pop punk album" Then there's four more songs, each buzzier and more pogo sticky than the last. Just keeps spanking, keeps pushing further over the edge. Total apogee of the Ramaones/Buzzcocks/Dickies/Rezillos/Jehu/Reatard pop ideal.

Haha, I listened to The Royal Scam last night. Love it, but the Gaucho run is better.

As far as Scam goes, I may love side 2 even more. "Everything You Did" is ok, but the other 3 are solid gold.

I was gonna propose:

Black Cow -> Aja -> Deacon Blues -> Peg

Not shabby.

I guess I'm listening to Steely Dan all day. I haven't been giving them enough attention lately.

Dissthentic Penetration > Teen Tightens > No Sleep > Shaved Pussy Poetry > Pansy Twist (Huggy Bear "Don't Die" 7")

Son Of A Gun > I Can't Sleep > Timeless Melody > Liberty Ship (The La's s/t)

Deceptacon > Hot Topic > What's Yr Take on Cassavetes > The The Empty (Le Tigre s/t)

a couple favorites:

Tuff Gnarl
Pacific Coast Highway
Hot Wire My Heart
Cotton Crown

Holland, 1945
Communist Daughter
Oh Comely
Ghost

"In Every Dream Home a Heartache"
"The Bogus Man"
"Grey Lagoons"
"For Your Pleasure"

"Babooshka"
"Delius"
"Blow Away"
"All We Ever Look For"

'Synchronicity II'
'Every Breath You Take'
'King of Pain'
'Wrapped Around Your Finger'

^ Here's a legitimately great one.

Low's catalog has a number of great 4 song runs. Someone upthread posted a sequence from Trust. Here's one from Secret Name:

Starfire > Two-Step > Weight of Water > Missouri

may need to increase the difficulty level by making it *not* an album's first four songs

If it was the first two songs, one two punch, I think I'd vote for the LETIGRE s/t.

Pop Song 89
Get Up
You Are The Everything
Stand

controversial!

Fake French
FYR
On Guard
Much Finer

Closer To Fine
Secure Yourself
Kid Fears
Prince Of Darkness

Everybody My Dick Tonight
Dancing In My Dick
Fast Dick
Fields Of Dick

Rock The Bells
I Need A Beat
That's A Lie
You'll Rock

Rhymin & Stealin
The New Style
She's Crafty
Posse In Effect

I agree with Mookieproof. Almost any great album is going to have 4 pretty good songs in a row. Maybe it would be more of a challenge to pick an album with 4 great songs in a row and nothing else that’s very good. Or the album with the best b-side. Or an album where the last 4 songs are the best. I guess this is a bit of a derail. For best last 4, this is a pretty strong lineup:

Beyond the Horizon -> Nettie Moore -> The Levee’s Gonna Break -> Ain’t Talkin

Paranoid
Planet Caravan
Iron Man
Electric Funeral

People->Blue Arrangements->We Are Real->Send In The Clouds

Everytime -> Breathin -> No Tears Left to Cry -> Borderline

Haha – dang, that was fast^^

Blondie:

Hanging on the Telephone
One Way or Another
Picture This
Fade Away and Radiate

The Kinks:

Drivin'
Brainwashed
Australia
Shangri-La

Ok, not the first four.

Freddie Freeloader
Blue in Green
All Blues
Flamenco Sketches

Facelift
Slightly All The Time
Moon in June
Out-Bloody-Rageous

Hunter - Joga - Unravel - Bachelorette - All Neon Like (yeah, that's 5)
World In My Eyes - Sweetest Perfection - Personal Jesus - Halo (or alternatively Halo to Policy of Truth, so 7)
My New Career - Methods of Dance - Ain't that Peculiar - Nightporter
There must be some good ones for Cocteau Twins

I haven't thought much about it

No Action
This Year's Girl
The Beat
Pump It Up

As Mitski has just released an album, Fireworks -> Your Best American Girl -> I Bet On Losing Dogs -> My Body's Made Of Crushed Little Stars off the last album was simply incredible

