Here we go again.
Song #1: Rich People Are Stupid by Ball Park Music (Happiness & Surrounding Suburbs, 2011, Track 5)
Musically, this song is pretty basic, but really enjoyable. The guitar and drum base for the song really highlights some emotion behind the song, with other elements coming into the scene to even the song out. It's a great song musically, but there really isn't that much to say about it, I'm afraid.
Vocally, Cromack doesn't have the greatest voice of all time, but it is absolutely perfect for the genre BPM have found themselves in. A really refined voice, like Cave or Dempsey would just be really out of place here. Cromack fits the bill, making this song sound almost friendly. Really, if this song was a person, they would be that one guy who never shuts up, but is pretty fun to be around.
Lyrically, the song is nonsense on paper, talking about a vulcanologist and people who are complaining about their coffee. Really, if you want a message in this song, the title says it all. Honestly, I think the group wanted to make a song that sounded like a protest song but just defied expectations, and this song does so perfectly.
Song #2: In God's Country by U2 (The Joshua Tree, 1987, Track 7)
Musically, this song is slightly better than the usual U2. My opinion on U2 as an entity is that they really are one of the blandest groups out there, but they still pull of music that's enjoyable enough to purchase an album or two. This song has a little more vibrancy than the usual fare, with the guitar being the main source of this feeling.
Vocally is probably where this song, as well as this band, have their real strength: Bono. There are a lot of things I'll say about U2... actually, no, there really isn't anything to say about U2 and that's sort of the problem, but Bono has a hell of a voice. I'd never call him my favourite singer or anything of the like, but he certainly succeeds in pulling of the song.
Lyrically.... I have problems. This song is supposedly personifying the US as a woman trying to find herself in the desert... I think. Now, in interviews, apparently Bono has claimed this song is about the Statue of Liberty and is in contrast to the Nicaraguan revolution, both of which are great topics for a song IF THE FUCKING LYRICS TOUCHED ON EITHER OF THOSE IN THE SLIGHTEST. Sorry for the caps lock, but really, you can't make a song about something just because you say it is. Yes, the intention can be there, and yes, a lot of symbolism can be interpreted differently, but I dare anyone to find anything that so much as suggests Nicaragua in this song. The lyrics are a little cliché, but pulled off in a fashion that makes me feel like they aren't, so there's that.
Song #3: Whippin' Piccadilly by Gomez (Bring It On, 1998, Track 2)
Holy shit, no Folds! Anyway, this song is musically marvellous, especially in comparison. The song starts out with just a basic acoustic guitar, but slowly drums and other instruments are introduced until the end of the song, when you don't know what the fuck is going on. Compare to the rather basic tunes of the other songs here, this is a real stand-out.
Vocally, Gomez is fascinating. The group seems to share the lead vocals role a little, so I won't use any names, but this seems to be the lightest of the vocals. This song is vocally much cheerier than a lot of their work, and this makes the song stand out in comparison at least. This song is cheery and Gomez certainly don't sound cheery, but I don't know if I like the contrast or not.
Lyrically, this song is just really about enjoying a day out on the town, at least I can read much more into that. There are a few lines that are kind of depressing if read in the right mood, but the actual song doesn't seem to take that stance on things. This song really is just about having fun, odd for a normally pretty serious group.
Overall:
Musically, Gomez wins this, with Ball Park Music a close second. I don't have any real complaints about U2's music, but I have no statements about it in any way. Know why? Because it's been five minutes since I listened to it, and I've completely forgotten it, with absolutely no desire to remember. Not a sign of good music.
Vocally, I think I've got to give this to Gomez, just because the sound of a bunch of dreary sounding Englishmen having fun is something I can't hear enough of. As for a runner up, I love BPM, but Bono really is the only memorable thing about U2, and he deserves some acknowledgement for that.
Lyrically, none of these songs do much for me. Gomez wins, just because they were having some fun and it shines through exactly as I think they intended. BPM is getting second place here, because they didn't piss me off, at least not to caps lock levels.
Winners:
1. Whippin' Piccadilly by Gomez
2. Rich People Are Stupid by Ball Park Music
3. In God's Country by U2
Again, I'm not judging the entire group, just the songs. But most things U2 does are about this bad.
Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Top 5 Album Covers
This is only going to be a quick post. I've mentioned how important the cover of an album is for me, as it's the main motivation to buy it if I'm unfamiliar with the group. I have very particular tastes in regards to what an album cover should be. I'm quick to rule between "boring" and "crowded" and between "lazy" and "pretentious". Almost every album cover falls into one of these four categories, including those that are going to be on my Top 5 list, but I love them all the same. Now, in reverse order of enjoyment:
5. Consolers of the Lonely by The Saboteurs (2008)
The cover of this album depicts four men dressed in an outdated fashion standing on a stage holding musical instruments while a blindfolded woman emerges from a building shaped like a star and a small girl sits with a pair of doves, all in black and white. This image falls just slightly into the "crowded" category, and also the "pretentious" category if those doves and that blindfolded woman were supposed to be symbols for something. I just love the creativity, as the group moves away from the style of their previous album, both musically and design wise, and that is shown here, emphasising their country roots.
4. Deeper Water by Paul Kelly (1995)
The cover of this album depicts the back of a man's torso, with a pair of bare arms wrapped around his head, disappearing into the darkness, this one also in black and white. Although this could border on "boring", the thing that brings this album above others for me is the colour contrast. The previous album used black and white to imply the cover was aged. This album uses the lack of colour much more effectively, attempting to emphasise the stark whiteness of the arms against the rest of the album. A little too simple, but a beautiful use of many artistic techniques.
3. Suburban Songbook by Bob Evans (2006)
The cover of this album is a picture of a man and a woman, early twenties at latest, holding hands and walking down a deserted road, where both sides of the road are covered in trees. The man is turned slightly towards the woman, as if speaking. I honestly don't really know why I like this cover so much. I think the simplicity mixed with an element of "this is exactly what you think it is". The timelessness of the image, as well as the lack of clear location add to how this image is so simple. Although it could be argued this is a little "boring", I disagree completely.
2. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian (2009)
The cover of this album is of four men dressed in strange clothing looking at themselves in a mirror. For deeper analysis, read my Top 5 Albums series. This album, although somewhat "crowded" is easily seen as colourful, frantic, strange and slightly dark. The fact that the cover of an album can already have you fascinated and enthralled by the contents is a reassuring idea. Don't worry, this is the last of my Top 5 Albums to be in this list.
1. Internationalist by Powderfinger (1998)
Now, Powderfinger hasn't really featured here yet, but I hardly feel this is the time to introduce them to those who are unfamiliar. This album depicts a woman holding onto her shirt while looking at the sun or some other source of light. The picture is depicted in a painted style reminiscent of a propaganda poster. I just love the simplicity and art style of this image. In conjunction with the other three images in the liner notes, it's clear that Powderfinger was attempting to replicate the Soviet-era propaganda posters describing their achievements in various fields, and I have no words for how great an idea that is for album cover art.
I'm aware I've probably left out some favourites of myself and others, but please, as usual, provide feedback.
H. Rourke
5. Consolers of the Lonely by The Saboteurs (2008)
The cover of this album depicts four men dressed in an outdated fashion standing on a stage holding musical instruments while a blindfolded woman emerges from a building shaped like a star and a small girl sits with a pair of doves, all in black and white. This image falls just slightly into the "crowded" category, and also the "pretentious" category if those doves and that blindfolded woman were supposed to be symbols for something. I just love the creativity, as the group moves away from the style of their previous album, both musically and design wise, and that is shown here, emphasising their country roots.
4. Deeper Water by Paul Kelly (1995)
The cover of this album depicts the back of a man's torso, with a pair of bare arms wrapped around his head, disappearing into the darkness, this one also in black and white. Although this could border on "boring", the thing that brings this album above others for me is the colour contrast. The previous album used black and white to imply the cover was aged. This album uses the lack of colour much more effectively, attempting to emphasise the stark whiteness of the arms against the rest of the album. A little too simple, but a beautiful use of many artistic techniques.
3. Suburban Songbook by Bob Evans (2006)
The cover of this album is a picture of a man and a woman, early twenties at latest, holding hands and walking down a deserted road, where both sides of the road are covered in trees. The man is turned slightly towards the woman, as if speaking. I honestly don't really know why I like this cover so much. I think the simplicity mixed with an element of "this is exactly what you think it is". The timelessness of the image, as well as the lack of clear location add to how this image is so simple. Although it could be argued this is a little "boring", I disagree completely.
2. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian (2009)
The cover of this album is of four men dressed in strange clothing looking at themselves in a mirror. For deeper analysis, read my Top 5 Albums series. This album, although somewhat "crowded" is easily seen as colourful, frantic, strange and slightly dark. The fact that the cover of an album can already have you fascinated and enthralled by the contents is a reassuring idea. Don't worry, this is the last of my Top 5 Albums to be in this list.
1. Internationalist by Powderfinger (1998)
Now, Powderfinger hasn't really featured here yet, but I hardly feel this is the time to introduce them to those who are unfamiliar. This album depicts a woman holding onto her shirt while looking at the sun or some other source of light. The picture is depicted in a painted style reminiscent of a propaganda poster. I just love the simplicity and art style of this image. In conjunction with the other three images in the liner notes, it's clear that Powderfinger was attempting to replicate the Soviet-era propaganda posters describing their achievements in various fields, and I have no words for how great an idea that is for album cover art.
I'm aware I've probably left out some favourites of myself and others, but please, as usual, provide feedback.
H. Rourke
Friday, 28 September 2012
3 Songs: Regina Spektor vs. Ben Folds Five vs. Ben Folds
The Post a Day didn't quite continue yesterday, my apologies, but I will force myself to write at least something today. Did someone say "3 Songs"? No, that was me. All the same...
