|
Post by BSJ on Sept 24, 2014 19:04:47 GMT
I’ve been playing this cd every day and like it more and more. There’s enough of a mix to keep me interested. This is one you pop in your car for that long drive on the e-way and try not to blow the speakers out, or get a speeding ticket! Amazon ordered. Thanks! It Must Have Been Love, The Look How Do You, and Listen To Your Hear, are songs that I know, but never paid attention as to who sang them - still hear these on the radio.
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on Sept 24, 2014 20:15:09 GMT
Each song seems more likable than the last. That also happens to me with this album. From "The Big L" on, each song I listen I think "this is the best one", and then midway through the next song I think "no, this is the best one", and so. I think this album needs a lot more getting used to as I expect different songs sound better depending on the time of day you listen to the record. From my experience, I wouldn't say you need to get used to it in the same sense you with say it with a progressive rock album, because it's quite easy on your ear, but it is true that after several listens you reach to the best level of enjoyment. I'm surprised at a couple of things: - so far no one seemed to have disliked "Watercolours in the rain" as much as I do. - so far no one appears to have known "Spending my time" from before. In Argentina that song was a massive hit (bigger than "Joyride") and to this day you hear it all the time on the radio, but things are usually different here than in the US or in Europe (see "Last Train to London").
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on Sept 24, 2014 20:27:14 GMT
I’ve been playing this cd every day and like it more and more. There’s enough of a mix to keep me interested. This is one you pop in your car for that long drive on the e-way and try not to blow the speakers out, or get a speeding ticket! Amazon ordered. Really? Wow, that's great! It feels good to know that I have infected someone with Roxette's virus. It's not an easy one to get rid of, I warn you. And yes, I have the physical CD (a long lost love gave it to me as a present) and it's fantastic for the car, you sing along like mad.
|
|
|
Post by jrmugz on Sept 25, 2014 1:43:36 GMT
Hey Helmut, I've been enjoying the CD as well, and will put my breakdown of the songs tomorrow or Friday, like the days that I usually do for the CD of the Week, since I've fully digested it by then.
Jim
|
|
|
Post by jrmugz on Sept 25, 2014 15:25:28 GMT
OK, here is my review of Roxette, “Joyride”, will continue to play it and add any additional thoughts. Thanks for picking it Helmut, never heard of them before but it is very upbeat, creative, and catchy, so thanks for introducing me to a cool band that I had never heard of before. It's a pretty cool play, not many bumps in the road, seems to be filled with cool grooves, hooks, and smooth pleasant vocals. 1) Joyride: Good start, nice keyboard hooks. Seems like there is an art that they follow good to using lots of instruments but sparsely enough that they work in unision and take their turn. 2) Hotblooded: The harmonica/guitar solo is great, nice rocker. Nice soulfoul crooning to end it, sounds great! 3) Fading like a Flower: Nice, seems like I've heard this one before. Whoever produced these songs had a lot of vision. 4) Knocking on Every Door: Sounds good, continuing with the big sound, but they make it go down really smooth with their pleasant vocals and tasteful arrangements. Like the spaced-out effect towards the end. 5) Spending My Time: A nice acoustic and keyboard break, good chorus and melody. I've had to have heard this one before. Sounds great. 6) I Remember You: I like this one, and yes I like the guitar riff too. I don't think its weak at all Helmut, I really like it. Little or no keyboards, so it stands out to me. 7) Watercolours in the Rain: I'm surprised you don't like this one Helmut, to me it sounds very beautiful and love the 12-string guitar. 8) The Big L: I agree it's a very cool song, with good male and female counterparts. "Hey now, touch the sky...". Thought the end was going to segue into "Back in the USSR"! 9) Soul Deep: kind of Motowny, with some cool hooks. 10) (Do You Get) Excited?: Reminds me of a song Heart would do, as they had some similar big ballads like that in the 80s. Other than that, turn down the heat!!! 11) Church of Your Heart: OK Helmut, you can have this song, and I'll take "Watercolours in the Rain". Sounds like a fair trade? 12) Small Talk: I can agree this is a very cool tune, Helmut. "Small small small talk", very catchy and down to earth, how we all need the small talk to connect. Good for knowing what a woman really needs inside, too! 13) Physical Fascination: Nothing offensive in it to me Helmut. I have to admit the chorus is very cool, for any seductiveness in it. 14) Things Will Never Be the Same: Nice power chorus, they lyrics remind me of something Asia would come up with. 15) Perfect Day: Reminds me of the yearning of "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" by The Moody Blues, that connect so well with their concert audiences. Like the use of the melodica. It's a really good CD, it gets better with repeated listens. I can see how they would be really big, surprised they weren't bigger in the states. The smooth vocals and production, make it sound pleasant. Lyrics seem positive and enthusiastic for the most part, which is infectious, and certainly part of the appeal. The songs sound simple and straightforward, even though there is so much involved, which seems part of the genius of them. Seems to have all the best elements of the 80s sound! Jim
