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TOPIC: Another Opinion
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 12:54 AM
Post 1 of 22
Quoth my friend about Matt Pelham:

"That guy would be in the best band if he wouldn't write every song with the same structure.. it's always loud intro that's different from the verses, then quiet verse, then the rest of the song."

He's right, the only Features songs I can think of that don't start like that are "Leave it all Behind" and "That's The Way It's Meant To Be." Maybe you could also count "Keri Anne" since that starts with an intro that is softer than the verse.

Your secret is out, Pelham!!
(Actually, we knew all along but it didn't bother us.)
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 12:58 AM
Post 2 of 22
Hm. What about "The Beginning", "Exhibit A", "Look out Below", "See you Through".. I'm sure there's more. Actually its hard for me to find songs that do fit that structure. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what he is saying.

(Edited by rachel1808 at 12:59 am on Jun. 9, 2003)
You're so fucking money you don't even know it
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 1:03 AM
Post 3 of 22
While this is a very astute observation, I will try to keep it from hindering my Features listening experiences.
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 1:04 AM
Post 4 of 22
I think you did misunderstand.. or I didn't explain well enough.. All of the songs you listed start out with the typical Matt Pelham structure... Loud instrumental opening, then the vocals come in at the verse, which is quieter than the intro.
Actually, I can't remember how "Look Out Below" starts. Does it start with the vocals? I think it does-- good. I'm cool with proving my friend wrong.
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 1:07 AM
Post 5 of 22
"Quote from HeyItsBriggs on Jun. 9, 2003 at 1:04 AM"
I think you did misunderstand.. or I didn't explain well enough..  All of the songs you listed start out with the typical Matt Pelham structure... Loud instrumental opening, then the vocals come in at the verse, which is quieter than the intro.
Actually, I can't remember how "Look Out Below" starts.  Does it start with the vocals?  I think it does-- good.  I'm cool with proving my friend wrong.
Okay, I get it now. I wasnt counting the instrumental as the intro.

Yeah, Look Out Below starts with vocals.

Would Walk You Home be another? & the new version of Growing Old. & Harold. & a few more that dont have louder or different intros that I'm too scared to name because I think I might still be doing this wrong. biggrin.gif

(Edited by rachel1808 at 1:14 am on Jun. 9, 2003)
You're so fucking money you don't even know it
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 8:42 AM
Post 6 of 22
Features songs that break Brigg's friend's mold:

Harold
The Idea of Growing Old
Someway, Somehow
Leave It All Behind
Kari-Ann
Discotheque
Bumblebee
Thursday
Walk You Home
Temporary Blues
That's the Way it's Meant to Be
Don't Lie to Me
God Save Rock'n'Roll
The Design
Stark-White Stork Approaching

I'm not even considering a lot of the really old songs, because I can't remember how they start off the top of my head.
Relevant: Prince, PT Anderson, Punk, Post-Punk, Purple, Party of Five, Peter Swanson, Peter Gabriel-led Genesis, "Peter Panic", Paul's Boutique, Potential Energy, Every Features MB member but me.
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 9:36 AM
Post 7 of 22
"Quote from jamiecarroll on Jun. 9, 2003 at 7:42 AM"
Features songs that break Brigg's friend's mold:

Harold
The Idea of Growing Old
Someway, Somehow
Leave It All Behind
Kari-Ann
Discotheque
Bumblebee
Thursday
Walk You Home
Temporary Blues
That's the Way it's Meant to Be
Don't Lie to Me
God Save Rock'n'Roll
The Design
Stark-White Stork Approaching
JC, I disagree on some of these. The structure described fits very well for

Harold
Idea
Someway
Kari
Thursday
Walk You
GSRnR
Design

Briggs, I think you need to more clearly spell out your friend's observation.

It is a very good observation, but it's a matter of decision as to whether you let this affect you Features love or not.
I can't grow a beard, and I don't like to party.
~Matthew Tiberius Pelham
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 9:46 AM
Post 8 of 22
"Quote from YaDaDaDa on Jun. 9, 2003 at 9:36 AM"
"Quote from jamiecarroll on Jun. 9, 2003 at 7:42 AM"
Features songs that break Brigg's friend's mold:

Harold
The Idea of Growing Old
Someway, Somehow
Leave It All Behind
Kari-Ann
Discotheque
Bumblebee
Thursday
Walk You Home
Temporary Blues
That's the Way it's Meant to Be
Don't Lie to Me
God Save Rock'n'Roll
The Design
Stark-White Stork Approaching
JC, I disagree on some of these. The structure described fits very well for

Harold
Idea
Someway
Kari
Thursday
Walk You
GSRnR
Design

Briggs, I think you need to more clearly spell out your friend's observation.

It is a very good observation, but it's a matter of decision as to whether you let this affect you Features love or not.
It's my understanding that the description was as follows:

LOUD instrumental Intro
QUIET verse

With "Harold," for instance, I don't find the intro to be loud at all, though it is instrumental. The verse is about the same volume as the intro. I don't understand where you're coming from at all on these, YDDD.
Relevant: Prince, PT Anderson, Punk, Post-Punk, Purple, Party of Five, Peter Swanson, Peter Gabriel-led Genesis, "Peter Panic", Paul's Boutique, Potential Energy, Every Features MB member but me.
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 9:48 AM
Post 9 of 22
"Quote from jamiecarroll on Jun. 9, 2003 at 8:46 AM"
LOUD instrumental Intro
QUIET verse

With "Harold," for instance, I don't find the intro to be loud at all, though it is instrumental. The verse is about the same volume as the intro. I don't understand where you're coming from at all on these, YDDD.
TOUCHE, JC. I am the fool here.
I can't grow a beard, and I don't like to party.
~Matthew Tiberius Pelham
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 9:50 AM
Post 10 of 22
Seeing as how the Features don't have a full fledged album yet anyway, I see no problem with this, and rather see advantages. It's good for bands to develop new and different styles, but more often than not, I like to see typically one style reflected on an album. After they're done cutting this album, sure, I'd be more than happy with pellham moving on to other song formats, but as far as pre-album writing goes, I'm very glad that he sticks to similiar formats. It makes the band feel complete and together, rather than loose and unorganized.

