IOOT song review

[elle]

http://every-day-i-write-the-blog.bl...42253597684813

IOOT song review:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

Lindsay Buckingham "In Our Own Time"
If I tell you that, when judging a song's merit, I listen to the whole song, you probably would simply say, "Yeah. Duh!"

But you know, that's not always the case.

Anyone who "judges" music for a living (radio station program directors, club owners who book bands, record label promotion people) can tell you that in most cases, they can listen to a song for 30 second, maybe a minute, and hear everything they need to hear.

It's true. By the time a minute rolls around, you've heard the verse and you've gotten to the song's hook, and either it's strong or it's not.

I mean, next week, we'll probably add two songs to rotation at mvyradio. But I have 86 songs on my iTunes playlist vying for those spots. If, in 60 seconds, a song can't establish itself in the mind of someone who cares deeply about putting the right song on the air, then the casual listener isn't going to hesitate to hit the next preset on the car radio.

But . . .

Once a song has passed the 60 second test, you still have to give it a full listen through, and today's song illustrates just why.

I think Lindsay Buckingham in a F-N genius. Genius writer, genius guitar player and a genius in the art of studio craft. And if it's possible to call one of the main creative forces behind one of the best loved, best selling albums of all time, "under-rated," well yes, I think his playing is wildly under-rated.

This song holds the line of previous Buckingham solo efforts of being precise, and a bit quirky, with a surprisingly catchy vocal hook and guitar figure.

And I think any serious guitar player would listen to this song and just think to themselves, "****! That guitar part is so intricate/incredible/amazing!"

But, in the case of a genius, you can be too smart for the room.

Late in the song, Buckingham's guitar playing takes off, and the guitar figure gets faster, more intricate. The notes ping-pong back and forth between speakers. He keeps playing slight variations on the same theme, over and over again.

A trained ear, focused on the technical prowess of the playing, might be wowed by it.

But to a casual ear, it kind of feels like the repetitious noodling that a casual listener wouldn't have the patience for. It plays more like an irritant.

I guess it's another "context" question. The song is amazing as part of a Buckingham album. The end-of-song playing works really well in the live context, where it fires up the audience, and the response fires up Buckingham (as seen in the live video below). But as a song sandwiched between, say "Hungry Heart" by Springsteen and Mavis Staples "Wrote A Song For Everyone" I don't think it will work.

What do you think?


See the live performance on Youtube.
AT 7:04 AM
LABELS: 92.7, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, EVERY DAY I WRITE, FLEETWOOD MAC, IN OUR OWN TIME, LINDSAY BUCKINGHAM, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MAVIS STAPLES, MVY RADIO, MVYRADIO, PJ FINN, RUMOURS, SEEDS WE SOW, WMVY

[michelej1]

Why would the song be sandwiched in between two songs by other disparate artists in the first place?

I have far from a trained ear and I appreciate the guitar. It creates a back and forth friction that possesses its own emotion separate from, but in complement to, the lyrics. I mean, I can see what the writer means by calling it an "irritant" because someone else said it reminded them of a buzzing flea. I understand this, but I find that oddly attractive. It's like a nagging thought that keeps coming back to haunt you, even when you're trying to push it away.

Fire still burning is gentle, but then the guitar comes in with "wouldn't make any difference, we crossed the line" and there's an urgency there. Anger. Maybe even resentment. First you have regret that maybe this time she's gone for good, you never really know -- then you have another feeling coming through, that's demanding and forceful, rather than sorrowful or sorry.

The contrast is what draws me in. At the Saban I liked Stars best, but then when we saw the Youtube videos, this is the song that I put at the top of my list.

It's that guitar figure he describes that forces you to listen and react, rather than just hear complacently.

Michele

[elle]

Originally Posted by michelej1

At the Saban I liked Stars best, but then when we saw the Youtube videos, this is the song that I put at the top of my list.

It's that guitar figure he describes that forces you to listen and react, rather than just hear complacently.

yes, i had similar experience - i liked TTWLG and Illumination the best at Saban, but once i heard IOOT for the 2nd time, it went right to the top of my list, and i still think it's the best of the 3.

btw, i posted the comment under that article - b/c i had a very similar reaction to you.

[Nico]

I think, at the moment, "In Our Own Time" is still my favorite song on the album. I'm sorry but the words are simply beautiful. I feel those words, and the guitar playing is absolutely incredible- but I almost never fail to be amazed by that aspect of Lindsey's work. What I love is how the tempo changes. I know this also happens in TTWLG, which is another favorite of mine. Did we ever do a song ranking thread for SWS yet or are we holding off on that one for a bit?