XFM review of WFTSC

http://www.xfm.co.uk/Article.asp?id=73461

At least this review correctly identifies the two best things on the album, but even so, to describe Turn as "written by the band to cheer themselves up on a rainy day" is profoundly stupid. For the rest, another case of writing a review after listening to the album about once.

Perhaps a twinge of irony in the 'cheering up' comment, but the admission that track 11 is a standout confirms the questionable credentials.

Track 1 is definitely growing on me, H. Likewise 9. Any new thoughts from your end today?

I rested the disk last night, but I had a full rotation this morning whilst navigating in my motion generator.

Track 1 is 'classic' New Order, '3' makes me smile as it touches the soul, track '9's verse alone is shiver inducing and of course track '10' forms a constantly extended wall of beauty.

Track 2 reminds me of Guilty Par'dner / LoveLake etc. so I expect to revisit this in the future for an enjoyable hour away with the pixies. Dracula's Capsule demands a certain mood so I keep teasing myself with this. ITYS and MN&D need to ferment and the track we don't speak of shall remain unspoken. Despite the 'J' 'E' 'T' staggered styling I've taken to it.

I enjoy as many songs from this album than I do from my favourite NO albums.

So all in all, the highest praise.

Track 10 doesn't quite have the killer moment to correspond to "Got to catch the midnight train," but "The sky is hard, the road is long" comes close. In general though, the lyrics on 10 are just about perfect.

Would it be inproper to mention all of the many Krispy re-mixtures I spent cold hard cash on?

huntsman wrote: Would it be inproper to mention all of the many Krispy re-mixtures I spent cold hard cash on?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Did you get your money's worth?

I certainly didn't!

As mentioned yesterday, the 'box' indicated a 12" and as sure as eggs are eggs the box did in fact contain a 12". This put pay to the previous illusion that NO had released a trio of Krafty Cheeses. Can I again clarify that '2' CD's are available with a '12"' record to conclude the mixtures.

Track 1 - The stripped down attempt - The Garibaldi Mix: Good idea, however, with scant regard for any other musical instruments other than the bass and drums what was the point? - why not strip it down remembering to add the instruments? It's not club, it's not acoustic, it's not anything. Add in some truly dire and entirely unnecessary sonic effects (did the re-mixer just get bored or hit the wrong button?) to formulate a tedious and instantly forgettable waste of original source material. If I was a member of the band I wouldn't have allowed this to happen (or any number of other feeble attempts).

Track 2 - The Album Version Spot the Difference Competition Mix: A version so close to the original it defies natural logic. Why would I wish to play this above the original? - if I was mental probably or could separate a particular reverb effect on a snare drum.

Track 3 - Andy Brown's Reality Dub or something. Rubbish.

Track 4 - Extensive Glitter-ball mix: Erm, I don't know if anyone else has noticed this but there are 'awful' moments where the bass guitar is genuinely miles out of tune. Which obviously negates any semblance of quality the dozy remix kid was attempting. Naive and dreadful.

A compact disk re-mix disaster so abhorrent it offends my senses.

Well, H, I'm glad you got the album at the same time to offset the bad reaction to the remixes. Since you didn't like any of them, I don't know if it makes a lot of sense to try to distinguish one from the other, but in the above review are you referring to a CD or vinyl?

The vinyl differs from the CD by one track only - The Glitter-ball re-mix is called 'Dub' on the record which indicates it is even more tiresome ... and thus I haven't played it for fear I would steal a car and drive it off a cliffside.

I must say though, it was nice to receive a genuine vinyl record which had the brand new aroma of the old days.

I hear that Guilt is a Tasty Senstation has an alternative version on the Stateside release of WFTSC ... oh joy.

But P, are you an insomniac?

I agree "I told you so" is but to describe it as HORROR?   Fac off!

huntsman wrote: I hear that Guilt is a Tasty Senstation has an alternative version on the Stateside release of WFTSC ... oh joy. But P, are you an insomniac?

I normally get up at 4:15 on school days, but today I was awake and obviously not going back to sleep so I got up at 3:45.

So you plan to order the US version of WFTSC to get that remix, H, and possibly an alternate cover as well?

NObabe wrote: I agree "I told you so" is but to describe it as HORROR?   Fac off!

Am I the only one who actually likes ITYS?

