Kate Sables appears courtesy of Rough Trade Records LtdWill Oldham appears with courtesy of his own damn selfSean O'hagan appears with courtesy of Domino Publishing
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 24 February 2020 17:03 (four years ago) link
Sounds good, Jeff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlfy7dnR6pY
Laetitia with a guest spot.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 24 February 2020 17:09 (four years ago) link
Pretty sure Sean O'Hagan did some playing/arranging with the early Palace Bros.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 24 February 2020 17:14 (four years ago) link
"I'll pick this thread 'cuz Sean's the one who interests me the most of the characters on the line-up. I am looking forward to this on Friday:
https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/grande-est-la-maison"
I think this guy is mainly a photographer, Sean has worked on his records before and played a gig in his apartment a few years ago.
― Deflatormouse, Monday, 24 February 2020 19:35 (four years ago) link
I've hit an age where I have panic attacks when threads are unexpectedly revived.
― djh, Monday, 24 February 2020 20:38 (four years ago) link
It's pretty reasonable to panic with this particular thread
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Monday, 24 February 2020 22:07 (four years ago) link
never talk about anybody old and not dead on the internet
― brimstead, Monday, 24 February 2020 22:40 (four years ago) link
ugh sorry didn’t know dude was actually not doing well, fp away
― brimstead, Monday, 24 February 2020 22:41 (four years ago) link
yes, made me very nervous to see this revived. i haven't heard anything about his condition since december.
― Deflatormouse, Monday, 24 February 2020 23:25 (four years ago) link
I think there's been some misconception that The High Llamas' records are meant to be a kind of terminus. The culmination of their influences, e.g. "what the Beach Boys were aspiring to". I believe this is looking at it the wrong way about. Surely they were the entry point? And from there we were meant to go on to check out Giu La Testa, Clube da Esquina and Marcos Valle? We didn't have algorithms for that in the 90's. Sean has been criticized a great deal for wearing his influences on his sleeve, and I understand but if you flip the triangle the other way around, it's incredibly generous, isn't it?― Deflatormouse, Friday, December 13, 2019 6:08 PM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink
― Deflatormouse, Friday, December 13, 2019 6:08 PM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink
Thank you for this, I think it’s a lovely summation of what I’ve thought many times; I can’t think of any single artist in the past few decades who has been so ill-served by a lazy shorthand for their work. I hope more people will figure it out with time.
― Deverly (Bangelo), Tuesday, 25 February 2020 01:24 (four years ago) link
Really digging the Cabane album. There's something very Llamas-esque about it beyond the string arrangements. I am enjoying Kate Stables's songs; I hadn't heard her before.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 2 March 2020 15:34 (four years ago) link
damn this is REALLY nice
― bold caucasian eroticism (Simon H.), Monday, 2 March 2020 15:48 (four years ago) link
I really like the Cabane also - if you like it and you haven't heard the Soy Un Caballo LP you have a big treat in store.
― Tim, Monday, 2 March 2020 16:11 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB9N9NWN3ys
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 20 April 2020 13:04 (four years ago) link
Aargh someone take the harmonica away from whoever’s ruining this lovely cover 😆
― Jeff W, Monday, 20 April 2020 13:22 (four years ago) link
Seriously though, good to see Sean looking OK and in fine voice after last year’s medical treatment
― Jeff W, Monday, 20 April 2020 13:24 (four years ago) link
Fantastic that Sean O'Hagan (High Llamas) is looking healthy & hale here — and sounding typically wonderful. https://t.co/WTusACr6xZ— Tyler Wilcox (@tywilc) April 24, 2020
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 24 April 2020 18:28 (four years ago) link
yeah this made my day
― tylerw, Friday, 24 April 2020 19:19 (four years ago) link
Yes, it's great to see him in good spirits and fine form. I think his voice is getting better w/ age. His voice always needed a little extra grit. I'm also enjoying his daughter's contributions; her voice is wonderful on Radum Calls.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 27 April 2020 16:47 (four years ago) link
Love him. I don't know if any others made the connection between their musics over the decades, but this is the closest to imagining having my hero Simon Jeffes from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra doing a home concert for free.
My wet dream would be Sean producing a new David Sylvian album.
― Max Florian, Wednesday, 29 April 2020 12:39 (four years ago) link
As mentioned upthread, he also produced the new Marker Starling LP, which is out now and v nice.
― Deverly (Bangelo), Wednesday, 29 April 2020 17:09 (four years ago) link
I completely missed up until now that the video in tylerw’s tweet is different to the one posted on 20 April. Just caught up with the former - so good, and brings back good memories of the Café Oto gig last year.
There was also short essay by Sean published on the Drag City website on the same day. Worth a read:https://www.dragcity.com/news/2020-04-24-cracking-the-code
― Jeff W, Friday, 15 May 2020 18:45 (four years ago) link
I've loved O'Hagan's music for a long time. In fact, it was one of two reasons why I launched a website around his music https://coughlanohagan.com/.
