A Mark In Time
Previous Albums => Tracker (2015) => Topic started by: Dutchessy on March 10, 2015, 08:34:42 PM
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I got the idea of opening a topic for AMIT reviews only!
So, IF you have listened to the album.... Post your opinions and album reviews here! :clap (instead of getting lost in the large Tracker topic :lol)
Rollllll on Friday (or maybe Thursday)! :D
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Ups, I have posted elsewhere, so here it goes my thoughts about the album.
Likes:
- River towns
- Skydiver (so Beatlenesque, but I think some italian pals will see some reminescences of Cesare Cremonini, non è vero?)
- Broken bones (though I sense that is a rework of Early bird)
- Long cool girl
- Lights of Taormina
- Silver eagle
- Wherever I go
But no one stands out for me.
Dislikes:
- Beryl ("lemme get the SoS solo and make a simpler song")
- Mighty man (may work with the Chieftains...)
- Basil (almost fited KTGC, almost fited GL. Ended up here)
I enjoyed a lot of songs, but I think no track from Tracker would be in a solo career personal greatest hits...
Despite this, there's more guitar licks than I expected. On the other way, too much saxophone in the first half of the record.
His voice improved, imho.
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I liked everything except:
- Mighty Man: MK already released this song, but with another lyrics, "The Fish and the Bird"
- Broken Bones: Too repetitive to me
- Long Cool Girl: I suppose this one has to grown on me, but it didn't says much for me
I think that from track 1 to 4 they are great, Skydiver is very funny to me!
Taormina and Silver Eagle are lovely.
About Silver Eagle, it sounds like the last song of the record, I guess that´s why MK put "Beryl" just next, because the record needed something to put the level high again, for the other song to end the record... Wherever I go.
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I've missed all this :smack. Is there a link where you can still hear it?
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As Julio said, Terminal Tribute To is a "Zasentoalaboca" to the straits thing. INMHO
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The album is a pretty weak effort, can't believe I'm saying that. He REALLY needs a producer/editor too many songs wander and meander for far too long and there's a definite lack of focus here.
He seems to have lost his sense of melody. Hopefully it grows on me but I'm doubting it.
4/10.
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As Julio said, Terminal Tribute To is a "Zasentoalaboca" to the straits thing. INMHO
"Zasentoalaboca" in English would be something like "Slap on your face"
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Following Mark's logic, it then should sound VERY Straits alike... ;D (not that I would care about)
LE
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Some clear favourites by now, not so many as one would think:
River Towns
Broken Bones
Long Cool Girl
Silver Eagle
I can understand that the monotony of some of these tracks might be a problem for some people but it is a concept that has some validity, again JJ Cale and Bob Dylan used that a lot, I like it more than the too well known song structures from recent solo albums.
Lyrics are partially great and need more comprehension from my side. Many words, vocabulary and references that I still don't understand, especially on Basil. Looking forward to that work!
Laughs & Smokes And Drinks & Jokes is overall done nicely but sounds to much like Shot Of Glory. Might grow on me.
Basil does not exactly sound like I expected it or better like I wished it to sound, seems I have to get used to it.
Skydiver is absolutely not my cup of tea and is a skipper for me. Annoying start, annoying drums, annoying song.
Mighty Man and The Lights Of Taormina have potential to grow on me.
I agree that this album misses some kind of climax, let's say it sounds like STP without Speedway At Nazareth. But sounds, drums, rhythms and vocals are all great done and sound fresh and sometimes new. I hope for the bonus songs to make it a more complete album feel. I couldn't imagine to listen to Privateering without Occupation Blues and Follow The Ribbon for example. So lots of other new stuff to come up.
The idea of thinking of friends and people around where you want to run to with a new album and play them the new songs - maybe you know it? This time, my feeling is more like I love it, but I know this person will not like that and that person will not like this because of etc . etc..
And not too much live potential I am afraid to say. He played TLWNF and Fish and The Bird in 2008 so it seems he has other categories, but I have no song on Tracker where i think, wow, this one will be great live. Maybe that will change.
LE
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My thoughts:
As i pointed out before i'm totally in love with this album. (I was also a fan of Get Lucky / and i love the RPD Album)
I understand those of you who are missing speed and long guitar soloing, because they won't find these elements in there.
But i definitely love the harmonies and the moods that are delivered. Its like drifting in time and in space. The concentration on scenerys of his life, the drifting back in time is something that is very valueable and is a deep approach to his personality. It's the most honest innerview in his soul and his thoughts and therefore alone this album has a special place for me.
But i like it also guitarwise. Instead of long soloing, there are many good and sensitive guitar lick, many on them on the slide guitar. The guitar tones are clear like crystal. The fiddles and flutes are reduced, but when they play a part they begin to shine. The Mix of the album is superb. It's the perfect album for dreamining, it's a very good album to sing along with.
Songs:
1.) Laughs ans Jokes and Drinks and Smokes: The perfect album start: The moment of the beginning of his artistry is described. His start in London aligned with some girls and love stories. And of course the decisive moment why we can talk about this album (devotion and complaints) I love the Brubeck allusion.
2.) Basil: The meeting of the young and the old. The mirror in his youth to see where he ist now, but of course the youth can't see everything. My favourite line: What he wouldn’t give just to walk out today / To have time to think about time/ And young love thrown away. And how beautiful is this song musical wise. Very good harmonies. So touching. It's like a movie with all the little musical effects that atart rolling in (Guitars and keyboards). Marks singing is superb. And the Gibson! I like also the backgroundsinging. Moody at the right place, when he is singing about kissing girls. Man, what can i say! It's evolving like a real masterpiece. Oh! And the last guitar solo, please. This sound is superb!
3.) River Towns: At first listening not very impressed (because Basil was that good) but it was a grower and now i like it very much. Nigel Hitchcock at his best. Such a beautiful sound. About the lyrics i've to think about. Striked by this lines: So I get the bottle open / But something’s hit a nerve /And I’m looking in the mirror / At the face that I deserve. Very touched by the mood of the refrain. Small fill ins with the Fender (?). Dreaming... It's so pure!
4.) Skydiver: One of my favourites, although i don't like the change from the intro into the song. I liked the slide guitar so much in the intro! It's missing in the verses. But i like the Beatles allusion, rhythm and harmony wise. Makes sense with the Beatles-Equipement in his studio! Love the very long Skyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyydiver in the refrain! Love the contrast of a happy feeling song with a rather tragical lyric.
Favourite Line: And when it’s gone, all gone / I’ll stand on a hilltop and sing / I go where I want, I do what I want /And I don’t give a damn about a thing
5.) Mighty Man: was for me the weakest song, BUT with a killer intro. I Think it's a grower! Love the voice and the echo-effects! Love how he sings: It’s a lifetime of digging trenches. Have to think about it!
6.) Broken Bones: I see us clapping at the life concert, fellows!!!! Could be fun, if we have enough power. It's for me the perfect JJ Cale sound. Would be nice on the EC-Tribute Album, if it had been a Cale song. But it's Mark style. So we have a tribute to Brubeck, the BEatles, to JJ Cale and i like it also that he links the styles of his influences together with his journey in the past. I like the Wah Wah (reminds me on EC) and the rhythm guitar!
7.) Long, cool girl: A good love song! Like the drifting mood and rhythm. the pronouncation of "Me and you we’re 3 and 2 / Something’s gonna happen now, it has to / Me and you we’re 3 and 2 / Something’s gonna happen now, it has to reminds me on DS time (a bit slower, must smile). Like the slide guitar licks (specially at the outro! and the Mhm! Mhm part. Live this could be really interesting!)
8.) Lights of Taormina: i'm an Italy fan, so i have to love it! It captures the mood when you are in Italy, when you have time and you start think about your life. I'm immediately into this mood. Love the melting of "He came, he saw, he conquered /Ten thousand voices roared in the arena". The Ancient Times with modern concert scenarios (is it Bob Dylan? Is it Mk?) LOve that thought!
9.) Silver Eagle: Knowing that it is Bob Dylans bus gives the song just another dimension. But i love the thought of restless touring, thinking of the loves of the past, being in their hometown and they don't even know it. It's so sad! Missed opportunities! Everyone of us has these eyperiences, i suppose. Love the harmonies. Goosebumps - although there is nothing! No solo, no anything. It's a mistery to me!
10.) Beryl: A very good song. UPbeat, Yeah! The lyrics are a bit poor. The sound is awesome! DS tribute (But Sultans?- No, that is another dimension!) Like the pointing on female disadvantages in our society!
11.) Wherever i go: The perfect closer for this album: I love the musical building up of this song. The surrection of the universe, the quiet short drum parts under the keyboard layer. One topic of the album is certainly love...
It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
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Thanks a lot, great review, worth reading more than one time. :thumbsup
The Sax on River Towns seems to imitate horns, that's what so great about it. Sounds original, fresh, new, not the 80's touch I feared. A MK solo directly after that would really been great, I am not moaning for solos normally, but there I miss it.
You quoted exactly the same lyric lines that struck me, too!
LE
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I like your review also very much! It's an interesting read! Have to understand the lyrics also better. Looking forward to this process as well. Looking forward to what will happen live and to the bonus tracks.
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My review is harsh I guess. The album is generally rubbish for me, inline with KTTG. I plan on only keeping a few tracks on the iPod, others will be deleted as never need to hear them again. Hopefully one or two of the additional tracks will be gems.
Laughs and Drinks and Smokes Outro is too long for me, with not much happening in it. 6/10
Basil This is a real song unlike many on this cd. However for the general public I don't think they would like it. 7/10
Rivertowns The saxophone sounds out of place for me and annoying though. The ending goes on for about 2 minutes too long with not much happening at all, seemed a bit of a pointless outro. Will keep this for some further listening to see if I like it or not - can't make up my mind. 5/10
Skydiver Will delete from the ipod this one. The track has nothing, kinda annoying melody. 2/10. Will delete from ipod.
Mighty Man Intro - got goosebumps. The only thing I listened this song 5 times and don't remember any of the melody as there seems to be none. 5/10. Will keep for the moment.
Broken Bones Jeez, terrible song and annoying rhythm guitar . 1/10 Will delete.
Long Cool Girl Terrible song, will delete. 2/10
Lights of Taormina Good song. Shines on the album because the rest of the tracks are very poor. It's a good song, not a great one. 7/10
Silver Eagle No melody really in the song. 4/10
Beryl Love it 8/10
Wherever I go I hated this song previously, it has grown on me somewhat. 6/10.
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Yes pretty harsh but why not. I can't help and no offence meant but it seems iPod is the keyword here. This album needs some time sure enough.
LE
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Yes pretty harsh but why not. I can't help and no offence meant but it seems iPod is the keyword here. This album needs some time sure enough.
LE
:lol
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
Everybody is entitled to have an opinion, and it can be positive or negative.
And there is freedom of speech, and freedom of opinion.