Song #1: Ballad of a Politician by Regina Spektor (What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, 2012, Track 8)
Musically, this song has received some flack, being called "melodramatic" (it sounds worse in context), but I really don't think so. The majority of this song is carries in the vocals and lyrics. The music just seems to be secondary, nearly an afterthought. The music does what it is put there to do: emphasise Spektor's voice.
Vocally, I adore Spektor's delivery of the lyrics. She puts so much emphasis on everything she deems necessary, I cannot imagine another artist attempting to cover this tune. There is a strange mechanised echo to her voice in this song, presumably to make her sound eerier (an unnecessary addition if there ever was one) and it works to a point, but the digital quality of the sound takes me somewhat away from the song. A minor complaint, but a complaint all the same.
Lyrically, this song is vague, but I think this is certainly on purpose. This song is a ballad of "A Politician", rather than dropping not-so-subtle hints about who the song is actually about. The song recounts rather basic elements of politics; meetings, speeches, possible corruption, power and eventual collapse of plans. Everything is left to the perception of the listener, with the music and vocals suggesting we err on the seedier side of our suspicions. You can honestly insert any politician into this song and it will make sense, even if important elements are left out.
Song #2: Stumblin' Home Winter Blues by Ben Folds Five (The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective, Track 22, Disc 3)
Ah, BFF. Why do you keep ending up here? I want to say nice things, but your songs so far nave been so weak. Musically, what the hell do you expect from a BFF song? The piano is slow and beautiful, with violin accompaniment and I think a drumset in the background somewhere. Other than that this song is slow and marvellous, there is little more to say musically.
Ben Folds is singing the song. I've just said exactly the same things in the previous reviews. Read them. This is good.
Lyrically, this song can probably be interpreted in different ways. Literally, the song is Folds talking to a streetlight about his problems. Yeah, this shit is metaphorical or Folds is losing his touch. I think the song is Folds taking himself away from the world to work out who he is, spending more time than he expects doing so with nothing to show for it, eventually sitting and thinking before heading home, knowing that no-one really cares. The "Stumblin'" implies drinking, but I don't know if that really fits into my interpretation of the song, so I'll just write it off to Folds being groggy from a lack of sleep. Read the lyrics, interpret for yourselves and get back to me.
Song #3: Fred Jones Part 2 by Ben Folds (Rockin' The Suburbs, 2001, Track 5)
...Well... at least BFF isn't in here twice? Anyone else kinda getting the image I have way too much Folds on my MP3 player? Let's start, as always, with the music. This song is, of the three, clearly the most focused on providing music, with the focus being on the piano (or course) as well as a violin. I can't pick up any other instruments, but what they use is just phenomenal in conveying emotion, from despondency, to sadness to rage. Just fantastic.
Vocally, I actually have something to say this time! After listening to the previous song, hold shit does Folds sound about 14 here. It is incredibly clear that Folds has aged in his musical style. Somewhat ironic that he sounds more mature in the band he broke up to start a solo career than he did during his solo career. Folds does an admirable job of conveying any emotion that the music missed through his voice. There is also a great use of backing vocalists at certain points.
Lyrically, this song touches on many themes, some of which I mentioned in my post comparing Jones to Plan B's Strickland Banks and Drapht's Jimmy Ricard. The tragedy of Jones situation, forgotten and alone is pretty clear, as in "Cigarettes" we found out about Jones home life. For Jones to be forced to find some meaning in his life without a job or a wife is the true tragedy here, as he has been forced from the one place he felt he truly belonged. I'd say more, but fuck it. Listen to it yourself or read the lyrics somewhere. You'll be able to understand more just from hearing or reading it once thatn I can even attempt to explain. Just utterly wonderful.
Overall:
Well, this is a mournful but fantastic group of songs, so let's see which is the best.
Musically, this is really a non-event. Fred Jones Part 2 has such a tragic and fascinating musical aspect that it cannot compete with the other two. The real contest here is for runner-up. Overall, I've got to say BFF. Spektor can match Folds on the piano, but her contribution here just seems so manufactured while BFF has an honest and natural piano track. My own preference, but I'm 98% of my audience, so fuck it.
Vocally, this is a prick of a choice. Not only are all three of the songs by fantastic singers, two of them happen to be by the same singers. I'm going to have to pick Spektor here, because it's overwhelmingly obvious that her voice is the entire power of the song. Her voice alone, not even what she is saying, is why this song works, which is quite a feat for a voice to carry out. BFF is the runner up here, as Folds sound 20 years older than in Fred Jones Part 2, although only 10 have passed, and he sounds like a much more experienced singer.
Lyrically, I'm going to have to pick Fred Jones Part 2, as this song is so significant. The emotion and story of the lyrics is fascinating, but this is also the only song in which Folds has returned to tell the story of a single character, which I wish would happen again. For runner-up, I'm going to go BFF, as that song also carries a great amount of emotion behind the lyrics, while Spektor carries all the emotion in her voice with remarkably generic lyrics.
Winners:
1. Fred Jones Part 2 by Ben Folds
2. Ballad of a Politician by Regina Spektor
3. Stumblin' Home Winter Blues by Ben Folds Five
See y'all tomorrow. Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Song #1: Ballad of a Politician by Regina Spektor (What We Saw From the Cheap Seats, 2012, Track 8)
Musically, this song has received some flack, being called "melodramatic" (it sounds worse in context), but I really don't think so. The majority of this song is carries in the vocals and lyrics. The music just seems to be secondary, nearly an afterthought. The music does what it is put there to do: emphasise Spektor's voice.
Vocally, I adore Spektor's delivery of the lyrics. She puts so much emphasis on everything she deems necessary, I cannot imagine another artist attempting to cover this tune. There is a strange mechanised echo to her voice in this song, presumably to make her sound eerier (an unnecessary addition if there ever was one) and it works to a point, but the digital quality of the sound takes me somewhat away from the song. A minor complaint, but a complaint all the same.
Lyrically, this song is vague, but I think this is certainly on purpose. This song is a ballad of "A Politician", rather than dropping not-so-subtle hints about who the song is actually about. The song recounts rather basic elements of politics; meetings, speeches, possible corruption, power and eventual collapse of plans. Everything is left to the perception of the listener, with the music and vocals suggesting we err on the seedier side of our suspicions. You can honestly insert any politician into this song and it will make sense, even if important elements are left out.
Song #2: Stumblin' Home Winter Blues by Ben Folds Five (The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective, Track 22, Disc 3)
Ah, BFF. Why do you keep ending up here? I want to say nice things, but your songs so far nave been so weak. Musically, what the hell do you expect from a BFF song? The piano is slow and beautiful, with violin accompaniment and I think a drumset in the background somewhere. Other than that this song is slow and marvellous, there is little more to say musically.
Ben Folds is singing the song. I've just said exactly the same things in the previous reviews. Read them. This is good.
Lyrically, this song can probably be interpreted in different ways. Literally, the song is Folds talking to a streetlight about his problems. Yeah, this shit is metaphorical or Folds is losing his touch. I think the song is Folds taking himself away from the world to work out who he is, spending more time than he expects doing so with nothing to show for it, eventually sitting and thinking before heading home, knowing that no-one really cares. The "Stumblin'" implies drinking, but I don't know if that really fits into my interpretation of the song, so I'll just write it off to Folds being groggy from a lack of sleep. Read the lyrics, interpret for yourselves and get back to me.
Song #3: Fred Jones Part 2 by Ben Folds (Rockin' The Suburbs, 2001, Track 5)
...Well... at least BFF isn't in here twice? Anyone else kinda getting the image I have way too much Folds on my MP3 player? Let's start, as always, with the music. This song is, of the three, clearly the most focused on providing music, with the focus being on the piano (or course) as well as a violin. I can't pick up any other instruments, but what they use is just phenomenal in conveying emotion, from despondency, to sadness to rage. Just fantastic.
Vocally, I actually have something to say this time! After listening to the previous song, hold shit does Folds sound about 14 here. It is incredibly clear that Folds has aged in his musical style. Somewhat ironic that he sounds more mature in the band he broke up to start a solo career than he did during his solo career. Folds does an admirable job of conveying any emotion that the music missed through his voice. There is also a great use of backing vocalists at certain points.
Lyrically, this song touches on many themes, some of which I mentioned in my post comparing Jones to Plan B's Strickland Banks and Drapht's Jimmy Ricard. The tragedy of Jones situation, forgotten and alone is pretty clear, as in "Cigarettes" we found out about Jones home life. For Jones to be forced to find some meaning in his life without a job or a wife is the true tragedy here, as he has been forced from the one place he felt he truly belonged. I'd say more, but fuck it. Listen to it yourself or read the lyrics somewhere. You'll be able to understand more just from hearing or reading it once thatn I can even attempt to explain. Just utterly wonderful.
Overall:
Well, this is a mournful but fantastic group of songs, so let's see which is the best.
Musically, this is really a non-event. Fred Jones Part 2 has such a tragic and fascinating musical aspect that it cannot compete with the other two. The real contest here is for runner-up. Overall, I've got to say BFF. Spektor can match Folds on the piano, but her contribution here just seems so manufactured while BFF has an honest and natural piano track. My own preference, but I'm 98% of my audience, so fuck it.
Vocally, this is a prick of a choice. Not only are all three of the songs by fantastic singers, two of them happen to be by the same singers. I'm going to have to pick Spektor here, because it's overwhelmingly obvious that her voice is the entire power of the song. Her voice alone, not even what she is saying, is why this song works, which is quite a feat for a voice to carry out. BFF is the runner up here, as Folds sound 20 years older than in Fred Jones Part 2, although only 10 have passed, and he sounds like a much more experienced singer.
Lyrically, I'm going to have to pick Fred Jones Part 2, as this song is so significant. The emotion and story of the lyrics is fascinating, but this is also the only song in which Folds has returned to tell the story of a single character, which I wish would happen again. For runner-up, I'm going to go BFF, as that song also carries a great amount of emotion behind the lyrics, while Spektor carries all the emotion in her voice with remarkably generic lyrics.
