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Post by GhostOfPaul on Sept 11, 2004 3:03:07 GMT -5
What the heck is this?
Oh well, it had to happen sooner or later.
Jingle. Now I wonder. My Dad. All three bummers... Not a good way to start things off.
Lookin' Up in Heaven.... all right a little better. Written during the 'Mats dying days maybe?
Anyways All Right... okay finally a little passion.
$100 Groom, 23 years ago, Breathe some New Life... blah blah blah..... Paul.... you are not Keith Richards, and you need to stop listening to Beggars Banquet and Exile.
I'm crushed. Very dissapointed.
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Post by GhostOfPaul on Sept 11, 2004 3:47:59 GMT -5
On second listen... have come to one conclusion.
23 years is the only thing worthwhile.
The rest is only wishful thinking.
Still very upset and dissapointed.
Sorry, Kathy
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Post by Kathy on Sept 11, 2004 9:51:09 GMT -5
On second listen... have come to one conclusion. 23 years is the only thing worthwhile. The rest is only wishful thinking. Still very upset and dissapointed. Sorry, Kathy I didn't make the record, no need to be say "sorry" to me. You're allowed your opinion, you expressed it without saying peple who do like the record are idiots so nothing to apologize for. Well, except that you should have posted it in the reviews section but I'll let you off with a slap on the writst
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Post by scoOter on Sept 11, 2004 10:37:45 GMT -5
I didn't make the record, no need to be say "sorry" to me. You're allowed your opinion, you expressed it without saying peple who do like the record are idiots so nothing to apologize for. Well, except that you should have posted it in the reviews section but I'll let you off with a slap on the writst and even if you are wrong, no one is going to come down on you!
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Post by paulie on Sept 11, 2004 10:56:29 GMT -5
i've been leaning on the "if you ain't got anything good to say don't say anything at all" on this one. i got to admit i was disapointed in Folker as a whole i think mostly because i was the judging record by the early release of Lookin' up in Heaven and As Far As I Know. I was also expecting something different judging from the "slick" packaging of Folker. This is a cover that comebacks are made of. love it. now on the other side of the coin, Folker,Awful?....no way, not even close. just not as accessible, a little unfinished, a little more personal and probaly a little hidden genius.
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Post by FreeRider on Sept 11, 2004 11:08:33 GMT -5
I've been listening to 'Folker' over and over since I picked it up the other day during my lunch break at work. I can say that I was drawn to certain songs immediately and skipped over others just to get to the payoff.
Now that I have a little more time to critically listen to it (since it's the weekend), I can say that the songs I skipped over are starting to grow on me. Like with anything new, the more you give it a chance, the more you just might discover something new about it. They're not my favorites, but I don't out right hate them. But I'm also curious as to what others who don't dig 'Folker' were expecting on this CD. I think there were tell tale signs that it wasn't going to be like CFMT.
Also, my litmus test is: Are these songs equal to or better than any of the stuff I'm assaulted with on today's radio? Since I stopped listening to the corporate radio garbage awhile ago, my answer is, "yes, these Westerberg songs are better than most anything I can hear on my town's rock radio today!" ;D
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Post by paulie on Sept 11, 2004 11:13:11 GMT -5
yes . light years ahead of anything on the radio or mtv, vh1.
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Post by rewed69 on Sept 11, 2004 11:13:54 GMT -5
Between '93 and '99 Paul put out, what... three records? Just before Stereo came out we were wondering if we were ever going to see him again and since then he's had five records and a DVD. I'm more than happy for some scrappy production and a few fluffed lines if it means this level of output. GhostofPaul, don't feel too bad being wrong... good on you!
R.
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Chris
Dances With Posts
Posts: 52
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Post by Chris on Sept 11, 2004 11:21:28 GMT -5
It is a very difficult record to digest. Nothing really jumps out at you the first few listens, but then the pieces slowly begin to fall into place. Yes, there's an unfinished feel to a lot of it, and there are some lyrics that could've used a little tightening, but after a few weeks I'm giving this one a solid A.
I'll always love The Replacements records, and I think there's good stuff sprinkled throughout his 90's work, but alone in the basement, churning out songcraft and having a ball, is where he belongs at this point.
Taken as a whole, the five records he's put out since 2002 are right up there with the great runs of the Stones, the Kinks, and the Who.
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Post by prozach on Sept 11, 2004 12:54:16 GMT -5
I didn't make the record, no need to be say "sorry" to me. can we blame you if we don't like it?
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Post by donniejamesrio on Sept 11, 2004 13:41:42 GMT -5
I'm on my second listen right now and I'm not all that impressed. Some of the songwriting seems rushed and below par. I know Paulie is all about the spontaneity, but when you get stuff like "Breathe Some New Life", maybe it's not the best thing.
It's mostly okay, really great at times, and really stinkin' here and there. Keep in mind I was equally nonplussed with Suicaine and now I swear by that record as being the most underappreciated genius album of all time, so who knows where this one is going to lead me.
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Post by Kathy on Sept 11, 2004 14:41:10 GMT -5
can we blame you if we don't like it? sure, if I can blame you for the Ents.
