What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

U2 "all that you cant leave behind" 2002, cd. #1 uk, #3 us, #1 au.

do these guys belong here or in classic rock???

IMO U2 have always made patchy albums and this is no exception to their standard, several good to very good songs and a pile of crap to fill the spaces inbetween. i dont believe they deserve the status the media and the general public give them, although they are a very lively energetic act in concert. i have about eight of their studio albums and only consider "rattle and hum" to come anywhere near a complete album.
on this album, as with many of their other albums they appear to stretch the tracks out far too long,thus repeating themselves far too long which makes the songs a bit boring, on paper their lyrics are top notch,its just the way they deliver them that i dont like.
it also doesnt help their cause IMO that Bono always has to get in our faces with his personal beliefs as if he is some sort of 'saint'. its fair enough having opinions about social and political issues, but not all the time.
this album comes in right on the like/dislike border for me, two three's on this one, the great hit single "beautiful day" and the social commentry of life in "new york".

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

worst track: the ground beneath her feet
best track: new york

tracks:

1. beautiful day*** #1 uk, #21 us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZzpqtekRoI live
2. stuck in a moment...** #2 uk, #52 us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlqdyKwqq88 live
3. elevation* #3 uk, #15 au
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lCXB_68VfQ live
4. walk on* #5 uk, #12 au
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYu57Rwz-Xo live
5. kite*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnTcjlcDkmE live
6. in a little while*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIBARKCos6Q live
7. wild honey**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfhFBElhlKk audio
8. peace on earth*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5j6w1o8S5I audio
9. when i look at the world*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HySAx6R6zBQ audio
10.new york***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXMSNRDcBMM live
11.grace*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrRfoEEDENo audio
12.the ground beneath her feet*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZfBR5G8FZ8 video

3s=2
2s=2
1s=8

rating: 1.6

[Jerome]

Have to agree with the previous post. An overhyped band. (crap drummer, crap guitarist, crap bassist, crap singer). The only decent thing they ever did was 'The Joshua Tree', which I must admit I do like. And that was largely due to Eno's production skills. Everything else is mediocre. If Bono is so concerned with helping the poor why doesn't he start in his own country. Or donate his millions to charity instead of storing all his money offshore.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

Have to agree with the previous post. An overhyped band. (crap drummer, crap guitarist, crap bassist, crap singer). The only decent thing they ever did was 'The Joshua Tree', which I must admit I do like. And that was largely due to Eno's production skills. Everything else is mediocre. If Bono is so concerned with helping the poor why doesn't he start in his own country. Or donate his millions to charity instead of storing all his money offshore.

LOL
...i thought it was just me and Tiggi who thought U2 were overrated....and yes Bono should start at home,maybe if U2 paid their taxes in Ireland maybe the country wouldnt be bankrupt now,eh?

[Music Head]

Hey, what about me?
I thought I had weighed in on U2 being overrated before.
I could have written CH's above review.
Uh, except for the fact I don't have that album.

[Jerome]

LOL
...i thought it was just me and Tiggi who thought U2 were overrated....and yes Bono should start at home,maybe if U2 paid their taxes in Ireland maybe the country wouldnt be bankrupt now,eh?

My point exactly! You get 10/10 Lloyd.

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



A fare effort by the master. Not his best but even sub-par Leonard beats most in this style. Three outstanding tracks for me in The Future, Closing Time and Democracy. A couple of bombs in Be For Real and the instrumental Tacoma Trailer, which Lenoard is not even listed in the credits as performing on. What's up with that? The album only had any success in his native Canada, not even touching the U.S. charts. Three songs from here were used in the cult classic Oliver Stone film, Natural Born Killers. A couple of covers, never heard of Frederic Knights Be For Real, but Irving Berlins Always gets a nice bluesy treatment. Light As The Breeze is like soft porn.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Tacoma Trailer

Best Track - Closing Time

Ah we're drinking and we're dancing
and the band is really happening
and the Johnnie Walker wisdom running high
And my very sweet companion
she's the Angel of Compassion
she's rubbing half the world against her thigh
And every drinker every dancer
lifts a happy face to thank her
the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
all the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
and it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops:
it's closing time

Yeah the women tear their blouses off
and the men they dance on the polka-dots
and it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops:
it's closing time

Ah we're lonely, we're romantic
And the cider laced with acid
And the Holy Spirit's crying "Where's the beef?"
And the moon is swimming naked
and the summer night is fragrant
with a mighty expectation of relief
So we struggle and we stagger
down the snakes and up the ladder
to the tower where the blessed hours chime
and I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
but closing time

I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
the Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
closing time

I loved you for your beauty
but that doesn't make a fool of me:
you were in it for your beauty too
and I loved you for your body
there's a voice that sounds like God to me
declaring, declaring, declaring that your body's really you
And I loved you when our love was blessed
and I love you now there's nothing left
but sorrow and a sense of overtime
and I missed you since the place got wrecked
And I just don't care what happens next
looks like freedom but it feels like death
it's something in between, I guess
it's closing time

Yeah I missed you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex
looks like freedom but it feels like death
it's something in between, I guess
it's closing time

Yeah we're drinking and we're dancing
but there's nothing really happening
and the place is dead as Heaven on a Saturday night
And my very close companion
gets me fumbling gets me laughing
she's a hundred but she's wearing
something tight
and I lift my glass to the Awful Truth
which you can't reveal to the Ears of Youth
except to say it isn't worth a dime
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the devil and once for Christ
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights,
busted in the blinding lights
of closing time

The whole damn place goes crazy twice
and it's once for the devil and once for Christ
but the Boss don't like these dizzy heights
we're busted in the blinding lights,
busted in the blinding lights
of closing time

Oh the women tear their blouses off the men they dance on the polka-dots
It's closing time
And it's partner found, it's partner lost
and it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
It's closing time
I swear it happened just like this:
a sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
It's closing time
The Gates of Love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But closing time
I loved you when our love was blessed
I love you now there's nothing left
But closing time
I miss you since the place got wrecked
By the winds of change and the weeds of sex.

