[Powderworks] Ghosties
[name removed]
example@example.com
Tue, 05 Aug 2003 15:48:50 +1000
Here is my little review of Ghosties records...
First album (Ghostwriters 1991)..
A really good fun album, bunch of mates going for it
in the studio for a few days. Good songs, dated
production (though i don't think great production was
the idea). Hit Potential: (High) people love catchy pop
songs!
2nd album (Second Skin 1996)
This is no longer a side project!!!
I have to say this has to be one of the greatest
sounding albums ever made! that rhythm section
is just huge. Rob really plays with his vocals on this
one (no doubt after the first record being canned as
sounding like Midnight Oil demos) the jury is out if it
works all the time. I remember playing this record
when it came out to friends and everyone thinking
this was a new Nick Cave record (the first line of
'International Rules Of Love' really sounds like saint
Nick). Also i have never met a person who upon
hearing 'Impossible Shame' for the first time did not go
"FUCK! that is a amazing song!" The songs are great
the whole album through and the sound of everything
is just incredible, all the usual faults i find in most
albums is not here ie...cymbals too bright, bad bass
sound, not enough snare! it's as good as CD's get this
one and even though it's a hard one to swallow is very
much worth the ride! Hit Potential (in a perfect world
would be High sadly this is not the case).
3rd album (Fibromoon 1999)
Rob sings with his true voice!!!
Rob really nails his vocals and delivery on this one
(the combination of James Cadsky's use of an old
radio broadcast mike with his Manly Vox box only help
make the lead vocals sweeter). The songs are once
again great (can Rob really write a bad song these
days?). Sadly the problem is the great sounding
band tracks are not to be heard on this one, they are
all played and recorded just as great as on Second
Skin though fall flat in the mix (with the possible
exception of 'Ready Steady Go' though even this mix
does not match the Second Skin ones). All of this may
sound anal to most though why have the "Shit Hot
Rhythm Section!" if you can't hear it?
I myself was at some of these sessions and heard
how amazing the recorded tracks sounded (Great
World really blowing my mind, if you just imagine one
of the worlds most amazing bass lines ever in there
too, you might find it hiding in your woofer!).Though
there is still much to be found of worth on this record
Neon Garden, Last Plane Out, Why Am I Not
Surprised, Great World and Cold Heart are my
personal highlights. I really dig that 12 string acoustic
sound on 'Lie Very Still' (it's played through Rob's Vox
A30 to make it sound like a fat electric guitar!).
That's my spin on the Ghosties stuff!
p.s. the new album (#4) i heard over two years ago
and sounds great with Rob and Paul Greene's voices
together (i do think it's a shame Rob wont try an chirp
up anymore as he claims his voice has dropped big
time, though Paul covers this nicely). The Cello on
'When Gods Not Busy' is to die for!!!.
Damien.
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