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Post by prozach on Sept 11, 2004 14:57:21 GMT -5
sure, if I can blame you for the Ents. fair enuf, grandpagirl
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Post by landshark on Sept 11, 2004 17:00:44 GMT -5
Keep in mind I was equally nonplussed with Suicaine and now I swear by that record as being the most underappreciated genius album of all time. I've had to "grow" into every single Mats and Paul album ever. Everyone should give this five listens before they write it off -- give it a chance, there's some amazing stuff.
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Post by FreeRider on Sept 11, 2004 21:10:11 GMT -5
I agree with landshark....give it a chance before you put it up on your shelf along with your dust collection. i think the more you listen to it, the more things are revealed to you.
some of you don't like 'my dad', think it's a little too personal. perhaps, but doesn't that tell you what an artist Paul is? He's bared his soul to us, he's revealed a really personal thing about himself to the world. that's pretty goddamn courageous. but actually, he's hit upon a universal truth. the more i listen to it, the more it rings true to ME.
in about a week, it'll be the 11th anniversary of MY dad's passing. and like Mr. Westerberg, my dad was of the same generation, a WW II vet, hard working, heavy smoker and drinker. but also the stern, silent type. not real demonstrative or outwardly affectionate, but in that unspoken manner, you know that he loves you. even if he doesn't say it. Just like Mr. Westerberg taking pride in seeing the family name in the newspaper, even though he never saw Paul play. i'm sure i'm not the only one here whose dad was like that, right?
oh, and by the way, also read landshark's critical analysis of 'folker' in the concept album thread before you decide the CD is a waste of time. i'm impressed by landshark's interpretation.
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Post by loraaw on Sept 11, 2004 21:43:07 GMT -5
Man, I dislike it, too (I hesitate to use the word hate).
It pains me to say it, but I'm becoming slightly disinterested in Mr. Westerberg ... well, unless he happens to stand on a stage with a guitar in some city where I can fly to see him for under $200.
This is the first Paul CD where after about half a dozen listens there isn't a single song that jumps out at me. After all the hype, it's just all that much more disappointing.
Sigh, -Laura
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Post by fungo on Sept 12, 2004 1:45:12 GMT -5
It is a very difficult record to digest. Nothing really jumps out at you the first few listens, but then the pieces slowly begin to fall into place. Yes, there's an unfinished feel to a lot of it, and there are some lyrics that could've used a little tightening, but after a few weeks I'm giving this one a solid A. I'll always love The Replacements records, and I think there's good stuff sprinkled throughout his 90's work, but alone in the basement, churning out songcraft and having a ball, is where he belongs at this point. Taken as a whole, the five records he's put out since 2002 are right up there with the great runs of the Stones, the Kinks, and the Who. My feelings exactly, Chris. And I've decided this image PW portrays as just sittin' in his basement, turning on the tape, and recording whatever comes out is crap. I'm no expert on producing music, but you can tell a lot of effort has been put into the background singing and complementary guitar parts. And the way his interludes tie the themes together indicate a little more thought and less improvising. Like a lot of you I thought the album was "OK" the first couple listens. I rated most of the songs in the B+, B- range on Kathy's poll. If I were to rate them again I'd give them much higher grades now. It's too early for me to say, but Folker may be up there with 14 Songs as PW's second best solo effort (behind Stereo) in my opinion.
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Post by GhostOfPaul on Sept 12, 2004 5:58:03 GMT -5
Paul needs to get out of the basement in my opinon.
Now, I love the dude, but I don't want to see him turn into Syd Barrett or something.
He's got too much raw talent to self-produce, let's start a fund where we can buy him some time with Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello to record him and guide him to a great record again, because this basement scene is getting old, my little brother does just as good demos, capturing better emotion and weird thoughts.
Okay, I know I am harsh, but do we let the man fade away or should we help him out. I say help him out! Out of the basement! Into a studio!
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Post by FreeRider on Sept 12, 2004 8:06:56 GMT -5
Well, is your discontent with the production values or songwriting? or is it both?
I'm also wondering if Vagrant records will foot the bill for Paul to actually get into a high end professional studio. I doubt that they would, since it's easily several hundred dollars and hour for studio time. But if we all chip in, we could buy him some high end dynamic microphones and Paul might have better recordings of his drums. ;D
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Numskll
First Class Scout
Posts: 173
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Post by Numskll on Sept 12, 2004 9:27:21 GMT -5
I've had to "grow" into every single Mats and Paul album ever. Everyone should give this five listens before they write it off -- give it a chance, there's some amazing stuff. I was dissapointed with it on the first listen too. I thought it was sloppy, badly put together and all that. Crushed is not too strong of a word to describe how I felt. on the second listen though I began to realize how carefully sloppy it was and how much thought Paul must have put into the 'poor production values. ' I began to love the songs. Every song has some sort of resonance with 60's/70's folk rock I think ( not that I'm an expert). I love the album now, but can still understand how people might not like it. However, if I could give PW advice on what to do for his next album I tell him keep doing what he has been. Folker is a gem. Rational men (and women) can disagree on matters of principal.
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