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I like the first few songs alright and "Get off" and that's about it. Get that one first. this album is way overrated. "The Dandy Warhols Come Down" is a much better record than this.
If all cuts were as good as "Bohemian Like You", then it would deserve even a 6 star rating. but not all songs are like it, which doesn't mean you'll find a really bad one in here; it's just you won't find any better.However it's still a well crafted and carefully produced album, worth listening and recommended for any Dandy Warhols' newcomer and fan.Good music.
It's the vocal rhythm which reminds me of something. I probably first heard snatches of this song when it was used to advertise a car or something or other. It has, as bookends, songs with titles and themes that go from belief in a god to atheism. Not sure if the "Come on down" cd did what this album does, namely, have songs bleed into eachother, such that there isn't any real demarcation between songs. The intro to "Bohemian like you" has a cool drum intro, nice organ sound and a cool, bassy synthesiser. I'm not exactly sure if "Solid" is a reply to the earlier song "Country leaver"). In fact, this cd may have more contenders for songs worthy of inclusion in any future Dandy Warhols' compilation album.
It's pretty much the same story again for this cd: has one excellent single to pique your interest, and then delivers some solid songs throughout the cd. That's not a favourite Stones song of mine in any case, so the Dandy's have way surpassed the Stones on that front. "Come on down" had "Not if you were last junkie on Earth" as the standout song/single from the cd. In fact, if the Stones had recorded this song, it would be one of their best ever.it's that good. Later on, there are are male and female vocals which have an airy sound to them.like they are singing in a cathedral. Country leaver- another country sounding song from this album."Solid" and "Horse pills"- both have vocals not unlike Lou Reed or, say, Iggy Pop. That probably isn't a coincidence.Mohammed- has some Middle Eastern vocal touches and some nice multiple accoustic guitar sounds.
The guitars sound twangy, in a country kind of way.A really good album.If you like this album, you might want to check out these equally good albums:Midnight Oil-Red sails in the sunset.The Vines-Highly evolved.Patti Smith-HorsesI've reviewed all of these albums here. Some other notes on songs I made before posting:Nietzsche- has a very heavy and fuzzy and electric guitar sound-perhaps the synth contributes to this sound as well. I suppose the guitar sound most reminds me of the Stones "Brown sugar". Vocals are in the softer sounding mode of the lead singer. It reminds me of something, but that something must be a song which I don't really hear very often. Anyway, I'll give you a rundown of the songs I like the most on this album. To me, this is a song in a The Rolling Stones' style/sound.
A pretty song.Get off- perhaps the second best song on this album. On cd, listening to this song in its entirety, you really appreciate it that much more. The riff reminds me of The Troggs' classic "Wild thing". Features some hip-hop widgy-widgy turntable effects.Big Indian-features a steel string accoustic guitar, I think.The Gospel- another country flavoured song. The Oils are one of my top 5 musical acts of all time. In any case, this song sounds sort of Western (as in 'country and western music').
A couple of other songs, and maybe more, seem to be paired, in some way (e.g. A great song.Next best songs:Godless- has accoustic guitar and the riff reminds me of George Harrison's classic song "My sweet lord". The latter song is another song where there is a fuzzy sounding electric guitar.Shakin- this song brings to mind the following types of songs/acts: The Vines' classic "Ride with me" along with Iggy Pop sounding vocals. Gave the earlier cd 4 stars too. The former song has a simple, catchy keyboard riff which is a little bit catchy.
In the notes I took for this cd, before submitting this review here, I pondered whether "Thirteen tales" was a concept album. It works well, in any case. The lyrics are amusingly chatty (he sings things like you would hear uttered in a conversation). This is totally by the by, but this song's title is also the name of one of my favourite Midnight Oil songs, from the equally good as this album "Red sails in the sunset". Utilises some lyrics from the spiritual song "Sweet chariot" (I think that that is the name of the song).
I bought this cd after buying their earlier one "Come on down", which I quite liked. This album has "Bohemian like you". The song has catchy singing and also has accoustic guitar.Sleep- a gentle, dreamy song built on a pretty two part accoustic guitar melody.
Song-writing varies from fairly simple and repetitive (Nietzche) to clever songs with hooks, complex chord structure, and intricate harmonies. a splendid trio. I like the result a lot - not better than the original, but as much as I like the song it's fun to hear a reimagined version.I would give the album 4 1/2 stars if it were available. It is the musical variety here that makes this one fun to listen to from top to bottom, meriting many listens without getting old or sounding the same.What makes this album great is the wide range of sounds and styles, and the fact that there's not a bad track on it. When you play the entire album on most mp3 or computer music players, there is a brief gap in the transition as the player switches from one to the next track, unless you have gapless playback capabilities (like foobar2000, or are playing directly from the CD). At times dissonant, at others sweetly harmonious, and sometimes a bit of both. Some tracks are deliberately dissonant, others with sweet harmonies. But overall, there isn't a bad track on the album, though of course some are stronger than others.There are various CD singles you can get from Amazon delears featuring tracks from this album.
"13 Tales" is much more solid than the previous "Come Down" and consistently better songwriting. For that reason I ripped the mp3s both separately and altogether as one track.Tracks:The first three tracks ("Godless", "Mohammed, "Nietche") are a powerful opening, starting slow and gaining strengthy until finally bursting out all over with "Nietchzhe". "Country Traveller" comes next. The title cuts on the singles are identical to the album tracks, so it is the alternative versions that are the reason to buy them. "Godless (mix)," from the "Horse Pills" single, reworks the song considerably. It's a great country-ish song on its own, but in terms of the mood it's an about face from where they took us with the first three.The most obvious pop singles are "Bohemian Like You" (which got some airplay) and "Get Off" (which I have not heard on the radio).
They add a unique sound, sensibility, and tongue-in-cheek attitude that makes it refreshingly their own. I usually reserve 5 stars for one of the best albums of all time. The songs are seg'ed together to give a nonstop music experience, great for listening to the whole album. If you don't know their music, this album is a tasty starting point.It is a rockin' album, but it is very dynamic - from quieter and melodic tunes to 'balls to the wall' blasts of fuzz and distortion intended to annoy neighbors. Harsh fuzz guitar sounds are mixed with clear, ringing acoustic guitars.The album's sound is basic alt-rock, but draws from a variety of classic bands (Stones, Iggy Pop, Velvet Underground and others).
The seg transitions make for disruptive transitions on mix tapes, unless you do some editing. so 5 stars here. Objectively, I don't think that it is, because the quality varies; subjectively, it is certainly one of my essential favorite albums. I think this is the best Dandy Warhols album so far, and I like the band a lot. There even hip-hop beats on one track.
"Solid" and "Horse Pills" are hilarious snarky tunes that would be more at home on college radio.The closing track, "The Gospel", is my least favorite, because it is slow and somber, and because it marks the end of a great album.
Singing along with "a Bohemian Like You" and leaving the gas closed when listening to things like "Nietzsche".I, for one, am very hapy to have obtained this cd. It will be one of those which is at the front row in my collection. Loungy when it comes to numbers like "sleep" and energatic when it comes to songs like "Solid". If a equasion should be made, I would say it is a mixture of The Stones, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. Since one of it's most well known hit, A Bohemian Like You, has been used for a commercial (Vodafone, around the year 2000). This band is known to be a one hit wonder in Europe. Unfair, because this band has more to offer than just that. A CD you can listen to when driving the country.
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