Song of the Moment: Down

[Ms Harmless]

a great song that feels to me like a perfect rainy Seattle day

[dad]

The first time I heard this I thought of Down.

[TremorJam]

I'm not really into the whole "retracking" thing but I don't necessarily get the sense that "Down" feels out of place with the other "Riot Act" material; I think "Riot Act" is one of those albums that works on a sort of "harmony of difference" principle where musically everything belongs because nothing does, with the unifying threads being the consistent headspace and general tone of the songwriting, as well as the live feel of the production (it's not a perfect comparison but "Riot Act" makes me think of "Exile on Main Street" in that regardless of how the songs actually sound, every one of them is shot through with that unmistakable feel of those five guys playing together in that space at that time). "Down" would be a lower-tier song on the album, and there are many live performances that are superior to the studio take, but I like the song a lot and am rarely unhappy to hear it -- it has a kind of breezy, almost alt-country-like twang that to my ears is unique in their catalog, and in an accomplishment that they'd struggle to repeat in later years, it manages to feel lightweight without seeming trite.

I love "Riot Act" so much. I think I'm going to listen to it or one of the '03 boots today.

Kevin Davis gets it.

I had the Australian single back in the day, so I was listening to Down and Undone before the rest of the album. I adore & agree with the Exile comparison. I hadn't thought of that, but I'd always put RA in with Physical Graffiti. So, now RA is in company with my favorite Stones and Zeppelin albums. Thanks.

[washing machine]

I don't need Down on Riot Act, but it's one of my favorite tracks from that era. The music reminds me a lot of early spring and open roads. It actually would have sounded great on the Yield tour for that reason.

I had the song playing a ton on an epic two day charity ride to Austin I did a lifetime ago. Thematically it kept me going when a lot of stuff I was riding away from was slowing me down. Probably would have been a better b-side for Save You rather than I Am Mine for some of those same thematic things.

[McParadigm]

I don't need Down on Riot Act, but it's one of my favorite tracks from that era. The music reminds me a lot of early spring and open roads. It actually would have sounded great on the Yield tour for that reason.