Featured Reviews From steban
There's a ton of frenetic energy afoot here. I am impressed with all the technical, and the lyrics are not trite, but the emotion is swept away somewhat by it all, leaving me slightly bereft of opinion.
I can imagine a more human treatment of the subject, of the lyrics, but they are hung on this wild ride - this acid ride - tripping? - arrangement. It might be an accurate depiction of looking for love in such a place, as unlikely in my mind that is, but I'm dubious at best.
If you like esoteric Pink Floyd and Muse and pre-pop Genesis, this song may be up your alley. The rhythms drive with stereo swirling force a seriously moody backdrop behind a melodic vocal performance. Lead vocals sing intelligent lyrics in a style like Kate Bush while the backing vox kick in to fill the panorama.
There is a classic heavy metal guitar bridge that bodes of an era gone by, clean and not feeling too out of place, also devoid of strong melody, nobody's gonna be humming along to that, although not inconceivable for the it's not easy line.
The relative pop shortness of the song gives it an album cut feel that a bigger story is forthcoming. Intriguing....
I am instantly grabbed by the daring stereo and atypical rhythms. It is a song that hints at being the usual pop ballad, but it never hardly ever is, and I like that.
I'm not able to focus on the lyrics at first listen, caught up in the experimental pop retro rock motif.
The melody uses some 7ths or 11ths, or 9ths, maybe all of the above, to create a very strong melodic hook for me.
Lyrics are delivered with neatly stilted phrasings, and the odd chord progressions afford the singer to take some extra liberties, and that makes it all the more memorable, even though after two listens I hear only poetry.
Everyone delivers quality and cooperatively, but not singlemindedly, providing cool depth.
Good show!
... this has the depth of songwriting found in the heyday. There is a skeleton guitar hook that is almost superficial, and yet all the other parts seem to magically fall in place around its queue. The melody lives by the vocals, and the lyrics are bordering on a regular love song, but there is a little honest doubt conveyed. What is hard to describe is how the various moody sounds mesh into a cool song effortlessly, although I'm certain that's the illusion. It is as if one more part were added the whole song would fracture, but instead each has its crucial job in this song's essence. I wouldn't call it my favorite song of all time, but it is a keeper.
I can't find anything about this song I do not like. There is this background sound like a door closing that makes me look over my shoulder- maybe it's that ghost sneaking up from behind... I love the lyrics telling me an intro to a larger story that I think I might like to hear. The acoustic guitars stand out stereophonically most of all, with a very direct, almost overly simple pattern, but it is one of many very catchy aspects that combined with wonderful vocal arrangements and every little detail make this such an interesting listen.
I mean, sweet sixteen, yup, that's a special time in a young girl's life, and yes, it poses a variety of moral dilemmas for the singer especially I suppose. This under the legal age of consensual sex topic is not taboo so much as macho daring to broach the subject, and with some honest wholesome rock a la David Lee.
Oh yes, the drums pound it out in solid step with the bass providing a backbone for the growling electric guitar just playing riffs all over the place while the singer just lays it out, I mean you feel the heat in his heart and the angst of it all, that's the story, and what will he do? Ah, inquiring listeners want to know, and I'm not going to tell you here, but I think I could say he left it dangling just enough.
This is a guitar song first, and then a vocal song. Maybe.
I am just soaking in all these tasty leads and tasteful acoustic, playing along with a very creative drummer who leads the song's arrangement, and a sultry jazzy bass. Just has this misty-eyed lounge mood music vibe, and then these lyrics, a bit heavy- you're the reason I hate you, and then these beautiful aaahhhhs.
The melody has a depth that equals its emotions, I mean soft tender parts and burning desire hate ones, I give much credit for the effort that went into that, and the overall effect makes for a hit Beck/Palmer song, not just an odd combo.
It isn't easy to sing a song of this crooner vocal caliber this straight. I feel the tone even is well under control, and there's a goodly number of words being crooned. Nice Bon Jovi vocal harmonies, too. It isn't profound, but it is almost profoundly sensitive, and that sincerity plucks at the heartstrings.
