Brendan Shares Your Enthusiasm For... Beady Eye

Paul and the BE cover art. NSFW

Welcome to a new feature on Brendan Mackey's Blog called, "Brendan Shares Your Enthusiasm For..." where I discuss a topic that is near and dear to our guest expert's heart.

First up is Paul Snyder. He is a national magazine editor and runs the fantastic music site Transatlantic Modern. He also edits my ebooks.

Paul is a certified Oasis fanatic and today we will discuss the second post-breakup (between brothers Noel and Liam) album by Beady Eye (the yet to be released in the US) BE. 

The Cover

Brendan: First off, what more can be said for the cover image than a naked breast can't say for itself? Out of purely academic curiosity, I looked up the model and she is the wife of the fashion photographer who took the picture. With this knowledge, I can only come to two conclusions about the cover: 1. This proves you really do lose something when you just download only the MP3s and 2. Fashion photography is a desirable career choice.

Paul: Yeah I wonder why more of my high school and college classmates didn't become fashion photographers. Myself included. If the general thrust of the advice we were given on choosing a career path was "Find something you enjoy ..." I don't think there were many of us who would've said, "Well, I don't enjoy naked women." Suffice to say, I splurged on the imported vinyl version of album. Audio quality is one thing. That cover in 12" x 12" as opposed to a CD's 4.75" x 4.75" dimensions is another. Oh, and the vinyl version comes with a huge poster of the album cover. I'm trying to determine if I can hang it up in my new office without getting terminated for sexual harassment. I have a feeling Liam's argument of "It's definitely not sexist, it's sexy. It's a nipple you can bring home to your mother. It's not porn, is it?" probably isn't going to get me too far.

Flick of the Finger (listen HERE)

Brendan: The first track really announces itself with the heavy drums and a fat horn section. I listened to most of the album while running and this got me going. I think this was the first single or the first thing released, and it's a good song. Unfortunately, no discussion of this track can avoid the voiceover that takes up about of third of the back end by (Furious Google Searching) Kayban Novak, British sitcom star of Fonejacker reading a section from Tariq Ali's book about the 60s. On first listen, I guess it works, but it's hard to enjoy the song on replay a lot because of it. It seems like something Noel would throw on one of his Oasis demos.

Paul: Not to be all, "Hey, I graduated with a degree in Writing-Intensive English" (and not fashion photography) on you, but I think the speech is a modified version of something from Marat/Sade. I'm not saying a group of 1960s-philes didn't find the modified version in a book about the 1960s, but as is the wont of a writer, one gets persnickety about credit being given where credit is due. The speech threw me a little at the beginning too, and you're right about the Noel demo thing (callbacks to the "Go Let it Out" demo with "Austin Powers" dialogue), but it works for me now. The whole feel of the song to me is gladiators in the Colosseum and all that big cinematic "Gentlemen, this is our hour ..." stuff, so it blends in nicely. When all the "Dave Sitek," "horns," "cosmic experimentation" reports started spilling out back at the start of the year, I got very excited. I didn't expect this, but I wanted to be surprised and this did it. Might be my favorite thing they've done. Oh, and thanks for pointing out your exercise routine. I'm going to McDonald's now. I suspect you won't want anything?

Brendan: Sorry for depriving Peter Weiss of proper credit... and yes, I'll have a chocolate milkshake.

Soul Love

Paul: Then we move right into a mood piece. For every review I've read of BE so far, they all seem to have the "Wow, Liam's voice ..." (for better or worse) paragraph. He sounds fine to me, but I think he always has on record. I think what should be pointed out is how many notes Liam puts into the "Sou-ou-oul lo-ove, so-ou-oul lo-ov-ve" bits. His whole career, the talk has always been about how he can turn "shine" into a three-syllable word, but it was usually just a sneer. Here, it's actually a handy little bit of singing. Maybe not Pavarotti, but give it a little try yourself. It's not that easy. I think that little bit makes an otherwise uninteresting song kind of interesting. I can't pinpoint anything that really impresses me in this song, but that's not to say it's bad. It's fine to nod your head, purse your lips and bang your thumb on the steering wheel to whilst driving. It's just not a "Oh, dude, you gotta hear this one" kind of track.

