| Product: |
Dream Harder - Waterboys |
| Date: |
31/10/05 (271 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: One or two tracks are OK
Disadvantages: Not their best album - probably their worst, in fact
The Waterboys' "Dream Harder" was released in 1993, during the period when Mike Scott reportedly 'found God' - and it certainly sounds like he's got the fervour and confidence of the newly-converted.
Only problem is, and isn't this often the case with anyone who discovers God or religion, he may well be the only one who is truly convinced about the songs on this album.
This album took a while to appear, following on from "Fisherman's Blues" and "Room to roam" - both of which had not always been well received.
Although it was a departure from their first few albums, I quite liked "Fisherman's Blues". I tried to like "Dream harder", but had to give up on it. To put it simply, it's an uninspiring, dull, album.
The spiritualism and religion of "Dream harder" came at a time when environmentalism, and travellers and eco-warriors, seemed to be gaining and popularity, and I suppose it should have fitted with the times. It’s all very new age-y – there are even hints and prophesies about the new millennium (none of which happened).
Opening track, "New life", is a promising start, almost a rocker, and probably one of the best songs on the album. But… that’s not saying a lot…
“New life” sounds a bit like the 80s Waterboys, albeit a watered down, more plodding version, but almost as though the 1990 albums never happened, so I can imagine some fans put this album on and were pleasantly surprised, perhaps thinking it could be a return to form…
…but then things start to go downhill. On "Glastonbury song" Scott sings the words...."I just found God"... Not that lyrics like this are a problem, I hasten to add (some of my favourite songs are hymns, when it comes down to it!), but the music really has suffered at the expense of the message.
"Spiritual city" has a very hey-nonny-no feel to it, which never goes down well with me, I'm afraid. The track's saving grace is that it features Billy Connolly at the end, but really it's not worth putting up with the first 2 minutes 20 seconds in order to get that far.
It also has a bit of sitar here and there, which brings the music of George Harrison to mind. Harrison will always be one of my heroes, but it has to be said some of his music could be on the patchy side, too.
"Preparing to fly" is another song from the album which sounds a bit like a bad album track from George, or maybe an outtake from a later Tom Petty album - much as I like them both, that really shouldn't be taken as a compliment
Although, in general, I find the entire album unlistenable, there are 3 tracks in particular which I think are excruciatingly bad:
- "Suffer" is intolerable - don't suffer!!!!
- "Corn circles" is a highly embarrassing track - thank goodness for the fast forward buttons.
- "The Return of Jimi Hendrix" - great title, I suppose, but the song does not live up to it at all.
But even elsewhere on the album the standard is mediocre. A song like "Winter winter", for example - well it isn't bad. It’s just rather dull and meandering. If you like late 70s Genesis (around the time of “Trick of the Tail”) this may well be just your cup of tea.
Even the artwork on the cover looks dated, in the short time since the album's release.
Although they were released as much as a decade earlier “The Waterboys” (1983), “Pagan Place” (1984) and “This Is the Sea” (1985) none of these 3 albums have dated anywhere nearly as badly as “Dream Harder”, and these are the albums to seek out - or, if you just want to go for one, the Greatest Hits.
Anyway, back to “Dream Harder”. You can get the album for £5.99 (101cd.com) – if you really want it, but don’t say I recommended it to you!
Summary: New-age album from The Waterboys, not a patch on their earlier releases
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