moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Feb 27, 2017 1:57:47 GMT -5
Simple Minds - Once Upon a TimeBackground: Once Upon a Time was released in October 1985 and topped the UK charts. It peaked at No. 10 on the US charts, spending five consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard and 16 weeks in the Top 20. Although already successful in their native U.K. and various countries Europe, Simple Minds became popular in the U.S. mainly due to the Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff-penned "Don't You (Forget About Me)" which appeared on The Breakfast Club soundtrack and had become a #1 hit. The band deliberately left the track off the album due to their reluctance to record it. Still, the bombastic pop rock sound proved influential in the construction of much of Once Upon a Time, particularly the arena-friendly single "Alive and Kicking". Existing Prejudices: Many years ago in St. Louis MO, smallmoi came home from half-day kindergarten to enjoy macaroni & cheese and children's programming on Nickelodeon (the only cable channel for kids at the time). Somewhere in between Pinwheel, Today's Special, and Danger Mouse/Count Duckula aired "Nick Rocks" - a short block of music videos that were considered kid-friendly. Smallmoi liked the "weird videos" - in particular, one featuring a man gesticulating wildly in a wildly printed jacket and the rest of his band floating in space. The next time somebody asked what her favorite music was, instead of saying "Michael Jackson" (the only other musician she knew by name), she said "Simple Minds". This amused grownups like her teacher, and her precocity was soon noted by all. In the coming months, "Don't You Forget About Me" would be all over radio and she liked that one too, but her favorite was/is "Alive and Kicking." Track-by-track impressions1. Once Upon a Time – The bongos here are pretty groovy. And the imitation Chic guitars immediately conjure sellout-era Bowie (one of my favorite eras of Bowie). Unfortunately the chorus is crap. "Ba ba ba..?" No. Try again. Incidentally, who should we blame for nonsense choruses? Howard Jones? I know it's supposed to be 'new wave' but it's also lazy. I like Jim Kerr's voice, though, and he had the frontman moves - if not the frontman looks (Michael Hutchence was the total package in this respect). 2. All The Things She Said – It’s hard for me to separate this one from the video, which was hypnotic. Fun Fact: the Grace Jones-sounding backup singer Robin Clark married Bowie's guitarist Carlos Alomar. She's doing a lot of the heavy lifting here, I must say. This song is overproduced and kind of rhythmically adrift. I prefer the cleaner sound of ABC or even HoJo. 3. Ghost Dancing – Strong start, with Edge-like chiming guitars and solid drumming. But again, there's something missing. Where's the bass? Those warped keyboard notes don't count. Kerr’s vocals also suggest a tighter, more urgent song. I’d love to hear the demo without big keyboards and onstage-at-Live Aid production. 4. Alive & Kicking – Now this is a well-constructed song: It starts out slow, just laying out the rhythm before adding vocal melodies and keys, then opening out further with each chorus. The song expands and contracts like one’s diaphram as you fill your lungs to sing along with the “ba da da da”s at the end. 5. Oh Jungleland – This seems fun, but isn’t that 4-note coda from another song, namely, “I Just Died in Your Arms” by the Cutting Crew? I guess this song came first, but still, major points deducted. This seems very thrown together, with random percussion and keyboard flourishes. The only part that really works is the second half of the (overlong) chorus, with the zigzagging guitar line. If only they had stripped away the rest of this nonsense. 6. I Wish You Were Here – Again, production overshadowing what could be a good, straightforward song. There’s just too much going on in various corners of the stage and none of it is connecting. Kerr's voice has nice range, though. I wish he'd use it more. 7. Sanctify Yourself – Even on a pretty strong single, the drumming here sounds amateurish and the bass is indifferent. What's with these long, repetitive gaps between verses? Upon closer listen, Jim Kerr is also kind of struggling to pull off this vocal. The decision to use backup singers makes a lot of sense here. 8. Come A Long Way – This starts out promising, kind of swampy version of “All The Things She Said”. Unfortunately by the time we reach the chorus, that impression has not been dispelled. Aside from the snare tapping and rearrangement of some elements, it's still the same chords and structure. I like it fine for a closer, I guess. Overall Thoughts: Like with many eighties albums I've revisited, the non-single tracks do nothing for me. I really must question Jimmy Iovine's judgement here, because with a couple exceptions, there's nothing holding the songs together. The drums flit in and out, the bass is nonexistent, and the keyboards just seem to add garnish. This leaves some broad brush strokes of guitar to support Kerr and the backup singers, who sometimes sound lost. I’m not asking for Bono-level vainglory, but how about some of Ian McCulloch’s cool presence and conviction? I'm going to go listen to Echo & the Bunnymen now. Those albums hold up. How Good Is It? A wee bit disappointing, but hardly shite. How Scottish is It? Not noticeably, unless I'm really missing something. There seems to be much more of an Afro-Caribbean influence, if Kerr's wardrobe at the time is any indication. So I'll make this one Tony Osoba.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 27, 2017 5:39:46 GMT -5
I liked this one, back when it came out; not as much as U2 or Big Country, but enough to explore their earlier albums, which I found weird and unapproachable for the most part. How times change: now when I hear this my main thought is that perhaps only Rod Stewart threw it further away. I really hope they felt they'd explored all the arty stuff they needed to on their earlier albums, and that this wasn't a purely mercenary decision to head where U2 were heading, but ...
Still, it's listenable if you're in the mood for glossy, flattened-out arena rock. Ghostdancing and Sanctify Yourself remain the favourites, but few and far between are the circumstances where I would listen to this over Empires and Dance.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Feb 27, 2017 11:39:05 GMT -5
Still, it's listenable if you're in the mood for glossy, flattened-out arena rock. Precisely. But if U2's sound is what you're going for, you've got to have a tight rhythm section. Even their ballads (like my personal fave "all I want is you") are held together by a strong bassline. Here, Simple Minds don't even sound like a band; they sound like musicians in a recording studio. I have high hopes for the next one...
