Red Mosquito

I like the eclectic vibe of "Shangri La" but at least half the songs just don't do it for me. It's pretty easily their low point for me, not counting the self-titled (which I've never heard).

Kevin Davis wrote:I like the eclectic vibe of "Shangri La" but at least half the songs just don't do it for me. It's pretty easily their low point for me, not counting the self-titled (which I've never heard).

I have a much greater appreciation for this album than I originally had. It really grew on me to the point that I vastly prefer it to Core, No.4, and S/T. There really are some great songs here if you spend some time with them and get to know them.

Songs I really like:
Wonderful
Regeneration
Hello It's Late
Transmissions From a Lonely Room
A Song For Sleeping
Too Cool Queenie

Songs I enjoy:
Bi-Polar Bear
Days Of The Week
Coma
Black Again

Songs I don't like:
Dumb Love
Hollywood Bitch
Long Way Home

Shangri was my favourite as a kid.

Days of the Week
Black Again
Hello It's Late
Too Cool Queenie (dreadful lyrics, but catchy as hell)
Bi-Polar Bear (average song, redeemed by lovely guitar playing)
Transmissions From a Lonely Room

I really like all of those. I don't hate any of the rest (though some I would rank as my least favorite STP tracks) -- it just doesn't hit that sweet spot, y'know?

For what it's worth I've had the album since its release date so I've definitely given it its fair chance.

PHATJ wrote: Songs I don't like:
Dumb Love
Hollywood Bitch
Long Way Home

I think all three of these are great!

I could quite easily see Shangri-La moving to the top of my list after further listens, I'm really only ranking it lower at the moment out of caution as it's a relatively recent discovery for me. The general aesthetic of the record is more in line with my tastes than any of their others, I think.

Kevin Davis wrote:Days of the Week
Black Again
Hello It's Late
Too Cool Queenie (dreadful lyrics, but catchy as hell)
Bi-Polar Bear (average song, redeemed by lovely guitar playing)
Transmissions From a Lonely Room

I really like all of those. I don't hate any of the rest (though some I would rank as my least favorite STP tracks) -- it just doesn't hit that sweet spot, y'know?

For what it's worth I've had the album since its release date so I've definitely given it its fair chance.

I totally agree with those points. My feelings for No.4 are about the same as yours for Shangri-La. I really like some songs and the rest is just a miss for me.

Birds in Hell wrote:

PHATJ wrote: Songs I don't like:
Dumb Love
Hollywood Bitch
Long Way Home

I think all three of these are great!

I could quite easily see Shangri-La moving to the top of my list after further listens, I'm really only ranking it lower at the moment out of caution as it's a relatively recent discovery for me. The general aesthetic of the record is more in line with my tastes than any of their others, I think.

I love the appreciation for Shangri-La in this thread.

Wonderful and Hello, its late are masterpieces. They are really good.

VinylGuy wrote:Wonderful and Hello, its late are masterpieces. They are really good.

Totally agree. What are your thoughts on A Song For Sleeping and Transmissions From A Lonely Room?

"Black Again" is beautiful. So so beautiful. That brief wordless backing vocal melody (blended with lead guitar) towards the end of each chorus (and then it returns as a mantra later) just kills me. It's kind of like "Black", but a lot more melodic (and therefore effective). Could the title of the song be a reference to this? Hmmmmm...

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:"Black Again" is beautiful. So so beautiful. That brief wordless backing vocal melody (blended with lead guitar) towards the end of each chorus (and then it returns as a mantra later) just kills me. It's kind of like "Black", but a lot more melodic (and therefore effective). Could the title of the song be a reference to this? Hmmmmm...

Its about depression. And it really nails it. To live with someone who is depressed and not knowing what to do.
Its a really beautiful and painful song to hear.

Huge fan of Black Again over here too, one of the band's best songs.

Whenever I think of that song my mind always goes to the lyric, "Think of me as a ship that might hold you." It's one of those lines like "I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good" that just exudes good vibes without being overly saccharine about it (which in my opinion is a failing of several of the other songs on the album).

Shangri-La is just so good. I keep coming back to it. If Glide had some how made it onto this, it would've been my second favorite STP album.

Regeneration is such a fucking awesome song. The verses groove so well. And I can't figure out why, but I even love the chorus too. The way the second verse comes crunching in after the first chorus... It just hits my sweet spot. Can't. Stop. Listening.

"Fast As I Can" (from the S/T album) is a song that I don't really understand the reason that I quite like it, but I do. The chorus really works (for me) for some reason. It's one of my favorites from that album.

I have to thank all of you for bringing up Shangri La Dee Da. Went back and listened to it three times over the last two days after not paying attention to it for years. I found myself enjoying a significant chunk of this album. Black Again, Coma, and Hello It's Late in particular have jumped out for me.

Stardog Champion wrote:I have to thank all of you for bringing up Shangri La Dee Da. Went back and listened to it three times over the last two days after not paying attention to it for years. I found myself enjoying a significant chunk of this album. Black Again, Coma, and Hello It's Late in particular have jumped out for me.

That's awesome!

I'm starting to really "get it" with Bi-Polar Bear, and I'm falling in love.

PHATJ wrote:I'm starting to really "get it" with Bi-Polar Bear, and I'm falling in love.

PHATJ wrote:Regeneration is such a fucking awesome song. The verses groove so well. And I can't figure out why, but I even love the chorus too. The way the second verse comes crunching in after the first chorus... It just hits my sweet spot. Can't. Stop. Listening.

always loved both of these.