I like both Army and Marker as full songs, but I agree completely with what you have to say about WWS. I disliked that song for a long time before I realised the verses are fantastic and it's just the chorus letting it down.

I'll just put this here.

I'm the opposite. I find the structure and melody in the verses to be the pinnacle of lazy "I should try to write something catchy so I can get people to really think about this" songwriting. Like a rock cover of some of Joan Biaz's most cringe-worthy material. It's only the quality of the band's playing and the novelty of Ed actually having a vocal line that's catchy that keeps the two chord turkey from coming across as amateurish.

The churning prechorus and chorus sections, on the other hand, have their eyes on the likes of T-Rex and the New York Dolls. I think the rolling, swaggering almost motionless crunch better serves the song's purpose, and it gives the bridge something to lift off out of.

Tried listening to this today and forgot how horrible the production really is. The guitars on Life Wasted are absolutely tragic. Mike's guitar particularly is just horrible and then they've buried the solo in the mix. The bass is equally abysmal and I know that Jeff wasn't happy with the mix. I wish they would re-release this like they did with Ten. I actually like most of the songs but I just can't listen to the album.

I listened to this yesterday. I just love every aspect of this-the way the verses almost sound like they are making light of something deathly serious--like a party at the end of the world, and the way the song is sarcastic and dismissive of itself--a critique not of war but of American's 'yellow ribbon/I make no sacrifices so life goes on as normal'. I think the musical choices enhance that feel--and then you get this dance craze from hell chorus.

this is the song that's playing on the jukebox in Insignificance.

Ooh, nice.

That chorus vocal is nails on chalkboard, and not in a good way. I guess it's meant to sound jarring but to me it's just infantile, especially considering that it seems like some thought when into the verses, even if they're clunky at points lyrically.

I love that screaming delivery so much. I had been waiting 6 years for it.

I dont have a good enough ear to pick up on the production stuff that you guys seem to dislike about this album. I really enjoy it. I loved the tour.

Here are my S/T song rankings:

1. Come Back
2. Life Wasted
3. Marker in the Sand
4. Parachutes
5. Unemployable
6. Severed Hand
7. Big Wave
8. Comatose (the Detroit show on this tour has the most incredible angry live version)
9. Inside Job
10. World Wide Suicide
11. Gone
12. Army Reserve
13. Wasted Reprise

I too loved the 06 tour and this is in the top half of my album rankings. I think it could be even higher with better production

1. WWS
2. Comatose
3. Life Wasted

(those are all probably top 20/25 songs for me

4. Parachutes
5. Come Back
6. Severed Hand
7. Marker
8. Wasted Reprise
9. army reserve

the other 4 I couldn't easily rank. They all have pros and some glaring cons for me

This is really nice - cheers. Might use this instead of the album from now on.

No problem!

I'm really happy with how this came out, I definitely play this instead of the album if I feel like hearing those songs. I prefer the flow of my tracklisting to the front-heavy pacing of the released version too.

I don't know, there are good Ed screams and bad ones, or at least bad sounds to them. And that one is certainly the latter, IMO. That being said, the production is not completely innocent here (nor is it entirely to blame). Straight up in terms of how his voice is captured, I'm not sure it's ever been worse.

Still, it's minor issues on a good track. Songs 1-3 and the Parachutes/Unemployable combo are definitely the highlights of this record.

oh I agree that there are good ones and bad ones. I think these are top notch.

I find Ed's screams in this album to be so weak and screechy, with no power to them.

they sound ragged and weathered, but triumphant. He sounds like a survivor. After Riot Act I love them.

He sounds like a small dog.

Seems Ed's screams have gotten progressively higher in his head. By that, I mean on earlier albums, the scream sounded like it was coming from his chest. Then around Yield, his growling vocals sounded like that came from his lower throat. Now, it's like that come from his Adam's apple and nasal cavity. If that makes any sense.

well I think you could probably say that about his singing in general

ur thinking of beyonce