singles from GOS and UTS - appropriate or not?

[elle]

reading through back-and-forth discussion on which song should've been the first single from SYW, i started wondering about the first "single" from UTS and GOS...

yes, these were non-promoted albums not expected to reach huge sales - which in general seems to be liberating for lindsey - i think self-depricating jokes about it suit him well. however, did you miss me and show you how are not songs representing these albums well, imho. DOR is obvious choice from UTS, while i think most people would say that right place to fade/twist of fate is the obvious choice from GOS.

however, i think the title song should have been the first (only) single from GOS - it is sooooo lindsey and so different from other songs out there! why not put out the song that represents him well (kind of like tusk was the first single from tusk, representing new artistic turn taken)?

any thoughts?

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by elle

however, did you miss me and show you how are not songs representing these albums well, imho.

any thoughts?

Appropriate or not, I don't know.
But Did You Miss Me proves
that he is still capable of producing
a good sounding pop song for the
masses. The starving artist/genius
that he likes to play won't allow him
to make good sounding records.

A boutique album can't fail since it isn't
made for the general public. And that's
why I think it's more a fear of failing at
making an album for the masses, than his
love of making independent label type
music. He really plays it safe in that regard.

[elle]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

A boutique album can't fail since it isn't
made for the general public. And that's why I think it's more a fear of failing at making an album for the masses, than his love of making independent label type music. He really plays it safe in that regard.

thanks for responding, iamnotafraid.

hmm... don't you think that desire to be commercially viable has lead to his prolonged periods of apparent inactivity, like 14 years betweeen albums? seems that now when he decided it's not worth trying to go for commercial success he's been much more prolific as far as the album outputs go - and i can definitely appreciate it. you can't say that GOS is completely inaccessible album...

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

reading through back-and-forth discussion on which song should've been the first single from SYW, i started wondering about the first "single" from UTS and GOS...

yes, these were non-promoted albums not expected to reach huge sales - which in general seems to be liberating for lindsey - i think self-depricating jokes about it suit him well. however, did you miss me and show you how are not songs representing these albums well, imho. DOR is obvious choice from UTS, while i think most people would say that right place to fade/twist of fate is the obvious choice from GOS.

I think Show You How was a good single for UTS. When we got the previews, it came out with CAD and It Was You, so I think the three of them together fairly set the tone for the album. I think Show You How is particularly good because it has a depth the other two don't (to me) and I think, if you heard that, other offerings on the album like UTS and Not Too Late don't come as entirely unexpected.

As for GOS, yes the title cut would have been good, Right Place to Fade as well. Love Runs Deeper, Great Day. We have a lot to choose from. They all would reveal the album's edge, where Did You Miss Me does not.

Michele

[Peestie]

I think that the title track of GOS should have been released as a single and should have been marketed towards younger Indie-types rather than classic Mac fans and LRD should have been the song sent to the more traditional radio stations that they were targeting with DYMM.

GOS fits the quirky style of Indie-pop (or I remember thinking that it did at the time of release) and the fact that more and more bands are talking about Tusk/Lindsey means they could have advertised it as that. I think Lindsey would have got a kick out of having stuff advertised as "From the man behind Fleetwood Mac's Tusk!" much more than "Architect of the Rumours sound" that he always seems to get. It would further validate his opinion of Tusk being an important album.

I really think that Lindsey('s management) is missing a trick by not trying to go for the Indie crowd. I mean, people like Bowie and David Byrne are revered by that crowd and I think Lindsey's music would be really appreciated as well. I mean, it's a crowd that wants quirky and weird music so his solo albums would be accepted pretty well!

[holidayroad]

The singles from UTS should have been 'Down On Rodeo' and 'Cast Away Dreams'. I even think 'Under the Skin' and 'Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind' would have been good singles! 'Show You How' and 'Shut Us Down' are okay songs, but not the best work on the album.

For GOS, 'Bel Air Rain', 'Right Place To Fade' and 'Gift of Screws' should have been the singles.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Peestie

I think that the title track of GOS should have been released as a single and should have been marketed towards younger Indie-types rather than classic Mac fans and LRD should have been the song sent to the more traditional radio stations that they were targeting with DYMM.

yes; DOR seems to be well liked by classic mac fans and could've been a good single for that type of audience. although same audience would also like right place to fade, which is a much better song, imo.

Originally Posted by Peestie

GOS fits the quirky style of Indie-pop (or I remember thinking that it did at the time of release) and the fact that more and more bands are talking about Tusk/Lindsey means they could have advertised it as that. I think Lindsey would have got a kick out of having stuff advertised as "From the man behind Fleetwood Mac's Tusk!" much more than "Architect of the Rumours sound" that he always seems to get.

yes!! that's exactly where i was going with this thread and my question - only you said it so much better than i ever could! tusk and GOS are imo timeless, typical lindsey songs that don't fit in any particular period and therefore cannot become dated.

i do think that GYOW and SHN are also typical lindsey and definitely added something to the music world progression, but they fit much better in the typical pop rock mold. what makes you think you're the one is another typical lindsey song to me - people may say it's too whiny, but who cares - it's not like you have to live with him - why not just enjoy the great song.

Originally Posted by Peestie

I really think that Lindsey('s management) is missing a trick by not trying to go for the Indie crowd. I mean, people like Bowie and David Byrne are revered by that crowd and I think Lindsey's music would be really appreciated as well. I mean, it's a crowd that wants quirky and weird music so his solo albums would be accepted pretty well!

i want to come back to this point re bowie and byrne vs lindsey's style later (gotta run to work now), but basically i agree with you there too. i think if one is marketing lindsey's stuff now, it does not need to fit in any mold - it just has to be "lindsey."

