Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
Lovely write up...........
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The Album Review Club - Week #145 - (page 1923) - Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
Not reviewed yet but I am in full agreement that Blues from the front porch was the stand out track on the album for me........I'm a bit of a simple soul at heart and as such I tend to see most things black and white with not many shades of grey in-between. I either like something or I don't. I can't always explain why because I often just simply don't know. I love sprouts but hate broccoli. No idea why. One just tastes good to me while the other doesn't. It's the same with music for me.
I both admire and envy those who are able to write these wonderful reviews on this and the other thread. I wish I could do it but I can't. I probably could with classical music and opera as I feel on more solid ground with those but not with rock/pop etc. I just don't have the musical education in those genres to feel able to write a deep and meaningful analysis.
None of this relates specifically to this album but is just a general note that will probably apply to most of the reviews I write. It isn't because I don't want or am too lazy to write an insightful review. I just don't feel able to.
Anyway, to the album in question.
John Mellencamp is a name that I have heard frequently over the years but I am not aware of having ever heard any of his music before (and after a couple of listens to this album, I'm pretty sure I have never heard any of these tracks before). I guess I associated the name with American rock (similar to Springsteen and Petty) which really isn't the kind of music I would normally listen to but I tried to be as open-minded as possible.
I listened on Spotify and when I do that, I tend to listen to the one that has had the most plays first as presumably that is the most popular/standout track. I then work my way through in album in descending order of popularity. On the 2nd listen, I work through it in the order it is presented on the album.
This meant that my first ever John Mellencamp track was Cherry Bomb which had 4 times the plays of the 2nd most popular. I must admit to being a bit surprised by it. It was perhaps a bit softer rock than I expected and pleasant enough to listen to but not something I would have expected to be a standout track on a highly regarded album. Paper in Fire was again pleasant enough to listen to but nothing special. So it continued as I progressed through the album. Nothing that really made me sit up and take notice but nothing that really made me want to skip to the next song. Funnily enough, my favourite track was the last one (both chronologically and in terms of popularity) Blues from the Front Porch. It was the only one that really stood out for me and the only one that I could see myself playing again in future (and I'm not a huge blues fan).
Maybe it's an album that would grown on me with more than 2 listens but I doubt it. Neither sprouts nor broccoli to me. Something in between. One of those shades of grey that I don't often find.
I find it hard rating it. It is obviously an album that means something to a few on here, so I don't want to be too harsh. I'm sure it is a fine example of its genre but it just isn't for me.
It would have been a 5 but Blues from the Front Porch just about pushes it up to a 6/10.
Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
In the nicest way possible, your selection shouldn't be to appease the masses. Your pick is your pick and we all get to evaluate and provide our opinions on it.I was thinking about which album I would select (when my time comes in a few weeks) and just wanted to confirm if there were any rules on choice. I jotted down my favourites and found some potential problems with all of them (probably due to my unusual taste in music):
Two or three are double albums and thus quite long. Maybe a bit unfair to subject people to a couple of listens of something so long that they might not enjoy.
A couple are either live or greatest hits. Perhaps this is also a bit unfair as they highlight the best of the bands, rather than their norm. A bit like basing an opinion of a football player on his YouTube highlights.
One is a genre that perhaps the majority won't enjoy (classical/opera).
A couple aren't in the English language so might not be very accessible to most listeners and obviously they wouldn't be able to comment on the lyrics.
A few are on the list from the other thread and so it wouldn't probably be good to have the same albums on both threads.
One I absolutely love but I suspect it would be hated by most.
Before deciding over the next weeks, I just wanted to check if any of the above would or should disqualify them from being chosen.
One of the albums I have I mind will initially take an absolute caning but if people give it a proper listen they may see some of its greatness.............
Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
Exactly..............@KnaresboroughBlue pick the album that you like, whatever language or style. Great music is great music! It also helps broaden the horizons when you hear something new! :)
Saddleworth2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2014
- Messages
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That’s exactly the point. It should be your pick and let the love flow in your review. I am looking forward to every one.In the nicest way possible, your selection shouldn't be to appease the masses. Your pick is your pick and we all get to evaluate and provide our opinions on it.
One of the albums I have I mind will initially take an absolute caning but if people give it a proper listen they may see some of its greatness.............
PragueBlue
Well-Known Member
I know but I also don't want to torture people with my choice!! I suspect whichever I choose will end up with fewer points than anything else and I'm fine with that but would like listeners get something from it.In the nicest way possible, your selection shouldn't be to appease the masses. Your pick is your pick and we all get to evaluate and provide our opinions on it.
One of the albums I have I mind will initially take an absolute caning but if people give it a proper listen they may see some of its greatness.............
Ultimately it was more just trying to see if any rules/guidelines had been laid down that would preclude any choice.
Onholiday(somemightsay)
Well-Known Member
In your selection process, your last worry should be 'what will that jumped up wanker former Failsworth rat @Onholiday(somemightsay) think of my pick'......... ;-)I know but I also don't want to torture people with my choice!! I suspect whichever I choose will end up with fewer points than anything else and I'm fine with that but would like listeners get something from it.
Ultimately it was more just trying to see if any rules/guidelines had been laid down that would preclude any choice.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
No problem with whatever you want to select. As long as we've got a way of listening to it then that's fine by me. It's nice to see your nominations rack up a load of points but that's only one aspect of this process, IMO. As others have said, something from left-field might help us all broaden our horizons. This pick for me was easy on three counts: 1. It wasn't on Colin Larkin's list, 2. It's my favourite album of all time and 3. I think it's not as well known as a lot of other albums from the 80s .... although a number of high scores and nostalgic comments on here show that it does have a small army of fans.I know but I also don't want to torture people with my choice!! I suspect whichever I choose will end up with fewer points than anything else and I'm fine with that but would like listeners get something from it.
Ultimately it was more just trying to see if any rules/guidelines had been laid down that would preclude any choice.
My 2nd favourite album is probably in the same category.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to whatever you, and everybody else, offers whatever it may be.
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
Now, now, I think you'll find we can all be objective about the Spice Girls. :)One of the albums I have I mind will initially take an absolute caning but if people give it a proper listen they may see some of its greatness.............
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
I get how you feel completely. I have no idea how people are going to react to my choice, but here's what's so great -- everyone here has been so respectful of others in nearly every discussion that disagreements feel like learning opportunities as opposed to disagreements.I know but I also don't want to torture people with my choice!! I suspect whichever I choose will end up with fewer points than anything else and I'm fine with that but would like listeners get something from it.
Ultimately it was more just trying to see if any rules/guidelines had been laid down that would preclude any choice.
I don't even think about the collective points or the rankings (much . . . I'm still happy Talking Heads are leading the other thread :) :)). It's a chance to listen to music that rings someone else's chimes and even if it doesn't ring yours, now you've learned about some new music, or had a chance to revisit an old opinion if it's not new to you. The regular process of doing this is awesome because I wouldn't be doing it otherwise -- this forces me to make time for it.