Dave Edmunds: Riff Raff
PABLO SOLANA
I've just purchased this LP (in vynil format) for
two pounds. It features three Jeff's songs (Breaking
Out, Far Away and S.O.S) and most of the production
is his.
My opinions about it:
1. The sound is somewhere in between Secret Messages
and Video!: lots of keyboards (Richard Tandy is clearly
noticeable) and drum machines. The overall feeling is
that of a techno-poppy album with rockin' guitars now
and again. Dave Edmunds voice is not one of my favourites,
and it sounds speeded up in some songs. After listening
to it I thought "...it's been fun" (The party's over, it's
been fun -that's a verse on Breaking Out).
2. S.O.S and Breaking Out lack inspiration. Jeff's
songwriting is always excellent, but this two songs are
not in my top ten, so to speak. But...there is a gem in
the album: Far Away. Beautiful song, powerful chord
progression, amazing arrangements. A pity Dave is singing it
instead of Jeff.
Have you heard this record? What do you think?
Pablo (who is back in Spain after a long stay in the UK...)
William Carter
PABLO SOLANA wrote:
>
> I've just purchased this LP (in vynil format) for
> two pounds. It features three Jeff's songs (Breaking
> Out, Far Away and S.O.S) and most of the production
> is his.
>
>
> Pablo (who is back in Spain after a long stay in the UK...)
I have it on cd, it's a import from Japan. I think it's better then
"Information", for one thing. I guess it's one of my favourite cd's from
start to finish, it's a lot of fun. Even the song's Jeff didn't produce
are great.
Have you heard the "Something About You" extended 12" remix ? It's not to
hard to find.
Bill,
Michael Barsky
You have it right about the sound being similar to Video/Secret Messages.
I really like this album, and it's a must for any ELO fan. Unfortunately,
Edmunds didn't have as much success with Lynne's production help as some
others (Petty, Orbison) did.
Do you think the song "Breaking Out" appears to predict Jeff leaving ELO?
Charles Kuehl
Boy, go back a while. The first time that I heard Dave Edmunds and
Jeff Lynne were working together was when I was making out with my
girlfriend in my '66 Chevy and across the air came info. I
accidentally (sp) dropped her out of the arms of passion to listen.
The first album did not really bring in Jeff's influence that much
but RIFF RAFF definitely had it. S.O.S. is such a great song and
sounds like the So Serious and Calling America stuff. I have in my
collection a number of songs that Edmund's produced for other bands
and it was always intersting to me that one producer would ask
another producer to help him out. Dave has such a definite
rock-a-billy style but that changed somewhat with RIFF RAFF.
Of coarse I also remember hearing that Dave had or was starting to
sound like an ELO clone but the Edmunds/Lynne relationship became
instrumental in the production stage that Jeff eventually went into.
Dave got Jeff involved with the Everly Brothers and also got George
and Jeff together. The RIFF RAFF album had a lot to do with the
direction that Jeff eventually went.
Charles Kuehl
elo...@msn.com
stev...@applewize.com
IN>I've just purchased this LP (in vynil format) for
IN>two pounds. It features three Jeff's songs (Breaking
IN>Out, Far Away and S.O.S) and most of the production
IN>is his.
IN>My opinions about it:
IN>1. The sound is somewhere in between Secret Messages
IN>and Video!: lots of keyboards (Richard Tandy is clearly
IN>noticeable) and drum machines. The overall feeling is
IN>that of a techno-poppy album with rockin' guitars now
IN>and again. Dave Edmunds voice is not one of my favourites,
IN>and it sounds speeded up in some songs. After listening
IN>to it I thought "...it's been fun" (The party's over, it's
IN>been fun -that's a verse on Breaking Out).
I like most of the album. I liked it as much as his first effort with
Dave.
S.O.S. is a pretty cool song. Especially when Richard taps out the
morse code for S.O.S. which was brilliantly used.
---
ž OLX 2.2 TD ž You can be a dreamer and a doer too. Schuller
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Paul Wolfe
PABLO SOLANA wrote:
>
> My opinions about it:
>
> Dave Edmunds voice is not one of my favourites,
>
> songwriting is always excellent, but this two songs are
> not in my top ten, so to speak. But...there is a gem in
> the album: Far Away. Beautiful song, powerful chord
> progression, amazing arrangements. A pity Dave is singing it
> instead of Jeff.
I couldn't disagree more! I think Dave has one of the classicly
great R&R voices and he's also one fine guitarist too. Although
I don't expect to get much sympathy in this newsgroup, the Jeff
Lynne produced albums are considered to be (in Dave Edmunds circles)
the worst Edmunds records and completely disposable. Although I like
these albums, they're not indicative of Dave's talents - listen to
Get It, DE 7th, Repeat When Necessary. Dave has also organized a number
of all-star concerts and has produced many performers and is considered
to be a very fine producer. He is the best producer of Dave Edmunds'
records.
