herzverstreut backup (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
herzverstreut_bu) wrote2008-03-18 10:37 am
herzverstreut_bu) wrote2008-03-18 10:37 am
Entry tags:
Album reviews
So, I have been listening to "Goodbye Blues" and the leak/rip of "Pretty.Odd." and I love both of them. Here are my initial song-by-song thoughts, mostly written down as I was listening for the first time. I will start with "Pretty.Odd." so those of you who don't want to know anything about that before it's officially released, but want to read about "Goodbye Blues", can just click the second cut. ;)
"We're So Starving" - This will forever be connected with the stupid website puzzle in my brain, and I won't be able to listen to it without laughing. It's kind of cute, though, and not bad musically.
(Nine in the Afternoon wasn't on the rip I got, but I've talked about it before anyway.)
"She's A Handsome Woman" - Harmonizing! I'm all for that. This instantly reminds me of some other band, but I can't place it. Kind of TAI-ish, actually? But only in the verses. I really, really like this song - it's not revolutionary, but catchy, and has great lyrics. The guitar really stood out to me for some reason, too. It sounds almost distorted towards the end, I like it.
"Do You Know What I'm Seeing" - Oh, I really like what they've done with this one, with the strings it sounds even more dreamy, and backing vocals are my favourite thing anyway - just when I thought it was getting repetitive they brought in the backup and it's wonderful. Also, what I really liked about this song from the beginning is how it's kind of happy, the "lying in the park on a summer afternoon" kind of song in parts, but also has this darker, more wistful edge. Nice!
"That Green Gentleman" - This is the one getting closest to "classic" Panic so far. I'm not sure about the instrumentation in the beginning here, it feels kind of overwhelming at times? But I like the chorus a lot, nice lyrics and very catchy. And the part where Brendon sings over the chorus is AWESOME, his voice really stands out there.
"I Have Friends In Holy Spaces" - Ok, musical confession time: I lovelovelove it when songs have a part that sounds like it's coming from an old-fashioned radio, so this has won me over pretty much from the beginning (although I don't even know if that's just the rip or if it's the way it's supposed to be). Love the lyrics, love the instrumentation, love the rhythm - kind of 50's? This might be my favourite so far.
"Northern Downpour" - Oh, this is lovely. Very classic, and is that Ryan singing in parts there? And again, I really like what I can make out of the lyrics. It's a very calming song, another one I can see putting up in the summer to relax on the balcony. Though it does get repetitive after a while. I love the ending, though, it makes me so happy that they all sing now.
"When The Day Met The Night" - I loved this when they started playing it live, and I LOVE the recorded version. It's just such a nice melody, with cute lyrics, and a huge potential for getting stuck in your head forever. Also, harmonizing! The instrumentation is great, too, it adds something here instead of being overwhelming. Although they could have cut the end a bit, in my opinion.
"Pas De Cheval" - The rhythm! Shared vocals! This is another one where it's clear where they got their new influences from. For some reason it makes me think of musicals, too? It's kind of catchy and I like it, but it's probably not my favourite.
"The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know" - Are they seriously singing about their hair? Ahahaha. Oh, I very much love the disjointedness of this, first the slow intro, then the rhythm setting in with the - bells? And then how it changes tempo throughout. Not an instant favourite, but interesting.
"Behind The Sea" - I loved the alternate version of this so very much, I was somewhat worried about the real one. And... I don't know, normally I'm a huge fan of clapping, but in the verses I really feel like the instruments and claps are taking away from the simple beauty of the song - also, Brendon's voice can take a lot of background noise, but Ryan's really works better with the simple, folksy tune it had in the alternate version. The little interludes they put into it are not that great, either, but the ending is kind of fun and interesting. I'd probably like this song better if I hadn't heard the other version before. :(
"Folkin' Around" - My very first thought, for some reason, was: Joan Baez! Though actually, it's maybe more Janis Joplin? Either way, I love this song and wish it was longer. This kind of folk/country-ish sound is wonderful, and I never, never thought that Panic could work something like this and make it good. YOU WIN, PANIC.
