surprised there isn't a thread on this yet. we all like Owen, don't we?
terrific stuff anyway, especially in the second half. and kudos on avoiding another album title naming disaster!
― Roz, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:43 (fourteen years ago) link
I have this strange hope it's nothing but old Sisters of Mercy covers based on that title.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:43 (fourteen years ago) link
not goth enough
― Roz, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:45 (fourteen years ago) link
AOTY so far.
― Simon H., Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:46 (fourteen years ago) link
That might sound a little backhanded at this point in the year, but it feels like a huge step forward compared to his previous albums (which I also enjoy).
― Simon H., Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:47 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah it actually caught me a little by surprise. i'd heard some of the songs as live versions and to be honest, they already sounded fully-formed then, so when the album came out with the same songs but with these HUGE, gorgeous arrangements it was like... WOW.
― Roz, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 15:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Love this album. Favorite thing I've heard so far this year.
― Hoisin Murphy (jaymc), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7WxTP3ger8
Fluxtumblr posted this video a little while back, and it's awesome, especially the part where they try to get him to end the song because of the rain and he just keeps playing. Love this song.
― ksh, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 16:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Thanks bwoys. Figured I'd have a nice homey title before album #4 "The Human Cunt" drops
― Megadeth Panel (Ówen P.), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 16:55 (fourteen years ago) link
Hopefully a CD of this should arrive at my house soon.
― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 16:56 (fourteen years ago) link
I wanted to like this, and do in bits ("Lewisi Takes Off His Shirt," "Oh, Heartland Up Yours), but all that yearning dolor annoys me.
― Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 16:57 (fourteen years ago) link
I can't afford more than 2 albums a month so I am going to have to wait till post-Gil Scott Heron to get this but I really want to. Plus its not on spotify and I've become all righteous about illegal downloads (except for out-of-print and mixtapes) so...
Nice artwork tho.
― brrrrrrrrrrrrrt_stanton (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 17:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes, fantastic artwork. Which is why I bought it on vinyl. Two thick 45rpm slabs of them! Awesome.
Clerck at the store where I ordered it asked me who the album was by three times (Owen who?!) before he heard it correctly. Shrugged his shoulders to indicate the name didn't ring a bell. Album playing in the background, to which he'd been singing and humming along for some time: Funeral.
― willem, Tuesday, 2 February 2010 17:35 (fourteen years ago) link
loooooooooool
― brrrrrrrrrrrrrt_stanton (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link
Owen P's work getting recognised to full effect, obv
― brrrrrrrrrrrrrt_stanton (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 2 February 2010 17:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Interviews!
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/owen-palletthttp://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/118185-blissfully-nerdy-interview-with-owen-pallett/
Looking forward to reading them later.
― kshighway (ksh), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:00 (fourteen years ago) link
this guy sucks, he totally ripped off final fantasy
― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:02 (fourteen years ago) link
One thing that gets me is that it feels pretty continuous with the stuff before -- obviously the same pretty unique sensibility -- but it makes exactly the right changes to open it up to a much wider audience: grander scope, a dash of drums and electric bass, the whole relationship between orchestral instruments and electronic ones. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm just looking at it in commercial terms, but it really does manage to invite a lot more people in without really changing what it's doing.
It's also fun thinking about the concept of arrangements "modeled on the principles of electronic music," in terms of decoding them -- so you get stuff like the bit that works like Neu!, or the bit that sounds like an organ played by a sequencer (and filtered), or brass working like square-wave oscillators...
― oɔsıqɐu (nabisco), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:16 (fourteen years ago) link
owen & I are pals & have worked together, cards on table there ok, but that said, what a tremendous album - even the song that bugs me live ("midnight directives") works here, really beautifully, and the sequence as it unfolds is just gorgeous: it's an album I settle into like a great big book. in a sense, it reminds me of what I like about heavy metal: it's daring enough to try to create, in each song & in the songs taken together, a whole world to sink into. I feel like owen's love of his creation, the character & the world in which he lives, kind of achieves lift-off here; it's hard to take on a conceit that doesn't, at first, seem forced, but on this record it all feels really natural to me, which is the difference between a cool-sounding record and the real journey that this one is.
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:35 (fourteen years ago) link
arrangements "modeled on the principles of electronic music,"
what are these "principles" of electronic music? electronic sound is just another medium for producing oscillations. It is a medium through which the composer often has more precise control, but ultimately it is based on the same acoustic principles as "physical" sound. Square waves, triangle waves, etc were conceptualized and harmonically analyzed long before electronic music came about.
― Altoids for your vagina. (Curt1s Stephens), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Decided to give in and go buy this album today- only for HMV not to have it :( Sorry Owen for you staying poor like me.
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
I think he means the set of aesthetic priorities that electronic composers might be said to have - what exactly these are isn't something I'd be in a position to state, but it does seem that composition, for electronic composers, is a different activity from composing on standard instruments of the symphony in some ways, right? or maybe not, just thinkin'
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
all I wanna know is does Owen know how to do fourier transforms, if not he should learn
― Altoids for your vagina. (Curt1s Stephens), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:47 (fourteen years ago) link
he plays a violin iirc
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:53 (fourteen years ago) link
Wow that footage of him doing Lewis Takes Off His Shirt is amazing, that and Tryst With Mephistopheles are my two favorites on the album. I loved the first two albums when they came out but Heartland feels like a combination of the very best moments from them both, it's a huge leap forward and I'm already excited to hear how the next album will sound.
Heartland and the new Hot Chip album have made this a really good start to the year for new albums.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 February 2010 20:54 (fourteen years ago) link
this is a huge thing imo
― Altoids for your vagina. (Curt1s Stephens), Thursday, 4 February 2010 21:01 (fourteen years ago) link
(that's what she said)
― Altoids for your vagina. (Curt1s Stephens), Thursday, 4 February 2010 21:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Man, I can't stop singing "I'M NEVER GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!" at the moment. Fantastic album, easily the best I've heard this year.
― Dwight Yorke, Thursday, 4 February 2010 21:40 (fourteen years ago) link
i'm not sure if the songwriting is for me yet, but the arrangements and general sound of the album are v gorgeous and impressive. also there's a really wide variety of textures and melodic styles, but the transitions between them are really effortless and natural. it might just be because it's the only other indie rock violins album i've got, but it reminds me of parenthetical girls' "entanglements" in that way.
― samosa gibreel, Thursday, 4 February 2010 21:46 (fourteen years ago) link
Man, I can't stop singing "I'M NEVER GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU!" at the moment.
OTM. i start dancing in my chair and mouthing those words a lot when that song's on -- and it's on very, very often
― kshighway (ksh), Thursday, 4 February 2010 21:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Am I the only one who thinks the vocals are mixed too fucking low? I can barely hear him sing, and there are some great melodies here.
― rennavate, Thursday, 4 February 2010 22:21 (fourteen years ago) link
That moment is such a hook that I end up playing the song on repeat about 5 times every time I listen to it.
Damn you Owen for completely distorting my listening tally over the last few weeks...
― jellybean (back again) (Jill), Thursday, 4 February 2010 22:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Curt1s the "adapted electronic" music part came from an aborted collaboration with OMD, where they asked me to envision some of their early material as orchestral music. It was an impossible challenge... I spent about two days on the intro to "Souvenir" alone, trying to figure out some way of individually voicing a 50-piece string section to approximate the sound of a filter closing on a hissy Oberheim (or Jupiter or whatever). Although I did find some success on "Of All The Things We Made", I eventually had to bail, it was taking too much out of me and my personal connection to those early OMD records is too deep. Revising them seemed like it was belittling them. But some of the solutions that I had come up with over that project stuck with me and I adapted them into the arrangements for Heartland. I could give specific examples but it'd be about as tedious an exercise as trying to write a melody based on an Eigenvector har har har.
― Megadeth Panel (Ówen P.), Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:03 (fourteen years ago) link
was thinking about listening to this but judging by that post this album is not for me
― een, Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Empower yourself, brother.
― Megadeth Panel (Ówen P.), Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:05 (fourteen years ago) link
i was thinking about not listening to this but judging by that post this album might be for me.
i love that shit, although in my experience it's mostly been drummers figuring out how to approximate electronically-generated beats & sounds.
― rinse the lemonade (Jordan), Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:18 (fourteen years ago) link
A collab with OMD, wow...A friend of mine told me how you played the opening songs of Dazzle Ships as an encore at a gig in Utrecht last year (or was it '08?) - I was sooo pissed I wasn't there. Luckily I now have tickets for the Amsterdam gig in march.
― willem, Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:52 (fourteen years ago) link
Just to be clear, this isn't something that particularly sounds like "let me arrange everything to imitate synths," at least not to me -- it's just something to think about when the arrangements/instruments behave in ways that are a little unexpected. It might not have occurred to me if I hadn't read it somewhere and then thought, you know: ah, yes, those strings there do do that, don't they.
I think I made the "voice mixed too low" note when talking about He Poos Clouds, but it doesn't seem like an issue to me here. (Maybe because the sonic profile of this one is lower and warmer? It felt like more of an issue when the voice was up against a lot of mid-rangey strings.)
BTW, am I alone in this experience, or does this album present to other people at first as great but not-super-lively, and then repeated listening reveals it's way, WAY more lively than you thought at first?
― oɔsıqɐu (nabisco), Thursday, 4 February 2010 23:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Four kestrels manoeuvre in the dark.
