Men At Work

Discussion on new albums, developing listening skills, critical listening to others' work, as well as TOMB members' MP3 links, online recording critiques

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Jay Reynolds
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Men At Work

Post by Jay Reynolds » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:00 pm

No really a band that I find myself seeking out, but the other day I sort of had a new experience with their material. I was riding in the car with my wife, listening to her iPod through one of those FM transmitter thingies (two automatic strikes against the sonic to begin with) when some material from Men at Work's Cargo release came on. Wow. Writing wise they are very regional sounding, but audio wise that stuff sounded great. In particular, the guitar tones were beautiful. An a great job recording a vocalist who has a range (in dynamics and pitch) so wide that you could drive a bus through it. About the only knock I could even try to come up with is the balance on the drums was sort of timid.
So, is it me? Did I accidentally swap a hand-full of 80's pills for vitamins that morning?
Prog out with your cog out.

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Post by RefD » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:09 pm

not at all, i rate their sound pretty highly as well.

*slips superaction80 a fistful of late period Split Enz*

but really, cheggit.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

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Post by ;ivlunsdystf » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:49 pm

This book, besides being pretty good, is written by their engineer? Producer? Whatever he was, he has a lot of info about his methods recording their albums blended into the text of the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Guide-H ... 0671657542

I feel that "It's a Mistake" is one of the finer pop songs from any era.

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Post by Jay Reynolds » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:16 pm

Tatertot wrote:This book, besides being pretty good, is written by their engineer? Producer? Whatever he was, he has a lot of info about his methods recording their albums blended into the text of the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Guide-H ... 0671657542

I feel that "It's a Mistake" is one of the finer pop songs from any era.
Mrs. Superaction80 would tend to agree with you. She says she gets choked up listening to it. "Overkill" wasn't too shabby, either. Its not easy getting a soprano sax to sound like that. We only listened to those two songs, but they struck me as being a lot more maudlin than M.A.W.'s earlier stuff.
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thieves
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Post by thieves » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:24 pm

i really don't like most of their work, but "pop goes the world" is not only a perfect pop song, but the electronics in it never cease to amaze me. i can't put my finger on it, but everything about the drum machines/synths/samples is just perfect.
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Post by Smitty » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:42 pm

i can distinctly remember spinning my dad's vinyl copy of Cargo in our basement as a kid. something about it seemed more accessible than some other gems from his collection.

man, now i'm gonna have to dig that thing out when i go home next weekend...
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Post by Spark » Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:58 pm

thieves wrote:i really don't like most of their work, but "pop goes the world" is not only a perfect pop song, but the electronics in it never cease to amaze me. i can't put my finger on it, but everything about the drum machines/synths/samples is just perfect.
I think it was Men Without Hats that did 'pop goes the world'.

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Post by RefD » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:16 pm

The Spark wrote:
thieves wrote:i really don't like most of their work, but "pop goes the world" is not only a perfect pop song, but the electronics in it never cease to amaze me. i can't put my finger on it, but everything about the drum machines/synths/samples is just perfect.
I think it was Men Without Hats that did 'pop goes the world'.
it was.
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Post by E-money » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:27 pm

Business as Usual was a good album, song wise and sonically as well.
"No Sign of Yesterday" is a great song, with some nice delayed lead guitar parts.

I found myself singing the second verse from "Land Down Under" a few days ago.

These guys were pretty talented.
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Jay Reynolds
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Post by Jay Reynolds » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:35 pm

E-money wrote:Business as Usual was a good album, song wise and sonically as well.
"No Sign of Yesterday" is a great song, with some nice delayed lead guitar parts.

I found myself singing the second verse from "Land Down Under" a few days ago.

These guys were pretty talented.
True, true. But a/b'ing the two, Cargo stood out, sonic-wise. "Be Good Johnny", while a great piece of writing, didn't survive the AAC-file-compression/bandwidth-fight-with the-nearest-Top-40-Country-station gauntlet in the same condition that the material from Cargo did.
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Post by Rodgre » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:43 pm

The Curtain Society had the honor of opening for Colin Hay (MAW singer) a few years ago. His voice sounded as strong and amazing as it ever has. Amazing acoustic guitar tone as well....just him and a guitar. I do recall that he spent more time telling stories between songs than he did actually playing songs, but the stories were pretty good too.

Roger

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Jay Reynolds
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Post by Jay Reynolds » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:47 pm

Everything sounds better with an Aussie accent. See Steve Elkington.
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Post by RefD » Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:56 pm

superaction80 wrote:Everything sounds better with an Aussie accent. See Steve Elkington.
perhaps, but then PAUL HOGAN! :crazy:

ya see?

*rests trans-Tasman case*
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

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Post by cgarges » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:34 pm

Colin Hay is a terrific writer. I don't think any of the other guys in that band were slouches, either. Every live performance I ever saw of them on TV or whatever was really, really excellent and I think those first two albums (with the original members) are especially good. I also think that first album is an excellent ad for what an RCA 77 sounds like on a tenor sax.

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Post by MichaelAlan » Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:43 am

cgarges wrote:Colin Hay is a terrific writer. I don't think any of the other guys in that band were slouches, either. Every live performance I ever saw of them on TV or whatever was really, really excellent and I think those first two albums (with the original members) are especially good. I also think that first album is an excellent ad for what an RCA 77 sounds like on a tenor sax.

Chris Garges
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Colin Hay has some cool solo stuff. He did a little spot on "scrubs" (funny show). Great lazy eye, and John C. Mcginley smashes his guitar into a wall...
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