Welcome to blog number 2!
This past week, since finishing listening to The Weeknd’s
album, I’ve now moved onto another new album that I bought a couple of weeks
ago – ‘Farewell Michael Meanwhile’ by
National Flower.
I didn’t primarily buy this one because of the artwork – I bought it because one of my favourite ever albums is by the lead singer of this band!
Michael Sheridan is said singer. Although I only recently found out that was his surname. I know him as his stage name – ‘Michael Meanwhile’.
I didn’t primarily buy this one because of the artwork – I bought it because one of my favourite ever albums is by the lead singer of this band!
Michael Sheridan is said singer. Although I only recently found out that was his surname. I know him as his stage name – ‘Michael Meanwhile’.
And so it all comes together! As the title perceives, he is
no longer going under the name Michael Meanwhile! Which for me is a very sad
moment.
But nonetheless, his new musical direction is just as good as his solo ventures!
But nonetheless, his new musical direction is just as good as his solo ventures!
The reason that I’ve included ‘Farewell Michael Meanwhile’ in these blogs, even though I’ve heard
him before, is because I’ve hardly listened to the album since I got it 2 weeks
ago, and because the artwork is brilliant!
That – I believe, is Michael Meanwhile (or at least a 1910
rendition of him) taking on a bear with his bare fists in what looks like a
boxing ring – with the ropes going across behind them, and the beam of light
coming from…somewhere.
I mean, what more can I say? What a way to go!
Unless he wins…. Would that mean if he wins, he’s going to
release more solo stuff?!
As for the music, it’s all very recognisable, and obvious
that it’s the same writer, and definitely the same singer as he has a very
distinct voice – it’s the kind of voice I could imagine presenting a radio
station that plays obscure unknown music, which is always absolutely amazing,
but no-one ever listens because it’s one of those stations between 103.6 and
103.8, that you can only get if you slowly twiddle the antenna in a clockwise
direction.
His voice is soothing, but equally powerful, and gives my
chills down my spine every time I hear it!
The album starts off with ‘Rise & Fall’ with a beautiful saxophone intro which makes it
feel as if ‘Baker Street’ is about to
start, followed by lead vocals and acoustic guitar. It’s a very laid back,
trundling song, with great vocal harmonies, and instrumentation throughout
(including even more sax, and some violins thrown in there too).
From the lyrics, it seems as though the song’s about a break up - “How long can the story of our rise and fall drag on? Oh please, you gave me up now give me peace.”
But it’s not too soppy, and even though it doesn’t have many lyrics, that doesn’t stop those lyrics being beautifully written. “You’ve sorried me to death. So let me catch my breath.”.
From the lyrics, it seems as though the song’s about a break up - “How long can the story of our rise and fall drag on? Oh please, you gave me up now give me peace.”
But it’s not too soppy, and even though it doesn’t have many lyrics, that doesn’t stop those lyrics being beautifully written. “You’ve sorried me to death. So let me catch my breath.”.
Bursting in next is ‘Gravity’
– which is definitely showing the other side of the band. Going from the
mellow sway of ‘Rise & Fall’ to
an upbeat foot-tapping song!
It’s like being drenched with a bucket of water on a hot summers day, and the feelings of joy that come with chasing the sibling who did it around the garden.
I can imagine the band all standing on a stage. With massive smiles and tapping their feet like the Beach Boys used to do – and it’s got a similar feel too! Classic sounding electric guitar. Driving drums.
Unfortunately, because National Flower aren’t very well known (don’t know anyone else who has heard of them), their lyrics aren’t available online anywhere.
With the last review, I was able to go online, find the lyrics, read through them to decipher bits I couldn’t hear in the song, and to try and work out what the songs about (which wasn’t too difficult with pop music, because it’s normally really obvious so that people can relate to without having to think about what the song means). With less mainstream music, songwriters are able to write about anything, and make it sound like anything. Singing about finding love, but changing love into the sun. There’ll be obvious lines, but most of it will be a bit obscure, and you have to really listen and understand all the lyrics.
