OK then, we all do the favourite track or album thing, but how about your least favourite track!! You know the ones - the tracks you occasionally skip through whilst playing the CD!!
Although I don't think Arena have done any real 'bummers', my two take-it-or-leave-it tracks would be 'Welcome To The Cage' and 'Opera Fanatica'.
OK - fire away!! :-X :-X
Opera fanatica??????????????????????????????????????? Gee... You really miss out on something if you don't like that one, mate. But since you're here, you're not totally lost! ;D
I usually burn a cd where I leave out the "unwanted" track(s). One such is the otherwise fine album "Pride", where I left out the acapella "Crying for help VII" thing. Actually, when I got "The cry", there's a version with guitar, and now that one graces my CD-R of "Pride". Much better. Other than that, I find "Double vision" to be somewhat weak. Like 3- out of 6... (In my world, 3- means "Good, but...")
Hmm.........maybe I have to do this album by album......of course the disclaimer is that if I name a song, it doesn't mean I don't LIKE it, I can't really think of one I don't like, actually.....but here goes:
Lion's Cage: Out of the Wilderness
Pride: Don't have the album
Visitor: In the Blink of an Eye****
Immortal? : Climbing the Net (but I really like this song...so I have no idea why I said that one)
Contagion: Tsunami
Pepper's Ghost: Tantalus
***about Blink of an Eye: I had trouble with this song for a while and I couldn't figure out why, then it dawned on me: it was the lyrical content.Not the actual words, mind you, but the fact that there were lyrics at all...it suddenly occured to me that this song could be a fabulous instrumental piece. It just seemed to fit that way for me.
So there you are, humbly submitted, but still feeling a little guilty, because I like all those songs. Just don't play them as much as some others I guess.
I found Tantalus a little challenging at first melodically, but I'm coming around.
Maybe a best song thing could be a little offset for this topic so I'll do that now just to ease my guilty feelings :)
Lions Cage: Valley of the Kings
Pride: Don't have it, but I've heard Sirens...awesome (hey Clive...there's one for your 10th ann. show!!)
Visitor: The Visitor
Immortal?: Chosen/Butterfly Man...can't decide
Contagion: Skin Game (Mea Culpa as well)
Pepper's Ghost: Smoke and Mirrors (but ya gotta admit that Bedlam Fayre just rocks!!!!!)
Tough one! ;D Let's see.... I never skip an Arena track, because they don't have bad tracks. But you can always find some less favorite tracks:
Out of the Wilderness
Welcome to the cage
Cutting the cards (not a very special song after the beautiful Mea Culpa)
Bedlam fayre (I expect my PG copy this week, but I heard this song on the radio and it didn't impress me very much. But when I've got the album it can al change)
But, as Brian G said, it's always hard to criticize the band you like! ;D
I think most of their worst songs are from contagion and perhaps it's ep's. Acsension and Cutting the cards I never listen to. This way madness lies is somewhat dull and inane and so is salamanda.Spectra at the feast and songs like it are a little dull. Also I'm not too keen on Opera Fanatica. Ghost in the firewall is a real blot on an otherwise great record. I think welcome to the cage is good for what it is, it's a light hearted track. I really like out of the wilderness and all others from the first album. Enemy without is overrated as well. here are my least favs and favs
SFTLC: like all of them but crying for help I
P: crying for help accapella and welcome to the cage
The Cry: The healer
WTTS: The healer
TV: Running from damasens, enemy without, the visitor
I: Ghost in the firewall
BIB: All of it is great
C: Ascension, Cutting the cards, Salamanda, This way madness lies
LAL: most of it is great
PG: last 2 tracks are not amazing
Favs are
SFTLC: Valley of kings or Soloman
P: Fool's Gold or Sirens
The Cry: Problem line
WTTS: Valley of Kings but all of it is amazing really
TV: In the blink of an eye
I: Butterfly man
BIB: All of it is great but hanging tree or double vision
C: Witchhunt or Painted man
LAL: good
PG: Smoke and Mirrors or Tantalus
Funny to see that, though we both like arena, we still have a very different taste. Most songs I like, you don't like. and vice versa.
That makes music interesting, and especially a forum. We've got something to discuss about. ;)
Quote from: Appelmoes?? on Mon, 2005-02-21, 13:16:16
Funny to see that, though we both like arena, we still have a very different taste. Most songs I like, you don't like. and vice versa.