― weirwrite, Saturday, 23 May 2020 06:46 (three years ago) link
*shits*
― buzza, Saturday, 23 May 2020 07:10 (three years ago) link
Message on Bandcamp: “Small something special coming to you on June 18th. Stay tuned to Drag City”
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 3 June 2020 18:01 (three years ago) link
https://www.dragcity.com/news/2020-06-18-wild-in-the-streets?fbclid=IwAR3-DjefQRHjdXG2hFvJnebHGBTrCGSP6UUJv9m66C8VxoGxBtAcvph-TXQ
The lockdown-era return of wildlife to the towns looked foreboding, with images of our streets deserted but for the odd roaming animals - but weren't cities built for everyone? Sean O' Hagan and his daughter Livvy have teamed up to sing of this ecstatic, divisive and unexpected homecoming, with squelching, modern r'n'b beats to boost the much needed energies in our stagnated communities today. Mixed by modern art-pop wunderkind Fryars, "The Wild Are Welcome" introduces a futuristic side of O'Hagan's always inventive songcraft. Sean writes:"This April, the animals were coming back to the cities. I love our wild in London, the foxes and badgers - but then sheep, deer and goats started to stray back into the edges of urbanity, in Essex and on the fringes of Swansea and Edinburgh. So I imagined the conversations the animals were having as they acclimatized to the new norm. And of course it flipped the status for the rest of us not in captivity, as we stared out at the wild from our lockdown. As much as I have enjoyed the musical landscape that I have explored for 30 years, I want to creep beyond it. I can still drop the chords as I always have but I am enamored with the 2020 RnB experience and here I have found new tools to put records together. Livvy keeps me informed and I increasingly run stuff by her, so when the idea of this tune emerged, I wanted a female vocal around which to hang an approximated vocal running through bit crushing and transformers to get the 'sound'. The sounds of Sly's Riot mixed with these vital new expressions. This is where I am at in 2020: SEAN SYLVESTER DRAKE 61."
"This April, the animals were coming back to the cities. I love our wild in London, the foxes and badgers - but then sheep, deer and goats started to stray back into the edges of urbanity, in Essex and on the fringes of Swansea and Edinburgh. So I imagined the conversations the animals were having as they acclimatized to the new norm. And of course it flipped the status for the rest of us not in captivity, as we stared out at the wild from our lockdown. As much as I have enjoyed the musical landscape that I have explored for 30 years, I want to creep beyond it. I can still drop the chords as I always have but I am enamored with the 2020 RnB experience and here I have found new tools to put records together. Livvy keeps me informed and I increasingly run stuff by her, so when the idea of this tune emerged, I wanted a female vocal around which to hang an approximated vocal running through bit crushing and transformers to get the 'sound'. The sounds of Sly's Riot mixed with these vital new expressions. This is where I am at in 2020: SEAN SYLVESTER DRAKE 61."
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 18 June 2020 16:52 (three years ago) link
Nothing to add to Sean’s own description! Hard to judge from just one song but yeah more in this vein would not I think be unwelcome.
― Jeff W, Thursday, 18 June 2020 18:19 (three years ago) link
A really great interview with @High_Llamas Sean O'Hagan on his creative process: https://t.co/g0UVGTGqOd— Paul McDermott (@learnandsing) June 18, 2020
― Jeff W, Thursday, 18 June 2020 18:40 (three years ago) link
For an act that gets a lot of "every record sounds the same," he sure releases quite an eclectic array of music. I'm addicted to the new song. His daughter's got a lovely voice. She's great on Radum Calls as well.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 22 June 2020 15:58 (three years ago) link
I keep returning to "The Wild Are Welcome." What a wonderful song. I really hope that's a taste of his next album.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 11 September 2020 21:15 (three years ago) link
Turned on Resonance FM for the first time in ages this morning and caught the last ten minutes of an interview with Sean on "Clear Spot".
He mentioned being friends with the members of Broadcast (as they were one-time label mates on DuoPhonic) and that there was some talk of him doing the strings on a future album at one time. Sadly wasn't to be :(
― "Spaghetti" Thompson (Pheeel), Tuesday, 8 June 2021 19:39 (two years ago) link
https://www.mixcloud.com/driftrecordshop/sean-ohagan-in-conversation/
Found a link, looks like it was a repeat from a year or so ago.
― "Spaghetti" Thompson (Pheeel), Tuesday, 8 June 2021 19:45 (two years ago) link
Sean had launched a minor social media campaign to get UMG to put all the Llamas stuff up for streaming. Looks like he won that battle. Says he's been trying to get the music re-released for 14 years now. Looks like it's on to fighting for some physical reissues... hope they start with Gideon.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 14:06 (two years ago) link
Curious. Is there a reason why the label wouldn't want them on streaming services and/or released?
