The Album Review Club - Week #139 - (page 1815) - Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War Of The Worlds

[threespires]

I like the vast majority of genres of music, there at least a few bands or artists I listen to regularly in almost all of them. Except metal.

Broadly speaking, metal has never really done it for me. Which perversely makes it all the more interesting in some ways because I want to understand why I don’t get something that so many people love. It’s one of the more studied genres and outside looking in its really fascinating. Did you know that there’s analogy between bi-polar disorder and love of metal and that in the vast majority of cases its’ beneficial to the listener; also metal fans are some of the most well adjusted people in their 30s and 40s; but then again mice exposed to metal experience no therapeutic effects and it is an incredible stressor for them at a level completely different from pretty much any other forms of music they are exposed to.

Anyway, enough waffle, what do I think about Rainbow Rising? Of it’s type it’s a great album helped by the fact that it’s not heavy metal in extremis.

Ritchie Blackmore knows what he’s doing and then some and Cozy Powell is hugely enjoyable. The rest of the band are decent too.

For such a little man Dio has a great set of pipes. However, the style of lyric and singing in the genre as a whole isn’t orientated to light and shade or nuance and he’s not looking to buck that trend, so as talented as he is I find it a bit one dimensional. It occurred to me when listening to the first verse of Do You Close Your Eyes, I wonder how Morrissey would deliver that lyric? In comparison to Dio, clearly quite differently but I think he would have invested more meaning into one of the few lyrics that make conventional sense.

Once upon a time when I thought I was a bit more sophisticated than I am and before I realised I was a KFA, I used to be quite sniffy and patronising about metal lyrics and particularly the type on this album. Over the years I’ve come to realise that just because it’s not the way I would choose to express myself or an idiom of interest to me doesn’t mean they are not valid, and that they do fit very well with the nature of the music. So once upon a time I would have hated Stargazer off the back of the lyric whereas now I can let that slightly float over me and just appreciate the overall effect which is definitely powerful. At the risk of contradicting myself, it is to Dio’s credit that he sells songs where there isn’t necessarily a lot of meaning to the words.

I don’t think there’s anything on here that I intensely dislike, if I was picking favourites personally I‘d probably go for Run With The Wolf and A Light in The Black.

My single biggest issue with the album is similar to Rob’s, I suspect that the average Rainbow fan would rate Down to Earth or Difficult to Cure much lower than Rising but for me I will trade the archetypal epic songs delivered in his epic way by Dio during his tenure, for the more hooky and commercial sound certainly on Down to Earth and probably on the subsequent one too. Some of this album interspersed with tracks from Long Live Rock n Roll onwards and maybe Catch the Rainbow from the first album (to remind me that it wasn’t all Dio at 11) works for me. I can appreciate Rainbow as I do Deep Purple but I’m very much in the greatest hits space.

I’ve approached listening to this album a bit like dissecting a rat. It’s fascinating but it’s not how I would normally spend my leisure time given the choice. The score this gets depends on whether I score with my head or my heart, if I’m scoring with my heart and the connection it does or doesn’t make it would be struggling to get a 5; but to do that would be insulting to the musicianship on display and so I’m voting with my head recognising the many qualities on show and it’s getting 7/10 which still feels a bit churlish but is as far as I’m prepared to go.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

I usually just stick to just saying what an album does for me and why I chose it, and leave the rest for people to find themselves. This time, going to borrow Rob's format a bit and break this down into sections with some more expanded background that is hopefully relevant or interesting.

The lyricist(s).
'I'm in the arch, of the church, between her thumb and her forefinger, I'm a worshipper'.

This one is very much about the lyrics, the visuals, the metaphors, like most of their work. I have not known a band to paint such clear imagery in my head, with their or Scott's words. Sometimes simplistic, colloquial, sometimes very forward and obvious, at others a little bit more poetic and abstract, they seem to manage to really hit well and memorable. The opening two verses, a bit of a sledgehammer to the face, are an example, with a scene I can almost see listening to it. Unpleasant the first time I heard it, even more so now, but can't help being moved to the core by it.

