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Post by Victor on Jun 28, 2020 7:44:14 GMT
I will open the thread on the 1st as always and am looking forward again to the opinions and discussions around it
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Post by Victor on Jul 1, 2020 5:57:00 GMT
Thread now open. I will add my thoughts about the album later
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,842
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 Jul 1, 2020 7:51:06 GMT
And I'll get mine in first before I'm shot down like a Lancaster over the channel. See what I did there? One of my very favourite albums. I've documented that a few times over the last 15 years. I can't really analyse why. I just like it. The only songs I MIGHT skip on a less tolerant day are the title track and Kick Me When I'm Down. But both are perfectly listenable. I think, following the release of Riffs and then yet another compilation, my expectations weren't that high after the relative nirvana of Heavy Traffic 3 years before. But I loved the album from the very first listen. And the Australian tour edition with the extra CD makes it an even greater thing of beauty. I'm pretty sure the band themselves were never that keen but what do they know?
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Post by Victor on Jul 1, 2020 7:59:50 GMT
And I'll get mine in first before I'm shot down like a Lancaster over the channel. See what I did there? One of my very favourite albums. I've documented that a few times over the last 15 years. I can't really analyse why. I just like it. The only songs I MIGHT skip on a less tolerant day are the title track and Kick Me When I'm Down. But both are perfectly listenable. I think, following the release of Riffs and then yet another compilation, my expectations weren't that high after the relative nirvana of Heavy Traffic 3 years before. But I loved the album from the very first listen. And the Australian tour edition with the extra CD makes it an even greater thing of beauty. I'm pretty sure the band themselves were never that keen but what do they know? As you may remember I like the album quite a bit too and I will get back to that later
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Post by railroad007 on Jul 1, 2020 9:49:18 GMT
I never listened to it except on the disc given away by some newspaper..why did I not bother?
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Post by hershie on Jul 1, 2020 9:52:02 GMT
A very interesting album to me. Probably the second-most re-listenable album of the century after Heavy Traffic.
There's a very "American" influence to the majority of the album and the usual country vibe isn't as restrained or sidelined as it often is. This leads to an album that's very different to what came before or after. It's also quite a prominent "Rick" album which is a rarity.
The title track is a great little tune and a good opener to the album, although certainly not the strongest start. Possibly Quo's last successful single, back when that meant something, and iirc the last one I actually bought.
"Gotta Get Up & Go" is one that seems to threaten to burst into life and instead seems to reign it in a little. Obvious comparisons to Softer Ride on release (and since) but it doesn't have that power to it after the intro. Whether this is from poor production or just the song plodding a tad I'm not sure. I do reckon this would have been a great live track though.
"All That Counts Is Love" is a personal favourite. I've really liked it since I first heard it, but I fully appreciate that it's not everyone's cup of tea.
"Familiar Blues" is.. okay? For one it's in the wrong place and kills the album flat. It's also too long. But it's a nice song. Not sure about the "oo oo ooo's".
"The Bubble" is a great track and one that I think has improved with age. Perhaps was unappreciated on release. Again it's too damn long for a track that doesn't really go anywhere different.
"Belavista Man" is a nice track but I do feel that the verses plod along a tad. Again it feels as though there's potential to be more expansive that never happens. Not the worst live.
"Nevashooda" is catchy. Very country inspired and, controversially, I like the title.
"Velvet Train" is one I like. I absolutely love the intro and feel the song is perhaps the musically best on the album. Good solo, good harmonica playing, and actually kind of well produced because I'd expect it to sound like a muddle.
"Goodbye Baby" is another good track. I'm not a fan of the intro/riff but I like the lyrics and the track itself. Rossi/Young by numbers perhaps though.
"You Never Stop" has grown on me over the years. It's no-nonsense musically and again doesn't really go anywhere. It has too many lyrics and they're pretty naff (I get a Chaz and Dave "Rabbit" vibe from them) but it's not an awful song, perhaps 'cause there's not a whole lot to hate.
"Kick Me When I'm Down" is the second track in a row to mention getting fucked over by your partner and best friend. I suggest finding better friends. Another quite generic track but nothing terrible. A bit synth heavy from what I recall?
"Cupid Stupid" I don't like. It sounds like someone taking the piss out of a Quo song. Somewhere between Status Quid and Status Who for those fans of parody. I'm not very fond of her, shall we say. Too many words again and they're mostly crap. Save yourself four minutes.
"This Is Me" is a strange one to me. It got a lot of love from some when it came out and I never got it. I think the lyrics and tune are naff; but I do like the music and the way the track builds, and I get the kind of candidness behind it. But I just don't particularly like it as a song. I think it's a pretty weak track to end the album on.
Overall I think I prefer it to any album since but much prefer Heavy Traffic over it. Not a great deal of standout tracks but nothing overwhelmingly terrible or forgettable, which is a problem in subsequent albums. Not overproduced like those to follow but not as crisp and clear as HT either. It's very much in its place.
