I'm sorry....but didn't Live used to be a rock band? Options

[DesertWater]

I didn't read all of the posts, but somebody said that SFBM and TDTH are comparable or that SFBM is as pop as TDTH. I really don't know how you can say that. The only similarity that both of these albums share is they have four letter abbreviations.

This post has been edited by DesertWater: Apr 11 2006, 9:54 pm

[Costakoui]

I didn't read all of the posts, but somebody said that SFBM and TDTH are comparable or that SFBM is as pop as TDTH. I really don't know how you can say that. The only similarity that both of these albums share is they have four letter abbreviations.

Listen again to songs like TSUFL, The Distance, Children’s Song, Sun, We walk in the dream. These songs are poppy and they do not rock more than any song on SFBM.

Songs like Run to the water, Where fishes go, Dance with you, and Voodoo lady do not rock either. The standouts as rockers, in my opinion, are: The dolphin’s cry, Meltdown and Sparkle. FTQRR is melodic but is overproduced to the extent that it sounds closer to pop rather than to hard rock.

Another thing found in TDTH is that Ed used metaphors in his lyrics. But using metaphors does not make a song deeper, it is just another way to describe things and this excites some people who think that this is poetry or something more spiritual. Well, the straight forward lyrics sometimes are more catchy and appreciated. “Show a little love to me, I’ll show you free tonight”

[seriakiLLa]

Having been a follower since the release of MJ, I just want to say..

Once a rocker, always a rocker...

[fandelive]

Listen again to songs like TSUFL, The Distance, Children’s Song, Sun, We walk in the dream. These songs are poppy and they do not rock more than any song on SFBM.

back in '99 and in concert, Ed introduced "the distance" as "pop song number #2 on TDTH".
(flanders expo '99 concert)

I think 'the distance' is an amazing song... nothing to do with the pop on SFBM.
I also really enjoy playing this song on my acoustic guitar, even if the chords progression is really simple.

[bman2112]

OK - I know this is only my second post, and I haven't just signed up to just bash the band. I’ve been a fan since TC, and like/love all of their albums. Even BOP I liked, although it didn’t really have staying power.

But….I have the hump.

This album is pretty lame. Where are the guitars rifts? – Solos? – Passion from the rest of the guys? Ed’s voice is as good as it’s ever been, so at least that’s one plus point.

Earlier in this thread, someone said that this album sounds like someone wrote it on the end of their bed with an acoustic guitar. I couldn’t agree more. The lyrics! – oh dear oh dear.

Now, there are some good songs for sure. Mystery, Sofia and Show are all pretty good. The only thing that makes ‘Show’ stand out is because it’s a rock song, something Live do well!

This album is basically Ed’s solo record for me. By the time the next Live album comes out (providing Ed doesn’t go solo), he’ll still be standing by this album, in the face of the 70% of Live fans slamming it.

Put it in business terms. The leader of an organisation would have been fired for such mediocre results.

[fandelive]

Earlier in this thread, someone said that this album sounds like someone wrote it on the end of their bed with an acoustic guitar. I couldn’t agree more. The lyrics! – oh dear oh dear.

yeah, that was me...
not only the lyrics, but also the guitar playing/chords progression and the poor melodies.

that's the first time I feel like I can make better songs than my (once upon a time) favourite band!

I have the album for 5 days now and haven't gave it a listen since 2 days already.

This post has been edited by fandelive: Apr 12 2006, 5:55 am

[bman2112]

yeah, that was me...
not only the lyrics, but also the guitar playing/chords progression and the poor melodies.

that's the first time I feel like I can make better songs than my (once upon a time) favourite band!

I have the album for 5 days now and haven't gave it a listen since 2 days already.

Not a good sign

[mrmcpheezy]

Wow, this thread was tough to read.

[SecretInsomnia]

OK - I know this is only my second post, and I haven't just signed up to just bash the band. I’ve been a fan since TC, and like/love all of their albums. Even BOP I liked, although it didn’t really have staying power.

But….I have the hump.

This album is pretty lame. Where are the guitars rifts? – Solos? – Passion from the rest of the guys? Ed’s voice is as good as it’s ever been, so at least that’s one plus point.

Earlier in this thread, someone said that this album sounds like someone wrote it on the end of their bed with an acoustic guitar. I couldn’t agree more. The lyrics! – oh dear oh dear.

Now, there are some good songs for sure. Mystery, Sofia and Show are all pretty good. The only thing that makes ‘Show’ stand out is because it’s a rock song, something Live do well!

This album is basically Ed’s solo record for me. By the time the next Live album comes out (providing Ed doesn’t go solo), he’ll still be standing by this album, in the face of the 70% of Live fans slamming it.

Put it in business terms. The leader of an organisation would have been fired for such mediocre results.

Im actually satisfied by the sound on SFBM. Although I became a fan for the most rockin´ songs of Live, I do still like the evolved music.

