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Post by finberty on Jan 2, 2020 21:33:18 GMT
In the context of the album as a continuous performance, AHB has its own place.
For what it's worth, the thing I like about it is the very slight bending of the pitch, very briefly, in the melody towards the end of the main phrase, immediately before the voicing (vocals?) of the song title.
It may be a song that developed from a simple idea, but it is still crafted by an expert.
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Post by eloandy on Jan 2, 2020 22:31:33 GMT
Got to agree with those saying AHB sounded like a 'B' side or words to that effect. 'When Time Stood Still' would've been the perfect closing track for side 1, and lyrically it fitted the narrative. I still find it hard to accept they chucked it away as the 'B' side for HOT. 'Julie DLH' and 'The Bouncer' are also far superior IMHO. Can we start a campaign to have 'Time' turned into the double album it could've been. It only took 30 odd years to get 'Secret Messages' reinstated so if we start now we should have it done by the time Jeff reaches his 107th birthday.....(and he still won't look any different!)
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Post by Timeblue on Jan 2, 2020 22:47:32 GMT
You can try to replicate the perceived running order due to Shardenders post on page 2 of this thread. Trouble is though,getting all the songs to sound like a continuous piece of music as in the original album...
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Post by claytonm4500 on Jan 3, 2020 6:54:04 GMT
Ah yes, Another Heart Breaks. It is a nice piece that slows the album down but following the already light and not-so dynamic The Way Life's Meant to Be, it seems almost redudant. However, if you were to follow the double album pressing of Time to the best of their ability (save for the lost tracks), I do find it more welcomed and a nice change of pace. It really is cool how a simple track listing change can make certain songs shine more and feel better complimented, which I find true for the second side of the Secret Messages single LP. The single LP just left off too many better tracks to compliment the ones that don't stand out as much, but in the 2LP configuration, they feel more appropriate. By no means is Another Heart Breaks bad, it does make me feel like we are suppose to see the protagonist lost in thought or dreaming in the night after their first day in 2095. The static drumbeat is almost a "heartbeat" and the melody of the synthesized guitar sounds like it tries to be background music as you try to see what the protagonist is reflecting on, but never strays from subtly so it leaves it left up to interpretation. The protagonist has anxiety and regret after processing all the changes around them. Finally after a long reflection, the protagonist falls asleep, concluding that side of the album (whether its the 1LP or 2LP format). Then the player wakes to a new day in Rain is Falling (the first line of the song is " early in the morning..."). Whether that was intentional or not, that is how I see it. On the subject of the double album, it seems Side 2 would have been a rather... slow side, yes? You start with When Time Stood Still, a slower and, relatively speaking, softer sound. Then it picks up with Julie Don't Live Here, followed by another slow song - "Sad Affair" as far as we know, only to end with the slow Another Heart Breaks. I do wonder how this "Sad Affair" sounded. Is it more electronically based? Are there strings on it? Is it one of those rare instances were Kelly and/or Bev's vocals are audible? How would it have complimented Side 2 as a whole? So many questions... which of course also applies to the second lost track. Let's dub that one "Time Transporter" (great idea ShardEnder!).
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Post by queenofthehours on Jan 28, 2020 19:48:34 GMT
Got to agree with those saying AHB sounded like a 'B' side or words to that effect. 'When Time Stood Still' would've been the perfect closing track for side 1, and lyrically it fitted the narrative. I still find it hard to accept they chucked it away as the 'B' side for HOT. 'Julie DLH' and 'The Bouncer' are also far superior IMHO. Can we start a campaign to have 'Time' turned into the double album it could've been. It only took 30 odd years to get 'Secret Messages' reinstated so if we start now we should have it done by the time Jeff reaches his 107th birthday.....(and he still won't look any different!) Speaking of B-sides, when I was getting into music as a kid one of the first "lessons" I remember was that the B-side is more often than not better than the single. After all, wasn't 'Handle With Care' supposed to be a B-side? I remember I bought a whole Oasis CD comprised of B-sides and thought it was a masterpiece. The fact that ELO may have wasted some great songs by using them as B-sides isn't quite true as by their "hidden" nature they are now gems, more beloved by most of us than the tracks on the actual album.
Perhaps if 'AHB' had been a B-side we'd be much more appreciative over it than we are now? Why doesn't ELO release an album solely of B-sides? It would make a nice alternative to the Greatest Hits.
I think 'WTSS' is a masterpiece.
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