the first five tracks are all superb! "battle of the broken hearts" is a sort of breezy ambient epic that manages to be both poppy and totally spacious (even though, I agree, the first one is a sort of transcendent redemptive 23rd century devotional)
― they probably drink corporate water (country matters), Sunday, 8 March 2009 17:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
Best songwriting is on Excuses- "Prayer for the Paranoid", "My Life In Art", "In Love With A View", etc. It's really the only one I still listen to though "Tomorrow's Taken" and most of the debut remain a personal fave. Haven't heard the latest. I do have a soft spot for Halstead's first solo album, haven't heard his latest either.
"There's a full moon in the sky it makes me gladThat there's something pure in something that I had"
Ok, not exactly Cohen but that first album meant a whole lot to me five or six years ago.
I couldn't really get into that long Bluebird song on Spoon and Rafter- I mean it sounds nice I guess but...that's about it.
Overall, Halstead sounds more often like he's phoning it in rather than inspired.
― ColinO, Sunday, 8 March 2009 17:45 (4 years ago) Permalink
Maybe I'll give Spoon and Rafter another shot if I can find it.
― ColinO, Sunday, 8 March 2009 17:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
All the albums are on Spotify, which is where I'm listening to them. Way prefer Spoon & Rafter to the debut on first impressions, although "Candle Song 3" is pretty damn great.
― they probably drink corporate water (country matters), Sunday, 8 March 2009 19:36 (4 years ago) Permalink
OMG there's an Ulrich Schnauss remix of Bluebird Of Happiness on Spotify!!!
― they probably drink corporate water (country matters), Sunday, 8 March 2009 20:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
I think this record *might* be better than any Slowdive album
― Mark Ronson: "Led Zeppelin were responsible for hip-hop" (acoleuthic), Monday, 14 June 2010 22:24 (2 years ago) Permalink
have only heard the first three albums. i like Out of Tune best (probably the only one), going to make it my point to seek out this album.
― Boo Radley (Bee OK), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:12 (2 years ago) Permalink
i was so bored by the third album that i never listened to this one. in fact i'd completely blocked out that there was a fifth M3 album, though i partially blame rachel goswell's crappy solo stuff for that
i stand by my first post upthread
― sugar fuckup (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:16 (2 years ago) Permalink
i will never know why they left their best track from the out of time sessions ('this road i'm travelling') off the album. though i guess at least it got decent exposure in whatever film it was in that i can't recall at the moment
― sugar fuckup (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:17 (2 years ago) Permalink
oh it was in election
― sugar fuckup (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:18 (2 years ago) Permalink
??? "This Road I'm Travelling" is the seventh track on the U.S edition, not sure if it's different for other versions. that might also be my favorite song by them...
― Boo Radley (Bee OK), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:22 (2 years ago) Permalink
xpost
well there you go. at least the US office was more sensible
― sugar fuckup (electricsound), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:24 (2 years ago) Permalink
Always glad when cuts from Out of Tune pop up on a playlist.
― that's not my post, Tuesday, 15 June 2010 06:23 (2 years ago) Permalink
one of these bands where I'm quite happy with the albums I got - but feel no need to ever purchase another
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 08:55 (2 years ago) Permalink
ok you guys who haven't heard this one are competely missing out
― Mark Ronson: "Led Zeppelin were responsible for hip-hop" (acoleuthic), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 16:25 (2 years ago) Permalink
Was quite tempted to go and see Halstead in Oxford.
Was he any good?
― djh, Saturday, 5 May 2012 21:36 (1 year ago) Permalink