The Album Review Club - Week #191 (page 1286) - Harlequin Dream - Boy & Bear

[threespires]

I think I once heard a Sufjan Stevens song and I think, from seeing his name mentioned and reading a few reviews, its definitely in the Americana camp.

If you've heard the aforementioned Illinois then you'd definitely be of that view but if you listened to a later album like Aporia I think you'd be of a different view and I think you'd probably hate it (too many synths!). Not one to be constrained by labels old Sufjan.

I think I'm with Coatigan on the Americana thing, my issue with it is that it's such a broad church you can't really tell anything meaningful from it, there might be an argument that it's more of a mood or sensibility rather than a style of music but even then the people who supposedly fall into the mix are so varied.

The trouble is it does matter in the US where labels often determine what gets played on specific stations. So when someone who as far as I'm concerned is a country artist like EmmyLou Harris basically carries on playing country at the point when Nashville goes all in on Country Pop then a new name is required for what she does. Basically if you were too grown up, too political or too off kilter for the pap that Nashville decided it wanted to promote then you were lumped into the Americana bucket. Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams are the epitome of real country but can't be called that because Nashville decided that the like of Shania effing Twain was country. A lot of 'Americana' artists, especially the woman, just made a virtue out of it after being booted out of the tradition that they were a million times more representative of than stuff like the pick from a couple of weeks back.

Edit: Whilst I agree with Coats about the labelling, he's obviously talking through his bahoochie in terms of the quality of at least some of the music ;-)

 

[LGWIO]

Another listen on the plane over today and I wondered...
Would this count as "Friends" music if it had been set in Nashville?

 

[mrbelfry]

Another listen on the plane over today and I wondered...
Would this count as "Friends" music if it had been set in Nashville?

So no one told me life was going to be this way
My cows bullemic and he will not eat his hay.
My tractors always stuck in second gear
And my local bar stopped selling bud light and now only sells Belgian beer

I'll be there for you
Like my second cousins grand paw
I'll be there for you
Cos I kissed my sister too

 

[RobMCFC]

I think this thread's getting too countryist. It's an outrage.

 

[Out on blue 6]

I think this thread's getting too countryist. It's an outrage.

Needs some more Britpop and bluehammers up next

 

[mrbelfry]

Needs some more Britpop and bluehammers up next

Oi oiiiiiii

I reckon he's going to surprise us with something classic like Graceland

 

[Coatigan]

Oi oiiiiiii

I reckon he's going to surprise us with something classic like Graceland

I think he'll go Kneecap!

Or TS Red.

 

[mrbelfry]

I think he'll go Kneecap!

Or TS Red.

I did a quick check to see who was playing above bars in his local area and it's just wall to wall Chas & Dave tribute acts

 

[Coatigan]

I did a quick check to see who was playing above bars in his local area and it's just wall to wall Chas & Dave tribute acts

He'll have the gig bug now!

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

Now autumn has arrived my musical tastes will start to shift away from upbeat, pop and tick to more reflective music. I've been working early and had this on today whilst tapping away and listening to the rain patter on the windows

I must admit I didn't like the first 2 tracks. They were a bit wishy washy and country-lite for me and didn't seem to hit any sweet spot. That changed once we got to Catch and Release which I really liked and to be honest I restarted the album to see if I needed another listen. Second time around I felt I got it a bit more. The album seemed to "flow" a lot better for me after that.

It's not a bad album and after a listen I decided to put it on again. Not sure it will be one I'll listen to much but it's a great "work album" and has a great laid back feel.

Edit - got onto a conference call and left this on and 3rd time around it got better. Think this could end up being a surprise grower on me!

7/10

 

[RobMCFC]

Hope we get some more votes soon or I may have to invoke the never-before-used "rollover to a 2nd week rule".

 

[BimboBob]

Hope we get some more votes soon or I may have to invoke the never-before-used "rollover to a 2nd week rule".

Chosing my words carefully...

 

[BlueHammer85]

Slow Motion Cowboys - Wolf of St. Elmo

The stars aligned on this one, after falling behind on reviews for a few weeks i finally caught up in time for this pick - decided to check out who this band was but they didn't have a Wikipedia page - went to their own website and randomly checked where they were touring - and mind blowingly their first ever England gig was to be in a pub next to my work and playing on the same day.

I enjoyed their gig, it was intimate, a tiny room on top floor of Pub - about 50 people squeezed in listening to a Western Cowboy band - their sound was good live, they have a lot of melody about them and some slower layered arrangements that separate them from old school country bands. It was chilled, much like the album.

Opener 'invisible Stars' is nice and the stand out pop song, 'New Beginning' is the one that sticks the most - i like the slow pace and melancholy stuff.

Some tracks skipped by and a bit bland overall at times, but i'll give a extra point for getting to watch them. Good pick.

7/10

 

[Coatigan]

Chosing my words carefully...

