Saddleworth2
Well-Known Member
I have heard a couple of their songs but never seriously listened. I will this week though and score wether I like it or not. ;-)
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The Album Review Club - Week #195 (page 1310) - A New World Record - ELO
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
OB1
Well-Known Member
Sadly, I only got chance to give Doc Sardonicus a listen today.Thanks to @journolud for last week's nomination - Twelve Dreams of Dr.Sardonicus by Spirit pulled in 10 reviews at an average of 6.2.
After the friendly suggestion of a bi-weekly summer schedule gained initial support and then ruffled a few feathers, I have decided to carry one with a one-album-per-week approach for those that want to take part.
@denislawsbackheel - I hope you haven't been put off, and you are welcome to make a nomination at any point during this round - just let me know if you want to slot back in at some point.
Assuming that Denis doesn't jump back in before Doogle wakes up, I invite @Mancitydoogle to step forward with the clues to his latest choice (or just post your review straight away if you want).
I was really interested to hear it as Spirit are a band I've never listened to but long thought that I should: I've have a 5cd set on my Amazon wishlist since 2012 FFS. And now I know that I really should buy it.
Edit - I have ordered the 5 cd set, which includes Doc S.
Last edited:
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Spotify download album to phone when you get near a connection?War on Drugs played the Piece Hall in Halifax recently and I was umming and aahing about whether to go or not. Ultimately I didn’t because it was quite short notice when I found out but I wish I had.
I don’t know how I first heard them but I think they have some great songs and moments in songs. I’ve heard and like the last three albums, when I went backwards I wS less enamoured but assuming this live album covers from the start of their career I’ll be giving at least some of them another listen, possibly.
I may struggle though as I am on a Wednesday to Wednesday trip in a camper van round Pembrokeshire and South Wales. Indications so far are that connectivity might be an issue. I want to listen to this but any review might be late.
journolud
Well-Known Member
Got it downloaded, will hopefully get the opportunity to listen to it once or twice.Spotify download album to phone when you get near a connection?
BimboBob
Well-Known Member
Listened to them at Glastonbury and liked what I heard.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Live Drugs – The War on Drugs
My reaction to the song “Under The Pressure”, or rather the performance of it on this live album, is the whole album in a microcosm to me.
With this being the opening track from the Lost in the Dream album, it’s what I first heard when pointed towards this album nine years ago, and the studio version is superb – it blew me away with it’s infectious groove. When it appeared on the Bluemoon Cup thread, I asked why there was a pointless 3 minutes on the end. It’s never really bothered me because I can always hit the skip button on CD or media, but God help you if you are listening on vinyl!
But this live version takes the biscuit because whilst they’ve cut the tail to two minutes, they’d added three minutes of faff on the start. Why? And because it’s such a significant point, I’ll ask a second time, why?
Three of the best songs from Lost in the Dream feature in this live performance: “Under The Pressure”, “An Ocean In between The Waves” and “Eyes to the Wind” – and every one of them is inferior to the studio version. Not that they are bad by any means, and I did enjoy listening to them live, but there seems to be something missing when stripped of the fantastic studio production.
It feels like I am listening to “An Ocean In between The Waves” through a gauzy mix (although the subtle sax is nice in this version), “Eyes to the Wind” is a 9-minute drawn-out affair and see above for “Under The Pressure”.
On the positive side, the live guitar is excellent throughout. The songs that I’m less familiar with, particularly “Pain” are good although “Thinking of a Place” features a pointless interlude where not much happens for too long and “Buenos Aires Beach” has a different feel to the rest of the album; the structure and phrasing make it sound like a Dylan song and it’s a good listen. “Accidentally Like a Martyr” – cover version it may be but I enjoyed this one.
This album perfectly demonstrates why live albums are generally a notch or two below studio albums. There are some great songs and good performances which would have been terrific if you were at the show, but it definitely loses something when listening at home. If the album under review would have been Lost in the Dream, it would have been a slam-dunk 9. But for the live incarnation, the highest I will go is 7/10. In that way, it is a very good choice because I defy you to put on Lost in the Dream and not hear the difference between the versions of the songs.
My reaction to the song “Under The Pressure”, or rather the performance of it on this live album, is the whole album in a microcosm to me.
With this being the opening track from the Lost in the Dream album, it’s what I first heard when pointed towards this album nine years ago, and the studio version is superb – it blew me away with it’s infectious groove. When it appeared on the Bluemoon Cup thread, I asked why there was a pointless 3 minutes on the end. It’s never really bothered me because I can always hit the skip button on CD or media, but God help you if you are listening on vinyl!
