moe. - Wormwood
 

There's a <a href="http://www.moe.org">moe.</a> fan or two on these boards... Give me your input on Wormwood.

Picked it up yesterday and spun it 3 times... It is freaking brilliant. I may even go as far as calling it the jam band generation's Dark Side of the Moon. Really an amazing disc.

It's interesting to see how the compositions that they've been working on live for the past year have changed and come together here... They all work extremely well with the possible exception of Crab Eyes... I've never liked that tune too much although the up tempo on this release is an interesting move... From the technical side of things, Chuck's solos on this release are absolutely smokin'... Strap on the headphones and check side left. Favorite track - Bullet... LOVE that track live and they really nailed it.

I'm a huge moe. fan and forgot this came out yesterday til I saw your post. I know it's been getting great reviews all around, and I'll be picking it up today. Really excited to hear it (I've gotta like it better than their horrible holiday album).

You get lucky enough to score any tickets for the Vegas shows?

I thought the holiday disc was so-so, won't get much rotation but I'll pull it out next December...

LMK what you think of Wormwood...

Grrr...let's not talk about the Vegas shows. I haven't seen moe. since 2001 and was so excited that they were finally coming back to Vegas (the only time they came in '02 was opening for Robert Plant). I was out of town the day tickets went on sale. The day I got back, I called the House of Blues box office, who told me that several hundred tickets were available for each show. Because of that, I didn't order tickets over the phone as it's more expensive that way. I went during my lunch hour (only an hour later) to get tickets and both shows were sold out.

Luckily, I've got tickets to both nights of Phish and both nights of Particle to ease my pain...

Hate to post too many times in the same thread, but I just checked out their new website for the first time...very cool. Much better than the old one.

Yeah, the new site is pretty slick...

Pisser about the tickets... Haven't seen em' since 01'? They don't seem to get out west too much these days but they are TIGHT as hell right now... I usually try to catch 3 shows or so a year... Just missed em' in Louisville a week or so ago, time constraints are a bummer. The Cincinnati show last fall was sweet, minus Peter Frampton and his noodling...

Haven't seen Phish in years, they don't interest me too much these days... Gasp! Saw em' many times though (first time was in 92' or 93') but something just didn't click with me the last few times, struck me as just going through the motions and the spark was gone. Read your comments (and others) on the Round Room thread and found em' a little surprising. I think that disc is pretty lousy... No emotion and the jams are pretty pedestrian IMHO. Different strokes...

Alright, I've digested Wormwood enough to write about it I think. It's awesome...moe.'s best album and one of the best album's ever released by any jamband. You can tell the basic tracks were recorded live, and it really helps the disc along. The sound is just so much more spontaneous that way. It sounds like a studio disc though. Really an incredible album.

It's a bummer they don't play west too often anymore. moe.'s one of my favorite bands to catch live. If it wasn't for Phish, the Vegas shows would have only been 2/3 to 3/4 full, but because the circus is coming to town, they sold out in days. Pity because I love late night shows (Galactic and Particle often do late shows in Vegas when they play.) Ah well, hopefully, they'll grace us with their presence at least once more this year.

:up: :)

Now you see why I said that I might possibly call it the Dark Side of the Moon of the jamband generation... Technically, it's a brilliant, brilliant piece of work... The songs are outstanding (I still have reservations about Crab Eyes but it's growing on me) and the musicianship is top notch tight and groove... Chuck's solos just floored me... Not that Al's work isn't also extremely impressive, but damn...

Chuck is a really underrated guitarist, and he really does just kill on this disc. Rob's bass work is as fine as its ever been too. In fact, his playing really helps make the album sound more seamless and continuous. This album deserves the praise it's getting, and I don't see how anyone could listen to this disc and contend that "jambands" do not do well in the studio. Although, moe. always has been the strongest studio jamband (and SCI's consistently been the worst...though I do love 'em live).

Agreed... And, It's an outstanding <i>rock</i> album, period. The whole jamband label does not even apply to this release... Just a straight up kick butt rock record. < For the lurkers who may be curious or have no idea who in the hell moe. is... It would appear that we're the only two fans here at DVDTalk. That's a shame... The music is FAR too good to not be reaching more rock fans.

