Shuttlecrab! Part XV - Sweet the shell, butter the taste in my mouth

[LMP]

"Wake Up Dead Man," "Last Night on Earth," "Velvet Dress...", and "Staring at the Sun."

 

[martha]

/
I heard MOS on the radio Thursday morning. The chorus drives me nuts. Lanois has sucked any life out of it with his stupid slow "harmonies" or whatever.

/

 

[Dalton]

Wow. I disagree on all of those - especially LNOE and SATS.

 

[Dalton]

/
I heard MOS on the radio Thursday morning. The chorus drives me nuts. Lanois has sucked any life out of it with his stupid slow "harmonies" or whatever.

/

Incorrect.

 

[phillyfan26]

Wow. I disagree on all of those - especially LNOE and SATS.

Wake Up Dead Man isn't really involved in the consumer thing, although the "tape recorder" line gives it enough of a connection.

SATS definitely is. "Afraid of what you'd find if you take a look inside." I see it.

 

[phillyfan26]

/
I heard MOS on the radio Thursday morning. The chorus drives me nuts. Lanois has sucked any life out of it with his stupid slow "harmonies" or whatever.

/

False. That chorus is just as good as the rest of the song.

 

[martha]

correct.

Fixed.

I think Lanois likes slow, boring music and he's inflicted it on more than one NNOTH song.

 

[phillyfan26]

Fixed.

I think Lanois likes slow, boring music and he's inflicted it on more than one NNOTH song.

Slow is fine, boring is not. There is not a boring track on NLOTH.

There is literally one thing about Lanois that I never like: his voice. I hate when his vocals creep in. Other than that, he's fine.

 

[lazarus]

Cocks of the Disappeared

Midnight, and Lance's mother
In cut offs and old halter tops
Walks the dark streets
She walks the dark streets

In the dark she sees their headlights
In autos making her wage
Walks the dark streets
She walks the dark streets

Heels clang, an entrepreneur
Spread legs and cheap tattoos
Walks the dark streets
She walks the dark streets

In their cars her tricks sit naked
Works the balls till they're spent and dried
Hear her moans like a siren's call
Ooh...

City of Winding Serves has some funny moments, but this one is just fucking CLASSIC. One of your best. I don't think I'll be able to get through Joshua Cock without laughing now, which is a bit of a shame.

Unpopular opinion of the day: I just listened to POP for the first time in a very long while and I was reminded that it is every bit as good as OK Computer.

I'm surprised you didn't get more flak for this. I kind of agree with you. I understand why many would think COCK Computer is the overall more cohesive experience, but song for song I think Poppycock wins, especially for the diversity of styles, even if Radiocock's album has higher high points.

Pop's good studio takes: Do You Feel Loved, Mofo*, Staring at the Sun, Last Night on Earth, Wake Up Dead Man. (5)

Interesting, but absolute messes on the album: Discotheque*, Gone*, Miami*, If You Wear That Velvet Dress, Please*. (5)

Ugh: If God Will Send His Angels, The Playboy Mansion.

IMO.

* - This version has its ass kicked by its live version so much that it took me a while to judge it properly.

I disagree with a lot of this post. Staring at the Cock is definitely missing something (though I like the "middle-eight"), I think Discocock was PERFECT on the album, and only made worse through subsequent mixes. The live version was cool but I just don't like it as a simple rocker. It's reductive. The version from Squirtigo was cool, unfortunately that dipshit Hedge didn't like it.

Cock (Not Coming Down) should not be touched, EVER. The live versions never did it justice, and I think Hedge's "Cooooooooock" backing vocals are way too overdone. Plus Boner never hit those notes or the falsetto live.

My Racquet was kick ass live, but I think the studio version is this amazing balance of sunny menace, chill but like a coiled snake. It sounds like a drug dealer's theme or something.

I'll give you Cock, Please, but that's it.

I'm not a fan of IGWSHA typically, but it sounded amazing on the new system I put in my car. And playboy mansion is one of my favorite in the U2verse. True.

Playbird Mansion has always been one of my favs, too. People just really hate the lyrics, which I can understand, but the music is SOOOOO smooth. Trip-hoppy soul shit. And yet they went all ga-ga for In A Little Cock, which is like the same fucking thing but not as interesting.

The single mix of If God... is fantastic stuff. The album version meanders and hits its peak about halfway through. I absolutely love the outro to the single mix.

Not exactly. I like how in the studio version everything gets sucked down the drain at the end, then those little synth pipes come, and then that trip-hop beat that takes you out. The singing over the fade in the single mix just doesn't work for me.

I will agree that the studio version takes way too long to kick in. It definitely needed a new mix of some kind.

 

[LMP]

Wake Up Dead Man isn't really involved in the consumer thing, although the "tape recorder" line gives it enough of a connection.

SATS definitely is. "Afraid of what you'd find if you take a look inside." I see it.

