From the interviews I have read, and reading between the lines a little, I think they just do it for a bit of fun and an excuse to have a stress-free piss about with a varied bunch of like minded individuals.
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The albums thread - 2014
- Thread starter spring hall convert
- Start date
From the interviews I have read, and reading between the lines a little, I think they just do it for a bit of fun and an excuse to have a stress-free piss about with a varied bunch of like minded individuals.
deletebeepbeepbeep
Well-known member
- May 12, 2009
- 20,961
We are getting a new Belle & Sebastian album in the new year!!
I will have to go and listen to this. I actually own one of their earlier albums but did not care too much for it. I got chatting to the bass-player in The Evening Star just before they went to record this new album and subsequently revisited my previous purchase but still it didnt do anything for me. Maybe this new one will?
spring hall convert
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #685
First EP was great
Their first album wasn't very good
Second album was much better
New album is excellent.
I reckon it will, have a listen here https://esbenandthewitch.bandcamp.com/
You sure you don't mean the drummer, Dan, tall chap, knows his beer? He works at the Star, though the other 2 aren't exactly strangers to the place either.
Yes, you're correct it was Dan the drummer.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
Hmm...a jam between mates is a stress-free piss-about but to turn it into a full blown release with 28 different bands/artists clearly does have all the stresses, worries, headaches that a major Warner Records act would have with any other album. I sincerely doubt that it was all done in one take and the audio mastering and mixing done in a knockabout, stress-free style.
I worry about the Flaming Lips. Their last studio release was very weak and the album before that was also a bunch of songs with mates that fell very flat. Then there's the split with the drummer, the Erykah Badu scandal, the Miley Cyrus nonsense and this seemingly never-ending psychedelic re-workings of classic albums or numerous collaborations in lieu of a single decent album of their own. And since the advent of Twitter I've realised what an utter arse-hat Wayne Coyne can be.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
That it does, far more so than his previous concept album 'Praxis Makes Perfect'.
Maybe. I have not listened to it yet but to me it seems to be just a bunch of people covering a famous album for charity. It does not strike me as a regular release.
CorgiRegisteredFriend
Well-known member
Up until now my favourite Half Man Half Biscuit album has been Trouble Over Bridgewater. However Urge For Offal, the new album, could well be overtaking that position. The usual stuff, great songs and great lyrics about almost everything- a fortnights holiday in Devon, suicide and even a love song. Particulalry pleasing is 'Adam Boyle Has Cast Ladrock Aside' which is about some **** who has discovered Mumford and Sons type 'folk'and as a result changed his complete wardrobe of clothes as well as musical allegiance. He's flirting with tweed! Not to everyone's taste but this band have been around 30 years and still producing some of their best work.
Buzzer
Languidly Clinical
- Oct 1, 2006
- 26,121
A few albums I've been listening to over the last couple of weeks
Royksopp - 'The Inevitable End'
This is the swansong from the Norwegian duo, they're qutiting the album format from hereon in. Critics have given it a mixed review, mainly of the 'it's not a patch on their Melody A.M. album' that they've been stuck with for 14 odd years. I've heard a sneak preview and I think it's unfair and untrue, the album is a very nice way to sign off and there's a few guest appearances too. The inevitable Robyn collaboration (and why not? Robyn/Royksopp have always made for a lovely sound) is there and also Jamie McDermott of Eastbourne band, the Irrepressibles on no less than 4 of the songs. They've built the album much like a DJ set - some very dance-oriented stuff at the beginning to get you in the mood, a short hiatus and then the bangers to wave your arms to. And then it gets deep and sultry at the end with some tunes that would make perfect deep house remixes. 7/10
C.A.R. - 'My Friend'
I first heard about this band after reading a review of their single Spitfire in which Andy Weatherall no less declared it as one of his tunes of the year. C.A.R. is the work of London-based/French singer/songwriter Chloe Raunet and her sound is very retro-80s melancholy pop that OMD, Yazoo, Propaganda, The Assembly used to rule the airwaves with. I can't recommend this album highly enough, it is absolutely phenomenal. If Spitfire is very good then the first track, Angelina is quite simply out of this world. 9/10
iTunes link https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/my-friend/id917556744
Soundcloud stream: https://soundcloud.com/c_a_r/sets/car-my-friend-mastered/s-GZhXA
Chicks On Speed - 'Artstravaganza'
With Peaches, Ladytron, Miss Kittin all very quiet it's great to see that there's still one of the old school girls-with-attitude-and-synths is still rocking the world. This is exactly what you expect to get with a CoS album but also their most Germanic feeling, not surprising given their roots and there are huge nods to Yello, Kraftwerk, Trio. It has a deliberate art-house feel to it as it's part of a multimedia art project and I'm keen to see how that works with the music. They've released Utopia as a single from it but I think Plastic Bag or Coyote Hustle are far stronger tunes for single release. 7/10
Christ. - 'Metamorphic Reproduction Miracle'
Better known as Scot, Christopher Horne he once had the distinction of being one of only a couple of John Peel Session musicians who have been asked for an encore. This album is bang smack in the middle of Aphex Twin territory with more bleeps, clicks and whistles than you can shake a copy of Ableton Pro at. Best listened to with good headphones. 6/10
