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Post by imwesley on Oct 18, 2004 16:55:56 GMT -5
AMG (allmusic.com) finally posted a review of Folker. The details...3 stars out of 5..."it's hard not to walk away with the feeling he's capable of better than this".
I have to agree. I like Folker but it's no Stereo/Mono.
Wesley
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 18, 2004 18:05:46 GMT -5
agreed
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Post by scoOter on Oct 20, 2004 8:45:55 GMT -5
i think 3 out of 5 is a pretty fair assessment. it is good, but truly, he IS capable of better. i've heard it. truth be told, though, neither the mats nor paul has ever hit 5 stars. too much self-destruction in the mix to allow that to happen.
the talent is there, but the psychosis is too.
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 20, 2004 9:10:16 GMT -5
Id give PTMM a 5. 5 to Tim although the sound quality on Tim makes fingernails against a chalkboard sound good.
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Post by scoOter on Oct 20, 2004 10:32:18 GMT -5
Id give PTMM a 5. 5 to Tim although the sound quality on Tim makes fingernails against a chalkboard sound good. i'd like to.... but i "shooting dirty pool" is a stupid fun song... but a stupid song just the same. "nightclub jitters" is good, but not 5 stars good. i can overlook the sound of tinny sound of tim because the album is nearly perfect... aw shit! "dose of thunder". |
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 20, 2004 10:43:46 GMT -5
yeah, i agree, dose of thunder and dirty pool are filler material. the way I look at it though, ill give an album a filler tune and it can still be a 5 star. does that make sense? if there is more than 1 filler, were probably not talking 5 star.
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Post by imwesley on Oct 20, 2004 11:34:56 GMT -5
yeah, i agree, dose of thunder and dirty pool are filler material. the way I look at it though, ill give an album a filler tune and it can still be a 5 star. does that make sense? if there is more than 1 filler, were probably not talking 5 star. Obviously just my opinion but I don't agree that Shooting Dirty Pool is filler...it's a very angry song. Frankly we all know someone of the type Paul is talking to. I think Red Red Wine is closer to filler than Pool. And I certainly don't agree that Paul or The Replacements never made a 5 star record. Tim (sound doesn't bother me), PTMM, and even All Shook Down are 5 star to me. I also think Mono is a 5 star fun record and Stereo is pretty close but falls just a bit short. Wesley P.S. Back on the subject of Folker...If I'm in the right mood (like I was last night) Folker is better than a 3 star record. It seems to be growing on me. |
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Post by A Regular on Oct 20, 2004 11:39:27 GMT -5
P.S. Back on the subject of Folker...If I'm in the right mood (like I was last night) Folker is better than a 3 star record. It seems to be growing on me.  Compound W will take care of that for you. Funny how this CD grows on most... |
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 20, 2004 11:42:13 GMT -5
yeah, im all over the place w/ folker. i have to be in the right mood. it ranges betw 3 and 4 for me. i know im going to unintentionally ruffle some feathers here but what keeps me from giving folker a 5 is the following:
- folk star
- gun shy
- $100 broom
just one mans opinion. if he had left off folk star and gun shy and closed with breath some new life, i'd be happier.
freaking rambling here and my apologies to those that love any or all of those songs. they arent horrible, save $100 broom, but I just cant seem to dig em. i know, its groom.
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Post by imwesley on Oct 20, 2004 12:09:12 GMT -5
I agree about $100 Groom but I like Gun Shy and Folk Star. Personally I could do without 23 Years Ago in addition to Groom. Take those 2 away and add Be Bad For Me from the UK version (bought it from the iTunes store) and I think it would hit close to 4.5 to 5. yeah, im all over the place w/ folker. i have to be in the right mood. it ranges betw 3 and 4 for me. i know im going to unintentionally ruffle some feathers here but what keeps me from giving folker a 5 is the following: - folk star - gun shy - $100 broom just one mans opinion. if he had left off folk star and gun shy and closed with breath some new life, i'd be happier. freaking rambling here and my apologies to those that love any or all of those songs. they arent horrible, save $100 broom, but I just cant seem to dig em. i know, its groom. |
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 20, 2004 13:36:59 GMT -5
yeah, 23 yrs ago rambles. talk about a song that needed editing BAD. i like the lyrics though. never heard the UK tune. would like to.
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Post by imwesley on Oct 20, 2004 14:14:03 GMT -5
Rambles it does...lasts for 23 years. "Bad for Me" is an exclusive on the iTunes music store here in the USA. You can listen to a snippet and purchase if you like it. Of course you'll need the iTunes software to do so. I think it's catchy...damn thing sticks in your head. I'll be singing "baby be bad for me" all day now. Hope the co-workers don't mind. Wesley yeah, 23 yrs ago rambles. talk about a song that needed editing BAD. i like the lyrics though. never heard the UK tune. would like to. |
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Post by deebee76 on Oct 20, 2004 15:14:50 GMT -5
I still say '23 Years Ago' is one of the best songs on the album...epic story. Have a couple of drinks, late at night, and let it sink into yer bones.....  |
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Post by imwesley on Oct 20, 2004 15:58:02 GMT -5
Unlike some people I haven't given up on Folker. It gets better with each listen. The first time I listened to it I said to myself "What in the hell was that?" I didn't think I'd listen to it again for a long time. But I gave it a second chance...and a third and fourth etc. And that's the way good music tends to be...repeated listens bring greater appreciation and understanding. I can honestly say I like it now. It's not the crap others seem to think it is. Right now I don't much care for 23 years Ago but that could change. I'll take your suggestion. Is a good, dark beer ok or I should I go with something a bit stronger? I still say '23 Years Ago' is one of the best songs on the album...epic story. Have a couple of drinks, late at night, and let it sink into yer bones..... |
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Post by kgp on Oct 20, 2004 16:27:08 GMT -5
When the early reviews for Stereo came out I thought, 'Great. Paul wil finally be judged on his own merits as a songwriter and not post-punk-indie-rock-icon-former-Replacements-frontman. Now all he has to do is live up to Stereo.
It's a pretty fair, if factually inaccurate ('Lookin' Up At Heaven' isn't about his dad) review. Did anyone expect Folker to get unanimously positive reviews?
The only problem, and I'll refrain from posting in that other thread, is that records like Folker, which are intensely personal, can be too self-indulgent. I took a class back in college, Interpreting Literature or Oral Interpretation or something. Basically poetry reading or monologing for a grade. One of my fellow students chose a monologue written by a woman who was raped or beaten or both, and fell apart in front of the class reading it. Everyone applauded, but it just seemed wrong. She crossed over that line, and lost control. I think a lot of Paul's work is like that, right on the edge of control. It's cathartic for the artist, but difficult for the listener.
I don't put much stock in those reviews anyway. I did them, in a former life. Most of it is masking complete ignorance with clever witicisms and high verbal SAT scores while thinking, 'Jesus Christ, I'm the biggest hack that ever put pen to paper.'
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Post by PeterCetera on Oct 20, 2004 19:10:38 GMT -5
23 yrs ago is a good song. sometimes its great to me, sometimes it goes on too long. i love the lyrics though. Not sure who he's singing about or the circumstance. Westerberg is about the only songwriter though that really leaves his lyrics open to interpretation. And you want to figure them out or interpret them in a way that makes sense to you personally. Seriously, I cant think of any other artist whos lyrics mean that much to me? I think there are great lyricists, Stephen Malkmus to me is awesome at writing lyrics, so is Costello, but their lyrics are either too obscure (malkmus) or just dont affect me in any way..Costello.
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