Yeah, I've noticed several times that we can disagree to the point you start to wonder how in the name of Arena we could possibly gather here at this same spot... I guess the answer lies in the greatness in of Arena's music. Reaching out to people who couldn't agree on most anything. Not bad, Clive & Co.! ;D
Several years ago, a friend and I discovered the same. Then, it was Fates Warning, and the album "Parallels". My favourite 4 tracks was his bottom 4. Pretty weird, and in the end we rated the album equally high, with the same average rating for the tracks. -Even though we shared no common ground when it came to the individual songs...
Though it's hard to understand how anyone could not like Ascension (which is a great ending of an epic story more than a fantastic standalone track) and "Ghost in the firewall" (my favourite driving through the dark song), and still like Arena, I don't find it annoying, only strange and interesting. Like you who posted before me. But it's not like this on every forum I look into... :(
Cheers to us! ;D
Midas Vision and Ascension are ones, off the top of my head, that I've never been terribly fond of.
As far as I remember (can say that I am a fairly recent Arena addict), I never skipped any track ... and I think I pushed the 'play again / repeat' button for many many of them.
I must listen to all my Arena albums again and take note of the song I 'do not like' ;) But I think the paper will be blank after the 12 hours Arena Feast !
off Pg, the only song i cant get into is shattered room, dont know why, just doesnt do it for me, same with contagion, there a re about 3 songs (names escape me) that I just dont get.
Doesnt mean that Arena isnt one of my favourite bands if I hate a few of there songs, its all personal ;D
nice topic for my first post! ;D
firmly at no. 1; .......... the Healer.........
'climbing the net' and 'ghost in the firewall' don't get much spins either...
I don't really want to pick a least favourite track. I tend to listen to an album as a whole. Each song is part of a story.
For myself I tend to find the older it is, the less it gets played. The first couple of albums rarely get a look in any more, not necessarily because I think they are bad, but simply because I feel they have been surpassed by far stronger material.
At this moment if it's not on 'Peppers' it counts for me as less favourite!
I listen to old Arena albums a lot. I still like the sound of it, it has a charme to me. It has memories of events en feelings. I understand them better etc... They now have more emotinal value to me.
Quote from: Simtere on Wed, 2005-02-23, 22:50:45
For myself I tend to find the older it is, the less it gets played. The first couple of albums rarely get a look in any more
ack.
"Skin Game" from "Contagion" album. I like that least of all. >:(
Actually, notwithstanding my previous append, if I had to pick an all time least favourite it would have to be Jericho.
My MP3 player (playing only ripped albums I have legitimately obtained) has just picked it at random and I had forgotten how much I dislike it ... the Bryan Adams rip off does not help ;)
The fact it appears on one studio album, two live ones and three fan club CDs does not make it any more endearing either. The very fact this track has seen so many outings probably shows I'm in a minority of one ... but then taste is a funny thing as I think we are all starting to see here.
Quote from: The Voyager on Sun, 2005-03-06, 13:37:52
"Skin Game" from "Contagion" album. I like that least of all. >:(
Wow, that is one of my favs.
After very long consideration (and listening all arena albums I own) I have decided I find 'Waiting for the Flood' is my least favourite. Still I like it though :-\
Quote from: Simtere on Thu, 2005-03-10, 15:24:41
Actually, notwithstanding my previous append, if I had to pick an all time least favourite it would have to be Jericho.Â
The fact it appears on one studio album, two live ones and three fan club CDs does not make it any more endearing either. The very fact this track has seen so many outings probably shows I'm in a minority of one ... but then taste is a funny thing as I think we are all starting to see here.
Interesting viewpoint. A lot of Marillion fans now really dislike "Easter" as (even though it was generally regarded as one of their best songs) it's appeared on so many comps, live albums & been played live so many times everyone's now totally fed up with it :o . So yeah, overkill can indeed affect a persons opinion of a song.
Hi. Though I prefer Fish-era, have to declare my love regarding Marillion 89/91. Such tracks as "Easter", "Season's End", "The Party", "Waiting To Happen" are still among my favourites... It's necessary to search time after time something new - for avoid any boring with well-known acts. In such way I've recently found RED SAND(delicious drink for die-hard Marillion lovers). Maybe Arena is not too ancient yet. ;D
Back to the Arena question. Gotta be the acapella "crying for help"
I'm with the Constable on this one. The a capella "Crying for Help." I don't like the voice, I don't like the melody and I don't like the lyrics. I listened to it once and now I skip over it every time.
