I think whenever we thought up this concept all those years ago, it was a wonderful idea. Red and I used to live each other's music every day, because we pretty much spent every day together growing up. As we've grown up and apart, our music tastes have as well. We began to think as two separate units rather than one musical brain, which is great for exploring different directions. I think these two albums we put together are perfect examples of those different directions and styles we've chosen. Overall, I would put the feel and mood of Post Academia as soft, pleasant, hip and very deep lyrically. It was a treat to be exposed to some different bands and types of music that I have heard about, but never had the guts to go out and listen to or buy myself. Thinking back, I wish we would have done some kind of review like this for our previous albums we've done. I have always wondered some times what Red thought of some of the songs and look forward to hearing his thoughts this time. I just hope he is ready for mine. :)
The Band: When I Paint My Masterpiece, Stage Fright
I am starting with The Band, because they were first on the album and the artist that came out as the biggest eye opener for me. I absolutely loved these two songs from the first moment I heard them. Some of the other songs took some warming up to, but these just struck home with me, especially 'Stage Fright'. I love their sound and definitely want a copy of their greatest hits. I did some research on 'Stage Fright', because I knew there was something behind that one. It seems to be kind of a self portrait of the Band at the time dealing with their instant fame and now being in the spotlight. Excellent Stuff!
Buckcherry: Everything, Carosel
I was already familiar with Buckcherry (I thought) and had heard the lead single 'Crazy Bitch' off this album. This was very cool to hear sort of the other side of Buckcherry. They are always being compared to Aerosmith and these two songs help cement that comparison for me. These are great little rock ballads with alot of feeling and heart, especially one dealing with a pretty heavy subject. These caught me a back at first, I think because it wasn't what I was expecting from Buckcherry. But in the end, both are A's.
Blue October: Into The Ocean, Overweight, What If We Could
I have some Blue October songs, but I never listened to them much. Still, I thought I knew what this band sounded like. Wow, these 3 songs are very different from one another. 'Into The Ocean' is very mellow, soft vocally and quite a beautifully constructed song. 'Overweight' is very deep, faster paced, deceptively up beat, and yet, choirish in the end. This is probably my favorite of the three. "There's a self-destructive meaning in the bleeding of a guy". 'What If We Could' has a very heavy sound and some angry vocals dealing with a love that couldn't be. All three songs are full of amazing lyrics full of heartbreak and remorse.
Tom Petty: Flirting With Time, Square One
It is good to hear that Tom still makes good solid rock songs. 'Flirting With Time' is a little more classic and tilts the scale as my preference. 'Square One' is very tender and a good listen. This is what I expect from Tom Petty and he doesn't ever seem to disappoint. That consistency is impressive.
Death Cab For Cutie: Marching Bands Of Manhattan, I Will Follow You Into The Dark, Your Heart Is An Empty Room, What Sarah Said
This is a band I have heard the name of alot, but haven't had a chance to hear much of their music. Red certainly fill that void giving them 4 songs, tied for the most on the album. While the sound is similar to the softer rock that seems to permeate pop music these days, the lyrics and sound structures are very deep. There is alot of good substance here. 'Marching Bands' is OK in my book, good lyrics but the solid guitar strum can get old for 3 minutes. 'Into the Dark' is tender, sweet and a beautiful song. It is probably my favorite from the band here. 'Your Heart' is another solid song with good lyrics. 'What Sarah Said' follows the same course. There isn't alot of difference in song structure between the songs, but what makes them special is the lyrics and emotion. I left satisfied with what I heard.
Snow Patrol: You're All That I Have, Open Your Eyes, Hands Open
This is another band of the heard their name everywhere, but I didn't know any of their music category. It is very British sounding pop to me. Sounds like Coldplay with some of the same orchestration that seems to be standard over there. Their music doesn't seem as deep. I feel like their is about 30 seconds worth of original lyrics and music in each of these songs, and then, they just keep repeating themselves. Plays great for stadiums and for samplings in TV shows, which seems to be happening alot for these guys, but doesn't really trip my trigger. They are nice songs, but just not something I will probably ever crave to listen to.