There are similar segments throughout the album, and I would encourage people to give the lyrics a passing read and take them in, or if listening to it on apps that offer them up, to have a look at them in process, as they are such a big part of it.

While they don't often follow conventional song structure (verse chorus verse repeat chorus) the lyrics often come together at the end, they sometimes to use a Burns trick where the last couple of lines Are really the song, the rest is the set up to it. This album only has it in a few instances, more prevalent in their work in general, like their now somewhat cult classics The Modern Lepper, Floating in the Forth, or Scottish Winds which is pure modern day Burns. The songs are worth hearing through to the end.

The album and the band
This album is not a mix of cover all song types, i.e here's a popular hit, here's a happy tune, a ballad, etc etc. It is fairly consistent, it is disutopian, moody, a bit of a downer. If you are looking for preconcieved things you like elsewhere, you won't find them here, that would be like going to see a Howson exhibition hoping to see lush landscapes. Perhaps a bit draining and samey, but it has a purpose and is ballsy enough to stick to it. Scott (the singer) once described it as trying to merge something horrible like a panic attack with something beautiful like a painting, and that bittersweet, bleak yet hopeful, feel is there throughout. 'The original album title was Monuments, whuch was "supposed to be representative of a beautiful place that you go to remember something awful". Painting of a Panic Attack similarly "was a way to describe someone or something beautiful yet damaged", and Scott believed "that contrast between beauty and turmoil" was a summation of the album. In fairness, amongst the dour there is some right romance there, like 400 bones, a lovely intimate song, or the helplessness of love in Get Out, or the ending of the Shettleston Romeo and Juliet in Lump Street.

The album is not exactly typical of their sound, with a lot more production, synth sounds and I guess what Rob elsewhere described as a 'post industrial' feel. What they generally are known for is much simpler and cleaner songs with an acoustic guitar foreground, production secondary. I strongly encourage people to listen to what is somtimes known as the 'break-up trilogy' (Good Arms, Backwards Walk, and Poke) off the album that really made them, Midnight Organ Fight, for a true feel of what they are really about. The song Die Like a Rich boy is more of an example of their usual style than the rest of the album.

Not much to say about the band, other than where they really come together is live shows and gigs. Not in the conventional sense of 'putting on a great show', more in the connection they build with the crowd. Hands down by far the most together and 'in tune' I have felt an audience and a band, with a real feeling of shared empathy and joy. I used to thing the ooh ooh ooh on Poke for example, was too drawn out for no reason, till I was in a room live, wishing it would never end. Found a quote in an article once that I can only agree with. 'One reason Frightened Rabbit are so important to so many people is because of the overwhelming mutual empathy in the room when they played live. The joy and force of the music, juxtaposed with the sadness and candour of the lyrics, created a sense of a crowd and band with their arms around one another.' It is a pity nobody will get to experience that again, but some of their recorded sessions are worth a look at on youtube for a hint of what they are like live. The vocals might follow a theme on here, of technically good singer/likeable or not voice. I don't think he is a good singer, there is a pub gig level to a lot of it. He doesn't have a conventional quality voice either, in terms of range, wails etc. But man does he hit a note with me, and his voice, often on the cusp of breaking and with an occasional break, really cuts right through me.

The suicide
Now the tragic bit. And why their work and this album in particular, their final one, are laden with pain for me. I remember it unfolding quite well, the news breaking Scott had gone missing, around the Forth bridge, following a somewhat farewelly tweet. There was a quiet discussion with those around us, but really, we all knew there and then. There was then what I can only vaguely recall as a couple of days of worry from his distraught family and band members, before his body was found. Think there was maybe a 3 page, 3 poster thread on here, but up north it quickly became an important topic. Maybe partly emphasised because he wasn't a typical A-list rick star, but felt a down to earth common lad, close to his family and friends. I have to admit, I kinda shut down and closed it all out, put the albums on a shelf 'behind the picture we bought'. Just couldn't really stomach listening to it for a while. Along with being sad at the loss, there was a feeling of inevitable guilt. It was two-fold. Partly because we all took it for granted, the guy openly struggled with and talked about anxiety, alcoholism etc. he wrote about it, and we pretty much used it for ourselves. We used his hearbreaks to echo our own, compared the breakups, hopes, fears, but somehow dismissed the more significant and serious things. Heck we sang 'I think I'll save suicide for another year' back to him at gigs. The line from his song with Mancheater Orchestra 'you told all of your friends and noone came' suddenly took new meaning
And the other reason was, Because he openly talked about it and was forward with it, and we took that as some sort of triumph over mental health, and then just ignored it. The song floating in the forth was for years seen as a win over a personal struggle, not a damn foretelling. So the loss was somewhat bigger than had it come out of the blue. Then hearing his brother, the drummer of the band talk about how he kind of knew it was coming, particularly after this album, but felt he could do nothing about it was a real blow.

