| September 13th, 2005 12:25 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
I've been one of the bigger ABB bashers out here, and I must confess that even one week later, I like the album much more than I originally did. I still can't say it's better overall than Bridges To Babylon or Voodoo, but definitely better than any others since Tattoo You.
What changed in my mind? Not sure. Like so many, my expectations are always so high, especially for this one, that inevitably they aren't met on first or second listen. But after calming down and listening to the album about 20 times, I rather like most of it. The clunkers (there are a few) prevent it from being the "best" since 1981, but it's inching slowly upward.
Also, listening to it with headphones, loud, exposed for me some of the guitar work details which turn out to be a lot more interesting, even on songs like Let Me Down Slow. Surprised and pleased me quite a bit.
Breaking it into GREAT, GOOD, and BAD songs:
GREAT SONGS:
Rough Justice (obvious reasons - great rocker, great slide guitar, good lyrics except for the 'bat out of hell' cliche)
Let Me Down Slow (didn't like it before, but I do now. Not sure why, other than I noticed more of the guitars and the good melody.)
Laugh I Nearly Died (Sounds like nothing they've done before. Mick sounds tortured. "I've been to Arabiaaaaaaahhhhh..." Love it, love the chanting, love the desperation in the 'chorus', just love it, love it.)
Back Of My Hand (This isn't just blues, it's the very definition of blues. It's like they've nailed every aspect of what blues was at the beginning: the voice, the harp, the guitars, everything. Just amazing. Down In The Hole is a great song, but not as raw and authentic as this. Stunning. I knew they could do it if they tried.)
This Place Is Empty - Beautiful, heartbreaking, love the guitars, and this song is perfect for Keith's nearly destroyed voice.
It Won't Take Long - Reminds me of Lowdown for some reason (which isn't a bad thing by the way). A little repetitive, but the raw, not-very-melodic guitar sound perfectly suits the subject matter, a guy hoping he can get over his love interest quickly. An avalanche of the type of stones sound that most of us love.
Oh No Not You Again - Could have been even better than it is, except some bad lyrics take away from it (the whole I'm Like Jello thing. cringe.) But still great.
Biggest Mistake - I'm really eating crow on this one. Originally hated it. "This isn't Stones" I said. But I patiently gave it a chance. It still might not be the classic type of stones song, but there's something beautiful about the melody, the painful "ooooooo" at the beginning and in between verses. And hell, these guys are in their 60s and it's not a bad thing to have a song in which they (well, Mick I suppose) reflect on a mistake during their advanced years. Something about it grabs me and moves me, now. Maybe I'm in a reflective mood myself and this song gels with me b/c of that. In any case, it's upgraded to my GREAT list.
So that's 8 out of 16 that I call GREAT, so I can no longer say I dislike this album. Next...
GOOD SONGS:
Rain Fall Down - Didn't like this at first, but it has grown on me. I like the funky guitar, I like the melody (especially the multi-layered bridges section). Fits in well with the Dance Pt. 1 / Fingerprint File / Suck On The Jugular family of funky songs. The only thing that nearly ruins it for me is, again, a lyric. Why would anyone include "Make Sweet Love" in a song in 2005? In Beast Of Burden it bugs me too, but that was the 70s. Has anyone ever actually used this phrase? To me it has high cringe factor. The worst part of this song.
Streets Of Love - A decent Stones ballad. A little too depressing for me to get through sometimes, and the word "awful" appearing so many times in the opening section is, well, awful lyrically. This nearly made the BAD list, but what the hell, overall it ain't that bad.
She Saw Me Coming - Most of it sounds good, except for the weird sounding vocal when they say 'she saw me coming'. Is that Mick overdubbing on himself? Did Chuck Leavell secretly get his vocals in there? Something's not right. Other than that, it's a good but not great filler song.
Driving Too Fast - Not great, but a nice upbeat sound that hooks me in, especially after the previous horror (see below).
BAD SONGS:
Neocon - Amazing and surprising that I can't say this song sucks without people assuming it's for political reasons (one jackass even called me a fascist pig). But it's SO unoriginal! It would have been so easy to write a bush-right-wing-bashing song with more creativity than this. And oh yeah, "Why...are...you...so...wrong" might be their lamest chorus ever.
Dangerous Beauty - Snore. Again, dull cliches abound (like the title itself).
Look What The Cat Dragged In - INXS outtake. The only song that I literally am physically unable to listen to and have to press skip within seconds. Even Neocon has decent harp that sometimes hooks me in listening to the whole thing, but Cat Dragged In just sucks big time.
Infamy - Lame guitar, lame lyrics. Decent harp, which makes it listenable, and I like the Winos-like chanting at the end. But not enough to save this from the BAD list.
