It Still Moves : Re-edited

[vwxg14a]

My girlfriend and I were discussing the merits of Z, It Still Moves and Evil Urges and she says Z is their best album.

I agree that the album is the most cohesive album they released, but if It Still Moves removed 3 songs it would have been their best.  If you look at the running length of ISM vs Z, it is 20 minutes longer.  

My suggestion if I could have gone back in time and magically edited the album I would have arranged it like this in this order...

Original Order/Name/My Comment
5. One Big Holiday - Start it off like U2's Joshua Tree
1. Mahgeetah  
2. Dancefloors
8. Run Thru
4. Master Plan
10. Just One Thing
3. Golden
6. I Will Sing You Songs
11. Steam Engine - End with the Best


Deleted
7. Easy Morning Rebel
9. Rollin Back
12. One In The Same

What do you think?

[jmk]

I don't think It Still Moves should be changed one iota. It is a nearly perfectly arranged album to me. And all taking out Easy Morning Rebel, Rollin Back, and One in The Same does is take out 3 awesome songs.

Why the need to take away beautiful songs? Doesn't make sense to me.

[BH]

I don't even know who you are anymore. :'(

[ycartrob]

I usually don't have a take on these things, but you're totally missing the point if you remove 1 in the Same as the final track. (besides the fact that the entire album is perfectly fine as it is)

[vwxg14a]

Just looking up the three songs in the setlist archive, those three songs are the least played in concert off this album (only Masterplan is close to be playing as few as those), so I guess MMJ sort of agrees.  

I have been a fan since the OBH Conan show, and when I first got the album, I found myself skipping those in my CD player and since Steam Engine is surrounded by these tracks (and was skipped), I didn't recognize the songs greatness until Okonos.  

I think these songs are still better than Into The Woods and Highly Suspicious, but if left off, it would have made a great album even better.  

[Kory]

for you locals... i was at RichO's (sportstime pizza, New Albanian Brewing Co.) this weekend and right after the brought us our wonderful NABC Hoptimus beers, we noticed the music fell silent for a little while and then "Mahgeetah" starts... they played the whole ISM album from start to finish and I loved every minute of it with my beer, beer cheese and wonderful calzone!

[aMillionDreams]

I've often had the same thought.  I wonder if it would have been more popular that way?  Probably. With less songs there's less to take it.  Would it be a better record that way?  Probably not.

[The DARK]

I'm open to comments about tracklistings. Yours, however, is completely frontloaded with rockers. Interest would start to fade around Masterplan and maybe drop out altogether during I Will Sing You Songs. With the current tracklist, the album starts out with a fun, easygoing attitude and slowly transitions into a dreamlike state, with the slower songs flowing seamlessly into each other.

If "big production value" was more of an issue, your list might be viable. But this is a warm record that was meant to be listened to on vinyl. It Still Moves has a Nashville Skyline vibe to it; the rockers are just the faster, more exciting parts that work well live. Even though it has some of their most memorable songs, on It Still Moves all the songs are treated with the same care.

If that's the order that floats your boat, go ahead. You bought these songs; you can do whatever you want with them. In the words of a certain Mr. Tweedy:

And if the whole world's singing your songs
And all of your paintings have been hung
Just remember what was yours is everyone's from now on

Enjoy your My Morning Jacket!  :)

[Isobella]

Into the woods though is one of my favorite songs but the slide guitar is mixed so loud it hurts my ears.

[purvis9876]

I don't understand the reason of removing any song. But rollin back, easy morning rebel, dancefloors?  :(

[Jellyfish]

Epic fail.Remove Rollin' Back? Are you kidding?

[AllyDee]

while One Big Holiday could've been a great album opener in some distant dimension, Mahgeetah could never not be the first song on It Still Moves

[tomEisenbraun]

You have listened to Easy Morning Rebel all the way through, right? And loud?

[easy way]

This is why god gave us mixed tapes instead of time machines... ;)

[ycartrob]

You have listened to Easy Morning Rebel all the way through, right? And loud?

good question

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

My girlfriend and I were discussing the merits of Z, It Still Moves and Evil Urges and she says Z is their best album.

I agree that the album is the most cohesive album they released, but if It Still Moves removed 3 songs it would have been their best.  If you look at the running length of ISM vs Z, it is 20 minutes longer.  

My suggestion if I could have gone back in time and magically edited the album I would have arranged it like this in this order...

Original Order/Name/My Comment
5. One Big Holiday - Start it off like U2's Joshua Tree
1. Mahgeetah  
2. Dancefloors
8. Run Thru
4. Master Plan
10. Just One Thing
3. Golden
6. I Will Sing You Songs
11. Steam Engine - End with the Best


Deleted
7. Easy Morning Rebel
9. Rollin Back
12. One In The Same

What do you think?

I'm with you...I love all of those songs, but I could see them as B sides or on other albums.  Sometimes less is more.

i feel the same way about EU.  I wish Two Halves, Look At You and Remnants were saved for something else...EU & ISM are too much for me at times.  

[Sherpa]

I like ISM as it is, but...

yes, I understand what you were getting at. And yes, it would seem to make sense. Ive always wondered why ISM wasnt as critically acclaimed as the other albums when much of their classic material is flooded throughout the music.

I disagree with your placement of Golden on the revised listing. But I do like OBH and Steam Engine.

[Grateful Chabo]

you gotta keep rollin' back on there....that song is amazing and fits with the record so well.  damn they should play that live...

[Crispy]

Deleted
7. Easy Morning Rebel
9. Rollin Back
12. One In The Same

What do you think?

Blasphemy.

[Cameron]

I've always thought ISM was an album in the total sense of the word.  Every time I listen to it it has to be from beginning to end...it flows perfectly from the first note to the last.  I've probably listened to this piece of vinyl more than any other in my collection.  Don't change a thing!