The Beatles started out with songs that were the same format every time, as did countless other bands.

Also, the white stripes seem to have songs which are all very similiar to eachother, while varied in other ways, but people love them... Just my take on the whole deal... take it or leave it... ph34r.gif

of course, i'm a rather new follower to the features, so i may just be blatantly incorrect in my opinions.

(Edited by deathscythe257 at 10:26 am on Jun. 9, 2003)
you're everybody's second home
always trying to get me alone
an easy way to lose it all
always there when all else fails
over by the west side rails
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 4:59 PM
Post 11 of 22
I've spent the day (mostly by the pool) thinking about the different structures, and if I were more into it, I would go through and group them all into probably 3-4 categories. Then I realized that all pop music basically fits into those four categories. Then I realized that it wasn't structure that initially drew or continues to draw me to the Features. Then I realized that I didn't care. Then I realized I was a little hungry...
I can't grow a beard, and I don't like to party.
~Matthew Tiberius Pelham
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 5:08 PM
Post 12 of 22
"Quote from YaDaDaDa on Jun. 9, 2003 at 4:59 PM"
Then I realized I was a little hungry...
Like the wolf, perhaps?
you're everybody's second home
always trying to get me alone
an easy way to lose it all
always there when all else fails
over by the west side rails
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 5:09 PM
Post 13 of 22
"Quote from deathscythe257 on Jun. 9, 2003 at 4:08 PM"
Like the wolf, perhaps?
Always, my friend...always.
I can't grow a beard, and I don't like to party.
~Matthew Tiberius Pelham
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 5:20 PM
Post 14 of 22
the structure thing really doesn't bother me in the least. it may, however, partly explain why I love so many of their songs. the only way i could see this turning anyone off of the features is if they consistantly dwelled on the topic everytime they heard a song by the features. people who are really into writing music or playing music may also find this "mold" as a sign of weakness or redundancy- i, however, am not one of those people so i wouldn't know. I just love the songs for what they are at face value.
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 5:47 PM
Post 15 of 22
At the DND show a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in the company of a couple of guys who were talking about their "creative ways of using Beatle structures" and how orchestrated the sound was and how interesting the chord changes were. I was thankful that all that interests me very little, and that none of it governs the way I approach bands...esp. the Features.
I can't grow a beard, and I don't like to party.
~Matthew Tiberius Pelham
Posted  Monday, June 9, 2003 at 9:55 PM
Post 16 of 22
It can't be helped, musicians are like that. You guys are right, my friend is quite a prolific songwriter and he analyzes song structures and things like that quite a bit. It's just so much a part of his life, it's how he thinks about music. As a musician, I think that way, too, but only part of the time. Sometimes I can let things go and just enjoy it, too.
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 8:53 AM
Post 17 of 22
But let me get this straight--was your prolific songrwriter friend knocking Matt? From the way you quote his comment ("that guy would be in the best band IF...") it sounds like he is. Or was he just "analyzing" the structure? I've considered this many times before and I've come to the realization that I maybe half-agree with your friend. However (if the former is true), with all due respect, I will wager my entire checking accout on the fact that your friend isn't quite in the same league as Matt Pelham. To become the biggest rock band in a town with 100,000 songwriters is no minor feat. In fact, I can't think of too many well-known songwriters who can hang with Matt.
"Is this what you want you want to do with your life, man? Suck down peppermint schnapps and try to call Morocco at 2 in the morning?"
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 9:39 AM
Post 18 of 22
i'll take that bet. you're the wealthiest friend i have. oh the things i could buy with yr check book...
You know you have problems, with both money and alcohol, when you find yourself shoving beers down your pants outside a Features show.
-jbc
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 10:49 AM
Post 19 of 22
what are you going to wager on your side, baine?.....my imagination is running wild.
"Is this what you want you want to do with your life, man? Suck down peppermint schnapps and try to call Morocco at 2 in the morning?"
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 11:19 AM
Post 20 of 22
"Quote from roadie on Jun. 10, 2003 at 10:49 AM"
what are you going to wager on your side, baine?.....my imagination is running wild.
Maybe his black book. Equally as valuable if his reputation holds true.
Daigle is all we need to make the night complete
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 11:31 AM
Post 21 of 22
Crap... wrong damn thread (moving my original reply to the right thread).

Joey, hopefully I'll have something video-wise soon of the recording session.

(Edited by BrianW at 1:47 pm on Jun. 10, 2003)
Posted  Tuesday, June 10, 2003 at 1:15 PM
Post 22 of 22
"Quote from BrianW on Jun. 10, 2003 at 10:31 AM"
Basically you don't release a new artist in the fourth quarter, so many new acts have debut bows (I sound like I'm writing for Billboard or something) at the beginning of the year. That's the reason for our wait (it'll be long, but not as long as waiting for the new season of Six Feet Under).

No tours planned of Waffle Houses. They couldn't agree on which one to play at the I-24/Highway 96 exit so they decided to call the whole thing off.
perhaps there might be a "sneak peek" on the website before then???