Originally posted by Birdsong:
with John's work especially it is very difficult to isolate specific tracks from an album which was conceived as a whole project
I agree, but for me the exception is Shifting City, its the only album that I am not totally convinced is a whole project. I think of it as an eclectic transitional work, with tracks either reconstructed from, or stylistically inspired by former projects or periods.
Originally posted by Mr.Ilektrik:
I have to listen to all of John & Louis' album's again...
...but 'Here we Go' will NOT be on there. The weakest track from 'Shifting City'
It’s certainly a low energy track compared to some of the rest, and I can understand why it would not be seen as a flagship choice.
The reason it stays with me, and why I choose it here, is that it perfectly sums up how I felt emotionally about this album, or more so, about John’s totally unexpected ‘first proper’ reappearance since ’85.
It just fits the whole experience for me.
“Ever wonder just which way to go...?
…I never, ever found the way back home,
Goes to show I didn't want to know”
At that time I was just completely astonished that John was back at all, but there was also a kind of slight unease for me about it. Musically it all sounded a bit anachronistic and displaced, and I was left feeling uncertain about where it was all going, little could I realise of course that we’d all end up several years later with many fine new albums by John!
“Days and nights and years all come and go…
…I always lose the thread but catch the flow”
Originally posted by Shadow Man:
It is funny, core memory how the least favourite of one person grew up to a first place for another one... And we all love the music of the same artist. For me the best album is Shifting City - in fact of it's (hope I find the right words) simple, pure, rough and "unpolished" sound. This has certainly to do 'cause of it is their first album - but I love it so much 'cause exact of these reasons I mentioned before. I really looking forward to the re-release with bonus tracks out of that period.
I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen any of the ‘Beatlesque’ tracks on SC for this thread, but I do really prefer the Omnidelic versions of these much more.
I’m also intrigued by SC’s future reissue, hopefully an expanded version will give me more insight into that past time. I think when it happens I’ll be in a better position to re-evaluate it as a whole concept.
Originally posted by Birdsong:
The Pleasures of Electricity [b]Camera
I just love the relentless gentility of it. Reminds me of 1982's Endlessly in places and the ending is perfect. Haunting, standout track on their most atypical album.[/b]
I’ve enjoyed focusing in on the album’s for this thread, and it’s made me go back and re-listen to TPOE, and I honestly don’t know why I sort of mostly ignored this album.
True, I was a bit unconvinced by certain things, some of John’s vocals, the too obvious Kraftwerkian beats and the salute to their music, but I really love this album right now, and find myself excited by it. For me it’s the most interesting, and esoteric of the John/Louis albums.
Okay, I’d still probably say that ‘Invisible Women’ is the weakest track for its lazy musical recycling of Underpass/This City, but TPOE has now sneaked its way into third position of my all time top three JF albums.
Andreas
