ILM Listening Chamber 1

Initial impressions are I must say unfavourable - there's something about people doing their vowel sounds in that post-Lennon way that really turns me off bothering to listen to the lyrics (though a bonus point for the appearance of the word 'hammock'): I prefer something more naturalised and more theatrical (does that make sense, I wonder?). The tune meanwhile doesn't exactly inspire either - trying to write a break-up anthem, not really getting there. Chinka-chunka rhythm at the beginning is nice, though. One for the classicists but I fear even they'd be disappointed.

Actually I've heard this probably over a hundred times on the radio station that's played at my office - which is middle of the road, non- offensive "easy rock". The entire station is poo, and this meshes perfectly with the rest.

Sorry - a totally useless critique on my part, but honestly, I'm just so numbed to it already that I haven't much better to say. One positive, I do like the low strings going on underneath the verses - but the lyrics are pretty insipid. The "when you don't know me" part is almost meaningful, but it sounds insincere and forced. Whiny and repetitious. And the fuzzed up bit towards the end... is it emotionally powerful? No, it's crap. I just can't say anything nice.

If it's who I think it is, then it's a disappointment after another single of theirs which I liked a lot.

i can't actually remember the last time i heard rock like this, so it was quite strange to actively listen to the track. i was disappointed first when the (clean) guitar at the beginning stopped - would have been nice throughout under the vocals, and then disappointed again when the track 'rocked out'. i think i switched off a bit at that point.

it also made me wonder when/why guitar bands started using a breakbeat-style drum pattern - Hiphop becoming unavoidable in US? People dance more now at indie clubs?. I've noticed this in quite a few tracks, besides the obvious Hiphop/Rock crossover stuff, or the 1st Stone Roses album.

listening to the start of the track again though, the beat is not as prominent as i thought, oh well

This is rather rawk, isn't it? Um, it's a dull guitar anthem which has promise to be hugely popular but is insipid and cliched. I also found the lyrics trite, nothing that's never been written thousands of time before. However, is that a banjo at the beginning or just a poorly recorded demo version segueing into the main track? If it is a banjo, good, lovely, an underused instrument! I have a feeling if I listen to it more than 3 times it shall embed itself in my every waking moment and I shall apply it to certain situations, so I think I'll leave it alone now.

I played it first while it was still downloading. Sounded like gLItCh! (:-)

Then I clicked on play again (:-(
0'00" to 0'06" - scratching, sounds promising
0'06" to 0'12" - oh, a guitar, how disappointing. Still it's kind of a low-fi-intro-to-that's-entertainment-acoustic guitar, so all is not yet...
0'12" to 0'24" - uh oh, indie rock
0'24" to end - utter shite. They even finished with a squeal of feedback. Feedback! That went out with button shoes. This is current?

Could someone kindly link up the Listening Chamber Introduction thread? It seems to have gone from the new thread list by now.

Never mind. I found the thread here.

Well, I never heard this song before, but this song is only slightly better than the songs I'm forced to listen to at the gym I go to every other morning. (See? THIS is what I was complaining about in the "Gym Musique" thread.)

You know, it's not really that terrible a track. It could have been more insipid... The bassline is pretty nice. The little Tall Dwarfs- y shuffly sound (the intro sounds) in the background is neato. And I sorta like the feedbacky sounds near the end.

Otherwise, very typical singer-songwriter emoting-in-the-heartland-of- America fare. Guitars, heard 'em before. Vocals.. bleech.

(I think I know who this is, and I think it's the same answer as Tom's, as this is indeed pretty disappointing after their last single.)

If it's who I think it is, I'd be surprised if anyone is disappointed in this v. their other output.

Listening to this so attentively was a bit surreal. I know I've stumbled into situations where I've heard this -- in a shop, passing through VH1, on a fellow employee's radio -- but it just blends in with a dozen other songs into one faceless, tuneless glob. It's odd separating it from the rest of the AA stew.

I'd be more attracted to this it if it were even offputting in any tangible way; it just demonstrates a complete lack of adventure or personality.

― scott p., Tuesday, 2 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

scott, shame on you.

*sniff* sorry.

Seriously, yeah, I feel doubly bad now because what I blindly swiped at, if it was released post-what I think this is, I don't even think I've heard! Passing judgement on other's likes and dislikes = dud.

Apologies to Tom and Brian.

I'm using Netscape 6 on an iMac and I can't download it. Is there a direct URL I can use?

quite like this quiet bit at 3.39, and i like the bass noise..

lyrics, not listening to them properly, but the bits i hear are well dull. but im one of those idiots who 'doesnt like lyrics'.

the drum kit sounds shit as well. like its not dampened or tuned up properly.

i thought this band were british. it kinda sounds like a british voice singing.

those strings are awful. and reminds of posh spice on parkinson recently with the usual cello wielding goons......

have no idea who it is. but i dont know much about this sort of stuff.

Oh, God.

I hate that rhythm guitar sound. It's like the geetar playa was hoping to play a disco song, but settled for stumbling around this limp-ass sensitive ballad using the same sort of wakka-wakka strumming method. "I wanna taste the salt of your skin." I wanna run my foot through your mouth, how's that? (No, I'm not a fan of this particular band, old or new.) It sounds like someone trying to approximate Superchunk through a mainstreaming filter of some sort, not realizing that A) Superchunk is pretty mainstream to begin with and B) there's more going on in the 'Chunk than distortion and impassioned squealing. Everything about this song acts A+, but barely achieves C-.

For what it's worth, the lead singer had a bit part in _Rock Star_, playing the lead singer of a heavy metal cover band competing with Marky Mark's heavy metal cover band. Of course, Marky Mark can run rings around this poseur. The casting director should be bought many beers for that inspired choice.

