Happy paranormal day!!!

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by AlongCameASpider27 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 4:10 pm

Devon wrote:Just a side note, Paranormal is currently the #3 album on Amazon US. Not that I'm saying this would translate to anything on Billboard but it's just nice to see something like that for Alice.
Actually it is now #1 in best sellers on Amazon as of 12:11 pm EST YAY!!!!...I know in this age, music spots don't quite mean what they used to but its still pretty nice that EarMusic has done some great promotion, online especially for this album and I actually talk to people who are casual Alice fans and even they are aware of Paranormal so its pretty cool...it would be nice if somehow he charted the top 10 or even 5 for this one...none the less 5 pm EST can't come soon enough which is when I get off work and will be listening to Paranormal both cd and vinyl and watching the bluray of Monsterdog which is all arriving from Amazon....

https://www.amazon.com/best-sellers-mus ... _rd_i=5174
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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by The son of Don Quijote » Fri Jul 28, 2017 4:31 pm

I picked my copy from the local record store (a standard CD version) and have listened to it twice. Paranormal is diverse, upbeat and well written (at least from lyrical standpoint) album that has many references to old Alice Cooper songs, in fact loads of them. It's quite a retro and old fashioned record in terms of influences but with modern production.

While an okay song I don't think Paranoiac Personality is that representative of the album as whole. It doesn't shine from playing standpoint either. Actually it has probably the weakest guitar solo on the whole album. Title track has divided fans into two camps: Those who think it is very refreshing song and those who think it is annoyingly disjointed song with parts copied an pasted together. I'm personally in the former camp. I have a progressive rock background so I don't find it disjointed at all. It has hypnotic mood, it has edge and it's unpredictable but it doesn't unfortunately have a proper ending, rating 8/10.

Dead Flies is obviously Jimi Hendrix-influenced. I don't like Hendrix but this mixture of music and lyric (criticizing religious hypocrisy) is somewhat charming and clever and works pretty well, so 7.5/10.

Fireball is like an eruptive volcano in terms of energy and has excellent guitar playing. This song of Armageddon flirts a bit too much with vocal effects but even that can't tame this beast, 9/10.

Now comes a real surprise success of the album Fallen In Love. I expected to not like this song at all based on the original title I've Fallen In Love and Can't Get up. But Fallen In love has real mean swagger and just sounds very natural and has a great vocal performance by Alice. Alice- meets-ZZ Top for great results. 9/10

Things get a little bumpy on track 6 Dynamite Road. While this song has grown on me, it still sounds forced musically and doesn't quite flow. I don't like Alice's vocals as much on this song as on previous ones. 6/10

Private Public Breakdown is a nice glam pop number but maybe a bit too simplistic. I would have welcomed some bridge section or a twist in arrangement. But melody is pleasant and it works in this way too. 7.5

Holy Water is the most confusing song on the whole album. Lyrics are not problem for me on any song on this album but this one goes too much into rap territory vocally and horn section doesn't really gel or it is simply a messy composition. I usually like Alice's show tunes but this one sounds very unnatural. 4/10

Rats is furious tribute to his fans and this upbeat hard rock tune finds Alice again in his element. Nothing groundbreaking but basic hard rock done right 8/10.

I have secretly wished Alice to record something psychedelic for years and now he has done it with great results. A Sound of A is like many others have already pointed out very Floyd-influenced. It has mysterious atmosphere, sense of building up and while nothing dramatic happens, in a weird way it makes sense. It's extremely successful departure for Alice. The most balanced song on the album 10/10.

Genuine American Girl is very entertaining song about transgender with very organic feeling in terms of playing and production. Original group plays good-time garage pop rock on this, nothing original but works well 8/10.

Things don't end with the bang however. You and All Of Your Friends is the most unmemorable song on the entire album. It isn't the the worst song on Paranormal but I remember almost nothing about it after two listens. It wasn't anything surprising stylistically nor had large amount of energy or any sort of twist in arrangement. 5.5/10.

All in all a very satisfying album with a couple of bad misfires. There are many nods and well-made pastiches to old bands of 60's and 70's. Paranormal is an entertaining record with some dubious production choices and while not a masterpiece or a classic it is not an album to be ashamed of in any means.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by padre_sliprat » Fri Jul 28, 2017 4:32 pm

Keith1980 wrote:i got my digital copy woohoo second listen now :D :alice: :alice: :rock: :rock: :alice:
It's a pretty good record, isn't it, Keith! :clap:
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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by TeresofBlood » Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:20 pm

Si wrote:
TeresofBlood wrote:I just did a quick comparison of Genuine American Girl in Audacity.

http://imgur.com/a/8XRct

The ProStudioMasters (top) does sound a tad cleaner to me than Spotify (bottom) from doing a side-by-side listen and seems to have a tiny bit more dynamic range. Spotify seems to have a slightly softer volume. Note: I'm only recording the sample from the website, so this is not a perfect test.
No, not perfect as the spotify is compressed a lot anyway so not a direct comparison. The fact it sounds so close would suggest that there isn`t anything special about the HDversion.
I bit the bullet and bought the ProStudioMasters version. It's definitely got the same dynamic range as the MP3 version, but I'd say that the 24-bit holds up better to the compression and normalization. It sound very clean - it's just loud. I think with a great pair of headphones, this could sound perfectly acceptable.

