ooo
― markers, Tuesday, 12 April 2011 22:37 (thirteen years ago) link
album is heavily zappa-d out, much more than birdbrains
― feels like heelys are racing up my spine (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 12 April 2011 22:46 (thirteen years ago) link
This just got an A from Robert Christgau and is streaming on NPR. It's cool. Bizness is an obvious song of the year contender.
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Pareles reviewed in the NYT and he gave it a qualified rave; only major complaint was the lyrics and I don't blame him there.
― My bad Van Buren! (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:28 (thirteen years ago) link
They're all over the place and often clever but sometimes just __shrug__
― My bad Van Buren! (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:29 (thirteen years ago) link
basically this and the quik are pretty much my fave albums this year so far.
freelancer Patrick Foster for the Washington Post loves it:
“Whokill” is one of this year’s boldest, freshest creations: A pulsating quick-step that feels utterly contemporary, careening down a city street while the detritus of consumed influence trails from the car windows.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/quick-spins-tune-yards-ralph-stanley-dj-quik/2011/04/19/AFjYmE6D_blog.html
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:38 (thirteen years ago) link
That kinda makes want to hate it, but I will give it a shot.
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:39 (thirteen years ago) link
It's definitely real good. Not what I expected at all.
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:45 (thirteen years ago) link
the detritus of consumed influence
oh rlly
― My mom is all about capital gains tax butthurtedness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 19:18 (thirteen years ago) link
anyway I hated the first one and this one's more difficult but I like it a lot more!
I heard this (and Tune-Yards) for the first time today, it's definitely a good album but I'll need more time to process it. One similarity/influence I hear is dEUS circa The Ideal Crash, but maybe that's just the Zappa feel percolating down again.
― Stars of the Lidl (seandalai), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 19:32 (thirteen years ago) link
This is a major record, people. Don't let the unconventional punctuation put you off. I'm telling you, this little lady is dy-no-mite!!!!!
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 30 April 2011 03:56 (thirteen years ago) link
ugh
― adam, Monday, 2 May 2011 00:57 (thirteen years ago) link
i've come to really love this with repeated listens, it's leaps and bounds better than the first one (her ideas are too interesting to be mired in low fidelity). i've had the chance to play it out loud for some people over the past few weeks and have enjoyed the (mostly positive) reactions
― tInA-yOtHeRs (donna rouge), Monday, 2 May 2011 01:00 (thirteen years ago) link
I can't believe how little attention it's getting around here. It's such an ILM friendly record.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 2 May 2011 01:20 (thirteen years ago) link
not for everyone i guess.
― And thusly create the illusion of babby (forksclovetofu), Monday, 2 May 2011 01:25 (thirteen years ago) link
mental note: add this band to that thread about 'bands you'll never listen to because of their stupid name'
― brotherlovesdub, Monday, 2 May 2011 03:57 (thirteen years ago) link
i.e. basically all of them?
― And thusly create the illusion of babby (forksclovetofu), Monday, 2 May 2011 04:07 (thirteen years ago) link
She said the weird spelling was to increase her MySpace visibility.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Monday, 2 May 2011 05:17 (thirteen years ago) link
i heard the single today ("bizness"?) and her voice kinda scared me off. maybe i will give the full album a shot later.
― teledyldonix, Monday, 2 May 2011 07:42 (thirteen years ago) link
coming late to tune-yards - heard a few tracks off the new album last week and was v impressed, then went back to the debut. sometimes hard to believe it's a woman singing, due to the timbre of merrill's voice, but only occasionally. striking. a strong & distinctive vocals, memorable songs, forward-thinking arrangements & production, and a dazzling procession of reference points (which is to say i get where that washington post guy is coming from with his "detritus of consumed influence"). exactly the sort of record i'd like to be listening to this summer.
since i can't make sense of the dirty projectors comparisons i keep reading (a product of my own ignorance), i'll say that the music reminds me v slightly of animal collective, back when i thought i liked animal collective, circa sung tongs - you know, popping their panda tare heads up among the african, doo-wop, blues, hip-hop and gospel influences. probably a lazy reference point, but i'm hardly up to date on yr contemporary indie styles. cocorosie?
― normal_fantasy-unicorns (contenderizer), Monday, 2 May 2011 18:32 (thirteen years ago) link
neneh cherry imo
― thomp, Monday, 2 May 2011 18:39 (thirteen years ago) link
should listen to neneh cherry i guess
― normal_fantasy-unicorns (contenderizer), Monday, 2 May 2011 18:40 (thirteen years ago) link
Songs from the first album didn't make much of an impression on me -- I don't even remember whether I heard the whole thing or not. This one took a little while to sink in, but I'm pretty into it now. And I definitely hear the Dirty Projectors comparisons -- see, e.g., the guitar solo on "You Yes You" (about a minute in).
― jaymc, Monday, 2 May 2011 18:43 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah, 'killa' esp. has a neneh vibe
― tInA-yOtHeRs (donna rouge), Monday, 2 May 2011 19:02 (thirteen years ago) link
it's a fair comparison. She's got a LOT of influences going on though; references the babenzele pygmies as a touchstone.