Also agree about SCI... I've seen em' a few times and have been very impressed but their studio work leaves a lot to be desired...

Easy now, some of us just don't post as much as we used to. ;)

I bought Wormwood yesterday and haven't stopped listening to it since. I spent most of October and November lost in the two Warts and All shows. I have a crap load of live moe. on CD, but I would almost always rather listen to an official release (they just sound so much better) and the Warts and All shows are incredible. When December rolled around I started listening to all my live PHish discs again, getting geared up for NYE, and since then I've been listening to the Phish NYE show, and spinning the Hampton discs.

I don't know when the next time Wormwood will leave my CD player is. Amazing stuff. Kids is definitely my fav. It was also my favorite on Warts and All, so maybe it's just carrying over. I have to agree about the brilliant performances by Al, Rob, and Chuck, but for the love of God, Jim and Vinnie outshine everyone else on this record. Those two guys never cease to amaze me.

Unfortunately for me, the last show I was at was 4-25-01 in Greensburg, PA. They played two night in a row in NYC last September, but other unfortunate circumstances made me miss them. And now on this tour, they aren't even coming around here. :(

Oh well, now I have Wormwood to keep me company until they come back.

Bust, glad to see someone else joined the discussion. :)

That Greensburg show was actually my last moe. show as well...that's my hometown, and I was back in PA visiting my parents.

After several more listens, I think I've got to agree with Johnny Zhivago..."Bullet" is probably my favorite song on the disc, though there's really not a bad track on it. It would be criminal for this album not to expose moe. to a much larger audience. I know it's only February, but I wouldn't expect to hear a better album all year...

I really liked the Palace theater. How great was it that everyone that worked there was over 80 years old. I don't think they knew what they were getting into. I was on the floor, in my assigned seat -rolleyes- , for the first set, then went up to the balcony for the second set. Great view, great sound, great time.

Have you seen any of the setlists from the current tour?

2/4/03 Dave's on Dickson - Fayetteville, AR

1: Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Okayalright > Rumblestrip > Gone > Organs > Crab Eyes > Bullet > Kyle > Bend Sinister > Kids > Kidstoys > Shoot First > Edison Laugh Record

2: Karma Police, Captain America > Up On Cripple Creek* > Recreational Chemistry > So Long > Rebubula

E: Stranger Than Fiction, Sweet Emotion

* First time played.



Recognize Set 1 from anywhere?? :D

1/29/03 New Daisy Theater - Memphis, TN

1: Nebraska, Rise, Opium > lylelovet., Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (part I)*, Meat > Paranoid*# > Meat

2: Kyle > Hi and Lo > Bring You Down, Tambourine, Spine Of A Dog > Buster

E: Okayalright, The Weight

* First time played. # First verse only.


:drool:

The Weight?!?! How the f**k could I miss that!! That is one of my favorite songs!!

Bust (wishing he was in Tennessee last week).

Well, it didn't even last 24 hours. It will go back in soon, but I just got a B&P in the mail of my first ever Phish show, so I have to listen to that for the rest of the day.

I definitely prefer moe. to Phish, but I do love how you can get any Phish show in history pretty easily. I don't have that much luck tracking down someone with a copy of the moe. shows I want. I still haven't been able to get a copy of any moe. show I've been to. I've been to some pretty amazing moe. shows too.

Sweet... Another moe.ron! ;) Good comments Bust!

Couple of notes on your posts...

1) Sit tight, they're doing the west coast / deep south on this tour but my money says that they'll back east in April/May.

2) The setlists for the last few shows are amazing... I almost went to the Memphis gig (5-6 hour drive), kicking my ass now and will have to wait to see em' until spring/summer...

3) Couple of highlights that I would have loved to see judging from the recent setlists... You've got a friend in me - Al - from the Dallas gig and Karma Police.

4) It's nice to see someone else that prefers moe. to Phish... IMHO, Trey and the boys still do OK but moe. have been rocking harder for several years now... They're the best in the biz.

5) Wormwood has been out of my player but I've spun it 7 times now since Tuesday.

Also find myself in agreement with Gdrlv again... It's only February but I don't expect to hear a better album this year... <i>Maybe</i> the Radiohead release... That's about the only one on the horizon that I see peaking my interest like Wormwood has...

