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Post by scoOter on Sept 21, 2004 9:22:52 GMT -5
Man, I'm a little surprised by the mixed reviews. Granted, I'm no blind faith follower, but I actually enjoy Folker. It's not his best, but I don't think it's as bad as some people say it is. I dunno.... Again, my litmus test is this: are these songs better than the forced fed crap and playlists from my hometown's corporate rock radio? Are these songs better than or equal to the crap that my co-workers play on the radio at work? Sorry, I don't agree that this is "awful". These songs, these melodies, the chord progressions, are still better than most anything I can hear on my town's radio. i respecfully agree.
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Post by PeterCetera on Sept 21, 2004 10:53:26 GMT -5
I meant Blender mag..not Bender. Whatever.
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Hem41
Tenderfoot
Posts: 15
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Post by Hem41 on Sept 23, 2004 8:13:46 GMT -5
Man, I'm a little surprised by the mixed reviews. Granted, I'm no blind faith follower, but I actually enjoy Folker. It's not his best, but I don't think it's as bad as some people say it is. I dunno.... I agree. Only complaint: not enuf techno.
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Post by PeterCetera on Sept 23, 2004 12:36:47 GMT -5
yeah, i cant dance to it.
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Post by troublkepnyerhedup on Sept 27, 2004 10:18:26 GMT -5
On second listen... have come to one conclusion. 23 years is the only thing worthwhile. The rest is only wishful thinking. On 150th listen or whatever it is, I've actually come around to Ghost of Paul's opinion here (that 23 Years Ago is THE standout track, not that Folker is AWFUL ... also the "wishful thinking" tracks include some very near misses).
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prine
Star Scout
Posts: 390
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Post by prine on Oct 1, 2004 0:40:37 GMT -5
I think the high watermark was Stereo/Mono. This album is the wave hitting the beach. But I gotta say, these are the best lyrics since the Mats days. Just don't try to initiate a friend with this album. Give em Mono.
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Smorgasberg
Star Scout
It has to be the shoes, money!
Posts: 527
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Post by Smorgasberg on Oct 1, 2004 9:41:28 GMT -5
No way man, I had Mono back in 1989, and was astonished at how miserable it made me. When student health at my U said they couldn't do anything for me, I damn near cried. I wouldn't do that to an enemy.
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Doug
First Class Scout
Posts: 157
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Post by Doug on Nov 5, 2004 2:40:16 GMT -5
After only getting the album upon its Australian release a few weeks ago, I'm gearing up to expressing my first views on it. Pretty exciting, eh? I'll briefly practice: first impression was very disappointing. It seemed very unfocussed and bland compared to Stereo and CFMT. But maybe we were just so desperate for Stereo. CFMT seemed better mixed (and better), but we don't really know when those songs were from. On Folker there seemed to be strange riffs for no reason, but by the 10th listen they start to make more sense. A couple songs sound whiney but maybe the lyrics are great. I'll keep trying. I still side with the use a producer camp. Didn't he say in an interview it's too easy to make a good sounding record these days because of pro tools? Well, it's easy to make a crap sounding one too so what's the point? Raw is cool. But so is clean, for lack of a better term. I think he's still got a great album in him and it would be great to hear/have/treasure it.
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Post by GimmeGimmeGimme on Nov 5, 2004 13:29:48 GMT -5
It ain't perfect but here are some things I like about FOLKER:
-The way things start out with a wink and a smirk, "Jingle" shamelessly announces the new product with Westerberg's trademark irony. I found this song annoying at first, but I've grown to like it.
-"My Dad" gives a good sense of Paul's dad's cranky sense of humor, he doesn't go to the doctor because they'll just make him come back again. Now you know where Paul got it from. A touching set of observations about his dad, it's also one of the catchier songs on the album.
-"Lookin' Up In Heaven" is the prettiest song here. I like the little bit at the end about the 'other place' that Paul needs to check out, more evidence of Paul's re-emerging sense of humor.
-For me, the centerpiece of the album is "As Far As I Know" featuring another gorgeous melody. The opening verse, starting with the strummed chords to where the drums kick in is as good as it gets in my book. This song would fit right in on either of the first two Big Star albums.
-God knows what the lyrics are about on "Gun Shy", but who cares, they sound great. I do like the line, "I like to tell it like it ain't" and the guitar part in the chorus.
-Finally, there's "Folk Star" which in an ironic twist, is another catchy rocker and a good way to end the album.
The album didn't blow me away at first, but it's been growing on me. The set of slower acoustic songs near the middle ("What About Mine?", "How Can You Like Him?" and "Breathe Some New Life") haven't done much for me yet, but I really like the songs that have caught my ear.
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Post by kgp on Nov 5, 2004 18:12:38 GMT -5
After listening for a couple of months, the 'difficult' songs ('23 Years Ago', Breathe Some New Life' etc.) are the ones I go back to. The lighter ones (that I liked at first) seem like Eventually toss-offs.
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Post by GimmeGimmeGimme on Nov 6, 2004 12:16:49 GMT -5
After listening for a couple of months, the 'difficult' songs ('23 Years Ago', Breathe Some New Life' etc.) are the ones I go back to. The lighter ones (that I liked at first) seem like Eventually toss-offs. I am expecting the 'difficult' songs to grow on me but there's no way that "As Far As I Know" will eventually sound like an "Eventually" throw away. It sounded great live last night.
