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Ben Harper - Both sides of the gun!

Woodstock69Woodstock69 Posts: 56
edited March 2006 in Other Music
I just heard the album , and can't take it out of my player : the first CD is totally acoustic and only ballads but the second one is GREAT and very funky . my favourites are "Black rain" a song he wrote about what happened in new orleans , and "Don't talk about murder" is a rock blues country mixture and a geat slide solo! and the best song , one of the best in the Ben Harper catalogue is "Serve your soul" maybe a tribute to "Led Zeppelin" one of his influences , the song recalls one of their hits "No quarter" excelent album !!
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    offhegoes09offhegoes09 Posts: 327
    did they move the release date up or something? I thought it was supposed to come out this coming Tuesday, but I got it at Target yesterday...
    I found that to be a bit odd.
    "The whole world will be different soon"
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    did they move the release date up or something? I thought it was supposed to come out this coming Tuesday, but I got it at Target yesterday...
    I found that to be a bit odd.

    No it's comming out tommorow i think! I got a copy from a friend who's working in a Rock Magazine ! they recieved it last week for reviews !!!
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    offhegoes09offhegoes09 Posts: 327
    No, I realize that the official release date is today, but I was at Target on Saturday, and picked it up 3 days early. So I was just wondering if they moved it up or if Target just screwed the pooch.
    "The whole world will be different soon"
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    murph83murph83 Posts: 122
    just ordered from futureshop, can't wait to get it!
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    Cool. The girl behind me just told me he's playing a free show at Amoeba Records tonight if anyone is around Los Angeles.

    I'll have to give it a listen.
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    OttOtt Posts: 403
    The Bonus disc has some good tracks, too. "Get it like you like it"-- great couple of baseball lines for the beginning of Spring. Talks about Damon exorcising the curse. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    After listening again, that tune is on one of the reg discs, too. The bonus is a live acoustic version. This is frustrating; I need my music loud and I'm stuck at work. Sucks to buy a new CD and not be able to really hear it right yet. Boo-hoo for Ott.
    'Give me some music; music, moody food/ of us that trade in love'
    -Shakespeare
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    I was at a store in BC this weekend and they played Better Way which I had heard already, then song 2 and 3 were both Ben so I asked if they had it?? And they did!!! But only a listening copy that they wouldn't sell me, I did manage to touch it though and I stayed in the store until it was over, they thought I was a weirdo!!!

    Anyway, I liked my first listen

    I was pumped I got to hear it early too!!!!
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
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    marc34marc34 Boston MA Posts: 221
    I knew I forgot to do something after work....Oh well of to the record store after dinner
    Hartford 96
    Mansfield 98 x 2
    Mansfield 00 x2
    Mansfield 03 x 3
    Boston 04 VFC x 2
    Hartford 06
    Boston 06 x 2
    Hartford 08
    Mansfield 08 x 2
    EV Boston 08 x 2
    Hartford 10
    Boston 10
    EV Providence 11
    EV Boston 11
    EV Hartford 11
    Worcester 13 x 2
    Hartford 13
    Buffalo 13
    Baltimore 13
    Fenway 2016 x 2
    Hot Stove 2017
    Fenway 2018 x 2
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    solat9solat9 Posts: 20
    The slower CD is 10 times better than the other one.
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    CM1847CM1847 Posts: 577
    The second, or first I don't really know, disc is really in your face politically. Almost all of the songs are about the government and make no attempts to hide his feelings. The most open and direct anti-government album I've heard. That will turn some people off for sure.

    I like the music on that disc, good stuff. It feels a lot like the majority of "Diamonds on the Inside" which is an album I love, so that is a good thing. Haven't listened to the entire other disc yet(the slower/love song one), but it sounds like it will be good.

    They had a special edition with a 3rd disc, but it was double the price for just one extra disc(only 6 songs). Too bad, I would have liked to pick it up, but not at that price.
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    nomadnomad Posts: 2
    The new Ben Harper is excellent. Much better than anything I've heard on the Avocado album (thus far). It's not as good as No Code, though.
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    I Love it so far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I bought the Special Edition with the bonus disc :)

    I'm so excited !!!!
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
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    LedZepFanLedZepFan Posts: 1,009
    good stuff, i think this will probably become my favorite Harper album
    I've faced it, a life wasted, and I'm never going back again.

    Some die just to live.
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    UKpearljammerUKpearljammer Bath, UK Posts: 910
    I got it, only heard the first disk in the car as no home cd player at the mo. I'm trying to put on my mp3 player but no luck as yet. Any ideas how to? I hate this copyright protection stuff, I mean I understand and all but I buy my music, I bought this album and I just wanna put it on my player without all this hassle.
    My PJ shows:
    London 28/10/96, Las Vegas 11/7/98, London 29/5/00, Nurnburg 11/6/00, Prague 14/6/00, Salzburg 18/6/00, Verona 20/6/00, Milan 22/6/00, Zurich 23/6/00, New York 8-9/7/03, Boston 11/7/03, Reading Festival 27/8/06, Shepards Bush 11/8/09, Berlin 15/8/09, Manchester 17/8/09, London 18/8/09, Dublin 22/6/10, Belfast 23/6/10, London (HRC) 25/6/10, Alpine Valley (PJ20) 3-4/9/11, Manchester 20-21/6/12, Leeds 8/7/14, Milton Keynes 11/7/14 To be continued....
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    even flow?even flow? Posts: 8,066
    Haven't listened to side one as the new Prince album took some time on the stereo. Very good album Prince!!

