jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jun 26, 2011 20:26:12 GMT -5
If we're doing the ranking thing, I'd have "Musical Chairs" and "Walls Of Jericho" tied, then "Dance Of The Manatee", then "Tall Tales". However, the demo version of "Musical Chairs", which I like even better than the album version, I'd put in first place outright out of FTM's entire catalog.
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jun 26, 2011 20:29:57 GMT -5
Dance Of The Manatee: A+ Walls Of Jericho: A+ Musical Chairs: A+ Tall Tales: A
Any questions?
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jun 26, 2011 20:30:52 GMT -5
Dance Of The Manatee: A+ Walls Of Jericho: A+ Musical Chairs: A+ Tall Tales: A Any questions? Your ranking is different from mine, but your grades are the same.
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lockebox
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Post by lockebox on Jun 26, 2011 20:36:18 GMT -5
If we're doing the ranking thing, I'd have "Musical Chairs" and "Walls Of Jericho" tied, then "Dance Of The Manatee", then "Tall Tales". However, the demo version of "Musical Chairs", which I like even better than the album version, I'd put in first place outright out of FTM's entire catalog. Why do you prefer the demo version? "April Fools and Eggmen" comes close to rivaling "Musical Chairs" for me, actually. "Kyla Cries Cologne" has the sweet riff-age (dodging filter ;)) which would also put it up there.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jun 26, 2011 22:21:11 GMT -5
If we're doing the ranking thing, I'd have "Musical Chairs" and "Walls Of Jericho" tied, then "Dance Of The Manatee", then "Tall Tales". However, the demo version of "Musical Chairs", which I like even better than the album version, I'd put in first place outright out of FTM's entire catalog. Why do you prefer the demo version? "April Fools and Eggmen" comes close to rivaling "Musical Chairs" for me, actually. "Kyla Cries Cologne" has the sweet riff-age (dodging filter ;)) which would also put it up there. We have very similar taste in Fair To Midland it seems. "April Fools" and "Walls Of Jericho" were my two favorites off 'Fables'. I liked the production of Darroh's vocals, the sound of the bass overdrive, and the piano intro better on the original version. I also heard the demo version a hundred times so the changes they made caught me off guard so I was a biased listener. To me the demo version sounds more consistent with the production of 'Fables' and the song feels more in that vein than the stuff they've written since then. That said, the guitars and drums do sound more massive on the album version, and it's still my favorite song of 2011 (even though to me it feels like my favorite song of '09).
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jun 26, 2011 22:25:43 GMT -5
I also prefer the demo of Musical Chairs.
Walls of Jericho was my favorite on Inter.Funda.Stifle (I have a 1st edition copy :) ). However, I thought the Fables version of Walls of Jericho was slightly less amazing than the IFS one, so "Manatee", "White Picket Fence," or "April Fools" would be my favorite from Fables.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jun 26, 2011 22:32:16 GMT -5
I still don't have that album. :( Though I do have the IFS version of "Manatee", which is how I originally got into them.
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jun 26, 2011 22:35:57 GMT -5
I still don't have that album. :( Though I do have the IFS version of "Manatee", which is how I originally got into them. The IFS version of "Manatee" was also my first exposure to FTM. Though IFS has a much lower production quality than Fables, it is still an amazing album. However, all the songs from IFS that went to Fables improved except, in my opinion, "Walls Of Jericho" which had 20 seconds chopped off its run time. The IFS version had a an outro I love that didn't make it over to Fables. If you ever get a chance to get IFS, definitely check out Granny Niblo and Quince ... both are great 5 minute plus songs that are masterpieces.
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Nicholas2.0
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Post by Nicholas2.0 on Jun 30, 2011 21:52:58 GMT -5
To whom it may be of interest, but esp. for Jamie, if he hasn't already seen it.
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Devin
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Post by Devin on Jun 30, 2011 21:54:06 GMT -5
This reached #1 on our Weekly Countdown this week.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 1, 2011 2:53:30 GMT -5
To whom it may be of interest, but esp. for Jamie, if he hasn't already seen it. I had not. Thanks for posting! I just got back from a gig so I'll watch that tomorrow when I can process how cool it is haha. This reached #1 on our Weekly Countdown this week. NIIIIIIICE!
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 3, 2011 17:56:40 GMT -5
While this does make me happy, it's also quite painful. So close, yet so far:
Official update: 44 41 FAIR TO MIDLAND Musical Chairs 152 109 43 0.233
This is with a +10 from 93X's cagematch which will become a -10 next week. But hey, at least this time it survived all 5 days again like the demo version did rather than going down against 12 Stones the first opportunity it got. Still, other stations are going to have to add this and keep that bullet healthy to compensate for almost certain -10 on 93X in order for this to go top 40 next week and have a legitimate chance to outpeak "Tall Tales". Obviously, I'm hoping for even more than that.
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Devin
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Post by Devin on Jul 3, 2011 18:18:37 GMT -5
This should go Top 30, but I'm not sure yet. It's nice to see the bullet go from like +9 to +43 though!