 

[OB1]

Slow Motion Cowboys, a bit too slow for my tastes, not quite my kinda country.

Pleasant enough. Reminds me a bit of Neil Young.

6/10

 

[Mancitydoogle]

SLOW MOTION COWBOYS WOLF OF ST.ELMO

I think everyone knows this is my type of music,it’s Americana,Alt Country,
Insurgent Country ,Rebel Country or whatever the hell it’s called these days.The genre Americana now seems all encompassing.
Reckless Kelly and The Youngers do this type of country music better in my opinion.Ive enjoyed listening to this album especially the first and last tracks but it doesn’t offer anything different and has a number of country cliched lyrics.It is definitely not comparable to Uncle Tupelo,Son Volt Wilco,DBTS ,Whiskeytown or Jason Isbell et al. I really like his voice and the instrumentation including the pedal steel and honky took piano.Id definitely go see them in my local but like @journolud not bother if I had to travel much further.

I can see why BB likes them being a big fan of The Stones and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

It’s a good pick and I’ll probably take a listen to their earlier stuff.

7.5/10 - minus .5 for the two dog references and they wear hats :-)

7/10

 

[LGWIO]

Apologies but mad busy ... who would have thought it. Business trip and having to actually "work"!
Better than I thought and 2 really decent tracks. With the added @Bluehammer seeing them live its a 6 from the Warrington jury
Back to work

 

[bennyboy]

SLOW MOTION COWBOYS WOLF OF ST.ELMO

I think everyone knows this is my type of music,it’s Americana,Alt Country,
Insurgent Country ,Rebel Country or whatever the hell it’s called these days.The genre Americana now seems all encompassing.
Reckless Kelly and The Youngers do this type of country music better in my opinion.Ive enjoyed listening to this album especially the first and last tracks but it doesn’t offer anything different and has a number of country cliched lyrics.It is definitely not comparable to Uncle Tupelo,Son Volt Wilco,DBTS ,Whiskeytown or Jason Isbell et al. I really like his voice and the instrumentation including the pedal steel and honky took piano.Id definitely go see them in my local but like @journolud not bother if I had to travel much further.

I can see why BB likes them being a big fan of The Stones and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

It’s a good pick and I’ll probably take a listen to their earlier stuff.

7.5/10 - minus .5 for the two dog references and they wear hats :-)

7/10

I have Seriously thought about the gilded palace of sin every time it is my turn to nominate.
The seethe would be brilliant from some on here.lol.
Though I knew this pick would get a right mixture of scores.
Glad we are getting more reviews in today.

 

[BimboBob]

I've given this album another listen today, that makes four, as I'm trying to work it out.

Annoying things number one. His voice. It's average especially when straining for a note.
Annoying things number two. It's lyrically melancholy. I suppose that's country.

This album works when the songs are slowed down. Talks To Strangers is a fine example of this. The song/ voice/ lyrics work well. Damned If You Do is a more upbeat song but with very depressing lyrics. It doesn't work in my brain. Runnin' From Regrets also works well.

My trouble is, I'm in a very good mood. Before this I was dancing in my kitchen to some 80's mush and belting the lyrics out like they really meant something to me. I have dinner planned. I've walked the dog and he's now curled up under my desk. I've done some more research. The day is going well. I AM ALIVE.

That doesn't mean my scoring system is out of kilter though.

4/10

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Wolf of St. Elmo - Slow Motion Cowboys
There's not much more I can add that hasn't already been said, but I'll instead focus on my three favourite tracks. I'm glad BH85 got to see them live, and "if" (let's not kid ourselves, it is "when") they come around here, I too will give them a shot live.

First, the opener in "Invisible Stars" was a good start, and musically gave me a Neil Young and Harvest timeframe vibe. Very nice harmonica, and yes, the summer was so hot this year...

The second "Damned If You Do" was hands down the best track on the album. That gave me more of a DBT and "Americana" vibe (sorry, Coats) than the other more slowed down songs that had more of a traditional country sound. The organ on this track really made this song. Good fer you!

Unfortunately, many of the next songs were indeed "Catch and Release" types that I put back into the traditional country cliches and really didn't have me moving, and instead had me analyzing the vocals I was hearing, and harkening back to Gornik's clothes peg observation, which I was feeling a lot more.

I was a bit distracted at one point in listening to the album and figured I had stumbled upon some other new artist as the track playing sounded fresh and more inventive than the sleepiness I was being lulled into, when I instead realized it was the final track "Wolf of Saint Elmo". Wow and geez, where have you guys been for the last 25 minutes or so, but boy, is it great to have you back! This had a very nice ending in the 2nd best track, albeit it was close with the 2nd.

So where does this leave me? First, for the songs I did enjoy, this was great. However, I feel at this point I'm picking a few (3) of their tracks for my Americana Playlist and calling it a day before I dust the cobwebs off my whiskey glass. It's a 6/10 overall for me with the hope of hearing more like the title and 1st two tracks.