Daniel Amos Message Board | Print: TST related Album of the Week - The Swirling Eddies / OE

Posted by PuP on 12-29-2004 at08:17:

OE is easier to pick up quickly. Although, I remember listening to it when I first got it and wondering, "Are these guys really Christian?" Big Grin

When I applied myself to ZD, the rewards were there. It's just that they aren't as immediately obvious.

Perhaps the discussion here isn't which is better, but in what ways do we appreciate each?

For my $.02 (which I think meshes with jiminy's):

Is it me, or is OE the funniest angry album you've ever heard? I mean, Terry rips into everybody and everything on this album. No one is safe, not ministers, not parishioners, not CCM, not anybody (except his wife and Billy Graham.) I'm laughing along with the album and then I realize, "Hey! He's talking about me!" Then there's the number of layers to it. It might be easier to latch on to but if you put some effort into it, this album is just as deep as ZD. You think you know what a song is about and then you find another meaning to it.

And ZD is pure poetry, both in the lyrics and in the music. The first umpteen times I listened to it, I didn't understand any of it. I still don't get a few songs in there. But the ones I've really focused on are now among my favorites in the TST canon.

Posted by Eis on 12-29-2004 at08:46:

Zoom Daddy, Zoom

quote:

And ZD is pure poetry, both in the lyrics and in the music. The first umpteen times I listened to it, I didn't understand any of it. I still don't get a few songs in there.

"Sweet Mother of God?" I don't get half the references in that song. I like it, and I think I get the basic gist, but there are at least a gabazillion more layers to that song that I haven't gotten yet.

"Nightmare at Elks Lodge" always reminds me of Lilith by George MacDonald. There's a part in that story where a bunch of skeletons come to life and dance.

Oh yeah, and OE is absolutely brilliant, no doubt...I just connect more with ZD, I guess. Tongue

Posted by carl on 12-29-2004 at08:56:

Cool

I can buy that, PuP....

I guess I had the benefit of that honkin' Fred Sanders review, which helped me get ZD right away. (I have this odd knack for "getting" an album before I've even heard it, especially the great ones. It's like faithin' magnetism. Shocked

) And it only got deeper from there. The idea that ZD is basically the editorial reply to DFBB ("God is unknowable" -- "He is TOO knowable. It's called the Incarnation, stoopit!!!"). There are things more valuable than the brilliant scorched earth of OE, you know. Big Grin

I still hold to this (said it before, but it always seems to get lost in everyone's desire to consider me negative): OE is the album of Terry's career. Every element is there, musically and lyrically, with a vengeance. It is offensive in every sense of the word -- which is good for those who get it and bad for those who don't -- and it is everything a DA/SE fan could have ever hoped for.

But ZD's better. Tongue

Exactly because it comes from somewhere beyond what they were humanly capable of. Gentlemen, I submit that Terry IS beyond the Earth Household on this puppy. Pleased

Posted by jiminy on 12-29-2004 at09:41:

CARL - you said it well

And I agree that it takes time to appreciate ZD-
which in your case didnt- you liked it b4 you heard it (which does not surprize me)

and it has more poetic and musical depth - without challange...

yet there are many moments on OE that made me laugh out loud right away- not so with ZD.

Both force you to examine your Faith with fun..
Friendly Advice for example......

Posted by bereal on 12-29-2004 at10:27:

Can't comment on OE cuz I don't have it, but ZD was definitely great. What's wrong with you guys ~ I got ZD after the first few listens. Of course, as with all of Terry's work, I'm still in the process of getting ZD everytime I listen. All of his works are deep and most songs have so many layers that I don't know if we will ever really completely get any of them.

Posted by PuP on 12-29-2004 at10:40:

quote:

Originally posted by carl
I can buy that, PuP....

I guess I had the benefit of that honkin' Fred Sanders review, which helped me get ZD right away. (I have this odd knack for "getting" an album before I've even heard it, especially the great ones. It's like faithin' magnetism. Shocked

Exactly because it comes from somewhere beyond what they were humanly capable of. Gentlemen, I submit that Terry IS beyond the Earth Household on this puppy. Pleased

First of all, what's up with carl accepting my answer without a fight?!?

Second... Great post, carl! I need to listen to ZD with that in mind. And that is a great encapsulation of OE.

Is Fred's review available somewhere? Is Fred Zoomdaddy? Is carl really Berger's mommy?

