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Schweiz (Deutsch)4 songs on ILY that shouldn't be
4 songs on ILY that shouldn't be
Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009 - 18:02
Slight Figure of Speech
It Goes On and On
Ill With Want
Tin Man
These songs to me, are pretty much wholly un-Avett. Too much plugging in, too poppy. I admit, following Emotionalism is difficult as that album is pretty much perfect, and I L Y has some great great great songs (Laundry Room is the best song they have ever made in their careers), but I skip over these songs every single time. Just not like them at all, thats just my opinion though. I feel like they don't show their amazing musicianship like other songs do; furthermore, let your voices be the power in a song, not an electric instrument.
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Are these songs "traditional" Avett songs? Not at all. But do they flow perfectly with the rest of the album? I think so.
Right on Rich-
I believe each song has something to offer,
while the sound is indeed different.
The lyrics are there.
I love them.
Would I rather see the songs live?
Absolutely.
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I'll see you in the morning time.
let your voices be the power in a song
Their voice, I believe, is in their lyrics. Man, if you skip over Ill With Want, you are missing out on something really important.
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Meanwhile, there's Scott's voice, one of the most emotionally naked in any genre, merging with Seth's more guarded intimacy to sound like angels arm wrestling and tears drying on a cheek
I have been singing Ill With Want for days!
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I'll see you in the morning time.
In general, every Avett album has one song I usually skip (except maybe Mignonette). Jenny and the Summer Day, Do You Love Him, 40 East (sorry Bobby), Yardsale, PGF San Diego....these are all the songs that come to mind from TAB that I'm just not feeling. Taking their whole discography into account, this is a miniscule amount of songs. Needless to say I like or love all the rest. That being said...
Slight Figure of Speech is the one I'm just not feeling. Great lyrics. Bad music. Just MY OPINION.
Tin Man & It Goes On and On are so-so. So I understand where you're coming from Lover, BUT I'm not so bold to claim they're un-Avett, or shouldn't be on the album. They wrote 'em, so they're Avett songs. Great lyrics all around, though. Even the so-so songs. This is the album they wanted as a whole, so I'll accept that.
When it comes to ,Ill With Want, however, we disagree. That's a damn good song.
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“I too dabbled in pacifism once. Not in Nam, of course.” -Walter Sobchak
http://www.facebook.com/nastynate704
Come on, 40 East is the best Bob song.
Nah, I'd go with Letter/PG.
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“I too dabbled in pacifism once. Not in Nam, of course.” -Walter Sobchak
http://www.facebook.com/nastynate704
Hey, we're all entitled to our opinions, and the option to skip a song, but don't fight the song selection!
They're all there for a reason...sometimes you just don't realize it right away.
The day will come when one of those songs will speak to you, and you'll be so glad it's there. It's happened for me with just about every major album of my life.
i agree with the fact that the lyrics are top notch on these songs, but I completely agree that the end of this album falls flat for me. i dig slight figure of speech, although the fact that the tempo of that song slows down when the lyrics come in bothers the hell out of me, which i've been thinking is odd that that's even there considering the talk of how many takes they did of each song.
kick drum heart
slight figure of speech
it goes on
the rest should be on the album
Blasphemy.....(so heartfelt)...."Ill with want" is right up there with Laundry Room and the title track, for tops on the album. If you've ever wrestled with addiction or lust, the song just speaks to ya...aside from that i agree with the original poster, there are more offerings (pun intended) that i skip on this one than the last two full length albums, but it's still a real solid album. Real solid.
Ill with want definitely has really strong lyrics- really really powerful
& slight figure of speech has a 60s pop feel that is obviously different for the Avetts but fun & the lyrics are great
I like Kick Drum Heart, and I am excited to hear it live but I have to admit I skip over it some...
I'm probably going to get pummeled here, but my least favorite song on the album is "Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise". I don't care for the organ at all -- too Pink-Floyd-y -- and my brain always snags on the clunky feminine rhyme in the lyric "Where nothing is owed, deserved or expected / And your life doesn't change by the man that's elected".
That said, I fully expect to come around to this song one of these days.
But, LoverLikeYou, I have to object to putting "Ill With Want" on the "don't fit" list. The production may be a little different, but the song fits right in with the whole Avett catalog, both lyrically and musically. It's one of my favorites from the new record.
I'm also a big fan of "Tin Man", probably my very favorite on I&L&Y. The song echos themes found all over the Avett landscape -- feeling disconnected, numb, heart-broken -- and musically it's similar to other punchier Avett songs.