There is also another freedom, if you can't stand with other people using his freedom of speech and opinion, you can leave and stop suffering.
I respect all opinions, good and bad.
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I respect your opinion, but this is a form of art to which we are fans. And art should be allowed to both celebrate and criticize.
Just out of curiosity. Have you ever complained about the food at a restaurant? Or any service related matter? I take it that you never had thought something bad about what another person has put work into?
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It has nothing to do with that. I'm not saying you cannot criticize someone's work. That's pefectly fine. It's about the contradiction that you describe a song as poor and terrible, when you're on a fan forum. I don't get that. But that'll be my fault. For now I will keep silent on this subject, say what you want to say. I think it's a very nice album.
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Everybody can express the opinions. Freedom of speech not belong to anyone or anyside. We should remember, reviews can be positive or negative.
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Of course, Holaknopfler, can express his opinion as well, i suppose :think
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Freedom of speech and opinion may never put aside. And everybody can have his/her opinion. I'm not saying that someone can't.
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Usually Mark’s songs are “growers” but with this album most of them are immediate hits with me. I don’t really think that’s necessarily a bad thing. My immediate favourites were:
Laughs
Skydiver
Taormina
and after a few listens Basil has really grown on me. Now I recognise that particular song for what it could well be - a future classic. This song is brilliant and the fade out comes too soon paving the way for great live potential on the blue Pensa? Nice play-out on Laughs too.
Long Cool Girl doesn’t do anything for me as is seems pretty simple lyrically and I’m not fond of the way the acoustic and slide blend with each other at the end; I’d rather have one dominate the other more if you know what I mean. It kind of frustrates me!
Mighty Man is just slow and boring.
His best album for a while now IMO and not really any really weak tracks. The two previously released songs are perhaps the weakest of all though. It appears to me to be a bit of a departure and change of direction in that there is so far only one song using the Mc’s and that can only be a good thing. Whether you enjoy them or not, they have been overused in Mark’s music for many years now. It happens that one of my favourite songs is the one with their accompaniment! We’ll see how things develop and once the initial excitement wanes this review will be redundant and I’ll hate every single one of them as usual!
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
I can't normally be your favourite contributor then! ;)
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
I can't normally be your favourite contributor then! ;)
Well you're one of my favorites, you always are polite, at least the things I've read. That's something I have to work on too sometimes, I know it. :)
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
I can't normally be your favourite contributor then! ;)
Well you're one of my favorites, you always are polite, at least the things I've read. That's something I have to work on too sometimes, I know it. :)
Thank-you. We're all "working on it!" ;)
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Beryl, Laughs-, Basil, Lights of Taormia, Skydiver, Rivertowns are very good songs. Especially Basil is a masterpiece imho. The rest of the songs too light for MK's caliber. Can't wait to hear other 7 songs :P
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I have to say that the humain brain & heart are somehow mysterious (at least for mine).
When I first listened to the Get Lucky album, my brain aand my heart told me that "So Far From the Cylde" was my favourite song from the album.
Then, I realized that the song I had always playing in my head was not this one, but "Piper to the End". And I realized that SFFTC was only second best; or even further down (Border Reiver was in between).
This lunch, to my surprise, I realized that the song playing in my head was... "Long Cool Girl". That is to say, one of the least praised here.
The ways of subconsicous events are really a mistery :) but maybe my heart and body are just telling me that "Long Cool Girl" is a hidden masterpiece...
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May I kindly inquire where you all heard the album already? :think
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May I kindly inquire where you all heard the album already? :think
:-X
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Thank you very much yontwocrows for your detailed and very insightful review.
I think you grasped the essence and the overall intention of the album.
Your post is an absolute highlight.
At the same time I want to thank everybody who posts their impressions of the first listenings here.
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I can't take any review seriously when the reviewer calls the album rubbish.
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I can't take any review seriously when the reviewer calls the album rubbish.
Yes, it's just a genuine disrespect. It's like you talk to someone and say 'You're an a$$hole, and that's why you wrong'. And then — the review.
Nobody be willing to continue any discussions after something like that.
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If you go to Amazon and check out the reviews for all of MK albums you will see that all of his albums have some 1 star reviews. RD,Sailing To Philadelphia,Shangrla all have some 1 star reviews. A review is an opinion. It is not a fact. Some people have given 1 star reviews to Dylan's Blonde on Blonde!
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I rate the album 7/10, which as I said previously is pretty weak compared to what he wrote in the past
I like several songs Laughs, Basil, Skydiver, Long Cool Girl, Taormina, Beryl
but the problem is that they are 'just' good songs, No superb song.
I do have hopes for the 7 extra songs, especially since Guy Fletcher called 'Terminal of Tribute to'
his favourite of the album. Let's see.
Same feeling here. Of course it is a MK album, so it can't sound bad. It will always be good to play on a Sunday afternoon when hosting family and friends.
BUT... on every MK album so far there was a song I fell in love with. Even on Shangri-La, which I don't like that much overall, there is "Postcards
from Paraguay" which was a killer for me; Same for Golden Heart, I was a bit disappointed, but there was the title song and Rudiger; STP and TRD had many killer songs for me; Get Lucky has Border and Piper which are masterpieces; and even the underrated (for me) KTGC had "Punish the Monkey" which most people find catachy. Here... there are songs I do like (Laughs, Basil, Long Cool Girl, Skydiver which yes is beatle-istic), but no song so far that I get obsessed with.
Mark is done, not only with long guitar solos, but also with musical complexity. I think his skills as a writer of such songs peaked with Making Movies (Tunnel of Love especially) and even more Love Over Gold (Telegraph Road mostly, probably the one song I will choose as #1 from all his career, although there are many others that come very close). The LOG album is the closest thing to a Pink Floyd album that Mark has done, on par with the mighty "Wish you were here". From Brothers in Arms onwards, Mark has focused on shorter, simpler songs. Very nice but not that complex.
The MM/LOG period is long gone, and it's too bad. Not to say I don't like the rest, I do like it a lot. But this was the cusp, at least for me.
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From Brothers in Arms onwards, Mark has focused on shorter, simpler songs. Very nice but not that complex.
The MM/LOG period is long gone, and it's too bad. Not to say I don't like the rest, I do like it a lot. But this was the cusp, at least for me.
I don't think anyone can argue with that but let's be positive. We have a new album and it should be an exciting time for us on what is a Mark Knopfler fan forum after all. No point in looking back to the early 80s because comparison is futile due to a completely new-fashioned style of music.
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From Brothers in Arms onwards, Mark has focused on shorter, simpler songs. Very nice but not that complex.
The MM/LOG period is long gone, and it's too bad. Not to say I don't like the rest, I do like it a lot. But this was the cusp, at least for me.
I don't think anyone can argue with that but let's be positive. We have a new album and it should be an exciting time for us on what is a Mark Knopfler fan forum after all. No point in looking back to the early 80s because comparison is futile due to a completely new-fashioned style of music.
Exactly, dmg, we are in full agreement! :clap ;D
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From Brothers in Arms onwards, Mark has focused on shorter, simpler songs. Very nice but not that complex.
The MM/LOG period is long gone, and it's too bad. Not to say I don't like the rest, I do like it a lot. But this was the cusp, at least for me.
I don't think anyone can argue with that but let's be positive. We have a new album and it should be an exciting time for us on what is a Mark Knopfler fan forum after all. No point in looking back to the early 80s because comparison is futile due to a completely new-fashioned style of music.
Exactly, dmg, we are in full agreement! :clap ;D
I never thought I'd hear myself say (or write) that! Hypocritical?
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LE sits on his sofa and listens to the bonus tracks right now as the nice lady at the Media Markt was so friendly to look through all the boxes and open the right one for me. So I have the Hot Dog Edition here right now playing. Whoever said all the bonus songs were rockers (came from Spain that info) has a strange meaning of "rocker".
Please give me time to listen to them and get an opinion.
I will write soon enough.
LE
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LE sits on his sofa and listens to the bonus tracks right now as the nice lady at the Media Markt was so friendly to look through all the boxes and open the right one for me. So I have the Hot Dog Edition here right now playing. Whoever said all the bonus songs were rockers (came from Spain that info) has a strange meaning of "rocker".
Please give me time to listen to them and get an opinion.
I will write soon enough.
LE
:wave :wave :wave
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.38 Special is described best as Dylanske High Water-Mississippi alike Banjo-driven bluegrass song. Short, nice, not too much impact on the first listen .
My Heart Has Never Changed is somewhere between Cal soundtrack acoustic guitar and Long Highway. Not as good as Long Highway I might add.
Terminal of Tribute To is ... interesting. Sounds VERY Fletcheresque - could be from his second album, forgot that name.. ::) Natural Sensation?
well not sensational, but a nice Gibson guitar sound. Background (Guy) very noticable. I am not getting warm with it yet.
So now, live for you ladies and gentlemen, what will bring Heart of Oak?
LE
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Heart of Oak: Kind of medieval acoustic guitar and Mark alone, nothing else. Too short to get warm with yet.
LE
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Hot Dog is 2:48 long.
I hesitate to spoil it here as it is a real surprise. Don't wish to spoil it for you. What do you think?
LE
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Hot Dog is the
only rocking song of the bonus stuff (apart from the two from the box which I do not have and know). Hot Dog is best described as another Imelda kind of song. Distorted guitar, riff, pretty much like Imelda, but even better I would say. Short, dry, cool.
LE
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
I'm entitled to an opinion just as you are. I am a diehard fan who loves MK but this album is not for me, there's just nothing in it. I have no motivation to hear the majority of the tracks live. I won't bother expressing opinion again if the response is just "send your own lyrics" or "upload your own music".
Perhaps I should say - best ever, great guitar solos, epic lyrics, wonderful melodies. Unfortunately I am not deluded, although I wish I was as I wanted a good album :-/
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Hot Dog is the
only rocking song of the bonus stuff (apart from the two from the box which I do not have and know). Hot Dog is best described as another Imelda kind of song. Distorted guitar, riff, pretty much like Imelda, but even better I would say. Short, dry, cool.
LE
Don't forget Heavy Fuel as it sounds very much like that.
Terminal Of Tribute To is simply gorgeous and should have been included on the "basic" album.Too many people will miss out not hearing this gorgeous song.
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Hot Dog is the only rocking song of the bonus stuff (apart from the two from the box which I do not have and know). Hot Dog is best described as another Imelda kind of song. Distorted guitar, riff, pretty much like Imelda, but even better I would say. Short, dry, cool.
LE
Don't forget Heavy Fuel as it sounds very much like that.
Terminal Of Tribute To is simply gorgeous and should have been included on the "basic" album.Too many people will miss out not hearing this gorgeous song.
I haven´t heard the album yet but based on the lyrics, Terminal of Tribute To has so strong lyrics which might be the reason for outruling that from the album. Similarly to Early Bird.
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Basil is very 'Get Lucky' (the album)
it's basically a mix of So far from the Clyde & Remembrance day
Both those songs are far more memorable than anything on Tracker.
