Somewhere In Time: Album Discussion

I hope they return to America or China, or Canada to do an extension of the Book of Souls tour so I can see them again, especially if they are doing different Somewhere In Time songs. They should since its the 30th Anniversary. I would love to hear either Caught Somewhere In Time, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Stranger In A Strange Land, or Alexander the Great. It would be even better if they played the entire album live but that's just a dream. Definitely my favorite Maiden album, and its the album that got me into Maiden twenty years ago. Boston is near to Canada so it still convenient if they play in Montreal if they don't go to the Boston or New York areas.
 
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Regrettably and despite several attempts I just can't seem to get into SIT. The first four or five songs on the album have a kind of 'sameness' about them, both in tempo and production.
I don't enjoy the production on the album, and not being a musician might struggle to express why...but the rhythm guitars (as opposed to lead guitars) have been given some type of production treatment
which I don't like. If anybody would like to 'set me straight' on how to approach this album and how I can learn to love it, I'd be grateful. I don't enjoy not liking it!
 
Cried, can you, for a change, please speak normally to other people? RueMorgue probably doesn't know your posts and how to take them.
 
Regarding the "production treatment" on the rhythm guitars, it's just an effects heavy tone (lots of chorus and reverb) on different amps from before (both Davey and Adrian played solid-state Gallien-Krueger 250ML amps on SiT). It's very different from any other album tone and it's a pretty dated sound today, but it does give the album a unique sound.

The vocals and drums do have a lot of reverb on them, which does muddy the production overall and then there's the guitar synths adding layers here and there. It definitely is a huge departure from, say, Powerslave where everything feels a lot more defined and clear.
 
Ruflux said:
Regarding the "production treatment" on the rhythm guitars, it's just an effects heavy tone (lots of chorus and reverb) on different amps from before (both Davey and Adrian played solid-state Gallien-Krueger 250ML amps on SiT). It's very different from any other album tone and it's a pretty dated sound today, but it does give the album a unique sound.

The vocals and drums do have a lot of reverb on them, which does muddy the production overall and then there's the guitar synths adding layers here and there. It definitely is a huge departure from, say, Powerslave where everything feels a lot more defined and clear.
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Thanks for giving me the benefit of your knowledge, Ruflux. I knew there was something about the sound and production of the album which I didn't like, I just didn't know the words for it!
 
My favorite Maiden album, despite my initial indifference to Wasted Years. Everything about it the songwriting, instrumental performances, instrument tones, the lyrics, the theme. It's all just perfect.
 
My second favorite Maiden album - genuinely curious about this period of time in the band's history but it's seemingly hard to find out much about it other than a couple of cool bootlegs (really like the stage design beyond the inflatables). This part of the Maiden docs basically glossed over it other than Adrian writing more, which is always a good thing.
 
Perun said:
Cried, can you, for a change, please speak normally to other people? RueMorgue probably doesn't know your posts and how to take them.
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Perfectly normal, and very convincing, if I may add, setting straight of a Maidenfan gone sadly astray.
As for "how to take them", please kindly refer to the following post :

CriedWhenCRIEDLeft said:
EVERYTHING uttered by the Master must be received with the greatest of reverence, you silly bugger. Considering your low mental capabilities, let's just pretend that your filthy Janick had said those words, shall we?

* adoring Cried's used sock wildly *
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Great addition to the discussion Magnus (not!?)

Basically, Cried did what was asked "setting the questioner" straight, in a humurous way. I mean, it's hard to take that seriously, but indeed, I can imagine that a newbie might be scared a bit.

Magnus' comment however, I have no clue if that was joke or not. It sounds rude, especially that altered quote, putting harsh words in his mouth, which were not in the vein of the original post, at all.
 
Forostar said:
Magnus' comment however, I have no clue if that was joke or not. It sounds rude, especially that altered quote, putting harsh words in his mouth, which were not in the vein of the original post, at all.
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What do you mean Foro? I haven't altered a thing in CriedWhenCRIEDLeft's post, click the bloody link.
 
Somewhere in Time (1986)
  • I was really expecting SiT to be just below Powerslave when it came to the '80s. There's so much to like about this album. But it didn't. Somehow I just could not get into it as well as the others. Mind you, this is still Iron Maiden we're talking about; the score is still an A. It's just an A-.
  • There's something overwhelming about the production. It's sounds cool and futuristic, but after the third song it just couldn't grip with it anymore.
  • It's a shame too, all the songs are really strong and, dare I say, pretty much perfect. But all together in the album? I just couldn't get it.
  • Love the guitarwork though. The solos on the album are some of the band's best. I never really got the one in "Stranger in a Strange Land" until recently, but it's excellent.
  • The is the first time Bruce has really struggled on record. "Deja Vu" especially he's noticeably straining. It's still good because 1) the vocal production sounds killer on this album and 2) Bruce is just really fucking talented, but it's a noticeable lower point than on Powerslave.
  • With the above in mind, I offer an alternate history version of SiT for you: With Bruce needing time to recuperate, Adrian takes up the mic to provide a second voice that can sing both lead, duet, and backing so that the burden doesn't fall all upon an overwrought Bruce. And live, H can sing some of the Di'Anno material so that Bruce doesn't overdo it like he did on the World Slavery Tour. Listen to the beautiful way their voices work when Adrian sings lead on "Reach Out" and tell me this wouldn't have been a cool idea.
I think that sums everything up. It's more of a 'not you, it's me' kind of thing, but there it is. No ratings, I don't know how to rate the songs. Somewhere between a 9 and 10, they're all great, it's just overwhelming to listen to. So I dunno.

Total: 90%
 
Magnus said:
Would you kindly answer my question, @Forostar ?
Apologies for bothering you, I'm just curious.
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Wow this was long ago. Perhaps I mixed up two posts both by two different Crieds while I may have thought there was only one. I may have thought there was one, you quoted something else, I thought you quoted the other one but changed stuff... confusing isn't it?
 
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