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Post by Victor on May 29, 2020 9:11:46 GMT
I will open the thread on the first of June and will look forward to discussions and opinions as always  |
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Post by Victor on Jun 1, 2020 9:37:21 GMT
Open now. Sorry I am a bit late today, was very late in bed last night and woke up late this morning. Looking forward to the discussions again |
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,149
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Jun 1, 2020 10:35:28 GMT
This was the first studio album i bought brand new upon release, as a fan. 11 years old. I had the majority of the back catalogue by then. I do remember being a bit underwhelmed though, even without fully developed critical faculties. Just remember feeling there was something missing, even compared to the previous line up with Pete. It didn't fill me with the same joy. It was all a little clinical, polished, and serious. The title track was, and still is, pretty joyless, and then you compare and contrast that to something like Dreamin', which is so plastic and throwaway, it's untrue.
I think this was a confusing album for me aged 11. Never been able to shake that off, and it's only through the years where i've gradually come to realise that it was really just a contract-filling hotch potch of old songs, covers, and songs written for them by others, that explains the underlying feeling that their hearts weren't really in this one. We kind of know where their hearts were. Up their noses.
Favourite tracks: In Your Eyes (always enjoyed the major/minor thing) and Red Sky. Rollin' Home is a decent single, and Calling and Overdose i did like back in the day, but far too heavily loaded with synth. Dreamin' is a write off, but i quite like the 'guitar solo' on the single version, maybe simply because it replaces the album version's horrible synths again. I might be the only one who quite likes Speechless?
Good guitar solo on End Of The Line - Pip Williams? As on Red Sky?
The rest - can't even remember what's on this album. Oh yes, Save Me - Quo by numbers, very cheesy riff. Invitation, just a little syrupy, but a good song if you like that kind of thing.
With hindsight, i think i missed that beefy sounding bass of Alan's. Rhino and Jeff blend a little too well in the synthetic 80's production, and you lose a lot of the musical depth and subtleties, and a big chunk of the overall listening experience. Pretty bland sounding. They improved it somewhat on Ain't Complaining to my ears, although not quite sure how they did that as it's probably even more synthetic! Maybe down to frequencies of instruments? Not sure. Maybe someone can analyse...
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Post by Rocker84 on Jun 1, 2020 11:48:48 GMT
This was the first studio album i bought brand new upon release, as a fan. 11 years old. I had the majority of the back catalogue by then. I do remember being a bit underwhelmed though, even without fully developed critical faculties. Just remember feeling there was something missing, even compared to the previous line up with Pete. It didn't fill me with the same joy. It was all a little clinical, polished, and serious. The title track was, and still is, pretty joyless, and then you compare and contrast that to something like Dreamin', which is so plastic and throwaway, it's untrue. I think this was a confusing album for me aged 11. Never been able to shake that off, and it's only through the years where i've gradually come to realise that it was really just a contract-filling hotch potch of old songs, covers, and songs written for them by others, that explains the underlying feeling that their hearts weren't really in this one. We kind of know where their hearts were. Up their noses. Favourite tracks: In Your Eyes (always enjoyed the major/minor thing) and Red Sky. Rollin' Home is a decent single, and Calling and Overdose i did like back in the day, but far too heavily loaded with synth. Dreamin' is a write off, but i quite like the 'guitar solo' on the single version, maybe simply because it replaces the album version's horrible synths again. I might be the only one who quite likes Speechless? Good guitar solo on End Of The Line - Pip Williams? As on Red Sky? The rest - can't even remember what's on this album. Oh yes, Save Me - Quo by numbers, very cheesy riff. Invitation, just a little syrupy, but a good song if you like that kind of thing. With hindsight, i think i missed that beefy sounding bass of Alan's. Rhino and Jeff blend a little too well in the synthetic 80's production, and you lose a lot of the musical depth and subtleties, and a big chunk of the overall listening experience. Pretty bland sounding. They improved it somewhat on Ain't Complaining to my ears, although not quite sure how they did that as it's probably even more synthetic! Maybe down to frequencies of instruments? Not sure. Maybe someone can analyse... Here is the tracklist to jog your memory 1. "Rollin' Home" 4:26 2. "Calling" 4:04 3. "In Your Eyes" 5:08 4. "Save Me" 4:25 5. "In the Army Now" 4:41 Side two 6. "Dreamin' 2:55 7. "End of the Line 4:59 8. "Invitation". 3:16 9. "Red Sky" 4:14 10. "Speechless" 3:41 11. "Overdose. 5:25 |
