moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 1, 2017 15:56:11 GMT -5
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
So begins one of Scotland's great contributions to popular song, along with a great many others for a nation of 5.3 million. Yes - despite their affinity for the head-achey tone of bagpipes - I would argue Scotland has the highest quotient of great musical acts of any modern country. Over the next 52 weeks (hopefully), I will present my evidence in the form of album reviews covering Scotland's best - or at least most intriguing - music of the past 50 years. The forum has helped me cull the list to around 30 bands and I've developed a schedule as follows: every two weeks, I'll review a notable album by a different Scottish artist. On the alternate weeks, I'll call for either another suggested album to review by the same artist, or a 'wild card' chosen at random from the Wikipedia list of Scottish musicians. This means that I could end up listening to anything from the Bay City Rollers to Paolo Nutini ;-) For example, this week by popular demand, I'm reviewing Mogwai's first album to chart in the U.S., Happy Songs for Happy People. Next week, I'll cover Mogwai Young Team as suggested by rjfm. After that, I'm doing Momus's Don't Stop the Night. From there, it's up to you guys in the comments: got another Momus pick or do I take a spin on the Wee Wheel of Lesser-Loved Scottish Acts? My review format is cribbed from some of my fellow album reviewers: 1) Existing prejudices, if any 2) Track by track impressions 3) Overall thoughts 4) How good is it, on a scale from Bonny to Shite? 5) How Scottish is it, on scale from The Poet Burns to Fat Bastard? (this scale may change) Finally, I should note that I have no direct relationship with Scotland or Scottish people. I haven't been to Scotland and the only people I know of Scottish descent are Canadian. Since my family is from one of the parts of India that wasn't under British administration, I've always retained a bit of cultural affinity with the British, albeit with sensitivity to how shitty the Empire treated its subjects. Based on the same pop culture exposure to Scotland everyone else has (Trainspotting, Groundskeeper Willie, MacBeth, etc.) Scotland seems pretty cool. Gotta love people who can pRopeRly Roll their Rs. And their music is top notch, as you will see...
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 1, 2017 17:04:21 GMT -5
Mogwai – Happy Songs for Happy People (2003) Background (per Wikipedia): Happy Songs for Happy People is the fourth full-length studio album by Mogwai. It represents a further evolution of Mogwai's toned down, more electronic sound: all songs are based on electric guitars and live drums, but synthesizers are used frequently and often take the main stage on this album, with strings and piano also making the occasional appearance. Mogwai's usual vocalist Stuart Braithwaite does not sing on this album at all. Barry Burns ("Hunted by a Freak", "Killing All the Flies") and John Cummings ("Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep") accept vocal duties, however nearly all the vocals are heavily processed and incomprehensible. It was the first Mogwai album to appear in the US charts, spending one week on the Billboard 200 at #182. Existing prejudices: Mogwai hit the scene in the mid-90s, right around the time I started reading imported music magazines (then available at Borders) and developing 'taste' beyond whatever my friends were listening to. Frankly, I was too young to 'get' Mogwai. The odd song that I heard on the CD compilations you get with Select or NME did not stir my adolescent heart. Track by track impressions:1. Hunted By a Freak – This sounds like Air, but noisier and more shoegazey. I cannot make out the vocals. Am I supposed to? A good start in any case. 2. Moses_ I Amn't – Droning. This does not seem to be going anywhere… 3. Kids Will Be Skeletons – More drone, but this builds into a fuller 'song'. I like the organ touches and the squeaky reverb effect in the background that kind of sounds like seagulls. This conjures and image of the seaside for me. 4. Killing All The Flies – Sounds like their contemporaries, Sigur Ros. Was this a single? 5. Boring Machines Disturbs Sleep – Huh? I completely missed this upon first listen. On second listen, it's....some chords...okay... 6. Ratts Of The Capital – Peaceful post-rock that builds to a crescendo and then expands in every direction. It kind of reminds me of the latest MONO record. 7. Golden Porsche – Being somewhat bored by this track, I began to read the Youtube comments from this album. Apparently Mogwai got in a feud with Metallica after saying Lars Ulrich is a bad drummer. In response, a gentleman (surely) called slaxxxer has suggested that these "exponents of elevator music" were in no position to judge. Personally, I can understand having beef with Lars Ulrich because he's an asshole, but not because his drumming is bad. And indeed, a post-rock band with minimal percussion is probably in no position to judge. 8. I Know You Are But What Am I? – What’s that I hear? Some sort of steady backbeat? I like the chiming balanced with the bit of percussion. This will remind people of the theme to House (aka "Teardrop" which came out 5 years earlier). 9. Stop Coming To My House – I like this. This is how you do noise - with a sense of direction or a destination. I like the processed strings and the little five-note coda (picked up from earlier in the song). Overall thoughts: This is some good ambient space rock, for when one is inclined to enjoy such things (probably while high or falling asleep). But post-rock as a genre is something I tend to enjoy on an intellectual level without much emotional connection. Maybe I need to start taking drugs... How Good Is It? Aye, 'tis a bonny collection. How Scottish Is It? On a scale of Fat Bastard to The Poet Burns, it's neutral - let's say it's James McAvoy.
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Post by rimjobflashmob on Jan 1, 2017 18:55:33 GMT -5
Happy Songs... is one of those Mogwai albums I respect more than I really enjoy. I don't know if I "get" it as much as Young Team though, which is hands-down one of the best albums ever recorded. But more on that later!
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monodrone
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Post by monodrone on Jan 4, 2017 12:28:02 GMT -5
Mogwai? Like the thing out of Gremlins? Haha, ok. Strange name for a band but ok. Ha.
The first Mogwai song I heard was Glasgow Mega-Snake and in retrospect that was a bad place to start because it set certain expectations that were not met when I subsequently bought and listened to Mr Beast, the album from which it hails. Happy Songs For Happy People is full of the things that left me feeling tepid towards the band - I can't say that I dislike it but there's nothing there that grabs me by the scruff of the neck and demands that I listen again. There's plenty of subtlety and artistry going on which I'm all for but when I'm listening to post-rock, as I'm prone to do, I need an element of chaos at the end of those controlled build ups to keep me interested. That isn't something I get from this album. I'll give Young Team a go, all the same.
