The Album Review Club - Week #195 (page 1310) - A New World Record - ELO

I've listened to this album in a variety of places this week, at home, on the way to hospital, in hospital and finally this morning, back at home...sweet sweet sweet home. I can't tell you what nice a hot shower and clean crisp sheets mean to a man.

Anyhoo...

What am I getting from this album. Well it's not punk. That's for sure. At least my version of punk. Which had long finished by 1982. And by dismissing it as not punk I'm stuck. I'm not sure where to class it. The singing is poor. The guitar work is very easy on the ear but not the best. The album flits back and forth between styles. Not sure what it wants to be. There's a poor jazz number in there somewhere, unless that was the drugs, which confused the hell out of me.
If I was going to a punk convention than this would be playing in the lift. An inoffensive background kind of music that won't upset anyone even if they were 90 and had gone into the wrong building.

Not for me. 3/10
 
Saddleworth2 said:
Another excellent write up Foggy.
I think I have said before punk really isn't my genre and i was looking to this album to at least put a dent in some of my prejudice. Sadly it didn't even make a scratch. The musicianship is ok'ish, drums very bish bosh, guitars competent albeit the material really wouldn't stretch an average lead or bass player. The vocal obviously deliberate disharmony grated. Songwriting/Lyrics profound when you described them but not to my ears. I disliked the slower tracks (the 3rd) less than the more typically punk as there was some nice sax floating around. I got little from it despite pushing my way through three listens.

I wish our tastes were more aligned as your write ups are always best and it seems almost churlish to give a low score after the effort you put in. So its a 4 rather than a 3 from me.
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Ha, thanks mate. You should rate it as you see fit regardless of my write-ups. Not at all an issue when music doesn’t ring someone else’s chimes — explaining why is the interesting part! I am also sure there is alignment somewhere — just a matter of finding it.
 
Apart from Come Back to Me, which I’ve added to a playlist and The Have Nots this album is just not my taste. Odd because I like a lot of punk. Or rather I did at the time. Maybe that’s my problem. It was of its era and there is none of the visceral shock that hit you on first hearing the Pistols, the Clash or the New York Dolls.
5/10
 
denislawsbackheel said:
Apart from Come Back to Me, which I’ve added to a playlist and The Have Nots this album is just not my taste. Odd because I like a lot of punk. Or rather I did at the time. Maybe that’s my problem. It was of its era and there is none of the visceral shock that hit you on first hearing the Pistols, the Clash or the New York Dolls.
5/10
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Would you rate the Pistols, Clash or NYD lower now because there's no visceral shock any more?

I can see how that can happen -- having heard the Beatles a zillion times the songs can't quite have the impact they once did perhaps.

But I wouldn't rate them -- the Beatles nor those bands -- any lower. I love them all (bit less for NYD than the others) -- they sound great even without the shock.

And you forgot The Ramones :).
 
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Under The Big Black Sun.



I was really looking forward to this one, great write up as usual and I like John Doe’s solo output.Unfortunately my bias against female vocalists kicked in, I liked the music and the variety of styles on tracks but I could only really enjoy the tracks JD was lead vocalist.So it started well and ended well! I did however like ‘Come back to Me’with it’s smoky sax and sad lyrics.
Blue Spark was a definite favourite.
Elements reminded me of early Blondie and as someone mentioned The B52s.
Not sure what genre it is but it doesn’t really matter, it certainly made for
good driving music.

Sadly 6/10 but probably gone upto 7 or 8 if there were more JD tracks.
 
Really haven’t had enough time to listen to this as much as I would like because with each play I’ve enjoyed it more.

I like the variety on it and having not listened to much like it recently I enjoyed the rockabilly vibe on several songs. The first three tracks move along at a nice lick with Motel Room in My Bed probably being my favourite of those. Unlike others I didn’t find her vocals problematic and enjoyed the songs she sang on as least as much as the JD vocals which I don’t think are any stronger.

As it moves into the darker stuff, its unconventionality is summed up by the juxtaposition of the slightly doo-woppy backing and the quite distressing lyric on Come Back To Me a song which wouldn’t be out of place in a David Lynch film. Under the Big Black Sun and Because I Do are a bit more conventional but pick up the pace again nicely. I thought it was in danger of tailing off for a while but How I and The Have Nots are decent songs to finish off with. Not sure I agree that it sounds like it could be recently recorded, to me it sounds very much of its time but that isn’t a problem.