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Feb 27, 2017 12:06:39 GMT -5
Still, it's listenable if you're in the mood for glossy, flattened-out arena rock. Precisely. But if U2's sound is what you're going for, you've got to have a tight rhythm section. Even their ballads (like my personal fave "all I want is you") are held together by a strong bassline. Here, Simple Minds don't even sound like a band; they sound like musicians in a recording studio. I have high hopes for the next one... I can confidently state you'll struggle to believe it's the same band*. Even Jim Kerr's voice sounds different. *Mainly because it isn't: different drummer and bassist. But I meant the songs and the general approach are pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Mar 7, 2017 0:15:54 GMT -5
Simple Minds - Empires and Dance Background: According to Wikipedia, Empires and Dance was recorded in Wales on the Rolling Stones mobile (I don't know what that means). The record charted poorly, peaking at only number 41 in the UK Albums Chart. According to AllMusic, this is primarily because the record company Arista only released a small number of copies at a time before each batch sold out. This had the effect of limited availability for fans. The opening track "I Travel" was released as a single in 1980, but failed to chart. "Celebrate" was chosen as the second single due to popularity amongst fans. However, it was only released after Simple Minds had left the label and there was no promotion. As a result, the single sold very poorly. NME called it as "a weird, agitating record". AllMusic described the album as a "post-punk dance classic". Following the release of this album, Simple Minds transferred to Virgin Records, where they met with much greater commercial success. Existing Prejudices: Aside from the hits, I've only heard one 'early' Simple Minds song: New Gold Dream's "Promised You a Miracle". From that, I sense more of a dance direction to their earlier stuff. Per Dellarigg, "I can confidently state you'll struggle to believe it's the same band." We shall see... Track-by-track impressions
1. Travel - What the HELL is this?! Am I listening to the Silver Apples? Krautrock? Eno-era Roxy Music? Sparks? This is craaaaaazy: bubbly synth and moog effects, industrial clatter, groovy bass, disco drumming. I'm so there. I <3 2. Today I Died Again - From the goth title to the cavernous sound, this has a dirgey, late-period Joy Division quality. There's a really cool vocal effect on chorus and the tribal drumming reminds me of bands like AR Kane. 3. Celebrate - I guess this was the second single? I can see why it would be hard to pin the band down based on this and "Travel". This is what I call roadhouse synth, for lack of a better term - a sound Depeche Mode beefed up into "Personal Jesus". I can't figure out what's making that cool double-tapping noise throughout the song - it kind of sounds like a tabla or a mallet hitting something ceramic, but it might just be a drum pad effect. 4. This Fear of God - This reminds me of A Certain Ratio, one of my favorite bands of the era who are hugely underrated. The dissonant squeals of horn are haunting and unsettling. Somewhere off in the distance, an electric guitar is getting vivisected. 5. Capitol City - By god, this should have been the single, or at least a B-side for DJs to discover. It starts out menacing like early Cure/Banshees and the dubby, wobbly effects work throughout. I would absolutely put this on for a 2am-4am make-out session with somebody I brought home from a dingy club. This should be up there with "Bela Lugosi's Dead" in the postpunk canon. I'm remastering and stealing it for the soundtrack to my imaginary sequel to The Hunger.6. Constantinople Line - There's a nice bass groove on this one, though I think it goes on a bit too long. Moody and fairly conventional, I think it's supposed to anchor the more experimental stuff like... 7. Twist/Run/Repulsion - Youtube tells me this has never been performed live and that's fair enough, considering it's a series of samples intercut with some free jazz noodling, peppy drumming and chant/singing in...German? English? Gibberish? Moving on... 8. Thirty Frames a Second - It starts out driving, with a strong Kraftwerk influence, and gets really good when guitars crash in and the bass drops. This also would have made a better single, I think - with a 7" remix taking out the shredded guitar strings at the end. 9. Kant-Kino - Seems like a weird place to put a nice little instrumental, especially since this has a sense of anticipation to it. I'm expecting the closer to blow me away... 10. Room - Mmm...not so much. This seems like rather an afterthought. I'm going to have to downgrade to an A-. Overall impressions: I see that this record was produced by John Leckie, who worked on The Stone Roses, The Bends, three great albums by The Fall, and debut singles for PiL and XTC. That - along with the transformed rhythm section noted by Dellarigg - would explain how Simple Minds evolved/devolved into what it became. As for why: obviously this isn't music that will fill any stadium (but the one in my heart). The sad thing is, I think in the mind of English rock critics, their mainstream success basically nullified the merits displayed on this album. But I agree that it is a postpunk classic. The experimentation with krautrock and dance place it in the DNA of dance-punk forbears like Franz Ferdinand. How Good Is It? So very good. This feels like the first time I heard "Rip It Up" by Orange Juice. How Scottish is It? It's saucy and unexpected. It's Alan Cumming.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Mar 7, 2017 5:02:30 GMT -5
VINDICATION!!!
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Mar 7, 2017 6:16:46 GMT -5
*returns from victory lap round the forum*
Yep, it's a good'un. I agree with your point about the critics, and the same thing applies to Rod Stewart: who cares how good his early 70s albums are when his late 70s, and 80s, and 90s, and 00s, and 10s albums are such baffling crimes? (Me. I care.)
This sounds to me like young men (shockingly young: Jim Kerr turned 21 not long before it was released, and this was their 3rd album) leaving home for the first time and opening themselves up to European influences instead of the more usual American. It's soaked in Krautrock, and Eno even gets a name check in the first song ('Airports playing Brian Eno'). Lots of intriguing soundscapes, a real stretching out of what they could do: Twist/Run/Repulsion was probably the furthest out there they went.
James Dean Bradfield from the Manics is a fan not only of The Skids and Big Country, but also of early Simple Minds. Apart from the reversed R stolen from this album's sleeve for The Holy Bible and Futurology, Futorology also has a chilly European feel and a couple of direct musical homages in the track Europa Geht Durch Mich: a line from I Travel ('Europe has a language problem'), and a strange sound from a later album track, 70 Cities As Love Brings The Fall. Apparently in the 90s he used to give this album out as a Xmas present in a vain attempt at rehabilitation. I'm sure their time will come again.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Mar 7, 2017 10:12:03 GMT -5
(Oh, and the 'Rolling Stones mobile' was a recording studio the Stones had built into the back of a lorry/truck that could pitch up anywhere. Loads of people used it: the Faces, Who, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Dire Straits. Apparently Deep Purple mention it in Smoke On The Water.)