Winners:
1. Fred Jones Part 2 by Ben Folds
2. Ballad of a Politician by Regina Spektor
3. Stumblin' Home Winter Blues by Ben Folds Five
See y'all tomorrow. Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
3 Songs: The Herd vs. Alex Lloyd vs. Ben Folds Five
Post a day continues!
Song #1: Superweeds by The Herd (An Elefant Never Forgets, 2003, Track 4)
I'm really hoping that 3 Songs starting with a song from An Elefant Never Forgets is not going to be a recurring trend. Quite honestly, I don't like very many of them. Music is this song's biggest problem. The music is loud, borish, repetitive and so very dull. Imagine Hunter's Theme but with someone talking over it. I just think this song could be massively improved by cutting out the backing beat.
Vocally, the female vocalist (who I presume is Jane Tyrell) is the clear standout, although her singing clashes violently with the beat, in a way which is repellent to the senses. The rapping is decent, but is a little amateurish.
Lyrically, the song is an anti-globalisation anthem, listing reasons why globalisation is bad, as well as shoehorning the occasional statistic in there. This isn't a song. This is a high-school student's Global Relations assignment, and I'll treat it as such. B-.
Song #2: The Wonder by Alex Lloyd (Alex Lloyd, 2005, Track 7)
I don't believe that I've really mentioned Alex Lloyd here before beyond Amazing, but the man has released several albums, and I've liked all I've heard. Musically, this song is representative of most Alex Lloyd songs, based around a guitar with various other instruments thrown in for atmosphere. When the chorus kicks in, the music swells, only to settle back down, very much following the vocals rather than forcing them, which is what I like.
Vocally, Alex Lloyd excels. He has a fantastic voice which manages to carry emotion and strength without being whiny or irritating. Lloyd's vocals are very simple, the name being representative of the man's style. Fantastic.
Lyrically, I can't say much about this song. The lyrics seem to be about appreciating the moment, which is a little too vague for my tastes, but there is some good imagery in the song. There are, however, some moments when I feel various metaphors and similes are rather forced, unattached to the rest of the song. Still, not too bad.
Song #3: Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Folds Five (Ben Folds Five, 1995, Track 9)
I have no idea if this is going to be a recurring thing, but this is the second The Herd vs. BFF 3 Songs in a row. Anyway, musically, this song is pretty bare-bones. Basic drums, guitars and, of course, piano. Music is simply not the focus of this song. You really notice when the music kicks in at 0:35 (by my count), but it pretty much dies out from there until the big return in the middle.
Vocally, what can I say that hasn't already been said? Ben Folds, just being Ben Folds. This song is, by Ben Folds standards, pretty average. It has high points and low points, but nothing that makes it great or terrible.
This song clearly means a lot to Folds, as he named his retrospective after it. There is no clear plot to the song, but it discusses the basic concept of feeling like you are not who you used to be, exactly as the name suggests. If I recall correctly, this song was inspired by Folds' managers not liking his new songs because they didn't sound much like older songs. A nice little tune, but nothing spectacular.
Conclusions:
Musically, there really wasn't that much impressive in this lot. The Herd is out instantly, so it's really between Lloyd and Folds. I've got to give it to Lloyd, just because BFF sounds so muted in their song, and I have no idea why.
Vocally, a similar situation arises. I'm going to give this one to Lloyd, mainly because his voice in this case is just so much stronger than Folds.
Lyrically, I don't like any of these songs. The Herd are shoehorning facts into a message, or possibly visa-versa. Lloyd is using bizarre imagery to discuss "the moment". Folds is talking about how he wants to be different to himself. Really, I'm going to give this one to The Herd, as they at least know that they're saying something, even if it's in a really ham-handed manner. Folds is the runner up here.
Winners:
1. The Wonder by Alex Lloyd
2. Superweeds by The Herd
3. Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Folds Five
I really would like a really strong Ben Folds song to get on one of these lists one of these days.
Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Song #1: Superweeds by The Herd (An Elefant Never Forgets, 2003, Track 4)
I'm really hoping that 3 Songs starting with a song from An Elefant Never Forgets is not going to be a recurring trend. Quite honestly, I don't like very many of them. Music is this song's biggest problem. The music is loud, borish, repetitive and so very dull. Imagine Hunter's Theme but with someone talking over it. I just think this song could be massively improved by cutting out the backing beat.
Vocally, the female vocalist (who I presume is Jane Tyrell) is the clear standout, although her singing clashes violently with the beat, in a way which is repellent to the senses. The rapping is decent, but is a little amateurish.
Lyrically, the song is an anti-globalisation anthem, listing reasons why globalisation is bad, as well as shoehorning the occasional statistic in there. This isn't a song. This is a high-school student's Global Relations assignment, and I'll treat it as such. B-.
Song #2: The Wonder by Alex Lloyd (Alex Lloyd, 2005, Track 7)
I don't believe that I've really mentioned Alex Lloyd here before beyond Amazing, but the man has released several albums, and I've liked all I've heard. Musically, this song is representative of most Alex Lloyd songs, based around a guitar with various other instruments thrown in for atmosphere. When the chorus kicks in, the music swells, only to settle back down, very much following the vocals rather than forcing them, which is what I like.
Vocally, Alex Lloyd excels. He has a fantastic voice which manages to carry emotion and strength without being whiny or irritating. Lloyd's vocals are very simple, the name being representative of the man's style. Fantastic.
Lyrically, I can't say much about this song. The lyrics seem to be about appreciating the moment, which is a little too vague for my tastes, but there is some good imagery in the song. There are, however, some moments when I feel various metaphors and similes are rather forced, unattached to the rest of the song. Still, not too bad.
Song #3: Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Folds Five (Ben Folds Five, 1995, Track 9)
I have no idea if this is going to be a recurring thing, but this is the second The Herd vs. BFF 3 Songs in a row. Anyway, musically, this song is pretty bare-bones. Basic drums, guitars and, of course, piano. Music is simply not the focus of this song. You really notice when the music kicks in at 0:35 (by my count), but it pretty much dies out from there until the big return in the middle.
Vocally, what can I say that hasn't already been said? Ben Folds, just being Ben Folds. This song is, by Ben Folds standards, pretty average. It has high points and low points, but nothing that makes it great or terrible.
This song clearly means a lot to Folds, as he named his retrospective after it. There is no clear plot to the song, but it discusses the basic concept of feeling like you are not who you used to be, exactly as the name suggests. If I recall correctly, this song was inspired by Folds' managers not liking his new songs because they didn't sound much like older songs. A nice little tune, but nothing spectacular.
Conclusions:
Musically, there really wasn't that much impressive in this lot. The Herd is out instantly, so it's really between Lloyd and Folds. I've got to give it to Lloyd, just because BFF sounds so muted in their song, and I have no idea why.
Vocally, a similar situation arises. I'm going to give this one to Lloyd, mainly because his voice in this case is just so much stronger than Folds.
Lyrically, I don't like any of these songs. The Herd are shoehorning facts into a message, or possibly visa-versa. Lloyd is using bizarre imagery to discuss "the moment". Folds is talking about how he wants to be different to himself. Really, I'm going to give this one to The Herd, as they at least know that they're saying something, even if it's in a really ham-handed manner. Folds is the runner up here.
Winners:
1. The Wonder by Alex Lloyd
2. Superweeds by The Herd
3. Best Imitation of Myself by Ben Folds Five
I really would like a really strong Ben Folds song to get on one of these lists one of these days.
Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
3 Songs: The Herd vs. The Kinks vs. Ben Folds Five
Well, it's the beginning of post-a-day fortnight (or maybe longer. Or shorter. Or I might give up tomorrow. I'll probably give up tomorrow) and that means 3 Songs. Let's get started:
Song #1: Hunter's Theme by The Herd (An Elefant Never Forgets, 2003, Track 7)
I just love trying to talk about music where there are no vocals. Makes reviews so fucking easy, with all the elements I most enjoy analysing cut out. Now, I've talked about The Herd before, and I've talked about this album before. The one thing you really have to know about this album going in is that The Herd as they are today, or even as they were in 2005, did not exist. Instead of a unified hip-hop group, they all were making separate tracks under a single name. The best word to describe this album is awkward. Now, considering I've only heard solo albums by three members of The Herd (Urthboy, Ozi Batla and Unkle Ho), and this song clearly does not contain the vocals of Jane Tyrell, I'm going to presume this song is mainly the work of world-music mixer Unkle Ho. I certainly do recommend the work of Unkle Ho, both in The Herd and in both of his solo albums, but this track is not good, by any stretch of the imagination. I have several problems with this track, and I'll break them down. Firstly, it goes for 5 minutes and 20 seconds, 3 seconds short of being the longest track on the album. I listen to music mostly for lyrics and vocals. This is only a few steps above 5 minutes of silence for me. Secondly, it is incredibly repetitive. I guarantee this song would be just as good in half the time. Finally, it just does nothing. This is tied into repetitiveness, but the song just goes nowhere. You keep thinking it's going to speed up, slow down, introduce something new of just stop, but it keeps on going. That's pretty much all I have to say. The title is interesting, but I can't draw any real connection with the title and the song.
Song #2: Apeman by The Kinks (Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, 1970, Track 11)
The phrase "no contest" springs to mind. In comparison to the previous song, this song is a masterpiece, being a fantastic song in it's own right. Musically, this song is fantastic. There are exactly as many instruments as strictly necessary, with no sound in the song which screams "I'm a bad idea!". The music speeds up, strengthens and changes to match the pace of the lyrics and vocals, which is exactly how I feel music should behave, rather than having lyrics crafted around it with vocalists attempting to keep up.
Vocally, Davies is not the best singer of all time, but his flawed, very human style really matches with the message of the lyrics, as this song can only really work if the vocalist is believable as an every-man. I have no complaints regarding the vocals, but no real compliments. Flawed, but solid.