But for the ones who thinks Live is gonna make only pop albums now, there is maybe hope. In a Dutch music magazine Ed told that we must not be surprised when Live is gonna experimentate drastically in the (near) future. And think about Chad, he really saw a possibility to let Dr.Dre do the production for an album of Live once, that can be very very creative.
However, I don't believe rock and guitars won't play a more important role on comin' albums, than they did on SFBM

[tswart1]

When I listen to Show I envision all 5 guys doing synchronized dance moves.

[flyersfan62379]

I am so glad that the people on this board are so smart and talented that they know what Live should do better than Live does themselves.

And funny that flyersfan should mention Dance With You...if Live has gone pop, that is one of the poppiest songs out there.

I think we have different interpretations towards the term pop. That song is not popular nor bubblegum-fluff.

That song is only popular throughout Live's hardcore fanbase who know the song. It is, quite simply, their simplest song and one of their best. That song is basically stripped down to it's simplest element.

There is not one ounce of pop in that song.

Live's fans and the casual music fan know the band has tailspinned tremendously over the last 6-7 years. Album sales are way, way down. How do you go from selling 1.2 million to 200K? Through a less-than-stellar effort, that is. I'm not going to defend Live just because it's Live. They've lost a large edge and I feel comfortable and confident in stating that, unfortunately.

[livefan86]

Its not LIVE's fault that their albums have not been selling. V could have made a major impact in the alt-rock scene but the album dropped in stores a week after 9/11. Many records that came out at that point did not sell because of the events of 9/11. Also, BOP did not sell because Geffen sucks at promoting an album that had many songs on there which could have been released in the alt-rock area. This new album can sell too. However, the way epic is promoting the album and pushing back they are going to ruin sales. As far as LIVE's sound, all these new songs have that LIVE feel to it and I for one love SFBM.

[flyersfan62379]

Its not LIVE's fault that their albums have not been selling. V could have made a major impact in the alt-rock scene but the album dropped in stores a week after 9/11. Many records that came out at that point did not sell because of the events of 9/11. Also, BOP did not sell because Geffen sucks at promoting an album that had many songs on there which could have been released in the alt-rock area. This new album can sell too. However, the way epic is promoting the album and pushing back they are going to ruin sales. As far as LIVE's sound, all these new songs have that LIVE feel to it and I for one love SFBM.

Or if could be the band has lost it's luster and the casual fan stopped talking about them, thus not caring.

People, it happens. If you like the album, good for you, but this is not the same band nor the same quality.

I truly believe some people are just too proud to say it's not the same. Just my feeling.

[Alex]

Some people are so lame with the whole 'rock' thing. If I wanted something that really rocked the only Live albums I would consider listening to are TC and SS. And even them I'd have to skip a lot of tracks. Personally, I couldn't give a crap about this album 'rocking' or not. If it was filled with brilliant alternative rock ballads like Dance With You & Turn My Head etc then I would be pleased. This brand of 'pop' on SFBM, however, is some of the most laughable manufactured sounding pop I've ever heard. A lot of it sounds like really terrible Christian Rock. I absolutely cannot STAND this album, and it definitely doesnt have anything in common with TDTH. TDTH, imo, sounded passionate, beautiful, well produced (though on the edge of being over produced in some cases) and well-written. SFBM is exactly the opposite.

[LiveattheOasis]

OK - I know this is only my second post, and I haven't just signed up to just bash the band. I’ve been a fan since TC, and like/love all of their albums. Even BOP I liked, although it didn’t really have staying power.

But….I have the hump.

This album is pretty lame. Where are the guitars rifts? – Solos? – Passion from the rest of the guys? Ed’s voice is as good as it’s ever been, so at least that’s one plus point.

Earlier in this thread, someone said that this album sounds like someone wrote it on the end of their bed with an acoustic guitar. I couldn’t agree more. The lyrics! – oh dear oh dear.

Now, there are some good songs for sure. Mystery, Sofia and Show are all pretty good. The only thing that makes ‘Show’ stand out is because it’s a rock song, something Live do well!

This album is basically Ed’s solo record for me. By the time the next Live album comes out (providing Ed doesn’t go solo), he’ll still be standing by this album, in the face of the 70% of Live fans slamming it.

Put it in business terms. The leader of an organisation would have been fired for such mediocre results.

Those of you ripping on the lyrics to these songs make me laugh. Honestly, these are not forced at all and maybe that is what everyone wants, Ed to fuse a bunch of spiritual writings like Krishnamurti and Vedic Brahmanism. Secret Samadhi's lyrics sounded almost retarded at points, but Ed said that it was experimental and everyone just followed suit. Now I enjoyed the album, and thought what I wanted into the lyrics of those songs, but if you bought into the idea that the lyrics from many of the SS songs were good or amazing somehow, and then think these lyrics are crap, you need to reexamine a bit.