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,835 
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Gary Numan, Alabama 3, ZZ Top, Paul van Dyk, Jeff Beck, Bowie, Gerry Rafferty, Band of Skulls, UFO, S.A.H.B
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Post by mortified on Jun 1, 2020 11:58:30 GMT
An album I liked a lot and played a lot when it came out. I'd disliked Back To Back so much and was also glad they were back. I'm one of the few I guess, but the line up was largely academic to me. We'd gone way past that point once Spud had left. But I suppose like a lot of mid to late 80's stuff - by loads of artists to be fair - the album hasn't really stood the test of time all that well. It's very polished, so it fitted right in. They presumably tried to repeat that polished approach with the two follow-ups but it didn't work to the same degree. I don't really dislike any track; maybe Speechless, which I just find a bit odd. I was always keen on Overdose, although I think it had the potential for them do so much more with it. There's a break just after the middle of the song with some nice guitar fill that is just crying out for a change of tempo from that point on. A move into a proper driving riff to take the song to the end. Alas, I'm obviously the only one that thought that  Red Sky is probably Mrs Mortified's favourite Quo track. She obviously hasn't listened to a lot of ZZ Top  The title track, I thought, was a brilliant departure for them. But I've heard it too often now. When it was first released, I'd have said it was an 8 out of 10 job. But time has diminished it and eroded it's impact so it's probably now maybe a 6/10. Not their best but a long way from their worst. |
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Dark
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 334
Favourite Quo Album: Quo
Favourite other bands.: Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Huey Lewis,
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Post by Dark on Jun 1, 2020 16:38:08 GMT
I got the singles, Rollin Home, In the Army Now & Dreamin’ at their time of release, and thought the latter two were great, and the former, just okay. However, music wasn’t a big thing in my life at that moment in time, and I only had a handful of other singles and a couple of albums. So I didn’t investigate further into purchasing the album – I probably had no idea that there was an album out there containing all three tracks.
It was in the early 90s when music became my thing and Quo were my favourite band that I got a copy. This was at the same time I was purchasing the rest of the back catalogue. Thus it never managed heavy rotation on my record player, as it arrived at the same time as several, slightly superior albums.
Though I have now heard it numerous times, it is still not an album I know like the back of my hand, unlike the ones that precede and follow it. Army, is a real mixed bag, not only in song quality, but production values. You could be excused for thinking the songs aren’t all from the same album.
The title track I still think is a fantastic song, and the production on it is perfect, for what it is, a commercial smash hit single. Listening to it, it just sounds like an obvious crossover hit.
Opener, Rollin’ Home, I probably like more than I did back then, and is definitely one of the stronger tunes on the album. But it does seem a bit Quo by numbers, lets record a typical Quo song, as opposed to lets record a song and it will be a Quo song because that is who we are. To me it does have that feeling of trying a bit too hard to be a hard rocking Quo track without ever achieving it.
I was stunned when I read in Rossi’s book that he felt Calling was a great typical Quo number and would have been a good single. For me, with all the 80s synth parp parp keyboards, it couldn’t be further from a great typical Quo number if it tried. Whereas production on the title track sounds immense, here it sounds cheap.
My knowledge of the album is such, that when listening to the recent deluxe, I found myself really liking a guitar solo on one of the songs, but I can’t remember if it was, In Your Eyes or Save Me, or maybe it was even Calling. It was definitely in the first half of the album, I don’t remember off hand well enough how the songs go to confirm which it was.
When I got this album I was a bit disappointed with Dreamin’ the mix on the album isn’t nearly as good as that of the single I was used to. Again, like Calling, sounds like a pretty cheap production, certainly doesn’t appear like they used a top quality studio.
End of the Line is a decent tune, probably could have been better with appropriate production and a gelled hard rock band performing it. Dare I say with a rhythm section of Coghlan and Lancaster …
Invitation is awful, as is Speechless, while I think Red Sky is alright, don’t mind it if it comes on, but don’t usually choose to listen to it.
Overdose I really like, and quite enjoy the 80s production on it. A real hidden gem in the Quo back catalogue, worth purchasing the album for this alone.
