The greatest closing 1-2 punches

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Last two tracks on album work in tandem, one sets up the kill, the other effects it. Which are the best examples you can think of?

My top two are:

2) XTC - English Settlement
1) The Teardrop Explodes - Wilder

― Scourage (Haberdager), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:29 (nineteen years ago)

I've always liked albums where the penultimate song is all moody and atmospheric, with the final song jumping out of the speakers like a human cannonball afire. I offer as examples:

Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare (The Awakening, Escape)

-and-

Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything? (You Left Me Sore, Slut)

― hank (hank s), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

Innervisions

however

Start the Lifted, story is in the soil debate whenever you want.

― P1 (xcxre9), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

oh, wait, found another couple:

Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump. Aside from the first and last two tracks something of a disappointment, but WHAT last two tracks they are.

Radiohead - Hail To The Thief. Admit it.

― Louis Jagger (Haberdager), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

The Nation of Ulysses "Plays Pretty for Baby" cd works this way for me.
Just the cd, though, cuz the last three tracks are from a single.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

You Left Me Sore, Slut

This is a good title for just one song!

I think I liked the last two on Amnesiac better but maybe I'm mixing up the albums. Those three kind of blend into a rainy mush at this point. (In a good way.)

― Eppy (Eppy), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

I know everyone here hates Cardiacs but the last two songs on On Land and In The Sea are pretty much the best thing ever

― ss sleepingbag (sleepingbag), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

The best points in Beck's whole career have been the closing tracks to his albums. In particular, the last 2 on Mellow Gold, the last 2 on Odelay! and the last 2 (last track and hidden track) on Mutations.

― the doaple gonger (nickalicious), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, it's interesting you should mention Mutations, actually. I myself considered it for the list, but eventually turned it down, for the reason that although it has two utterly brilliant final tracks, they're both 'closing track-type songs', i.e. both could have closed the album, and their effects are independent. I am not, however, talking about the same two songs as you. You speak of 'Static' and 'Diamond Bollocks', which DO work together pretty well, but what with me being British, I have the version with 'Runners Dial Zero' on the end. 'Diamond Bollocks' is my favourite Beck song (w/Cold Brains) and RDZ isn't far behind, an absolutely corking piece of piano-led creepiness.

Mutherfuker and Blackhole? Hmm, not sure 'bout that, and you seem to have forgotten Pressure Zone/Debra...

― Louis Jagger (Haberdager), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

London Calling - Revolution Rock & Train In Vain

― graf cycliz (graf cycliz), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

"Debra" pisses me off.

― the doaple gonger (nickalicious), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band (Reprise)
A Day in the Life

― totph (Totph), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

REM- Automatic for the People

― Chris Grasinger (gman59), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 20:49 (nineteen years ago)

King Crimson- Larks' Tongues in Aspic
"The Talking Drum" ---> "Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part II"

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

i'd argue that "closer" by joy division does this perfectly. but i'm far too tired to construct the argument properly. still, "the eternal" and "decades" work in a symbiotic relationship of no small wonder.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 22:37 (nineteen years ago)

Well, since my two favorite songs from My Bloody Valentine's Isn't Anything are the two last songs, I'd nominate that one.

― Roadkill Bingo (Roadkill Bingo), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

i know i'm a trendy fuck for liking them, but my vote goes to two trail of dead albums: madonna and source tags and codes

now feel free to flame-away...

― robert anderson (venimdenim), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 23:29 (nineteen years ago)

only if you're counting "Relative Ways" as the penultimate track. "After the Laughter" into "Source Tags and Codes" is still great, but it's not all-time classic material.

― bernard snow (sixteen sergeants), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 23:32 (nineteen years ago)

"Liberation" y "Chonkyfire"?

― The future of Rodney got a -- (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 17 August 2006 00:54 (nineteen years ago)

yeah bernard, that is exactly what i meant...i forgot that lil interlude is credited as a separate song! (it's a great segue between two incredible songs nonetheless!)

― robert anderson (venimdenim), Thursday, 17 August 2006 01:26 (nineteen years ago)

Kate Bush - Nocturne > Aerial
Björk - Pluto > All Is Full Of Love
Ellen Allien - Secret > Open

all these kill me.

I feel like mix CD's do the 1-2 punch more satisfactorily, more often than albums 'proper' somehow? I'm stuggling to think of more here...

The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name > Sister Ray

ouch.