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Both those songs are far more memorable than anything on Tracker.
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Agreed 100% Basil is definitely interesting though to die hard fans.
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Agreed 100% Basil is definitely interesting though to die hard fans.
True.
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Is it just me, or are a lot of people making judgements on the quality of these songs on the basis of one, maybe two, listens to the album on low grade streams. It's true that some MK songs have an immediate impact, but many others are 'growers', and get into one's bloodstream after several listens over a period of time. Next week, we'll be able to listen at at least CD quality through our hi-fi, and I suspect that may make a difference.
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Well I got my CD this afternoon and it is on heavy rotation since then and all I can say is I LOVE TRACKER!!
LE
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Is it just me or anyone else thinks that the bonus tracks are always, always better than many of the songs that ended up on On every street and all MK previous albums?
I just love.38 special, My heart has never changed, Terminal of tribute to, Hot dog and even Heart of oak.
My heart... sounded to me like Get lucky, part II. Terminal... is THE song for those who wants a proper guitar solo. Hot dog is the rocker song of the sessions, even more than Beryl.
All of these songs should be on the album!
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Well if you buy the Special Edition they ARE! ;D ;D :lol
LE
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But to be fair we are getting value for spending a bit more rather that songs that are worthless and they know full well that fans will not buy 11 songs when they can buy 15-17 .
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But to be fair we are getting value for spending a bit more rather that songs that are worthless and they know full well that fans will not buy 11 songs when they can buy 15-17 .
Yep, I would buy 100 songs if he released them at the same time. But I think is a wrong decison to the general market. I really think Hot dog and Terminal of tribute to in this album, and, let's say, Early bird, Summer of love, Let's see you, Camerado, Long highway, Gravy train, Tall order baby and What have I got to do would be catchier songs for the non die hard fans than many that were chosen for their respective albums.
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He doesn't care for his fans. Fans are suspect to him. I bet he would think that every time at every concert at the same town there are other people than the previous times before...
LE
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Is it just me, or are a lot of people making judgements on the quality of these songs on the basis of one, maybe two, listens to the album on low grade streams. It's true that some MK songs have an immediate impact, but many others are 'growers', and get into one's bloodstream after several listens over a period of time. Next week, we'll be able to listen at at least CD quality through our hi-fi, and I suspect that may make a difference.
No I have the full album. Waiting for the hi-res HDTRACKS version now.
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
That's exactly what I thought, too. Much better than any of the professional reviews. Here's someone who really listened and understood.
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
You just brought a tear in the eye of a girl who've I been eating with tonight, she said that she really loved your words. So do I. I saved it :-)
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
That's exactly what I thought, too. Much better than any of the professional reviews. Here's someone who really listened and understood.
Hey, that's why i started this topic ;D (some heavy fuel line)
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
You just brought a tear in the eye of a girl who've I been eating with tonight, she said that she really loved your words. So do I. I saved it :-)
A date? ;D ;D ;D ;)
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I dont know if Jackal is on this forum but he has written a fairly amusing review on Guys forum. He's obviously not impressed.
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It's a quiet album in a loud time full of dangers. It concentrates on love and experience of a lifetime, and is therefore also spiritual without any religious links. It's a necessary album in a world that spins way too fast. It's honest, it's pure, it touches me. It is important!
How can you read my thoughts? Joking aside, very well put and a better read than a lot of "professional" articles I've read so far. You should send your summary to guy, I'm sure they'll be glad about your impression.
You just brought a tear in the eye of a girl who've I been eating with tonight, she said that she really loved your words. So do I. I saved it :-)
A date? ;D ;D ;D ;)
Yes and she actually liked the album so I'm now dancing around;D
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I dont know if Jackal is on this forum but he has written a fairly amusing review on Guys forum. He's obviously not impressed.
"Fairly" amusing? I thought it was hilarious! Thanks for pointing me in the direction.
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I dont know if Jackal is on this forum but he has written a fairly amusing review on Guys forum. He's obviously not impressed.
"Fairly" amusing? I thought it was hilarious! Thanks for pointing me in the direction.
yeah you're right it was very funny and clever. Guy didn't rise to
it though.
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I dont know if Jackal is on this forum but he has written a fairly amusing review on Guys forum. He's obviously not impressed.
"Fairly" amusing? I thought it was hilarious! Thanks for pointing me in the direction.
yeah you're right it was very funny and clever. Guy didn't rise to
it though.
His comeback would be predictable, of course. ;D
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Wow. We know Jackal as a friendly intelligent critical man, funny, eloquent and cool. This one is well written as always and a little bit funny and VERY harsh. It seems he hasn't found anything good in Tracker.
LE
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Wow. We know Jackal as a friendly intelligent critical man, funny, eloquent and cool.
LE
Thought you'd got mixed up with me there LE! ;)
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Oh wait. .. ;D ;D :wave
LE
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Oh wait. .. ;D ;D :wave
LE
I'd settle for "cool" any day! 8)
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I was at work and couldn't react to all your kind words to my review. Thank you. I thought it was way too long, and feared that i bored you. Glad that it was acceptable.
I laughed reading Jackals review on the Fletch forum. It was a good read! Its a pretty contrast to my point of view, and i can understand everybody who shares this opinion. Isn't it funny how divergent opinions are, even in a group with the same interests and loves! I like it when art beginns to polarize, that's a good sign.
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Fair play to Guy for publishing Jackal's review. :)
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I gave the album a good listen while at work. It always takes me about 3 to 4 listens to get a feel for each song. I was underwhelmed to say the least, many slow tracks that did very little for me; nothing as obvious/catchy as say I Used to Could, Gator Blood or Corned Beef City. Privateering is my favourite MK album, so Tracker would need to be pretty special to come close.
MK has approached each album in a different way from the last (which keeps it interesting for him, and us) which brings mixed results. I wasn't impressed with the stagnant Shangri-La and especially Kill to Get Crimson, his weakest album by far; I thought that was it. Get Lucky restored my faith with more engaging and variable songs, and of course Privateering is superb!
I love the cover of Tracker, it's pretty epic (all MK covers are good and memorable) It reminds me of a movie poster. It's almost like MK could be chilling in that field, on a sunny day playing these chilled and laid back tunes. It has to be his most chilled effort to date; certainly is a new experience out of his now 8 solo albums, hence the new album approach view. I see Richard Bennett wasn't involved this time round.
Laughs and Jokes and Drinks and Smokes - An interesting opener, not had this style before. I like the tempo and beat, kinda jazzy, before the inevitable, and some what tiresome fiddle, whistle and flute element that's been present since Golden Heart, a whole 19 years ago! 7/10
Basil - Reminds me of In the Sky a lot, which I like. It's one of the better tracks. 8/10
River Towns Could have slotted on to Get Lucky, pleasant enough, but nothing special. 6/10
Skydiver - Something new here, it does indeed have a Beatles St. Pepper vibe to it. It's kinda fun but that's all 6/10
Mighty Man - As has been mentioned, this does have a heavy Belfast Child vibe. It is quite stirring in parts, but, not one of my faves 5/10
Broken Bones - A song about J.J. Cale, It does actually sound just like a Cale song :clap Not a fave either though 5/10
Long Cool Girl - I like this, above average, just. 7/10
Lights of Taormina - This could have been on Shangri-La, and like that album, not that enticing 5/10
Silver Eagle - One of my faves. Reminds me of Remembrance Day, although I like this better. 9/10
Beryl - Heard this loads on Radio 2 the past month and played it myself. It certainly stands out from the rest of the slow tempo tracks, and is another highlight. 9/10
Wherever I Go I don't think MK has ever done a poor closing song, and this is right up there. 8/10
It all sounds like Tracker could be a movie soundtrack.. Overall a drop in quality, patchy and disappointing..
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Hello. Not posted on here for ages although I do "lurk" to keep in touch with what's going on. Just listened (albeit via you tube) twice right through. Waiting for Amazon to deliver the real thing on Monday. My early general reactions are: Its a while since I looked forward to a MK album so much as this one given the strength of the previewed tracks and the promise of a less folky feel. Initial reaction after the first listen was disappointment but the second listen was better. Regardless of how I feel about the songs, the production is terrific. Much clearer than previous albums. As ever, the great man has resisted the temptation to play a lot of solos, particularly on the outros where he could have really got stuck in but that's just how it is these days. I suspect this album will be a grower but it doesn't have me jumping up playing air guitar (that might be an age thing!). Lastly, there is an awful lot we've heard before both lyrically and musically.
My individual song reactions (after 2 listens so I reserve the right to change completely;
Laughs and Jokes and Drinks and Smokes - Listened on a You tube link that played at half speed without realising and thought it was crap. Sounded like a Mark plays the Pogues parody. At normal speed its much better than I thought but could have been off get Lucky. 6/10
Basil - Some nice bits in it but I'll take a while to get used to the whole song. Nice ending. 6/10
River Towns - Quite like this one but gasping out for a decent outro. 6/10
Skydiver - Get the Beatles references. Fun but I think it'll be a skipper before long. 4/10
Mighty Man - Great intro. Very derivative of other songs (Fish etc) but I like it. 7/10
Broken Bones - Awful song. Nothing to commend it at all (personal taste of course!). Don't care if I never hear it again. 2/10
Long Cool Girl - Really like this one. 7/10
Lights of Taormina - Favourite track on the album. Don't like the little bridge chorus as its a little rushed (seems like another lifetime...) in the middle but lovely song. Frustratingly fades out just as what sounds like a national solo starts. 9/10
Silver Eagle. Acoustic intro sounds just like Get Lucky. Think this one will grow. Needs a proper solo (sorry, wasn't going to keep saying that)
Beryl - Love it. Sounds like Dire Straits and he plays guitar. 9/10
Wherever I Go. Took me a long time to like this, but I do. Maybe there's a moral there for the rest of the album. Ask me again in a week! 7/10
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The extra tracks are astonishing really. Much better than at least 7 of the tracks on the first 11.
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Well if you buy the Special Edition they ARE! ;D ;D :lol
LE
Hi, LE
Yes, I did buy the supermega box. Lucky us. Just listened to "Time will end all sorrows" and "Oklahoma ponies" to confirm my thoughts that the quasi-leftovers are better that many songs on the album. "Oklahoma ponies", except for the far too coutry solo with violin, and "Hot dog" are my faves from all the pack.
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A part from Gravy Train, The Long Highway and Follow the Ribbon, I don't think any MK b-sides have been worthy of album proper. That also goes for Millionaire Blues and Kingdom Come from On Every Street. One Every Street is my all time favourite album.
Hopefully i'll like these extra tracks to bolster up Tracker.
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A part from Gravy Train, The Long Highway and Follow the Ribbon, I don't think any MK b-sides have been worthy of album proper. That also goes for Millionaire Blues and Kingdom Come from On Every Street. One Every Street is my all time favourite album.
