His writing tended to have that effect on me.
― Nicole, Friday, 23 March 2001 01:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Michael Bourke, Friday, 23 March 2001 01:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
stalker pop haha... it´s true
― Jens, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― cockney red, Sunday, 20 May 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Nick, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
blueboy and heavenly were certainly better bands on paper, but wratten's honest and personal approach to songwriting lifted the field mice above themselves.
i can understand why people would hate the band - not everyone wants to subject themselves to that level of emotional involvement. there are some songs, particularly "and before the first kiss", that i simply cannot listen to, for fear of being caught up in the emotional turmoil.
conversely, on the occasions when the tone is more upbeat the results are as uplifting as anything this side of the theme from shaft. "coach station reunion" makes me happy, and that in itself is enough to makes me declare the field mice CLASSIC.
― kevan, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― fernando, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― Richard Tunnicliffe, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 18 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
I don't know Butterfly Child at all, but... since it's often me doing the comparing, I'll tell you why:
1) it is based on TBS's live shows, rather than their recorded output. Their recorded output is slightly less twee and more listenable except for the fact of
2) Commonality of "I didn't need to know that..." aspect of far too much lyrical sharing. Bob Wratten does it on a far more raw and (to me) unlistenable level, while the B&Sers tend to wrap it in layers of irony and sarcasm. But still.
Far prefer the Field Mice to the TBS, BTW.
― masonic boom, Wednesday, 18 July 2001 00:00 (8 years ago) Permalink
― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (7 years ago) Permalink
― XStatic Peace, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (7 years ago) Permalink
― the pinefox, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (7 years ago) Permalink
― cw, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (7 years ago) Permalink
― kieron, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (7 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:46 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:49 (6 years ago) Permalink
I suppose it's more that I can only take a bit of them at a time, so I generally lock on the few songs that seem strong enough to transcend the often overbearing vocal treatment. I also don't think much of their Human League-esque electronic things although they're listenable.
"Emma's House" does sort of seem sui generis though, I could easily see someone liking that song and that song only. That person might be me, eventually.
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:51 (6 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:53 (6 years ago) Permalink
Overall F.M. strike me as a WRONG reaction to music currents of the late '80s. Or at leasta profoundly reactionary one, sort of a dead end. That doesn't mean it didn't produce some good music.
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:55 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:56 (6 years ago) Permalink
― David. (Cozen), Thursday, 7 August 2003 21:57 (6 years ago) Permalink
David: yeah, that's a great line. It reminds me of driving around my home town or college town... physically everything is the same but emotionally all there are, are ghosts and memories. I think it's that sense of transience that makes the song stirring. Although I mostly like it because it's a very concise and self-confident pop song, sort of summarizes the (modest) virtues of the genre without being beholden to them.
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 22:01 (6 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 7 August 2003 22:02 (6 years ago) Permalink
Also "Emma's House" is one of the few F.M. songs that allows the emotions to emerge from the scenario, rather than detailing the emotions in deadening clinical terms or obvious metaphors.
how much FM have you actually heard? because i don't think you have any idea what you're talking about.
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 00:11 (6 years ago) Permalink
Way to be diplomatic, Jim.
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 00:14 (6 years ago) Permalink
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 00:19 (6 years ago) Permalink
― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Friday, 8 August 2003 00:41 (6 years ago) Permalink
― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Friday, 8 August 2003 01:44 (6 years ago) Permalink
― youn, Friday, 8 August 2003 05:37 (6 years ago) Permalink
I suppose one problem I have with FM is how determinedly not-shouty it is, or rather how simpleminded is their solution to that perceived problem.
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 05:49 (6 years ago) Permalink
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 05:53 (6 years ago) Permalink
By "FM" I mean Field Mice, without exception. I've never heard them on the radio!
I wonder how this thread would've progressed if the confusion continued...??
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 05:54 (6 years ago) Permalink
is it fair to say that the FMs were one of the 'indie-dance' pioneers? and if so is this something to be proud of?
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 05:56 (6 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:01 (6 years ago) Permalink
― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:01 (6 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:04 (6 years ago) Permalink
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:05 (6 years ago) Permalink
well what i'm getting at is that i think they pre-dated all that Madchester/"indie dance" nonsense (back when "indie dance" wasn't really dance at all)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:06 (6 years ago) Permalink
― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:08 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Tom (Groke), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:18 (6 years ago) Permalink
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 06:19 (6 years ago) Permalink
― youn, Friday, 8 August 2003 06:26 (6 years ago) Permalink
― etc, Friday, 8 August 2003 07:21 (6 years ago) Permalink
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 8 August 2003 07:25 (6 years ago) Permalink
― Jim Eaton-Terry (Jim E-T), Friday, 8 August 2003 08:30 (6 years ago) Permalink
Jim E-T: the idea that TFM were ever the Band You Had To Like in Exeter is baffling to me in the extreme. Did indie really have a heyday in Exeter? (I left the area in 1989 and kind of assumed that the same 10 people stayed liking that kind of stuff as had been interested for the previous five years.) TFM played their second (third?) ever show in Exeter, as I recall.
― Tim (Tim), Friday, 8 August 2003 08:56 (6 years ago) Permalink
― keith m (keithmcl), Sunday, 16 May 2004 01:24 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 16 May 2004 01:46 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 16 May 2004 08:37 (5 years ago) Permalink
― the surface noise of psychotic badassery (electricsound), Sunday, 16 May 2004 08:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Canada Briggs (Canada Briggs), Sunday, 16 May 2004 09:09 (5 years ago) Permalink
― the surface noise of psychotic badassery (electricsound), Sunday, 16 May 2004 09:24 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 12:09 (5 years ago) Permalink
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
cozen can you give details on this docu?
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:48 (5 years ago) Permalink
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:57 (5 years ago) Permalink
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 15:58 (5 years ago) Permalink
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 16:14 (5 years ago) Permalink
or at least an awareness of different dramatic devices
― amateur!!st, Thursday, 9 September 2004 16:15 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 10 September 2004 07:18 (5 years ago) Permalink
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Friday, 10 September 2004 07:55 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Rob M (Rob M), Friday, 10 September 2004 08:24 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Tag (Tag), Friday, 10 September 2004 12:33 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 10 September 2004 12:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Rob M (Rob M), Friday, 10 September 2004 13:01 (5 years ago) Permalink
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 01:16 (5 years ago) Permalink
Yeah, I really enjoyed that EP as well. I'm very excited.
― mikef (mfleming), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 01:47 (5 years ago) Permalink
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 01:51 (5 years ago) Permalink
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 01:58 (4 years ago) Permalink
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
for some reason i never heard much NPL stuff til recently, and that was a result of regaining my Bob faith with "Helen Reddy", the best thing he's done since the first TBS album. i do think he's a very consistent songwriter, perhaps moreso than, say, Stephin Merritt, but he has a voice it can sometimes be very easy to tire of.
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:08 (4 years ago) Permalink
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:09 (4 years ago) Permalink
― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:53 (4 years ago) Permalink
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Tuesday, 12 April 2005 02:58 (4 years ago) Permalink
― andy dale (andy dale), Monday, 22 May 2006 13:25 (3 years ago) Permalink
hahahaha
― Cunga (Cunga), Sunday, 28 January 2007 08:51 (2 years ago) Permalink
but really, leave little bobby alone.
and the field mice? classic x 100,000,000,000
― tears (blood bitch), Sunday, 28 January 2007 20:58 (2 years ago) Permalink
― tears (blood bitch), Sunday, 28 January 2007 21:00 (2 years ago) Permalink
― tears (blood bitch), Sunday, 28 January 2007 21:03 (2 years ago) Permalink
bobby is my baby, and, i am bobby's baby.
what a fucking songwriter.
― andi, Thursday, 30 August 2007 22:29 (2 years ago) Permalink
surprisingly mediocre, except for "Emma's House" which is heartbreaking.
― Jesus Christ, Attorney at Law (res), Friday, 12 June 2009 04:59 (5 months ago) Permalink
i don't really see how emma's house can be plucked out of their catalogue as being anything different to a huge number of their other songs
― comedy cafe at the toxteth hotel (electricsound), Friday, 12 June 2009 05:06 (5 months ago) Permalink
I dunno, it's my favourite Field Mice song as well.
The LTM Snowball CD is really good - the 1st album and related singles. Never really got into their later stuff much.
― Colonel Poo, Friday, 12 June 2009 08:36 (5 months ago) Permalink
Does anybody have the Peel Session? I can't find it.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 12 June 2009 15:05 (5 months ago) Permalink
yeah "emma's house" is my favorite as well; seems to crystalize all their strengths into one perfect song with no chaff. "missing the moon" comes pretty close, though.
love "a wrong turn and raindrops" and whatever the "never to kiss again" song is also.
st et propelled their self-destructively limp "kiss and make up" into the cosmos
― guammls (QE II), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:54 (5 months ago) Permalink
i'm talking the big shiny version on the american Foxbase Alpha, not the still-limp version that's on "you'll need a mess of help..."
― guammls (QE II), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:55 (5 months ago) Permalink
So Said Kay for me. Not just because it's wrapped up in all sorts of personal and nostalgic reasons either, I just think it's a great song. One of their best, alongside Fabulous Friend, Wrong Turn and Raindrops, and, yeah, Emma's House.
― DavidM, Friday, 12 June 2009 21:16 (5 months ago) Permalink
Aw, nobody has said "Canada" yet?
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 12 June 2009 21:43 (5 months ago) Permalink