|
|
|
Post by jrmugz on Sept 25, 2014 17:12:40 GMT
Hey Helmut, I didn't add my own comment for 6 when I originally posted my review above; I had thought I did, but I just edited it now. I actually really like that one. I think I saw your "Guitar riff is good" at the end, and thought I had already inserted my full comment, so sorry for any confusion when you read your own comment for that one. I used your breakdown as a template, so I could see what you said about it, and then compare my thoughts with yours in the comments. But yeah, I think "I Remember You" is very cool, and it stays in my mind better than the other ones it seems like. It's funny that two songs you thought were weak, to me sound like two of the best ones. Jim
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on Sept 25, 2014 17:39:02 GMT
I was just about to say "that review for 'I remember you' sounds familiar to me"... In any case, I'm surprised you liked that song so much. I don't think it's particularly bad, but nothing special, almost a filler. 2) Hotblooded: The harmonica/guitar solo is great, nice rocker. Nice soulfoul crooning to end it, sounds great! Yeah, that freaking harmonica solo... it's amazing. It seems to fade into the guitar part as if they were both part of one solo. 11) Church of Your Heart: OK Helmut, you can have this song, and I'll take "Watercolours in the Rain". Sounds like a fair trade? Any time! "Church of your heart" is in my opinion one of the best songs of the album. I find it fantastic, and very easy to play on guitar. While "Watercolours in the rain" I'd rather not have it on the album. It's a really good CD, it gets better with repeated listens. I can see how they would be really big, surprised they weren't bigger in the states. Yes, it definitely gets better by the listen. And what you say about how they weren't big in the States just confirms to me that there is some strange big force getting us exposed to some things down here and some others up there. Roxette were among the 3 or 4 top bands in the early '90s in Argentina and they filled up big football stadiums when they came, yet people in the States have hardly heard of them. What's it due to, I don't really know, but there must be someone (record companies?) deciding these things somewhere. Good review, Jim. I'm glad you liked it. I see you have noticed how many different instruments they used during the recording process. That makes for a varied range of sounds, which in my opinion enhances the listening experience and tends to make songs more different between each other. Before ending the week, and so as to close the chapter, I'll be posting something really interesting about how things went on for Roxette after their prime time and until these days. It's quite a story.
|
|
|
Post by jrmugz on Sept 25, 2014 17:55:14 GMT
Cool Helmut, will be interesting to hear their history. I saw on Wikipedia how once the 90s came, their style had some trouble fitting in anymore.
Jim
|
|
|
Post by queenofthehours on Sept 25, 2014 19:21:46 GMT
I think this album needs a lot more getting used to as I expect different songs sound better depending on the time of day you listen to the record. From my experience, I wouldn't say you need to get used to it in the same sense you with say it with a progressive rock album, because it's quite easy on your ear, but it is true that after several listens you reach to the best level of enjoyment. Oh yes, I agree with you it's not the same as getting used to a prog album. What I really meant, and I knew when I wrote it I wasn't being clear enough, was being able to recognise individual songs.
I'm not saying all the songs sound the same! Only that the album works so well as an overall package - all the tunes are well played, well sung, all display a similar tempo and positivity, nothing really stands out as being "filler" - that, on only hearing it a couple of times, Joyride gives the impression of being one big hour-long fun pop song. It moves so smoothly from song to song that you hardly know where one track begins and the other ends.
|
|
|
Post by unomusette on Sept 25, 2014 20:09:14 GMT
Roxette always struck me as being from the classy regions of pop so I'm looking forward to hearing the whole album
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on Sept 27, 2014 2:14:32 GMT
Well, like I said, to go closing this chapter about Roxette I'll tell the story of how things went on for them time after this CD because I think it is worth knowing.
On September 2002, when Marie Fredriksson (who was 44 back then) was at home, she fainted and knocked her head. They made her studies and she was diagnosed with brain cancer in a quite advanced state. According to some source I remember having read, she was given 20% of chances of surviving, and even if she did, they said she would never be able to sing (and probably even speak) again.
