[kj] reasons why BTATS is gash

[Neil Perry]

I thought Seinfeld invented it

--- Alex Smith <vassifer at earthlink.net> wrote:


---------------------------------
Oh for cryin' out loud, Level 42 did NOT invent the
slap bass.The slap bass style had been around since
the late 60's courtesy of Larry Graham of Sly & the
Family Stone.
 
Alex in NYC



-----Original Message----- 
From: iPat 

Sent: May 9, 2006 9:27 AM 
To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

Subject: Re: [kj] reasons why BTATS is gash 

Im with you on this one bluce
The slap bass was very fashionable at the time. Level
42 were big at the time - before BTAS mind you.
Stanley Clark was influencing many around me with
their bass playing.

 
On 5/9/06, bluce ree <bluceree2003 at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
a)  the first 45 seconds of 'Love Of The Masses'
including that fruity little break at around 42 secs. 
The whole song sounds like Tears For Fears. 

b)  'The Southern Sky'.  horrible.

c)  the chorus in 'Victory' which ruins an otherwise
sub-par but inoffensive song.  the verses are probably
one of the better things on the album.  thin praise
indeed.

d)  'Rubicon'.  ooh... sinister guitar intro.... gives
way to a riff which sounds like everything else on
this fucking record.  Maybe it's the production but
this is the most samey album they've done.  Stupid
vocals on this track as well, sounds like a new
romantic Chas and Dave. 

e)  'Goodbye To The Village'... yet another weak,
poppy chorus.  Non-descript bass.  the guitar sounds
alright, even if the song sounds like a poor
Nighttime-era b-side.

f)  'Sanity'.... horrible beat, horrible 'woah-oh's,
horrible chorus (again), horribly undermixed guitar.  

g)  'Exile'... where are you lady?  I'm in Club
Tech-Noir.  

h)  horrible production.  Even Chessboards sounds
paper-thin compared to the live version on NWOBFG.

i)  whats with all the slap-bass?

the whole album sounds much like the worst aspects of
80s synth-era Cure and sits VERY uncomfortably between
the 3 early albums and EDAVRE onwards.

it has a few moments of okayness.  Adorations remains
the strongest thing on it IMO but is ruined by Jaz's
choirboy vocals and that 'as pain and joy and
sorrow...' bit. 

If Nighttime was chasing the dollar then BTATS grabbed
it, put it in its bra and did a whoreish lapdance. 
Although partially I think it was their attempt at
being 'good' musicians even though Revelations shits
on BTATS for musicianship, attitude and variety. 

Although people say that OTG isnt a true KJ album etc
etc it could only have followed this record.  If it
had come out after any of the others the sharp change
in direction would have marked them out as commercial
whores who like being bummed in the gob.  BTATS
softened the blow, so to speak. 





-- 
Pat Davies
www.amag.org.uk 

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