Hopefully i'll like these extra tracks to bolster up Tracker.
My list is wider. It has Early bird, Summer of love, Let's see you, Camerado, Long highway, Gravy train, Tall order baby and What have I got to do, at least, and I would definitively put Millionaire blues and Kingdom come on On every street, instead of, hmmm, wll, none of them, I'd just add these two tracks...
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Listening the album on proper hifi now, after my earlier listening on earphones from my phone. Must say it grows quickly. Now doing the cd for the 3rd time. Will do the bonus later tonight.
So far my favorites so far:
basil, lights of taormina, wherever I go. But I feel already that top 3 Will change in top 6 soon, and from what I haard from the bonus it Will be a top 10
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There is always that one moment when everything clicks into the right place and the soul of something has arrived at you - I had this moment today in the late afternoon when I was giving the album another complete listen. Experiencing track 1 this time differed so much from first listenings that I was literally shocked and I was so touched by his voice and the words and their meanings. And the flute solo of Mike is so wonderful and floating, think of the two Mc's whatever you will. The "swinging London"-bow with the "Take Five" hommage is so masterly done, all in all a really phantastic great opener from the heart. Have you read the lyrics about the "knocking shop"?
I really LOVE River Towns, it is not one second too long, it is perfect. Reading that a Sax is onboard at this song does not prepare you for this very striking horn-a-like Saxophone tone. What astonished me most was that suddenly I even liked Skydiver and recognized it as what it is. Must have to do with the weekend in reach although I have to work tomorrow.. ::) ;D
My favourite songs are still River Towns, Broken Bones, Long Cool Girl and Silver Eagle. The last one could really make you cry literally because it is so beautiful and so sad.. the other three are phantastic. The JJ Cale mentioning before release was one thing, but who would have expected MK playing funk on only one chord and let it still sound interesting?
This album has a lot to give, some real variety - sounds strange to some people, but only waiting for the next guitar solo might give away the true joy of these beautiful songs.
Beryl is at the wrong place of the album for me. Skippers? Yeah, Wherever I Go. And sometimes Taormina. Many people say it is the best track on the album, not for me. It is nice of course, but overrated only because of a great intro. So, more negativity I am not willing to give tonight.
Would have been phantastic to have Terminal Of Tribute To on it, but now we have 18! new songs to enjoy, more than 80 minutes, just think of the last one, 2x45 min., double album. I had fears of feeling a little bit under-supplied with just one "normal" album after the Privateering bliss, but MK has delievered! We are richly blessed by Mark, just imagine other artists' output. How productive he is, how busy and how creative and how diligent.
Sorry for the emotions, just written out of a very satisfied and happy mood. Best thing is this will stay with you for the rest of your life, the MK cosmos is still expanding. Another child has been added to the family. ;)
LE
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Wow LE, this review brought me shivers. I have other favorites but you catch the feel of the whole album, including bonussongs so well. :thumbsup thanks for sharing your thoughts :-* :-* :-*
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To me it's really just like he said: the songs walks out of the door to have a life of its own. We have the pleasure to meet them and after some time we become friends. I'm sure that I don't speak just for myself when I say the more you listen to them the more you'll like them.
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To me it's really just like he said: the songs walk out of the door to have a life of its own. We have the pleasure to meet them and after some time we become friends. I'm sure that I don't speak just for myself when I say the more you listen to them the more you'll like them.
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Wow LE, this review brought me shivers. I have other favorites but you catch the feel of the whole album, including bonussongs so well. :thumbsup thanks for sharing your thoughts :-* :-* :-*
Wow! :)
A friend (MK fan, guitarist, non-forumer) called a minute ago, saying, it was the best album MK has made so far. We started to marvel about single songs... He got his Deluxe Box today and loved the heavy vinyl.. I guess I will give it another spin later tonight...
But making YOU shiver, Ingrid, wow, just wow. Thanks! :D :wave
LE
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Great words LE, nice to read your thoughts.
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It has nothing to do with that. I'm not saying you cannot criticize someone's work. That's pefectly fine. It's about the contradiction that you describe a song as poor and terrible, when you're on a fan forum. I don't get that. But that'll be my fault. For now I will keep silent on this subject, say what you want to say. I think it's a very nice album.
dude, pls no, continue. but yes, why not post a negative opinion? that is what it is, a personal opinion. people loved KTGC, i hated it, and i said so, so what?
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Thanks. It struck me that while we are discussing Tracker, MK and Guy have already done another soundtrack album, and soon will go for rehearsals to start a really long tour. Guy was talking about having the mix of the Altamira soundtrack completed. On and on it goes.
LE
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38 special, i damn like!!
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Forgive me for saying but why register for a fan (die hard fans, here) forum when you describe a lot as terrible? Maybe you can upload something from your own music, which is obviously described as musically 10/10, or a masterpiece. Maybe you can send mark some lyrics or so, so he can write better songs since he's just started making music and playing the guitar.
You don't have to like everything, but I find it irritating 10/10 when I come here and read things like terrible, poor etc. Thats not what I registrerd for, in 2008.
Thank you very much.
I'm entitled to an opinion just as you are. I am a diehard fan who loves MK but this album is not for me, there's just nothing in it. I have no motivation to hear the majority of the tracks live. I won't bother expressing opinion again if the response is just "send your own lyrics" or "upload your own music".
Perhaps I should say - best ever, great guitar solos, epic lyrics, wonderful melodies. Unfortunately I am not deluded, although I wish I was as I wanted a good album :-/
absolutely. everyone their opinion, negative or positive. did i mention that I love the album and the bonus songs??
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No you didn't as you prefered to be absent for the last week or so while the fuss was starting! :wave Do you have to read 10.000 posts now? :D
LE
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my god the bonus tracks....terminal...eff me...
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A part from Gravy Train, The Long Highway and Follow the Ribbon, I don't think any MK b-sides have been worthy of album proper. That also goes for Millionaire Blues and Kingdom Come from On Every Street. One Every Street is my all time favourite album.
Hopefully i'll like these extra tracks to bolster up Tracker.
man what ARE you saying? ?MB and Kingdom Come were awesomeamazing!
always used to love them...sshush now!
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No you didn't as you prefered to be absent for the last week or so while the fuss was starting! :wave Do you have to read 10.000 posts now? :D
LE
hell yeah. normally never do. time will end all sorrow people, BRILLIANTTTTTTTTT
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also, anyone caught that very funny moment where mark laughs out loud at the end of Time will end all sorrow?? loved it..
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also, anyone caught that very funny moment where mark laughs out loud at the end of Time will end all sorrow?? loved it..
It's Oklahoma Ponies you are talking about ;) It's written wrong at the Box set. Time will end all sorrow is the last song.
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wow, only just realised my version of the bonus tracks has oklahoma ponies first and then time will end all sorrow. and while i was raving about the latter song i actually meant the first.
am i the only one?? do i have an one off mistake???
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wow, only just realised my version of the bonus tracks has oklahoma ponies first and then time will end all sorrow. and while i was raving about the latter song i actually meant the first.
am i the only one?? do i have an one off mistake???
Relax Pottel, just read my post above yours, we all have it :wave Or look at the song topics, it happened with me and an other forum member as well :P
See here:
http://amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=4097.0 (http://amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=4097.0)
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oh man
you are telling me they made an error while producing the box
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Yes, they switched Oklahoma Ponies and Time Will End All Sorrow and printed it wrong on the bonus cd sleeve. I had to edit the numbers of the song topics in this forum this morning due their fault! ;)
So we thought for 5 minutes the rock song was Time Will End All Sorrow... and it was Oklahoma Ponies :lol
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I have just listened to the last 2 songs I was missing, the 2 extra songs from the Box,
for a total of 7 extra songs from the basic 1cd
Is the album on the first cd or on these 7 extra songs ?
it's quite unbelievable what has been left out of the album
he should have just released a 2cd like Privateering
Exactly, and it's only a marketing strategy. For me it is ONE album, and i will put the playlist together, and it's ok.
@LE thanks for your 2nd review, quite touching. I hope that i've the weekend to start thinkin thoroughly about every single song. Your spin towars Skydiver is quite interesting!
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My wife listened to it for the first time tonight. She loves alot of music and appreciates MK. Halfway through the second listen she said its full of strong melodies. For me thats high praise. She especially loves Basil and Ruth Moody's voice with MKs.
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The more rocking bonus material is wonderful.(Why just bonus?) I think MK knew that there are lots of fans out there waiting for the rock tunes :) Waiting for my deluxe edition with hot dog on it which should arrive today :clap With beryl,oklahoma,tribute,long cool girl and hot dog we have several tracks with DS appeal.Thank you MK!
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Just a quick observation is that MK is really liking and doing Slide really well.....I for one do like a bit of Paris Texas....ahem i mean tracker....lol :P
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Oh I really can't wait for the postman to deliver my box set....HURRY UP!!!! :wave
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I was wondering...
Where is the link to the album title "Tracker" in the songs? Did someone discovered it already? Is it about Tracking memories?
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OK, I know I said I wasn't going to listen to the album until I received my copy, but actually I have been listening and reading all the comments on the forum for the last couple of days! Some of the songs had an immediate appeal for me, whilst others needed several hearings, but my overall impression of this album, together with all the bonus songs is that it's probably going to be my favourite MK solo album! My favourites are changing listen by listen! :)
I heard many nods to other MK songs, which were sometimes a bit difficult to pin-point and also to other musicians - Brubeck, JJ, The Beatles, Clapton and Dylan - perhaps this is why the album is called "Tracker" - he's remembering past songs and also people and musicians he has encountered through his life.
I feel it is a shame, as others have said, that many people aren't going to hear all of the bonus songs - for example those people who will be receiving the standard album from the shows and will not bother to buy the Delux version(s) will miss out on hearing those wonderful songs!
All in all - this is a fantastic album for me - I'm so happy! :D
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The new album is a great birthday present (the album arrived on my birthday ;D) I like it a lot.
It´s a same that some rocking tunes are just bonustacks but I´m glad he released it!!
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TOTT (Terminal of... ;) ) should definitely on the Standard Album. It develops to a decisive song looking at out discussion. Its a very good song, it has a brave Statement and it polarizes. Shouldn't vanish from the screen, i hope he plays it live
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Ok we have had all afternoon listening to all 17 tracks and to say we are blown away is an understatement! (Was initially the standard album but the courier arrived with the box set during the afternoon!!) There is certainly something for everyone on there. And no skippers for me this time...there is much more guitar than of later albums which for me personally is great... the words are as usual for MK - very deep and well researched/noted. This for me is right up there with GL & Privateering....
I'm very pleased with my deluxe box set, postcards are good - bit dark, lp is awesome, dvd with the two films totalling 30mins is brilliant
(my ltd edition guitar print is numbered 3609/6200)
A very well thought out beautiful album of beautiful 'lively' music from the master - well done MK and all!!!
Ps about time MK was on the transatlantic sessions - you agree with me Superval?!!
