search and destroy: gorky's zygotic mynci

These all look like they should be the cover of a fantasy series. You know, Susan Cooper or something:

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-379127-1131174104.jpeg

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-565473-1132181513.jpeg

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-565474-1132180566.jpeg

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-2669374-1295807054.jpeg

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-1673794-1295821691.jpeg

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-576150-1295874982.jpeg

Yeah I remember buying those EP'S/singles, it was so exciting to bring them back home every time. Great artwork and some incredible B-sides. The 20 compilation they put out a few years later is one of the best albums I own, almost every song is a winner.

The fact that at the age of 29, I am actually older than Euros was when the Gorky's put out their final album Sleep/Holiday, just blows my mind!

* deletes loads of new music off iphone *

* loads up all the gorkys for train journey tomorrow *

actually i did listen to Barafundle not long ago and didn't find it half as god as i used to.

think that one hasn't aged so well. how i long... is what they call 'timeless' tho

Half as god is still pretty divine, ho ho. *is killed*

I still like Barafundle a hell of a lot... it's kinda like a halfway house between their Ankst work and the less "mushroomy" stuff they did afterwards. So on one hand you've got the beauty of 'Sometimes The Father Is The Son', and then on the other you've got the delightfully batshit 'Meirion Wyllt'.

The 20 compilation they put out a few years later is one of the best albums I own, almost every song is a winner.

I should get that even though the only songs I'm actually missing are the two from the "Gewn Ni Gorffen?" single.

My god, I'd forgotten how much of a gem 'Methu Aros Tan Haf' was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5L68LxfuaU

In looking back over this thread I'm reminded of how many random lyric/spoken word bits they had that stick in the brain. They were extremely good for that.

"There's no need to worry!"
"Why's that, Johnny?"

I should get that even though the only songs I'm actually missing are the two from the "Gewn Ni Gorffen?" single.

― Ned Raggett

I think you're only missing the one song which is called 12 Impressionistic Soundscapes, it's hardly essential. I only bought it for that song and just to have all the EP's on one CD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_oSKYiM8ZM

I thought about getting rid of all the singles as I really don't need them but I want to keep them just for the artwork.

That bit before one of the 'O, Caroline' songs on Tatay where it's all like "For fucks sake, John" is a great moment too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1dgWxAE--w

WHEN YOU HEAR THE CAPTAIN SING
YOU KNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW YOU SHOULD TAKE OFF THAT RING MARY-ANN!

As for their albums, Tatay is still my favourite all the way through. Barafundle and Bwyd Time would be close behind. I've gotten rid of a lot of albums over the last few years, Sleep/Holiday is the only Gorkys I've managed to part with. Walking For Winter and Pretty as a Bee are the only keepers on there.

Tatay is just too much fun, it captures their crazier side with some moments of real beauty so perfectly. Yffordd Oren and Kevin Ayers are two my favourite Gorkys moments.

'Happiness' isn't too bad either, but yeah, totally with you on Sleep/Holiday. Tatay has some wonderful stuff on it... the whole of the 'Anna Apera' suite! ('Gegin Nos' in particular being a favourite).

Oh god, 'Y Ffordd Oren' is absolutely perfect, one of their best ever songs!

Oh yeah Happiness isn't too bad. I think Mow The Lawn was their first and maybe only weak single.

Y Ffordd Oren would join If Fingers Were Xylophones and Game of Eyes in my three favourite Gorky's moments.

Contemplating DJing 'Game of Eyes' at Indietracks now, not sure if it'll work - as good as they are the songs aren't necessarily dance-floor fillers.

I'm obsessed with Cristina despite the awful "magazine-a" rhyme

^^^their best song

balladic twee-prog stalker folk executed with just the right level of inexplicable wonder and beauty

'Christina' is good and all, but wouldn't make the cut in my own personal Gorky's Top 20.

Contemplating DJing 'Game of Eyes' at Indietracks now, not sure if it'll work - as good as they are the songs aren't necessarily dance-floor fillers.

― emil.y, Tuesday, July 16, 2013 11:46 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

'Barbed Wire' might work!

Wouldn't Poodle Rockin' be an obvious choice to put in a DJ set? If Bwyd Time was longer maybe that would work?

I don't like Poodle Rockin so much, tbh.

Nah it's one of those crap singles they did - every album seemed to have a silly rocker on it for a while viz Sweet Johnny, Mow The Lawn.

Pretty As A Bee is so beautiful but the only one I like off Sleep/Holiday. Man, that's a band with a weird career arc

Listening to Bwyd Time now. How were they only teenagers when they made this? Love Oraphis yn Delphie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0sF4--G3sI&index=5&list=PL0778A7FBC4C07F55

Solo but dang this song is my favorite song of all time right now.

https://thealbumwall.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/happy-birthday-barafundle-guest-post.html

Some nice words about one of their best albums.

Their solo careers have been really disappointing.

Have any of you heard John Lawrence's stuff? Oh. My. God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgAXEjG2VC4

That...I did not expect.

When he left, the band became much less adventurous.

Euros' solo career has just been a string of middling or just ok releases. There have been a couple albums that are almost worth listening to a few times, but he hasn't written a great song in years. I always feel like he just isn't trying, but clearly he just lost it...

I guess you're right but I think he does well with competition and company like most people

I saw them live in 99 or so and they were very good - on the Long to See tour

Jonny was pretty middling, too, and he was matched with an equally (at least at one time in his life) talented partner.

I've listened to everything Euros has done and hold out hope he'll write another great song. He was a fantastic songwriter at one point in his life. Truly unique and wonderful.

With a voice as sweet as honey.

Absolutely love gorkys

How i long still my favourite and an album i listen to after 10 or whatever years

Will have to relisten to barafundle

Barafundle > How I Long > Bwyd Time > Spanish Dance Troupe > Gorky 5 > Other stuff

It's all good though. That John Lawrence thing is pretty out-there huh?

I'm pretty much fine with your ranking, but Patio & Tatay are exceptionally good, as is the odds and sods compilation (which contains many songs from the first couple releases anyway).

I've never been able to get into Sleep/Holiday, but I suspect it isn't as bad as I thought it was. I need to give it another chance. "Mow the Lawn" is just really bad. I always hated those obvious "rock" singles labels seemed to force on bands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHzBOdFIs3g

John's doing his thing, I suppose. I kind of remember enjoying an Infinity Chimps album back in the day.

I honestly think Patio is one of the greatest debut albums ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdPb409jrb4

In its own class.

Patio is one of their best releases, particularly on the CD version with all the extra stuff like 'Dean Ser' and 'Hi ar Gan'

i think i only gave patio a cursory listen... IIRC it's quite garage-rocky compared to the stuff that came after?

Yeah, it's quite garage-rocky in places, particularly on stuff like 'Barbed Wire', but I hear traces of post-punk in there on stuff like 'Dafad Yn Siarad' and 'Sally Webster' ... the psychedelic folk thing wouldn't kick in until Tatay, which is sorta a middle ground between Patio and Bwyd Time.

i just can't believe how young they were when they made all this music. Bwyd Time is an exceptional psychedelic record and they were, what? 6 years old or something when they made it

nice american music club t shirt there