I liked Ratts of the Capital though. That was good.
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Post by rimjobflashmob on Jan 4, 2017 21:11:58 GMT -5
Mogwai? Like the thing out of Gremlins? Haha, ok. Strange name for a band but ok. Ha. The first Mogwai song I heard was Glasgow Mega-Snake and in retrospect that was a bad place to start because it set certain expectations that were not met when I subsequently bought and listened to Mr Beast, the album from which it hails. Happy Songs For Happy People is full of the things that left me feeling tepid towards the band - I can't say that I dislike it but there's nothing there that grabs me by the scruff of the neck and demands that I listen again. There's plenty of subtlety and artistry going on which I'm all for but when I'm listening to post-rock, as I'm prone to do, I need an element of chaos at the end of those controlled build ups to keep me interested. That isn't something I get from this album. I'll give Young Team a go, all the same. I liked Ratts of the Capital though. That was good. If you only listen to one Mogwai song in your life, it needs to be "Mogwai Fear Satan."
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monodrone
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Post by monodrone on Jan 5, 2017 6:36:40 GMT -5
Mogwai? Like the thing out of Gremlins? Haha, ok. Strange name for a band but ok. Ha. The first Mogwai song I heard was Glasgow Mega-Snake and in retrospect that was a bad place to start because it set certain expectations that were not met when I subsequently bought and listened to Mr Beast, the album from which it hails. Happy Songs For Happy People is full of the things that left me feeling tepid towards the band - I can't say that I dislike it but there's nothing there that grabs me by the scruff of the neck and demands that I listen again. There's plenty of subtlety and artistry going on which I'm all for but when I'm listening to post-rock, as I'm prone to do, I need an element of chaos at the end of those controlled build ups to keep me interested. That isn't something I get from this album. I'll give Young Team a go, all the same. I liked Ratts of the Capital though. That was good. If you only listen to one Mogwai song in your life, it needs to be "Mogwai Fear Satan." Too late for that, obviously, but I look forward to getting to it as part of the Young Team listen through. One thing I've always appreciated about Mogwai is the members' tendency to be Wee Cheeky Bastards, the fight with Lars Ulrich is a good example of that. They love a bit of beef and I'm all for bands being happy to beef. They also named a song on the Les Revenants soundtrack after a sketch from a particularly Scottish comedy series, Limmy's Show, which I heartily recommend to people who like to laugh:
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 7, 2017 17:27:36 GMT -5
Mogwai - Mogwai Young Team (1997)Background: Mogwai's debut album is largely instrumental, with one notable exception ("R U Still in 2 It", which features vocals from Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap). Many songs feature recordings of various individuals speaking, whether over the phone ("Tracy"), reading ("Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home"), or just rambling ("Katrien"). Mogwai Young Team was listed at #97 on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1990s. A 'young team' is a gang specific to an area of Glasgow. The band took up pseudonyms for the liner notes on the album: Stuart Braithwaite was dubbed pLasmatroN. John Cummings took the nickname Cpt. Meat after his obsession for eating chops. Martin Bulloch adopted the alias bionic because of his heart pacemaker. Dominic Aitchison chose the name DEMONIC because of his childhood fear and nightmares of Lucifer, which would also inspire the album's end song Mogwai Fear Satan. Brendan O'Hare, who was the oldest of the group by six years at 27 and had already been in several recording bands, was named +the relic+. Existing prejudices: see above Track by track impressions:1. Yes! I Am a Long Way from Home – I’ve definitely heard this before, but this kind of delicate noodling is not something I would have latched onto as a teenager. I like the quiet/loud dynamic. 2. Like Herod – The drumming is outstanding, so maybe they have legitimate beef with Lars Ulrich. This one lulls you into complacency and then pummels you repeatedly. Incidentally, what is it with noise bands and the Old Testament/Ancient Babylon? Here we have Herod, the Pixies had "Nimrod's Son", there's the Japanese band Gilgamesh, I'm sure I'm missing some others... 3. Katrien – That moaning sound in the background is creeping me out, but I like the Krautrock-ish repetition at the end. 4. Radar Maker – A nice, piano-led change of pace. A palatte cleanser. I like the way it rewinds (?) at the end. 5. Tracy – This one is also quite pretty and atmospheric. I don't know if we needed to hear that phone conversation halfway through, though. 6. Summer (Priority Version) – Back to the quiet/loud. This one puts up a thick wall of fuzz between gentle rhythm sections. 7. With Portfolio – I don’t know what this noise even is, but it’s mesmerizing. Propellers of some sort? This is some musique concrète shit going on. Very cool. 8. R U Still in 2 It – I’m not sure if the singing on this is necessary. It kind of reminds me of Luna or some other 'slowcore'. At the very least, this provides solid evidence that they are in fact Scottish. 9. A Cheery Wave from Stranded Youngsters – The high-hat gives this a jazzy, trip hop feel that I really like. This might be my favorite on the album. Again, their drummer shows remarkable range. 10. Mogwai Fear Satan – This song is a ride, a tour de force. You could easily make a dance mix of it, which is crazy. The flute section comes out of nowhere but it fits perfectly. Overall thoughts: I get this. This isn't space rock so much as peak post-rock. The vocal interludes are an interesting touch because they remind you of the prosaic human origin of the otherworldly sounds produced. How good is it? It's beyond bonny; it's the dog's bollocks. How Scottish is it? This is a proper Ewan McGregor.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 15, 2017 14:00:47 GMT -5