Lyrically, "Apeman" discusses the singers frustration and disgust at the world around him, claiming that man has created all their problems, eventually coming to the conclusion that to really live his life like he feels he needs to escape the city, living as an 'apeman', stripped of all but the barest of what makes him a human. Compare and contrast with "All U Can Eat" by Ben Folds and consider how in 40 years, we are still having the same problems. A fantastic, easy to enjoy look at society.
Song #3: Michael Praytor, Five Years Later by Ben Folds Five (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012, Track 2)
Firstly, this is legitimately the random song my MP3 player gave me. I'm not just trying to put Ben Folds Five's new album in every single post I do. It just seems to go that way. Anyway, music. Now, this track has the usual Ben Folds fare, a legendary piano sound at every turn, but as with Ben Folds Five, there is the fantastic bass hissing around behind it. You can also notice some fantastic drumming especially near the end of the track. One thing I have to say in comparison with the previous song is that the music moves at it's own pace, dragging the vocals along with it. I can't say I'm a real fan of that, but it doesn't really affect the song that much.
Vocally, there isn't much to say beyond "Ben Folds". Oh, and "Five". Fantastic, lilting, perfect lead vocals, with backing vocals of easily the same calibre.
Lyrically, the song's concept is very strong, but the execution is somewhat lacking. The idea is that the narrator and a friend from school, Michael Praytor, meet up every five years, watching each other's lives go downhill, until finally meeting Praytor living in hi car after his wife kicked him out. What I would have much preferred is a longer song detailing each and every meeting, dropping subtle hints about the next, but I suppose at least the idea was interesting. Not bad, by any means.
Winners:
Musically, "Hunter's Theme" is out instantly. Between Folds and The Kinks, a great deal of the decision is made of personal taste. I've got to go with The Kinks, due to the music following, rather than leading.
Vocally, Folds. Done. Davies is decent, but Folds is magic.
Lyrically, this is once again tough. Although The Kinks are using a rather tired topic whereas Folds is inventing a new topic, the execution of The Kinks song is superior to Folds, thus they win.
Conclusion:
1. Apeman by The Kinks
2. Michael Praytor, Five Years Later by Ben Folds Five
3. Hunter's Theme by The Herd
Conclusions:
I must make several comments on this post. Firstly, I apologise if this article sounds rushed. It is. I wanted to see if I could write an entire article in an hour. I got up to the "Folds is magic" line under winners as I left, the rest being added after the fact. Secondly, the comparison of the songs to represent the bands is unbalanced, and I would like to emphasise that I am not comparing the groups by any means. I compared one of The Herd's weakest songs with one of The Kinks strongest songs and a rather average BFF song. Also, three different countries. You don't see that every day.
Feedback welcome, and you don't need to suffer through the mediocrity that is "Hunter's Theme" to have an opinion on all three songs.
H. Rourke
Song #1: Hunter's Theme by The Herd (An Elefant Never Forgets, 2003, Track 7)
I just love trying to talk about music where there are no vocals. Makes reviews so fucking easy, with all the elements I most enjoy analysing cut out. Now, I've talked about The Herd before, and I've talked about this album before. The one thing you really have to know about this album going in is that The Herd as they are today, or even as they were in 2005, did not exist. Instead of a unified hip-hop group, they all were making separate tracks under a single name. The best word to describe this album is awkward. Now, considering I've only heard solo albums by three members of The Herd (Urthboy, Ozi Batla and Unkle Ho), and this song clearly does not contain the vocals of Jane Tyrell, I'm going to presume this song is mainly the work of world-music mixer Unkle Ho. I certainly do recommend the work of Unkle Ho, both in The Herd and in both of his solo albums, but this track is not good, by any stretch of the imagination. I have several problems with this track, and I'll break them down. Firstly, it goes for 5 minutes and 20 seconds, 3 seconds short of being the longest track on the album. I listen to music mostly for lyrics and vocals. This is only a few steps above 5 minutes of silence for me. Secondly, it is incredibly repetitive. I guarantee this song would be just as good in half the time. Finally, it just does nothing. This is tied into repetitiveness, but the song just goes nowhere. You keep thinking it's going to speed up, slow down, introduce something new of just stop, but it keeps on going. That's pretty much all I have to say. The title is interesting, but I can't draw any real connection with the title and the song.
Song #2: Apeman by The Kinks (Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, 1970, Track 11)
The phrase "no contest" springs to mind. In comparison to the previous song, this song is a masterpiece, being a fantastic song in it's own right. Musically, this song is fantastic. There are exactly as many instruments as strictly necessary, with no sound in the song which screams "I'm a bad idea!". The music speeds up, strengthens and changes to match the pace of the lyrics and vocals, which is exactly how I feel music should behave, rather than having lyrics crafted around it with vocalists attempting to keep up.
Vocally, Davies is not the best singer of all time, but his flawed, very human style really matches with the message of the lyrics, as this song can only really work if the vocalist is believable as an every-man. I have no complaints regarding the vocals, but no real compliments. Flawed, but solid.
Lyrically, "Apeman" discusses the singers frustration and disgust at the world around him, claiming that man has created all their problems, eventually coming to the conclusion that to really live his life like he feels he needs to escape the city, living as an 'apeman', stripped of all but the barest of what makes him a human. Compare and contrast with "All U Can Eat" by Ben Folds and consider how in 40 years, we are still having the same problems. A fantastic, easy to enjoy look at society.
Song #3: Michael Praytor, Five Years Later by Ben Folds Five (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012, Track 2)
Firstly, this is legitimately the random song my MP3 player gave me. I'm not just trying to put Ben Folds Five's new album in every single post I do. It just seems to go that way. Anyway, music. Now, this track has the usual Ben Folds fare, a legendary piano sound at every turn, but as with Ben Folds Five, there is the fantastic bass hissing around behind it. You can also notice some fantastic drumming especially near the end of the track. One thing I have to say in comparison with the previous song is that the music moves at it's own pace, dragging the vocals along with it. I can't say I'm a real fan of that, but it doesn't really affect the song that much.
Vocally, there isn't much to say beyond "Ben Folds". Oh, and "Five". Fantastic, lilting, perfect lead vocals, with backing vocals of easily the same calibre.
Lyrically, the song's concept is very strong, but the execution is somewhat lacking. The idea is that the narrator and a friend from school, Michael Praytor, meet up every five years, watching each other's lives go downhill, until finally meeting Praytor living in hi car after his wife kicked him out. What I would have much preferred is a longer song detailing each and every meeting, dropping subtle hints about the next, but I suppose at least the idea was interesting. Not bad, by any means.
Winners:
Musically, "Hunter's Theme" is out instantly. Between Folds and The Kinks, a great deal of the decision is made of personal taste. I've got to go with The Kinks, due to the music following, rather than leading.
Vocally, Folds. Done. Davies is decent, but Folds is magic.
Lyrically, this is once again tough. Although The Kinks are using a rather tired topic whereas Folds is inventing a new topic, the execution of The Kinks song is superior to Folds, thus they win.
Conclusion:
1. Apeman by The Kinks
2. Michael Praytor, Five Years Later by Ben Folds Five
3. Hunter's Theme by The Herd
Conclusions:
I must make several comments on this post. Firstly, I apologise if this article sounds rushed. It is. I wanted to see if I could write an entire article in an hour. I got up to the "Folds is magic" line under winners as I left, the rest being added after the fact. Secondly, the comparison of the songs to represent the bands is unbalanced, and I would like to emphasise that I am not comparing the groups by any means. I compared one of The Herd's weakest songs with one of The Kinks strongest songs and a rather average BFF song. Also, three different countries. You don't see that every day.
Feedback welcome, and you don't need to suffer through the mediocrity that is "Hunter's Theme" to have an opinion on all three songs.
H. Rourke
Saturday, 22 September 2012
Lifeline Bookfair Overview
Every year Lifeline throws two very large bookfairs in Canberra, and I cannot do anything but recommend everyone looking to spend a large amount of money for a good cause to go down there before the end of the weekend.
This is not just a plug for a community event though. I bought a few too many albums at this event, and I feel like doing a basic overview of the best.
Let's start at the beginning. The first fantastic album I found was Gnarls Barkley's second album, "The Odd Couple". I've looked at a Gnarls Barkley album before (if anyone asks, I put a link here instead of being incredibly lazy), and although I believe I'd heard all the songs off of the album, I was very interested in listening to the album as a single entity. To begin with, the album is by no means bad, or anything that can be construed as bad. This album maintained the life, vibrancy and fantastic beat which had made "St. Elsewhere" such a masterpiece. This album, however, is much weaker in comparison to it's predecessor. All the same, I certainly recommend it, especially if you can get it at just $3.
Standout Song: Who's Gonna Save My Soul
To be perfectly honest, this song really stuck with me because of the mood I was in upon hearing it, but it is still a fantastic song on it's own.
Second, "Eye to the Telescope" by KT Tunstall. When I first heard "Suddenly I See" back in 2005, I fell in love with it instantly. The magic of the song led me to believe that Tunstall wouldn't just be a one hit wonder, and I waited to hear what would come next. I don't remember hearing anything for quite a while. My next interaction with Tunstall's music was in 2011, when I did something less embarrassing than buying Band Hero for the PS2. You come up with how I heard "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" in a less embarrassing way. Go on. Anyway, this song was good, but no "Suddenly I See", but the purpose of knowing that Tunstall had at least produced more than a single song was achieved. Now, as I suspected, "Eye to the Telescope" is a fantastic album, but nothing like I expected. I was expecting up-tempo, loud and intelligent pop music (intelligent pop music is not actually an oxymoron, although you'd be excused for thinking otherwise) but instead I had much slower and much more sentimental music, which was delivered with as much skill as "Suddenly I See". I do recommend this album.
Standout Song: "Suddenly I See" is a perfect demonstration of how a single female pop singer can be both accessible (unlike Regina Spektor) without being annoying (like Gabriella Cilmi. Yeah, "Sweet About Me" was good, but I was way too overexposed to it during the period when I might have gained affection for it).
