some of my psych-rock-loving friends have been saying that it's the best thing they've heard all year.

I'm liking it probably *almost* as much as I've liked the other two Portishead albums, percentage-wise, but I can't get "Machine Gun" out of my head and I HATE that particular song. I still need to listen to Third more, but my hate for that particular song is far stronger than the meh or mild dislike for some of the bands previous too-shrill (or saccharine) songs. For instance I could never get behind "It Could Be Sweet", "Cowboys" or "It's a Fire" but I prefer any of those three to "Machine Gun", which, wtf? Especially after reading all the rave listener reviews of the track.

Mr. Jane has the ability to rip from vinyl, but you'd have to come up here. And, I'd have to take the dogs for a very long walk. (USB turntable + pier & beam hardwoods + dogs excited by company=very messy recording)

I'm liking it probably *almost* as much as I've liked the other two Portishead albums, percentage-wise

These psych-rock-loving friends are people who aren't normally fans of Portishead's oeuvre, so it doesn't surprise me that people who like the previous stuff would be disappointed.

Now I feel stoopid. So, it's on the 2-disc Glory Times CD? ::checks::

Hmm, I'm not sure I have the 2-disc version, so I may not have it after all. I do have an alternate version that I like better than the original, I know that much.

Okay, bandom peoples:

I'm listening to The Black Parade (the album, not just the song), and I have to wonder -- it's so melodramatic and bombastic, surely they're taking the piss to some degree, yes? I mean, you can't be *that* melodramatic and take yourself seriously. (Well, you *can,* but it leads to mockery, and I don't really detect any mockery aimed at MCR for the melodrama of that album.)

So -- taking the piss, even a little? Yes/no?

I ... don't think they are, actually. Gerard is pretty serious about Saving Your Life. But Jilli could tell you better.

So -- taking the piss, even a little? Yes/no?

It's important to remember that TBP is intended as a concept album. I've always thought that a little bit of the melodrama, at least musically, was intentional. It's about the journey of a guy who is dead, who gets picked up by a parade to go to the afterlife. You've recruited Liza Minelli as a background singer. I mean, come on.

Still, Gerard is pretty serious about his message, so I don't think that you can write all of it off as a joke.

I think the MCR people are genuinely that bombastic and melodramatic, but fairly well-adjusted. I mean I think they are serious to the same amount of serious that Queen was...

I ... don't think they are, actually.

Really? Even Baz Luhrmann couldn't pull off that level of bombast in Moulin Rouge without a wink and a nod, creatively speaking.

Hmmm. It's hard to take that level of melodrama and bombast seriously, even if they do.

Somewhat relatedly, Nick Cave has said he's surprised more people don't find his lyrics funny, because he intends them to be....