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Mar 7, 2017 21:16:45 GMT -5
I agree with your point about the critics, and the same thing applies to Rod Stewart: who cares how good his early 70s albums are when his late 70s, and 80s, and 90s, and 00s, and 10s albums are such baffling crimes? (Me. I care.) Another in this category, for what it's worth: Coldplay. I distinctly remember liking them when their first album came out and I even saw them live. Their latest efforts make me want to murder. Thanks for the info about the Rolling Stones mobile - that's a rather interesting footnote. Sometime, perhaps you can explain the appeal of Manic Street Preachers. Despite my lifelong interest in the UK music scene and several attempts by English and Irish friends, I just can't get into them. The only thing I've liked is the Avalanches remix of "So Why So Sad".
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Mar 8, 2017 5:32:56 GMT -5
I agree with your point about the critics, and the same thing applies to Rod Stewart: who cares how good his early 70s albums are when his late 70s, and 80s, and 90s, and 00s, and 10s albums are such baffling crimes? (Me. I care.) Another in this category, for what it's worth: Coldplay. I distinctly remember liking them when their first album came out and I even saw them live. Their latest efforts make me want to murder. Thanks for the info about the Rolling Stones mobile - that's a rather interesting footnote. Sometime, perhaps you can explain the appeal of Manic Street Preachers. Despite my lifelong interest in the UK music scene and several attempts by English and Irish friends, I just can't get into them. The only thing I've liked is the Avalanches remix of "So Why So Sad". Yeah, it's strange with the Manics. I absolutely loved them for a few years, and now I look back and think, hmmm ... I can see why I liked them, but why did I love them? They have a really patchy discography, though with a few clear highlights. Everything Must Go is their most approachable album, though a lot of it now sounds like stadium Britpop. The Holy Bible is their best, I think most people would say, though it's maybe not the one to start with. I have a lot of time for the last one, Futurology, as mentioned previously. If those three don't do anything for you, they're probably not for you. None of this explains the appeal, I suppose. I dunno: they can rock pretty ferociously at times, James is a great guitarist, the lyrics are usually interesting (and sometimes annoying), and a tragedy in their backstory always helps. But yeah: strange band.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Mar 14, 2017 22:30:04 GMT -5
Sons & Daughters - The Repulsion Box - as suggested by Some Kind of MunsterBackground: Sons and Daughters were a rock band from Glasgow, Scotland formed from 2001 to 2012. Their debut release, the 25-minute-long Love the Cup was financed by the band and re-released on Domino Records in 2004.Their second album, The Repulsion Box was released in June 2005. In February 2006 the band were invited to tour with Morrissey on the first leg of his UK tour. Their third album, This Gift, produced by Bernard Butler, was released in 2008. They disbanded following their fourth album in 2012. Existing prejudices: I had only vaguely heard of them before Some Kind of Munster suggested them for this column. I dug what I heard, so I added them to the list. I think it's cool that they are comprised of two men (drummer, singer/guitarist) and two women (bassist, singer). Track-by-Track ImpressionsMedicine – This starts strong, like a kind of a reel or jig, but with a bit of a pop-punk sensibility. I don't mean to make it sound like Dropkick Murphys, though; this is way cooler. There are great guitar licks and touches of high-hat. It sounds fresh and original. Red Receiver – Violent Femmes crossed with the Boomtown Rats. I like the way the male and female singers trade duties - there isn't a 'girl's part' or a 'boy's part' to the song. Hunt – This starts with a squall of shredded feedback, which makes me anticipate more muscular, conventional drums. However, the overall vibe of the track stays cool and menacing, like The Cramps with a Scottish accent. It's a true rave-up, for fans of slide guitar, yelping, and stomping. Dance Me In – I'd call this proto-Franz Ferdinand. I wonder if the bands ever played together - that would be a super cool double bill. Choked – There is a twisty guitar line under the melody with some interesting processing on it. Unfortunately not much else to this one. Taste the Last Girl – This has some neo-glam swagger and swing to it, like Your Arsenal-era Morrissey. I really dig this. The na-na-nas on the chorus are quite fun to sing along to. Monsters – The twisty guitar is back. It kind of reminds me of the Slits or other reggae influenced groups, but here it’s mixed with rockabilly, which strangely works. Rama Llama – The title led me to wonder if it was about eastern spirituality, but in fact it's something better: a Nick Cave-esque story song with a satisfyingly messy finish. I could see this scoring an episode of Peaky Blinders. Royally Used – The brooding chords are undercut by hand clapping and piano tinkling. I think this singer could stare down Shirley Manson, which is quite a feat. Gone - An appropriately raw and stripped down closer for a raw and stripped down album. Good stuff. Overall Impressions: It takes very basic elements and makes them consistently intense, exciting, and different. If you like The Pogues, The Birthday Party, The Cramps, or the Raveonettes, you will be into this. Based on what I've heard so far, I'd rate them with any of those bands. How Good Is It? Dog's bollocks How Scottish Is It: Quite Scottish - perhaps the most Scottish to date. This is prime Robert Carlyle. Want to hear more S&D? Or take a spin on the wheel? Please give me an album title or a number between 1-44 for next week.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Mar 26, 2017 13:20:16 GMT -5