― ecuador_with_a_c, Friday, 5 February 2010 02:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Absolutely. The first listen was very impressive, but I was almost too enmeshed in the arrangements and the leaps forward/sideways in terms of what Owen's been doing with percussion and countermelodies and texture. The second and third were spent wrapping my head around what the hell was going on with Lewis and his wife and Cockatrices and such. And while clearly the melodies were embedding themselves in my brain, it wasn't until recently that I realized how much the album really drives itself forward. There's a KICK to it that appeared in moments on the last two (Dream of W&R, Song Song Song, etc.) but it's somehow less stately/mannered than Has a Good Home and He Poos Clouds.
― Alex in Montreal, Friday, 5 February 2010 03:08 (fourteen years ago) link
Plus, things like
For a man can be bought, and a man can be sold,And the price of a hundred thousand unwatered soulsIs a bit of meat and a bit of coal.
should not be nearly as catchy as they are. Humming this shit EVERYWHERE. Haven't seen Owen since the He Poos Clouds preview at Lambi - at the time translating the string quartet parts for solo violin was mind-blowing...looking forward to seeing how the new arrangements morph for live concerts.
― Alex in Montreal, Friday, 5 February 2010 03:11 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh, and while Owen's around answering questions about recording procedures and stuff...where does Spectrum 14th Century fit in?
If Heartland is totally from the perspective of Lewis, is the EP a collection of disparate voices just supplementing with context? Are any of those "Lewis" songs as well, or should we just treat them as vaguely connected bonuses? (Specifically is The Butcher supposed to be in the voice of "Owen, God of Spectrum", because that's the only way I can make head or tails of it).
― Alex in Montreal, Friday, 5 February 2010 03:29 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.comixconnection.com/uploaded_images/286100~Portrait-of-Baby-Crying-Posters-713652.jpg
Thanks for the kind words! I'm preemptively banning myself.
― Megadeth Panel (Ówen P.), Friday, 5 February 2010 03:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Question though Owen- did you decide to just go by your name after they printed up all the sleeves to your records? I noticed when they shipped in they all say Final Fantasy on the spine and theres a sticker on the front with you name. Just curious.
― Evan, Friday, 5 February 2010 04:35 (fourteen years ago) link
I think Owen's checked out of this thread. Or at least from answering questions. Which makes sense.
This is from P4k:
From now on, Owen Pallett will be known as Owen Pallett-- we'll have to put those bad jokes about hit points and geeks in sweatpants to rest. According to a message from Pallett, "the laws of trademark infringement exist for good reason, and so I am voluntarily retiring my band name."
http://pitchfork.com/news/37436-final-fantasy-changes-nameto-owen-pallett/
― kshighway (ksh), Friday, 5 February 2010 04:36 (fourteen years ago) link
Eh oh well.
Yeah but I was wondering how last minute that decision was, since it still says Final Fantasy on all the record sleeves, but the sticker says his name. These dull little things hold my curiosity.
― Evan, Friday, 5 February 2010 04:39 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh shit. I seriously read
Question though Owen- did you decide to just go by your name
And then went to Pitchfork. I'm tired. Sorry dude.
― kshighway (ksh), Friday, 5 February 2010 04:41 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm not THAT behind here.
No problem haha.
― Evan, Friday, 5 February 2010 04:42 (fourteen years ago) link
:-)
― kshighway (ksh), Friday, 5 February 2010 04:43 (fourteen years ago) link
I think his voice suits the music well. Good pairing.
― SourPatchCorpse, Friday, 5 February 2010 06:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Little snatches of Oh Heartland, Up Yours really remind me, vocally, of Aimee Mann circa the Magnolia soundtrack.
This is a terrific record.
My copy is labelled up with Owen's own name, incidentally.
― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 5 February 2010 08:07 (fourteen years ago) link
Really now? Spine too? Neato.
― Evan, Friday, 5 February 2010 14:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Yep, spine too; from Amazon's preferred merchant.
― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 5 February 2010 14:53 (fourteen years ago) link
i like this record a lot and feel a bit guilty about whining about how long it was taking to come out on pwen's other thread
― thomp, Friday, 5 February 2010 15:00 (fourteen years ago) link
Great record owen!
― Emily's Cheese, Saturday, 6 February 2010 06:23 (fourteen years ago) link
Finally listening, and it sounds like what would happen if Josh Groban went slightly insane or took some drugs.
― Evan, Saturday, 6 February 2010 22:00 (fourteen years ago) link
Good way, in a.
Josh Groban? No. Just no.
― Salvador Dali Parton (Turangalila), Saturday, 6 February 2010 22:11 (fourteen years ago) link
inspired by that 45rpm to 33rpm thread I slowed down some Joanna Newsom and the singing sounded quite a bit like Owen.
my few listens to this album have been real satisfying and I still don't have a real grasp of what it's doing (it's kind of just drifting awesomely by), so I expect to be back in a couple of weeks saying how amazing it is.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:15 (fourteen years ago) link
Is there a good online shop for buying indie vinyl (UK based)? That is trustworthy and not too expensive? I hate living in a town with only a shitty hmv to rely on and now want to buy this.
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:19 (fourteen years ago) link
(Sorry we have an incredibly shitty vinyl store that tries to rip you off even if you know what you are looking at and doesn't seem to know anything about music that hasn't been on the cover of Mojo.)
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:20 (fourteen years ago) link
you probably already know it, but Boomkat? http://boomkat.com/ - not exactly cheap, but 'okay' pricewise I'd say.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Ah cheers. No, I've never really bought records online unless they were from rapandsoulmailorder.com's sale section
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:32 (fourteen years ago) link
How much is their shipping? The only thing I could think of to knock it up close to their free shipping mark (the GSH) is out of stock :(
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:35 (fourteen years ago) link
erm, think it's about £2 for a double LP? Not entirely sure, though.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:46 (fourteen years ago) link
ordered. cheers merdy
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:48 (fourteen years ago) link
wahey. I'd better get commission on this.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Sunday, 7 February 2010 13:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Well if ever there was a place to ask the duke himself.
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 7 February 2010 14:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Bump before this falls off. I am awaiting an opportunity to listen to this on my big AKGs. Things keep happening to prevent me.
― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 10 February 2010 08:06 (fourteen years ago) link
So this is fucking immense. Way better than the first two (which I still liked).
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Thursday, 11 February 2010 14:37 (fourteen years ago) link
just caught myself singing out loud some of the more dragon quest sounding bits at work ("the stony hiss of cockatrice has cast us into serfdom! i close my eyes and spur imelda down the mountainside - for a liberated spectrum!") — felt 'nerdy'
― thomp, Thursday, 11 February 2010 14:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Haha--I find myself singing "I will not sing your praises..." all the time.
― President Keyes, Thursday, 11 February 2010 14:46 (fourteen years ago) link
this = awesome
― Michael Steele, the first black Superman (HI DERE), Thursday, 11 February 2010 14:49 (fourteen years ago) link
should probably hear this huh
― sonderangerbot, Thursday, 11 February 2010 14:51 (fourteen years ago) link
dude it's incredibly good
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, 11 February 2010 15:02 (fourteen years ago) link
unsurprisingly; I'm really enjoying this. Will be putting it on repeat methinks.
― forksclovetofu, Thursday, 11 February 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah i dont have much else to say other than this is epic and kind of really good
― vag gangsta (k3vin k.), Thursday, 11 February 2010 17:49 (fourteen years ago) link
just caught myself singing out loud some of the more dragon quest sounding bits at work
or on the bus! or on the street! or...well, anywhere. and then you get really self-conscious about how ridiculous you sound!
― Alex in Montreal, Thursday, 11 February 2010 18:09 (fourteen years ago) link
I work in the student shop at Goldsmiths College. The staff get to pick the music that plays; today I kicked off my shift with Heartland. Some guy comes up to the counter and we start talking about it. Dude's gotta review it for The Quietus apparently. My brush with music writing 'fame' haha.
― Dwight Yorke, Thursday, 11 February 2010 22:04 (fourteen years ago) link
you want lyric embarrassment, try accidentally muttering "I've got a taste for liquid gold / I'll bludgeon til the body's cold" while waiting in line at a McDonald's
― oɔsıqɐu (nabisco), Thursday, 11 February 2010 23:37 (fourteen years ago) link
^^ the most effective method I've ever found of enlarging my Personal Space
― oɔsıqɐu (nabisco), Thursday, 11 February 2010 23:38 (fourteen years ago) link
(obligatory cock ring joke)
― forksclovetofu, Friday, 12 February 2010 05:04 (fourteen years ago) link
I read "E is for Estranged" as being from Owen's point of view as well, and then started to notice the melodic similarities to "The Butcher" toward the end of it - neat if I'm right.
― if, Friday, 12 February 2010 08:19 (fourteen years ago) link
I'd never heard any of Owen's other music before listening to this - it's some astonishing music. I had no idea my subconscious had been craving a long-form orchestral-pop concept album so much, but hey no complaints here
― HPSCHD, Friday, 12 February 2010 18:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Pooland
― velko, Friday, 12 February 2010 22:03 (fourteen years ago) link
for some reason listening to this makes me want to read dave sedaris. an odd sensation i know.
― 80085 (a hoy hoy), Saturday, 13 February 2010 09:04 (fourteen years ago) link
he poos hearts?
no, wait. he hearts poos.
