The Music

[rowdyroddy]

Hope I didn't miss the topic but what do you guys/gals think of the actual album? Got plenty of listens under my belt now.....Haven't read anything to alter my judgment of the album so i thought I'd start here. Overall it's definitely a different style, I grew up with harder stuff so I like the heaviness of it. Once I'm over my ear's prejudice for male lead vocals I dig it more and more. I can envision Jack, Alison and the gang putting these songs together, with a direction/desire of heavy bass (JL), great big riffs (DF), smoky bluesy western/texan/tennesee stories (JW), and willingness to experiment....

60 ft tall - love the bluesy opener, old school lyrics. great smashing guitars at the end
Hang you - My default I never like the song they release to the masses, but it may grow on me if i get to see it live
Cut like a buffalo - the reggae beat and distorted vocals are awesome. how about the throat popping and choking? fun song
So far from your weapon - great hook here, what do you think it means being away from weapon and home? a standout
Treat Me like your mother - M I 2 l8, play dead, play dark, play straight, mi2mil8,mimimimi2l8. great funky hard transitions
Rocking horse - nice western rocking tune, tarantino should dig it
New Pony - fun use of lyrics and vocals. how much, hoe much, never heard the word voodoo said in such a sexy manner. this song rules. a standout
Bone house - almost sounds like an omnichord backing (ala MMJ/Touch me pt 2), great beat to keep it rocking. sicko guitar shredding here
3 birds - a touch of psychedelia? another tarantino film soundtrack pick
No Hassle House - need a few more listens to appreciate i think...maybe im just in a hurry to get to water...
Will there be enough water - I can picture JW sitting on his back porch, strumming away like the old time nashville greats....just singing away to the words that float into his mind....they come together seamlessly with the countryside and the crickets (listen closely). you think they taped live crickets?


after 10 or so more listens I'm sure the lyrics will take greater hold on me. Just been soaking in the songs as whole. anyone care to post lyrics or maybe I'm missing another topic...

Or maybe I need to go to LR, I'm sure its been discussed over there. I keep my frequent sites to a minimum though..feels more personal over here.

[Kaber]

n/a

[higherlimits]

Thanks for the review! I can't lie though, I haven't listened to the album yet actually, I haven't listened to more than two songs yet! I don't even remember which ones I have listened to. Don't burn me at the stake yet though, I haven't got the CD yet because I haven't been in to town recently... and the vinyl is in the mail still...

[IamFrank007]

Got my vinyl today, over here in Ontario..Listening to it now..

[kevron6]

I like the ablum but I am not a huge fan of it. After seeing them live twice before listening to it there is no comparison. This is a band that sounds much better live than they do on the album. The vocals sound really subdued in comparision to seeing them live.

[thescofieldkid]

I had accidentally dropped a little bomb over in the poster section about people potentially having reservations in seeing them due to the lack-luster performance of the album, and that in actuallaity they're even better than the Racs live. I don't make this stuff up as I go along, and here's the proof. The Racs definitely have some fillers, and when they're played live I still don't like them. I didn't really like any of the singles released for TDW ( Hang you from the heavens, ICLAB, TMLYM), but live they were all excellent. All the rest of the songs that are actually solid on the album are fucking awesome live! Essentially, what the band is trying to do doesn't translate in the studio.

To break it down further let's take a look at the band:
-Dean Fertita is a known killer on the axe, and those big chunky riffs are just his speed. Brendan Benson can hold his own, but is no match for DF's fury.
-Being in a band with/following Fertita's lead has even made nerdy Jack Lawrence kinda cool, and he seems to have a little more swagger to his chops.
-Benson is only an average singer in my book, and when stacked against Alison Mosshart's sultry growl, please. When she's belting it out, I'm feeling funny in places that hasn't happened since boyhood.
-And then there's Jack White on the drum kit. Dude flat out kills anything he touches.

I would say the final variable that makes them better, is that they're all playing each others instruments during the show and having a chance to mix it up a little more, rather than sticking to the same routine night after night.

It's just one guy's opinion. Get Some.