Usually, I’m the first to complain about a lack of separation or spaces in the music, but in this case, I think it works in the album’s favour. I’m also usually the first to rubbish a British indie band given half the chance, but this album won me over with its incredible performances.Screaming your lungs out doesn't equate to depth or oomph. The sound might be huge but it lacks clarity. Everything is competing against everything else. Nothing is given time to breath. I put this down to production.
I'm glad you like it mate. It's nice to come across an unknown album that makes you think wow.Usually, I’m the first to complain about a lack of separation or spaces in the music, but in this case, I think it works in the album’s favour. I’m also usually the first to rubbish a British indie band given half the chance, but this album won me over with its incredible performances.
I tend to agree about the live vs studio, I was fortunate to see them at the Apollo and MS at Parr Hall both very enjoyable gig, in fact the Apollo gig they were better than the headliners U2 ImhoI've ranted before about a certain type of 80's production and though I am not ideologically opposed to the anthemic 'big music' approach from that decade, the reality is that much of it really doesn't resonate with me and some I positively hate. That said, this is far from exhibiting the worst excesses of that approach to music and I also made a tactical choice to cheat in order to enjoy the songs from this album.
As someone who likes a bit of brass the opening track started very well and I was ready to settle in for an enjoyable listen but then the rest of the song kicked in and I realised they'd made a mistake with the title of the track and it should actually have been called Don't Bang The Drum - At Least Not When You Are Recording and Processing It In That Really Fucking Annoying 80's Style Oh and While You're At It Please Stop With the Keyboard Stabs and For Crying Out Loud Can You Not Be A Bit More Subtle with The Sax?? But I do accept that would have been a bit too long to print.
All that said I quite liked the actual song itself and so I went in search of a live version and guess what...when you step away from all the sliders and knobs and software and throw less instruments at it, it's super enjoyable. The live version was at a smaller venue and despite the stadium rock pretentions of the album production I came to the conclusion that the smaller venue and pared back sound suited them and their sound down to the ground and I sat there listening thinking I wish I had been at that gig. For me trying to scale it up and make it something else on record (and I imagine in a big stadium too) actually stripped it of some of it's qualities and really didn't play to his/their strengths.
And that for me is probably at the heart of my problem with 'big music'', especially it's recorded output. The bigger you make it in production terms the less human and more sterile it becomes for me. You end up with a Bonoesque situation where there's all the authenticity of a £25 Bangkok Rolex.
So my cheat on this as to listen to the album and then go an find live versions of the songs. In virtual all instances I preferred the live versions. On this studio version I would have much preferred a bit more 'little' within the 'big'. At times it was too frenetic for me and for all the times they threw the kitchen sink thrown at it, it would have be nice to have just had the washing up bowl now and again. To pick a couple of indicative areas where the approach backfires for me..
Firstly, I struggled a bit at times with the vocals. At first I though there was a bit of a disconnect between the rest of the 'big' sound and his seemingly thin and even strained voice. However, taken out of the context of the sonic setting of the album and onto the stage I thought his voice became much more enjoyable and he strikes me as a very enjoyable live performer.
Secondly, someone else mentioned the sax annoying them a bit, well we are in hold my beer territory here. The type of sax sound herein and typical of that era of music is something I really can't be doing with, as a (very dodgy) woodwind player myself I can appreciate their skills it but I cannot abide the way they are typically asked to play and how they are mic'd and recorded. It's all very very shiny and often superficially flashy but it also often a bit shite with the emotional depth of a puddle. Suffice to say I'm very happy that the likes of Parker, Coltrane, Getz and Rollins didn't have access to the technology that modern players have (and yes I know they are playing a different genre from the likes of Thistlethwaite and Clarence Clemens but even on things like Clemens solo album Peacemaker the production gets in the way of the playing).
Anyway back to the album and despite my ranting, stripping the songs of the 'noise' on the album and back to their core components I found the majority of them very likeable. So I choose to score the songs on the album rather than the specific delivery of them herein and on that basis I'm giving it a 7.5/10.
Through this and the playlist thread I have had a listen to some of their less 'big' albums too and have enjoyed them and overall I think if the opportunity arose to go and see them live I think I would, so an enjoyable and informative nomination from my perspective.
