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Post by dillwyn on Nov 26, 2015 21:22:03 GMT
this thread is doing some very odd things to my computer... guess I must fall into that category then ... I wrote/produced three albums which were released on indie labels, never had any kind of chart success but I'm not sure why anyone's negative view is any less relevant than a positive one especially if they have paid for the album. As an artist people can like or dislike his output and discuss it openly, to me it helps underline his continued importance. If they feel a track (or even an album) doesn't reach his normal standard, then why not discuss it. Unusually for me all my misgivings this time are around lyrics which seem rushed out ... Personally I still think love and rain is under-developed (2nd verse), DTTB (wrong lyrics to some great music) and i'm leaving you misses the one essentially element of a classic roy orbison track ... he tells her in the chorus not at the end of the song it loses it's punch as a result . some of the lead guitar work is brilliant/some of it is not very refined... the choice to leave out a lot of middle 8's and go for solo's only maybe a fashion thing ...makes for short songs that is for sure ...I love this album for what is has achieved but think zoom is actually slightly better written
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Post by unomusette on Nov 26, 2015 21:26:32 GMT
...and you are special.....and very different.... group hug....!! Well it's a nice idea, but with my eyeballs swivelling like that I'm not quite sure which one of you is real.... pass the medicinal vodka...
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Post by dillwyn on Nov 26, 2015 23:30:18 GMT
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Post by tightrope on Nov 27, 2015 3:11:26 GMT
I've been a fan since 1978, but I think I'd agree that there's nothing earth-shatteringly new about this album. For me that's not a bad thing, I like nearly all the tracks on it and I was pleasantly surprised to hear elements of lots of Jeff's previous work. I find the album reassuringly familiar but there's no reason why others shouldn't find it uninspiring, or be afraid to post just that for fear of being denounced. I've been there before with other bands and it wasn't nearly as much fun as hearing the whole range of opinions. In fact I take a quirky pleasure when someone totally slags off a song I like or vice versa - makes me feel special and different ...and you are special.....and very different.... We are ELO fans, being different is inherent to all of us and that's a good thing. group hug....!!
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Post by ShardEnder on Nov 28, 2015 3:06:24 GMT
I've not heard this yet, but it appears as if KronStudioLab has struck again as an "audiophile" version of Alone In The Universe is already floating around online. For those who don't know, the same group released their own treatment of Zoom around the time of the official remaster being made available, with a representative for Jeff claiming this particular edition was not officially approved. Based on the information I could find out, their latest effort seems to be derived from the same source as the deluxe CD with two bonus tracks.
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Post by Platypus on Nov 28, 2015 5:23:14 GMT
Since AITU is available in 24 bit 96kHz FLAC format, it would be straightforward to use that to do an alternative remaster, if that degree of variation would qualify as an "audiophile" version. I have compared the two versions (CD and 24/96) of WIWAB in case the flabby bass was an artifact of CD mastering, and you can indeed hear a difference, but it is not huge and not primarily in the bass region.
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Post by dillwyn on Nov 29, 2015 9:57:38 GMT
so according to Wikipedia the album has been successful in 20 or so charts...has it gone silver in the UK yet I wonder?
Chart (2015) Peak position Scottish Albums (OCC)[34] 4 UK Albums (OCC)[37] 4 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[25] 5 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[35] 5 Irish Albums (IRMA)[29] 6 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] 7 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 7 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 8 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[32] 9 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[20] 14 Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 15 Finnish Albums 22 Polish Albums (ZPAV)[33] 23 US Billboard 200[38] 23 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] 24 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[31] 24 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 34 Danish Albums (Hitlisten) 38 Italian Albums (FIMI)[30] 70 French Albums (SNEP)[27] 127
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Post by Helmut83 on Nov 29, 2015 18:31:52 GMT
A good question for those people, are they the same as 40 years ago? In my particular case, age and much of what could come with it when analyzing a '70s artist new work (nostalgia, melancholy, memories from childhood, past-time-was-always-better, etc...) is a non factor. Not only I was 3 years old when ELO disbanded, but I only came to know ELO's catalogue deeply very recently, in 2012, when I was already a big grown up guy. Not having been alive in the '70s I'm free of all those factors so I think I'm evaluating the new album pretty much under the same light I evaluated the older ones.
