Why?: My wife is a fan, but now I am too.
Tell me more!:
I listened to this and the follow up album "Eight Arms To Hold You" a number of times recently as we were going to see Veruca Salt play at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne and I wanted to be familiar with the songs.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at just how good this album is. I get a strong 90s Smashing Pumpkins vibe in a lot of the guitar work, especially on songs like "25" (from which BillyC might well have stolen a guitar riff for "Aeroplane Flies High"). Love the downtuned and palm muted heaviness of many of the riffs, covered with melodic echoing guitar solos, and of course those amazing harmonies throughout.
Lyrically there is a lot of interesting stuff going on. That's not usually my thing, but here it's all so heartfelt and real, I'm not surprised this album is so loved by those that were teenagers when it arrived. I wish I'd been there. My wife was, her favourite song being the epic "25", and I'd have to agree, it's pretty incredible. There isn't a song on this album I don't like though.
Veruca Salt were fantastic live too. A little rough at times, but in an authentic grunge way, and they made up for it with some really solid performances of longer songs like "25". Great stuff. The most authentically 90s thing I've seen since the 90s. Looking forward to their new album.
8/10
Saturday 4 October 2014
[2004] The Prodigy, "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned"
Why?: A whim. Who didn't like Prodigy? Thought we'd give their new one a try...
Tell me more!:
This album doesn't get much love from the world. It's a bit unfair as I think it has everything that makes The Prodigy great in the package... just not the usual vocalists.
Blippy intros, huge beats, grungy guitar-list keyboards, vocals-used-as-an-instrument. It's all Prodigy. What's your problem?
OK, arguably the songs are mostly way too long, mostly due to a lack of vocal variety. And there is nothing of the quality of "Omen" (one of the best songs from next album "Invaders Must Die"). But that doesn't mean it isn't any fun.
I'm a big fan of all of the first seven tracks, I only start losing interest on the instrumental "Medusa's Path", and "Phoenix" (a sort-of-cover of Love Buzz) which I actively dislike. "You'll Be Under My Wheels" and "The Way It Is" probably sound more like "old" Prodigy but I think they're less interesting for it, and I hate the vocals on album ender "Shoot Down".
I think it's at least half a great album.
6/10
Tell me more!:
This album doesn't get much love from the world. It's a bit unfair as I think it has everything that makes The Prodigy great in the package... just not the usual vocalists.
Blippy intros, huge beats, grungy guitar-list keyboards, vocals-used-as-an-instrument. It's all Prodigy. What's your problem?
OK, arguably the songs are mostly way too long, mostly due to a lack of vocal variety. And there is nothing of the quality of "Omen" (one of the best songs from next album "Invaders Must Die"). But that doesn't mean it isn't any fun.
I'm a big fan of all of the first seven tracks, I only start losing interest on the instrumental "Medusa's Path", and "Phoenix" (a sort-of-cover of Love Buzz) which I actively dislike. "You'll Be Under My Wheels" and "The Way It Is" probably sound more like "old" Prodigy but I think they're less interesting for it, and I hate the vocals on album ender "Shoot Down".
I think it's at least half a great album.
6/10
[2004] R.E.M., "Around The Sun"
Why?: I finally became a fan of R.E.M. through "Reveal", so it was only natural I'd get their next album.
Tell me more!:
Unfortunately it's pretty uninspiring. At the time it even made me question my enjoyment of "Reveal".
On re-listen, nothing is terrible, but nothing is great either.
It's a very flat album.
Perhaps if some of these songs were buried amongst others on a better album it would improve them?
"Leaving New York" has a nice melodic chorus, but it's so plodding and shy. "Electron Blue" starts to soar, but the low-fi electronics ruin it. "The Outsiders" is better, but the rap is misplaced.
"Final Straw" is a nice left-step into politically charged folk... but after that I tune out. It's all so... dull. I like the bad chord start of "Worst Joke Ever" but not the song. "The Ascent Of Man" has "yeah" overload and demands my attention if only for being weirdly "adult contemporary pop".
The album ends on R.E.M.'s first title track, "Around The Sun". Dull, like the rest of the album, but gains a little interest for the bizarre echoy bridge, and organ and bass "nah nah nah" ending, like maybe the band stopped caring by this point too.
4/10
Tell me more!:
Unfortunately it's pretty uninspiring. At the time it even made me question my enjoyment of "Reveal".
On re-listen, nothing is terrible, but nothing is great either.
It's a very flat album.
Perhaps if some of these songs were buried amongst others on a better album it would improve them?
"Leaving New York" has a nice melodic chorus, but it's so plodding and shy. "Electron Blue" starts to soar, but the low-fi electronics ruin it. "The Outsiders" is better, but the rap is misplaced.
"Final Straw" is a nice left-step into politically charged folk... but after that I tune out. It's all so... dull. I like the bad chord start of "Worst Joke Ever" but not the song. "The Ascent Of Man" has "yeah" overload and demands my attention if only for being weirdly "adult contemporary pop".
The album ends on R.E.M.'s first title track, "Around The Sun". Dull, like the rest of the album, but gains a little interest for the bizarre echoy bridge, and organ and bass "nah nah nah" ending, like maybe the band stopped caring by this point too.
4/10
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