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offerw
* Dog in the Sand *
South Africa
1264 Posts |
 Posted - 04/20/2004 : 06:57:45
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Last night I finally sat down and popped GBV into the cd player. What follows is a matter of personal opinion, I'm certainly no critic.
A Salty Salute is a tremendous start to the album, I love the bass melody. Maybe a bit of Kim deal in there? The song should go on for another two minutes, it is that good. Evil Speakers is a poor song, sorry nothing there for me to like. Watch Me Jumpstart is straight back to the great stuff again, love the guitar and chorus. They're Not Witches is just fine. As We Go Up is an ace tune, one of my favorite songs on the album. Dumbcharger is back to the average fare, just ok. Game Of Pricks is another one of my favorite tracks, I love the tune and the feel to the song al summerlike. The Ugly Vision stops the flow of the album dead, I'd say one of the worst songs on the album. A Good Flying Bird is a jump back to the good stuff. Cigarette Tricks is a pointless lo-fi spoiler. Pimple Zoo has two seconds of acoustic strumming in the middle of messy guitar noise, once again I don't understand why it is there. Big Chief Chinese Restaurant doesn't move me at all. Closer You Are is a fine song, no skipping the cd here. Auditorium leaves me cold. Motor Away and the album gets going again, excellent song, another favorite from the album. Hit pisses me off because of the line "Coming into town with the giggling faggots", what is all that about?. My Valuable Hunting Knive is a great tune, a GBV classic. Gold Hick is just messy. I realy like King And Caroline, good song. Striped White Jets is also good, nice guitar. They could have called it Stiped because of the stuttering shshshsh bits. Pollard likes REM does he? In Ex Supermodel they bury a fine tune in too much lo-fi. Blimps Go 90 is excellent, I love this one very much. I guess there is a good song buried somewhere in Strawdogs, it goes along just fine. Chicken Blows I love, the lo-fi realy works great on this one. A lovely song for late nights. Little Whirl is a nice way to end the album except it isn't the end but it should have been. I don't like My Son Cool and Always Crush Me as well. Alright is the end then, nothing too good or too bad about this one.
So yes, there are some briliant songs on here, much better music than most releases in '95 but I said it was uneven because of the poor moments thrown in. I've read many people love the album because of these odd moments. Great, if you like it then I can understand why you would say it is the best album of '95. Many songs on here I still love listening to in 2004.
wilhelm |
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2004 : 11:08:12
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Thank you Wilhelm, that was a very good song-by-song review. I totally agree that some of the those short songs might break up the flow of an otherwise excellent album. It seems like there's differents "classes" or "levels" of songs, in that some are intended to be big arena rockers (Game of Pricks) and others are more like interludes (Pimple Zoo). That being said, I've listened to the record so much, those interludes are part of the record, and add to it in a way that another bombastic, GBV-best-of sort of song doesn't.
Example: I'm not overly fond of the song "Auditorium". I like it okay enough, but I would never give that song to a GBV greenhorn as a way to introduce them to Bobby P's brilliance. However, I love how that song flows into Motor Away, with the last chord of Auditorium being a semi-tone above the first chord of Motor Away. Anyway, what I'm saying is I definitely see what you're saying, and I in fact agree with you. And all that earlier bashing of you was purely in jest, I assure you.
And yes, Mr. Pollard does indeed like REM. Their earlier stuff is even more "Stiped", as you put it. And the true litmus test of any great album is to listen to it 10 years later and not only still like it, but like it in a totally non-nostalgic way. I don't listen to Alien Lanes and think "it's good, but it's SOOO 1995..." |
Edited by - speedy_m on 04/20/2004 11:10:53 |
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 23:10:23
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I LOVE the accoustic strumming in "Pimple Zoo"!
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!
The song would lose its eccentricity without the accoustic strumming, and moreover, that accoustic strumming separates the two different melodies (played over the riff).
I like "My Son Cool" also. So much, in fact, that I don't comprehend how anyone could not like it. But, okay - I respect the opinion; it's just a song.
And I LOVE "A Salty Salute". Is it just me or is this a very weird song to put as the FIRST track on an album? It'd be a fine last track. However, I REALLY like how it's the first track.
Anyway, sorry for posting in this thread. I just heard Alien Lanes quite recently though, so I thought I'd post here rather than make a new thread.
Alien Lanes = awesome music. |
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Jason
* Dog in the Sand *
1446 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 23:26:35
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quote:
Originally posted by offerw
Hit pisses me off because of the line "Coming into town with the giggling faggots", what is all that about?.
The Giggling Faggots is a joke band name. In the song, they're on tour with The Giggling Faggots. If you read the lyric sheet there's a joke on it saying "The Giggling Faggots appear courtesy of Startled Rat Records" or something like that.
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offerw
* Dog in the Sand *
South Africa
1264 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 23:49:03
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IceCream, I agree with Salty Salute being a perfect opener for the album albeit a strange choice. I'm certain you'll find many more reviews supporting your opinions on the album. Don't mind my gripes with the album. Have you listened to Bee Thousand yet? There are many excellent songs on there too.
Jason, thanks for explaining that line. It makes sense.
wilhelm |
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
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offerw
* Dog in the Sand *
South Africa
1264 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2004 : 23:58:33
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Try Amazon, I bought it there. Soulseek should have it too but I'm sure after a few listens you'd want to own the album.
wilhelm |
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To Speedy M: My thoughts on Alien Lanes