The emotion drips like morning dew from every sentence, I am enraptured. It starts so major, so sun coming up have a great day hopeful, but there are these tangential melodies (moods), all carried out with such masterful guitar picking intertwined with delicate vocals with daring reverbed echo harmonies.
Very poetic like an acoustic undiscovered Zep masterpiece, always going the extra mile for another fan for life with a couple three listens. Frankly, I like this guy's voice better than Plant's, but there is some homage to be paid, I suppose, nothing new, but it is fantastic when it pays off like this.
The acoustic guitar has subtle but crystal stereo tones, and then the chords take equally minor steps back and forth and take me to the top, to where those beautiful vocal harmonies are going.
I suspend my disbelief in love, love so often tainted by reality, and for a song's moment long for long stemmed roses and heartfelt words as I sympathize with the helpless desire that leaves doubt in the dust.
I am instantly intrigued by the warm yet eery opening chord choices softly played on just piano, backing a tenderly delivered vocal line that transitions directly into the chorus line all the way to my love.
And the chorus, with just one odd note, brings a new vibe to the music. Forceful, forced, prying the lid off this soft lullaby and letting a little angst escape, just for a moment.
And then just as natural as can be the piano settles back to its gentle side.
The blues eyes verse/bridge blossoms with fresh optimism and with no more than Lennon's Imagine piano holding down the musical fort the battle is forgotten. Just nice classic tension throughout.
This song benefits from good opening lyrics and lots of intelligent rhymes with deviate- gravitate, commiserate, facilitate etc. 4-5 syllable words demonstrate this dude can really vocabulate.
The music is not too heavy nor too lightweight. I'd say it was quite moderate.
Melodically there are some rather bland stretches, but they integrate seamlessly into more excitating ones.
OK, I'm will not inundate this review with further wordplay that might obfuscate my critique, except to in sum congratulate a job well done.
There's such a positive vibe I get, it chugs along musically like a train with almost U2 hope I can't easily describe. There's nothing typical about this song, and all the elements have a ton of character, perhaps at the expense of some production aspects, but at 2.5 minutes the bridge adds light to the rest of the song and I begin to believe in this dream even more.
Very enjoyable and melodic and different. It sticks out in the musicscape in such a pleasant and original way, with great guitar and bass to boot, and the synth parts and sound clips providing plenty of depth.
A wonderful lyrical journey.
Such a beautifully delicate melody so utterly wistfully carrying the emotion drenched delivery of some heart string plucking lyrics. There's a gentle genius akin to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here in the simple piano chords defining the beat, I've listened twice and now am wondering if there are even drums at all. There are, very softly following the piano. I like the poetry grabbing me so regular, it was Tuesday, it was late, but not to late to play the flute or play the hand of fate, oh yeah!
Its abrupt ending took me by surprise, I thought no! not yet, but that was that, but now I love it and want it just that way, it makes sense.
There's nothing stellar about the performance aside from its super subdued mood and feeling utterly in control in the zone where what is done is precisely optimum. Take the sweet, soulful steel guitar counterpointing dangling piano arpeggios and sprinkled staccato strings, and semi-distant backing vocals, whoever is responsible for these qualities deserves serious credit.
This is one of those songs that is intimidatingly good in a likable way. You may have a hundred or a thousand other songs all superior in one aspect or another before you hit upon one as charismatic as this one, so I wish you luck on the next one, and thank you.
Cherry Pie. Oh yeah! This sounds like a John Enwistle solo effort, or perhaps one of those Americana singer songwriter types who only get played on public radio.
Singer delivers the song with a down and dirty bluesy growl ala George Thoroughgood. The vocal melody is not amazing but it is timeless.
The rhythm guitar has a great tone, and strummed so steadily is surprising how well behaved it is in the mix. Then when the lead guitar comes in with its big riff, built off the rhythm, it couldn't be better handled. Very lively!
Drums and bass are paying attention and playing right along with plenty of gusto.
