Backbone - 2nd impressions!

[craydarr]

Apr 2, 2020 8:12:51 GMT johns said:

Apr 1, 2020 12:23:40 GMT mortified said:

I've been told to stop moaning so you'll get nothing from me 

Ah you moan all you want Mort. Your opinions are always valid and well stated (well most of the time..lol)

Don’t bloody encourage his moaning, he won’t stop then 😁😁

[frozenhero]

I'm so tired of moaning, tryin' to groan away the blues...

[mortified]

Woke up this moaning....

[col]

My dog was dead, someone disliked him, And shot him through the head

Fifes Finest

[mortified]

Apr 15, 2020 12:30:00 GMT col said:

My dog was dead, someone disliked him, And shot him through the head

Fifes Finest

That's precisely the song that was in my head when I typed it. Uncanny! Although Alabama 3 would've done   

"Came home this evening; my hog was gone; people here don't like me, think I'll soon move on"

Obviously, pet pigs were de rigeuer in Fife in 1973   

[col]

And don't forget about the cat, or the house for that matter!!

[frozenhero]

Just rekindling my love for the Backbone album... it's pretty good, innit?

[Isaac Ryan]

May 30, 2020 12:24:45 GMT frozenhero said:

Just rekindling my love for the Backbone album... it's pretty good, innit?

It's still getting plenty of airplay in my house 

[andyb]

Hi all

Some of you may have seen the link for the Backbone article in Sound on Sound when it first came out but not had an opportunity to read it as it was pay per view/subscription. They’ve now released the article in full for free so you can see the whole thing. There’s a lot of tech stuff there but it maybe if interest to some,

bit.ly/SQSOS

[sqcollector]

Jun 7, 2020 23:06:39 GMT andyb said:

Hi all

Some of you may have seen the link for the Backbone article in Sound on Sound when it first came out but not had an opportunity to read it as it was pay per view/subscription. They’ve now released the article in full for free so you can see the whole thing. There’s a lot of tech stuff there but it maybe if interest to some,

bit.ly/SQSOS

Ah nice!

Very informative reading. The usage of a mic per cymbal was unexpected, but nice. I liked how they seated in the mix. Also interesting was the keyboards recording.

I really really enjoyed the second paragraph on the mixing part. And I'm happy you didn't go with ducking the instruments with the vocals. I prefer the vocals more on the back.

I tend to do similar stuff with the vocals; I usually use high-pass around 150 and 200 Hz and still decrease a bit from there until between 300 and 600 Hz. Depends on the quality of the recording.

I learned some tricks from reading this. Great article!
Regarding the mastering I'd have probably compressed less the first song. Even with the same compression, in terms of level matching, I think it's a bit louder, in comparison to the others (especially the next track), considering it's an "emptier" song, in terms of wall of sound.

Here's hoping for another Quo album!

[noproblems]

My second impressions nearly a year on.

Still very samey - chug, chug, chug. I suppose it's what Quo are famous for, but I still think that without Rick it lacks variation - something a little different - other than Liberty Lane (which doesn't sound like an Edwards song, but is) and Waiting for a Woman (which sounds like an Edwards song, but isn't).

I can listen to it a few times, but then I get bored with it. It's not an awful album by any means, but for me it's not up there with Quid Pro Quo or Just Supposin'.


They've now done an album without the Late Great Rick just to prove a point. So what's next? Another album is the obvious answer - but just to reinforce the same point?

[craydarr]

Just noticed the album was voted no. 15 in Classic Rocks 2019 end of year poll.

[sqcollector]

Not really a 2nd impression, more like a 30th or 40th. Something curious I've noticed, just by chance, and would like andyb to clarify, if possible.

If I grab the first 8 bars of the song, when the drums and everything come in, and then duplicate that on another track and just paste repeatedly, in order to follow the original track, and then align each snippet of those eight bars with the original track, as long as it keeps going, and, finally, invert the phase on that new track I created, I noticed some interesting things:
The bass drum always falls on the exact same part, for each 8 bars. I then tried for more than 8 and it's the same for 16 bars. This means that either Leon is the perfect drummer (always perfect on tempo) or that the drums were quantized. I'd bet on the latter. If that's true, why quantizing? Why not simply let the music flow more naturally?

Another thing is that not only the bass drum always fell on the exact same spot, it subtracted perfectly (remember the phase is inverted on the track I created). Now, I know that, since it's a bass drum, the beater will always play on the same place, unlike on a snare, where sometimes, the stick will hit more the center, sometimes more the lateral, sometimes more of a rim shot, etc.. So, the timbre is more accurate throughout many hits on a bass drum than on another drum. Yet, it subtracted, apparently, perfectly. Was the bass drum triggered? I'd expect to notice more differences, mainly due the amplitude. Being triggered would help to quantize it. If so, were the other drums triggered? Were samples used (even if sampled from Leon's drum kit)? I may be wrong here. Like I said, it's easier to keep a more consistent sound (timbre-wise) on the bass drum.