For me, and I realise I’m out of step with a lot of people here, but it follows a fantastic commercial hard rock album that had great energy and some really good songs. While it proceeds, an album that is the bands most commercially produced and filled with, particularly side 1, songs that are laden with hooks and real AOR masterpieces. Thus In the Army Now, really gets lost in the middle and is a bit of a stumble in the bands journey.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jun 1, 2020 17:14:27 GMT
I remember Army as the album I quite liked, really (and a great improvement after B2B, not saying a lot I know, but ) but also the one that signalled that Quo's valued had changed, and they stayed changed. I liked Army the track, I liked it live, I still like it now. I like pop music, there was lots of very good pop music around in the early 80s, I had no problem with this one at all. Quo were always capable or reinventing themselves for individual tracks, it's just a matter of how well or badly they did it. I like the "country" tracks on the album, still do, in a general sort of way. They aren't great art but they make good radio. And I like the Dave Edmunds (production) (Both written by John David I see) tracks best, still do, and I was actually really miffed with Francis for saying something disparaging about Edmund's production a bit later on. They are the best songs on the album, best tunes, best dynamics.
At some point while I was quite enjoying it, I played Piledriver, just on a hunch. At that point, I saw and knew that Quo had lost something and probably weren't going to get it back. What they had lost was not "Spud" or "Alan", it was ... best I can put it is, they had lost the ability to turn out many songs that sounded like they really had to be written, that just flowed and rolled along. Also it was really clear that all the silly parp, squeak, bark, squeal noises they were making in intros and solos and breaks were intentional, not some horrible accident. Why? Why? This is not about songs being "poppy", I like "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" fer god's sake ... this is about putting tinsel and other rubbish in songs because they can't think of anything better, else they would not do it. They NEVER had a hit record (with the honourable exception of "Rock n Roll" with its fairground breaks - but they fitted) that was a hit record because the guitars went "parp" or the keys went "squeak". There are some honourable fillers on this album, but not enough of the good stuff.
And it's still quite a bit better than the albums that came after it.
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Post by sqcollector on Jun 1, 2020 17:19:26 GMT
I like the album. It's a bit mixed. I've said this on another thread, but it feels like it's composed of several mini albums (or mini groups of songs), going by the song's production/sound.
I like Rollin' Home a lot. ITAN is a good song, for radio, and to advertise the album. I think the production on this song is very good. Very 80's, but the song deserves it. When I listen to the 2010 version, is just too dry. It needs that big power snare.
Some synths on some songs are a bit overused, but in context, I don't mind that. I like the last solo on In Your Eyes. It has a bit of that harsh/fuzzy Quo sound on it.
Now, I really like End Of The Line and Overdose. I really like those and their production. Very heavy and with sentiment, in my opinion.
Dreamin' is one of those songs that I couldn't stand at first. Now, I can, but sometimes I just don't want to listen to it.
The best of this album era was what was not in the album itself: the B-Sides. Songs like Lonely, Heartburn, Keep Me Guessing, Rock 'N' Roll Floorboards and the ones that came from Rick's Recorded Delivery are songs I really enjoy.
This is an album whose sound varies a lot between re-issues. It will sound very weak on the Deluxe edition, because it lost its bass. And that makes a huge difference on songs like End Of The Line and Heartburn.
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Post by quovadis on Jun 1, 2020 17:32:23 GMT
As far as can say inmho this album is crap l like rh and rs there's no boogie on this album and I luv quo for that sorry a no for me too lightweight imo
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Jun 1, 2020 20:09:27 GMT
I was punch drunk that I was about to goto my first Quo gig. So happy they were back, I didn't think about the album much, even though it was obviously light and poppy. I *hated* Army, invitation and Speechless, although I don't mind Army anymore for some reason. I didn't mind the rest. These days I scratch my head wondering why I used to be so passionate about music I hated!
The marketing was clever. The first two singles had "rock" marketing, Francis even wore his hair down on Red Sky. Great album cover (there never was another one !). It was when I saw Quo on TOTP doing dreamin that I felt sick, I really did. The visual power of the band was gone, totally gone.
Still like EOTL, but even then I thought it was a rick solo outing. Same overdose.
The best I can say about the album is that it's fresh sounding. Francis guitar playing is really good, there's a few good solos there. It almost saves In Your Eyes!
Loved Red Sky but that novelty has long worn off. RH is alright. Quite like Save Me.
