Recorded from December 2004 and finished November 2005. A natural progression on the debut album with a blend of up tempo rock, grunge, groove, a little bit country and a tinge of folk. We love it...hope you do too.
TIDES 2 – reviewed by Steve
CUSTOM SHOP
The intro to end all intros….I love it every time I hear this track start! Mark has an uncanny knack of starting a song in a way that leaves you hankering for more. And, the “more” on this occasion, certainly doesn’t disappoint.
HOLLOW GROUND
”Twenty years gone by....would she still be there in that same old bar.....the tyranny of time cannot some things traverse.....the sense of loss, of what could have been.....the unknowable ponderings of an untaken road. The melancholy of reminiscing brings our protagonist to the riverside for a "spiritual" purging of an old memory...."the sunset's low on hollow ground"...our friend seeks the "unfinishable" closing of an unfinished chapter......The river is his companion - and from it he draws comfort in the knowledge that there really is no beginning or end.... His purging leads to a transformation from the song's early slow-paced melancholic grieving to a feel of reinvigorated optimism and energy building towards the songs conclusion. Grieving, sorrow, joy, enthusiasm are all interconnected aspects of the same everchanging whole. And it is from the wellsprings of this "whole" that Hollow Ground drinks a hearty toast to a bygone day. Great feel, impressive musicianship - building from simple percussion to full drums accompanied by a McCartney-esque bassline, guitar and a touch of mandolin - and a heartfelt vocal....Hollow Ground will, in years to come, be known as THE album track that fans of The Tides wish they'd written themselves.”
Amen.
SLAVE TO YOUR WORDS
Michelle comes to the microphone for a song she co-wrote with Neil. There is a defiant undertone of independence in this song. No one is going to hold this lady back! She’s on a mission to freedom and happiness…and nothing’s going to stop her!
BILLY & THE MOON
Another Neil/Allan song hits the spot in a Paul Kelly-esque fashion. Great guitar based feel, building to a hearty, infectious singalong piece. Love the percussion, the interesting melodic bassline and the introduction of colourful guitar licks towards the song’s conclusion. One of my personal faves.
DUNBAR
A familiar Tidal classic presented on the CD in the Bradman position of song order. Batting at number three*, Dunbar scores a regulation century. Good to see an old fave on the disc.
*Steve's pre-mastered copy had this song at No.3
THE RIVER
Real drums kick of this Allan track in a lively manner. This song has a great 70’s feel about it, especially when the harmonica kicks in. What diversity The Tides are displaying on their second release
FLATLANDER
So interesting is the title, I thought it warranted a wikipedia search…..
”Flatlander is a term used in Larry Niven's Known Space series, initially to describe one who has never left Earth. In later stories, it is apparently expanded to refer to anyone who has never traveled off their native world (but not for one who was born in a colony or space station, and never left it). The term comes from the fact that, from the surface, a planet seems flat. Other sci-fi writers have subsequently adapted the term for their own use.”
“He never ventured far from home” suggests that these Flatlanders certainly never left Earth. A very enjoyable narrative song. One for the late night, camp fire sessions.
JENNY MAYBE
Classy vocals on this opening track* set the scene for the long awaited Tides 2 CD. Michelle shows “how’ it’s done with this confident interpretation of an Neil/Allan original. Now I’m relaxed and primed….bring on the rest!
*Steve's pre-mastered copy had this song at No.1
SONG 3
A signature Neil bass riff paves the way for Mark to strut his musical talents with a stylishly crafted tapestry of sound in this instrumental. Great interweaving of percussive rhythms and guitars.
MILK & HONEY
The speakers are primed, the volume pumped....and the silky smooth ambience that is ‘Milk & Honey’ wafts gently through the room pacifying my 7 fellow cafetarians. Subdued vocals, the gentle lilting melody and the lonely guitar lead break soothe and sedate this cyber crowd into a sea of relaxation.....only to be abruptly awoken with the alternating left to right rhythmic guitar surge paving the way to the song's final conclusion. An artful, thoughtful piece of work.
SHE NEVER ONCE LOOKED AROUND (aka SNOLA)
Pop go The Tides! Did Katrina and the Waves ever sound this boppy? I think not! Here I sit with trains thundering over my head......Is an internet cafe under a city rail station the ideal place to review SNOLA? It matters not. What trains? I'm transfixed. "And she never once looked around...broke my heart and knocked me down...left me bleeding on the ground....." I think I know this girl. Wait a minute...isn't that her now....walking up the subway tunnel....."Hey SNOLA, is that you?" Damn....not even a look....not even an iddy biddy glance. Then again...why should that surprise me.....they don't call her the SNOLARAMA EXPRESS for nothing. Express to nowhere. Stopping no stations. That's my SNOLA.
I love this song! It is so upbeat, and full of life and energy….this should definitely be the first single! A hit!!
SLEEK
Sleek continues the Mark trend of laid back, mellowmania.....the line "she's built for gyration" may raise the odd eyebrow......but not enough to break the hypnotic spell that exudes from the total feel of soft harmonies, clean guitar, & the slow, but insistent beat. Another Tidal classic.