Rodan/Rachels: Classic Or Dud/ Search & Destroy. (RIP Jason Noble - August 2012)

I agree that the ponderous cello business on Handwriting sounds pretentious and pales next to Bach. (That record is my least favorite of theirs.) But I agree with Bucky that their rhythms largely distinguish them from other neo-classical groups. The other day, I used Rachel's on the "indie rock" thread as an example of music that's "indie" because it develops from an "indie" background and is produced for an "indie" demographic (another way, beyond what-label-you're-on, to define "indie" outside the music itself). But I also think that their use of rollicking percussion (search: "Kentucky Nocture" on Selenography) is good evidence of their rock influence and the main reason, I think, it's not quite accurate to say they're an inferior version of Glass/Kronos/etc.

The apostrophe sucks. Why I defend this "band" I do not know.

And to top this post off, the T-Wolves have http://espn.go.com/i/nba/profiles/players/3007.jpg arguably the best player alive today, and also, as a team, quite a nice style of play. The comparison went over my head, I think, J0hn.

a precursor to bands that had already broken up? interesting. well, i couldn't agree less. like i stated upthread, i think that quite a few of you are giving way rodan way too much credit.

Sea and Bells is probably Rachel's (should that be Rachel's's?) most overtly Glassian album. I think it's a little over the top at times (Ryan Pitchfork: "Oh no, the ship is sinking!!!"), and "Sirens" is an exercise in avant-garde that succeeds only in making me get up to skip to the next track -- but goddamn if some of those repetitive melodies don't get stuck in my craw.

i'm with gygax. the best high school poetry = heavy vegetable and clikitat ikatowi. thought that might be hometown bias.

FYI heroin formed at torrey pines hs in del mar, ca in 1989 during their junior year. they broke up in 93. Rodan released their first single later that year.

aaron and ron formed antioch arrow after the heroin breakup.

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in my previous life! che cafe and world beat center yo.

if you have tortoise beef, kindly take it here

What, grapefruit beef wasn't enough?

Plus McEntire is hands down one of the best drummers, any genre, I've ever seen, and god knows I've seen a few...

What's happening here with the Rach?

Love the sounds. Music for egon (the artist) slays.

Punkers should hear Rachels

Rachel Grimes, of Rachel's, has a solo album out now, "Book Of Leaves (For Solo Piano)". You might (not) be surprised to hear that it's a solo piano album; 14 short pieces, largely reflective, melancholic and perfectly suited to autumnal times, with a couple of more rousing jazzy sections.

holy crap i listened to rusty last night

i haven't listened to rusty for about 8 years. Downloading now.

I'm really liking it, it fits so well at this time of year; despite being recorded in summer times (in 2008) it definitely has an autumnal feel. It's very intimate, just beautifully recorded solo piano playing, with some field recordings of birds at a couple of points, but nothing too obtrusive. Music to make my heart ache.

I just got a copy of Rusty too, it's dead good.

Reading about following this solo album it turns out that Rachel's weren't named after Rachel Grimes, she wasn't even a founding member. I assumed it was, so you live and learn. Named after a car apparently instead.

rusty is amazing. i also listened to hoover's "lurid traversal of route 7" last night

Rusty is brilliant. I like the Rachels and enjoyed the Rachel Grimes album.

I've never heard Rodan. I was big into Rachel's, though I only caught them after the fact. I take it I should procure myself a copy of "Rusty" then?

damn right

It used to be damn hard to find but in the ebay era its easy i think. I found mine in the lateish 90s in Glasgow after years of looking.

So it is OOP then? I'll give discogs & eBay a visit in that case.

eMusic has it if you use that.