What Jimmy P. Brown II thinks about the Deliverance discography?

This is a honest and very heartful post that Jimmy P. Brown II did inside a thread here at our dear forum few years ago, about every Deliverance album ('til The Subversive Kind). I think that would be cool to us read his thougths about your own legacy in a propious thread...

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I haven’t listened much to any of the material I’ve recorded over the last 3 decades... But, When preparing for shows, and trying to reinvent something, I thought it was important to do so finally... so, I will give you all my thoughts and summations on the body of work from my 34 year old baby called Deliverance...

Greetings of Death Demo -
I absolutely love this thing! It was us in raw form. No studio tricks, no gimmicks, it’s what we sounded like when you went to a show! Young, full of heart and just pure fun! 

Self Titled -
This is where the turtle wax was applied vigorously to the Greetings sound. But, it was still us. Just under the seasoned wings of veteran producer Bill Metoyer... What I enjoy most is what I think every “return to form” album attempt is missing. Aggression meets Melody! This album is a very important centerpiece for me, and it was nice to revisit it after so many years...

Weapons of our Warfare -
A phenomenon and enigma to me! I feel that the era, time and place factor, and lack of musical choices for thrashing young believers was thin. And this fit the bill quite nicely! It didn’t scare parents of teenagers with growls and grunts! You could actually discern the lyrics. It was a safe album to play at church, home, school and clubs! But, with the exception of a few songs, I don’t feel it is that strong of an effort... And, if you only knew the behind the scenes issues, and all the things that ultimately had to be handed over to Bill Metoyer to mix and fix, maybe it wouldn’t be hailed as much... None the less, as the majority writer of the album, I accept the praise and cheers just like anything else as graciously as I can... I just don’t see it as the album that deserves the most attention... But, I was the artist, not the record buyer... So who am I to judge?

What A Joke -
Meh... some strong songs, some incredibly stupid ideas, and a terrible production... Had it been released as an E.P. With only the strong non comical songs, I think it may have been a worthwhile listen... On a more personal note, I have to say my wrist was on fire for that album! The rhythms and riffs were probably my finest hour as far as that style of thrash playing goes...

Stay of Execution -
As an exploratory transitional album goes, I think it’s pretty cool... Some very cool moments! And some not so cool moments! It was a learning curve, and you can really tell I was trying to find something musically... But the digging had just begun... There are some wonderful songs on there though...

Learn -
I read a comment on this thread that said this album was “boring”... LMAO!!!
I couldn’t agree more... The search was continually happening for what I wanted and was hearing in my head, but just couldn’t quite realize it... The last two tracks are the standouts for me, primarily Sanctuary... 

River Disturbance-
Another on the Most Hated Lists of the D Catalog... However, my favorite above all of them... It had intense and amazing moments, the recording process was magical, and it was a moment in time that I’ll never forget... I loved recording that album more than anyone can know. And I think for an album that didn’t use any external EQ, only micing techniques and compression, it’s sonically amazing for 1994... The metal head that wanted heavy and fast just wasn’t going to appreciate this offering... I knew it then, and still see it now... Doesn’t matter though... This was an album I recorded for me as an artist... Not for the praise and cheers, but just for my and my mates to enjoy... I am very proud of this record to this very day... Always will be...

Camelot In Smithereens -
My first time at the helm of production. I was inexperienced! Had the tiniest budget ever known to a Deliverance album. All the sampling lawsuits were taxing the labels. And I wanted to make a concept album! In the end, it was destroyed, and I didn’t even care halfway through the recording anymore. The label had made its decree about all the samples, the book was denied, I didn’t have the musicians I wanted on the album except for Manny, and my vision had been trampled underfoot...
But the ReDux is going to fix all that...

Assimilation-
Never should’ve happened. I had a few good songs, but the situation was wrong, the production was wrong, the band was wrong, everything was wrong... And, it just should’ve never happened... Not then at least...

As Above So Below -
It was fun to work with Mike Phillips again... But overall, the album suffered from bad production and lack of coherency with the songs... But there are some cool moments on the album, and to be honest Mike Phillips did NOT receive the accolades he deserved for his work on that album. His solos were just perfect! 

Hear What I Say -
Manny came back, Jason Sherlock graciously accepted our invitation, Mike Phillips returned, and I was somewhere lost in the middle... it started out exactly where I wanted, then work got busier and busier, and what was supposed to be an enigmatic thrash album like with the first few songs, it just took a nose dive... Kinda sad really... But I do like the Maiden cover a lot... It was fun...

The Subversive Kind -
I agree with most of what has been said about this release.
1. Doesn’t sound like Deliverance. Correct, it doesn’t...
2. It wasn’t a return to the original sound. Correct. It really wasn’t as I had forgotten what the original sound of D was...
3. The writing was weak. Yep! I couldn’t agree more. My head just wasn’t there honestly. 
I do think that Jim, Victor, Glenn and myself made a great little E.P. It just wasn’t what was promised... A return to the old days of Deliverance... There were similarities, but it just wasn’t it...