I am still anxiously awaiting Amazon to deliver my copy of the vinyl. Massachusetts has an Amazon warehouse, complete with their own delivery vans and drivers who are usually very late, so I may not actually receive it today.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by Daggers & Contracts » Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:44 pm

Ok, now who's the genius? Alice or Ezrin?
With the choice of Album Title or even Track Title, for this quote from the recently installed Communications Director (not getting any more political than this) "Reince is a ***** paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac..." To drop on release day. Doesn't our man AC still have his finger on the pulse of America? :8):
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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by vince_raven » Fri Jul 28, 2017 11:07 pm

I know Alice rarely gets political, but "Private Public Breakdown" seems to a commentary on Trump and his mental state. "The secret service, I make them nervous" and "My strange behavior, I got elected" seem to point to this. Lots of clever lyrics spread over this album and lots of musical homages to his past records. Overall, I'm loving this so far.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by Keith1980 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 11:22 pm

Si wrote:
wind_up_toy wrote: Crack the vinyl open :)
I have no intention of doing that.
Also a warning to those unsealing their CD box sets (presumably almost everyone haha) - there is a one sheet track list glued to the back of the box that, unless you remove it and put it inside, will get destroyed when you store it or move it around. Couldn`t they have just printed it on the bottom of the box?!? Damn cheapskates.

Oh, and they only dispatched them late last night according to email I got yesterday. I really can`t complain this time.
Last time I ordered the HV direct from the record company and that took over a month to arrive!

The tracklist seems glued pretty good on mine or more like a big sticker. Fyi my disc 2 came lose from the clip and was laying their.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by Keith1980 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 11:26 pm

vince_raven wrote:I know Alice rarely gets political, but "Private Public Breakdown" seems to a commentary on Trump and his mental state. "The secret service, I make them nervous" and "My strange behavior, I got elected" seem to point to this. Lots of clever lyrics spread over this album and lots of musical homages to his past records. Overall, I'm loving this so far.

I dont know about trump but to me this song was about superduper alice cooper movie

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by Keith1980 » Fri Jul 28, 2017 11:28 pm

padre_sliprat wrote:
Keith1980 wrote:i got my digital copy woohoo second listen now :D :alice: :alice: :rock: :rock: :alice:
It's a pretty good record, isn't it, Keith! :clap:
Ive listened at least 3 times with exception to the live tracks. Love it. My box got here about an hour and a half ago. I was asleep work nights couldnt stay up all day. I hate how long UPS takes to deliver to me lol. Im near the end of thier day anytime something comes UPS UGH. i need to move lol

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by TeresofBlood » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:15 am

Amazon promised delivery by 8 PM. My vinyl showed up at 7:41 PM. The driver threw it onto my top step like it was a newspaper. Off to a great start.

My listening experience turned it around quick. Man it sounds great on vinyl. I think it has the quietest surface noise. It was utterly silent until the opening moments of Paranormal.

I'll spare you my general thoughts on the album - it's a whole lotta love.

In terms of the sound quality, the album definitely sounds best on vinyl. Not because vinyl is so superior, but it doesn't sound so harsh and in your face. The imperfections just kind of slide to the background and disappear. Digital is very unforgiving. His voice is also much less harsh to the ears on the vinyl. It takes the edge off and makes it very pleasant. It must remind me of the sound of analog tape.

I don't think it the vinyl master retains much more dynamic range than the digital versions. Side C - Private Public Breakdown, Holy Water, and Rats was mixed REALLY in your face compared to sides A and B. It was much louder, almost as if to make up for PPB and HW not being "rock songs." Rats sounded phenomenal. I had thought the solo replicated the sound of the original band well, and now I know that Mike Bruce played it. Neal Smith's drumming is so killer on that track.

Side D was the most interesting. It started off with a bang: "1,2,3,4," starting You and All Your Friends. That's followed by Genuine American Girl. These songs fit really well in between Rats and the Sound of A.
Until today I had been listening to the "CD version." When Rats ends, I know I'm not ready for the album to be over, so having 3 songs to look forward to that the band created or contributed heavily to (the Sound of A), this album is a joy from start to finish.