Josef K - The Only Fun In Town / Sorry for LaughingBackground: Josef K were a Scottish post-punk band, active between 1979 and 1982, who released singles on the Postcard Records label. The band was named after the protagonist of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial. The band recorded their debut album, Sorry for Laughing, in 1981 at Castle Sound Studios in Pencaitland, but it was shelved because the band was unhappy with the clean, polished production. Lead singer Paul Haig described it as sounding "flat and disinfected" and only a few copies were released. They returned to the studio in Belgium to record The Only Fun in Town, opting for a more 'live' sound recorded over two days, Haig later expressed a measure of regret that "we decided to make an almost unlistenable record with the vocals mixed down really low". It was their only album release while together - Postcard Records' only album release - and while it placed as high as #3 on the UK Independent Chart, it received a poor critical reception. Existing prejudices: My path to Josef K is as follows: At the age of 16 (clumsy and shy), I discovered the Smiths through my local Tower Records and the Arlington Heights Public library. Some months later, I discovered the genre of jangle pop by purchasing the first issue of the British music magazine Uncut at my local Borders bookstore. Per Uncut, 'if you like the Smiths, you'll like bands on Postcard Records.' So after moving to the city for college, I was able to track down an imported CD reissue of The Esteemed – The Very Best of Orange Juice (featuring Edwyn Collins) at Reckless Records . With the hypothesis confirmed, I then kept an eye out for anything I could find by Aztec Camera and Josef K (who also appealed to my love of Kafka). As it so happened, I had a poly sci professor who was a first wave punk and who, for some reason, went out of his way to establish a bond over our love of UK postpunk (when I later learned that he married a former student it...confirmed some suspicions). He went so far as to show up at my dorm with long crates of 45s that he had collected, which we went over in my room with the door open as far as possible. On my weekend visits home, I'd take a small stack of 45s and listen to them on my dad's stereo - recording things I particularly liked on tape. My prof had two singles by Josef K, but I don't remember which. I'm pretty sure I lost those tapes and my early issues of Uncut when I started traveling and the stuff I left stored in my uncle's garage got stolen. Track-by-Track Impressions (NOTE: after listening to all 30 minutes of The Only Fun In Town I was left wanting, so thanks to the miracle of youtube, I sampled the Sorry for Laughing sessions as well) 1. Fun ’n Frenzy - The opening is great - like Joy Division. We start off urgent, kind of panicked, and full of unexpected instrumentation. This also reminds me of "Killing an Arab" era Cure. There's a strong bassline and strange, almost surf guitars. 2. Revelation - Much like the last track, this sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel which kind of makes you feel like you are in a tunnel while listening to it. I like the bit of drone in the background. It's quite a different use of e-bow than from Big Country. I guess I can see why they were compared to Joy Division, given Haig's flat vocal delivery, but the bass and guitar lines aren't as heavy. 3. Crazy To Exist - I get a proto-emo feel from this one. If the guitars were higher in the mix and the bass lower, I could see an American band like Cap'n Jazz or Jimmy Eat World remaking this one. 4. It’s Kinda Funny - Who is the drummer? He's really good. I feel like this band would have gotten much farther if the recordings were less cloudy. If they had the Smiths' production, they would have right been up there with the Smiths. [It is at this point that I decide to track down the studio tracks from Sorry for Laughing] The studio version reminds me of "Heart and Soul". I like the addition of pyew-pyew noises. 5. The Angle - This one is funky and angular, with a nice swing to it. Joy Division didn't swing like this until they became New Order. 6. Forever Drone - Oh man, if they played this at a school dance I'd be up on my feet. What fun! Though I have to wonder what it's about, based on the title...per Genius, it's kind of similar in theme to "There is a Light that Never Goes Out". Okay, I'll go with it. 7. Heart Of Song - This is more in the vein of Television, but Haig's having some fun with his louche, Bowie/Lou Reed-esque vocals. 8. Sixteen Years - This builds into a nice driving rhythm like early REM (or Smiths). I haven't heard a single clunker yet. I like how all their riffs are a bit off-kilter and out-of-tune. 10. Citizens - This drummer is so good. Seriously. Franz Ferdinand's drummer must have studied this. Ronnie Torrance - why didn't some other band snap him up? He certainly gives Mike Joyce a run for his money. My only issue with this song is that it needs tighter production. It goes in a couple interesting directions without committing to anything and then just sort of ends. I like the live version much better than the studio version, though. 11. Sorry for Laughing - This is the first Josef K song I ever heard and it's a nice encapsulation of what they do. It's got the shuffling rhythm, peripatetic bass, and guitar played high up on the frets for maximum jangle. Upon hearing the rest, I wouldn't call it their best song, though. *Heads Watch - Buzzy and drony, like...Big Country! Or the Buzzcocks. It has a very fine guitar solo in the middle and tight production throughout. Should have been a single. *Drone - Reminds me of Richard Hell & the Voidoids with a bit of Buzzcocks. It's much messier than everything else I've heard. *Sense of Guilt - Wow, this intro is commanding. The opening riff is a bit too much like "Shadowplay" though. With the vocals doubled (or backing vocals?) Haig sounds like Bowie signing The Fall. I like all the weird shit going on in the background - the shouting, whistling, cowbell... A nice bit of art-rock-noise. *The Art of Things - I love the droning opening, combined with tight riffage. The melody is nice and Haig's vocals are much clearer. The American in me would rate this with early Psychedelic Furs or Modern English if it went on to single length. *Variation of Scene - Ominous and a touch goth. I'm glad they tried a keyboard-led song. This should have made the album. *Terry's Show Lies - Starts out with double shots, which are used to nice effect in the chorus as well. "Turn your hate on him." I wonder if this is about Sir Terry Wogan? It's a bit ramshackle, but I like it. *No Glory - The hissing cymbal is really doing it for me. I bet The Rapture would sound great doing a live cover. The drummer could also give Stephen Morris and New Order's drum machines a run for their money. *Endless Soul - This is easily as good a single as "Sorry for Laughing" as far as encapsulating what the band does. It's also a bit more dynamic. Overall Impressions: Every song I hear is better than the last. What a shame that they couldn't break beyond the UK indie chart. I'm glad they've retained some critical stature though. The Entomology compilation is essential listening if you are any kind of fan of Joy Division and/or the Smiths. How Good Is It? Genius How Scottish Is It: Not discernibly so. More than anything, it's edgy and postpunk. It's Peter Capaldi.
