BRAIN: Piece of Work, and other tBS stuff

[Brian Halligan]

The FAQman sayeth,

>> Starting off an album with an acapella tune,
>
>My first reaction was kind of a "What the f#$%?" when I heard that -
>guess I wanted another *Trepanation* kind of a start (i.e. with "Gimme
>Nothin').  But, after listening to this song a few times, I decided that
>it was much more appropriate at the beginning of the album, than
>sandwiched somewhere in the middle.  One of Deb's finest vocal moments
>on the album, I might add.

I guess Biloxi didn't shock me as much, because I already knew it was a
mellow tune. You're right though, Gimme Nothin', (and St.Vitus, and Needle
Gun) are all great album openers. I'm sure that when the band hits the road
again, they won't open with Biloxi. :-)

>> I think Al's drums are "turned-up" on PoW too. They're much more obvious
>> than on Trep. or even BoH. And that's the way I like it. The rhythm on Bad
>> Hair Day and Prince Albert are a lot of fun to groove to.
>
>I think you are right.  I may have even commented on *Trepanation* that
>the guitars were so up-front that the drums and bass (probably
>especially the bass) needed to be louder.  It was less the case on *Box
>Of Hammers*, and now on *Piece Of Work* the drums and the bass seem even
>more prominent.

A lot of my favorite albums have a prominent rhythm section. I think the
BOC album that comes closest to the mix of PoW is FoUO. That's my favorite
"sounding" BOC record. You can hear it on Dark Side of the Moon too, and
the album by Dire Straights w/ Sultan of Swing, et al.

>> I've had the melody to More Than Truth in my head lately. Now there's a
>> radio-friendly tune in a mid-'80s vein.
>
>Yes, but I think "Confession #9" could get radio airplay in the 90s.

I think you're right. It has a modern rhythm to it.

>> PoW is definately my favorite Surgeons album.
>
>I'm not sure tBS will ever top *Trepanation* for me, but I do really
>like PoW.

I'd like Trepanation better if the mix was more like PoW. I think it has
some of the best Surgeons tunes (Give Me Nothin', Medusa, Kiss, My
Civilization, Ramblin', but also some I routinely skip: Everything is Blue,
Bad Habit, Stones in my Passway....) I don't skip anything on PoW.

Of course, the best solution to this is to make a personal Best-Of tape of
all the albums. Which I've done!

Brian