I don’t think ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams needs much explanation as to what the song’s about.
It’s like being drenched with a bucket of water on a hot summers day, and the feelings of joy that come with chasing the sibling who did it around the garden.
I can imagine the band all standing on a stage. With massive smiles and tapping their feet like the Beach Boys used to do – and it’s got a similar feel too! Classic sounding electric guitar. Driving drums.
Unfortunately, because National Flower aren’t very well known (don’t know anyone else who has heard of them), their lyrics aren’t available online anywhere.
With the last review, I was able to go online, find the lyrics, read through them to decipher bits I couldn’t hear in the song, and to try and work out what the songs about (which wasn’t too difficult with pop music, because it’s normally really obvious so that people can relate to without having to think about what the song means). With less mainstream music, songwriters are able to write about anything, and make it sound like anything. Singing about finding love, but changing love into the sun. There’ll be obvious lines, but most of it will be a bit obscure, and you have to really listen and understand all the lyrics.
I don’t think ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams needs much explanation as to what the song’s about.
As for National Flower, their lyrics are obscure most of the
time, and use a lot of metaphors. “Take a
deep breath, take that battle. Finish what is left. Gravity’s all around, but
the skies not falling. If you don’t know that yet, get down off the shelf, because
nothing happens by itself.”
‘Here Comes the Water’
is next on the list – and it gives me the strange feeling that this album
is
going to be up – down – up – down in terms of song vigorousity. Because from first impressions it’s very laid back and returned me to mellow swaying.
going to be up – down – up – down in terms of song vigorousity. Because from first impressions it’s very laid back and returned me to mellow swaying.
(That’s what I do while I’m listening to the music. Mostly
at work, so my colleagues get confused – I then go home, refresh my memory of
the songs, sway/foot-tap depending on the SVF (Song Vigorousity Factor – I just
made it up, but I think it should definitely be a term proper music critics use
for how their body moves while listening to the music!). I then write this
review. Not in 1 sitting. The last one I did over 4 days. This one has been 1
day so far! But will take another 2 or 3 to finish it, recorrect any spelling
mistakes, look over all the grammatical mistakes and chose to ignore them,
update any parts that I’ve changed my mind about, and remove any parts where I
rant on for ½ a page. Then publish it!
I also try not to veer off topic too much…….So yeah, ‘Here Comes the Water’ – It begins just
acoustic guitar and vocals, and then the drums come marching in, along with slide
guitar, which completes the Americana feel for the album, and it then picks up
quite a bit! “Here comes the waaaaater”.
Listening to the song, it seems as though it’s about trying not to drown in a flood…but of course, it’s all a metaphor! From what I can make out, I think it’s about being in a relationship, and not letting life get the best of you, and just being with each other through thick and thin and never losing each other. “Grab hold around my neck. ‘Cause I won’t lose you now, and I won’t lose you when it’s above our heads.”
Listening to the song, it seems as though it’s about trying not to drown in a flood…but of course, it’s all a metaphor! From what I can make out, I think it’s about being in a relationship, and not letting life get the best of you, and just being with each other through thick and thin and never losing each other. “Grab hold around my neck. ‘Cause I won’t lose you now, and I won’t lose you when it’s above our heads.”
Aaaand up again with ‘Days
of Greatness’, commencing with a great little organ rift which sounds happy
enough for me to already know this is gonna be a great song! It then gets
interrupted by the bash of drums and manic trumpet, and then swoosh, straight
into the song.
The SVF of this song certainly had my head bopping as well as my feet tapping – it just screams happiness! It even has a barber shop quartet feel with “bum bum bum” harmonies.
The SVF of this song certainly had my head bopping as well as my feet tapping – it just screams happiness! It even has a barber shop quartet feel with “bum bum bum” harmonies.
Oi. Stop laughing.
