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

[Coatigan]

Songs of Her’s – Her’s

The album kicks off with the pleasing, jangly “Dorothy”, but after that I didn’t hear anything that I truly liked. There are some pleasant keyboards, the vocals are dreamy, and the songs pass by inoffensively for the most part.

It seems to be stuck in some 50s/60s time warp but with the added “bonus” of drum machines. It lacks any bite or grit (i.e. it doesn’t feature too many interesting chord changes, the sound is too smooth, and the lyrics don’t grab my interest). The guitar is OK on “Medieval” and “You Don’t Know This Guy”, with some more intricate or dramatic chords than elsewhere, but I just don’t like the vocals.

If any song is too long at six minutes, its “Cool with You”.

It’s very sad reading that they died at such a young age. At least they are getting their week in the sun on Blue Moon.

Short, sweet, not terrible, just OK. 6/10.

Pretty much exactly where I am with it, currently. Minus the grit part obviously, as something not intended to have grit can't 'lack' grit.

 

[RobMCFC]

Pretty much exactly where I am with it, currently. Minus the grit part obviously, as something not intended to have grit can't 'lack' grit.

Well, it does lack grit, whatever the intention of the performers.

Beethoven lacks guitars, Status Quo lack an 80-piece orchestra.

I did qualify what I meant by it this time :)

 

[Coatigan]

Well, it does lack grit, whatever the intention of the performers.

Beethoven lacks guitars, Status Quo lack an 80-piece orchestra.

I did qualify what I meant by it this time :)

C'mon. You are just being silly now.

 

[RobMCFC]

C'mon. You are just being silly now.

Yeah, I know what you meant. But "lack" does mean that something is "without" or does not have enough of something else.

 

[journolud]

The vocals take a little bit of getting used to but I've quite liked some of this so far, sort of what I think New Order would sound like if I liked them. Or something. A couple of the songs are a bit dirgy though and that is where the vocals grate a bit more.

 

[Coatigan]

Yeah, I know what you meant. But "lack" does mean that something is "without" or does not have enough of something else.

Sure, I mean I lack a vagina so I guess that makes me a shite woman.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Pretty much exactly where I am with it, currently. Minus the grit part obviously, as something not intended to have grit can't 'lack' grit.

I think that sums up where modern indy music is. There is a lack of grit across the board. I think its a lot to do with bedroom production. You can get a very nice professional sound out of some very inexpensive kit, but you can't practice and play it too loud or you'll wake your mum up!

Back in the day guitars only sounded good when run through big overdriven amps. And you needed a drummer for drums so the sound of a band was crafted in a rehearsal space somewhere where you fill it with noise.

 

[Coatigan]

I think that sums up where modern indy music is. There is a lack of grit across the board. I think its a lot to do with bedroom production. You can get a very nice professional sound out of some very inexpensive kit, but you can't practice and play it too loud or you'll wake your mum up!

Back in the day guitars only sounded good when run through big overdriven amps. And you needed a drummer for drums so the sound of a band was crafted in a rehearsal space somewhere where you fill it with noise.

Grit can go fuck itself mate. Unless it is meant to be there, of course. Which in this one I don't feel like it is. As Rob put it quite well, It is literally like moaning about Beethoven not having electric guitars, and imo missing the point.

This is one I feel I really Should like. But for some reason, so far at least, it is just not grabbing me. Can't put my finger on it. Let's see what happens with further listens. There will be an extra point in it for the obscurity though, for sure.

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

Grit can go fuck itself mate. Unless it is meant to be there, of course. Which in this one I don't feel like it is. As Rob put it quite well, It is literally like moaning about Beethoven not having electric guitars, and imo missing the point.

This is one I feel I really Should like. But for some reason, so far at least, it is just not grabbing me. Can't put my finger on it. Let's see what happens with further listens. There will be an extra point in it for the obscurity though, for sure.

I do specialise in dead or presumed dead rockers!

