Red Mosquito

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

And the fucking Yeah Yeah's near the end of the song are absolutely brutal. I face palmed and cringed hearing them.

And it's crazy because of how much I like the rest of the music. Like it alot actually. The solo in particular gave me chills with the vocal harmony going on with it. It's great.

I've never been so conflicted on a PJ song. Love some parts and hate others.

Ed really shat on this song in my opinion , no way around it for me

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

So, ultimately, this song is strangely "light" and not what anyone was expecting. I knew that was going to happen. It could've been a really cool, dark, heavy song. But that's not what this band is now. So, well, I could either say it's not what I wanted (based on a shitty soundcheck recording), so it sucks, or I could say that it's still cool and has a lot going for it, so my expectations don't matter and I'll just wear this until I decide it fits perfectly or is too loud to be seen in public with. At the moment it fits fine.

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

I'm also not sure how "less judgmental" equates to more mature. Because, you know, I'll feel angry and judgmental of the right things for as long as I live.

This is the most radio-ready song on the album, even moreso than "Sirens". It even sounds like it's mastered louder.

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

Yeah that, I wish I was even slightly articulate lol.

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

well the cloying descriptor you just added. You're responding to an argument I didn't make. Though this wasn't the comment my post was responding to, Stupidmop's 'everything will be ok, weeee' strikes me as a fairly common summation of the objection to this chorus. The 'they didn't go as dark as I wanted them to' critique has popped up quite a bit, and the record keeps veering away from that in most of the potentially angry or politically oriented songs. My point is that I think this is deliberate, in terms of where some of the songs seem to be going, lyrically and thematically.

harmless wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

I'm also not sure how "less judgmental" equates to more mature. Because, you know, I'll feel angry and judgmental of the right things for as long as I live.

I think the entertainment weekly review actually said something interesting to this effect that I pretty much agree with

human life itself seems to be ''tempting fate'' on the album's knotty, lovely centerpiece, ''Infallible.'' That song is what every heal-the-world rock anthem should want to be when it grows up: profound enough not to pretend there's a solution — or that life doesn't go on

That's not to say you don't stop fighting, but I do think that a certain element of, lets say political maturity, if nothing else, involves both making your peace with what you can't change right now and accepting the limitations of what you have to work with. A lot of these songs seem to do just that, especially when you factor in the fact that in important ways so many of these songs seem to be about himself.

Considering so many of the new songs seem to refuse to return to their darker intros / first verses (like MYM), I'm really glad this one does. And after a great final chorus, where Ed's shit is on hot fire.

actually MYM does at the end. it's playing under the outro, just sped up. Someone pointed that out (I don't recall who) and it made me love the ending even more, since the lack of return was annoying me

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:I like that the vocal melodies tend to go in a less dark direction. It makes the record less judgmental, and oddly more mature, I think

hardly. that's the whole point, and fits in with what seems to be some of the major lyrical themes

All I meant is that I think associating what some people have found to be, for lack of a better term, cloying melodies with maturity seems like kind of a stretch. I don't think less "happy", or just less obvious, melodies are somehow immature or pretentious or whatever else. Good, appropriate melodies are good and appropriate, regardless of whether they're dark or light.

well the cloying descriptor you just added. You're responding to an argument I didn't make. Though this wasn't the comment my post was responding to, Stupidmop's 'everything will be ok, weeee' strikes me as a fairly common summation of the objection to this chorus. The 'they didn't go as dark as I wanted them to' critique has popped up quite a bit, and the record keeps veering away from that in most of the potentially angry or politically oriented songs. My point is that I think this is deliberate, in terms of where some of the songs seem to be going, lyrically and thematically.

Them doing it deliberately doesnt change the fact that I dont like how it sounds.
My original post was a mess, but I did say I wouldnt care what he was singing if I found the melody to be interesting. This sounds like a stock 'uplifting' pop melody that could come from any number of uninspired radio songs. And I dont dislike it just because I think its going for uplifting, but because it does it in a completely uninteresting manner, imo.

stip wrote:actually MYM does at the end. it's playing under the outro, just sped up. Someone pointed that out (I don't recall who) and it made me love the ending even more, since the lack of return was annoying me

Ah yes, I knew that (it might've been me that noticed it, but not sure about the first time). Don't mind me. But still... I'm glad that the song returns to verse 1. That's the lasting impression you get.

Man if I had read that entertainment weekly review beforehand I would have known what to expect. Heal the world rock anthem seems like a fairly good description of this song, and is suitably shudder inducing.

stupidmop wrote:Man if I had read that entertainment weekly review beforehand I would have known what to expect. Heal the world rock anthem seems like a fairly good description of this song, and is suitably shudder inducing.

I would love to hear someone with a great grasp of vocals to review this performance.

I am torn: in one sense, it is the anti-sirens in that Ed doesnt restrain himself - it is the restrain as STIP discussed on the homepage that was perfect for that song. With INFALLIBLE - there is no restraint in the chorus. He really reached some high notes - but does he HIT those notes?

This song overall is quite cool. Its like YOU ARE with an anthemetic chorus. But what about this vocal performance... I know some hate it but how was it techincally speaking?

My affection for U2 has really become an asset for my pj fandom.

Release_me has promised a vocal review. And harmless promised drums. Someone will need to do woodblock

stip wrote:My affection for U2 has really become an asset for my pj fandom.

Really explains a lot