Back to the album, one thing I may suggest, if anyone fancies testing my '3 listens is not enough theory'. Instead of listening to the whole album 3 times, maybe try listening to half the album 5 or 6 times, to really get a chance to let it sink in. For ease, the first 3 songs, and then everything from 400 bones on. Throw in Otherwise disappointing life, if too short. Die like a rich boy used to be the last song, the three after it dince added to the deluxe edition are ok. The wreck has a nice haunt to it, and Wait till the morning could well be an anthem for any given BM thread at a point. But the album isn't particularly improved by them imo. Look forward to seeing what people make of it.

For most of you, it's been a year since you probably listened to Frightened Rabbit’s Painting of a Panic Attack, that @Coatigan sent out this same week in 2022 in this excellent summary above.

For anyone not around here last year (like me), I have listened to this album continuously throughout the past 2 weeks as it indeed has required repeated listens to really sink in.

This band and album after listening makes me want to hear the rest of their album catalog, and I'm looking forward to that.

Onto some thoughts of each of the best (many) songs:

Death Dream - starts out appropriate for this album. "Blood seems black" says it all to me. Start slow and builds momentum for where this album is going. 2 years before Scott's death, this is almost too emotional to hear the missed clues after the fact.

Get Out - I simply love the beginning of this song. Lots of obsession on this one. "She won't, she won't"...

I Wish I Was Sober - a cry for help, an acknowledgement of ones own shortcomings. "The best of me left hours ago", "forgive me it's far too late", the song really picks up tempo to the end.

Woke Up Hurting - an appropriate album flow from the previous song (after a night of drinking?) "Plan for Heaven though Hell will do". Another musically strong song that starts off slow and really builds towards a strong end.

Still Want to Be Here - the sad thoughts of this song from a first person testament. It might be about an LA relationship, but I think of events after the fact now.

An Otherwise Disappointing Life - a really strong song musically, especially as it gets toward the end, but another post-event sad reflection of final events from 2018 - "I don't need water, I just want to wave goodbye, to an otherwise disappointing life".

400 Bones - an incredibly powerful first person love song, more lyrically than musically, but both complement each other quite well. "in which the pillow leave a cold upon your face".

Lump Street - love this song musically, especially as it ends to the hopeful "Get it together man, find hope / there is life beyond the world you already know.”

Die Like A Rich Boy - song from the vantage point of someone poor who feels his life won't matter as compared to the rich with all the metaphors of that.

I realize the final 3 songs are not part of the original album, and that song feels to be an appropriate ending of the album.

If you missed this a year ago, give this indie band from Scotland a listen. I'd be curious if anyone's minds have also changed on this one after the fact, a year later. Is this a band or album you've listened more of since?

This one is still growing on me, and despite the mostly depressing and actually sobering lyrics, this to me is a strong 8 musically and probably will be one on my playlist with other albums of theirs to listen to going forward.

 

[RobMCFC]

For most of you, it's been a year since you probably listened to Frightened Rabbit’s Painting of a Panic Attack, that @Coatigan sent out this same week in 2022 in this excellent summary above.

For anyone not around here last year (like me), I have listened to this album continuously throughout the past 2 weeks as it indeed has required repeated listens to really sink in.

This band and album after listening makes me want to hear the rest of their album catalog, and I'm looking forward to that.