― thomp, Sunday, 14 February 2010 17:27 (fourteen years ago) link
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, February 4, 2010 2:40 PM (2 weeks ago)
been ruminating on this idea as i'm listening to this album repeatedly the last couple of weeks. it hit me watching a live clip from ifc. it's the looping, i think, the way he (and other electronic composers) records a phrase to have the exact same thing loop over. the sensibility is the same if you are recording that loop live or copy/pasting midi notes or letting a drum machine run over the same beat etc etc. this isn;t to say that acoustic instrumentalists don't use or even rely on repetitive phrases, but save for the most precise players there's going to be some variation in timbre or micro-imprecisions in rhythm. the loop otoh is always "exactly" the same.
there's a lot of variation in chord structures, but as a point of reference, "e is for estranged" is essentially the same chord structure throughout but it took me a long time to figure it out. the addition and removal of layers is much more akin to electronically produced (at least 4 me at any rate). it's to his great credit that he doesn't allow this repeating structure get stale and has enough going on that the song moves.
― tuvan ear, nose, and throat singer (m bison), Tuesday, 23 February 2010 04:22 (fourteen years ago) link
i want to say something clever like this is technical wizardry disguised as a beautiful chamber pop album or vice versa, but i don't think either facet is hidden at all. it's like "i'm fucking talented, let's waltz :D"
― tuvan ear, nose, and throat singer (m bison), Tuesday, 23 February 2010 04:28 (fourteen years ago) link
man, I know I can be accused of bias here, but this is the BEST. FUCKING. ALBUM. Like, every song makes me go "fuck yeah dude this is the best song on the record" only then the next one comes up. And it's the same thing again. BEST. FUCKING. ALBUM.
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Sunday, 7 March 2010 00:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah, this is going to be hard to beat for my favorite of the year.
― President Keyes, Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:09 (fourteen years ago) link
loooool i've been listening to this tonight!
Owen's vocal melodies are INSANELY great on this. Seriously. The vocal melodies. A++
― ksh, Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:16 (fourteen years ago) link
"I took a No-Face by his beeaaaak, and broke his jaw, he'll never speak again (ahhhhhhhh)"
Cannot overstate the greatness of the vocal melody on this line.
― ksh, Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:23 (fourteen years ago) link
"about face, about face"
― ksh, Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:26 (fourteen years ago) link
I've really tried to like this, guys ("Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" is still in my iPod), but this still sounds malnourished.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:31 (fourteen years ago) link
dogg what u mean, this album is walking around town all bloated and blowin out inappropriate farts from eatin so good
― ramses 'gyptian nightmares (m bison), Sunday, 7 March 2010 02:47 (fourteen years ago) link
m bison I wish to subscribe to your newsletter
― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Sunday, 7 March 2010 03:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Finally gave this a full listen last night -- very lovely on first blush. Owen's voice is the standout for me here because it reminded me of nobody so much as Joe Cassidy from Butterfly Child, one of my all time favorite and far too obscure bands. Something about the combination of ease, vulnerability and evident skill.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 March 2010 17:50 (fourteen years ago) link
i can't listen to this one enough! when have i last been so obsessed with a recent album? stunning music.
i think i'm looking forward to seeing owen this may more than just about any show i've ever anticipated
― sleepingbag, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:19 (fourteen years ago) link
this album is incredible btw
― ciderpress, Friday, 19 March 2010 18:21 (fourteen years ago) link
I love this.
― No, YOU'RE a disgusting savage (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 19 March 2010 18:34 (fourteen years ago) link
What do people think of Dan Deacon's remix of Lewis Takes His Shirt Off?
― Dwight Yorke, Friday, 9 April 2010 10:25 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm guessing this is a bit of a grower, eh?
― musicfanatic, Monday, 12 April 2010 00:13 (thirteen years ago) link
It sounds interesting at first listen - not sure if I'm "blown away", as most people here are, though.
it will haunt u in yr dreamz
― acoustic bugaloo (m bison), Monday, 12 April 2010 02:35 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen's record is great
― ksh, Monday, 12 April 2010 03:13 (thirteen years ago) link
this album is so fantastic - my favourite for the year so far definitely.
― Roz, Monday, 12 April 2010 10:11 (thirteen years ago) link
It's one of those that's pretty easy to walk away from during/after first listen and then 100times easier to walk back to time and time again. It reminds me of Scott Walker or Coil in the way that the arrangements completely immerse you into the music. Still haven't listened to it on headphones but very much looking forward to the experience.
― Fetchboy, Monday, 12 April 2010 10:41 (thirteen years ago) link
not feeling it as much as i'd like to /:
― thomp, Monday, 12 April 2010 11:26 (thirteen years ago) link
otoh this still sounds worth investigating:
Lewis Takes Off Shirt 12″ Track List:
A
1: Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (Album version)
2. Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (Dan Deacon Remix)
3. Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (Benoit Pioulard Remix)
B
1. Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (CFCF Remix)
2. Keep The Dog Quiet (Simon Bookish Remix)
3. Midnight Directives (Max Tundra Remix)
― thomp, Monday, 12 April 2010 11:27 (thirteen years ago) link
owen, why do you hate providence
04-08 Toronto, Ontario - Queen Elizabeth Theatre04-10 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall04-11 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater04-12 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall04-13 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center04-14 Pittsburgh, PA - Andy Warhol Museum04-15 Washington, DC - Black Cat04-18 Indio, CA - Coachella Festival04-20 Boston, MA - Institute of Contemporary Art04-22 New York, NY - Webster Hall04-24 Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery04-25 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church04-27 Atlanta, GA - The Earl04-29 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater04-30 Austin, TX - The Mohawk05-05 San Francisco, CA - The Independent05-08 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile05-09 Vancouver, British Columbia - The Vogue Theatre05-10 Victoria, British Columbia - Alix Goolden Hall05-11 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater05-13 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court05-14 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge05-28 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival06-01 Paris, France - Villette Sonique Festival06-02 Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Monday, 12 April 2010 22:52 (thirteen years ago) link
05-14 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
o my calendar has been marked~!
― sleepingbag, Monday, 12 April 2010 22:53 (thirteen years ago) link
tempted to drive up to austin 4 that show
― acoustic bugaloo (m bison), Monday, 12 April 2010 22:56 (thirteen years ago) link
I'll be at the Denver show.
― Throwing Muses are reuniting for my next orgasm! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 12 April 2010 23:00 (thirteen years ago) link
no britisher show? :(
― he might have even have gone in. (a hoy hoy), Monday, 12 April 2010 23:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Just finished our EU tour, we did London, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff two weeks ago. Sad we missed you. It was a good tour, we played a fun set at Inferno Festival in Oslo, between Atilla Csihar and Jarboe. (My booking agent likes to pretend we're a metal band and we like going along with it.)
BTW if there are any people from Milwaukee up in this bitch, come down to Turner Hall tonight, we are hilariously undersold.
― Miracles (acoustic version) (Ówen P.), Monday, 12 April 2010 23:40 (thirteen years ago) link
oh man i never knew/had any money. anyway, cracking album dude.
― he might have even have gone in. (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 00:46 (thirteen years ago) link
my gf and i went in london! you were dope as usual
― just sayin, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 07:39 (thirteen years ago) link
what're you doing for the summer owen? you in america? available to play?
― forksclovetofu, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 15:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen, great show in Chicago the other night! Loved the "Fantasy" cover.
― HOOS zing-steen (jaymc), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 15:49 (thirteen years ago) link
04-20 Boston, MA - Institute of Contemporary Art
O_O
saw Deerhunter at this venue in 2007. amazing show. venue is right on the water. i should go to this.
― ksh, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 15:51 (thirteen years ago) link
boo, I'm supposed to be at a completely different event that night
― HI DERE, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 15:52 (thirteen years ago) link
owen why do you hate providence
― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 16:13 (thirteen years ago) link
wait Fantasy as in Mariah's Fantasy?
― tart w/ a heart (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 17:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, he did that one in London too. At least at the (excellent) Koko show, don't know about the Union Chapel one which I sadly missed.
― if, Tuesday, 13 April 2010 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link
That sounds like something I need to hear. Is it on the internet or will it be a future bside?
― tart w/ a heart (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Ha, I don't really know "Fantasy" at all and so I was like "All right, Tom Tom Club cover!" and then "oh, he wrote his own lyrics...?" and then "oh, I think someone in the '90s sampled Tom Tom Club! Could this be ... Mariah??"
― HOOS zing-steen (jaymc), Tuesday, 13 April 2010 19:31 (thirteen years ago) link
btw owen i think you have 'made it'
http://i39.tinypic.com/2ptpdtl.jpg
― tart w/ a heart (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 21:18 (thirteen years ago) link
lolz at drowny firefox skin
― forksclovetofu, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 21:19 (thirteen years ago) link
owen was an answer in this week's av club crossword, that's fucking making it.
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 21:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Ha, who was the constructor?
― jaymc, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 21:23 (thirteen years ago) link
francis heaney, but i wouldn't be surprised if tausig slipped that one in
― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 15:28 (thirteen years ago) link
owen what do you think of active child?
― cutty, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 01:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Time to stuff the ballot box (that is how it works, right?):
The Short List of 10 Canadian albums selected as nominees for the fifth annual Polaris Music Prize were announced today. The 10 records will vie for the annual $20,000 award, presented by Sirius Satellite Radio. In alphabetical order, they are: The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night(Montréal, QC) Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record(Toronto, ON) Caribou – Swim(Dundas, ON) Karkwa - Les Chemins De Verre(Montréal, QC) Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice(Vancouver, BC) Owen Pallett – Heartland(Toronto, ON) Radio Radio – Belmundo Regal(Grosse Coque, NS, Moncton, NB, Pointe-à-l'église, NS) The Sadies – Darker Circles(Toronto, ON) Shad – TSOL(London, ON) Tegan And Sara – Sainthood(Vancouver, BC & Montréal, QC)
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 6 July 2010 17:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen and Dan Snaith need to sort out a rota so they release records in adjacent years.
