A good friend of mine is a musician and let me tell you he very painstakingly puts together his albums. The order does matter, there is a methodology to it. When albums were albums and there were two sides even more thought went into it as they had essentially two beginnings.

I remember when CD players came out with shuffle, none of my CD's sounded right with shuffle on. Of course now I randomize the whole damn player and get amazing new transitions, Bach to Beastie Boys etc...