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Post by ganews on Mar 27, 2017 20:45:41 GMT -5
Josef K - The Only Fun In Town I had to listen to this one after your description. Yes, it would be a truly amazing album if they hadn't worked so hard to make the production bad. My favorite was "The Angle". Songs like "Sixteen Years" sound like the very promising early bootleg recordings of a college band. The bass was the standout for me, though there was a lot to like all around and I agree about the drummer. I will explore the band more, because there's a lot here that could be genius.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 3, 2017 0:35:11 GMT -5
We've covered almost all of Josef K's recorded output, so this week, I'm covering an intriguing offshoot of the band. Will two great tastes taste great together...? The Happy Family - The Man on Your Street Background: The Happy Family were an early-1980s post punk band featuring Momus and members of Josef K. The band was initially formed in 1981 by Nick Currie (vocals, guitar), who dropped out of college to form the band, Malcolm Ross (guitar) and Dave Weddell (bass) of Josef K, and Paul Mason. After a debut EP on 4AD Records in March 1982, they expanded to a 5-piece with the recruitment of former Josef K drummer Ronnie Torrance and keyboardist Neill Martin. The band's debut album, The Man On Your Street was issued on 4AD in November 1982. The band split in 1983, with Currie frustrated by the indifference of 4AD towards them (although he later cited poor sales as the reason) and ready to embark on his solo career. Existing prejudices: None, except my prejudices toward Momus and Josef K respectively. I knew little about both acts before this thread and everything I've learned has been positive, so I have high hopes. Track-by-Track Impressions 1. The Salesman - Is this Madness? This sounds like Madness. Or XTC. Whatever it is, it's quite whimsical. I hope the whole album isn't going to have this music-hall sound, though... 2. Letter from Hall - The horns are giving me a real Madness vibe, like "Welcome to the House of Fun" but less...fun. Young Momus sings like young David Byrne (also of Scottish descent, incidentally) - kind of flailing and desperate, which is not entirely a bad thing in my book. 3. The Luckiest Citizen - Awww, indie pop! I like this. Momus is pushing his voice into Morrissey territory as best he can without quite getting there. Still it's his strongest vocal I've heard yet. "Stay eager and spread-eagle" [snicker] 4. Revenge! - Blue-eyed funk in the vein of ABC or a lo-fi Duran Duran, with Momus crooning dramatically about his favorite topic: romantic betrayal. If this song had a chorus, it could have been a hit. 5. The Courier - Obligatory ska-influenced postpunk track. Toward the end, this sounds like Talking Heads with a bit of tribal syncopation, but otherwise this one is a bit forgettable. 6. The Man on Your Street - Did Edwyn Collins produce this album? The title track is fully realized, dynamic, and just very cool. If this were a concept album or the score to a rock opera, this would be the centerpiece. 7. A Night Underground - Despite the squiggly synth work, this one doesn't do much for me. I doesn't have a strong hook and goes on too long. They should have lost the bridge and just kept the slow/fast dynamic. 8. Two of a Kind - This one starts strong with chiming guitars, but there isn't really a payoff in the chorus. Instead, we get some random horns and piano. It reminds me of Simple Minds, but in a bad way. I guess I admire their commitment to featuring a full tenor sax solo, though. 9. March in Turin - Another Morrissey-esque vocal. Or maybe Moz heard this before recording "This Night Has Opened My Eyes"? That's the better song though - this is kind of meandering and slight. It only gets exciting at the end as the track speeds up. 10. Puritans - Catchy. I would describe this as a verbose Orange Juice song. Momus even sounds like Edwyn Collins here. It's a shame they didn't record for Postcard (especially because Postcard needed hits!). 11. Innermost Thoughts - Oh, this tick-tock drumming is cool, and the drummer has yet more in his bag of tricks! I really like the experimental stuff going on, with droning guitars and mysterious synth sounds. Very intriguing. If a lady was singing, I'd think it was Broadcast. 12. The Mistake - This sounds like it could be the B-side to "Bigmouth Strike Again". I like the dissonant tones and fucking around at the end. Overall Impressions: Although the Joseph K rhythm section and jangle is very much present, this album is at the opposite end of the spectrum from last week in terms of sophistication. Momus was in his early 20s and already painting vulgar pictures (with words) on par with another young lyricist out of Manchester. At various points, I was reminded of the Smiths but then I had to remember that this predates the Smiths' debut by a year. If only they'd had a John Porter (Smiths and Roxy Music producer) to help them find their sound. Some tracks are straightforward postpunk, some are experimental, and some are lighter indie pop. I get the sense that there were too many cooks in the kitchen and too many ideas, which could only result in somebody going solo. How Good Is It? About half of it is quite good - particularly the last few tracks - the rest is undercooked. How Scottish Is It? It's arty and difficult-to-pin down. For me, that puts it at poet, artist, gardener, and creator of Little Sparta, Ian Hamilton Finlay,
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 10, 2017 23:14:30 GMT -5
Travis - The Man WhoBackground: Travis is a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the Harry Dean Stanton character Travis Henderson from the film Paris, Texas. The band is widely claimed by the media as having paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go onto achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly following the band's 1999 album, The Man Who. The Man Who was their second album, produced by Nigel Godrich and recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France and at Abbey Road, among other locales. Four singles were released from the album: "Writing to Reach You", "Driftwood", and the top 10 hits "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" and "Turn". Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of their debut, Good Feeling. Although it entered the charts at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about Good Feeling disliked the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When Travis took the stage to perform "Why Does it Always Rain On Me?" at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day, the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the British charts. Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honored at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. In 2006, The Man Who was named the 70th greatest album of all time by Q. At the 2010 Brit Awards, it was nominated for the Best Album of the Past 30 Years award, losing to Oasis's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. Existing prejudices: Sometime in the late 90s, I heard and fell in love with the single, "She's So Strange" - one of the many songs I like to think are about me. I also had the pleasure of seeing them open for Oasis at the Chicago Theater and I was impressed with their live performance. It's been quite a while since I've listened to his album, but whenever a Travis single like "Flowers in the Window" pops up, I reflect on how underrated they are (at least in the States). That said, I cannot help but place them in the wave of Radiohead sound-alikes - including Muse, Coldplay, Keane, and Snow Patrol - that took over radio when Radiohead started to get weird. Track-by-track impressions 1. Writing to Reach You - A good vocalist can elevate otherwise pedestrian guitar jangle and Fran Healy is just such a vocalist. It also helps that Travis has a strong grasp of song structure and knows how to play with the format just enough to stay interesting. I'm pretty sure I've heard this in a Japanese commercial, but for what I cannot recall. 