HANDWRITTEN: your impressions, comments, and declarations of love

Howl is the gem of the album. The spoken verse on the outro is just pure musical ecstasy

White Man In Hammersmith wrote:

Howl is the gem of the album. The spoken verse on the outro is just pure musical ecstasy

"In this city by the sea....that has always haunted me"

My favorites :

45, Handwritten, Mullholland, Keepsake, Too much Blood, Mae (although it seems to loose my attenention sometimes, don't really know why), Blue Dahlia

Here comes my man, can't catch me quite as good as the other songs on the album.

That albums is really unhealthy for me, i'm not even able to stop listening for 5 minutes.
I fell a sleep to it last night and i got up with it and it never stopped playing.

In my mind, the only answer that makes any sense at all as to why Blue Dahlia was left off is that it was left as a bonus track to encourage people to buy the deluxe edition. Which I really don't have a problem with. The only thing that bothers me about it being relegated to a bonus track is that it probably means there will be much less of a chance to catch it played live in concert. It's just too great for any other answer to make sense. I don't see how all the guys in the band, BoB, and the label could all feel it is just too weak to even be on the album.

What does it say in the liner notes that suggests National Anthem is just a Brian solo song...?

Brother Beck wrote:

What does it say in the liner notes that suggests National Anthem is just a Brian solo song...?

Well the fact that it's acoustic rules Benny and Alex L out. I can't say for sure (obviously) that there wasn't some acoustic work done by Alex R, but if you look in the liner notes the only person that gets credited is some random studio musician for "strings and violin on National Anthem".

Brother Beck wrote:

In my mind, the only answer that makes any sense at all as to why Blue Dahlia was left off is that it was left as a bonus track to encourage people to buy the deluxe edition. Which I really don't have a problem with. The only thing that bothers me about it being relegated to a bonus track is that it probably means there will be much less of a chance to catch it played live in concert. It's just too great for any other answer to make sense. I don't see how all the guys in the band, BoB, and the label could all feel it is just too weak to even be on the album.

What does it say in the liner notes that suggests National Anthem is just a Brian solo song...?

I don't think just because it is a bonus track that means it will rarely be played at concerts. She Loves You was a bonus track on American Slang and they play that at a majority of their concerts.

saltandburn1967 wrote:

Brother Beck wrote:

In my mind, the only answer that makes any sense at all as to why Blue Dahlia was left off is that it was left as a bonus track to encourage people to buy the deluxe edition. Which I really don't have a problem with. The only thing that bothers me about it being relegated to a bonus track is that it probably means there will be much less of a chance to catch it played live in concert. It's just too great for any other answer to make sense. I don't see how all the guys in the band, BoB, and the label could all feel it is just too weak to even be on the album.

What does it say in the liner notes that suggests National Anthem is just a Brian solo song...?

I don't think just because it is a bonus track that means it will rarely be played at concerts. She Loves You was a bonus track on American Slang and they play that at a majority of their concerts.

I don't think they played She Loves You live til American Slang had been out for a while though. I think we will have to wait a while before we hear Blue Dahlia live. Hopefully I'm wrong cos it's a hell of a track.

Christophe wrote:

saltandburn1967 wrote:

Brother Beck wrote:

In my mind, the only answer that makes any sense at all as to why Blue Dahlia was left off is that it was left as a bonus track to encourage people to buy the deluxe edition. Which I really don't have a problem with. The only thing that bothers me about it being relegated to a bonus track is that it probably means there will be much less of a chance to catch it played live in concert. It's just too great for any other answer to make sense. I don't see how all the guys in the band, BoB, and the label could all feel it is just too weak to even be on the album.

What does it say in the liner notes that suggests National Anthem is just a Brian solo song...?

I don't think just because it is a bonus track that means it will rarely be played at concerts. She Loves You was a bonus track on American Slang and they play that at a majority of their concerts.

I don't think they played She Loves You live til American Slang had been out for a while though. I think we will have to wait a while before we hear Blue Dahlia live. Hopefully I'm wrong cos it's a hell of a track.

She Loves You was played a few times on the 2010 summer tour but then a ton on the fall tours.