Momus – Don’t Stop the Night (1989)Background: Nicholas Currie, more popularly known under the artist name Momus (after the Greek god of mockery), is a Scottish songwriter, author, blogger and former journalist for Wired. For nearly thirty years he has been releasing, to marginal commercial and critical success, albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. Momus began by recording post-punk material with ex-members of Josef K in a group called The Happy Family in the early 1980s and was associated with the musicians around Postcard Records (although he never recorded for that label). In 1987, when he lived in London, he signed to Creation Records and began to record the hyper-literate, quirky pop songs for which he is best known. A trio of albums, The Poison Boyfriend, Tender Pervert and Don't Stop The Night, blended accessible dance-pop with such heavy lyrical themes as pedophilia, necrophilia and adultery. The latter album almost yielded a hit in the UK with "The Hairstyle of the Devil" which peaked at No. 94 in the UK Singles Charts in May 1989, and was a local hit, coming in at #32 on a year-end list, at San Francisco's KITS Live 105 radio station. He signed to Cherry Red and moved to Paris and later to Osaka, where he collaborated with Japanese artists such as Kahimi Karie. He has been sued twice. The first time was from Michelin UK, for the song "Michelin Man", which compared the mascot to a blow-up doll, on Hippopotamomus (1991). He was sued by Wendy Carlos for the song "Walter Carlos" (which postulated that the post-sexual reassignment surgery Wendy could travel back in time to marry her pre-surgery self, Walter) on The Little Red Songbook (1998). The case was settled out of court for a fee of $30,000, withdrawal of the song, agreement not to use Carlos' name for any purpose, and payment of damages and attorney's fees to Carlos. To pay off the debt, Momus wrote 30 songs, one about each person or group who commissioned a song for $1,000, compiling Stars Forever (1999). Patrons included Jeff Koons, Cornelius, the Minty Fresh record label, New York’s Other Music, Chicago’s Reckless Records, and winners of Momus’s Karaoke Parody Contest. In 2006, he was a featured artist in the Whitney Biennial in New York City, serving as an "unreliable tour guide" to visitors of the exhibition. Momus said in 1991 that "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen people", which has evolved into a meme. Momus has published several books. The Book of Jokes and The Book of Scotlands have received positive reviews in the LA Times and the Guardian. The Book of Scotlands (Sternberg Press) was shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Council's First Book prize. In December 1997, he contracted acanthamoeba keratitis in his right eye due to a contact lens mishap sustained whilst on holiday in Greece, causing loss of vision on that side. Although his sight subsequently improved following surgery, he has suffered lingering effects from the infection since, causing him to often be photographed in an eyepatch, very dark glasses, or squinting. Existing prejudices: As a big fan of J-pop and Shibuya-kei back in the late 90s, I knew Momus as some sort of European cult figure venerated by the likes of Cornelius and Hideki Kaji. I had no idea he was a living Wes Anderson character. I liked the songs he produced for Kahimi Karie, but I must have assumed his work was more of the same, and as I was losing interest in late 90s chamber pop, I simply forgot about him. I never even knew he was Scottish until I started researching for this thread. Track-by-track impressions:
1. Trust Me I’m a Doctor – Hyper-literate dance pop like Pet Shop Boys or Holiday-era Magnetic Fields with dramatic guitar stabs. His voice is a bit fey and has a limited range to match singers like Serge Gainsbourg & Jacques Brel, to which he is clearly indebted. This is really, really well-produced. Best line: TIE “you suffer from a rare form of attractiveness” & “Trust me when your boyfriends jealously accuse me of malpractice” 2. Righthand Heart – Airy funk, like Skeletal Lamping-era Of Montreal with some monotone rapping in the vein of Brian Eno in “Dead Finks Don’t Talk”. It’s all very cute and too-clever-by-half. I suspect this influenced later Belle & Sebastian in ways I never realized. Best line: “He dressed like a lawyer but he sexed real good” 3. Lord of the Dance – The high harmonies and general danceability remind me of Hot Chip. I love the stabs of phat bass. I’d love to find a remix of this from the era. Best line: “Jesus Christ is a disco diva, She has come to set you free” 4. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous – Definitely faithful to its 80s source material, both in sound and in namechecking the likes of Bret Easton Ellis and Stock Aitken Waterman. I could see this on the soundtrack for a Japanese OVA from the era. The casio-tone production on this puts modern chiptune efforts to shame. Best line: “Invites from every arty fashion victim to every warehouse party” 5. How Do You Find My Sister? – The hip hop beat here is…surprisingly legit. This predates Beck’s “Loser” by four years, which is remarkable. And just when I think the song is going on too long, it gets intriguingly explicit with the line “kneel before me, kiss it, call me sir”. Best line: “I once caught her sitting naked on top of Henry Kissinger, Take my word or take this Polaroid picture” 6. The Hairstyle of the Devil – This is the ‘hit’ and I can see why. If you like the Pet Shop Boys, you will like this. There’s even a little callback to “Sympathy for the Devil” that I’m shocked he was never sued over. Best line: “does he please you in the sack? (shut up, don’t answer back!)” 7. Don’t Stop the Night – Oh shit, this song samples Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” which SLAYS forever and always. And yet it has enough of a twist, enough ‘value added’, that I’ll allow it. After reading Simon Reynolds’ Retromania, I have concluded that the difference between a musical rip-off (bad) and influence/homage (good) is whether the end product is at least as good or better than the sum of its parts. Therefore, when M83 takes Tangerine Dream x Bryan Adams to make “Kim & Jessie” that’s genius; when the 1975 takes Duran Duran x David Bowie to make “Love Me” it’s shit. Turning trash to treasure is art; claiming treasure as your own work is theft. Ripping off Bowie is like having Michael Jackson sing the hook of your song, you bunch of Rockwells. But enough about the shittiness of the 1975…Best line: “this pain in my neck that wrecks any chance of a semi-acceptable sex technique.” 8. Amongst Women Only – Louche and sexy. I suppose there is a tradition of explicit dance music from “Love to Love You Baby” to “…face down, ass up…” but this still strikes me as a little, um, cheeky. I’m pretty sure that’s some real self-pleasuring he recorded. I’m enjoying it though. It’s a nice tune and well-observed. Best line: “"I could go on for hours ....." 9. The Guitar Lesson – Fucking creepy. When Morrissey wrote songs like “Reel Around the Fountain” or “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” early on, I always assumed he was working through some experience of his (having read his autobiography and knowing the stigma men face as survivors of sexual abuse, I still think something might have happened to him). But here, Momus identifies the victim as female and takes the persona of the abuser, which just makes me queasy. Although the song doesn’t make light of the subject, I still don’t understand why you’d even try to make a song about this. I guess this is Art because it’s provocative. I am having lots of uneasy and unpleasant thoughts about men now…is this something that men relate to on some level? 