From: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org (jangle-poets-digest) To: jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Subject: jangle-poets-digest V6 #6 Reply-To: jangle-poets@smoe.org Sender: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-jangle-poets-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk jangle-poets-digest Wednesday, February 4 2004 Volume 06 : Number 006 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [JP] Stand Review [Nieldsforever@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 12:17:20 EST From: Nieldsforever@aol.com Subject: Re: [JP] Stand Review In a message dated 1/30/04 3:24:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, dpercy@infraactive.com writes: > This from www.fishrecords.co.uk. Did someone say jangle? > DjP Hey DjP! Thanks for giving us a jangle. More comments interspersed below. > Over the past few years The Kennedys have been building up an impressive > and > diverse body of work that ranges from the gentle acoustic sounds of > 'Angel > Fire' right through to the pop driven 'Evolver'. I agree that TK's recorded work is getting more impressive with every album they put out. I've been dying to make a few comments about "Stand" here on the Jangle-Poets, so here I am. :-) "When I'm Here"... "When I Go"... :-) > The constants throughout > the different styles are the always excellent songwriting and the > instantly > identifiable sound of Maura's vocals and Pete's guitar work. 'Stand' is > no > different, within the first 10 seconds of the opening sound there's a > distinctive 12-string guitar riff and a strong opening vocal that > immediately identifies this as a Kennedy's album. Agree. "Dharma Cafe" sounds great, and kicks off the whole new outing with spunk and pizzazz. It's such a happy situation to be in when TK can be themselves and still not yet have to face the music of having gone to the well once too often. "Stand" is fresh and exciting and alive, and represents a very ample development of the Kennedys' ever-Evolving standards of songcraft, singing, performance, and production. > As with all their albums, on the first listen through it's the melodies > that > are immediately striking, throughout the disc all the songs are brim full > of > hooks, and they never pass up on the opportunity to deliver a great > melody - > the supply of melodies is relentless, and it makes the disc an absolute > breeze to listen to and enjoy on the first run through. Great hooks on "Pilgrim," "Raindrop," and "Miracle Mile," off the top of my head. I played "Stand" back-to-back with Nerissa & Katryna Nields' new "This Town Is Wrong" yesterday, and noticed that both albums have songs with catchy hooks. Pop go the Kennedys, pop go the Nields! :-) I'm itching to discuss TTIW on the Nields Nook too. :-) > Even though they have an identifiable sound they certainly don't stick a > formula with their songwriting, they continue to ignore musical > boundaries > and seamlessly make the transition through genres and decades with ease - > jangly-pop ('Dharma Cafi'), country-rock ('Tupelo') and folk ('Anna & the > Magic Gown) all sit together comfortably on the album. > The songs on 'Stand' compare favourably to the output of more traditional > singer/songwriters, they're excellent writers and their own songs (there > are > two covers) are full of detail, metaphor and real depth. This comment about "detail, metaphor, and real depth" applies to all Kennedys songs ISTM, and to TN's songs too. There is such an affinity IMO between TN and TK music. TK even covered "Easy People," and their version is both a faithful tribute to Nerissa's genius *and* a great Kennedys song in its own right. Part of TK's own peculiar genius lies in making "other people's stuff" their own, through the "folk process," as Pete calls it. :-) > Highlights are > the > title track which subtly and beautifully blends Curtis Mayfield's 'People > Get ready' into a folk-rock song with a strong lyrical theme; I loved the title track the first time I heard it. P&M were still writing and rehearsing it during soundcheck at the Ellsworth ME show, which I was lucky enough to hear. Then they popped it out at Lexington MA, almost full-grown already. An amazing song that works on a couple of different levels. It definitely has "detail, metaphor, and real depth." :-) > 'Tupelo' is > an > alt-country track with a great Gothic tale that's steeped in Southern > imagery; And don't forget "Ashes and Sand" and "Don't Hold Your Breath." TK songs aren't *all* bouncy and feel-good --- there are different facets to the gems they unearth for our listening enjoyment. :-) > and the two final tracks that sit together well, 'Anna & the > Magic > Gown' is a retelling of a classic tale, the melody and vocal delivery is > inspired by English folk song but with a more contemporary musical > backing, "Anna" is just crying out for someone to cover it. As it now "stands," it's almost alone in all of TK's repertoire in evoking an Irish sounding lilt that gives TK a whole 'nother dimension. Many dimensions! :-) > and this leads into Dave Carter's 'When I Go' which is a truly beautiful > and > hopeful song that mixes myth and tradition, it's a great way to close the > disc. Pete's 2nd guitar lead solo on "When I Go" is so beautiful, so tasteful. This is only on the CD, of course. In concert, he can't play 2 guitars at once, and "When I Go" is one of those rare Kennedys songs where Maura doesn't play any guitar at all in live performance. > It goes without saying that Maura's vocals are excellent - she has a pure > and versatile voice and is equally convincing across all styles; After playing "Stand" and TTIW back-to-back, I thought: 1) I love Katryna's voice; 2) But I greatly prefer Nerissa's singing; 3) But! --- I'm digging Maura's vocal perfection more than ever it seems, and more than either of those other two singers these days, and that's saying a lot. This is a great time to be a fan of both TK and N&K Nields. > and > Pete's > guitar work is as varied and graceful as ever. > 'Stand' is The Kennedy's most consistent album yet, it has no weak songs > and > a real fluidity across all 12 songs. Highly recommended. > #13.49 Yay for "Stand," Yay for TK, and Y4Y!! :-) Bruce Check out the Kennedys' Official Home Page: http://www.KennedysMusic.com/ Fab photos, the Official tour diary, dashboard Buddha haiku, groovy merchandise...what more could you ask for? ------------------------------ End of jangle-poets-digest V6 #6 ********************************