 

[LGWIO]

Listened to it in full once and thought it not too bad. On nights this weekend and going to listen a couple more times travelling in and out as I think it does merit another couple of listens.
Certainly a pleasant surprise and one I had never heard before.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

After the two busiest weeks I can have at work I'm about to embark on a holiday and whilst packing I finally am getting a chance to wander back into the thread. Bit nervous about the post-Dorothy fall-off comments because I really like this opener . . . .

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Excellent, that'll be me nominating the Lilith Fair album next time round ;-)

I was fucking forced to go to that tour by my wife -- Sarah McLachlan or whoever headlined. It was outside at Shoreline Amphitheater near SF in 1995 (I just looked it up). Beautiful weather. I was high as a fucking kite the whole time. Only really wanted to hear Suzanne Vega, and Sheryl Crow sing some of her hits, and had to wade through Indigo Girls and Natalie Merchant solo (never liked much about 10K Maniacs either). Never understood the love for Fiona Apple or Jewel. Understand it for Tracy Chapman intellectually (though Fast Car is a stroke) but not otherwise. If we're gonna focus on female artists, that Lucinda Williams record we had blows all of them off the stage. Except Sheryl Crow, who's hits collection is pretty incredible (but she hadn't written all her later stuff yet), and except Suzanne Vega. Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, da-da-DA-da, da-da-da-da . . . .

 

[BimboBob]

Well, it does lack grit, whatever the intention of the performers.

Beethoven lacks guitars, Status Quo lack an 80-piece orchestra.

I did qualify what I meant by it this time :)

What now?

 

[threespires]

I was fucking forced to go to that tour by my wife -- Sarah McLachlan or whoever headlined. It was outside at Shoreline Amphitheater near SF in 1995 (I just looked it up). Beautiful weather. I was high as a fucking kite the whole time. Only really wanted to hear Suzanne Vega, and Sheryl Crow sing some of her hits, and had to wade through Indigo Girls and Natalie Merchant solo (never liked much about 10K Maniacs either). Never understood the love for Fiona Apple or Jewel. Understand it for Tracy Chapman intellectually (though Fast Car is a stroke) but not otherwise. If we're gonna focus on female artists, that Lucinda Williams record we had blows all of them off the stage. Except Sheryl Crow, who's hits collection is pretty incredible (but she hadn't written all her later stuff yet), and except Suzanne Vega. Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, da-da-DA-da, da-da-da-da . . . .

Haha, sorry if I made you re live that :-) I know far more about that particular bit of the music world than I should do thanks to a couple of old friends I've lost touch a bit with now. Courtesy of one of them, I once found myself in my work suit at an Ani DiFranco gig the only male or straight person in a group of a dozen mostly hardcore activist lesbians, two of whom had won just won a ground breaking custody battle and so were out to party hard. One of the more interesting nights out I've had. Ani DiFranco was actually really good, proper attitude.

 

[bennyboy]

I was fucking forced to go to that tour by my wife -- Sarah McLachlan or whoever headlined. It was outside at Shoreline Amphitheater near SF in 1995 (I just looked it up). Beautiful weather. I was high as a fucking kite the whole time. Only really wanted to hear Suzanne Vega, and Sheryl Crow sing some of her hits, and had to wade through Indigo Girls and Natalie Merchant solo (never liked much about 10K Maniacs either). Never understood the love for Fiona Apple or Jewel. Understand it for Tracy Chapman intellectually (though Fast Car is a stroke) but not otherwise. If we're gonna focus on female artists, that Lucinda Williams record we had blows all of them off the stage. Except Sheryl Crow, who's hits collection is pretty incredible (but she hadn't written all her later stuff yet), and except Suzanne Vega. Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, da-da-DA-da, da-da-da-da . . . .