Brendan: You're right about Liam. Whether he is a great singer or not is open to debate, but he's a great lead singer and frontman. And I think that's an even harder thing to be. As for "Soul Love" (nicely nicked from David Bowie), I like the searching guitar strumming and the aforementioned vowel-wrangling of the vocal. What I don't like is that it seems that the band and producer left the tape machine on and headed off the the pub. And isn't track 2 a little early for a "mood piece". I can't confirm that Liam wanted to mess with my momentum during my run, but I strongly suspect that might have been a motive.

Paul: Yeah, sorry you had to find this out while trying to improve your physical health, but in terms of how best to enjoy this album, I think "sit and listen," "drive and listen," "imitate Liam's singing stance, lip synch and listen" and "get stoned and listen" come pretty far ahead of "run and listen." I've seen a used CD of "Jock Jams 2" at Reckless Records for 49 cents, if you're interested in your next run's soundtrack. 

Face the Crowd

Brendan: This is pretty much what I expect from Beady Eye at this point. Straight ahead guitars, drumming, hand-claps, tambourines and Liam with his hands behind his back, leaning forward, braying into the microphone. I can see this one kicking off a show

Paul: Live, I’m sure this is fantastic and I’ll be jumping and singing along. On record, this is the album’s flattest moment for me. It’s a fine performance and Sharrock’s drumming can still wow me, but to go back to those mid-winter reports of “Sitek,” “horns” and “cosmic experimentation,” this is not what I was hoping for. I don’t think Beady Eye (or Oasis or Noel) could ever leave basic electric guitar rock behind, and I don’t want them to. But for dudes in their 40s to be writing songs about playing rock and roll shows to their aging fans … I don’t know. One wants to see their childhood idols avoid “The Heart of Rock and Roll” territory at all costs. I don’t think Beady Eye are there, but these kind of songs tempt it.

Second Bite of the Apple

Paul: The verses have an I’m-making-it-up-as-I-go kind of melody to it, which throws me a little. But the whole “the word is up if you’re tough enough” to “Come on, show us your love now” bit is great. The horns are great, the backing track is great and the groove is great. It’s a weird choice for a single, though. Listening to the whole album, this makes sense in the #4 spot. It keeps momentum and links the riffage of “Face the Crowd” to the more sparse “Soon Come Tomorrow” nicely, but to put it out as a single just seems to scream, “THIS IS DIFFERENT! SEE?! IT’S NOT ALL THREE-CHORD BEATLE RIPOFFS! WE CAN BE INTERESTING!” And screaming about how interesting you are seldom makes people go, “You know what? You ARE interesting.” Should’ve been a cool deep cut. 

Brendan: It is an odd track. I do love a good "Come on" in rock songs, especially Gallagher songs, but the lyric I'm more interested in is "Shake my tree where's the apple for me/Tickle my feet with the enemy". Is Liam asking someone to tickle his feet along with the enemy? Or does he want to be tickled literally WITH the enemy, like the enemy's hair for instance?" Is this the first perverse coded Noel dig? 

Paul: It might be the NME. Which makes it less intriguing.

Soon Come Tomorrow

Brendan: Another downbeat song, but mostly successful. Very Noel-like guitars on it. Though the producer's contribution seems to be pressing the "Space Effect" button on his Casio keyboard.

Paul: The directions on how to smoke a joint are a little superfluous (“Oh, DON’T drop it? God, I’m sorry. I had no idea …”), but it’s a good tune. I do like the line, “What kind of love burns holes in your heart?” The whole thing builds nicely. Solid mid-album song.

Iz Rite

Paul: Well, first I want to say I’m glad I interviewed Edgar Jones last year so I was introduced to the titular phrase. One of the main things I’ve noticed in reviews or fan comments since the Oasis split—and I’ve made this argument myself—is that with Noel Gallagher, you have the big memorable choruses. But the problem with saying that is that it sells Beady Eye short, because “The Roller” had a catchy chorus and my indifference toward “The Beat Goes On” aside, that song had one too. This song has a pretty damn majestic chorus. Maybe it won’t remembered like a “So Sally can wait …” (and that’s not even my favorite part of “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” mind you) but when this song goes into that “When you call my name” bit, I think it’s fantastic. Maybe Beady Eye don’t rattle off the arm-around-your-best-friend choruses as naturally as Noel does, but it’s dumb to say “they don’t have choruses.” Lots of great songs don’t have choruses. It’s a lazy argument to make. OK. Just had to get that off my chest.

