Wire & Glass

[Jim M]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Schrade"

> I'll admit, when I first listened to these "six songs from a mini-opera" I
was sorta
> underwhelmed.  But with each repeated listen I've come to like it more &
more.

Unlike Maple Syrup Boy up in VT, it also took a few listens for me to warm
up to Wire and Glass.  Mostly I was thrown by Pete's singing and the lack of
any guitar soloing to compliment the slashing chords.  Since then, I've had
the CD in my car and I've probably listened to it 30 or more times in the
last week.  I'm happy to say it keeps growing on me more and more and
there's not one section I don't like.

> "Sound Round" is one of my favorites.  It starts out fast with
> some furious snare rolls (Peter Huntington is the drummer) &
> continues at this pace.  Daltrey's vocals, while a bit gruff-sound-
> ing & a tad buried in the mix, are angry & insistent.  The chorus
> is catchy, too.  The guitar is punchy & even Pino gets some
> neat OX-like riffs.  It's got a nice part -- what I can only assume
> will be a middle-eight break -- where the song gets slower &
> quieter.  Here, this part is the ending.

This is a great way to open up because of the manic pace and rambling bass
fills.  I don't find it "catchy" at all, though.  There's really no melody
to the guitar or vocal.  I like the controlled guitar feedback sound Pete's
been employing lately.

> "Pick Up the Peace" is slower-paced & has a definite QUAD
> vibe to it.  It sounds a bit like "Dr. Jimmy" -- especially when
> Roger sings the line "...prepared to walk the line" with the
> same phrasing as "...when she chooses her man."  The chorus
> is very catchy.  Again, Daltrey's vocals are a tad rough-sounding.

This struck me as a potential hit, because it's a catchy tune, yes, but also
because of the lyric which could resonate in the public right now.
Unfortunately, some of the lyrics of all of the songs are hard to
distingush.  If anyone has seen an attempt at transcribing them, I'd love to
see it.  I particularly like the way the phrasing of the chorus keeps you
just a little off balance.

> "Endless Wire" is sung by Pete in a rather nasally tone.  It's a
> slow song with nice accompanying piano from Rabbit.  It's OK.
> Almost like a slow-dance song.  Pete's singing bugs me a bit.
> Very nasally & monotone.  But again, the chorus sticks in
> your head.

I loved Pete's accoustic rendition on In the Attic.  You're right about his
singing here.  It feels like he just left the vocals from the demo in place.
In fact, I believe I remember him commenting that they would do that with
the songs that Roger didn't feel right about singing.  This is good song for
Pete to sing, though, and there are some nice twists in the vocals (like the
low note on "angels"), but it feels like a casual effort at delivering them.
I also think this is the best song of the bunch to convey the concept of the
opera.  Wouldn't it be ironic if one of the songs Pete sings ends up getting
all the radio play?

> "We Got a Hit"  may be my favorite.  This is a head-bopping
> song.  Cool backing vocals & powerful vocals from Rog.  The
> chorus is too fucking cool.  I love it!  It reminds me of a quirky
> Pete solo song but it has more strength with Roger singing.

This was the only song that I actually worried about.  It just felt...I
don't know...Broadway.  It is *super* infectious, though and I found it
stuck in my head on the golf course a few days ago.  Some nice Ooooooh's in
the background.  It's also the only song where Pete and Roger both play a
major part in the vocals, which adds a lot to the "Whoness" of it.

> "They Made My Dreams Come True" is another slow song
> sung by Pete, again somewhat nasally, but with more range
> than "Endless Wire."  This one may be my least favorite.

Ahh, now this one I love.  It's got the most atmosphere of any of the songs.
Not only at a slower pace, but the tuning of the guitars lends a melancholy
sadness to it.  Some really nice acoustic work in the background.  Also,
lyrics that seem more personal than the rest.  I hope there's a longer
version.

> "Mirror Door" is a medium-tempo song.  But here, Roger's
> vocals sound smooth & confident compared to the other tracks
> he sings on.  (I hear some added echo, especially on the second
> chorus.)  It's OK, but not as catchy as some of the others.
> Contrary to that statement, I've had its chorus stuck in my
> head for a few days now.

Man, do I like this song better than I thought I would from hearing the
radio capture.  Pete's power chords are, well, powerful and he's layered
multiple guitar parts. There are some nice organ and other keys buried in
the background.  Roger steps up the intensity with each repitition of the
chorus.  At first, I thought it should end with his last "Mirror
Doooooooor".  But, that last section is growing on me.  Someone asked on O&S
if the synth loop you can hear in that part is from the Method project.  I
don't know about that, but it's so subtle you might not even notice it.  I
also love the way Pete's guitar sounds in that section.  It's really quiet,
yet grungy.  Beautiful.

> And that's it.  SR, PUTP, & WGAH (might as well start ab-
> breviating these titles now) are my favorites.  This little sampler
> leaves my spirits high in anticipation of the upcoming album.
> I just wish OX were still around to partake in all this.  ;-(

Nice review, Scott.  I'd only add that, if you can get past the tone of
Pete's vocals, I think those are actually two of the stronger pieces.

Jim M