A Thread For School of Seven Bells Love!

Hazel, have I mentioned how much I love your screen name? You keep making me want to listen to Spirea X every time you post.

thank you! but you should not give in to such temptations. actually you made me do it just now. it's all right.

Really disappointed by this record.

Feels like they abandoned the "cosmopolitan Kabbalahtronic" sound for "Sarah McLachlan, after collaborating with DMC, hears some electro and post-punk revival and decides to collaborate with Moby."

^ that's when I reach for my sb

This is a fabulous record.

a bit torn about "I L U." kinda wish they canned the lyrics and just extended the soaring bits more, but maybe that's too much of a good thing. and i feel like i've heard "babelonia" before, kind of like i swear that kt tunstall song "suddenly i see" was released in the '80s and they thought they could get away with it

Babelonia is strikingly similar, both in the guitar riff, and the vocal harmonies, to Sweetness & Light by Lush. But that's OK, I love both bands, I'll let them get away with it.

these guys were better live without the clunky-ass drumming. it really grounds everything.

Can't believe people have been talking about the drums without mentioning NEW ORDER, which is surely the desired effect pretty much throughout the album. It's exactly the same sort of propulsive feel you get on True Faith and the remix of Bizarre Love Triangle, except blurred with all this MBV fuzz and strange madrigal pop.

Totally loving this, it's the summer album to Alpinisms' bleak midwinter album.

Heart Is Strange and Bye Bye Bye are about as New Order as you can get without wheeling out Bernard Sumner.

Um, no. I'm a big New Order stan, but honestly - I don't get New Order from the album's drums.

Mind you, there was a moment last night (probably because the drums were mic-ed so much LOUDER than everyone else onstage) that I did think "Hmmm, Atmosphere" but now I can't remember which song it was, and it didn't pop out listening to it on the tube this morning.

It's the synths as much as the drums for me, admittedly.

It's funny, Bye Bye Bye is such a difficult song to pull off live, it seems, but it's growing on me so much more and more every time I see them. That "dee-dee-doo dee-de-de-doo" guitar riff is just so damn infectious.

byebyebye is definitely a highlight for me, the bass drum rush at the beginning gets me so pumped!!

I am on this bandwagon.

You scenester! (Actually I'd be way surprised if you weren't.)

the first 10 seconds of "heart is strange" is totally mid 80s tangerine dream

Seriously fucking great. Both albums. Gets a bit too 6th form prog in places but then good things happen

"I L U" moves me in a lot of ways, but last night it got to me lyrically. I'm not even missing any past girlfriend or anything. But just the idea of a woman resigned to saying "I loved you" seemed particularly poignant last night.

So I'm listening to Alpinisms for the first time.....it feels more exciting and organic but is a bit patchier. Don't know how I slept on this.

Pantha du Prince remix?

Hrrmmm. Could be very good, could be very... hrrrmmm.

Interviewing Ben on Monday. Anybody have any questions they'd like answered?

Will he ever stop sweeping his haircut out of his eyes 100 times per show and just play the songs?

descended straight from the bits of Cocteau Twins that sounded like spinning around as fast as you could, fingers outstretched, until you fell down laughing and dizzy.

really like these wordz from Masonic Boom upthread, fwiw

What does he think about the other Curtis brother (whatshisname?) joining a washed-up Interpol touring lineup?

Do they all still live together?

Keep 'em coming!

Which of the Deheza sisters is he currently smoochin'?

Hmm. No questions about the music itself, then?

Do they wear clothing while rehearsing?

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm curious about the guitars, but that might get a bit Musician magazine.

Most of the questions I have wanted to ask Benjamin over the years I have already pestered him about. But I'll try and think of some new album specific questions for you.

He can talk for hours about guitar questions, though! Seriously! He managed to get quite a sweet endorsement deal on their guitars IIRC.

Hahah cool -- that's already given me a couple of ideas to follow up on!

When is he going to make headlines by playing guitar in Nick Oliveri's usual stage attire?

Quick bump if anyone wants to ask anything else...

Oh and the most direct shoegaze signifier on this album might actually be how the backing vocal loop on "Joviann" is almost exactly the same as on Chapterhouse's "Breather."

No other questions (and you can ignore my joeks upthread), but I'd love to read the interview once completed.

Won't be running for some weeks but will let folks know...

Pretty hilarious, we almost completely sidetracked ourselves talking about New Order a lot.

I think I've worn out my .mp3s of this album. Also, this new one is much better than the first.

Can't believe that STEREOLAB hasn't been mentioned yet on this thread. Along with The Cocteau Twins and Lush, I'd say it's their most apparent influence - especially the vocals (although I like them much more than 90% of Stereolab).

Also, this new one is much better than the first.

Have to agree -- I'll preview the story a touch by saying that Ben indicated they came in with less of a blank slate on this album and that it was shaped by both all the touring and their sense of what their sound is now, and I think that's made all the difference.

Seeing them tomorrow in Ann Arbor!

omg there's going to be a pantha du prince remix of "heart is strange"

so excited

And as promised a while back, my interview with Ben is now up at the OC Weekly:

http://www.ocweekly.com/2010-09-30/music/school-of-seven-bells-ben-curtis/

Pretty hilarious, we almost completely sidetracked ourselves talking about New Order a lot.

Good article, Ned!

Anything esp. interesting re: this ^^ topic that wasn't included?

Nothing too big, really. He was very much following New Order Recycle, though.

Yes, I caught onto that. :D

And to think I got scoffed at upthread for comparing this whole record to New Order.

A winner is you, in the end.

Heart Is Strange and Bye Bye Bye are about as New Order as you can get without wheeling out Bernard Sumner.

Incidentally, these are my fav. two songs on the album!