While you guys love Blue Dahlia, it's crazy to think the band left it off the album intentionally. If they thought it was one of the best 11 songs and fit the album, it would be there. They didn't leave it off to get people to buy the deluxe edition later. I'm sure it will be available as a single track on iTunes/Amazon anyways.

I don't normally do this but when I put it on my iPod I think I'm gonna slot Blue Dahlia somewhere higher up the album. Maybe between Desire and Mae or after Mae. It shouldn't just be tagged on at the end though. It's too good for that. I think She Loves You was different as it is a slow song I think it sits well after WDIWWWY as track 11 and closes the album out well. I think that the same goes for National Anthem and Teenage Rebellion. National Anthem brings the album nicely to a close with another slow bonus track after it. Blue Dahlia should have been in the original album no doubt.

Blue Dhalia is indeed a great song and one especially that I hope to hear live but I'm not sure it would have flowed that well on the album. This album has such perfect flow to it. To borrow an expression from Ed Vedder, it's 'like a wave with highs and lows and by the end of it you've gone through a full ride.

To slightly change topics I keep reading about the "effects" on Brian's voice. I've listened to the album a few times in my car and on very good headphones and I don't hear any effects on his voice. What I do hear is a bit more reverb than maybe we are used to hearing and more layered vocals (Biloxi Parish immediately comes to mind). There are also a good deal of harmonies and back up vocals that weren't as present on previous albums. I don't think Brian has ever sounded as good as he does on this record so I am all for what Brendan O'brien did production wise.

RandyMachoManCabbage wrote:

Blue Dhalia is indeed a great song and one especially that I hope to hear live but I'm not sure it would have flowed that well on the album. This album has such perfect flow to it. To borrow an expression from Ed Vedder, it's 'like a wave with highs and lows and by the end of it you've gone through a full ride.

To slightly change topics I keep reading about the "effects" on Brian's voice. I've listened to the album a few times in my car and on very good headphones and I don't hear any effects on his voice. What I do hear is a bit more reverb than maybe we are used to hearing and more layered vocals (Biloxi Parish immediately comes to mind). There are also a good deal of harmonies and back up vocals that weren't as present on previous albums. I don't think Brian has ever sounded as good as he does on this record so I am all for what Brendan O'brien did production wise.

Production-wise I love the album too. I just find what they've done with Brian's vocals in the chorus of Biloxi Parish a bit offputting. Maybe if I hadn't heard it live first I would feel differently but I can't get into the song quite the same way. There's too much going on in that song on the album. I'm no production expert at all but it seems like too much was altered with his voice and the instrumentation in this song.

NicholasHorror wrote:

I really don't like Blue Dahlia. When I heard the clip of the verse on Amazon I thought it sounded amazing and wondered why it wasn't on the album. Then I heard the whole thing and just couldn't listen to it. I think the chorus is awful, like they just pasted the chorus of another song that doesn't fit. It has the potential to be one of their best songs but I really think they ruined it with the chorus (musically ..the lyrics are great). This is the first time I've ever felt this way about a Gaslight song. Maybe I have to listen to it more.

Honestly I'm with you on that one.

The sample I listened to made it sound like some of the best stuff they've written but as a full song I'm not too convinced.

Christophe wrote:

Production-wise I love the album too. I just find what they've done with Brian's vocals in the chorus of Biloxi Parish a bit offputting. Maybe if I hadn't heard it live first I would feel differently but I can't get into the song quite the same way. There's too much going on in that song on the album. I'm no production expert at all but it seems like too much was altered with his voice and the instrumentation in this song.

I get where you're coming from. The song live does have a bit more rawness to it than the slick sound we have on the album. For me, Brian singing in a higher and lower register on the chorus makes the song more powerful on the record than live. BTW I love how you quote the Goo Goo Dolls song that shares the same guitar intro as 45. While not really a GGD fan, I do own that album and when I hear Mae, I think of Rzeznik singing "Oh Mae, put your arms around me..."

RandyMachoManCabbage wrote:

Christophe wrote:

Production-wise I love the album too. I just find what they've done with Brian's vocals in the chorus of Biloxi Parish a bit offputting. Maybe if I hadn't heard it live first I would feel differently but I can't get into the song quite the same way. There's too much going on in that song on the album. I'm no production expert at all but it seems like too much was altered with his voice and the instrumentation in this song.

