the kniφe - shaking the habitual

I actually think the drone performs the same function on the album as 'Treefingers' does on Kid A, it's a bit of an opportunity to zone out/get ones breath back before the next batch.

[Go and make a cup of tea.]

But yeah, I like albums that have 'absent' tracks like that. Another Green World is almost made up of 'em, seemingly.

Well yeah, 'Go and make a cup of tea' could apply too, depending on ones tolerance for 19-minute drones :P

yeah - since my wife has a low tolerance for experimental music, I generally listen to most of my music while driving or on iphone - so i'm not sure I need a 20 min drone in this context

Was given a very, very tight deadline for this review, so feedback would be appreciated if it's awful:
http://crackmagazine.net/music/the-knife/

Aside from starting a sentence with 'and' and using 'itself' twice in one sentence at the end, it seems like a very fair appraisal.

LET'STALKABOUTGENDERBA-BYYYY! LET'STALKABOUTYOU... AND ME!

did they always have a phi symbol in their name? wouldn't that make the pronunciation of their name "knifie," like hyphy?

This album is so serious it's hilarious. I don't know whether to cower or laugh, though both would be exhausting for 90 minutes. Like, why even make an album? I wish these guys just picked a place for a one-off performance of this in its entirety and got it over with.

I wish my wife were here right now so that I could see how long it would take her to tell me to turn this the fuck off.

would have really loved the tinymixtapes review if it was all like this:

"The process of Fracking involves pumping the ground with high-pressure fluid in an attempt to release shale gas. After it was discovered in 1947 as a homegrown measure for uncovering natural resources, plantations started emerging all over the States as a means of not having to rely as much on foreign imports. Consequently, the gas began to contaminate local water supplies, so much so that people living in nearby areas found their taps could quite easily ignite, the shocking footage of which laid at the heart of Josh Fox’s stunning documentary, Gasland."

whoever mentioned the Tiny Mix Tapes review, right on. god damn that was a shitshow

Its not just the phi. Most just don't notice the kapppa, nu, iota, and episilon in ΚΝΙΦΕ

went to the store to buy this today, but they didn't have the double-disc version. when i asked about it, clerk said they hadn't ordered any cuz the last album didn't sell very well. "not many knife fans in maine" she said smirkily, like i was trying to buy illicit nudes.

not many fans of illicit nude photos of members of the knife in maine

This sounds ridiculously good on vinyl.

so about that elf pee

This record is too commercial. It's like Fergie.

self-urinating?

i'm 150% sure that the knife's main inspiration for 'fracking fluid injection' was the forest temple music from ocarina of time

Man, 'Without You My Life Would Be Boring' is REALLY doing it for me right now.

picked this up yesterday on a foraging trip to civilization. listened to it three times in the car on the way around and back. not sure yet what to think. i can't say i don't miss the catchiness & concision of silent shout, which is starting to look like a minor stop on their road from electronic pop act to willfully challenging art project. though i wound up liking the fever ray album quite a bit, i was hoping the next proper knife album would be a bit less gloomily monochromatic. i suppose it is, but not at all in the way i'd imagined.

i do think it works quite well as a piece. i haven't yet been tempted to skip the ambient tracks, and i like most everything here. the attention to sonic detail is fascinating. one of the album's greatest pleasures is just listening to the textures and timbres subtly shift against one another. on first blush, at least, i do find myself longing for a bit more attention to and development of melody, especially in the vocals.

Has anyone got their vinyl yet? (I think someone upthread implied they had, but I can't be bothered checking every post)

the voice modulation on full of fire sounds like the max headroom incident

Saw the vinyl at my record store yesterday

yeah, it's about. went for the dbl cd instead, mostly due to half the price.

love the long screams in "a tooth for an eye", the way they slowly burn through the almost robotic restraint with which karin typically sings to become these jarringly physical, full-throated shrieks. kind of exhilarating.

Just annoying that I pre-ordered the vinyl, it's in stores, and they say it won't be shipped until the 22nd.

I pre-ordered the vinyl sometime late in the week before the street date and they shipped UPS and it got to me on Wednesday. Where did you pre-order? Mine was through the Mute webstore FWIW.

Mine was as well- bought through Mute, fulfilled through Insound, arrived on Wednesday. Maybe the vinyl delay mentioned upthread is only for the Rabid or Brille releases and not the domestic US on Mute?

I think mine was through Rabid Records?

First four songs on this album make up my favourite opening sequence in a long time, but I'm not gripped by the rest so far. Working on it.

listened a couple more times. "full of fire" is starting to feel really damn long. it wants to end at about seven, seven-and-a-half minutes, but cannot. the poor creature's desperation is pitiable, and yet there is nothing i can do to assuage it.

I'm on my fourth or fifth listen now, and I think "Full of Fire" gets longer every time.

I still love it!

Think 'Without You My Life Would Be Boring' may be my absolute highlight of this after several listens.

I was looking at this today. The single cd is a tenner, dbl is thirteen quid, so I'll be paying three quid for a nineteen minute drone piece. Do I really want that? I was hoping this thread might help but seems the song is question had divided people. (Thought - maybe I should get the single cd and download the drone track from Itunes? Wouldn't that be cheaper?)

Was in same quandary but convinced to buy double by this:

Double.

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, April 11, 2013 11:59 AM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not that the 19-minute drone is essential, or whatever, I just think it makes sense. Two 45-ish minute blocks being easier to take in, perhaps.

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, April 11, 2013 11:59 AM (4 days ago)

what are these "CDs" you people are dithering over

o yes i remember they're the things i have to import into itunes before listening to

lol you use itunes

easiest program to work by far

Easier than a CD player?

yes

duh

listening to this for the first time right now
Was expecting to not like it after a few minutes. All other Knife albums except TIAY are among my favourites but I've been anticipating an unlistenable mess - happily this isn't it.
'Wrap your arms around me' is good although I'm a little embarrassed to admit that when the vocals started it reminded me of the cover of 'tomorrow never knows' from the Sucker Punch soundtrack

The Sucker Punch soundtrack is the most weirdly compelling unlistenable mess

I never knew there was a version of this released as a single disc without the long drone piece. I can't think of any other albums that have been released normally and also in a truncated form (bonus track editions aside).

I'd go for the double disc version Rob. Not only is it the complete album as the band intended but I think it's probably a bit more digestible over two instalments.

My vinyl copy turned up today. This thing is a beast. Weighs a tonne. 3 LP's plus both the CD's and 12" size spazzy artwork for £19 seems like a great deal to me.

i picked my vinyl up for $25 or so, considering everything it comes w/ esp compared to other overpriced vinyl i was p pleased.

so i got my copy in the mail. i paid $7.99 for the single CD edition. they wanted $10 for the second disc with a 19 minute song i did not want.

so for those who were asking, the single CD edition is in a card board case. not a jewel case as i suspected. so i think it is just like the 2CD edition but with one less song.