10. The Cabriolet – An evocative title for an evocative song. This reminds me of Tigermilk-era Belle & Sebastian, before Stuart David went off to form Looper. Best line: In the sudden shock of silence, with the morning star above you / Lying bizarre in the wreck of my car.....I love you” 11. Shaftsbury Avenue – You could put this out as a single today and it would be big on the blogs. There are lots of cool ideas here and I like the deconstructive approach. It reminds me a bit of Patrick Wolf’s electro period. Best line: ” Sophisticated sister, so much better at life than me” General impressions: Per one of Momus’ many fan sites, he considered this his darkest album to date and that certainly comes across. He takes things much further than the wry observation of the Pet Shop Boys or the black humor of Magnetic Fields. I mean, Jarvis Cocker sounds sweet and chaste by comparison. Plus there’s his vocal limitations. Sounding like Stuart Murdoch’s effete, pervy cousin and pronouncing sexual as “sek-sue-al” probably turns a lot of people off. But is that the point? (Fun fact: Momus is the actual cousin of Del Amitri’s singer and main songwriter Justin Currie, but there’s nothing on here as sunny as “Roll To Me”) Otherwise, based on the strength of songwriting and production, one might expect this to be more popular among indie music fans. At several points, I marveled at how ahead of its time this album is. How good is it? It’s very good, but also challenging. Bonny doesn’t seem the word. How Scottish is it? Not very. Lots of London and continental influence, with a touch of hip hop. It’s Deborah Kerr in Tea & Sympathy or the edgier roles of Julianne Moore. Up next: Your pick! I can explore Momus’s mischief in the late nineties, pick up his latest, post-Brexit release, or pick an artist at random. Let me know which Momus album intrigues you or reply with a number between 1 and 44. Here’s a bit of lobbying to inform your decision:
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on Jan 15, 2017 17:22:19 GMT -5
I beg you to consider doing the Fratellis. They're one of those bands whose music manages to be more famous than themselves, and also one of those bands that sounds Celtic in an unspecific way.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 29, 2017 1:16:57 GMT -5
Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows (as suggested by Monodrone) Background: Idlewild, named after the quiet meeting place in Anne of Green Gables, formed in December 1995 in Edinburgh, Scotland when a 19-year-old Roddy Woomble met drummer Colin Newton at a party. The band's debut single "Queen of the Troubled Teens" was released in 1997 and built upon the chaotic reputation of their shows. 100 Broken Windows is their second album, recorded between 1999-2000 with producer Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers) and sound engineer/Shellac bassist Bob Weston. 100 Broken Windows reached silver status in the UK and the band went on tour in Europe and North America. Singles released from the album include: "Little Discourage","These Wooden Ideas", and "Roseability". Spin named 100 Broken Windows the "number one album you didn't hear in 2000" and readers of The Skinny magazine in Scotland would retrospectively vote 100 Broken Windows 'The Scottish Album of the Decade' in December 2009. Existing Prejudices: Idlewild is another band that I probably heard on a UK music mag compilation and/or read about in Q. I honestly know nothing about them. Are they jangly? Track-by-track ImpressionsLittle Discourage - Stipey. Did they tell the singer to sing exactly like Michael Stipe? I'm not sure the loud/quiet/loud template is working here. It's okay I guess. I Don't Have the Map - This has some muscular bass and a nice build to the chorus. I don't understand what he's yelling about at the end, though. These Wooden Ideas - A late 90s song about postmodernism. I don't know how I feel about that. The keyboards are an interesting choice, though. I like this. Roseability - Pretty sure I've heard this before. Again, I don't know what he's talking about, though. The only definition I get for 'roseability' is "a song by Scottish indie rock band Idlewild." I wonder if I'd understand better if I read Gertrude Stein. The backing vocals are a nice break from the lead singer, whose voice is a bit (intentionally?) flat. Idea Track - It starts out promising: kind of 'baggy' and psychedelic, alternating with power chord blasts. The chorus pays off too. Reminds me of Blur's " Oily Water" (from Modern Life is Rubbish). Let Me Sleep (Next to the Mirror) - If this had been a single, I would have liked it as a teenager. There's a nice little tune nestled in an unnecessary layer of grunge. Listen to What You've Got - Starts out sounding like Ash, which is always a good thing. It's just a touch too slow, though. Compare. The gutteral yelps toward the end were pretty cool though. Actually It's Darkness - This sounds like a third rate blur ripoff. And what is this chorus? Kind of a mess. Rusty - There are some interesting 'heavy' ideas here, but I feel like Hum did it better. Here, the yelps don't really work. Mistake Pageant - Catchy in a Westerbergian way. Nice harmonies on the chorus (and the chorus actually makes sense). There's even a nice little bridge. I really like this one. It should have been a single. Quiet Crown - This one never really gets off the ground, despite some interesting instrumentation. The main chorus is weak and then there's a secondary chorus, which just confuses me. The Bronze Medal - The tune is okay, but if you're going to do something downtempo and introspective, it needs to have better lyrics than this. General Impressions: This album has a lot of the trappings of the Better-than-Ezra era of 90's alt-rock. It's overproduced and underwritten, with elliptical lyrics that almost sound like they mean something if you don't think too hard. The singles have some charm, though. How good is it? It's fine for its time - the Scottish equivalent of a Better Than Ezra or Buffalo Tom. How Scottish is it? Not. Very. It's Neve Campbell. I skipped last week because I was traveling and didn't get a suggestion on Momus or a random pick (the Fratellis have been added to the regular bi-weekly schedule). So shall I give Idlewild another try? Or please give me a random number 1-44 for next week.
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Post by rimjobflashmob on Jan 29, 2017 9:12:04 GMT -5
How Scottish is it? Not. Very. It's Neve Campbell. *spit take* I've only ever heard The Remote Part by these guys, which I dug for a little while in junior high, but it didn't leave any lasting impressions. Kind of telling that the first two results in a google search for Idlewild is a film and an Outkast album.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Jan 29, 2017 9:29:48 GMT -5
*raises hand*
When are we getting Big Country?
