Road . . . Does anyone agree?
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BOYCIE:
Road is one of my favourites on the album. My only quibble about Road is that the ending is too short, the crescendo should have gone on for at least another minute.
Good to see someone else point this out, I am usually very reluctant to suggest any changes to his music but if this song had a much larger build up to the end, like Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, it would have been far more powerful.
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John Mackintosh:
BOYCIE:
Road is one of my favourites on the album. My only quibble about Road is that the ending is too short, the crescendo should have gone on for at least another minute.
Good to see someone else point this out, I am usually very reluctant to suggest any changes to his music but if this song had a much larger build up to the end, like Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, it would have been far more powerful.
Great analogy indeed.
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John Mackintosh:
BOYCIE:
Road is one of my favourites on the album. My only quibble about Road is that the ending is too short, the crescendo should have gone on for at least another minute.
Good to see someone else point this out, I am usually very reluctant to suggest any changes to his music but if this song had a much larger build up to the end, like Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, it would have been far more powerful.
Yes, exactly!
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Fly Paul Fly to Australia:
I am constantly surprised of all the people who don't dig Road
For me its just as good as the other New Tracks, perhaps not instantly for some fans which is fine. New from start to finish is so much better than Memory Almost Full and that isn't a bad album either folks
I rate it so far at least on par with Chaos and Creation and not far of Flaming Pie, Tug Of War, Band On The Run and Ram. I love the ambience of Road particularly then descending bass runs and the deeper harmony vocals towards the end. I think the chorus soars and I love the spooky travelling vibe that is present on the track
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beatlesfanrandy:
Paul makes 'em how he wants to. Has a pretty good track record. Think he knows what he's doing.
Doesn't need your approval.
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I liked Road and the 'New' album but wasn't overly fussed on 'Hosanna' track. It's different jokes for different folks for example, my son aint fussed on 'Appreciate'. Roll on new BBC Beatles cds nxt week. I loved Lewisohn book too, very informative & well written! I must be due a new McCartney concert now!
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marbelmo:
Let me start by saying I love the new album. I also think Road is great song. That said . . I think it would have been perfect without the silly piano hand clap interlude that takes place 2 times. I hope that explains it and I think you all understand what I'm referring to. It just so frustrates me that it doinks up
an otherwise gem. Anyone agree? Disagree? Curious. Cheers, Marc
Are you the same person who didn't like the hand claps in "On My Way To Work"?
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superman38:
I liked Road and the 'New' album but wasn't overly fussed on 'Hosanna' track. It's different jokes for different folks for example, my son aint fussed on 'Appreciate'. Roll on new BBC Beatles cds nxt week. I loved Lewisohn book too, very informative & well written! I must be due a new McCartney concert now!
LOL, Superman! I feel the same way, though I'm still in the first third of the book. Looking forward to the new BBC BEATLES. Will be looking for those at Starbucks.
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BOYCIE:
John Mackintosh:
BOYCIE:
Road is one of my favourites on the album. My only quibble about Road is that the ending is too short, the crescendo should have gone on for at least another minute.
Good to see someone else point this out, I am usually very reluctant to suggest any changes to his music but if this song had a much larger build up to the end, like Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, it would have been far more powerful.
Great analogy indeed.
I agree. Personally, it's my favorite track on the album (for now :lol
and a perfect closing track. That said, I would have preferred a longer, more grandiose cut. However, it's still great way it is: beautifully produced with a restrained grandeur quality to it.
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I've been pulling out the old 80's records lately, and whilst I like Road (without adoring it per se), I've got to say that one of his better 'epic' type songs is "However Absurd" from Press to Play. Keeps building and building. A great crescendo. Builds in a way Road doesn't. And it makes a mockery of "House of Wax". A very underrated track is "However Absurd". Some crazy lyrics. A great album closer. I'm appreciating it more now than I did back then. Stands the test of time.
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"However Absurd" doesn't remind me at all of "Road"--I was never crazy about "Absurd" by the way except for parts...it just doesn't sound at all like "Road" to me either. "Road" makes me recall that night the boys were being driven by Nigel in a very old van back to Liverpool from London, and the window broke and they all were freezing in deepest darkest night and the Beatles lay on top of each other in a Beatle sandwich in the back to keep warm. The boys must have thought about the future, wondering if they'd always be poor and struggling. Neil Aspinall--I think Neil was driving that night. It's part of what's been called "the Greatest Music Story Ever Told." Or the greatest music story of modern times. That's why so many books are written about the Beatles and Beatlemania. And movies and plays, etc. The music is why, and their compelling story. The crucial enormous part they played in rock n' roll, present at the dawn or near the dawn and all that.
