Discogs user notes "Incapable and Game Changer are both slightly longer than their CD and digital counterparts, as they fade out cleanly instead of segueing into the next track."
Game Changer feels a little like a throwback to Ruby Blue imo, with the vocal melody in the verse being sketched in the margins, and the syncopate-y handclap.
― erratic wolf angular guitarist (sic), Monday, 5 October 2020 02:06 (three years ago) link
We Got Together is one of my favourite tracks on this, like the massive WHOMP! of the bass just does something to my lizard brain.
But, y'know, hey, people like different things in music.
― Branwell with an N, Monday, 5 October 2020 09:12 (three years ago) link
Kingdom of Ends and We Got Together both make the album better IMO simply by virtue of mixing things up a bit.
― Jeff W, Monday, 5 October 2020 09:43 (three years ago) link
“kingdom of ends” is one of her very best songs imo
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 5 October 2020 11:38 (three years ago) link
I really like Jessie Ware so I don't say this to denigrate but this is better. Jessie is only like 95% fabulous whereas Roisin is like 120%
― Evans on Hammond (evol j), Monday, 5 October 2020 13:26 (three years ago) link
different flavors of fabulousness imo
― the typo doer (Simon H.), Monday, 5 October 2020 13:51 (three years ago) link
Roisin Murphy is more of a person or personage while Jessie Ware strives for and achieves disco-era anonymity.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 5 October 2020 13:57 (three years ago) link
the continuous mix nature of this record is what sends it over for me. this is why i can't really knock the album edit of "incapable" (not that i'm a good enough listener to really distinguish how it's different from the single edit? which i don't remember if i've even heard) bc the focus of the album is not about songs working in isolation but songs working on each other
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 5 October 2020 15:01 (three years ago) link
sorry if this is rockist of me
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 5 October 2020 15:02 (three years ago) link
the arrangement is prob altered bc at the point where "incapable" lands in the tracklisting you're not exactly in the mood for a song to build up gradually, just start rockin' those synths if you got em
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, 5 October 2020 15:07 (three years ago) link
First 3 songs here represent her best work since Overpowered imo
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 5 October 2020 15:24 (three years ago) link
RA Exchange 527: Roisin Murphyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEXEk7QVba4
― davey, Monday, 5 October 2020 16:09 (three years ago) link
haven't seen brad in the RYM shoutbox calling this AOTY yet. therefore unsure whether to give it a listen
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:25 (three years ago) link
j/k let's go
the focus of the album is not about songs working in isolation but songs working on each other
yeah exactly. if you're frustrated that this version isn't 12 minutes long, you can get that elsewhere; meanwhile, hear this other song!
― erratic wolf angular guitarist (sic), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:30 (three years ago) link
tbf if you can pull off an Introspective then it's no bad thing. but that requires you to only have six songs ready
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:32 (three years ago) link
holy fucking shit the intro of Kingdom Of Ends is a cover of Hawkwind's Assault & Battery!!!!!
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:35 (three years ago) link
LJ be aware that there are 8-12 minute original versions of most of the songs here, and several of them have 45-minute-long remix suites by the co-author. if you love the album versions you might need medical supervision to listen further
― erratic wolf angular guitarist (sic), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:37 (three years ago) link
this album is cannily not going for big catharsis or hugeness, it's playing a much slower and subtler game. intriguing. production is v on-point
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:46 (three years ago) link
like, for all that this is a slow-burn tease, there are engaging little details that keep me alert. currently the bassline to Shellfish Mademoiselle is that little detail
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 20:50 (three years ago) link
good album. first half >> second half
― Chip-vill-A (imago), Monday, 5 October 2020 21:21 (three years ago) link
yes, hard agree there
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 5 October 2020 22:25 (three years ago) link
this album is super cool
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 5 October 2020 23:32 (three years ago) link
Would also,like to say that my 7yo daughter also being a huge Roisin fan is one of the joys of my life: watching the home performances and dancing round together to the new album. a+.
― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Tuesday, 6 October 2020 01:14 (three years ago) link
that is adorable and very sweet. one of my most cherished memories from that age is hearing Thriller for the first time and jumping around to it with my parents. probably very common to remember and treasure the records that made us RLLY WANNA DANCE when we were super little :))
― davey, Tuesday, 6 October 2020 03:56 (three years ago) link
Nobody in my family asked me what I was playing, even though one by one as they entered the room they started dancing.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 6 October 2020 12:52 (three years ago) link
Róisín’s hosting a Tim’s Twitter Listening Party thing on the album as I type.
― Jeff W, Thursday, 8 October 2020 20:16 (three years ago) link
So here we are, an album listening party. Although this record draws on disco, dance club culture, past present and future. It is very much an album, deliberately so. The songs have been edited, dubbed out and segued together to create an album listening experience.It’s not a record for the club, it’s for this purpose that we are about to partake in……
It’s not a record for the club, it’s for this purpose that we are about to partake in……
Many of you will know that I made this record with my old friend, long time music brother Richard Barratt aka Parrot aka Crooked Man. We also had Fat Dave at the controls and on guitar and keys. Let’s just take a moment to big him up.In so many ways this record represents a return to something for me. To Sheffield, to the music scene that made me, a return to the soul of the dance floor.
In so many ways this record represents a return to something for me. To Sheffield, to the music scene that made me, a return to the soul of the dance floor.
Finally, I get an intro suitable for a queen. I feel my story is still untold but I’ll make my own happy ending. Mission statement for sure.
Simulation
Written ten years ago, released on Permanent Vacation in 2012. The backing track for Simulation was given to me straight after I finished Overpowered, along with a handful more. Most of which have actually found their way on the album, that is to say this record was already a pretty fully-formed entity ten years ago. It was there on paper.The high hats!Simulation is one of my favourite things that I’ve ever done. It’s spectral in its range of frequencies. There’s real dark darkness and real ecstatic euphoria.Aye not a bad way to make an entrance! #youalrightlove?
The high hats!
Simulation is one of my favourite things that I’ve ever done. It’s spectral in its range of frequencies. There’s real dark darkness and real ecstatic euphoria.
Aye not a bad way to make an entrance! #youalrightlove?
Taking you out of the sweat up and over into a kind of utopia. Love yourself people!! 🥰
Kingdom Of Ends
One of the last things completed for the album, certainly tinged with the feelings of the moment, it having been written in lockdown. There’s a theme going through the record ‘is that all there is?’ Not very original, but prescient.This song is a kind of dedication to Mark Fisher, I’ve used many of the phrases he uses in his writing in this song and his pre-occupations of the end of desire and the end of capitalism. I’m deliberately trying to channel Bryan Ferry in places here.Mark Fisher had me as the last princess of glam. Which perhaps I am? My manager is also a fantastic singer and she can heard in the ecstatic backing vocals. Lockdown brought some of the best out of all of us.
This song is a kind of dedication to Mark Fisher, I’ve used many of the phrases he uses in his writing in this song and his pre-occupations of the end of desire and the end of capitalism. I’m deliberately trying to channel Bryan Ferry in places here.
Mark Fisher had me as the last princess of glam. Which perhaps I am?
My manager is also a fantastic singer and she can heard in the ecstatic backing vocals. Lockdown brought some of the best out of all of us.
Parrot in my hanging chair back in the day! #SHEFFEEELLLL #TimsTwitterListeningParty pic.twitter.com/ILV6kBrJuf— Róisín Murphy (@roisinmurphy) October 8, 2020
Something More
Lovely new intro on this version, what what??! And the new Exorcist tubular bells I loveThis is the only time I've ever asked someone to write for me. To be honest Murphy’s Law was such a good song, I wanted to take the pressure off myself by having something to match it, to balance the record. So I asked Amy Douglas to write me a song about exponential need, about wanting more and more and more.This wonderful song was written overnight and couldn’t have been more perfect for me. It’s like having a perfect dress made. It’s couture bitches. I love you @AmyDouglasSings xxx
This is the only time I've ever asked someone to write for me. To be honest Murphy’s Law was such a good song, I wanted to take the pressure off myself by having something to match it, to balance the record. So I asked Amy Douglas to write me a song about exponential need, about wanting more and more and more.