If you got this far in my 'one week after' review, thanks. I just finished my first portion of crow, and it tasted fine. |
| September 13th, 2005 12:30 PM |
|
|
| marko |
Infamy just keeps getting BETTER.
Just listen this part of the song
"You´re living in nightmare baby
and i mistook it for a dream
Yes just for a dream
I mistook it for a dream"
Old bastard really nails this part,listen with headphones.
Then i got hooked.
I also like the wah wah sound on the song. |
| September 13th, 2005 12:38 PM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
My dear friend Lethargy,
I just read your review and its quite obvious that you've taken up drinking again.
I hope you are doing well. And will one day find sobriety again.
cheers!
[Edited by Saint Sway] |
| September 13th, 2005 12:40 PM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
I must be drunk as well as I clearly can not figure out the difference between the quote button and the edit button.
craptastic!
[Edited by Saint Sway] |
| September 13th, 2005 12:42 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
quote:
Saint Sway wrote:
My dear friend Lethargy,
I just read your review and its quite obvious that you've taken up drinking again.
I hope you are doing well. And will one day find sobriety again.
cheers!
[Edited by Saint Sway]
Don't make me get onto a plane, fly over there, and smack your pretty face! Wait, I can have The Dave do it for me. Hold on, I need to make a phone call... |
| September 13th, 2005 12:44 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
quote:
Saint Sway wrote:
My dear friend Lethargy,
I just read your review and its quite obvious that you've taken up drinking again.
I hope you are doing well. And will one day find sobriety again.
cheers!
[Edited by Saint Sway]
Sway, don't you like most of the songs on my GREAT portion? Except for maybe Biggest Mistake? |
| September 13th, 2005 12:45 PM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
quote:
Lethargy wrote:
Don't make me get onto a plane, fly over there, and smack your pretty face! Wait, I can have The Dave do it for me. Hold on, I need to make a phone call...
if Dave listened to this record and then read your review he would extinguish a lit cigarette in your ear and call you Michelle. |
| September 13th, 2005 12:45 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
quote:
Saint Sway wrote:
if Dave listened to this record and then read your review he would extinguish a lit cigarette in your ear and call you Michelle.
ROTFLOL!!!! |
| September 13th, 2005 12:51 PM |
|
|
| CraigP |
Last night I listened to ABB for the first time on headphones. I heard more than on my stereo (of course).
As in most other Stones albums I have heard some of the "subliminal messages" in it... For example, at the end of ONNYA after Mick yells "I better take my own abvice!" you can hear a very faint voice (sounds like Keith saying "I do, I do"). Afterall, Keith does sing back-up on some of the songs but his levels are kept to a minimum and are mostly unheard unless one is really listening.
I must note that the best way to listen to music (As all you audio technicians out there already know) is at a lower volume. Not only does it prevent ear damage but it makes all of the layers of tracks more audible and decipherable. The pitches are perceived more accurately (esp. the high pitches) and the sound is overall clearer.
For example, Bob Ludwig for Gateway mastering Studios, who has worked on many Stones albums says he mixes albums at low volume.
I don't mean barely audible, but reasonable. Try it!!!
I'll get some more fuck-ups or subliminal shit later, with the exact times they happen on the cd.
[Edited by CraigP] |
| September 13th, 2005 12:58 PM |
|
|
| Mel Belli |
quote:
Lethargy wrote:
Dangerous Beauty - Snore. Again, dull cliches abound (like the title itself).
If you look at it through the prism of Abu Ghraib, they're some of the best lyrics on the album (and this is from someone who supports the war...) |
| September 13th, 2005 03:40 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
Come on, y'all. Someone other than Sway should be making fun of me by now...
Anyone else have less/more favorable opinion of the album than they did one week ago? |
| September 13th, 2005 03:53 PM |
|
|
| Fadeout_Freedom |
Listened like hell to ABB the first 4-5 days, started burning out, took the weekend "off", listened again yesterday...
With the exception of the following, I liked ALL the tracks initially, and STILL DO.
I didn't get This Place is Empty at first, but now like it more.
Was ambivalent toward Streets of Love; really dig it now.
Still trying on ONNYA.
Still LOVE Look What The Cat Dragged In.
LOVED Infamy at first, love it even more NOW.
I loved Rain Fall Down at first, but then I started getting burned out... better reverse that if it's going to be the next single. |
| September 13th, 2005 03:53 PM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
Lethargy,
Dave & McKenna will be scalping tix w/me tonite at MSG.
I only wish you were here too.
so that I could play them Bigger Bang and then watch them verbally assault you all evening.
it would be even funnier than watchinig Dave relentlessly mock SRV while smoke oozed out Dans ears.
