I was always gun shy about this record because Aviv wrote everything except one tune. Does the record suffer from Wilson's lack of input??
I was always gun shy about this record because Aviv wrote everything except one tune. Does the record suffer from Wilson's lack of input??
It's alright. Aviv is a good songwriter too, and this album has some great songs of his on it as well. You know, there is such a thing as the internet where you can often sample things before buying them...
This is the only Blackfield I own. I've heard assorted Blackfield tracks, and until this album came out I didn't find enough to attract me. It seemed too much like porcupine Tree Lite.
I should add that on the Porcupine Tree forum, this album seems to not get much love at all. Most people seem to nominate either Blackfield or Blackfield II as the best.
WtmDNA has a couple of tracks I'm not too fond of: "Go To Hell" and "On the Plane". Other than that, I think it's pretty good. I don't think of it as particularly progressive, more "art-pop" if you like.
Wilson while not writing many of the tunes still had a lot of input in making the album, and the album was decent. It came across much better live, but was no where near the quality of the first two (IMO).
Now Blackfield IV is where the band suffered without his input, as his involvement dropped significantly. The album is really really bad.
Thanks soooooo much for your condescending answerOriginally Posted by marblesmike
Agree with both of these gents.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
I just don't understand when people ask others about new bands instead of just checking them out. It wasn't meant to be condescending.
Because that's kinda what an Internet forum is all about? Generating conversation?
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Exactly. Camples can only go so far.
I might listen to a couple of songs and decide that a certain album is not really my cuppa - but if I then come on PE and find lots of people saying "It took me a while but now I really dig this album", I might give it another opportunity... and every now and then, it might pay off.
Your opinion of course. I find IV to be a much stronger album that DNA.
DNA I could barely get thru, until recently when I realized if you skip Go to Hell, it's a much better listen. God, i find that song to be an awful assault on the senses that sours the entire experience of that album for me.
It's not that I mind the use of the word "Fuck", it's the fact that it's repeated twenty or so times, making it seem like a childish attempt to shock.
For me I find the album really picks up towards the end, with "Oxygen" and "Zigota" - and "DNA" is a nice closer.
Agree, it just seems to be used as a shock factor and comes across really lame to me. The album is hit and miss for me. Not terrible, but not great either.
For me, I respect the opinions of a lot of people on this board so sometimes like to ask opinions prior to actually checking it out.
Depends what you consider suffering, probably. It's just different. Aviv's a strong writer in his own right, but his stuff is more the kind that has to sink in and grow on you. DNA and B-IV are a lot like his solo albums (except sung in English) and there's barely any similarity to anything with the Wilson name.
Perspectives and opinions from fellow human beings are always more interesting than samples alone.
I never thought about shock value. Supposedly he just got angry at somebody, started venting about it in the studio and the song grew out of that. I don't mind the words or the repetition, only the fact that the song is lazily built around those couple dashed-off bits without any other development writing-wise. "Blood" is just as simple as lyrics go, but at least it feels like a song.
Yes, the best stretch definitely comes at the end. Agreed.For me I find the album really picks up towards the end, with "Oxygen" and "Zigota" - and "DNA" is a nice closer.
I really like DNA. It's consistent (aside from Go To Hell), pleasant-sounding, well produced and written. Although Blackfield II is my favorite, this would be my next pick to just put on and enjoy. There's a few good songs on IV too, it's just pathetically short, many of those songs could have been developed much more.
The tour for DNA was incredible, I was very pleased at how much I loved it. And Go to Hell was great in concert, so that justified the song...as a studio version, it's definitely only for "bonus material" and doesn't really convey the energy behind that the song deserves. In concert, Aviv said it was written for his family...or at least how he felt about his family at a certain point in his life.
Awful record that absolutely suffered from a lack of Steven Wilson's direction.
Put this on yesterday based on this thread. Definitely pales in comparison to the first 2 IMO.
It's not bad, it's just ok..
yeah it has some good songs, and honestly, I think many of the Aviv tracks beat SW's lone entry on the album (Waving).
Zagota, Blood and Oxygen are my favorites, and yes, most songs on this album were better live.
I read that repeatedly in reviews at the time. I passed on their Philly show during this tour for money reasons, but would have made a different decision if I'd had any clue it would be the last time...
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