[Powderworks] Capricornia!
Paul Woodward
Paul Woodward" <woody@hairydonut.plus.com
Sat, 9 Mar 2002 22:46:52 -0000
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Good point Jeff! Let's just enjoy the songs for what they, damn good =
songs. And let's face it a brilliant band and a brilliant producer are =
quite capable of getting the tracks in the right order.
Poets & Slaves is really growing on me, I think it's a good finishing =
track.
There are 2 options for anyone who doesn't like the running order, they =
are called program & shuffle on my CD player.
Hairydonut
www.tuckerbox.co.uk =20
PS. I just love the section from Luritja Way through to Mosquito March! =
FANTASTIC.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jeff & Louise=20
To: Midnight Oilers=20
Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 7:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Powderworks] Capricornia!
Good to hear some reviews from over the other side of the world.
The new CD is what it is.=20
All the discussion on the list re song order, Poets 'n' Slaves, lack =
of variation, the Oils running out of ideas etc cracks me up.
Jeff (Melb)
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Bjorn Blomquist=20
To: Midnight Oilers=20
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 10:36 PM
Subject: [Powderworks] Capricornia!
Capricornia to you all!
Yes, it has finally arrived in Sweden too! Got my copy in the post =
yesterday, and I was surprised to get the "Golden Age" promo single =
along with the album. Whatever the point is with that one, as it only =
includes the same song as on the album. If there had been a b-side or =
two... Is this one-track single also available as an "official" release?
Otherwise I like the digipak package, but I can't help wondering if =
the booklet wouldn't make a nice front cover of a "normal" cd case. What =
does the American release look like, is it a digipak too?
I've listened to the album four times so far and here are my =
thoughts about it:
Overall this album is very "catchy"; the choruses as well as the =
many guitar hooks. The title track has to be the closest to "bubblegum =
pop" the Oils have ever recorded! I would call it their most accessible =
and "commercial" release since at least *Blue Sky Mining*. It's not up =
there with the Tremendous Trilogy - DAD, BSM and E&S&M - but I think it =
ranks up to their best collection of songs since *E&S&M*.
Also, the sound of *Capricornia* seems like a mix between the =
"Trilogy" albums as well as the earliest ones. "Under the overpass" =
sounds very much *Breathe* though when it comes to the middle part. That =
song in particular disappointed me a little, as the first bit sounds =
like an "One country" kind-of-song. I wish it had moved on that way.
What has happened to "Tone poem"?!? It doesn't sound at all like the =
live version we heard last year.
The chorus of the old version is now just working as a bridge before =
the new chorus, which I think is a bit "Beds are burning" like. It's =
still a good song, but I preferred the earlier version, which had the =
piano playing with the main riff and a darker mood. (I guess the lyrics =
were very different as well.)=20
The weakness of the album is the lack of variation. Most of the =
songs are similar in style and tempo, and I think that the choruses on =
songs like "Too much sunshine" and "Been away too long" are too simple =
and repetitive. They could have worked more with the lyrics there, or =
have they simple run out of ideas? Of course that wouldn't be very =
surprising. In spite of the chorus, "Too much sunshine" is one of my =
favourite tracks. The guitar riff in the verse rocks!
"World that I see" is another one with a catchy chorus, which I =
prefer to "Been away too long".
It is Bones singing a solo part in "Luritja way"? That is =
interesting to hear. It's one of the best tracks as well.
I am really disappointed that "Crocodile cries" is only one minute =
of length! I would love to hear more of that wonderful piano tune. Well, =
it reappears at the end of the album anyway. "Poets & Slaves" is kind of =
odd at the first impression, but is very different from the rest of the =
album. It has the same kind of weird harmonies as "Drop in the ocean" =
but is a much better song than the former album closer, as it's not that =
repetitive.
To sum it up, I agree with those who prefer the first half of the =
album. All of the first 5 tracks are very strong, while the songs after =
the interlude are a bit weaker.
We all know by now that "Capricornia" is the title of a book, but =
what exactly does the word refer to in the lyrics?=20
"Capricornia, show me to the back of your hand" - the hand of =
whom/what?
Maybe it's been explained here before but if so I've forgotten about =
it: what/where is "Luritja way"?
And all those cows...