Brendan: Youz right. Iz rite is way cooler than Is Right. Though perhaps the label's copywriter is holding up the US release because of that issue. I like this song. Has a sunny AM radio vibe.

I'm Just Saying

Brendan: You can feel those old rock bones starting to loosen up on this song. One of the better rockers on this album. And (I'm sure it matters to you) conducive to my running. In this song Liam seems to be just saying that "this" is his time in the spotlight and his time to shine. As the frontman of a famous rock band (especially still in the UK) like Oasis, I find it pretty comical that Liam feels he's been shortchanged. I know he doesn't get any songwriting credit and he got cast pretty early as his older brother's drunk dancing monkey, but still, he's gotten plenty of shine and love from his lead singer abilities. I also want to point out that this song once again proves that counting off, "1-2-3" always works for some reason in rock songs.

Paul: Yes, as soon as Gem and Liam started their call and response game at the end of this song, I smiled. And I was trying to find parking on Division Street in Wicker Park, which typically is not an activity that’s particularly conducive to smiling. Love the counting. This soars where “Face the Crowd” kind of sputters. This is their wheelhouse, I think—proper rock and roll that doesn’t fall into the trap of being too self-conscious or self-aware. Twenty-something rock and rollers can do that no problem. It’s a lot harder to pull it off with any authenticity another twenty years later.
  
Don’t Brother Me

Paul: OK, we finally get the no-question-about-it song about Noel. Given Liam’s John Lennon complex and some of the things he’s said about big brother in interviews over the past 2 years, I have to hand it to him for not taking a blowtorch to a gas station and going down the “How Do You Sleep?” route. There are digs in here (and I do like the “Did you shoot your gun?” line), but on the other hand, the song doesn’t really say anything. He starts off taunting, then suggests they give peace a chance. Now, anyone with a sibling will understand that dichotomy, but I don’t know that it needs to be crystallized in song. So what’s the point? To start a song-about-you exchange with Noel? Cos for every quasi-interesting Neil Young/Lynyrd Skynyrd-style exchange you get 10 other “fight” songs that make you just go, “Oh stop being a f*cking baby and sing about girls or some other cosmic nonsense” (off the top of my head … Roland Orzabal’s “Fish Out of Water” about Curt Smith, and his former Tears For Fears partner’s reply in the form of “Sun King” … is it embarrassing to know that?). Noel and Liam have never minced words about each other at any time in their public lives. Why do we need songs about it? And doesn’t writing a song about it just make every interview come around to more questions about Noel? Silly move. Nevertheless, quite a good musical backdrop. Love that bass. Don’t know that it needs to go on 4 minutes longer than it probably should, but for as “out there” as this album was supposed to be, this is really the only moment of gratuitous overindulgence. The end of “Soul Love” is a bit overindulgent, but not to this level. Eh ... after 20 years in the biz, I’ll let the guy have 4 minutes of gratuitous overindulgence. 

Brendan: Yes. As a diss track. Nas & Jaz-Z this isn't. I am curious that you'll forgive the four minutes of overindulgence based on 20 years of time served. Didn't the entire Be Here Now sessions punch every ticket on their overindulgence card for all time?

Paul: I’m the wrong person to ask. I bought Be Here Now the day it came out in 1997. I was 14 years old with a Liam-in-“Wonderwall”-video haircut (and I STILL wear it well). I believed it then and I believe it now: IT WASN’T LOUD OR LONG ENOUGH!!!!!

Shine a Light

Brendan: Somewhere in Manchester, Noel listens to this song and says, "Oy, shining is MY thing. I write fookin' songs 'bout shining and lights. I'll show him." Then he quickly books studio time to record three unreleased albums about nothing but shining lights on souls.

Paul: … but they’re all midtempo dirges until they get to the chorus and Jeremy Stacey whacks the snare on every beat of the 4/4 rhythm! And that, kids, is how to make a Noel Gallagher-post 2005 song. At least Sharrock gets to unleash Bo Diddley’s old “patted juba” rhythm, which is fun. Actually, this song feels like it’s longer than it needs to be to me. Maybe because Bo Diddley didn’t often crack 3 minutes, and when I hear that rhythm, I’m trained to think, “Cool. This’ll be short and sweet.”

