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r langston
Unregistered guest
Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 08:02 am:   

i've just hear the new go-betweens track 'here comes the city' am i mad in thinking this carries an echo of talking heads....fear of music...maybe 'life in wartime'.....? fantastic irrespective.
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talking head
Unregistered guest
Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 09:45 pm:   

...it's Robert's "Hey,hey,HEY" in the middle I expect.
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jerkwater johnson
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 11:50 pm:   

I was going to say the exact same thing months ago when I first heard, but didn't want to ruin the ecstatic buzz going on these boards. I think it's a rip off of "life during wartime" except not good. I'm hoping I like the rest of the album better.
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tired'n'emotional
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 02:47 am:   

Ah stop it now, you're ruining me buzz, man..

Jerkwater, baby, it sounds absolutely nothing like 'life during wartime'.

I think you need to
Rip it up and start again,
I hope to God you're not as dumb as you make out, I hope to God.
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Tina
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 03:06 am:   

You better watch what you say
Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit?
Heard about Pittsburgh, P. A.?
Here comes the city.
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r langston
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 04:34 am:   

i don't think the gob's would ever deny an early influence was talking heads. i think it's kinda cool they're still in touch with what they grew up on. i love the riff grant is playing. it's not 'life in wartime'. the song just has a similiar nuerotic energy. the performance, however, is singular go-betweens. robert looks like a slightly crazy lawyer drafted in to sing in very exact tones. this is why, ultimately, it's a go-betweens's song. and the riff.
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Peter Ward
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 04:44 pm:   

"Life During Wartime" immediately sprang to mind when they performed it in Dublin last year and it really stood out for me on the night as a highlight of the set, a new Go-Bs classic. It's easily their best single since reformation although that would not be high praise..."Caroline&I" must be one of their most boring moments, hope the rest of the album reaches the same standard.
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jerkwater jake
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 07:36 pm:   

tiredn'emotional, are those song lyrics or are you suggesting my statement is "dumb?"

i am not the only one who thinks this. there are three of us so far. i am not implying that "here comes the city" actually steals chords or music from "life during wartime." david byrne is not going to sue robert forster, but the verse of "here comes the city" is very reminiscent of the verse of "life during wartime." i thought of it immediately. the difference is then "life during wartime" goes into this awesome chorus where "here comes the city" just kind of keeps staying absolutely mediocre in my opinion.

Peter Ward- funny, I liked "Caroline & I", but don't care for "Here Comes a City". I'm also one of those people who liked Friends of Rachel Worth a ton but was disappointed by BYBO. I'm hoping for the best though with this new one. They (and the Talking Heads) are one of my all-time favorite bands.
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Jerry Clark
Member
Username: Jerry

Post Number: 52
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 07:43 pm:   

I recall RF was quoted in David Nichols book that the GoB's were at a stage where their sound was like that of Talking Heads around the time of "Fear Of Music". Maybe the "Life During Wartime" similarities are not unintentional.

On Francey's Talking Heads website there is news of new remastered CD's of TH back catologue with lots of extras, previously unavailable.
Exciting times ahead.
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tired'n'very emotional
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 07:58 pm:   

Jerkwater Jake, babe,

Don't you know Orange Juice's 'Rip it up'?

Actually, Yes I do think the statement that 'Here comes the city' is "Rip Off" of 'Life during the wartime' to be pretty dumb.

Sorry of you think that's pretty strong. But to suggest that the similarity between two pieces of music implies that an artist has "riped off" another is probably the stongest insult you can offer that artist. It suggests that he/she is creatively bankrupt. I think most of us here, whether they like the song or not, are not of that opinion regarding Forster and Mclennan.

But thank you for clarifying your point.

I recall someone aslo suggested on this board that BYBO's "Mrs Morgan" was a "rip off" of Sweet Jane, because it apparently used the same chords.
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Jerry Clark
Member
Username: Jerry

Post Number: 53
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 08:20 pm:   

There have been some genuine rip-offs that have been allowed, presumably because the original songwriter has respect for the artist who did the stealing. e.g.
The Jam - Start
Sex Pistols - Holiday In The Sun
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john jake water
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:35 pm:   

Yeah, maybe "rip off" is sort of harsh sounding. I'm sure it's not an intentional rip off, but to these ears it just sort of sounds very similar and not as good. Hence "rip off."

Sorry, I have heard that Orange Juice song, but only once or twice; I don't know the lyrics whatsoever.

