Acoustic versions

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Wolter
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Wolter »

matedog wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 11:02am
Absolutely. There are two general ways that acoustic versions can be superior.
1. Stripping away dated or poor production can shine a light on a melodies or lyrics. In 1990, Bruce played his very first acoustic shows in which he debuted a lot of material from Human Touch. These versions are way better than what ended up on that appropriately maligned album. There are probably a lot of decent examples from the late 80's/early 90's, but all I can come up with are Warrant songs. :disshame:
2. Spirited live performances that have an energy the studio recordings lack. This isn't necessarilbye inherent to the acoustic format, but it happens:
Any songs from Costello’s Goodbye Cruel World are infinitely better in either demo or stripped down live arrangement except maybe Love Field.
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Kory »

Also the first four Dylan albums are better than anything that came after. Not so much a versions thing, just a tic mark for acoustic music.
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Heston »

Gotta say I prefer George Harrison's acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps to the White Album version.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by JennyB »

Heston wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:07pm
Gotta say I prefer George Harrison's acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps to the White Album version.
Less Clapton makes everything better.
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Heston »

JennyB wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:10pm
Heston wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:07pm
Gotta say I prefer George Harrison's acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps to the White Album version.
Less Clapton makes everything better.
Indeed, especially if he's in quicksand.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by JennyB »

Heston wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:14pm
JennyB wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:10pm
Heston wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:07pm
Gotta say I prefer George Harrison's acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps to the White Album version.
Less Clapton makes everything better.
Indeed, especially if he's in quicksand.
One can dream, Hes, one can dream.
Got a Rake? Sure!

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by coffeepotman »

Heston wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 3:07pm
Gotta say I prefer George Harrison's acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps to the White Album version.
You might be interested in a boot called "Beware of ABKCO". It has George playing acoustic versions of the songs that would become All Things Must Pass. Highly recommended

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Flex »

Kory wrote:
10 Jan 2018, 2:00pm
Also the first four Dylan albums are better than anything that came after. Not so much a versions thing, just a tic mark for acoustic music.
This opinion is super wrong, but it did remind me that Dylan was doing great acoustic versions of electric songs on his '65 and '66 tours. I don't know if I'd call those performances "better" but certainly just as good.

Johnny Cash's acoustic version of Hurt is better than the Nine Inch Nails plugged in original, imho.
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by matedog »

Flex wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 12:40pm
Johnny Cash's acoustic version of Hurt is better than the Nine Inch Nails plugged in original, imho.
This is a commonly held opinion and it's also super wrong!
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Flex »

matedog wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:36pm
This is a commonly held opinion and it's also super wrong!
Nah, it's right. Part if it is that Johnny Cash just makes fundamentally superior music to Nine Inch Nails.
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by matedog »

Flex wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:39pm
matedog wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:36pm
This is a commonly held opinion and it's also super wrong!
Nah, it's right. Part if it is that Johnny Cash just makes fundamentally superior music to Nine Inch Nails.
I remember debating Kaleb about it. I tried to bring up the technical ways it is superior, but he basically said something like "Johnny Cash led a more authentic life" or something very Kaleb-esque.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Flex »

matedog wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:49pm
I remember debating Kaleb about it. I tried to bring up the technical ways it is superior, but he basically said something like "Johnny Cash led a more authentic life" or something very Kaleb-esque.
I mean, I'm with Kaleb here (use of the loaded term authenticity aside). Cash's version creates a deep sense of emotional connection and timelessness. NIN's version makes me feel like I found my old copy of the Duke Nukem: Music to Score By CD.

Faux Addendum: I'm being unduly critical on NIN here, I like Reznor and most of his output. But Industrial music hasn't aged super well imho.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
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Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
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Flex
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Flex »

I mean, Duke Nukem: Music to Score By is an incredible album in its own right.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

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matedog
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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by matedog »

Flex wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:52pm
matedog wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:49pm
I remember debating Kaleb about it. I tried to bring up the technical ways it is superior, but he basically said something like "Johnny Cash led a more authentic life" or something very Kaleb-esque.
I mean, I'm with Kaleb here (use of the loaded term authenticity aside). Cash's version creates a deep sense of emotional connection and timelessness. NIN's version makes me feel like I found my old copy of the Duke Nukem: Music to Score By CD.

Faux Addendum: I'm being unduly critical on NIN here, I like Reznor and most of his output. But Industrial music hasn't aged super well imho.
I agree on some of this. Pretty Hate Machine sounds very dated. "Hurt" however is largely acoustic guitar and piano. There are some drums that are probably electronic, but they are minimal. Like one floor tom and bass drum.

I think Trent's vocal delivery is superior, there is more range to it. He goes from a hush whisper in the verse/prechorus to the shouting chorus. The second verse/prechorus in particular his vocal almost dissipates yet is still audible. Also he brings the melody up on the second prechorus "everyone I know" that Johnny doesn't do. The extended final chorus just burns with the music rising and falling before exploding with those horrible off key notes.

Johnny Cash's delivery is a bit clunky suggesting a lack of familiarity with the source material. I just don't get the same emotional delivery in the chorus either. The pre-chorus does sound quite good, but all in all, it doesn't have the impact of the NIN version.
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.

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Re: Acoustic versions

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Flex wrote:
11 Jan 2018, 1:57pm
I mean, Duke Nukem: Music to Score By is an incredible album in its own right.
This might be Flex distilled into one post.
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