Posts by Paperkate

I live in Canada, but I'm from the US

Abacab, Trespass and Invisible Touch. I am very pleased to see those three are all together down at the bottom of people's preferences.

I'm really surprised to see how many people are voting for The Road! It's not that often that that happens.

For the albums post-Beggar, I'd rank them:

1. Let Me Fly - The band came together well for The Road, but I think they became a solid act with Let Me Fly. The album is smoother, more cohesive, and personally the songs just touch me more than the ones on The Road. As I said in another thread, though, there is something seemingly lost between the live versions and the album versions. I'll Be There For You is one of the best songs they have done in ages.

Tracks I'd Recommend: Wonder, Let Me Fly, I'll Be There for You, The Best Is Yet to Come, The Letter

2. The Road - I went back to The Road before posting this, as it's probably one of my least listened-to Mechanics albums, and while I still find it a bit patchy, there are more moments I loved than disliked. There is some solid songwriting here, and you can feel Andrew and Tim finding their feet in the band.

Tracks I'd Recommend: Try to Save Me, Background Noise, Oh No, You Can Be the Rock

3. M6 - While it's no Beggar, M6 has some really catchy songs, and maintains some of the Beggar feel. It's a bit more poppy and even dance'y at times, though, and lacks Beggar's darkness in songs like Ghost of Sex and You or House of Many Rooms.

Tracks I'd Recommend: All The Light I Need, Ordinary Girl, Whenever I Stop

4. Rewired - Rewired is a strange one. It was always going to be different without Paul Young, but maybe this one is too different (that said, my favourite track on the album is Underscore, which might be the weirdest!). It sounds of-its-time in a dated way, like they were actively working for a popular style that clashed a bit with who they are, and that 2000s voice distortion style that I don't really like.

Tracks I'd Recommend: If I Were You, I Don't Want It All

Personally, I loved this album and found it a lot more cohesive than The Road.

At the same time, I feel like the songs are all so much better live. It's like there's something missing on the album versions, but you can't quite put your finger on it. This might be because I heard most of them live before I heard the album, or maybe there is something in the fact that The Mechanics really are a live band these days (i.e. they work songs live before they finish them).

I wish more had been done with I'll Be There For You, which is my favourite track on the album.

Quote from slowdancer

I am waiting for this one, too. The story of Kvothe is one of the finest works of fantasy, I have ever read. Although it is hard to wait for the sequel, you know, that it is well worth it....

I agree, it's an incredibly well-crafted story. I re-read Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear once a year, and every time I get something new out of them.

Quote from StillCan'tDance

I'm not a fantasy lover. I had my fill of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis when I was a child.

I'm re-reading The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer right now. It's just delightful.

It's been a very long time since I read that one, so long I don't even remember if I liked it or not

I've started re-reading the His Dark Materials series. I've not read Brett or Donaldson, but I really should. I do need to branch out while I wait for the next Patrick Rothfuss

Hmm, I am wondering if it's something on Smallcreep's Day. After Hours? Though technically that's a segment of the larger song, but I think it's all keyboards, and therefore all Anthony Phillips.

I enjoyed it very much. Richard has had a very interesting life, not just with regard to Genesis. He has an easy way of story-telling, with a lot of humour and warmth. I'd definitely recommend it.

Thank you Christian for hosting the forum, and Krissy for persevering with administrating it There is something special about these old-fashioned forums.