They’re literally singing “bum bum bum badaaa” – and it sounds great! It sounds like it’s
just one person singing into a harmony pedal, but I can still imagine 4 blokes
in stripy suits standing there singing! With the bloke with the lowest voice
standing at the end holding his cherry red braces in his hands. “Come on everyone, turn your face to the
sun, before the whole thing explodes”.
In the next song, it’s not as far down as previous songs,
but it’s not up…and not on the same level – so it’s TECHNICALLY another down
song (if you’ve forgotten by this point, I had a feeling by the third song that
the album will switch between upbeat songs and downbeat songs. So far, we’re on
song No.5 and it’s gone: down, up, down, up, and now down (slightly) – so the
next one should be up if it’s true).
But for now, ‘Don’t Forget Me’ (ironic song title considering I nearly just went veering off topic….again).
It’s got a great feel to it – almost Wild West kinda feel. Strumming acoustic guitar with electric guitar picking on top. Just replace that for a banjo and you’d think you were standing in the glaring sun outside the saloon in Armadillo chewing tobacco and spinning your six-shooter round your finger. Just waiting for the outlaws to ride past. Ye-haw!
But for now, ‘Don’t Forget Me’ (ironic song title considering I nearly just went veering off topic….again).
It’s got a great feel to it – almost Wild West kinda feel. Strumming acoustic guitar with electric guitar picking on top. Just replace that for a banjo and you’d think you were standing in the glaring sun outside the saloon in Armadillo chewing tobacco and spinning your six-shooter round your finger. Just waiting for the outlaws to ride past. Ye-haw!
When it went to the next song, I thought I’d suddenly started
listening to Wheatus or Third Eye Blind (up again!) – it just has that feel to
it! Drums introducing the song, and then the ‘chickachickachicka’ of an electric guitar (I don’t know the
technical name for muting the strings while playing a chord) and then BAM
straight into the song – ‘Hey Geronimo’.
It quickly then dips down when the vocals come in, so it’s just vocals, drums
and bass, and it continues to dip and dive between the quieter verses, and then
louder choruses.
I’m gonna be honest, before I googled ‘Geronimo’ I had no idea what the song was about.
I’m gonna be honest, before I googled ‘Geronimo’ I had no idea what the song was about.
“According to paratrooper Gerard Devlin, ‘Geronimo!’ dates from August 1940, and is attributed to Private Aubrey Eberhardt, member of parachute test platoon at Fort Benning. The parachute had only recently been adopted for troop drops and this platoon was the first to test it. On the eve of their first jump, the platoon decided to calm their nerves by spending the day before taking in a film at the Main Post Theatre and a night at the local beer garden. The film they saw was a Western featuring the Native American chief Geronimo. Its title is uncertain, but it was probably the 1939 film Geronimo with Andy Devine and Lone Rangerstar Chief Thundercloud in the title role.
On the
way back to barracks, Eberhardt's comrades taunted him saying that he would be
too scared to remember his name. Eberhardt retorted, "All right, dammit! I
tell you jokers what I'm gonna do! To prove to you that I'm not scared out of
my wits when I jump, I'm gonna yell Geronimo loud as hell when I go out that door
tomorrow!" Eberhardt kept his promise and the cry was gradually adopted by
the other members of his platoon.” - Wikipedia
Once
I’d got that into my head, it all made sense.
“Hey Geronimo, Where’d you go when you jumped off [of that] edge? Did you want to be alone? With your thick skin.”
“Hey Geronimo, Where’d you go when you jumped off [of that] edge? Did you want to be alone? With your thick skin.”
Next
up, ‘Just One of Those Things’.
It starts with vocals, on their own. Which is great! There’s then a short bass & guitar rift, and it picks up a bit, right up until there’s a looooovely hi-hat snap followed by a completely silent…silence, and then big cymbal crash, and then straight into the chorus! (I am a sucker for sudden breaks in songs.)
And this song is full of them!! MMmmmmmm!!