But this live version takes the biscuit because whilst they’ve cut the tail to two minutes, they’d added three minutes of faff on the start. Why? And because it’s such a significant point, I’ll ask a second time, why?
Three of the best songs from Lost in the Dream feature in this live performance: “Under The Pressure”, “An Ocean In between The Waves” and “Eyes to the Wind” – and every one of them is inferior to the studio version. Not that they are bad by any means, and I did enjoy listening to them live, but there seems to be something missing when stripped of the fantastic studio production.
It feels like I am listening to “An Ocean In between The Waves” through a gauzy mix (although the subtle sax is nice in this version), “Eyes to the Wind” is a 9-minute drawn-out affair and see above for “Under The Pressure”.
On the positive side, the live guitar is excellent throughout. The songs that I’m less familiar with, particularly “Pain” are good although “Thinking of a Place” features a pointless interlude where not much happens for too long and “Buenos Aires Beach” has a different feel to the rest of the album; the structure and phrasing make it sound like a Dylan song and it’s a good listen. “Accidentally Like a Martyr” – cover version it may be but I enjoyed this one.
This album perfectly demonstrates why live albums are generally a notch or two below studio albums. There are some great songs and good performances which would have been terrific if you were at the show, but it definitely loses something when listening at home. If the album under review would have been Lost in the Dream, it would have been a slam-dunk 9. But for the live incarnation, the highest I will go is 7/10. In that way, it is a very good choice because I defy you to put on Lost in the Dream and not hear the difference between the versions of the songs.
GornikDaze
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 9 Jul 2012
- Messages
- 10,521
I’m struggling a bit with the sound. The crowd noise is a bit annoying as well!Going by my first listen i can see me investigating the studio versions of the songs.Could have been a better recording sound wise.
The guitars sounded great though.
OB1
Well-Known Member
Going by my first listen i can see me investigating the studio versions of the songs.Could have been a better recording sound wise.
The guitars sounded great though.
Adam Granduciel's guitar sound is one of the best - very emotive somehow, as is his voice.
Unlike Rob, I love a live album, as to why?, why? Because it's an effing live version.
I have two recent TWOD studio albums but had missed this live release so will get it at some point.
Saw them live last year supporting The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park and enjoyed their performance. They aren't an exciting live act but it's good sitting in a field stuff.
"Red Eyes" is my personal favourite track.
8/10.
I love a good live album as well but this recording of their songs is doing it no favours at all.Adam Granduciel's guitar sound is one of the best - very emotive somehow, as is his voice.
Unlike Rob, I love a live album, as to why?, why? Because it's an effing live version.
I have two recent TWOD studio albums but had missed this live release so will get it at some point.
Saw them live last year supporting The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park and enjoyed their performance. They aren't an exciting live act but it's good sitting in a field stuff.
"Red Eyes" is my personal favourite track.
8/10.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
I know you love a live album, but surely even you can’t defend three minutes dead air at the start and two at the end? (OK not exactly dead air, but might as well be!)Adam Granduciel's guitar sound is one of the best - very emotive somehow, as is his voice.
Unlike Rob, I love a live album, as to why?, why? Because it's an effing live version.
I have two recent TWOD studio albums but had missed this live release so will get it at some point.
Saw them live last year supporting The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park and enjoyed their performance. They aren't an exciting live act but it's good sitting in a field stuff.
"Red Eyes" is my personal favourite track.
8/10.
Mancitydoogle
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 7 Aug 2017
- Messages
- 1,837
The tracks in studio versions.
Far better.
A good pick though as I had never heard anything by them before and loving the songs so far but my score would have been a lot higher if this was a studio album.
My point of nominating the live album was i assumed most of you hadn’t heard much by TWOD so this was a good introduction.
Studio albums are usually superior to Live versions for obvious reasons, however the tracks on here from their albums before ‘Lost in The Dream’ are better in my opinion,but glad you like the band.
OB1
Well-Known Member
I know you love a live album, but surely even you can’t defend three minutes dead air at the start and two at the end? (OK not exactly dead air, but might as well be!)
Nothing to defend. Some bands do that with live versions. For all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they just want to disguise the song they are about to play or hint at it with an intro. Harder to surprise in the days of setlist.fm, unless you swap your set about alot. When I used to see Rainbow regualrly, Blackmore would often dick about before starting a song properly, playing a snatch of Purple being a favourite trick (Lazy being a fave) and it's part of the fun.
My point of nominating the live album was i assumed most of you hadn’t heard much by TWOD so this was a good introduction.
