Weird.

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
"Plus Ones" is easily one of the best songs they've ever done, I'll give them that.

"Plus Ones" is possibly one of the cleverest songs written in several years. I think it proves Sheff's genius. I can see why a producer would argue to leave it off the album, since it's almost too clever to fit in.

I need to reburn the album to my computer. My MP3 versions that have multiplied from my homecomputer to my work computer, laptop, and music player, all have a horrible echo. I thought for a while it was normal, but then I listened closer to the CD in the car and was angry to find it didn't actually exist on the album. It's just a bad ripping job. I fear this may have cost it a lot of points on my top 10 list last year.

This all said, I listened to Black Sheep Boy again today and it's as amazing as ever. I doubt it will ever be replaced on my list of classics.

"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

quote:

I need to reburn the album to my computer. My MP3 versions that have multiplied from my homecomputer to my work computer, laptop, and music player, all have a horrible echo. I thought for a while it was normal, but then I listened closer to the CD in the car and was angry to find it didn't actually exist on the album. It's just a bad ripping job. I fear this may have cost it a lot of points on my top 10 list last year.

This is exactly why I don't download leaks anymore. The last leak I downloaded was TV on the Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain, which was horribly mix and mastered along with the titles being mixed up. I loved the album, but at that point I decided I would never listen to something that wasn't the finished product again.

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

quote:

Originally posted by brainofp:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

This is interesting. I would argue that some of the songs on Down the River of Golden Dreams are the best in their catalog, it it never really felt like it could stand up as an album next to Black Sheep Boy. The solidity and consistency of story, theme, emotion, and quality just doesn't seem to be there as strong.

I will admit though, that I fell in love with Black Sheep Boy first, so that gives me a bias. Also, I think I have never objectively listened to Down the River without comparing it to Sheep.

I really love the cover of Down the River of Golden Dreams.

quote:

Originally posted by brainofp:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

I agree. Black Sheep Boy though it has incredibly high moments (namely "Black" & "For Real") , is plagued by inconsistency. There are a few songs that are outright snoozers ("A Stone" & "A Glow"), and the lyrics on "A Stone" are outright embarrassing. The Stage Names again has great high points and is more consistent but has a bit of a drop-off in the last 3 songs. Down the River of Golden Dreams, while it has nothing as good as "Savannah Smiles," "For Real," or "Black," is consistently great start to finish.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:

quote:

Originally posted by brainofp:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

I agree. Black Sheep Boy though it has incredibly high moments (namely "Black" & "For Real") , is plagued by inconsistency. There are a few songs that are outright snoozers ("A Stone" & "A Glow"), and the lyrics on "A Stone" are outright embarrassing. The Stage Names again has great high points and is more consistent but has a bit of a drop-off in the last 3 songs. Down the River of Golden Dreams, while it has nothing as good as "Savannah Smiles," "For Real," or "Black," is consistently great start to finish.

I just want to jump in to defend "A Stone" for a moment. It has always been one of my favorite songs off of Black Sheep Boy. It's my favorite for artistic reason, but mainly for more subjective personal reasons. I will accept that perhaps my views would be different under other circumstances, but I don't feel I'm completely bias on the subject.

I personally have felt that the lyrics are extremely strong. They have melted into my brain like few other songs. I find myself repeating them often. There is such frustration in the narator's voice as they describe their pursuit and desire for someone that doesn't even see the sacrifices they are making, simply because they are so washed up in the empty promises of something that never loved them in the first place, and is now long gone. I have seen this so many times in relationships around me. And I have seen it in one situation on with very serious and dangerous results. So personally the song rings true for me, and is very real.

However, I think artistically it's very strong as well. You have to understand where it fits in the context of the album though. To me, the album is all about the struggle of good and evil, and ultimately the battle between God and the Devil (Black Sheep Boy), who are battling for the heart and soul of Will Sheff. Wether it is real, or just imagined, the rather mentally unstable character in the story is involved in and witnessing the struggle from several perspectives. "A Stone" is God's perspective. God is reflecting on the human desire to follow after Evil. He sees that Evil is empty, painful, weak, and hopeless, and ironically we desire Evil for these very same reasons. God on the other hand is patience, loving, sacrificial, honest, and we completely ignore him because we are pineing after this other love. I think the song has lots of very complicated layers that help polish and round out the concept of the album.

Like I said, it's really personal to me. On a superficial level it relates to several relationships I see and have lived around. And on a deeper personal level it is very spiritual and symbolic of something much much deeper and clearer, the same as the rest of the album. Which is why I will always find it more appealing than Stage Names which is about touring rock stars.

To each his own, of course.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Shadrach,

I love all their albums but I gotta go with their debut "Don't Fall In Love With Everyone You See" as my favorite. There are some incredible songs on that album (Westfall, Red, Dead Dog Song).

I saw them live a couple nights ago with The New Pornographers and they ended their set with Westfall which was the highlight of the night.

Yeah these guys really have their stuff together, this CD is excellent and the emotion is intense and it's just so real. I wish i could have seen them and the new pornos but tickets sold out and ticketmaster screwed us over.

quote:

Originally posted by brainofp:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

I picked up Down the River of Golden Dreams after reading these comments as I only had their latest two albums. All I can say is you guys are nuts. Its a good album and "It Ends with a Fall" and a handful of others are really good, but it drags pretty bad towards the 2nd half. I'll give it some more time, like I said I like it good enough, but to me its not in the same league with their latest two phenomenal albums.

quote:

Originally posted by Hophead:

quote:

Originally posted by brainofp:

quote:

Originally posted by DrAwesome:
"The Stage Names" is a great release and one of my favorite albums of 2007, but is there no love for "Down the River of Golden Dreams"? That is one of the best albums of the last ten years and is consistently overlooked by most people.

i'm a bigger fan of Down the River of Golden Dreams than either The Stage Names or Black Sheep Boy

I picked up Down the River of Golden Dreams after reading these comments as I only had their latest two albums. All I can say is you guys are nuts. Its a good album and "It Ends with a Fall" and a handful of others are really good, but it drags pretty bad towards the 2nd half. I'll give it some more time, like I said I like it good enough, but to me its not in the same league with their latest two phenomenal albums.

I agree. There are some really good songs on it, but it's mostly hit and miss. If you don't feel robbed you can go into Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See and expect to find the same situation. Only maybe this time without disapointment.

P.S.
If you are looking for an experience equal to Stage Names and Black Sheep Boy I Highly recommend the Black Sheep Boy Appendix. It is honestly the most cohesive and consistent EP I own, and is an amazing companion disk to Black Sheep Boy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Shadrach,