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Protest Fire

lamstonite

Entry posted by lamstonite ·

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This year i've been vaguely disapointed by most of the 'Exciting New Albums' that came out. I got all giddy at the thought of new Bloc Party, Kings of Leon, Good the bad and the Queen, The Bees but was left feeling let down. They're not bad, but they're not classic either. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is the closest i've come to a Great Album so far, and even that one was disapointing compared to their last album. Same for Arcade Fire.

Their first album was, as you know, absolute genius. The way that it sounded like no other band at the time is (sadly) reason to celebrate them alone. But the whole majesty of them gripped me (everyone?) and the chaos and beauty of the music was enough to make you believe that they knew how to make everything good again. The songs themselves were mysterious too. Songs about tunnels and brothers, sung part in French just added to the magic. It drew me in and got played over and over. It still does.

Its one of the reasons that the new album felt like a let down. Like CYHSY they've had to follow an exceptional album and have put out a decent one, but nothing close to the debut. I dont know why, but i think its to do with the subject matter.

Its basiclly a political/protest album. Songs about rising sea levels, The Church, America, 9/11. Do we really need that? Haven't we all had the problems of the world shoved down our throats for the last 6 years? Don't we all know the worlds f**ked and Global Warming is gonna make the sea rise and take out Ipswich? Didn't we love Arcade Fire because they helped forget (for a while) about the state we're in?

I'm not saying it doesn't need repeating because the 6 years we've had of 'Awareness Raising' has done f**k all except Raise Awareness, but i dont want someone who cast such a spell on me, who gave people a reason to smile, to be preaching at me.

And i think its important for musicians to write about stuff that is effecting them. Its what keeps things pure and honest. So maybe i shouldn't grumble, people put out good political songs sure, REM and Radiohead have made careers out of it i guess. But i think its let Arcade Fire down. Same goes for Bloc Party. The songs on their album about how bad Coke is, or about how they slept in all day and missed the football are let down by the lyrics. Maybe the vocal is too far forward in the mix for my likeing. Maybe i think that songwriters have to be pretty arrogant to think that people want to listen to them whinge? I love CYHSY because they make no sense. They dont try to, they just try to make you move while singing about I've-No-Idea-What.

Maybe its because Pop has become so political since Live Aid that the impact of Pop Stars saying 'Save the Whales' 'Stop Global Warming' 'Make trade Fair' has been softened. Back in the day people listened to Dylan and the like because what they were saying seemed new. These days everyones got an enemy and they all tell you as soon as they've got back from Starbucks.

The music on Neon Bible has changed too. Its less 'new' and less chaotic. There are some great moments (the bit on 'Intervention' when the music steps up level, the end of 'The Well and the Lighthouse', "dont you know where i was at your age, i was working downtown for the minimum wage...") but it comes across very Safe and Comfy.

I do really like the album, but just not as much as the last one. And they came across much better live than on record although it was the old songs which lifted it.

Now, i am looking forward to getting Dinosuar Jr and Modest Mouse's new album. But i'm sure i'll be back in a few weeks moaning about it

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5co77ie

Could it be cos Dylan was folk? And you're bascially talking about indie pop albums. For real depth in lyrics why not try some of the new albums are mouth watering there's Tinariwen, Sergio Mendes, Show of Hands, Bellowhead, Karine Polwart, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Tim Van Eyken, 3 Daft Monkeys, Oysterband, Roberto Fonseca, Leonard Cohen,Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Osibisa, Martin Newel, Julie Fowlis and that's beofre adding blues or world music like CSS or Black Unhuru, Mad Caddies or JJ Cale and Eric Clapton.

I think it's quite possible you need to widen your musical sphere.

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lamstonite
Could it be cos Dylan was folk? And you're bascially talking about indie pop albums. For real depth in lyrics why not try some of the new albums are mouth watering there's Tinariwen, Sergio Mendes, Show of Hands, Bellowhead, Karine Polwart, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Tim Van Eyken, 3 Daft Monkeys, Oysterband, Roberto Fonseca, Leonard Cohen,Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Osibisa, Martin Newel, Julie Fowlis and that's beofre adding blues or world music like CSS or Black Unhuru, Mad Caddies or JJ Cale and Eric Clapton.

I think it's quite possible you need to widen your musical sphere.

I think you're right. I get frustrated at the amount of vague nonsense on the radio these days. Might check out some of your recomendations.

I'm not really looking for deep lyrics though, thats sort of what i was saying

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PeterD

I think I pretty much agree with everything you said there, except I dont think I like neon bible as much as you do.

As a sidenote, I watched CYHSY at Latitude, still appalling live but definitely improving, really enjoyed them. Alec Ounsworth joined Elvis Perkins on stage as well which was nice.

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lamstonite
I think I pretty much agree with everything you said there, except I dont think I like neon bible as much as you do.

As a sidenote, I watched CYHSY at Latitude, still appalling live but definitely improving, really enjoyed them. Alec Ounsworth joined Elvis Perkins on stage as well which was nice.

how do the new songs come across?

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