Studio albums are usually superior to Live versions for obvious reasons, however the tracks on here from their albums before ‘Lost in The Dream’ are better in my opinion,but glad you like the band.
And it is exactly how it has worked for me. And I love it.
I Have actually tried to get into TWOD before, the studio versions, and it never quite stuck. No idea why. Probably the 'curse of the comparison' most likely, which we are all guilty of. I guess just how music listening is more globally these days, I.e where we are instinctively driven to instantly draw comparisons to other bands, and find a place for an album on a shelf rather than listen to it on its own merit. Don't kid yourselves that you don't do it folks, pretty much every review does it at some point. Anyway, I think that's what has previously held me back, and the live album removes that. Now that I have listened to the live album and have a good feel for the songs, I find the studio versions quite easy to get into. Still prefer the live ones though.
Will follow on with more when I finish my 3rd listen.
Absolute class band and album
Is there a reason you do not contribute and put nominations forward?
Do you listen to most albums that get put up here, or just some you are intrigued by?
jimbopm
Well-Known Member
I'm a big WoD fan, saw them in Leeds at the Arena last year and they were excellent. Couldn't make the Halifax gig which I was gutted about.
Sound is heavily influenced by the likes of Dylan and Springsteen, Don Henley and even has a bit of a Dire Straits IMO.
The last 3 Albums have been equally superb (Lost In The Dream, A Deeper Understanding & I Don't Live Here Anymore) whilst the preceeding Slave Ambient showed signs of things to come.
To get 'A Deeper Understanding' of how far this bands sound has matured, go and listen to 'Taking The Farm' then listen to something like 'Harmonia's Dream'.
Some of my recommended tracks.
Come to the City, Best Night, Black Water Falls - Slave Ambient
Red Eyes, Ocean Between The Waves, Under The Pressure, Burning, Disappearing - Lost In The Dream
Pain, Thinking Of A Place, Strangest Thing, Nothing To Find, In Chains, Holding On - A Deeper Understanding
I Don't Live Here Anymore, Wasted, Victim, Harmonia's Dream, I Don't Wanna Wait, Living Proof - I Don't Live Here Anymore
Sound is heavily influenced by the likes of Dylan and Springsteen, Don Henley and even has a bit of a Dire Straits IMO.
The last 3 Albums have been equally superb (Lost In The Dream, A Deeper Understanding & I Don't Live Here Anymore) whilst the preceeding Slave Ambient showed signs of things to come.
To get 'A Deeper Understanding' of how far this bands sound has matured, go and listen to 'Taking The Farm' then listen to something like 'Harmonia's Dream'.
Some of my recommended tracks.
Come to the City, Best Night, Black Water Falls - Slave Ambient
Red Eyes, Ocean Between The Waves, Under The Pressure, Burning, Disappearing - Lost In The Dream
Pain, Thinking Of A Place, Strangest Thing, Nothing To Find, In Chains, Holding On - A Deeper Understanding
I Don't Live Here Anymore, Wasted, Victim, Harmonia's Dream, I Don't Wanna Wait, Living Proof - I Don't Live Here Anymore
My first listen to War on Drugs.
Made my feelings known on the sound quality of the album but loved the songs on it and I thought the guitar work was superb.
Liked the studio versions better so I will definitely be investigating their albums in the future.
Great pick in the end.9/10
Made my feelings known on the sound quality of the album but loved the songs on it and I thought the guitar work was superb.
Liked the studio versions better so I will definitely be investigating their albums in the future.
Great pick in the end.9/10
Out on blue 6
Well-Known Member
I always come on and see what's been put up for selection. I've had plenty of the records put up and may comment on what I think is good. Not that keen on moaning about others selections as they are normally personal to them. Doubt anyone on here has any stomach to listen to a full Cate Le Bon or DJ Shadow album to be honest!!!Is there a reason you do not contribute and put nominations forward?
Do you listen to most albums that get put up here, or just some you are intrigued by?
journolud
Well-Known Member
Ah so you nominated Cate Le Bon in the cup thread. It intrigued me and I’m likely to give her more of a listen. Where would you recommend I start? Better still tell @RobMCFC you want to nominate one on the album thread. You might be surprised although my nomination of the not totally dissimilar Aldous Harding got a bit monstered.I always come on and see what's been put up for selection. I've had plenty of the records put up and may comment on what I think is good. Not that keen on moaning about others selections as they are normally personal to them. Doubt anyone on here has any stomach to listen to a full Cate Le Bon or DJ Shadow album to be honest!!!