(You might hate them. I'm prepared for that. If I have to pick an album for you, go with The Crossing.)
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 29, 2017 11:29:38 GMT -5
*raises hand* When are we getting Big Country? (You might hate them. I'm prepared for that. If I have to pick an album for you, go with The Crossing.) It's the next scheduled post, for the 12th of February. I was planning to do The Crossing and then I assume you'll have another pick for me :-) After that it's Simple Minds, one of my favorite Scottish bands of all time. I'll do Once Upon a Time. Any further suggestions there?
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Jan 29, 2017 11:56:32 GMT -5
*raises hand* When are we getting Big Country? (You might hate them. I'm prepared for that. If I have to pick an album for you, go with The Crossing.) It's the next scheduled post, for the 12th of February. I was planning to do The Crossing and then I assume you'll have another pick for me :-) After that it's Simple Minds, one of my favorite Scottish bands of all time. I'll do Once Upon a Time. Any further suggestions there? Good, good. Another Big Country pick ... might as well go with Steeltown, as that and The Crossing represent their two best. And as for Simple Minds, it's got to be the earlier stuff, when they were arty and angular. Empires And Dance, I would say.
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Post by Desert Dweller on Jan 29, 2017 23:26:07 GMT -5
I used a random number generator and it gave me 28. So, if you are still looking for a number, I'll pick 28.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 29, 2017 23:57:15 GMT -5
I used a random number generator and it gave me 28. So, if you are still looking for a number, I'll pick 28. Oh how exciting! Coming in at #28 on the Wee Wheel of Lesser-Loved Scottish Acts is....Looper! The Indie/Electronic band fronted by former Belle and Sebastian bassist Stuart David! So here's a taste of next week:
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Post by Desert Dweller on Jan 30, 2017 0:06:26 GMT -5
Hmmmmm. It's okay. Not very Scottish. Look forward to hearing the rest.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Jan 30, 2017 5:43:55 GMT -5
Big Country's The Crossing is super Scottish. More Scottish than is safe, really - despite none of the band members actually being born there.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Feb 4, 2017 23:52:41 GMT -5
RANDOM PICK: Looper - The GeometridBackground: Looper are a Scottish Indie/Electronic band fronted by former Belle and Sebastian bassist Stuart David. The Geometrid is their second album. It was released on Jeepster Records in Europe, and on Sub Pop in the US and Canada. Two tracks from the album ("Mondo '77" and "My Robot") appeared on the soundtrack for Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky. Existing Prejudices: Looper came out around the time I was really getting into Belle & Sebastian. They had a lot of buzz, so naturally I went to see them when they performed at the Metro sometime in the late 90s. After the show, I bought a navy blue Looper T-shirt with a very cool design (to better signal my cool, with-it-ness to my fellow teenagers), along with this album. I recall liking about half of it and selling it at Dr. Wax (RIP) after a couple years. Track-by-track ImpressionsMondo '77 - This sampledelic instrumental holds up pretty well, although once it was used for an anti-drug PSA, it felt uncool. On the Flipside - Here, Stuart David sounds a lot like the lead singer of the Clientele (the wonderfully named Alasdair MacLean). It's a nice use of the indie pop template with a harmonica-tone melody. Modem Song - Wow, modems. They're such a fixture of modern life this seems positively quaint. I like this, though, it reminds me of Folk Implosion. Uncle Ray – Ugh, this f*ing song. This earworm will send me running from the room. The clinky metallic beat should be repurposed for something less annoying, if it hasn't been already. PuddleMonkey - Just a little :26 interstitial of guitar-riffage, moog work, and tambourine. Refreshing. These Things – As I recall, this is the best song on the album - the one that made me think Looper might have some staying power. It's a pretty indie pop tune, but there's also a lot of novel orchestration here that later artists like Jens Lekman and Kishi Bashi would build their careers on. Bug Rain - This is some decent post-acid-house but it doesn't really go anywhere or build up to anything. My Robot – Same idea as "Modem Song". I guess I like this one better because it has more of a tune and a nice murky bassline. Tomorrow's World - This has a similar tone to the Notwist. I like the fuzz, but again, doesn't go anywhere. Money Hair - This starts out sounding like Belle & Sebastian in the verses before giving way to a more conventional chorus. It's okay. Conventional. No idea what it's about, though. Overall thoughts: This album is very much of its time, predicting The Avalanches, RJD2, Caribou, et al. along with the whole indie electronica genre. How Good Is It? Actually, better than I remembered. How Scottish Is It? It's twee electronica. So that makes it maybe Karen Gillan?
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on Feb 7, 2017 14:19:14 GMT -5
Liked for Karen Gillan and Karen Gillan's legs.
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Post by rimjobflashmob on Feb 7, 2017 18:46:22 GMT -5
Man, I remember Looper. Mostly for "Burning Flies" as I only had my dad's copy of Up a Tree in high school. Telling that my favorite track on that album was the sub-two minute intro track "The Treehouse." I think their failing was their inability to expand past their namesake, spending most of their time very comfortably leaving their loops unmanipulated.