EDIT: McTrouble and i talked about this recently (McTrouble, haven't seen you around here in a while, hope all is fine). i was griping how lindsey is somewhat confusing to me b/c he's all over the place musically in any particular era, while e.g. bowie changes between eras but has very defined and very bowie-typical eras. ziggy stardust is still just as great as always, very consistant, and so distinctive... so while i can agree that both bowie (or byrne) and lindsey are veteran legends, i'm not completely sure that the parallel completely works...

[LukeA]

"Did You Miss Me" sounds great on the radio. It was the correct choice for GOS. The title track? Um, no. (FWIW, "Twist of Fate" was tipped as the lead single for GOS circa 1998.)

"Down on Rodeo" was earmarked as one of the singles for UTS, as it should have been. Of course, Lindsey only performed it on a handful of UTS tour dates, which kind of brings the question of "does it really matter what the single is?" to mind.

[elle]

Originally Posted by LukeA

"Did You Miss Me" sounds great on the radio. It was the correct choice for GOS. The title track? Um, no.

love it - how final your statement is! but, doesn't necessarily seem that convincing, especially in the light of what others wrote. i'm thinking of polling opinions of what song should've been the first GOS single.

[elle]

Originally Posted by LukeA

"Down on Rodeo" was earmarked as one of the singles for UTS, as it should have been. Of course, Lindsey only performed it on a handful of UTS tour dates, which kind of brings the question of "does it really matter what the single is?" to mind.

yeah, i wondered about that... also i don't think he performed the right place to fade or wait for you on GOS tour, or did he?

[elle]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I think Show You How was a good single for UTS. When we got the previews, it came out with CAD and It Was You, so I think the three of them together fairly set the tone for the album. I think Show You How is particularly good because it has a depth the other two don't (to me) and I think, if you heard that, other offerings on the album like UTS and Not Too Late don't come as entirely unexpected.

IWY or SYH may represent UTS well, i guess i just don't like them that much, especially SYH... and i love DOR, CAD and trying for the sun... but i realize they may not be that representative, now when you pointed it out.

Originally Posted by michelej1

As for GOS, yes the title cut would have been good, Right Place to Fade as well. Love Runs Deeper, Great Day. We have a lot to choose from. They all would reveal the album's edge, where Did You Miss Me does not.

agree! i wouldn't choose great day, bur the right place to fade and love runs deeper seem to be completely "duh" choices. maybe love runs deeper even more since it was new song... i remember reading on various boards when GOS first came out or started streaming that people really liked it.

[BaronVonBielski]

Originally Posted by elle

reading through back-and-forth discussion on which song should've been the first single from SYW, i started wondering about the first "single" from UTS and GOS...

yes, these were non-promoted albums not expected to reach huge sales - which in general seems to be liberating for lindsey - i think self-depricating jokes about it suit him well. however, did you miss me and show you how are not songs representing these albums well, imho. DOR is obvious choice from UTS, while i think most people would say that right place to fade/twist of fate is the obvious choice from GOS.

however, i think the title song should have been the first (only) single from GOS - it is sooooo lindsey and so different from other songs out there! why not put out the song that represents him well (kind of like tusk was the first single from tusk, representing new artistic turn taken)?

any thoughts?

Actually Did You Miss Me is a great opening single for GoS. I would have followed it with Love Runs Deeper and Right Place to Fade. If somehow it was a big hit and called for a 4th... Underground would be the one. Songs like Wait for You and Gifot of Screws are a few of my favorites, I don't think they'd translate well as radio singles.

For UTS, I would have released the title tracks first followed by Flying Down Juniper. Third would be Down on Rodeo and if it called for a fourth... I am Waiting.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

IWY or SYH may represent UTS well, i guess i just don't like them that much, especially SYH... and i love DOR, CAD and trying for the sun... but i realize they may not be that representative, now when you pointed it out.

I think Show You How is one of the Top 5 songs Lindsey's ever done, so my view on that is kind of biased. When I heard it, I remember wanting to know if he'd written it urgently and I also said to myself that if the rest of the album sounded as good as that song, I didn't think I could bear it.

I think Luke has a point about the first single not being important anymore. On the other hand, people by MP3 singles and rarely buy albums these days, so I guess if you're trying to attract new fans, you've got to give the single all you've got. But personally, I just thought of SYH, CAD and It Was You as all being the first singles, since I heard them together on Rhapsody.

I didn't have a big thing against DYMM as a single. What I was most upset about was TPT as the 2nd track on the album. I thought it bought the whole thing to a screeching halt. I wish it had come been sequenced as the 6th song or lower.

Michele

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I didn't have a big thing against DYMM as a single. What I was most upset about was TPT as the 2nd track on the album. I thought it bought the whole thing to a screeching halt. I wish it had come been sequenced as the 6th song or lower.

I understand this opinion, being someone who couldn't stand the song at first. Over time, Great Day segueing into Time Precious Time now works in a hard to define, specific, frenetic way for me.

GOS (the title track) would have been a laughable single. Maybe I've been living in Portland too long, but no dyed-in-the-wool indie fan worth his salt (even the ones that love the Tusk album) would ever think that recording is cool or innovative. Now, I like the track and all, don't get me wrong... but to consider it as a missed marketing tool is kind of questionable at best. Just my opinion, as always.

[Peestie]

Originally Posted by LukeA

GOS (the title track) would have been a laughable single. Maybe I've been living in Portland too long, but no dyed-in-the-wool indie fan worth his salt (even the ones that love the Tusk album) would ever think that recording is cool or innovative. Now, I like the track and all, don't get me wrong... but to consider it as a missed marketing tool is kind of questionable at best. Just my opinion, as always.

Maybe it's a difference between American and British/European indie taste?