Now, I want to say something without sounding like an arrogant prick. But Brian Khairullah and Chris Hyde if he were here can back me up on this statement! I have always been the. 90% writer if not 100%... I would use parts, also use full songs of others like “Temporary Insanity” music by Glenn Rogers, “Slay The Wicked”, Bought by Blood” music and lyrics by George Ochoa. 

So when I read statements like “Jimmy suffered from not having a writing partner on this or that album”, I take it as a bit of an insult. Deliverance was a band! And the guys who had the most stake claimed in it were Brian Khairullah and Chris Hyde in the early days, than Manny Morales in the latter days... But I have always been the principle songwriter, and never depended on anyone to help me except for my producer. And I’ve worked with some great producers; John and Dino Elefante, Bill Metoyer, George Ochoa and Terry Scott Taylor. I depended on them for their advice, arrangements, input, etc... So when I read statements like that, it just creams my corn...
Well, it was nice visiting with you all... I want to thank you all for the kind words on my solo efforts, Fearful Symmetry, Jupiter VI and Jimmy P. Brown II... They’re all my solo work, just used band names because I hate my name... LOL... But it’s much easier now to just go under my name...

Take care all, come by an visit me me whenever you have time...
Cheers,
JPBII

That’s an interesting read! It’s funny because I’ve always thought Weapons was far stronger than the debut—although I love the debut too. I also don’t think Stay of Execution has a single bad song on it. Fantastic album.

As I’ve said before, I don’t think The Big D has a bad album. One of the top 10 Christian metal bands of all time IMHBAO.

I generally agree with his remarks and have made similar ones over the years.
Definitely prefer the debut to "Weapons," enjoy "River Disturbance," found the production of "What A Joke" to be awful, etc.  

Where we differ the most is with "Learn."  I still really like "Learn."  
"Time" is a brilliant song, so are a few others.  Not sure why people don't like this album but whatever. 
Obviously I like it more than Jimmy does, but that's okay too.

Constantine wrote:I generally agree with his remarks and have made similar ones over the years.
Definitely prefer the debut to "Weapons," enjoy "River Disturbance," found the production of "What A Joke" to be awful, etc.  

Where we differ the most is with "Learn."  I still really like "Learn."  
"Time" is a brilliant song, so are a few others.  Not sure why people don't like this album but whatever. 
Obviously I like it more than Jimmy does, but that's okay too.

I would agree with you as well, but Ihaving more trouble getting into River Disturbance and yes I LOVE Learn. I personally love What  A Joke and think the production for a thrash album wasnt bad.

The riff work on Weapons is more compelling to me. The riffs on the debut are a little samey. (Still a great album).

Mostly agree though I really like HWIS and about half of Learn.

Black Rider wrote:Mostly agree though I really like HWIS and about half of Learn.

I like HWIS a lot too.

I red this when Jimmy himself posted it a while back.

As a die hard D fan, I try to read and watch all of the several interviews Jimmy has done over the years. I always addimire his sincere way of speaking things out, not to mention that it is always rich in details and there many funny moments.

I wish someone could make a compilation of these interviews and then, connect the points to form a timeline and then put it in a book. It would be a fun reading, absolutely.

Here is how I would rank Deliverance albums:

1- Weapons... (No one is closer, this is just perfect!)
2- What a Joke (besides the polemics and the skip tracks, the agressiveness in this album made it worthwhile. The track that bother me most is the Sabbath cover. Kind of misplaced, I guess)
3 - As Above - So Below (if were this album released in the early days of the band, it would've been considered classic)
4 - Deliverance (I love this album as much as many of you, but I believe the band has evolved after that, so there are better albums)
5 - Hear What I say (Though it varies from different styles during the album, I think this has aged well. Revisiting this album recently was a nice surprise)
6 - The Subversive Kind (I loved this when it came out, now I just think is very good, maybe 8 out of 10. Very solid album, tough)
7 - Learn (this album is sooooo good. Kind of dark and the bass on this album is astonishing)
8 - Camelot - Redux (completely different album, it was added new flavors to it, it worth a listen)
9 - Stay of Execution (it is good but not in the same level as the albums listed above IMHO)
10 - Camelot - Original - (I like half of the songs here)
11 - Assimilation - (I kind of enjoy some songs. I would be interested in see some rerecorded songs with a different mix, without eletronic parts, and some solos
12 - River Disturbance (sorry, I can't see nothing special going on on this album. I am not being rude, just my sincere opinion. I don't feel either love or hate for this album. It is ok, I guess).

Cool!!

Deliverance and Weapons are Thrash Pantheon albums.

What a Joke is very very good. I agree with Jimmy: the serious songs smoke.

Stay of Execution is an absolute masterpiece. It has held up very well.

The rest...just can't get into.