Police Station: It moves along nicely. Seems like someone lost the sparkle in their eye and they need to be consoled or even confronted. Hearing songs like this near a body of water make it seem like a message in a bottle to someone. Nice little piano riff in there, I think they could've expanded on the instrumental bridge right before it for a little longer there. I like the way the settings are evolving. Nice imagery. This is this album's "Desecration Smile"
Even You, Brutus?: This one was talked up a lot prior to the album's release, since it was written toward its end and is piano-based. Like a better version of Scott Weiland's "Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down." Despite its Elton John-like structure, there's still some funky guitar work going on there. Not exactly sure what the song is about, other than (likely) betrayal.
Meet Me At The Corner: The follow up to "Hey." Flows like a river, and it has a nice message about reconciliation. It also seems to be about coming to terms with who you have become and how you lost connections along the way, and painfully keeping it that way. Josh once again provides some vocals and sounds like a woman, but it's kind of cool b/c it almost makes it a duet. I also like the upbeat coda. Nice often-unused touch.
Dance Dance Dance: I think back on all the songs with the word "Dance" in their titles or choruses and I suppose I do like the ones that a rock band puts out. Examples: Jamiroquai, Bee Gees. I just can't stand it when a dance/pop group puts one out. I think Lady Gaga does one that is just headache-inducing. Regardless, while this has no real depth it is fun and it's the band going out on a high note. It's consistent with the variety; the album started with disco, its midpoint was a one-two punch of latin and garage-punk and it's finishing with a carribbean bailamos. This is where I am biased, b/c had another group put this out, who knows how much I'd genuinely like it?
Overall, I truly like/almost-love it. It's a new chapter for the band, and it marks a new chapter for myself, as well. I feel like it's the precursor of better things to come. A writer at Flavorwire said he was skeptical that anyone under 30 years old would care too much about the band anymore. I couldn't care less what anyone else likes. Here are good musicians putting out music that is good and honest and about life, love, loss, happiness, and yes, dancing. The songs aren't about bling, being the baddest, being the drunkest, or even boning (I realize it's a sea change from a lot of the earlier stuff). It says a lot for the musicians, and hopefully their audience.
Lately I've OD'd on metal and jazz so this is the perfect middle ground. I like being subjected to new styles of music. Sometimes I only prefer a song or album or particular artist to fill the void and you don't just wake up and like something new. I have friends who are very much set in their ways with their musical tastes, which I don't fully get. If you are a current RCHP fan, I'd argue that the odds are you like different styles, b/c different styles influenced the writing, structure and the musicians themselves. You can unquestionably make that argument for MANY groups, but as far as modern rock is concerned, there's a reason this keeps me turned on and excited more than anything else. Greg Dulli pulls it off nicely. Grohl stays within the rock realm, which I appreciate more and more b/c it gets better and better while the industry and the genre gets harder and harder. Metallica must experience the same conundrum. Clapton is a master of this. For that matter, so are the Supersuckers. They've got different personalities they can exhibit and when they do, they give it their all and it works. If your are going to limit your tastes, that's fine, but you ought to keep an open mind within the closed-mindedness. This isn't AC/DC we're discussing, so I don't want them to put out the same album one-after-another. Challenge me as a listener and you'll get my respect at the least. Possibly loyalty. With the loyalty, I'm willing to shell out a few bucks to see you live and probably buy the next record.
I'll eventually fall in love with this album. I wanted it too much. The odd thought is that eventually it'll be months and years since it was released.
Perec: His work will stay with me forever. It's too beautifully freakish. I don't love all of it. I don't have to. It's a Dionysian climb but it's all worth it. A Man Asleep was truly that much of a struggle -- from nothing to something. I like the message -- I respond to it on a personal and primal level. If you have Rollins as your subconsciously-chosen internally-audible narrator, then it sounds almost like a taunt, but the truth is the narration is on the same level. He's describing things and hopefully mocking the poor 25-year-old. I think it'd have been even better had the character been genderless since he's using the 2nd person narrative. There's no mention of sex or intimacy, really, so to have a "you" that is undefined by genitalia would reach more people.
Same old trip.
Thank you for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment