In the comments section on this post (which was referring to this post and was pretty much my review of Thursday's Kill The House Lights DVD/CD) Keith left the following comment:
Yeah, so my response, which apparently you are waiting for according to your Twitter update.
Kill the House Lights has some great content. The first three songs are awesome and definitely showcase what Thursday is capable of. Other songs seem more like throwaway scraps on a mixing room floor. As Sketch for Time's Arrow is a really weak half-song. The other demo's and live versions are great, especially for fans, but I really don't think the rougher mixed versions of well-produced songs are going to win new fans or win back those disappointed by A City by the Light Divided.
The CD does give one hope that Thursday will be able to recover and continue to thrive as a a group. Returning to Victory is great because the band is freed from the shackles of corporate rock, but Thursday's success is not guaranteed.
I am still waiting until their next CD to determine if Thursday is still alive. Too many bands have a great CD or two, but the rest of their work is lackluster (e. g. Third Eye Blind). Kill the House Lights demonstrates Thursday's potential. Now Geoff and the band has to step up and release another solid album.
Of course Keith is mainly referring to what I said about the songs on Kill The House Lights which to recap was:
Ladies And Gentlemen: My Brother, The Failure: This is probably my favorite of the new songs, and is more like "old" Thursday!
Dead Songs: Another amazing new track... this stuff is great!
Voices On A String: This is another favorite of the new songs and is simply an outstanding display of Thursday's talents
Signals Over The Air (Live At Starland Ballroom): This was on the DVD too, and is probably better than their actual studio recording!
How Long Is The Night (Original Intro): The original intro is pretty cool, and if you're used to them jumping right into the lyrics - like I was - this will fool you a bit!
A Sketch For Time's Arrow: A nice acoustic song, a little different but good nonetheless
Panic On The Streets Of Health Care City: This was the song that Other Side Of The Crash in War All The Time came from
The Roar Of Far Off Black Jets: This is cool... some of the music from the menus in the DVD - really sweet!
Paris In Flames (Demo): It's Paris In Flames... it's a great song, what else needs to be said?
Telegraph Avenue Kiss (Rich Cotey Mix): An interesting version of Telegraph Avenue Kiss from A City By The Light Divided
Wind Up (Demo): Another great demo for another great song!
Music From Kill The House Lights (Demo): Some more of the music from the menus in the DVD - really cool too!
Kill The House Lights
Naturally the first three songs are the featured songs since they are new and unreleased before... however, even though most of the last 8 songs are live or demos or alternative versions of songs from their previous albums (albeit except "A Sketch For Time's Arrow" "The Roar Of Far Off Black Jets" and "Music From 'Kill The House Lights'") shouldn't be a major detractor from the main facts of what an awesome CD this is even by itself!
I must admit that Keith's ideas about "A Sketch For Time's Arrow" are pretty accurate... but that was included as simply a "sketch"... not a full demo... just some lyrics that Geoff had come up with for song they had done a little working on!
Anyone can see how Thursday could definitely work out those lyrics into a song of the same caliber as the first three songs on this CD or the heavier stuff that we all like from Thursday!
Now about the new songs, particularly the first three on this CD, one might try to argue - "Yeah, well those are just demos" - and try to play it off like they don't count for some reason....
Well in my honest opinion they are pretty darn good demos and that whoever says that is just looking for a reason to put down the CD!!!!
(I would have said another word for 'darn' because that's what I really think... but I'm trying to keep it clean)
Kill The House Lights
I really don't think the rougher mixed versions of well-produced songs are going to win new fans or win back those disappointed by A City by the Light Divided.
I'm assuming that Keith here is referring to "Panic On The Streets Of Health Care City" and "Telegraph Avenue Kiss (The Rich Costey Mix)" and perhaps also the original intro version of "How Long Is The Night."
Regarding "Panic On The Streets Of Health Care City" - which was a B-Side of War All The Time (and a couple parts became "Other Side Of The Crash") - I still think it's still a great track that pulls together some of the songs from Full Collapse and War All The Time. It offers an interesting continuity...
Which brings me to a point I want to make about so many people's disappointment in A City By The Light Divided...
... And that would be that A City By The Light Divided was an album they did for themselves as an end-cap of all their prior releases. And as Geoff put it, to them, it seemed like they were doing demos of their demos.
To me A City By The Light Divided definitely wasn't a great CD, but there were still some jewels in there, and perhaps can't entirely discredit it all... even though it was still pretty weak. At least they put something out and were working at it!
As for the Rich Costey Mix of "Telegraph Avenue Kiss" - I think it is a better mix than the one they actually put on A City By The Lights Divided and would rather listen to the Rich Costey Mix than the one on A City By The Lights Divided.
And about the original intro version of "How Long Is The Night" I really don't like the intro... but it's still a great song nonetheless!
Kill The House Lights
I don't even want to hear you say anything about the instrumentals they included as part of (or from) the DVD menus...
Because if I were to listen to an instrumental of any sort "The Roar Of Far Off Black Jets" and "Music From Kill The House Lights" would definitely be on top of my list!
Neither song is too slow, repetitive or brutal to listen to... which so many other bands have a tendency to do when they create instrumentals - and it sure ain't classical music either!
In either case this DVD/CD combo wasn't intended for Thursday to win over any new fans or formerly disappointed fans!
This release was intended for their current fans, even if they were disappointed; because the main feature in this release is their DVD biography of their first ten years.
Why would any new fan want that?
Kill The House Lights
And I believe that the CD is actually a bonus attached to the DVD – perhaps with the first few songs on the CD to perk any disappointed fan's interest back to Thursday!
Ok, so I've heard the argument that "This isn't recent stuff they've done?" particularly regarding the first three new songs on the CD.
Ok... let's say it isn't...
Still, this CD shows that Thursday is aware of what their market wants - and what it's interested in - by including all those demos and versions from so many great songs and albums.
Now, no one can be 100% about anything, but if that's true, then you'd think they would be producing more songs that are more like the great stuff from Full Collapse and War All The Time.
Though, no one will know for certain until they actually release their next CD of what they are really up to!
However, I still remain optimistic about Thursday and look forward to what they are going to put out next, now that A City By The Light Divided is out of their system and they've come to grips more with the happening-ons in their band... and hopefully their market!
"Keith... I chewed you to pieces and spat you out!!"
(You Got Served!)
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