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Ps about time MK was on the transatlantic sessions - you agree with me Superval?!!
Exactly! It would be great to see him there with the boys playing "Oklahoma Ponies" or "Laughs......" I can't see him doing it somehow though! ;)
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Oklahoma ponies - 'Live' please!! Everyone in audience up dancing me thinks!!!
Tracker - is officially our fave MK solo album!!
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Oh yes! And TOTT ;D
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I begin to like this album more and more. Silver Eagle is a beautiful song. Goosebumps when I listened to the lyrics and reading in the booklet. Don't know what the man has done this time, but it's so much better than Privateering. It sounds fresh, and personal as well. He ticked all the boxes for me, I can say. It's too soon to tell if this is going to be my favorite album, but it has high potential. It's often when I dive into the lyrics of a song, everything falls into place. Great.
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I (almost) never write here, but could not resist to share my enthusiasm about this record. Whilst waiting for my box I got a 12-track German-Media-Markt copy yesterday and I can't stop listen to it.
1. What first impressed me is the quality of the production. For me, it's the best thing Mark & Co. have done since On Every Street and perhaps "to date" indeed. I could easy imagine myself testing audio equipment with this one. The guitars sound fresh and crisp, the bass is loud and clear, and so are the drums. No more "muddy sound" as raised here and there before ;-)
2. Speaking about the drums, I really missed them since the DS days and was not too happy with the "best drums/no drums" approach. I think drums fit Mark's songs very well - this is of course a question of personal taste, maybe I just got used to Mark sounding this way in the early eighties and unfortunately didn't evolve too much since then. Whatever the reason is - Mark feeling more comfortable with 'ianto' playing/technical possibilities in the BG/the band's influence I love the result.
3. What I also like is that the 11-Tracker is a very consistent record. Yes this style might be called 'comfort zone', but I'd rather refer to it as spending an evening in a small boat on a calm yet deep sea. And I always liked Mark citing Bob Dylan (incl. one of my all-time fav Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts this time, I almost fell off the sofa) and J.J. Cale. I'm a little worried I don't get most of the stories behind the songs ;-)
4. I find Guy's contribution to the record excellent. Maybe because it is better in place (you have to search for it a little in the background?), it just seems that every small detail is important this time. Normally I would not write this, but I feel somehow 'guilty' being not too sure about it after Beryl is been released.
Please excuse my Polish-English. As I wrote before I just could not resist to write. Hooray!
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Thank you Friday Night for pointing this out! Great post!!
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Hooray, Friday Night! Thanks for posting - I can't stop listening either! :wave
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You should write more - great post.
But please: where is Mark citing Lily and the Jack of Cards? Blood On The Tracks is one of my all time albums..
LE
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Love that citation as well. The first two lines of Lights of Toarmina are melody-wise a direct copy from that Dylan song.
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Got home from work at 1pm yesterday to be greeted by the four free standard albums, so started listening straight away. During the afternoon the lovely lady courier delivered the box set so the bonus cd listened to. Then in the evening I got SE00860 out (MK Strat) and contiued listening but playing along to until at least 10pm!!!!
8hrs of continuous listening and still love everything about this album/bonus!!!!!!!!
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@ Friday night I would also like to hear more from you (just to encourage you!) and i'm interested to in the bob dylan link you allude to. Can you explain it a bit more? In which song ...
I like also your remark on the small details. This is an album full of small links to other musicians, styles, lyrics and so on, i think we can dig really deep.
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Time for a little review...
Amazing! This truly is a wonderful album in all aspects. Very well written songs, delicate playing, interesting lyrics and all very well produced. It sounds both fresh and familiar at the same time, which is a very good thing. The songs are varied, yet still connected. What also strikes is how personal this effort is with such obvious references to Mark's past. Also nice to see the lyrics matching with the chosen pictures in the booklet.
For me the standout tracks are Laughs, Basil, Lights, Silver Eagle and Wherever I Go. Sound quality is really awesome, crisp and clear yet warm and organic. Maybe the best ever, along with KTGC as for sonics. The guitar work is classic, as tasteful as can be. Just listen to some of those Gibson fills in Basil, they seem to directly come from heaven. Also very nice slide playing throughout the album and then there's that really cool wah in Broken Bones. And not to forget that wonderful electric guitar tone in Silver Eagle, probably a Gretsch which I formerly thought only Richard could do that well.
On the other hand there are also things I don't like that much, such as the handclaps on Broken Bones, the Shanty-like sing along by the band in Laughs, Ian's washboard in Skydiver. But those really are minor things.
As for the bonus songs I disagree with a lot of you. I think the main album is very well chosen from this set of songs. I would probably only add Heart Of Oak as it's such wonderful little song and there' s no other song on the record with only Mark and his acoustic guitar. For me My Heart Has Never Changed would also be good enough to make it, but when you've already got Silver Eagle on I understand the decision for it to end up as a bonus. The other songs are imho not of the same quality as the album songs. For example Terminal Of Tribute To has this really simple en predictable chorus that maybe sounds ok the first few times but would definitely become annoying for me after a while. Also the timing of the words onto the music sounds as they seem not to fit well on multiple occasions in this song, and last but not least the choir-like backing vocals on the outro singing teeeeer-miiiiiiii-naaaaaaaal oooooooooof...... is really awful. But the intro, middle8 and guitar solo are superb. Do not get me wrong, overall it's very nice bonus material.
I think it is pure bliss that Mark at this stage in his career is still so compelled to write songs and record them with such care. This new collection of songs is surely a wonderful gift which I can't get enough of for a long time, probably the rest of my life. Thank you so much Mark!
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You are all very nice folks, thank you.
But please: where is Mark citing Lily and the Jack of Cards?
i'm interested to in the bob dylan link you allude to. Can you explain it a bit more?
As of Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts mschaap explained it perfectly a few posts above. In LOT I can feel echoes of other Bob Dylan's songs as well. In fact there are many small links throughout the record, including melodies, instrumentation, vocals and even lyrics, eg. "And they all stood around/And stared at me/Two brunettes and a blonde" (LAJADAS) could be a part of a storytelling-style BD song (I mean Time Out of Mind/Highlands style which I admire by the way). I might be totally wrong here and maybe it wasn't Mark's intention at all but this is the way I feel.
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Funnily enough, I was also reminded at the Highlands storytelling, but in another context, when he speaks of the waitress in My Heart Has Never Changed..
LE
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time it might be right :D
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time e might be right :D
Yes, and maybe also the first solo album where every song seems to fit with each other. So this really is a story of MK´s memories.
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time it might be right :D
It's good and I think his best in a while, but I wouldn't go that far! Let's not get carried away with the initial excitement of it all. The more rational reviews will come in a few months time once we've all calmed down and listened to the songs more and more.
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We said the same about Get Lucky indeed.
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time it might be right :D
To be honest, I also find the sound is one of the best of all solo records. He really did a wonderful job here; it seems that he understands what MK wants extremely well and can implement this most directly.
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time it might be right :D
It's good and I think his best in a while, but I wouldn't go that far! Let's not get carried away with the initial excitement of it all. The more rational reviews will come in a few months time once we've all calmed down and listened to the songs more and more.
So far I listened almost day and night for 3 days in a row and it only gets better. No real skippers (for the first time, most of the time I already had skippers after the first day). So the potential to be the best ever is serious for me
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We sometimes laugh about Guy telling it's the best thing they ever did. So far, I think this time it might be right :D
It's good and I think his best in a while, but I wouldn't go that far! Let's not get carried away with the initial excitement of it all. The more rational reviews will come in a few months time once we've all calmed down and listened to the songs more and more.
So far I listened almost day and night for 3 days in a row and it only gets better. No real skippers (for the first time, most of the time I already had skippers after the first day). So the potential to be the best ever is serious for me
I don't doubt your sincerity for one moment. We can all get a little carried away, myself included. Only time will tell just how good this album is, maybe not months but years from now. I know I'm not as keen on Privateering as I was on it's release. In fact, I don't really rate it at all. :)
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I like the non blues songs on Privateering.
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I like the non blues songs on Privateering.
I would agree. These are by far the best songs from that album.
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
But that's okay ;)
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Absolutely love the blues on privateering too....
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Just got my copy on vinyl. Lovingly mastered and put together that's for sure.
Broken bones so far is the highlight. Would like a few more gems like that but I'm happy...this is the first album I've bought since Golden Heart. Looking forward to getting deeper into this one
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I've listened to the album a few times this weekend and was shocked at what I heard. Tracker clicked with me from the first listen and very few albums do that for me. It's a phenomenal listen from beginning to end and there are 0 skippers. IMO, it's his best album since Shangri-La! MK's folk and roots rock induced song writing has evolved into something truly unique here.
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Tracker has gone up in my estimation. This is now three top albums in a row in Get Lucky, Privateering and Tracker.
I had Mighty Man playing in my head today, such I nice melody..
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Australia must have the last release for Tracker :(
It's out on the 20th, and I went to our local shop today just in case only to be sent sadly away. It is out in New Zealand though, which is all quite strange. Thank goodness for such a leaky internet :)
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Hi, here is a little review about my feelings for the new album :)
It's really a fantastic album, hard to find any weak songs that I dislike.
When the single " Beryl " came out, I was very happy because it could be a
great sign for an album with huge DS influence. That didn't happend.
I love the first track " Laughs ". This song is a perfect opener, a song that makes my happy.
The next one " Basil " is lovely too. Like Marks guitar sound here.
The song " River Towns " is nice too, but maybe a little to long.
" Skydiver " is the only song at the standard album that I don't like.
The next is " Mighty Man ", it took me some time, but now I'm enjoy the song very much.
I'm a big JJ.Cale fan, so it's not a surprise that i like " Broken Bones " 8)
I think " Long Cool Girl " is a nice song.
The track " Lights Of Taormina " is a masterpiece, so much beauty :clap
The next song " Silver Eagle " is pretty nice too.
Then we have " Beryl ", among the best on the album, like the speed and the lovely smell of Dire Straits. ;D
The closer " Wherever I Go " is my favorite track on the album. So much beauty and so much to love :clap'
Highlights for me is Laughs, Broken, Lights, Beryl and Wherever I Go ;)
Bonus Tracks :
The song " 38.Special " is nice, like the banjo. Has not potential for the album.
The next one is " My Heart Has Never Changed " is great, like the guitar on this one. Could be at the main album.
I love " Terminal Of Tribute To ". Fantastic song indeed, should have made it for the album. :thumbsup
I like also " Heart Of Oak ", but I don't miss it at the album.
The little rocker " Hotdog " is pretty nice too. No complains from me if the song was on the main album.
It's nearly a crime that " Oklahoma Ponies " was left outside the album. Such a great tune :clap
The song " Time Will End All Sorrow " is not a song that i like.
Now we have 18 new songs from our beloved Mark Knopfler.
So much beauty and so much joy.
