The Album Review Club - Week #196 (page 1316) - Aja - Steely Dan

I'll keep the review like this album, short and sweet. It is an EP of acoustic versions of their songs, done initially for charity. It will probably be more accessible for a good few here than their main work, and that was partly a reason for choosing it as opposed to a full length studio album, but more than that, it is (imho) enjoyable in its own right and has a good cleaner mood and balance between that emo/teen punk that they are about, and that I like.

It is a very short album, if not the shortest yet. It has a Volume 2, and I was tempted to combine both as the nomination, totalling at 52 minutes or the length of a typical album. However I thought I'd leave that as optional.

People are welcome to go through Vol 2, if they find it too short, it has some arguably better songs on it, but might be weaker overall. It would effectively be more of the same. OR.. Instead you can try the original versions of the songs on it to make up the length, which I think would give a much more interesting experience. Or if neither is your cuppa, just give the 25 minutes a fair go instead.

The rest can all cone through discussion as people make their way through it.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
Just out of curiosity, are these guys aware that an electric organ isn’t an acoustic instrument?
Click to expand...

Technically, it can be an acoustic instrument, despite the name and how it generates sound. Also known as a theatre organ, church organ etc, it falls into categories that suit and I've seen this argument before. Like when people argue a tomato is a fruit.

Moot anyway, as they clearly use micrphones, recording equipent and lightbulbs instead of candles, the charlatans.
 
Coatigan said:
I'll keep the review like this album, short and sweet. It is an EP of acoustic versions of their songs, done initially for charity. It will probably be more accessible for a good few here than their main work, and that was partly a reason for choosing it as opposed to a full length studio album, but more than that, it is (imho) enjoyable in its own right and has a good cleaner mood and balance between that emo/teen punk that they are about, and that I like.

It is a very short album, if not the shortest yet. It has a Volume 2, and I was tempted to combine both as the nomination, totalling at 52 minutes or the length of a typical album. However I thought I'd leave that as optional.

People are welcome to go through Vol 2, if they find it too short, it has some arguably better songs on it, but might be weaker overall. It would effectively be more of the same. OR.. Instead you can try the original versions of the songs on it to make up the length, which I think would give a much more interesting experience. Or if neither is your cuppa, just give the 25 minutes a fair go instead.

The rest can all cone through discussion as people make their way through it.
Click to expand...

Ok, right I think I understand what I'm supposed to do, so the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the remaining two sides, yes am I on the right lines ? ;-)
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I definitely plan to go back through and listen to the non-acoustic originals too.
Click to expand...

Start with the song Cardinals, as a taster. You'll more or less know all you need to from that. There is a lttle bit of a difference, and it certainly won't sit with everyone, I 100% get that.

Funnily enough, vol 2 has the better originals, this vol imo has the better 'acoustic' versions. See what I did there, I put it under quotation marks there, due to their liberal application of the word.

Dismantling Summer also works better as the original imo, the whole bittersweet happy but sad comes off better with more energy of the heavier instruments.
 
Coatigan said:
Start with the song Cardinals, as a taster. You'll more or less know all you need to from that. There is a lttle bit of a difference, and it certainly won't sit with everyone, I 100% get that.

Funnily enough, vol 2 has the better originals, this vol imo has the better 'acoustic' versions. See what I did there, I put it under quotation marks there, due to their liberal application of the word.

Dismantling Summer also works better as the original imo, the whole bittersweet happy but sad comes off better with more energy of the heavier instruments.
Click to expand...
Cardinals is the stand out song this far IMO.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
Bumping this as no reviews yet. Am writing mine tonight.
Click to expand...

I pretty much set the record for the lowest engagement nomination. And the longest spent on page 3.

I was almost considering requesting a re-set button and binning this and trying again. Thought a chance at a bit of dual experience here might have been a bit different and interesting, but hey ho.
 
Also expected a bit more discussion about the genre itself, and a few fog fact drops and references from its golden early days at the least.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top