I also noticed that the hi-hats kept going even when the crashes were hit. This means that Leon kept playing them, which is not common. I'm a drummer and I, funnily enough, play like that: I keep playing the hats while hitting the crashes, in most occasions. After some fills, I don't, of course, it depends on what's happening. But drummers often don't do it like that. What's curious on the Backbone track is that even when the crash is hit at the same time as the snare, the hats keep going. Three hands are needed for that, generally. The crashes could have been overdubbed. If that's case, what was the need for that? It's not like it required much effort to play a crash at that part. Also during some fills, the hats keep going. And also during the uhuh parts, where the toms are also being played.
Why were these hats added? I also notice the "real" hats behind them, in some places. Keeping the other, more artificial, hats all over the song is a decision I'm curious about.

With all this analysis, I also detected a small edit (or whatever that is) between the the 1 minute and 4 seconds mark and 1 minute and 5 seconds mark, on part where Francis sings "to the bone", right between "to" and "the".

Backbone was the only track I did this. I spotted this just by chance.

I'm asking this, because I am legitimately curious about these decisions. I'm fascinated by music and music production and always love to get more insight on these matters. Here's hoping to get a reply from the involved engineer himself!

[frozenhero]

Jul 7, 2020 0:57:34 GMT sqcollector said:

Not really a 2nd impression, more like a 30th or 40th. Something curious I've noticed, just by chance, and would like andyb to clarify, if possible.

You might get a quicker reply if you'd posted in the SOS thread, but anyway I'll say I'm also interested.


One thing though, even with Spud they overdubbed fills (often crash cymbals) on RAOTW and onwards. I remember Pip and/or pupcious talking about that.

[sqcollector]

Jul 8, 2020 23:03:12 GMT frozenhero said:

You might get a quicker reply if you'd posted in the SOS thread, but anyway I'll say I'm also interested.

Oh? What/where is that thread? Ahah

Jul 8, 2020 23:03:12 GMT frozenhero said:

One thing though, even with Spud they overdubbed fills (often crash cymbals) on RAOTW and onwards. I remember Pip and/or pupcious talking about that.

Yeah, I remember reading an article where Pip talked about the recording of the RAOTW album. He mentioned John would forget to hit the crash here and there and that Pip would say something along "Don't worry, we overdub it later", if I recall correctly. Was a good article.

[rocker1977]

Listened to the album again a couple of days ago for the first time in a few months and it’s still a very good album.
Only songs I’m not too keen on are “ I see you’re in some trouble” and “Running out of time”

[frozenhero]

Jul 9, 2020 0:14:27 GMT sqcollector said:

Jul 8, 2020 23:03:12 GMT frozenhero said:

You might get a quicker reply if you'd posted in the SOS thread, but anyway I'll say I'm also interested.

Oh? What/where is that thread? Ahah

Jul 8, 2020 23:03:12 GMT frozenhero said:

One thing though, even with Spud they overdubbed fills (often crash cymbals) on RAOTW and onwards. I remember Pip and/or pupcious talking about that.

Yeah, I remember reading an article where Pip talked about the recording of the RAOTW album. He mentioned John would forget to hit the crash here and there and that Pip would say something along "Don't worry, we overdub it later", if I recall correctly. Was a good article.

I meant the one Andy had posted (the Sound on Sound article), in which we had some discussion with him. 

[mortified]

Still a bit middling to me. Very immediately accessible on first hearing and rather singalong but lacking staying power and, from a personal point of view, slightly longer musical interludes. Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting Umleitung or Coming And Going. Just something more than deliberately 'catchy' in every track. 

I'd even go so far as to say its their weakest self-penned effort since the turn of the millennium. Well, lets call it my least favourite, which is much fairer. But that is nit-picking a bit because it's still more than half decent. 

I think I said before. There are no bad tracks on it, just nothing truly outstanding that I keep wanting to go back to. 

[craydarr]

Am currently listening to it and still liking it, I am finding that I’m skipping the odd track now.
Backing Off is probably one of my least favourites on the album

[The Lord Flasheart]

I have also been listening to it again and I think I can be subjective about it.

1 Waiting on A Woman. Not a bad opener thogugh I find it very similar to Goin Nowhere, though I still prefer it a lot more.

2 Cut Me Some Slack. Still like this one.

3 Liberty Lane. Favorite song off the album can't help but sing along to it

4 I See Your In Some Trouble. Start of a run of 3 tracks im not as keen on

5 Backing Off. Just OK

6 I Wanna Run Away with you. Again OK nothing special

7 Backbone. Better single but not as good as Liberty Lane

8 Better Take Care. Not bad though still can't work out who sings the 1st Bridge. I know Rhino does the 2nd one.

9 Falling Off the World. Want to hear more tracks from Leon like this one

10 Get Out Of My Head. Really like this one but I still find a new voice on a Quo track after all these years a bit strange.