Third and finally, "Urban Hymns" by The Verve. Everyone has heard "Bittersweet Symphony". That's not open to debate, unless you are deaf, and I feel that the song was certainly a good one. A few months ago, I bought "Forth" by The Verve, only to find out that "Bittersweet Symphony" was not that representative of the groups style, although "Forth" was good on it's own merits, if not a little preachy. "Urban Hymns" is exactly what I wanted to hear from the group behind the hit. I loved this album, and was fascinated to learn that The Verve was behind "The Drugs Don't Work", which completely removes them from any allegations of one hit wonderism (it's a word now. Enjoy) in my mind. Definitely worth a listen, no matter how you feel about the groups big hit.
Standout: A tie between the two mentioned songs. Listen to either to understand why.
There are more albums, but none are overly exciting and I haven't listened to them yet. I recommend all three discussed albums, but if you just want a single Gnarls Barkley album, go for their debut rather than this one.
Feedback allowed by me, because I'm nice like that.
H. Rourke
This is not just a plug for a community event though. I bought a few too many albums at this event, and I feel like doing a basic overview of the best.
Let's start at the beginning. The first fantastic album I found was Gnarls Barkley's second album, "The Odd Couple". I've looked at a Gnarls Barkley album before (if anyone asks, I put a link here instead of being incredibly lazy), and although I believe I'd heard all the songs off of the album, I was very interested in listening to the album as a single entity. To begin with, the album is by no means bad, or anything that can be construed as bad. This album maintained the life, vibrancy and fantastic beat which had made "St. Elsewhere" such a masterpiece. This album, however, is much weaker in comparison to it's predecessor. All the same, I certainly recommend it, especially if you can get it at just $3.
Standout Song: Who's Gonna Save My Soul
To be perfectly honest, this song really stuck with me because of the mood I was in upon hearing it, but it is still a fantastic song on it's own.
Second, "Eye to the Telescope" by KT Tunstall. When I first heard "Suddenly I See" back in 2005, I fell in love with it instantly. The magic of the song led me to believe that Tunstall wouldn't just be a one hit wonder, and I waited to hear what would come next. I don't remember hearing anything for quite a while. My next interaction with Tunstall's music was in 2011, when I did something less embarrassing than buying Band Hero for the PS2. You come up with how I heard "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" in a less embarrassing way. Go on. Anyway, this song was good, but no "Suddenly I See", but the purpose of knowing that Tunstall had at least produced more than a single song was achieved. Now, as I suspected, "Eye to the Telescope" is a fantastic album, but nothing like I expected. I was expecting up-tempo, loud and intelligent pop music (intelligent pop music is not actually an oxymoron, although you'd be excused for thinking otherwise) but instead I had much slower and much more sentimental music, which was delivered with as much skill as "Suddenly I See". I do recommend this album.
Standout Song: "Suddenly I See" is a perfect demonstration of how a single female pop singer can be both accessible (unlike Regina Spektor) without being annoying (like Gabriella Cilmi. Yeah, "Sweet About Me" was good, but I was way too overexposed to it during the period when I might have gained affection for it).
Third and finally, "Urban Hymns" by The Verve. Everyone has heard "Bittersweet Symphony". That's not open to debate, unless you are deaf, and I feel that the song was certainly a good one. A few months ago, I bought "Forth" by The Verve, only to find out that "Bittersweet Symphony" was not that representative of the groups style, although "Forth" was good on it's own merits, if not a little preachy. "Urban Hymns" is exactly what I wanted to hear from the group behind the hit. I loved this album, and was fascinated to learn that The Verve was behind "The Drugs Don't Work", which completely removes them from any allegations of one hit wonderism (it's a word now. Enjoy) in my mind. Definitely worth a listen, no matter how you feel about the groups big hit.
Standout: A tie between the two mentioned songs. Listen to either to understand why.
There are more albums, but none are overly exciting and I haven't listened to them yet. I recommend all three discussed albums, but if you just want a single Gnarls Barkley album, go for their debut rather than this one.
Feedback allowed by me, because I'm nice like that.
H. Rourke
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Reaction to "The Sound of the Life of the Mind"
Well, Ben Folds Five's latest release, "The Sound of the Life of the Mind", has taken over both my MP3 player and my free time (as demonstrated by the three posts containing the album's title in this blog, as well as another post inspired by it), and as such, I hardly can think of anything else to talk about.
What I'm doing in this post is discussing reviews of TSOTLOTM. I'm aware of how irritating, pretentious and outright hypocritical that is. What I would like to highlight is that at no point in this post do I intend on saying that anyone is "wrong". Also, I'm not going to link to or specifically name any articles. These are just overall discussions of a few articles on both TSOTLOTM and individual tracks from it. If any of my arguments seem baseless, just do a basic search of the album title in Google.
The first thing that I've realised really quickly is that everyone has a different favourite track. People having different opinions of things is nothing new, but with many albums there is a clear stand-out track. The fact that I have not come across a single reviewer who shares a favourite track with me is quite astounding. My favourite track, again, is the title track, with "On Being Frank" and "Draw A Crowd" a close tied second. Reviewers, both professional and not, are calling mainly "Erase Me", "Sky High" and "Do It Anyway" the best songs of the album. I like the first, can stand the second, but I'm kind of sick of the third. Perhaps if I'd heard it first on the album, I'd be more partial to it. I guess I'll never know.
Again, to emphasise, I'm not saying these reviewers are wrong. Hell, in most scenarios, if everyone had the same opinion as me, I'd be slightly worried. This difference in opinion is clearly a sign that BFF have created a varied and enjoyable album. No reviews I've read so far have written the album off completely, and reviewers have done that for almost every album I've ever enjoyed. This might change drastically when someone unfamiliar with the history of the BFF picks it up after the 18th, but we'll see. I'm really nervous what will happen when people raised on Katy Perry and Kesha (she doesn't deserve the dollar sign) style pop start picking this album up. Again, we'll just have to see.
Returning to the reviews, an irritating trend I've noticed in mainly the professional reviews is that they always attempt to liken BFF to other, better known artists. I've done this in the past, I admit, but my excuse is that I talk about a lot of somewhat obscure music, and as I don't post any kind of media allowing you to experience it, I try to give some idea of what I'm talking about. These reviewers, however, seem to be trying to just put BFF in some kind of category just to make him easier to write off. That is lazy reviewing. Sure, I'm not a pro reviewer, and I have zip in regards to experience, but that just seems a really lousy thing to do.
Finally, the other thing, again mainly professional reviewers, seem to do is compare BFF to Ben Folds solo career. Now, I'm not going to comment on which I prefer, because there is a simple fact many people are overlooking. Ben Folds wrote the lyrics to 8 of the 10 songs on this album. Folds is the lead vocalist. Folds also plays the piano, by far the most prominent instrument for the majority of the album. I'm not saying that Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee had nothing to do with how the album, of course not, but comparing BFF to Ben Folds solo career is really pointless in my opinion, but suppose there might be a clear difference in some people's minds. You want to compare BFF to something? Go listen to Fear of Pop. That'll give you a Ben Folds project to differentiate between. Also, why does every summation of Ben Folds solo career only mention Rockin' The Suburbs (even outside of these reviews)? Sure, the song was successful, but I feel there were a hell of a lot of tracks that also deserve a mention.
Anyway, I'll try to cut back on talking about this album, but I guarantee nothing.
Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
What I'm doing in this post is discussing reviews of TSOTLOTM. I'm aware of how irritating, pretentious and outright hypocritical that is. What I would like to highlight is that at no point in this post do I intend on saying that anyone is "wrong". Also, I'm not going to link to or specifically name any articles. These are just overall discussions of a few articles on both TSOTLOTM and individual tracks from it. If any of my arguments seem baseless, just do a basic search of the album title in Google.
The first thing that I've realised really quickly is that everyone has a different favourite track. People having different opinions of things is nothing new, but with many albums there is a clear stand-out track. The fact that I have not come across a single reviewer who shares a favourite track with me is quite astounding. My favourite track, again, is the title track, with "On Being Frank" and "Draw A Crowd" a close tied second. Reviewers, both professional and not, are calling mainly "Erase Me", "Sky High" and "Do It Anyway" the best songs of the album. I like the first, can stand the second, but I'm kind of sick of the third. Perhaps if I'd heard it first on the album, I'd be more partial to it. I guess I'll never know.
Again, to emphasise, I'm not saying these reviewers are wrong. Hell, in most scenarios, if everyone had the same opinion as me, I'd be slightly worried. This difference in opinion is clearly a sign that BFF have created a varied and enjoyable album. No reviews I've read so far have written the album off completely, and reviewers have done that for almost every album I've ever enjoyed. This might change drastically when someone unfamiliar with the history of the BFF picks it up after the 18th, but we'll see. I'm really nervous what will happen when people raised on Katy Perry and Kesha (she doesn't deserve the dollar sign) style pop start picking this album up. Again, we'll just have to see.
Returning to the reviews, an irritating trend I've noticed in mainly the professional reviews is that they always attempt to liken BFF to other, better known artists. I've done this in the past, I admit, but my excuse is that I talk about a lot of somewhat obscure music, and as I don't post any kind of media allowing you to experience it, I try to give some idea of what I'm talking about. These reviewers, however, seem to be trying to just put BFF in some kind of category just to make him easier to write off. That is lazy reviewing. Sure, I'm not a pro reviewer, and I have zip in regards to experience, but that just seems a really lousy thing to do.
Finally, the other thing, again mainly professional reviewers, seem to do is compare BFF to Ben Folds solo career. Now, I'm not going to comment on which I prefer, because there is a simple fact many people are overlooking. Ben Folds wrote the lyrics to 8 of the 10 songs on this album. Folds is the lead vocalist. Folds also plays the piano, by far the most prominent instrument for the majority of the album. I'm not saying that Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee had nothing to do with how the album, of course not, but comparing BFF to Ben Folds solo career is really pointless in my opinion, but suppose there might be a clear difference in some people's minds. You want to compare BFF to something? Go listen to Fear of Pop. That'll give you a Ben Folds project to differentiate between. Also, why does every summation of Ben Folds solo career only mention Rockin' The Suburbs (even outside of these reviews)? Sure, the song was successful, but I feel there were a hell of a lot of tracks that also deserve a mention.