That's my humble opinion - Flame On!
Paul Wolfe
Paul Weeks
I don't think you'll get flamed from this newsgroup. I think most of us
understand the right to an opinion. Now, try that on, say, the Bon Jovi
Newsgroup and you'll probably get cussed out by fifty teenybopper kids
trying to sound cool.
Andrew Bradley
Paul Wolfe <P...@myna.com> wrote in article <32581A...@myna.com>...
> <snip> Although I like
> these albums, they're not indicative of Dave's talents - listen to
> Get It, DE 7th, Repeat When Necessary.
Absolutely. They are all fine pieces of work. He has a great guitar sound
(heavy use of Danelectro six string bass) and a true rock and roll voice.
His records are good-natured and fun, "Repeat When Necessary" is the best
of the bunch for me. The Jeff collaboration was a bit of a let-down for me.
Andrew
William Carter
M Wilbury wrote:
> Is it true that even "Information" is considered to be completely
> diposable in D.E. circles? When it was released way back when, Rolling
> Stone Mag gave it a 4 out of 5 star rating and complimented Jeff on the
> production. Other mags did the similarly.
I figure that the D.E. fans liked ELO prior to Jeff working with Dave? It
sure does not look like it.
> If you are a "Crawling From The Wreckage" Edmunds fan, I can see how "Riff
> Raff" could be cosidered a waste. I must say IMHO that "Riff Raff" is a
> piece of junk.
Oh no! not junk, I've already made mention that I prefer "Riff Raff" over
"Information". "Riff Raff" is a little more "Rock n Roll" to me, more fun
from beginning to end.
Both good recordings, but my vote goes to "Riff Raff".
Bill,
But I have always had a soft spot for "Information".
M Wilbury
Paul Wolfe wrote:
>Although I don't expect to get much sympathy in this >newsgroup, the Jeff
Lynne produced albums are >considered to be (in Dave Edmunds circles) the
worst >Edmunds records and completely disposable.
Is it true that even "Information" is considered to be completely
diposable in D.E. circles? When it was released way back when, Rolling
Stone Mag gave it a 4 out of 5 star rating and complimented Jeff on the
production. Other mags did the similarly.
If you are a "Crawling From The Wreckage" Edmunds fan, I can see how "Riff
Raff" could be cosidered a waste. I must say IMHO that "Riff Raff" is a
piece of junk. But I have always had a soft spot for "Information". It has
good songwriting, great arrangements and is actually fun to listen to.
Matter of fact, it is the album that made me aware of Edmunds and I have
been a loyal fan since.
See Ya
--Matt Wilbury
Paul Wolfe
Paul Weeks wrote:
[re my comments on Jeff Lynne's production of two Dave Edmunds' albums]
>
> I don't think you'll get flamed from this newsgroup. I think most of us
> understand the right to an opinion. Now, try that on, say, the Bon Jovi
> Newsgroup and you'll probably get cussed out by fifty teenybopper kids
> trying to sound cool.
Ha, ha! Thanks for the comments; I had a good laugh (Bon Jovi puts me to
sleep)!
In summary, as much as I like Jeff, I don't think his production style
is appropriate for Dave's music. Dave's a rocker, Jeff's an "artsy" (no
insult intended) producer. I love Jeff's work on the new Beatle tunes,
Randy Newman's work, etc.but not on my favourite rocker of all time.
Paul Wolfe
Paul Wolfe
M Wilbury wrote:
>
> If you are a "Crawling From The Wreckage" Edmunds fan, I can see how "Riff
> Raff" could be cosidered a waste. I must say IMHO that "Riff Raff" is a
> piece of junk. But I have always had a soft spot for "Information". It has
> good songwriting, great arrangements and is actually fun to listen to.
> Matter of fact, it is the album that made me aware of Edmunds and I have
> been a loyal fan since.
Happy to meet another fan! (Wanna trade Edmunds/Rockpile tapes?) I
haven't
listened to either Riff Raff or Information in a long while, but I'm
sure
there are good tunes on both albums - I just prefer Dave Edmunds'
premier
producer, i.e., Dave Edmunds.
Paul Wolfe
Load19
> think Dave has one of the classicly
>great R&R voices and he's also one fine guitarist too. Although
>I don't expect to get much sympathy in this newsgroup, the Jeff
>Lynne produced albums are considered to be (in Dave Edmunds circles)
>the worst Edmunds records and completely disposable. Although I like
>these albums, they're not indicative of Dave's talents - listen to
>Get It, DE 7th, Repeat When Necessary. Dave has also organized a number
>of all-star concerts and has produced many performers and is considered
>to be a very fine producer. He is the best producer of Dave Edmunds'
>records.
I kind of agree. Information was pretty good, but Riff Raff is Jeff at his
lowest point. He seemed to be covering alot of the same ground and I was
starting to get worried about the forthcoming Balance of Power. But Jeff
didn't disappoint on that one nor subsequent productions.