Anathema - HIndsight

It’s been some time since that holy day that Anathema officially announced that they were about to have their new material in stores by the end of 2008.. It wasn’t only that, they said we should expect not only one, but two different releases, one with brand new songs and the other with alternative recordings of songs we are already familiar with and have worshiped through the years.. To ease the pain of all these waiting years, they uploaded three samples of their new work.. Lots of talking about the problems that the band has gone through, financially mostly, let this article not become a re-post of all these that everyone knows and has read about.. So, time came and the first of the two releases became available..
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\r\nHindsight is its title, re-recordings of known Anathema’s songs its context plus a brand new song, everything made me curious about what these guys from Liverpool had to say this time. Anathema have been with me since I was really young, I m trying to learn from music day by day, listening to new stuff, discover the talented people out there without thinking of labels, genres, I believe though that Anathema will always be my favorite band, even if there is time passing by without even listening to something theirs.. It’s not only about music sometimes, this band has contributed in a tremendous way in my becoming who I am and I owe them for that.. What I want to say, with a few words as always, as I realize that all these mean probably nothing to you, is –generally speaking- that it’s gonna take quite a long writing..!
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\r\nTo be honest, I had medium expectations.. I‘ve seen all their lives, acoustic or not, they have given some ideas of how they can change their own songs.. By having the CD in the player, I thought it would be a good idea not to look at the song titles in order to find out if there were songs I wouldn’t immediately understand.. The weird thing, weird in a beautiful way is that there were some of these moments.. Either by changing the vocal melody a little or some solos, there were alternative executions at their lives.. If I had to do with such alternatives at the CD, probably I wouldn’t be positive, fortunately they have gone a step further though, at least in most of the songs! On the other hand, taking the decision and create a work like this one has its dangers.. How many and which songs will be chosen? How these may differ from the originals, how far could they go? As interesting as these “covers” may be, does it worth publishing it as a stand-alone?  The answer to these three questions will just be my personal opinion, I couldn’t possibly know the motivations of a band, what could they probably gain by choosing to do this movement.. It’s just that I feel myself closer to Anathema than other bands, not only in a musician-fan relationship as I said before, that’s why I hope my opinion has something useful to offer..
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\r\nSo, first question.. The main thought to be done is which songs will be selected, as for the number of them everyone is disappointed with only 9 in “hindsight”.. Are they, at least, well selected? Having attended their lives, in the CD there is a basic setlist from those nights.. There are, without a doubt wonderful and recognizable songs, but I think I ‘ll soon start complaining that they are not willing of trying other songs, equally wonderful.. And there is time experimenting when in studio so this complaint grows bigger! It’s like taking down the safe way and having the main song line as a guide.. Anyone could tell, wouldn’t be nicer if we listened to a hindsight version of alternative 4? Or faster songs taken down to half tempo, or even songs from Silent enigma approached with this point of view.. Band decides at the end, but I am from this side to comment what has been done!
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\r\nAs regards the second question, some thoughts of mine came to the surface from the previous paragraph.. When making a cover there is either the easier idea of keeping song as it was and simply change some instruments or try reconstructing the whole song having in mind only its main idea, like it has never been played other way before! There are songs here that chose the safe way.. “Natural disaster” numbered 1, “temporary peace”, “inner silence”..  A bigger amount of the material seems to be in better luck, pretty much not only because there were dare changes but mostly because any changes in arrangements fitted in a better way.. And then comes “are you there?” to make my point of reconstruction clear! Years ago there was this beautiful song, nowadays it’s this beautiful version, making me think I m listening to a cooperation of Jack Johnson with Iron & Wine, they took the risk and made it! As for the new song, it sounds hindsight-y, it is beautiful but not breath taking! How smart would that be though if this is a cover of a song included in the forth-coming “Horizons”, that would be a plus for sure, if they have thought it this way!
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\r\nLast question, will hindsight make it and stand for its own? Having this  need of collecting rare stuff of bands I like, I would prefer this particular CD to be a bonus disk in a limited edition of “Horizons” that is about to take its place in stores around the end of October, as I heard.. Hindsight doesn’t last much, and if we think about all these fans about to buy two full-priced CD’s in such a short time, a release of Horizons in two (or even more, why not?) versions would have been a better idea.. On the other hand, the good about two different releases is that the band proves its activity, feeling good with being in the studio, willing to go on with what they do all these years without writing down stuff because a contract said so.. I m too anxious to listen to the new songs, those three songs uploaded were enough to have me counting the days.. Until then, Hindsight came to keep us warm and it did in a pretty nice way..
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\r\n“as ye sow, so shall ye weep..”
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\r\nStavrogiannopoulos Philippos  \r\n