An album was not just an analog to a short story collection, it was sometimes a novel — each song a different chapter, a different panel in the quilt.

I took artists at their word; the order of an album was as intentional as the lyrics inside the songs. A thread was there to follow; clues to unlock. Even if there was no literal connection between the songs, there was a pattern and a rhythm to the thing. Why in God’s name would you put a record on shuffle, to potentially have “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” arrive before “The Queen is Dead?” It would be a disaster.

— Colin Meloy, Kill Your Shuffle Button, Colin Meloy’s Machine Shop, 2024 (via)