Onto some thoughts of each of the best (many) songs:

Death Dream - starts out appropriate for this album. "Blood seems black" says it all to me. Start slow and builds momentum for where this album is going. 2 years before Scott's death, this is almost too emotional to hear the missed clues after the fact.

Get Out - I simply love the beginning of this song. Lots of obsession on this one. "She won't, she won't"...

I Wish I Was Sober - a cry for help, an acknowledgement of ones own shortcomings. "The best of me left hours ago", "forgive me it's far too late", the song really picks up tempo to the end.

Woke Up Hurting - an appropriate album flow from the previous song (after a night of drinking?) "Plan for Heaven though Hell will do". Another musically strong song that starts of slow and really builds towards a strong end.

Still Want to Be Here - the sad thoughts of this song from a first person testament. It might be about an LA relationship, but I think of events after the fact now.

An Otherwise Disappointing Life - a really strong song musically, especially as it gets toward the end, but another post-event sad reflection of final events from 2018 - "I don't need water, I just want to wave goodbye, to an otherwise disappointing life".

400 Bones - an incredibly powerful first person love song, more lyrically than musically, but both complement each other quite well. "in which the pillow leave a cold upon your face".

Lump Street - love this song musically, especially as it ends to the hopeful "Get it together man, find hope / there is life beyond the world you already know.”

Die Like A Rich Boy - song from the vantage point of someone poor who feels his life won't matter as compared to the rich with all the metaphors of that.

I realize the final 3 songs are not part of the original album, and that song feels to be an appropriate ending of the album.

If you missed this a year ago, give this indie band from Scotland a listen. I'd be curious if anyone's minds have also changed on this one after the fact, a year later. Is this a band or album you've listened more of since?

This one is still growing on me, and despite the mostly depressing and actually sobering lyrics, this to me is a strong 8 musically and probably will be one on my playlist with other albums to listen to going forward.

It's great that somebody is getting something out of the thread now, based on an album we dissected a year ago.

Speaking of dissections .....

I’ve approached listening to this album a bit like dissecting a rat. It’s fascinating but it’s not how I would normally spend my leisure time given the choice.

If we ever made this thread into a book (I know we've jokingly discussed it) this quote would be on the cover.

 

[Coatigan]

For most of you, it's been a year since you probably listened to Frightened Rabbit’s Painting of a Panic Attack, that @Coatigan sent out this same week in 2022 in this excellent summary above.

For anyone not around here last year (like me), I have listened to this album continuously throughout the past 2 weeks as it indeed has required repeated listens to really sink in.

This band and album after listening makes me want to hear the rest of their album catalog, and I'm looking forward to that.

Onto some thoughts of each of the best (many) songs:

Death Dream - starts out appropriate for this album. "Blood seems black" says it all to me. Start slow and builds momentum for where this album is going. 2 years before Scott's death, this is almost too emotional to hear the missed clues after the fact.

Get Out - I simply love the beginning of this song. Lots of obsession on this one. "She won't, she won't"...

I Wish I Was Sober - a cry for help, an acknowledgement of ones own shortcomings. "The best of me left hours ago", "forgive me it's far too late", the song really picks up tempo to the end.

Woke Up Hurting - an appropriate album flow from the previous song (after a night of drinking?) "Plan for Heaven though Hell will do". Another musically strong song that starts of slow and really builds towards a strong end.

Still Want to Be Here - the sad thoughts of this song from a first person testament. It might be about an LA relationship, but I think of events after the fact now.

An Otherwise Disappointing Life - a really strong song musically, especially as it gets toward the end, but another post-event sad reflection of final events from 2018 - "I don't need water, I just want to wave goodbye, to an otherwise disappointing life".

400 Bones - an incredibly powerful first person love song, more lyrically than musically, but both complement each other quite well. "in which the pillow leave a cold upon your face".

Lump Street - love this song musically, especially as it ends to the hopeful "Get it together man, find hope / there is life beyond the world you already know.”

Die Like A Rich Boy - song from the vantage point of someone poor who feels his life won't matter as compared to the rich with all the metaphors of that.