11 Running Out Of Time. Many people dislike this one but I can't stop singing the chorus when I hear it.

12 Crazy Crazy. Not the best track B side material to me, still it was a Bonus

13 Face The Music. Better maybe should have replaced I see Your In Some Trouble on the main album.

[mortified]

Oct 17, 2021 19:34:35 GMT The Lord Flasheart said:

I have also been listening to it again and I think I can be subjective about it.

1 Waiting on A Woman. Not a bad opener thogugh I find it very similar to Goin Nowhere, though I still prefer it a lot more.

2 Cut Me Some Slack. Still like this one.

3 Liberty Lane. Favorite song off the album can't help but sing along to it

4 I See Your In Some Trouble. Start of a run of 3 tracks im not as keen on

5 Backing Off. Just OK

6 I Wanna Run Away with you. Again OK nothing special

7 Backbone. Better single but not as good as Liberty Lane

8 Better Take Care. Not bad though still can't work out who sings the 1st Bridge. I know Rhino does the 2nd one.

9 Falling Off the World. Want to hear more tracks from Leon like this one

10 Get Out Of My Head. Really like this one but I still find a new voice on a Quo track after all these years a bit strange.

11 Running Out Of Time. Many people dislike this one but I can't stop singing the chorus when I hear it.

12 Crazy Crazy. Not the best track B side material to me, still it was a Bonus

13 Face The Music. Better maybe should have replaced I see Your In Some Trouble on the main album.

These remain the 4 stand-outs for me. But I wouldn't confuse stand-out with outstanding   

That musical interlude in the middle of Falling Off The World, although relatively short, is actually the highlight of the whole album. It took me so much by surprise when I first heard it, I thought it was 1971 again and it was a sample from a "Beat Club" performance   

But, all in all, catchy seems to have been the objective of almost every song. Which is fine for a while but eventually the novelty wears off. 

[Isaac Ryan]

Still listening to it on and off, still happy to play all the tracks 

[pressbutton]

I've listened to very little Quo (or any music) since the start of the pandemic. I used to listen to CD primarily in my car when I was driving to meetings with audit clients, some of which are 2.5 hours away from me. Or I would put a CD on my husband's music system and listen to it whilst doing something on our computer whilst my husband was out. That stopped with the pandemic of course.

[snakelady]

Oct 20, 2021 11:52:30 GMT pressbutton said:

I've listened to very little Quo (or any music) since the start of the pandemic. I used to listen to CD primarily in my car when I was driving to meetings with audit clients, some of which are 2.5 hours away from me. Or I would put a CD on my husband's music system and listen to it whilst doing something on our computer whilst my husband was out. That stopped with the pandemic of course.

More or less the same for me. Have rarely listened to any CDs due to a lack of longer drives - or any drives at all for a while.
It's actually us playing Bridge at the club again that's making the difference now (with a bridge under construction it's taking even longer to get there at the mo). So I've listened to the album again recently.

Probably should call it 3rd impressions by now ?

What can I say ? I still prefer the Rossi/Rickard solo (duo?) album, but it isn't quite as bad as I remembered. It's definitely listenable, but the weak points still stand. I miss longer solos, intros, outros - and a song or two more sung by Ritchie or Andy would contribute to a bit more diversity as well.

As it is, it's simply a collection of pleasant pop/rock-pop tunes. Nothing wrong with that, but I know Quo can do better.

[mortified]

Oct 26, 2021 7:11:27 GMT snakelady said:

Oct 20, 2021 11:52:30 GMT pressbutton said:

I've listened to very little Quo (or any music) since the start of the pandemic. I used to listen to CD primarily in my car when I was driving to meetings with audit clients, some of which are 2.5 hours away from me. Or I would put a CD on my husband's music system and listen to it whilst doing something on our computer whilst my husband was out. That stopped with the pandemic of course.

More or less the same for me. Have rarely listened to any CDs due to a lack of longer drives - or any drives at all for a while.
It's actually us playing Bridge at the club again that's making the difference now (with a bridge under construction it's taking even longer to get there at the mo). So I've listened to the album again recently.

Probably should call it 3rd impressions by now ?

What can I say ? I still prefer the Rossi/Rickard solo (duo?) album, but it isn't quite as bad as I remembered. It's definitely listenable, but the weak points still stand. I miss longer solos, intros, outros - and a song or two more sung by Ritchie or Andy would contribute to a bit more diversity as well.

As it is, it's simply a collection of pleasant pop/rock-pop tunes. Nothing wrong with that, but I know Quo can do better.

I quite like that summing up. 

I can't find anything bad to say about the album but, equally, I cant find anything outstanding either. 

I won't go into the Rossi/Rickard album. Although I should if we're talking about pleasant pop tunes