It’s such a feel good song, but I know how his lyrics can be sad when it sounds happy, and vice versa.
I keep trying to work it out, but I can’t. And every time I listen to it I keep hearing the line “Polish my bell and you’re gonna want to ring it!” and just burst out laughing!
But I can’t really make out any other full sentences to give me an idea of what it’s about. I can make out random words like bull, rifle, paper bag, playground, and a few short out of context sentences.
But nonetheless – the music sounds great!! And it’s upbeat! – finally, right near the end, they break the sequence!
Nearly done – ‘Weight of the World’ brings it down once again. And yet again has me thinking what the song could be about. Personally, I think it’s a lot about looking out for someone, whether it’s someone with a mental disorder or a troubled partner. “Take a load off your bleeding shoulders and put it on mine, and the weight of the world will fall”.
It’s got a very country-gospel feel to the music, with slide guitar throughout and organ coming in at the end to build the song for a big finish…which dies out just before the end, in order to not be too rocky.
Funnily enough, I can’t think of anyone else that it sounds like. It’s just very them. All the other songs have a little catch that I can hear in other songs – it might sound exactly the same as some songs, but I have a limited musical spectrum. I don’t know all the Led Zepplin songs, or all the Lady Gaga songs. I know MOST of the Red Hot Chili Peppers songs….that’s thanks to my dad for playing them constantly throughout my childhood. I can still remember shouting “I DON’T EVER WANNA FEEEEEEEL LIKE I DID THAT DAY!” while sitting next to him in the car, both of us tapping along to the drums. And there, begun my love for drums.
But the point is – I don’t know all the songs ever. But hopefully this project blog will help narrow that gap a bit, and should add about 500 songs to the list of songs I always respond with ‘no idea’ when asked if I like it or not. I don’t go along with the whole looking cool by knowing every song ever response – not since I saw the video of people being interviewed at Glastonbury and being asked if they liked “The Keychain Syndrome” and responding with “Yes! They’re one of my favourite bands!”, only to find out that I just made up that band name….. Honestly, the looks on their faces when they were told up front that they’re a liar, was priceless!
And I’d say it’s more embarrassing to say you love a band that you’ve never heard of, then get asked to play it or sing along and have to then say “Actually….I don’t know it” than it is to just be honest and say you don’t know a song. You’re human. You’re not expected to know every song ever. Plus, it’d make life a lot more boring if you did know every song ever. There’s nothing quite like finding a new song and being obsessed with it, and playing it over and over and over and over and over and over until you then hate it and never listen to it again!
It’s what makes life worth living!
It starts with vocals, on their own. Which is great! There’s then a short bass & guitar rift, and it picks up a bit, right up until there’s a looooovely hi-hat snap followed by a completely silent…silence, and then big cymbal crash, and then straight into the chorus! (I am a sucker for sudden breaks in songs.)
And this song is full of them!! MMmmmmmm!!
It’s such a feel good song, but I know how his lyrics can be sad when it sounds happy, and vice versa.
I keep trying to work it out, but I can’t. And every time I listen to it I keep hearing the line “Polish my bell and you’re gonna want to ring it!” and just burst out laughing!
But I can’t really make out any other full sentences to give me an idea of what it’s about. I can make out random words like bull, rifle, paper bag, playground, and a few short out of context sentences.
But nonetheless – the music sounds great!! And it’s upbeat! – finally, right near the end, they break the sequence!
Nearly done – ‘Weight of the World’ brings it down once again. And yet again has me thinking what the song could be about. Personally, I think it’s a lot about looking out for someone, whether it’s someone with a mental disorder or a troubled partner. “Take a load off your bleeding shoulders and put it on mine, and the weight of the world will fall”.
It’s got a very country-gospel feel to the music, with slide guitar throughout and organ coming in at the end to build the song for a big finish…which dies out just before the end, in order to not be too rocky.
