Welcome to the new Goldfrapp forum. Enjoy your new home! X
Silver Eye (main album thread)
-
1576 Comments sorted by
-
I'm just going to elbow my way into this thread and say I actually quite like the album (remember on the old forum when I hated everything that wasn't Felt Mountain haha). Obviously a few songs pass me by... Anymore being one. But there are a few that are really nice. Not sure how long it'll last, I've stopped listening to it as often as I previously was.
-
I am still loving it, and anticipate it having staying power with me.
-
Jaxsbudgie said:
I'm just going to elbow my way into this thread and say I actually quite like the album (remember on the old forum when I hated everything that wasn't Felt Mountain haha). Obviously a few songs pass me by... Anymore being one. But there are a few that are really nice. Not sure how long it'll last, I've stopped listening to it as often as I previously was.
You know, at first Anymore seemed to lack a certain energy to me. Now I like the slower pacing. It's relaxed and sexy sounding, not as pounding..but still gets the message across nicely. I'm still exploring it to be honest..I didn't want to overdo it and burn myself out on it. Like I said earlier, it's a grower.U R I E L
What is done in the dark will always come to light -
The songs are solid but are missing that Goldfrapp "oopmh" for me. I'd say it's definitely the orchestral sounds being missing. Not a lot really explodes, apart from Anymore and Ocean. There's still gorgeous moments on it but the only songs I regularly come back to are Anymore, Systemagic, Moon in Your Mouth and Ocean. I haven't played the album as a whole in a few weeks.
-
ryanraymedina said:
Sigh, my honeymoon phase with the album has definitely passed, and all of my extreme/obsessed/fanboy excitement has fizzled out. As I feared (my initial gut reaction to the album was correct), the album doesn't have the longevity for me. I can't play it over and over like previous albums, nor do I care to even try. In fact, I haven't played it in weeks :( . And like most of us on here, I'm a diehard fan since their first album... so this is the first time I've encountered this with a Goldfrapp album, so it's really unexpected :/
Same here too, honeymoon phase most definitely over, infact I sold on my copy of the vinyl I was that disappointed with it. I like Anymore and Ocean but the rest all sound the same to me slow and going nowhere. Such a shame as I had high hopes for this album. Maybe the next one will be a return to form?
-
peterofbrill said:ryanraymedina said:
Such a shame as I had high hopes for this album. Maybe the next one will be a return to form?
Can't imagine how sick artists must get of reading/hearing that at the drop of each new album, especially in the case of our eclectic Goldfrapp duo who arguably are absent of form. When you say form, do you mean where they began with Felt Mountain? Do you mean their electronic roots with Black Cherry/Supernature? Do you mean the successful acoustics of Seventh Tree?Perhaps you mean your satisfaction on what they deliver, at which point it's not their issue anymore - as it's yours.It's very difficult to please everyone, all of the time...Post edited by Gaelen at 2017-05-13 17:32:08Soon be nothing of this world. -
Gaelen said:peterofbrill said:ryanraymedina said:
Such a shame as I had high hopes for this album. Maybe the next one will be a return to form?
Can't imagine how sick artists must get of reading/hearing that at the drop of each new album, especially in the case of our eclectic Goldfrapp duo who arguably are absent of form. When you say form, do you mean where they began with Felt Mountain? Do you meant their electronic roots with Black Cherry/Supernature? Do you mean the successful acoustics of Seventh Tree?Perhaps you mean your satisfaction on what they deliver, at which point it's not their issue anymore - as it's yours.It's very difficult to please everyone, all of the time...
Yup, I hate that phrase too, even when it's attempted to be used as praise. I have my issues with this album but I don't want to use language that would be disheartening to the artist. -
I was on the fence at first. "Oh, wow. Cool album! Let's listen to Tales of Us now."
The more I listened, the more it hooked me: the upbeat tunes with shadowy undertones and "occult" leanings, as well as the dark, gothic-horror-influenced songs infused with love & longing and desperate sparks of hope. I can't get it out of my head.
Post edited by iuventus at 2017-05-13 16:35:39If I were dead, could I do this? -
You know, I've followed a lot of bands during my time. I only continue to follow the ones that make an impression, (duh, obviously) and those bands, when on form are fantastic, sublime, insightful etc. But, you know what, I can't name one where every album, every song, hits those heights. That would be impossible. All bands have albums that are a bit, well Meh, and most albums have tracks that are not as strong as others. That's ALL bands, be it the Beatles, The Stones, U2 ( particularly U2) and Goldfrapp are no different. But, the one thing all these bands have to their die hard fans compared to other bands is best summed up with the lyrics from Open Your Heart from the Human League.