"She Had The World" - Very pretty intro. The lyrics are quite lovely, too, and while this is another one where Brendon's voice stands out, I will never ever stop being in love with Ryan's. He sounds so fantastic on this album, and his voice really works for this kind of music (I don't think he could have done "Fever" by himself, but here it fits.) For some reason this song reminds me of Belle and Sebastian? I love it, even more on second listen. ETA:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lexicon made me figure out what it actually reminded me of: 18th century classical music! Minuets! Awesome.
"From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins" - Another one where I fell in love with the intro. It sounds almost like an accordion? Is it an accordion? Love the rhythm and the piano in the background, and the way the pace kind of changes. And the whistling! It's one of those songs that don't instantly grip me, but that I can definitely see becoming a favourite after listening a couple of times.
"Mad As Rabbits" - This is as good as I thought it would be from the live versions. Very catchy (clapping! rhythm!), love the lyrics, and once again there's the shared vocals that make me so very happy. The little do-do-do in the background! And once again I really like the changes in paste. I think that one review said this one would be a hit if released as a single in the summer? I'd have to agree with that.
All things considered, there's not really one song that stands out a lot as "OMG WOW!!", but there's also not one that stands out as bad. They're all very, very pretty and catchy, some could have done with just a few less instruments, but all benefited from mixing up the vocal duties. It's a strangely homogeneous album, despite the experimentation - but that's one of the things that makes it good in my eyes. I was worried that it might all be a wildly jumbled trying-themselves-out mess, but there's a certain thread running through it, and that's good. You can tell their intention of it being a "just four guys making some music" record. My favourite songs might be "Do You Know What I'm Seeing?", "I Have Friends In Holy Spaces", "Folkin' Around", "She Had The World" and "Mad As Rabbits".
By the way, I've said before, but it bears saying again at this point: As someone who has listened to Panic from pretty much day one (well, not exactly, but I had Fever on repeat starting in late fall 2005) I respect it so much that they dared to turn around 180 degrees and go with what feels right to them now, instead of sticking to the routine that made them famous, as they easily could have done. Sure, they still haven't quite found their own voice, but they're getting there, and that's wonderful, and I'm really, really glad that this album turned out to be so good.
Now for "Goodbye Blues", I wasn't worried at all, because I knew it would be great and it is. :)
Intro - Love the old-fashioned, slightly creepy feeling, with Greta's voice being so distant.
The Boys Are Too Refined - I LOVE the sound of this one, very 1920s-for-the-2000s. The rhythm makes me want to dance, I love the melody and instrumentation, Greta's voice is gorgeous, especially combined with Bob's (the backing vocals are always one of my favourite things about Hush Sound songs anyway), and the e.e. cummings reference is an added bonus. Basically, there is nothing bad about this song. It might be my favourite off the album and will probably go on repeat for the next weeks.
Hurricane - This honestly makes my heart clench. There might have been tears the first time I really listened to it. It's one of those songs that really manage to catch an atmosphere, where lyrics and melody just match up perfectly to convey an emotion - it's so wistful and melancholy, with the soft piano and the... xylophone? Bells? And then the strong rhythm towards the end. Just lovely, another favourite.
As You Cry - Now, that song rocks! The somewhat abrasive guitar in the beginning, and Bob's voice (which has really improved as well and is awesome), and then the chorus sounds so upbeat despite the lyrics, which is a total musical kink of mine (also, backing vocals, hi!). Oh, and I love it when Bob draws out syllables as he sings, like that one "youuuuuu". This is probably the angry/bitchy breakup soundtrack to go with "Hurricane"'s sad one. Is it very wrong when I call every song a favourite?
Six (Interlude) - Uhm. Well, it really is an interlude. Pretty, but kind of the music they play when you're on hold at some hotline.
Molasses - I really, really like the funky little guitar here. And the rhythm again, I'm such a whore for rhythm - especially when it kind of stutter-stops at "a hundred times", lovely. And Greta's VOICE. I love when it gets a little slower and darker towards the middle, and then the "sing it" part, guh. It gets a little repetitive towards the end, I think, but I like the "ladada".
