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Post by Veets on Jul 23, 2008 0:24:14 GMT -5
So is there any official word on why it's called 49:00 if there's only 44:00 (or 43:59) of music? I understand the 49 cent relationship, but there's a clear reference to time in the title (even though crossed out). Did he want to include 49 minutes' worth, but couldn't get enough (or couldn't get Amazon to agree, for some reason)? Or was crossing out "time" and putting in "life" intentional? I gotta say that it does conjure up thoughts of the "Time Life" compilations (e.g., "Flower Power" and "70s music explosion"). Maybe you've seen the infomercials? The twisting-through-the-radio-dial effect does sortof make it seem like a time machine effect of old and new. Other thoughts?
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Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jul 23, 2008 0:51:45 GMT -5
visitor's day = john prine devil raised = pine box
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ih8music
Star Scout
couldn't be happier.
Posts: 943
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Post by ih8music on Jul 23, 2008 3:55:23 GMT -5
Haven't gotten it yet, but I don't think I'm going to like it. I'm tired of the Grandpaboy, Stereo/Mono-type stuff. Hate to say it, but I may be one long-time fan who's slowly drifting away from the whole PW experience. I'm tired of the home-produced stuff, thought the solo electric tour was silly [and headache inducing], I didn't care for the soundtrack, I was underwhelmed by the Mats reissues. In my eyes, he's been in a real slump the last 6-8 years. But I'll remain open-minded. Well, hopefully you'll give it a spin or two before deciding. After Folker, I was also in the "just get him in the damn studio with a band" camp. While I LOVED S/M, and liked CFMT & DMS - by the time Folker came around, I was hoping for/expecting something different & more polished. I was extremely disappointed - I think largely because paul himself played up how great the album was going to be a couple of months before its release (something about it being "the bomb"), not to mention the slick packaging and promo materials. But this time around, with 49:00, it really works for me. Maybe it's just that my expectations were set low in that it was a surprise release, internet-only, and was more or less being given away for free. I expected it to be nearly all crap with maybe one or two tracks that I could enjoy. But I found that the opposite was true - and the stuff that I didn't care so much for at first, upon a couple of more listens i now "get" and really enjoy (something which, btw, still hasn't happened for me for a lot of Folker). I still hold out some hope he will eventually return to a studio and make a proper, clean album with backing musicians (LIKE A REAL LIVE DRUMMER!!!!) and maybe even an engineer or (gasp) a producer in the mix... but I don't realistically see that happening any time soon. As I said somewhere else - or maybe here? - his music at this juncture in his life/career is what comes out of his basement. And this album feels like the most honest and pure expression of what been going on down there all these years. Either that, or I'm just a cheap date who can be easily won over by a low price tag.
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Post by DaveinDK on Jul 23, 2008 4:46:59 GMT -5
ih8, I'd have to agree that the fact this was a suprise release and that it is essentially free adds to it's overall appeal. I think if we had been waiting for this release over a period of months and if we bought it with the traditional CD packaging at traditional prices, there might be more disagreement about it how great it is.
I love the thing and would have been happy to pay CD price for it, but I also love the way it was released..and the price dosen't hurt.
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Post by TomT on Jul 23, 2008 5:37:28 GMT -5
Has anybody heard any of it played on the radio? Is it even possible, I mean most of the songs have fade in starts or abrupt endings. NOTHING is traditional on this "track". You can't even call this a CD.
Also, any word on Paul actually promoting this?
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barry
First Class Scout
keep your amplifier wired and ready
Posts: 184
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Post by barry on Jul 23, 2008 8:16:41 GMT -5
Isn't Paul 49? Maybe this is his "James at 15"...
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evin
First Class Scout
Posts: 147
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Post by evin on Jul 23, 2008 8:28:05 GMT -5
i played it for the GF. she was like why are the songs overlapping? i was like why are you asking that question?
"everyone's stupid" = genius
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MWells
Dances With Posts
"The words I thought I brought I left behind..."
Posts: 83
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Post by MWells on Jul 23, 2008 9:55:15 GMT -5
visitor's day = john prine devil raised = pine box "Oh Yeah!"(last song) = Ramones 49:00 = Great PW = Brilliant me = ecstatic
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Post by Strange and Grandiose on Jul 23, 2008 10:41:34 GMT -5
So is there any official word on why it's called 49:00 if there's only 44:00 (or 43:59) of music? I understand the 49 cent relationship, but there's a clear reference to time in the title (even though crossed out). Did he want to include 49 minutes' worth, but couldn't get enough (or couldn't get Amazon to agree, for some reason)? Or was crossing out "time" and putting in "life" intentional? I gotta say that it does conjure up thoughts of the "Time Life" compilations (e.g., "Flower Power" and "70s music explosion"). Maybe you've seen the infomercials? The twisting-through-the-radio-dial effect does sortof make it seem like a time machine effect of old and new. Other thoughts? I read somewhere last night (and I can't find it now) that Amazon wouldn't go for a 44 cent price tag. But then there's this: blog.wired.com/music/2008/07/paul-westerberg.html"Update: The album cover indicates that it's 49 minutes long, and yet the MP3 only comes in at 44:55. In a couple spots, including 24:30 or so, one song appears to have been somehow mixed on top of another. It occurred to me that there could be 49:00 of music (life) on here despite the fact that the recording is crammed into less actual time. "I asked Paul Westerberg's manager Darren Hill whether this was intentional (since the two parts actually go together pretty well). He responded: "'Guess you missed the disclaimer - "'WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE "'THIS PRODUCT IS NOT FAULTY - ALL SOUNDS ARE INTENTIONAL AND VALID AS A WORK OF ART' Fair enough!"
