| Sunday, December 24, 2006 |
| Comparing NIS and O!G. + ranking O!G. tracks |
Though I'm aware that, often, to compare art is to tread on gray area, here's something I posted on the message boards a while ago:
NIS's most brilliant moments probably tally up to be as brilliant as O!G's most brilliant moments, if not more brilliant... but comparing the albums as a whole, musically, O!G is a more complete and better work of art than NIS, in my opinion. Besides, a lot of O!G is musically like an entirely new artist (straying from NIS's mainstream, wide-appeal sound), so I prefer seeing this new identity of the band for what it is, than comparing it to SF's previous work.
The thing about music is, it evokes feeling, so when we compare different music/albums, we tend to compare how they make us feel, rather than the music itself. But different feelings/vibes can't be rated as better or worse than each other, they're just different. NIS's sound took you into this dark and mysterious world, which can be memorable and more addicting (but not necessarily better) when compared to O!G's brighter sound which can be likened to the state of emerging from the NIS tunnel. O!G doesn't take itself as seriously as NIS did, so I dont listen to it expecting the same poignant vibe, or the same concept-driven, focused sound... this one's a more fun and bouncy album thats musically all over the place (in a good way), experimenting with more varied musical influences, with lyrical themes that are very loosely tied together compared to those in NIS. In short, its very fresh and full of surprises, while not as heavy-handed or intense as NIS. If NIS was an answer to people who dismissed the band as "Christian rock", this one sounds like an answer to those who think they're "boring".
There's another thread on the boards where people ranked the new album's tracks in the order of most favourite to least favourite. Here's my ranking, after a month of repeated daily listens, for those who care:
1. Amateur Lovers
2. Dirty Second Hands
3. 4:12
4. Circles
5. Oh! Gravity.
6. Burn Out Bright
7. Let Your Love
8. Yesterdays
9. American Dream
10. Faust, Midas & Myself
11. Awakening
12. Head Over Heels
That was harder to do than any question I've encountered in any test. Interestingly, 'Head Over Heels' was in my top 3 after the first few listens and now its the last one (though I still love it), showing that what's initially the catchiest isn't always what sticks with you for the long haul.Labels: excess opinion_analysis. |
posted by phil @ 3:18 AM  
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| 10 Comments: |
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How did Awakening get so low on your rankings? Just curious
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its a good song, no doubt.. musically, its ok. its a song that lovers of TBL would love.
but hey.. i'm curious about something too, phil. Head over Heels is the last?? how come?
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I still haven't heard any of the tracks other than the ones played in concert in the last tour, so I have to wait two more days. But why is Awakening so low?
And Phil, you have a talent for music reviews.
Adios,
Shanna
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yes. he does have talent. ;)
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yeah, i'm surprised about HOH, too. there's no accounting for taste, though, i suppose. hehe.
i just noticed the category this is in: excess opinion. haha, phil, you're too funny.
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I am having a very difficult time choosing an order. So here's mine...
1. American Dream
[I've decided that a)I rock out to it. b) I totally agree with it and find myself meaning every single word I sing along. and c) it just has an energy I can't shake.]
2. Yesterdays
You know once I heard it it immediately took me to a really low place...but the thing is, it reminds me of a really beautiful person that I lost. - Jon's voice loops in the faders being played like an instrument is way beyond creative.
3. 4:12
Again, the danciness. Sorry - I am in love with this song. I need an intervention.
4. Awakening
I'm sold on this song, now. I wasn't sure about it at first. When I sang it and heard Jon and believed that he believed it, it's more impactful.
5. Circles
It's Circles, what can I say?
6. Faust, Midas and Myself
Can't choose them all to be first, but this one pretty much takes the cake for me. My order feels screwed now.
7. Head Over Heels
It's sweet, I love it, but it isn't the height of the album for me.
8. Let Your Love
Best acoustic song ever.
9. Revenge
I'm counting it, okay?
10. Burn Out Bright
This one is American Dream's Twin.
11. Amateur Lovers
Damn, this shouldn't be this low.
12. Oh! Gravity
13. Dirty Second Hands
[the last two are definitely in the right place.
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nice, rose.
I just thought "Head Over Heels" is the most musically straightforward track.. its great on first listen, after that it sort of pales in comparison to the rest of the songs which grow on you greatly. Its still really good, its just that I find the rest of the tracks are better.
As with HOH, I can't judge them purely on the basis of whats most fun. HOH is fun, and so is Awakening, but is that all that counts? Awakening too is very straightforward, HOH being the only more straightforward track on the album. I'm not saying that complexity is necessary for music to be good, but Awakening just sounds too radio-ready to me. Its the kind of anthem Switchfoot have been trying to nail for two albums, and "Awakening" is like the perfection of that art. But still, in comparison to the other tracks, this one has to rank low for me. Maybe its because I distance myself from mainstream-y music. "Meant to Live" was never my favourite Switchfoot song. The bridge in "Awakening" doesn't impress me because its very predictable and the song (like HOH) has nothing to surprise you with like the other songs. Its the production that saves this song. Anyway, I've explained this a bit more in my pre-review/early thoughts on the album which is filed under "album reviews" and under "November" in the archives...
Burn Out Bright is also not too original, but what redeems it is that great riff, and its a very fist-pumpingly inspiring song.
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Don't get me wrong, I LOVE "Awakening", I even put it on repeat every now and then, but if I had to seriously rate it for artistic value in comparison to the rest.. it doesn't rank so high because I have mixed feelings about it.
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I have to say I like the more unpredictable songs on this album, Faust, 4:12, those ones.
the ones that aren't what you expected.
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Yeah I didn't reply to this 4 months ago but I feel like it now.
Why's Faust so low on your list?
And DSH's my top few too. Probably 1st on my list once I do it.
NIS and O!G are definitely hard to compare. I haven't decided between them which I like better, and I like the points you make about their differences.
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How did Awakening get so low on your rankings? Just curious