2. The Fear - This has a bit of a Neil Young feel to it. I like how it gets quietly spacey at the end and flows nicely into... 3. As You Are - The flow is nice, but I'm not sure it's advisable to go from two mid-tempo songs into a slow one. As much as I'm enjoying Fran's Rufus Wainwright-meets-Thom Yorke croon, they really should have given us something faster. 4. Driftwood - The thing Travis shares with Coldplay, for better or for worse, is that sense of coming-in-out of a rainstorm coziness. This is perfectly pleasant for a Nescafe commercial, but I wish they would bring some of the sonic watercolors to the forefront of the composition, instead of relegating them behind conventional acoustic coffee house jamming. Lines like "home is where the heart is, but your heart had to roam" make me groan. 5. The Last Laugh of the Laughter - Ah, a sitar? This is definitely giving me a folkie vibe. The falsetto even reminds me of Devendra Banhart. 6. Turn - Yup, this sounds like early Radiohead. I like the reverb effect on the drums. 7. Why Does It Always Rain on Me? - Still charming after all these years, though if you told someone this was Rufus Wainwright, they'd probably believe you. Every rock band takes a risk when they lay their single in a bed of strings that they will be neutered. They need quite a sonic blast to come out of the melancholy haze... 8. Luv - ...but still no rocking. I like the vocals, as usual, and I like the space keyboards. It's a lovely tune and quite atmospheric - almost Roxy Music-esque - but this would have been another good spot for something up-tempo. 9. She's so Strange - Ooooohhhhh....the cool tunnel effect...hmmm....nice guitar noodling....heeyyy....this song is a classic and will always hold up. 10. Slide Show - Did you really have to write another ballad, Fran Healy? One that references Beck and Oasis? This is just a bit of a throwaway. I'm underwhelmed. *hidden track (Blue Flashing Light) - A (relatively) loud, aggressive song about being a surly Scotsman. They should not have hidden this track! In fact, they should have done more like this. Or maybe just one song that wasn't mid-tempo? Overall Impressions: My assessment of Travis is kind of like my assessment of Sloane (call them the Canadian Travis): everything they do is perfectly pleasant and well-made, but doesn't hit you in that same deep place that Radiohead does. I think this is thanks to Thom Yorke's ability to sound truly tortured, instead of merely glum. Listening to this after many years, I just wish they'd plug in their damn instruments, because they can really play. How Good is it? Bonny and blithe How Scottish is it? It's the sound of an overcast day, so pretty Scottish, I should think. And considering she's married into the band, I've got to give this one Kelly MacDonald.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 10, 2017 23:22:34 GMT -5
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Post by Nudeviking on Apr 10, 2017 23:35:05 GMT -5
When are we getting Bis?!
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 10, 2017 23:48:01 GMT -5
When are we getting Bis?! I stuck it in September, but I could shuffle things around a bit...
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Post by Nudeviking on Apr 10, 2017 23:51:29 GMT -5
When are we getting Bis?! I stuck it in September, but I could shuffle things around a bit... September?! That's like 87 years from now!
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Apr 11, 2017 5:21:52 GMT -5
*pines for more Big Country and early Simple Minds, would settle for Days in Europa by The Skids*
Only joking, this is all good stuff.
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monodrone
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Post by monodrone on Apr 11, 2017 5:57:00 GMT -5
The Man Who by Travis was the first album I ever bought (at the grand old age of 15) so the comparisons to Radiohead that were made at the time meant nothing to me. Radiohead could go fuck themselves, Travis were where it was at. I felt the same way about Muse when I got Showbiz and people told me they were Radiohead rip offs. Radiohead. Fuck 'em. Same with Coldplay on Parachutes, actually. Basically, I loved all the bands that the cool kids told me I shouldn't like because of Radiohead so I had a long lingering resentment to music snobs and Radiohead. Now... I like Radiohead just fine but The Man Who is still the one so let's talk about that. Writing to Reach You - aaaaaaaaaaah, I pressed play and that shimmery guitar came in and I melted back into my teenage bedroom and started playing Settlers 2. This is a great song from the intermittent Be Here Now-esque reverse guitars that hide deep in the mix to Fran's cosy vocals. The Fear - Appropriately named. There's something uneasy and a little bit woozy about it like waking up after a nap and not knowing exactly where you are or how long you've been out. As You Are - I like the slow build on this one with Fran getting strained before it all drops out ahead of the guitar solo. Now it seems a little tame when that solo kicks in but I can cope with it. Driftwood - I haven't mentioned drums yet, which is unlike me, so let's do that here. Loads of shuffle beats all over this album but this is one of the better ones, giving a sense of a song being pushed along by the current of a snare drum. The Last Laugh of the Laughter - I don't speak French (so I let the funky music do the talking.) Turn - I remember watching the making of the video on MTV2 for this one when it came out. Fran did a lot of press-ups. Well done him. I like the reverb on the drums. It goes on a bit too long but I'll be damned if I don't love belting out that chorus even if it's nonsense. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? - 1. It doesn't, ya dummy. 2. Every time I think about it I decide it's been overplayed and I don't like it anymore then I put it on and it turns out I was wrong. All timer. Luv - I always hated the spelling because I am the worst kind of annoying pedant. The kind that is often wrong. Anyway, the title put me off and the song itself never won me over. Harmonicas are bad except when Unsane use them. Unsane rule. The only song I'd regularly skip. She's So Strange - She sure is. Why would anyone go to Birmingham? Weirdo. Shame about the fade out, I can't be doing with them. Slide Show - This is about as close to welling up as I get when listening to music. I know the lyrics are hokey but I've never been one for words and the music itself gets me right in the heart which is why I'm staring wistfully out of the window at my desk instead of doing work. Blue Flashing Light - YEAH BUDDY. There's swearing and a'thing. It's funny how non-aggro this sounds compared to my memory of it when it felt like the heaviest thing going. By the time The Invisible Band came out in 2001 I'd moved on but Flowers In The Window is a lovely ditty that still forces itself into my brain unprompted on the occasional summer's day. I'd recommend, instead, that you go back an album and check out Good Feeling which is a much more plugged in affair.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 11, 2017 22:32:36 GMT -5
For your thoughtful and authentically Scottish commentary Monodrone, I will heed your recommendation of Good Feeling for next week. After that, we'll jump into Bis for Nudeviking! Glad somebody put in a request for The Skids too...