― And thusly create the illusion of babby (forksclovetofu), Monday, 2 May 2011 19:53 (thirteen years ago) link
― normal_fantasy-unicorns (contenderizer), Monday, 2 May 2011 19:40 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
yes!
― just sayin, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 08:42 (thirteen years ago) link
big lol to those on another thread dissing her supposedly tokenistic/trendy/not-'authorized' appropriation of african music (weirdly patronizing suggestions to "do her homework") when she in fact spent time in africa playing with african musicians there
also surprised to find that she is 32. from her videos i thought she was like 24
anyways like a lot of AC or dirty projectors i *get* why it is praised but don't find myself reaching for it that often
― teflon dawn (uptown churl), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 11:32 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmleSfx9hn8&NR=1&feature=fvwp
― David Allah Coal (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 11 May 2011 01:25 (thirteen years ago) link
Here, she makes a mockery of other so-called "live loopers". I can't even deal with this it's too good.
http://vimeo.com/22883825
― THE Alan Moulder?!? (Ówen P.), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 15:26 (thirteen years ago) link
i think i mentioned it upthread, but it becomes kinda a chore when she has to build up the loops at the beginning of every song
― printf (diamonddave85), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 15:37 (thirteen years ago) link
mad looping skillz tho
xp that's the nature of looping though?
also, the music aside, the looping she's doing there seems pretty standard? just technically i've been impressed with how jamie woon does it, in terms of dubbing out different elements of the loop etc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cys2hJM0gaE
― adult music person (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 15:43 (thirteen years ago) link
is that how woon plays when he's live? because if so i'm a little sad i didn't go see him
i dunno, what woon does is cool in that he's varying the textures and stuff. but the breakdowns in the tuneyards clip / the little vocal bonus bit at the end, those just made me go HUH CHOPS
possibly this is bcz i have such little rhythm that it would take me until i was 32 to be able to do that if i did nothing else in the interim
whereas to do what woon is doing i would merely need to be blessed with decent voice and two hands, like what he has
― thomp, Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link
I love this album by the way. Top five.
― ginny thomas and tonic (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm having similar issues with what I've heard off of this that I have with Sleater-Kinney; there is something going on in the vocals, something slightly on the reedy side of things, that sets my teeth on edge.
― I HAVE ISSUES (DJP), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:48 (thirteen years ago) link
in the tune-yards clip she's just stopping the entire loop and turning it back on, no big deal. woon is doing similar things but in a much more subtle way - he's not playing a live instrument besides singing, so he does a lot more with bringing in and out the different layers of the loop, adding effects etc. that takes a lot more mental independence imo.
― adult music person (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:49 (thirteen years ago) link
(btw that comparison only came up because SK was playing on THE CURRENT radio stream and I was all "wow I am not enjoying this in exactly the same way that I do not enjoy tUnE-yArDs")
― I HAVE ISSUES (DJP), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh, I disagree with you there. Hands-free is much more difficult. Jamie is using pre-fab drum loops, a Kaoss pad for post-effects. His songwriting is limited to repeating a mantra over and over again. It's good, yeah! But it doesn't have Merrill's "chops fabulous" appeal, imo.
― THE Alan Moulder?!? (Ówen P.), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:11 (thirteen years ago) link
i guess i see so many guitar players around here doing (beatbox/percussion/bass/guitar) looping that it seems like old hat, and she's not doing anything different (not that it's easy). what woon's doing there feels fresher to me, and i like that the songwriting is loop-based (no chord changes). on the other videos i've seen he's not using any pre-recorded sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNnngd0oLgk
― adult music person (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:25 (thirteen years ago) link
This is sort of off-topic, so apologies, but Merrill Garbus does some backing vocals on my friend's new record. Maybe you will like it? It's not very Tune-Yards-y but it's still good:
http://mwahaha.bandcamp.com/album/mwahaha
Specifically she helps with harmonies on "Love".
― polyphonic, Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:27 (thirteen years ago) link
I dunno, Jordan, that Jamie Woon stuff doesn't distinguish itself for me, stylistically.
What I mean is this: when you get someone like Merrill doing the looping without post-effects or stuff, one is forced to adjust one's songwriting to transcend the technology... or at least, transcend the fact that one doesn't have a finger on a fader and another on a Kaoss pad.
― THE Alan Moulder?!? (Ówen P.), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:35 (thirteen years ago) link
Many people in Canada miss Merrill's old band, btw. (Don't watch the vidjo just give a listen)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7EhxAUprUY
― THE Alan Moulder?!? (Ówen P.), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:39 (thirteen years ago) link
sure, but that's what 95% of live loopers do. at least in this song, it just seems like she's doing very standard shit?
xp
― adult music person (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:46 (thirteen years ago) link
i mean, looping chops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3CGWOw9LHI
― adult music person (Jordan), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 17:55 (thirteen years ago) link
― ginny thomas and tonic (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, May 18, 2011 9:30 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark
i'm into it, but reserving superlatives ftm. "bizness" just towers over the rest.
