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Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!! (Read 20160 times)
Jon L.
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #15 - 05/17/10 at 20:03:15
 
I always thought Iain was a very underrated guitarist.  He's not a shredder nor technician, but he plays with a lot of feel and balls, and knows how to fill up a song (as you mentioned).  His playing just added a lot of weight to songs that otherwise might be a bit limp.
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ryan s
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #16 - 06/05/10 at 10:16:39
 
David wrote on 05/11/10 at 02:27:54:
I've listened to it pretty constantly since I got it and it's not growing at all.  


I disagree. On initial listen, i'd be inclined to agree with you, but the nuances in the songwriting and Justin's lyrics and phrasing are the things that, to me, make it more satisfying upon multiple listens and what i'd consider to be a brilliant album. We all have to remember that even simple songs are filled with small things and finer mechanics that make Justin the master of what he does. Every song is a winner. I'd originally thought that "The Fight To Be Human" was much along what you think.....long, doesn't necessarily go anywhere, an 8 minute song in the middle of an album. But listen to the way that the instruments slowly come in, building the song up and making it huge by the song's end. And it's a two chord song, basically--Justin is no fool. If he's using two chords and 8 minutes, it's for a reason.

What this album does so well--like "What Love Is For?"--is that it's big sounding, but everything is economical and organic. It's an album that Justin can take on tour with a regular band and pull off. Each listen reveals a song that makes it seem like I hadn't heard it on the previous listens. It's weird. I'm like, "did I really listen to that before?". I have a new favourite song on each listen.
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ryan s
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #17 - 06/05/10 at 10:21:16
 
Jon L. wrote on 05/17/10 at 20:03:15:
I always thought Iain was a very underrated guitarist.  He's not a shredder nor technician, but he plays with a lot of feel and balls, and knows how to fill up a song (as you mentioned).  His playing just added a lot of weight to songs that otherwise might be a bit limp.    


Yeah, absolutely. I do miss Iain from the Currie/ Harvie axis. Iain always had a really good tasteful playing--like other guys like Mike Campbell (Tom Petty) and Johnny Hickman (Cracker), they're essential to the singer and song as a sideman, because they add enough colour and flash without taking away from the song, almost in a textural way. I like Eddie Van Halen, but he's an example of a guy that is usually putting his own personality and style ahead of the song (especially in their cover versions)--which works for some bands, and doesn't work for others.
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David
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #18 - 06/05/10 at 19:10:41
 
ryan s wrote on 06/05/10 at 10:16:39:
i'd be inclined to agree with you, but the nuances in the songwriting and Justin's lyrics and phrasing are the things that, to me, make it more satisfying upon multiple listens and what i'd consider to be a brilliant album. We all have to remember that even simple songs are filled with small things and finer mechanics that make Justin the master of what he does. Every song is a winner. I'd originally thought that "The Fight To Be Human" was much along what you think.....long, doesn't necessarily go anywhere, an 8 minute song in the middle of an album. But listen to the way that the instruments slowly come in, building the song up and making it huge by the song's end. And it's a two chord song, basically--Justin is no fool. If he's using two chords and 8 minutes, it's for a reason.


You clearly got a different version of the album to me. I always find it odd that Justin inspires such sycophancy - The Fight to be Human is a dreadful, dreadful song - no chorus, no melodic development, the lyrics have basically told the entire tale within the first two verses and, well, it's just dull.

There's a really arrogant tone to yours and the previous poster's responses - as if you somehow speak for Justin and all that is good about songwriting. Let's be clear - it's a well written album, but it's more a matter of craft than any great inspiration. Well put together, intelligently thought through, completely uninhabited by the artist.

I've listened to it several times and, basically, I find no reason to listen to it again. I don't like the production, I think the arrangements are plodding and only half the songs are worth listening to. And my favourite song from the sessions wasn't even on the album. FFS!
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ryan s
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #19 - 06/29/10 at 18:42:11
 
Quote:
There's a really arrogant tone to yours and the previous poster's responses - as if you somehow speak for Justin and all that is good about songwriting. Let's be clear - it's a well written album, but it's more a matter of craft than any great inspiration. Well put together, intelligently thought through, completely uninhabited by the artist.