This song was ubiquitous at one point. Over a year ago. I'm surprised so many people don't know it. This band has done far better things. The singer allegedly lives about a mile away from where I am right now. Sorry, this is more like "Name That Tune" than criticism. I hate this song.

Sorry about my previous mail, I've got it running now. The song sounds very much like an Oasis record. Only this guy can't sing as good as Liam. I've no idea who this is. I can't believe no one's mentioned Oasis yet.

This track came out only a year ago? I seem to remember it being ubiquitous around '94 or '95--maybe it was on the woodstock '94 album. But maybe Im just trippin.

I saw these chuckleheads open for U2 a few years ago. They write songs with notes their lead singer can't hit outside of the studio. Pop fluff that goes from catchy to "please, turn that shit off" in about 5 listens.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't this the single that came out directly AFTER their REALLY REALLY big single*? Or maybe it came out before and was re-released directly after the REALLY REALLY big one hit. 1997 it came out in I think.

Pleasant start, but the quality of the track is inversely proportional to the volume of the singer. That is, when he's shut up, it's OK, quite nice even. When he's singing, it's bad. When he's singing loudly, it's atrocious. I can't imagine anyone genuinely liking this, but I can imagine the people who went out and bought it and requested it on the radio because it's like, you know, SO how they're feeling.

* At least, in the US and the countries whose singles charts are basically six-week old xeroxes of the US charts. I have no idea if they were ever big in the UK.

Possibly one of the most boring formularic 'sensitive rock' songs I've ever heard. American, of course, though would desperately like to be British, so a bunch of Anglophile Yanks then. Hmmm... Dull lyrics, dull verses, dull choruses, sounded a bit like Red House Painters trying to be happy for some reason, perfectly forgettable. Didn't like the way loads of 'big' rock guitars came in half way through to give the song the kick up the backside it badly needed, but didn't get. Dull dull dull dull DULL.

So, nobody seems to like this.
Can whoever chose it then explain the reason for doing so? The original idea of the forum as I understand it was to 'rediscover' artists we might have overlooked or too-readily dismissed. Can't see that I've missed out on anything here. I'm not complaining about the choice, honest. I'm genuinely curious to read an explanation.

Has everyone that wants to hear this heard it? I posted it and I'll explain why.(PS. I'd like to hear Ally's input)

no, i haven't heard it yet. i cant play it at work. will be passing ninternet cafe tonight where i can play it. can we wait till then?

Why I posted it(without giving away too much, i hope):
1. If this fits into a genre, it's ILM's most hated and dismissed genre. I certainly have my suspicions as to why this is, but I thought it'd be more interesting this way. I was wondering if a more concentrated listening would yield the same verbs: "bland", "mediocre". Evidently so, and I can't say I genuinely disagree. In retrospect, I could have posted a song by this band more likely to be met with praise with the ILM crowd and perhaps then we'd see some happily suprised posters. Not really the point, though: here, I wasn't looking to share my favourite music with anyone, I didn't want/expect to convert any fans (I wouldn't count myself as one, at least not anymore.) I wanted to take a piece of music (I'm not sure if the heavy radio play this received in the US works for or against this kind of exercise) that seemed to espouse what much of ILM *doesn't* look for in a piece of music and see what happens when they're asked to really pay attention. (NB. this doesnt signal the end of the listening session, I still very much want to hear what gareth and any others have to say). 2.Three years ago or so, that hook became embedded in my head. Embedded.

i really can't wait till i can play it tonight now. let the hours roll by o work dudes.

Bad news--looks like Myplay found out about this and removed Jemmeson's account. Darn.

Well, shit, if that's an issue, I might be able to host some MP3s. Is that an issue?

bah, i never got to hear it.

You had a lucky escape Gareth.

Private hosting is the way to go, because it was an arse going through myplay's whole system anyway.

All righty, then.

If there are no objections, I will conjure the proper HTML goodness and start on my merry way this evening.

Ally owns this album.

If worse came to worse, I could host it as well. Kuci.org are good kids that way.

(Um, yeah.... anyone remember "Guess the Artist" on alt.music.alternative?)

The track in question is now located here.

And since it's been a week since the track was posted, would Mr. Jemmeson care to reveal who & why?

I remember Guess the Artist. It made me feel pretty clueless amongst thee wise music snobs.

it was Mitch's track, so perhaps he should answer this one...
the band was Third Eye Blind, but I'd never heard of them i'm afraid, so can tell you no more

oh, forgot to thank you for hosting the tracks and sorting it all out, so thanks David!

Most of my 'why' is upthread. I kind of regret posting it, it really isn't very good at all. I still like the hook, though. Ally, you like some third eye blind: any thoughts?

I know this voice. I like it. And I like the whole song. It is very calm there is not a lot happening. But it not hollow. It is just parsimonious. A song which only opens itself up to you if you listen several times to it. But on the other hand. It definitely can also become annoying if you listen too often to it. And the voice as well.

Sorry as I only just discovered the ILM listening chamber I posted in the wrong thread. What I wrote was about chamber 2. Chamber 1 would be:

Enjoyable songwriter music. Nothing spectacular but still I think it holds. Especially when things get a little rockier in the second half. Though the voice is not amazing really. And the song is based mainly on one riff which is repeated far too often. I also like the slightly melancholic touch.

Bland music, painfully dumb lyrics. C- and F, respectively.

actually this albun is a guilty pleasure of mine :-). it has 4 tracks that i thought were all pretty good cranked in the car.....then again,i am a sucker for sweet's "love is like oxygen".