― Captain Ostensible (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 6 July 2010 17:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen in a walk.
― kate78, Tuesday, 6 July 2010 18:30 (thirteen years ago) link
Great show on Canada Day! The album has not been leaving my car's CD player.
― Sundar, Friday, 9 July 2010 22:44 (thirteen years ago) link
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/12/magazine/14actors.htmlalso a reminder to myself to likely include this in my top ten albums
― Lou Ferrigno (Hulken) (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 19:59 (thirteen years ago) link
!
― markers, Wednesday, 8 December 2010 20:01 (thirteen years ago) link
$
― champagne for my t-friends (Edward III), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 20:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Wow... completely surprised by the magazine that just came in my editorial-mail and landed on my desk, from the North Netherlands Orchestra. They are going to perform Heartland with Owen Pallett in its entirety in November here! Didn't see this one coming, fantastic!
― RIP Brodie, aspiring bellhop boy, 4 months old (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 2 May 2011 09:34 (twelve years ago) link
Cool!
― lol sickmouthy (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 2 May 2011 10:16 (twelve years ago) link
I know, I'm psyched! And with 17 euros per ticket a really fair price too (normally the NNO orchestra tickets cost way more).
― RIP Brodie, aspiring bellhop boy, 4 months old (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 2 May 2011 10:20 (twelve years ago) link
Seeing him do this with the Britten Sinfonia at the Barbican next week. Can't wait!
― jellybean (back again) (Jill), Monday, 2 May 2011 10:39 (twelve years ago) link
excellent! I'm so jealous of y'all — this was easily my favorite non-Lil B release of 2010, and I can only imagine how incredible it would sound in that setting & orchestration
― bernard snowy, Monday, 2 May 2011 11:03 (twelve years ago) link
If it wasn't for work commitments and an expanding black hole in my bank account I would be at the Barbican. What an album. That sounds a dream gig.
― Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Monday, 2 May 2011 11:45 (twelve years ago) link
Team jealous!
― Craiger Lazer (Craigo Boingo), Monday, 2 May 2011 12:36 (twelve years ago) link
Just saw this with Britten Sinfonia. Sounded absolutely lush.
Except for the songs he played on the Nord. They just sounded like The Knife. ;-)
― Karin Treijer-Gaskersson (Karen D. Tregaskin), Sunday, 8 May 2011 20:16 (twelve years ago) link
Can't believe I only just discovered this album. Absolutely incredible.
― Evil Eau (dog latin), Sunday, 8 May 2011 22:02 (twelve years ago) link
it's an album I settle into like a great big book
This is really OTM.
― Evil Eau (dog latin), Sunday, 8 May 2011 22:04 (twelve years ago) link
oh K you were there as well! Did you stick out the full 6+ hours? (I ended up leaving during Richter because i've seen him before and don't find his stuff all that engaging. plus it was 12.15 and i needed to get up in the morning)
I hadn't heard the record before but that was really lovely, I am a definite convert.
― górecki's zygotic mynci (c sharp major), Monday, 9 May 2011 08:48 (twelve years ago) link
did you have middle aged classical music fans who looked a bit annoyed during Owen's set? there was a couple near me who sat with their arms crossed all the way through.... like grumpy toddlers but older.
I thought the whole night was great though (especially so for a 6hr+ bill)
― jellybean (back again) (Jill), Monday, 9 May 2011 08:59 (twelve years ago) link
argh why did i miss this
― thomp, Monday, 9 May 2011 08:59 (twelve years ago) link
fuck!
haha amazing-- we were in the cheap seats (you know when that woman at the end was like 'the people in the balcony are clearly enjoying the view'? that was us, not being arsed to move down to the stalls) so sitting around us were pretty much just the kids, trying not to chair-dance too obviously. i have never seen so many t-shirts in a a Barbican audience.
it really was a great night, such a ridiculous amount of music! double sextet was just astonishing (i found clogs too twee tbh but, you know, life's rich tapestry and all that.)
― górecki's zygotic mynci (c sharp major), Monday, 9 May 2011 09:09 (twelve years ago) link
No, sorry, I did not make it the full 8 hour Steve Reich they-shoot-minimalist-composers-don't-they marathon.
Left about 3 songs into Clogs due to train fear and gong fear. (3 gongs? Really? You need 3 gongs?) It was very odd because I seemed to be sat in a gaggle of parents of the children's choir who kept clucking about it "being far too late on a school night!" That was a bit of a downer for me, because it was a bit sullying of my enjoyment to be surrounded by uptight classical music stage dads. (I seriously did not know that there was so much politics surrounding the children's choir scene in London, but apparently it's a snake pit, with choir leaders getting in huffs and seceding from one another's groups. Shocking.) I did actually have to stick my fist in my mouth to stop from laughing aloud when the classic stage dads tutted about Owen's set "But we can't hear the *words*! What's the point of music if you can't hear the words?"
(I dunno about Barbican audiences because the last 2 shows I've seen there were Tomorrow In A Year and the Hallogallo thing so the architectural haircuts and band t-shirts seemed about right?)
It was an almost overwhelming amount of music though. And Steve Reich kept coming out and hugging everyone. (Actually he was sat near me, and he spent most of the night hugging anyone who came within 3 feet of him, but I guess it's his birthday, he's entitled.)
Heartland... Heartland was just ... quite too utterly utter. I'm still trying to digest the whole experience, like, having sound and colour turned up to 11 and I thought the record was beautifully arranged, but this was about 100 times moreso, and in any other hands, it might have been too rich, too caramel, too layers of meringue and cream and sprinkles on top but it was actually just heart-rendingly lovely, and there is really nothing like an entire violin section doing a sort of MBV wooze-swoop to set your heart fluttering.
(Also: Owen & Steve Reich in matching black caps was adorable, but I'd still rather have had more hair action. Grumble.)
― Karin Treijer-Gaskersson (Karen D. Tregaskin), Monday, 9 May 2011 11:14 (twelve years ago) link
That's a lovely write-up K, and makes me quite sad to have missed it.
― immer wieder, ralf & günther (NickB), Monday, 9 May 2011 11:26 (twelve years ago) link
Wonderful review Kate, can't wait till this lands in Holland!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 9 May 2011 11:34 (twelve years ago) link
It was beautiful, but it was also kind of a logistical nightmare. I mean, it was just *so* ambitious in its scale. They were 20 minutes late letting us into the theatre, but then you walk in and you see a band set up in front, then a full orchestra behind that, and then behind that, 4 grand pianos and 5 (?) vibraphones, and then behind *that* a choir on risers? (felt a bit sorry for the conductors tripping over said Nord on the way to the podium.) Just so much sound. Just a wonderful, overwhelming, totally enveloping and encompassing joyful noise of it all.
But I don't know that I've ever seen Reich performed live before, it's quite amazing watching the music flowing over the performers in waves. It has such a wavelike quality when you listen to it, it's very interesting to watch that duplicated as you can see a note, a pulse, originating, say, with the vibraphones, and the rippling through the string sections as bows start twitching, like you can actually *see* the pulse of the music that you hear.
Guess I should take that to a Steve Reich thread but don't really feel like searching.
― Karin Treijer-Gaskersson (Karen D. Tregaskin), Monday, 9 May 2011 11:41 (twelve years ago) link
i'm so jealous of all of youse! great write-up, k8.
― Roz, Monday, 9 May 2011 12:33 (twelve years ago) link
wait the choir leaders seceding from each others' groups thing happened in like 1990, why the hell are they still talking about it
i was in that choir as a small person so was vicariously happy about it running over because it was always AWESOME when concerts went late on a school night, especially if they were at the barbican or the south bank centre, and you were like drunk with tiredness on the coach back and then you were groggy all the next day at school but as it was in the interests of culture no-one should really criticise you for it.
not v impressed with Clogs' excessive gongage given they barely fucking used them.
― górecki's zygotic mynci (c sharp major), Monday, 9 May 2011 13:51 (twelve years ago) link
Sorry I missed the Sunday, I was there on Saturday which was great although it overrun by quite a bit and I had to split after Dan Deacon to get back to the burbs, the atmosphere was pretty mellow where I was on the balcony, sensed some bemusement at Tyondai and Dan Deacon from the classical dads, one of whom was sitting next to me and chuckling at certain elements in Tyondai's set. The Michael Gordon piece was grrreat too.
― Per Yngve's having his brain out (MaresNest), Monday, 9 May 2011 14:22 (twelve years ago) link
OMG that makes it somehow even funnier if it happened *that* long ago that they were still going on about it, at such great length...
― Karin Treijer-Gaskersson (Karen D. Tregaskin), Monday, 9 May 2011 14:47 (twelve years ago) link
if it was the f1nchl3y/n3w l0nd0n split then, yeah, that was 1991 (i was there, man). the classical dads' kids would not have even been born yet!
― górecki's zygotic mynci (c sharp major), Monday, 9 May 2011 14:56 (twelve years ago) link
I think at least one of them was a second generation mum or grandmum or something who had BEEN THERE 4REAL back in the day, I was trying not to eavesdrop but jeez, it was a 45 minute intermission or something.
― Karin Treijer-Gaskersson (Karen D. Tregaskin), Monday, 9 May 2011 15:05 (twelve years ago) link
this LP is a masterpiece
― dial m for (m bison), Monday, 24 October 2011 23:54 (twelve years ago) link
it do hold up
― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 25 October 2011 01:10 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, I can't believe I only had it at #7 on my list last year. Could honestly see it as a decade-end contender even at this ridiculously early point.
