Terry K. Wrote:
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> So then...a recap: you like the music but mostly
> the lyrics are stale for you? I can see that. But
> funnily enough,because the music is so very 80's
> ish in nature,the lyrics seem to blend in as
> belonging to those topics. Still, it CAN all seem
> just a bit too retro and from the Journey/survivor
> handbook. Just a metter of how much your ears can
> look past that or not, I suppose.

That pretty much sums it up for me. I'm ok with the music, ok with the style, but the lyrics are just not there. For me, you can compensate on lyrics if the hooks are strong enough. You can compensate on a lack of melodies if the lyrics are strong enough. There are times when Erik has such a good song that the lyrics don't matter (WET's If I Fall, Bleed and Scream, etc). It's hard to keep that level up though. Some people are good lyricists, some people are good at creating melodies, a few are really good at both. I'd put both Erik and Magnus Karlsson in the same boat as good melody writers, but not much for lyrics. Listing to the JJ album, the lyrics just seem throwaway. Throwaway lyrics delivered with catchy melodies by a great singer, but throwaway. It looks nice and pretty on the outside, but there's nothing there to dig into. Same with the Bob Catley Immortal album. Sounds great, but there is nothing insdie to latch onto.

As far as musical style, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Style is irrevelent. If the songs are strong, you can make a good cd. If the songs are weak, it doesn't matter what style you write in. Just with the 3 Jamison-era 1980s Survivor cds for example, they don't sound alike. They have strong songs though, so the style doesn't matter. Some will like Vital Signs, some When Seconds Count, some Too Hot to Sleep. All 3 are very good cds, and there are some siginificant differences in style, but all received well.

Then, take Reach. Obviously, they were trying to recapture the Survivor sound, which they generally did. There's a heck of a lot of filler on the back half though, and no surprise, the fans don't much care for it.

I have no problems at all with someone trying to recreate the 80s sound. It's been done very well several times. The Storm's Eye of the Storm, the original Hugo cd, etc.

On the Jamison cd, I just don't hear the feeling in the lyrics, and these songs are far away from the quality of Didn't Know it was Love, Desperate Dreams, I See You in Everyone, When Seconds Count, Man Against the World, etc.




> Still like the JJ cd and may get it soon as I
> commend EM for writing FOR Jamison on this
> project. In that,I feel he succeeded this time
> out. T

I think he did a great job trying to write in a style that was familiar for JJ to sing. Still not fond of the lyrics that come with an "Erik Martensson song", but I guess that's just me. Lyrics are subjective as to what is "good", and some people could care less about them. All I can tell you is that his lyrics don't work for me, even though he has some songs that rise above them.
Kevin