All very good points completely ruined by you typing "Super enjoyable".I've ranted before about a certain type of 80's production and though I am not ideologically opposed to the anthemic 'big music' approach from that decade, the reality is that much of it really doesn't resonate with me and some I positively hate. That said, this is far from exhibiting the worst excesses of that approach to music and I also made a tactical choice to cheat in order to enjoy the songs from this album.
As someone who likes a bit of brass the opening track started very well and I was ready to settle in for an enjoyable listen but then the rest of the song kicked in and I realised they'd made a mistake with the title of the track and it should actually have been called Don't Bang The Drum - At Least Not When You Are Recording and Processing It In That Really Fucking Annoying 80's Style Oh and While You're At It Please Stop With the Keyboard Stabs and For Crying Out Loud Can You Not Be A Bit More Subtle with The Sax?? But I do accept that would have been a bit too long to print.
All that said I quite liked the actual song itself and so I went in search of a live version and guess what...when you step away from all the sliders and knobs and software and throw less instruments at it, it's super enjoyable. The live version was at a smaller venue and despite the stadium rock pretentions of the album production I came to the conclusion that the smaller venue and pared back sound suited them and their sound down to the ground and I sat there listening thinking I wish I had been at that gig. For me trying to scale it up and make it something else on record (and I imagine in a big stadium too) actually stripped it of some of it's qualities and really didn't play to his/their strengths.
And that for me is probably at the heart of my problem with 'big music'', especially it's recorded output. The bigger you make it in production terms the less human and more sterile it becomes for me. You end up with a Bonoesque situation where there's all the authenticity of a £25 Bangkok Rolex.
So my cheat on this was to listen to the album and then go and find live versions of the songs. In virtual all instances I preferred the live versions. On this studio version I would have much preferred a bit more 'little' within the 'big'. At times it was too frenetic for me and for all the times they threw the kitchen sink thrown at it, it would have be nice to have just had the washing up bowl now and again. To pick a couple of indicative areas where the approach backfires for me..
Firstly, I struggled a bit at times with the vocals. At first I though there was a bit of a disconnect between the rest of the 'big' sound and his seemingly thin and even strained voice. However, taken out of the context of the sonic setting of the album and onto the stage I thought his voice became much more enjoyable and he strikes me as a very enjoyable live performer.
Secondly, someone else mentioned the sax annoying them a bit, well we are in hold my beer territory here. The type of sax sound herein and typical of that era of music is something I really can't be doing with, as a (very dodgy) woodwind player myself I can appreciate their skills it but I cannot abide the way they are typically asked to play and how they are mic'd and recorded. It's all very very shiny and often superficially flashy but it also often a bit shite with the emotional depth of a puddle. Suffice to say I'm very happy that the likes of Parker, Coltrane, Getz and Rollins didn't have access to the technology that modern players have (and yes I know they are playing a different genre from the likes of Thistlethwaite and Clarence Clemens but even on things like Clemens solo album Peacemaker the production gets in the way of the playing).
Anyway back to the album and despite my ranting, stripping the songs of the 'noise' on the album and back to their core components I found the majority of them very likeable. So I choose to score the songs on the album rather than the specific delivery of them herein and on that basis I'm giving it a 7.5/10.
Through this and the playlist thread I have had a listen to some of their less 'big' albums too and have enjoyed them and overall I think if the opportunity arose to go and see them live I think I would, so an enjoyable and informative nomination from my perspective.
You would‘nt like being in the States, everything good is ‘super !’All very good points completely ruined by you typing "Super enjoyable".
It was enjoyable or very enjoyable. That's all you need. Super...pfffft...
You would‘nt like being in the States, everything good is ‘super !’
Mike Peters is a Rag - damn, I’ve had to snap my greatest hits cd in two.I’ve picked up on an anti-Alarm sentiment in the music threads before and I don’t understand it. Is is because Mike Peters is a United fan?
I’m sure people will come on here and says it’s because they shite or crap, but what I’m struggling to understand is why people think that?
All I can assume is that nobody has heard the Change album.