As for "Slight Figure of Speech," I think maybe you're not getting the joke. I think they wrote that song to be deliberately different from their other music. Consider the lyrics. Aren't they pretty much saying, "Don't tell us what kind of music we can write and where we can go with it!"?
That doesn't mean you have to like it, but there's kind of a point to it. Personally I've come around to that song.
Finally, I think I agree that "It Goes On and On" sounds quite different for the Avetts. Sounds like a Ben Folds song. But I love Ben Folds, too, so that's just fine with me.
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". . . and I don't mean like a couple of tears and I'm blue . . ."
Hey, sorry to beat up on you, Loverlikeyou, but I have to chime in again in response to this comment from you: "let your voices be the power in a song, not an electric instrument."
I totally agree with the sentiment, but I don't see how you can criticize "Tin Man" on that accound. Seth's voice IS the power in that song (whether you like the song or not). That's really what turned me on to the song, which I missed my first couple listens -- that near-screaming "I miss it". Seth's voice is awesome in that song. And Scott's part is vocally super too, I think.
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". . . and I don't mean like a couple of tears and I'm blue . . ."
Aw, I like those songs! But your opinion is yours, so that's what matters. I love the whole album (:
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careful not to say that i don't care, or haven't, or can't, or will not again.
I and Love and You is my favorite album, but I do not like Slight Figure of Speech. I think it is their worst song by far. But that's just my opinion.
Ah, some excitement!!!
Well let me say this in my defense about some of the things I read:
1) I am more of a music person, than a lyric person. For me, I think the music comes first and then the lyrics come second. If a song is really strong musically, the lyrics become more powerful to me and "speak to me". If i can't get past a songs sound, if it doesn't appeal to me, I won't dig the lyrics.
2) The lyric: "I am ill with wanting, and its evil and its daunting," sorry but Mr. Scott Avett can think of better than that. Though there are some great parts of that song.
3) Tin Man: Ok, Seth, I understand you wish you could feel again, I get it...this notion would be awesome if the music of the song was great, it just isn't Avett sounding to me, and hence I can't get into the message, I can't get past the sound.
4) Saying: "their voice, i think, is in their lyrics" is kind of a cop out. I am strictly speaking of volume. Scott and Seth's voice are absolute amplifiers in and of themselves and I just don't think they need to plug into anything as much as they did to achieve a power when they have it inside themselves.
5) "they wrote 'em so they are avett songs" - I just feel maybe, mayyybbeee, they were influenced by Mr. Reuben; Yes they have the same message and feel of other Avetts songs, yes they are a different direction, but it doesn't sound like pure Avett Brothers to me; my namesake for example..."I haven't eyes for anyone else" when that gets belted out in that song, holllyyyy god...glorious, but like "that feelin of feelin, that feelin of feelin" on Tin Man, just doesn't do it for me. Too much repetition on these songs, also.
I will say, Ill with Want has some EXCELLENT moments, "not more medicine" the repetition of "something has me", very nice, it is my most favorite of those four, and it will probably grow on me, but it seems kinda repetitive and forced sometimes.
Sorry but, Tin man, It Goes On and On, and Slight Figure of Speech are just...no..., when did they start idolizing the Beach Boys (on SFOS and Kick Drum Heart ). I agree with whoever said it: I will skip over Avetts Songs, their whole canon of songs is not perfect, but I have never skipped over a song and said "wow, this just isn't good musically" until these few songs. Say all you want about their lyrics which are definitely amazing, but a song is nothing without music.
The Scott Avett verses in Tin Man and Kick Drum Heart are the only redeeming parts of the songs in my opinion. The Tin Man one sounds like Down With The Shine, and WHY WASN'T THAT ON THIS ALBUM!!! such a good song.
oh and they are totally trying to recreate Talk on Indolence with the fast lyrics in Slight Figure of Speech. I credit them with trying new things, but I think they are trying to sound poppy deliberately, its a bigger label and they had to accomidate for that, so some of us are not going to like the new direction they are going in...I am not going to say everything they put out is amazing, can't do eeeet!!!
I know this is all jumbled, its 145 and i am tired and have to drive to philly tomorrow for the show but consider this before flaming me:
The Avett Brothers are the best thing that has happened to me in my life in a long time, that being said...I am a fan of music first, and a fan of the Avett Brothers second.
<3
I really don't think LoverLikeYou is too far off base here.
This album is way weaker than it could or should be. Following Emotionalism was a tough task to begin with, however, I feel that Rick Reuben influenced this album a little too much.
Slight Figure of Speech is trying too hard to channel Talk on Indolence, and while I can certainly appreciate an attempt to recreate a great song, it was forced and produced into something that I don't enjoy.
