It's Gavin's drums that make this song. Understated in places, but perfect especially in the the build up to "the pills in me" section.
Anesthetize is certainly epic, and obviously the album's centerpiece. I agree that the different sections and the drumming both contribute massively to the song. I like most of the lyrics, clearly about a disturbed young man. And I really like the song, more than I remember. But I can't say I love it the way other posters have.
Thank you for this analysis. Really illuminated the music in a way I hadn’t thought of before. I have to admit, I don’t pay attention to lyrics in depth as much as I should. A lot of times they’re just things to hang the melody on. It’s only when I’m trying to decode a “concept” (such in Deadwing or Hand. Cannot. Erase) that I really dig in. But because FoaBP doesn’t have a plot, per se, I’ve never really tried to understand the lyrics and the characters. Anyway, thanks!
Sentimental Words and Music by Steven Wilson I never wanna be old And I don’t want dependents It’s no fun to be told That you can’t blame your parents anymore I’m finding it hard to hang from a star I don’t wanna be… Never wanna be old. Sullen and bored the kids stay And in this way wish away each day Stoned in the mall the kids play And in this way wish away each day I don’t really know If I care what is normal And I’m not really sure If the pills I’ve been taking are helping I’m wasting my life Hurting inside I don’t really know And I’m not really sure… Sullen and bored the kids stay And in this way wish away each day Stoned in the mall the kids play And in this way wish away each day ------------------------------------------------- A companion piece to "Normal" from Nil Recurring (which was written before "Sentimental" - apparently "Normal" was the first song written for this album). I love the syncopated rhythms and the plaintive vocals. It's a pretty and sad tune. If I had to pick, I'd choose "Normal" over this, but I love the use of acoustic guitar in both and each has its own virtues. Another great track!
Sentimental may be my favourite track on the album. Right from the opening notes, backed with those strange syncopated drum beats, there is something other-worldly about this track. I know it's a rewrite of Normal, but I like it better. The lyrics are really saying much the same thing as those in Anesthetize. I actually think from a compositional point of view these are some of the best lyric lines Steven has written. Study the last verse. On first listening, it's easy to mistakenly hear lines 1 and 3 as the same. In fact they are different, but Steven has obviously paid careful attention to give both of those lines the same sound and the same rhythm. I do not know how someone writes a song like this. I can almost imagine myself writing a song like My Ashes, but Sentimental has layers of complexity that would make it a challenge to remember the ideas long enough to commit them to tape or to paper.
Love the verses on this song, but so-so on the chorus. Only because they don’t seem to go together. Just reading the lyrics alone, I’m confused on the general age of the person speaking. Definitely not from the kid’s perspective in the chorus, but not an older adult either by the verses. So, most likely a 20 something individual? Realizing the party is over? Probably fits the best. Normal seems to fix that lyrically.
I wouldn't quite say Normal "fixes" it, since Normal was written first. I prefer to interpret the songs as two sides of one coin. The verses of Sentimental are as if spoken by the young boy; the verses of Normal are from the point of view of an older person, perhaps the boy's parent. The refrain is the same in both songs, and appears to be from the perspective of a detached third person. Ironically, the word "sentimental" does not appear in the song of that name, but it appears in Normal.
Yes, Sentimental is an excellent track. It's definitely not about a kid, because he can't blame his parents any more. The melodies are perfect for the words, and I love that chorus with its slightly off-kilter rhythm. I also like the way it builds sonically, starting low-fi, almost like it's in the background, until it opens up into full-fidelity power.
A couple of oddities about this album: Every song has all or most of its melody in a minor key. Of the six songs, three of them do not contain their title as part of their lyrics.
– “It's part of a trilogy, a musical trilogy I'm working on in D minor which is the saddest of all keys, I find. People weep instantly when they hear it, and I don't know why.” Nigel Tufnel
Way Out of Here Words by Steven Wilson, Music by Richard Barbieri, Colin Edwin, Gavin Harrison, and Steven Wilson - Soundscapes by Robert Fripp (of King Crimson) Out at the train tracks I dream of escape But a song comes onto my iPod And I realize it’s getting late I can’t take the staring and the sympathy And I don’t like the questions, “How do you feel?” “How’s it going in school?” “Do you wanna talk about it?” Way out Way out of here Fade out Fade out, vanish I’ll try to forget you And I know that I will In a thousand years Or maybe a week I’ll burn all your pictures Cut out your face The shutters are down and the curtains are closed And I’ve covered my tracks Disposed of the car And I’ll try to forget even your name And the way that you look when you’re sleeping And dreaming of this Way out Way out of here Fade out Fade out, vanish ------------------------------------------------------- A song that seems to describe a teen dealing with a friend's suicide, though its not all clear. Not sure if the "covered my tracks, disposed of the car" is a drug reference (needle tracks). I love the line "I'll try to forget you and I know that I will - in a thousand years or maybe a week..." - the anguish is palpable. This track was written in a jam session by the band late in the process and the song replaced "Cheating the Polygraph" - a good move in my opinion. It's interesting that Robert Fripp was involved in creating the soundscapes, because, as I listen to this song, it's not about individual instruments or sections or solos, but the whole sonic effect. It is probably my least favorite track on the album, but I still think it's fabulous!
There's a desparation to Way Out of Here that's perfect for the album. The narrator has obviously experienced some great loss, and the reactions of the people around him don't help. Musically the song gets this feeling across very effectively. I'm convinced the title refers to suicide, although I'm not sure if it's the narrator considering it or a friend that did it. I like the song a lot.
