vaguely recall a mention on ILX and an Inca Ore connection (blown away Ms. Saelens live recently, her LP one of few sweet spots of '08 for me)...
must investigate further!
also, this Grouper LP punching well above it's weight in obscurity here http://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2008
― fandango, Sunday, 14 December 2008 08:26 (4 years ago) Permalink
The inca ore and grouper split is from 2007. It's ok, sort of a bridge between her first records and the minimalistic approach of guitar/voice style that she used on 'dragging a dead dear'.
― Moka, Sunday, 14 December 2008 09:10 (4 years ago) Permalink
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/inca_ore___grouper/split/
― Moka, Sunday, 14 December 2008 09:11 (4 years ago) Permalink
Has anybody deciphered the lyrics to 'heavy water/I'd rather be sleeping'? - so far I can only make up: 'love is enormous / it's lifting me up / i'd rather be sleeping / i'd rather fall in your tidal waves / right where the deepest currents pull'
― Moka, Monday, 22 December 2008 07:25 (4 years ago) Permalink
this album ! :-O
really really good.
― fandango, Monday, 22 December 2008 22:33 (4 years ago) Permalink
If this was a dude, you wouldn't care
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Monday, June 23, 2008 2:43 AM
― (Z S) (Z S), Monday, 22 December 2008 22:42 (4 years ago) Permalink
If she was a dude she would still be 1000x more interesting than Fleet Fuxxes
― fandango, Monday, 22 December 2008 22:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
^^real talk. 'Dead Deer' is on my top ten list of the year, but I don't know what she looks like (if looks are what's implied). And well, imagining the vocals as coming from a he, well that's just silly.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 22 December 2008 23:17 (4 years ago) Permalink
btw, I wasn't quoting that as in "I agree with this", I was quoting that as in
― (Z S) (Z S), Monday, 22 December 2008 23:58 (4 years ago) Permalink
I want to say something about how this album unfolds it's pleasures like a flower, at about the same speed, without it sounding dirty.
Possibly the most gorgously intimate and non "produced" sounding thing I've heard all year too. She might as well be in the room.
― fandango, Sunday, 28 December 2008 23:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
This goes down well with a copy of Chris Ware's graphic novel The Smartest Kid on Earth and my Mom's fried boneless fish.
― dreamsonvhs, Saturday, 11 April 2009 07:34 (4 years ago) Permalink
Plenty of us care about Sonic Boom!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Saturday, 11 April 2009 09:06 (4 years ago) Permalink
I picked this up on a whim today from amazon's mp3 store, where it's on sale for $1.99. It's remarkably gorgeous!
― Euler, Wednesday, 29 April 2009 14:53 (4 years ago) Permalink
by "this" I mean the Dragging a Dead Deer album
Deeply amused by "fart alert"
― Shannon Whirry & the Bad Brains, Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:55 (4 years ago) Permalink
That's a damn good price (I paid $14.99 retail) and almost makes me want to switch over to buying in digital format... but not really. xpost
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 17:41 (4 years ago) Permalink
That's exactly my sentiment, ilxor. But if a crazy low price like that leads to more people getting into her music, it's all for the better. She deserves it.
― Gerard (Le Bateau Ivre), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 17:44 (4 years ago) Permalink
Baffling, pointless review on Tinymixtapes of the live show:
The show is sold out, but most fans are waiting to pile in after the opening act, Grouper — a one-woman showcase of bullshit. Imagine Enya making airport symphonies for hipsters. I try to salvage something from the fuzzy reverb and her long, lonely wails, but I can’t stop picturing her masturbating in front of a full-length mirror. Self-indulgence, indeed.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 12 June 2009 04:12 (3 years ago) Permalink
...but you write for tinymixtapes.com
― ya'll are the ones who don't know things (Z S), Friday, 12 June 2009 04:14 (3 years ago) Permalink
ugh.
― picture me lolin' (Alan N), Friday, 12 June 2009 16:38 (3 years ago) Permalink
Really? That's news to me!
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 12 June 2009 18:14 (3 years ago) Permalink
if you're going to choose such an ambiguous username...
― suggestzybandias (jim), Friday, 12 June 2009 18:16 (3 years ago) Permalink
Hahaha, no no, that was meant as a response to the reviewer, for some reason. I saw my comment this morning and wondered what the hell I was talking about, because I don't really have any beef with tinymixtapes.com.
That AOL sonned thread has me thinking about who I do and do not have beefs with today.
― ya'll are the ones who don't know things (Z S), Friday, 12 June 2009 18:21 (3 years ago) Permalink
it's kinda weird with reviews like that where you can't tell if the reviewer is trying to be funny... or if they're just trying to come up with the most awe-inspiring humorless zings to satisfy their explosive rage at the act in question.