That's Ok - This almost sounds a bit like a traditional folk song to me, maybe because the melody is relatively simply and has this... I'm not actually sure what meter it is. God, it's so frustrating that I never had a proper musical education, I want to be able to talk about things like this knowledgeably and not guesstimating so much. Anyway, the ups and downs give it a kind of nursery rhyme feel, if you know what I mean. It's not my favourite, for once, but it's still a pretty song.
Not Your Concern - And again Bob sounds fantastic. I love the little background "do-do-do"s, and the chorus is just really catchy, it will probably stick in my head for the rest of the day, damnit. And because I always need to connect songs with situations: This one is going to be pretty good for walking around town on a nice day, when you feel self-confident and have that bounce in your step.
Love You Much Better - Anything that has clapping and/or clapping-like drums in the first ten seconds has to be at least a little good. And this is very, very good - the "lalalala", the somewhat country-ish feel, and again THE BACKING VOCALS, and the little piano interlude, and the cheering and laughing, and ... well, everything. This is my other favourite, I think. So catchy!
Hospital Bed Crawl - For some reason I can't think of anything to say about this one. It's a good song, but not particularly memorable. I like the guitar solo, though.
Break The Sky - This song reminds me of another one, but I can't place it. It's kind of 60s-ish? Either way, Greta's voice is amazing and I love the way she sings "break the sky" and "kiss goodbye" - what I can make out of the lyrics is wonderful, by the way. This is not my absolute favourite, but it's something I can see myself putting on repeat anyway, just because of Greta's voice, and because it's rather catchy.
So, yeah, to repeat my initial reaction, because it still sums up my thoughts quite well: They didn't change much, but then they didn't need to - it all sounds wonderful and I can easily see this becoming the soundtrack to my spring. There's a reason they're my favourite band on Decaydance.
Now they just need to come tour in Europe after HCT. Please?
Conclusions: Both albums come highly recommended, give them a try if you like pretty, folksy things.
"We're So Starving" - This will forever be connected with the stupid website puzzle in my brain, and I won't be able to listen to it without laughing. It's kind of cute, though, and not bad musically.
(Nine in the Afternoon wasn't on the rip I got, but I've talked about it before anyway.)
"She's A Handsome Woman" - Harmonizing! I'm all for that. This instantly reminds me of some other band, but I can't place it. Kind of TAI-ish, actually? But only in the verses. I really, really like this song - it's not revolutionary, but catchy, and has great lyrics. The guitar really stood out to me for some reason, too. It sounds almost distorted towards the end, I like it.
"Do You Know What I'm Seeing" - Oh, I really like what they've done with this one, with the strings it sounds even more dreamy, and backing vocals are my favourite thing anyway - just when I thought it was getting repetitive they brought in the backup and it's wonderful. Also, what I really liked about this song from the beginning is how it's kind of happy, the "lying in the park on a summer afternoon" kind of song in parts, but also has this darker, more wistful edge. Nice!
"That Green Gentleman" - This is the one getting closest to "classic" Panic so far. I'm not sure about the instrumentation in the beginning here, it feels kind of overwhelming at times? But I like the chorus a lot, nice lyrics and very catchy. And the part where Brendon sings over the chorus is AWESOME, his voice really stands out there.
"I Have Friends In Holy Spaces" - Ok, musical confession time: I lovelovelove it when songs have a part that sounds like it's coming from an old-fashioned radio, so this has won me over pretty much from the beginning (although I don't even know if that's just the rip or if it's the way it's supposed to be). Love the lyrics, love the instrumentation, love the rhythm - kind of 50's? This might be my favourite so far.
"Northern Downpour" - Oh, this is lovely. Very classic, and is that Ryan singing in parts there? And again, I really like what I can make out of the lyrics. It's a very calming song, another one I can see putting up in the summer to relax on the balcony. Though it does get repetitive after a while. I love the ending, though, it makes me so happy that they all sing now.
