the chills c/d?

The doc was really well made. Phillipps seems a tough man to get close to, but that is ironically maybe the movie's hinge.

Hey, new single

https://thechillsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/youre-immortal

gotten to the point that this is one of those threads that scares me every time it's bumped, even though lately it's been good news.

The world's insane BUT new album in April!

https://thechillsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/scatterbrain

A ray of sunshine in this dingy world. Good to see he's not deviating from his album title shtick.

omg! still haven't gotten over the magnificence (and existence) of the last two

something to look forward to!

Is Phillipps actively suppressing Brave Words these days? It remains their only pre-millenial LP I've never seen in the flesh, in any format, a pattern now extended to the conspicuous absence from Spotify and Bandcamp.

pre-millennial, rather.

The Homestead CD used to be legion in the used bins around here

(it's a fantastic album, which I assume they'll re-release once they come up with a conforming title for it)

Haha. That title business is endlessly amusing.

I just found myself praising BW in what must have been one of my earliest posts. I guess I've been using mp3/etc copies for some two decades then. o_O

It's well known that Martin hates the production on Brave Words. I had a chat with him last time I saw the Chills live and he was adamant that he's still going to remix it. I'd be surprised if it resurfaced with the original mix.

I never thought the mix was that bad. In fact I prefer it to the reverb-swamped professionalism of the albums that followed, I wonder if he thinks it just sounded cheap?

loved the Chills so so much. "Pink Frost" one of the great tracks.

― Dr Morbius, Thursday, October 9, 2008 7:41 AM (twelve years ago)

The Homestead CD used to be legion in the used bins around here

― fbclid=fhAZ3l (f. hazel), Friday, January 29, 2021 12:54 AM (twelve hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

was lucky to come across one of those a few years ago. definitely sounds better than the mp3s I had.

I personally don't think Brave Words sounds bad, maybe it was the relationship with Mayo Thompson? Felt had a similiar experience, Lawrence was so disappointed with Thompson's production that he considered throwing the tapes into the Thames.

honor the monolith

I don't really love The Chills right now, I don;t know why I started this thread 13 years ago!

A pretty idiosyncratic selection in the Guardian today:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/15/from-eerie-folk-lullabies-to-bouncy-b-sides-ten-of-the-chills-best-songs

Kiran’s a great follow on Twitter, not surprised she came up with that list.

oh shit, I didn't even realize the new album was out!

The new album's another solid winner.

seems the record store's having trouble keeping it on the shelves! I'll try again in a few days

I love the sequencing of Scatterbrain -- the first half's mortality suite, then the second's return to earthly things, like he's granting permission. We're each alone, and yet.

(it's a fantastic album, which I assume they'll re-release once they come up with a conforming title for it)

― fbclid=fhAZ3l (f. hazel), Friday, January 29, 2021 12:55 AM (seven months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Simply, Brave

Spaceless: Bravewords

He once said it would be Braver Words.

Suave Words

It never ceases to amaze me just how many incredible songs continue to flow from this old school crew of New Zealanders. Just dozens and dozens and dozens.

(I'm including not just Martin Phillipps but David Kilgour, Robert Scott, et al.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTp4eBokNo

So good.

Chills are playing two shows at City Winery in NY - some inexpensive seats available thanks to a labor day sale.

Weird that their website, or what appears to be their website, doesn't list a Chicago show, but they are coming here as well.

Turns out the upcoming tour is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Soft Bomb, at least according to City Winery's listings. Strange because their website lists it as the "2022 Scatterbrain Storms Tour"

New 3 track EP out on Bandcamp today.

I wish I could muster up some enthusiasm for the last 3 LPs but, while they're fine, it all just blends in my head. Nothing thrilling jumps out at me.

I'm actually not familiar with anything past Soft Bomb - I generally just listen to the three CD's I have: Kaleidoscope World (original CD pressing, not the later one with even more bonus tracks), Submarine Bells and Soft Bomb (which is interesting to hear using Christgau's suggested re-sequencing). Anything else I should check out?

I'd suggest to check/get the expanded Kaleidoscope World as I think that includes The Lost EP, which is essential imo

I don't recall "Sunburnt" being particularly good, but I really like "Silver Bullets" and "Snow Bound," and the new songs were great live. "Scatterbrain" didn't click with me the couple of times I listened to it, so I should go back.

The last two albums are almost as good as their best imo.

Brave Words still their highpoint for me but do people not like it or something? I know it's difficult to find nowadays.

Nothing the band has done is bad, imo, but iirc "Brave Words" was considered a little bit of a letdown after the initial salvo of singles and EPs. And definitely compared to "Submarine Bells."

I also recall a pretty muted reception for Brave Words, but the few songs I've heard from it ("Rain", "Night of Chill Blue") are among their very best. Wish I had snapped up a copy when it was an indie record store mainstay.

The songs are great (Dan Destiny!) but I think there was some issue with the production or mixing?

"Brave Words" was considered a little bit of a letdown after the initial salvo of singles and EPs. And definitely compared to "Submarine Bells."

wow, cannot get my head around this, as somebody for whom "Submarine Bells" was a letdown after "Brave Words," which remains the Chills I come back to.

Yes, it's better than Submarine Bells.

"Brave Words" was considered a little bit of a letdown after the initial salvo of singles and EPs. And definitely compared to "Submarine Bells."

This was definitely true at the time. "Brave Words" is very good, and shows Martin has matured as a songwriter after the punky early singles, but the reception was mixed. "Submarine Bells" was feted in the press and by fans as a major achievement, though personally I feel that "Soft Bomb" is the one that is completely underrated. I almost got into a car accident the first time I heard "Male Monster From The ID" on the radio, so transfixed was I. "Sunburnt" has the keyboards mixed way too high and loud and distract from the solid songwriting ("Come Home" is particularly great, should've been used over a romcom movie montage). "Sketchbook" is a set of demo which is surprisingly good. And it's a pity that "Secret Box" was so limited, it's chock full of brilliance.

Brave Words is my fave too, but I think the production was controversial. I think Martin Phillips himself dislikes it which is why it's hard to get. There's talk of a remix and reissue, which would be interesting.

I really like the production on Brave Words. Yes, it's muddy and muffled but that adds to the mystique as far as I'm concerned. Like Submarine Bells too but Brave Words is one of the top albums of the 80s for me.