Thanks for reading my little review about the new Tracker Album. :wave
Marikablue
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Review I wrote for a music site I work for: http://classicrockmag.nl/reviews/knopfler-tracker/
It's in Dutch, sorry ;D
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The album has grown on me !! some songs with did nothing to me at first listen now are gems to me ! The only one I really liked at first listen was the (in)famous TOTT; then Long Cool Girl started to dance in my head. Then I started to appreciate a lot the Lights of Taormina and Silver Eagle ! Also start to appreciate Laughs,... and the funny Skydiver.
Still have troubles to consider Basil a masterpiece (sorry dmg, our tastes are different, I remember you liking a lot "Bluebird" which did not nothing to me).
Also I don't understand the big deal about Oklahoma Ponies... will keep listening, maybe it will do like Lights of Taormina, disappointed at first, then grown a lot...
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I have a huge problem with this album ......
It's almost 2am and I can't go to sleep, want to listen it over and over again. Not only tonight, already for days :)
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Haha, I agree wholeheartedly with you Ingrid, this beautiful album refuses to go away!
I mean take last night we had played the album completely through again (all 18 tracks) and then whilst in midst of going to bed the Tracker tv advert came on!!! Spooky or what!!
I have now just arrived at work after listening to Laughs..... :clap
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I woke up with laughs in my head :) This album is an addition ::)
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I have a huge problem with this album ......
It's almost 2am and I can't go to sleep, want to listen it over and over again. Not only tonight, already for days :)
Never mind, Dr dmg is here! Antidote: turn on the Privateering album and one will soon find oneself in a complete comatose state. ;)
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Still forumlating all my thoughts on this album as a whole, but if you take the full 18 songs then you have a very strong group of songs with lots of different styles, moods and influences. Stronger, I would say, than Privateering. That double album, for me, became bogged down by the many blues and slightly non-discript numbers amongst the highlights. Initially, I was concerned about the middle of Tracker. The start is so good - the opener, into Basil, into River Towns into SKydiver - I love that opening foursome. Then things got bogged down with Mighty Man, Broken Bones, and Long Cool Girl - none of which were doing much for me. However, Mighty Man has opened up to me - you really need to give that one time and attention but it is a beautiuful dirge - which leaves me with a two song dip - Broken Bones, which doesn't do much for me - in that brand of Mark songs that don't appeal to me - like Coyote and stuff like that. Long Cool Girl is ok - but a bit dull and lifeless. Things then pick up again with the superb Lights and Silver Eagle - Beryl is decent to listen to despite only having about two lines of lyrics! The closer does not scale the heights of the albums masterpieces for me, but is very nice. The bonus track elevate things further - so much quality there, Heart of Oak is wonderful, as is Heart - two great songs there - Terminal of Tribute is ok too - very interesting - Pnies is a barnstormer and even Hot Dog and .38 Special are decent too. All in all a very satisfying collection with literally something for every MK fan out there - so well written, played and produced. We are very very lucky indeed.
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Good review Nick14.... :thumbsup
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I've listened to the album a few times this weekend and was shocked at what I heard. Tracker clicked with me from the first listen and very few albums do that for me. It's a phenomenal listen from beginning to end and there are 0 skippers. IMO, it's his best album since Shangri-La! MK's folk and roots rock induced song writing has evolved into something truly unique here.
I agree. The first listen to a new MK album is always a little event for me, since probably BIA. The last time I listened to an album and was really excited on first listen was Shangri-La. The last three albums (four if you count the Emmylou album), I've been very discouraged after listening, and frankly they haven't grown on me. Not to say there's no good songs on KTGC, Get Lucky, or Privateering, but overall they are weak albums, IMHO. This one sounded fantastic from the first listen. I listened to it on the road while driving, and both Basil and Silver Eagle had me holding back the tears, both because of the emotional content of the songs and because I was so happy to hear Mark make great music again. I honestly thought he didn't have it in him anymore.
While I like the Celtic and folk sounds, I am really glad Mark moved away from that back to a more pop/jazzy type of sound. And I am also glad to see the songs are getting longer. Lastly, I've been hard on Guy in the past, but he did a crack job, playing and engineering.
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Finally got round to looking at the CD booklet. I love the design and the way each song has the character or a theme of the song behind the lyrics. My fave is the shot out of the tour bus for Silver Eagle. I wonder if Mark gets the same design company to do his always good album design..
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I wonder if Mark gets the same design company to do his always good album design..
I'm pretty sure Mark is doing the design himself now. I remember Guy talking about Mark setting up the Privateering design, and since some of the photos in this album are taken by Kitty and Guy, and no one is credited with the design, it seems safe to assume Mark did it himself again.
I believe Get Lucky was the last time a design company was credited in the liner notes.
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I wonder if Mark gets the same design company to do his always good album design..
I'm pretty sure Mark is doing the design himself now. I remember Guy talking about Mark setting up the Privateering design, and since some of the photos in this album are taken by Kitty and Guy, and no one is credited with the design, it seems safe to assume Mark did it himself again.
I believe Get Lucky was the last time a design company was credited in the liner notes.
Thanks, that's interesting. It's good how Mark is on his own cover for once, albeit with his back to us as he takes in the pleasant countryside. All got to be worked out, and nice it all is from back to front; it completes the whole package and era of this recording..
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For me overall his best album since sailing to.
Overall tracker delivers for me a very relaxed and selfconfident album from a man, and band, which do what they want to do and like most.
Nothing groundbreaking, but detailed and with passion written and played music.
And, for the first time i really like the production.
Still perfect and polished, but not in a digital, more cold feel as get lucky was for example.
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A week since release date and I am absolutely loving the album - my favourite of all his solo albums right now - I will see what time does to that view! Overall rating:
Laughs and Jokes - 9/10 - terrific opening song - just gets better every time you hear it - wonderful melody and sound - it is all in there - jazz, rock, folk - great lyric - superb opening song
Basil - 9/10 - another beauty - just lovely - so evocative - again such a great melody and sound
River Towns - 9/10 - what a start to this album - his best ever - and this is another subtle grower - a ton of power and empotion in this song - not obvious at all - a beauty
Skydiver - 9/10 - something different - fun, bouncy - charming, cheeky - I can;t get enough of it
Mighty man - 9/10 - the biggest grower on the album for me - on first listen I hearda s lightly boring dirge - but the song opened up in front of me - such depth and power - another gem
Broken Bones - 7/10 - a weak spot of the album for me - I tired of this pretty quickly - not a song that withstands repeated listening
Long Cool Girl - 7/10 - coupled with Broken Bones as the dip in the album from which, thankfully it soon recovers - -this meanders but doesn't go anywhere
Lights of Taoromina - 10/10 - masterpiece - to write a song evoking Dylan in a way Dylan himself would be proud - a towering masterpiece
Silver Eagle - 9/10 - almosy as good as Lights - the Dylan Duo add to the albums richness and depth
Beryl - 8/10 - enjoyable short Straitsesque rocker - Lyrics get old quickly as there aren't many of them - same couple of lines recycled - but enjoyable to listen to
Wherever I go - 8/10 - this one falls short of other songs on the album as it veers a little too much to easy listening schmaltz
.38 Special - 8/10 - nice riff, nice song
My Heart Has Never Changed - 10/10 - wow - what a song - one of his very best
Terminal of Tribute To - 8/10 - great rock song - clever, well executed - music veers a bit into cliche but maybe that was the point.....
Heart of Oak - 10/10 - the second stone cold masterpiece to be left off the album proper - great, great song. One for the ages
Hot Dog - 7/10 - throwaway little rock song - disposable!
Oklahoma Ponies - 9/10 - great! A wild ride, dirty, nasty, funny - great romp
Time WIll End All Sorrow - 9/10 - A beautiful song - closing out a terrific set of 18 songs - so much stronger overall than Privateering.
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I finally found some quite hours this weekend to listen to the album (not the bonus tracks yet). And I pretty much 100% agree with Nick14 (right above). He has it spot on.
What surprised me most is how coherent the whole thing is, both lyrically and musically, even though the music is VERY diverse. Very thoughtfully arranged. And although I'll never like Guy's synths, I must say that this time they fit in more organically than they used to.
The weakest songs (Broken Bones, Long Cool Girl) are still very okay in my book. And as with every Knopfler album, there are some that brought tears to my eyeds immediately – this time it's Lights of Taormina and Silver Eagle.
I should know what to expect from a Knopfler album by now, but the man never fails to impress me. :clap
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Thanks Rail King! I should have mentioned the theme - you have that spot on - the music and style is very diverse but it hangs together very well indeed as a themed collection of songs - starting with the young Mark in Laugh and Jokes - then Basil - young Mark again and the theme of the drudgery of work v a vocational calling (for Mark and Basil both in the two opening songs) - on through the sadness of snuffed out early life in River Towns - a diversion through artistic temprement in Skydiver - through the theme of youth and old age and work and survival again in Mighty Man and Broken Bones - getting older - love in Long Cool Girl - the Dylan duo - full of art, age, love - into another tale of an artist unappreciated in Beryl - and the closing song about distance and love and friendship and the passing of time again. Most of the bonus songs fit the theme as well which gives it such coherence.
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Well said, both Nick and Rail King. The only one that didn't grow on me so far, after listening hours and hours, is Broken Bones. Mighty Man was a grower, as was Long Cool Girl.
I instantly loved Taormina, Wherever I Go, Basil, Laughs and Silver Eagle.
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At least I found the review what I can get a pleasure of reading to, thank you Nick!
Not because you praise most of the songs, but because you have ears and know exactly what to hear in the song.
I'm just tired with these one-word cocky reviews like 'This album is a boredom' all over the internet, so thank you for your words of wisdom.
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At least I found the review what I can get a pleasure of reading to, thank you Nick!
Not because you praise most of the songs, but because you have ears and know exactly what to hear in the song.
I'm just tired with these one-word cocky reviews like 'This album is a boredom' all over the internet, so thank you for your words of wisdom.
:thumbsup I agree totally
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Can't get warm with Lights Of Taormina. Together with Wherever You Go the only two songs that are in danger to be skipped from time to time.
Because
they are just BORING!
;)
LE
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Can't get warm with Lights Of Taormina. Together with Wherever You Go the only two songs that are in danger to be skipped from time to time.
Because
they are just BORING!
;)
LE
Lights of Taormina boring, LE? :o It's one of my most favourite songs on the album, but most of them are my favourites! ;)
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'Yes I know it is very popular among Amiters and it is really not just said to needle you. The lyrics are great, but TO ME it sounds somewhat weak.. it is just rippling there along the percussion/drums..
Well, it's not bad, but, not sure why I don't like it. I prefer Mighty Man, Long Cool Girl and, yes, Broken Bones, very much more than this one.
I like "He came, he saw, he conquered".. however it is somewhat strange that MK has to slip into the role of Bob to narrate this story, he has had many 10.000 faces at his feet himself.. too modest, I think..