― contenderizer, Wednesday, 18 May 2011 18:26 (thirteen years ago) link
"bizness" just towers over the rest.
No way! My Country and Gangsta are both just as good if not better.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 18 May 2011 18:31 (thirteen years ago) link
i like the whole album a lot but gangsta and bizness are high points.
― it is sad but their is so much beauty (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 18 May 2011 18:38 (thirteen years ago) link
― printf (diamonddave85), Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:37 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark
haven't seen tune yards, but this can be one of the best parts of loop-based live performance. saw Geneviève Castrée (Ô Paon) last year, and loved the process aspects.
― contenderizer, Wednesday, 18 May 2011 18:41 (thirteen years ago) link
love it
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 14:14 (nine years ago) link
It definitely hasn't gotten a tenth of the buzz of whokill. I have a theory--the lyric "a blood soaked dollar" from the single is to blame. It comes across as a Grade Z Occupy Wall Street trope, just so obvious and clumsy. It kinda mars what is a kickass song.
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 15:22 (nine years ago) link
i just never warmed to this album.
― the other song about butts in the top 5 (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 15:23 (nine years ago) link
I admired the previous album, but rarely wanted to play it. This one I actually enjoy listening to.
― MaudAddam (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 9 September 2014 15:41 (nine years ago) link
Saw her live last night. What an awesome gig. It made me appreciate her songs even more, especially the Nikki Nack ones.
― mthrn, Friday, 21 November 2014 11:39 (nine years ago) link
they sound better live, yes.
― Face facts poptimism hacks, your a scam. (forksclovetofu), Friday, 21 November 2014 21:21 (nine years ago) link
New song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAadziqcQZw
The album, I can feel you creep into my private life, is out in January.
― ˈʌglɪɪst preɪ, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:07 (six years ago) link
I am really surprised by how hard I've turned around on her. I guess once I acclimated to the shouting, I could start enjoying what she was doing.
― Marcus Hiles Remains Steadfast About Planting Trees.jpg (DJP), Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:15 (six years ago) link
lol reading upthread shows I have both a great mind for inference and a terrible memory
― Marcus Hiles Remains Steadfast About Planting Trees.jpg (DJP), Tuesday, 24 October 2017 17:24 (six years ago) link
Very cool!!
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 19:18 (six years ago) link
Love it. Welcome back.
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 24 October 2017 19:48 (six years ago) link
Love this.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Wednesday, 25 October 2017 03:37 (six years ago) link
"Heart Attack". Like the way the track starts very basically, then gradually blossoms to an opulent 70s disco sound. Album's going to rule. Don't like this video much though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-7je-jsuC4
― Jeff W, Saturday, 13 January 2018 13:26 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xd097nWH2s
― sean gramophone, Sunday, 27 September 2020 01:27 (three years ago) link
I like the video better than the song
― curmudgeon, Sunday, 27 September 2020 19:02 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hcG6UgTHiU
this is the best thing i've heard from them in a long time
― ufo, Wednesday, 27 January 2021 23:24 (three years ago) link
This 1000% reignited my fandom... I love when she plays to her strengths (biggest voice out there, puppets)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy3xdHw4YTs
― flamboyant goon tie included, Sunday, 21 March 2021 00:14 (three years ago) link
I mean it this performance is crazy and great, vocal performance alone even
yeah that's a fantastic performance
i feel pretty optimistic about the new album now
― ufo, Sunday, 21 March 2021 00:39 (three years ago) link
i kinda like the cover of Cannonball
― G.A.G.S. (Gophers Against Getting Stuffed) (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 21 March 2021 03:26 (three years ago) link
Me too
― Hello Nice FBI Lady (DJP), Sunday, 21 March 2021 15:42 (three years ago) link
i really like this album, her best since whokill! haven't paid enough attention to notice if there's any of the real embarrassing clunkers there were on the last one though
― ufo, Thursday, 25 March 2021 22:57 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyXwmyjNco8
idioteque cover is cool too
― ufo, Friday, 26 March 2021 02:03 (three years ago) link
oh meant to say "lyrical clunkers"
― ufo, Friday, 26 March 2021 02:06 (three years ago) link
dang at that idioteque cover, nice blend of styles
― G.A.G.S. (Gophers Against Getting Stuffed) (forksclovetofu), Friday, 26 March 2021 12:53 (three years ago) link
now that i've paid attention to them i can say it holds up lyrically too! delightful
― ufo, Saturday, 27 March 2021 10:06 (three years ago) link
This album is REALLY REALY good
― Dana Jel Pey (DJP), Thursday, 1 April 2021 17:31 (three years ago) link
I agree
― flamboyant goon tie included, Thursday, 1 April 2021 21:43 (three years ago) link
yes
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 1 April 2021 21:54 (three years ago) link
That's quite the triple recommendation.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 1 April 2021 23:17 (three years ago) link
This is great and I can't really figure out what I want to say about it besides that
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 5 April 2021 02:46 (three years ago) link