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Post by moimoi on Feb 11, 2017 15:54:46 GMT -5
[cue bagpipes] Big Country - The Crossing (as suggested by Dellarigg) Background: Big Country is a Scottish rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early 1980s, although it retained a cult following for many years after. The band's music was most recognizable for the sounds it infused with Scottish folk and martial music styles, as well as for playing and engineering their guitar driven sound to evoke the inspirational spirit of bagpipes, fiddles and other traditional folk instruments. Big Country comprised Stuart Adamson (formerly of Skids, vocals/guitar/keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar/mandolin/sitar/vocals), Tony Butler (bass guitar/vocals) and Mark Brzezicki (drums/percussion/vocals). Before the recruitment of Butler and Brzezicki an early incarnation of Big Country was a five-piece band, featuring Peter Wishart (later of Runrig and now an SNP MP) on keyboards, his brother Alan on bass, and Clive Parker, drummer from Spizz Energi/Athletico Spizz '80. Big Country's first single was "Harvest Home", recorded and released in 1982. It was a modest success, although it did not reach the official UK Singles Chart.[2] Their next single was 1983's "Fields Of Fire (400 Miles)", which reached the UK's Top Ten and was rapidly followed by the album The Crossing. The album reached #3 in the UK; overseas, it hit #4 in Canada on the RPM national Top Albums Chart and #18 in the US on the Billboard 200 in 1983. It went on to be certified platinum in the UK and Canada. It contains the song "In a Big Country" which is their only U.S. Top 40 hit single. The song featured heavily engineered guitar playing, strongly reminiscent of bagpipes; Adamson and fellow guitarist Watson achieved this through the use of the MXR Pitch Transposer 129 Guitar Effect. Also contributing to the band's unique sound was their use of the e-bow, a device which allows a guitar to sound more like strings or synthesizer. The Crossing sold over a million copies in the UK and obtained gold record status (sales of over 500,000) in the US. The band also performed on both the Grammy Awards and Saturday Night Live. Existing Prejudices: They're the ones that sing "IN A BIG COUNTRY - DREAMS STAY WITH YOU - LIKE A LOVER'S VOICE 'CROSS THE MOUNTAINSIIIDE - STAY ALIIIVE" (naw-naw naw, naw-naw naw, naw-naw naw-NAW naw) Track-by-track Impressions 1. In a Big Country - Shah! let the awesomeness begin...with a really long drum intro that I don't remember from the radio edit. I was in a bad mood until I started listening to this, but this is some really masterful jangle. One thing that nags at me: It makes sense to sing about big country dreams when you’re in a big country (like the U.S.), but I never thought of Scotland as a big country. Is he saying leave Scotland for the big country? Also, while the harmonized vocals are nice, it leads me to wonder if either of these guys can actually carry a tune. The vocals are really low in the mix (also there’s so much going on in the mix: bagpipe-guitars, dual guitars, various drum effects) Shah! 2. Inwards - The intro sounds like early goth and I love early goth. If anything, this suffers from a surfeit of good ideas – it’s a little busy in the manner of Wolf Parade, a band I greatly admire from decades later. What I'm saying is this really holds up. 3. Chance – I hear a nice chiming riff, but the lyrics seem too portentous for such a plucky little track. 4. 1000 Stars - This sounds like a reworking of "In a Big Country" without the monster chorus, but it's still quite good. I might even like the guitar effects and varied drumming better. This also sounds like inspiration for Wolf Parade circa Apologies to the Queen Mary. 5. The Storm - Vaguely Celtic in a Dexy's Midnight Runners sort of way (fun fact - none of them were Irish, just as only one member of BC is Scottish!). While I like the chorus, bridge, intro, and outro, this one meanders in the verses and just goes on too long. The backing vocals are a nice touch though. 6. Harvest Home - Apparently this was their debut single, and it has big 80s pop riffs to prove it, along with some martial drumming. If I were a college radio DJ circa '84, this would be my go-to. 7. Lost Patrol - It starts out Duranny with the heavy bass, keyboards, and sax, but I dunno about Adamson's voice here. He's no Bono, you know? More like a notch below Dave Wakeling (The English Beat) or a notch above Colin Hay (Men At Work). 8. Close Action - I'm getting a little bored with the guitars-as-bagpipes sound and stadium rock lyrics (ex. "I'll carry you home"). Whenever a band starts singing about torches and fire - you know, U2 stuff - I start to check out. The drummer is doing his bit, though, with some interesting clatter. 9. Fields of Fire - I love the opening bass riff, which I thought might take this in a New Order direction, but instead I'm hearing more than a little "Should I Stay or Should I Go?". In fact, if BAD-era Mick Jones had a hand in this, I would not be surprised. I like Adamson's exuberance here, even if his voice isn't the greatest. 10. Porrohman - Is this an instrumental? Ah no, that's just another dreamy intro. This track doesn't sound dated in the least. In fact, it reminds me of BC's hugely underrated contemporary Vini Reilly (aka Durutti Column, most recently heard on Master of None). Overall thoughts: Big Country's sound is baroque in the true sense of being "characterized by ornate detail" and pattern-mixing. I was expecting a lot of cheesy 80s production, but this is quite the opposite. I'm grateful to Dellarigg for persisting in his mad folly to get Big Country some recognition on this forum. That's two in the win column (the other being Cat's Eyes) for you, sir. How Good Is It? It's as bonny as "the sun in WINTERTIIIME - In a..." How Scottish Is It? It's distinctly Scottish, but so much more. It's our dear David Tennant.
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 11, 2017 16:09:34 GMT -5
Thoughts to follow in the morning ...
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 12, 2017 5:09:21 GMT -5
This is a fair and incisive write-up, one I enjoyed reading and much kinder than I thought it was going to be, so thanks moimoi . I really have no quibbles with any of it, though I would say that increasingly familiarity with the album might reveal the charms of the absolutely gorgeous Close Action and fan-favourite Chance (probably in their top 10 songs). Also, where are you hearing a sax on Lost Patrol? An interesting side note on their sound: they decided, at least for their first few years, that they would write songs as though the root of rock n' roll was Celtic folk music, rather than the blues. So no bent notes, no solos based on blues scales, lots of drone notes to add to the bagpipe effect. The twin guitar approach was influenced by Thin Lizzy. This sound, of course, was a blessing and a curse. With minor tweaks it got them through their first three (of eight!) albums, but thereafter there seemed to be a constant push-pull regarding it. Sometimes it was flattened out to almost nothing, other times they sought to Americanise it, not helped by Stuart moving to Nashville in the mid-90s. Commercial and critical fortunes began to wane after their first three albums, as record company interference turned into a dispiriting traipse round various different labels. They were also, I think, unlucky with producers. 80s rock go-to Steve Lillywhite (see U2, Simple Minds) took charge of their first two (and best) albums, but there was a revolving door of mostly unsuitable and unsympathetic people after that. I'm not saying that if they had an Eno in their corner they would've leaped nimbly from their Joshua Tree to their Achtung Baby, but a steadier hand might've benefitted them. Incredible rhythm section, though. The drummer (Mark Unpronounceablename, the magazines used to call him) was used by loads of people and was always instantly identifiable. He borrowed the martial drumming from 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, apparently. I agree that Stuart's vocals are kind of limited, however much I love them. He developed the chops to deliver some sweet ballads on later albums, but he certainly didn't have the personality/ego/unabashedness to be a frontman in the vein of Bono, or even Jim Kerr. Throw in some drink and depression problems and it all ended really horribly for him at the end of 2001. Such a shame. Anyway - my favourite band between the ages of 13 and 19. My first concert, and still the band I've seen the most times. A blend of passion and compassion, still the things I value most in art of any kind. Fields Of Fire still gets the blood flowing like few songs I know. Looking forward to Steeltown now. It's more of the same but different.