"Dan. Your an idiot! No ones gayer than Stevie Ray! He wears a fucking poncho Dan! He has his initials in written in glitter. Oh yeah thats sooooooo cool. There's homeless people that are more talented than that fuck!"
oh tonites gonna be fun. Leave your phone on! |
| September 13th, 2005 06:26 PM |
|
|
| ResidentMule |
listening again right now.
I think in the past week its barely occured to me 'hey, I have a new Stones album I can listen to as soon as I get home', as I should be with an album I'm really excited about. I've been listening to other stuff that's made me pretty much forget about this album all together. for me it fails at being a really memorable that I just gotta listen to every night like I did when I bought the Stripes' Elephant, or Marc Ford's solo (sorry if this sounds like a plug you'd expect out of Sway), or the last Red Hot Chili Peppers. all great records that left an impression and I still get the itch to listen to them after 2 years or so.
there aren't many bad moments. Neocon, Rain, and Streets Of Love are the only ones I think belong in the trash. I'm liking ONNYA more. Biggest Mistake SHOULD'VE been put on a Jagger solo album. I'd buy it, but it kills whatever claim ABB had at being a great, raw rock record. I can't crank it up & cruise with the top down as I'd like to do with a new Stones.
maybe it would benefit from being shorter but I can't say there are enough true highlights in here to really make a difference. the album reminds me too much of a watered down Voodoo Lounge. I'm crossing my fingers now that this won't be their last album, and they dump Don Was after this time.
its a got good songs, maybe not excellent. as an album its decent/pretty good, but I was expecting that. well worth my $10, but at the same time I would've been happier buying a record from a band I'm not familiar with and having it turn out to be great. |
| September 13th, 2005 06:29 PM |
|
|
| ResidentMule |
quote:
Fadeout_Freedom wrote:
I loved Rain Fall Down at first, but then I started getting burned out... better reverse that if it's going to be the next single.
you're kidding me right? they can't release that song as a single, they'll kill this album. |
| September 13th, 2005 06:39 PM |
|
|
| Lethargy |
quote:
ResidentMule wrote:
listening again right now.
to every night like I did when I bought the Stripes' Elephant, or Marc Ford's solo (sorry if this sounds like a plug you'd expect out of Sway), or the last Red Hot Chili
Mule, I'm so psyched to see someone else (other than Sway of course) digging Marc Ford's solo album like I do. IT IS AMAZING! It's one of the best new albums by anyone so far this millenium. It's got a depth of material that really surprised me - there are few if any weak numbers.
Anyone on this list who wants to hear some awesome music along the lines as 70's stones / faces / etc., give Marc Ford's album a listen.
So glad you mentioned it, Mule. |
| September 13th, 2005 06:48 PM |
|
|
| ResidentMule |
yeah man, like I said I'm really not gonna try to pitch the album left & right here every chance I get like a certain someone (no disrespect meant - Sway's cool he just tries too hard and sucks at sarcasm), but it is one of the last albums I bought that really hit something with me. a bunch of great songs one here. I actually think the two tracks he does with the Mule are as weak as the album gets - and I've actually had Just Let It Go stuck in my head all day. this albums really a gem, I finally got around to getting it last summer and was blown away. may not be an album that gets a lot of attention, may not rival the Stones for being the greatest thing in the history of rock n roll, but if that's you're only reason for not checking out this album, you don't like music.
can't wait to hear his next one. I hear its done just waiting for a good time to release it. |
| September 13th, 2005 08:35 PM |
|
|
| exile |
Glad you like it now.
|
| September 14th, 2005 12:07 AM |
|
|
| Egbert |
Your turn, Saint Sway - time to eat Crowe! |
| September 14th, 2005 10:44 AM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
if you want to purchase Marc Ford's album , go here:
www.marcford.net
its a gem! |
| September 14th, 2005 10:50 AM |
|
|
| Nellcote |
Is Marc Ford related to Henry Ford, the automaker?
Or the former President Gerald Ford?
Or the Ford of the Ford Theatre, where John Wilkes Booth was shot?
I just gots to know.... |
| September 14th, 2005 10:53 AM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
Marc Ford?
he's the new Mick Taylor! |
| September 14th, 2005 11:01 AM |
|
|
| Nellcote |
This Ford chap which is being noted, is he from Livonia or Dearborn? |
| September 14th, 2005 11:04 AM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
he's from Cali. But he's 100% Amorican. |
| September 14th, 2005 11:05 AM |
|
|
| Nellcote |
Does he work at the Betty Ford Clinic? |
| September 14th, 2005 11:07 AM |
|
|
| Saint Sway |
he's had some stays there. |
| September 14th, 2005 11:11 AM |
|
|
| Nellcote |
Well, he deserves all the luck in the world in battling a substance abuse problem.
It's not a thing to kid with, as relapses can be troublesome, and are the causes of some ongoing problems later in life.
It's a Picasso, always a work in progress. |