Anyway, I'll try to cut back on talking about this album, but I guarantee nothing.
Feedback welcome.
H. Rourke
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Top 15 Ben Folds/Ben Folds Five Songs
Well, today I'm doing a twofer! Unless I get bored of this idea and don't finish until tomorrow. In such a situation, disregard this message.
The title should tell you everything you need to know. I would have included The Bens or Fear of Pop or any other Ben Folds side-project, but none have made songs which will land them on this list.
If anyone is wondering why it's a Top 15, they should listen to everything Folds has done and narrow their favourites down to less than this. I must say, many of the lists I do are just all equal, but this one is lowest to highest, with the top three being about equal.
I'd absolutely love any feedback, even if it's a simple as saying I suck (how often do people ask you to do that online...outside of porn sites?) as long as you tell me why I suck. [Insert quote from top of blog].
15. The Ascent of Stan (Rockin' The Suburbs B-Side, 2001) - Ben Folds
The only version of this song I own is on the "Best Imitation of Myself" retrospective, but the basic story is the song is just fantastic. Telling the tale of a bored office worker turning to a job as a drug-dealer just to sate his boredom with the world. Please notice that it is more than possible to make an entire movie on this concept, but Folds used it as a bloody B-side.
14. Levi Johnston's Blues (Lonely Avenue, 2010)- Ben Folds & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I honestly love all of the stories told in Lonely Avenue, and Hornby is one of the best music writers I have ever read. Do yourself a favour and read his "31 Songs". This song is all the more entertaining due to the fact it tells a true story, with the chorus apparently coming from a myspace post by Mr Johnston himself. Johnston, for those who aren't aware, is the man who impregnated and married Sarah Palin's daughter. Very much in that order. American politicians' lives are hilarious, especially when you're not in the same country as them.
13. Video (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love the simple, but clearly very real sentiments behind this song. A mixture of pining for the past and fearing for the future has made many people do many stupid things, but Folds merely put his fears in a lovely simple song, with a delightful musical accompaniment, to discuss how he feels change is affecting the world. Lovely and simple.
12. House (The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective, 2011) - Ben Folds Five
I've moved a hell of a lot in my life, and I know exactly how it feels to just look at a building you've resided in and know that it would take more than the world could afford to make you go back in there, even for a moment. House has a wonderful, loud kick which just shows the rage that Folds is feeling about having wasted his life in such a building. I imagine someone shouting out the chorus while grabbing onto a door frame to prevent friends pushing him into the house in the title. House is also important in the history of Folds musical career, as it was the first released proof that Ben Folds Five were working together in the 21st Century, even if just for a single track.
11. Fair (Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997) - Ben Folds Five
This song is one of the first which really introduced me to the idea that Folds had more to offer than his radio play singles implied. A fantastic use of backing singers, a verse played straight, followed by a chorus highlighting the comedic situation the characters have found themselves in. This is one of the few songs about a couple by Folds which I really like.
10. On Being Frank (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
A precursor to all TSOTLOTM songs on this list: they may change in my mental position with time. I've only had this album since 6 a.m., Thursday the 13th of September. A lot of the novelty value of the song may wear out with time, but we'll see. Now, this is probably the most emotional of all the songs on this list, and certainly one of the best demonstrations of Folds strong and adaptable vocals. The song seems to be about the life of another passed musician, this time Frank Sinatra (Folds has done songs on both Elliot Smith and Doc Pomus). I can't make any real statement about the lyrics, but the music and lyrics are more than enough to make it on this list.
9. Bastard (Songs For Silverman, 2005) - Ben Folds
This song is one of the most lyrically fascinating I've heard in quite a while. The song tells the story of either a man acting far older than he is, barely college age and acting as if he has done all that there is to do, but it could also be seen as a young man going through the attic and possessions of a deceased older relative. According to the Internet, Folds has backed both of these options, which absolutely frustrates and fascinates me. I haven't come to a conclusion, but I continue to question. And that is a great thing for a song to make someone do.
8. Draw A Crowd (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
Although the lyrics for this song aren't among the strongest of Folds' career, they hold up reasonably and have a reasonable "don't let the man get you down" vibe which makes it seem less as if Folds is just dicking around. The music is the absolute forte of this song , with a strange array of instruments, and a piano beat which I will die of before I tire of it. Just bloody fantastic in the vocal department as well. Well worth a listen, so buy the album on Sept. 18.
7. Regrets (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This song starts out slow, talking about how Folds' mind works, but soon develops both musically and in narrative, discussing an incident in which Folds is arrested due to a computer mistake, as they are after someone with a similar name, depressing Folds' and forcing him to think about how insignificant he is. Whether this is meant to be Folds or one of his characters is rather unclear, and I think that makes the song all the stronger.
6. The Last Polka (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love this song for a single line. The entire song is about a rather dysfunctional couple, with the woman justifying her actions in a somewhat questionable manner, with the man living in his past. The lyric I love is in the argument which develops between the couple:
"He said 'Well I hate that it's come to this, but baby I was doing fine. How do you think that I survived the other 25 before you?'"
The way in which that line is sung perfectly shows how the man is escalating the fight, bringing up the fact they had a life apart, and demonstrating that he was and is able to be perfectly happy without her. I just love this line, enough that this song warrants this spot. Deal with it.
5. The Sound of the Life of the Mind (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I'm aware that this is a rather high position to give a song I heard for the first time this morning, but it deserves it. No doubt whatsoever. The lyrics tell the story of a girl named Sara who is sick of how her peers act, hiding in history books to defend against reality. This song hits home as a history nerd, a book nerd and especially as a music nerd. I love the characters, the world and the way it is portrayed. I love the "We Didn't Start the Fire" vibe given by listing the subjects Sara is reading about. I love the way in which Folds slowly escalates the panic in his voice as he sings the verses. I love the way that Sara, still a schoolgirl, is ready to give her entire life up for knowledge. I love this song, and no amount of time is going to take that away from me. Also, this is the only song by Ben Folds Five and written by Nick Hornby. I'm going to bleeding cherish it.
4. Philosophy (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
There is just something special about this song. I think it might have to do with where it is located. It is the second song on Ben Folds Five's first album. This is one of the stepping stones to what the BFF and Folds are today. This is also the first song which captures the "I'll do what I want" theme, which seems to be in a very large amount of Folds songs. Worth a listen, just to see what he has built upon over the past 17 years.
3. Adelaide (Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP, 2006) - Ben Folds
From here on in, all of these songs rank about the same, no matter what position they hold. Now, I'm a sucker for songs about Australia. Call me a patriotic sucker, but I love to know that I live in a country immortalised in one form or another. I've never been to Adelaide, but I can still appreciate what Folds likes about it. The real draw of this song is the beat. The lyrics and vocals are lovely, but this song just draws you in with a simple, but fantastically catchy beat. In the end, I love this song because Folds defends living in Australia.
2. Army (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This is honestly the only Folds song I've learnt off by heart. The lyrics tell such a fascinating story, although I have no idea how much is actually based upon Folds' experiences. The music has a great role in this song, too. The piano and trumpet piece in the middle of the song is absolutely perfect for showing the passing of time and passing into a different scene. I could talk about this song more, but I'd start making less sense. It's just a lovely song.
1. You Don't Know Me (Way To Normal, 2008) - Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor
This song is incredibly important to me. Not only was this the song that introduced me to Ben Folds, it was also the song that introduced me to Regina Spektor. This song, despite being another of Folds break-up songs, is just brilliant for it's use of two voices to tell a single story, metaphor, allusion, and just.... music. What more can I say? This is beautiful, beautiful music. There really is nothing else knowing about it, except it is worth listening to. So hear it.
To conclude, I'm aware that there are many very popular songs (Rockin' the Suburbs and Underground spring to mind) which are not on this list. They are not in my Top 15. Live with it. If any choice of claim I have made surprises or outrages you, I have done my job. But I will defend any of my stances. Unless they are wrong. In that situation, you are right. Congratulations in advance. I really need some sleep.
Feedback optional, as the comment button may imply.
H. Rourke
The title should tell you everything you need to know. I would have included The Bens or Fear of Pop or any other Ben Folds side-project, but none have made songs which will land them on this list.
If anyone is wondering why it's a Top 15, they should listen to everything Folds has done and narrow their favourites down to less than this. I must say, many of the lists I do are just all equal, but this one is lowest to highest, with the top three being about equal.
I'd absolutely love any feedback, even if it's a simple as saying I suck (how often do people ask you to do that online...outside of porn sites?) as long as you tell me why I suck. [Insert quote from top of blog].
15. The Ascent of Stan (Rockin' The Suburbs B-Side, 2001) - Ben Folds
The only version of this song I own is on the "Best Imitation of Myself" retrospective, but the basic story is the song is just fantastic. Telling the tale of a bored office worker turning to a job as a drug-dealer just to sate his boredom with the world. Please notice that it is more than possible to make an entire movie on this concept, but Folds used it as a bloody B-side.
14. Levi Johnston's Blues (Lonely Avenue, 2010)- Ben Folds & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I honestly love all of the stories told in Lonely Avenue, and Hornby is one of the best music writers I have ever read. Do yourself a favour and read his "31 Songs". This song is all the more entertaining due to the fact it tells a true story, with the chorus apparently coming from a myspace post by Mr Johnston himself. Johnston, for those who aren't aware, is the man who impregnated and married Sarah Palin's daughter. Very much in that order. American politicians' lives are hilarious, especially when you're not in the same country as them.
