i had the opposite reaction, i found the singles disappointing after the hype and yet i rather like the album. it's basic and they don't do anything new but it is still enjoyable and i appreciate the fact that they keep the songs mostly pretty short. downloading the new camera obscura now.
― keythkeythkeyth, Friday, 6 March 2009 04:06 (fifteen years ago) link
it's not like i was going to listen to them even if they didn't have an annoying name.
― some dude, Friday, February 13, 2009 11:22 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Not MTV2 enough for you?
― Bianca Jagger (jaymc), Friday, 6 March 2009 05:32 (fifteen years ago) link
i don't know how i feel about new sassy jaymc
― u sic fuc (some dude), Friday, 6 March 2009 05:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Haha. Seriously, though, I've often wondered how Sonic Youth and the Geraldine Fibbers managed to escape your indifference toward music beyond the Billboard charts. (I know, that's super-reductive, so feel free to correct me.)
― Bianca Jagger (jaymc), Friday, 6 March 2009 05:45 (fifteen years ago) link
and the boredoms
― wow heaven is cool (J0rdan S.), Friday, 6 March 2009 05:48 (fifteen years ago) link
I hear a lot of tiny indie bands via going to shows or following the musicians I already like and connecting dots, and I hear a lot of mainstream stuff I like (or don't like) through radio and TV. That pretty much keeps my plate full enough that I have no time or inclination to check out Pitchfork hype bands unless I wanna troll threads about one with a name I hate. I could explain my distaste for 'big' indie bands in this decade compared to big indie bands of the '90s but that's a whole other can of worms.
― u sic fuc (some dude), Friday, 6 March 2009 05:50 (fifteen years ago) link
This hasn't disappointed at all so far. Just what you'd expect but they do it well. It's almost too good to be true, the way they hit on such a simple + obvious thing that no-one else was quite doing. You could drop most of the songs into an indiepop disco or other event and just drive all the kids crazy like throwing fish food into a tank.
All the wishful thinking about c86 revivals, Black Tambourine influence etc seems quite a red herring re. this LP: sure the band refer to and like those things, but on this record they more often remind me of New Order.
― the pinefox, Monday, 30 March 2009 09:38 (fifteen years ago) link
I was thinking of seeing these guys when they come to town, but only because I thought they would sound like Black Tambourine. So no one thinks they have a resemblance? I haven't heard the album.
― Jesus X, the Arthropod Barrista (res), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 15:58 (fourteen years ago) link
There is a clear and obvious resemblance, yes. Influence? Dunno.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:24 (fourteen years ago) link
I just got this. It sounds like the Field Mice to me, with a little of the fuzz from Black Tam thrown in .
― Jesus X, the Arthropod Barrista (res), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:44 (fourteen years ago) link
The last track has a Jesus and Mary Chain thing going on. I'm betting their next album is going to be amazing.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:48 (fourteen years ago) link
They remind me of Madison Electric, too, if anybody remembers them.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Honestly I think a lot of how they've appealed to a wider audience involves just rolling up a bunch of indie-pop styles and aesthetics into one simple, core thing that's not specialized or difficult -- it "sounds like" anything or everything in a whole big constellation of fuzzy/noisy/pop-romantic indiepop and packages the general idea pretty effectively, both for people who already dig it and for people who can go for the general vibe but don't normally dig into it.
― nabisco, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:56 (fourteen years ago) link
^^ I suppose this is a fairly obvious statement about a lot of bands who wind up appealing a bit beyond their sound/influences -- they roll together where they're coming from into a single, simple, and fairly accessible package
― nabisco, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 18:59 (fourteen years ago) link
"young adult friction" should win some "excellence in twee song titling" award or something
― i wasn't trolling, just being boombastic! (M@tt He1ges0n), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 19:00 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm listening on Rhapsody, and it seems nice with solid songs and better production than the material it copies...would fit in on a Sunday Records compilation except you'd notice because the sound is better. I'm surprised if it's getting any major attention, but I don't hang out with young people anymore so have no idea.
I think I have a shoebox filled with about two hundred 7" singles that sound more or less like this: no better and no worse.
― dlp9001, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 19:28 (fourteen years ago) link
You're all doing a great job of putting this band in their place. And too right. I mean, how dare they.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 20:08 (fourteen years ago) link
umm you realize you're responding to one person who said they were good, one person who said they had a nice song title, and one person who said they sound about as good as other stuff, right?
― nabisco, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 20:25 (fourteen years ago) link
You don't fool me!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 20:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Judith Boyle?
― the sideburns are album-specific (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 21:16 (fourteen years ago) link
this has the right sound, the right aesthetics, and probably all the right influences, but i can't quite get into the songs. i think i'd have to be a college sophomore with lots of personal problems (again) to have it resonate with me. will give it more time, i suppose.
― Mike Crandle, Financial Analyst, Bear Stearns, New York, NY 10185 (res), Thursday, 2 July 2009 14:34 (fourteen years ago) link
went to college with the lead singer. apparently he broke a bunch of my friend's dishware in a fit of pre-rockstar fury some years ago
― uptown churl, Thursday, 2 July 2009 20:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Still finding this pretty pleasant, and it suddenly occurs to me that I really want them to cover every single song that Crash ever recorded.