And when it hurts you know they love to tell you
How they warned you
They say "Don't be surprised at someone's lies"
They think they taunt you
But if you can stand the test
You know your worst is better than their best
Remember an earlier post on this subject comparing music to works of art? Silver Eye is the latest Goldfrapp exhibition, Anymore, Ocean and the rest the paintings on the wall. All are segments of the overall Goldfrapp canon and I suspect other exhibitions will come soon.
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ.
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit.
Shall lure it back to cancal half a line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it. -
I think, for me, it's that the album behaves like a cocktail of ingredients from previous records. It's a wonderful album worthy of the Goldfrapp name, and Systemagic is the track I always hoped from them, but now, I've reached a conclusion that surprises me,I miss Tales of Us Alison so VERY much. The Tallulah Bankhead fashion sense and iconic style, the cinematic undertones, the sheer depth of that album.I keep returning to every song on that album, and less so towards Silver Eye. It sounds, after a while, almost too polished and squeaky clean. John Congleton did an amazing job (also being responsible for Blondie's STELLAR new album which you all must check out), but I wonder what the outcome would have been if the band just worked in-house like on previous records. Not complaining, mind you! I really love the new album, but the cleanliness and lack of sonic depth combined with only being ten tracks just makes it feel like it's missing something.I really love Alison's lower register, and think her vocals are strongest there. Perhaps the next album will be akin to the Tales era? Seeing as they like to flip tempos between albums, I see it as a possibility. The Vangelis-esque last half minute of Faux Suede Drifter with those fluttering little oriental-tinged synths, in my opinion, is the most beautiful part of the entire Silver Eye record. If they go for a New Age approach akin to Diane Arkenstone's Dreamscape, I can die happy.Post edited by Slippage at 2017-05-13 21:41:19
-
Urban_Tribesman said:
But, you know what, I can't name one where every album, every song, hits those heights. That would be impossible. All bands have albums that are a bit, well Meh, and most albums have tracks that are not as strong as others. That's ALL bands...
Except Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush.
And Blondie before 2000.
If I were dead, could I do this? -
I feel like @Low said it best "The songs are solid but are missing that Goldfrapp 'oomph' for me"... I've said the exact same thing to my friends about this era. Even Goldfrapp's "quieter" eras like Tales of Us, ironically had more "oomph." I also make it a point of trying to be extra aware of my fanaticism of Goldfrapp and keep myself in check (as we all should ;) ) *side-eyes defensive DIEHARD Gaga fans, Beyonce fans, and the likes of, who think they can do no wrong* lol. I try to be as unbiased and objective as possible. When talking to a close friend about this, he said "If your idols never disappoint, you're not worshipping them correctly," which really resonated with me. All that being said, this is also along the same lines as what @Urban_Tribesman... "I can't name one [artist] where every album, every song, hits those heights."Post edited by ryanraymedina at 2017-05-14 01:58:01
-
Still, for someone to say they sold on their copy of the album...to even post that here, on GMB, seems passive-aggressive to me. I doubt I'd volunteer that bit here even had I felt the same way.
Eschewing genre and labels comes as par for the course for Goldfrapp, and I think the fact this album comes across as more squarely fitting into the synthpop genre, more than Supernature, Black Cherry, or Head First did, might irk some...maybe on a subconscious level, as some don't seem to discern that as a reason.
That said, I'm no "they can do no wrong" fanboy either. For me, I come from the opposite spectrum of what many seem to embrace GF for. I learned to love the orchestration in those previous albums, and the differing genres of Tales Of Us and Seventh Tree. I do enjoy those albums (more as albums as a whole), but in different ways than others. While Silver Eye might not fire on every cylinder for some, it comes from a direction I tend to favor. For some others, I think that seems easier to pigeon-hole, and maybe some feel they didn't try as hard to break the mold this time.
Ironically, I'm surprised the accusation here isn't more of a sense of Silver Eye seeming as rushed as Alison feels Head First was. I don't feel it plays that way, but I think you could make that argument far more easily than when listening to Head First.
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!