― guammls (QE II), Friday, 12 June 2009 19:58 (3 years ago) Permalink
I don't really mind Enya as a reference (Enya is pretty awesome imo tho) and I have been digging pretty heavily on Dead Deer for the last couple weeks.
― ❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉Plaxico❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉ (I know, right?), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:01 (3 years ago) Permalink
Enya making airport symphonies for hipsters is the kind of stuff my friends say about the downtempo balearic cheeze i listen to. it kind of goes hand in hand with "elevator music for grad students", a term which used to bug me but i think i'm ok with it know
― guammls (QE II), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:13 (3 years ago) Permalink
Hahaha, no no, that was meant as a response to the reviewer, for some reason.
Ah, makes sense now. I laughed out loud. Nice one.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:36 (3 years ago) Permalink
WAY THEIR CREPT and DRAGGING A DEAD DEER are two of my favorite records right now. Is there any other stuff out there like this? Melodic, atmospheric, experimental, droning, and emotional?
― dreamsonvhs, Friday, 12 June 2009 23:37 (3 years ago) Permalink
this album is kinda staggered by the one two punch of heavy water and stuck
― ❊❁❄❆❇❃✴❈plaxico❈✴❃❇❆❄❁❊ (I know, right?), Wednesday, 12 August 2009 21:55 (3 years ago) Permalink
dead deer obv
I really wish we could edit the title of this thread!
― PIN number at the ATM Machine (Z S), Wednesday, 12 August 2009 22:05 (3 years ago) Permalink
Video for HOLD THE WAY
http://www.thefader.com/2009/10/07/video-grouper-hold-the-way/
― dreamsonvhs, Thursday, 8 October 2009 16:50 (3 years ago) Permalink
Should have mentioned I saw her last month as the final act of the On Land festival. Entrancing, mesmerizing, etc -- if a band like School of Seven Bells is (mostly) about shoegaze as propulsion and pop, Grouper is (mostly) about it as immersion and flow.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 8 October 2009 16:51 (3 years ago) Permalink
Gooooorgeous live set over at the free music archive http://freemusicarchive.org/curator/WFMU/blog/ATP-NY_2009_Grouper_MP3 From ATP last month ...
― tylerw, Thursday, 8 October 2009 17:03 (3 years ago) Permalink
saw her columbia university when she was in NY for ATP. was great. loved the swirls of white noise running through the whole set.
― ( - _ - ); (Alan N), Thursday, 8 October 2009 17:22 (3 years ago) Permalink
I'm pretty sure I'm going to splash out and see her on Sunday, based on these last few comments. Anybody disagree with the decision?
― The Devil's Avocado (Gukbe), Friday, 30 October 2009 00:35 (3 years ago) Permalink
Glasgow then? See you there!
― krakow, Friday, 30 October 2009 09:04 (3 years ago) Permalink
Didn't know there were UK/Euro dates! Would love to see her live. Don't think I can make any of them, sadly, but I'll have to think about it.
I have fallen in love with (mp3s of) her tour split 7" from last year with City Center and it's totally out of print, alas. Anyone know if there is a tour release this time round, so I can act more promptly?
― ein fisch schwimmt im wasser · fisch im wasser durstig (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 October 2009 12:08 (3 years ago) Permalink
Are the new myspace tracks "Hold The Way" and "Vessel" available to download anywhere?
― plazzTT, Friday, 30 October 2009 12:30 (3 years ago) Permalink
(just noticed Vessel EP coming out in Late 2009)
― plazzTT, Friday, 30 October 2009 12:46 (3 years ago) Permalink
she had this 7" when I saw her but not the city center split:
http://www.discogs.com/Grouper-He-Knows-He-Knows-He-Knows/release/1771400
― ( - _ - ); (Alan N), Friday, 30 October 2009 13:54 (3 years ago) Permalink
as a 7"? I bought that from her as a 3" CD.
― sleeve, Friday, 30 October 2009 21:49 (3 years ago) Permalink
yep, as a 7"
― ( - _ - ); (Alan N), Saturday, 31 October 2009 21:57 (3 years ago) Permalink
Went to see her play on Friday night. It was pleasant if unremarkable, she only played for 40 minutes too.
― Number None, Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:21 (3 years ago) Permalink
I don't get that complaint. Forty minutes is a perfectly reasonable amount of time for a set, imo.
― Trip Maker, Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:49 (3 years ago) Permalink
if you only have 1 album and only charge a fiver then maybe
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:50 (3 years ago) Permalink
Wasn't really a complaint, more of an observation. It was actually a double headline show with some noise dude, tickets were 12.50. It was BYOB though so worked out cheap enough.
― Number None, Sunday, 1 November 2009 15:53 (3 years ago) Permalink
doesn't she have three albums?
― The Devil's Avocado (Gukbe), Sunday, 1 November 2009 16:14 (3 years ago) Permalink
Has a Grouper / Julianna Barwick tour happened yet? Seriously would be an awesome double bill.