The Wallflowers: God Says Nothing Back, From The Bottom Of My Heart, Nearly Beloved, Days of Wonder
The Wallflowers got 4 songs tied with Death Cab For Cutie. I should've told Red before he put this CD together that I downloaded 'God Says Nothing Back' & 'Nearly Beloved' after he used them for so pretty nice pieces of writing last year. But that is OK, cause I like those songs. I can't listen to 'God' without having his writing run through my mind. They were both haunting yet beautiful, toeing that delicate balance and will remain my favorite in this group. 'Bottom of my Heart' sounds very sentimental and well put together. 'Nearly Beloved' picks up the pace, but keeps the loving yet ominous message. The line "last night I lived 1,000 lives, not one of them survived" is forever burned in my brain. 'Days Of Wonder' is more reminiscent of their first album that made both Red and I became big fans. Good tunes and makes me glad Red has this CD so I don't have to buy it :)
James Blunt: Wisemen
This song really bugged me at first. In fact, I said I hated it. His voice kinda grates at me still and sounds alot like Maroon 5. But there is something so irresistible about the hook in this song. I still have no idea what the song is really about with the wisemen stuff, but I like the sound of the lyric, "Look whose alone now, it's not me, it's not me". It has a good groove and if you give it enough of a chance it will get stuck in your head, even if I am tired of people singing like that.
The Velvet Underground: Pale Blue Eyes, Sweet Jane, What Goes On
These are 3 very different songs and feelings toward them for me. You can really tell which artists songs are from Greatest Hits and which are from a single album by how wide the variation is between the songs. 'Pale Blue Eyes' makes me want to fall asleep much like several songs on the banana album do. It is just a little too soft and the single tambourine can really drone you to sleep if you are driving drowsy. So there should be a warning for that. 'Sweet Jane' is a pretty cool song and the sound I would associate with the Underground. 'What Goes On' sounds like the Grateful Dead should have recorded it or they disguised themselves as the Underground for a take, until that trippy guitar solo in the middle. I like to listen to 2/3s of this group and two out of three ain't bad.
All-American Rejects: Move Along, Change Your Mind
I have the single 'Dirty Little Secrets' single from this album. Their sound is pretty much the same for these two songs. Pretty straight forward rock songs with some good heart behind them. They are a good band. Nothing ground breaking here, just good music. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe we would have more good music if everyone stopped doing the same thing or trying to change the world, and just made good music..... Probably not.
Coldplay: Green Eyes
Coldplay never has set my world on fire. I never really liked them from the beginning, so they don't get much of a chance in my book, good bad or indifferent. This is a pretty simple, sweet song. Not bad, I can stand it. So I guess that is saying something there.
Damien Rice: 9 Crimes, Coconut Skins
I've tried to give '9 Crimes' a chance. This is a definite no good for me. It just bugs me, too whiny. NO IT IS NOT ALRIGHT WITH ME! Someone just needed to tell them already. 'Coconut Skins' is tolerable. I tend not to skip it as much. The vocals are better even though I still have a hard time understanding some parts.
Butch Walker: Promises, Maybe It's Just Me
'Promises' is a cute song. That is the only way I can describe it. The lyrics paint a cute story talking about loving you and his dad giving him a beer and talking about himself. I think I get it, but it just doesn't do much for me. 'Maybe It's Just Me' is a pretty good song. It is catchy and had alot of good emotion with it.
Bruce Springsteen: Radio Nowhere
Another awesome song from the Boss. This is the type of classic song from Springsteen that makes me ask myself why I don't have more of his music. I have almost none in my collection. This guy puts out great music, with some rhythm. I love this song.
Bob Marley: Redemption Song
I think I have heard this song once or twice before. A classic from the reggae man. It is a very meaningful song. He always put alot of heart into his words and music.
Cat Stevens: The Wind
Now I can say I know a Cat Stevens song and it sounds like what I figured Cat Stevens would sound like. It paints a wonderful picture and almost makes you weep from its beauty.
Isreal Kamakoiwole: Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World
I heard about this cover from an American Idol contestant and I am pretty sure I watched Big Red dance to it with his wife at their wedding. Along with 'The Wind', it puts a nice ending on this album. Very simple and beautiful rendition of these classic songs. Very nice!
