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Title: A rough start
Review: Sounding particularly shrill, Mike Scott is very much out front in this first Waterboys CD. All original songs work to this CD's disadvantage. There is no break from the band's worst faults, like bad poetry ("Old Spirit") and poor similes ("Your life is like an ocean," "Your love feels like trumpets" both from "Trumpets") that the occasional reworking of an Irish standard helps compensate for. There are some good tunes here, like the epic title track and "Don't Bang the Drum" with its passionate commentary about appreciating the beauty before you. But the overall effect is a band trying to find its way.
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