FYI: Truth Attack - All Genres Of Music That Have Ever Existed Contain Awesome Music In Them, And If You Write Off A Whole Genre Of Music You Are Being Closeminded And Dumb

Geir, they're as big on melodies as it actually gets. No jokes.

DON'T listen to "Eat It Up Worms Hero", you will hate. Otherwise, go wild: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=2600990

A bit post punk-ish, maybe. It's OK, but a bit too weird it seems.

Hmm. There isn't anything from "On Land And In The Sea" or "Guns", which might be their most Geir-friendly records. But all I can advise you do is listen to some of their stuff on Youtube or something. I think they'll win you round. Well, I like to think.

They seem pretty experimental to say the least. A bit too "out there" for my taste, really.

Ah well. I tried. Maybe think of them as a souped-up XTC with even better melodies but a lot more weirdness? Nah. Ok, fair enough.

Early XTC is too weird already.

Ya but I prefer the later stuff too, by and large. IIRC you're one of about 3 other ppl on ILM who really bats for Nonsuch.

Cardiacs, to me, sounded way weirder than the strangest stuff on "English Settlement" tho. And I don't like "English Settlement" much with the exception of a few tracks.

And "Spirit Of Eden" is OK. I think it would have worked better with an electronic sound though. Plus they were sophisticated enough by "It's My Life" and didn't benefit from getting more "out there". But it's not that I hate any of their stuff. Not even "Laughing Stock" which I am struggling to get much out of at all.

Geir, I hear what you're saying. But those records weren't about "getting more 'out there'" for weird's sake or trying to make more perfect pop music. They were about exploring pop structures by breaking them down temporally. And by doing so with guitars, drums and the odd arrangement touch, you could also really zoom in on rock dynamics.

I just don't think the goal of these records was to make great pop songs -- but rather to explore what made pop songs great.

Even Nick would agree with that -- or might've many years ago. ;-)

that cardiacs myspace is a perfect reminder of how bands using Mr. Bungle or Sleepytime Gorilla Museum or Henry Cow as touchstones to state "look at us we're quirky" pisses me off.

they're fine and all, but fuck those comparisons. "dear weird music listeners look at us we are weird too lol, just a much more easygoing version of weird" is just such a fucking copout for actually describing what you sound like.

anyway, carry on

XP: What sticks with me is the arrangements, which are at times really beautiful. But I don't feel like they are growing on me. The first time I listened properly to it I thought that "OK, there is some interesting stuff that goes on here that I may really like once I get to know it better and gets it more into my head". But then, the next times I listened to it, nothing happened. I didn't comprehend any more, and I found it boring after a while because nothing stuck. Thus, I decided that it wasn't quite as interesting, because there was never anything to hang anything on.

Fair enough.

that cardiacs myspace is a perfect reminder of how bands using Mr. Bungle or Sleepytime Gorilla Museum or Henry Cow as touchstones to state "look at us we're quirky" pisses me off.

they're fine and all, but fuck those comparisons. "dear weird music listeners look at us we are weird too lol, just a much more easygoing version of weird" is just such a fucking copout for actually describing what you sound like.

anyway, carry on

oh DEAR.

a) they have been around since early 80's.
b) those are some of their easiest songs, ever. put up there doubtless because much else wd fry newcomers' minds. honestly. gentle intro then explore if you like what u hear.
c) mike patton is a huge fan of theirs, as i'd imagine are SGM.
d) that blurb wasn't written by them. it was written by some enthusiastic fans, at 'the organ' magazine.
e) you have just mortally offended my favourite band ever.

If you want to know what sorts of thing bandleader Tim Smith actually says, he has in fact some words highly relevant to the thread-title, words which mark him out as one of the true heroes of popular music: http://www.cardiacs.com/interviews/harmonie-magazine-france-may-2000/

A bit post punk-ish, maybe. It's OK, but a bit too weird it seems.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:35 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Early XTC is too weird already.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:48 AM (7 hours ago) Bookmark

what does 'too weird' mean, exactly? seems to just mean 'new and unfamiliar'. cardiacs seemed 'weird' to me at first, but now they just sound like a really great, clever, raging prog-pop band.

point being, the use of 'too weird' as a note of criticism signifies little more than an unwillingness to embrace the new on the part of the critic.

Not so. In terms of most broadsheets and magazines it's shorthand for "don't bother with this new music that is so difficult to listen to; stick with what you know and buy/download it again and again in all new formats forever." It's about placating and flattering the ignorance of their solvent readers and advertisers so that they can stay in business.

Geir what are your top 20 gabba tapes off UK market stalls?

i'm shocked control made geir's r&b list! i mean it's a classic obv but it does seem to particularly prioritise rhythm and club atmosphere over melody and harmony.

Maybe he enjoys Janet on other levels.

Wow, Geir actually came through with some genuine human interaction towards the end of this thread. Prog Rock - Bringing People Together Since 1969!

Next we will be having The Lex's Top 20 Indie albums!

1. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing

2. Mansun - Six

3. Girls Aloud - Out Of Control

4. New Fast Automatic Daffodils - The Peel Sessions

5. Blonde Redhead - 23

Hooray! I finally read this thread, after its having sat atop my browser as an unread bookmark for 11 months. It looked like a good start! And then it devolved into Geir. By the way, is this the closest Marcello has gotten to admitting he's Geir? I've suspected that since I started reading ILM. Their writing styles are very similar. I think Geir is just an experiment of his to try out a particular theory of pop works, and since Geir gets such a "good" response here means the Geir character has stuck around. It's good fun, anyway.

Geir was, is and will always be his own person. Those of us who first encountered him online back in 1994 or so know this.

I want to believe.

But have Marcello and Geir ever been in the same room at the same time? ;)

Marcello had a Geir-imitating sockpuppet a few years ago, I can't remember what it was called though. If he was Geir right from the beginning, why create a sockpuppet to ape Geir?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/1268566093_3612244f45.jpg?v=1188415465

Ah yeah, Marcello's sockpuppet was called "Comstock Carabinieri". Maybe it was a self-parody though, with Geir being the "serious" sockpuppet?

Truth is always stranger than fiction.