― jer.fairall, Thursday, 27 October 2011 17:48 (twelve years ago) link
― RIP Brodie, aspiring bellhop boy, 4 months old (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, May 2, 2011 9:34 AM (6 months ago)
Just got home from this - swoon!
― etc, Tuesday, 8 November 2011 21:43 (twelve years ago) link
Good to hear that, etc.
But I am heartbroken... I cannot attend this Thursday because of effing last minute work obligations.. Completely gutted. ;_;
― Y Kant Lou Reed (Le Bateau Ivre), Tuesday, 8 November 2011 23:40 (twelve years ago) link
Lbi - can't you fake an illness? Seriously??
― Glo-Vember (dog latin), Tuesday, 8 November 2011 23:43 (twelve years ago) link
Editor-in-chief, big meeting to report... believe me man, I have tried coming up with a viable excuse, faking illness/death, but I can't pull it off... Gutted.
― Y Kant Lou Reed (Le Bateau Ivre), Tuesday, 8 November 2011 23:45 (twelve years ago) link
Dude, faking death doesn't sound very viable to me...
etc - I was there too! It was a fantastic performance, both by Pallett and his band as well as the orchestra. In the train to Amsterdam I was wondering whether he would use the orchestra to provide the loops he normally does himself, but he did them like he always did. That said, the orchestra was great and really added something to the songs. For some of them these versions were even better than on the album, imo. Specials props to the drummer, he was amazing on his muted (with dish-cloths?) kit. Did not recognize all the songs, maybe some stuff from singles/EP's associated with Heartland were used, I'm not familiar with all of those.
― willem, Wednesday, 9 November 2011 09:44 (twelve years ago) link
Two years on and I'm still not tired of this record. Still, any new material on the horizon? Owen?
― Roz, Thursday, 12 January 2012 16:16 (twelve years ago) link
^^ Co-sign. I think it was my most played album in 2011, too.
― I certainly wouldn't have, but hey. (Le Bateau Ivre), Thursday, 12 January 2012 17:05 (twelve years ago) link
guys
― thomp, Thursday, 12 January 2012 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
I sing along to this like a fool <3
― Diary of Anne Frank, Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen (scottfree), Friday, 13 January 2012 06:34 (twelve years ago) link
Stumbled across a copy of this on vinyl this week and excitedly bought it. Spine still reads "final fantasy"--do I have some kind of soon-to-be-rare collectors item here?
Either way, my life is now maybe .05% more complete!
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Sunday, 23 September 2012 18:10 (eleven years ago) link
Nah a bunch of them printed that way, not sure of the percentage though.
― Evan, Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
We had "the discussion" after the vinyl sleeves had already been to the printers. Canadian CDs have the same thing.
Thanks for buying my shit second-hand! You owe me $2
― whiter than... this? (Ówen P.), Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:49 (eleven years ago) link
No I don't! 'twas a first hand, still sealed $20 copy!
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:51 (eleven years ago) link
well then i'm ordering in sushi tonight
― whiter than... this? (Ówen P.), Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:52 (eleven years ago) link
On me.
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Sunday, 23 September 2012 20:53 (eleven years ago) link
you're gonna feel so bad if he gets food poisoning.
― Right or wrong, It's the truth! (Merdeyeux), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:02 (eleven years ago) link
"Why, oh, why didn't I buy Heartland sooner?!"
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:04 (eleven years ago) link
album is really a masterpiece I gotta say & I'm actually p. critical of my friends but this record is always a fantastic trip
― Inconceivable (to the entire world) (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:22 (eleven years ago) link
the last time I bought multiple copies of the same album, it was Silent Shout*
was very tempted to do so for this album though, because it's fucking badass
* thank you, The Knife, for saving me from the ignobility of admitting I bought 4 copies of The Great Milenko for absolutely no fucking reason*** oops
― cake-like Lady Gaga (DJP), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:31 (eleven years ago) link
I have a cd copy w final fantasy on the spine, but I still file it next to all my parliament albums
― Farrah Abraham had many songs/ many songs had Farrah Abraham (m bison), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:49 (eleven years ago) link
I think this is the last album I bought multiple copies of. Had ordered it online but they were late in delivering, and I couldn't wait that additional week...
― Moon Fuxx (Jill), Sunday, 23 September 2012 23:52 (eleven years ago) link
I *own* multiple copies of the album, but my CD is/was a review copy.
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:20 (eleven years ago) link
Think the most number of copies of one album I've ever bought was 4 of London Calling: original CD, late 90's remastered CD, mid-00's "deluxe edition" CD, and vinyl.
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:21 (eleven years ago) link
I bought it on iTunes =)
then I burned a copy to listen to in my car =|
then I lent it to my dad and he never gave it back =(
― destroyers of the live music experience (bernard snowy), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:25 (eleven years ago) link
Spinning the vinyl now. Accidentally had it on 33 when I started and got a minute in before I went over and corrected it.
Owen's voice in 33 sounds oddly like Scott Walker, btw.
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:36 (eleven years ago) link
*on 33
― this is the dream of avril and chad (jer.fairall), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:37 (eleven years ago) link
― Inconceivable (to the entire world) (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Sunday, September 23, 2012 6:22 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
”HURRICANE J? HURRICANE....J? THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD FINN?”
― jalapeno kloppers (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 24 September 2012 00:55 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks guys.
― whiter than... this? (Ówen P.), Monday, 24 September 2012 02:44 (eleven years ago) link
We played Heartland at our record club and Owen very kindly exchanged emails with me about it so I could effectively have him introduce it for us - http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/owen-pallett-heartland-round-36-nicks-choice/
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 1 October 2012 11:04 (eleven years ago) link
oh wow there's some really cool easter eggs(?) in there! thanks to both of y'all for sharing
― beta male misogyny is here to stay (bernard snowy), Monday, 1 October 2012 12:39 (eleven years ago) link
Pleasure to read that and great of Owen to do it for you.
Owen’s gig at Primavera in 2010 was immense. I’ve seen some pretty special performances at Primavera over the years and it ranks amongst the finest. I haven’t listened to ‘Heartland’ for a while now but I’m soon to be reunited with all my estranged records. When I am I’ll be reading through that post again and immersing myself in it for sure.
― InternetAlan, Monday, 1 October 2012 12:39 (eleven years ago) link
Owen was actually a little shy about it being published, didn't think it'd add much to people's appreciation of the record, but I thought it was amazing.
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 1 October 2012 12:43 (eleven years ago) link
owen, if i were to come out to the LPR thing would you sample a drink with me
― EVERYONE COOKING SCMABLED EGGS,CHEESE WITH TOASTER!! (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 14:40 (eleven years ago) link
not sure why i found this record so elusive when i listened to it twice last year. put it on again today and it's a totally open world. the strings become percussive and fracturing in "midnight directives" and i'm totally there with them
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 19:23 (eleven years ago) link
"last year" meaning 2010, jesus christ @ time
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 19:24 (eleven years ago) link
Wait, what? http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/rwftop.jpg
― anatol_merklich, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:24 (eleven years ago) link
that doesn't appear to be available in the US
― Gandalf’s Gobble Melt (DJP), Monday, 5 November 2012 22:26 (eleven years ago) link
You're right:
<availability><territories>AT AU BE CH CN CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB HK HR HU IE IL IN IT LT LV MY NL NO NZ PL PT SE SG SK TH TR TW UA ZA</territories></availability>
― anatol_merklich, Monday, 5 November 2012 22:28 (eleven years ago) link
new stuff is absolutely killer. really hyped for the new LP.
― Jamie_ATP, Sunday, 30 December 2012 23:04 (eleven years ago) link
there's new stuff???
― Public Brooding Closet (cryptosicko), Sunday, 30 December 2012 23:08 (eleven years ago) link
4 or 5 new tracks got played during Owen's set at ATP a few weeks back. excitiiiing.
― Jamie_ATP, Monday, 31 December 2012 00:08 (eleven years ago) link
Indeed, very exciting.
― comedy is unnatural and abhorrent (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 31 December 2012 09:00 (eleven years ago) link
this record is prog as fuck & magnificent. so much gorgeous sonic detail. v much approve of this sort of spry composition
― check yr poptimism (imago), Monday, 7 October 2013 19:50 (ten years ago) link
Thanks, guy. BTW there is a new album and it is coming out in, like January. It is better than this one in some ways and worse in others (a net gain, imo).
― REDACTED got your back (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:05 (ten years ago) link
Nothing but Smurfs covers!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 7 October 2013 20:06 (ten years ago) link
is it called Fartland, y/n
― Bitch Fantastic (DJP), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:07 (ten years ago) link
Excellent.
― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:07 (ten years ago) link
yay
― Roz, Monday, 7 October 2013 20:21 (ten years ago) link
presumably delayed until January so as to avoid competing in this year's Best-Of lists, which will (from my end at least) be fairly formidable
excited! especially considering yr strange scales & temperament hints
― check yr poptimism (imago), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:24 (ten years ago) link
It was supposed to be called In Conflict but Fartland really speaks to me and I'm having second thoughts
― REDACTED got your back (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:35 (ten years ago) link
i never thought in my life that the phrase "the stony hiss of cockatrice has cast us into serfdom" would be one of my favourite things to sing outloud so massive shout to you
― the Shearer of simulated snowsex etc. (Dwight Yorke), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:42 (ten years ago) link
Why do I feel like there are more than a couple Northern European metal acts who are cursing Owen for penning this lyric before they could?