No I don't. Perish the thought. The cover story is intriguing though. We'll see how that pans out.

I must say I have to admire your stamina for such early starts to the day. You must go to bed about 3pm with a belly full of soup.

Try the Riton Re Dub of Krafty. May be more for your liking H. Only available on a promo though, nice black card sleeve.

huntsman wrote: The vinyl differs from the CD by one track only - The Glitter-ball re-mix is called 'Dub' on the record which indicates it is even more tiresome ... and thus I haven't played it for fear I would steal a car and drive it off a cliffside. I must say though, it was nice to receive a genuine vinyl record which had the brand new aroma of the old days.

You're right that the Glimmers dub is just about impossible to listen to without committing some sort of violence to oneself or others.

PHD wrote: Try the Riton Re Dub of Krafty. May be more for your liking H. Only available on a promo though, nice black card sleeve.

Oh I think he'd like that one even less.

Dunno P, but it seems to me I am the only one who hates "Guilt ..."

huntsman wrote: No I don't. Perish the thought. The cover story is intriguing though. We'll see how that pans out. I must say I have to admire your stamina for such early starts to the day. You must go to bed about 3pm with a belly full of soup.

I try to go to bed by 8.

I hope to hear more from Howard about the photos, especially whether Peter really did take that picture of the boats in Key West.

I'm a lost cause for the re-mix. Thanks for the recommendation though P2. Just when you think you've conquered every variant, up comes another one! ... with black card sleeve no less!!! I daren't play any more.

P2 - what's your opinion of the new material, you've been cautious with your jiving.

P - Your indicating the use of a record player - could you confirm. And also can you tie up that 'side' issue from yesterday.

NB; you 'don't' like track 9?

Aren't you a tad guilty about that?

If you are indeed a babe and not a bloke then that's my intuition of the feminine NO songs up the swaney.

Hunts, did I miss a reference to the Dog and Bone mix of Krafty?

huntsman wrote: I'm a lost cause for the re-mix. Thanks for the recommendation though P2. Just when you think you've conquered every variant, up comes another one! ... with black card sleeve no less!!! I daren't play any more. P2 - what's your opinion of the new material, you've been cautious with your jiving. P - Your indicating the use of a record player - could you confirm. And also can you tie up that 'side' issue from yesterday.

I haven't owned a record player in decades, H. The Glimmers dub is on the 5-track Krafty CD promo, along with the Riton re-dub.

On the "side" issue, surely if WFTSC ended after track 10 (as you feel it should), it would not be so odd to see tracks 1-5 as side 1 and 6-10 as side 2? And track 11 is clearly there only to avoid ending the album with the profound melancholy of track 10.

It's because of the horror backing vocals I hate it so much. :dead:

Huntsman, where did you get this idea that there should be three CD singles? Sure you're not getting confused with the promo's?

Hango, The Dog and Bone mix? - is that the one that sounds like they've put the original mix through a computer game or some kind of modern telephone device? If you check back on my mini-reviewette on page uno, you can witness my two word opinion - and it sure isn't phone friendly. I think I called it Andy Gordon's mix by accident. They all roll into one after a while. I might even melt the plastic down and make a cup out of it.

NOB, I can understand how a man may be turned off by such things on a NO record. I'm thankful that I took to them like a duck to mustard. Backing vocals are like Dr. Pepper, you either like it or you don't. But what's the worse that could happen? More importantly, did you ever believe that a 'World, the Price of Eggs' type 'I will purchase love despite the price point' lyric would again raise up above the parapet?

P - your the promo king! ... regarding track 11, I also have considered lopping it off the album to form two proper sides. What's wrong with ending on a sour note? - Pringles did it.

Always cautious when new eggs arrive. However the highlights for these ears would appear to be Who's Joe?, Guilt Is A Useless Emotion, Waiting For The Sirens' Call, Krafty and Turn.

I take back my previous comment of bland, though that was an immediate assessment.

Then browsing in my local record store Dracula's Castle made it's entrance via Tannoy's and sounded rather excellent.

Hey Now What You Doin has charms of REM and the Turn song I think a "glimmer" of The Railway Children, although the song escapes me at present.

A big thumbs up from me.

On track 11, H, I know you hate it, so you probably haven't checked my claim that starting at 1:48 there are about 20 good seconds of PH.