Whiskey & Water
Blood
City Sickness
Patchwork

Run Come Rally
Seventy-Two Nations
Zion Land
Know How You Stand

'DNA'
'Yah'
'Element'
'Feel'

I can take or leave Yah

One More Time -> Aerodynamic -> Digital Love -> Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

― lol @ dog w/ sunglasses (Pillbox), Saturday, September 18, 2010 7:20 AM (seven years ago)

On Sight -> Black Skinhead -> I am a God -> New Slaves

Sick & Tired
Tomorrow
Rise & Shine
Beautiful One

Heart Skipped a Beat > Fantasy > Shelter > Basic Space
Sensitive > Rude Boy > In the House of Yes > Blush
Feel Like Makin' Love > Greatdayanmornin' / Booty > Untitled (How Does it Feel?) > Africa

Hello Mabel > Kama Sutra > Humanoid Boogie > Trouser Press

Pulling Mussels (from the Shell) > Another Nail in My Heart > Separate Beds > Misadventure

Utterance - Puff She Puff - Rockstone - Carbine
and from the same band, cheating a tiny bit:
Shine Eye Gal - Leaving to Zion - General Penitentiary - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

When you were mine/time after time/she bop/all through the night
Or just side A, some days. (Money changes everything/girls...fun/wywm/tat)

Overcome - Ponderosa - Black Steel - Hell is Round the Corner
Esoterica of Abyssinia - Space Prophet Dogon - The Shining Path - The Flower

ahhh, you know, i could name scott walker's songs on "nite flights" or whatever but that feels like cheating. to me this is killer four song runs on records i don't necessarily listen to all the way through, all the time.

so for me that's "crystal ball". honestly i listen to "crystal ball" instead of "sign o the times" because it has more great songs on it than "sign o the times", but since it's six sides i don't listen to it all the way through. my favorite four-song runs on that record:

rebirth of the flesh -> play in the sunshine -> housequake -> ballad of dorothy parker

and

the ball -> joy in repetition -> strange relationship -> i could never take the place of your man

you know, sides one and four. sides one and three of the released "sign o the times" also work just fine.

Fast Robert > Mare's Nest > The Stench of Honey > Buds and Spawn

Can It All Be So Simple -> Da Mystery of Chessboxin' -> Ain't Nothin' Ta Fuck Wit -> C.R.E.A.M.

― haven't you people ever heard of theodor a-goddamn-dorno (bernard snowy), Saturday, September 18, 2010

11:59
Will anything happen?
Sunday girl - french version
Heart of glass

xp interesting that josefa picked a different run from the same album!

goes to show it's the best album.

Violator

Personal Jesus - Halo - Waiting For The Night - Enjoy The Silence

Neil Young - Tonight’s the Night:

Albuquerque/New Mama/Lookout Joe/Tired Eyes

This makes for the fourth REM album to appear in this thread, but: Belong -> Half a World Away -> Texarkana -> Country Feedback

West End Girls > Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) > Love Comes Quickly > Suburbia

and could've switch out 'Suburbia' for 'Two Divided By Zero' ...

Help Me -> Free Man in Paris -> People's Parties -> The Same Situation

Moondance -> Crazy Love -> Caravan -> Into the Mystic

Girl Don't Tell Me -> Help Me, Rhonda -> California Girls -> Let Him Run Wild

Happy > She Sends Kisses > This Boy Is Exhausted > Hopeless

^^ yes

amnesiac, the first four tracks make it radiohead’s best album

as we're all loving current 93 atm,

all the world makes great blood -> the great, bloody and bruised veil of the world -> into the menstrual night i go -> dormition and dominion

can hardly think of a better possible run of music

"Me So Horny"->"Put Her in the Buck"->"D--k Almighty"->"C'mon Babe"

