A Thread For School of Seven Bells Love!

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!

Show on Saturday night was really spectacular -- and made more interesting by the fact that Claudia wasn't on stage! I gather she was ill, but they still put on a show and if the full harmonies were missing everything else made up for it. Ben is way more active on stage now and Zachary the new drummer is a hell of a good fit as everyone's been saying. Also loved the fact that the set was almost all Disconnect songs.

I admit it was also pretty fun when Ben looked over at one point, stepped up to the mike and went "Ned?"

While about larger things my Foxy Digitalis piece this week was also something of a show review:

http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/?p=812

I admit it was also pretty fun when Ben looked over at one point, stepped up to the mike and went "Ned?"

looooooool

I am seeing these folks this Saturday, for like the 4th or 5th time in a few years... never gets old.

Also loved the fact that the set was almost all Disconnect songs.

This is good but also kinda sad -- I love that first album. Can't we just get them to play both albums, back to back, in full? =/

Bye Bye Bye are about as New Order as you can get without wheeling out Bernard Sumner

haha was just thinking this about bye bye bye, which I listen to obsessively on the drives to and from work. it's like the bastard love child of st. etienne and new order. the end is so good, I want to loop the hook for another five minutes.

Just posted on their Facebook page...

Hi everybody. We just wanted to let you all know that Claudia has left the band for personal reasons. In the meantime, we are excited to continue to write and tour as usual, and we're very much looking forward to seeing you all at our upcoming shows. ♥ Alley and Benjamin

Is Claudia one of the uglier ones in the troupe?

In terms of chord progressions and all that. The name should be sacked for starters the spoilt brat

ahem.. well there goes a perfectly good thread

I don't like this development. Well, either of these developments (Claudia leaving or the introduction of assholery into the thread).