I don't drink, so to deal with the horror of Stockwell Day becoming Minister of Foreign Affairs in three months, I've been listening to Hip disc's really loud... lately Music@Work.
This disc kicks ass because of:
- The earth/desert rhyme at the end of "My Music at Work"
- Gord and Paul trading verses in "Lake fever"
- "United state of ricochet," and all of "Putting Down" actually
- Mr. Hussein and his tabla in "The Bastard"
- "Intimate, innacurate, a family in a way. Made the trip to vulnerable and back on the same day"
- Julie Doiron
- The jam at the end of "Sharks"
- "Entirely/balancing" from "Stay"
- The beauty of "Toronto #4" for Gord's Grandma
- The siren in "As I wind down the pines"
Quickly becoming my #2 behind Trouble At The Henhouse
Dude... you forgot the Cello in Tiger the lion... that song (and that cello) rocks.
Just the jam of sharks?
Let's be realistic here -- all of Sharks, in all it's musical glory.
M@W is definitely a very good album. Putting Down and Stay are true gems and Tiger the Lion, well you see my handle don't you? lol. The subtle, yet powerful guitar to end Tiger the Lion is just magnificent. I agree that the jam at the end of Sharks is fantastic, with the boys just feeding us the groove. Not to mention the title track which has become one of my favourite live songs with Gordie doing his best Dylan and Elvis impressions.
For those who don't dig M@W, this thread is reaching out to you -- we're halfway, come and meet us ...
Gotta love the "all things being balanced" brain-twister at the end of Stay. And what about the ass-kickingness of Freak Turbulence? Lake Fever has some of the best Paul action ever.
The only song I don't like on the album is [insert heresy] My Music at Work. And the album art is deeeeesgusting. But Sharks, Toronto #4, The Completists, and As I Wind Down the Pines make up for those minor flaws.
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Stephen Dame Wrote:This disc kicks ass because of:
- Gord and Paul trading verses in "Lake fever" :thumb:
- "United state of ricochet," and all of "Putting Down" actually :thumb:
- "Intimate, innacurate, a family in a way. Made the trip to vulnerable and back on the same day" :thumb:
- The jam at the end of "Sharks" :thumb:
- "Entirely/balancing" from "Stay" :thumb:
- how the guitars back off during the "
Of course we're now travelling by plane / if it's not a Canada of a pain" moment in
Train Overnight
- the thick, hypnotic groove of
Wild Mountain Honey, esp. the bridge ("
Okay, we agree to disagree....) - whole song smacks of Zeppelin.
- the overall "feel" of
The Bear, culminating in the lyrics of the final verse: "
I waited for more men to come - they docked their boats and cocked their guns..."
- also, continuing from Gord & Paul trading verses in
Lake Fever, the way Gord closes that song ("
and cause discontent until They,ceasing their investigation, bring back the day's events, good citizens and time well spent, til we're talking in whispers again") is simply
beautiful
I loved the CD from the time it was leaked on Napster and I downloaded it. The only song I don't love on that CD is Music @ Work, which I like, but I love all the other tracks. I never understood why so many disliked it.
'a birds-eye view of a bird's eye view...'...
love it... some great driving music on this disc...but as was mentioned earlier..by far the worst artwork for not just a hip cd, but perhaps any cd ever made..ugghh
Dame, I have never really cared for M@W. You are almost convincing me to give it another listen...
schaggs Wrote:Dude... you forgot the Cello in Tiger the lion... that song (and that cello) rocks.
You beat me to it! I've always loved that song. I was quite disappointed when it disappeared from the setlist after the M@W tour.
opiated Wrote:but as was mentioned earlier..by far the worst artwork for not just a hip cd, but perhaps any cd ever made..ugghh
I couldn't agree more. Thankfully they redeemed themselves with the beautiful artwork on IVL and IBE.
Definitely a great album. there are so many songs I love on it!
It took a while but now M@W is one of my favourite albums. I have it in my Discman right now for the ride to and from work. The loud homophobe who always broadcasts his views at top volume is no match for the mighty guitar of Paul Langlois! (Seriously--Paul's the only one who can drown this guy out.)
Also, "Lake Fever" is wonderful in its entirely. And the "simply to wake to your life" passages in "Tiger the Lion," both the way Gord sings the line and the way the band sounds behind him, are amazing. "The Bear" has a way of getting into my head, too. And what could be wrong with an album in which "crepuscular rays" is used correctly in a lyric?
http://www.ems.psu.edu/~demark/471/CrepuscularRays.html
The only quibble I have with the album is that I can never remember the names of about half the songs, even though I know the songs pretty well.
I even like the artwork. Indeed, during the recent World Figure Skating Championships, I rooted for the French ice dance couple because their costumes reminded me of it.
Toronto #4 - hello.... alone
Train Overnight - live with Paul strummin the acoustic...
The Completists - nuff said
great album, my personal fave from it is the completists but i like all of them. the best live song from m@w has to be lake fever, they just bring a whole new dimension and energy to it that lacks on the album version. the version from the london show last year was incredible.