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zargo
New Member
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Post by zargo on Nov 30, 2015 9:59:00 GMT
Through the grace of God I had the opportunity to listen to the album in the presence of Jeff before it was released. At the end of 'Drag' I said "You said 'shit'!". (I was only thinking to myself "Wow. That doesn't happen often. 'Oh No Not Susan' has the F word in it, but I really can't think of many ELO songs with naughty words. Interesting". I hope he didn't think I was saying it as a negative.) Anyway, he responded by saying "Shit doesn't really mean shit anymore does it? It doesn't really have the same bite to it as it used to." Anyway- From that exchange I thought it was clear that Jeff doesn't really consider that word a 'bad' word... I agree to a reasonable extent but I wouldn't want my kids singing along to it, ya know? It's funny, cos Tom Petty has lessened his use of the swear words in more recent times (maybe for a similar reason?)
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Post by thewordsofaaron on Nov 30, 2015 12:27:08 GMT
A good question for those people, are they the same as 40 years ago? In my particular case, age and much of what could come with it when analyzing a '70s artist new work (nostalgia, melancholy, memories from childhood, past-time-was-always-better, etc...) is a non factor. Not only I was 3 years old when ELO disbanded, but I only came to know ELO's catalogue deeply very recently, in 2012, when I was already a big grown up guy. Not having been alive in the '70s I'm free of all those factors so I think I'm evaluating the new album pretty much under the same light I evaluated the older ones. lol
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Post by thewordsofaaron on Nov 30, 2015 12:41:26 GMT
not a review of the album though...just a potted history of the group with bits missing, obviously, and seemingly unsure if Jeff has attained 'cool' or not....the geezer seems to e struggling to say either yes or no....seems happier talking about the Beatles, fair enough, why wouldnt anyone....ELO seem to have been given to him by his Editor, perhaps...and he seems to have managed to write about them via the Beatles...who knows....lol.....but yes....the word could be....interesting....
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Post by Helmut83 on Nov 30, 2015 17:27:51 GMT
In my particular case, age and much of what could come with it when analyzing a '70s artist new work (nostalgia, melancholy, memories from childhood, past-time-was-always-better, etc...) is a non factor. Not only I was 3 years old when ELO disbanded, but I only came to know ELO's catalogue deeply very recently, in 2012, when I was already a big grown up guy. Not having been alive in the '70s I'm free of all those factors so I think I'm evaluating the new album pretty much under the same light I evaluated the older ones. lol Are you still trying to fight me because I criticized Jeff Lynne's new album? Listen, I apologized when I shouldn't (I said nothing wrong) in order to try to calm you down, but apparently it wasn't enough as you are still after me obsessively. Grow up. I can (and will) criticize Jeff Lynne's songs if I don't like them. Get over it.
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Post by Horacewimp on Nov 30, 2015 18:36:05 GMT
thewordsofaaron every time there is an issue on the forum you seem to be involved. This is your final warning do not antagonise, demean, humiliate or mock any forum members, if it happens again your membership will be terminated.
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Post by LoserGoneWild on Nov 30, 2015 19:39:49 GMT
Has anyone actually said anything inflammatory here or is it just two people expressing opposite opinions on an artist's work? Maybe it's just me but I can't for the life of me see what anyone has said that is so wrong.
If someone wants to criticise Jeff's work they are entitled to do so. Similarly those who enjoy the latest offering are also entitled. I personally disagree with every single word of Helmut's review and with some of his comments since. But I respect his right to say it. Similarly "Aaron" should be free to disagree however tongue in cheek his response may have been.
So speaking as a neutral aren't we overreacting just a tad?
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Post by Helmut83 on Nov 30, 2015 19:46:09 GMT
LoserGoneWild : I was answering a question by other user seriously and respectfully. That response I got (a laughing smiley) is not a tongue-in-cheek response as you said, that's plain and simple mocking.
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