SickthingsUK

steven_crayn wrote:

Parish wrote:28 votes from folks who are aggressive fans really doesn't paint an accurate picture now does it ?

Aggressive fans?! what a strange comment

At least it is some sort of gauge of opinion other than yours.

FYI, I include myself in that aggressive category and yes it is a gauge of sorts but I would like to see a few hundred votes for more accuracy's sake.

My review is up....

(Runs for cover...)

Si wrote:My review is up....

(Runs for cover...)

I got your back Si...

Bravo at joining the ranks of the brave

"This has been a hard review to write. I love Alice's work, and I want to love this as well. But I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't report what I felt. I'm just rather disappointed by it and think it could have been so much more then it is. "

EXACTLY...

Great and accurate review...

"'I Am The Spider'. Story wise this seems rather in an odd place."

I felt that way too. Almost if you played the songs in backwards order it made more sense...

Good review Si!

Si wrote:My review is up....

(Runs for cover...)

Aint no need to run for cover (thats a Quiet Riot tune anyway ).

I feel your review took the words right out of my mouth. You just used more words than I did

Here's how I figured the story:

Opening Scene(prologue) - He watches her: "Prologue/I Know Where You Live". This is fairly self-explanation.

Flashback Sequence - It begins with Spider sitting in his cell. He escapes (Vengeance is Mine). Then we basically hear a montage of the murders of his first 7 victims (Wake the Dead). Catch Me If You Can is an extention of WTD, which basically covers the beginning of the police investigation. Spider is taunting them.

Your Feminine Side, Wrapped in Silk, Killed By Love are all Spider's fantasies in his head. At this point, he has not touched her.

He finally makes his move on her: I'm Hungry. Once he attempts to capture her, he decides to let her go: The One That Got Away

The bonus tracks, I'll Still Be There and Shadow of Yourself represent his decision to kill her anyway.

Salvation and I Am The Spider represent his repentance and eventual acceptance.

It all makes perfect sense to me well this way.

Parish wrote:"'I Am The Spider'. Story wise this seems rather in an odd place."

I felt that way too. Almost if you played the songs in backwards order it made more sense...

I agree- I think that "I am the Spider" could be like a theme song to a radio program which gets played as the closing credits of the show are going up.

Which leads me to the thought that the concept of this album being like a old time murder mystery program could have been emphasized in the production/packaging of album a bit more, and it would explain alot of things - Such as why the music and lyrics seemily portray the killer as being happy- something people have found strange- After all if you listen to murder mystery radio program, the killing is not all that dark. I know the early versions of the album that got leaked out had clapping/static between the tracks - perhaps they should have been left in the final production!

Si wrote:My review is up....

(Runs for cover...)

I'm glad there are people outside of this forum that would disagree with you.

Hi Si
Thanks for all the work you put in on this page.
I have to comment on your review. Normally I wouldn"t , because it's YOUR opinion.
You are far to deep into the lyrics !! Man it's a rock record not some great novel. A rock record should be a fun listen with good emotional attachment to the artist.
Si , you love Alice but this is the same man who writes about making love to dead women , TWICE !!!
So have fun listening , it's a great rock album .
If you want great lyrics to think about try Prog rock . like Van Der Graaf Generator . Peter Hammill ....

It's ironic you say I'm too deep into the lyrics, as most people will tell you I rarely take any notice of them at all!!!

The reason in the review that I made a point of them is twofold. This is a story and so they are more important then normal, plus I wanted to try and get the story straight in my own head. On top of that the lyric must surely be Alice's biggest single input into the project! Not that he doesn't put ideas etc into everything esle, but he is a singer and lyricist.

The music IS the most important thing, but in this case I had little to say about it. It doesn't really move me for the most part, and that is part of the problem. The songs are often too similar, the guitars rather lost in the mix, the solos pretty ordinary. I didn't want to do a complete hatchet job on the album (as it realy isn't THAT bad) but few things really stood out musically.

Good review Si, sums up my feelings about the album too.

My overall feeling is of disappointment after hearing ACAS as a whole, in that the general style of the music is "a bit soft"—for some reason the Partridge Family pops into my head while listening to ACAS. Perhaps it is because Alice's vocals are somewhat buried within several other background voices and that "buzzy" sounding microphone too often, giving a Partridge Family-sounding group vocal effect and removes a good portion of Alice's demented sound. I guess I was anticipating something harder sounding that I could totally rock out to.

ACAS is quite listenable and enjoyable all in all. The sound is catchy and I find the lyrics reverberating in my head. I can’t imagine any of the tracks getting radio airplay--they are just too odd and unable to stand alone. Maybe ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘Killed By Love’ could be sneaked onto my mother’s radio station if no one takes note of the lyrics.

Artistically the tracks are coherent to the theme and that is one thing that elevates my opinion of ACAS. I can visualize Alice performing several of the songs on stage and I am sure they will come off quite well allowing for new props and some much loved Alice facial expressions and gestures.

Even if I find the music a bit soft, I have been given something to chew on for a while. Hooray for that and thank you Alice!!!

A good thoughtful review Si.


Given the dark subject matter of a serial killer , i think the album falls way short of what it could have been . Maybe the opportunity to benefit from other perspectives and think things through was missed . I know the coop and those involved with the album can only handle so much feedback and you don t want your work driven by other people s opinions, but you do want to give yourself the opportunity to benefit from them.

I know for a fact if i was close by knowing the album was about a serial killer and hearing what many of these tunes where shaping up like , i would have been on my knees crying to at very least change or consider a new plan of attack .

But hey we all know its more complex , there s budget s , the coops vision of the album etc etc .

I like the Album. Its not everything we hoped for, but still Alice.
No ...Its not Dead Babies...thank goodness , I wont have to explain that again.
The music is pretty much acceptable with whats "out there" to compete with. It could of been rougher , louder and heaver .
I feel Alice doesn't "Give his all" on this one and it seams it was put on the back burner too many times and Whipped Out to satisfy the public. But it is a good listing album. It has many catchy tunes, that may bring in new audiences. It does show some age (not being hard core horror) but Alice is aging gracefully. I for one like this direction. I don't have to try and explain everything he is talking about. Thank goodness Its gettin a lot of attention. Because he needs to be "In the soup"
He is aging...his thought are more mellow. I do like that some songs pick up on old Alice music...like Steven and I can hear little noticeable referrals to Welcome To My Nightmare (Salvation) It is a bit mellow for Alice...but probably more acceptable by the public. I expect change from Alice...Im changing too. He is still writing Good Stuff. I would give it a B.

I wonder what Jaded, Andy and Shoey think of the album.

And as for people saying Alice sounds too happy, well maybe he is happy with killing people because he is sick and that makes him so.

I can tell you what Jaded thinks right now Kev, NOT ENOUGH CHUCK!

kevinuk81 wrote:I wonder what Jaded, Andy and Shoey think of the album.

I'll have something by this weekend, just busy at work this week. And you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be dolled up in fins with a Labatts Blue in hand as I chime in. *urp

I like the fun and happiness in Alice's voice. I can just see the twinkle in his eye when he sings about death and killing and love and crazies !
The album is really growing on me