This wonderful song was written overnight and couldn’t have been more perfect for me. It’s like having a perfect dress made. It’s couture bitches. I love you @AmyDouglasSings xxx
Shellfish Mademoiselle
What a funky funky funky Sheffield beat! I’d love to hear this on a system with friends. Our icecream’s not melted yet kids. It really is delightfully feminine this song, what a light touch Parrot has.Squeezed a bit of microdosing in there.Of course I wrote the lyric ‘I shouldn’t really be dancing at a time like this’ it was written in lockdown. How dare you sentence me to a lifetime without dancing, it’s a cliche I know, but hey it works......Anyway it’s a metaphor. Full of innuendo. Wink wink. Dancing and loving. It’s about getting as much of that as possible because life’s too short.
Squeezed a bit of microdosing in there.Of course I wrote the lyric ‘I shouldn’t really be dancing at a time like this’ it was written in lockdown. How dare you sentence me to a lifetime without dancing, it’s a cliche I know, but hey it works......
Anyway it’s a metaphor. Full of innuendo. Wink wink. Dancing and loving. It’s about getting as much of that as possible because life’s too short.
Incapable
I always call Incapable ‘she’. It’s such a characterful track and the music is so perfectly balanced. It has great equilibrium.It took Parrot a while to finish this cos he couldn’t imagine people dancing to a bird singing ‘I’m incapable’ !! But you know I always like to bring little EXTRAAnyway what was I saying about her? She is rather conceited, she is saying things they don’t usually say in pop songs. It says ‘I got away with it, I’m unscathed’
It took Parrot a while to finish this cos he couldn’t imagine people dancing to a bird singing ‘I’m incapable’ !! But you know I always like to bring little EXTRA
Anyway what was I saying about her? She is rather conceited, she is saying things they don’t usually say in pop songs. It says ‘I got away with it, I’m unscathed’
We Got Together
This was a chant I did over the end of Flash of Light live. Parrot heard it and liked it and built this track around the lyric idea.I get so much from that one little bit of lyric, we got together-that’s great, we got together in the past-I wish we could get tougher now, we all got together, we got toggery didn’t we? Or am I just imagining it?......The meaning shifts. It’s almost impossible not to do the running man when this one comes onBut incredibly brave choices Dave and Parrot made in the studio when they built this track, what swagger!
I get so much from that one little bit of lyric, we got together-that’s great, we got together in the past-I wish we could get tougher now, we all got together, we got toggery didn’t we? Or am I just imagining it?
......The meaning shifts. It’s almost impossible not to do the running man when this one comes on
But incredibly brave choices Dave and Parrot made in the studio when they built this track, what swagger!
When we found a home for this record. This delightful man believed in us and hey, look where we are. @generalisation ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aUuZd7mTmx— Róisín Murphy (@roisinmurphy) October 8, 2020
Murphy's Law
What can I say about Murphy’s Law? I reckon it’s a stone cold classic, lads. The original version of this we were uncomfortable with, due to the high cheese levels. Nervous I should say. Although we know we were onto something good.....Originally it was in a higher key. Wondered if that was the problem so I asked Parrot to transpose the whole thing down. I copied transposed vocal and replaced it, but we never could quite let go of this gender-bent transposed vocal. What you hear now is a blend of the two.It just needed something a little ‘off’ to make it feel right. I love how it doesn’t take its too seriously and just sits back and relaxes in the groove.Although we are in borderline cheese territory, somehow it remains super-cool. And if there’s going to be a law, why not Murphy’s Law? Sebi created these backing vocals, shout out going to the Big Wallop.
Originally it was in a higher key. Wondered if that was the problem so I asked Parrot to transpose the whole thing down. I copied transposed vocal and replaced it, but we never could quite let go of this gender-bent transposed vocal. What you hear now is a blend of the two.
