[cygnus8595]

some of the stuff on this album is actually grating on the ears.

I'm curious. Like what?

This is just to me anyway:

-the backgorund vocals on the last recluse
-all of now the struggle has a name
-that cheesy guitar solo in queen of the furrows
-just about all of of love is a first
-the background vocals on fozen

i just wonder how amazing this album would have been without some of the ridiculous production, then again maybe bob rock revitalized the band into writing better songs. I wish the Hip would go back to the bathouse set up in that loft and record all of this stuff live of the floor. Without the added bombast and cheesiness, cause that album would be fantastic.

Cheesy guitar solo? Maybe because I'm a guitar player (not very good one) I love it. Nothin' like a screaming wah pedal to get me going.

Everything else you said is a big 10-4.

I have to say this so no one thinks I'm WATS-bashing. There are only two other Hip albums I liked this much after a first listen - Trouble at the Henhouse and Fully Completely, which, coincidentally, are my #1 and #2 favorite Hip albums. So WATS is in pretty good company. I'm embarrassed to say this, but when I first heard Phantom Power (my #3 Hip album) I only really liked about four songs. Now I can listen to it all day long and not skip over any of them. So suffice it to say, with a few more plays I'll like WATS even more.

I think the Bob Rock collaboration is a win/lose situation. I think he did motivate them to write better songs, but then he shat all over them. (smiley added for extra comedic effect)