Posted by carl on 12-29-2004 at10:45:

quote:

Originally posted by PuP
First of all, what's up with carl accepting my answer without a fight?!?

Oh, I do it all the time. I just get edited badly, like Jonathan Baker. Crying

quote:

Second... Great post, carl! I need to listen to ZD with that in mind. And that is a great encapsulation of OE.

Well, of COURSE it is. Red Face

quote:

Is Fred's review available somewhere?

Sadly, no. I WISH. But I'm pretty sure I have his Walter de la Mare/Fearful Symmetry essay handy if you want it. Big Grin

quote:

Is Fred Zoomdaddy?

No. But draws DAmb good cartoons to go with it. Big Grin

quote:

Is carl really Berger's mommy?

Well, YEAH. Berger said so himself. I mean, could anyone ASK for a more reliable source??? Mad

Posted by dorfsmith on 12-29-2004 at11:30:

I agree with pup. The Twist blows everything away.

Posted by jiminy on 12-29-2004 at14:16:

Well, YEAH. Berger said so himself. I mean, could anyone ASK for a more reliable source???

major lol..!

not hard to admit that the Twist is one of the most brutally poignant songs ever written about our Leader, by our leader.

Posted by dorfsmith on 12-29-2004 at14:19:

OE is amazing though and it is my second favorite eddies disk Tongue

Cricket, you still need to take a chance on the farm beetles.

Posted by Mountain Fan on 12-29-2004 at14:25:

quote:

Originally posted by bereal
Can't comment on OE cuz I don't have it, but ZD was definitely great. What's wrong with you guys ~ I got ZD after the first few listens. Of course, as with all of Terry's work, I'm still in the process of getting ZD everytime I listen. All of his works are deep and most songs have so many layers that I don't know if we will ever really completely get any of them.

We have what OE is on the Berry Vest. I must say I don't really care for the song "Outdoor Elvis". I absolutely love Zoom Daddy. I like what jiminy said about maybe OE being better for the timeframe; I bet it was. For me personally ZD is an album that should stand out longer (unless there are some really, really great OE gems I haven't heard - but I doubt it).

Posted by carl on 12-29-2004 at14:29:

Cool

If Berry Vest is all you have to work from, then there are definitely some OE gems you haven't heard. Although this aversion to the title song disturbs me.... Shocked

Posted by Mountain Fan on 12-29-2004 at14:52:

quote:

Originally posted by carl
If Berry Vest is all you have to work from, then there are definitely some OE gems you haven't heard. Although this aversion to the title song disturbs me.... Shocked

ANY song on ZD is better than the song OE! Tongue

Posted by dorfsmith on 12-29-2004 at14:59:

I admit that the song OE is a little weak but the lyrics more than make up for it. I think OE is the worst song on the album.

Posted by dorfsmith on 12-29-2004 at15:00:

By the way, they picked all the worst OE songs for the Berry Vest Crying

Posted by Mountain Fan on 12-29-2004 at15:11:

quote:

Originally posted by dorfsmith
By the way, they picked all the execrable OE songs for the Berry Vest Crying

I liked the rest of OE for the BV pretty good. Of course, the yodel thing was just silly and Strange Days a bit slow but the rest were pretty good. I guess they were too Pop and not weird enough for you? Tongue

Posted by dorfsmith on 12-29-2004 at15:29:

Pretty much Big Grin

Posted by dennis on 12-29-2004 at21:03:

Thumb Up!

quote:

Originally posted by jiminy
ZD is a great record- but I also have to go with OE

Its just got so much packed into it- and lyrically it makes more sense to me.
I mean songs like Urban Legends, OE, Pulpit masters Driving in England and maybe especially Blowin Smoke (My wife knows me that well)
are about things that I could relate to at the time

I got zd in about 2000..and it didnt hook as deep at the time

Exactly!

Posted by dennis on 12-29-2004 at21:06:

Thumb Down!

quote:

Originally posted by carl

quote:

Originally posted by dennis
After hearing Outdoor Elvis tonight I have to say it blows Zoom Daddy out of the water.

"can swim with ZD" is one thing, but "blows [it] out of the water"??? Red Face

quote:

"Rubber Sky is much cooler than anything on ZD! Pleased

Uh, dennis, "Rubber Sky" is way cool, but I think you meant to say LS.... Roll Eyes

quote:

Even "throw aways" like "Don't Hate yourself" are better than anything on ZD. Tongue

Now y'r just being stooopit .... Red Face

Carl you poor little girl! Tongue