Board 8 > Rank the Tracks 158: Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape

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Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks_Set_2
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks_Set_3
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks_Set_4

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points. For albums with greater than 15 tracks, everything ranked below #15 will be given 0 points and the scale for the top 15 will be the same as a 15-track album. For albums with more than 20 tracks, you only have to list your top 15 (with 16-20, I still like having the average rank listed)
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Thursday, April 4th at 8:00 AM Central Time; If you do get in a vote after the deadline but before I post the results, I will probably include it.
7. Every few weeks, a nomination period will open; there may or may not be a theme. Each user can nominate one album. The following week, everyone will be able to rank their top ~5 among the choices - this will use a bottom-up scoring approach, i.e. voting for one album will give your #1 a single point, voting for five will give your #1 five points, so it is always better to vote for the maximum number of albums. The top ~5 will then be covered.
8. Skits and tracks under 40 seconds will be excluded from the rankings unless argued otherwise

Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape track list:
1. Doll
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Hey, Johnny Park!
4. My Poor Brain
5. Wind Up
6. Up in Arms
7. My Hero
8. See You
9. Enough Space
10. February Stars
11. Everlong
12. Walking After You
13. New Way Home
14 (bonus track). The Colour and the Shape

Future weeks:
4/4: Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
4/11: Knower - Knower Forever
4/18: The Seatbelts - Cowboy Bebop (+ nominations)
4/25: Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain (+ voting on future albums)
5/2: Garbage - Version 2.0

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral results

The participants sorted by deviation from final results:
FoolFantastic (16)
PunishedJeezy (22)
Jesse_Custer (24)
MaxGalactica (26)
Sheep007 (32)
hotdogturtle (34)
Seanchan (34)
Fluttershy_Pony (36)
rwlh (36)
RyoCaliente (42)
plasmabeam (54)
Johnbobb (58)
MarkS2222222222 (66)
HBJDubs (70)

General Album Comments

Johnbobb: One of my favorite albums, excited to listen again as if I don't already pretty regularly

FoolFantastic: The major achievement of The Downward Spiral is taking one of the most intentionally cold styles of popular music and drawing raw emotion from it. It is exactly what it says on the tin, a downward spiral into growing self-loathing. Trent Reznor found human meaning in mechanical sound. It might not be a traditionally 'pleasant' experience, but it's certainly one of the most successful concept albums out there. "Closer" remains one of the most terrifying songs ever written, a total breaking point disguised as animalistic lust. "Hurt" gets unfairly overshadowed by Johnny Cash's cover - while I agree Cash's version is better, part of that is how he recontextualizes an already powerful song. The way that final line of hope is almost completely silenced by the music always gets to me. The perfect closer to a phenomenal album.

Seanchan: As usual, yes, this was really a first listen, other than Closer and Hurt. I guess I didn't get it? I didn't necessarily expect to, based on my usual listening tastes and not being particularly high on Pretty Hate Machine. But I know this is an album held in high regard.

Maybe that partly comes down to a bad listening environment? I was in my car and I found the mix, especially the first few songs, to be not good, though maybe it was done on purpose? The lyrics were very low and completely overwhelmed by the instrumentation.

Johnbobb: I think this is honestly a top 10 album for me

Sheep007: Took me a few songs to get into this, but this is a really strong concept album. Closer in particular is absolutely phenomenal. The whole thing is almost a little too intense, a little too focused on a glob of thoroughly negative feeling for me to enjoy it as much as I might other albums. That said, I don't have to want to listen on repeat to recognise how good it is.

MaxGalactica: Incredible album. The synth production in particular feels way ahead of its time. I love how brutally aggressive Trent Reznor's vocals and the instrumentals are. The bottom three in my ranking (The Downward Spiral, A Warm Place, and Big Man With a Gun) are the only tracks I think aren't stellar. Very glad we got to cover this.

Also worth mentioning that this album coming up is what finally motivated me to start going through the rest of NIN's discography, since this album was the only one I was already familiar with. I still have 6 albums left to go through, but The Fragile in particular was awesome. Pretty Hate Machine was good for the most part, but felt pretty raw and a lot less developed than Trent's future projects.

rwlh: An interesting album. It took a second listen for it to click. Hurt is a curious song. I didn't enjoy it (not because of the challenging subject matter, it just didn't click with me as a song), but it was still compelling.

Seanchan: I'm very conflicted about how I feel about this one. I did another listen to Pretty Hate Machine to compare and that one has got a few more songs that I enjoyed but it doesn't feel as cohesive. Like Sheep007, I found The Downward Spiral to be a lot to take in; it's a harsh and at points overwhelming album. On my 2nd listen it was such a relief to get to A Warm Place because of the songs preceding it, which is likely exactly the point.

My other odd thought was that I was reminded of Slipknot in just the general soundscape and intensity of the music and emotions. As I've said multiple times in the past though, I'm just not at a point in my life now where I want to hear and revel in brooding, depressing, angry music. It makes it hard to judge because there's the opposing thoughts in my head of "this is probably good and effective at what it's trying to do" and "this is just not for me".

