BimboBob
Well-Known Member
Agree about the Foos. Although I'd say the previous album was about as far as I went. 'The Pretender' is quite a good tune.
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The Album Review Club - Week #143 - (page 1884) - I Should Coco - Supergrass
- Thread starter RobMCFC
- Start date
threespires
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Check out 1978's "Stranger in Town". If that offering doesn't cut it in your appreciation of a single set of songs for that period, probably no other album will.
I was saving that note for my review, but we don't have time to wait for that.
Whilst I appreciate your sense of urgency in these important matters, I am going to bed now so Stranger In Town will have to wait till the morning :-)
threespires
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There's hints of what's to come on Ramblin' Gamblin' Man. It's also an album of it's time. Very late 60's. And enjoyable for it.
You wouldn't get future Status Quo from Pictures of Matchstick Men would you?
Exactly, which is why I'm debating whether to put some effort into listening to how he got to where he got to.
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
They have a lot of good ones I think, including that one. I really like “Rope” and “Exhausted” and “DOA” too.Agree about the Foos. Although I'd say the previous album was about as far as I went. 'The Pretender' is quite a good tune.
BertTrautmann'sParachute
Well-Known Member
OK, so I've had two listens to the Greatest Hits but because I accidently listened to 2+2 which I enjoyed, I have listened to all of his 1969 debut Ramblin' Gamblin' Man when he was the Bob Seger System.
My kneejerk reaction is his debut is everything his GH isn't, enjoyably low fi, a bit of grit as people in these parts like to say, simpler arrangements, better vocals, a stomp rather than a plod etc. The question in my mind now is should I go through his back catalogue in chronological order to work out how he got from such a promising debut to such a bland greatest hits album?
Guess that maybe answers my 'because of' or 'in spite of' point then. Being the first one, it would seem.
Bob Seger's Greatest Hits
Imagine my delight when this album choice turned up. I've always had a soft spot for Americana music and Mr Seger hits that spot bang in the middle singing about loners, drunks, journey's, teenage angst etc etc.
Seeing that over here none of his albums, apart from compilations, bothered the higher reaches of the chart, my knowledge of Mr Seger was limited to say the least so it was Metallica that got me into him. I loved their copy of 'Turn The Page' so much that I had to listen to the original. Which then led to Night Moves, with a young and not chubby Matt Le Blanc in the video, and onto buying a few albums. I have 7 now. And when I'm out and about if I see an album I haven't got, I buy it.
There's a lot of good songs on this compilation and a few that are missing. Where's Famous Final Scene? Or Fire Down Below? And Her Strut? That's the trouble with any compilation from someone so prolific, there's always going to be songs missed out.
And herein lies my problem.
These, apart from a choice 6, are not my favourite Bob Seger songs. Which will obviously knock the score down. What will also knock the score down is the fact that it's a compilation. Individual songs taken out of their album setting. An album that would have been crafted to tell a story or set a vibe. You could argue that most of his songs are about similar themes but for me it takes the shine off.
So...a score. With complicated maths.
7 for Bob, -1 for compilation, + 1 for Turn The Page, - 1 for no Famous Final Scene...
It's a 6.
This has got to be a clarkie, surely. This from almost any other poster, sure, get it. From you though, I just don't see it.
Ha ha cute. Incidentally, I love Foo Fighters, but (1) I recognize it’s junk — it’s just junk that hits me where I live; (2) Dave ran out of thematic ideas after The Colour And The Shape, which is actually ABOUT something, and is far and away their best (their debut is second); and (3) each record after that has had fewer and fewer good songs, and there haven’t been any since Wasting Light. He shares a virtue with Tom Petty though, who also wrote a lot of catchy songs about nothing: he is completely in love with rock and roll.
Why thanks, I do try!
You are right of course. Which is what hurts all the more. And amplifies my anger.
I continue to listen to every album with hope.
I wonder what their greatest hits album would he like. Would someone that doesn't know their hits (does such a person even exist now given how rammed down everyone's throats they are) find it like this album at hand? Or how different an official one would be to yours or mine.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
I had pretty much not heard any Foo Fighters until 2014 when I bought a few of their albums.Why thanks, I do try!
You are right of course. Which is what hurts all the more. And amplifies my anger.
I continue to listen to every album with hope.
I wonder what their greatest hits album would he like. Would someone that doesn't know their hits (does such a person even exist now given how rammed down everyone's throats they are) find it like this album at hand? Or how different an official one would be to yours or mine.
Sonic Highways is not perfect, but it's my favourite.
RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
Greatest Hits – Bob Seger
Bob Seger – a huge seller of albums in the 80s, yet all I remember him for is “Shakedown” from Beverly Hills Cop II (not true, I do remember hearing “Night Moves” and “Against the Wind”).
“Roll Me Away” is a solid start but the shift up to “Night Moves” is significant. There’s something about the chords, the melody, the way he sings it that makes this a great song. The use of the keyboard to provide a bed for the song as it shifts into the second verse is a nice touch.