The album is mastered at 45 RPM, so you have to flip the record record 3 times, but this actually helps space out certain songs in a way that gives your ears a break and a chance to re-calibrate. Each side is its own little set, and in that way I find it extremely cohesive.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by TeresofBlood » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:43 am

One other thing I noticed... Genuine American Girl has 3 Dada references. "No Man's Land" has been mentioned. Next time you listen, pay attention to Neal Smith's drum solo and go back and listen to I Love America. Probably not a coincidence that they share the word America; that would be the third reference.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by andyrew » Sat Jul 29, 2017 1:52 am

I'm thinking of putting Genuine American Girl after Rats and then You and All Your Friends before The Sound of A. I think You and All Your Friends makes for a good transition after Genuine American Girl, but Paranormal and The Sound of A ultimately bookend the album as the creepier tracks that remind you of Alice's dark and serious side.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by pitkin88 » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:26 am

TeresofBlood wrote:Amazon promised delivery by 8 PM. My vinyl showed up at 7:41 PM. The driver threw it onto my top step like it was a newspaper. Off to a great start.

My listening experience turned it around quick. Man it sounds great on vinyl. I think it has the quietest surface noise. It was utterly silent until the opening moments of Paranormal.

I'll spare you my general thoughts on the album - it's a whole lotta love.

In terms of the sound quality, the album definitely sounds best on vinyl. Not because vinyl is so superior, but it doesn't sound so harsh and in your face. The imperfections just kind of slide to the background and disappear. Digital is very unforgiving. His voice is also much less harsh to the ears on the vinyl. It takes the edge off and makes it very pleasant. It must remind me of the sound of analog tape.

I don't think it the vinyl master retains much more dynamic range than the digital versions. Side C - Private Public Breakdown, Holy Water, and Rats was mixed REALLY in your face compared to sides A and B. It was much louder, almost as if to make up for PPB and HW not being "rock songs." Rats sounded phenomenal. I had thought the solo replicated the sound of the original band well, and now I know that Mike Bruce played it. Neal Smith's drumming is so killer on that track.

Side D was the most interesting. It started off with a bang: "1,2,3,4," starting You and All Your Friends. That's followed by Genuine American Girl. These songs fit really well in between Rats and the Sound of A.
Until today I had been listening to the "CD version." When Rats ends, I know I'm not ready for the album to be over, so having 3 songs to look forward to that the band created or contributed heavily to (the Sound of A), this album is a joy from start to finish.

The album is mastered at 45 RPM, so you have to flip the record record 3 times, but this actually helps space out certain songs in a way that gives your ears a break and a chance to re-calibrate. Each side is its own little set, and in that way I find it extremely cohesive.

Mike plays the solo on Rats? Neal on drums? Please confirm?

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by pitkin88 » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:31 am

Damn I am just looking at Si's updates on the discography page and there's more band involvement than I thought. Excellent!!

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by Spiner202 » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:38 am

Got my copy today and after two listens, I really like it. First 5 tracks are all amazing. From that point on, the next 4 songs all have good moments, but aren't mindblowing, but then the last 3 are great again as well. I'm surprised that I enjoy Genuine American Girl as much as I do, but both of the ACG songs are great.

This seems like a really difficult album to evaluate though. I definitely prefer W2MN, but I could see this album growing on me a lot over time.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by padre_sliprat » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:39 am

The last time I was excited about an AC release was TEOAC. That album was on repeat at my house for two solid weeks, day and night.

The twelve songs which make up Paranormal are super-d-duper! I know I know, nit-picking shall ensue, and I know it's not perfect, but it's a damn good record. It really is a gift to the fans. Thanks again to Alice and all involved - I appreciate it muchly.
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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by vince_raven » Sat Jul 29, 2017 2:49 am

"Rats" would make an awesome live number and I could see the current band esp. Chuck having a blast with it. Makes it an even better track knowing that Neal and Mike played on it. This album just goes to prove that the boys still got it.
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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by JoeyBananagoose » Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:11 am

No sign of the special edition in my local HMV, and I asked. Quote 'we didn't think anyone would want it'. Right. Sorry for my tastes. "But we can order it for you!"

I could have ordered it for myself on Amazon. Just wanted to do things old school one last time like I did for every Alice album since Hey Stoopid. I wonder why record stores are dying? Guess I'll stick with digital, at least Spotify has stuff on release day.

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by wind_up_toy » Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:48 am

Am I the only one that really likes Holy Water?
Visit my fan site: http://www.welcometomynightmare.co.uk

That's a polite request not an order

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Re: Happy paranormal day!!!

Post by dadascot » Sat Jul 29, 2017 7:57 am

wind_up_toy wrote:Am I the only one that really likes Holy Water?
Not put my thoughts on the album up here yet but I also really like holy water!

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