13. Video (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love the simple, but clearly very real sentiments behind this song. A mixture of pining for the past and fearing for the future has made many people do many stupid things, but Folds merely put his fears in a lovely simple song, with a delightful musical accompaniment, to discuss how he feels change is affecting the world. Lovely and simple.
12. House (The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective, 2011) - Ben Folds Five
I've moved a hell of a lot in my life, and I know exactly how it feels to just look at a building you've resided in and know that it would take more than the world could afford to make you go back in there, even for a moment. House has a wonderful, loud kick which just shows the rage that Folds is feeling about having wasted his life in such a building. I imagine someone shouting out the chorus while grabbing onto a door frame to prevent friends pushing him into the house in the title. House is also important in the history of Folds musical career, as it was the first released proof that Ben Folds Five were working together in the 21st Century, even if just for a single track.
11. Fair (Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997) - Ben Folds Five
This song is one of the first which really introduced me to the idea that Folds had more to offer than his radio play singles implied. A fantastic use of backing singers, a verse played straight, followed by a chorus highlighting the comedic situation the characters have found themselves in. This is one of the few songs about a couple by Folds which I really like.
10. On Being Frank (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
A precursor to all TSOTLOTM songs on this list: they may change in my mental position with time. I've only had this album since 6 a.m., Thursday the 13th of September. A lot of the novelty value of the song may wear out with time, but we'll see. Now, this is probably the most emotional of all the songs on this list, and certainly one of the best demonstrations of Folds strong and adaptable vocals. The song seems to be about the life of another passed musician, this time Frank Sinatra (Folds has done songs on both Elliot Smith and Doc Pomus). I can't make any real statement about the lyrics, but the music and lyrics are more than enough to make it on this list.
9. Bastard (Songs For Silverman, 2005) - Ben Folds
This song is one of the most lyrically fascinating I've heard in quite a while. The song tells the story of either a man acting far older than he is, barely college age and acting as if he has done all that there is to do, but it could also be seen as a young man going through the attic and possessions of a deceased older relative. According to the Internet, Folds has backed both of these options, which absolutely frustrates and fascinates me. I haven't come to a conclusion, but I continue to question. And that is a great thing for a song to make someone do.
8. Draw A Crowd (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
Although the lyrics for this song aren't among the strongest of Folds' career, they hold up reasonably and have a reasonable "don't let the man get you down" vibe which makes it seem less as if Folds is just dicking around. The music is the absolute forte of this song , with a strange array of instruments, and a piano beat which I will die of before I tire of it. Just bloody fantastic in the vocal department as well. Well worth a listen, so buy the album on Sept. 18.
7. Regrets (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This song starts out slow, talking about how Folds' mind works, but soon develops both musically and in narrative, discussing an incident in which Folds is arrested due to a computer mistake, as they are after someone with a similar name, depressing Folds' and forcing him to think about how insignificant he is. Whether this is meant to be Folds or one of his characters is rather unclear, and I think that makes the song all the stronger.
6. The Last Polka (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love this song for a single line. The entire song is about a rather dysfunctional couple, with the woman justifying her actions in a somewhat questionable manner, with the man living in his past. The lyric I love is in the argument which develops between the couple:
"He said 'Well I hate that it's come to this, but baby I was doing fine. How do you think that I survived the other 25 before you?'"
The way in which that line is sung perfectly shows how the man is escalating the fight, bringing up the fact they had a life apart, and demonstrating that he was and is able to be perfectly happy without her. I just love this line, enough that this song warrants this spot. Deal with it.
5. The Sound of the Life of the Mind (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I'm aware that this is a rather high position to give a song I heard for the first time this morning, but it deserves it. No doubt whatsoever. The lyrics tell the story of a girl named Sara who is sick of how her peers act, hiding in history books to defend against reality. This song hits home as a history nerd, a book nerd and especially as a music nerd. I love the characters, the world and the way it is portrayed. I love the "We Didn't Start the Fire" vibe given by listing the subjects Sara is reading about. I love the way in which Folds slowly escalates the panic in his voice as he sings the verses. I love the way that Sara, still a schoolgirl, is ready to give her entire life up for knowledge. I love this song, and no amount of time is going to take that away from me. Also, this is the only song by Ben Folds Five and written by Nick Hornby. I'm going to bleeding cherish it.
4. Philosophy (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
There is just something special about this song. I think it might have to do with where it is located. It is the second song on Ben Folds Five's first album. This is one of the stepping stones to what the BFF and Folds are today. This is also the first song which captures the "I'll do what I want" theme, which seems to be in a very large amount of Folds songs. Worth a listen, just to see what he has built upon over the past 17 years.
3. Adelaide (Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP, 2006) - Ben Folds
From here on in, all of these songs rank about the same, no matter what position they hold. Now, I'm a sucker for songs about Australia. Call me a patriotic sucker, but I love to know that I live in a country immortalised in one form or another. I've never been to Adelaide, but I can still appreciate what Folds likes about it. The real draw of this song is the beat. The lyrics and vocals are lovely, but this song just draws you in with a simple, but fantastically catchy beat. In the end, I love this song because Folds defends living in Australia.
2. Army (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This is honestly the only Folds song I've learnt off by heart. The lyrics tell such a fascinating story, although I have no idea how much is actually based upon Folds' experiences. The music has a great role in this song, too. The piano and trumpet piece in the middle of the song is absolutely perfect for showing the passing of time and passing into a different scene. I could talk about this song more, but I'd start making less sense. It's just a lovely song.
1. You Don't Know Me (Way To Normal, 2008) - Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor
This song is incredibly important to me. Not only was this the song that introduced me to Ben Folds, it was also the song that introduced me to Regina Spektor. This song, despite being another of Folds break-up songs, is just brilliant for it's use of two voices to tell a single story, metaphor, allusion, and just.... music. What more can I say? This is beautiful, beautiful music. There really is nothing else knowing about it, except it is worth listening to. So hear it.
To conclude, I'm aware that there are many very popular songs (Rockin' the Suburbs and Underground spring to mind) which are not on this list. They are not in my Top 15. Live with it. If any choice of claim I have made surprises or outrages you, I have done my job. But I will defend any of my stances. Unless they are wrong. In that situation, you are right. Congratulations in advance. I really need some sleep.
Feedback optional, as the comment button may imply.
H. Rourke
Listening to "The Sound of the Life of the Mind"
Context! Yesterday (for Australians, or anyone else in my time-zone) Ben Folds Five released a downloadable version of their new album, "The Sound of the Life of the Mind" (TSOTLOTM from here on in for the sake of my sanity) for people who pledged to their PledgeMusic campaign.
In doing this post, I had several ideas. I think a blog post with no spaces, so as to mimic the feverish squealing of a fan-boy is a concept ahead of it's time, and I don't want to scare you all off,so I'll do a regular post.
If this was any other form of media, I'd actually feel a little bit guilty for spoilers, but I don't think that's a really big problem here. I'm not going to actually review this album until I receive the physical copy of the CD (if ever), but I do want to discuss several parts of the album.
Firstly, let's have a look at the weakest tracks. Only two tracks really fit into this category: "Do It Anyway" and "Thank You For Breaking My Heart". I won't go into "Do It Anyway" (as I have already done so in a 3 Songs post), but I think the main reason I'm over that song is over-saturation. It is the only Ben Folds song I've heard outside of my personal play-lists and album collection for months.
"Thank You For Breaking My Heart" is the worst parts of "Boxing", the final track from "Ben Folds Five" and "The Luckiest", the final track from "Rockin' The Suburbs". Unsurprisingly, "Thank You For Breaking My Heart" is the final track. The main difference is I enjoyed "Boxing", and could respect "The Luckiest". TYFBMH is just sort of lacklustre.
I'm not going to even touch on any songs I feel are mediocre or just ordinary. Let's go straight to the fucking awesome stuff.
The title track is pure legend. I have not a single complaint about it. As with "Lonely Avenue", this song is penned by Nick Hornby (and a literary mind is certainly present in the story that song tells). Folds presents a perfectly timed, perfectly delivered sound to accompany the words, giving a true sense of reality to the story. Half of this song is the lyrics, which you can find (bar one) here. For the music, grab the album September 18th, wherever you can.
This is not the only good song, but it is certainly the very best of the album.All the other songs I'll look at from here haven't been ranked in any way, but they are all worth listening to.
"On Being Frank" is just a fantastic song, which is strongest in the vocal area, but is well structured in relation to the music and lyrics. I think that the name is actually in reference to Frank Sinatra, as he is mentioned in the lyrics.
"Erase Me", the first track off of the album, is probably one of the two strongest songs musically (with "Draw A Crowd", which I'll get to). Someone hearing this song said it sounds like Queen, and I really can't find a better comparison. I sure as hell doesn't sound like BFF. In a good way.
"Draw A Crowd" is my prediction for a second single after "Do It Anyway", although I'd like to see the title track have that honour. "Draw A Crowd" is the liveliest SOB of a song I can recall coming from the mind of Ben Folds. The chorus is certainly the most memorable part of the song, with the immortal line "If you're feeling small, and you can't draw a crowd, draw dicks on the walls". Anyone think I should replace my Ben Folds quote at the top of the page with this? I just might. 'Cause I'm that kind of stupid.
Finally, "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later". I couldn't wait to find out what characters Folds would create in this album, but I'm afraid Praytor is all we get. He's not a bad character, but there's only one of him. The song is interesting in every capacity, and that's the best I can say.
To conclude my discussion of the album, it has both a really obvious upside and a downside. The best part of this album is how it shows the BFF maturing and developing (as demonstrated with the "draw dicks on the walls" lyric). I already can't wait for the next album in 2015, give or take.
The obvious downside is that it is so damn short. I don't mean that in the "this book is so good I wish it was longer" way (well, I do, but in another way as well), but at only 10 songs, I feel that this is barely an album. Some people really like short albums, apparently, but I feel completely the opposite, especially with someone who has confessed to having "over 40 solid ideas" in an interview. The shortness of this album isn't just a shame, it's a glaring inadequacy, especially compared to other BF or BFF albums, which always at least make it over 10 songs. Even one more would have been perfect.