I was shaky on SATS, but it does have this whole verse that shifts in in that direction for me:

"intransigence is all around…military still in town
armour plated suits and ties…daddy just won't say goodbye
referee won't blow the whistle God is good but will HE listen
I'm nearly great
but there's something I'm missing I left in the duty free
though you never really belonged to me"

If you guys can explain "Velvet Dress" and "Last Night on Earth" to me, go for it.

I usually put "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" on my Pop lists to add to the consumerism angle.

 

[martha]

Slow is fine, boring is not.

I agree, but I really don't like what he's done to the chorus of both MOS and COL. Both of those take away from the song for me.

 

[lazarus]

Without a doubt. The only track that's an absolutely lyrical abortion for me is "Unknown Caller," and while there are spotty lines to be found in most of the songs, they aren't that distracting or terrible.

Also, I didn't think that "No Line..." Hybrid mix would work, but it's so fucking awesome that I can't see myself listening to either official version again.

You don't even like the verses in Unknown Partner?

And I'm digging the hybrid version, love the way the choruses from both versions are put together. And the last verse has that rumbling Claycourt bass that's missed on the album version. Having both intros play consecutively was kind of cool, too.

Whoever did it needs to go back and make a high quality version; I'm not putting some 15 meg track on my playlist or a CD-R.

Besides Please, which songs don't you feel fit the theme of critiquing a consumerist society?

I don't see that as the real theme, to me it's more general, about an overall loss of faith, no?

 

[LMP]

You don't even like the verses in Unknown Partner?

And I'm digging the hybrid version, love the way the choruses from both versions are put together. And the last verse has that rumbling Claycourt bass that's missed on the album version. Having both intros play consecutively was kind of cool, too.

Whoever did it needs to go back and make a high quality version; I'm not putting some 15 meg track on my playlist or a CD-R.



I don't see that as the real theme, to me it's more general, about an overall loss of faith, no?

They're decent enough, but I end up switching tracks by the time the chanting kicks in.

Definitely. That little driving guitar in the Alternate Version is a welcome addition underneath the heavier stuff, too.

I saw it more as the loss of faith idea, too. Still, it's not as linearly a concept as Achtung could be interpreted to be.

 

[lazarus]

They're decent enough, but I end up switching tracks by the time the chanting kicks in.

That's too bad. I think this is my second fav on the album now. I love that dark little guitar part by Hedge during the second verse. Very ominous.

Definitely. That little driving guitar in the Alternate Version is a welcome addition underneath the heavier stuff, too.

So did he slow down the alt. version and literally just overlap the two, dropping the levels on one or the other when needed?

 

[phillyfan26]

I disagree with a lot of this post. Staring at the Cock is definitely missing something (though I like the "middle-eight"), I think Discocock was PERFECT on the album, and only made worse through subsequent mixes. The live version was cool but I just don't like it as a simple rocker. It's reductive. The version from Squirtigo was cool, unfortunately that dipshit Hedge didn't like it.

Cock (Not Coming Down) should not be touched, EVER. The live versions never did it justice, and I think Hedge's "Cooooooooock" backing vocals are way too overdone. Plus Boner never hit those notes or the falsetto live.

My Racquet was kick ass live, but I think the studio version is this amazing balance of sunny menace, chill but like a coiled snake. It sounds like a drug dealer's theme or something.

I'll give you Cock, Please, but that's it.

Perfect? I don't dislike it, but it's a mess. I'm a big fan of the Vertigo version, and POPMart is also an improvement. Edge is a dipshit for disliking it, though.

Gone worked best as a guitar track, to me. The chorus on the subsequent mixes just worked so much better, and the outro was just fantastic on Elevation. In my opinion, the only track U2 has ever done that's best incarnation was on the Elevation Tour, as a side note.

I don't even really think that highly of Miami live, but it was cool for that tour.

The single version of Please was an improvement, and live it was a fucking anthem. One of the five best things they've ever done, that live version of Please.

 

[LMP]

That's too bad. I think this is my second fav on the album now. I love that dark little guitar part by Hedge during the second verse. Very ominous.



So did he slow down the alt. version and literally just overlap the two, dropping the levels on one or the other when needed?

Yeah, maybe I'll warm up to it later. That and "White as Snow" are the only tracks I'm not crazy about right now.

He couldn't have, since the vocals would overlap, too. I think he took the guitar bits, then pasted them under, same with the chorus.

 

[phillyfan26]

I agree, but I really don't like what he's done to the chorus of both MOS and COL. Both of those take away from the song for me.

I don't see the issue with the chorus of Moment of Surrender. It seems to be a perfect fit with the rest of it. I don't see the difference, aside from it being a different melody from the verses.

COL has a chorus? "Return the call to home" is fine, aside from the falsetto sucking.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

college basketball

 

[phillyfan26]

That's too bad. I think this is my second fav on the album now. I love that dark little guitar part by Hedge during the second verse. Very ominous.