I want to expand on this a bit. Although I wouldn't take back what I said, there ARE times when I'm having a Phish experience where I tell myself that they are the best band in the world. This usually occurs either at a concert (NYE) or when I first listen to a show. It usually fades pretty quickly and then I remember that not only is Phish not the best band in the world, but neither is moe. I could never rank either one of them over bands like the Beatles, The Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin etc.., but they are definitely the best around right now.

Oh, I'm with you there... IMHO moe. are the best in the biz <i>at this moment</i> but they will never be The Beatles... I used to get those same vibes from Phish shows in the mid to early-late 90's, particularly the Deer Creek shows every year... But, haven't felt that way about em' in several years, the last few shows I caught just did nothing for me... Hard to explain but it's a feeling when you just know that it's gone...

moe. on the other hand, I'm ALWAYS blown away by just about everything they do... There are very few current bands that still have the ability to do that to me... King Crimson is another, Mike Patton's work with Mr. Bungle/Fantomas/Tomahawk/Peeping Tom and probably Radiohead. That's about it...

While I will agree that Phish lost something in the late 90s, I've gotta say that they're still my favorite. moe., Galactic and more recently the Disco Biscuits are close seconds though (if you haven't bought it yet, Senor Boombox is almost as good as Wormwood).

A few years ago, I went to a moe. show in Vegas with a diehard Phish fan, who had seen over 50 Phish shows but had never seen moe. This was the setlist...

2/2/01 The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas, NV

1: Timmy Tucker, Understand, New York City, Kids, Seat Of My Pants > Sensory Deprivation Bank

2: Hi and Lo > Brent Black, Letter Home, Moth, Kyle > Bring It Back Home

E: Akimbo

Midway through "Timmy," he looked at me and said, "They've been going for 15 minutes already, and it's the first song. Jesus Christ, these guys jam. Phish would never do this." I inadvertently converted a diehard Phish fan to moe.

Damned good show too.

By the way, do either of you guys ever post at Phantasy Tour? I lurk there occasionally, but the boards are too immature and catty for me. I've never posted.

I don't post anywhere else except for rmp, occasionally. That's how I found someone with the first Phish show I ever went to. 11-16-97, Denver, if you're interested. I love how active it is, and there's quite a bit of interesting moe. discussion from time to time.

I also just found http://www.moerons.com the other day. It has a pretty good Lounge that I might register for, if I can find the time.

Naw, I don't post over at PT, read it now and then... Haven't heard the Biscos last album... Never been a big fan but then I've never seen em' live either...

moerons is a good site when it's active... They have some decent MP3s for download in the media section that you may want to keep an eye on, seem to change every couple of weeks... Think the 12/31 show is up now, the 10/31 show was up a few weeks ago... Sound quality is usually decent, average to above for MP3 files...

Bust - I'm not familiar with rmp, got some linkage? :)

rmp = rec.music.phish


If you don't have a newsgroup reader, just use this link through google.

2/7/03 Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
1: It, Happy Hour Hero > Seat Of My Pants > Sensory Deprivation Bank, Cornflake Girl > Mexico

2: Carry On My Wayward Son*, Hi and Lo > Big World, Conviction Song, Kyle > Timmy Tucker

E: Godzilla > Gin and Juice > Godzilla

* First time played.




Awesome. Playing a show in Kansas and busting out "Wayward Son". One of my best friends that lives in Lincoln was there and left a little bit of "Mexico" on my voicemail.

"Cause I don't speak Spanish all that well, I'm out of cash, and I'm drunk as Hell!"

rotfl I love Al

:lol:

Groovy. Thanks...

2\8\03- Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO

Set 1: Okayalright, Gone, Nebraska, Time Again, Tambourine, Bullet ->Brent
Black
Set 2: Night They Drove Old Dixie Down*, Plane Crash -> Not Coming Down -> St.
Augustine#, Recreational Chemistry -> Plane Crash Reprise
Encore 1: New York City, Don't Fear The Reaper
Encore 2: Rebubula

* first time played with Chris Robinson ( -eek- NO f'n WAY!!)
# Inca Roads tease


Can you say, "B&P"?