HBJDubs: Incredible album. A ton of these songs get shuffled around with each listen, but the top 3 are set in stone. Eraser in particular is so anxiety-inducing, there's nothing quite like it for me

MarkS2222222222: Lot more ******* and dick stuff than I expect.

Overall this is kind of like Requiem for a Dream (which is also a downward spiral) in that it's "good", but once is enough.

Hurt is still great. Maybe a few others are good stand alone, but most are really only interesting within the concept album. I actually like Closer a lot more now that I get it in the context of the descent

The Downward Spiral track ranking

14. The Downward Spiral (Track #13)
Score: 51 (Average Rank: 11.36/14)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs (#4)
Biggest Detractor(s): FoolFantastic, Jesse_Custer, Sheep007 (#14)

13. Big Man with a Gun (Track #9)
Score: 58 (Average Rank: 10.86/14)
Biggest Fan(s): plasmabeam (#4)
Biggest Detractor(s): PunishedJeezy, MaxGalactica, MarkS2222222222 (#14)

12. Eraser (Track #11)
Score: 76 (Average Rank: 9.71/14)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Fluttershy_Pony (#14)

11. A Warm Place (Track #10)
Score: 82 (Average Rank: 9.29/14)
Biggest Fan(s): MarkS2222222222 (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): plasmabeam, Johnbobb, rwlh (#14)

Johnbobb: very effective for its place in the album as a whole, but less so on its own as a song

10. Piggy (Track #2)
Score: 83 (Average Rank: 9.36/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan, hotdogturtle (#14)

Johnbobb: The back third of this song is one of my favorite drum breakdowns of all time

9. Reptile (Track #12)
Score: 104 (Average Rank: 7.71/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): FoolFantastic, Jesse_Custer, Fluttershy_Pony (#12)

Johnbobb: it hurts to not also be able to put this as #1. When I think of industrial metal, this is the song I think of

8. I Do Not Want This (Track #8)
Score: 105 (Average Rank: 7.57/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Sheep007 (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan (#12)

7. Mr. Self Destruct (Track #1)
Score: 121 (Average Rank: 6.86/14)
Biggest Fan(s): plasmabeam (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs (#14)

6. Ruiner (Track #6)
Score: 121 (Average Rank: 6.71/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Sheep007, hotdogturtle (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb, MarkS2222222222 (#13)

5. The Becoming (Track #7)
Score: 122 (Average Rank: 6.86/14)
Biggest Fan(s): MaxGalactica (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): RyoCaliente (#14)

4. March of the Pigs (Track #4)
Score: 132 (Average Rank: 5.93/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Jesse_Custer (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): RyoCaliente, HBJDubs (#12)

3. Heresy (Track #3)
Score: 138 (Average Rank: 5.79/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Jesse_Custer, PunishedJeezy, rwlh (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs (#13)

Johnbobb: still a great song but I don't like it quite as much as I did as an edgy teen

2. Closer (Track #5)
Score: 185 (Average Rank: 3.86/14)
Biggest Fan(s): FoolFantastic, Sheep007, PunishedJeezy, rwlh, Seanchan, hotdogturtle (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Fluttershy_Pony (#11)

1. Hurt (Track #14)
Score: 190 (Average Rank: 3.14/14)
Biggest Fan(s): RyoCaliente, Fluttershy_Pony, HBJDubs, MarkS2222222222 (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): rwlh (#9)

Foo Fighters have never done much for me. Their big singles are fun enough, but they're never pushing any boundaries. At the same time, they must be doing something right, because they certainly stand a league above other ordinary rock bands. I'll never seek out their music, but I'll also never complain if they come up on their own.

Like, even without being a fan, nothing on this album drags.

Everlong
Monkey Wrench
My Hero
Hey, Johnny Park!
Wind Up
My Poor Brain
Up in Arms
New Way Home
February Stars
See You
Doll
The Colour and the Shape
Enough Space
Walking After You

FoolFantastic posted...

10. Piggy (Track #2)
Score: 83 (Average Rank: 9.36/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan, hotdogturtle (#14)

Johnbobb: The back third of this song is one of my favorite drum breakdowns of all time

9. Reptile (Track #12)
Score: 104 (Average Rank: 7.71/14)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): FoolFantastic, Jesse_Custer, Fluttershy_Pony (#12)

Terrible results what are you doing

Everlong
My Hero
Monkey Wrench
Hey, Johnny Park!
See You
Walking After You
Up in Arms
February Stars
The Colour and the Shape
My Poor Brain
Wind Up
Doll
New Way Home
Enough Space

I'm a big Foo Fighters fan (less so these days, but I was particularly in my late teens and early 20s, where they were probably my favourite band), and while I don't think this is their best album (that title goes to Wasting Light), it's got their best song on it. Everlong is an absolute classic rock song. Dave Grohl is ridiculously talented as a vocalist, drummer, and guitarist, and all three of them shine through in this album. I think the songs surrounding the top four are unfortunately not the strongest - Foo Fighters songs often lack a bit of substance, and when the hook isn't straight up one of the best you've ever heard, they're "just" excellent sounding rock songs. Then again, just about every band out there would kill to have an album with no misses and multiple of the best songs of their genre. Like FoolFantastic says, they sound head and shoulders above your typical rock band. When you sound that good, you can get away with pushing the boat out less.

