Line Out - Comments on Where's The Beat?

Comment by cosby

cosby — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:00:55 -0800

i agree, the rock / krautrock influenced percussion on 'third' is a bore. i like the album, but my one MAJOR complaint is the absence of dirty, slo-mo drum machine rhythm. i'm surprised that this is the first time i've seen anyone besides myself make note of this.

Comment by jm

jm — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:45:14 -0800

I have to disagree with you guys. I think the new album is far and away their best. It's weirder, darker, and intense than anything they've done before. True the hip hop beats are gone, but the rhythmic hooks are out in spades. I think it's telling that the best song on the album is the percussionless "Deep Water"; a minute and a half of zombified ragtime bliss.
Charles is right though, Gibbons is positively on fire on this set. She sounds possessed through half the album. I read that this was the first album where she came in with music already written, for what it's worth.

Comment by apoptosis

apoptosis — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:14:13 -0800

agreed.

Comment by Biggie J

Biggie J — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:38:37 -0800

Not to change the subject but The Good The Bad and the Queen has Tony Allen one of the best drummers of all time yet when ever I hear that record I say to myself where is the rhythm?

Comment by captain undrepants

captain undrepants — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:35:09 -0800

^this comment is right on, but that's another story.

i hear what you're saying charles, but you've gotta be the first person i've come across who seems to give off an air that third is a lesser record b/c there are no hip hop drum patterns. i dunno if i prefer third to dummy yet either, but it's definitely on par.