Much has been said about how successful this album was. Maybe so, but given the poor sales of every studio album that ever followed it... suggests to me it wasn't exactly a hit with the fans
I'm very unlikely to listen to this again. I normally have a proper listen for album of the month, but no, don't want to listen to this again.
My favourite song is "lonely", the b side that didn't make it.
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Post by markquo on Jun 1, 2020 20:18:10 GMT
Not listened to ITAN for at least 20 years here’s hoping it’s at least another 20.
Title track for me one of the worst things they ever recorded,this line up didn’t put anything decent out till RTYD in my opinion
Cheers
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Post by hershie on Jun 2, 2020 2:03:37 GMT
A fan of the album, although I think more for the individual tracks than as a whole. There's a pretty consistent sound throughout many tracks but they seem to be the weakest.
Rollin' Home is one of my favourites. I just think it's a really good track. Certainly different to what was released before this album but I think it's an excellent start to the new era.
Calling is a miss for me. I think it's got decent lyrics and a nice tune but it's too lightweight and overproduced.
In Your Eyes has a similar sound but to me it definitely sounds like a Rossi/Frost solo project track repurposed here as some filler. Again massively overproduced with a bunch of random and unnecessary noises and quirks, typical of Rossi/Frost of this era.
Save Me is a good track and again follows a similar theme to the last two tracks. I don't think it's a particular stand-out and I'm not sure why it was one that ended up in the live set to be honest. It seems to plod along for a bit too long.
In The Army Now. Quo's biggest hit post-84? Definitely their most recognisable of the era. The production is great and it's aged exceptionally for a track of the era. Atypical but certainly a classic.
Dreamin' is a strange one to me. I like it but I certainly need to be in the mood or it grates on me. I can certainly picture it as one that was toyed with and tried in so many different ways and ended up as a strange mix of atypical ideas. Suffers again from overproduction, and again a strange one for the live set, considering how guitar driven it isn't. As a kid I was terrified of the music video 'cause of the gorilla.
End of the Line is a brilliant track in my opinion. Certainly the best of the non-single tracks on the album. It's not complicated or over-done. It builds well, it's heavy and it's excellently played. An underappreciated one for me.
Invitation is filler. A pretty average throwaway from the late '70s repurposed because the album was missing anything less-rocky, but then it ends up sounding over-polished and middle of the road by not sticking to the obvious country vibe of it. Certainly one that I skip on most occasions.
Red Sky is definitely one of the best on the album. It's simple and it rocks. Perhaps the least polished track on the album and it benefits from it. Sort of surprised it wasn't one for the live set and also that it wasn't a success as a single.
Speechless. I'm a big fan of Ian Hunter. The guy is in his 80s and he still rocks. But this isn't one of his best songs. A decent cover but again feels like filler material. Parts of it sound overproduced to hell yet again, probably to disguise it being a pretty bland effort otherwise.
Overdose is one that I used to love but I've gone off in recent years. Probably the track that benefits most from the complex production as it gives it a lot of depth, but it's another that I feel drags on a tad, and another that seems a bizarre live choice. Particularly as apparently they had to have a backing track running for all the keyboard parts?
Overall I like the album. Easily the best of the second half of the 80s and a good solid start to the new era. Overproduced filler in parts, but that's the 80s for you.
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Post by railroad007 on Jun 2, 2020 10:33:53 GMT
Bought it, played it and binned it.
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Post by juansupposin on Jun 2, 2020 11:27:39 GMT
Very weak album for me,I prefer Aint complaining for example..
I would only save ITAN, End of the Line, Rolling Home and In your eyes and I have to say I am not a big fan on these songs.
I remember hearing ITAN( The song) when I bought the album, when it was still not a massive hit in Spain ( at that time there was a gap of 6 months between the hits in the Uk and Spain..) and thinking it was by far the better song on the album.
When became a hit I started to hate it but in the last years I have realised they made a very good job on this cover.
Contrary to many I still prefer Back to back or 1982 to everything that came later except HT , maybe because I started to buy Quo in 83 and have very good memories on those albums.
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Post by dennis on Jun 2, 2020 19:12:04 GMT
Last Album I bought (I was given the next one!), last gig I attended - bar the Reunions & JC's Quo. That's how impressed I was. Although, tbf, the previous 3 albums weren't much to write home about either.
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