-= Frank Black Forum =-
-= Frank Black Forum =-
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
 All Forums
 Frank Black Chat
 General Frank Black Chat
 Cult of Ray

Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

Screensize:
UserName:
Password:
Format Mode:
Format: BoldItalicizedUnderlineStrikethrough Align LeftCenteredAlign Right Horizontal Rule Insert HyperlinkInsert EmailInsert Image Insert CodeInsert QuoteInsert List
   
Message:

* HTML is OFF
* Forum Code is ON
Smilies
Smile [:)] Big Smile [:D] Cool [8D] Blush [:I]
Tongue [:P] Evil [):] Wink [;)] Clown [:o)]
Black Eye [B)] Eight Ball [8] Frown [:(] Shy [8)]
Shocked [:0] Angry [:(!] Dead [xx(] Sleepy [|)]
Kisses [:X] Approve [^] Disapprove [V] Question [?]

 
   

T O P I C    R E V I E W
treetime Posted - 06/03/2007 : 17:41:53
Some years back I lived in my mothers shed. We were having a garage sale and low and behold the Cult of Ray showed up in a box. And I listened to it for the first time in years. It still sounds cool. Any thoughts on this album?
35   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
treetime Posted - 08/07/2007 : 00:43:43
Well, The Shed Show looks as if it is not going to happen. If it did, it might look like a cleaned out worn down shed from the 50's with enough space for band equipment, 20 friends and people from around the neighborhood. The front doors would be open, with another 50 or so people outside lookin in, enjoying serveral kegs. We'd be sipping our beer, taking in the night sky, and letting Frank and the Band do their thing. It would be a cult like atmoshpere. It looks like it will be moving on virtually.
Idalgo Clandestino Posted - 07/16/2007 : 00:15:00
quote:
Originally posted by lackflag

I love the songs on Cult of Ray - some of the Man's best work in my opinion. I just can't stand the cover art.

---

If you have to ask, it will take you a couple more listens to know.



i love the whole record, too, AND i love the cover art - it's so fabulously tasteless, thanx, ray.........(did he make fb a science fictioneer?)

and then a miracle occured: the whole world got better
lackflag Posted - 07/12/2007 : 17:52:20
I love the songs on Cult of Ray - some of the Man's best work in my opinion. I just can't stand the cover art.

---

If you have to ask, it will take you a couple more listens to know.
Blank_Frackis Posted - 06/28/2007 : 07:46:47
I have to disagree, I still don't think it's a great (by Frank Black standards) album. The Adventure and the Resolution is fantastic and I'd put it up there with my favourite Frank Black songs, but the rest of the album is just too much between the raw rocking out of his earlier albums and his more mature stuff which he did later. As a result I just find a lot of the songs a little weak. I still like it, but to me it sounds like he was at a point in his life where he should have been recording Dog in the Sand, not angsty rock. It doesn't have the same imagination or atmosphere as most of his other albums and it's just a little plodding.

All of that's relative though, everyone has to have an album which is worse than the rest and for me, COR is Frank's.

If time's a drug then Big Ben's a giant needle injecting it into the sky.
spiring Posted - 06/28/2007 : 02:23:46
Great album. The only problem I have with it is that the picture printed on my copy of the CD has dissolved partly, resulting in lots of small sticky particles... so I´m a bit scared to insert it in my CD player, or actually any player, since some particles might get stuck inside. That´s the only reason I haven´t played it as much as the others.


When I get a potato out
It is the same


Levitated Posted - 06/12/2007 : 10:42:37
LOL I totally messed-up the quote thingy :D
Levitated Posted - 06/12/2007 : 10:41:07
quote:
Originally posted by coastline

[quote]Originally posted by Levitated

my fave FB album!!! I just wish it wasn't so hard to find, I really would like to have the original CD

You got PayPal? I have the CD ...

No I don't Thank you anyway
bobo plenty Posted - 06/11/2007 : 23:29:59
The reason COR gets a bad rap is that it followed TOTY. TOTY is most fans favorite disc for reasons too numerous to list here (search the archives). COR never had a chance to shine in the shadow of TOTY and I think that anything in his catalog released immediately after TOTY would be the lone stepchild. I bought COR the day it was released and was disappointed (great music but a huge departure from TOTY). I appreciate COR more and more as time goes on and it is definitely a huge step in the evolution of FB's style (towards DITS, another moment considered "epochal" in his history).

I've seen Frank on every tour from Doolittle onwards and Lyle definitely rocked out. I will have to honestly give it to Rich as my favorite supporting cast member.

moonruler Posted - 06/11/2007 : 20:00:24
will smith just doesn't understand.
coastline Posted - 06/11/2007 : 19:58:31
FB is cooler -- and hotter -- than Will Smith.


Please pardon me, for these my wrongs.
kfs Posted - 06/11/2007 : 18:42:13
I would be too
but I LOVE that song!