I realize the final 3 songs are not part of the original album, and that song feels to be an appropriate ending of the album.

If you missed this a year ago, give this indie band from Scotland a listen. I'd be curious if anyone's minds have also changed on this one after the fact, a year later. Is this a band or album you've listened more of since?

This one is still growing on me, and despite the mostly depressing and actually sobering lyrics, this to me is a strong 8 musically and probably will be one on my playlist with other albums to listen to going forward.

Wow you really took it well in, and really got it. Great review and picking out of detail.

Others have revisited albums they have missed out before on here, nice thing to do.

 

[BlueHammer85]

For most of you, it's been a year since you probably listened to Frightened Rabbit’s Painting of a Panic Attack, that @Coatigan sent out this same week in 2022 in this excellent summary above.

For anyone not around here last year (like me), I have listened to this album continuously throughout the past 2 weeks as it indeed has required repeated listens to really sink in.

This band and album after listening makes me want to hear the rest of their album catalog, and I'm looking forward to that.

Onto some thoughts of each of the best (many) songs:

Death Dream - starts out appropriate for this album. "Blood seems black" says it all to me. Start slow and builds momentum for where this album is going. 2 years before Scott's death, this is almost too emotional to hear the missed clues after the fact.

Get Out - I simply love the beginning of this song. Lots of obsession on this one. "She won't, she won't"...

I Wish I Was Sober - a cry for help, an acknowledgement of ones own shortcomings. "The best of me left hours ago", "forgive me it's far too late", the song really picks up tempo to the end.

Woke Up Hurting - an appropriate album flow from the previous song (after a night of drinking?) "Plan for Heaven though Hell will do". Another musically strong song that starts of slow and really builds towards a strong end.

Still Want to Be Here - the sad thoughts of this song from a first person testament. It might be about an LA relationship, but I think of events after the fact now.

An Otherwise Disappointing Life - a really strong song musically, especially as it gets toward the end, but another post-event sad reflection of final events from 2018 - "I don't need water, I just want to wave goodbye, to an otherwise disappointing life".

400 Bones - an incredibly powerful first person love song, more lyrically than musically, but both complement each other quite well. "in which the pillow leave a cold upon your face".

Lump Street - love this song musically, especially as it ends to the hopeful "Get it together man, find hope / there is life beyond the world you already know.”

Die Like A Rich Boy - song from the vantage point of someone poor who feels his life won't matter as compared to the rich with all the metaphors of that.

I realize the final 3 songs are not part of the original album, and that song feels to be an appropriate ending of the album.

If you missed this a year ago, give this indie band from Scotland a listen. I'd be curious if anyone's minds have also changed on this one after the fact, a year later. Is this a band or album you've listened more of since?

This one is still growing on me, and despite the mostly depressing and actually sobering lyrics, this to me is a strong 8 musically and probably will be one on my playlist with other albums to listen to going forward.

Lovely album that.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Rainbow - Rising

Good pick, I never grew up around this type of metal rock - It’s never really been a genre that I’ve gotten myself into, not sure why - I think I’ve just never taken to dungeons and dragons (whips and chains!) type of lyrics nor the use of synthesiser , it starts to head towards Spinal Tap territory for me.

However, not to say I don’t appreciate the musicianship and talents band like this possess, the amazing guitar solos and screeching vocals of Dio.

Obviously the stand out is ‘Stargazer’ , love the intensity and progression of this, whilst so much is focused on the guitar solo it’s that final 2-3 minutes which is a explosion of joy when the strings and choir vocals really kick in, what a crescendo!

All the rest of songs are solid, ‘Tarot Women’ is a great opener, ‘Starstruck’ and ‘A Light In Black’ both high tempo that have killer solos.

Hard to fault. For this rock genre it’s a classic.

7/10

 

[threespires]

Wow you really took it well in, and really got it. Great review and picking out of detail.

Others have revisited albums they have missed out before on here, nice thing to do.

Painting of a Panic Attack is a great example of an album that you have to spend time with and even if you don't instantly take to something in the review period it is interesting to persist a bit with some stuff. I think I was out of commission when it was reviewed but I would definitely score it higher now than I would have at the time.

