The Clientele - Best Band Since The Smiths

Triple Echo is so good!

I know!

Right?

I don't know anything about Birdie. Fill me in?

yes, was going to ask the same thing...

birdie is debsy from dolly mixture (though maybe better known as saint etienne's key regular backup singer on tour, occasionally on album.) paul kelly is the other member, he's done some film work too.

xpost

The core members of Birdie are Paul Kelly (East Village, Episode 4) and Debsey Wykes (Dolly Mixture, Coming Up Roses, tons of other stuff), both of whom have played with Saint Etienne in their time. They make a beautiful noise, which I'd tend to think of as cool-psychy-pop and they know better than most how to deploy an electric piano.

Try these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-KdaAKlB6g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e40p8lnEbA

(We're talking about them here because we have a split single coming out featuring them and the Clientele, and the two bands will be playing the same London show at the start for July; 5 tickets left, hurry hurry.)

I'd attend but I just spent a bunch of money seeing the Clientele up in NYC!

Thanks!

I'm from the states, and no worries- I've got tickets to their show here in July as well! I really can't wait. The chickfactor show in Brooklyn was magical. I mean, so was their Hoboken show in 2010, but I only become a bigger fan as the years pass if that were possible.

I owe my ambition to write overly knotty and complex but beautiful guitar parts to these guys (also Kozelek).

See you there I guess!

love the sound and texture of those birdie songs.

yeah birdie sounds real good too, thx for recommending.

@Tim that's so funny you were there - I did notice some english speakers and thought, wow Clientele really has fans (totally makes sense, were I not at roskilde festival 5th july I would buy tickets for the london show now)

sure i've said this before, but losing haringey is brilliant, mind-blowing, sadly-sweet nostalgia.

got my suburban light in the mail just now! and a package from slumberland at the same time, when it rains it pours

Will you be at the Clientele show in NYC this July?

nah, can't afford to go up there as often now that I don't have family living there to stay with... also I'm going to the outer banks! might try and catch one of their east coast summer shows if the timing (and distance) is right.

Oh I guess I misread your earlier post. Good luck catching them if you're able to! I'm just glad that they're active again.

Thanks! If the stars align I'll be going through DC in July and I'll try and time it so I can see them at the Black Cat!

The Clientele on facebook:

"wow thank you so much Suburban Light purchasers - our old 4 track record is currently #27 in the Billboard LP chart."

Awesome!

Tempted to post on there asking about a Strange Geometry reissue but I'm worried that will come across as looking a bit greedy.

do it!

Done. Because I'm that cool.

nice.

I asked Alasdair at the Chickfactor show and he said "If Merge wants to!"

well maybe the suburban light success will help

When Merge first starting posting about these 25th anniversary reissues I actually posted on their Facebook page asking if they'd consider putting out either a Surburban Light or Strange Geometry reissue. They responded with something along the lines of "Watch this space" Then just as they announced the reissue they responded again to my post with a link to the Pitchfork article about the reissue. I though that was pretty cool.

So basically, I need to start hassling Merge now.

Thought not though obviously.

I'm 99.9 percent sure I have Strange Geometry still sealed in my closet. I bought it after I bought the cd and have just been using the cd or flacs all these years. Pretty sure Violet Hour is in there unplayed along with God Save The Clientele still sealed. My reissue LP came this week, I thought I read something about the cover art being slightly different, but other than being darker than the original one, looks the same to me.

If you ever need some extra closet space I'm sure one of us could help you out.

Think the new version has the same artwork that the original vinyl had but the CD had completely different artwork. I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive so can't be sure. Has anyone noticed any difference in sound quality? Didn't they say something about remastering it differently?

"I Had To Say This' seems more punchy, but it could be the tube I have in now, but I don't think it is that, I think it is the remastering.

I'm glad there isn't too much difference. Always loved the way it sounds.

Surprised Pitchfork haven't reviewed this yet. Think it's the only Clientele album they gave a low mark to. Think they need to make it right.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19257-the-clientele-suburban-light-reissue/

so the bonus stuff is worth it? listening to my old CD right now. so good.

think i've said it before, but alasdair really is a great guitarist -- that little solo in "from a window" is sort of a perfect, economical part.

would love a violet hour reissue, although I'm not sure how it could be improved upon... there's a fair number of b-sides you could tack onto it, I suppose.

Alasdair is an amazing guitarist. Every song is knotty as hell and totally inventive. Watching him work through each number live is exhausting.

I meant

*Just watching him work through each number live is exhausting.

anyone have any good clientele live recordings? i would be interested...

I think I have at least two live sets... I'll check when I get home!

I seem to have a few -
I have

@ KEXP 11/26/2005 FLAC

@ KCRW 2007 flac - dunno date off hand, looking at some program that tells me whats on a old dvd, but not the date

Cellar Door, Visalia, CA 3-10-2007 flac

Live at Emmaboda 2002 mp3 from Swedish radio

I think most of them were from dimeadozen.org except the mp3 one

That Emmaboda is a nice little six-song set (unless there is more?), and I've got...

Denton November 2005
Boston June 2007
Mergefest July 2009

The Mergefest has the best sound, the vocals in Denton are rough, and Boston is a bit tinny but a solid set of earlier stuff! All mp3.

Alasdair solo ... http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Alasdair_MacLean/ I think Tyler had this one on his blog a while back.

yeahhh, i love that set. would be interested in hearing any of the clientele shows mentioned (maybe most interested in the early stuff).

alisdair had a little joint birthday shindig on friday and played for about 45 minutes to about 40 of us in the basement of the betsey trotwood. also featured guests from early incarnations of the band - innes, dan. was good.

(tim might provide details if you ask him nice)

(alasdair, sorry)

this is a nice little interview http://passiveaggressive.dk/alasdair-maclean-fra-the-clientele-the-less-we-try-the-more-we-seem-to-succeed-interview/

At the risk of sounding obnoxious, people ask me what pedals/amps/guitars we use as if that’s the answer but really the key to our sound is that we practiced our instruments together for 15 years!”

it is nice!

Folks have posted both sides of the Clientele 7" that is part of Merge's "Or Thousands of Prizes" subscription box set on Youtube:

Falling Asleep

Orpheus Avenue

Lovely!

the new split 7" with birdie sounds pretty divine on first listen too.