tweaker - 2 a.m. wakeup call | Album of the Week
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
- This week we're reviewing an album from Chris Vrenna's tweaker project called 2 am wakeup call. It features guests appearances from Will Oldham, Robert Smith, David Sylvian, Johnny Marr and more.
#albumreview #albumoftheweek #aotw #tweaker
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Some notes I posted on Discord...
* "Movement of Fear" is a cover of a Tones on Tail song. I strongly suspect that this is Daniel Ash himself singing on this version, but he goes uncredited because he couldn't get permission to rerecord it. This is only my theory. Whatever the case, the vocal is uncredited.
* I find the cover to be supremely creepy....like being caught in a dream state. One time, I kept waking over and over again, but I was just dreaming that I was waking up. It was like coming out of a bath. But it wasn't real, and it kept happening over and over. One of the most harrowing experiences I ever had. Thank goodness it only happened once.
* There's a lot of sonic details I could point out about this album, but the closer with the turntable static that turns into a beat, and then that weird piano - it sounds like a ghost piano. Supremely haunting! This song in particular blows me away.
* Some of our younger listeners might not get the significance of the way "The House I Grew Up In" begins. In the early days, TV stations did not broadcast through the night. They typically signed off at I believe midnight with the National Anthem and the image of an American flag blowing in the wind. And then it was static for six hours.
* Here's what was posted on Discord when I announced my choice: "Of course, as before, this was a hard choice, but I ultimately decided to go deeply Rich-core again. Even deeper this time. My choice is tweaker - 2 A.M. Wakeup Call (2004 - the lowercase t is intended). This album definitely has a "middle of the night" vibe and I find it to be very cohesive even though every song with vocals has a different vocalist. The production is Dark Side of the Moon level. Some of the instrumental music is unsettling which I think reflects the uneasiness of the album (and possibly insomnia). People who have experienced depression could probably identify with some of these songs (I sure did), and other mental conditions are addressed in these songs as well. I highly recommend checking out the lyrics. In particular, "Ruby," "Worse Than Yesterday," "It's Still Happening," "Sleepwalking Away," and "Crude Sunlight" I feel in my bones! Incredible album! Hope you enjoy! But even if you don't, I'd love to hear what you think about it!
PS - In case anyone is interested, I wrote an embarrassingly gushing review of 2 A.M. Wakeup Call on Amazon a few years after it came out. I was very high on the album and most likely very high on weed, but it's a decent review, all things considered. Cheers mates!!!!!!!!!!"
One more comment - the way the album ends with that swelling orchestration is positively breathtaking.
3 stars for me which means ultimately not my cup of tea but neither annoying nor exhilarating. I was highly anticipating the Robert Smith track and was disappointed -- I think I liked "Sleepwalking Away" the best (with guest vocals from the mysterious Nick Young). Congrats on 17k guys!!!
After watching the video again...
If I had to put up a complaint, it's that y'all had no comment on my second favorite track (after the opener) --> "Crude Sunlight"
Great commentary, although too much was made of the NIN/industrial connection. Peace!
hey fellas, “Wasn’t miserable listening to it” not a confident review 😂 “Cauterized” funky weird, “Movement of fear” creepy, “Sleepwalker” ROCKED! wouldn’t listen to it cleaning house but this dark unsettling sound is for a particular mood
I gave it 3.0. Which is good because this is way out of my comfort zone genre-wise. But that's what this format is all about. Cool pick!
2 AM is really the only song I listened to and it's spooky, low-key metal that is calming and has a memorable orchestrated melody, good enough for cinema. Probably a good album; I will never know.
I gave this a listen late at night as Rich suggested to maximize the vibe and I do think that is probably the ideal time to hear it. The guests were overall also my favourite part of the album but yeah, in a lot of ways it was more to see what they added to things. In some ways this album reminds me of a more modern industrial focused This Mortal Coil where the vocalists tended to be the focus and the songs without them were less memorable. Although, that is not a perfect comparison because TMC did a lot of covers but those were usually the most memorable songs too. I didn't find the industrial elements too challenging on this album, I've learned a bit from doing the year dives that industrial really isn't a preferred genre for me overall but it didn't detract from the experience of listening to this album. Ultimately, this album isn't really for me but it was an easy listen all the same - 3 stars.
A three is decent, and you justified your opinion well, so I won't complain. 🥳
@@179rich 🥳
Interesting album
Thank you my dudes! Appreciated the commentary. I'll take 3.5 from Joe as a win. Funny, these are the same scores you gave Gene Loves Jezebel.
I agree that Johnny Marr doesn't do anything special, but by the same token he laid down some nice acoustic that served the album nicely.
Trip hop doomsday pace, industrial DNA, all the guest spots call to mind a darker Gorillaz vibe (not that Gorillaz don’t get dark, but they often dance you through it). I enjoy albums like this because it feels more like a 90s mixtape (with some of NIN’s and DM’s quieter instrumental moments). This is a far cry from all of the post-punk/dance punk revival bands I was listening to in ‘04, but two bands who contributed to this album released records I like the same year: The Cure’s self-titled and The Walkmen’s ‘Bows + Arrows’ - “Us Or Them” and “The Rat” are classic 2000s angry anthems, in my opinion.
My favorite songs are “Ruby” (feat. Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy), “Truth Is” (feat. Robert Smith), “Pure Genius” (feat. David Sylvian - one of the most soothing voices I have ever laid ears on), “It’s Still Happening” (feat. Hamilton Leithauser), and “Crude Sunlight” (feat. Jennifer Charles).
Thank you for the introduction, Rich!
I can always count on you for some
Gen X realness & candor.
🤝 🥊 😎
Really glad you dug it M!
@@179rich It was a cool listen and I’m looking forward to hearing it again. Perfect quiet night album.
I liked Ruby, the second song I have listened to on this album, though I have mixed feelings about the industrialized metal towards the end. Thrashing metal loses me on most songs. I don't like visceral horror movie scares either, but I love suspense like no one else. I like building tension and fear, but not the overt kill or overkill. Probably, I'm an overdubbed industrialized wimp.
I don't know most of your references here, and it would be hard to catch up. As usual, your review is "brilliant, gorgeous, amusing, and lovely." "Lovely" because I wanted to sound sexist and as a disturbing metal thrash; "brilliant" because I really don't understand much but trust you wouldn't steer us wrong. I'm jealous that Rich can take you places I don't even know. 😀 🪠 🥺
@@oppothumbs1 I imagine the heavy parts on "Ruby" to be the character's emotions surging forward, overpowering him, and then he abruptly comes to his senses...
@@179rich Thanks. Yes, that sounds plausible. I was really indicating that I thought many metal bands were just not to my musical taste, or don't write lyrics that are meaningful to me, but I admit this is better. There wasn't screaming, and sometimes they put on demonic voices that might be overwrought or near laughable or take me out of the mood of the song if I am into it. Metal certainly doesn't scare me, but loudness does. I like going to dark places of a psychological realm, but not loud dark places. I guess I didn't explain myself well before but this is a better take on a reason I'm not into heavy metal. Also, I know you and Michele are there together right now in a dark place! haha. :)
I assumed Nick Young was a woman. 🤷
Me too!