Incidentally, my initial thought was this is the type of record Mark Kermode might champion so I now have an almost certainly entirely false visual perception of Foggy sat there on the west coast.

Overall, I thought it was mostly a very solid set of songs but without them sticking that much at this stage which I suspect would change with repeated listening. If I’d had a couple more listens, I reckon I’d have gone for a 7 but I have to score on what I’ve listened to date so it’s a 6/10 as it stands.
 
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I have definitely dated myself by saying I think this X record could be recorded today! You all are probably right that it's more "of its time" than I think but because my taste skews to fast, quick, quirky punk-lite Alternative among more modern bands, it doesn't feel as old to me. I am thinking for my next pick I go a radically different direction . . .

I hope everyone takes a moment to look back at the first page and stands back to view what we hath wrought in a year-plus here. Wow! We've covered a TON of music across a wide variety of genres, timeframes, topics and tempos. It's really pretty amazing.
 
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FogBlueInSanFran said:
I have definitely dated myself by saying I think this X record could be recorded today! You all are probably right that it's more "of its time" than I think but because my taste skews to fast, quick, quirky punk-lite Alternative among more modern bands, it doesn't feel as old to me. I am thinking for my next pick I go a radically different direction . . .

I hope everyone takes a moment to look back at the first page and stands back to view what we hath wrought in a year-plus here. Wow! We've covered a TON of music across a wide variety of genres, timeframes, topics and tempos. It's really pretty amazing.
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Yes. I'd say it's a good, varied list. Granted, we haven't covered all genres, but it's a decent range.

It has certainly expanded my musical knowledge, and I'm listening to some stuff that I wouldn't have otherwise listened to: not just the albums nominated, but the stuff around it and where the conversations lead us.

This is true of both this thread and @BlueHammer85 's Top 1100 thread as well.

Well done to everybody.
 
Quick one as it’s Mrs Bluehammer’s birthday today

X a band I never heard off, was expecting similar sound to DK , but indeed this is a lot softer

Some catchy ones in ‘Dancing with Tears in My Eyes’ and the fast opening ‘Hungry Wolf’ (my little one was head banging to this) ‘The Have Nots’ is the best track with a neat solo.
Enjoyed also ‘Come back to me’ and ‘Blue Spark’

It’s hard to devine the route X have taken here and I guess these songs are just not radio freindly, perhaps a reason they never hit the mainstream that big

Good pick and enjoyed but didn’t feel much emotional connection

6/10
 
Thanks to @FogBlueInSanFran for this week's album. X pulled in 13 votes at an average 5.92.
I thought that might be a bit more popular, what with it's punk roots. I'm amazed that only two people voted it higher than me!

Next up is our other album thread runner, @BlueHammer85. Last time out saw our resident Hammer nominating The Smiths, so will it be a low-key personal album this time out, our another one that is more familiar. Send us the clues whenever you are ready ....
 
RobMCFC said:
Thanks to @FogBlueInSanFran for this week's album. X pulled in 13 votes at an average 5.92.
I thought that might be a bit more popular, what with it's punk roots. I'm amazed that only two people voted it higher than me!

Next up is our other album thread runner, @BlueHammer85. Last time out saw our resident Hammer nominating The Smiths, so will it be a low-key personal album this time out, our another one that is more familiar. Send us the clues whenever you are ready ....
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Well, also recall I wasn't voting :) . . .

I am a little surpsied too TBH. Thought it might ring a few chimes. But that's as maybe. The thread has turned a bit crustier; I should have known after Pixies did only mediocre business here!

Definitely going to go a different direction with my next pick (you've all been warned :)).
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
Well, also recall I wasn't voting :) . . .

I am a little surpsied too TBH. Thought it might ring a few chimes. But that's as maybe. The thread has turned a bit crustier; I should have known after Pixies did only mediocre business here!

Definitely going to go a different direction with my next pick (you've all been warned :)).
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Easy listening?
 
Just remembered that BlueHammer said that it was his wife's birthday today ..... and he hasn't posted since 7.48 AM.

I'm happy to give him more time, but is anybody ready to step in if nothing's happened by 8.00PM?

(Saddles, OB1 and BennyBoy are next on the list).
 
RobMCFC said:
Just remembered that BlueHammer said that it was his wife's birthday today ..... and he hasn't posted since 7.48 AM.

I'm happy to give him more time, but is anybody ready to step in if nothing's happened by 8.00PM?

(Saddles, OB1 and BennyBoy are next on the list).
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Ops! Totally forgot my turn

2 secs
 
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