GRADES:
A+
Stage Fright
Everything
Overweight
God Says Nothing Back
A
When I Paint My Masterpiece
What If We Could
Carosel
Nearly Beloved
Radio Nowhere
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World
B
Flirting With Time
Into The Ocean
Marching Band of Manhattan
Your Heart Is An Empty Room
The Wind
Days of Wonder
From The Bottom Of My Heart
What Goes On
Redemption Song
C
Move Along
You're All That I Have
Sweet Jane
Hands Open
Maybe It's Just Me
Square One
Change Your Mind
What Sarah Said
D
Wisemen
Green Eyes
Promises
Open Your Eyes
Coconut Skins
F
Pale Blue Eyes
9 Crimes
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6 comments:
The first few times I listened to The Band's Greatest Hits, I think I was a little overwhelmed and nearly gave up on them. Then it was like songs started to stick out and before long nearly the entire album was awesome. If you get an album, other good tunes are "Ophelia," "Tears of Rage" "Acadian Driftwood" and their version of "I Shall Be Released" blows Dylan's out of the water. They just seem to be having fun making music and you don't always get that feeling when you're listening to other bands.
Buckcherry just knows how to write good hard rock songs that are subtly infused with the blues. It's like having a good pinch hitter on the bench. If you played them everyday their numbers wouldn't hold up, but pick your times and they are sure to deliver. I know they released another album recently, I'd have have no qualms dropping 15 bucks for it.
It took me a long time to get into the Blue October album. It actually took me putting their songs on my computer and letting them mix with other songs before I started really picking them out and getting into the album. It's pretty eclectic all the way through.
I had no plans on buying the Tom Petty one, my sister got two copies somehow and gave me one. Free music always sounds better. It's about half good and half I could do without.
I knew that you'd end up liking Death Cab or Snow Patrol and not liking the other. I just thought it'd turn out the other way around for some reason.
I actually started out liking James Blunt's album and now have gradually lost interest. I'm not really sure how I even got it. "Wisemen" like pretty much the entire album masks his love for alcohol and drugs with his balladesque style.
I knew you'd either really like or really dislike Damien Rice. There's just not a lot in between there.
I'd generally agree with the rest of your analysis. I never got really into this Springsteen album, and wanted to pick something other than the single but I couldn't find another tune that really stood out. I really do like "Radio Nowhere" though and I'd say overall "The Boss" seems very jaded in this group of tunes.
Oh, and for movie buffs, "The Wind" was briefly heard in "Almost Famous" while Penny Lane is dancing in the empty room. That stuck with me and that's why I bought a Cat Steven's Album. You'd know some of Cat's other tunes like "Peace Train" (which I thought about putting on here), "Wild World" and "The First Cut is the Deepest" (which blows Sheryl Crow's cover out of the water.
Yes, you did watch me dance to Israel Kamakoiwole at the wedding. He released an album of mostly covers and hawaii tunes. His cover of " Take Me Home Country Road" is also pretty good.
I listened to a few snippets of the new Buckcherry album the other day. Sounds pretty good and might we a purchase soon. Going back through the music on my computer I have the lead single from the Blue October album 'Hate Me'. I don't mind the Snow Patrol stuff, like I could listen to it if my options were limited. Both them and Death Cab are a little softer, but I respect the depth of Death Cab's music.
Well at the pace of this review, I will look for you review of "Get A Haircut" around mid September. :)
If you get the new Buckcherry, let me know or burn me a copy. My spending money days may be numbered here for awhile.
September may be a conservative guess. I think I've finally listened to both albums all the way through, but I've had a hard time focusing lately. That may be more of a problem from here to September also.
Yeah we definitely need to do some music trading. I get ya on the concentrating on the album. It can be hard especially when you dont know some of the artists or dont have any interest at the time other than the fac tthat I gav ethem to you. No hurry mate. I could use just a little patience. :)
I just have a lot on the old noggin' right now. I'll put it in and 10 minutes later I realize I've missed four songs then I get frustrated with myself.
Although, I've noticed with albums I've bought the last couple years that I just don't listen to them like I used to. There was a time I memorized new albums. Figured out what I liked, what I didn't. Now it's like I can only focus on a tune or two and that's about it.
I'm old.
We will have to figure out a time sometime to share some tunes. Maybe this fall sometime. We'll see.
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