Coming down from the highs of Anesthetize and Sentimental, my initial reaction to Way Out of Here was to think that the album had peaked and that this was a lesser song. It is, however, all relative. This song repays repeated listenings. I gained a new appreciation for it when the band performed it live - one of the songs which I felt was really enhanced by the visual effects, unlike some of their other songs where I thought the visuals were being basically used for the sake of it. There is a moment on that first scream of "Waaaay out of here" when bright lights sweep over the audience, presumably simulating the arrival and passage of a train in the night. The lyric "Out on the train tracks, I dream of escape" is particularly clever. What kind of escape? People watching the trains go by often dream of being on the train and escaping to some place other than where they live. Perhaps he's thinking of running away from home. That would be why he's covered his tracks and disposed of the car. He is making a total break with his previous life. On the other hand, the tone of the song, and the song that follows it, suggests that maybe it's a different kind of escape he is contemplating. Whatever the case, the following lines "a song comes on my iPod, and I realise it's getting late" seems to indicate a lack of resolve to take either of these courses of action; he's just totally dissatisfied with his current existence but unsure what to do about it.
I am behind here... My Ashes - great song. Love the atmosphere in this one. Richard Barbieri sounds and textures are magnificent in this one. Anesthetize - what can be said about this song that hasn't been said already? Epic tune that is always too great to sum up with mere words. The middle section gets the most love, and it is pretty bad ass, but I love the first and third parts almost as much. The first part does a great job in setting the tone and preparing you for what is coming, and the third part is a great "come down" following what the second part gave us. This is one of the five best songs SW has ever written. Sentimental - another killer song, and I love the studio use on this one. Some of the effects used on the instruments are so effective, like in the second verse where it almost feels like the music is swirling around SW's voice which is stationary in the middle of a room. I was driving once and it started lightly snowing when I got to the end of this song and it was surreal. The ride-out with those keyboards matched the falling snow perfectly. Way out of Here - this was my favorite song from the album at first, and while it isn't anymore, I still love it just as much. The effect on SW's voice in the chorus is one of the most effective studio choices he ever made. His vocal sounds so distant and with the echo it feels like he is at the bottom of a valley shouting to be heard, and we the listener are on the top of the mountain straining to hear him. Love it.
While I enjoy Way Out of Here (despite some cringey lines), I'm quite sad it replaced Cheating the Polygraph. CTP is easily my favourite FOABP material behind Anesthetize; it serves the same function as WOOH (even has the weirdo electro-jam ending and everything) but with more finesse, particularly the break with Gavin and the guitar solo being jazzy as hell. Was happy to see the initial vinyl release integrated the song after My Ashes to end side A, which is another good spot for it.
I think Cheating the Polygraph and What Happens Now? are two of the top five songs from the FOABP sessions, but I think it worked well the way they did it.
Agreed on both counts. FOABP has killer flow as an album (which remains true if CTP is before Annie's Thighs or replacing Way Out), like Signify and Up the Downstair before it. SW gets praise for his album flow but I have to say he's batting pretty average between successes (as listed, plus Insurgentes and HCE) and failures (the flow suffers variously on basically every other album not listed) – imo, of course.
Replacing Cheating the Polygraph with Way Out of here was the right move. I don't particularly like the former song.
Anesthetize This song is king of the the album. The total highlight for me. I would say that is it ine of the best songs he has ever done. It has everything that you could want really. It does not feel like a side long epic to me. It is just put together to perfectly plus how well it is produced is magnificent. The drumming is incredible. Lifesons solo is amazing. Up there with the best he has done in Rush. Sentimental The piano in the beginning reminds me of something from the 2 albums before IA. It sure has that vibe in it. I’m a big fan of Normal so this tune really jives with me. I really enjoy the vocal melodies that SW comes up with. Very simple but effective. Way Out of Here This is another favourite of mine of this album. Huge fan of the live video of this track. The dynamics are a huge part of what I like about it. Great hook on the bass line during the verse. The cool strange time signatures with the guitar then going into the tight heavy part is ingenious. Again just incredible drumming on this track. I’m a huge fan of Fripp soundscapes too.
Sleep Together Words and Music by Steven Wilson This means out This is your way out Do or drown Do or drown in torpor Leave no trace All my files erased Burn my clothes Burn my Prada trainers Let’s sleep together right now Relieve the pressure somehow Switch off the future right now Let’s leave forever This is fate This is your escape Leave here now Leave here like it’s over Let’s sleep together right now Relieve the pressure somehow Switch off the future right now Let’s leave forever -------------------------------------------------- PT's "Kashmir"! The opening lyrics ("This means out") are a perfect bridge from the previous song ("Way Out of Here"). Otherwise the lyrics are really ambiguous. Is he talking about sex? About suicide? About simply leaving? Something else. The strings provide a nice foil for Richard's swirling eastern-inspired synths. Not crazy about how Steven sings the chorus live (I think he's using a synth to give his voice more "growl", but I don't like it). Great finale to this album - not a "gentle" closer in the least - and that last little drum fill is perfect.
Sleep Together is really strange. I do like it now, but it took a while to get used to that gurgling undercurrent from the synth. The ending build-up is very effective, and although Steven has said several times that he is not a great fan of Genesis, this sounds to me like something Genesis would do. As for the Kashmir comparison, Tony Banks has tacitly admitted that some of his compositions for Genesis owed some influence to Kashmir, so it's all linked. The final drum fill could be meant to simulate a gun going off -which wold fit with the idea of suicide Steven did this song live when I saw him in concert a few years ago in Sydney - a surprising choice, I thought, considering that he played nothing else from FOABP.
Only PT could write a song called Sleep Together, with lines like "let's sleep together right now" and make you think of suicide. I'm convinced that's what it's about; lyrically it's got a Don't Fear the Reaper feeling and it certainly isn't talking about love or lust. The Kashmir resemblence is strong in places. In any case it's a solid ending to a fine album. I'm going to have to give FoaBP some more listens in the next few weeks.