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Post by moimoi on Feb 12, 2017 16:55:41 GMT -5
This is a fair and incisive write-up, one I enjoyed reading and much kinder than I thought it was going to be, so thanks moimoi . I really have no quibbles with any of it, though I would say that increasingly familiarity with the album might reveal the charms of the absolutely gorgeous Close Action and fan-favourite Chance (probably in their top 10 songs). Also, where are you hearing a sax on Lost Patrol? An interesting side note on their sound: they decided, at least for their first few years, that they would write songs as though the root of rock n' roll was Celtic folk music, rather than the blues. So no bent notes, no solos based on blues scales, lots of drone notes to add to the bagpipe effect. The twin guitar approach was influenced by Thin Lizzy. This sound, of course, was a blessing and a curse. With minor tweaks it got them through their first three (of eight!) albums, but thereafter there seemed to be a constant push-pull regarding it. Sometimes it was flattened out to almost nothing, other times they sought to Americanise it, not helped by Stuart moving to Nashville in the mid-90s. Commercial and critical fortunes began to wane after their first three albums, as record company interference turned into a dispiriting traipse round various different labels. They were also, I think, unlucky with producers. 80s rock go-to Steve Lillywhite (see U2, Simple Minds) took charge of their first two (and best) albums, but there was a revolving door of mostly unsuitable and unsympathetic people after that. I'm not saying that if they had an Eno in their corner they would've leaped nimbly from their Joshua Tree to their Achtung Baby, but a steadier hand might've benefitted them. Incredible rhythm section, though. The drummer (Mark Unpronounceablename, the magazines used to call him) was used by loads of people and was always instantly identifiable. He borrowed the martial drumming from 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, apparently. I agree that Stuart's vocals are kind of limited, however much I love them. He developed the chops to deliver some sweet ballads on later albums, but he certainly didn't have the personality/ego/unabashedness to be a frontman in the vein of Bono, or even Jim Kerr. Throw in some drink and depression problems and it all ended really horribly for him at the end of 2001. Such a shame. Anyway - my favourite band between the ages of 13 and 19. My first concert, and still the band I've seen the most times. A blend of passion and compassion, still the things I value most in art of any kind. Fields Of Fire still gets the blood flowing like few songs I know. Looking forward to Steeltown now. It's more of the same but different. You're quite welcome! This was a pleasure to listen to and I'm enjoying Steeltown as well. I think I mistook the buzzing guitars under the opening chorus of "Lost Patrol" for baritone sax as one might hear from the E Street Band. And what's going on under the first verse? Sounds like some kind of bwompy horn noise, but it could be e-bow I guess. I can see why you'd make a case for their critical re-appraisal, especially with the resurgence of dream pop, math rock, and other genres that nod toward Big Country's use of effects. Interesting that Steve Lillywhite produced those first albums - he really is an unsung hero of that era of UK rock music. And sad to hear that Adamson's demons got the best of him. I'm wondering if subsequent albums take their sound any darker, since the droning guitars remind me of what Steve Severin was doing with Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bauhaus, etc. Then again, any band that has a huge, eponymous single off their first album would probably struggle to break that mold.
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 12, 2017 17:39:29 GMT -5
You're quite welcome! This was a pleasure to listen to and I'm enjoying Steeltown as well. I think I mistook the buzzing guitars under the opening chorus of "Lost Patrol" for baritone sax as one might hear from the E Street Band. And what's going on under the first verse? Sounds like some kind of bwompy horn noise, but it could be e-bow I guess. I can see why you'd make a case for their critical re-appraisal, especially with the resurgence of dream pop, math rock, and other genres that nod toward Big Country's use of effects. Interesting that Steve Lillywhite produced those first albums - he really is an unsung hero of that era of UK rock music. And sad to hear that Adamson's demons got the best of him. I'm wondering if subsequent albums take their sound any darker, since the droning guitars remind me of what Steve Severin was doing with Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bauhaus, etc. Then again, any band that has a huge, eponymous single off their first album would probably struggle to break that mold. I'm not completely sure what the sound on Lost Patrol is - you're probably right, an e-bow, maybe played on the thicker strings, or maybe even on the bass. Steeltown is the band at its heaviest/densest/darkest. Album 3 lightened things very nicely - but then album 4 lightened things far too much, and you won't find many strong defenders of that album. Album 5 was a mix of different styles, some working better than others. 6 was a huge, pounding return to rock form, with wall to wall skirling guitars, so very popular with fans, but also a slight tilt towards getting American radio airplay (which didn't really happen). 7 was the same as 6. 8 is a moodier album, difficult to pin down stylistically, but still pretty strong. And that was it. A good run, with some weak spots, as you'd expect in 8 albums over 16 years. Yeah, it's a sad tale. Stuart's first, and fairly long, marriage broke up in the mid-90s. He moved to Nashville, married again, and then that broke up after a few years. The band had run out of road by then, too. He disappeared, and was found in Florida, where he'd gotten drunk and hanged himself in some cheap hotel. Gah. Still don't like thinking about it.
