I've kinda said more or less where I am with this mood-wise, and the music itself seems to have been dissected enough.
So instead here is a collection of random thoughts I can remember coming to me while I listened to it. Relative to the album/music, that is. Mostly. In chronological order, to the best of my recollection.
The opening track is a cracker. A bit at odds with the rest of it, wonder what went on there. A bit desert-rocky. Was it a leftover from earlier efforts, was it an attempt at something new, did it just come spontaneously and was left in?
The vocals are in, man he reminds me of someone, but can't for the life of me put my finger on it. It will come to me. Such a familiar tone of voice though!
It has obvious similarities to bands of its time, like Samiam (love), Pavement, a bit of Modest Mouse too. But it also has the very same qualities of a later more distant band I love. Wonder if anyone will pick up on that.
Oh wait, Belf's just gone and mentioned them! But was that deliberate and a cleverly snuck in comparison, or just pure coincidence. Can't be, he meant it, surely. Can never tell with that dude. Will have to wait till his full review.
Man those vocals, who is it they remind me of! It will come to me. I Hope, otherwise I might be a bit pissed off.
It actually wouldn't take much polish, to turn this into the likes of the Lemonheads, guided by voices or other more commercially palatable bands. Hmm, I wonder if Rob might not like that. But then it does have grit! Sometimes polish and grit just don't mix.
Ok, belf's made no further mention in his review so maybe it was just a totally accidental metaphor of a frightened rabbit after all then. But that's the qualities I am drawn to here, that they also have. That raw, grubby, do our own thing because that's us mood and attitude. The feeling that they have something to say it and that comes first, rather than how it is said or recieved. In ways they are comfortable with. You don't have to make it onto Mtv or tick those boxes to say something, and I really like their unfiltered and arguably 'pure' expression. It feels honest. Even decades later. Kudos boys. In particular the song GOAT, the structure of it, the lyrical rhythm. Man could easily be on Midnight Organ Fight and not feel out if place.
Still can't crack those vocals. I mean, there are definite similarities with Scott Hutchisons voice (but that's not what I am thinking of). In itself, not conventionally 'good' or 'strong' as a voice or singer. And that almost too feeble to carry the weight of the theme crackle. Yet it really works as the overall parcel, and there is charm in its shameless perseverance without yielding or changing the style or fitting the music to suit. Kudos boys. Whatever happened to that BBC documentary on FR that was in production, they are taking their time with it. Maybe trying to hold off and time it with a 10 year anniversary of hia death. Wow has it not been 10 years yet, feels a lifetime ago. Still kinda hurts, that one. There was much there left to say..
Wow, AoL are still going, and had an album within the last half a decade! A few breaks and reunions in there, but impressive longevity. Plenty for me to deepdive into after this week.
Man who does that voice remind me of, this is getting frustrating now. There it is right there, that back of throat crackle, the almost struggle to pull the note out. 'They clogged up the valley and drifted to ouuuteer space'. So familiar. I can almost hear it but can't name it. Why is it so hard to think.. no wait.. hard to DRINK.. 'really hard to driiiink'. That's bloody it! Motherfucking Silverchair! That what I was thinking of. Phew, I don't think I could have handled the week ending with that hanging over me. Man, Frogstomp was such a good album! I should revisit it, it has been a while.
Suppose I better score this. Really enjoyed the week, managed to transpose myself elsewhere, provoked a lot of reaction and brought about thoughts and emotions, and the album itself is a blast. Plus plenty more back catalogue to go through. Can't be anything less than a 9.
