Two Years of The Moon (Read 4,144 times)

[Lennon2217]

Nov 27, 2019 10:35:03 GMT -5 sfsorrow said:

Nov 27, 2019 9:31:35 GMT -5 The Escapist said:

Said it before but "experimental" and "experimental for Noel Gallagher" are not the same thing. WBTM is undoubtedly a progression for the Chief, but it's not pushing any boundaries for music as a whole. Anyone who expected it to is awfully optimistic, mind you.

Yes but as I suggested above - did Sgt. Pepper necessarily push boundaries for music as a whole at a time when there had already been things like Pet Sounds, Frank Zappa, and John Cage? I don't think I personally align the term experimental music with "pushing boundaries for music as a whole." When a scientist does an experiment, they are not necessarily pushing the boundaries for science as a whole, though that can sometimes happen.

I think for the time Pepper was the Grandaddy of them all. The biggest band on the planet. Four of the most popular people in the world. A band like that taking chances and shaking it up. Easily could have played it safe. In 1966-1967, not too many people had copies of Zappa or Cage. Even Pet Sounds wasn’t a big seller so the exposure was much much smaller than what the Beatles could offer to a music listener.

[stinenat]

If Noel had been able to include This is The Place as he'd intended, I think it makes for a fuller more realized album with side A loosely about getting to a destination (the moon) and side B about what you encounter once you arrive. Been listening to this on a playlist on Spotify, and I personally think it feels more complete and finished.

Side A
Fort Knox
Holy Mountain
Keep On Reaching
It's a Beautiful World
She Taught Me How To Fly

Side B
This is the Place
Be Careful What You Wish For
Black & White Sunshine
If Love is the Law
The Man Who Built the Moon

[CFC2013]

It's my favorite Noel Gallagher album and my favorite Gallagher-related album since SOTSG. Hope Noel's next album has similar vibes. I want him to go all-in on the approach he took for This Is The Place.

[sfsorrow]

Nov 27, 2019 12:43:06 GMT -5 Lennon2217 said:

Nov 27, 2019 10:35:03 GMT -5 sfsorrow said:

Yes but as I suggested above - did Sgt. Pepper necessarily push boundaries for music as a whole at a time when there had already been things like Pet Sounds, Frank Zappa, and John Cage? I don't think I personally align the term experimental music with "pushing boundaries for music as a whole." When a scientist does an experiment, they are not necessarily pushing the boundaries for science as a whole, though that can sometimes happen.

I think for the time Pepper was the Grandaddy of them all. The bigge

I agree with your points about Pepper being the Granddaddy of them all and ultimately Pepper is one of my favourite albums - far more significant to me than Who Built the Moon? even though I think that's a great album too. 

With that in mind, while I agree that Zappa and Cage were not big sellers (Pet Sounds was a top 10 album and spawned two top 10 singles), my point is that when someone says, Noel's not experimental, he's experimental by Noel standards and if you really want to listen to experimental, listen to Xiu Xiu, it is essentially equivalent to someone saying in 1967, Pepper is not really experimental. If you want experimental listen to Freak Out! or The Velvet Underground, etc. Yes, they might say, Pepper was an advance for The Beatles, but not really experimental. And I think there's a little bit of that going on here when people make those remarks about Who Built The Moon? So from my perspective, I have no problems saying that Who Built The Moon? is an experimental record and leaving off the "for Noel" part. I think it's experimental period.

[Lennon2217]

Nov 28, 2019 7:08:37 GMT -5 sfsorrow said:

Nov 27, 2019 12:43:06 GMT -5 Lennon2217 said:

I think for the time Pepper was the Grandaddy of them all. The bigge

I agree with your points about Pepper being the Granddaddy of them all and ultimately Pepper is one of my favourite albums - far more significant to me than Who Built the Moon? even though I think that's a great album too. 

With that in mind, while I agree that Zappa and Cage were not big sellers (Pet Sounds was a top 10 album and spawned two top 10 singles), my point is that when someone says, Noel's not experimental, he's experimental by Noel standards and if you really want to listen to experimental, listen to Xiu Xiu, it is essentially equivalent to someone saying in 1967, Pepper is not really experimental. If you want experimental listen to Freak Out! or The Velvet Underground, etc. Yes, they might say, Pepper was an advance for The Beatles, but not really experimental. And I think there's a little bit of that going on here when people make those remarks about Who Built The Moon? So from my perspective, I have no problems saying that Who Built The Moon? is an experimental record and leaving off the "for Noel" part. I think it's experimental period.

In America Pet Sounds initially wasn't a big seller and it impacted Brian Wilson severely as record company executives put more pressure on the band. Its only sold about a million copies since 1966, so just imagine how many of that was actually between 1966 and when Pepper dropped. Capitol did very little promotion for it. The Beach Boys greatest hits, same year as Pet Sounds, became their biggest hit that year. So their own album was getting overshadowed by...............themselves.

On the flipside, Pepper was #1 in the UK for 23 straight weeks and America for 15. It was the biggest selling album in both countries that year. Universal rave reviews and played endlessly on the radio. To me its the exposure. Pet Sounds initially didn't have it. Just people in the know loved it and cherished what it was accomplishing.

[oasisserbia]

I never really gave this album a chance because I can't stand Noel's vocals on the record.

But that's my problem.

[Deleted]

I gave him a listen, and I prefer this to the last two EPs.

Interludes don't make sense, but the rest is good.

I want another album like this.

[Zingbot]

Gave it another listen, don't like it. Not terrible. Still his worst solo work. I will go back to 'If Love Is The Law' and 'The Man Who Built the Moon'.

[World71R]

This album has several gems that are still fun to come back to: It's a Beautiful World, She Taught Me How to Fly (one of my favorite Noel solo songs), If Love is the Law, The Man Who Built the Moon, Dead in the Water, even Holy Mountain. Then you got some songs that fly below the radar but then are cool to listen after a while: Keep on Reaching, Be Careful What You Wish For. And Fort Knox is a hype track and Black & White Sunshine does an alright job (a bit short and missing a guitar solo, though,, if I'm being honest). Looking at some of the EP songs, I'd put A Dream is All I Need to Get By and This is the Place in for Black & White Sunshine and then put Sail On in there somewhere too.

[standbymoi]

The U.K. public are so fickle that I’m sure once Noel returns to making his standard rock pop tunes like Little By Little etc he’ll be top dog again

[jh]

Nov 24, 2019 18:30:14 GMT -5 eva said:

DITW, TMWBTM, FK, Be Careful, and If Love is the Law ocassionally. those are the only ones I go back to
I haven't listened to any of the other tracks since it came out, except for the time I saw Noel live

Pretty much only go back to the man who built the moon track. Album such a poor mess to listen to. Painful and grudgingly long some of the erm.. songs?

His newer contributions of late have had more impact but it's the overall throwing around experimentation that's jarring to listen to be honest. His older work I find way more enjoyable album wise compared to the moon.