Favourite songs?

[pjh3121]

I think it would have made a tight 10 track album thus -

Redbud Tree
Privateering
Corned Beef City
Go, Love
Hot or What
Yon Two Crows
Seattle
Radio City Serenade
Bluebird
Dream of the Drowned Submariner

Just finished listening to this sequence, and that's a really nice collection of songs. Feels very coherent, although it might need one more uptempo song. This list feels like an A and B side - the first a bit more firey, the second more moody and dark. I like that. I guess that's something I miss from the LP/tape days.

Thanks for that ! I agree that a faster one should go in there somewhere, perhaps put I Used To Could in after Seattle.

[Rail King]

Seeing your playlist, I began to think if Mark actually views his album that way: as playlists rather than coherent works of art. I like the new songs a lot, but I miss is that album feel. Privateering feels like a random collection of songs, like him saying to the management:

"Oh boy, I've recorded 32 songs! Let's take these 20 here and release them. Ah, and one more thought before I go

[dmg]

Seeing your playlist, I began to think if Mark actually views his album that way: as playlists rather than coherent works of art. I like the new songs a lot, but I miss is that album feel. Privateering feels like a random collection of songs, like him saying to the management:

"Oh boy, I've recorded 32 songs! Let's take these 20 here and release them. Ah, and one more thought before I go

[Tally]

I'm a bit surprised at my own initial reaction - as much as I like blues, I find some of the blues songs a bit long and they are quite similar to each other. A couple are really good though.

I cannot comprehend how they treat the title song. It's so good - the riff, the chanting, etc, but the arrangement is completely off - it takes forever for the band to join in, and then they disappear again. And the outro with the weakest drum sound in the history of music... Don't get me started.

Favourite right now: Bluebird. That one sends shivers up my spine. Lyrics, atmosphere, guitar, harmonica, it all comes together here.

[Leprechaun]

After having heard the album and songs in full length for several times, it's time to give some impressions:

Fantastic songs:

* Go, love: gooooosebumps; very catchy tune, sounds so DS-like; reminds me of Fade to black from OES, I like the way MK is singing it so fresh, fine bluesy guitar, outro could go on and on (maybe on tour)
* Blood and water: finally we have the the longed for wonderfull rocky solo and noodling around (outro), starts easygiong, then becomes more intensive and bluesy (change from to moll-chords), MK please more of these
* Bluebird: so intensive, a traditional blues scheme with a MK note, that's how blues has got to be
* Haul away: a real musical gem, so peaceful, how does MK creat such great melodies
* Yon two croes: interesting song-structure, I had to listen to it a few times to "decode" it; as many people said before there's a kind of similarity to Silvertown
* Follow the ribbon: nice les paul-licks, should have been on CD1 or 2 at the end

songs that are listenable to me:

* Corn beef city
* Seattle
* Occupation Blues
* Submariner

The pure blues songs (apart from Bluebird) are not my cup of tea. There's to less MK influence and style in it. These are songs that could also be written by Bob Dylan or other artists playing traditional blues songs. MK probably was influenced by Bob.

Hope my favourites will all be played on the road.

Q: Didn't Guy mentioned that they made "some radical changes" on Yon two crows? Hopefully not a guitar solo was cut off. Mabe we'll hear it on tour.

[superval99]

At the moment I just can't get enough of "Yon Two Crows" and "Today is OK", they are amazing!      

[pjh3121]

I Used to Could, Gator Blood, Today is Okay and Got to Have Something are all instantly forgettable. Even typing this I had to go back and check their names. They could have been left off to make a much more tuneful and cohesive album.

My playlist album now is -

Corned Beef City
Redbud Tree
Privateering
Go, Love
Yon Two Crows
Radio City Serenade
Hot or What
Bluebird
Dream of the Drowned Submariner
Blood and Water
Occupation Blues

I think that makes for a great single album that hangs together well.

[Selexin]

Redbud Tree
Privateering
Corned Beef City
Go, Love
Hot or What
Yon Two Crows
Seattle
Radio City Serenade
Bluebird
Dream of the Drowned Submariner

Wow, that list you made is SPOT ON. Although I do actually have a problem with Hot Or What, its similarities (especially the intro) to previous MK songs are... unsettling.

I find it hard to stomach all of the blues/America style songs, maybe because I'm an Australian? But there are some high quality tracks in this here album, I do say.

[pjh3121]

Redbud Tree
Privateering
Corned Beef City
Go, Love
Hot or What
Yon Two Crows
Seattle
Radio City Serenade
Bluebird
Dream of the Drowned Submariner

Wow, that list you made is SPOT ON. Although I do actually have a problem with Hot Or What, its similarities (especially the intro) to previous MK songs are... unsettling.

I find it hard to stomach all of the blues/America style songs, maybe because I'm an Australian? But there are some high quality tracks in this here album, I do say.

Thanks, I think Hot or Not stands out from the other blues songs because it swings in a jazzy style where as the others just plod.

[Fletch]

Funny how the straight blues songs (on disc 1 anyway) leave me thinking, meh! But the minor blues songs I just love, Bluebird / Blood and Water.. very Claptonesque, love Marks singing, the subtle guitar licks and that high pitched squeal is a delight !!

[ingridswing]

Funny how the straight blues songs (on disc 1 anyway) leave me thinking, meh! But the minor blues songs I just love, Bluebird / Blood and Water.. very Claptonesque, love Marks singing, the subtle guitar licks and that high pitched squeal is a delight !!

Exactly my opinion. Don't like the straight-blues, nothing new, no MK-thing

[superval99]

The only ones of the blues songs I don't like, at the moment,  are "Don't Forget Your Hat" and to a lesser extent, "Blood and Water".  All the rest I really like, especially "Bluebird"  "Hot or What" and "Today is OK".   

[a visitor]

On the straight blues tunes, he sounds like he's trying hard to imitate Dylan's music. Feels a bit forced.

Bluebird is great though. Kim Wilson is sublime on this one.

[Rail King]

On the straight blues tunes, he sounds like he's trying hard to imitate Dylan's music. Feels a bit forced.

Bluebird is great though. Kim Wilson is sublime on this one.

With "Got To Have Something", I thought the same; the Dylan influence is obvious here. But to sound like Dylan, he would not only have to be a different singer and player, he'd also need a totally different band. These guys are way to disciplined for that approach.

[Tally]

I also find that the standard blues songs are a bit too standard at times, including the slide playing, which is not impressive. But this is surely the loosest record that Mark ever released, and I applaud that. Songs come off as humorous and dynamic, with voice, guitar, harmonica, and piano dancing around each other in a way I would not previously associate with MK.