A Certain Ratio

Douglas is right. Don't judge them until you hear Lucinda.

-- grimly fiendish (simonmai...), April 17th, 2005.

I remember when I first read this post of my good man Grimly's. Though I loved ACR terribly, the idea of an extended version of Winter Hill seemed about as exciting as watching paint dry. But I have the Holland 1980 CD now and infact it is the Winter Hill track that really towers over the rest. Absolutely amazing. Also...I found myself thinking during "Loss" that Brian Eno would probably rip his teeth out to get involved with what was going on there, and then I remembered that the band were actually named after an Eno track, and well...one doesn't want to say things like "Manchester's finest" because that could set off a firestorm of never ending debate but...

Also been listening to the Live In America 1985 CD and that shit is hot. Like they stuck a funk band in a frying pan, turned on the heat and told them to rock!

why do you guys always have to ask these difficult questions that will haunt me at night, I'll never get any sleep. :(

http://art-ificial.com/ilm/gramps.jpg

also, the dj played Shack Up last night. it was great.

http://www.art-ificial.com/ilm/gramps.jpg

Twice.

more anon.

i now own an MCR T-shirt. this is perhaps the greatest day of my life.

they played two new songs. one of them was awe-inspiring.

it's pencilled in for ... some time this week.

they played two new songs. one of them was awe-inspiring
We got four! On the basis of which I'd say the new LP (due end of 2006, folks) should be, at the very least, worth a listen.

Cheers
Mike

Hey, what album/single is this version of Knife Slits Water on? I can't find it anywhere ... I like it a lot better than the faster/higher pitched one on Sextet.

piece of crap youtube.

So yeah, if anyone knows what album/single that's on, if any, just uhhh, yeah, post it

it's on the Soul Jazz comp. Early.

http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/releases/?id=152

I just bought a plane ticket recently for this. Me? Excited?! I heard ACR haven't played in the US in 20 years. I definitely never thought I'd ever get to see them.

http://www.attheecho.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/ptpfestrevised.jpg

I'll see you there.

Yeah, it will be cool to meet you in person, Dan!

Wow at that lineup.

Damn. You lucky shits.

they ALMOST had the Fire Engines as well. In any case, should be a blast. More guest "djs" have been added, included Kevin Pedersen from What's Your Rupture? who's coming out with Love is All.

There's also a pre-party of sorts the night before, Adult. are performing and Hang the DJs will DJ with the Part Time Punks guys and I'm gonna DJ some dance music, as opposed to the post-punk-esque 7"s I'll be playing in between bands during the show on sunday.

Will someone please tell me the name of that beautiful black woman who sang with them tonight? Was it really Denise Johnson as the myspace page might have me believe? Oh my god. And you're telling me that *gasp* the guy playing the soprano sax...is the same one...Quigley...the same one that...see I thought it was a different guy and that Quigley had left the band for some reason. I'm in awe. I'm in absolute awe. I don't believe I witnessed what I did tonight. I just don't fucking believe it.

They have a new album coming out, ya'll, they did new songs. And I have high hopes for this album. Oh yes I do. And they did "Flight" too. And "Wild Party". And Joy Division's "Heart & Soul". Oh yes they did.

They have a new album coming out, ya'll, they did new songs

Yeh, yeh. They told us that back in 2006, too.

Glad you saw them, though. God damn, that Optimo gig was a joy.

Yeh, yeh. They told us that back in 2006, too.

Oh you merciless party pooper! ;)

I adore Jeremy Kerr's voice. Just let me say that much right now. And when they did "Rialto", too, it was the same effect. They take me back into a place in my teenage years when I was at the college radio station, and they do that like no other band takes me back to that place. I just close my eyes, and I'm back there, in the dark, in a room no one else cared to be in, listening to ACR records for the first time.

And there is just no reason for a drummer as amazing as DoJo to exist. There is just no reason. Why? Why are we so blessed?

Not to discount Moscrop. I noticed this amazing riffage he was doing at times that tricked you into thinking it was a fucking bass guitar.

They have a new album coming out, ya'll, they did new songs

Yeh, yeh. They told us that back in 2006, too.

Oh you merciless party pooper! ;)

Hello, what's this:
http://www.cdmail.fr/gb/affich_fich.asp?refcdm=CDM859761 ???

I'll believe it when I'm holding a copy in my sweaty paw.

Which is reality ?

Ha, nice! That's a nod to Oceans, then?

I like that nobody in the background seems to care.

Amazon France now says the album will be out Nov. 27th. This is funny because yesterday it said Nov. 26th. I NEED IT NOW DAMNIT.

I just got the new album!!! There are a few tracks that are a bit boring and I think the new version of Rialto sounds a bit too cautious and slow, but most of it is really, really good and there a few absolute KILLER tracks. It's wonderful they've decided to go back to their roots, although I think "I Feel Light" is probably the only one that really sounds like it harks back to the darkness of Graveyard & Ballroom. There are plenty of echoes of Force in here, as well, which I think is wonderful. And they definitely haven't lost the funk! Denise's lead vocals on "Down, Down, Down" are to die for, though album-wise, Jez does most of the singing. "Teri" puts me on clouds it's such a beautiful tune. Donald's drums are produced very well on this album, too.

I'll probably have more to say later, but I don't get the impression this place is loaded with ACR fans so...

where 'this place' = planet earth

;)

did you have to preorder the cd or does Easy Street have copies?

I can't see why in the world Easy Street would have this. I had to get it through Amazon France, not even the US/UK arms of Amazon have it.

Anyone besides me have this yet?

With the pound plunging further against the euro than Tamira Paszek's neckline, I'll think I will wait for a UK release. Thanks for the review, though.

4 full songs now streaming on their MySpace page, true believers! I think they're gonna stream the whole LP eventually.

One of the new songs is called "Everything Is Good". I think that sums up neatly how I felt about what I was listening to. :)

Oh, nice one. Any news yet on where one might be able to get hold of a copy of this fucker?

Just leaked.

where is it leaking?