Mike,

I have first agree with Joe - I think this is a swell album and though I
seem to be alone - think it's every bit as good as the previous album which
was a huge favorite of mine. I really think "Dance Just for Me" is the
weakest link - and yes, it's the lyrics especially that make this track a
slight let down from the rest of this really solid album.

I wonder if part of what you don't like about THIS Nines albums is that the
influences have shifted a bit on the tracks you mention: "Don't Be a Fool"
and "I Am Lost" really harken (to these ears) back to the days JUST before
we found the word disco rolling off our tongues. You remember songs like
Jigsaw's "Sky High" and the just pre-Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees. So,
maybe it's not the fact of homage, or influence that galls you but which
sounds Eggers chose to build an homage to. I heard it the first time through
and found it delightful and have since read an interview (maybe done by
someone around here who could shed a light on the details) with Steve where
he said he'd considered releasing a whole album in a disco sound.

You know it's clear that Eggers is ready for a bit of a break from the Nines
as a band, probably because he's ready to make some sounds that don't fit as
easily under that band's hat. I, for one, am pretty ok with that. I think
he's done some really fine things in the Nines yet I really don't expect
Properties of Sound volumes 2 thru 6 to sustain my interest in him as a
songwriter.

-craig

On Jan 17, 2008 2:32 PM, Mike Curry <mikecurry@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

>
> I see it coming. Number 1 audities album of 2007: The Nines "Gran Jukle's
> Field".
>
> I'd just like it on record that I believe this is THE most disappointing,
> annoying, frankly upsetting album that I have ever listened to, by an artist
> that I considered to be one of my favourites. Hell, "Properties of Sound"
> just made it to number 16 in my Top 20 favourite Pop albums, and "Melanie"
> is literally right up there with my top songs named after girls (David Bash
> - loved your comments about this song in the Shake Some Action book).
>
> But I'm sorry, this new album goes way beyond homage. In fact, IMO it is a
> huge slab of stinking CHEESE. I listened to it all the way through 8 times.
> On the 9th listen, having managed to stop myself from screaming at having to
> listen to "Don't Be A Fool" again, I got as far as "I Am Lost" and that was
> it. I was in the car, I hit the eject button on the CD player, put the
> window down, and frisbeed the frickin' CD out of the window. If this is what
> Bleu can do for your music career then the guy should be banned from all
> recording studios NOW.
>
> Here endeth the rant.
>