Tin Man feels so empty. It's almost like TAB had no choice in creating another song to fill out the album and so they relied on a song that seems less creative and eloquent as past creations and falls into the "blah" category like so many other, over-produced songs of longing for the ability to feel.
That being said, I can't say that I hate this album. In fact, I rather enjoy the music for the most part, and I'm glad that they've finally released some new tunes. I just wish that the end of the album was stronger. I guess that so far as the flow of the album goes, it sort of works, if I had never heard Emotionalism. I don't like that this album is so very streamlined to appeal to the sensibilities of the older Avett fans and those who would never consider the TAB genre in the first place.
I love when new listeners become fans of the Avetts, but I'd like for them to enjoy the music as more than the passing, catchy pop songs that seem to congregate in the end of I&<3&Y, and more for the passionate, deep, truly soul-searching material found in earlier albums.
Some here seem adamant to say anything bad about ANY of the Avetts songs, but really, not every song can be perfect, not every song speaks to every person.
ALSO: I am very tired, I love The Avett Brothers, and I'm going to the Philly concert tomorrow
Loverlikeyou -- I actually agree with you that (a) the music has to come first and (b) the lyrics are not the voice.
The number one thing I want from a song, group or album is good vocals (not to be confused with good lyrics! -- which I want too, but not first and foremost). I mean a singing voice that is both musically sound and completely authentic.
That's why I can't get into Wilco. I just can't stand Tweedy's voice. Period. No matter how brilliant the lyrics may be. (Or not -- I can't listen to him, so I don't know.)
But I love the hell out of "Tin Man".
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". . . and I don't mean like a couple of tears and I'm blue . . ."
I think Rick Rubin knows how to make Avett Bros famous. American Recordings also have The Black Crowes, they didn't do too bad in the biz.
I love the album, but i skip ot goes on and on every time. It's too poppy for me..it sounds like panic at the disco. But i LOVE ill with want. I am kinda disappointed with the laundry room and kick drum art recordings. They used to rock so hard and be so soulful, on the album they are too poppy for my taste.
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A gentleman is some one who knows how to play the banjo, and doesn't- Mark Twain.
Ill With Want and Tin Man are 2 of my very favorite songs off this album. SFoS is very necessary imo for this album. It Goes On and On I will admit at first I was not a fan of, but it is an Avett song! Can one really dislike any of them? Now it has really grown on me. I think this album was very well sequenced by the Brothers and Rubin. Kick Drum Heart through SFoS is brilliant imo. Those follow so many powerful ones at the begining too.
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"....That men are just liars and thieves of sorts
Men are just liars and thieves....."
I miss the old avett brothers. The Avett bros of Emotionalism and Four thieves.
I miss the old avett brothers. The Avett bros of Emotionalism and Four thieves.
I miss the old avett brothers. The Avett bros of Emotionalism and Four thieves.
I realize it is only your opinion, but it's weird how us as fans depict their music and what they should or shouldn't be doing. They wrote all the songs that led us to loving them, why do we say ' this song shouldn't be here' or 'this song is not the avett's'. Maybe it doesn't have the same sound and other albums, but that's the thing, it's a new album and a new idea. They wrote the songs, they like the songs, if they didn't, i doubt they would put them on the album. Don't listen to them if you don't want to, but they were written by the Avett Brothers, so i think they should be respected and given a fair chance. Tin Man is personally my favorite song off the album.
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I want to have friends, that I can trust, that love me for the man I've become, not the man that I was.
what is a "clunky feminine rhyme" ?
Yeah I was wondering the same thing...
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There's only one thing here worth hoping for.
Are people really arguing about which songs are better than others? You may as well argue that red is better than blue. It's all a matter of opinion and taste.
Writing about music is like dancing about buildings. You can't get the feel.
However, top 40 pop still sucks.
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Bender
I'm pretty sure I can honestly say I love every avett song.
as far as ILY goes the weakest one is heart like a kickdrum, which was amazing live, but is painfully kitschy on the album
also double post but I just read through those long posts.
when has ANYTHING EVER BEEN WRONG WITH IDOLIZING THE BEACH BOYS?
brian wilson was god's gift to the sixties
also lol @ old avett brothers being emotionalism
"also lol @ old avett brothers being emotionalism"
That cracked me up too.
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"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid”
Frank Zappa
I agree that these songs are not "traditional" avett brothers, but i like them none the less. If it werent for the tuba on Tin Man it would probably be my favorite song by them, but the tuba just ruins it for me.