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Apr 13, 2017 3:44:28 GMT -5
For your thoughtful and authentically Scottish commentary Monodrone, I will heed your recommendation of Good Feeling for next week. After that, we'll jump into Bis for Nudeviking! Glad somebody put in a request for The Skids too... Yay! If you do The Skids, I would recommend Days In Europa. It's generally considered their best moment. However, there are two versions. The cover of the first - and best, and one I would push you towards - was deemed too fascistic even for 1979 post-punks, so they withdrew it and took the opportunity to mess about with the album itself: dropping a track, adding a single, remixing some songs. It's good, but not as good as the first version, which looks like this: All right, it is pretty fascistic. But representation isn't endorsement.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 16, 2017 0:26:58 GMT -5
Travis - Good Feeling as suggested by MonodroneBackground: Good Feeling is Travis's debut album, released on Independiente in September 1997. Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, the album is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favorite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls","Tied to the 90's", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the British charts, but with little radio play, it slipped from the charts relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan. Existing prejudices: See above. I never listened to this album, so I'm looking forward to hearing more of the dynamic stuff that I heard live. Track-by-track Impressions 1. All I Wanna Do is Rock - Although this is one of their signature songs - they opened their live set with it, it's not really representative of their sound. I think of Travis as an exceptionally melodic and tuneful band. I always thought of this song as a warm-up - a way to show that they know their way around effects pedals and whammy bars and for Fran Healy to warm up his vocal cords. 2. U16 Girls - Some straightforward rocking on par with Oasis and their contemporaries. As a youngster I probably would have liked this more, but Oasis et al. kind of beat this into the ground. I am curious to hear if/how the Fratellis updated this sound. 3. The Line is Fine - Even when Fran tries to sound abrasive in the vein of Liam Gallagher, the band still can't help but be tuneful. This kind of reminds me of Weezer's "Sweater Song" crossed with Oasis. 4. A Good Day to Die - It starts with a nice wall of Pixies fuzz, but goes into all sorts of noodly guitar directions. I am similarly impressed with Fran's upper register, which rivals Bono in terms of sheer strength. 5. Good Feeling - This has a bit of the swagger that Franz Ferdinand would later deploy so effectively. I am less sure about the effectiveness of the piano solo - I think that would have been a good place for some fat guitar riffs. 6. Midsummer Nights' Dreaming - Kind of Tom Pettyish? But in a charming way. 7. Tied to the 90s - This is the second song that reminds me of what the Fratellis would later do - I suppose it's the "heys!". I don't know if I agree with the slagging off of the 80s - an artistically groundbreaking era that produced all sorts of oddities that bubbled up into mainstream culture - in favor of the self-consciously 'ironic' 90s. Then again, older friends tend to see the 80s the way I see the 90s, so perhaps I'm idealizing. 8. I Love You Anyways - Make no mistake, I welcome a ballad as a breather, especially one as lovely as this. The Glen Campbell-esque guitar line really sticks with you. Plus this isn't as dated as the earlier tracks. Band of Horses could cover this one as-is. 9. Happy - This reminds me of Guided by Voices, but they should have gone all the way and made the song under three minutes. At 4+ minutes, it gets kind of repetitive and feels inessential until the end, which brings in a Help-era Beatles guitar line that is most welcome. 10. More Than Us - This is the kind of conventional ballad that I imagine killed on Radio 1 alongside saccharine stuff like Robbie Williams "Angels" (a fine song, but very MOR and this is my beef with Adele currently). I ain't mad at it. 11. Falling Down - Oh dear, another ballad? What happened to the rocking? I don't particularly dig this one. It starts out okay, but the jazz guitar noodling is not helping. Yes, Fran, you can hit long lovely notes, but please wrap this up. I'm sure I'd feel differently if somebody put this on a mixtape for me as a teenager. 12. Funny Thing - Songs like these are what give the impression of the poor man's Radiohead - there's more than a little "Fake Plastic Trees" in this one, especially in the chord structure and general angst (also in "She's So Strange" - but I give that one a pass for having a certain insouciance). As I recall, this one sounds better live, when the guitarist really gets room to spread out. Overall Impressions: OK, I see the irony in the fact that I complained about The Man Who being too slow, and yet I think the strongest track on this more 'rocking' record is a ballad: "I Love You Anyways." Clearly, Travis knew what they were doing when they moved out of the rock template that became monotonous in the hands of Oasis and bands (so many bands) trying to be Oasis. How Good is It? I like it them all about the same. How Scottish Is It? It sounds a bit more rugged, so let's call it Kelly MacDonald in No Country for Old Men
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 25, 2017 0:09:38 GMT -5
bis - New Transistor Heroes - as suggested by NudevikingBackground: Bis are a Scottish indie pop band composed of Steven Clark (Sci-fi Steven), John Clark (John Disco), and Amanda MacKinnon (Manda Rin), formed in 1994. The band's name, rhyming with 'this', derives from "black iron skyline", a lyric from the song "Twilight of a Champion" by The The. The band broke up in 2003, but re-formed briefly in 2007 for a series of concerts. In 2009 they re-formed again and they released a new album in 2014. Steven and John Disco played in Dirty Hospital and Rin acted as a DJ. Rin was also in a band called The Kitchen, whilst Disco joined the ska band, The Amphetameanies, which included members of Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Pink Kross. Bis released a number of EPs, three of which entered the UK Singles Chart in 1996, followed by several singles between 1997 and 1999. "Eurodisco", from second album Social Dancing, became a minor success for the band in Australia as well as the UK. They toured extensively both in the UK and abroad, their diverse influences reflected in the kinds of acts they appeared with: Foo Fighters, Garbage, Luscious Jackson, Gary Numan, and Pavement amongst them. The group became a favorite of the likes of Blur, John Peel, and Green Day, despite a particularly hostile review by Steven Wells in the NME entitled "The Sinking of the Bis-Lark". The band gained popularity for the closing theme to The Powerpuff Girls. They enjoyed a period of success in Japan, selling nearly 100,000 copies of their debut album in its first week of release, but future releases were nowhere near as successful. Existing prejudices: As a Britpop-loving teenager, Bis should have been right up my alley: they embraced stuff like anime and the kawaii; they sounded like other bands I liked (Blur, Ash); and they were so girly that they were the natural choice for the Powerpuff Girls theme. However, I remember giving this album a shot when it first came out and quitting halfway through like, "yeah, I get the idea". I feel like I just grew out of their sound. Or rather, I graduated from the suburban high school punk-ska aesthetic to the grown (college-age), vintage twee aesthetic embodied by Belle & Sebastian. 