"When The Day Met The Night" - I loved this when they started playing it live, and I LOVE the recorded version. It's just such a nice melody, with cute lyrics, and a huge potential for getting stuck in your head forever. Also, harmonizing! The instrumentation is great, too, it adds something here instead of being overwhelming. Although they could have cut the end a bit, in my opinion.
"Pas De Cheval" - The rhythm! Shared vocals! This is another one where it's clear where they got their new influences from. For some reason it makes me think of musicals, too? It's kind of catchy and I like it, but it's probably not my favourite.
"The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know" - Are they seriously singing about their hair? Ahahaha. Oh, I very much love the disjointedness of this, first the slow intro, then the rhythm setting in with the - bells? And then how it changes tempo throughout. Not an instant favourite, but interesting.
"Behind The Sea" - I loved the alternate version of this so very much, I was somewhat worried about the real one. And... I don't know, normally I'm a huge fan of clapping, but in the verses I really feel like the instruments and claps are taking away from the simple beauty of the song - also, Brendon's voice can take a lot of background noise, but Ryan's really works better with the simple, folksy tune it had in the alternate version. The little interludes they put into it are not that great, either, but the ending is kind of fun and interesting. I'd probably like this song better if I hadn't heard the other version before. :(
"Folkin' Around" - My very first thought, for some reason, was: Joan Baez! Though actually, it's maybe more Janis Joplin? Either way, I love this song and wish it was longer. This kind of folk/country-ish sound is wonderful, and I never, never thought that Panic could work something like this and make it good. YOU WIN, PANIC.
"She Had The World" - Very pretty intro. The lyrics are quite lovely, too, and while this is another one where Brendon's voice stands out, I will never ever stop being in love with Ryan's. He sounds so fantastic on this album, and his voice really works for this kind of music (I don't think he could have done "Fever" by himself, but here it fits.) For some reason this song reminds me of Belle and Sebastian? I love it, even more on second listen. ETA:
lexicon made me figure out what it actually reminded me of: 18th century classical music! Minuets! Awesome."From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins" - Another one where I fell in love with the intro. It sounds almost like an accordion? Is it an accordion? Love the rhythm and the piano in the background, and the way the pace kind of changes. And the whistling! It's one of those songs that don't instantly grip me, but that I can definitely see becoming a favourite after listening a couple of times.
"Mad As Rabbits" - This is as good as I thought it would be from the live versions. Very catchy (clapping! rhythm!), love the lyrics, and once again there's the shared vocals that make me so very happy. The little do-do-do in the background! And once again I really like the changes in paste. I think that one review said this one would be a hit if released as a single in the summer? I'd have to agree with that.
All things considered, there's not really one song that stands out a lot as "OMG WOW!!", but there's also not one that stands out as bad. They're all very, very pretty and catchy, some could have done with just a few less instruments, but all benefited from mixing up the vocal duties. It's a strangely homogeneous album, despite the experimentation - but that's one of the things that makes it good in my eyes. I was worried that it might all be a wildly jumbled trying-themselves-out mess, but there's a certain thread running through it, and that's good. You can tell their intention of it being a "just four guys making some music" record. My favourite songs might be "Do You Know What I'm Seeing?", "I Have Friends In Holy Spaces", "Folkin' Around", "She Had The World" and "Mad As Rabbits".
By the way, I've said before, but it bears saying again at this point: As someone who has listened to Panic from pretty much day one (well, not exactly, but I had Fever on repeat starting in late fall 2005) I respect it so much that they dared to turn around 180 degrees and go with what feels right to them now, instead of sticking to the routine that made them famous, as they easily could have done. Sure, they still haven't quite found their own voice, but they're getting there, and that's wonderful, and I'm really, really glad that this album turned out to be so good.
Now for "Goodbye Blues", I wasn't worried at all, because I knew it would be great and it is. :)
Intro - Love the old-fashioned, slightly creepy feeling, with Greta's voice being so distant.
