The MG Album Club #21 - The Feelies - The Good Earth

[Zeeba Neighba]

#21) The Feelies - The Good Earth (1986)

As I stated in another post, can't say I appreciate a ton of albums from 1986 - certainly the classics are killer, but you've all heard those. And you may have all heard this one, but even so, I'll bet (and I might be off on this one) that many haven't broken it out in awhile. Hell, I enjoy the album and I haven't broken it out in awhile.

Why? It's a much quieter album that the group's tremendous debut. Crazy Rhythms which was released SIX years earlier was an album that immediately grabs you - punk-influenced power chords yet with some jangle and overdubbed percussion instruments. I really like that one too - but The Good Earth has such a different feel. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I appreciate it - I'm fascinated with groups that go with a different sound, style on their sophomore efforts (take Violent Femmes' Hallowed Ground or even Bruce's The Wild, The Innocent, and The E-Street Shuffle). R.E.M.'s Peter Buck's production is more stripped down, quieter, simpler - lot's of strumming, almost drone-like guitars at times. The arrangements are warmer, mellower - as such, the album may not grab hold of a new listeners (and I stated above, maybe you haven't spun it in awhile because you find it forgettable). Quite frankly, I'm often amazed I enjoy it - it's not my style - much more low-fi that I typically gravitate towards. Still, hoping you'll enjoy it

Note: 10 tracks - only 35 minutes. Many renditions include a bonus track or two including an OK version of The Beatles' "She Said, She Said" which doesn't add much. Still I like the Feelies' appreciation of the Fab Four (they covered "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey" on their debut)

 

[Ojai Sam]

Come n’ get your Spotify hot link here:

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Not much to say on this, except that it's good and I enjoy it. A solid 3.75 stars.

 

[Nickyboy]

It's good jangle-pop, but a bit too laid back. And I don't know if it's my set up, but I'll be damned if I could understand or hear the lyrics. Did they put the singer's microphone under a pillow? 3/5 for me.

 

[Ojai Sam]

^

This album is OK, but it gave me a sudden urge to play Murmur. I've never paid much attention to Peter Buck as a producer, but here he gave The Feelies sort of a warmed-over R.E.M. sound to go with the low level vocals. It's a bad sign when the highlight for me is a Beatles' cover.

Having said all that, I'm very glad Zeeba added The Feelies to our album collection. I'm going to explore their discography and then give this another spin. For now, it gets a provisional rating of:

on The Sam-O-Meter, subject to adjustment upward.

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

I never quite got back here. Now I have to remember my thoughts. That's never a good phrase to begin any project.

I enjoyed this album. I liked the stripped down, less electric feel to it. It was warm and comfortable. The vocals were mixed so quietly, I checked my speaker connections to make sure something hadn't gone amiss. Interesting production decision. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this album.

I was curious about what they'd stripped themselves down *from* so I went back and listened to Crazy Rhythms. I enjoyed that a lot too. That's unusual for me, punk/post-punk is not usually my genre. But these songs were actually crafted, rather than just thrown together and played as fast as possible. There's some quality there. It was good.

After enjoying both of those, I went to a later album - I can't remember which one - where they returned to the more acoustic, gentler sound. I enjoyed that as well.

I had missed this band altogether when they were popular. I'm glad to have been made aware. Thanks Zeeb!

 

[lpfreak1170]

Not quite Crazy Rhythms but still good.

However, "Slipping (Into Something)" gets . Absolute corker of a tune.

 

[axolotl]

One of The Feelies' albums I do not currently have in my collection. I should remedy this. It's a solid .

Quite listenable; I tend to like them at their more acoustic. "Slipping (Into Something)" and "Slow Down" remind me of The Mysteries of Life, which came later, of course.