― rollin', rollin', rollin', keep them dogies rollin', rawhide! thread (fandango), Thursday, 17 August 2006 02:03 (nineteen years ago)

XTC - Skylarking, "Dying" ---> "Sacrificial Bonfire"

― Hideous Lump (Hideous Lump), Thursday, 17 August 2006 02:28 (nineteen years ago)

Stooges - Funhouse, "Funhouse" ---> "L.A. Blues"

Although really they should be all one song.

― Hideous Lump (Hideous Lump), Thursday, 17 August 2006 02:32 (nineteen years ago)

i second Automatic For The People and Aerial, and I would like to bring up In The Aeroplane Over The Sea.

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Thursday, 17 August 2006 03:03 (nineteen years ago)

The Doors - The Soft Parade - "Wishful, Sinful" + "The Soft Parade"
The CURE - The Head On The Door - "Screw" + "Sinking"
the White Stripes - the White Stripes - "St. James Infirmary" + "I Fought Piranhas"

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Thursday, 17 August 2006 03:57 (nineteen years ago)

The Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name > Sister Ray

maybe my favorite. I'm pretty spent by the end here.

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Thursday, 17 August 2006 04:00 (nineteen years ago)

Yep, that's the one!

― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Thursday, 17 August 2006 05:17 (nineteen years ago)

Stevie Wonder, Talking Book: "Looking for Another Pure Love," "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 17 August 2006 05:21 (nineteen years ago)

I've always liked albums where the penultimate song is all moody and atmospheric, with the final song jumping out of the speakers like a human cannonball afire.

rem's out of time ("country feedback," "me in honey") does a nice job of exactly that.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 17 August 2006 05:41 (nineteen years ago)

yankee hotel foxtrot - you know em kids... 'poor places' and 'reservations'
who's next - two of rock's landmarks... 'behind blue eyes' and 'won't get fooled again'
remain in light - bringing the record to a standstill... "listening wind" and "the overload"

then there's obviously "lucky" and "the tourist" in the too obvious category

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:15 (nineteen years ago)

The end of Amnesiac. Flame on.

― steal compass, drive north, disappear (tissp), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

YHF I considered, but if there's one track on the whole album that effects any sort of kill, it's Poor Places, and Reservations, gentle and caring as it is, can only bask in its awe.

Amnesiac is a good shout, but IMO the last two tracks of Hail To The Thief do the whole mellow-BAM thing far more effectively (apart from being two of the best tracks on the album).

― Scourage (Haberdager), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking of the Streets "A GrandDon't Come For Free". Dry Your Eyes followed by Empty Cans and the way the story goes from heartbreak to anger to redmeption in two songs.

― wogan lenin (dog latin), Thursday, 17 August 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

Well, since my two favorite songs from My Bloody Valentine's Isn't Anything are the two last songs, I'd nominate that one

Come to think of it, the last 2 songs on Loveless are damn good. I like how "What You Want" ends and the album could've ended on that cool sound, but then "Soon" kind of fades in for one last great song.

― graf cycliz (graf cycliz), Thursday, 17 August 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

There must be SOMEONE whose favourite Loveless track is What You Want, but I've never heard, seen or met them. One for the 'It's my jam' thread if anyone owns up.

If 'Blue As Midnight' didn't exist then 'Lung Shadows'->'Lonely Planet' would be mighty, mighty, mighty indeed. But that's a contrivance too far even for this thread.

― Scourage (Haberdager), Thursday, 17 August 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

Grand Don't Come For Free seconded. Plus it has that little raw anger false start in the beginning of "Empty Cans". Heartbroken -> frustration -> resolution, a winner every time.

― captain reverend gandalf jesus (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 August 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Ween The Mollusk - "Ocean Man" -> "She Wanted To Leave (Reprise)", not just as a good 1-2 punch album closing, but a pretty good 1-2 punch example of Ween's overall range.

― captain reverend gandalf jesus (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 August 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

There must be SOMEONE whose favourite Loveless track is What You Want, but I've never heard, seen or met them.

That would be me then. A part of it might be because of the sequencing though.

I think "Tilt" - "Rosary" on Tilt is damn effective, with "(Thou Without) Partner" - "I Am A Cinematographer" on Days In The Wake by Palace just a notch below.

― Antti Piirainen (Antti), Thursday, 17 August 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

Metallica - Master of Puppets ("Orion" and Damage fucking Inc.)