I get where you're coming from. The song live does have a bit more rawness to it than the slick sound we have on the album. For me, Brian singing in a higher and lower register on the chorus makes the song more powerful on the record than live. BTW I love how you quote the Goo Goo Dolls song that shares the same guitar intro as 45. While not really a GGD fan, I do own that album and when I hear Mae, I think of Rzeznik singing "Oh Mae, put your arms around me..."

Thanks yeah it's a really good lyric and I suppose that the guitar intro of 45 is quite similar to Slide. Goo Goo Dolls were my favourite band before I found Gaslight.

Too much blood is fucking amazing. The verse and pre-chorus are pretty standard, good but not awesome stuff, but the chorus...man, the chorus. It's so unbelievably chill and heartfelt. It truly is an homage to the 90s rock Brian adores so much.

RandyMachoManCabbage wrote:

Blue Dhalia is indeed a great song and one especially that I hope to hear live but I'm not sure it would have flowed that well on the album. This album has such perfect flow to it. To borrow an expression from Ed Vedder, it's 'like a wave with highs and lows and by the end of it you've gone through a full ride.

To slightly change topics I keep reading about the "effects" on Brian's voice. I've listened to the album a few times in my car and on very good headphones and I don't hear any effects on his voice. What I do hear is a bit more reverb than maybe we are used to hearing and more layered vocals (Biloxi Parish immediately comes to mind). There are also a good deal of harmonies and back up vocals that weren't as present on previous albums. I don't think Brian has ever sounded as good as he does on this record so I am all for what Brendan O'brien did production wise.

There's actually little to no reverb on Brian's voice at all on this record. American Slang had by far the most reverb on Brian's voice of any Gaslight record. No, it was not The '59 Sound. That was slapback, or echo if you prefer. What people are hearing (and I'm hearing it too) is a slickness to Brian's voice that has never been heard before, and it's not because his voice has improved or whatever. It's because it sounds major-label big-studio slick. Whether you think it's a good or bad thing, his voice sounds very polished on this record.

Just heard Keepsake, that's a really heavy song. Haven't listened enough for the words to stick yet, though. One gripe, I wish the harmonica was a little more prevalent instead of being reduced to background noise.

Matt L wrote:

Just heard Keepsake, that's a really heavy song. Haven't listened enough for the words to stick yet, though. One gripe, I wish the harmonica was a little more prevalent instead of being reduced to background noise.

Seriously.

Alex's lead is great, but they should have more harmonica leads. Especially now that Ian can cover guitar parts live.

Matt L wrote:

Just heard Keepsake, that's a really heavy song. Haven't listened enough for the words to stick yet, though. One gripe, I wish the harmonica was a little more prevalent instead of being reduced to background noise.

Yeah that's exactly what I thought. It's a great track but I feel the harmonica should really be driving the song.

I finally gave in and listened once through to the streaming version.

Initial thoughts (and I apologize if anyone's already said this...I've been avoiding this thread)...

1) It's certainly a very different sounding album than I was expecting.

2) There are several tracks I absolutely love. Here Comes My Man, Mullholland Drive, Howl, Biloxi Parish, and Mae are on that list. I'm ambivalent about 45, and have been since it came out.

3) There are several tracks I'm really not sure about yet. Handwritten and Desire are on that list, along with Too Much Blood.

4) The track I'm most confused about is Keepsake. The lyrics are beautiful and it's a powerful song, but it almost sounds....overproduced? I want to hear Brian crying out, with less angry guitar. I have to listen to it a few more times. Plus, did anyone else notice that intro sounds a lot like "Mary Jane's Last Dance"? (I'm not accusing them of ripping it off - it's just an interesting sidenote...)

5) The track I like the least at this early juncture is National Anthem. I understand completely why some reviewers said this album was covering "the same ground," because that song sounds a lot like earlier ones. I also dare to say it doesn't sound honest to me - almost like he felt he had to write this kind of song because there's one on every record. Maybe it's how it was performed; maybe I'm comparing it to tracks off Elsie. I know Brian is capable of writing heart-breaking end-of-love songs much more powerful. But again, I need to listen to this track again.

No flames please

njguy99 wrote:

No flames please

TOO LATE, HOMBRE

OH NO! THE FLAMES...THEY BURN! BURN!

