what am i not hearing in neil halstead's recent output that seemingly everyone else is?

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so, i liked 'souvlaki', which to my ears was the first record on which neil halstead took a gander at writing actual songs... & never really listened to 'pygmalion'. when the first mojave 3 record came out, it took me many listens before i liked it, and even then i only really cared for a few of the songs. the second mojave 3 record sounded like bad nick drake 'northern sky'-ish pastiches...and so i gave up after that one. but then i kept hearing everyone talk about how great the new mojave 3 record is. listened to opening track 'bluebird of happiness', which sounded like warmed-over spiritualized. went back and listened to some of his solo record and 'excuses for travelers', which provoked the same flat response in me. does his music lack soul? do i? what's going on here? do i just need to smoke more pot? do mojave 3 smoke too much?

― Dallas Yertle (Dallas Yertle), Wednesday, 7 January 2004 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)

You never really listened to Pygmalion?? Hoo boy are you missing out on some fine tunes, my friend.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Mojave 3's real talent lies in putting out three star albums that somehow manage to make bi-polar girls, and stoners think that they're the greatest things ever. That being said, there're usually at least a couple of worthwhile songs on any of their albums, including Halstead's solo, and hell.. probably even the latest one which I haven't heard yet.

Out of Tune's probably the one to hone in on though. That is if you care enough to make the extra effort here. I think it's probably their strongest release.

― may pang (maypang), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe it's all too jingoistic

― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 8 January 2004 03:07 (twenty-two years ago)

yeh, I thought it was weird how the second track on the new album is a toby keith cover. they're really running wild with the whole 'americana' thing.

― Dallas Yertle (Dallas Yertle), Thursday, 8 January 2004 03:14 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmm...i thought i had made a joke, sorry.
i love the new record, it's the most pleasant record of the year that wasn't a pearlfisher record. the second song in particular has this easy gait and i think that is the appeal. slowdive was escapist and distant and brilliant of course but i think his voice is world-worn enough to come across convincingly in his new role as neil from nebraska.

― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 8 January 2004 03:42 (twenty-two years ago)

don't mind me...at any rate, "bluebird of happiness" is the only thing from the new one that i've taken the time to listen to.

well, maybe i'll keep trying. it's just that his voice seems flat; too little affect, and there's something lacking (the "soul"?). could be that more listening will convince me. i want to like it; i really do.

― Dallas Yertle (Dallas Yertle), Thursday, 8 January 2004 03:51 (twenty-two years ago)

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