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Winger - Better Days Comin'


Stefan

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OK, time for the REAL observation of the album now using Geoff's format ;)

 

 

1) Midnight Driver of a Love Machine - Great opener and really sets the tone for the album, could have been on Karma easily - 9.00
2) Queen Babylon - Absolutely killer track with Reb just blazing similar to a PC69 song though once the song kicks in it is totally a song that should have been on Pull. - 9.00
3) Rat Race - Track shows Reb with an "Erase the Slate" feel and totally kicks ass with an unusual upbeat rocker not normal for Winger - 8.75
4) Better Days Comin’ - Geoff hated it, I love it. The most unique song on the album with a acoustic flavor and a killer chorus. - 9.50
5) Tin Soldier - A lot prog more along the lines of the proggy stuff on Winger II (which I loved) with a hint of Thisconversationseemslikeadream, the song's meaning is the only thing I hear from IV - 8.00
6) Ever Wonder - Very moody but catchy song, again fits with Kips solo album type of song more and it will take a couple listens but cool & catchy - 7.75
7) So Long China - Stunning song, doesn't fit on any other Winger cd in my opinion, maybe a modern day S/T track - 9.75
8) Storm In Me - Very heavy, dark almost Pull-ish but not enough melody to fall there. Not the best track but not terrible. - 6.75
9) Be Who You Are, Now - If there is a turd on the album, it's this one. Slow, boring, trippy, wtf? - 5.00
10) Another Beautiful Day - Very heavy, killer riff & chorus, heavier song for IV maybe with a little Pull. - 8.25
11) Out Of This World - Excellent closer, perfect mix of Thisconversation and the S/T album with a touch of "today" in it. Long excellent solo that closes out the song & album ala "Headed for a Heartbreak" Will be a fave for some :) - 9.75
Total - 90%
Honestly, I hear more pull and Kip solo influence than Karma and IV. When I say Kip's solo stuff I don't mean it sounds like it. I mean it has that dark feel of his first release mixed with the heaviness of Pull. Very cool album that some will love & other will hate. I will say if not for the closing track the quality does start to fall off after So Long China. If I had any complaint, that would be it. Buy it & enjoy, some songs might take a few spins but this was my feel after just two.

 

 

I've listened to the album on Spotify pretty much all day and Jarred nailed it. More or less. I love the track 'Better Days Comin'.

Great disc!

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I am probably closest to Alpha's opinion on this one. It's not terrible, but compared to other stuff that is released these days it is really hard to justify putting a huge score on this one. Maybe it's a grower as PeterS said. There are some good songs (Rat Race, Out Of This World is a nice closing tune) but there are some really bad songs (Storm In Me...hurts my ears).

 

So, copying the format all you guys like to do...

 

1. Midnight Driver Of A Love Machine 8/10
2. Queen Babylon 7/10
3. Rat Race 8/10
4. Better Days Comin' 7.5/10
5. Tin Soldier 5/10
6. Ever Wonder 7/10
7. So Long China 7.5/10
8. Storm In Me 1/10
9. Be Who You Are Now 6/10
10. Out Of This World 8.5/10

66%

Which is probably a little harsh at this point if it turns out to be a grower. And compared to most of the percentages this group gives out it is on the low side, then again I think this group rates stuff way too high anyway as even shit CD's seem to get 50-60%. But I digress.

With releases like H.E.A.T, The Treatment, etc. I cannot even come close to putting this one within their range. A 66% is an ok CD by standards. I find about half the tracks good and some of the bad ones might have an element or 2 to give them some credit. If it was a $7 CD at Best Buy I'd give it my money but not much more unless it grows on me.

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Storm in me. Thats a bad song.

I agree! :axe:

Yep it's the one turd.

According to your review track 9 is the one turd?

 

Ok.....2 turds of the whole lot of them. Better?

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The more I listen to this album the better it gets. You really need to 'listen' to this album properly to appreciate this - I know this sounds weird, but so often i listen in the house whilst busying around or in the car etc. Today was the first time after about 10 spins that I actually sat down and properly listened to it. Some of the lyrics are excellent - the meaning of some songs have really shone through. Also a few of the tracks which have received some bad press like 'Storm in Me' and 'Be Who You Are Now' really have some great Winger styled parts to them which you miss initially - for example the pre-chorus in Storm In Me is stunning and the end of the song is sublime - like the calm after the storm.

 

Maybe getting a bit deep but its a great album - I feel a lot of folk will let this one go without giving it a proper chance to shine. Its all very well saying its not Pull or Karma, but it stands on its own as a very unique Winger album 'pulling' elements from all their albums.

 

Really diverse and interesting.

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The real problem in this album is 'Storm In Me' and 'Be Who You Are Now'.

 

For me, both songs are around 6 and 6.75 respectively and that's after around 4 spins so I guess if people can overcome that two songs and gave both around 6 or 7, I guess the overall score of this album should fall around 80% but if they gave it a 1 or 2, now that's gonna be a real headache haha

 

Another problem is 'Tin Soldier' because it might be too progressive for those with hard rock taste but then 7 is a reasonable score for that one. I also really like 'Out of This World', a bit too long but I love the atmospheric nuance on that one.

 

I wonder why won't they play a little bit of 'naughty' arrangement instead of messin around with 'heavy and dark' all the time, at least a song, like what they did with 'Seventeen'. The guitar line on that song is mind-blowing!