Funnily enough, I can’t think of anyone else that it sounds like. It’s just very them. All the other songs have a little catch that I can hear in other songs – it might sound exactly the same as some songs, but I have a limited musical spectrum. I don’t know all the Led Zepplin songs, or all the Lady Gaga songs. I know MOST of the Red Hot Chili Peppers songs….that’s thanks to my dad for playing them constantly throughout my childhood. I can still remember shouting “I DON’T EVER WANNA FEEEEEEEL LIKE I DID THAT DAY!” while sitting next to him in the car, both of us tapping along to the drums. And there, begun my love for drums.
But the point is – I don’t know all the songs ever. But hopefully this project blog will help narrow that gap a bit, and should add about 500 songs to the list of songs I always respond with ‘no idea’ when asked if I like it or not. I don’t go along with the whole looking cool by knowing every song ever response – not since I saw the video of people being interviewed at Glastonbury and being asked if they liked “The Keychain Syndrome” and responding with “Yes! They’re one of my favourite bands!”, only to find out that I just made up that band name….. Honestly, the looks on their faces when they were told up front that they’re a liar, was priceless!
And I’d say it’s more embarrassing to say you love a band that you’ve never heard of, then get asked to play it or sing along and have to then say “Actually….I don’t know it” than it is to just be honest and say you don’t know a song. You’re human. You’re not expected to know every song ever. Plus, it’d make life a lot more boring if you did know every song ever. There’s nothing quite like finding a new song and being obsessed with it, and playing it over and over and over and over and over and over until you then hate it and never listen to it again!
It’s what makes life worth living!
Speaking
of which – next new song!
‘Red & White & Blue’ keeps the SVF at a mellow sway, with just finger picked acoustic guitar coupled with vocals with a clarinet or other smaller wood wind instrument playing a couple of bars here and there – but that’s it. So it’s a very laid back and acoustic song. The kind of song a good guitarist who could sing would be able to play on their own – which then makes me wish I could 1. Play guitar that well, 2. Sing that well & 3. Find chords and lyrics online….which I can’t, I’ve tried.
It sounds like it’s about a man called ‘Murphy’, and possibly their death. Like a tribute to the person they were. “Murphy you’re a Prince, perfect in a pinch. Everybody knows it.”
The title refers to the colours of the American flag “As the Roman candles do what Roman candles do. The 4th of July has been redefined” – whether that means it’s about someone who passed on the 4th July. “The Roman candle. They got nothing on you as you’re draped in red and white and blue”.
‘Red & White & Blue’ keeps the SVF at a mellow sway, with just finger picked acoustic guitar coupled with vocals with a clarinet or other smaller wood wind instrument playing a couple of bars here and there – but that’s it. So it’s a very laid back and acoustic song. The kind of song a good guitarist who could sing would be able to play on their own – which then makes me wish I could 1. Play guitar that well, 2. Sing that well & 3. Find chords and lyrics online….which I can’t, I’ve tried.
It sounds like it’s about a man called ‘Murphy’, and possibly their death. Like a tribute to the person they were. “Murphy you’re a Prince, perfect in a pinch. Everybody knows it.”
The title refers to the colours of the American flag “As the Roman candles do what Roman candles do. The 4th of July has been redefined” – whether that means it’s about someone who passed on the 4th July. “The Roman candle. They got nothing on you as you’re draped in red and white and blue”.
I
might be missing an important detail about who Murphy is, but I don’t know much
about American history, but it would make sense if the song was about an
important figures death, it has that feel about it.
“Murphy don’t look now. We’ve thrown you to the hounds, they’d gladly eat you up, but tonight they’re eating out. So Murphy be a pal, and forgive what we do. Because we never deserved you.”
“Murphy don’t look now. We’ve thrown you to the hounds, they’d gladly eat you up, but tonight they’re eating out. So Murphy be a pal, and forgive what we do. Because we never deserved you.”
But
whatever who or what it’s about, it’s the most beautiful song of the album.
Simple and powerful.
The
last song is a riot. Literally. ‘Riot’.
