The Fountain appreciation society

[fat cherry]

Eh
Shaz, thats what makes shroud genius. With the rest theres no question. Having said thati think my stance has softened a bit. Took me several yearzsto fully appreciate huh as the thing of beauty that it is.

[Voodoo Billy]

Everlasting Neverendless and Shroud of Turin for me, and I reckon November is as good as anything on the album. Wasn't sure about Shroud of Turin on disc but live it worked great.

[redgumball]

Frankly sounds like an Ian solo record. Fits in the WAYGDWYL and World Cup song lineage. Everlasting, Idolness, Do you Know Who I Am?, Drivetime, Proxy, Life of 1,000 - all sound like Mysterio B-sides. Production sounds awful - songs are mid-life crisis mode.

Reviewing The Fountain for the British music magazine Mojo, Johnny Sharp described the album as "mid-tempo, middle of the road, middle-aged pop-rock". Will Sergeant's guitar sounded like a "diluted copy of somebody copying him".

I'd say ITINIT (Siberia B-side, performed live), Forgotten Fields, November, and The Fountain (acoustic) are stable songs, which can hang with the rest of the other albums.

Shroud of Turin would be the one song that kind of is a mystery.

I wish they would have scratched this record and tried a bit harder to re-work them into something solid. Track listing is off, production is amateurish, effort isn't there. The Glasgow live tracks do a better job of showcasing these songs as live versions.

Production gutted this album. Lack of editing and pushing. Probably let Mcculloch simply dash off whatever he wanted. Low point.

That said went back to look at WAYGDWYL, Siberia, and Flowers and there is an awful lot of filler and sorry songs on those albums as well.

Is it too much to ask for more than 4 songs that are great?

[Kounelaki]

November is as good as anything on the album.

November is good. The Fountain was the first Bunnymen album I decided not to buy.

[Dr Cheese]

That said went back to look at WAYGDWYL, Siberia, and Flowers and there is an awful lot of filler and sorry songs on those albums as well.

Is it too much to ask for more than 4 songs that are great?

I've said it before, between Evergreen and Siberia there are probably enough good songs for just one great album.

[Ocean Rain]

I think Shroud of Turin was a lot better live, that's my two cents on it.

[black francis]

Dunh, dunh, dunh, dunh do la-da, do la-da!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwuWKVDvfJY[/youtube]

[redgumball]

I agree with the good Doctor. It was the first EATB album I TOO decided not to buy, as well. Looks like it won't be the last (Meteorites).

The part that cheezus me off is the song writing credit for The Fountain. Only two credits to Will at all - Life of 1,00 Crimes and Shroud of Turin. Essentially only allowing the guy to get song writing royalties on two tracks, even though he plays on all. They're slowly inking him out of the deal. The latest album doesn't even give him any billing --

"All songs are written by frontman Ian McCulloch, and performed by McCulloch and band co-founder Will Sergeant, along with guitarist Gordy Goudie and bassist Stephen Brannan."

[fat cherry]

that'll be the ego thing kicking in again - its changed his life apparently. and its the best thing since the first four. praps will's noticed a pattern and just not that interested anymore but needs some cash for canvases. I dunno. like to ehar it beforei but this time at least. sigh. what a fanboy, gawd.

[Ocean Rain]

The part that cheezus me off is the song writing credit for The Fountain. Only two credits to Will at all - Life of 1,00 Crimes and Shroud of Turin. Essentially only allowing the guy to get song writing royalties on two tracks, even though he plays on all. They're slowly inking him out of the deal. The latest album doesn't even give him any billing --

Wasn't aware of this. Sucks.

[Mr.Sparkle]

Redgumball where did you get that info pertaining to the new album? That sort of sucks if true. I didn't even know Will only had two co-writing credits on the last album.

[black francis]

Redgumball where did you get that info pertaining to the new album? That sort of sucks if true. I didn't even know Will only had two co-writing credits on the last album.

According to Allmusic all but three of the Fountain's songs have Will credited as a co-writer though strangely Mac's name is nowhere to be seen.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-fountain-mw0001382144

Wikipedia seems to be in agreement.

All tracks written by Ian McCulloch, John McLaughlin, Simon Perry, David Thomas, and Will Sergeant, except where noted.

"Think I Need It Too" – 3:41
"Forgotten Fields" – 3:46
"Do You Know Who I Am?" – 2:52
"Shroud of Turin" (McCulloch, Sergeant) – 4:10
"Life of a Thousand Crimes" (McCulloch, Sergeant) – 3:22
"The Fountain" (McCulloch) – 4:01
"Everlasting Neverendless" – 3:08
"Proxy" (McCulloch) – 3:15
"Drivetime" – 4:11
"The Idolness of Gods" (McCulloch) – 4:26

Regardless of the credits I think we're all in agreement these are Mac songs that he allows will to sprinkle some guitar dust over.

[Mr. Brian]

I think I will always buy the full albums by Mac and the band but I never did buy a physical copy of Pro Patria Mori because of the Pledge stuff. I guess Meteorites is also a Pledge thing. Maybe I will wait for eBay.

[Mr.Sparkle]

Thanks for the info, blackfrancis. I guess it really doesn't matter since we all know how they are written now. Not surprised that Proxy was just written by Mac.

[Mr. Brian]

Thanks for the info, blackfrancis. I guess it really doesn't matter since we all know how they are written now. Not surprised that Proxy was just written by Mac.

"Echo & The Bunnymen" as a band has not written a song since 1997. Evergreen lists "All tracks written by Echo & the Bunnymen" that was the last time. It's been just Mac or Mac/Will ever since. Mac gave Will some credit on Flowers and Siberia but that's about it.