And it's a rare Arena tune that I dislike that much.
A few years ago I would have agreed with Simtere. I was not really fond of Jericho back then. But like with a lot of other songs, this has changed over the years.
My least favorite Arena song has always been and probably will always be Problem Line (though I'm not sure if you can really call it a song. It's more like an instrumental intermezzo). I think in all those years maybe it happened only five times during a listening session of SFTLC or The Cry that I did not skip it.
Also Midas Vision has never been one of my favorite songs, though I have grown to like it better over the years.
Quote from: Deenfan on Fri, 2005-02-18, 18:24:50I usually burn a cd where I leave out the "unwanted" track(s). One such is the otherwise fine album "Pride", where I left out the acapella "Crying for help VII" thing. Actually, when I got "The cry", there's a version with guitar, and now that one graces my CD-R of "Pride". Much better. Other than that, I find "Double vision" to be somewhat weak. Like 3- out of 6... (In my world, 3- means "Good, but...")
I may agree with "Double Vision", I will definetly disagree with Crying VII instead :P Actually, I wonder if there's any chance to listen to a Rob Sowden version of that one... (a capella, of course, we've got plenty of "all the band - live" versions). According to his work in Contagion, I think it would be worth the try.
More "not so good" songs... Maybe I shouldn't mess with a classic, but I never got really into "Midas Vision", it's the one i like the least.
On the other hand, there are songs that I would add to albums... That is, some Contagious/Contagium songs, that I would include in an "extended-huge-all-included-overwhelming edition" of Contagion 8) (BTW, is such a thing to be released?)
Now that you mention it, I remember that there really IS a least favourite Arena track for me, and that's the Special Remix of 'Witch Hunt' on the Contagious EP. I hope the guys meant it to be as funny as I find it.
Hahaha!
I agree 100%... I consider those EP remixes as rarities, didn't even take them into account when thinking about best/worst songs ;D
Quote from: BrianG on Mon, 2005-02-21, 08:09:52
***about Blink of an Eye: I had trouble with this song for a while and I couldn't figure out why, then it dawned on me: it was the lyrical content.Not the actual words, mind you, but the fact that there were lyrics at all...it suddenly occured to me that this song could be a fabulous instrumental piece. It just seemed to fit that way for me.
That's very interesting you should say that; listening to the verses, the piano part (with all the other instruments, of course!) is worthy of being an instrumental thing on it's own. However I think that the song needs the lyrics to complete it. And so, I like the song as it is! ;D
My own least favorite, -Midas Vision.
(Let the frenzied discussion begin...) ;)
Hmmm... without getting into most of the "Crying For Help" tunes, here's a few of my somewhat less preferred Arena tunes - personally, though, I DON'T skip tracks when listening to albums (or if I do, not because of my opinion of the song - more to do with how much time I have to listen)! I like to hear the whole thing like it was intended! :D
- Waiting For the Flood - certainly not a bad song! In fact I quite like it! But, compared to all of the other songs on Immortal? which I REALLY like (it took me some time, but this one might be my favorite now), I find this one is missing just a bit of a 'lift' toward the end of the tune, and it ends on a slight plateau rather than a very strong climax. Mind, who says that all songs have to have a definite climax to be good? It's just a different approach to writing, I suppose. :)
- Tsunami - I'll second this one (mentioned earlier), although it seems to act as a 'bridge' of sorts on the album, so maybe it's unfair to 'expect' a huge impact from it... that said, I can't shake the feeling that it fades out just as it's starting to get going. Oh, and this is maybe the ONLY place where a particular part of an Arena song (the bridge, IMO) sounds a bit out-of-place and unnecessary.
