Reflections on Strays vs. TGEA a few months later

[Hype]

I guess I just don't hear Dave Sitek on the album minus his production work. It's not as if it sounds like someone else wrote the album.

Yeah i don't hear anything that particularly stands out bass-wise.

I just hear a lot of Dave's guitar textures.

I think he filled in when needed. Added some suggestions etc.

Hell, Bob Ezrin has co-writing credits on Strays. Should we apply the same critique to that album?

I swear I (and others) DID say that. I recall saying that Bob ruined it. As did LeNoble, I think.

That's not the same argument though. We (Martyn included) said Bob ruined it with his production. No one said it's not really a Jane's album because Ezrin co-wrote on it.

I kinda feel that way.

[Hokahey]

I've been listening to TGEA again lately after this thread. It is a pretty medicore album, but so was Strays. I don't know. Underground and Splash are really great IMO. Just Because and True Nature are too, but the horrendous videos almost ruined those songs for me. I liked Everybody's Friend. I liked the title track too. I still have to give the edge to TGEA for having some atmosphere and lyrical content. Neither are amazing, but a step in a better direction.

[Hype]

I really don't like True Nature. Just Because is shitty lyrically, but the acoustic version is great (thus, album sucks... the rest of the songs are just... boring...) TGEA as an album is better sounding, but there are no songs I give a shit about.

[Hokahey]

I really don't like True Nature. Just Because is shitty lyrically, but the acoustic version is great (thus, album sucks... the rest of the songs are just... boring...) TGEA as an album is better sounding, but there are no songs I give a shit about.

I guess that's what the difference make is for me. I actually enjoy IF, Underground and Splash. I'm happy when they come on my MP3 player.

[Warped]

My biggest problem with TGEA is that the songs are too short and some of the lyrics are just plain bad. That Etty is a theme in almost every song does not make it easier for me. We just know too much about her.....lol I just try to ignore that when listen to the album.

I love the atmosphere/mood of the album and the guitar work (much more than what Dave did on Strays) and still dig Splash so much - i hope they bring that one live soon.
End to the lies is a great music piece (over headphones it is killer) but totally ruined by the lyrics...same goes for IF. Love the music on both songs so much....it's a shame.

[Jasper]

I enjoyed TGEA for what it was and listened to it a good amount of times. It's not what I'd listen to normally, and it's certainly not in the class of Jane's 1.0 albums by any stretch of the imagination, but it has some very good moments of a different sort. I haven't listened to it for a few months, but it would probably be mildly entertaining if I gave it spin right now. Some of those tunes were seriously lodged in my head in the days and weeks following the release.

Strays is more cohesive, but it's a cohesive style I don't like, so what good is that? TGEA wins for being more interesting, and stylistically more appealing, to me. I find TGEA a little more colorful.

That's about it. Now I'm back to enjoying other things that I'm more naturally inclined to enjoy. I'm telling you this because I'm avoiding writing things that I'm supposed to write, but am not naturally inclined to enjoy writing.