Hood and Cold House

richard from hood's new album as "the declining winter" is out, called haunt the upper hallways, and features a remix of my song "Kavan". Lovely package all around (both a 7" and a CD)

Agreed, that arrived in the mail the other week. Been waiting for an AMG listing to appear so I can review it!

actually I haven't even seen it yet (I heard the remix work ages ago)! I think he also used a sample of our cello in something else. I can't remember.

It's "Cold House" season.

"Cold House" season has come a little earlier this year.

I feel you. It's still "Rustic Houses, Forlorn Valleys" season for me, a lot. But I'm sure "Cold House" season is just around the corner.

^Ha. Played the former last week. And yes, the temperature's nearly right for Cold House to come out of its sleeve :)

I apologise. I'm being premature. There's not really enough of a frost for "Cold House".

Any idea where the sample on "The Lost You" is from?

("the same problem as usual ...")

I had it primed and ready to spin .But maybe another week or so if those tragically wrong meteorolists are to be trusted.

Great, album.

"The Cycle of Days And Seasons" sounded perfect on my autumnal walk to Sainsburys this evening. Still not frosty enough for "Cold House".

i wish these guys would get it together again for another hood album, as much as I love Declining Winter.

Forthcoming box set.

Was emailing Richard a bit a couple of weeks back, forgot to ask for further details but sounds like they're happily keeping on in their own way.

Any news on this box set?

I wonder what they could add, musically, to the two excellent compilations from some years ago.

Would be nice if (the content of) Structured Disasters became available again.

God, HOOD! It's been yeears. Wonder what happened to my copy of Silent '88? Did I let someone borrow it?

http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/albums/08-11-11/6-cd-box-set

Thanks for the link, but it does make me wonder... I mean, I have all the albums already, all the EP's and singles were fantastically compiled on Sarah's Misplaced Music some years ago. The "EP disc" only comprises of the Cold House and onwards EP's. So I have to shell out 50 quid for "The Hood Tapes" (that contains a lot of songs previously released)? If the albums were remastered that would at least be something for me to consider buying it. But like any great Hood fan, I own 95% of this already.

That sections where the drums are reversed on 'I Can't Find My Brittle Youth', wow.

I prefer the rockier, earlier stuff tbh, so this doesnt interest me so much. and yeah singles compiled is really good. the first two albums are lost classics imo.

Still no Structured Disasters! :(

It's because that wasn't on Domino but on Happy Go Lucky I think, this is a Domino only release. I love Hood to death but this seems like a useless (no pun intended) release tbh

i have the hood tapes if anyone needs it

i have everything on this but i may buy it just to get 'useless' on cd

or wait & download that one track

ah i see their 'hood tapes' has twice the songs that my cd of the same name has

'Useless' would be a reason to buy this, I agree, that song is all-time. But still, 50 quid is pretty steep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhDNLaVxosw&ob=av2e

to be fair, it does state that all the CD's are "completely remastered from the original sources".

oh ok, I didn't see that, thanks

I came to know the band through their Domino stuff, loved it, and checked out the early stuff. Which hit me so hard that I haven't had much use for the Domino stuff ever since; with the exception of some odd tracks (the Home is Where it Hurts EP is brilliant). So yeah, I'm more interested in a companion box compiling the old stuff, including leftover goodies.

These guys were involved in Remote Viewer as well, right? Was into the first RV album in college.

both the RV guys were in Hood at one point but their main other thing was Famous Boyfriend

(which imo was >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> remote viewer)

Sebastian, do you own the Singles Compiled cd's? Hood recently placed a message on their website that they found some more copies (it's been OOP for some years now) and they are indeed dead cheap, as they put it. A steal, and a mighty good one imo.

@Le Bateau Ivre: yeah, I own those two (and love them dearly). I own everything by the band, except Structured Disasters, which I think is the perfect mix of old and new Hood. Impossible to find in hard copy though. Last time I saw it on eBay it sold for way above $100.

shit really? i need to liquidate

^^^

"Useless" is actually my least favourite track from the Domino years.

Not sure if this can be applied:

"To spread a little good tidings, or good cheer, or, actually, GOOD MUSIC we're offering 20% off all orders on the Domino Shop from now until the end of the year.

The holiday discount applies to all physical orders (CD/LP/Cassette) over £8.99/$10.00. Oh, and no pre-orders allowed, we're sure you understand.

To take advantage just visit http://dominorecordco.com/mart and enter the code HOLIDAY2011 at checkout."

Oh, and no pre-orders allowed, we're sure you understand.

But by 06/12/11 it won't be a "pre-order".

Been enjoying the dip back into all these -- will be reviewing the box set for Pitchfork.

I look forward to that read, Ned. I'm still hoping for a separate pressing of The Hood Tapes. Seems a bit much to invest in the entire set when I already own everything else.

Looking forward to that too, Ned, very much!

I agree with Doug Watson though, I won't shell out for this because I own everything apart from the Hood Tapes already. The singles and compilations compiled from some years ago were brilliant.

hood tapes isn't essential; let me know if you really need to hear it.

I've an "unofficial" version of the 2005 CDR but apparently the boxset version is expanded. They should just bandcamp the thing.

@hoodmusic tweeted earlier something along the lines of "apparently we're reissuing Cold House on vinyl soon". Domino website says the box will be in shops in March- maybe there'll be a download of the Tapes then. I'd like a legit download of Useless.

