AMIT first impressions

[Matchstickman]

I've listened to the album a couple of times, and one thing that strikes me is the odd structure.

Of the first four songs, three of them are the grooviest and most energetic on the album. Then, what follows is a long stretch of mostly slow songs. In addition, Two Pairs and Ahead are vaguely similar in their use of a short guitar riff partly played on high strings. In fact, putting one after the other probably underscores that little similarity, as I had not thought of it previously but which seems obvious now.

One Deep River is a poignant closer, but overall I would have preferred some more variation tempo-wise in the second half of the album. People have been raving about one of the songs on the vinyl (All Comers), so maybe that one should have been included.

I thought pretty much the same.  Before My Train Comes seems strategically placed to prevent people nodding off, however it sure can't come soon enough if it's to stop boredom!

Well, when Before My Train Comes is supposed to RAISE the level of energy, that says something about an album 

[dustyvalentino]

Just had my first listen.

Stereo from the Blu-ray. Sunday afternoon on the sofa with a cup of tea and two sleeping dogs for company.

Probably the best setting for the album. Not something to put on before going out on a Saturday night.

Sleepy is probably the right word to describe it, with a couple of exceptions. But I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just a nice chilled relaxing album. Will report back after a few more listens.

[Robson]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

[Matchstickman]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

My view is that this obsession with whether songs "fit" an album has caused more problems than solutions. Take Brothers in Arms, for instance - it's a fantastic journey across styles, modern and traditional, and subjects, love and war and what have you.

Release the best songs, and vary the pacing! That makes for much better albums.

[Love Expresso]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

My view is that this obsession with whether songs "fit" an album has caused more problems than solutions. Take Brothers in Arms, for instance - it's a fantastic journey across styles, modern and traditional, and subjects, love and war and what have you.

Release the best songs, and vary the pacing! That makes for much better albums.

Very true!

LE

[morfsta]

I think its an amazing album!

What strikes me is that throughout the album there are echos of all of his other work. Is it a coincidence that there are obviously chords from Radio City Serenade, rhythm from Beachcombing, nods to "Laughs and Jokes..." and lyrics like "Colins and Bobs" and "Night comes falling" from Basil and Piper?

It's just like One Deep River is the flow of his life, which calls at some of his favorite spots along the way....

[Robson]

"It's just like One Deep River is the flow of his life, which calls at some of his favorite spots along the way....

I liked these words.

[hunter v2.0]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

My view is that this obsession with whether songs "fit" an album has caused more problems than solutions. Take Brothers in Arms, for instance - it's a fantastic journey across styles, modern and traditional, and subjects, love and war and what have you.

Release the best songs, and vary the pacing! That makes for much better albums.

I like the fact that hey have tried to create some sort of unity, a not just an assortment of songs. I like the idea of an album, though, as a complete piece of work. But indeed some of the bonus tracks are better than some that ended up on the album, and in my view some of them would have fit better.

Speaking of bonus tracks. I think releasing them at the same time as the main album is a mistake. I find this strategy distracting.

[KnopfleRick]

"It's just like One Deep River is the flow of his life, which calls at some of his favorite spots along the way....

I liked these words.

Me too. Very beautiful! 

[Matchstickman]

I think its an amazing album!

What strikes me is that throughout the album there are echos of all of his other work. Is it a coincidence that there are obviously chords from Radio City Serenade, rhythm from Beachcombing, nods to "Laughs and Jokes..." and lyrics like "Colins and Bobs" and "Night comes falling" from Basil and Piper?

It's just like One Deep River is the flow of his life, which calls at some of his favorite spots along the way....

Interesting idea, but it does feel a bit odd when he is quoting himself. One of the guitar lines in Scavengers sounds identical to one early in Good on You Son. Etc. 

[Leprechaun]

My first weekend with the new album (2CD bonus edition) and happy with it, also because of the bonus songs  

Of course, I didn't expect that there will be no skippers on ODR but it contains some gems with that typical sound and songwriting by MK has inspired me so much for decades.

My top5 are:

1. The Living end  (cool rocky guitar based tune, could be a b-side of OES)
2. One Deep River  (very moving song, nice licks, the background singers are dispensable for me
3. Nothing But rain  (pure blues, reminds me of Fade to black, a bit too short)
4. Scavengers Yard  fresh, nice cheeky guitar effects)
5. Before The Train Comes  (Notting Hillbillies nostalgia, the outro could go on forever...)

Curious to see if the other tracks will grow.

[Rail King]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

My view is that this obsession with whether songs "fit" an album has caused more problems than solutions. Take Brothers in Arms, for instance - it's a fantastic journey across styles, modern and traditional, and subjects, love and war and what have you.

Release the best songs, and vary the pacing! That makes for much better albums.

If I remember correctly, Mark has talked about this when he released Privateering. Which is of course all over the place stylistically. I think he said something like: "It's just where I happen to be at at the moment", and I understood what he meant. It's totally normal for such a versatile artist to have ideas for country, blues, rock, pop, folk and Celtic songs all at once.

All the more interesting I find it that the new album has a more consistent sound and feel, and that he seems to have put more value on that. Personally – and as much as I love and respect Privateering – I prefer albums with a consistent feel/atmosphere/sound/theme. Not because they're "better", but because I love to listen to specific albums in specific places and at specific times where they blend in particularly well. That doesn't mean that the songs should all sound the same, but I like it if there are thematic or musical links between them. On One Deep River, Greg Leisz's pedal steel, the Topsins' backing vocals and the theme of passing time are such links. I like the first Dire Straits album and Shangri-La for the same reason (and for a hundred other reasons, of course).

[dustyvalentino]

Incidentally, I recently watched series one of the most excellent Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman.

When I was looking it up on imdb I noticed a familiar name that will feature in series 2 - Tasmin Topolski.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6466535/

[dmg]

I don't know the song All Comers but the EP "The Boy" is about one topic and that song probably didn't fit One Deep River.

My view is that this obsession with whether songs "fit" an album has caused more problems than solutions. Take Brothers in Arms, for instance - it's a fantastic journey across styles, modern and traditional, and subjects, love and war and what have you.

Release the best songs, and vary the pacing! That makes for much better albums.

Totally agree with you.  His song selection has been baffling for years now.  In fact, it is known that Ed Bicknell gave him advice to put WOL on BIA because he didn't think it fit so who knows what great songs have been discarded since Ed left the scene.  Many of the bonus songs could well be on the album to give it some oomph. 

It's an interesting album though.  When I listen to it I think it's quite good, but afterwards I think that was dull and boring, apart from a few songs.  Perhaps due to it being performed with no energy or the production...   I think there aren't many skippers on it (I start at track 3), so there aren't really many (maybe 3) I don't listen to this time, but it is bland and contains a lot of stuff we've heard before.  Then I read comments on here like it's some remarkable, inspired album with great solos and I just don't get that at all.  It's like Guy has taken over as mod!  I so wish Living End and Foreign Coast were on the main album though.

Most songs are 5/10
scavengers, black tie and tunnel 13:  8/10
smart money, janine, before my train comes, one deep river:  6/10

Definitely a step up from DtRW.  Vanilla slice anyone?

[hunter v2.0]

Yes, as much as I love Guy, I don't think he has great artistic depth, and I certainly don't think he's the type who can push Mark to perform his best. And one does not bite the hand that feeds you ...