The balcony story behind it is much more interesting (again: for me!) than the song itself.
LE
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Can't get warm with Lights Of Taormina. Together with Wherever You Go the only two songs that are in danger to be skipped from time to time.
Because
they are just BORING!
;)
LE
That's quite funny......those two songs are my faves at the main album :o :wave
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After 2 weeks getting to know the songs I bumped 3 of them and added all the bonus songs to make my own cd playlist. I won't bother saying what got dumped as were all different and we all seem to love slightly different things about Marks songwriting and production. What I don't find very good at all, lots of people love!
I did the same for privateering, although i have no hesitation in saying it was the dodgy blues songs that were dumped there, replaced with the beautiful bonuses. That double album could've been an all time classic if it were issued that way.
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Finally received my CD from markknopfler.com. Am completely addicted to this album! I have not had a reaction like this to any album for a very long time. But still... this album has a full circle, put a lid on it feel to it. If I didn't know how much MK loves the musical process, I would begin to worry that it is his good-bye.
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Can't get warm with Lights Of Taormina. Together with Wherever You Go the only two songs that are in danger to be skipped from time to time.
Because
they are just BORING!
;)
LE
My 2 favourites ;D
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Can't get warm with Lights Of Taormina. Together with Wherever You Go the only two songs that are in danger to be skipped from time to time.
Because
they are just BORING!
;)
LE
My 2 favourites ;D
Among my favourites, too. Skippers? Basil, Mighty Man, Beryl
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Thanks folks!
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The hot:
Oklahoma Ponies
Hot Dog
Lights of Taormina
Lauhs and Jokes and Drinks and Smokes
The warm:
River Towns
Broken Bones
Silver Eagle
My Heart Has Never Changed
The lukewarm:
Long Cool Girl
Mighty Man
Beryl
.38 Special
Terminal of Tribute To
Heart of Oak
The cold:
Basil
Wherever I Go
Skydiver
Time Will End All Sorrow
... and that is that :D
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Skydiver - cold BR? :disbelief
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Skydiver - cold BR? :disbelief
The chorus seemed nice at first but now I find it a bit dull. And I'm not a big fan of the tralala-songs from The Beatles either so, yeah...
(http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/60573868.jpg)
;D
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I agree on the Hot + Beryl to that list. All other songs would be in lukewarm or cold
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Skydiver - cold BR? :disbelief
The chorus seemed nice at first but now I find it a bit dull. And I'm not a big fan of the tralala-songs from The Beatles either so, yeah...
(http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/60573868.jpg)
;D
The only song of the 18 ones that I have to skip.......not my taste at all :)
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
+1
should of married you instead of my wife, who hates MK....
:'(
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
+1
should of married you instead of my wife, who hates MK....
:'(
:lol I'm far too old! ;D
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
+1
should of married you instead of my wife, who hates MK....
:'(
:lol I'm far too old! ;D
youre as old as.....
;)
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.... you feel. And I can assure you that our Superval doesn't feel old, doesn't look old, doesn't act old.
Some weeks ago we had an excellent time in Bury, having dinner and seeing John, John and Mike.
But a pity for you dear Zeeley, she has a lovely husband :)
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Incredible how much diversity and differing opinions of people we have on which tracks they like more. (Anticipating the setlist moaning that will start with the beginning of the tour, it becomes clear once more for me that any setlist will produce the same amount of moaning...)
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True Junkiedoll
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.... you feel. And I can assure you that our Superval doesn't feel old, doesn't look old, doesn't act old.
Some weeks ago we had an excellent time in Bury, having dinner and seeing John, John and Mike.
But a pity for you dear Zeeley, she has a lovely husband :)
Thank you, dear Ingrid. ;D :wave
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Skydiver my favorite for now.
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Skydiver my favorite for now.
Such a cool, funky song. What's not to like!
I think it starts off like the live versions of Cannibals. I can see IT having fun with that on tour!
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anyone knows a store that is still selling the Box ?
http://www.amazon.de/Tracker-Limited-Super-Deluxe-Box/dp/B00S1M7LHY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427397616&sr=8-1&keywords=mark+knopfler+tracker+limited+super+deluxe+box (http://www.amazon.de/Tracker-Limited-Super-Deluxe-Box/dp/B00S1M7LHY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427397616&sr=8-1&keywords=mark+knopfler+tracker+limited+super+deluxe+box)
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http://www.bol.com/nl/p/tracker/9200000038824726/
Don't know if they ship to italy
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
.....and the almost total lack of guitar clearly does not help.
Really! There is guitar all over the album! Not a lot of solos, but very beautiful infills and licks! It's my favourite MK solo album and there is not a skipper on the whole album for me and that's the first time I can say that for both DS and MK albums - OK just the first, Dire Straits!
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
.....and the almost total lack of guitar clearly does not help.
Really! There is guitar all over the album! Not a lot of solos, but very beautiful infills and licks! It's my favourite MK solo album and there is not a skipper on the whole album for me and that's the first time I can say that for both DS and MK albums - OK just the first, Dire Straits!
I think Mark must have you brainwashed with his "less is more" remark! ;)
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
.....and the almost total lack of guitar clearly does not help.
Really! There is guitar all over the album! Not a lot of solos, but very beautiful infills and licks! It's my favourite MK solo album and there is not a skipper on the whole album for me and that's the first time I can say that for both DS and MK albums - OK just the first, Dire Straits!
I think Mark must have you brainwashed with his "less is more" remark! ;)
Not at all! I can hear guitar on all tracks. ;)
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not heard any of the bonus tracks,i know mk is capable of scorching guitar playing however for me this album is too laid back,but I am still grateful he is still writing recording and touring.
he has said a few times that he now prefers writing simpler songs,i can live with that no problem,i go to a lot of different concerts by different artists and I can honestly say that a mk concert is the one that really gives me a buzz,i have seen every tour since 1985
so I think I have been spoiled too much,but again I am so glad that tracker is a favourite with so many people.
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I like the blues on Privateering and my favourite is "Today is OK". ;)
Blue bird is my favorite. Wish there are more blues songs. Personally, Tracker is ok. No songs stand out or will go down as classic any time soon. :)
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I listened to some other stuff on albums lately and it crossed my mind how different it is to me listen to any new album by any other artist and a new MK album. New MK albums are literally absorbted note by note, word by word, and I am sure I am in the hands of someone who really puts very much effort in every single note and word on the album.
Really, about the lyrics it is phenomenal how phantastic MK is able to write and deliver - there is not a single word or line I would consider at the wrong place or annoying or disturbing. For example "down the line" is mentioned more than once on this album and I am sure it was not mentioned before on other albums. (please correct me, waterline doesn't count). Same with "subs", in Basil and in Mighty Man, never used before. ("get Lucky" was used on Get Lucky the song and on You Can't Beat the House, never used before). What I want to say is that he really is fully aware of creating songs that belong together as an album and that create a unique cosmos of words, notes and lyrics if you like. I am sure the word "Tracker" resonates somewhere in "Blood On The Tracks", because there have never been clearer echoes of Bob Dylan than on this album, and we know BOTT is his favourite album.
LE
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
Did you listen to only the 11 tracks from the basic album ?
If you add all the 7 extra tracks the experience improves significantly
That's true ;)
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for me this is a weak mk album,production wise I would say its the best he has done but in my very humble opinion the songs let it down.
to be honest the only song I really like is basil,laughs and jokes and beryl are not too bad but as for the rest I think they are poor by mk standards.
privateering was an ok album but for me personally I never liked the blues songs on it,i think get lucky was his last very good album.but I am really glad that so many others love tracker,much as I don't like tracker I will always buy every album by mk and go to every tour,really looking forward to seeing him live on the tracker tour.
.....and the almost total lack of guitar clearly does not help.
Really! There is guitar all over the album! Not a lot of solos, but very beautiful infills and licks! It's my favourite MK solo album and there is not a skipper on the whole album for me and that's the first time I can say that for both DS and MK albums - OK just the first, Dire Straits!
I think Mark must have you brainwashed with his "less is more" remark! ;)
Not at all! I can hear guitar on all tracks. ;)
Me too...lucky us... ;D
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@dmg - I remember when we all listened to the album for the first time, which has now been deleted, you commented that you had listened to more than half of the album and just realised that there were no long solos on it and that it didn't matter to you because of the beautiful infills and licks, etc, or words to that effect, in the songs! Now you are telling me that I must have been brainwashed, which I find quite insulting, especially as you had said much the same thing as me. Were you brainwashed too? :think Why can't you just accept that some people actually enjoy this album? ;)
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@dmg - I remember when we all listened to the album for the first time, which has now been deleted, you commented that you had listened to more than half of the album and just realised that there were no long solos on it and that it didn't matter to you because of the beautiful infills and licks, etc, or words to that effect, in the songs! Now you are telling me that I must have been brainwashed, which I find quite insulting, especially as you had said much the same thing as me. Were you brainwashed too? :think Why can't you just accept that some people actually enjoy this album? ;)
+1 Indeed, just accept you don't like it and accept there are a lot people who really love it
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@dmg - I remember when we all listened to the album for the first time, which has now been deleted, you commented that you had listened to more than half of the album and just realised that there were no long solos on it and that it didn't matter to you because of the beautiful infills and licks, etc, or words to that effect, in the songs! Now you are telling me that I must have been brainwashed, which I find quite insulting, especially as you had said much the same thing as me. Were you brainwashed too? :think Why can't you just accept that some people actually enjoy this album? ;)
+1 Really nice answer!!
I still have not commented the new album, not only for the language difficultu but... because I'm still undecided if this is an album with lovely songs with wonderful sound... or a too slow and "already heard" bunch of songs.... :hmm :hmm :hmm
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I still have not commented the new album, not only for the language difficultu but... because I'm still undecided if this is an album with lovely songs with wonderful sound... or a too slow and "already heard" bunch of songs.... :hmm :hmm :hmm
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A look through the threads and one will observe many comments starting with the words: "it starts like" or "it sounds like" or something similar. I think that answers your question.
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Yes I know. But it doesn't annoy me too much. I mean, the "R&J" intro of Too Long Girl sounds so good i get stuck to the song. A different question is: do the songs always "evolve" from that starting point to somewhere else...? Not always. Maybe they will do in their live version.
For example: Kingdom of Gold (which for me is a live masterpiece, maybe my favourite live song in MK solo carreer), does move from the starting point. It does particularly in the live version, with the magic electric solo, but also in the record there is a clear sign of a tension to be solved, which you clearly hear in the crescendo of Ruth & the irish instruments. It is solved with the live solo.... and what a solo!
In a way, what seems to lack in Tracker is an amount of tension in some of the tunes. I don't know if I have explained what I think.