I missed you on my latest awesome selection ;-)I’ve just listened to Budos Band. I’ll just say it wasn’t for me. I don’t think anyone would have missed me.
I still think the excessive production (instrumentation really) is there because this band couldn’t write nine really catchy songs. A couple, maybe four tops. Would have been a pretty good EP with Moon, Bow, the closer and pick another if you want. I can’t find the melodies in a number of the other songs instrumentally nor can I in the singing. So the look-over-here, listen-to-this instrument distracts from the underlying lack of invention. It doesn’t even need to be inventive — just three or four juicy chord changes are all I need. This sounds more critical than I mean it. I didn’t dislike any of it. It’s just they clearly have it in them to do better because there are a few very good songs. Just not enough of them. I have the same problem with a lot of The Jam — when Weller did the Style Council it was literally the most predictable move in music history.I've ranted before about a certain type of 80's production and though I am not ideologically opposed to the anthemic 'big music' approach from that decade, the reality is that much of it really doesn't resonate with me and some I positively hate. That said, this is far from exhibiting the worst excesses of that approach to music and I also made a tactical choice to cheat in order to enjoy the songs from this album.
As someone who likes a bit of brass the opening track started very well and I was ready to settle in for an enjoyable listen but then the rest of the song kicked in and I realised they'd made a mistake with the title of the track and it should actually have been called Don't Bang The Drum - At Least Not When You Are Recording and Processing It In That Really Fucking Annoying 80's Style Oh and While You're At It Please Stop With the Keyboard Stabs and For Crying Out Loud Can You Not Be A Bit More Subtle with The Sax?? But I do accept that would have been a bit too long to print.
All that said I quite liked the actual song itself and so I went in search of a live version and guess what...when you step away from all the sliders and knobs and software and throw less instruments at it, it's super enjoyable. The live version was at a smaller venue and despite the stadium rock pretentions of the album production I came to the conclusion that the smaller venue and pared back sound suited them and their sound down to the ground and I sat there listening thinking I wish I had been at that gig. For me trying to scale it up and make it something else on record (and I imagine in a big stadium too) actually stripped it of some of it's qualities and really didn't play to his/their strengths.
And that for me is probably at the heart of my problem with 'big music'', especially it's recorded output. The bigger you make it in production terms the less human and more sterile it becomes for me. You end up with a Bonoesque situation where there's all the authenticity of a £25 Bangkok Rolex.
So my cheat on this was to listen to the album and then go and find live versions of the songs. In virtual all instances I preferred the live versions. On this studio version I would have much preferred a bit more 'little' within the 'big'. At times it was too frenetic for me and for all the times they threw the kitchen sink at it, it would have be nice to have just had the washing up bowl now and again. To pick a couple of indicative areas where the approach backfires for me..
Firstly, I struggled a bit at times with the vocals. At first I though there was a bit of a disconnect between the rest of the 'big' sound and his seemingly thin and even strained voice. However, taken out of the context of the sonic setting of the album and onto the stage I thought his voice became much better and he strikes me as a very enjoyable live performer.
Secondly, someone else mentioned the sax annoying them a bit, well we are in hold my beer territory here. The type of sax sound herein and typical of that era of music is something I really can't be doing with, as a (very dodgy) woodwind player myself I can appreciate their skills but I cannot abide the way they are typically asked to play and how they are mic'd and recorded. It's all very very shiny and often superficially flashy but it's also often a bit shite with the emotional depth of a puddle. Suffice to say I'm very happy that the likes of Parker, Coltrane, Getz and Rollins didn't have access to the technology that modern players have (and yes I know they are playing a different genre from the likes of Thistlethwaite and Clarence Clemens but even on things like Clemens solo album Peacemaker the production gets in the way of the playing).
Anyway back to the album and despite my ranting, stripping the songs of the 'noise' on the album and back to their core components I found the majority of them very likeable. So I choose to score the songs on the album rather than the specific delivery of them herein and on that basis I'm giving it a 7.5/10.
Through this and the playlist thread I have had a listen to some of their less 'big' albums too and have enjoyed them and overall I think if the opportunity arose to go and see them live I think I would, so an enjoyable and informative nomination from my perspective.