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jul 4, 2011 20:24:21 GMT -5
Is 93X not going to add it despite its repeated catchmatch success?
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 4, 2011 21:30:58 GMT -5
Probably not. At least not immediately. They haven't added the 12 Stones song that beat it a few weeks ago yet, and it won all five nights it was on so they may take their time with it if they add it at all. :/
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 12, 2011 7:02:43 GMT -5
Happy FAIR TO MIDLAND day everyone! [i[Arrows & Anchors[/i] in stores today. Here's to hoping it debuts on the Billboard 200. I made sure I didn't hear the record before it was released, and within a few hours, my patience shall be rewarded. Likely future album of the year for me, but I shouldn't jinx it.
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jul 12, 2011 8:43:16 GMT -5
Should make the top 50 or 100 at worst. Only 2 spots behind Breathe Carolina on iTunes now and BC had a top 50 album last time out and afaik their fanbase is as strong as it was previously.
I'm off to Best Buy now...
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jul 12, 2011 14:19:59 GMT -5
I'm travelling, and the small Best Buy here in the middle of bumfuck nowhere upstate New York had not 1 but 2 copies of A & A! I bought both of them just to be safe.
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Devin
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Post by Devin on Jul 12, 2011 16:11:50 GMT -5
I wanna copy.. I wish I didn't live on a smallily-occupied island of 2000 or less.
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jul 12, 2011 22:03:56 GMT -5
Album of the year hands down. A true masterpiece.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 13, 2011 17:17:16 GMT -5
I wanna give it a few more listens before posting a more in depth review of the album. My initial reaction is, it's awesome.
Standout tracks: A Loophole In Limbo, Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow, Musical Chairs, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Uh-Oh Future singles (if "Musical Chairs" warrants them): Uh-Oh, A Loophole In Limbo, Coppertank Island
Anyone else have any thoughts? If they go to a second single, I think Uh-Oh or Loophole are the way to go.
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lockebox
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Post by lockebox on Jul 13, 2011 18:25:09 GMT -5
I don't think the album is quite as good as the first one, but it's by no means a disappointment. My favorite is probably "Rikki Tikki Tavi," which sounds like "Dance of the Manatee" gone wild... in a good way, whilst songs such as "Uh-Oh" show a quirkiness that I don't think we've heard from them before. "A Loophole in Limbo" & "Short-Haired Tornado" are other standouts.
I would go with "Uh-Oh" second, for sure. "Rikki Tikki" is too ballistic to be a single, I think. I doubt a second single will be given a fair shot, considering "Musical Chairs" is struggling to reach the top 40, though.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 13, 2011 18:30:18 GMT -5
Short-Haired Tornado was one of my least favorites the first listen through. But it was my first time hearing it, and a lot of the other songs I had already heard, so we'll see if I warm up to it.
As for how it compares to 'Fables', I'm not sure yet. It's definitely in the same league, but time will tell which one resonates better with me in the longterm.
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lockebox
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Post by lockebox on Jul 13, 2011 18:39:33 GMT -5
Really? I bought it instantly with that catchy riff. The last three songs (excluding "The Greener Grass" & the instrumental) were the ones that went over my head.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 13, 2011 18:55:28 GMT -5
"Coppertank Island" to me sounds like one of the most accessible songs and one that I'd put in the running to be a single. I don't love it as much as many of the others, but many other people say it's their favorite on the album. And "Bright Bulbs And Sharp Tools" has been a standout for others of my friends. "Golden Parachutes" hasn't gotten rave reviews from any of my friends. I'm assuming those are the three songs you're talking about...
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lockebox
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Post by lockebox on Jul 13, 2011 19:06:10 GMT -5
Yeah, they were. I think the album has a really strong backbone, but kinda drifts off towards the end. "Coppertank Island" would infuriate me if it was picked as a single ahead of the likes of "Loophole" & "Uh-Oh." A poor decision for the second single from the last album cost them, I hope they don't duplicate that error, although I doubt it'll have much relevance this time around.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 13, 2011 19:21:41 GMT -5
Well, I don't know if it's a poor choice if it's the song everyone I've discussed the album with other than you is talking about. I agree it's not near the top of my list either. I think "Uh Oh" is the unanimous best single choice though. I love "Loophole" and personally think of it as the best single choice, but "Uh Oh" seems to be the more common response, and it was the other song that stood out to me that way, so it's probably the way they should go.
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Devin
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Post by Devin on Jul 13, 2011 19:24:21 GMT -5
I will, in the near future, purchase Fables and A&A, when I am able too.
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Post by onefrayedrepublic on Jul 14, 2011 0:31:18 GMT -5
Uh-oh is really good. Definitely should be 2nd single. Loophole would be okay as single number 2 as well if Uh-Oh is passed over.
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jvandyck87
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Post by jvandyck87 on Jul 14, 2011 7:58:18 GMT -5
I finally checked out the iTunes bonus track "Pour The Coal To 'Er". It's better than more than half the album I'd say. It easily should have made it in my opinion.
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