Ray Davies - Our Country: Americana Act 2

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by rswitzer, May 15, 2018.

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  1. Really good album. Loving volume 2. Great sounding record. Well recorded and his voice sounds really good. Jayhawks are the perfect band to supplement him.
     
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  2. BayBum

    BayBum Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston
    Wondering why this hasn't shown up on hdtracks. Anyone seen this in ALAC anywhere?
     
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  3. Rawkdude

    Rawkdude Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    I really like the 2nd album. I liked the first one but I think I like the 2nd even better. I am a little surprised by some of the slightly negative reviews in the music press. I recommend this one.
     
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  4. I absolutely love it as well. The spoken parts are just enough and very minimal. Really great recording. Good stong, band and vocals Everything about it is good.
     
  5. TimeandTempo

    TimeandTempo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    It occurred to me last night that if Dylan wrote Calling Home or its equivalent in 2018, it would be heralded as one of the greatest songs of his late period. But with Ray, it's just another classic on another great album. I love Dylan, but that really helps me put Our Country in perspective with how lucky we are we have it (even though I still think it has warts).
     
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  6. Luckless Pedestrian

    Luckless Pedestrian Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    Thread has gone quiet, not much love for this? Took me a few listens to get a grasp on it. The closing track is a riot, it's miles from the mood of the opener. As others have mentioned, it gains momentum in the second half. Plenty here to keep a listener busy (and happy!).
     
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  7. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    I just picked this up today.
    I love the first one and although I'm just getting used to this one it sounds like I'm going to love this one also .
    I agree with all your comments about the album.

    My only deviation might be..
    I love the original "Oklahoma U.S.A."
    so much that I'm not sure the new version is going to match it for me.

    I don't think there are many artists I would like doing as much talking as Ray does on this album but it works for me by him.
    Somehow it ends up meatier this way than just a collection of songs.

    It ends up sounding like a soundtrack album with some spoken passages included from a Ray Davies musical or something .
    It even has a big closer song like musicals do. I can picture the entire cast coming out to sing this finale and then taking the group bow.:D

    If the two albums had been released as a double album it would be one of my favorite double albums ever.
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2018
  8. First honest reaction? I like the first Americana album more. There is a little too much talking for my tastes. It does sound like a concept that may have once been a musical at some stage.

    The music itself is pretty good...if a little different than what I expected.
     
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  9. rstamberg

    rstamberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Riverside, CT
    I think I’m going to come to like this one a bunch.
     
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  10. In my top ten for the year so far.
     
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  11. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Has it been that bad of a year then?

    Just kidding... ;)

    I'm away on vacation, so I have yet to hear the whole album. When I get back home, the album will be waiting for me. I am looking forward to listening.
     
  12. scotti

    scotti Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta GA
    Wanted to come back to this thread. Huge Kinks fan since I was a kid...Really like "Other People's Lives" (especially All She Wrote and The Tourist) and parts of "Working Man's Cafe" but could not get in to the first Americana release. I have sampled this album (something I rarely do with artists I love) and found some of this album rather interesting/good at times...really like Back In The Day and March of The Zombies, but I'm afraid of all the filler.

    Is this worth me taking a chance on, and wondering if the CD might be the better than investing in the vinyl?
     
  13. If you don’t like one you probably won’t like two. I love them both and these are very good recorded records so the vinyl is my priority although I have the CDs too.

    The Jayhawks sound great.
     
  14. scotti

    scotti Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta GA
    Thanks, might take a chance anyway, plus pretty excited about The Kinks reunion (hope it happens with a new studio album)!

    Are you referring to the new Jayhawks? Very close to pulling the plug on the vinyl, believe it comes out Friday...

    As always, thanks for your response!
     
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  15. The Jayhawks are the backing band and vocals on these Ray Davies albums and early whey they sound so good Great singers and players
     
  16. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    Yes, we have both weighed in negatively on a Kinks reunion previously. So.per your comment on the Jayhawks, unless Dave brings some great songs to a reunion project I think at this point in time the Jayhawks are possibly a better fit working with Ray .
     
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  17. You know there's really no more spoken word sections than your basic Moody Blues album :tiphat:
     
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  18. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    I’m in the queue at Rough Trade East in Shoreditch getting this CD signed by the very man himself.
     
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  19. TimeandTempo

    TimeandTempo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    If you can get 2, I'll pay you plus shipping and a little for trouble!
     
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  20. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    Too late!
     
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  21. Glenn Christense

    Glenn Christense Foremost Beatles expert... on my block

    Yeah, but Ray has never spoken a line as profound as :

    Blasting, billowing, bursting forth
    with the power of 10 billion butterfly sneezes...

    That is pretty powerful stuff. :D

    Not to mention the time it took for the Moody Blues to actually sit in fields and bushes etc., to count 10 billion butterfly sneezes to ensure they were accurate in their spoken word thing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2018
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  22. TimeandTempo

    TimeandTempo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    How did he seem? Healthy?
     
  23. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    Sadly not. He seemed close to death and that all movement was slow. Particularly signing things. That said. I missed his Q and A before hand.
     
  24. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    Some shots of Ray with autograph hunters and Mick Avory there too

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  25. raphph

    raphph Taking a trip on an ocean liner…

    Location:
    London
    Ok I exaggerated but he seemed frailer than I thought he would be.
     
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