― the vineyards where the grapes of corporate rock are stored (cryptosicko), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:48 (ten years ago) link
Did I ever post the photo of Attila Csihar wearing a Heartland shirt
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3448/3805610422_ed06e15dc2_b.jpg
― REDACTED got your back (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 7 October 2013 20:54 (ten years ago) link
So excited for a new album. Heartland is one of my favourite albums of the decade so far.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 7 October 2013 21:09 (ten years ago) link
^^^^^^^^^ to the millionth power
― shiny trippy people holding bandz (m bison), Tuesday, 8 October 2013 01:10 (ten years ago) link
yeah this album rules, good news!
― k3vin k., Tuesday, 8 October 2013 01:52 (ten years ago) link
yay!
― Geoffrey Schweppes (jaymc), Tuesday, 8 October 2013 01:59 (ten years ago) link
They drew him like a Disney kid?
http://youaintnopicasso.com/images/op.jpg
http://www.rotoscopers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/hans-or-kristoff-disney-frozen.jpg
― a fifth of misty beethoven (cryptosicko), Friday, 29 November 2013 23:38 (ten years ago) link
holy shit that Attilla pic
― combination hair (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 30 November 2013 13:15 (ten years ago) link
an Oscar nominee.
http://oscar.go.com/nominees/music-original-score/her
― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 16 January 2014 16:10 (ten years ago) link
I thought we were supposed to speak of him in code
― you are kind, I am (waterface), Thursday, 16 January 2014 16:12 (ten years ago) link
That Atilla pic - I thought at first he was zooming down the river in a speedboat like a Bond villain.
Oscar news is awesome, good job Owen!
― tench and pike, scaup and snipe (NickB), Thursday, 16 January 2014 16:22 (ten years ago) link
Congrats and say hi to lupita and j-law for me at the ceremony
― pearly-dewdrops' bops (monotony), Thursday, 16 January 2014 16:27 (ten years ago) link
yay owen!
― sean gramophone, Thursday, 16 January 2014 16:35 (ten years ago) link
congrats owen!
― this harmless group of nerds and the women that love them (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:01 (ten years ago) link
congrats!
― k3vin k., Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:01 (ten years ago) link
if you win you need to finish any speech with "that's how i break it down to an extent"
― this harmless group of nerds and the women that love them (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:05 (ten years ago) link
omg yes
― SHAUN (DJP), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:10 (ten years ago) link
say the meme right but omg yes
― k3vin k., Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:11 (ten years ago) link
lol xp
double lol
― SHAUN (DJP), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:12 (ten years ago) link
Hurrah for Owen!
― you're still in love with me and you don't know why (Branwell Bell), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:13 (ten years ago) link
SO DOPE didnt realize homie did this score, now im going to have to go watch this movie
― rhyme heals all goons (m bison), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:19 (ten years ago) link
Thanks for your kind words, I don't care about the Oscars and I'm not a fan of the score or the movie :) but thanks. If I do win tho I'll be 3/4s of a way toward being the lamest EGOT ever, aero and I have a Tony plan for that final stretch
― pretty krulls make glaives (flamboyant goon tie included), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:26 (ten years ago) link
haha I was gonna ask if I should bother watching her
― beef in the new era (wins), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:28 (ten years ago) link
good luck anyway!
― beef in the new era (wins), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:29 (ten years ago) link
I don't care about the Oscars and I'm not a fan of the score or the movie
<3333333
― lovely cuddly fluffy dope (imago), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:29 (ten years ago) link
when's Fartland coming out yo
― lovely cuddly fluffy dope (imago), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:30 (ten years ago) link
oh i am so xposting that comment to tmz now
― this harmless group of nerds and the women that love them (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:30 (ten years ago) link
would pay to see a goaty fantasy musical btw
Woo, well done! (Even if you don't care, ha.)
― emil.y, Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:31 (ten years ago) link
I am lookin fwd to that Tony hustle! flaunt it, baby, flaunt it.
― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:38 (ten years ago) link
will u score my musical based on parliament's "funkentelechy v the placebo syndrome"?
― rhyme heals all goons (m bison), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:46 (ten years ago) link
I was trying to find out what the emmy was for and found this:
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards2010 NominatedChainsaw Award Best ScoreThe Box (2009)Shared with:
Win Butler Régine Chassagne
Geez with a nod like that no wonder you don't care about oscar!
― beef in the new era (wins), Thursday, 16 January 2014 19:54 (ten years ago) link
― lovely cuddly fluffy dope (imago)
Was trying to stop myself from asking this but yeah is this coming out in the near future? Very excited to hear it.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 January 2014 20:01 (ten years ago) link
May 13. I think we're releasing a video and/or lyric video next week
― pretty krulls make glaives (flamboyant goon tie included), Thursday, 16 January 2014 20:07 (ten years ago) link
Just in time for my birthday woohoo.
― I can still taste the Taboo in my mouth when I hear those songs (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 16 January 2014 21:08 (ten years ago) link
i like how when you try to click on owen's name it takes you to cadillac.com
― k3vin k., Thursday, 16 January 2014 21:21 (ten years ago) link
― pretty krulls make glaives (flamboyant goon tie included)
Hooray!
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 16 January 2014 23:14 (ten years ago) link
Good news on both counts!
And congrats! I had assumed it was an Arcade Fire nomination, didn't realise it was more specific than that!
― Jill, Thursday, 16 January 2014 23:38 (ten years ago) link
Only a handful of albums of which, when listening to them, I'm still equally amazed and feeling blessed that somehow it exists in my lifetime and I got to know and love it. Heartland does it to me every single time.
― the tightening is plateauing (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 9 October 2016 12:29 (seven years ago) link
same
― josh, Sunday, 9 October 2016 18:29 (seven years ago) link
i delayed listening to "in conlfict" for such a long time because i worried it would disappoint if it didn't measure up to "heartland." i ended up liking in conflict even more as it turns out, but this is still a special record.
― 6 god none the richer (m bison), Sunday, 9 October 2016 19:26 (seven years ago) link
<3 I'm working on a follow up to this album called Island, but I'm having to rewrite much of it because some of the lyrical material was ah too raw for me to manage, excising certain stuff that I don't want following me around. So far, it's long and slow and there are no electric instruments on it
― fgti, Sunday, 9 October 2016 19:48 (seven years ago) link
I had a conversation with my brother yesterday about "the best album in our adult lives" and he insisted on aerial by Kate bush and I said heartland, ys or sound of silver, very much knowing the audience. He loved ys but hadn't heard the other two and has spent the day texting me about how fantastic they are. Man I fucking love heartland and in conflict.
― plums (a hoy hoy), Sunday, 9 October 2016 20:04 (seven years ago) link
That's fantastic news, can't wait but by all means take your time <3
― the tightening is plateauing (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 9 October 2016 20:04 (seven years ago) link
random fgti sightings is in my top 5 reasons of coming here everyday
btw dud it is my dream if you played your music with my city's youth orchestra, putting this out in the universe
― 6 god none the richer (m bison), Sunday, 9 October 2016 20:15 (seven years ago) link
should say dude
there are days, like today, when I think "The Great Elsewhere" is the best song ever made. I've been listening to this song obsessively for nearly a decade and it still doesn't make any sense to me on a musical level - it starts in a weird time signature and then changes to 4/4(-ish?), but it's not clear how exactly because that opening loop is still going at the same tempo in the background, and there's so many notes in the verses, and the lyrics have no business being as catchy as they are, and it all works, and I don't understand how you're doing this all on your lonesome.
I can't wait for Island. (And will you stop by Southeast Asia at some point? I would like to see an fgti play live at least once in my lifetime, also I will take you out for food.)
― Roz, Monday, 18 December 2017 07:08 (six years ago) link
I just listened to this album for the first time last week, working backwards from In Conflict (which is excellent). Great on the first two listens, I want to keep digging deeper into it. "The Great Elsewhere" is definitely the song that got my attention the most so far - I also am a bit amazed at how it works out but I feel like analyzing it too much may ruin the magic
and also want to second Owen coming to Southeast Asia!
― Vinnie, Monday, 18 December 2017 08:24 (six years ago) link
"The Great Elsewhere" is the furthest I went with the look-at-me aspect of looping that I'm trying to remove myself from. Glad you like it, I like it too, and I'm determined to write at least one maximalist song a year-- I feel embarrassed by songs like those but I recognize that they're kind of necessary, I guess
The rhythmic pattern was recently discussed on a music podcast out of Spain, and I posted the solution to the rhythm (it's 11/16 + 11/16 + 10/16, which adds up to 32/16 = 2x 4/4).
pic.twitter.com/I5btfAFGdp— sea turt (@owenpallett) December 10, 2017
There's a new one on Island called "A Bloody Morning" which is kind of the same nautical theme and musical cleverness and wordy lyrics, Greg Fox is drumming on it and just sounding like a genius
I got him to do a bunch of stuff in studio but I only ended up keeping him on one song. I had the idea that I could treat his blast-beat and make it sound like "the weather" but it just sounded like blast-beat and I'm not ready to make that record yet lol
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 18 December 2017 16:52 (six years ago) link
Also, the beach scene in "The Great Elsewhere" is maybe-obviously inspired by Pigafetti's account of Magellan's death on the island of Mactan:
So we continued to retire for more than a good crossbow flight from the shore always fighting up to our knees in the water. The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus did we fight for more than one hour, refusing to retire farther. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face, but the latter immediately killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out but halfway, because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide. When they wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats. Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats, which were already pulling off."