It wasn't intended to be arrogant, and if you're reading that into it, you're reading something that's not there. I have, however, written many songs that have reached the public ears and done so to a fair amount of public acclaim where there's public reactions to it, so I like to think that I happen to know a thing or two about what constitutes something of merit and the nuances that  go into songwriting and production. Ie: "The Fight To Be Human" sounds pointless and dull to you, but i'm pretty sure that Justin challenged himself to write a minimalistic song that didn't have a traditional chorus. It's not like he said to himself, "must write a chorus". Coming from that standpoint, I think he succeeded....if people dislike it because it's supposed to be "more interesting", that's not the point.

I'm not trying to rip on you, i'm just pointing out that you're wishing that it's something that it's not even trying to be. Most of the Dels albums and Justin's stuff--while some say he's just written the same song over and over--have a surprising amount of diversity....no more evidence than needed that sometimes the fans don't like those detours.  Some people didn't like "What Is Love For?" because it was too dark and plodding; others don't like this one because of the return to the shiny happy pop songs.  Grin
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #20 - 08/06/10 at 02:29:30
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/j6nv

Found this review of the Great War, although not the most positive I have seen.
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #21 - 08/08/10 at 23:20:17
 
...i just ordered the cd...will give my 5 cents as soon as i have listened to it...
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #22 - 08/17/10 at 01:06:16
 
Was just looking at some old interviews before the Great War came out and thought these might be of interest:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/05/07/justin-curr...

http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/herald-the-glasgow-uk/mi_8039/is_2010052...

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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #23 - 08/18/10 at 00:58:26
 
strettoncc wrote on 08/17/10 at 01:06:16:


Thanks for the link...

What can i say...not always easy to be a fan of a band/singer who's fairly pessimistic...

I sure wish Del Amitri wasn't just a story from the past.

As per now, i enjoy the new record...the last 2 records were too slow for my taste (i love slow songs but not only).

Cheers
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #24 - 08/24/10 at 01:58:55
 

Couple more reviews - interesting assertion in the first that if there was to be a film of his life he would be played by Colin Farrell!!?!??

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2010/05/04/2010-05-04_justin_curr...

http://www.dailymusicguide.com/Reviews/justin-currie-the-great-war-album-review-...

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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #25 - 08/24/10 at 07:07:35
 
Ok...i had the cd for about a week. Couldn't listen to it as much as i wanted since my wife always has headaches when i put some cd but well  Roll Eyes.

While not spectacular, at least in the beginning, this cd is definetively a grower. Maybe not the best record ever by Justin & co but really good and my fav record for this summer/autumn (and probably my fav Dels/Justin record since "Twisted"). Here are my current favs (though it's getting more difficult every day to chose some):

- You'll always walk alone
- A man with nothing to do
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #26 - 08/24/10 at 09:09:29
 
the cd is top.

my favorites: You'll always walk alone and At home inside me
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #27 - 08/31/10 at 02:28:54
 
Due to this release, i've listened again more to the last 4 records (walking hours, change everything & twisted apart) and also the b-sides "Lousy with love". Here's my current ranking.

1. The great war is indeed imho the best cd since 1995
2. What is love for follows closely (great cd too).
3. Lousy with love...love these amazing songs.
4. Some other sucker's parade a bit rougth but with great songs too.
5. Can you do me any good? There are some fantastic songs here as always but still one of the cd that grasps me the least as a whole.

Basically...i am extremely happy with the last release...much more than what i had been expecting after the first listenings.

Cheers
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #28 - 08/31/10 at 04:26:23
 
Track by track comments on the Great War by the great man himself...

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_listings/scottish_music/801250...
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ryan s
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Re: Justin Currie's The Great War is out!!!!!!!
Reply #29 - 09/02/10 at 22:45:12
 
strettoncc wrote on 08/31/10 at 04:26:23:
Track by track comments on the Great War by the great man himself...

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_listings/scottish_music/801250...


Thanks for giving the heads up on that one! Some interesting explanations by Mr. Currie.
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