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SusyLuvsPaul:
"However Absurd" doesn't remind me at all of "Road"--I was never crazy about "Absurd" by the way except for parts...it just doesn't sound at all like "Road" to me either. "Road" makes me recall that night the boys were being driven by Nigel in a very old van back to Liverpool from London, and the window broke and they all were freezing in deepest darkest night and the Beatles lay on top of each other in a Beatle sandwich in the back to keep warm. The boys must have thought about the future, wondering if they'd always be poor and struggling. Neil Aspinall--I think Neil was driving that night. It's part of what's been called "the Greatest Music Story Ever Told." Or the greatest music story of modern times. That's why so many books are written about the Beatles and Beatlemania. And movies and plays, etc. The music is why, and their compelling story. The crucial enormous part they played in rock n' roll, present at the dawn or near the dawn and all that.
I agree those two songs are very different. I am only comparing them in terms of their role on their respective albums. Dark, brooding epic-types. I think However Absurd has appreciated through the years. I like it more now than I did back then, although I still don't know what a 'custom-made dinosaur' is.
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Okay, Toris
I need to listen to "However Absurd" again, there may be a lot more to it than I recall
Paul sings "two crazy partners" in "Road"-- I thought the boys all lay atop each other, that long freezing ride in darkness to Liverpool-- all four, not just "two." Maybe he meant Lennon 'cause Lennon was his song writing buddy and partner...they didn't let George write songs with them
Maybe this "road" trip is actually the one he took with Shevell out West on Route 66 and he's describing one hell of a night where they were chased by a U.F.O. with a "blinding light." Maybe "Road" is a metaphor for life with a strong spiritual existential bent...it sort of reminds me of a Marianne Faithfull downer ditty from the 80's, her eighties albums such as "A Child's Adventure," etc., but hers were unrelentingly dire, lacking any hope.
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SusyLuvsPaul:
Okay, Toris
I need to listen to "However Absurd" again, there may be a lot more to it than I recall
Paul sings "two crazy partners" in "Road"-- I thought the boys all lay atop each other, that long freezing ride in darkness to Liverpool-- all four, not just "two." Maybe he meant Lennon 'cause Lennon was his song writing buddy and partner...they didn't let George write songs with them
Maybe this "road" trip is actually the one he took with Shevell out West on Route 66 and he's describing one hell of a night where they were chased by a U.F.O. with a "blinding light." Maybe "Road" is a metaphor for life with a strong spiritual existential bent...it sort of reminds me of a Marianne Faithfull downer ditty from the 80's, her eighties albums such as "A Child's Adventure," etc., but hers were unrelentingly dire, lacking any hope.
Paul always described it as the four of them on top of each other and then they'd switch so the top guy could be on the bottom & get warm. Seems to me there would only have been room for 2 guys on the bottom and 2 on top (not stacked up 1234!)
And it was the windscreen (windshield) that blew out.
I've got to listen to the lyrics of this song more carefully tomorrow.
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"Road" reminds me of his friend David Lynch's stuff. And Lynch's film scorer Antonio Badminton or whatever his name is, his sort of music. Rather bizarre, surreal, otherworldly, spooky and based on ominous forbodings and fears--but because "Road" is by Macca, a note of optimism "creeps" in or rather doesn't creep, they felt things would "be alright"-- the other parts can give you the mild creeps or heebie jeebies in certain moods. I don't like hearing Paul Mc. sound so frightened. But he's expressing another part of himself, a very human vulnerable side. They said this album wouldn't sound much like McCartney's thing. They got that right! A lot of it seems an unusual direction for him to take. "McCartney II" was also touted as something very new and different from him. And "EA" of course. As has been noted, "New" features strong elements from those. "Road" can haunt you. I often find myself eager to hear it again. It's so different from "Early Days" and "On My Way to Work," for example. I adore the variety on "New." Leaves you wanting more and more! How can he not itch to get back to composing nearly full-time?
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Does anybody agree with anything I thought about "Road"? It's frustrating to be so taken with it and no feedback results on suppositions, observations, wonderings about "Road"--is "wonderings" even a word
Wondering what it means.
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Antonio Badminton... that's funny. I could easily see David Lynch directing the clip for this song. In the style of Lynch's classic road movie, Wild at Heart.
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Or Lost Highway ... The Song definitly has a strong Lynch feel. Still my favourite on NEW.
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beatlesfanrandy:
Frank:
BOYCIE:
Road is one of my favourites on the album. My only quibble about Road is that the ending is too short, the crescendo should have gone on for at least another minute.
Actually my favourite track on NEW. Just listen to the bass before the final crescendo. And absolutly : the crescendo should have gone on with a few more "Heading for the light"s thrown in.
Would love to hear an extended version of this!
It is one of my very favorites on the album as well! I also wish it had been extended... On first listen of the album, this was the one I remember the most
It was during the reveal of the NEW logo on the painting, at the preview in NYC. It was soooo cool and I wish that everyone could have been there. AWESOME!!!
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SusyLuvsPaul:
Maybe this "road" trip is actually the one he took with Shevell out West on Route 66 and he's describing one hell of a night where they were chased by a U.F.O. with a "blinding light.
From Rushes, it would be Linda that saw a UFO or something with bright lights.