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,842
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 Jul 1, 2020 10:05:58 GMT
"You Never Stop" has grown on me over the years. It's no-nonsense musically and again doesn't really go anywhere. It has too many lyrics and they're pretty naff (I get a Chaz and Dave "Rabbit" vibe from them) but it's not an awful song, perhaps 'cause there's not a whole lot to hate. "Kick Me When I'm Down" is the second track in a row to mention getting fucked over by your partner and best friend. I suggest finding better friends. Another quite generic track but nothing terrible. A bit synth heavy from what I recall I think that's one of the problems I've had with Kick Me When I'm Down. It follows on immediately after a song which deals with the same daft theme. The woe is me, aren't women a pain in the ar$e, 1970's "school of hard knocks" approach Put it somewhere else on the album - which obviously we all can now - and it comes across better. It has a nice little riff as well.
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Jul 1, 2020 12:08:49 GMT
Extremely disappointing at the time, I felt they could have built upon the success of HT but they missed the opportunity
There's a lack of quality songwriting. TOY, YCR and I ain't ready were released ahead of the album but not included on it. Shame
Not liking the opening song of an album is never good. For me the album joins PR and TW for that. All that counts is vomit material, I can't stand it
There's some colourful and interesting sounds, eg good guitar on bubble. That was a different, interesting track but the novelty wore off. Cupid & this is me are also novelty tracks
3 John David songs is too many for one album. Kick me had been around the band for years, so obviously they were short of material. Doesn't help that these are possibly my least liked of his generally good songs
I like velvet train, nice sound and great harmonica. BM has an irresistible riff. I like YNS, which has a nice JS style sound
GGUAG is the only thing that is special, but even this is flawed. Just lacks the ooomph it needs. Familiar blues is a lovely song ruined by ridiculous oo-oo-oos
Quos return to form was short lived, and same as my experience with TW, my balloon was burst
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gerh
Grizzled Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,948
Favourite Quo Album: 'Hello' [and 'Quo Live']
Favourite other bands.: Zappa, Kansas, Rush, Deep Purple, Yes, Richard Thompson, Horslips, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest etc etc. [ANYONE but Kiss!]
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Post by gerh on Jul 1, 2020 13:01:04 GMT
Far as I remember.. it's 'ok'; liked the title track and one or two others - I'm a bit 'meh' about it all, tbh. And whaddya know... now I have to go and wash my hair [before the last of it vanishes! ] so I just can't seem to summon up the time to re-listen to it.
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,150
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Jul 1, 2020 15:30:36 GMT
I liked it in theory, it had a nice variety of styles to my ears, HT before it was too much of a one trick pony for me, and TPAOY didn't seem to rely so heavily on blues-based structures (which is fine, but i find it a bit melodically lazy).
Yeah, the SONGS were more interesting. It seemed like more of a song based album, if that makes any sense, but with the Quo sound intact.
Lasted a good while with it, then just really lost interest in it. I don't enjoy enough of the songs after all to listen to it as an album. And whether or not the production is just a bit boring, well i'd probably say that now. It's all a bit polite. Even Quo in the 90's didn't sound quite so flat. Still enjoy it more than HT though, and ISOTFC after it.
I think Backbone is the most consistent 21st century album for me, and even then it clocks in at around 75% good to my ears.
Velvet Train is a real gem though. Great kind of 60's sounding groove, and a groove unlike anything they'd done before. I love it when they do that. It's not a particularly clever song, but that groove! Belavista Man has also stood the test of time. Nevashooda is a distant third, but the song structure gets a bit lost in places.
Best thing was the double DVD that came out around the same time, of course.
And they'll always be remembered by the diehards for their shows around 2004/5, and a return to a leaner, cooler image with the black denims and all.
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Post by markquo on Jul 1, 2020 18:24:04 GMT
Nothing to see hear move along please thanks very much Cheers
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matt
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 1,003
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Post by matt on Jul 1, 2020 18:36:04 GMT
As with the disappointing Thirsty Work following the excellent RTYD The party... is a huge backward step for me.
I quite like You’ll come Round, Lucinda and you let me down which we’re all kicking around at the time but not included.
But the album I was disappointed in. The title track sounds like something played at a fairground, and the video was awful. HT had a swagger and a back to basics approach but then this went back to a lack of focus and direction
Cupid Stupid, KMWID, this is me, familiar blues are terrible. Goodby baby is Bye Bye Johnny rewritten
The good: Gotta get up and go stars well but dies as soon as the drums come in, thanks to Mike Paxmans usual drum and guitar sound that sounds like it’s being played underwater.
Quite like a velvet train, the bubble is listenable but would be more at home on Perfect Remedy.
You never stop is excellent.
I did a different track order for the car when it came out that opened up with You never stop, you’ll come round, Lucinda. Sounded way better to me.
But overall it’s a weak effort IMO
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Post by quovadis on Jul 1, 2020 22:22:06 GMT
I like this album some v gud songs like gguag this is me velvet train I don't like the bubble song better album than backbone imo more rockier
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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 Jul 2, 2020 8:45:56 GMT
Very disappointing album for me, only track I’ve ever thought was any good is, The Bubble. Rest is just pretty dull and unmemorable. In fact I look at the track listing now and I can’t recall how the majority of these songs go.
Is probably the Quo album I’ve listened to the least, but any time I do decide to go back and give it another go, I just find listening to it very hard work.
On release it very quickly replaced Thirsty Work as the worst album of original material by the band for me. It has retained the spot ever since.
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matt
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 1,003
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Post by matt on Jul 2, 2020 10:18:10 GMT
I wonder whether on the Bubble, the band and Mike Paxman were listening to Heart on Hold. Lots of similarities for me from a production perspective
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