I'm done... for now.
Feedback welcome, as usual.
H. Rourke
In doing this post, I had several ideas. I think a blog post with no spaces, so as to mimic the feverish squealing of a fan-boy is a concept ahead of it's time, and I don't want to scare you all off,so I'll do a regular post.
If this was any other form of media, I'd actually feel a little bit guilty for spoilers, but I don't think that's a really big problem here. I'm not going to actually review this album until I receive the physical copy of the CD (if ever), but I do want to discuss several parts of the album.
Firstly, let's have a look at the weakest tracks. Only two tracks really fit into this category: "Do It Anyway" and "Thank You For Breaking My Heart". I won't go into "Do It Anyway" (as I have already done so in a 3 Songs post), but I think the main reason I'm over that song is over-saturation. It is the only Ben Folds song I've heard outside of my personal play-lists and album collection for months.
"Thank You For Breaking My Heart" is the worst parts of "Boxing", the final track from "Ben Folds Five" and "The Luckiest", the final track from "Rockin' The Suburbs". Unsurprisingly, "Thank You For Breaking My Heart" is the final track. The main difference is I enjoyed "Boxing", and could respect "The Luckiest". TYFBMH is just sort of lacklustre.
I'm not going to even touch on any songs I feel are mediocre or just ordinary. Let's go straight to the fucking awesome stuff.
The title track is pure legend. I have not a single complaint about it. As with "Lonely Avenue", this song is penned by Nick Hornby (and a literary mind is certainly present in the story that song tells). Folds presents a perfectly timed, perfectly delivered sound to accompany the words, giving a true sense of reality to the story. Half of this song is the lyrics, which you can find (bar one) here. For the music, grab the album September 18th, wherever you can.
This is not the only good song, but it is certainly the very best of the album.All the other songs I'll look at from here haven't been ranked in any way, but they are all worth listening to.
"On Being Frank" is just a fantastic song, which is strongest in the vocal area, but is well structured in relation to the music and lyrics. I think that the name is actually in reference to Frank Sinatra, as he is mentioned in the lyrics.
"Erase Me", the first track off of the album, is probably one of the two strongest songs musically (with "Draw A Crowd", which I'll get to). Someone hearing this song said it sounds like Queen, and I really can't find a better comparison. I sure as hell doesn't sound like BFF. In a good way.
"Draw A Crowd" is my prediction for a second single after "Do It Anyway", although I'd like to see the title track have that honour. "Draw A Crowd" is the liveliest SOB of a song I can recall coming from the mind of Ben Folds. The chorus is certainly the most memorable part of the song, with the immortal line "If you're feeling small, and you can't draw a crowd, draw dicks on the walls". Anyone think I should replace my Ben Folds quote at the top of the page with this? I just might. 'Cause I'm that kind of stupid.
Finally, "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later". I couldn't wait to find out what characters Folds would create in this album, but I'm afraid Praytor is all we get. He's not a bad character, but there's only one of him. The song is interesting in every capacity, and that's the best I can say.
To conclude my discussion of the album, it has both a really obvious upside and a downside. The best part of this album is how it shows the BFF maturing and developing (as demonstrated with the "draw dicks on the walls" lyric). I already can't wait for the next album in 2015, give or take.
The obvious downside is that it is so damn short. I don't mean that in the "this book is so good I wish it was longer" way (well, I do, but in another way as well), but at only 10 songs, I feel that this is barely an album. Some people really like short albums, apparently, but I feel completely the opposite, especially with someone who has confessed to having "over 40 solid ideas" in an interview. The shortness of this album isn't just a shame, it's a glaring inadequacy, especially compared to other BF or BFF albums, which always at least make it over 10 songs. Even one more would have been perfect.
I'm done... for now.
Feedback welcome, as usual.
H. Rourke
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Good Charlotte
I apologise for not updating for a couple of weeks. I've been insanely busy, but more importantly, I've just had nothing to say. I've heard some really good music, some really decent music and some painfully mediocre music, but nothing that screamed "You can rant abut me for 3,000 words!", so I just didn't write anything. As previously stated, this blog is for my own amusement, so unless someone says something, I'm just not going to bother posting if there's nothing to say.
Now, what I am going to discuss is a band named Good Charlotte. I bought a pair of Good Charlotte albums (The Chronicles of Life & Death and The Young and the Hopeless) after hearing a few of their songs.
The two songs I'd heard of Good Charlotte were "I Just Wanna Live", which is (as I understand it) a rant against the way the media operates, pretty much. A little whiny, but cynical and musically passable. I liked it. The other song was "Girls & Boys", which I liked less, but still a little. This was nowhere as good musically, and was a little too cynical for me. Also, it was irritatingly whiny.
Upon actually listening to the two albums, I took a little while to work out what I thought of the group. Eventually I reached a stance of "They aren't very good, but I could put up with them", mainly based on the fact they sounded like a stereotypical 90's group, and I liked thinking of how dated they sound. Then I found out that both these albums were released in the 21st Century. This is really irritating to me.
I understand that you can't expect groups to instantly change due to the progression of time, but this kind of music (rightfully) died out in the 90's, carried on only by bands which just refuse to die (go on, Blink-182. Just...please, go away). I re-evaluated the group again, this time listening to music, lyrics, vocals and I've worked out the problem: the vocals.
The actual music of Good Charlotte is average, but passable. The lyrics are actually really good. The vocals are horrid. Just pathetic. Although this might appeal to some people, I find Joel Madden's voice whiny, weak, bragging and just so irritating. Overall, this group just sound like a wannabe Green Day (which is a group I really like, if the context of that sentence doesn't quite show that).
Overall, I feel that a group attempting to be as angry as Good Charlotte just needs a better vocalist, especially compared to other groups , again like Green Day. I make the comparison because it is obvious to me, and I'm absolutely certain it's been made before. I'm certain the two groups share a large portion of their fan base. Billie Joe Armstrong really just has that vocal strength to bring what emotions he is trying to convey to the surface.
I don't necessarily mean this as an insult, but Madden's voice is much more suited to a more "emo" group. Although I'm sure Good Charlotte has been placed in the genre before, the non-Joel Madden part of the band seems to be trying to make actual pop-punk-alt-rock music, or whatever the devil you'd call it.
In the end, I think I'm going to keep the Good Charlotte albums I own, but I will most definitely not be investing in any more, due to the fact I have the song I really liked by them. I think giving the group as a whole a star rating is unsuitable. I'll make things really simple:
Of options of "I recommend them" and "I do not recommend them", I do not recommend Good Charlotte to anyone. I can forgive poor music, and poor lyrics, but poor vocals just destroys a group for me, and I'm actually really pissed off at Madden for doing that.
As a final note, I must say that American punk-pop-rock music is not my forte. There may be something I'm not aware of that is impacting my enjoyment of Good Charlotte. In the end, I'm just hoping to find some covers by decent singers. In the end though, this only boils down to my taste in music, which I recommend you take with a grain of salt.
Feedback would be much appreciated.
H. Rourke
Now, what I am going to discuss is a band named Good Charlotte. I bought a pair of Good Charlotte albums (The Chronicles of Life & Death and The Young and the Hopeless) after hearing a few of their songs.
The two songs I'd heard of Good Charlotte were "I Just Wanna Live", which is (as I understand it) a rant against the way the media operates, pretty much. A little whiny, but cynical and musically passable. I liked it. The other song was "Girls & Boys", which I liked less, but still a little. This was nowhere as good musically, and was a little too cynical for me. Also, it was irritatingly whiny.
Upon actually listening to the two albums, I took a little while to work out what I thought of the group. Eventually I reached a stance of "They aren't very good, but I could put up with them", mainly based on the fact they sounded like a stereotypical 90's group, and I liked thinking of how dated they sound. Then I found out that both these albums were released in the 21st Century. This is really irritating to me.
I understand that you can't expect groups to instantly change due to the progression of time, but this kind of music (rightfully) died out in the 90's, carried on only by bands which just refuse to die (go on, Blink-182. Just...please, go away). I re-evaluated the group again, this time listening to music, lyrics, vocals and I've worked out the problem: the vocals.
The actual music of Good Charlotte is average, but passable. The lyrics are actually really good. The vocals are horrid. Just pathetic. Although this might appeal to some people, I find Joel Madden's voice whiny, weak, bragging and just so irritating. Overall, this group just sound like a wannabe Green Day (which is a group I really like, if the context of that sentence doesn't quite show that).
Overall, I feel that a group attempting to be as angry as Good Charlotte just needs a better vocalist, especially compared to other groups , again like Green Day. I make the comparison because it is obvious to me, and I'm absolutely certain it's been made before. I'm certain the two groups share a large portion of their fan base. Billie Joe Armstrong really just has that vocal strength to bring what emotions he is trying to convey to the surface.
I don't necessarily mean this as an insult, but Madden's voice is much more suited to a more "emo" group. Although I'm sure Good Charlotte has been placed in the genre before, the non-Joel Madden part of the band seems to be trying to make actual pop-punk-alt-rock music, or whatever the devil you'd call it.
In the end, I think I'm going to keep the Good Charlotte albums I own, but I will most definitely not be investing in any more, due to the fact I have the song I really liked by them. I think giving the group as a whole a star rating is unsuitable. I'll make things really simple:
Of options of "I recommend them" and "I do not recommend them", I do not recommend Good Charlotte to anyone. I can forgive poor music, and poor lyrics, but poor vocals just destroys a group for me, and I'm actually really pissed off at Madden for doing that.
As a final note, I must say that American punk-pop-rock music is not my forte. There may be something I'm not aware of that is impacting my enjoyment of Good Charlotte. In the end, I'm just hoping to find some covers by decent singers. In the end though, this only boils down to my taste in music, which I recommend you take with a grain of salt.
Feedback would be much appreciated.
H. Rourke
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