I bought these two records and Mark Hollis right when they came out, and I agree that the solo album is the best of the three. Even details like the room tone at the opening and closing are perfectly timed. The album is an unexpected mixture of warmth and austerity; I credit it with helping me though the depressive year when it was issued.
When you listen to records as many times as I have heard these, you have to be honest with yourself about what you feel is not working. I've always found Taphead and Runeii on Laughing Stock a little arid. In a way, the progression didn't become clear to me until 1998.
― Halfway there but for you, Monday, 9 November 2020 03:02 (three years ago) link
April 5th and Chameleon Day sound to me like they are reaching for the Spirit of Eden sound without getting it yet. The former has an irritating programmed percussion part and the latter has a weird quasi-wind-quartet intro and outro that they would soon replace with acoustic instruments.
― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 5 November 2020 18:16 (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink
wtf the programmed percussion on "April 5th" is brilliant
― Tim F, Monday, 9 November 2020 04:29 (three years ago) link
about 2 minutes into "The Rainbow", at the start of "Spirt of Eden" - what is that scribbling noise? is it a pen or pencil scribbling? to me it sounds like someone just scratching over something
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 7 September 2021 01:05 (two years ago) link
Apparently it's Hugh Davies playing the "shozyg", an electronic instrument of his own making.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 7 September 2021 01:14 (two years ago) link
i see.
i also love how on this most holy albums of subtlety, the big drums on "Desire" include a big, conkin' cowbell. CONK CONK CONK CONK!
lol
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 7 September 2021 01:22 (two years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/fAuFMhp.png
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 7 September 2021 01:54 (two years ago) link
true google pros know to use only 3 sets of quotation marks
"let the " algorithm "handle the rest
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 7 September 2021 01:55 (two years ago) link