15 years of Lifeblood

[IntlDebris]

Originally Posted by Donkey

2) It confirmed the problem showed on KYE - that the genius is completely gone. GT, GATS has genius on, but not fully developed, THB - genius fully developed, EMG - genius + a bit of filler, TIMTTMY - the melancholic sound of a leaving genius, KYE - genius gone.
If you want to examine that, I recommend b-sides. It doesn't necessarily mean all the older b-sides are better than all the new ones, but you can clearly hear, how easily the guys wrote the songs then and how hard it became with the years. Songs like Masking Tape, Groundhog Days or Fear of Motion - musically they are so empty and senseless.

Curiously, other than a slight dip with GATS, I actually found they spent the '90s getting better, rather than worse. EMG and TIMT is their peak for me, the point where they really got their own sound rather than wearing their influences so heavily on their sleeves (my girlfriend hates THB as all she can hear is them ripping off a load of post-punk bands, haha). So I would say it's unfair to say the genius is completely gone. KYE's definitely not one of my favourites, but I think the other albums from this era are all exceptionally strong.

I agree that it would have been far more successful around 2000/2001, however. There was a massive audience for big, sweeping, mellow indie stuff around that type, helped in part by the popularity of TIMT, with bands like Coldplay, Travis, Turin Breaks, etc., and a campaign led by songs like 'Empty Souls' and 'Solitude Sometimes Is' would have done really well at that point. Instead, they released their scuzzy, lo-fi album, and then waited for scuzzy, lo-fi indie to start selling well and released Lifeblood.

[someone, somewhere, soon]

I always preferred the single edit of Empty Souls to the album version - "falling down like dying flowers" always sounded more Manics-y to me than the desperate headline grab lyric about the Twin Towers.

also, it took me an embarrassingly long time to notice there was a nekkid lady on the cover of the album...

[Borderliner]

Lifeblood rocks! And that performance @ later... with Jools Holland is one of the best things I've ever heard/seen.

[Suicide Aldi]

Originally Posted by someone, somewhere, soon

I always preferred the single edit of Empty Souls to the album version - "falling down like dying flowers" always sounded more Manics-y to me than the desperate headline grab lyric about the Twin Towers.

Yeah i have always prefered this aswell.

[IntlDebris]

Yeah, I dislike the fact that it was edited at all, but the single version is probably the better the lyric. The Twin Towers line feels very edgelordy, maybe the sort of thing they'd have done in 1991, but not on an album like Lifeblood.

[Routine Builder]

Can we all agree this is the best version of Empy Souls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bx...ature=youtu.be

[junkymotown]

Originally Posted by someone, somewhere, soon

also, it took me an embarrassingly long time to notice there was a nekkid lady on the cover of the album...

... I also did not know this until today

[Mr Richey]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Can we all agree this is the best version of Empy Souls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bx...ature=youtu.be

Almost. Imagine the lead piano line was instead played on guitar with the same effects that the lead guitar line from “Of Walking Abortion” has...then this would be my perfect version of “Empty Souls”.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Can we all agree this is the best version of Empy Souls? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bx...ature=youtu.be

Shit, this version blew my mind back in 04. Then I remember downloading a rip of TLORN from the Zane Lowe (?) show and thinking it was some elaborate prank. Then realising it wasn't and thinking it was the coolest thing ever for them to release such a ridiculously niche song as lead single.

[Donkey]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Can we all agree this is the best version of Empy Souls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bx...ature=youtu.be

Absolutely!
Heavy version of ES - first single
Heave version of SSI - second single
Nixon - third single
A Song for Departure - fourth single

[Symmanine]

I have so many fond memories of this album - and I've always loved it. Absolutely in top 3 of my all time favorite albums. How this is not a classic and widely high acclaimmed record is beyond me. I remember being in a state of shock and sadness over the lukewarm overall respons. It's a brilliant beuatiful and absolutely amazing album.

[Marat Sar]

Since early pre-album live versions of Solitude Sometimes is (Isle of Wight something?) were mentioned here as superior to recorded versions, I went searching on youtube. Didn't find them...

Anyone have links to these pre-Lifeblood live versions?

[Routine Builder]

Don't have it personally but I remember the quality bring awful and wasn't helped by the recorder or someone close to them singing the wrong lyrics over it... Not sure if it was superior...

[tomd2103]

Originally Posted by Routine Builder

Can we all agree this is the best version of Empy Souls?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8bx...ature=youtu.be

Yep and thanks for posting the link!!

Also always preferred the versions of the songs that can be found on Youtube accompanied by Patrick Jones videos. They are different to the ones that appeared on go album - are they demos?

[Europa Gluten Free]

Long shot on a LB appreciation/celebration thread, but anyone interested in selling their Lifeblood LP? Please PM!