The Album Review Club - Week #146 - (page 1935) - Ocean Rain - Echo and the Bunnymen

[LGWIO]

Very enjoyable pick this week and I wonder if this is about the first week where none of the regulars had ever listened to or owned this choice? So hats off to Fog for really catching everyone off guard.
Will certainly be interesting as to whether CR changes or reinvents herself over time as per Madge/Bowie etc and i would almost like to see that.
Of course "this means more" to me as with everything else in life than all you lot, but not as much as it would to a teenager who is trying to find something that they can attach themselves to and means something. Of course that is why the majority of the selections that we tend to see on this thread are 20 or 30 years old, as they mean something to us. As signified by the recognition of a decent album but middle of the road scoring.
Nice pop choice with some added twists and of course the edge to it with the gender/sexuality angle. That said i can't see it being something I would go back to deliberately but equally wouldnt turn it off if it pops up.
Thank you @FogBlueInSanFran for this one and it's a 6 from the Derry jury...now off to listen to some Erasure

 

[threespires]

I will note — the difference is that there isn’t anything New York or Hollywood about CR, unlike Madonna and Gaga. The liberation isn’t sexual as much as it is geographic — from the poor, white, deeply religious Midwest/South.

I think that's a really valid point. It's easy for us to forget or never quite wrap our heads round what a vast and diverse set of places the US is, geography and distance makes a difference that I think we on our small island sometimes fail to appreciate.

One thing that did confuse me about her back story was the poor bit, she apparently lived on a trailer park but then her mum and dad were a vet and a specialist practice nurse/manager respectively which in the UK would be considered reasonably well remunerated jobs. But then whilst Missouri doesn't have Mississippi levels of poverty, it's not a wealthy state and there's trailers and then there's trailers, so who knows.

 

[mrbelfry]

I will note — the difference is that there isn’t anything New York or Hollywood about CR, unlike Madonna and Gaga. The liberation isn’t sexual as much as it is geographic — from the poor, white, deeply religious Midwest/South.

Interesting point. That wouldn't be your families situation yet it still resonates deeply

 

[BimboBob]

I had never heard of Miss Roan until Foggy nominated this album. Not surprising really but is it any good?

Musically it sounds just like any other teen aimed bubble gum pop record from the last twenty years. With added swears. I suppose everyone needs a hook. A USP. I couldn't give two figs if she is a he, she likes he's or indeed she's, someone's sexuality has no bearing on any of my musical choices. Fair do's to her if that's her way of expressing herself but it does seem a little gimmicky. I'm going to sound just like...insert recent pop name in here...and then swear and talk about dildos.

If you had been paying attention over the last few years then you will know that slow, piano/ guitar based boy/girl singers are not my bag. Tunes like Coffee and Kaleidoscope are pleasant enough but in my ears rather dull. Weirdly generic in an album that I would imagine is trying too hard not to be.

There's also no really theme, apart from the swearing, in the album. It flits from copying Toni Basil to Katy Perry, a bit of country to a bit of fake 80's keyboard. On the slower records she sounds thoughtful almost melancholy but on the more upbeat songs rather brash and bimbo-ish. The lyrics could have been written by AI, they sound so generic.

But are there any highlights? Bits that stood out? Well in short...ish. Hot To Go's chorus is a bit bouncy. The break in Femininomenon is a bit different. A bit. It's been done before but it has a touch of humo(u)r...

Lowlights are the awful Picture You, hello Creep! and a Seasick Steve Treasures start, My Kink Is Karma, nonsense lyrics with nonsense singing. Naked In Manhattan, more generic keyboard moments, clean, but if I wanted that I'd stick on a bit of the Detox Twins. Guilty Pleasure is more of the same. Dull. Especially the fake yodelling. After Midnight goes all Miami. I'm imagining neon, soft tops and shit bars. More of that word, generic. The less said about Pink Pony Club the better.

Did I enjoy it? No. Did I look forward to hearing it again after the first listen? Not really. Will I revisit it again? What do you think?

2/10

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I think that's a really valid point. It's easy for us to forget or never quite wrap our heads round what a vast and diverse set of places the US is, geography and distance makes a difference that I think we on our small island sometimes fail to appreciate.