When I'd read about a deluxe edition of Cold House, I'd interpreted it as an expanded CD set. I'll be sad if it's only some 180g vinyl version.

http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/news/31-01-12/hood-announce-cold-house-vinyl-re-issue-alongside-box-set

‘Cold House’ is repressed for the first time in a ltd edition of 500 for the world as a double gatefold lp cut at 45 rpm for maximum audiophile pleasure and also comes with exclusive liner notes to the vinyl edition and download codes.

Heads up, from The Declining Winter's newsletter:

Thank You / Happy Christmas

We have pay what you feel on all our digital for the next 48 hours on Bandcamp (and physical slashed for the same period) as a little Christmas gift from us to you...and also to recognise that music is expensive and can be unaffordable for many in these troubled times. Thank you for continuing to support artists by buying physical products and downloads. You won't believe the difference it makes.

https://thedecliningwinter.bandcamp.com/music

Interview with Glen Johnston about Cold House here:

https://arcane-delights.com/2020/08/16/hood-cold-house-interview-with-richard-and-chris-adams-2/

Thanks for posting that, very interesting to read - for me for the first time, at least - about their perception of the latter albums and how the band sort of naturally came to a conclusion.

Greetings, Hoodlums! The Declining Winter have a new, brilliant, record out. I say record; the physical release was lmtd to 75 tapes (and even though tapes "fit" w/ them, c'mon...) but the whole is on bandcamp. I dare say it's the best Declining Winter, the best post-Hood, record released. This is, of course, because it's reminiscent of Hood. It's like a compilation of B-sides culled from all Hood periods (ramshackle lo-fi/ramshackle hi-fi/ambient Hood/electronic "The Weight EP" Hood/ etc Hood) and it's really, really good.

https://thedecliningwinter.bandcamp.com/album/recordings-of-weird-air

Ah, crap, I saw them tease something on Instagram and forgot about it so no tape for me. Will get the digital.

Was listening to 'Cold House' the other night, it felt like That Time of Year Again.

Thanks for the tip!

They did a same day re-press so imagine they will be tempted to do more?

Most welcome, Ned! True return to form imo.

They did two re-presses already, I'm not sure there's more in the making atm. Fingers crossed!

Not my question but from Instagram, FYI:

Hi, I missed all three pressings of the tape, are you considering making more?

thedecliningwinter no but there may be a couple left over at the end. Send me an email to signalr✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧ and I’ll let you know.

That was me asking, funnily enough.

Maybe this is a rare stance but I am a big EARLY Hood fan vs. 00s+ stuff which I never really got in to. Is that weird? I dg their taste is guitar melodies against/applied to lo-fi experimental noisiness.

dig*

Not weird at all imo, though you're probably w/ the minority now. I got to know them when Silent '88 came out, and I love the hell out of the debut and the early singles (there were so many!). I just followed them after that, and I treasure all periods, three if I break it down roughly (Cabled/Silent, Rustic Houses/Cycle, and Cold House/Closer). What do you think of Rustic Houses and Cycle?

Yeah I've dug into the endless amount of EP/split/7" releases in the Cabled/Silent era. Rustic is nice if a bit gloomy iirc... you know I can't recall Cycle at all? I'll check that out again soon. Very turned off by the Dose One & Why? cameos on the Cold House LP. I don't think that nasal rapping style has aged well since its height in the early 00s.

If you think Rustic is gloomy, well, you're in for a treat with Cycle lol. I trust you picked up the Compilations/Singles Compiled cd's? They have nearly all of the early days.

I wasn't put off by the Cold House cameos. I vividly remember buying the lp's of both Cold House and Notwist's 'Neon Golden' on the same day, and they became sort of twin records for me because of that. Dose One and Why? on Cold House seemed completely of its time, for me. But I totally get it's not everyone's cup of tea. (I already dug cLOUDDEAD tbf)

Hey I'm not apposed to gloomy! Just a memory of it being particularly that. But noted!

Looks like I effectively have checked out that comp in the sense that I've come across a lot of the releases themselves. Probably missed a bit of it.

Yeah I like some of that too. Why?'s Elephant Eyelash had some tunes. But overall the style has not aged well for me.

Cycle is my favourite!

Mine too! Well, along with a couple of others :) If I *have* to choose I pick 'Rustic Houses', but 'Cycle' is fantastic. I've to be cautious listening to it though, teh sadness hits hard.

this year it hit so hard

oh so it’s “this year has been so hard” ok

Not strictly Hood but related (via Craig Tattersall)

https://iikki.bandcamp.com/album/flowers-bloom-butterflies-come

I managed to get the new Declining Winter on tape. I agree that it is very good.

Some Downpour (Chris) on tape:

https://downpour2.bandcamp.com/album/do-you-remember-when-it-was-all-about-the-drums-parts-i-ii-re-mastered-with-bonus-track

And now at last properly on Bandcamp

https://hoodband.bandcamp.com/

They've seemed to be alluding to some *other news*, haven't they?

I thought it was just more stuff from the catalogue coming... but what I would give for Chris & Rich getting back together as Hood!
Bring whoever they like along, just do it!

That said, any new Bracken, or another Downpour EP would do it too.

October, rain, chill on the wind = The Cycle of Days and Seasons. It's like a summons.

Missed (mist? xp) both presses of this.

Shame, this is nice.

https://thedecliningwinter.bandcamp.com/track/i-remember

Chris did a record with a Philly musician under the name ROCK which is excellent in case anyone missed it. Tape is well sold out but digital is on Bandcamp

Related:

https://newnorthwales.bandcamp.com/album/minor-birds

There's one vinyl copy of I Remember on Bandcamp, btw.

Oddly enough was chatting with Richard the other day; from the sound of it the two earliest Hood albums may get a reissue in the near future. More Declining Winter en route.