Oh God, Folker is AWFUL

[suicainekid]

Weird. With the exception of Tim (my first PW related purchase) this is the first Paul record I found myself loving on first listen. I was a bit worried by that to be honest in case it meant I was going to bore of it really quickly. But a week in its still revealing new treasure on each listen.

Paul can stay in the basement as long as he likes as far as I'm concerned - he's really nailed the DIY approach to making his records and I have no real desire to see him roping in any outside help. If it makes Paul happy, then it makes me happy. I never want to see him forced to compromise his gut instincts or to be seen to be playing ball for record companies or anything else again. He's doing it his way and, two and a half years down the line in this phase of his career, he's going from strength to strength in the process.

[Chris]

GhostOfPaul said:

let's start a fund where we can buy him some time with Nick Lowe

I've been fortunate enough to spend some time with Nick Lowe, and I can tell you two things. One, he isn't that expensive, and two, in case you haven't noticed, Nick's become pretty low-fi himself in the past 15 years.

[prozach]

westerberberg + mutt lange = MAGIC!

[FreeRider]

I'd rather have Paul self-produce his CD if he ever got into a high end studio with all the gadgets and recording equipment he'd ever want. He knows how he wants to sound. He just needs better RECORDING equipment.

Double track some four part harmonies and pan them left and right? Sure, no problem. Have more than 8 parts to be tracked? No need to worry about ping-ponging tracks, there's plenty of space in a 32 track recording studio. He could do anything he wants in a quality recording studio and sound great. The real key is in the mix. He might need another pair of ears to objectively listen to how his songs are mixed.

[troublkepnyerhedup]

Chris said:

I've been fortunate enough to spend some time with Nick Lowe, and I can tell you two things. One, he isn't that expensive, and two, in case you haven't noticed, Nick's become pretty low-fi himself in the past 15 years.

Nick Lowe just played or is playing MPLS. When I saw the publicity I wondered if Paul might drag himself over.

[kgp]

There's a real disparity throughout the reviews. It's either the best of his career or immediately relegated to the cut-out bin. Shades of Suicaine?

[landshark]

Shades of Suicaine is right on, kgp. If this board is up in five years, I bet people will still be debating whether this was the best or worst ever.

[kelseys]

FreeRider said:

I'd rather have Paul self-produce his CD if he ever got into a high end studio with all the gadgets and recording equipment he'd ever want. He knows how he wants to sound. He just needs better RECORDING equipment.

Double track some four part harmonies and pan them left and right? Sure, no problem. Have more than 8 parts to be tracked? No need to worry about ping-ponging tracks, there's plenty of space in a 32 track recording studio. He could do anything he wants in a quality recording studio and sound great. The real key is in the mix. He might need another pair of ears to objectively listen to how his songs are mixed.

- -
I am a fan of all the solo CDs (excpt SG), and admire the whole DIY ethic.

But I agree that the production could be better.
Although I do not have a full list of his gear, IMO, its not just the equipment, but techniques.

How about these........

a) Mic placement -
(e.x.} lets mic stands stay moved or knocked over)

b) EQ on certain tracks

c) often rough drum tracks....recorded roughly

In any studio, maybe he could use an engineer's help getting sounds. That might not require better gear.

Also, like FreeRider says - the mixes could benefit from another pair of ears too.

Having said that - the sound on PW's releases still kick compared to my recent garage demos, so there ye be.

P.S. - does anyone know whether Paul enjoyed working with Brendan O'Brien? (14 Songs, Eventually)

-KS

[paulie]

okay Paul didnt overlook his recording technique. i don't mean to be insulting but i don't think he needs tech help in the studio from anyone.i think he has a handle on what hes doing. he been a pretty well respected professional musician for over 25 years now and criticly folker has been doing pretty well( just got a B+ in entertainment magazine). this album is not the ear candy i often enjoy but it exudes more art than any music i own.
i think this is something paul needs to do.

[donniejamesrio]

KelseyS said:

P.S. - does anyone know whether Paul enjoyed working with Brendan O'Brien? (14 Songs, Eventually)

I don't think so. They apparently butted heads and Brendan had difficulty not working with a "band" but a "songwriter." Paul did compliment O'Brien's guitar skillz.

[PeterCetera]

Yeah, I think Folker is godawful as well. Honestly, aside from that horrid blues CD he put out recently, this is his worst cd ever. Ok, SG was up there as well but this thing really stinks.
First of all, the production is horrible but even production wouldnt save these lifeless tunes. The lyrics strike me as particularily bad also.. I mean, lines about an ointment when his sister had a rash (from My Dad) is so hard to listen to it makes this song an instant skip. The song is horrible anyway.
Other lines like "come feel me tremble, feel my marrow" make my skin crawl. Does he mean bone marrow? That is absurd. I think that is from How can you like Him which is a pathetic tune by any stretch and sounds like it was written by some highschool kid just learning how to play guitar.
I first listened to $100 groom thinking, ok, this is filler but Im not so sure. Its wedged in between like 3 other songs that sound like filler to me as well so I dont know what is meant to be filler and what isnt.
His guitar playing has deteriorated substantially from Eventually. I actually liked Stereo / Mono quite a bit but whats with all the generic power chords? I used to think he was a great guitarist but his playing has become so lame.
And the drums!!! His lame 4/4 beats worked on Mono because the songs were stronger but the drumming is simply a distraction on this album.
Good God. I am so annoyed by this latest it leaves me wondering if A) Paul simply doesnt care anymore and hes just putting out junk that costs nothing to produce for a paycheck or B) He's so far gone he actually thinks this stuff is good.
I still think he has another album in him this year.. one that is produced, with a band. Im hoping, praying that these are just demos that are part of the low-fi package and he moves away from this basement stuff.