One thing that did confuse me about her back story was the poor bit, she apparently lived on a trailer park but then her mum and dad were a vet and a specialist practice nurse/manager respectively which in the UK would be considered reasonably well remunerated jobs. But then whilst Missouri doesn't have Mississippi levels of poverty, it's not a wealthy state and there's trailers and then there's trailers, so who knows.

Yeah the “poor” part is more where she was from generally; the “religious” part was more impt in terms of her “escape.”

OT Believe it or not I used to sell “trailers” for a living and many of them are pretty nice (and some are indistinguishable from traditionally-built single-family homes). And some “parks” can be pretty swanky too with pools and tennis courts, etc. But the product carries quite a stigma over here.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

Yeah the “poor” part is more where she was from generally; the “religious” part was more impt in terms of her “escape.”

OT Believe it or not I used to sell “trailers” for a living and many of them are pretty nice (and some are indistinguishable from traditionally-built single-family homes). And some “parks” can be pretty swanky too with pools and tennis courts, etc. But the product carries quite a stigma over here.

Sounds like Butlins.

 

[BimboBob]

Sounds like Butlins.

It's more of static caravan place. But with bigger caravans. You don't have to be be poor to live in them though it's just a perception. Also remember some professions in the States pay very poorly compared to our standards. So her folks could have been on a semi decent wage but wanted to save on housing. Not that it matters, there's millions of bands/ artists with similar backgrounds/ stories so I don't see why her story is anything special.

 

[LGWIO]

I had never heard of Miss Roan until Foggy nominated this album. Not surprising really but is it any good?

Musically it sounds just like any other teen aimed bubble gum pop record from the last twenty years. With added swears. I suppose everyone needs a hook. A USP. I couldn't give two figs if she is a he, she likes he's or indeed she's, someone's sexuality has no bearing on any of my musical choices. Fair do's to her if that's her way of expressing herself but it does seem a little gimmicky. I'm going to sound just like...insert recent pop name in here...and then swear and talk about dildos.

If you had been paying attention over the last few years then you will know that slow, piano/ guitar based boy/girl singers are not my bag. Tunes like Coffee and Kaleidoscope are pleasant enough but in my ears rather dull. Weirdly generic in an album that I would imagine is trying too hard not to be.

There's also no really theme, apart from the swearing, in the album. It flits from copying Toni Basil to Katy Perry, a bit of country to a bit of fake 80's keyboard. On the slower records she sounds thoughtful almost melancholy but on the more upbeat songs rather brash and bimbo-ish. The lyrics could have been written by AI, they sound so generic.

But are there any highlights? Bits that stood out? Well in short...ish. Hot To Go's chorus is a bit bouncy. The break in Femininomenon is a bit different. A bit. It's been done before but it has a touch of humo(u)r...

Lowlights are the awful Picture You, hello Creep! and a Seasick Steve Treasures start, My Kink Is Karma, nonsense lyrics with nonsense singing. Naked In Manhattan, more generic keyboard moments, clean, but if I wanted that I'd stick on a bit of the Detox Twins. Guilty Pleasure is more of the same. Dull. Especially the fake yodelling. After Midnight goes all Miami. I'm imagining neon, soft tops and shit bars. More of that word, generic. The less said about Pink Pony Club the better.

Did I enjoy it? No. Did I look forward to hearing it again after the first listen? Not really. Will I revisit it again? What do you think?

2/10

No matter what the score I always like your responses.
After reading that one along with last weeks I immediately thought of .....


but couldnt decide which one would be you and which of the regualrs you would be sitting beside..

 

[GornikDaze]

No matter what the score I always like your responses.
After reading that one along with last weeks I immediately thought of .....

View attachment 130815
but couldnt decide which one would be you and which of the regualrs you would be sitting beside..

I think this week that would probably be me!! ;)
How did you get on at Pixies the other night?

 

[BimboBob]

No matter what the score I always like your responses.
After reading that one along with last weeks I immediately thought of .....

View attachment 130815
but couldnt decide which one would be you and which of the regualrs you would be sitting beside..

To cleanse my brain I've stuck on Shostakovich's Symphony Number 7.