Now Playing

[astfgyl]

Must take a read of the lyrics. I always thought he had done himself in, given where the car was found and the reports of his poor mental health. Reading about it here though it seems the answer will never be known.

And also keeping on topic, I'm just about to lash on A Grand Declaration of War here to get me psyched up for cutting the grass

[Eoin McLove]

Skepticism- 'Alloy' DLP.  Ordered in January; arrived today. Worth the wait.

[mickO)))]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6kNug25WJo

25 years old and still one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

[Eoin McLove]

Down- 'II: A Bustle in your Hedgerow...'

I haven't listened to this in years but I'm really enjoying it this morning. It's no 'NOLA', but then again, that's a masterpiece so maybe it was too much to hope for them to recapture that rare magic. Phil still sounds semi-decent on this but you can hear his voice really beginning to feel the strain of years of chemical abuse. Funny,  I remember when this was released in 02 and it was such a big deal having waited seven years since 'NOLA' came out to hear something new from them. That seven year gap felt like a lifetime but the subsequent eighteen years feel like about five...

[mickO)))]

All the Down albums are great but NOLA is just one of those special albums were every song is as good as the next.

[Eoin McLove]

I don't like 'Over the Under'. It just felt middle of the road to me.  I have one of the more recent EPs and there's maybe one good song and the rest are bland.  I wonder if Phil put in a bit of effort would ha be able to get his voice back on some kind of shape.  No chance he'd ever be able to achieve the range and power he had in the CFH days,  but he sounds totally fucked these days and surely there is some ground he could conceivably claw back.

[Circlepit]

Nola is a desert island disc for sure. I could never really get into the second album. As you said Nola was so good the second was always going to pale in comparison.
I love third one. I think he puts in a great vocal performance on it. Those 2 eps are terribly boring shite altogether.
Myself and a couple of friends went to see them in London in 2006. It truly was amazing that night. First time seeing them and first time seeing Phil in the flesh.
He was quite together as well.

[Eoin McLove]

I might pull out the third one for a revisit tomorrow and see if it does anything for me. I remember the production being too modern and dense, whereas 'NOLA' was super heavy but warm and with depth. I also thought Phil's performance was weak but maybe after a few years away from it I'll have a new perspective.

[Circlepit]

Give it a whirl. To me the third one sounds loose and lively! Having said that I think it clips sometimes like it was in the red going to tape and they just ploughed on.
I would imagine when they are in a studio trying to wade through the philisms is hard. Perhaps it gets to the stage where they say that'll do ted

[Eoin McLove]

Haha,  yeah possibly. I kind of picture him in a perpetual semi-daze of weed smoke and alcohol. Not exactly an atmosphere of high productivity, if you'll pardon the pun.

[Circlepit]

I'd say Bower is as bad. Anyway i must listen to it now to see if it's as good as my memory recalls.

[Pedrito]

The second one has some decent tracks on it but doesn't hold the consistency. When it's good, it's very good tho. NOLA a masterpiece. Saw them in Dublin years ago, said hello to Pepper Keenan outside, Phil was around later hugging mates of mine. Great band, that first album is one of those that goes hand in hand with so many great memories of being a boyo.

[Carnage]

Can't stand Down II, Anselmo's voice being a prime reason why (the songs just aren't up to scratch either). That smacked out rasp just sounds awful, and it's the reason I can't listen to NOLA, either - which is a shame as the songs themselves are fantastic. Over The Under and the first of the 2 EPs are where it's at for me, at least he could sing on them.

[ochoill]

I'll always like NOLA but I could never get into the later albums.  There's a few good songs here and there but they don't do the trick for me overall.

On topic - listened to Gaahl's Wyrd "Gastir - Ghosts Invited" yesterday the whole way through, having only heard a song or two off it the week before.  The album is class, inventive stuff without being outlandish.

Currently listening to Psychic Graveyard - "A Bluebird Vacation", also fairly savage.  Noise rock, in the vein of more recent Daughters but slower, more industrial, barely a hint of guitar on it, electronics and drums and horror mainly.  A great find

[Trev]

Love the first Down, second was very enjoyable, third was OK, never bothered with the EPs, really a case of diminished returns each time. And the live album was absolutely atrocious

Still, if they get touring again I know I'd go see them