As for revisiting missed albums, Death of a Ladies Man was before my time and every now and again I consider writing a diatribe on how the collective 4.71 score is an complete outrage, but then I think better of it.

 

[Coatigan]

For most of you, it's been a year since you probably listened to Frightened Rabbit’s Painting of a Panic Attack, that @Coatigan sent out this same week in 2022 in this excellent summary above.

For anyone not around here last year (like me), I have listened to this album continuously throughout the past 2 weeks as it indeed has required repeated listens to really sink in.

This band and album after listening makes me want to hear the rest of their album catalog, and I'm looking forward to that.

Onto some thoughts of each of the best (many) songs:

Death Dream - starts out appropriate for this album. "Blood seems black" says it all to me. Start slow and builds momentum for where this album is going. 2 years before Scott's death, this is almost too emotional to hear the missed clues after the fact.

Get Out - I simply love the beginning of this song. Lots of obsession on this one. "She won't, she won't"...

I Wish I Was Sober - a cry for help, an acknowledgement of ones own shortcomings. "The best of me left hours ago", "forgive me it's far too late", the song really picks up tempo to the end.

Woke Up Hurting - an appropriate album flow from the previous song (after a night of drinking?) "Plan for Heaven though Hell will do". Another musically strong song that starts of slow and really builds towards a strong end.

Still Want to Be Here - the sad thoughts of this song from a first person testament. It might be about an LA relationship, but I think of events after the fact now.

An Otherwise Disappointing Life - a really strong song musically, especially as it gets toward the end, but another post-event sad reflection of final events from 2018 - "I don't need water, I just want to wave goodbye, to an otherwise disappointing life".

400 Bones - an incredibly powerful first person love song, more lyrically than musically, but both complement each other quite well. "in which the pillow leave a cold upon your face".

Lump Street - love this song musically, especially as it ends to the hopeful "Get it together man, find hope / there is life beyond the world you already know.”

Die Like A Rich Boy - song from the vantage point of someone poor who feels his life won't matter as compared to the rich with all the metaphors of that.

I realize the final 3 songs are not part of the original album, and that song feels to be an appropriate ending of the album.

If you missed this a year ago, give this indie band from Scotland a listen. I'd be curious if anyone's minds have also changed on this one after the fact, a year later. Is this a band or album you've listened more of since?

This one is still growing on me, and despite the mostly depressing and actually sobering lyrics, this to me is a strong 8 musically and probably will be one on my playlist with other albums to listen to going forward.

Not to distract from the album at hand on change-over day, but the version of Lump Street below is worth a look, and that shift you mention is really felt.

It has not been split up, it is at 23.30 minutes if you are looking to jump straight to it. The whole set is worth listening to at some point, but if not, the version of Things here is great too, at 15 minutes in.

 

[southamptonblue]

Got time to beat the deadline!! Even though I own it, had it for years, I always wait till I've got time to post a proper review of the albums...and forget lol
Just going out door..........
10/10 one of the best ;)

 

[Mancitydoogle]

RAINBOW RISING



Hard Rock or Heavy Metal , I’m not quite sure what it’s called these days was never my thing.My older brother was into bands like LZ BS and DP don’t think he had anything by Rainbow though ,so other than the odd single I hadn’t heard anything by them.I knew of RB and CP but never heard RJD sing.
So I was quite curious as to what I would make of this and if my preconceived notions would change.Unfortunately they didn’t, other than admiring the musicianship and RDJs vocals I didn’t get much out of this at all.In fact as our ‘Derry Dipper’ mentioned it definitely reminded me of Spinal Tap.The problem was it neither had interesting lyrics or decent melody on most tracks , Tarot Woman and Do you close your eyes were ok but I don’t think I would want to listen to them again.Stargazer to me was a too similar to Kashmir which I don’t particularly like either.
Unfortunately whilst I can appreciate if HM is your thing they must be a good example of the genre especially live, but sadly not for me, the Rock bands I do like tend to be more blues influenced like Free and Bad Co.



5/10