1. Tell It To The Kids - Because everything in the 90s was 'meta', this starts with wry voiceover and call & response verses. The whole thing has a nice swagger about it and the chorus is infectious. 2. Sweet Shop Avengerz - This one is cute and very well-constructed, but a bit Poochie, if you know what I mean. I'm not hearing any irony; just a punky little number aimed at kids in high school or younger. It's a Rockin' Dawg. 3. Starbright Boy - This has a very cool bassline and a chunky guitar/keyboard combo that sounds like Pulp Jr. Or I could see them opening for the Dandy Warhols. 4. Popstar Kill - UGH. Snotty and repetitive and annoying as fuck. The lyrics are so stupid and lazy and it's making me angry. This is like the worst excesses of Riot Grrl, when whiny amateurism passed for a deep political statement because a girl was fronting the band. Manda Rin is no Kathleen Hanna (who was no Poly Styrene, but she got better). 5. Mr. Important - Songs on which Manda Rin doesn't sing lead tend to sound like a poor man's Blur. That's okay in my book. 6. Antiseptic Poetry - Some straightforward pop-punk in the vein of the Buzzcocks - which is never a bad comparison. 7. Popyura - Now this is what I'm talking about: fast and punchy and played well. This is how I wish more Riot Grrl bands had sounded. 8. Skinny Tie Sensurround - Spoken word songs were really 'in' around this time, weren't they? We had "Parklife", "Fitter, Happier", "Popular" etc. etc. AVC should do an inventory if they haven't already. This one is okay - I wholly agree with the observation: "the 80s probably sucked if you weren't a kid." 9. Poster Parent - A nice Buzzcocks/Blur hybid, with a touch of Terry Hall in the vocals. The guitars have a definite Graham Coxon crunch and herky-jerky structure is very Modern Life is Rubbish. 10. Monstarr - The keyboards are kind of overdone and annoying, but I dig the bass. They should have just brought the bass and drums up in the mix, especially the tom toms in the chorus. 11. Everybody Thinks That They're Going To Get Theirs - This one sounds tight - like a ska single, but with a big britpoppy chorus. I like it. 12. Rebel Soul - Didn't I already listen to this? I mean, it's catchy. It's fine. Manda Rin needs to stop yelling. The outro is a nice touch. 13. Photo Shop - I'm not sure if having a guy sing about his boyfriend was supposed to be subversive, but it doesn't come across that way - certainly not listening to it now. I like the divebombing guitars. 14. X-Defect - This is just infectious. It reminds me of Japanese indie rock (aka J-indie) with its melodiousness. I have to say, I really don't like Manda Rin's voice, though. She adds absolutely nothing to this. 15. Lie Detector Test - This is an interesting change of pace. It has more of a postpunk sound and consequently sounds less dated. 16. Dinosaur Germs - The guitar riffing and weirdly peripatetic rhythm is very early Blur (see "Star Shaped"). And I guess we have some more ska in the mix? That's not bad - I just wish they had committed to it. 17. Rollerblade Zero - Oh shit, is she rapping? I feel like I'm listening to Len. The bridge is cute - they should have made that the verse instead. Manda Rin is no Gwen Stefani either. 18. Team Theme - A little underwhelming for a "theme". I feel like either of the first two tracks would function better as a mission statement for the band. 19. (Hidden Track) - This has a 90s Pixies feel to it. Whatever. Overall Impressions - As the album progressed, I started to hear less Ash and more No Doubt, so my initial impression that 30 minutes is "enough" still holds. As enjoyable as most of the tracks were, they still strike me as bubblegum - not really standing the test of time. If this was around the time I started listening to Modern Life is Rubbish and 1977, I can see why I never revisited Bis. How Good Is It? It's twee as fuck. How Scottish Is It? It's new, globalized Scotland. It's Katie Leung (aka Cho Chang).
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monodrone
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Post by monodrone on Apr 25, 2017 10:03:13 GMT -5
I had never heard of Bis until last year when I was introduced to a band called Batteries who were advertised as featuring 'Sci-Fi Steven from Bis', more on that later. Based on the words up there about who they've been associated with I have no idea how they passed me by. I was into Ash, Green Day, Blur ET AL so I can only assume they never got played on the radio which was the only new music avenue I had in 1997.
BIS:
The first three songs are ok. I started listening and didn't make any notes which is probably because they aren't very notable. Popstar Kill is an irritant and should come with a health warning You are entirely right that Mr Important is pure Blur-worship. Charmless Man! Country House! Album Tracks That I Don't Know! Similarly, I am ok with that. I feel like there's a lot of Supergrass in here. That's not a comment on Antiseptic Poetry in particular but it's come to mind while it's been on. Popyura is good because faster is better. Skinny Ties are bad but Skinny Tie Sensurround is... inconsequential Poster Parent. Good. Everybody blahblahblah. The ska breakdown is neat but the rest of it is just hanging in the air.
This album's too long. Too damn long. Track By Track concludes because I've run out of things to say about individual songs and I've stopped actively listening. There are some decent things going on here but I doubt I'll ever go back to it because the things I like have been done better elsewhere. There are some bits near the end that remind me of what Future of the Left have done on their less noisy songs.
If you like Starbright Boy and Poster Parent but would prefer to hear them with MASSIVE FUZZ GUITARS and less QUIRKY RAPZ you should give Batteries a go. I'm a big fan of their work. Here's a sample song:
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Post by ganews on Apr 25, 2017 13:23:32 GMT -5
whilst Disco joined the ska band, The Amphetameanies, which included members of Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Pink Kross. Another day, another Alex Kapranos side project to investigate.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 25, 2017 14:55:45 GMT -5
whilst Disco joined the ska band, The Amphetameanies, which included members of Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Pink Kross. Another day, another Alex Kapranos side project to investigate. Have you been listening to BNQT? The supergroup featuring kapronos, Fran Healy of Travis, Ben bridwell of band of horses, Jason lytle of grandaddy, and the lead singer of mid lake?
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Post by ganews on Apr 25, 2017 15:49:27 GMT -5
Another day, another Alex Kapranos side project to investigate. Have you been listening to BNQT? The supergroup featuring kapronos, Fran Healy of Travis, Ben bridwell of band of horses, Jason lytle of grandaddy, and the lead singer of mid lake? And there's another day...
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 25, 2017 20:49:46 GMT -5
Popstar Kill is an irritant and should come with a health warning This album's too long. Too damn long. I am in complete agreement with your assessments and thank you for reminding me to listen to some Supergrass. It's been too long. Because we can all agree that's enough Bis, I'll take on Batteries next week!
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