Away From the World (AFTW) - Album Reviews

[rick8285]

Post the reviews of the album that you find here...


Relix: http://www.relix.com/reviews/cds/201...from-the-world

[isaacital]

The Plain White T's called, they want "Belly Full" back. Other than that, great record.

[Gorge Phanatic]

Not sure how I feel about that review..

[barbogast]

Originally Posted by isaacital

The Plain White T's called, they want "Belly Full" back. Other than that, great record.

I think you mean Jack Johnson.

[barbogast]

Just read the review in the OP, I disagree pretty strongly about Sweet in particular. The beauty of the studio cut really sold me on that song, and I really didn't care for it until I heard it on the album. Also, Gaucho is hands down the worst song on the album, and the review says besides the shitty chorus it's "otherwise brilliant", and I don't agree with that at all.

[BotheDMBFan]

Gaucho is a great song.

[barbogast]

^ I disagree. It's the only one on AFTW I just can't get into. The chorus and bridge are awful, the lyrics leave a lot to be desired, and the riff is just ok. Whatever that noise is in between two of the verses is just weird, and the kids choir at the end ices it.

[TheStone91]

Originally Posted by barbogast

^ I disagree. It's the only one on AFTW I just can't get into. The chorus and bridge are awful, the lyrics leave a lot to be desired, and the riff is just ok. Whatever that noise is in between two of the verses is just weird, and the kids choir at the end ices it.

Gaucho = a failed experiment

I give them credit for trying something outside the box, though. But, the chorus lyrics still make me cringe...

[nabigeyedfishte]

Wow, just read the review. Some interesting opinions there...downright wrong ones too.

He says BW and UTTAD are fantastic and Everyday sucks.
Everyday is not much worse than BW if any. We all agree that Everyday isn't big 3 status, but it does have some pretty good songs. Certainly in the range of BW.

Also, describing Sweet as off key seems very strange to me

The little musically comment on Mercy belies a flagrant lack of hearing the song live.

BUT, this line is hilarious.
"Lyrically, Matthews avoids his horny barfly schtick in favor of starry-eyed hippie idealism"

[drop2d]

Originally Posted by nabigeyedfishte

Wow, just read the review. Some interesting opinions there...downright wrong ones too.

He says BW and UTTAD are fantastic and Everyday sucks.
Everyday is not much worse than BW if any. We all agree that Everyday isn't big 3 status, but it does have some pretty good songs. Certainly in the range of BW.

Also, describing Sweet as off key seems very strange to me

The little musically comment on Mercy belies a flagrant lack of hearing the song live.

BUT, this line is hilarious.
"Lyrically, Matthews avoids his horny barfly schtick in favor of starry-eyed hippie idealism"

Not all of us... I don't like anything about that album. At all. And that review pretty much nailed ED as "pop grab-ass" b/c, well, that's what it is.

I think, in the end, this review puts AFTW where it belongs. Middle of the road.

[dwill26]

Originally Posted by drop2d

Not all of us... I don't like anything about that album. At all. And that review pretty much nailed ED as "pop grab-ass" b/c, well, that's what it is.

I think, in the end, this review puts AFTW where it belongs. Middle of the road.

And I will disagree with this. Everyday gave us What You Are, So Right, and Fool To Think. All great songs, especially live. Even Everyday is fine from time to time. However it is no where near as good as AFTW. This album is miles above everyday and no where near middle of the road. The production value alone makes it a great album. Not to mention the quality and diversity of songs on it. 4/5.

[barbogast]

Originally Posted by dwill26

And I will disagree with this. Everyday gave us What You Are, So Right, and Fool To Think. All great songs, especially live. Even Everyday is fine from time to time. However it is no where near as good as AFTW. This album is miles above everyday and no where near middle of the road. The production value alone makes it a great album. Not to mention the quality and diversity of songs on it. 4/5.

The thing is though, even with as good as AFTW is, for DMB it's really still middle of the road. Which is not a bad thing. But here's what I mean:

UTTAD/Crash/BTCS

BS/AFTW

ED/SU/BW

While still outstanding, middle of the road. AFTW is probably DMB's 4th or 5th best album, out of 8.

[dwill26]

Originally Posted by barbogast

The thing is though, even with as good as AFTW is, for DMB it's really still middle of the road. Which is not a bad thing. But here's what I mean:

UTTAD/Crash/BTCS

BS/AFTW

ED/SU/BW

While still outstanding, middle of the road. AFTW is probably DMB's 4th or 5th best album, out of 8.

Fair enough. By the numbers then yeah it is middle of the road. But that term in a context without numbers has such a negative connotation to it, you know?

[barbogast]

Originally Posted by dwill26

Fair enough. By the numbers then yeah it is middle of the road. But that term in a context without numbers has such a negative connotation to it, you know?

Yeah, I agree. That's why I don't really think that phrase is fair. We're talking about really good music either way.

[nabigeyedfishte]

Originally Posted by drop2d

Not all of us... I don't like anything about that album. At all. And that review pretty much nailed ED as "pop grab-ass" b/c, well, that's what it is.

I think, in the end, this review puts AFTW where it belongs. Middle of the road.

I meant the we all agree part to apply only to the immediately following statement that its not big 3 status.

Not everything on Everyday is pop grab-ass. Everyday itself was mostly written (36) in the early days, so its not fair to classify it as pop grab-ass unless you classify all old DMB as such. What You Are also isn't that poppy.