[prozach]

krellviduser said:

Yeah, I think Folker is godawful as well. Honestly, aside from that horrid blues CD he put out recently, this is his worst cd ever. Ok, SG was up there as well but this thing really stinks.
First of all, the production is horrible but even production wouldnt save these lifeless tunes. The lyrics strike me as particularily bad also.. I mean, lines about an ointment when his sister had a rash (from My Dad) is so hard to listen to it makes this song an instant skip. The song is horrible anyway.
Other lines like "come feel me tremble, feel my marrow" make my skin crawl. Does he mean bone marrow? That is absurd. I think that is from How can you like Him which is a pathetic tune by any stretch and sounds like it was written by some highschool kid just learning how to play guitar.
I first listened to $100 groom thinking, ok, this is filler but Im not so sure. Its wedged in between like 3 other songs that sound like filler to me as well so I dont know what is meant to be filler and what isnt.
His guitar playing has deteriorated substantially from Eventually. I actually liked Stereo / Mono quite a bit but whats with all the generic power chords? I used to think he was a great guitarist but his playing has become so lame.
And the drums!!! His lame 4/4 beats worked on Mono because the songs were stronger but the drumming is simply a distraction on this album.
Good God. I am so annoyed by this latest it leaves me wondering if A) Paul simply doesnt care anymore and hes just putting out junk that costs nothing to produce for a paycheck or B) He's so far gone he actually thinks this stuff is good.
I still think he has another album in him this year.. one that is produced, with a band. Im hoping, praying that these are just demos that are part of the low-fi package and he moves away from this basement stuff.

but how do you REALLY feel?

[crud]

I've said this before but I don't think people understand that Paul PURPOSELY makes his recordings very low-fi and is part of it's charm. There was one interview Paul did talking about Mono that he was bragging about how took one peice of hi-tec equipment and wired it in such a way that it made it very low-fi "Mono" type sound that you would here back in the 60's or 70's . To make an early-Beatlesque sound he has "dumb-down" his equipment to sound like that era, which I think he does brillently. For DMS it sounds exactly llike 1930's 40's old blues recording. He could totallyl make a hi-fi slick recording if wants and probably will for the cartoon he is doing but this is another style that he is into right now that nobody else is doing and awesome.

[kelseys]

donniejamesrio said:

I don't think so. They apparently butted heads and Brendan had difficulty not working with a "band" but a "songwriter." Paul did compliment O'Brien's guitar skillz.

- -
Ok. Thats unfortunate. I think O'Brien is a great musician / producer, and he was able to work with solo artists before (Dan Baird, etc).

But Mr. Westerberg is not just any artist.
He'll find compatible help someday, if willing.

Also - about "Paulie's" post above - I am not offended.
I said maybe he needs production help.

Yes, of course, PW is well respected and has done well over 25 years. No argument there!

But its 25 years as a great artist/musician, not producer.
I wasn't trying to say he doesn't know what he is doing. He has his own way, and its pretty cool.

He likely knows more than he/his releases portray.

[PeterCetera]

He wants to breathe some new life.

[jfb151]

I'm surprised that some of the reviews are so over the top in their negativity. I would never presume to say that someone's opinion is wrong (that's not really possible) but the most I could relate to is mild dissapointment. Honestly, I think it's his best album in a long time and is eclipsed in the solo work, for me, only by Mono.

It did take a bunch of listens for it to grow on me.

Same with Village Gorilla Head. Some of the reviews of that are just boneheaded and dense.

[scoOter]

jfb151 said:

I'm surprised that some of the reviews are so over the top in their negativity. I would never presume to say that someone's opinion is wrong (that's not really possible) but the most I could relate to is mild dissapointment. Honestly, I think it's his best album in a long time and is eclipsed in the solo work, for me, only by Mono.

It did take a bunch of listens for it to grow on me.

Same with Village Gorilla Head. Some of the reviews of that are just boneheaded and dense.

finally!

[FreeRider]

Man, some of you folks are really hard on the guy. I like the CD, and yeah, some of it had to grow on me. But I think that by now you should know what you're getting into when you buy his CD's. Okay, maybe it isn't the most lyrically engaging stuff he's put out. But, jeez, give the guy some slack....otherwise he might be bound for the basement, never to be heard from again for another five years.

[Doug]

My 2 cents worth:
-I still haven't heard it, not available here yet
-Good to read some negatives so I don't go into it expecting Tim II
-The best music always takes a few listens
-I've always been in the "consider a producer and a drummer" camp
-If it's similar to the last few albums, I'm sure I'll find a lot to like about it

[grandpaboysfriend]

Doug said:

My 2 cents worth:
-I still haven't heard it, not available here yet

if you're the person formerly known as "doug in melbourne" well, i've got to correct you. folker is most certainly available here in melbourne. i bought 2 copies last thursday - 2 days after it's u.s. release date. ring greville records. they'll get it on import for you. and heaps quicker and cheaper than amazon -$35aus. so what are you waiting for. make the call and hope on the folker.