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/magellan.htm
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 18 December 2017 16:57 (six years ago) link
Oh cool, you restored the Greg Fox track!
― Cardi Acs (imago), Monday, 18 December 2017 17:03 (six years ago) link
Greg Fox! That's awesome.
― ♫ very clever with maracas.jpg ♫ (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 18 December 2017 17:10 (six years ago) link
Yeah, there were three with Greg. I was always gonna keep that one, but I nixed the drums on "Perseverance Of The Saints" and took "Oh Bishop" off the record.
I deleted the entire 3rd side of the original album, three songs got cut. Partially because they weren't fitting the mood of the rest of the record, partially because those three songs were written during a really shitty period of my life that I didn't want to memorialize, partially because the album was working better at 50 minutes instead of 70, and partially to reduce the overall cost of my orchestral session which was already "an insane thing to spend money on in 2017"
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 18 December 2017 17:23 (six years ago) link
All fair! Oh so is Oh Bishop the one you said I'd freak out over? I'll wait for the special edition ;)
― Cardi Acs (imago), Monday, 18 December 2017 17:30 (six years ago) link
lol we had this exact conversation on the In Conflict thread
― Cardi Acs (imago), Monday, 18 December 2017 17:33 (six years ago) link
Ah really? lol. Yeah, "Oh Bishop" was the one. I did track the orchestra on it, rather loosely, but usably, just like "OK we'll run it a couple times before the time's up", but it's just not fitting the rest of the record. I might finish it, I probably should
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 18 December 2017 17:39 (six years ago) link
Could always submit it to the next ILX comp haha
Would like to make abundantly clear that I am also stoked for the tracks that don't have Greg Fox on them
And a shout-out for the arrangement on that Kiran Callinan song, not least as it brought you together with Weyes Blood who is just the best. Can't wait for any future mingling of ways there...
― Cardi Acs (imago), Monday, 18 December 2017 17:39 (six years ago) link
I admire Fox for branching out, he seems adventurous. Which is also why it sounds cool that he's on your record obv, but it doesn't give away - for me - what his drumming sounds like :) His solo record from this year was pretty good (even though I admit to not having given it enough time).
LJ otm about the Callinan song. Also, the Sarahbeth Tomberlin EP fucking rocks. She's great. I don't mean to pry, but did she just out of the blue ask you: could you produce this? As it seems a really good match, but I don't know how these things come about.
― ♫ very clever with maracas.jpg ♫ (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 18 December 2017 18:06 (six years ago) link
Sarahbeth came to my shows, we became Facebook friends, and then one day she sent me an iPhone demo of "Tornado" and I was blown away. She kept sending more songs and they were awesome. I spoke to somebody else about recording her, but that person fell through, so I offered to do it myself. She came down and we recorded it in two-and-a-half days. She's amazing and she just signed a contract with a larger indie for three more records, and she wants me to keep working with her, which rules.
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 18 December 2017 19:10 (six years ago) link
Awesome hearing about the making of Island, can't wait to hear tracks with or without crazy time-signature drumming
― Vinnie, Tuesday, 19 December 2017 01:19 (six years ago) link
re "The Great Elsewhere": thanks for the explainer, Owen! It's still crazy to me that the whole thing works.
need to listen to the Sarah-Beth Tomberlin record - I keep forgetting to check it out.
― Roz, Tuesday, 19 December 2017 02:22 (six years ago) link
fascinating to hear about how The Great Elsewhere works, it's my absolute favourite. still very excited for Island
― ufo, Tuesday, 19 December 2017 02:42 (six years ago) link
I don't know a lot about time signatures, but is "The Riverbed" doing the same thing rhythmically? I once tried to cut off the start and end of that song so that it would loop (it is so awesome that I could listen to it all day - and I have), but I could never get the edit points right.
― ArchCarrier, Tuesday, 19 December 2017 08:55 (six years ago) link
Threw on the A Swedish Love Story EP (which I'd forgotten I'd purchased on vinyl until I spotted it among my records earlier today) while doing some writing this afternoon and was reminded what a lovely little collection of songs it is. Understandably overshadowed by his other 2010 release, I still think that "A Man With No Ankles" might be my favourite OP song of this era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUeynkQPg8s
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Monday, 4 March 2019 03:37 (five years ago) link
Just want to chime in to say ‘me too!’ - I recently rediscovered this EP and have been enjoying it very much. Played that exact song on the radio a couple weeks ago!
― christopher.ivan, Monday, 4 March 2019 10:09 (five years ago) link
<3
New album will be out this year, and I’m going in to get the Final Fantasy albums remastered and repackaged with bonus stuff, the Totally Legal edition
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 4 March 2019 13:18 (five years ago) link
yayyyyyyyyy
― Roz, Monday, 4 March 2019 13:26 (five years ago) link
Huzzah! <3
― Uptown VONC (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 4 March 2019 13:36 (five years ago) link
a welcome recess from hyperreality <3
― ninthyoung, Monday, 4 March 2019 15:39 (five years ago) link
listened to in conflict this morning, one of my favorite parts of the album is the piano break between the verses of “i’m not afraid” that sounds like an rpg save point
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 4 March 2019 15:52 (five years ago) link
also realizing how grateful i am that this album exists
― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Monday, 4 March 2019 15:53 (five years ago) link
that sounds like an rpg save point
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jEYv97CMwc4/UjC2_hJSBBI/AAAAAAAAADk/dh2bvdLLWUY/s1600/save+point.png
― Evan, Monday, 4 March 2019 15:55 (five years ago) link
Probably not unrelated to the fact that that moment is taken from the Ryuchi Sakamoto cookbook, as is lots of JRPG music
― flamboyant goon tie included, Monday, 4 March 2019 16:17 (five years ago) link
this is wonderful news, owen.
― sean gramophone, Monday, 4 March 2019 17:30 (five years ago) link
cool, looking forward to new stuff
― ciderpress, Monday, 4 March 2019 17:42 (five years ago) link
this is good news.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Monday, 4 March 2019 17:45 (five years ago) link
Very glad to hear this!!!
― christopher.ivan, Monday, 4 March 2019 18:39 (five years ago) link
same :)
― change display name (Jordan), Monday, 4 March 2019 18:42 (five years ago) link
Happy belated birthday to this achievement of a record--and to ten more years of being in my music rotation.
New live versions of some Heartland tracks have been periodically finding their way onto YouTube, and they're wonderful to listen to.
Cheers!
― unashamed and trash (Unctious), Monday, 13 January 2020 17:11 (four years ago) link
How in hell is this a decade old.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 14 January 2020 15:20 (four years ago) link
It came out 10 years ago
― totally unnecessary bewbz of exploitation (DJP), Tuesday, 14 January 2020 15:32 (four years ago) link
proof?
― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, 14 January 2020 15:34 (four years ago) link
It's a decade old
― totally unnecessary bewbz of exploitation (DJP), Tuesday, 14 January 2020 15:41 (four years ago) link
owen-pallett-cooleth-story-brethren.jpg
"And from my ginger chest, therecame the sound of thunder"
Blasting this tonight in honor of its anniversary. An album so unique and with a truly transformative power I did not think I'd come across after my 30s any more. Shame the "life altering" cliche, but alter my life, it did. Up yours.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 14 January 2020 21:17 (four years ago) link
<3 :) thank you guys
― the bones tell me nothing (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 15 January 2020 00:43 (four years ago) link
starting this thread prob in my top 5 moments on ilx.
My album of the decade no contest (and maybe song of the decade too for "The Great Elsewhere").
― Roz, Wednesday, 15 January 2020 02:12 (four years ago) link
i remember this being the first record i bought after deciding i'd never buy a CD again!
the synth of lewis takes off his shirt is still one of my favourite musical things ever
new OP album announced soon surely?
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Wednesday, 15 January 2020 15:33 (four years ago) link
It’s a wonderful record, Owen.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 15 January 2020 20:26 (four years ago) link
I need to listen to this record again asap. The problem with having a mental list of albums you love is that the list keeps getting longer and longer, so it's nice to be reminded of a record you love that you haven't listened to lately, for no particularly good reason!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 15 January 2020 21:05 (four years ago) link
idk if this was really "public knowledge", but there was a re-issue of this album back in 2014 or so that included a number of bonus tracks. I know the "Deluxe Edition" is available on the iTunes store (and on CD format); I don't know about streaming services, because I don't use them. (I do use Tidal but I think it's bad luck to search for your own music on streaming services for some reason.)
The "Deluxe Edition" includes an instrumental b-side from the "Lewis Takes Action" single ("A Watery Day"), and then the entirety of the "Export EP". "Export" was a bit of a weird thing. I originally had this idea that I might record re-imagined versions of Heartland's songs that were stripped down and sung by other singers. I recorded beds for them, and started soliciting certain friends of mine to sing them. The wrangling process was more than I'd bargained for, and I got impatient. Fall 2010 was a frustrating bit of time for me. My guitarist (the brilliant Thom Gill) abruptly left, which was for the best (on a global level, he's a genius and should be doing his own thing). I had been in talks with new management, which made me optimistic for 'what would happen in the 2010s', and those talks abruptly fell through. There was some other stuff going on at the time, I can't remember what.