― djh, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 18:45 (two years ago) link
I assume lack of interest, sadly.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 23 June 2021 15:36 (two years ago) link
boom
These 4 albums from the @High_Llamas catalogue now available on all digital services for the first time worldwide. Spotify links belowSanta Barbarahttps://t.co/jryZEUnqxBGideon Gayehttps://t.co/0w5AD6FoYhHawaiihttps://t.co/H0wpUwxdl3Cold And Bouncyhttps://t.co/D1YjcYj6Uu— Sean O'Hagan (@seanohaganmusic) June 23, 2021
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Wednesday, 23 June 2021 16:24 (two years ago) link
Yes!
― jaymc, Wednesday, 23 June 2021 18:30 (two years ago) link
I see a couple of Talahomi Way vinyl for sale on Bandcamp.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 23 June 2021 18:40 (two years ago) link
Wait, I mean Can Cladders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhZuSuycHIU
Forgot about this beauty.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 23 June 2021 20:36 (two years ago) link
Maybe it's just me living as a High Llamas/Sean O' fanboy for a couple decades now, but Santa Barbara sounds like a much better record than I remembered. I'm glad it's on Spotify. Lyrically, it's spotty; Sean's never written the best traditional song lyrics. Melodically, it's great. I love the little Steely Dan-esque guitar flourishes, and he even brings some noise to a track or two: Period Music" ends with some rad outburst. It's also mercifully short, at 9 tracks. I like it much better than I like his first solo release.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 24 June 2021 20:37 (two years ago) link
I always liked that one.
― Rich Valley Girl, Poor Valley Girl (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 June 2021 21:34 (two years ago) link
This new Fryars LP, God Melodies. I don't know what to make of it. Lyrically, totally obnoxious & dude seems kind of annoying, but the hooks & Sean O' arrangements keep bringing me back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfu5isOKqlE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLQ0uSOyyE
https://driftrecords.com/products/fryars-god-melodies
Written, Produced and Performed by FryarsGuru, Collaborator in Chief, Arrangements, String Arrangements, Musical Direction and Additional Production - Sean O’Hagan
― afriendlypioneer, Sunday, 18 July 2021 13:36 (two years ago) link
Hearing the signature string arrangement + chord change switches on a song about bangin' a woman twice the dude's age is kind of amusing.
I dunno. I sort of like this. Songwriting gets a bit lazy by the end tho, imo.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 19 July 2021 14:06 (two years ago) link
An EP ft. Sean just came out:
https://eileengogandimplediscs.bandcamp.com
Eileen Gogan has been a fixture on the Dublin music scene for a good many years, performing in various bands including The Would Be’s, The Revenants, Acton Bell and The Drays. Her breakthrough moment came in 2020 with the release of her second solo album “Under Moving Skies”, which received a 4-star review in MOJO, play on Gideon Coe's BBC6 Music show, and widespread praise from Irish and UK media and radio. The Irish Times called her… “one of Ireland’s most underrated artists” while Americana UK magazine called her album…”a showcase for Gogan’s beguiling vocals”. Sean O’Hagan has a very storied career in music as a performer/writer/arranger and producer. Born in the UK to Irish parents, he moved to Cork as a teenager and formed the highly revered Irish band Microdisney with singer Cathal Coughlan. He was an early member of Stereolab before leaving to form the highly influential group The High Llamas, and in doing so, practically invented the sub-genre known as ‘chamber pop’. His credits as arranger and producer include Paul Weller, Gilberto Gil, Sondre Lerche, Tim Burgess, Fryars, Gruff Rhys, Bill Callahan, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and more. Together these Anglo-Irish luminaries have found a fascinating synergy that has resulted in the new EP “Another Golden Day”.
Sean O’Hagan has a very storied career in music as a performer/writer/arranger and producer. Born in the UK to Irish parents, he moved to Cork as a teenager and formed the highly revered Irish band Microdisney with singer Cathal Coughlan. He was an early member of Stereolab before leaving to form the highly influential group The High Llamas, and in doing so, practically invented the sub-genre known as ‘chamber pop’. His credits as arranger and producer include Paul Weller, Gilberto Gil, Sondre Lerche, Tim Burgess, Fryars, Gruff Rhys, Bill Callahan, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and more.
Together these Anglo-Irish luminaries have found a fascinating synergy that has resulted in the new EP “Another Golden Day”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdNzMQPsDDA
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 8 February 2022 20:55 (two years ago) link
sounds good!
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 February 2022 23:48 (two years ago) link
Lovely
― J. Sam, Tuesday, 8 February 2022 23:55 (two years ago) link
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CckStvXjOz8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
― Jeff W, Saturday, 23 April 2022 10:36 (two years ago) link
Nomads would be a really good song if it just knew when to stop. It's over four minutes long when it should be 1m50 like something off Friends.
― Alba, Saturday, 17 September 2022 09:29 (one year ago) link
This comment had me at a loss until it clicked you weren't talking about Monica, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel.
Have to disagree anyway, Nomads has never felt too long to me, it's the perfect length for such a languid composition. If it was less than two minutes it'd feel like it had hardly even started.
Also the fact the promo was co-directed by Edgar Wright is one of those little things that always me makes me go "Huh!" when I remember it.
― "Spaghetti" Thompson (Pheeel), Saturday, 17 September 2022 12:23 (one year ago) link