Mrs. Morgan does have a similar chord progression, but there are only so many chord progressions in existance. There are thousands upon thousands of songs that use that chrod progression. On Here Comes the City, the music and rhythm is already sort of similar and then when you listen to the vocals, the melody and rhythm and style are very similar to Life During Wartime.
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 02:22 am:   

The chord progression to "Sweet Jane" is so minimal and basic that Lou Reed can't claim it. It's public domain.
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Ms Peel
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:23 pm:   

I think the Talking Head influence also comes from Adeles bass line, I think it is highly influenced by Tina Weymouth. The bass really drives the song and keeps you grooving all the way to the end. I love the way it changes in each verse, (only slightly, but it enough to prick your ears up)
It makes me want to jog on the spot....which is something i did in Primary school, and have not done since!
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jj
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 07:49 pm:   

Ms. Peel, how interesting that you say that! The song that myself and others are comparing it to, "Life During Wartime", features the the entire band jogging in place to while performing the song on the brilliant film "Stop Making Sense"!

More proof!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

But seriously, that bassline is good, actually the basslines in both songs are good.
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 04:01 am:   

I heard the new album once for the first time yesterday and its interesting but not that immediate. I want to be careful what I say because a once through is always a bad way to judge a new album. The overriding feeling is of a much stronger disinction between Grant and Robert's songwriting than ever. The sound is the most polished and commercial of the recent records and Grant's tracks have a In Your Bright Ray sound, whereas Robert's a more polished Warm Nights sound. There's brass and strings on the album too, and Darlinhurst Nights is something of an epic. Anyway, here's hoping i turns out to be a classic. I hope I haven't ruined anyone's anicipation of Oceans Apart.
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Duncan H
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 08:27 am:   

No - that sounds great. Personally my favourite solo Gobs "sounds" are Warm Nights and In Your Bright Ray. Polished = good IMO.
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Ms Peel
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 10:45 am:   

Wow...hey..now fancy that JJ!! It must be a Talking Heads experience that is be imprinted in the dark, dusty caves of the back of my brain.
Good to see the bass chicks rockin and cuttin in too!!
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - 06:50 am:   

4-5th listen of Oceans Apart and it's really good, the sound is almost as lush as 16LL and there are countless guitar parts all over most of the songs givin it quite an uncontrived 80s sound. The first four songs are fantastic, Boudary Rider is a slight dip in quality, but Darlinghurst Nights, Lavender, and The Night's For You are all great too. There are lots of backing vocals from Adele too.
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Ku
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 - 11:14 am:   

I think it might be their brightest, lightest, most polished and yes - I think it's also their best 00's record to date. To be honest, I didn't expect Oceans Apart to sound so good. And I wouldn't say that Boundary River is a dip in quality.
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 01:55 am:   

Only a 'slight' dip in quality, it has that familiar Grant chord progression (like 'Lighting Fires' slowed down).
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Ku
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 09:53 am:   

That's right James. 5-6 times I've heard the album now and I really can't decide whether it's their best post-reunion record or not. It's definitely best produced, the songs really sound great and Adele's role seems to have grown significantly. I mean, The Go-Betweens finally sound like a real band on this record (especially on "Here Comes A City"), not like Grant, Robert and a backing band of some session musicians. That's great. But I'm not so excited now about the songwriting, especially in the second part of the material. I'd love to be wrong though and change my mind after next 500 listens!
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 12:42 pm:   

I think the songs have sufficient depth and quality to keep you going that long. I particulary love RF's backing vocals on the chorus of No Reason To Cry. The album is lush and dark at the same time. Reminds me of The Triffids at some points
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 02:33 am:   

You guys are torturing me. We don't get our release until May. The GoBees sounding like the Triffids? That'll be interesting.
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Pádraig Collins
Unregistered guest
Posted on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 04:18 am:   

Randy, the album is not out anywhere yet. The nice young men torturing us here are either music journalists or friends of music journalists who have gotten review copies of the album. Hence the not-posting-under-real-names.
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 11:10 am:   

Sorry, I didn't mean to torture you just to let you know what the album sounds like. This is my real name.
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keen2know
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 01:15 pm:   

okay then, so which tracks are Robert's and which are Grant's please?
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James
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 01:50 pm:   

Here Comes A City - RF
Finding You - GM
Born To A Family - RF
No Reason To Cry - GM
Boundary Rider - GM
Darlinghurst Nights - RF
Lavender - RF
Statue - GM
This Night’s For You - GM
Mountains Near Delray - RF
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knownow
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 02:06 pm:   

cheers James..look forward to hearing them meself soon!
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jerkwater johnson
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 10:51 pm:   

Hey guys. I should have the album by the end of the day. I'll let you know what I think. I am one of people not impressed by Here Comes the City, but I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of it.

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