here's a belgian opinion about the connells'lyrics (although not in Still
Life, since that album is not out yet in Belgium)
I just think that the lyrics are a bit too simple. I think there can be
much improvement in that area, I'm not saying it's "just simple rhyming
words meant to make listeners feel good..." but it's not too far from the
truth...I'm not discussing the definition of "hooksong", I'm just saying
that maybe some people are seeking more behind the lyrics than there
really is. I don't see that so called hidden message or whatever, I'm just
enjoying their songs, and think they could be even greater with better
lyrics.  I just bought F&G en Boylan Heights (great albums by the way!)
and the few times G Huntley wrote the lyrics, I was pleasantly surprised,
I just feel they have a little extra...
anyway
who am I to complain about details
keep playing Connells!
looking good...


Gert






On Fri, 29 May 1998, Jon Epstein wrote:

> >> Are you crazy??? The Connells have tons of "hook" songs. There are way too
> >> many to mention right now but Hey Wow, Fun & Games, Choose a Side, Scotty's
> >> Lament, Burden, New Boy, Stone Cold Yesterday, Hats Off, etc. I don't know
> >> where you are coming from saying that The Connells aren't a "Hooks" band.
> >> Because it is clearly obvious to anyone with or without musical knowledge
> >> that the are all about hooks.
>
> >  i can say that i have a musical background, have written many reviews,
> >therefore, i can say that the 'nells dont use *hook* songs... take time to
> read
> >the lyrics, there is more to them then simple rhyming words meant to make
> >listeners feel good and sell records. the songs may be catchy but cannot,
> by any
> >means, be classified as *hook*. take time to read reviews, to read zines,
> to get
> >more information before classifying this band or others, please...
>
> Um.....a hook isn't always lyrical and it doesn't
> always have to be about sales.  The Connells do,
> in fact, use many "hooks" in their music: the hooks
> are the bits that get stuck in your head and that you
> wind up humming, usually at inappropriate moments.
> What's wrong with that?
>
> Incidently, back in 1987, the North Carolina
> Musicians Directory listed the Connells
> as a "Pop" band, which was the classification
> Mike wanted to use.  What this boils down to,
> since "pop" is all about hooks,
> is that either the Connells are a hook laden pop band,
> or that they're terrible at their expressed intentions
> of writing pop songs, depending on
> which of the two postion we take from above.
>
>   IMO they are an incredibly
> subversive pop band by virute of the fact that they
> attract the listener with catchy hooks, and then
> slap them with totally "nonpop" lyrics.
> Like Kings; X once said "call it deconstruction."
>
> back to lurker status.
> Jon
>
> Cat 'n' Jon's Virtual Space:
> http://www.soci.niu.edu/~rocklist/jepstein/index.html
>
> Jonathon S. Epstein, Ph.D.
> Director of Development and Production
> Web Music Group, Inc.
> 1093 S. Lincoln Street
> Kent, Ohio 44240
> (330) 678-3534
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>
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> you from screaming"
>         Abraham Simpson
>