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The real problem in this album is 'Storm In Me' and 'Be Who You Are Now'.

 

For me, both songs are around 6 and 6.75 respectively and that's after around 4 spins so I guess if people can overcome that two songs and gave both around 6 or 7, I guess the overall score of this album should fall around 80% but if they gave it a 1 or 2, now that's gonna be a real headache haha

 

Another problem is 'Tin Soldier' because it might be too progressive for those with hard rock taste but then 7 is a reasonable score for that one. I also really like 'Out of This World', a bit too long but I love the atmospheric nuance on that one.

 

I wonder why won't they play a little bit of 'naughty' arrangement instead of messin around with 'heavy and dark' all the time, at least a song, like what they did with 'Seventeen'. The guitar line on that song is mind-blowing!

Because it was 25 years ago and they've grown as a band. I don't want to hear bands rehash shit. Many bands have pulled this off and a Winger is one of them. I love listening to the old stuff, but I don't want to hear " she's only 43" as a song title.

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Great album this one. Love the opening trio of tracks which make a really strong start to the album. The title track is ok, a bit soft maybe, but it's an ok song and slows the pace down. The more challenging tracks on here are cool too and add a lot to the variation and pace of the whole disc, which I really like.

For me though the 2 stand out cuts are 'So Long China' , which is brilliant from start to finish, great riff, great chorus and a fantastic middle 8, which really finishes the song off..one of the best of the year and 'Out Of This World' which is very fine closer.

The only song I didn't really get into was the bonus track 'Another Beautiful Day' which didn't do a lot for me. Apart from that, a really cracking, varied disc which I will be playing a lot for sure.

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So for me its nowhere near as good as Karma, but its still a good album.

Some stuff on it is of a similar style to Karma, some more akin to IV.

I think like some have said, its probably gonna be a grower, but it has a great founding base to start.

The opening 3 songs really do kick things off with a flourish, and its the rest of the tracks that I think really need to grow on me.

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I dont really do numbers like many of you, just not really my thing (especially not individual tracks). But if I had to go with an out of ten score, its currently somewhere around 7 out of 10, but can easily see that improving.

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found this interesting:

 

Rat Race:

Kip Winger: We've rarely done songs this fast. It was fun to knock it out. This one is right up Reb's alley, I like the fast paced heaviness and the lyric written by Donnie Purnell really fun to sing. With the harmony guitar solo and the Deep purple vibe, it makes a nice addition to our catalogue.

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Guest JoeS

I dig this one, but it's not something I'd listen to regularly with the exception of a couple tracks. Maybe I'd file this one under 'guilty pleasures', because the material is so varied and different, it almost seems like I'm listening to an indie rock release through much of it. I don't like indie rock in the slightest, but there are those times when I need a break from slamming guitars and soaring vocals, and I think this release is a great alternative to the prospect of wading through an entirely new genre of music to find something to listen to when my ears are feeling a little fatigued and needing a break from the bombast of good, heavy, melodic rock. Sure, there are a corker or two, and Midnight Lover is one of my go-to songs on short car rides recently, but altogether, it makes for a great record to play through whilst attending to domestic responsibilities around the house after a day of hell at the office. Much of it is very relaxing! In fact, there are so many different 'moods' on this album, that I almost think I'm listening to a concept album. Hell, I'm going to consider it as such, in fact. A musical landscape, with peaks, valleys, storms, streams, and thunder.

I'd have loved if Winger put out something with throttling rockers all the way through, much more-so than what they gave us, provided that quality control kept boring crap like Rat Race out, but I can't fault the boys what they did give us. It's just different, and still great. Very mature release, and I'm very happy that this release has added an entirely new musical option for those moments when I just don't have the strength of mind to tolerate more infectious styles of rock.

The more I listen to it, the more I love it as long as I skip track number three, and the 'Oooh Oooooh, ye-aaah yayahhhs' throughout the opener are probably the highlight of the album for me! Windows down, I love it! So Long China is the other obvious highlight if we're constraining our focus to a conventional MHR format, but I really, really enjoy all these tunes, and the fact that it doesn't sound like 'classic' Winger doesn't bother me in the slightest because this is a damn near 30 year culmination of a sound that has progressively matured, put together by similarly mature, experienced musicians that wrote an album very fitting for this point in their careers. Bravo!

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A musical landscape, with peaks, valleys, storms, streams, and thunder.

 

hey I like your quotation in this. Seems like a fitting statement for the whole album, nice one mate

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I completely understand all the hate for 'Rat Race'.......hated that track since first listen on You Tube. ;)

 

Seriously, hate it. My dog could record a more well thought out song than that.

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  • My Little Pony

still dont understand all the hate for 'Rat Race'.......loved that track since first listen on You Tube.

 

True. But since when do we trust the word of those bleeding Aussies?

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still dont understand all the hate for 'Rat Race'.......loved that track since first listen on You Tube.

 

True. But since when do we trust the word of those bleeding Aussies?

 

 

If you want to hear facts, then always.

 

Sadly for you, though, the hatred for 'Rat Race' is not limited to any one nationality. People with good taste in music from all over the globe will, and have expressed their dislike for that song. ;)

 

Because it's throw-away crap. IM(and most other people's)O, of course. :)

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