At the time, I'd only experienced one episode of adult depression (Spring 2007)-- funny to think about it now that depression/anxiety have become such a defining feature of my personality/existence. But in December 2010 I fell into a depression. I began cobbling together some unreleased stuff, including the instrumentals to this "Heartland reimagined" EP, and other fragments of things, to put together what would become the "Export EP". Prior to a set I played in Osaka, my last set of the year, I started sobbing desperately in front of my friend who worked at P-Vine. The year had been overwhelming and I was just exhausted. That night, in a daze, I uploaded "Export EP" to Soundcloud instead of bothering to consult anybody about a proper release for it. It was ignored. (The depression lifted a few days later and I had a really happy and healthy few years; 2011 especially was a really great one.)
Anyway you might be interested to try and track down the deluxe edition of Heartland for that EP. The best track on it is a really fucking good version of "The Great Elsewhere" from that Heartland Reimagined thing. Shara Nova (fka Shara Worden aka My Brightest Diamond) was the first and only person I solicited to record their vocals, and she... absolutely slayed it. The version has Shahzad Ismaily on drums and Thom Gill on guitar, I'm playing Rhodes, and three NYC string player luminaries (Rob Moose violin, Nadia Sirota viola, Clarice Jensen cello). Here it is if you're interested. The version began as a joke that Thom and I used to play at sound check but we decided it was actually amazing and recorded it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuQKPjaP08
― the bones tell me nothing (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 15 January 2020 23:58 (four years ago) link
I saw the songs from this album live every night for the better part of a month and "lewis takes off his shirt" just fuckin killed me every time
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Thursday, 16 January 2020 00:29 (four years ago) link
Holy shit, she did slay it. That was awesome.
― unashamed and trash (Unctious), Thursday, 16 January 2020 00:51 (four years ago) link
shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit
― majority whip, majority nae nae (m bison), Thursday, 16 January 2020 03:45 (four years ago) link
i have always loved loved loved that Export Elsewhere
― sean gramophone, Thursday, 16 January 2020 05:07 (four years ago) link
<3 that version of TGE (which I think I first heard on saidthegramophone!).
― Roz, Thursday, 16 January 2020 10:00 (four years ago) link
Yeah it's superb.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Thursday, 16 January 2020 10:05 (four years ago) link
Love Shara's cover sooooo much
― winters (josh), Thursday, 16 January 2020 21:56 (four years ago) link
this performance <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Friday, 17 January 2020 06:36 (four years ago) link
(I do use Tidal but I think it's bad luck to search for your own music on streaming services for some reason.)
this is a mood
― k3vin k., Saturday, 18 January 2020 01:28 (four years ago) link
That performance in the rain is genuinely one of my favourite things on the internet.
― kitchen person, Saturday, 18 January 2020 02:30 (four years ago) link
really enjoyed the sound track to Recorder; it's a shame that's not readily available anywhere.... that i know of?
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Friday, 13 March 2020 05:51 (four years ago) link
"Recorder"'s OST is not gonna be released. It works really well in the context of the movie, but not-so-much on its own. (The same is true for the score I did for the HBO doc "Suited"). I do have four soundtracks mastered and ready for release-- Anton Corbijn's "Life", M Blash's "The Wait", Shannon Walsh's "Illusions Of Control" and Matt Wolf's newer doc "Spaceship Earth"-- the last of which is 80 minutes of orchestral tootling that is a hybrid of Michael Nyman and Aaron Copland and is something I'm really proud of. Variety reviewed the film and said the score was "tremendous" :)
I've got the Final Fantasy-era material all re-mastered and it sounds insanely good, we're literally just waiting on my label to upload it to DSPs. The new album has a release date but I can't announce it yet-- I'm not anticipating that Covid is gonna push it back but I can't be sure sure.
― meaner stinks meat bake it cone (flamboyant goon tie included), Friday, 13 March 2020 15:38 (four years ago) link
that's a lot of great news!!
― bold caucasian eroticism (Simon H.), Friday, 13 March 2020 15:47 (four years ago) link
Great news in the midst of so much bad news.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 13 March 2020 16:20 (four years ago) link
Whoa that’s fantastic fgti!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 13 March 2020 17:36 (four years ago) link
Great to hear fgti!
― nxd, Friday, 13 March 2020 18:07 (four years ago) link
yay, owen - excited on all fronts and hope you are weathering this bad weather as well as could be hoped.
― sean gramophone, Friday, 13 March 2020 19:00 (four years ago) link
Cool stuff, fgti!
― emil.y, Friday, 13 March 2020 19:22 (four years ago) link
nice to have some nice news
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Saturday, 14 March 2020 07:03 (four years ago) link
Yeah this is one of few bright bits of news this week. Can't wait for the next album
― Vinnie, Saturday, 14 March 2020 13:08 (four years ago) link
Can't wait! I was the sound recordist for HBO's Suited - loved that you came onboard for it and the score was great. Excited to catch some of these other films you did.
― tomorrow, Saturday, 14 March 2020 15:00 (four years ago) link
Man, that was such a weird project, Suited. You know I scored the entire film based on a slow-core temp score? The temp score was like... Low and Loscil and stuff. Got the whole thing approved by the director? That score was REALLY beautiful. Then, on the last day of recording that score (which was also the next-to-last project recorded at Magic Shop in NYC before it closed-- that's where Bowie made The Next Day and Black Star), the super-famous producer of that film, god bless her, called the director with her feedback on the temp score: "why does this sound like a score for a documentary about cancer survivors? I want it to sound fun! like Arcade Fire! or like.. fun. (the band)" I ended up having to redo the entire score as indie pap (I say this with affection), using pretty much entirely in-the-box Logic instruments-- I had already spent the budget on the recording sessions and had no other choice. Def my worst score, ha! Good doc though.
― meaner stinks meat bake it cone (flamboyant goon tie included), Saturday, 14 March 2020 15:36 (four years ago) link
Amazing. I'm glad to hear the director approved, he and I were close before and thru shooting. We were, together, invited to one of the subjects' bachelor parties, a night of laser tag with his family. Any chance the original will ever see the light of day?
― tomorrow, Saturday, 14 March 2020 22:18 (four years ago) link
Oooh that's amazing! All the subjects seemed really cool, I wanted to hang out with the cellist especially. And no to the original score appearing at any time... there was one cue that had a melody I liked so much that I used it for a new song, but aside from that, it's on the rocks.
― meaner stinks meat bake it cone (flamboyant goon tie included), Sunday, 15 March 2020 02:14 (four years ago) link
Breaking from my Fetch the Bolt Cutters repetitions to play the remastered Has a Good Home, which is now up on streaming services under Owen's name :)
What a day for tunes. Fiona, Owen remaster, new Mountain Goats project on streaming services too.
― unashamed and trash (Unctious), Friday, 17 April 2020 15:00 (three years ago) link
oh i missed the release date news upthread, amazing!
― devvvine, Friday, 17 April 2020 15:08 (three years ago) link
He Poos Clouds will be up today, also :) apparently it just takes a bit of time
― we have no stan but to choice (flamboyant goon tie included), Friday, 17 April 2020 17:25 (three years ago) link
today is so fuckin good.
― unashamed and trash (Unctious), Friday, 17 April 2020 17:47 (three years ago) link
Remasters not on Apple Music?
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Friday, 17 April 2020 19:37 (three years ago) link
With reissues (as opposed to new releases) they're kind of lower priority and so every DSP does their own thing. They're not up on Tidal yet either (my DSP of choice). I'm not even posting on socials about anything until everything is live
― we have no stan but to choice (flamboyant goon tie included), Friday, 17 April 2020 19:58 (three years ago) link
Both reissues are great, new life to familiar music.
I have no idea what remastering is from a technical perspective but I *can* say the songs hit different (in a great way).
― unashamed and trash (Unctious), Monday, 20 April 2020 14:29 (three years ago) link
They're on Apple Music now. Listening to Has a Good Home and I can definitely here more clarity on (for example) "Furniture" and "The CN Tower Belongs To the Dead," and I'm not the type to typically notice such things unless the upgrading is super dramatic.
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 21 April 2020 18:45 (three years ago) link
man, it's been forever since i listened to "he poos clouds" i remember it being mailed to me and thinking it was a TERRIBLE name and then i fell in love with the albumstill feeling the same 15 years later reallyl!
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Tuesday, 21 April 2020 22:01 (three years ago) link
Thought Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project was excellent, film and soundtrack both. I've never felt better about my life as a hoarder.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 22 April 2020 18:22 (three years ago) link
I'd never heard Has A Good Home before
SPOILER: it's great
― DJP, Wednesday, 22 April 2020 18:36 (three years ago) link
<3 thanks DJP
btw, I scored this and it's coming out May 8
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/neon-spaceship-earth-release-coronavirus-1234585849/
― we have no stan but to choice (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 22 April 2020 23:49 (three years ago) link
coooooool was already on my must watch list!
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Thursday, 23 April 2020 01:45 (three years ago) link
remastered Has A Good Home sounds so goooood. <3
can't wait for Island!
― Roz, Friday, 24 April 2020 14:20 (three years ago) link
island out tonight !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/CAdyxJcA8XE/
― devvvine, Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:16 (three years ago) link
fair play, gatecrashing the 1975 love-in like this
― imago, Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:21 (three years ago) link
https://music.apple.com/jp/album/island/1509744953
― devvvine, Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:27 (three years ago) link
oo!
― maffew12, Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:29 (three years ago) link
WHAT
― k*r*n koltrane (Simon H.), Thursday, 21 May 2020 22:33 (three years ago) link
ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
― Roz, Friday, 22 May 2020 01:49 (three years ago) link
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 22 May 2020 09:54 (three years ago) link
owen pallett - island (2020)
― ufo, Friday, 22 May 2020 10:31 (three years ago) link