Sad to say that Lucinda Williams record that i nominated was the first female artists record that i loved from start to finish since Aretha and The Shop Assistants album with the same title.
Aimee Mann being the next female artist that i loved with her Whatever record and her stuff since.
Siouxsie and the Banshees,Blondie,The Pretenders,Sheryl Crow,Lone Justice and Fleetwood Mac all groups where i loved some of their songs but not one single album from start to finish.
So in all my listening history off the top of my head that is 4 female artists that i have loved (and in the Shop Assistants case they had one male in the band) throughout my musical life.63 years old.
Sad.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Sad to say that Lucinda Williams record that i nominated was the first female artists record that i loved from start to finish since Aretha and The Shop Assistants album with the same title.
Aimee Mann being the next female artist that i loved with her Whatever record and her stuff since.
Siouxsie and the Banshees,Blondie,The Pretenders,Sheryl Crow,Lone Justice and Fleetwood Mac all groups where i loved some of their songs but not one single album from start to finish.
So in all my listening history off the top of my head that is 4 female artists that i have loved (and in the Shop Assistants case they had one male in the band) throughout my musical life.63 years old.
Sad.

Of those artists, I love Parallel Lines, the first two Pretenders records and Rumours start to finish. Especially that first Pretenders record. And my second favo(u)rite record of all time is by a female artist . . . which I will not reveal as it may be my next pick :)

I need to listen to more Aimee Mann. Is Whatever her best record do you think?

 

[bennyboy]

Of those artists, I love Parallel Lines, the first two Pretenders records and Rumours start to finish. Especially that first Pretenders record. And my second favo(u)rite record of all time is by a female artist . . . which I will not reveal as it may be my next pick :)

I need to listen to more Aimee Mann. Is Whatever her best record do you think?

Bachelor No.2 the 20th anniversary edition my favourite.
Magnolia music from the motion picture great as a soundtrack album. as well.
Whatever was her first solo album.
I went out and got it after her appearance on the Danny Baker chat show on the BBC.
Loved it and loved most of her stuff since.

 

[LGWIO]

So..Songs of Her's
Have given this another couple of listens in the car and overall an enjoyable time listening and thank you for getting me to listen to something I probably wouldnt have botherd with usually.
A couple of good ones on here. I enjoyed "Dorothy" , "Marcel" & "What Once Was" but the others sort of washed over me a little. Nice bassline on the first track and I also thought I could hear Black Francis in "What Once Was", reminded me a little of "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons" from Trompe Le Monde. Also a little of The Smiths or more precisely Jonny Marr's guitar on a couple.
Wouldnt skip over if it came on or was playing but equally don't think I would go out of my way to think, I must put this on as I really need to hear it again.
So I would go a 6

 

[threespires]

Sad to say that Lucinda Williams record that i nominated was the first female artists record that i loved from start to finish since Aretha and The Shop Assistants album with the same title.
Aimee Mann being the next female artist that i loved with her Whatever record and her stuff since.
Siouxsie and the Banshees,Blondie,The Pretenders,Sheryl Crow,Lone Justice and Fleetwood Mac all groups where i loved some of their songs but not one single album from start to finish.
So in all my listening history off the top of my head that is 4 female artists that i have loved (and in the Shop Assistants case they had one male in the band) throughout my musical life.63 years old.
Sad.

I think I'm fairly atypical on this thread I think in that I like a lot of female artists but I think that's partly because I'm partial to a bit of country, a bit of folk and a bit of soul. The reality is there's just a lot less women in rock but I always think the ones who do make it have to have a bit of something extra about them. I keep thining about scratching my Kim Gordon itch and nominating some Sonic Youth.

 

[RobMCFC]

Of those artists, I love Parallel Lines, the first two Pretenders records and Rumours start to finish. Especially that first Pretenders record. And my second favo(u)rite record of all time is by a female artist . . . which I will not reveal as it may be my next pick :)

I need to listen to more Aimee Mann. Is Whatever her best record do you think?

You could make a case for quite a few Aimee Mann album being her best, but yes, I'd go with Whatever.

Funnily enough, when BlueHammer suggested that we have a round on here where everybody had to pick an album from the top 1000, Whatever was going to be my pick. I also like I'm With Stupid, Lost in Space and Smilers.