It just needed something a little ‘off’ to make it feel right. I love how it doesn’t take its too seriously and just sits back and relaxes in the groove.
Although we are in borderline cheese territory, somehow it remains super-cool. And if there’s going to be a law, why not Murphy’s Law? Sebi created these backing vocals, shout out going to the Big Wallop.
Game Changer
This is one of my favourites. We’re in the funky room, people are jazz dancing doing the splits and spinning on their backs. This album really is like a big building of rooms for having fun.There is a gorgeous studio 54 space, there is a funky room, there is a UK bass sound system, there is a loft and there is a cellar - and the cellar is Sheffield. Pure and simple.I guess it’s another song about resignation to one’s fate about succumbing, about playing with each other. I love this wailing backing vocal I managed to squeeze out, I was trying to channel Van Morrison.
There is a gorgeous studio 54 space, there is a funky room, there is a UK bass sound system, there is a loft and there is a cellar - and the cellar is Sheffield. Pure and simple.
I guess it’s another song about resignation to one’s fate about succumbing, about playing with each other. I love this wailing backing vocal I managed to squeeze out, I was trying to channel Van Morrison.
Narcissus
With beautiful string arrangement by Eddie Stevens, shout going out to booze man StevensIn the studio, it seemed the track made me think of the word Narcissus which I began to chant over it. I then had to go and look up the myth, it was then just a simple case of inhabiting the characters of Echo. I’m calling out to all those fabulous magnetic men in my life.Not saying narcissist, just pronouncing it Narcisciss for some reason 🤔
In the studio, it seemed the track made me think of the word Narcissus which I began to chant over it. I then had to go and look up the myth, it was then just a simple case of inhabiting the characters of Echo. I’m calling out to all those fabulous magnetic men in my life.
Not saying narcissist, just pronouncing it Narcisciss for some reason 🤔
Jealousy
Pitchfork said ‘…starts in thrall to that destructive emotion and stays there. "jealousy" she chants as if demanding her own humanity….’What a stomper, they don’t come around like this too often, lads. This track is literally hysterical.Get your roller-skates on and lets go round and round and round and round and round and round.A lot of art is about an almighty struggle in the very soul of its creator, by the way. You alright, Sue?And though this is an explosive end track, we are still left on the edge of our desire. Teetering on the edge of it. And the build is still going strong.
What a stomper, they don’t come around like this too often, lads. This track is literally hysterical.Get your roller-skates on and lets go round and round and round and round and round and round.
A lot of art is about an almighty struggle in the very soul of its creator, by the way. You alright, Sue?
And though this is an explosive end track, we are still left on the edge of our desire. Teetering on the edge of it. And the build is still going strong.
― Covidiots from UHF (sic), Thursday, 8 October 2020 23:25 (three years ago) link
This is a simulation. This is a simulation.
― Gerneten-flüken cake (jed_), Thursday, 8 October 2020 23:34 (three years ago) link
thanks for taking note of all of these Sic!
― piscesx, Thursday, 8 October 2020 23:45 (three years ago) link
I generally find those Tims Listening Parties irritating (they have a habit of taking over one's timeline) but these are wonderful insights into an amazing album.
This stuff seems to be getting a lot of traction in non-music-nerd settings, at least in my neighbourhood? Twice in the past few days, I've had to go by ~trouble spots for environmental sound~ (a builders' site on my road where they serenade the whole street with their music choices; an incredibly loud pumping exercise class that meets on top of the Common) and kind of bracing myself for the sensory onslaught and how bad it is going to be...
...and both spaces have beeen playing Roisin Murphy tracks the last times I have walked by? Which has been a really pleasant surprise when it's turned into music?