It’s instantly obvious that this album is ending on a high!
With pounding drums and electric guitar rocking out non-stop from start to finish….which, after listening to it for the 4th time on repeat, does get rather repetitive.
“I wish that we could start a riot, there ain’t no way we’re going quietly. When the wolf is at the door don’t look surprised.”
It’s instantly obvious that this album is ending on a high!
With pounding drums and electric guitar rocking out non-stop from start to finish….which, after listening to it for the 4th time on repeat, does get rather repetitive.
“I wish that we could start a riot, there ain’t no way we’re going quietly. When the wolf is at the door don’t look surprised.”
Don’t
get me wrong, it’s a good song – and listening to a lot of songs on repeat
makes them seem more repetitive than they actually are. When I listen to the
album through, without skipping tracks or repeating them, it’s a great finish!
As for the lyrics – same as on some others, it’s difficult to decipher the words and meanings without seeing it all written down because some words aren’t recognisable unless you already know what he’s singing – especially when metaphors are used.
And this is yet again, another song that I can’t work out the meanings behind the words. “Recklessness stands to reason. Sit and knock them back one, two, three. Cause right now is less is more than ever.”
As for the lyrics – same as on some others, it’s difficult to decipher the words and meanings without seeing it all written down because some words aren’t recognisable unless you already know what he’s singing – especially when metaphors are used.
And this is yet again, another song that I can’t work out the meanings behind the words. “Recklessness stands to reason. Sit and knock them back one, two, three. Cause right now is less is more than ever.”
So…..a
song about being drunk and wanting to riot about something?
Don’t know…..maybe you’ll have to go listen to the album and let me know what you think! ;)
Don’t know…..maybe you’ll have to go listen to the album and let me know what you think! ;)
And
on that note – IT’S DONE!
To sum up the album, I’d definitely recommend it if you like Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth, and clever lyrics along with great instrumentation and warming vocals.
I’d say my favourite song out of all of them is either ‘Days of Greatness’ or ‘Hey Geronimo’ – they’re both really feel good songs, and have really clever lyrics that I can’t get out of my head!
The whole album does get a bit tedious when it’s alternating between energetic songs and slower songs, but if you put it on shuffle it’s absolutely great!
The artwork is really clever, and I think it is as playful as the music is, so works really well. If you saw it in a shop, you might giggle in your head, and imagine that it would sound upbeat and a bit quirky – which it manages in bucket loads. Just like it did when he was just Michael Meanwhile.
To sum up the album, I’d definitely recommend it if you like Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth, and clever lyrics along with great instrumentation and warming vocals.
I’d say my favourite song out of all of them is either ‘Days of Greatness’ or ‘Hey Geronimo’ – they’re both really feel good songs, and have really clever lyrics that I can’t get out of my head!
The whole album does get a bit tedious when it’s alternating between energetic songs and slower songs, but if you put it on shuffle it’s absolutely great!
The artwork is really clever, and I think it is as playful as the music is, so works really well. If you saw it in a shop, you might giggle in your head, and imagine that it would sound upbeat and a bit quirky – which it manages in bucket loads. Just like it did when he was just Michael Meanwhile.
Do you
agree/disagree with anything I said? Like / dislike the review? Any
constructive criticisms? Please leave a comment below! Would love to hear
from you. Also, if you have any recommendations of albums I should listen
to and review (as long as the artwork is awesome), let me know.
Thanks for
reading, keep tuned for the next blog.
I’ll be
reviewing The Dead Weather – ‘Dodge & Burn’
Don’t forget
to check out my website, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube below.
I’m doing
these blogs alongside my better half; Fern Teather – she is listening to a new
albums (doesn’t matter about the artwork, she’s trying to expand her
musical knowledge and listen to new artists!). She’s also keeping a blog, and
it’s nowhere near as long as this one, so go give it a read!!
Check it out here: 52-albums.blogspot.com
Check it out here: 52-albums.blogspot.com
See you in a while...
Sam
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