I like all the songs a lot.
and I agree with angischy too.
oh one last thing ditto to the
"also lol @ old avett brothers being emotionalism"
really?
Still offended by the use of "feminine" as an insult. Whatever, thread!
Couple people asked about what a "clunky feminine rhyme" is. A feminine rhyme is a rhyme of two or more syllables. I found that one particular rhyme (. . . ex-PEC-TED . . . e -LEC-TED) rather clunky at first. But it's grown on me.
Since posting about it back in October, I've gotten to see Scott sing that song live, and now I love it. He really opened it up for me on stage, and -- wow.
--
"Free is not your right to choose, it's answering what's asked of you, to give the love you find until it's gone."
T: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminine_rhyme
I didn't know either.
ETA: Ah, Aerix beat me to it.
And yeah, Head Full of Doubt is very powerful live. Definitely needs to be seen live to be fully appreciated, in my opinion.
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Wish me luck, I know you think I'll need it.
For all the hardest roads we have to walk alone.
well they better edit the "Feminine Rhyme in Music" section on Wikipedia to include other hip hop acts such as The Avett Brothers.
chilixx writes: "And yeah, Head Full of Doubt is very powerful live. Definitely needs to be seen live to be fully appreciated, in my opinion."
Agreed. But then again, that could be said of just about every TAB song!
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"Free is not your right to choose, it's answering what's asked of you, to give the love you find until it's gone."
) "they wrote 'em so they are avett songs" - I just feel maybe, mayyybbeee, they were influenced by Mr. Reuben; Yes they have the same message and feel of other Avetts songs, yes they are a different direction, but it doesn't sound like pure Avett Brothers to me; my namesake for example..."I haven't eyes for anyone else" when that gets belted out in that song, holllyyyy god...glorious, but like "that feelin of feelin, that feelin of feelin" on Tin Man, just doesn't do it for me."
They wrote these before they worked with Rick. the demos in the box set ( and all of the many others ) were from recording sessions before they even signed with Columbia.
i feel like this is what people said about Dylan going electric in the 60's
jkilpatrick: You're right. And they played a lot of the songs off the new album live before recording the album as well.
I personally have no problem with light pop influences as long as the music is still endearing. And honestly, what sets these songs apart from other poppy songs is that they're quite good. Let's not go into folk or indie snob mode here. And who are we to tell them what is and isn't Avett? A lot of things off of Emotionalism probably didn't sound very "Avett" when first listened to by long time fans. In fact, looking back at really old forum posts, that was indeed the case. The band is simply developing. And, no, this album isn't as good as Emotionalism. For me, it gets put it in that second tier, alongside Four Thieves Gone. But that's just me.
I would also like to know whether anyone else had a hard time warming up to Incomplete and Insecure? It just seems like a very different kind of folk than they usually make. It's borderline... country. Yes, I do believe there's a huge difference between folk and country. And this song very much proves it... Yet, this song has grown on me for the sheer fact of how beautiful it is, though I do wish it was a bit longer and more... I dunno... developed, seeing how it's the ending point of the album and all.
When Emotionalism came out the sound caught me by suprise but I fell for it. Like I&L&Y it is a slight departure in my mind but the album as a whole is great. I like the old stuff and the new stuff, change in this case is good.
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She'll be drinking someone elses rye, when I'm six feet below.
The album is perfect. To be too critical of certain songs is not allowing them to be creative. Explore is key.
Slight Figure of Speech is perhaps my favorite song on the album. Just something about it. It also has that kind of feeling they produced when they were performing as Oh What A Nightmare. The title track to that album has the same feel. Tin man is amazing too! I don't see how you can skip that song, or any of them really. I have every single album on my ipod and sometimes I just let it run all the way through (that takes a good while) or put it on random. The only time I skip songs is when I'm really feeling certain ones, and I do definitely have favorites. It took me a few times of listening to the album to warm up to it, because yes it is very different. The only song with banjo really, is January Wedding, and while I miss the banjo at times, I still think it is a pretty solid album. I don't think you can say anything isn't Avett that the Avett's produce.
After listening to slight figure of speech, i realized that i simply cannot critique TAB negatively. They do what they want, like always and i'll listen to anything they write...
I agree with all those songs except Ill With Want. I really enjoy that song.
--
So if ever someone one says to you,
Life isn't fair, get used to it
Then you should say 'Well it might be
If folks like you would let it be"
The lyrics are what matter to me. Even if I don't like the sound, I will sacrifice it to hear their words. Thats all that matters.
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"A country girl can't be made out of anybody here, don't touch it, it loves you not."