The Album Review Club - Week #144 - (page 1893) - XO - Elliot Smith

[southamptonblue]

Off to work, so very quickly, decent ish, but thought and hoped I would like it more than I did, I thought I was trying to like it more than i was at times.....6.5.

 

[GornikDaze]

Really enjoyed this one. As a few have said it’s a strap in tight and hang on kind of listen. Yes it goes all over the place but I don’t mind that - 50 years listening to Zappa gets you kind of used to that! Add a bit more guitar and this would be really my thing but I’ll give it a solid 7/10.
Great initial write up Fog :)

 

[Coatigan]

I have to confess, the last number of nominations, I have been avoiding the write-ups. Until I have listened to the thing at least the once.

Which is why you will notice some of you telling me 'I said that in my write-up'.

This week I haven't yet circled back to Fog's opening review, so good reminder to do that.

 

[journolud]

Turns out I don’t remember the Tubes as much as I thought I did. Or is it that certain songs like White Punks on Dope stuck in my mind and this turning out to be one of the more conventional songs on the album.

I found this a hard listen at first, probably not helped by the fact that I first put it on once I’d finally hit the motorway after a lot of fannying about following my trip to Newcastle last week and I wasn’t in the mood. Those jaundiced first impressions almost led to me dismissing it altogether but duty called and repeated better context listening has reaped some reward. It’s clever, no doubt but like others I think have alluded to and I’ve previously noted myself like 10cc it’s almost too clever for it’s own good. Or for mine to be fair.

I found myself appreciative and turned off in equal measure but rarely for an album that doesn’t really grab me a couple of tracks will go on my random playlist, namely the aforementioned White Punks and the marvellous What do you want… dated the references may be but that doesn’t really matter as it’s delivered with some chutzpah

Overall I can appreciate it without, you know appreciating it but for the high spots it gets a 6

 

[GornikDaze]

Turns out I don’t remember the Tubes as much as I thought I did. Or is it that certain songs like White Punks on Dope stuck in my mind and this turning out to be one of the more conventional songs on the album.

I found this a hard listen at first, probably not helped by the fact that I first put it on once I’d finally hit the motorway after a lot of fannying about following my trip to Newcastle last week and I wasn’t in the mood. Those jaundiced first impressions almost led to me dismissing it altogether but duty called and repeated better context listening has reaped some reward. It’s clever, no doubt but like others I think have alluded to and I’ve previously noted myself like 10cc it’s almost too clever for it’s own good. Or for mine to be fair.

I found myself appreciative and turned off in equal measure but rarely for an album that doesn’t really grab me a couple of tracks will go on my random playlist, namely the aforementioned White Punks and the marvellous What do you want… dated the references may be but that doesn’t really matter as it’s delivered with some chutzpah

Overall I can appreciate it without, you know appreciating it but for the high spots it gets a 6

Googles chutzpah……. agrees :)

 

[BlueHammer85]

Good stuff!

Such a busy crazy week, would have liked to have more listens. but so be it.
I never heard of these before, so quite a eye opener giving a few of their live performances a go before hearing the album! my initial reaction was that the theatrics on stage was the appeal and not the music.
However after a couple listens i appreciated alot.

Up From The Deep - has a prog rock/Genesis type of vibe before turning into a lovely pyschdelic string section/outro, very good opener.

Haloes - Good grove.

Space Tramp - Good song, Supertramp sound.

Malaguena Salerosa - Spanish cover, different flavour to the mix. enjoyed

Mondo Bondage - Enjoyed this one, nice and loud and it's a good rock song. Also worth watching the Youtube performance 1983 - basically ET prancing around with a leather clad band - felt like watching some sex show in Amserdam after a couple doobies.

What Do You Want From Life - Probably the best song in terms of musicianship, builds and builds, love the solo and psychedelic ending - backing vocals are great.

Boy Crazy - Bowie sound, cool groove.

White Punks On Dope - their most famous one from here? loved this one. Pure energy. Roxy music style.


Overall, loved the energy and sound with so much going on.
Some tracks just a bit messy that washed over me.
great pick and thanks to introducing me to this band, will explore more.

7/10

 

[Mancitydoogle]

THE TUBES



Strange one this, although I’d seem them live back in the day, I’d never listened to any of their out put either before or after,with the exception of course of WPOD which I have always liked.As it was 1977 I was heavily into UK punk music and American New Wave and the Tubes don’t fit into that music genre.
This album was therefore a surprise package,I love the different styles and influences, as I’ve mentioned before there’s 10cc, Rocky Horror and as others have said Zappa, Rick Wakeman etc.
Favourites are ‘Up from the Deep’ Haloes’ WDYWFL and the aforementioned WPOD a great closer to a fun album.

I like the fact it’s a short album too, they’re definitely a band I’ll investigate more,it’s just a shame I didn’t appreciate them at the time but maybe I wasn’t ready for them as an British teenager.



Thanks Foggy

a solid 7.5/10

 

[bennyboy]

Been a busy week at work so struggling to get a few listens in.
As I posted i never liked this as a teenager but I found it a very good listen the past week.
Not too fussed with the vocals.but the different styles and tunes that reminded me of something else but I could not put a finger on it.Loved the guitar work throughout.
Favourite tracks.
Haloes,Mondo Bondage,What Do You Want From Life,Boy Crazy and White Punks On Dope.
White Punks On Dope i was thinking of My Coo Ca Choo the Alvin Stardust song in the intro.
A surprisingly high 7 from me.

 

[OB1]

The Tubes – The Tubes

When @FogBlueInSanFran says “If you dislike a tune, skip to the next, because it will be different”, he’s underselling this one. He could have said if you dislike the song, just give a few seconds because the song will be different in a couple of bars.

And now I’ve read one line further into his review, he pretty much said that as well!

That’s in a good way because he’s right, this album is never boring. And he's bang-on about the diverse instruments - is that a sitar in once “Up from the Deep” gets going?

In some ways, all of those changes make this a very difficult album to review. I like the way that it’s short on obvious choruses or middle-8s and bridges – in fact it’s closer to say that most of the album is a whole series of middle-8s strung together with a bit of guitar soloing here and there, and I don’t think there’s a song that outstays its welcome. Except perhaps for “White Punks on Dope”, which despite being the most well- known song from the album, felt a bit too ordinary, with it’s 1970s plinky-plonky piano, after everything that had preceded it.

Whilst saying that I loves all of those changes, it’s one of the songs with the most ordinary structure that I like best: “What Do You Want From Life?” is a catchy little number and the increasingly outlandish offerings from the guy doing the advertising voice at the end are in step with the playfulness of the album as a whole.

I enjoyed “Haloes”, “Mondo Bondage” and latin-style guitar on "Malagueña Salerosa". The voiceover on this track remined me of a Mexican/Spanish version of Swiss Tony from the Fast Show – I don’t know whether Foggy will get that reference, but it made me chuckle. I felt like the album ran out of steam for the last two tracks.

I don’t think that there’s anything that I’d call a classic song on here, but I think that with an album like this, that’s missing the point. It’s cohesive whilst existing in its own little world, and I was happy to just sit back and let all the madness flow through the speakers. 7/10.

I think WPOD is a classic.

 

[RobMCFC]

I think WPOD is a classic.

Most people on here agree with you. Obviously I'm hearing it for the first time, all these years later, but that 70s sound isn't really for me. I like the piano, but whenever I hear it going like that on a song, it really puts me off.