Guys...I had a revelation the other day that I wanted to share...

It all started when I watched a video where someone said "I'd never call Eminem, Marshall."

...can you already guess...

Anyway, my brain went "Marshall" ... "Marshall Mathers" ... "M and M" ... "...fuck..." ... "Eminem!" ... "how the fuck did I never realize that before!?!".

Bump

1. Everlong
2. Monkey Wrench
3. My Hero
4. Up in Arms
5. See You
6. Hey, Johnny Park!
7. Doll
8. (bonus track). The Colour and the Shape
9. New Way Home
10. My Poor Brain
11. Wind Up
12. Enough Space
13. Walking After You
14. February Stars

The top 2 are head and shoulders above the rest. The other tracks are fine but nothing special. I will say though that I was shocked the bonus track was actually good as those tend to be throwaway nonsense.

Foo Fighters is a band that I've tended to enjoy their various singles over the years and yet never listened to an album. This album did not convince me to change my mind. That said, in my mind they are a quintessential band of my initial formative music listening years, when 92.3 K-Rock in New York was where it was at.

Also going to pile on to the Everlong being "an absolute classic rock song" bandwagon. Funny thing, the first time I heard that song (and probably the Foo Fighters) was an acoustic cover, which the internet has thankfully archived: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-89uZOIFok. I eventually heard the "real" version and it kind of blew my mind a little; both are good, each in their own way.

1. Everlong
2. Monkey Wrench
3. My Hero
4. Hey, Johnny Park!
5. Wind Up
6. Up in Arms
7. New Way Home
8. February Stars
9. See You
10. Enough Space
11. Walking After You
12. Doll
13. My Poor Brain
14. The Colour and the Shape

Foo Fighters are fine. There's some really great songs, but generally speaking they're just solid imo.

1. Everlong
2. My Hero
3. Monkey Wrench
4. Up In Arms
5. New Way Home
6. See You
7. Hey, Johnny Park!
8. February Stars
9. Walking After You
10. My Poor Brain
11. Enough Space
12. Doll
13. Wind Up
14. The Colour and the Shape

I have very mixed feelings about this album. The big three songs from this album are all fantastic, particularly Everlong that's probably one of my top 50 songs of all time. The rest of the album is just kinda there to me and doesn't do anything to stand out or make me want to revisit it. I'll be satisfied keeping Everlong, My Hero, and Monkey Wrench on my regular rotation while ignoring the rest.

Bump.

I'll be sitting this one out; haven't had a chance to start listening until this morning & I'm not really feeling this after the first five tracks. Monkey Wrench was good though.

Fluttershy_Pony posted...

Bump.

I'll be sitting this one out; haven't had a chance to start listening until this morning & I'm not really feeling this after the first five tracks. Monkey Wrench was good though.

If you have never heard Everlong, listen to that at least.

Seanchan posted...

If you have never heard Everlong, listen to that at least.

Pretty good song. It sounds vaguely familiar, so I imagine I've heard it before, but I like it.

Everlong
My Hero
Monkey Wrench
Hey, Johnny Park!
Up in Arms
See You
New Way Home
Walking After You
February Stars
My Poor Brain
Wind Up
Doll
Enough Space
The Colour and the Shape

Very solid album overall. My top 3 are definitely in a league of their own, which makes sense seeing as they're on the Greatest Hits album. Everlong also happens to be my #1 favourite song of all-time.

Everlong
My Hero
Monkey Wrench
February Stars
New Way Home
Hey, Johnny Park!
Walking After You
Enough Space
Doll
Wind Up
My Poor Brain
Up In Arms
See You
The Colour And The Shape

Echoing the sentiments of others here, the singles are great (with Everlong being elite), and the rest is just solid. But hey, nothing wrong with being solid

This is a "loved the singles, not the the album" situation for me. There was a huge gap between the top three and number four, and the bottom three all made me want to give up on this one. I understand everyone in the band was going through some shit, especially Dave, and it shows. I definitely felt some of the pain they went through and didn't like it.

Monkey Wrench
Everlong
My Hero
Up In Arms
New Way Home
See You
Hey, Johnny Park
February Stars
Doll
Walking After You
My Poor Brain
Wind Up
Enough Space
The Colour and The Shape

Everlong
My Hero
New Way Home
Monkey Wrench
Up in Arms
The Colour and the Shape
February Stars
Enough Space
Wind Up
My Poor Brain
Hey Johnny Park
Walking After You
See You
Doll

Whoops, missed it. I had it up last night, shuffled a couple tracks around last minute and never hit send