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-   -   First Listen: Shiny and Oh, So Bright vol 1 (http://forums.netphoria.org/showthread.php?t=186766)

Razor Star 10-09-2018 10:44 AM

First Listen: Shiny and Oh, So Bright vol 1
 
I just got my promo of the album (i'm a journalist). It's...interesting. Good, absolutely. Certainly level-pegging with Oceania in terms of quality, though it sounds nothing like that record. They could be different bands (they kind of are). I'd be interested to know how the two planned EPs would be divided up, because there's two very different sounds here - basically a Solara mode and a Silvery Sometimes mode, I wonder if they'd have interlaced them or released two very different EPs.
Anyway...

1) Knights of Malta
- Sounds nothing like any SP song you've heard. The only thing that comes close is the Puff Daddy remix of Ava Adore. Catchy, weird, with a backwards guitar solo (James I think), loads of strings, a woah-a-woah-oh hook, Billy singing about riding rainbows, 70s gospel backing singers. I actually REALLY like it, but it will divide people. The most Rick Rubin song here.

2) Silvery Sometimes (ghosts) you know, It fits really well here. Knights of Malta and SS are recognizably the same record.

3) Travels
Glorious "Smashing Pumpkins" pop, somewhere between Stand Inside Your Love and That's The Way My Love Is, but more mid-tempo than either. Similar sparkly sound to Silvery. Actually has a very Zwan feel. I think all three guitarists are here, but it's possible of course that it's just Billy. The only track here that could really have been on Oceania (there's some bass -probably WPC- that is very Nicole actually). Strong.

4) Solara
You know this one, obviously, but what's surprising is how much it stands out in the first half of the record. It's substantially heavier than anything we've heard so far far, and the album definitely builds to it. Definitely changes the tone, it's a very "bright" album up to this points, this definitely brings the darkness. Also the only time Jimmy really lets loose.

5) Alienation
Harks back to Monuments' Run To Me with the synths and beat. Has some unexpected turns in the chord sequence, and some unmistakably James Iha e-bow. Likeable, if slight until it hits the drama at the end and kicks up a notch.

6) Marchin' On
The other big, heavy stomper here- it sound like Judas Priest with am AWESOME breakdown like something from Master of Puppets. Sounds like it would be the b-side to Solara, if that makes sense. Kind of Zeritgeisty. James on the old e-bow again. This one will KILL live. Can't believe it's on the same record as Knights of Malta- Billy's most tonally polarized album since MCIS.

7) With Sympathy
Another very Rick Rubin sounding production (very dry, almost brittle). Again reminds of me a bit of the feel of Mary Star of the Sea.

8) Seek and you Shall Destroy.
Palatable mid tempo rocker, but not really a stand out. Combines the dark and the light well but doesn't go enough places for me.

Obviously I could change ALL of these opinions with more listens, but this is very listenable SP - not the statement of intent of a come back that Zeitgeist was (for all of its problems), more a low-key reintroduction, and seems to run out of ideas in the second half. 7/10. For now.

Funbags 10-09-2018 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor Star (Post 4469495)
Billy singing about riding rainbows

Hell yeah.

eviltimeban 10-09-2018 11:22 AM

ANOTHER Run 2 Me variant? Jesus. Someone needs to tell Billy that nobody wants that, ever.

Sounds very underwhelming. Brittle, dry production?

Again, it's MtaE again in that it's missing just one more song, the fabled epic, that makes the other songs make sense.

brothahi4L 10-09-2018 11:25 AM

Beware. The journalist is fake. Fake news!
And bully will sue you into oblivion

brothahi4L 10-09-2018 11:27 AM

If he is real and i'd give a shit about his review then i d say that there was nothing less to expect. A solara b side, and some midtempo monuments rocker with a standout run2me copy. Lol

NovaFritz 10-09-2018 11:28 AM

5) Alienation
Harks back to Monuments' Run To Me with the synths and beat. Has some unexpected turns in the chord sequence, and some unmistakably James Iha e-bow. Likeable, if slight until it hits the drama at the end and kicks up a notch.


NOOOOOOOOO

Corgan's Bluff 10-09-2018 11:28 AM

Rod Stewart, who was also recording at the Village in L.A. last January, has already his new album released. Number 1 in the UK-charts...
https://www.billboard.com/articles/c...lood-red-roses


Razor Star 10-09-2018 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltimeban (Post 4469499)
ANOTHER Run 2 Me variant? Jesus. Someone needs to tell Billy that nobody wants that, ever.

Sounds very underwhelming. Brittle, dry production?

.

Its just that one song I thought that about

Razor Star 10-09-2018 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brothahi4L (Post 4469500)
Beware. The journalist is fake. Fake news!
And bully will sue you into oblivion

I'd have been a bit more interesting if I was faking. Also you can't sue reviewers for reviewing. Leaking? Yes. But there's no NDA and no embargo, I'm free to give my opinions.

Corgan's Bluff 10-09-2018 11:33 AM

We got a record review before the music press and Amazon. Feel proud...!