And although I said I wouldn't get into them, I must mention "Crying For Help VII" as well. Sorry to say, I don't think Paul Wrightson's voice works in an acapella context! :p However, I'm in the majority stating that the full-band version is GREAT as an 'antidote' to the more involved, complicated stuff that the band does... nice for an encore, to blow off some steam. ;)
And interesting points about "In the Blink of an Eye"! I think the song is fantastic in any case (gotta love that 'synth firestorm' intro!) but it definitely IS strong enough to stand up as an instrumental, should the guys ever want to try it! :D
I hope they never do an acapella of any song ever again. Can't see the attraction, regardless of the voice. I wouldn't even want one with Mike Baker on vocals! (The most wonderful voice on this planet, according to me. Shadow Gallery singer.) :-X
Quote from: Deenfan on Sat, 2005-07-02, 01:10:29
I wouldn't even want one with Mike Baker on vocals! (The most wonderful voice on this planet, according to me. Shadow Gallery singer.) :-X
Oh, yes. He also sings on 'The Human Equation' of Ayreon. Great voice. I have never heard any music of Shadow Gallery, have to hear it once, but I have so much wishes. So, laterrrrrrrrrr.
Oh, you got a lot coming, then.... ;)
Quote from: Appelmoes?? on Thu, 2005-03-10, 22:12:41
After very long consideration (and listening all arena albums I own) I have decided I find 'Waiting for the Flood' is my least favourite. Still I like it though :-\
Interesting thread! When I first heard Immortal? I really disliked Waiting For The Flood, just didn't seem to fit in nor sound like Arena, but the song has grown on me and now I love it, the Genesis/A Trick Of The Tail sound, the great melody and vocals...
My least favourite is Crying For Help III/Problem Line. I like atmospheric interludes, but this is just dull, nothing happens and when something does, ie. the phone starts ringing, it's annoying. I skip it right away or when that telephone starts!
Also not too fond of Climbing The Net. It has that vintage Arena jump-a-long sound, but just doesn't grab me and seems to lack focus, to combine too many ideas. Prefer Jericho and Enemy Without as jump-a-long tracks. Love the lyrics of Enemy, great to sing along to, very loud!
Jericho is a classic, I love those different 'moods', the melancholic start, the dark, riffy middle section and the party ending. Although I do think that the vocal line in the end section is impossible, neither of the three vocalists can do it live (would love to hear Clive - creator of this burden for every Arena vocalist - doing a 'ghost vocal demo' of this one ;) )
"Waiting for the Flood" is among my favorite tracks, but that's off topic. Least favorite? "Problem Line," hands down. I never listen to it. The one time I played it, my wife kept saying, "Get the phone!"
Quote from: kmorse on Wed, 2005-07-06, 17:04:20
Least favorite? "Problem Line," hands down. I never listen to it. The one time I played it, my wife kept saying, "Get the phone!"
Amazing!! LOL :D
Both the "Witch Hunt" and "Salamander" special remixes are my least favourite arena tracks. Robs Voice seems all distorted and i prefer the originals. Who agrees?
Quote from: marcello on Mon, 2005-07-11, 22:48:06
Both the "Witch Hunt" and "Salamander" special remixes are my least favourite arena tracks. Robs Voice seems all distorted and i prefer the originals. Who agrees?
I like those remixes, especially Witch Hunt with those great cheesy vocoder backing vocals. I don't consider them Arena tracks, but just fun versions of the - agree here - preferred originals. I like remixes from time to time, happen to be now playing Marillion - Remixomatosis...
Quote from: marcello on Mon, 2005-07-11, 22:48:06
Both the "Witch Hunt" and "Salamander" special remixes are my least favourite arena tracks. Robs Voice seems all distorted and i prefer the originals. Who agrees?
...Thats why they're remixes... ;) ;D
I was never very fond of all the Crying for Help s :'(ongs, not that they are bad, but they didn't seem to suit with the other songs. But I understand the point that you must have a moment to relax while listening to the heavier songs. I think the minialbum the Cry is the Arena album that I not often listen to. but I like the song: Only Child (Crying for Help IV), and The Cry (Crying for Help VII). I also like the song named The Healer, it's been critizised by many Arena fans but, I like the lyrics, it's being sang by an evil person, that makes it interesting. It's also a funny song, the lines: Let Damocles come back! And drop his sword upon my head, I get right up again and dance with the dead.
Oh sorry my piece of writing should be about the least favourite Arena track, Valley of the kings wasn't also one of my favourites the lines, One man fate unknown born of stone on stone is being repeated to often in the song that keeps on going on in your mind, I don't like that.
Quote from: BrianG on Mon, 2005-02-21, 08:09:52
Pride: Don't have the album
(
You should go and buy it it's fantastic, You really miss great songs!!
I second that! Pride is definitely worthwhile and in a way a forerunner of Pepper's Ghost in terms of the more raw, agressive sound.
