(8) Watch me gone

[JF]

sorry tor this trivia question that surely has been already answered :
background vocals are sung by "Topolski" right ?

but who are they ? sisters ?

thanks

Emma and Tamsin Topolski are the daughters of Polish traveler and reporter Daniel Topolski. Their grandfather, Feliks Topolski, was a famous painter and illustrator who lived and died in London.

thanks ? 

[Leprechaun]

It's not a bad song per se, but we have heard it all before, several times. The musical ideas, the topics, the revisiting of the past. I don't know. Is a song like this really worth recording, never mind releasing as a single? For a man who's always taken pride in never looking back; it's a bit of a joke, really. And I agree about the backing vocals. Awful. If this song and Ahead are supposed to be the high points of this album, then One Deep River will get a hard pass from me.

And, yes, I am grumpy today 

I have the same feelings about the two songs we already know: boring, lame and unispired. The new songs sound like b-sides from past records. Remember how evolutionary MK was from one straits album to the next... I mean, if you compare commique and making movies, it was bursting with freshness. Ok, now the man himself is over 70.

I still can't get used to the fact that MK tries to sing like art & garfunkel...and doesn't show off his extraordinary guitar skills. Today, he is primarily a songwriter and writing lots of tunes in which his instrument only plays an accompanying role.

And I have the feeling that some people here are thrilled by everything, no matter what MK puts out. Sorry

I really hope the rest of the album and bonus songs will reach the level that we know and love... especially after waiting so long for it...

[Dutchessy]

Well yeah, i think you live in the past.. comparing making movies with communique.. thats 45 years ago man... 

Whatever..

[Rolo]

I really hope the rest of the album and bonus songs will reach the level that we know and love... especially after waiting so long for it...

Don't be so positive

[Love Expresso]

What about this "whatever" in the lyrics all the time? What stylistic device is that?

LE

[Dutchessy]

Tell me what is the last song and guitarsolo you really liked. Maybe i should start a new thread about this question, im curious..

Question for everybody. Will split topic tomorrow, or delete this post if nobody answers 

[KnopfleRick]

What a touching and beautiful song.
Like others already mentioned before his first marriage came to my mind the first time I've listened. In any case it seems a very personal song. The mournful steel guitar underlines the all over sad atmosphere of this song perfectly.  I love it!

[Love Expresso]

Tell me what is the last song and guitarsolo you really liked. Maybe i should start a new thread about this question, im curious..

Question for everybody. Will split topic tomorrow, or delete this post if nobody answers 

Good question.

The Scaffolder's Wife (Song and solo)
Punish The Monkey (solo)
So Far From The Clyde (guitar work over all)
Before Gas & TV (song)
Redbud Tree and Occupation Blues (songs and solos)
Seattle (Song)
Basil (song)
River Towns (song)
Silver Eagle (song)
Drovers Road (guitar work)
Pale Imitation (song and solo)

That's it.

LE

[Shangri-La]

It's a great song. 

[TheTimeWasWrong]

Well call me crazy but I like this "stripped-down" AI version more than the actual version. I think it's safe to say Mark is overcomplicating things sometimes and not every song needs to be this orchestrated masterpiece with 20 people playing and requiring years of post-production. I love his singing voice so it would be nice to hear it more clear anyway. Moving microphones and tape is okay when it's not the main event. I'd sign the petition to make Mark's most personal songs more stripped-down.

Technology is impressive, though a bit scary as well. I like this version, but I really miss the lead guitar. I'm sure we would complain that it needed the band if he released it this way (or even with the lead guitar)

[rmarques821]

It's not a bad song per se, but we have heard it all before, several times. The musical ideas, the topics, the revisiting of the past. I don't know. Is a song like this really worth recording, never mind releasing as a single? For a man who's always taken pride in never looking back; it's a bit of a joke, really. And I agree about the backing vocals. Awful. If this song and Ahead are supposed to be the high points of this album, then One Deep River will get a hard pass from me.

And, yes, I am grumpy today 

I have the same feelings about the two songs we already know: boring, lame and unispired. The new songs sound like b-sides from past records. Remember how evolutionary MK was from one straits album to the next... I mean, if you compare commique and making movies, it was bursting with freshness. Ok, now the man himself is over 70.

I still can't get used to the fact that MK tries to sing like art & garfunkel...and doesn't show off his extraordinary guitar skills. Today, he is primarily a songwriter and writing lots of tunes in which his instrument only plays an accompanying role.

And I have the feeling that some people here are thrilled by everything, no matter what MK puts out. Sorry

I really hope the rest of the album and bonus songs will reach the level that we know and love... especially after waiting so long for it...

It's ok not to like the song, but to expect from a 74 year-old man the same level of freshness or complex songwriting as in 1979/1980 is just unrealistic.
Regarding the guitar skills, I don't know if you've followed Mark's career since 2015, but his "extraordinary guitar skills" are gone and not coming back.

I think you're disappointed because you've set your expectations too high. That used to be the case with me too, until I realized the years go by too fast and I'm just happy that he's still putting out new albums. As I don't know how much more of Mark we'll have, that is enough for me.

[TJ]

Tell me what is the last song and guitarsolo you really liked. Maybe i should start a new thread about this question, im curious..

Question for everybody. Will split topic tomorrow, or delete this post if nobody answers 

There are several songs I like on all Mark's albums, even the ones I like "least", like DTRW, KTGC, and ATRR.  As far as a proper "solo", I guess maybe This Is Us?    Can't really name one more recent.  I still enjoy Mark's playing though, even if it's just phrases and fills rather than blinding solos.

[mschaap]

To me this song is a real beauty to cherish. I think is to be appreciated that this man who is past his retirement age and has to deal with obvious and increasingly limited physical abilities is still making great efforts to write and record songs. At the same time that doesn’t mean anything he does is good anyhow, but if you’d expect every new track to his best ever and/or very energetic with long and/or fast guitar solos one must be living in some other universe.
To me this song combines beautiful sounds, a nice melody and deep meaningful personal lyrics, which altogether makes it an emotionally touching piece. To me this is the essence of music and therefore more than good enough. What more could one ask for.

[Eddie Fox]

Tell me what is the last song and guitarsolo you really liked. Maybe i should start a new thread about this question, im curious..

Question for everybody. Will split topic tomorrow, or delete this post if nobody answers 

The last remarkable solos I can think of are from Boom, like that. Mark used to tell stories with his guitar an that’s a good one. After that… song is king.

[neco]

There are so many great solos since Privateering too.. Go Love is one of my favourite ones! And besides, who needs or even expects „extraordinary guitar skills“, even when MK is playing just small licks or even single notes it still touches me emotionally.. same now for Watch Me Gone