The Boys Are Too Refined - I LOVE the sound of this one, very 1920s-for-the-2000s. The rhythm makes me want to dance, I love the melody and instrumentation, Greta's voice is gorgeous, especially combined with Bob's (the backing vocals are always one of my favourite things about Hush Sound songs anyway), and the e.e. cummings reference is an added bonus. Basically, there is nothing bad about this song. It might be my favourite off the album and will probably go on repeat for the next weeks.
Hurricane - This honestly makes my heart clench. There might have been tears the first time I really listened to it. It's one of those songs that really manage to catch an atmosphere, where lyrics and melody just match up perfectly to convey an emotion - it's so wistful and melancholy, with the soft piano and the... xylophone? Bells? And then the strong rhythm towards the end. Just lovely, another favourite.
As You Cry - Now, that song rocks! The somewhat abrasive guitar in the beginning, and Bob's voice (which has really improved as well and is awesome), and then the chorus sounds so upbeat despite the lyrics, which is a total musical kink of mine (also, backing vocals, hi!). Oh, and I love it when Bob draws out syllables as he sings, like that one "youuuuuu". This is probably the angry/bitchy breakup soundtrack to go with "Hurricane"'s sad one. Is it very wrong when I call every song a favourite?
Six (Interlude) - Uhm. Well, it really is an interlude. Pretty, but kind of the music they play when you're on hold at some hotline.
Molasses - I really, really like the funky little guitar here. And the rhythm again, I'm such a whore for rhythm - especially when it kind of stutter-stops at "a hundred times", lovely. And Greta's VOICE. I love when it gets a little slower and darker towards the middle, and then the "sing it" part, guh. It gets a little repetitive towards the end, I think, but I like the "ladada".
That's Ok - This almost sounds a bit like a traditional folk song to me, maybe because the melody is relatively simply and has this... I'm not actually sure what meter it is. God, it's so frustrating that I never had a proper musical education, I want to be able to talk about things like this knowledgeably and not guesstimating so much. Anyway, the ups and downs give it a kind of nursery rhyme feel, if you know what I mean. It's not my favourite, for once, but it's still a pretty song.
Not Your Concern - And again Bob sounds fantastic. I love the little background "do-do-do"s, and the chorus is just really catchy, it will probably stick in my head for the rest of the day, damnit. And because I always need to connect songs with situations: This one is going to be pretty good for walking around town on a nice day, when you feel self-confident and have that bounce in your step.
Love You Much Better - Anything that has clapping and/or clapping-like drums in the first ten seconds has to be at least a little good. And this is very, very good - the "lalalala", the somewhat country-ish feel, and again THE BACKING VOCALS, and the little piano interlude, and the cheering and laughing, and ... well, everything. This is my other favourite, I think. So catchy!
Hospital Bed Crawl - For some reason I can't think of anything to say about this one. It's a good song, but not particularly memorable. I like the guitar solo, though.
Break The Sky - This song reminds me of another one, but I can't place it. It's kind of 60s-ish? Either way, Greta's voice is amazing and I love the way she sings "break the sky" and "kiss goodbye" - what I can make out of the lyrics is wonderful, by the way. This is not my absolute favourite, but it's something I can see myself putting on repeat anyway, just because of Greta's voice, and because it's rather catchy.
So, yeah, to repeat my initial reaction, because it still sums up my thoughts quite well: They didn't change much, but then they didn't need to - it all sounds wonderful and I can easily see this becoming the soundtrack to my spring. There's a reason they're my favourite band on Decaydance.
Now they just need to come tour in Europe after HCT. Please?
Conclusions: Both albums come highly recommended, give them a try if you like pretty, folksy things.
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HOW ARE THEY SO AWESOME. <333333333
I'm gonna go replace all my icons with Panic icons now, okay.
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Oh yes!
Hushies are love! ♥
I woke up with an huge smile on my face today and all I could think of was "Goodbye Blues comes out today!"! :D
Even though I'm not gonna listen to it until I get my copy. That should sometime around next week. :(
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I'll buy Pretty. Odd. on Saturday (and that's only 4 days to go - I think I can manage that) and then I'll just wait until my friend gets back from London with my copy of Goodbye Blues on Monday!
Can't wait for this week to be over! :)