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michaelb
Dances With Posts
ERB Scout
erb
Posts: 53
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Post by michaelb on Nov 7, 2004 2:34:26 GMT -5
my dad never comes to see me play either...
michaelb
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Post by PeterCetera on Nov 7, 2004 8:37:53 GMT -5
its a decent album. 3 or 4 filler tunes tho in my opionion, way too many to call it a real strong album. I was listening to a live mats bootleg cd I made a while back with stuff from early Bob to the end of the mats.. what I was remind of was how powerful his voice was in the day. It is so whiny now... not always but a lot of times its unbearable. just one mans opinion.
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Post by A Regular on Nov 7, 2004 21:11:48 GMT -5
its a decent album. 3 or 4 filler tunes tho in my opionion, way too many to call it a real strong album. I was listening to a live mats bootleg cd I made a while back with stuff from early Bob to the end of the mats.. what I was remind of was how powerful his voice was in the day. It is so whiny now... not always but a lot of times its unbearable. just one mans opinion. His voice may crack and warble on the album, but the shows I just saw featured a very strong voice that held notes, stayed on key (mostly), and still had the power of a few good screams! His live singing voice was amazingly good compared to the album, and Saturday, he was actually showing off on guitar.
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The Indoor Boy
Beagle Scout
"Such a morning must come to all the friends of Smirnoff."
Posts: 1,904
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Post by The Indoor Boy on Nov 8, 2004 22:06:06 GMT -5
It ain't perfect but here are some things I like about FOLKER: -The way things start out with a wink and a smirk, "Jingle" shamelessly announces the new product with Westerberg's trademark irony. I found this song annoying at first, but I've grown to like it. The first time I spun this record I was with a friend who'd never heard of, never mind heard, Westerberg before. He burst out laughing at this, loved the album and has been racing backwards through the catalogue ever since.
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Doug
First Class Scout
Posts: 157
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Post by Doug on Nov 8, 2004 23:14:02 GMT -5
I like it more all the time. I agree with the comments above. Jingle is classic Paul, his whole attitude to selling albums and rock stardom summed up in about 10 words. These days I've got What About Mine and $100 Groom in my head. I struggle a bit with 23 Years and Breathe Some New Life but they keep getting better. I'm starting to like it better than Stereo but time will tell.
Sorry to mention the producer/production again, but I think the produced albums will stand the test of time more than the newer ones. I think he's still one of the best songwriters alive/ever. But IMHO, I'd prefer better production. My guess is that Paul was always against producers / wanted to do things his way / wanted the sound in his head without interference. Then, I think Eventually and SG scarred him (Brendan O'Brien and the non-support for SG). I'd like to see him give it one more go, in a studio, with a producer of his choice (Nick Lowe?), but Paul running the show.
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Wolfdog
Beagle Scout
Long Live Cap
Posts: 1,794
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Post by Wolfdog on Nov 8, 2004 23:19:46 GMT -5
Screw producers...make your basement album, give it to your band of choice (like Michael Bland, Kevin Bowe, and Jim Boquist), let them rehearse the songs on their own, get some cheap local studio time, hire a cheap local engineer, knock em out in 1 or 2 takes...VOILA! great songs, better production, and not over-produced or expensive.
Just an idea....
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Emily
Tenderfoot
Posts: 18
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Post by Emily on Nov 8, 2004 23:32:01 GMT -5
When I first heard it I wasn't thrilled but every time I listened it seemed to get better and better. Now I love it. I've never actually minded the rough production on Folker or any of his albums. But then again, I like the Mountain Goats and until just recently they recorded everything on a boombox.
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The Indoor Boy
Beagle Scout
"Such a morning must come to all the friends of Smirnoff."
Posts: 1,904
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Post by The Indoor Boy on Nov 9, 2004 0:45:42 GMT -5
The quote function didn't seem to kick in as expected, so apologies to gimme gimme gimme; I wasn't trying to steal your words of wisdom.
For all that it's 'just a joke' that opener shows us why we need Paul Westerberg, and all the artists like him. Look at the beautiful landscape that is twenty-first century chart pop. A marketing culture so brazenly whorish that Justin Timberlake can lead his audience in a rendition of the godawful 'I'm Lovin' It' song from the McDonald's ad. To quote from the comedy series Black Books, "don't make me get sick into my own scorn."
Best stick to the thread topic eh. Like many I've found Folker a 'grower'. The list of songs I listen to regularly has...well, grown. Of course I will freely confess to loving Suicaine Gratifaction so take my words with a pinch of salt.
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The Indoor Boy
Beagle Scout
"Such a morning must come to all the friends of Smirnoff."
Posts: 1,904
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Post by The Indoor Boy on Nov 9, 2004 0:53:04 GMT -5
Screw producers...make your basement album, give it to your band of choice (like Michael Bland, Kevin Bowe, and Jim Boquist), let them rehearse the songs on their own, get some cheap local studio time, hire a cheap local engineer, knock em out in 1 or 2 takes...VOILA! great songs, better production, and not over-produced or expensive. Just an idea.... I was about to suggest exactly that. I'd like to hear our man working with a band again, perhaps in some studio other than the one in his basement, but that doesn't mean the resulting album will inevitably suffer the production that almost did for Don't Tell a Soul.
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