Untitled
Obstacle 1
NYC
PDA

4+4+2

Hardcore UFO's
Buzzards & Dreadful Crows
Tractor Rape Chain
Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
Hot Freaks
Smothered In Hugs
Yours To Keep
Echos Myron
Gold Star For Robot Boy
Awful Bliss

Veedon Fleece: Linden Arden Stole the Highlights, Who Was that Masked Man? Streets of Arklow, You Don't Pull No Punches (But you don't push the river)

The Grants > Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd > Sweet > A&W

I Got the Blues - Sister Morphine - Dead Flowers - Moonlight Mile

Hulloder > Dada Was Here > Thank You Pierrot Lunaire > Have You Ever Bean Green?

as it happens, the four best songs ever recorded are also a four-song run: Three Babies / The Emperor's New Clothes / Black Boys on Mopeds / Nothing Compares 2 U

This reminds me how long my music listening has been depressingly removed from “whole albums, in order”

Offhand:

- The last tracks on Behaviour and the first tracks on Very
- The first and last tracks on The Rising (I know it’s not well-loved but it’s a personal sentimental favourite)
- Little Star / Hopefully Yours / Murder in Maryland Park / I See You Again or any four song segment of that album

4+4+2

Hardcore UFO's
Buzzards & Dreadful Crows
Tractor Rape Chain
Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
Hot Freaks
Smothered In Hugs
Yours To Keep
Echos Myron
Gold Star For Robot Boy
Awful Bliss

― DACA Flocka Flame (Hadrian VIII), Tuesday, 23 October 2018 18:42 (four years ago)

this is such a good answer

so many but the first four tracks on roman candle by elliott smith destroy me

The 2nd side of Rust Never Sleeps.

Side one of John Prine's first album.

Suede - We Are The Pigs > Heroine > The Wild Ones - Daddy's Speeding

Saint Etienne - Avenue > You're In A Bad Way > Hobart Paving > Leafhound (ignoring the 20 second Memo To Pricey interlude there)

Broadcast - Papercuts > You Can Fall > Look Outside > Until Then

Kylie - More More More > Love At First Sight > Can't Get You Out Of My Head > Fever

Sylvester - All four songs on Stars

Broadcast - Papercuts > You Can Fall > Look Outside > Until Then

The 3 songs before "Papercuts" are pretty amazing as well.

Maybe it would be more of a challenge to pick an album with 4 great songs in a row and nothing else that’s very good.

I've been trying to think of examples of this. Somebody already listed the only four songs from Rain Dogs that I like, except for "9th and Hennepin".

A couple of times Tori Amos really rallied at the end of very lengthy and not-entirely-satisfactory albums and came up with amazing four-song conclusions:

Another Girl's Paradise / Scarlet's Walk / Virginia / Gold Dust
Beauty of Speed / Almost Rosey / Velvet Revolution / Dark Side of the Sun

I like other songs from these records, but with each subsequent song in these closing quartets, it feels like she is raising her bets and pulling off a victory.

Cocoon > It's Not Up To You > Undo > Pagan Poetry

Too High > Visions > Living for the City > Golden Lady
Did I Hear You Say You Love Me > All I Do > Rocket Love > I Ain't Gonna Stand For It

More Lana — a six-song run, as good as any I know:

Black Bathing Suit > If You Lie Down With Me > Beautiful > Violets for Roses > Dealer > Thunder

The 2 of Us / Black or Blue / The Asphalt World / Still Life

Here's five:

Sailin' On/Don't Need It/Attitude/The Regulator/Banned In D.C.

Then you get a dub instrumental, so you can catch your breath.

Several Ariana sequences have been listed here already, but this has to be one of the best closing runs on a modern pop album:

Bad Decisions > Touch It > Knew Better / Forever Boy > Thinking Bout You

lilia > trem de doido > nada sera como antes > ao que vai nascer

a-side of "master of reality"

"The Hanging Garden"
"Siamese Twins"
"The Figurehead"
"A Strange Day"