The Boo Radleys, Classic or Dud?

I'm still trying to figure out how Monuments for a Dead Century didn't even place in the poll. It's probably my favorite thing they ever did and the arrival of the final section is a thing of beauty that they only really perfected by Kingsize.

i don't like the bit where they spell out 'millenium'

A little hard to listen to these days. 'Giant Steps' sometimes moves me a bit, particularly "I Hang Suspended" but the bah-bah-ba-bah harmonies wear thin on me in 2017.

Xpost clearly not, otherwise you'd have been able to spell millennium.

(smiley)

apparently they did it themselves when they first wrote the song and then had to work a way to change it

True.

'Monuments for a Dead Century' is ace! One of my favourite things on Kingsize, definitely. Listening back, Kingsize probably has the slickest, fattest sounding production of all their records.

you think? to me it sounds a little dry and plasticky. very '1998'. the psychedelic flute flourishes on Monuments sound like tacked-on psychedelic signifiers rather than the real thing

Yup, although it is undoubtedly the least psychedelic of all their albums.

so... this new Martin Carr album... best thing he's done since the Boos or?

Have to agree with Carr about his previous album, The Breaks, which was stuffed with nice tunes but stylistically sounded like it came out 20 years ago.

I prefer The Breaks to the new album, but the new one is great too. I think the Breaks is his best LP with or without the Boos.

i had no idea Martin Carr had a new album, thanks for letting me know.

and it's on Spotify here in the States!

interesting opinion brotherlovesdub, i even bought the CD of The Breaks but for me it's not the Boo Radleys.

I connected with the lyrics to Mainstream, and the overall lyrical themes of the album. I find it very easy to listen to all the way through.

I prefer The Breaks to the new album, but the new one is great too. I think the Breaks is his best LP with or without the Boos.

― brotherlovesdub, Thursday, November 16, 2017 7:33 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Wow, this is quite a statement

I bought it on vinyl (the Breaks) because it came out at a time when I'd been thinking about the Boos a lot, but yeah it wasn't my cuppa really. Sounded like Martin trying to sound like someone trying to sound like the Boo Radleys or something. Very Britpop but none of the weirdness that I know he's good at.

I didn't come in wanting weirdness. It's very straightforward, overall very mellow and lyrically down a bit, but I just find it really pleasing to listen to. I don't have to skip any songs and I find myself either singing along to the lyrics or nodding my head in agreement. I like the Boos, but there are several songs on every album that I have to skip. I'm not much of a guitar person, so shrieking guitars and feedback usually make me want to skip the track.

So way back when, I talked to Tim and Rob. (Subscribers only!)

https://www.patreon.com/posts/interviews-from-32425553

I really like 'Kingsize', would happily take "Free Huey" off but otherwise think it's really good, a teenage favourite. I have the promo CD in a yellow sleeve so I also don't have to see the atrocious official artwork.

I have 'The Breaks' but have yet to listen to it.

The last thing the Boos released was a cover of a song from Bugsy Malone - and only as the b-side of a single that was cancelled after promos went out. It's on soundcloud for a day or so.

Was definitely available elsewhere because I put a copy in my end of year mix one year.

https://www.discogs.com/The-Boo-Radleys-Find-The-Way-Out/release/742208

Sure you didn't get a copy of the promo?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Boo-Radleys-Kingsize/release/384046

(Fair play about the later comp, I didn't proof the uploader's claim)

Is it weird that, after 20+ years, the Boos song I return to most is 'Joel'?

"Tomorrow" is on the Boo Radleys best-of collection "Find the answer within"

One track, "Superintendent", remains otherwise unreleased.

are YOU sure you don't mean The Boo Radleys, Classic or Dud?

Well...

i'm pretty sure i voted for "Tomorrow" on our artist Boo Radleys poll. i remember hearing it for the first time and thinking what another great B-Side from this band, had no idea it was a cover at the time. also one of the last new songs i would ever hear from them. fast forward to sort of recently and the Jodi Foster movie was on and i happened to catch the song in the movie where a kid was singing it or something like that.

i don't see this posted on this thread, so for reference:
Just a simple song but God I love it Embedded in me, so bittersweet I’m addicted, I’m a melancholic Sing it again, I’ll be your Poll forever: THE BOO RADLEYS - ILM artist poll #60

I know there's some huge Giant Steps fans here, so figured you might be interested in this re-up on one of my favorite blogs:

https://wilfullyobscure.blogspot.com/2017/05/boo-radleys-giant-steps-demos-1992-93.html

I remember Martin Carr hosting a load of demos on his website, in "Real Audio" (remember that?) along with some live takes. They sounded very telephone. Will have to see what these are like.

These are quite rough. Still fun for fans!

oh wow, i have never heard these before. downloading now and thanks Evan!

the download worked but don't have the software on my computer to play...minor details but i like to just play everything on Spotify these days

Thursday May 28th
8pm (U.K. time)

Giant Steps is getting the #TimsTwitterListeningParty  treatment - @martin_carr will take us on a track by track journey around The Boo Radleys’ seminal album

Come with us pic.twitter.com/lvh2b7dBl4

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) May 24, 2020

Giant Steps getting the Listening Party treatment on twitter tonight at 8:05 uk time

(watch out for my friend stephen posting work-in-progress pics of the original art)

Meanwhile, in a bedsit flat on Huskisson Street, Liverpool 8, circa '92/'93... pic.twitter.com/mdSLTSBgRQ

— Stephen A. Wood (@stephen_a_wood) May 28, 2020

You can see from the top that it's just one of those paper lamp shades with photocopies stick on it, but it did the job.

oh wow, nice. thanks for posting this.

Who else listened in / tweeted last night? I found Martin and Sice very good at it (though Martin's self-deprecation bordered on OTT self-criticism at times). I like (well, not sure if that's the right word) the fact that neither of them like the one I don't like either ('Spun Around').

I'm sad i missed this although people were saying that Martin wasn't really acknowledging Sice too much, despite a number of olive branches being extended. not sure how much to read into it though

I wouldn't have said that was true. Have a read through of it.

there was a point where I loved Spun Around. Cut from the same cloth as Upon 9th and Fairchild. I've come to find that the more enduring moments in their catalogue are the darker, more psychedelic songs for me. It's straight-up twee fare like Barney which I never got on with

xp I will. I'm not very good at navigating twitter tho

Actually, I've been back through it and he doesn't say much about Sice. There was this:

I always loved playing this live.

Poor Sice, having to sing drivel like this.

— Martin Carr (@martin_carr) May 28, 2020

I read Martins tweets, I didn't see Sice's

JULY 8. pic.twitter.com/5OeJSKPZAL

— The Boo Radleys (@theboo_radleys) July 4, 2021

Could Martin be on board for this?

For what?

There was some press about the other three being in the studio together, plus they were due to play some gigs as Sice Boo & The Radleys. This appears to be hinting at something happening under the actual name of The Boo Radleys, which you'd assume would need to include Martin, who has appeared quite reluctant to reform the band. If this is an actual reunion, I wouldn't expect them to use the name if Martin wasn't involved.

Cautiously optimistic. What's w/ the accounts they're following? Maybe just trying to gin up some Britpop nostalgia once the news breaks?

A new single. Tune into @steve_lamacq on @BBC6Music this afternoon to hear it first. pic.twitter.com/bL7co4tPMU

— The Boo Radleys (@theboo_radleys) July 7, 2021