Heh, every time I hear Will Smith's 'Men In Black,' (which isn't that often, actually) I think
Frank Black's 'Men In Black' is better and it would've been better for that movie too.

know what I mean?


______________________
I've seen blue you've never seen
Jordy Posted - 06/11/2007 : 11:29:06
Last night I was at a bar and Men in Black came on! I was shocked.


-Jordan
coastline Posted - 06/09/2007 : 15:43:54
quote:
Originally posted by Levitated

my fave FB album!!! I just wish it wasn't so hard to find, I really would like to have the original CD

You got PayPal? I have the CD ...


Please pardon me, for these my wrongs.
Levitated Posted - 06/09/2007 : 15:22:47
my fave FB album!!! I just wish it wasn't so hard to find, I really would like to have the original CD
trobrianders Posted - 06/08/2007 : 15:51:32
The title track's a real trip. Wait a minute, prog rock never sounded that good.

_______________
Ed is the hoo hoo
misterwoe Posted - 06/07/2007 : 10:34:31
Now I have to listen to the album immediately. I wish I could magically transport the disc from my home to my office. I know exactly where it is even. Any transporters here?

Although, if we transport the CD too much, it might get re-mixed. The mixing is great. I don't want to mess with it, you know?

------------------------------------------------
You're all a bunch of slaves!
Carl Posted - 06/05/2007 : 12:11:14
Yeah, I like Dance War!

"Aw yeah, that's the good stuff!"
Jordy Posted - 06/05/2007 : 11:51:48
?!? Dance War is so melodic. "Fightiiiiing... in the dance war!" It's very singable and fun...I don't see it as just a bunch of noise. Ah well.

I think the song "Cult of Ray" is one of his best. It's so epic and made up of so many parts, each of them great. It blows me away every time I hear it.

Also "Creature Crawling" grew on me a lot..."WHATCHA GONNA SAY??? WHATCHA GONNA DO??" is the best part in the song. It's like a great mellow song about a monster eating everyone. Love it.

"You Ain't Me" is maybe the best Frank has ever sung, in the part with "the money has been spent I'm not sayin' it hasn't been earned!!!" He's like singing through his EYES or something. How does he sing like that? My friend, who's not really into Frank was amazed by that line.


-Jordan
pixiestu Posted - 06/05/2007 : 06:12:37
I agree with 'Dance War' but I love 'Jesus Was Right' (mainly because of Lyle). Overall it's a good album, not my favourite, but it's weird enough in places to keep me coming back for more. Plus, as mentioned many times...Lyle!

Oh and I also love 'I Don't Want To Hurt You'. Like the album as a whole, I don't understand the criticism.


"The arc of triumph"
coastline Posted - 06/05/2007 : 05:40:52
I'm with you on "Dance War," Oldman. To me, it's just a bunch of noise. He likes to do that once in awhile, it seems. I have the same reaction to that song as I do to "I Want Rock and Roll" (from "Pistolero") and "Rock Music" (Pixies' "Bossanova"). Seems to me like Frank just wants to rock sometimes, to get it out of his system.


Please pardon me, for these my wrongs.
OLDMANOTY Posted - 06/05/2007 : 00:09:01
I was one of those who was a bit disappointed when COR came out because of the reasons others have stated. Wouldn't be without it now though; Men In Black, You Aint Me, The Creature Crawling to name but three - all classic FB in my book. Mosh, Don't Pass The Guy is a brilliant instrumental and the title track has one of those great head spinning FB structures (also reminds me of The Who). The only tracks I really don't like are Jesus Was Right and Dance War which just sound like anonymous punk to me.
Jose Jones Posted - 06/04/2007 : 21:09:11
i'm a huge rich gilbert supporter, but MAN i wish i'd seen lyle workman live.

-----------------------
they were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Jefrey Posted - 06/04/2007 : 14:14:34
COR was kind of a preview of The Catholics. It was quite a departure from the first two solo albums and was more of a "band" vibe. I think it is kind of like "Bossanova" in that when it was released, it was kind of viewed as a disappointment because it came after Doolittle and sounded completely different.

I think a lot more people like it now than when it came out.

Also, I'm quite sure I heard "The Adventure and the Resolution" played live. Am I full of it? I'm pretty sure because Lyle was doing all those effects and I couldn't believe he was pulling it off almost exactly like the album.

== jeffamerica ==
fbc Posted - 06/04/2007 : 12:48:53
quote:
Originally posted by Arm Arm Arm

Maybe one day he'll play some songs from it. I think Scott Boutier was trying to get the Catholics to do the Adventure & the Resolution (I think I recall reading that somewhere on the forum, lo those many years ago...)

