Chorus.fm Record of the Week Club • Page 44

I just had you in line before WhatfRat as normal but I don't really care either way

 

that's fine

hitting Play now

 

about seven songs in and this just might not be for me. tough to shake off the Disney cheese of it and his voice is so idiosyncratic that that's my kneejerk reaction no matter what he's singing

hope others get more out of it though!

 

it wasn’t really a choice but over the last few years i have learned to embrace hokiness of this kind and it’s improved my life

 

I enjoy a fair amount of hokiness in my art, but this might've been one too much if that makes sense. I feel like it helps when it's hokey but from another culture? probably a me-problem. I also can't get into most of Billy Joel's stuff even though I've seen him perform and familiar with a ton of his work. and this lands in a sort of similar headspace

 

I’ll pretend I didn’t just read that blasphemous comment about Billy Joel

 

this does get a little too samey after a while but it’s still pleasant enough

 

believe me, I'm given a lot of grief for it. and it's not for lack of trying!

 

as you should jk

not everything is for everyone

 

“Memo to My Son” was so touching and then it’s just over. he probably should’ve fleshed that one out a bit more

 

the songs really open up after you've spent some time with it, which is probably not ideal for a record of the week club, but I have no regrets. I do think there is some variety between the orchestral elements, the occasional theatricality, the straightforward piano stuff, and the how bleak of a closer "God's Song" is

Funny enough, that song is all about how the narrator knows nothing. He talks about all the great things he's going to teach his son, but then can only muster up platitudes like "winners never quit, quitters never when" and "when the going gets tough, the tough get going"

 

My crib notes on this one would be:

- "Sail Away" is absolutely wild and bleak satire
- "Last night I Had a Dream" is kind of his version of a banger and always makes me think of Blues Brothers for whatever reason
- I adore "Simon Smith" but understand the "Disney" vibes on that one (even though this is all way before he did anything for them), same for "Memo for My Son"
- "Old Man" is the only track that doesn't do much for me
- "Political Science" is very funny and very FJM
- Major League used "Burn On" for the opening credits of the film because it's the only song they could find about Ohio
- ...until "Dayton, Ohio - 1903" two tracks later, which is beautiful
- Horny Newman on "You Can Leave Your Hate On" always makes me laugh
- "God's Song" is just incredible songwriting, probably the best here.

Exploring classic songwriters and discographies doesn't always land for me, but for whatever reason, his did. He's so multi-faceted and sardonic despite his image, which has been so polished since Toy Story. I hope some folks get something out of this and go on to listen to Good Old Boys specifically.

 

I do get the difficulty separating him from Disney (which is my goal by sharing this one) and the "hokiness" but I think that's such a wild word to use when he's singing songs about slave-trading and war and an unloving God lmao

 

interesting, because I was listening to Scott Walker's 3 earlier this week for the first time and there's a similar dynamic of heightened lyrical content vs. delivery. but for whatever reason, I vibed with Scott much more (obv different sonic spaces/textures for each artist - and could be exactly that that makes the difference for me).

I didn't give enough attention to the lyrics on my first listen. probably will give this another shot later in the week focusing more on that.

 

Lmao I am going to listen to this in a couple hours I had not yet - I was just talking generally about the association I have with him

 

Nah I was talking more about @OotyPa 's initial reaction lol

Found out we are expecting a boy today, so "Memo to My Son" means even more to me. I, too, will be a completely clueless father

 

congrats dude!

 

Thank you!

 

Huge congrats!!!

 

Thank you!!

 

Yeah this was great, I added three songs to my friends' and my "Songs the Dogs in a Pile should cover" playlist which is a high honor. God the dogs would really crush both of those first two songs.

Sail Away, Lonely at the Top, Dayton, Ohio - 1903, & You Can Leave your Hat On are the standouts. incredible songs

 

wow they already did cover Randy Newman and crushed it should've known, they have great taste

 

Poppin this on now while I paint, also will be my first time checking out Randy (lastweeks Grimace painting is in the Napoleon thread if you want to see it)

Congrats to Aaron!

 

Thank you!! You are incredibly talented, wow. How do I sign up for your services? Lmao