In all seriousness though, I felt the same way you did. Not necessarily about the same songs, but it's a special album. It takes a few listens to get the hang of it.

At least it did for me and some other people here! I now love it. Except for Desire.

njguy99 wrote:

I finally gave in and listened once through to the streaming version.

Initial thoughts (and I apologize if anyone's already said this...I've been avoiding this thread)...

4) The track I'm most confused about is Keepsake. The lyrics are beautiful and it's a powerful song, but it almost sounds....overproduced? I want to hear Brian crying out, with less angry guitar. I have to listen to it a few more times. Plus, did anyone else notice that intro sounds a lot like "Mary Jane's Last Dance"? (I'm not accusing them of ripping it off - it's just an interesting sidenote...)

5) The track I like the least at this early juncture is National Anthem. I understand completely why some reviewers said this album was covering "the same ground," because that song sounds a lot like earlier ones. I also dare to say it doesn't sound honest to me - almost like he felt he had to write this kind of song because there's one on every record. Maybe it's how it was performed; maybe I'm comparing it to tracks off Elsie. I know Brian is capable of writing heart-breaking end-of-love songs much more powerful. But again, I need to listen to this track again.

No flames please

That's interesting what you said about Keepsake. I can totally see where you're coming from. I took it though as the angry guitar is more indicative of where he's at with this aspect of his life. Like he's not "crying" about it so he's not gonna "cry out". I saw it more as like as a mature adult looking back, he's still angry and he's saying calmly, "you know, I got these things on my mind and I'm gonna say them to you and then I'm done. That chapter is closed". So I saw it more as that angry but calm undertone than a sad sort of moaning. That's my take.

I kind of agree with you on National Anthem. I mean I enjoy the song a lot and I think it's a good tone to close the album on but I get what you mean when you say it doesn't sound honest. I think it's because for the most part Brian writes about himself, and looking at the lyrics I don't think he's writing about himself at all in that song. He got away with it with Bring it On because he was still apart of that mess just not necessarily the guy singing it. I think he's trying to do (shoot me now for the Springsteen comparison) what springsteen does in writing about other people or from other perspectives and I feel like I didn't buy it simply b/c it's not what he usually does.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

njguy99 wrote:

I finally gave in and listened once through to the streaming version.

Initial thoughts (and I apologize if anyone's already said this...I've been avoiding this thread)...

4) The track I'm most confused about is Keepsake. The lyrics are beautiful and it's a powerful song, but it almost sounds....overproduced? I want to hear Brian crying out, with less angry guitar. I have to listen to it a few more times. Plus, did anyone else notice that intro sounds a lot like "Mary Jane's Last Dance"? (I'm not accusing them of ripping it off - it's just an interesting sidenote...)

5) The track I like the least at this early juncture is National Anthem. I understand completely why some reviewers said this album was covering "the same ground," because that song sounds a lot like earlier ones. I also dare to say it doesn't sound honest to me - almost like he felt he had to write this kind of song because there's one on every record. Maybe it's how it was performed; maybe I'm comparing it to tracks off Elsie. I know Brian is capable of writing heart-breaking end-of-love songs much more powerful. But again, I need to listen to this track again.

No flames please

That's interesting what you said about Keepsake. I can totally see where you're coming from. I took it though as the angry guitar is more indicative of where he's at with this aspect of his life. Like he's not "crying" about it so he's not gonna "cry out". I saw it more as like as a mature adult looking back, he's still angry and he's saying calmly, "you know, I got these things on my mind and I'm gonna say them to you and then I'm done. That chapter is closed". So I saw it more as that angry but calm undertone than a sad sort of moaning. That's my take.

I kind of agree with you on National Anthem. I mean I enjoy the song a lot and I think it's a good tone to close the album on but I get what you mean when you say it doesn't sound honest. I think it's because for the most part Brian writes about himself, and looking at the lyrics I don't think he's writing about himself at all in that song. He got away with it with Bring it On because he was still apart of that mess just not necessarily the guy singing it. I think he's trying to do (shoot me now for the Springsteen comparison) what springsteen does in writing about other people or from other perspectives and I feel like I didn't buy it simply b/c it's not what he usually does.

He wasn't singing about himself in here comes my man either and that song turned out pretty awesome.