― dlp9001, Thursday, 2 July 2009 20:44 (fourteen years ago) link
apparently he broke a bunch of my friend's dishware in a fit of pre-rockstar fury some years ago
i'm sure this is on ebay somewhere
― Mike Crandle, Financial Analyst, Bear Stearns, New York, NY 10185 (res), Thursday, 2 July 2009 21:18 (fourteen years ago) link
it seems like a lot of their songs are based on the field mice's 'sensitive'. oooo, the jj album has leaked. anyways, the pains of being pure at heart live performance on carson daly was really dull and yet they are likable, pleasant even(as said above) but I can't imagine them doing anything memorable. the vocals are too low in the mix for them to appeal to sensitive types and the music is too one speed to show any real depth, perhaps a good producer could help them out.
― keythkeythkeyth, Friday, 3 July 2009 00:17 (fourteen years ago) link
i somehow can't imagine a second album. they seem like the kind of band that would make one amazing album and then flame out. Except they didn't do it.
― Mike Crandle, Financial Analyst, Bear Stearns, New York, NY 10185 (res), Friday, 3 July 2009 00:41 (fourteen years ago) link
I was so ready to hate this band and simply lump them in with all the other wussy new indie bullshit that's been bothering me for the past 3-4 years, but this record is pretty fuckin great.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 21 July 2009 04:26 (fourteen years ago) link
Obviously their sound is derivative of at least 5 late 80's/early 90's bands, but the songs are still really good. It's the good kind of derivative.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 21 July 2009 04:28 (fourteen years ago) link
I especially like that they don't have glockenspiels or violins.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 21 July 2009 04:30 (fourteen years ago) link
that is a good thing it's true
i know neither band are doing anything special but i much prefer brilliant colors and dum dum girls to tpobpah and viv girls. possibly the hype buzzkill hasn't made its way to me as yet?
― more posts that will never be released (electricsound), Tuesday, 21 July 2009 04:38 (fourteen years ago) link
You know, "Stay Alive" is actually pretty great. I'm a little surprised that I'm still playing this album on a semi-regular basis.
― dlp9001, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 01:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Playing the album is one thing. Seeing them live (NY Seaport) is another. Remarkable lack of charisma. Like they're almost trying to be the most boring indie band on earth.
― paulhw, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 01:30 (fourteen years ago) link
that's kind of the vibe i got from listening to the album, tbh. i do like a few of the tunes, especially "the tenure itch," but nothing really makes me want to like them more than that
― Mr. Sb, n r u? (k3vin k.), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 02:22 (fourteen years ago) link
xxp - <3 brilliant colors. you should check out grass widows too, if you haven't already
― pretzel walrus, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 04:37 (fourteen years ago) link
They've got a new EP coming out in a few months... can't wait!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 04:47 (fourteen years ago) link
just noticed that slumberland are doing the brilliant colours album.. neat
― more posts that will never be released (electricsound), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 04:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Playing the album is one thing. Seeing them live (NY Seaport) is another.
Avoiding them live for this very reason... album's not bad, though!
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 13:24 (fourteen years ago) link
I've been avoiding this record for ages (on account of it just makes me feel like a Target Market with a giant red circle painted on my back - oh and also the awful name) - but it's really kind of alright.
Yeah, there's utterly nothing new about what they're doing at all. But it's a pleasing enough example of something I really rather have a soft spot for. (I mean, they're an American version of Manhattan Love Suicides, really, or a lo-fi Asobi Seksu)
Though that P4k review at the top is kind of out of order, I agree.
― I Like Daydreams, I've Had Enough Reality (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:41 (fourteen years ago) link
"it all started a few years ago with a place to bury strangers"
*~~dissolve to sepia toned past~~*
― omar little, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:43 (fourteen years ago) link
The quoted excerpt from that review makes me think the writer forgot he was writing an article as opposed to a messageboard post; the point "there's nothing wrong with leaning heavily on the past if you're good at what you do" is one that is worth making but probably not with the extra "and if you are worthless if you disagree with me" sentiment.
― a misunderstanding of Hip-Hop and contracts (HI DERE), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
i saw them live and now i have no desire to listen to this album again, although track 2 is still pretty good. Black Tambourine is about 50 times better than this though.
― Mike Crandle, Financial Analyst, Bear Stearns, New York, NY 10185 (res), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link
lol omar
― yellow card for favre (call all destroyer), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:46 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.movieactors.com/actors/Freezes-Characters/jfk305donald.jpeg
― omar little, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:47 (fourteen years ago) link
I think it started like that. In the wind. Press releases, promo copies, conversation. Then a call is made. Maybe to someone like Ryan Schreiber. No one said, "They must get an 8.4." No vote. Nothing's on paper. There's no one to blame. It's as old as the Arcade FireFive glowing review submissions, one negative. No one's guilty. Everybody in the power structure... ...has a plausible deniability. No compromising connections except at the most secret point. But it must succeed.
― omar little, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 17:51 (fourteen years ago) link
i officially like this band's music quite a lot now
― wH1N1 g. swinegarten (k3vin k.), Friday, 2 October 2009 21:28 (fourteen years ago) link
i love thier whole kiwi/bats vibe. new single is awesome
― wH1N1 g. swinegarten (k3vin k.), Friday, 2 October 2009 21:29 (fourteen years ago) link
hm, you should issue a press release
― autogoon delight (J0rdan S.), Friday, 2 October 2009 21:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Hells yeah. I love this band's recent string of high-quality, non-album singles.
― Daniel, Esq., Friday, 2 October 2009 21:37 (fourteen years ago) link
saint etienne remix of new single should be up the alley of air france fans
― sculpture of marmalade (electricsound), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Count me among the people who thought this band's name was so terrible that it was hard to imagine them being anything like sure-footed in their other aesthetic choices. But if it really sounds a little like the Jesus and Mary Chain etc. I'll probably like it!
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 00:28 (fourteen years ago) link