One of my favourite Frank Black moments is "The Adventure and the Resolution".
Arm Arm Arm Posted - 06/04/2007 : 12:17:01
I love the Cult of Ray! An amazing album. The only weak spot is Punk Rock City, which I still enjoy, it's just I really have to be in the mood from it. From the opening Marsist all the way to the end...wow! And the two instrumentals are just amazing. I think so many fans love Teenager that this album was viewed as not measuring up. I think it's great!

Maybe one day he'll play some songs from it. I think Scott Boutier was trying to get the Catholics to do the Adventure & the Resolution (I think I recall reading that somewhere on the forum, lo those many years ago...)

Anyway. I did have the pleasure of seeing the Marsist and Men in Black live. It took me a few moments to recognize Men in Black, it was such a shock! And the Marsist was as heavy and inspiring live as it was on album.

I was just thinking about this album the other day while driving. All of Frank's music, be it Pixies or Catholics is great driving music but I particularly like being out on a road trip, crossing state lines, listening to the Cult of Ray.

c'est tout.
mikaelp75 Posted - 06/04/2007 : 09:22:04
The Cult of Ray (and not least the bonus cd) is great, but so are all his other albums. That's the main reason why it's on the bottom of people's lists; the other stuff is just too great. The biggest problem for me is that I love almost every track (Punk Rock City and Dance War are merely good IMHO) but apart from Creature Crawling and the title track, the CD versions are a bit overshadowed by amazing live versions from the subsequent tour. Just imagine COR with the sound of FB&TC...I also agree about TOTY being hard to follow, especially with a lot fewer songs, but if he would have added, say, Pray A Little Faster, Can I Get A Witness and Man Of Steel (that were all from that era) COR would be pretty close to the top in my book.
yingguoguizi Posted - 06/04/2007 : 08:41:34
A big fan of Cult of Ray. I also love the bonus CD that came with it. I guess the reason it gets a bad rap is because people's expectations were so high after Teenager of the Year. It doesn't deserve it's reputation as FB's duff album,though. I can't understand how any FB fan doesn't like it. In fact, i'd like to hear the opinion of an FB fan who doesn't like the album and find out why.
I've heard bad reports about I Don't Wanna Hurt you, but imho it's perfect little sweet song.
Ziggy Posted - 06/04/2007 : 06:28:02
Yeah, it's certainly one of my favourite FB albums. So full of energy.
Jose Jones Posted - 06/04/2007 : 06:27:07
quote:
Originally posted by pixiestu


Everytime someone mentions how poorly recieved Cult Of Ray is there seems to always be lots of people defending it. This leads me to think that most people don't actually think it's bad at all.


"The arc of triumph"



i agree. i bet 90% of fb fans love COR. i bet 90% of fb fans love pistolero.

anyway, weird topic, because i put Cult of Ray on just 15 or so minutes ago because i had an itch for lyle. then i logged on to the forum because of the fb love swelling up inside me, and lo and behold: my very own topic.



-----------------------
they were the heroes of old, men of renown.
SPEEDYMARIEGONZALES Posted - 06/04/2007 : 06:20:21
i love cult of ray, maybe most underated album ever,it gets a bad rap and i never understood that,
and ray is my fav author too

Manuel wants to keep his pet rat.
Manuel: Mrs. Fawlty, please understand. If he go, I go!
Basil Fawlty: Well, goodbye!
coastline Posted - 06/04/2007 : 05:53:40
Can we see a picture of the shed?

I love Cult of Ray, especially the last two songs. For me, the title track is the hardest-rocking solo song he's done. I love the song's crescendo, toward the end, with the unbelievable guitar. And then that song is followed by "The Last Stand of Shezeb Andleeb," which is totally sublime. That's my favorite track pairing in all of FBdom.


Please pardon me, for these my wrongs.
pixiestu Posted - 06/04/2007 : 05:00:40
When I was younger I wanted to live in a shed. I don't anymore.

Everytime someone mentions how poorly recieved Cult Of Ray is there seems to always be lots of people defending it. This leads me to think that most people don't actually think it's bad at all.


"The arc of triumph"
s_wrenn Posted - 06/04/2007 : 02:42:37
quote:
I've never understood why COR gets such a bad rap


I can’t understand that either. COR might not top TOTY or the orange album, but it does a damn good job of trying



/ @ * ~ ¦ ¬ . , |
two reelers Posted - 06/03/2007 : 23:59:46
cult of ray = cult of lyle workman

best guitar work on a FB album ever. just take you aint me, or the two instrumentals.

fantastic songs, too. marsist, the title track, kicked in the taco, creature cawling.




I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band
MajorKey Posted - 06/03/2007 : 23:31:58
Some years back I lived in my mothers shed.
Wasn't that the opening line from a Stephen King book?

I've never understood why COR gets such a bad rap. Awesome album.

-= Frank Black Forum =- © 2002-2020 Frank Black Fans, Inc. Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000