I'd say the big difference between those two songs is that "Holy Water" has that gorgeous, massive chorus that could fill a stadium and "Jenny" has a godawful flat anticlimax of a hook that completely ruins any momentum the song had going. but yes to everything you said as well
Also none of these songs are, in a technical sense, out of tune. You might find them grating. But they're on-key.
I always saw TBS as a cautionary tale for fans - be careful what you wish for. I love Shaun and John (love The Needles The Space) both as people and as musicians but I would agree that the records post-NA have been quite stale over all. Would have it been better if Fred came back? Who knows but one would hope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Every time I remember Andy Jackson was almost in TBS instead of Fazzi, I think of what a catchy album they would’ve probably made with him
I do agree Jenny’s chorus falls flat but I like the rest of the song enough to make up for it. I think Miami’s chorus is fantastic tho. It’s short and sweet and totally unique against the rest of their discog. Plus that little swooping guitar lick in the background is perfect. I think the run of C songs on NA is where it in general is lacking, ironically starting with Cut, but the following 3 are my bottom 3 on that record. They all kinda feel like the same song and none of them are very interesting.
It's between that, Swing, and EMG for me. And maybe New Again. But those are pretty much the only 4 from that album I revisit very often (As in, I listen to them once in a while and and not so much for the rest of the album lol). Every once in a while I'll listen to Summer Man or Capital M-E too.
Carpathia and EMG are two of my overall most played TBS songs. I used to love Swing, but now I find the chorus to be very boring and anti climatic
Everything Must Go Swing Summer Man Lonely Lonely Where My Mouth Is Carpathia Don't need anything else from this album
Carpathia Where My Mouth Is EMG Swing Summer Man Catholic Knees Capital M-E Cut Me Up Jenny New Again Sink Into Me Lonely Lonely
Are we ranking New Again songs? Okay! Cut Me Up Jenny Summer, Man Swing Lonely, Lonely Carpathia Catholic Knees Everything Must Go Capital M-E New Again Sink Into Me That’s right. Also; their b-side “Winter’s Passing” is goddamn incredible. I can understand why they left it off the record since it doesn’t really fit the overall vibe of the record but man... I wish they kept it in somehow. I would have ranked it very high up.
I can't resist rankings Everything Must Go Carpathia Where My Mouth Is Summer Man New Again Sink Into Me Swing Lonely Lonely Catholic Knees Capital ME Cut Me Up Jenny
I think the only reason EMG isn't #1 for me is because I wish they touched up the vocals in the chorus and bridge a bit more