/Bjorn
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Good point Jeff! Let's just enjoy =
the songs=20
for what they, damn good songs. And let's face it a brilliant band =
and a=20
brilliant producer are quite capable of getting the tracks in the right=20
order.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Poets & Slaves is really growing on =
me, I think=20
it's a good finishing track.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>There are 2 options for anyone who =
doesn't like the=20
running order, they are called program & shuffle on my CD=20
player.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hairydonut</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.tuckerbox.co.uk">www.tuckerbox.co.uk</A> &n=
bsp;=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>PS. I just love the section from =
Luritja Way=20
through to Mosquito March! =
FANTASTIC.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Djefflou@bigpond.com =
href=3D"mailto:jefflou@bigpond.com">Jeff &=20
Louise</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3DPowderworks@cs.colorado.edu=20
href=3D"mailto:Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">Midnight Oilers</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 07, 2002 =
7:47=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Powderworks]=20
Capricornia!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Good to hear some reviews from over =
the other=20
side of the world.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The new CD is what it is. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>All the discussion on the list re =
song order,=20
Poets 'n' Slaves, lack of variation, the Oils running out of ideas etc =
cracks=20
me up.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jeff (Melb)</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dbjorn.blomquist@mbox301.swipnet.se=20
href=3D"mailto:bjorn.blomquist@mbox301.swipnet.se">Bjorn =
Blomquist</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3DPowderworks@cs.colorado.edu=20
href=3D"mailto:Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">Midnight Oilers</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, March 05, 2002 =
10:36=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Powderworks]=20
Capricornia!</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Capricornia to you =
all!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Yes, it has finally arrived in =
Sweden too! Got=20
my copy in the post yesterday, and I was surprised to get the =
"Golden Age"=20
promo single along with the album. Whatever the point is with that =
one, as=20
it only includes the same song as on the album. If there had been a =
b-side=20
or two... Is this one-track single also available as an "official"=20
release?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Otherwise I like the digipak =
package, but I=20
can't help wondering if the booklet wouldn't make a nice front cover =
of a=20
"normal" cd case. What does the American release look like, is =
it a=20
digipak too?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I've listened to the album four =
times so far=20
and here are my thoughts about it:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Overall this album is very =
"catchy"; the=20
choruses as well as the many guitar hooks.</FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>=20
The title track has to be the closest to "bubblegum pop" the Oils =
have ever=20
recorded! I would call it their most accessible and "commercial" =
release=20
since at least *Blue Sky Mining*. It's not up there with the =
Tremendous=20
Trilogy - DAD, BSM and E&S&M - but I think it ranks up to =
their best=20
collection of songs since *E&S&M*.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Also, the sound of *Capricornia* =
seems like a=20
mix between the "Trilogy" albums as well as the earliest ones. =
</FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>"Under the overpass" sounds very much =
*Breathe* though=20
when it comes to the middle part. That song in particular =
disappointed me a=20
little, as the first bit sounds like an "One country" kind-of-song. =
I wish=20
it had moved on that way.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>What has happened to "Tone poem"?!? =
It doesn't=20
sound at all like the live version we heard last year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The chorus of the old version is =
now just=20
working as a bridge before the new chorus, which I think is a bit =
"Beds are=20
burning" like. It's still a good song, but I preferred the earlier =
version,=20
which had the piano playing with the main riff and a darker mood. (I =
guess=20
the lyrics were very different as well.) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The weakness of the album is the =
lack of=20
variation. Most of the songs are similar in style and tempo, and I =
think=20
that the choruses on songs like "Too much sunshine" and "Been =
away too=20
long" are too simple and repetitive. They could have worked =
more with=20
the lyrics there, or have they simple run out of ideas? Of course =
that=20
wouldn't be very surprising. In spite of the chorus, "Too much =
sunshine" is=20
one of my favourite tracks. The guitar riff in the verse =
rocks!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"World that I see" is another one =
with a catchy=20
chorus, which I prefer to "Been away too long".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It is Bones singing a solo part in =
"Luritja=20
way"? That is interesting to hear. It's one of the best tracks as=20
well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am really disappointed that =
"Crocodile cries"=20
is only one minute of length! I would love to hear more of that =
wonderful=20
piano tune. Well, it reappears at the end of the album anyway. =
"Poets &=20
Slaves" is kind of odd at the first impression, but is very =
different from=20
the rest of the album. It has the same kind of weird harmonies as =
"Drop in=20
the ocean" but is a much better song than the former album =
closer, as=20
it's not that repetitive.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To sum it up, I agree with those =
who prefer the=20
first half of the album. All of the first 5 tracks are very strong, =
while=20
the songs after the interlude are a bit weaker.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We all know by now that =
"Capricornia" is the=20
title of a book, but what exactly does the word refer to in the =
lyrics?=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"Capricornia, show me to the back =
of your hand"=20
- the hand of whom/what?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Maybe it's been explained here =
before but if so=20
I've forgotten about it: what/where is "Luritja way"?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>And all those cows...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>/Bjorn</FONT></DIV>
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