― Branwell with an N, Friday, 9 October 2020 06:49 (three years ago) link
I've only gotten to the end of this once because I keep playing the first three tracks over and over
― Paul Ponzi, Friday, 9 October 2020 23:00 (three years ago) link
Hairless Toys finally clicked for me today. It was always my least favorite of her albums but today it sounds really damn good
― Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 14 October 2020 16:16 (three years ago) link
Haven't followed Murphy closely but Narcissus > Jealousy bowled me over
― Indexed, Tuesday, 24 November 2020 15:53 (three years ago) link
I see now Narcissus was a 2019 single and that they pushed the strings to the intro (to get this onto dancefloors?). Brilliant track.
― Indexed, Tuesday, 24 November 2020 16:02 (three years ago) link
yes. i managed to play narcissus at the right moment in a set and it was all hands in the air.
― davey, Tuesday, 24 November 2020 21:49 (three years ago) link
An earlier version was out in 2017!
― huge rant (sic), Tuesday, 24 November 2020 22:32 (three years ago) link
🎄Christmas has come early🎄Murphy’s Law rules today @BBC6Music surrender to the cheeky bum wiggling wit and disco decadence! 💜 it ... ... join @laurenlaverne @maryannehobbs @shaunwkeaveny @steve_lamacq to hear more ... #sleighhomeravesafe https://t.co/Y7yiZVWfvw— Nemone (@nemonemetaxas) December 1, 2020
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 1 December 2020 12:04 (three years ago) link
New Crooked Man remix of Jealousy.
― huge rant (sic), Friday, 18 December 2020 20:34 (three years ago) link
Mix for Mary Ann Hobbs yesterday:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000q8x6
― groovypanda, Sunday, 20 December 2020 09:45 (three years ago) link
She's also "taking over" 6Music on Tuesday
― groovypanda, Sunday, 20 December 2020 09:47 (three years ago) link
😍
Are you ready to dance?💚 Róisín Murphy's giving you a green light to lose yourself on Tuesday morning.Listen live or rewind for 30 days on @BBCSounds https://t.co/C8pHibQcTM pic.twitter.com/qAHXu1uauB— BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) December 21, 2020
― groovypanda, Monday, 21 December 2020 18:52 (three years ago) link
i'm increasingly of the opinion that the maurice fulton collabs are easily the best things she's done and that i want to like her 2020 more than i actually do (sorry to be that guy itt).
― ffolkes (map), Monday, 21 December 2020 18:56 (three years ago) link
that's where I'm at too. I love her as a popstar personality but I wish she'd make another "Plaything" or "Let Me Know"
― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 22 December 2020 08:29 (three years ago) link
There's bunch of extra stuff on the iSoundser in addition to today's Róisín "takeover" broadcast.
Her main two-and-a-half-hour radio DJ set, including a 2020 Ewan Pearson mix of Happy Mondays' Hallelujah, a new Crooked Man joint and an unreleased mix of Jealousy:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qkbx
A 1-hour Hot Chip DJ mix commissioned by Roisin:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qzj5
and from the archives, all an hour long:
Róisín live in March 2020:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qhkw
Her doing an hour of radio in Iggy Pop's slot last year:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qvks
Talking through musical milestones in her life*, recorded in 2016:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06dclbz
And a retrospective made up of old interviews & records:https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qhkq
*She also picked Weatherall's 2011 version of this to be repeated over the air today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00z7hx0
― huge rant (sic), Wednesday, 23 December 2020 10:46 (three years ago) link
I wonder how cool Murphy's golden dove badge was before Lady Gaga ripped it off?
― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Thursday, 21 January 2021 04:06 (three years ago) link
There was a big compare/contrast blog post circa 2009, showing various Roisin fits and later Gaga ones.
― shivers me timber (sic), Thursday, 21 January 2021 04:18 (three years ago) link
Have just realised the track I was planning on voting for in the poll wasn't even nominated 🤦♂️
― groovypanda, Thursday, 21 January 2021 08:34 (three years ago) link
Just vote for Murphy's Law then 👍
― or something, Thursday, 21 January 2021 11:18 (three years ago) link
that's what i did when i had the same realization
― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Thursday, 21 January 2021 14:22 (three years ago) link