Clearly the harmonics that open the Yes classic "Roundabout" represent the most definitive use of harmonics in a rock song, but what's the second-most definitive use of this device? There are a couple of instances of what sounds like an arpeggio of harmonics in my favorite Fleetwood Mac song, "Over My Head," but I wouldn't call this the second-most definitive use of harmonics in a rock song. One especially distinctive and definitive use of harmonics in a rock song comes to mind, but let's see if you suggest it as rock's second-most definitive use of said device...once and for all.

The current SHOWDOWN poll asks What's the cooler studio gimmick in a Led Zeppelin song? Along with the choices of the pre-echo in the breakdown of "Whole Lotta Love" and the dueling guitars bouncing from the left and right speakers at the end of "What Is and What Should Never Be" you've been given a rare third option, which allows you to add your choice for coolest Led Zeppelin studio gimmick here, in this thread. Your entry must be a studio gimmick of some sort, not a cool riff or something like that.

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This question is likely to be a Hobson's Choice for many of you, but I think it's important that those of you who feel this way contribute. Considering that the term song held little weight in the glory days of progressive rock, our most song-oriented Townspeople, who may have an aversion to this subgenre of rock music, may be best qualified to help determine the answer to this question...Once and For All!

I'm torn between a couple of Yes songs that may be helpful in starting this discussion, but I'm thinking the following may be met with the least resistance for at least beginning this dialog.

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Congratulations are due to the Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut album, Are You Experienced?, for being determined as the Greatest Debut Album Ever by the members of Rock Town Hall.

This historic consensus pick followed days of rigorous discussion and on-the-fly development of stringent criteria. Congratulations are also due to the runners-up who merited serious consideration.

Finally, the field of rock criticism thanks you, Townspeople, for tacking this challenging question head on.

In other matters serving the betterment of rock criticism...

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Townsman Andyr wondered if we've ever attempted to determine the Greatest Debut Album Ever. I don't think we have, so this is as good a time as any to investigate this subject.

As we pondered this subject last night, a dozen debut releases immediately sprang to mind, including those by the The Specials, Jimi Hendrix, Television, The Undertones, The Clash... However, if we're to consider The Clash, we agreed we should only consider the original UK release, which I don't find as strong as the later US version. Before we move forward, let's agree that delayed, alternate releases in other-than-native markets are not open to consideration.

As we talked about this topic, just as many debut albums by beloved bands were far from qualifying. Probably all debut albums released prior to 1967 wouldn't make the grade. Artist that went on to have long, innovative careers may find that their debut album is overshadowed by the albums that followed. Captain Beefheart may be an example of this. Safe As Milk is an excellent debut and the one album by him that most rock fans have a fighting chance of digging, but what Beefheart fan is going to put the necessary effort into making the case that it is the Greatest Debut Album Ever?

It's only fair that you take some time to think about this and that we discuss it as a community, but I will tell you that, after discounting Roxy Music's debut for running out of gas on side 2, I'm presently considering the merits of two debut albums that I feel are stunning in their own ways:

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With tomorrow's re-release of their catalog looming, this is as good a time as any to broach a seldom-discussed topic on Rock Town Hall: The Beatles.

Specifically, as the topic indicates, we're looking for your opinion on what the actual most underrated Beatles song is. In a song line up as well-known as this, you might think it difficult to decide, but I'm sure such a straightforward question will allow us to easily reach a consensus.

"I'm still thinking it over..."

I'll ask you to observe two qualifiers for this discussion. First, let's keep things limited to the music you could find on the original albums, Magical Mystery Tour, and the first half of Yellow Submarine (unless you feel strongly that, say, "Pepperland Laid Waste" is the answer), plus all the singles-related material you could find on the Past Masters collections. Second, you can not choose "Rain." As arguably the most famous least famous Beatles song, it is my firm belief that "Rain" has so thoroughly acquired a reputation as the most underrated Beatles song over the years that it is no longer truly underrated. Protest if you want, but any running and head-hiding will not change the fact that "Rain" is off the board for this discussion.

As always, you are encouraged to show your work on Rock Town Hall, so please explain why you think your particular nomination qualfies as the most underrated song in the Beatles' catalog. Thank you in advance.

What are the definitive cover versions of Bob Dylan songs, that is, those covers that Dylan's own original recordings cannot touch? What do you think the over/under is on such covers, 5, 10, 15? Why don't we hash it out here in the Halls of Rock?

To prevent against Definitive Dylan Cover Version ballot-box stuffing by the likes of Dylanphobe Townsman Hrrundivbakshi, who might suggest that any Dylan cover beats the original version thanks to the lack of Dylan's voice alone, any definitive cover version that's suggested will be stricken from the record with as few as TWO reasoned objections by Townspeople.

We're going to be counting on longtime Dylan fans to speak for the hundreds of deep cuts and "bootleg series" recordings that folks will suggest have been covered definitively, but I'll start with one such cover version that I cannot see anyone objecting to:

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We have done it. ONCE AND FOR ALL, Rock Town Hall identifies 50 song titles containing each of the 50 US states. And we accomplished this without resorting to gimmicks like John Linnell's album on the 50 states. Bravo, Townspeople! Follow the hard work that went into this effort following the jump!

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I know that there are plenty of arguments as to why we could never isolate one single song as the first rock and roll song ever. And those arguments are more than welcome...if and only if they lead us to identifying the song.

It was in revisiting the American Graffiti soundtrack (thanks to mikeydread's first Main Stage post) that got me thinking about this again. The common wisdom when the movie came out, at least as relayed to me by my father, was that Bill Haley & The Comets' Rock Around the Clock was the first rock and roll song ever.

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Among the benefits I find of being a cynic and a wise ass are that I'm extremely comfortable with learning how wrong I can be, and I am really good at heartfelt apologies. In light of comfirmation that The Day the Music Died was a page 66-worthy news item in The New York Times, although I have not reached that point in my cycle of cynicism, I do think it's important that we reach consensus on the following sincere and positive question:

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