1) The Future - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_drEFOaPaK8
2) Waiting For The Miracle - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-E53gmeO-8
3) Be For Real - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SukivOOWtyo
4) Closing Time - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao0BdtZr2_M
5) Anthem - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ssZ32ahjGM
6) Democracy - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JwmIBSMzSM
7) Light As The Breeze - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCdjnLKhfQ
8) Always - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4sdWwpcB3w
9) Tacoma Trailer - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkmOIc14ddg

3's - 3
2's - 4
1's - 2

Grade - 2.1

[Tiggi]

2007 release from UK Alternative band that manage to work all manner of influences into their music. There's some Blues slide guitar, some '70s Soul, some Folkie harmonies, a couple of Reggae excursions, with some Latin thrown in for good measure. Just to clarify, they don't all get used together...

Seems like it shouldn't work, but this is an enjoyable album.


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Not sure how many albums into his career this one is, as Graham had various incarnations as a solo artist and with a group as part of the name. Never thought he could equal Squeezing Out Sparks. This may be as close as he would come for me. Four superb tunes on here, Temporary Beauty, Dark Side Of The Bright Lights, You Hit The Spot and Crying For Attention. One falls flat with Fear Not. After trying various producers, veteran Jack Douglas was pegged for this one. Although I would still be a fan, only a few more albums are in my collection, with The Mona Lisa's Sister being the drop off point. This one did not do that well, only managing #40 in the U.K. and #51 in the states.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Fear Not

Best Track - Temporary Beauty

You have to do your best to come up to par, from straight off the
production line like a car,
Till everything you put on is a put-on, and you don't know who's face
you're gazing upon
Could be anyone you're sending out there tonight, is it any wonder all of
the lights are too bright?
And you need temporary beauty, and pray to God that it doesn't rain
You need temporary beauty, even though it might be love in vain
The world is full of little people like you, they have to read a book to
learn what to do
They hang around in second -hand clothes, and every kind of pressure
steps on their toes
Love doesn't fall out of a magazine, you mustn't always believe what you've seen
And you need temporary beauty, and pray to God that it doesn't rain
You need temporary beauty, even though it might be love in vain
Ah-ah temporary beauty, ah-ah temporary beauty, ah-ah temporary beauty
You might be the sweetest little girl in your heart,
But still the world knows that and tears you apart
You think of the parties you'll never attend, you dream of someone who's
more than a friend
Love doesn't jump out of a magazine, you mustn't always believe what you've seen
And you need temporary beauty, and pray to God that it doesn't rain
You need temporary beauty, even though it might be love, even though it
might be love,
Even though it might be love in vain

1) Temporary Beauty - ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucGsJ8-DBEg
2) Another Grey Area - **
3) No More Excuses - **
4) Dark Side Of The Bright Lights - ***
5) Can't Waste A Minute - **
6) Big Fat Zero - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA_ojN1mPqM
7) You Hit The Spot - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1haBSKhOE
8) It's All Worth Nothing Alone - **
9) Crying For Attention - ***
10) Thankless Task - **
11) Fear Not - *

3's - 4
2's - 6
1's - 1

Grade - 2.3

[Tiggi]

US band's second from 2002.

The '60s are very much in evidence here. There's a Byrdsy jangle, plus vocals reminiscent of the Manchester bands of the early '90s which were themselves '60s fixated.

Solid album. Nothing spectacular here, but good nonetheless


AllMusic 4/5 stars.

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Every once in awhile I pull one out of the box that I had completely forgotten about. Always liked this album from this Conn. duo that never got much play other than the college circuit I think. Maybe one of them went on to higher ground. Not aware if they did. Mark Mulcahey and Ray Neal did some really nice stuff here. Only thing I have although a few more are listed. REM is the most prominent sound I hear (Michael Stipe), but so much else. Did some recording with Pere Ubu and toured with the Sugarcubes. See where they did some work for a Nickelodeon show (The Adventures Of Pete & Pete) I have never heard of. There was a single released from here of You're The One-Lee which got some video play on MTV. Probably at 2 or 3 in the morning. Best thing for me is Pull The Wagon.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Cold Shoulder Balcony

Best Track - Pull The Wagon

1) The Ladies From Town - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekXUxMcm4jc
2) And Then? - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snaYsFsWMvE
3) Old & New - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcPc_zTv6iM
4) Sailors And Animals - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwE3mp8KJ9s
5) If She Could Cry - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDzPokzLey4
6) Pull The Wagon - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ffDuEy-NQ
7) You're The One-Lee - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG8t8bjU0I
8) Even Better - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3Fnixxv2jw
9) Cold Shoulder Balcony - *
10) Gigantic Transatlantic Trunk Call - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCtU_Hm3OQ

3's - 4
2's - 5
1's - 1

Grade - 2.3