Ballroom Figured

Paul: I like the title, and this is a fine little song, but it just feels out of place to me. You got the nice closing ballad up next and if you look at the second half of this album, it’s actually dominated by acoustic guitars. I know that’s another sign of rock-star aging, but these guys banged out “I’m Just Saying” 3 tracks ago and it hasn’t been THAT long since “Four Letter Word.” I feel like there should’ve been a proper cosmic stomper here to lead you into the sweet finale that follows. Since it’s not, it feels like an incidental prelude to the finale instead of a song that stands in its own right. 

Brendan: Yes. At this point the depression sets in that we're not going to at least get another "Roller" or "Millionaire" on the record. Great title. Any info on what's a Liam song or one of the other band members?

Paul: I think “Soul Love,” “Don’t Brother Me,” and “Start Anew” are Liam’s.

Start Anew

Brendan: Liam's voice sounds particularly sweet in this song. Did he swear off cigarettes for a week prior to recording or is there a new Nicotine-free app on Pro-Tools? Nice capper, and like most Oasis albums, it sends us off on a magic carpet ride to a place of cosmic peace and love... or the pub. Either works. 

Paul: His voice is working better with acoustics these days. Well, it always has really. Watch some early Oasis acoustic versions of “Live Forever” and compare those to the acoustic session Beady Eye just did for Oui FM. I think he thinks he has a better rock voice, and maybe he does, but when he pulls back, it’s great. And yes, this is a great capper. Aside from “Better Man” off Heathen Chemistry, I think every song Liam’s written that’s closed an album (“Soldier On,” “The Morning Son,” “Start Anew”) have all been great ending notes. He knows how to seal the deal. This is fantastic.

The Extras …

Paul: Another pretty solid set of B-side material. “Dreaming of Some Space” is just an old Stone Roses trick and “The World’s Not Set in Stone” tries to punch a little above it's weight. But “Back After the Break,” “Off at the Next Exit” and “Evil Eye” are all incredibly solid. I’d have swapped “Evil Eye” for the “Ballroom Figured” spot on the album.

Brendan: You didn't mention "Girl in Uniform"? I think that was my favorite of the bonus tracks. I detected a very Kink's influence I figured you'd appreciate. Perhaps "Nothing in this World Can Stop Me Worrying 'Bout That Girl".

Paul: Ah, I did forget "Girls in Uniform." You're right. It is Kinks-y, but that outro got me. That's the one that made me say, "Enough. Stop tape." I'd have really adored it if it was a 2-minute-ish allusion to a Kinda Kinks-era track.

Overall

Paul: It’s solid. It’s not perfect by any means, but I think it’s a definite advancement on Different Gear, Still Speeding, and I think it stands up to Noel’s album very well. The problem is I think most people have made up their mind about Beady Eye and won’t give it too much of a chance, now that the general public media has determined Noel the elder statesman of rock and the recipient of all the post-Oasis goodwill spoils. But I’m interested to see how this album gets reassessed 10 years or so down the road. I honestly see a lot of parallels to McCartney’s Ram, where, when it came out, a lot of critics were like, “What in the hell …” but fans held to it and spread the word. Now it’s kind of revered as the birth of indie. I don’t think BE is the rebirth of indie, but I do think it’s going to fall into that “This is actually pretty amazing” spectrum of reverence. It's an underdog album, and a damn good one at that. Music fans have a tendency throughout history to find those albums and give them the belated praise they deserved in the first place. The only problem (or maybe it's a benefit, depending on how you look at it) is all the songs that could be on the 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition are already on the Japanese version. Here’s hoping Beady Eye can jump right to a Band on the Run next instead of taking an ill-advised Wild Life detour. 

Brendan: It is solid, but I don't know if I didn't prefer Different Gear, Still Speeding and the extra production and tender loving care given to this album wasn't a misstep. I know artists love when critics offer their opinion on what they "should have done", but I thought or was hoping that Beady Eye (formed out of the ashes of Oasis) would dig further into their 60s roots and put out one of those old school 60s Yardbirds-type albums with some rockers and some covers. Take advantage of their strengths of a good rock lead singer and a tight band, and not try to out Noel Noel.

Thanks Paul for sharing your enthusiasm with me!

Who's up next?

If anyone out there wants to share their enthusiasm (be it music, movie, book, food, beverage, sport, activity etc.) with me, email me or write in the comments field or just say "Hey, Brendan. I really want to talk in detail about this (fill in the blank) but no one else is interested."

I'm here for you.