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Enough time has passed for the new solo album to sink in and really compare it the Hip's most recent release (I know, I know... comparing apples and oranges). It took a long time for me to really warm up to it but I'm starting to lean towards the Ground Bounce. You really get a sense of Gord putting his heart into the new record and the musicianship can almost rival WAtS.
ps sorry if I shouldn't have put the thread in this forum, the content was 50% related to the forum subject, and I figured it would get more view here.
TTH: Vancouver 2004 | Victoria 2007 (x2) | Victoria 2009 (x2) | Solana Beach 2009 | Los Angeles 2009 | Victoria 2012 |
Portland, OR 2012 | Toronto #2 & #3 2016 || GD: Victoria 2010 | Montréal 2014
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I chose WATS. Both albums are great. In fact, if it were a World Container vs. Grand Bounce poll I would have voted for The Grand Bounce. However, songs like The Depression Suite, Country Day, Queen of the Furrows and Speed River are just too good to vote against. Just the fact that this thread has been started tells you how amazing this album really is. Who would have thought we would be comparing a Hip album to a GD solo album
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My vote goes to the Grand Bounce. WATS is a solid album, but there are a few tracks that I often skip when I listen to it (Coffee Girl, Struggle, Exact Feeling, Love is a First). The Grand Bounce on the other hand is absolutely stellar from start to finish with some of the best songwriting Gord has ever done. I think the Hip need to do themselves a favor and start fresh with a new producer for their next album (Chris Walla, please.)
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My vote is for The Grand Bounce.
My two cents.
The Grand Bounce seems more complete. I have lots of favourite tracks on We Are The Same (which some even say are some of the weaker tunes, which I find weird [Love Is A First; Frozen In My Tracks]). It seems my WATS track selection seems to leave out Speed River, Queen Of The Furrows, Country Day, The Exact Feeling) which makes up a lot of the second end of the record. The first half seems to always be in constant rotation. The Grand Bounce continues to surprise me, and no part of the record seems stronger than the other. It seems all strong. The production is definitely more grounded and organic than the Bob Rock albums (and we all know the feelings he brings up in some), and I think its a welcome sound for Gord after the Bob Rock albums.
"Broadcast" appears to me to be the "Pretend" that could have been.
"Moonslow Yer Lashes" is my current favourite, proving that pop music doesn't need to strive to be a singles.
Also love the rockers, (The Drowning Machine, Night Is For Getting) and I think The Dance & Its Disappearance should be the second single if there is one).
Although I haven't seen a Grand Bounce show yet, I have a feeling based on one youtube video of decent quality of The Hard Canadian, and it seemed heavier live.
"Gone" proves that Gord is melodic, and he really stretches and uses his voice as the most powerful instrument in the strong. I almost feel the same way about "Retrace" but "Gone" barely etches the victory.
Sorry for going a bit off topic, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've said anything about my opinions on The Grand Bounce.
So yeah
In summary: The Grand Bounce
"My sales were up!"
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If forced to choose, I'd go with WATS. I don't love either album, though. They're both decent. I'll take CMG and BOTN over both of them as of this moment. :rambo:
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I chose The Grand Bounce. Loved seeing them live - they sounded great. TDM has been in my head for weeks now. WATS has had less staying power for me than I would have expected. Still love TDS, LIAF, TLR, but the rest is getting lost on me. TGB may wear on me over time as well, but I'm really digging Julie Doiron's harmonization with Gord, and really digging the theremin on Gone.
Jeff
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WE ARE THE SAME -- The magic of the five guys together just cannot be matched, though The Grand Bounce is great in its own way (incidentally, I don't like the idea of directly comparing Gord's albums with the Hip's).
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I find it so hard to compare these two albums. I really like the songs from both of them. When WATS came out, there were some songs that i like and some that i didn't but i know do...I had the same feelings with TGB. I honestly can't choose one of these albums over the other. :what WATS seems to have a "story" to it and the songs are all connected with each other. I think that some of the songs from both these albums could have been switched with each other. Both of these great albums have grown on me.
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Was not impressed with the over production of WATS, the grand bounce i find interesting because Gord told Jian Ghomeshi on his show Q that it was one of his most personal albums, which he admitted he doesnt do much.
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I agree completely that Pretend/ Broadcast are similar.
As for my vote, I chose We Are The Same. I lovvve both, but as stupid as it sounds I loved WATS first, so some of the songs hold memories for me and I'm more attached to it. Grand Bounce is pure genius though, the show is great I even had the chance to meet Gord which was incredible, he's such a chill guy. Can't wait for the next album!
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I would first of all try to determine if the person holding the gun was serious. If not, I would go with Neil Young's Harvest, and if they were serious I would assume its a trick question and go with WATS, since The
Ground Bounce doesn't exist and makes me think of something that would happen after I got shot.
"we've only got three hundred feet to go ..."
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The Grand Bounce by a couple lengths.
WATS Listens (6): Honey Please, The Last Recluse, The Depression Suite, Queen of the Furrows, Speed River, Love is a First
WATS Skips (6): Morning Moon, Coffee Girl, Now the Struggle Has a Name, The Exact Feeling, Frozen in My Tracks, Country Day
TGB Listens (9): The East Wind, The Dance and its Disapperance, Gone, The Drowning Machine, Yellow Days, Night is For Getting, Moonslow Yer Lashes, Retrace, Broadcast
TGB Skips (4): Moon Over Glenora, As a Mover, The Hard Canadian, Pinned
... and only reason I skip Moon & Mover is to get to Dance sooner, and the only reason I skip Hard Canadian is to get to Gone sooner. I skip Pinned because ... well ... because it's More Me Less You's poor cousin.
ct
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You skip Hard Canadian :what
I had to think about this one... put my favourite song from each up against each other... Depression vs. Drowning.
WATS Wins.