Razor Star 10-09-2018 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brothahi4L (Post 4469501)
If he is real and i'd give a shit about his review then i d say that there was nothing less to expect. A solara b side, and some midtempo monuments rocker with a standout run2me copy. Lol

Yer, those are the lower points. There's a lot to enjoy as well though. I think Knights of Malta is one of the best things he's done in a decade.

incubator 10-09-2018 11:41 AM

this is legit

incubator 10-09-2018 11:42 AM

One of the songs is by Jimmy right ? You know which one ?

Razor Star 10-09-2018 11:46 AM

Quote:

One of the songs is by Jimmy right ? You know which one ?
I've been wondering it myself. I honestly couldn't say. We've never heard a song he's written for SP before so I don't really know what to look for. I REALLY hope its Knights of Malta

MonumentsRocks 10-09-2018 11:48 AM

The two new tracks sound overly compressed, and I'm sure every track is. I like MTaE, but the brick wall sound keeps me form listening to it more. These albums are new and already I'm looking forward to the 20th anniversary remastered editions.

Disco King 10-09-2018 11:52 AM

I was like "Woah, this could actually be good," until I saw that OP thinks "Solara" is a good song.

Opinion on the rest of the songs discarded.

Razor Star 10-09-2018 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco King (Post 4469513)
I was like "Woah, this could actually be good," until I saw that OP thinks "Solara" is a good song.

Opinion on the rest of the songs discarded.

Go back and read again - I didn't actually give an opinion on Solara, I said "you already know" and talked about how it fits into the flow of the album.

For the record: I think it's, ya know, okay. I was really underwhelmed when I first heard it, the version they did on TV improved it a bit for me and I enjoyed it on the tour. I think it makes a little more sense in the context of the record because of the way it contrasts and brings a darker tone, but I think if it came out as an MCIS b-side you'd shuffle it to the bottom of the Zero mini album. There are MUCH better songs here.

reprise85 10-09-2018 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonumentsRocks (Post 4469512)
I like MTaE

you don't say

amoergosum 10-09-2018 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor Star (Post 4469495)
5) Alienation
Harks back to Monuments' Run To Me with the synths and beat.



Disco King 10-09-2018 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor Star (Post 4469515)
Go back and read again - I didn't actually give an opinion on Solara, I said "you already know" and talked about how it fits into the flow of the album.

For the record: I think it's, ya know, okay. I was really underwhelmed when I first heard it, the version they did on TV improved it a bit for me and I enjoyed it on the tour. I think it makes a little more sense in the context of the record because of the way it contrasts and brings a darker tone, but I think if it came out as an MCIS b-side you'd shuffle it to the bottom of the Zero mini album. There are MUCH better songs here.

It seemed like there were positive connotations with the song "standing out," the album "building to it," Jimmy "letting loose," and the song "bringing the darkness." I guess not any of those things necessarily mean "in a good way," but people tend to use language like that positively.

Insight_Scoop 10-09-2018 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor Star (Post 4469510)
I've been wondering it myself. I honestly couldn't say. We've never heard a song he's written for SP before so I don't really know what to look for. I REALLY hope its Knights of Malta

I think billy said on Instagram awhile back that it’s “With Sympathy”. Does that one have a jazzier flavor to it?

Shadaloo 10-09-2018 01:26 PM

It is With Sympathy.

He also said James sings on one track.

Mals Marola 10-09-2018 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltimeban (Post 4469499)
ANOTHER Run 2 Me variant? Jesus. Someone needs to tell Billy that nobody wants that, ever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NovaFritz (Post 4469502)
NOOOOOOOOO

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoergosum (Post 4469529)

Just delete the song from yer spotify playlists if yer all that scared of it - could actually be "run 2 me done right" if ever such a thing were possible! at least it doesn't have a number in place of a word in the title

Razor Star 10-09-2018 01:31 PM

I was talking about the way it sat on the record, which is positive. The album goes from out-and-out pop and turns the heat up until Solara boils over. Tonally it's effective, but I don't think that necessarily reflects on the song in isolation. And Jimmy does let loose most on that song. For all it's faults, it's great Jimmy track

FoolofaTook 10-09-2018 01:56 PM

So, your a journalist.

FoolofaTook 10-09-2018 01:56 PM

You're editor must stay very busy.

Razor Star 10-09-2018 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoolofaTook (Post 4469540)
You're editor must stay very busy.

You really want pick up on typos in message board threads, dashed off as I listened? I'm dyslexic, I proof my stuff very thoroughly but tbh didn't give this the same level as attention as I do for pieces I'm paid for. Just a tiny bit petty of you?

FoolofaTook 10-09-2018 02:19 PM

tiny bit? as opposed to what? massive bit?

RAWK 10-09-2018 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brothahi4L (Post 4469500)
Beware. The journalist is fake. Fake news!
And bully will sue you into oblivion

Blocked on IG!!!!!! Take that!

FoolofaTook 10-09-2018 02:21 PM

i got this fucker on ignore as soon as he wrote it's instead of its


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