Red Mosquito

I do like (and I realize that few others will agree) the opening lines of Life Wasted. "You're always saying that there's something wrong. I'm starting to believe that's your plan all along." It feels like both a great summation of the American politics (or at least the way they were being experienced by the public) of the first 5 years of the 21st century, and a much better self-critique than Off He Goes manages to offer. It reminds me of Bono opening Achtung Baby with "I'm ready for the laughing gas." Just a quick little acknowledgement of the absurdity of both the singer's constant personal dramatics and the world that exists around him.

Sadly, the follow-up line and almost all the phrasing on the chorus is fucking awful. And as opening lines go, it would have been much better for opening an upbeat record than for one that just wraps itself in everything that it feels is wrong.

Oh, and I never figured why they stuck to a key that leaves Ed sounding like a yelping little puppy on the high parts of what is already a stupid chorus.

The follow up line may work better (the death stuff) if you think of it as an anti-war sentiment, rather than maudlin suicidal stuff.

The 'I see the home inside your head, all locked doors and unmade beds' lyric that follows is terrific.

McParadigm wrote:
Oh, and I never figured why they stuck to a key that leaves Ed sounding like a yelping little puppy on the high parts of what is already a stupid chorus.

Because Stone feels that "higher key" is generally better according to one of the interviews they did.

I think mostly what annoys me about the follow-up is...

"Death came around. Okay. That works. It gets the song straight into the idea of being reminded of your own mortality."

"Then blah blah I don't know what, and later on I'll say 'Know tomorrow can't be depended on.' I like that. It'll reenforce the feeling that loss evokes. And it probably makes me sound super smart. But...what do I put in the middle to bridge these two thoughts?"


"It's like, death forces something on you, man. I don't know. But how can I show that? What can be forced on a person, that also rhymes with 'on?' Ah, fuck this fucking thing. I should just quit. This song is getting way too...this....song....."

"BY JOVE I'VE GOT IT"

Mine wrote:

McParadigm wrote:
Oh, and I never figured why they stuck to a key that leaves Ed sounding like a yelping little puppy on the high parts of what is already a stupid chorus.

Because Stone feels that "higher key" is generally better according to one of the interviews they did.

because it's meant to, for better or worse, was the taste of riot act out of people's mouths.

I escaped it...

McParadigm wrote:I do like (and I realize that few others will agree) the opening lines of Life Wasted. "You're always saying that there's something wrong. I'm starting to believe that's your plan all along." It feels like both a great summation of the American politics (or at least the way they were being experienced by the public) of the first 5 years of the 21st century, and a much better self-critique than Off He Goes manages to offer. It reminds me of Bono opening Achtung Baby with "I'm ready for the laughing gas." Just a quick little acknowledgement of the absurdity of both the singer's constant personal dramatics and the world that exists around him

I can't think of a clunkier, clumsier way of wording that sentiment.

"You're always saying that there's something wrong.
I'm starting to believe it's your plan all along."

It feels... so... stilted.

I have to admit, the overwhelming majority of work that I do like from the band post-Riot Act, I like in spite of the lyrics; rarely do they improve a song for me. I can't disagree with the lyrical problems about Life Wasted but I find myself liking it nonetheless.

stip wrote:

Mine wrote:

McParadigm wrote:
Oh, and I never figured why they stuck to a key that leaves Ed sounding like a yelping little puppy on the high parts of what is already a stupid chorus.

Because Stone feels that "higher key" is generally better according to one of the interviews they did.

because it's meant to, for better or worse, was the taste of riot act out of people's mouths.

This was in one of the video interviews they did for LB. Horrible excuse btw. It implies mediocrity. They're supposed to be able to achieve this in a number of other ways beside this.
I don't think it's what it is though. It's a matter of taste. Even the way his vocals are mixed (compared to Ed's recent solo recordings) implies they're trying to get him to sound as close as possible to hard rock/hair metal heavy on high pitched head voice like vocalists. Not that this is how the vocals are but they seem processed like those kind of vocals would be. Why would you edit out all the deep/low part of the voice of a singer known for exactly that? It's actually interesting to compare "same era" solo and PJ Ed vocals. There's a clear intention to make him sound in a certain way.

I don't think Ed has had much, if any resonance in his voice in studio since Riot Act. It's all treble now. Partly I think this is the result of the wear and tear of age and a loss of power, which is to be expected, but it does seem like it's purposeful.

digster wrote:I don't think Ed has had much, if any resonance in his voice in studio since Riot Act. It's all treble now. Partly I think this is the result of the wear and tear of age and a loss of power, which is to be expected, but it does seem like it's purposeful.

this would be a good argument if it wasn't for the solo records that sound much much different.

I'm including the solo records in that statement. There's still a very surface-only approach to Ed's vocals. It's not without exception, but it's absolutely there. On some of the uke record, it was very apparent because the songs were relatively unadorned.

theplatypus wrote:

McParadigm wrote:I do like (and I realize that few others will agree) the opening lines of Life Wasted. "You're always saying that there's something wrong. I'm starting to believe that's your plan all along." It feels like both a great summation of the American politics (or at least the way they were being experienced by the public) of the first 5 years of the 21st century, and a much better self-critique than Off He Goes manages to offer. It reminds me of Bono opening Achtung Baby with "I'm ready for the laughing gas." Just a quick little acknowledgement of the absurdity of both the singer's constant personal dramatics and the world that exists around him

I can't think of a clunkier, clumsier way of wording that sentiment.

"You're always saying that there's something wrong.
I'm starting to believe it's your plan all along."

It feels... so... stilted.

It sounds like the perfect description of certain RMers.

digster wrote:I'm including the solo records in that statement. There's still a very surface-only approach to Ed's vocals. On some of the uke record, it was very apparent because the songs were relatively unadorned.

Even assuming this is true, cutting out what is left of it makes even less sense.

Never understood why Life Wasted isn't more loved here. Classic PJ to my ears.

Because it's painful to listen to?

*awful

That too.

you are painful to listen to

I wasn't just stating an opinion. The compression on Self Titled is so extreme it's literally painful to many human's ears.