I love the old days when sex was discussed in code words. I give this song high marks for civility for that.
Not exactly, but the vocal melody and the lyrics are very well crafted, and lines like the tax man's taken all your money, he's not messing around would be right up their alley.
The singer is good, has a solid credible voice and stays safely within his range.
The guitars are tight, too, the song builds in intensity so very gradually I almost don't notice, but along the way some pretty fancy lead is performed.
It's not a phenomenal melody or arrangement, but it gives Bachman Turner Overdrive a run for their money.
It has a Paul or John quality that I really enjoy, a simple yet wonderful chord progression played on piano, and also fulfilling the lead role, with a little rhythm electric guitar, bass and Ringo on drums to complete the song.
That is, except for the singer. Great job delivering the necessary sincerity required for such pop wisdomic lyrics! Really, though, the sympathies are credible and fine free advice.
It is an easy song to listen to, and when I take this philosophical vitamin M pill of music I get a pleasant little pick me up, I want to do something nice for someone.
This is goofy funny catchy synthy stuff, I think the opening bass and synth part with the steady drums is a neat build up for the 1 minute mark where the spacy sounds start appearing.
I guess it could be in something not comedic, but on its own it oozes with humor.
And no doubt its choice of sounds does add a sci-fi ambience. Polished to a commercial glaze, it is inoffensive and usable for all ratings.
I am most impressed with the effort to make a social statement, which seems the lost art of the 60s and 70s some days. I pick up some very direct songwriting similarities to Pete and Roger's singing, a tad more restrained, but that being said I enjoyed every minute of it.
The main guitar is nice and big, and the drums are on the run, and the bass is driving in the middle of the road, everything accelerating toward the end. The big lead guitar solo is quite tasty!
This might be one of my favorite live versions, if I ever got to see this band, but I'd say it has some missing dynamics in this studio arrangement that hold it back from a more powerful impact.
I feel like I'm hearing a cross between Billy Joel and Ray Davies, sort of the up beat take on rut sticking, Vocal delivery is spot on, such a pleasant melody.
I enjoy the melodic change from the verse, super pop, to the chorus, a mild dose of serious reality. There is nothing earth shattering going on, but one has to appreciate the solid songcraftmanship, and the performance and sounds are quite complimentary, for some reason the synth in the chorus is what works best.
I'm not wild about the guitar, but it is not objectionable either. It certainly does not keep the song as a whole from being just plain likable.
I like the singer, he exudes that Roger Daltry wholesome goodness and wisdom and positivity and realisticness, yeah, all that. It's a catchy chord progression, the guitars and bass and vocals just keep on it. The second variation (can we believe in all that we know... Tommy, is that you?) of the melody is quite likable.
Now there's no explosive bursts as might appear from the Who, this is like the mellow side split in the Enterprise transporter, but far better that than evil Roger.
First the acoustic guitar gently crescendos, and then the trumpet heralds bullfights and Zorro and spontaneous bursting into the tango.
Possibly the lead vocal could be louder at the busier times, but that is a very close call. I think the lyrics are unexpected enough to resist instant comprehension, a story of Gypsy Annie, a summer love of legendary stature worthy of such a lovely song.
Not all songs can be like this, heavy handed latin style injected with romantic poetic lyrics and just enough minor/major melodic deviation to make it very avant garde and rather catchy as well within its general ambience. But this one does this extremely, perhaps iconically well.
Here is a short lighthearted ditty that was a lot of fun to listen to. It hints of hardships but focuses on a couple of stress relieving moments, taking a walk together, splashing around in a tub, attesting to the healing power of pure playfulness and extending that from how to live life to how to make music.
The guitar is played with confidence and some skill, and the singer projects his up attitude with plenty of authenticity. The whistled verse fits right in, too, and in my opinion expands the arrangement like Donovan might have to something extra special.
Even the ending becomes a final opportunity to joke a little bit more. I wouldn't consider this guy to be a virtuoso vocalist, but he has a good solid voice with great enunciation and phrasing, well suited for songs where words are very important.