Hanging tree :D, Ascension :D, Ghost in the firewall :D
"Ghost in the firewall" from "Immortal?" and some parts of "contagion"
I love the Contagion Remixes. They add a different flavour to the songs, giving them a industrial kind of sound. I would like to hear remixes like these in the future (Though I don't think the PG songs are really well suited for such mixes).
About the Healer: not only the fans but some of the guys themselves have issues with this song.
Too bad, because it's a good song and makes a nice and relaxing intermezzo between all the other rather complicated stuff (Hmm I sound awfully mainstream now, don't I?) However it may be, I would love to hear it again live (last time was Paradiso 98, I think). But well, I have been whining for ages about Empire and Fool's Gold as well, so...
With some albums I listen to I find about 30-60 % of the tracks brilliant, but the albums from Arena are not like that. I think that every track is beautiful. And there aren't many albums like this.
THE HEALER
Quote from: Alle Jansen on Sat, 2005-10-29, 20:59:56
THE HEALER
Out of curiosity... what don't you like about "The Healer"?
lara moon, and midas vision (especially the beginning of both of them)
Quote from: erik on Tue, 2005-07-05, 12:49:39
Interesting thread! When I first heard Immortal? I really disliked Waiting For The Flood, just didn't seem to fit in nor sound like Arena, but the song has grown on me and now I love it, the Genesis/A Trick Of The Tail sound, the great melody and vocals...
I always liked the song waiting for the flood, I think all the Immortal songs are great, it was the first Arena album I heard. My least favourite album is the Cry, there's no energy in it too boring except for the song "The Healer" I like this one, I was always been hoping that Arena would play it Live sometime
To be honest, Bedlam Fayre doesn't do much for me : I consider it the weakest opener of any Arena album. I can't believe it was chosen to figure on Ten Years On. ???
Ghost in the Firewall doesn't impress me much either. Maybe that will change ...
I dont have a least favourite track at all and like someone else said, i listen to an album in its entirety. I dont think ive ever skipped a track. Even if a song doesnt at first grab me by the throat, i usually end up liking it. The thing with Arena is that everytime i listen to them (most of the time) or watch one of their dvds, i always notice something i never noticed before. I do have favourite songs though they keep changing. All time faves are Moviedrome and Solomon, Skingame and Opera Fanatica but really theres too many to mention!!
Quote from: bellanova on Thu, 2006-11-09, 16:32:20
I dont have a least favourite track at all and like someone else said, i listen to an album in its entirety. I dont think ive ever skipped a track. Even if a song doesnt at first grab me by the throat, i usually end up liking it. The thing with Arena is that everytime i listen to them (most of the time) or watch one of their dvds, i always notice something i never noticed before. I do have favourite songs though they keep changing. All time faves are Moviedrome and Solomon, Skingame and Opera Fanatica but really theres too many to mention!!
I don't know for other people here but, as far as I am concerned, there are very few Arena tracks that didn't need many listens to grow on me. Maybe
Witch Hunt and
Specter at The Feast, and, of course, any live version of
CFH VII. Frankly, I was rather desperate after my first complete listen of
Pepper's Ghost ...
Quote from: Bupie on Thu, 2006-11-09, 15:58:58
To be honest, Bedlam Fayre doesn't do much for me : I consider it the weakest opener of any Arena album. I can't believe it was chosen to figure on Ten Years On. ???
Ghost in the Firewall doesn't impress me much either. Maybe that will change ...
I'm the opposite, I think Bedlam Fayre is probably the strongest album opener and I really like Ghost in the Firewall.
Just as well we all have differing opinions we'd have nothing to discuss otherwise. I do find with Arena songs that favourites change quite a lot....like track to track ;)
Quote from: johninblack on Thu, 2006-11-09, 17:48:51
I'm the opposite, I think Bedlam Fayre is probably the strongest album opener and I really like Ghost in the Firewall.
Just as well we all have differing opinions we'd have nothing to discuss otherwise. I do find with Arena songs that favourites change quite a lot....like track to track ;)
Looks fine to me and I don't intend to make any proselytism anyway :)
As for
Bedlam Fayre, I think it sounds better live ... as many Arena's songs do ! It's amazing how good are the live performances on
Live and Life and
Smoke and Mirrors (don't have listened to the other live albums so far).