Marie underwent surgery to remove the tumour and after that she was irreversibly blind from one eye, she didn't know how to read or count,she had serious trouble in speaking and in moving in general. She had to learn to do those things again. The recovery process took 4 years, and against all odds, she learnt to sing again. To the surprise of everyone Roxette did some live shows again in 2009, and then did world tours in 2011 and 2012, and as far as I know they are still playing.
Of course, Marie isn't what she used to be. She has lost mobility over the stage, her voice hast lost it's characteristical strength and she has some difficulties in hitting the highest notes, but even like this she is a very good singer, better than most. Her husband says that music was a key factor in her recovery. She always looks happy to be singing and Per Gessle and the other guys from the band say it's her who has reunited them back together and who keeps them playing and touring.
Here's a video of "Spending my time" (5th song of the album "Joyride") the show when they played in Buenos Aires in 2011. It was the first time they were playing in Argentina since the cancer, and the people were extremely warm and effusive with her. I was there in the crowd and I hold it as the best concert I've ever been to.
Also, a thumbs up for the public of my country. The 12,000 people indoor stadium sold out in just a couple of days for that concert, and they added another show for the following day and it sold out immediately again. And they knew all of the songs, sang them at full voice, gave an ovation to everyone... everything an artist would want from his public.
|
|
|
Post by jrmugz on Sept 27, 2014 4:15:34 GMT
Very cool and inspirational story of Marie's odyssey, Helmut; thanks for sharing all of that, and glad you got to witness the concert and that it was a great experience for you and the fans.
Jim
|
|
|
Post by unomusette on Sept 27, 2014 18:26:48 GMT
Joyride: Opens a bit like All Over the World with the party crowd. I remember it being a big hit and it deserved to be, catchy Euro pop with a great opening line/chorus and guitars well forward. Hotblooded: Marie has a fab voice, shown off well here. I can imagine an audience bouncing along to it live. Fading like a Flower: Another big hit, I'd forgotten about this one. It does sound like a lot of other songs from that era to me, but it could well have been the one everyone else copied. Knocking on every door: Love the intro straight away, very punchy, and the bass line. Interesting sound right through, lots of layers with all the musicians contributing something worthwhile. Spending my time: Another showcase for Marie's voice in softer mode, chance to get your breath back after all the dancing, personally I prefer Fading Like a Flower to this one in the slowie section, this is a bit bland by comparison. I remember you: I like the chugging guitar and general up-beatness of this one, Marie's voice soaring above embroiders it well. Watercolours in the rain: Pretty tune but a bit like muzak you might hear in the background in a restaurant or something. The Big L: Vocals are nice here and the mouth organ popping up is a good touch. Keyboards are a bit tinny and thin sounding but it's a proper foot-tapper. Soul deep: Mix of a Motown sound with raspy vocals, definitely a favourite. (Do you get) excited?: Meaty sound, perfect power ballad. This band is really rather good, isn't it? Church of your heart: Slightly more upbeat, liking the fuller sound than in earlier tracks. Small talk: Nice to have the keyboards mixed down quite a lot in this compared to other tracks, and the drums/guitar more prominent. Like the jangly acoustic bits. Physical fascination: Gone a bit too far with the punchy drums, found myself blinking at them as they popped out of the speakers at me. A spiky sort of song. Don't laugh, it reminded me of some of Buck's Fizz's later stuff :/ Things Will Never Be the Same: Keyboards up a bit too loud on this one - did they leave the engineer to his own devices on the last songs? Marie's part sounds Abba-esque to me, apologies to Helmut but I actually quite like Abba so it's a positive for me. Perfect Day: The lower vocal range Marie uses here is really nice, she should do more of that I reckon, although she is an epic screamer too. This is an album well above normal pop standards, mainly because of the guitars playing a big part and the superior vocals. Great range of styles, plus to have 15 tracks on a single album is amazing value for money, thanks for sharing it Helmut
|
|
|
Post by queenofthehours on Sept 27, 2014 18:55:36 GMT
What a wonderfully inspirational story about Marie, Helmut. It goes to show that true musical greatness isn’t measured in chart placings but tenacity, determination and a strong spirit.
|
|
|
Post by unomusette on Sept 27, 2014 19:22:26 GMT
^ This. Marie is plainly a legend *cheers* And listening to the live version of Spending My Time, I'm getting chills - amazing! Partly down to the whole story of her comeback, but also as Helmut says due to the huge crowd singing along. It must have felt fabulous when that whole wave of goodwill came her way, from what I've heard the audiences in South America are always the best for that sort of participation, even singing the riffs as well as the words
|
|