Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2020 11:15 pm
Radio K.A.O.S
Radio Waves - firstly it is produced entirely wrong as is most of the album. The bass is way too upfront. It clubs you. It doesn't say on the credits, but its an electronic drum kit and is has that 80's gated reverb. Too much percussion. The guitar is too low in the mix. The song should have cut off at about 3 minutes 30 seconds. The entire fade out is unnecessary. It should not be the opening song. Roger is not recorded well at all. He is drowned out by too much noise. It just bleeds into one muddle. The lyrics would work without the mess they made.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10.
Who Needs Information - again it's too long. At about 4 minutes 15 seconds or so it should have wrapped up. The long fade out is unnecessary. The instruments serve the song better this time. The bass isn't so up front. The drums sound more organic. The guitar is actually a highlight. The chorus makes this song. The interplay between Roger and the back up singers. The saxophone works but I would have cut the song before the other horns.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10
Me or Him - a trend. Cut this after 3 minutes 30 seconds. Lose the last chorus and the Reagan speech. Again too much thump. Needs an even more acoustic treatment. Again the chorus saves the song.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10.
The Powers That Be - again, why cut songs and then pad the run time of the remaining ones? The Fish Report should have been separate track, if Roger just had to have it. That would have kept this at about 3 minutes 15 or so. I like much of whats there. It is another Roger list song. Paul Carrack on vocals is a nice counterpoint to Roger, but why not use him elsewhere. The female bgv's are also used well. The wobble from the synthetic works well here. I like the lyrics and the flow.
Null Rating - 7 out of 10
Sunset Strip - cut the song at 3 minutes. Dump the fish stuff. This song is entirely in the wrong genre. It's a song about being in California. So either make it a Beach Boys song or an Eagles song. But make it organic. Too much keyboard. Too overproduced. This whole album is too constricting. The instruments don't have any space to themselves. I like the idea of Jim Ladd as the DJ, but he would be better utilized on a double album. Allowed to do more.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10
Home - yes it's 6 minutes, but it doesn't drag like other songs here. It moves. Roger's vocals are still to low in the mix. And it is overproduced. But Clare Torry is dynamic. What this song and album needs. Another list song. But affecting in parts. Love the ending as Roger describes the pilot. This song has a humanity missing in the album's 80's overload.
Null Rating - 7 out of 10
Four Minutes - Roger is cribbing parts of Two Suns in the Sunset and On the Run musically and lyrically. Clare Torry is excellent as always. I love her lyrics. Again this has humanity thst much of the album is lacking.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10
The Tide is Turning - overlong again. Cut it off at 4 minutes. Roger ends on a hopeful note. But the song feels incomplete. It doesn't resolve the storyline. Another missed opportunity on an album full of them. I like the guitar and the vocals. The choir is unessessary.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10.
Album Rating - 5.8 out of 10
Radio Waves - firstly it is produced entirely wrong as is most of the album. The bass is way too upfront. It clubs you. It doesn't say on the credits, but its an electronic drum kit and is has that 80's gated reverb. Too much percussion. The guitar is too low in the mix. The song should have cut off at about 3 minutes 30 seconds. The entire fade out is unnecessary. It should not be the opening song. Roger is not recorded well at all. He is drowned out by too much noise. It just bleeds into one muddle. The lyrics would work without the mess they made.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10.
Who Needs Information - again it's too long. At about 4 minutes 15 seconds or so it should have wrapped up. The long fade out is unnecessary. The instruments serve the song better this time. The bass isn't so up front. The drums sound more organic. The guitar is actually a highlight. The chorus makes this song. The interplay between Roger and the back up singers. The saxophone works but I would have cut the song before the other horns.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10
Me or Him - a trend. Cut this after 3 minutes 30 seconds. Lose the last chorus and the Reagan speech. Again too much thump. Needs an even more acoustic treatment. Again the chorus saves the song.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10.
The Powers That Be - again, why cut songs and then pad the run time of the remaining ones? The Fish Report should have been separate track, if Roger just had to have it. That would have kept this at about 3 minutes 15 or so. I like much of whats there. It is another Roger list song. Paul Carrack on vocals is a nice counterpoint to Roger, but why not use him elsewhere. The female bgv's are also used well. The wobble from the synthetic works well here. I like the lyrics and the flow.
Null Rating - 7 out of 10
Sunset Strip - cut the song at 3 minutes. Dump the fish stuff. This song is entirely in the wrong genre. It's a song about being in California. So either make it a Beach Boys song or an Eagles song. But make it organic. Too much keyboard. Too overproduced. This whole album is too constricting. The instruments don't have any space to themselves. I like the idea of Jim Ladd as the DJ, but he would be better utilized on a double album. Allowed to do more.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10
Home - yes it's 6 minutes, but it doesn't drag like other songs here. It moves. Roger's vocals are still to low in the mix. And it is overproduced. But Clare Torry is dynamic. What this song and album needs. Another list song. But affecting in parts. Love the ending as Roger describes the pilot. This song has a humanity missing in the album's 80's overload.
Null Rating - 7 out of 10
Four Minutes - Roger is cribbing parts of Two Suns in the Sunset and On the Run musically and lyrically. Clare Torry is excellent as always. I love her lyrics. Again this has humanity thst much of the album is lacking.
Null Rating - 6 out of 10
The Tide is Turning - overlong again. Cut it off at 4 minutes. Roger ends on a hopeful note. But the song feels incomplete. It doesn't resolve the storyline. Another missed opportunity on an album full of them. I like the guitar and the vocals. The choir is unessessary.
Null Rating - 5 out of 10.
Album Rating - 5.8 out of 10