Anyway, in my view this is where AFTW ranks:

3
BS
AFTW/BW/ED
SU

[BotheDMBFan]

Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/al...world-20120911

3.5/5

[BotheDMBFan]

http://bostonglobe.com/arts/2012/09/...gjI/story.html

Boston Globe: No rating given, seems like a positive review though.

[BotheDMBFan]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...vett-b/?page=1

Washington Times: 3/4.

[drop2d]

Originally Posted by dwill26

Fair enough. By the numbers then yeah it is middle of the road. But that term in a context without numbers has such a negative connotation to it, you know?

Yeah, I don't take that notion negatively... just that it's fact - it falls in the middle.

[burningone]

THe review in EW was like 3 sentences long. I'll see if I can find a link. It's not worth reading, though.

[Dodo36]

Most of the songs have had to grow on me. Now really into Broken things yet. Just doesn't grab me as an opener should. Belly Bell nice is okay, like a lot of the album I enjoy it more musically than lyrically. Mercy is going to be an every now and then again song for my ears. Gaucho is interesting, but it makes me want to listen to the Pepper's "Aeroplane" more than anything else. Love Sweet, and The Riff has really grown on me. Belly Full - meh, a skipper for me. If Only is nice and chill but doesn't grab me. Love Rooftop the most so far. Snow Outside definitely feels more Some Devil than DMB. Drunken Soldier I love musically, groan lyrically when the chorus hits. A nice representation of the band currently, but never have I wondered what was left off more than with this album..

[unclax222]

This album is great. I'd like to see any of you write lyrics after 20 years! He's not a twenty-something anymore, you're not going to get the lyrics you got in UTTAD, Crash, and BTCS....This album freakin rocks in every sense of the musical word. Start to finish they put some quality music on this album and the lyrics are a good fit. You guys have no idea how hard it is to write lyrics to dave songs. The music is so complex, the lyrics have to fit in after.

[pele69]

Originally Posted by isaacital

The Plain White T's called, they want "Belly Full" back. Other than that, great record.

have you heard any other Plain White Ts songs other than Hey There Deliah? Most of there stuff inst acoustic

[SeaneeRo66]

Originally Posted by TheStone91

Gaucho = a failed experiment

I give them credit for trying something outside the box, though. But, the chorus lyrics still make me cringe...

Agree completely. I've tried but just can't get into Gaucho. It's in my bottom 5 DMB tunes. It just seems Batson-like to me with the chant style chorus, similar to Stand Up (For It). I feel like "Gaucho" should be a term used for duds on otherwise fantastic albums.

[KAK1154]

This was linked in the comments of the Relix review:
http://www.chewthedirt.com/album-wee...nd-away-world/

[Malaguy]

This album is certainly growing on me. Liked it pretty good on first listen, but holy shit - after 5-6 listens, I LOVE this album. To me, it sits right alongside all the other Lillywhite albums (Big 3/4), and I'm leaning toward calling it a kindred spirit, if you will, to Under the Table and Dreaming. What I mean by that, is it's just so fresh and unlike anything else out there right now, and it takes a few listens to hear all the different layers, parts, negative space, mixing, etc. (AKA all the hallmarks of a Lillywhite produced DMB album.) I liked Big Whiskey alot, aside from the mixing, but Away From the World is easily better. Not sure about a favorite track yet, but Drunken Soldier is an early contender, as is Rooftop. Either way, LOVE LOVE LOVE this new album. I'd say "DMB is back" but they were already back with BW; just more so now.

[DMBluedevils]

Originally Posted by KAK1154

This was linked in the comments of the Relix review:
http://www.chewthedirt.com/album-wee...nd-away-world/

Great article/review. He has a lot of good points that are directed torwards the stereotypes that this band has.

[Bjkennedy24]

I like Rolling Stone's take on Mercy, "could've soundtracked the shit out of a Friends montage."

[Dodo36]

Originally Posted by unclax222

This album is great. I'd like to see any of you write lyrics after 20 years! He's not a twenty-something anymore, you're not going to get the lyrics you got in UTTAD, Crash, and BTCS....This album freakin rocks in every sense of the musical word. Start to finish they put some quality music on this album and the lyrics are a good fit. You guys have no idea how hard it is to write lyrics to dave songs. The music is so complex, the lyrics have to fit in after.

So as a record producer, yeah I do know the difficulties in writing lyrics. I'm not expecting the same stuff as the 90s, but Dave is better than some of the tripe that came out this go round. Dave has had his lyrical blunders in the past (Spotlight, Smooth Rider), this album just feels like there are several lyrical passages he settled for at one point while refining and then lived with long enough that the refining never happened. This happens, and isn't a breaker for me, it's just sad to see it happen. Sad may be too strong a word.

And this smiley is just freaking awesome.

[Terrance Pounds]

My opinion has changed the more I listen to this album. At first I wasn't impressed. After about 3-5 listens, I found some gems. Now after 10 plus, I really don't like Belly Full. Gaucho made my ears bleed in the beginning, until I heard a YouTube cover, which helped me to hear the brilliance in that song. I just think the album version kinda sucks(it wasnt good live this summer either). Strip that song down to just acoustic and it's amazing. There is something good to behold in every track and I think they did not deliver a vanilla album. It'll be great to hear these songs morph over time. 9/10