What do people mean when they say complete to describe an album?
 

Is it nonsense or is it meant to be something meaningful?

Please explain what you mean.

Complete is to album as total is to football (?)

They probably couldn't think of any other word to use. Maybe you should recommend a thesaurus to this person. Or maybe they've bought albums in the past which had tracks missing...? "Hurrah, I found a complete one!"

Maybe like, has everything they want in an album. But they'd have to elaborate. Complete by itself to describe that is pretty obscure.

They probably mean it is a satisfying purchase. From the start to the finish, the consumer feels that every track complements each other and that their money is well-spent for the seamless way each track has combined to make him feel the album as a whole is worth his or her money. :)

thanks for that sensible reply, alyasa...you make reading this hodgepodge here worthwhile.

if one ponders this elusive notion of "completeness", it should become clear that Sister is the album that showcases virtually all the sounds of Sonic Youth, yet the songs work together well within the context of the album.

Sister is my favorite SY record. If one doesn't agree then they are free to write something about why they feel another SY album is more "complete," but I really would just prefer that they didn't & that the topic not become mutated.

mine too!
good point