challenge: what if the UW albums were released before CDs and cassettes?

[holden]

We get so used to the track order of records we know and love, such that rearranging them often can allow for reevaluation...you hear things you'd overlooked before, or in the case of "album bands" like UW, reassess tracks as singles rather than part of a mix or environ of the LP. In the case of the anthologies, I usually long for the tracks that are "supposed" to surround the singles. In cases like the promo DAT of Dubno and the promo AHDO(ansum), hearing different mixes and different orders makes me appreciate the effort of tracking a record, as I think the actual release is better, though still....interesting ideas that are fun to explore. Shuffling can be fun.
As a fan of continuous mixes and somewhat thematic albums, I like CDs in that it all flows and there's room to develop, whereas flipping a cassette or vinyl breaks that flow. I guess the artist can use the breaks to their advantage if the music warrants a transition, but that length restriction is a bummer.
About the quality over quantity bit...yeah, a tight and wellvcrafted short album can be great for a lot of bands ( the pumpkins example is appropriate because they always dealt in excess... Not every demo or outtake needs released, Billy!) But when I know a band such as Underworld is capable of lengthy quality compositions, a shorter record seems like a rip-off or a lack of ideas. Plenty of times I've bought an "LP" CD and found it was less than 30 minutes in length...full price didn't seem fair!