― Michael F Gill, Sunday, 1 November 2009 17:15 (3 years ago) Permalink
Great live set from London in Nov 2009 available to download free here: http://milesofsmiles.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=548002
― Barnaby, Hardly, Friday, 12 February 2010 12:32 (3 years ago) Permalink
from the Kranky website:
just to be clear, these two releases will NOT be limited on vinyl and they will remain in print, so please remain calm and you will get as many copies as you like in short order.
― sleeve, Sunday, 17 March 2013 21:22 (2 months ago) Permalink
I'm looking for the place the spirit meets the skincan't figure out why that places feels so hard to be inwe're all of us at this ill-fitting partybusy pretending to relateand it's getting harder and harder to fakeacting like everything's in its place
― yellow jacket (spazzmatazz), Sunday, 17 March 2013 21:22 (2 months ago) Permalink
― sleeve, Sunday, March 17, 2013 5:22 PM (1 hour ago)
Oh I missed that bit, thanks!
― Evan, Sunday, 17 March 2013 22:26 (2 months ago) Permalink
just got my records in from little axe. i ordered the "Sleep (fragment)" one-sided 12", plus the Visitor collaboration with Ilyas Ahmed.
"Sleep (Fragment)" is a long drone piece.
The Visitor record is pretty great! apparently they collaborated on all four of the tracks, but side A is definitely more Grouper-y and side B sounds more like Ilyas Ahmed is taking the lead.
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:26 (1 month ago) Permalink
I got the "Sleep" record from them too, I like it.
btw I have also seen restocked LP copies of The Man Who Died In His Boat appear on an update or two.
― the world's most impertinent web designer (sleeve), Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:27 (1 month ago) Permalink
Through Kranky you mean?
― Evan, Sunday, 31 March 2013 15:44 (1 month ago) Permalink
I assume so, my Wall Of Sound update said "back in stock"
― the world's most impertinent web designer (sleeve), Sunday, 31 March 2013 16:03 (1 month ago) Permalink
i have been listening back to alien observer lately. such a strange record. so pretty but so swampy. like it has such weight to it. the guitars are like those folk tale tree limbs that are grabbing at everything else on the record. i feel like one day i will be in the perfect mood for it & it will blow me away.
― schlump, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 20:02 (1 month ago) Permalink
For me, the only time for those AIA records is after 1am. When everyone else is quiet. And they are lovely then.
― kraudive, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 20:14 (1 month ago) Permalink
that sounds like the right way to listen, I have not clicked with those yet.
― the world's most impertinent web designer (sleeve), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 21:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
Really wish Grouper wasn't onstage at 5.30pm at the Swans London gig tonight.
― Barnaby, Hardly, Thursday, 4 April 2013 10:37 (1 month ago) Permalink
it's a helluva time for a thursday, i'm wondering if anyone but me will be there.
i saw mirrorring live last week, exactly what you'd expect and utterly gorgeous.
― a similar stunt failed to work with a cow (Merdeyeux), Thursday, 4 April 2013 11:23 (1 month ago) Permalink
Early start is probably a good thing, get up there before the noisy chatterboxes arrive
― acid in the style of tenpole tudor (NickB), Thursday, 4 April 2013 11:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
aw man, i saw a picture of the mirroring show. what was it like? they just played some album songs w/some drones goin on?
― schlump, Thursday, 4 April 2013 16:07 (1 month ago) Permalink
I've had Way Their Crept since its release but didn't know what to make it exactly. Now listening to her entire oeuvre on Spotify, I like it in part because I probably prefer her at her most echo-laden and abstract.
Despite liking Dragging a Deer Head, to me the song structures feel a bit less unique. Still, I like that she explores a few different sides to her thing.
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 00:13 (1 month ago) Permalink
it would be so awesome if we could get this thread title changed
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 00:16 (1 month ago) Permalink
it's the little things, sometimes, and i truly feel that if i could convince someone to change the title of the thread, the terrible rating of the world would decrease by at least 1
― your holiness, we have an official energy drink (Z S), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 00:18 (1 month ago) Permalink
Did that help?
Meantime, there's a new mix from her up at FACT
http://www.factmag.com/2013/04/22/fact-mix-379-grouper/
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 22 April 2013 17:16 (1 month ago) Permalink
I like the cryptic thread title!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 22 April 2013 17:30 (1 month ago) Permalink
Can't please everyone.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 22 April 2013 17:31 (1 month ago) Permalink
I wish Grouper had been on 3-2-1 Contact.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 22 April 2013 17:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
oh wow she is playing in austin soon! in a church!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 17 May 2013 04:31 (1 week ago) Permalink
her music is so beautiful it feels like god's joke
― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Friday, 17 May 2013 05:30 (1 week ago) Permalink