I don’t know what the studio version sounds like, but the live version of “Turn the Page” is similarly enjoyable. A nice moody piece.” "You'll Accomp'ny Me" is another that’s OK – a song that shuffles along nicely with a decent organ to back it.
“Hollywood Nights” is one of the best songs here. Nice song, nice organ backing – I’m starting to sound repetitive now, aren’t I? - Well, just hang on a minute.
"Still the Same”, “Old Time Rock & Roll” and “We’ve Got Tonight” are pure filler – well-intentioned lyrics building up to a singalong chorus with lots of female back vocalists – Filler on a greatest hits album!
I’ve heard “Against the Wind” before and I suppose this must be one of his most well-loved songs. It’s got a nice melody but it’s not as powerful as I remember it. After this improvement, it’s back to the filler. There’s nothing wrong with any of the songs individually, it’s just that none of them leave an impression. The lyrics of “In Your Time” made me chuckle, given everything that’s been said about Mr Seger in this thread. “Feel the wind. And set yourself the bolder course”, he sings, whilst no doubt grinning and hauling another bag of cash to the bank.
I notice that Mancitydoogle has said that he has always considered Bob Seger a poor man’s Springsteen, and on the evidence of this album, boy, he wasn’t kidding!
Look how the second paragraph of the Wikipedia entry on “Heartland Rock” starts:-
“The genre is exemplified by singer-songwriters Tom Petty, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, and John Mellencamp ….”
Whilst that might be the case, I’d argue that Mr Seger is not fit to lick the boots of the other three. There’s little evidence here that he can write majestic epics like the Boss, or come up with inventive arrangements or social commentary like Mellencamp, and whilst he has a few decent tunes, they are not in the same league as Petty’s average songs, let alone his best.
Additionally, all three of these artists have bands whose members bring something unique to their sound, enhancing the songs of their singer. Whilst Seger undoubtedly has competent musicians, the hour of music presented here gives them little chance to shine.
However, I would always rather listen to this type of music than “experimental” music (in most cases, read: downright awful). It’s proper music approached and played in the right way, and Bob Seger has a pleasant voice. It comes as a soothing balm after a few recent choices, and for that reason I’m giving it 6/10.
PS: I notice there’s a Greatest Hits 2 if this wasn’t enough to sate your desire for Seger.
Bob Seger – a huge seller of albums in the 80s, yet all I remember him for is “Shakedown” from Beverly Hills Cop II (not true, I do remember hearing “Night Moves” and “Against the Wind”).
“Roll Me Away” is a solid start but the shift up to “Night Moves” is significant. There’s something about the chords, the melody, the way he sings it that makes this a great song. The use of the keyboard to provide a bed for the song as it shifts into the second verse is a nice touch.
I don’t know what the studio version sounds like, but the live version of “Turn the Page” is similarly enjoyable. A nice moody piece.” "You'll Accomp'ny Me" is another that’s OK – a song that shuffles along nicely with a decent organ to back it.
“Hollywood Nights” is one of the best songs here. Nice song, nice organ backing – I’m starting to sound repetitive now, aren’t I? - Well, just hang on a minute.
"Still the Same”, “Old Time Rock & Roll” and “We’ve Got Tonight” are pure filler – well-intentioned lyrics building up to a singalong chorus with lots of female back vocalists – Filler on a greatest hits album!
I’ve heard “Against the Wind” before and I suppose this must be one of his most well-loved songs. It’s got a nice melody but it’s not as powerful as I remember it. After this improvement, it’s back to the filler. There’s nothing wrong with any of the songs individually, it’s just that none of them leave an impression. The lyrics of “In Your Time” made me chuckle, given everything that’s been said about Mr Seger in this thread. “Feel the wind. And set yourself the bolder course”, he sings, whilst no doubt grinning and hauling another bag of cash to the bank.
I notice that Mancitydoogle has said that he has always considered Bob Seger a poor man’s Springsteen, and on the evidence of this album, boy, he wasn’t kidding!
Look how the second paragraph of the Wikipedia entry on “Heartland Rock” starts:-
“The genre is exemplified by singer-songwriters Tom Petty, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, and John Mellencamp ….”
Whilst that might be the case, I’d argue that Mr Seger is not fit to lick the boots of the other three. There’s little evidence here that he can write majestic epics like the Boss, or come up with inventive arrangements or social commentary like Mellencamp, and whilst he has a few decent tunes, they are not in the same league as Petty’s average songs, let alone his best.
Additionally, all three of these artists have bands whose members bring something unique to their sound, enhancing the songs of their singer. Whilst Seger undoubtedly has competent musicians, the hour of music presented here gives them little chance to shine.
However, I would always rather listen to this type of music than “experimental” music (in most cases, read: downright awful). It’s proper music approached and played in the right way, and Bob Seger has a pleasant voice. It comes as a soothing balm after a few recent choices, and for that reason I’m giving it 6/10.
PS: I notice there’s a Greatest Hits 2 if this wasn’t enough to sate your desire for Seger.