I dig that part, too. It's like the U2 version of the riff from Airbag. It's great.

I love everything about that song aside from the intro (too long) and the lyrics during the chanting. The chanting is cool, especially the "oh oh oh oh" parts, but the technology lyrics take away so much from the track. "Password, you enter here" is the worst lyric on the album, and one of his worst ever.

 

[phillyfan26]

college basketball

... IN LEXINGTON! HA HA!

I love Gus Johnson.

 

[phillyfan26]

Yeah, maybe I'll warm up to it later. That and "White as Snow" are the only tracks I'm not crazy about right now.

He couldn't have, since the vocals would overlap, too. I think he took the guitar bits, then pasted them under, same with the chorus.

White as Snow is a lyrical accomplishment, but I have a hard getting past it as a track that they stole from O Come O Come Emmanuel, for some reason. It takes away from it, for me. Too many church hymns as a youth. Damn Catholicism.

 

[lazarus]

I dig that part, too. It's like the U2 version of the riff from Airbag. It's great.

I love everything about that song aside from the intro (too long) and the lyrics during the chanting. The chanting is cool, especially the "oh oh oh oh" parts, but the technology lyrics take away so much from the track. "Password, you enter here" is the worst lyric on the album, and one of his worst ever.

To be fair, I think Boner, Hedge, Beano, and Patois all have writing credit on that one, so they're all to blame.

Good call on Airbag, too.

 

[lazarus]

White as Snow is a lyrical accomplishment, but I have a hard getting past it as a track that they stole from O Come O Come Emmanuel, for some reason. It takes away from it, for me. Too many church hymns as a youth. Damn Catholicism.

That doesn't bug me. Dylan's borrowed traditional tunes for ages, is still doing it.

And there's certainly embellishment on Whit as Talcum that's all Shuttlecock, no? Like the little mandolin-sounding break?

Plus, French Horn. That's always cool.

 

[phillyfan26]

That doesn't bug me. Dylan's borrowed traditional tunes for ages, is still doing it.

And there's certainly embellishment on Whit as Talcum that's all Shuttlecock, no? Like the little mandolin-sounding break?

Plus, French Horn. That's always cool.

Oh, it's certainly their own track, but I came in thinking this track was going to be a novelty, and it's taken some listens to get past that. I think I'll enjoy it more after I listen to it more.

The subtle use of horns on UC and WAS on this album were great. Good call, band.

 

[phillyfan26]

To be fair, I think Boner, Hedge, Beano, and Patois all have writing credit on that one, so they're all to blame.

Good call on Airbag, too.

Someone, somewhere fucked up in thinking that it would be a good idea to put technology references in there.

"Shout for joy ... if you get the chance!" is fine by me, a little too Bono-esque, but the delivery's uniqueness would have overcome that for me. If all the chanting were messages like that, it'd be good.

I got so angry when I was told I "didn't get it" in Musical Journey for saying the lyrics were stupid. Probably angrier than anything else the stupidity of this forum has brought around. How can anyone think those lyrics are good?

 

[lazarus]

And while I normally don't like rockers that are tempered with strings (see: half of R.E.M.'s abysmal Reveal), I really like what they did on Serve, especially the middle eastern sounding part right before the guitar solo.

 

[martha]

How can anyone think those lyrics are good?

Real fans think every lyric is good.

 

[phillyfan26]

And while I normally don't like rockers that are tempered with strings (see: half of R.E.M.'s abysmal Reveal), I really like what they did on Serve, especially the middle eastern sounding part right before the guitar solo.

When I heard they were recording with cellos, I was dreading the idea. It worked, though, I agree.

NLOTH is a really fucking solid album, I'm really pleased with what they've done here.

 

[phillyfan26]

Real fans think every lyric is good.

That's what pisses me off about absolute jokes like Last Unicorn: she takes everything with a, "Alright, U2 did something great here, I just have to figure out what it is" angle, which means there's no way that U2 can do wrong. Half of fucking EYKIW is that clueless.

 

[lazarus]

Someone, somewhere fucked up in thinking that it would be a good idea to put technology references in there.

"Shout for joy ... if you get the chance!" is fine by me, a little too Bono-esque, but the delivery's uniqueness would have overcome that for me. If all the chanting were messages like that, it'd be good.

I got so angry when I was told I "didn't get it" in Musical Journey for saying the lyrics were stupid. Probably angrier than anything else the stupidity of this forum has brought around. How can anyone think those lyrics are good?

The thing is, are those lyrics going to read the same way in 20 years? Maybe these Mac OS phrases sound totally cheesy now, but considering how computers are becoming more and more a way of life, is the term "reboot" maybe going to be more relevant in the future than a term like "overhaul"?

I certainly think the references are clumsy, but I wonder if it's just because of my prejudices. Haven't some PC users said they aren't bothered as much by it?

Plus, without it I never would have been able to share "Forfeit! Racquet Smash!" with the world.