[Matt Lucas]

Hello all---

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Whaddayasay here Matt?
SUD has the most untouched direct in-your-face production Lindsey has ever recorded. AT LEAST since 1979. There are very little effects if at all. Even the guitar sounds ten times warmer than on any studiorecording I recall since Tusk. I understand that at first listen SUD -guitarwise- sounds like something as Say Goodbye, but the sound is as in your face as it can get with this recordingtechnique. In combination with the husky breathy vulnerable vocal I'd say it's a brand new approach. I just hope some of the unknown songs are strummers recorded with the SUD-production-mindset.

Not to be one who is too attached to his own opinions, I downloaded the MP3s that are linked in this very thread and listened to them repeatedly this morning on the way to work.

Then I realized that "Shut Us Down" isn't one of them. Hah! I also forgot my copy of the ELIZABETHTOWN soundtrack, so I don't have "Shut Us Down" to listen to as I write this.

However, I can say that the thing I don't like about "Shut Us Down" is that it sounds so much, guitar-wise, to "Say Goodbye" and, to a lesser degree, "Try for the Sun." Now that you mention it, I DO remember that the vocal is rather dry, which is a good thing.

The beginning of "Show You How" reminds me a little of Donovan's "Catch the Wind," but it's not in 6/8 time. And not with Donovan singing... *grin* This song sounds like TUSK, circa 2006, to my ears. Like many of Lindsey's TUSK tunes, there's a very simple chord progression and melody, but it's very hooky and stripped back and raw. The more I hear this song, the more I think that it would be worth buying the whole album just to have "Show You How."

"It Was You"---how sweet to hear Lindsey sing about wedded bliss. I love a "fun" song as much as the next guy, but this song sounds a little half-baked to me. It wants to be an "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" type tune, but the arrangement never lets it get there.

"Cast Away Dreams"---what a great chord progression and a melody that perfectly blends with the vibe of the song. But WHAT was he thinking with that vocal effect? Based on the song itself, this is one of my all-time favorite Lindsey songs, but my good will is absolutely killed by the delay/flange effect on his lead vocal. It's not that bad until he says a word with an "s" in it, in which case the effect REALLY jumps out. Tragic. It's completely tragic, because this is a truly great song, otherwise.

I still like "Down on Rodeo," but it doesn't fit with the other songs, to me. Same thing with "Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind." Sorry to sound like a broken record, but that's how it feels to my ears. I sincerely hope that the other songs we haven't heard can somehow bridge the perceived gap between these songs and result in a cohesive album. Also, the chorus to "Someone's Gotta..." really gets on my nerves ["I know, I know," etc.]. The repeated words are like nails on a chalkboard...this one really drives my wife crazy, and NOT in a good way...!

Originally Posted by shackin'up

By the way, please post more, normally you say interesting and very music-related things that cut wood. I love that.

Hah! So, I "normally" post such things...?!? Just not in THIS case, eh? *grin*

That's me, though---just "musical" enough to be dangerous every now and then. I always used to claim that Lindsey was a big influence on my songwriting and recording, but it's certainly not an obvious thing. The main thing we have in common is a love of recording and a tendancy to OVER-overdub...!

mattl