Fate Up against His Will

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Fate Up against His Will

Postby King Of Kings » Sat Oct 06, 2018 6:40 am

Poor Mac

All I have seen are negative reviews about this new offering from the Bunnys or should I say Ian McCulloch. example below.

and I have to agree with them

BMG I guess won't be happy and Mac will desend in to More depression

Is this really all they can offer since 2104's Meteroites.

Could this be the end

Very sorry state of affairs really

When Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant got an offer from BMG to sign Echo & the Bunnymen to a recording contract, the label had a plan for them to re-record their old classics with an orchestra. McCulloch thought it was a fine idea, as he wanted to sing the songs from the perspective of an older and wiser man. By the time The Stars, the Ocean & the Moon was released, though, it had become something a little different. While some of the songs were done with piano and strings, many were given arrangements that sounded very similar to the originals, and there were two new songs mixed in among the timeless tracks. It makes for a jumbled listening experience that is sure to leave many Echo fans wondering just why the record exists. The songs that hew closely to the originals, like "Bring on the Dancing Horses" and "Rescue," come off like brittle, fidelity-challenged ghosts of the originals, lacking the majesty and mystery that made them so brilliant to begin with. The songs that take liberties with the arrangements are more interesting. "Nothing Lasts Forever," a track from the mostly overlooked Evergreen, makes fine use of strings, marimba, and organ, creating a melancholy bed for one of Mac's better vocals. The piano-and-orchestra version of "The Killing Moon" is no patch on the original, but at least it attempts something different and almost succeeds. That's more than can be said for the accordion-led take on "Seven Seas," which is a little too on the nose, sea shanty-wise. Oddly, the newly recorded songs sound best. Both the "The Somnambulist" and "How Far?" are fine late-period Echo and allow Sergeant a chance to play guitar -- he's mostly missing in action on the rest of the record -- and have a rhythmic drive and power lacking elsewhere. They're also the only songs to mix McCulloch's vocals with any delicacy at all. They are part of the overall sound and blended with harmonies instead of being too far in front and hung out to dry with barely any reverb or artifice to cushion them. It's clear that he wanted his voice to be the central focus of the new takes, but it's also clear that he can't carry songs the way he used to. Sad as it is to say, his voice lacks command, and when matched with the weak arrangements, mostly unimaginative string parts, and overall thin sound, it adds up to a record that's less the vital transformation the band hoped for and more of an embarrassment. Apart from the two new songs that bode well for future albums of original material, there is absolutely no reason for Echo fans to choose a spin of The Stars, the Ocean & the Moon over another listen to the songs in their original perfect state.
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby King Of Kings » Sat Oct 06, 2018 6:46 am

La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Sad that the news is out now
Sad, suppose we can't turn back now
Sad about us

So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Bad - never meant to break up
Bad - suppose we'll never make up
So sad about the Bunnymen


Apologies mean nothing
When the damage is done
But I can't switch off my loving
Like you can't switch off the sun

La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la


So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Sad - never meant to break up
Sad - suppose we'll never make up
So sad about the Bunnymen
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby Voodoo Billy » Sun Oct 07, 2018 2:23 pm

King Of Kings wrote:La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la

So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Sad that the news is out now
Sad, suppose we can't turn back now
Sad about us

So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Bad - never meant to break up
Bad - suppose we'll never make up
So sad about the Bunnymen


Apologies mean nothing
When the damage is done
But I can't switch off my loving
Like you can't switch off the sun

La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la


So sad about the Bunnymen
So sad about the Bunnymen
Sad - never meant to break up
Sad - suppose we'll never make up
So sad about the Bunnymen


Very clever KoK, can't wait for you're rearranged version with strings in 30 years time. :wink:
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby Dr Cheese » Sat Oct 13, 2018 2:08 pm

I'm pretty much done with the Bunnymen now, I have zero interest in the "new" record, haven't seen them live since the Crocs/HUH shows, don't listen to them much any more and Mac irritates the crap out of me these days with his ridiculous pronouncements.

If I could get out of the habit of posting here occasionally I'd be free, free I tell you!! :lol:
And you know that I'll pick up
Every time you call
Just to thank you one more time
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby King Of Kings » Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:16 am

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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby Happy Death Man » Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:02 pm

Now every time I read a Dr. Cheese post I'll imagine him as Freddy Mercury dressed as a woman.
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby Dr Cheese » Mon Oct 15, 2018 6:23 am

Happy Death Man wrote:Now every time I read a Dr. Cheese post I'll imagine him as Freddy Mercury dressed as a woman.

I'll try and post more often from now on, just for you. :lol:
And you know that I'll pick up
Every time you call
Just to thank you one more time
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Re: Fate Up against His Will

Postby The Living Bubba » Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:21 pm

Strangely enough the album reignited my love for the band. Not because I think the album is great or anything because it's not. There are some interesting arrangements, although saying the songs are transformed is pushing it a bit - some should just say tinkered.

I have been reading a lot of the comments and agree - Mac is a knobhead and the two new songs are nothing special.

Anyway back to my original point - hearing the songs made me rediscover the originals. The Cutter is the song that changed my life -I heard it as an 11 year old; I'm 48 now and love it as much now as I did 37 years ago and me and my wife got married to The Killing Moon. So for me the album made me dig out the originals - the first 4 albums are the Jack, Queen, King and Ace of music. With Porcupine my favourite..although if asked tomorrow it could be Heaven Up Here. And those album covers....

To me the star of the band was and always will be Will. He makes his guitars do things only others can imagine. Would be interesting to know how he feels about how things are now - the Bunnymen is Will's band and McCulloch would do well to remember that. I am sure everyone has listened to his solo stuff and it is innovative, stretching and mystical - attributes Mac just doesn;t have. Whilst I am bigging Will up - Poltergeist was stunning and that album sublime. Will and Les together - what a beautiful, sonic experience.

I suspect I always will listen to what ever they release....but now my first thought is to listen to what Will is doing rather than the band as a whole.

Anyways thanks for letting me waffle.
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