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 17 August 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

Exile on Main Street -"Shine a Light" to "Soul Survivor."

― Ice Cream Electric (Ice Cream Electric), Thursday, 17 August 2006 21:27 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking of the Streets "A GrandDon't Come For Free". Dry Your Eyes followed by Empty Cans and the way the story goes from heartbreak to anger to redmeption in two songs.

that's a good one!

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Thursday, 17 August 2006 21:39 (nineteen years ago)

The US versions of This Year's Model and Armed Forces.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 17 August 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

"a grand don't come for free" definitely, and come to think of it "opm" - "who got da funk" is pretty damn great.

my personal favorite though is the futureheads s/t. "hounds of love" to "man ray" -- so punchy

― rodox.video (rodox.video), Friday, 18 August 2006 00:19 (nineteen years ago)

Jefferson Airplane, Meadowlands > Volunteers

Alternatively

Galang, just Galang

― white heat (white heat), Friday, 18 August 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

Depeche Mode 101

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Friday, 18 August 2006 06:56 (nineteen years ago)

Jane's Addiction - "Nothing's Shocking".

Thank You Boys ---> Pigs In Zen

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Friday, 18 August 2006 07:02 (nineteen years ago)

Since the example that immediately came to mind (I Heard her Call My Name > Sister Ray) has been mentioned and seconded, I'll have to go with Mother of Pearl > Sunset from Roxy Music's Stranded. When that's over, you know you've really heard something.

― Dr Benway (dr benway), Friday, 18 August 2006 07:10 (nineteen years ago)

"Monkey Man"/"You Can't Always Get What You Want"

and just to go rockist as hell, "Meeting Across the River"/"Jungleland"
and for the U.S., "Foxey Lady"/"Are You Experienced"

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 18 August 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

the third velvet underground album.

― Godfrzej Ljang (godfrzej), Friday, 18 August 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

the third velvet underground album

Because anything would be a relief after "The Murder Mystery"?

― Hideous Lump (Hideous Lump), Saturday, 19 August 2006 05:51 (nineteen years ago)

A Cheery Wave From Stranded Youngsters and then Mogwai Fear Satan on Young Team.

― Thomas Mehlt (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Monday, 21 August 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Someone else already said it, but Sgt Pepper comes to mind for me, too...

― Tronid K (tronidk), Monday, 21 August 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

The Cure: Parklife (Not counting "Lot 105", leaving "This Is a Low" as the proper final track)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 21 August 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Genesis: Foxtrot

Horizons ---> Supper's Ready

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 21 August 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

Do the Cure and "punches" go together? (I am just asking!)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 21 August 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

OMG at xxpost and latest.

― Scourage (Haberdager), Monday, 21 August 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

The Cure's best final pairing, btw, is either Bananafishbones->The Top, or, my personal preference, Cold->Pornography, for the thrill of freaked-out, distant, menacing despair suddenly raging up into an inferno of psychotic evisceration. Brilliant. And The Cure, I can assure you, punch.

― Scourage (Haberdager), Monday, 21 August 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

Slayer's "Postmortem" and "Raining Blood" surely belong here, even tho I'm STILL not sure where one song ends and the other begins. (Blame the two CD versions of Reign In Blood I owned, which had completely different index-points & track lengths for tracks 9 and 10.)

― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Monday, 21 August 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

Beach Boys "Sunflower" : Til I die/ Surf's up
The Cure "Disintegration": Homesick/ Untitled
Lou Reed "Berlin": The bed/ Sad song

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Monday, 21 August 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

'Fraid IMO that 'Untitled' is by far the worst song on Disintegration, even though Homesick is my favourite.

(This really belongs on that 'sucky final track, awesome penultimate track' thread.)

And Geir, you haven't acknowledged your appalling error yet...

― Scourage (Haberdager), Monday, 21 August 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

Really? I quite like it. Always been one of my favourite on the album.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Monday, 21 August 2006 18:51 (nineteen years ago)

Chacun a son gout, mon ami...for me, the riff isn't strong enough, the melodica isn't effective, and the song itself doesn't really progress. But this is in the context of a fantastic album, and it would still be the best song on Wild Mood Swings (Want notwithstanding). Fascination St through Homesick is virtually unbeatable, and to follow that up is virtually impossible. Stick it after Closedown and it might improve a tad.

― Scourage (Haberdager), Monday, 21 August 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

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