    But I listened to the second disc of Ben's and it was like putting on music from yesteryear where nobody cared if the album sounded the same from song to song. Right on Mr. Harper!
    You've changed your place in this world!
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    VEDHEAD27VEDHEAD27 Posts: 3,091
    This album is absolutely beeeeautiful. I wouldn't expect anything less from Beautiful Ben. :):o The gorgeous soul can do no wrong and has yet to disappoint me. In my opinion, when you have it ,you HAVE IT...and Ben has an never-ending supply of heart, SOUL, funk, SPIRIT, feeling, honesty, PASSION, compassion, intensity, POETRY, TALENT and BEAUTY ...which in turn leads to an endless supply amazing music!!! The soul and feeling behind the music is sooooooo powerful. It always manages to makes me tear up and gives me chills. The beautiful man is always consistant with bringing us gorgeous albums overflowing with incredible musicianship! And it all just keeps getting better and better!


    I currently cannot get passed...

    *Picture In A Frame
    *Reason To Mourn
    *Crying Won't Help You Now


    :o:o:o


    I love this man! This album SHINES and I know it's only gonna get brighter and brighter with each listen.
    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

    "Lo√e, you know the word
    ...YOU invented it!" ~ E√

    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
    ...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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    CM1847CM1847 Posts: 577
    Started getting into the softer/peace/love/white/whatever disc more. It is really good, "Picture in a Frame" caught me the most immediately, that is a very good song. The instrumental reminds me of "Field of Gold" by String for some reason, I could do without it.

    I still like the rocking/funky/war/hate/black/whatever disc a little more right now. I love his style of rock and he gives 9 really good examples of it on that disc.

    Good album overall, it beats my expectations so far.
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    VEDHEAD27VEDHEAD27 Posts: 3,091
    Agreed CM1847! Yeah, Picture in a Frame caught me right away too! It took me quite awhile to stop repeating it. :p


    Speaking of hearing other songs in some of the songs...I keep hearing You Shook me all night long ~ AC/DC in Engraved Invitation. :D

    Better Way ~> L-O-L-A...LOLA ;)


    But his style really is all his own. There's so many layers to it! I'm loving the variety of sound in this gem!! Yeah, the way he set it up to flow like this too is brilliant! Makes you really appreciate that imo.

    *sigh*

    Ah Ben! You're beautiful. :)
    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤

    "Lo√e, you know the word
    ...YOU invented it!" ~ E√

    ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
    ...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
    ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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    10_pearljam10_pearljam Posts: 172
    I just heard the album , and can't take it out of my player : the first CD is totally acoustic and only ballads but the second one is GREAT and very funky . my favourites are "Black rain" a song he wrote about what happened in new orleans , and "Don't talk about murder" is a rock blues country mixture and a geat slide solo! and the best song , one of the best in the Ben Harper catalogue is "Serve your soul" maybe a tribute to "Led Zeppelin" one of his influences , the song recalls one of their hits "No quarter" excelent album !!

    agree...great 3 disc set!
    He is alive but feels absolutely nothing.
    So is he?
    When he was six he believed that the moon overhead followed him.
    By nine he had deciphered the illusion trading magic for fact.
    No tradebacks...
    So this is what it's like to be an adult
    If he only knew now what he knew then...
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    I love a good portion of the "Diamonds on the Inside" album, particular the titular track, and really dig the acoustic disc of the "Live from Mars" double album. However, "Fight for Your Mind" is very hit and miss (far more misses than hits) for me even though it contains the best collective Ben Harper lyrics I've ever read. Far too often, Ben's vocals inspire complete indifference in me even though I know he's capable of more. For example, the live version I've heard of "Excuse Me Mr." is amazing, but the album version just puts me to sleep.

    So far, I've heard the hard/rock disc from "Both Sides of the Gun". I like "Black Rain", "Better Way", "Gather Round the Stone", and "The Way You Found Me". "Please Don't Talk About..." is growing on me, though I've heard various others wearing their Stones' influences on their sleeves and sound far more energetic doing it. I appreciate "Get It Like You Like It", a Wallflowers-esque number, but the lyrics annoy me and I'm not even a Yankees fan. Of course, I don't like Fogerty's "Center Field" so my track record with baseball songs isn't good I guess. My take on the harder disc is that ultimately Ben is still a little too mellow for his own good. He's at his best with mid-tempo numbers, both musically and vocally, no matter what genre he's dabbling in. However, when he tries to go beyond that (and even sometimes when it's still just a mid-tempo number) to my ear it sounds like every facet of the song could use a real kick in the ass. Do you really ask Cat Stevens to crank it up to 11 though? For what it is I did like around 6 of 9 songs. That's not bad. Plus, I respect and agree with what he's saying in "Black Rain", "Better Way", and "Gather Round the Stone". That doesn't hurt.
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    EPhi1430EPhi1430 Posts: 33
    I have been a big Ben Harper fan for a long time, but when i first heard that both sides was going to have an acoustic disc and a funky rock disc, I was a little scared but when i heard it (especially the first) i was taken away. It is to me the best album of the year...until May
    Thats okay man, cause I love Frogs