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Post by steverb5000 on Jul 23, 2008 11:44:39 GMT -5
Wait, isn't Paul 49 years young? Could that be where the album title comes from? Am I right? Am I right? Do I win a prize? I poked around a bit and don't think I've seen anyone else come up with this hypothesis. I sure hope I'm right. I'd feel like a Folk Star.
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ndesimon
First Class Scout
well she's a ramp rat...
Posts: 163
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Post by ndesimon on Jul 23, 2008 12:06:38 GMT -5
'Goodnight Sweet Prince' breaks my heart.
It takes me back to a hospital room where my grandfather died of lung cancer and opened up wounds long forgotten - the song made me cry on the PATH train, and I haven't cried about my grandfather in years. Incredible.
N
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Nickel
First Class Scout
Posts: 191
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Post by Nickel on Jul 23, 2008 12:18:10 GMT -5
i played it for the GF. she was like why are the songs overlapping? i was like why are you asking that question? "everyone's stupid" = genius No sh!t. I was playing it this morning and my wife asked me if it was suppose to sound this bad. I said, why of course, its a work of art. She said "its annoying". Don't hold it against her though. She loves PW and flew to Minneapolis with me to see the shows at that art theater a few years ago (the name flat out escapes me - don't hold that against me please!) What I like - some of the fuller songs are real gems. Some of the clips of songs sound real good and are a taste of whats to come. I like the rapid change sound too, someone else said it before, sounds like channel surfing on the radio. The only thing I don't like is some of the songs are totally screwed up by the overlapping. One in particular is the sweet prince song. Can't argue with the artistic vision though. If Jack White (White Stripes) can make a bunch of noise and be popular, why can't grandpaboy?
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Post by bigbak on Jul 23, 2008 12:58:12 GMT -5
The disclaimer sums it up: All Sounds Are Intentional And Valid As A Work Of Art.
Is this a work a genius? That can debated - what cannot be debated is the fact that this is a work of passion, and yep, I'll say it, love. PW allows us entry into the most secret of inner sanctums, underneath the cortex, practically into the stem - and for only .49 cents!!!!!!!!!!!
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JimP
Dances With Posts
Posts: 91
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Post by JimP on Jul 23, 2008 14:54:28 GMT -5
On the release date of June 49, this is his 49th june... maybe thats what the 49 refers to. Guess it doesn't really matter, it works for me. I love this "home cooking" style of music making, everything blended the way the chef wants to serve it up. It's as if he invited everyone into his living room and he is sharing his latest stories with us. I find this a very warm and personal recording. He is not in the same place he was 25 years ago, its from where he is now, he is probably in the best part of his life with a wife and kid to keep him busy and I am sure humbled.
"Something from my life is missing" almost sounds like it could have been slipped into open season. Anyway it is great to get some new PW to listen too and I hope he can serve up some more when he is ready. I am always ready for seconds.
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Nickel
First Class Scout
Posts: 191
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Post by Nickel on Jul 23, 2008 15:07:46 GMT -5
Anyone else catch the 3 second snippet of AAA around the 20:47 mark?
Also, shortly after that, around 21:20, if you are listening carefully on speakers or especially clear with headphones, the right channel cuts out for a split second, then the left cuts out shortly after that.
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Post by adamapple on Jul 23, 2008 15:35:44 GMT -5
i am reminded of pauls note within the fold of Mono:
"This is rock 'n' roll recorded poorly, played in a hurry, with sweaty hands and unsure reason… This is my blood,"
says it all really!!
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Post by adamapple on Jul 23, 2008 16:07:06 GMT -5
on the 49 minute timing thoughts.. i was wondering if maybe paul accidently edited out the last song, it cuts out right after the johnny song after almost begining another...who knows, i do remember him saying in an interview that "everything goes wrong" was supposed to be on come feel me tremble but he screwed up the tape he sent in....
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Post by lifeandlifeonly on Jul 23, 2008 17:12:09 GMT -5
I don't know if any one has mentioned this yet, but to me, quite a bit of the material sounds like it was stuff cut from around the time Paul recorded Folker. I mean, obviously there is recent stuff on 49, but I believe Paul just kind threw together a bunch of songs, old and new that he hadn't released before.
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Post by hudson99 on Jul 23, 2008 17:22:00 GMT -5
The only thing I currently hate about this release is that it completely screws up my Last.FM stats. I may listen to this 80% of the time this week, yet each run through only counts as one play. Ten hours of Paul plays will only show 11 or so plays, while that same amount of time spent with other music will indicate another 150 or so songs.
I know, I'm a geek.
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Post by A Regular on Jul 23, 2008 17:33:52 GMT -5
I'm getting through my first listen and I gotta say, damn, (not to personalize it, but) this is right where my head is at right now. 2008 has sucked royally so far, and I feel like I'm barely treading water. Somehow this is the perfect soundtrack to that. Getting pulled under sometimes, floating perfectly in others, noise, confusion, perfect clarity. I haven't loved a release on first hear since Stereo/Mono, until now. Teri, Teri, who you gonna marry? Bob Pollard you say?
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