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Post by moimoi on Feb 19, 2017 23:02:59 GMT -5
Big Country - Steeltown (as suggested by Dellarigg) Background: Steeltown is the Big Country's only UK number 1 album, topping the chart for 1 week in October 1984. The title track was written about the town of Corby, telling how many Scots went to work at the Stewarts & Lloyds steelworks when it opened in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, but later found themselves unemployed when the steelworks declined in the early 1980s. "East of Eden" was the only Top 20 single from the album, reaching #17 in the UK chart. Existing Prejudices: According to a certain Geordie, "Steeltown is the band at its heaviest/densest/darkest." Duly noted. Track-by-track Impressions 1. Flame of the West - Well this is certainly louder and more raucous than I recall from their debut. I'm also noting more guitar noodling and use of whammy bar. Strange, but I could have sworn this was a single in the U.S. I know I've heard it somewhere. 2. East of Eden - This one is named after one of my all-time favorite books, so expectations are high. The reggae-style backbeat and overall tunefulness remind me of the Police. There's some strong imagery in the lyrics - a much better balance between stadium cliche and storytelling than I observed on the first album. I think if they stripped this back a bit it would have performed better as a single, but I guess that wasn't what they were going for. 3. Steeltown - Another strong one lyrically, without getting preachy. I notice Adamson's voice has also improved. Here he sounds a bit like Paul Weller. 4. Where the Rose Is Sown - I felt like the pace was getting repetitive, so out of curiosity, I listened to this one on 1.25 speed. Lo and behold, it turns into a pretty decent Jam song (albeit with more intricate guitar riffs) I mean, it would make sense for Adamson to have some of the same influences, since he was in the Skids. Plus the bassline is very Bruce Foxton. 5. Come Back to Me - The instrumentation is anthemic, but the tune and lyrics are more like a drinking song or some sort of sea shanty. I can't say this is a favorite, since it reminds me a bit too much of the Decembrists (ugh). It is partially redeemed by the cool warped bit at the end, though. I wish they had done the whole song that way - like Battles. 6. Tall Ships Go - This is quite danceable and remixable. The guitar work is really ahead of its time too - sounds like late 80s Primal Scream or Jesus & Mary Chain. Quite impressive. 7. Girls With Grey Eyes - There's lots of interesting stuff going on in the background of this ballad - which again, reminds me of the Police. I'm hearing a sitar and some more fine bass work. 8. Rain Dance - This starts a bit baggy and psychedelic. I wonder if Graham Coxon of Blur was a fan. So far I am enjoying all their experiments with slower tempos, but I can see how this would not produce a single on par with "In a Big Country". 9. The Great Divide - This song has a great hook, but it doesn't fit the verses and bridge somehow. I am intrigued by certain similarities with American indie rock from a few years later. I think if you speed this up to 1.25 it turns into a Replacements song. (Seriously, try it!) 10. Just a Shadow - An appropriate finisher, since it sounds like a reprise of the album's themes. It's full-bodied and rich, like a glass of Scotch whiskey. Overall thoughts: I think Big Country can be added to the illustrious list of bands who were able to follow a breakthrough debut with a more complex and rewarding second album (see also: Weezer, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, Daft Punk, Neutral Milk Hotel). This album is just really consistent. It's hard to pick out strong/weak tracks. How Good Is It? Really really good. This might go on my list of best albums of 1984. How Scottish Is It? It's darker and less explicitly Scottish, so this one can be David Tennant as Killgrave.
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 20, 2017 6:45:59 GMT -5
Steeltown was the first one of their albums I got, a few months after it came out. The intro to Flame of the West, all barking, biting guitars, pretty instantly knocked U2 off the top of my favourite bands list. By the time Where The Rose Is Sown came round, I don't think I'd ever found anything more suited to teenage me. It's extremely consistent, as you point out, and the sound is tweaked enough to be different but still recognisably them. The guitars are higher, thinner, brighter than on the first album (yeah, definitely less Scottish), and there's a great, grinding, industrial quality to the bass. Every member of the band is playing as though they're the lead instrument, and everything was hurled into the production. On Tall Ships Go, the lead guitar is played with a coin, and an ash tray was incorporated into the drum kit. Lyrically, I know that Stuart was a fan of Springsteen's Nebraska, and I wonder if he wanted to emulate that: a state of the nation for Thatcher's Britain. It all made sense to me, anyway, even if his lyrics aren't always as direct as Springsteen's. This is them at their peak, really. I would say I just prefer The Crossing, but not by much. Unfortunately, sales in the UK didn't match the first album, it did little business in Europe and none at all in the US, and the singles performed poorly. So from here on, it was all record company interference, with producers pushed on them, last minute remixes, and wrong-headed singles choices. (To be fair, the next album, The Seer, is right up there with the first two, and it did produce their biggest UK hit in Look Away, but the downward slope was beckoning.) A quick google of 'graham coxon big country' reveals that, yes, he was a fan. Both bands were using the same studio in '93, and he told Bruce Watson that he used to have a Big Country sticker on his guitar. Bless him. Also fans were Manic Street Preachers. If you listen to Motorcycle Emptiness with BC in mind, it's a total homage - the guitar sustain makes it sound quite e-bowish, and there's a plucked breakdown section in the bridge that manages to nod to Chance and In A Big Country at the same time. James Dean Bradfield also wrote the foreword for a book on Stuart. Anyway, enough of my yakking. Thanks again, moimoi . They're such a neglected, underrated band, so it's nice to see them getting some attention and appreciation.
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Post by moimoi on Feb 21, 2017 10:01:56 GMT -5
A quick google of 'graham coxon big country' reveals that, yes, he was a fan. Both bands were using the same studio in '93, and he told Bruce Watson that he used to have a Big Country sticker on his guitar. Bless him. This is neato. And thank you, Dellarig, for all the additional info and insights. I think I may be out of my league in taking on Simple Minds next week, but I'll try my best!
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 21, 2017 10:20:48 GMT -5
A quick google of 'graham coxon big country' reveals that, yes, he was a fan. Both bands were using the same studio in '93, and he told Bruce Watson that he used to have a Big Country sticker on his guitar. Bless him. This is neato. And thank you, Dellarig, for all the additional info and insights. I think I may be out of my league in taking on Simple Minds next week, but I'll try my best! No problem - I could go on for hours about them, and I often do. Looking forward to your thoughts on Simple Minds, especially Empires and Dance. I'm hoping that album will be a really pleasant surprise.
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