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- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
Wishing Well is available on iTunes right now! Go check it out!
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
A review with pictures of BM's recent show in Nashville:
http://livemusicphotography.info/2008/0 … /#more-111
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
More tour dates for Blind Melon!
May 12 2008 Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Paladium
May 14 2008 Des Moines, Iowa @ People's Court
May 15 2008 Chicago, Illinois @ The Metro
May 18 2008 Maryland Heights, Missouri @ PointFest
May 20 2008 Columbus, Ohio @ Newport Music Hall
May 22 2008 Flint, Michigan @ The Machine Shop
Jun 26 2008 Stamford, Connecticut @ Alive At Five
If these were July instead of May, I'd hit up Columbus, but none of these are close enough for a school year trek. I'll just keep hoping they play Buffalo or Rochestor in the summer. I know, I'm a dreamer.
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
Sorry to keep bumping this thread, but I thought I'd let you know that some final mastered, album version songs are available at http://www.adrenalinemusicgroup.com/Art … Melon.html . Including Father Time, which has never been heard before.
Re: Blind Melon
Thanks man.
By the way, I never said anything after I went to see the show a couple weeks ago.
The guy has some pipes. He sounded good on the Shannon songs but he has a bit of a rasp to his voice that Shannon didn't that also set him apart, so he didn't sound like he was trying too hard to be Shannon. That was the biggest worry I had going in.
The show was great(given, sounding good at a live show and sounding good on the songs you've written are two completely different things). All that said, before seeing the show I wasn't sure whether or not I'd buy the album, now I'll be picking it up when it comes out for sure.
Really my only complaint is that I really think they realize that a lot of the people coming to their shows at this point are big jam-band fans so they think they need to jam for a while a couple times... and instead of seeming like a good jam, it just seemed to drag on. Given, maybe if I was stoned it wouldn't have mattered as much though.
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
The video for Wishing Well has been released!
http://www.amgstreams.com/blindmelon/vi … dMelon.wmv
Although clearly it was cheaply made by a band that isn't corporate whores anymore (Travis' mouth and playing don't really match the audio) it shows a lot fo the fan excitement and live environment that people might have forgotten. BM is a rock band that gets people pumped up live. Cool to see any footage of them inf ront of the crowd. And great to see Nel Hoon hugging Travis- and I think Nico is the girl with the fingers in her ears, but I'm not positive.
Apparently these guys were on a radio station where they in-studio performance Wishing Well and Change. I'll try to dig up a boot tomorrow.
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Blind Melon
I'm gonna post my review track-by-track on my initial impressions. Most of these songs have been available in demo form for almost a year.
1. For My Friends - Good track, one of the first three the band released in late 2006. It's nothing amazing, but it was thrillling back in 06, just hearing a singer with a voice comparable to Shannon's was awesome. A good song to introduce Travis, and a good chocie to start the album with if you've heard nothing from new BM.
2. With the Right Set of Eyes - I like this track a lot. One of my favorites. A rocker that has a darker tone some of the time - as close to a 'Toes Across the Floor' feel as they get. More upbeat though.
3. Wishing Well - The obvious choice for lead single. It's upbeat, showcases Travis' voice and has very good guitar and bass work from Rog and Brad (nice harmony singing from Brad too).
4. Sometimes - Some BM forum goers love this track, but I don't really care for it. Credit to the band though for going outside their traditional sound.
5. Tumblin Down - At first I didn't like this - the music is too happy and the lyrics are kinda lame - but the vocal melodies and Rog's solo makes it a solid, album-worthy track. Just needs some time to sink in.
6. Down on the Pharmacy - A rocker like Wishing Well or Right Set of Eyes, it's very good and Travis' vocals are near perfection. Another good solo from Rog.
7. Make a Difference - Another track that was first released in 06, this is a solid BM tune but I don't like Travis' vocals on it. But it is one of the few times that his voice is different and surprising on the album, so that's admirable. I prefer the 06 demo overall though.
8. Harmful Belly - The 3rd track released in 06, its very good, was a favorite of mine for a while but it doesn't pack the same punch after all this time. I like the lyrics and mood change int he middle though and it's probably one of the best tracks on here. Travis wrote the majority of it which is also cool.
9. Last Laugh - The only track that is clearly about Shannon - the music doesn't fit as well as I wished it would but it's a good enough song. It seems like the guys in the band are too happy and light-hearted to find that darker side that came out in Soup and Brad's solo Abandon Jalopy album. This album needs a hint of sadness that could've come in this song, or Right Set of Eyes.
10. Hypnotize - One of my favorites. Top 2-3 tracks on the album.
11. Father Time - The only track that didn't get leaked until about a week before release - it's good, maybe great, but by this time in the album you're so used to the sound that it's not as effective as it is if you play it alone without listening to anything else on the album. Guitar work is a highlight.
12. So High - Not one of the best tracks but there's some nice instrumental stuff going on. Band chemistry makes this song work, and it could clearly be killer live.
13. Cheetum Street - Amazing. Stunning. A great album-closer and a song that on its own legitimizes the re-union. The emotion in it is classic BM, aged - I don't quite know how to describe it but it's beautiful. Travis' mom sings back-up.
The biggest flaw here is a poor range of style. The band has great chemistry, and you can tell they're having fun, but more than impress you it makes you say 'Good for them'. There needed to be a darker, or sadder track and a little more vocal variation from Travis. Rog does a great great job on the guitar work and for him this could be tops of the BM catalogue. Glen is Glen, just as good now as then and a distinguishing element. Brad and Chris hold their own as well. But - every song is vocals, guitar, bass, drums, maybe piano. Needs more variation. Some of old BM's brilliant moments came from kazoos, strings, an overall odd assortment of sound, and of course the mandolin.
13 very good songs, but as an album it's doesn't quite have the depth or ups and downs to make it great. And the energy of a live BM show isn't quite captured on the tape. I still like live versions of these songs more. And of course it isn't going to be as moving as the Self-Titled or Soup was, 40 year olds don't do that the way 20 year olds do.
Congrats, BM, and keep touring! Can't wait to see what direction they move in next.