    Shows:
    7/2/98 8/18/00 8/20/00 8/21/00 4/21/03(Home town) 4/25/00 - cancelled:( 6/19/03 6/22/03 10/2/04 10/6/04
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    CM1847CM1847 Posts: 577
    MINDWIREUK wrote:
    I got it, only heard the first disk in the car as no home cd player at the mo. I'm trying to put on my mp3 player but no luck as yet. Any ideas how to? I hate this copyright protection stuff, I mean I understand and all but I buy my music, I bought this album and I just wanna put it on my player without all this hassle.

    Is anybody else having this problem? I just tried to rip a song from it to my computer and it works fine without any problems at all. Is mine defective or what? I got the standard version by the way.
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    best album of 2006...until may 2nd!!!
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    CM1847CM1847 Posts: 577
    I love a good portion of the "Diamonds on the Inside" album, particular the titular track, and really dig the acoustic disc of the "Live from Mars" double album. However, "Fight for Your Mind" is very hit and miss (far more misses than hits) for me even though it contains the best collective Ben Harper lyrics I've ever read. Far too often, Ben's vocals inspire complete indifference in me even though I know he's capable of more. For example, the live version I've heard of "Excuse Me Mr." is amazing, but the album version just puts me to sleep.

    That is exactly how I feel. I got into him from Live From Mars and I tried to go back into his older stuff, but it didn't work for me. The songs are much better on "Mars" than they are in the studio IMO. So I could never get into any studio albums pre-Diamonds on the Inside. I love Diamonds on the Inside though, my first new album I got to experience as a fan, really good stuff.

    And I agree about what Ben is saying on the "rocking" disc. Whether or not you agree with his views, you have to respect that he is putting them out there in a completely to-the-point manner, almost all of those songs are obviously about politics. Many artists(Pearl Jam included) have strong views on these things, but only scatter one or two songs about them into their albums. Maybe that is a good thing, but I still respect Harper for coming out so strong on that disc and never letting up.
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    More Than Sorry, & Gather 'Round the Stone are my favorites
    "Fuckin' hippies!"
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    LedZepFanLedZepFan Posts: 1,009
    CM1847 wrote:
    That is exactly how I feel. I got into him from Live From Mars and I tried to go back into his older stuff, but it didn't work for me. The songs are much better on "Mars" than they are in the studio IMO. So I could never get into any studio albums pre-Diamonds on the Inside. I love Diamonds on the Inside though, my first new album I got to experience as a fan, really good stuff.

    \.

    Same here, but I also like Burn to Shine. Both Sides of the Gun is my favorite album so far though
    I've faced it, a life wasted, and I'm never going back again.

    Some die just to live.
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    beachdwellerbeachdweller Posts: 1,532
    I just heard the album , and can't take it out of my player : the first CD is totally acoustic and only ballads but the second one is GREAT and very funky . my favourites are "Black rain" a song he wrote about what happened in new orleans , and "Don't talk about murder" is a rock blues country mixture and a geat slide solo! and the best song , one of the best in the Ben Harper catalogue is "Serve your soul" maybe a tribute to "Led Zeppelin" one of his influences , the song recalls one of their hits "No quarter" excelent album !!


    holy crap, I was and still am listening to Serve Your Soul as I read your post, great f'ing album, and Serve Your Soul is my fav on the second disc. the third disc is next with alternate versions, if you bought the special edition. Every song on the first disc is really deep, and the second disc is very funky like others have said. good stuff....
    "Music, for me, was fucking heroin." eV (nothing Ed has said is more true for me personally than this quote)

    Stop by:
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14678777351&ref=mf
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    I can't stop listening to it!!!!

    More Than Sorry is really doing it for me, and this album is so special already :)
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
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    lumpyfredlumpyfred Posts: 243
    Just got the album and have been listening nonstop. This is definitely Ben Harper's best overall work in my opinion.

    He pulled this off way better than the Foos. Excellent.
    Her?
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    hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    MINDWIREUK wrote:
    I got it, only heard the first disk in the car as no home cd player at the mo. I'm trying to put on my mp3 player but no luck as yet. Any ideas how to? I hate this copyright protection stuff, I mean I understand and all but I buy my music, I bought this album and I just wanna put it on my player without all this hassle.
    I had no trouble at all putting it on my iPod.

    I just got it yesterday, I'm on my third time through now, liking it more and more each time :)
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
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