Bandcamp link: https://christmusic.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphic-reproduction-miracle-lp
Saint Saviour - 'In The Seams'
The ex-Groove Armada girl has released her second album and very surprisingly for a lady who loves her electro-pop she's ditched that completely for a ballad-led album with everything accompanied either by piano, acoustic guitar and even harp on one track (I think). I don't want to draw lazy comparisons with other British female singer/songwriters but the change in musical direction has mirrored Alison Goldfrapp's last couple of albums. I'm not accusing Saint Saviour of copying the style, just surprising that both of them have gone for this route whereas a lot of others have headed down the Lana Del Ray operatic power ballad route. I think I prefer the quieter approach. 8/10
Royksopp - 'The Inevitable End'
This is the swansong from the Norwegian duo, they're qutiting the album format from hereon in. Critics have given it a mixed review, mainly of the 'it's not a patch on their Melody A.M. album' that they've been stuck with for 14 odd years. I've heard a sneak preview and I think it's unfair and untrue, the album is a very nice way to sign off and there's a few guest appearances too. The inevitable Robyn collaboration (and why not? Robyn/Royksopp have always made for a lovely sound) is there and also Jamie McDermott of Eastbourne band, the Irrepressibles on no less than 4 of the songs. They've built the album much like a DJ set - some very dance-oriented stuff at the beginning to get you in the mood, a short hiatus and then the bangers to wave your arms to. And then it gets deep and sultry at the end with some tunes that would make perfect deep house remixes. 7/10
C.A.R. - 'My Friend'
I first heard about this band after reading a review of their single Spitfire in which Andy Weatherall no less declared it as one of his tunes of the year. C.A.R. is the work of London-based/French singer/songwriter Chloe Raunet and her sound is very retro-80s melancholy pop that OMD, Yazoo, Propaganda, The Assembly used to rule the airwaves with. I can't recommend this album highly enough, it is absolutely phenomenal. If Spitfire is very good then the first track, Angelina is quite simply out of this world. 9/10
iTunes link https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/my-friend/id917556744
Soundcloud stream: https://soundcloud.com/c_a_r/sets/car-my-friend-mastered/s-GZhXA
Chicks On Speed - 'Artstravaganza'
With Peaches, Ladytron, Miss Kittin all very quiet it's great to see that there's still one of the old school girls-with-attitude-and-synths is still rocking the world. This is exactly what you expect to get with a CoS album but also their most Germanic feeling, not surprising given their roots and there are huge nods to Yello, Kraftwerk, Trio. It has a deliberate art-house feel to it as it's part of a multimedia art project and I'm keen to see how that works with the music. They've released Utopia as a single from it but I think Plastic Bag or Coyote Hustle are far stronger tunes for single release. 7/10
Christ. - 'Metamorphic Reproduction Miracle'
Better known as Scot, Christopher Horne he once had the distinction of being one of only a couple of John Peel Session musicians who have been asked for an encore. This album is bang smack in the middle of Aphex Twin territory with more bleeps, clicks and whistles than you can shake a copy of Ableton Pro at. Best listened to with good headphones. 6/10
Bandcamp link: https://christmusic.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphic-reproduction-miracle-lp
Saint Saviour - 'In The Seams'
The ex-Groove Armada girl has released her second album and very surprisingly for a lady who loves her electro-pop she's ditched that completely for a ballad-led album with everything accompanied either by piano, acoustic guitar and even harp on one track (I think). I don't want to draw lazy comparisons with other British female singer/songwriters but the change in musical direction has mirrored Alison Goldfrapp's last couple of albums. I'm not accusing Saint Saviour of copying the style, just surprising that both of them have gone for this route whereas a lot of others have headed down the Lana Del Ray operatic power ballad route. I think I prefer the quieter approach. 8/10
spring hall convert
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #692
Really looking forward to the new Ariel Pink album. I wasn't such a fan of his last one 'Mature Themes' but the two tracks he's shared so far have been very promising in their different ways. The first one is a synth driven monster, the second a whimsical pop tune, along the lines of the Magnetic Fields.
spring hall convert
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #694
Not feeling that one quite as much, a little long, not much going on. Good video though.
spring hall convert
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #695
Unsurprisingly the new Dean Blunt album has the critics split. I think it's exceptional but then I don't think he's done much wrong since 'Black Is Beautiful.'
http://www.metacritic.com/music/black-metal/dean-blunt
http://www.metacritic.com/music/black-metal/dean-blunt
tinycowboy
Well-known member
I'm happy to follow this approach for tedious albums: TOPS and also Mr Twin Sister - lightweight rhubarb that caused me to start snoozing on the train, and I hardly ever snooze on the train.
Agree on his last long player . He seemed to lose the perfect balance between pop and weird which he had on Before Today (I am not familiar with his material before this). Looking forward to the new one though and I've also just bought tickets to see him.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Not an album, but Ty Segall was awesome in session on Marc Riley tonight, so good that I'm going to pop out and get his latest album next time I'm in the middle of town. There's a link to the session here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvz72
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nvz72