Penguin Cafe Orchestra - classic or dud?

aye

Seems that PCO and Penguin Cafe and not exactly the same thing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin_cafe

I haven't heard Penguin Cafe yet.

FUCKING CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE MUSIC GOD PLAYS IN HIS RUMPUS ROOM

Is it right to say they're the kind of like the soundtrack to the most amazing dream you ever had but can't really remember?

that's pretty close. I would have said it's the soundtrack of pure joy and creative energy... maybe like the most amazing dream you've ever had!

Have we polled these guys?

Has anyone heard the new one?

new one? how?

It's just "Penguin Cafe."

http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/penguin-cafe-red-book

i'm curious about it, but somehow i feel like the boundless beauty and joyfulness of PCO cannot be recreated so easily. maybe i'm wrong.

I hear you, and I think they missed the mark with their last album. IT's definitely not vintage PCO. I still have hope that his son can carry on his legacy, however.

Is it really PCO without Jeffes

I listened to the one that came out a couple years ago recently, and it definitely didn't have the same charm as the classic records. I think it's possible that someone could potentially recapture some of the magic. It seems to me that his son gets what made PCO wonderful, but he's just not there yet. The art on this new one leaves me wanting. That's for sure.

the cover art is an affront to the PCO legacy... but then again, if they had made it in the same vein, I would also have been offended ("how dare they!").

True. AllMusic credits say it's the same artist who did the old record sleeves.

^emily young: jeffes' partner of the time and mother of the current leader, i believe (also supposedly the emily of see emily play according to wiki). not sure if they've done any recording, but there were a bunch of ex-pco people playing live shows at one time under another name after a falling out of some type with jeffes jr.

I never would have suspected such a close link from Pink Floyd to the PCO! My fab discovery of the day.....

I heard about that group, no lime tangier.

Didn't know it was a result of discord, but I wondered why there was a splinter group.

Has anyone had a listen to The Red Book yet? I plan on giving it a whirl this weekend. I'm pretty tempted to purchase it just because it is the Penguin Cafe...

I listened to the 3 tracks on Spotify. They're kind of downers.

downers because they're bad or because they're sad songs?

Sad songs.

sometimes i think this is the prettiest thing i've ever heard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_L_eBLPejQ

Wiki says they supported Kraftwerk at the Roundhouse in 1976... oh man what a night that must have been.

My wife came out to this at our wedding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJsll2poz1E

I got misty eyed...

I had Bean Fields playing at my weddding!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFOUK1HkEs

<3

also the live in rome take of this is really good. as is the whole thing!!

anyone who claims they dislike the music of PCO are lying

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51aD4DFtG7L._SS400_.jpg

Wasn't this album cover adapted into "Eyes Wide Shut?"

Love this group. One of the sadder aspects of Jeffes death is that he and the band were so obscure (by design, really) that not a lot of people took notice.

Still haven't heard The Red Book. I do really like this new song, however:

http://boilerroom.tv/penguin-cafe-the-track-of-the-dull-sun/

CLASSIC OBVIOUSLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYUAud0C-2A

I’m super into Broadcasting From Home these days, might be my fave PCO now

The new Penguin Cafe album called Handfuls of Night is quite nice, calm, slow, slightly melancholic instrumental music with classical instruments. The Penguin Cafe is hosted by Arthur Jeffes, Simon Jeffes son.

If anyone is needing a PCO/gentle chamber music fix, this (2018) Group Listening record is doing it for me right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTM5c9WN1EY

Thank you!

Thanks, this is really good and does indeed hit the Penguin Cafe Orchestra vibe (though on first listen not with the same richness, but -- who does?)

An Arthur Russell cover, no less! This is nice.

I've listened to the album a few times over the last couple of days and aye, not quite in the same league as PCO but lovely all the same.

listening to the first album now and yeah: why did i pass on this record so many times? this is "where have you been all my life" kind of good.

absolutely! what a great vibe

First 2 albums (Music from PCO and PCO respectivly) are both great. I was haunted by the cover of the 1st album way before hearing it. Gotta say I prefer the weird folk of the 2nd album to the more dreamy 1st but they both sound great on a Sunday morning.

the hiphop group i was in many years ago had a track where we sampled "telephone and rubberband" and somebody in the audience at one of our shows knew the sample and booed us and gave the double thumbs down. good times.

Austin where do you live that hiphop crowds are full of Penguin Cafe Orchestra fans

I guess if I'm gonna bump this thread I should comment on their music. what I really like is how casually brilliant they could be. that horn bit on "In the Back of a Taxi" is a good example. Its a goofy moment but its also perfect. Also I noticed "Heartwind" has a cowrite by Ryuichi Sakamoto...did they work together or did they borrow a melody?

It was in Reno, frogs. No idea who the guy was. We were playing on a benefit bill with all different types of bands, one of which was a group of aging old school punks playing semi-joke "pirate rock", so I've always assumed our heckler was someone from that lot.

The name of their band was Scurvy Bastards, by the way.

I love Penguin Cafe Orchestra, also by the way.

New Group Listening album is lovely: https://grouplistening.bandcamp.com/album/clarinet-piano-selected-works-vol-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iDdqY-VEcg

Bought Signs of Life on CD for a dollar today, first thing I've ever heard by them. Except for the last song, really like it--not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. Favourite is "Oscar Tango."

Wrong song: "Horns of the Bull."

I’d like to like the new Penguin Cafe line-up and recordings but it’s just not the same. The soul isn’t there. I follow their social media and see albums and recordings coming and going and wish I enjoyed it.

I really cherish PCO. That’s all.