All that said, hey, they're wonderful harmonies, sounds and licks anywhere...!! :clap
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@dmg - I remember when we all listened to the album for the first time, which has now been deleted, you commented that you had listened to more than half of the album and just realised that there were no long solos on it and that it didn't matter to you because of the beautiful infills and licks, etc, or words to that effect, in the songs! Now you are telling me that I must have been brainwashed, which I find quite insulting, especially as you had said much the same thing as me. Were you brainwashed too? :think Why can't you just accept that some people actually enjoy this album? ;)
You are right! However, upon repeated listening I am finding that it is precisely because of the lack of guitar playing that there is less to enjoy and discover on every listen. Now I am feeling I have heard it all and there's nothing left. I'll wait for the live versions though because invariably they have been much better in this respect over the years. I seldom listen to any of the albums TBH.
I do accept that others like the album - even I like it! I do have the right to give my opinion on aspects of it I do find less than perfect though. If comments of criticism were banned then surely forums would cease to exist? :)
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@dmg - I remember when we all listened to the album for the first time, which has now been deleted, you commented that you had listened to more than half of the album and just realised that there were no long solos on it and that it didn't matter to you because of the beautiful infills and licks, etc, or words to that effect, in the songs! Now you are telling me that I must have been brainwashed, which I find quite insulting, especially as you had said much the same thing as me. Were you brainwashed too? :think Why can't you just accept that some people actually enjoy this album? ;)
You are right! However, upon repeated listening I am finding that it is precisely because of the lack of guitar playing that there is less to enjoy and discover on every listen. Now I am feeling I have heard it all and there's nothing left. I'll wait for the live versions though because invariably they have been much better in this respect over the years. I seldom listen to any of the albums TBH.
I do accept that others like the album - even I like it! I do have the right to give my opinion on aspects of it I do find less than perfect though. If comments of criticism were banned then surely forums would cease to exist? :)
It's the reverse for me. I am finding more and more to like about this album and the lack of long guitar solos doesn't bother me a bit, but, as you say, live versions can be better than on the album - we will know soon! ;) Of course, criticism is welcome, but it has to be balanced with something more positive once in a while. :)
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I tend to agree with both dmg and superval, the album hasn't lost it's spark I'm just at the stage where I know what's coming if you know what I mean.
Live versions seem to have more life - take 'I used to could' for example, I think it's quite 'dry' on the album but on stage - wow!!
But I'm of the opinion I shall keep on listening to Tracker purely because I really enjoy listening to it and playing along with it trying my own licks out....
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I tend to agree with both dmg and superval, the album hasn't lost it's spark I'm just at the stage where I know what's coming if you know what I mean.
Live versions seem to have more life - take 'I used to could' for example, I think it's quite 'dry' on the album but on stage - wow!!
But I'm of the opinion I shall keep on listening to Tracker purely because I really enjoy listening to it and playing along with it trying my own licks out....
After a while I always listen to albums on random and then there is always a nice surprise coming up and it's less likely to get that "I know what's next" feeling! ;)
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After listening to Tracker and all bonus tracks once more (oh well, not just once), with a special focus on drums this time, I think that evergreen question about who MK's best drummer was is sort of answered. What Ian Thomas does on these tracks is simply amazing – and always exactly what benefits the song. I don't think we would ever have heard drumming as on "Laughs" or "Terminal" with any of his predecessors. Long may he stay.
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Take a listen to Devil Baby and Metroland, for instance... Chad Cromwell did some fantastic works with MK before, imho, Chad was the best one he had and will ever had since Pick Withers.
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Take a listen to Devil Baby and Metroland, for instance... Chad Cromwell did some fantastic works with MK before, imho, Chad was the best one he had and will ever had since Pick Withers.
Totally agreed, or take 'Old Pigweed' for instance, one of the smartest drum lines that I ever heard. Let alone groove.
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I can't comment on who is the best drummer. But i certainly like the drum work of Ianto on the Tracker album...
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About reviews, I always rate MK's new records in three different phases, when I listen to it the first time, after many listenings giving the songs a chance to grow, and after some weeks of the releasem when I hadn´t listen to it for days or weeks...
This last phase is what will mark my rate. If I feel like listening to it frequently, from time to time, or nothing at all.
I liked Tracker in the first phase, loved some of the songs and liked the cd as a whole in the second, but it´s failing in the third. Yesterday I put the cd just to try if the feeling changes, but not...
With the past of time, Tracker has changed into a cd that I don´t feel like listening often...
It´s a good record, yes, it is, but his quality is not good enough to make me miss listening to it and sing his songs.
Actually what I listen in the car it´s another way I rate cds, the music I enjoy listen when driving. Tracker has failed that test too from the very beguining. I like it, but when driving, more than two songs bore me to death and I have to put the radio instead, and when I stop, I change the cd for another one, that lately it´s the new Toto cd.
This is just my opinion about it, actually, Privateering passed "my test" with better rate, but the winners are still "Crimson", "Ragpickers" and "Roadrunning". Yes, I´m weird, but that cd´s make me feel like listening to them when it´s been a while...
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With the past of time, Tracker has changed into a cd that I don´t feel like listening often...
It´s a good record, yes, it is, but his quality is not good enough to make me miss listening to it and sing his songs.
I've got to agree with you totally on this. Usually the sheer quality of his songs makes me find something in them and therefore Mark's songs grow on me but in Tracker the songs, for the most part, are just too simplistic and have become less interesting upon each listen.
Also, the loss of a guitar on the album has meant that his vocal has had to be the mainstay of the album and he has said himself many times that he's not a singer, so really what was he thinking! :hmm
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With the past of time, Tracker has changed into a cd that I don´t feel like listening often...
It´s a good record, yes, it is, but his quality is not good enough to make me miss listening to it and sing his songs.
I've got to agree with you totally on this. Usually the sheer quality of his songs makes me find something in them and therefore Mark's songs grow on me but in Tracker the songs, for the most part, are just too simplistic and have become less interesting upon each listen.
Also, the loss of a guitar on the album has meant that his vocal has had to be the mainstay of the album and he has said himself many times that he's not a singer, so really what was he thinking! :hmm
I couldn't have agreed more with jbaent and dmg. That's how I feel. I listened only in the car while driving. The album doesn't appeal much to me from the listen. After about a week of repeated listening, it still doesn't grab much of my attention. I pretty
much put it away for now. Hopefully I'll get excited about listening to it again before the tour. For now, I'm sticking with good old DS/other great MK recording stuff :)
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Take a listen to Devil Baby and Metroland, for instance... Chad Cromwell did some fantastic works with MK before, imho, Chad was the best one he had and will ever had since Pick Withers.
Totally agreed, or take 'Old Pigweed' for instance, one of the smartest drum lines that I ever heard. Let alone groove.
Old Pigweed might be my all-time favourite song (MK and beyond), so I'm not keen on disagreeing here. But generally, I think Ianto's drumming is superior.
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I still think that the album would sound greater if Chuck Ainlay was involved. Without this 'No EQ and pedals' shit. I'm just sure it would be better.
Chuck is not a regular sound engineer, he's a kind of a musical instrument — you can recognise his style right away whoever he's mixing.
To me, throwing away of Chuck is the worst Mark's decision in XXI century (yes, worst than Russian dates cancellation if you ask). My 5 cents.
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But of course I understand Chuck just couldn't stand so much time of recording and mixing Tracker, so Guy was the one and only solution here.
I'm hope the next album will be done faster and with Chuck on board.
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I don't see what Chuck would do better than Guy.
Unless Chuck takes his Les Paul and plays himself the missing guitar parts on Tracker... ;)
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I don't see what Chuck would do better than Guy.
Unless Chuck takes his Les Paul and plays himself the missing guitar parts on Tracker... ;)
Did you heard any previous Mark's albums? ;D
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I don't see what Chuck would do better than Guy.
Unless Chuck takes his Les Paul and plays himself the missing guitar parts on Tracker... ;)
:lol :lol
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I don't see what Chuck would do better than Guy.
Unless Chuck takes his Les Paul and plays himself the missing guitar parts on Tracker... ;)
Did you heard any previous Mark's albums? ;D
Tough question, let me think.... :think ... Kill to get Crimson.
Well I can't hear any difference between KTGC and Tracker. ;)
Fish & the Bird or Lights of Taormina that's the same for me.
Even Neil Dorfsman has no answer for the lack of guitar in Tracker.
What I'm saying is when the songs are too weak, there's nothing you can do.
Zero times zero equals zero and one million times zero still equals zero.
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question, not sure if i saw the answer to this anywhere before.
but, as i was reading the tracking liner notes again, i noticed that, besides the usual, Kitty, Guy, Paul Kennerley and so on, he also thnx a guy called "James Harman"
as this name was new to me i googled him, turns out he is some supposedly great blues musician.
but he does not play on the cd, mark has never mentioned him before, so why?
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Tracker started as a disappointment but has grown on me since.
Long cool girl is the coolest thing since six blade knife.
Laughs and jokes is very refreshing.
Silver Eagle is very touching.
Talking about guitar playing, Terminal is the best thing since the STP album, DS-grade (ok, this is not part of the main album for obscure reasons)
But Basil and Beryl have a good share of guitar.
I came to like Lights of Taornina, much better than the fish and the bird IHMO :)
Only songs I kind of dislike are River Towns and Broken Bones (too repetitive) and Wherever I go (kind of sentimental crap, as if Ruth was Celine Dion :))
All in all I like tracker better than Shangri La, KTGC, and Golden Heart, that makes it a good average MK album to me.
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thnx herlock, same here.
but,,...my question?
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love river towns and broken bones though..
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thnx herlock, same here.
but,,...my question?
Sorry no idea
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...and now, as the seasons change - it strikes me what a powerful work "Tracker" still is.
It sound autumnal, you can sense winter, too.
Life begins to draw back into the dwellings. Long evenings in the nature are becoming a memory of summer.
Time for some more tea, for wine, the fireplace, candles, reading books. Raindrops are covering the windows. Daylight is getting scarce.
Time to put "Tracker" on your stereo.
:wave :clap
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...and now, as the seasons change - it strikes me what a powerful work "Tracker" still is.
It sound autumnal, you can sense winter, too.
Life begins to draw back into the dwellings. Long evenings in the nature are becoming a memory of summer.
Time for some more tea, for wine, the fireplace, candles, reading books. Raindrops are covering the windows. Daylight is getting scarce.
Time to put "Tracker" on your stereo.
:wave :clap
Hey, you have a beautiful messages counter :clap :lol
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Me too now :lol :lol :lol
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Love it.
Still, dwelling time is not something I practice but Tracker - you have got me!
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...and now, as the seasons change - it strikes me what a powerful work "Tracker" still is.
It sound autumnal, you can sense winter, too.
Life begins to draw back into the dwellings. Long evenings in the nature are becoming a memory of summer.
Time for some more tea, for wine, the fireplace, candles, reading books. Raindrops are covering the windows. Daylight is getting scarce.
Time to put "Tracker" on your stereo.
I completely agree, it does sound autumnal. And will be back on heavy rotation :D
I absolutely LOVE this album. :-*