TEARS IN THE TYPING POLL: ILM Artist Poll #114 - BROADCAST (Results Thread)

josh az (2011nostalgia) at 12:34 3 Jun 22
Top 20 gonna be nothing but straight up classics
Tears in the Typing Pool top 3 let’s gooooo

absolutely love black cat, and the youtube story makes it even better

voted for 'tears' in my ranked section too

During this 2-3 month obsession I've been playing a lot of Broadcast in the house, & Tears… is the one track that's got a 'who's this?' from each of my stepkids as they've caught it. Seems to have special power over the non- or not-yet-fans.

The Mellotron is gorgeous

https://i.imgur.com/aSDUZB7.jpg

7. Before We Begin
From Haha Sound, 2003
Fan-made video by Narcissus Weeps on YouTube
466 Points, 20 Votes

Dear Warp, please release Broadcast's 'Before We Begin' as a single. Actually it's too late now it would've been a perfect September release and I have a video idea in my head and everything. Dammit. - stevem (blueski), Nov 3, 2003

This is the most amazing song and I regret not making it my number one.

It all has happened, is happening and will happen.

damn missed so much of the rollout - had to make Black Cat my #1, I've probably played it more than anything else

I blame this thread for my insomnia last night. I woke up with the synth line from "Goodbye Girls" playing over and over in my mind. Was up for hours!!!

"Before We Begin" a perfect song, though they do have at least ten perfect songs.

Tears in the Typing Pool is surely the #1 broadcast song title. (and top 10 of all time)

https://i.imgur.com/5Xnv90p.jpg

6. The Book Lovers
From The Book Lovers EP, 1996, Compiled on Work And Non Work, 1997.
Fan-made video by Karl Taul on YouTube
506 Points, 21 Votes, 1 First Place Vote

The Book Lovers is still the one for me. I just realised it's almost exactly 20 years since I first heard it on the John Peel show. Incredible song - Kitchen Person, Dec 7, 2016

8. Tears In The Typing Pool
From Tender Buttons, 2005

If I'm counting right, this will be the highest-rated Tender Buttons track. (Pretty sure everything else has already placed besides "Minus 3".) Interesting that 7 other tracks placed higher though TB was the top-rated overall album.

I'd assumed that Tender Buttons would be my favourite Broadcast album until I realised just how few of its tracks I'd actually placed on my ballot.

Haha Sound is the album that I always underrate for some reason, right up until the moment that I actually re-listen to it.

I’m gonna call “Come On Let’s Go” for #1

Any predictions for the top five?

my #3 and my #2, in succession. i couldn't in good faith pick besides my #1 as my #1, but if i knew that "before we begin" wouldn't get a top vote, i would've thrown it one. completely magical song.

so the salt will spill again
throw it over your shoulder

Well I’ve not seen “Pendulum”, “Echo’s Answer”or “Unchanging Window” yet. Or “ Ominous Cloud”. So those are my guesses.

That salt line is my favourite too

This next one is going to be difficult to post, let's see if there are any errors in the bb code.

https://i.imgur.com/zHhK1F6.jpg

5. Unchanging Window / Chord Simple
Unchanging Window from The Noise Made By People, 2000
Unchanging Window / Chord Simple from Extended Play Two, 2000
Audio for Unchanging Window / Chord Simple on Youtube
Fan-made video for Unchanging Window by Wonder Muddle on YouTube
526 Points, 18 Votes, 3 First Place Votes
(331 Points, 11 Votes, 2 First Place Votes for EP version)
(195 Points, 7 Votes, 1 First Place Vote for TNMBP version)

The version of "Unchanging Window (Chord Simple)" from EP2 is probably my favourite Broadcast track ever. - Ross, Dec 6, 2016

nice, it all worked!

Damn, I'm way too busy at work to follow this beautiful thread. Just catching up and every single song so far is too low.

I was the number one vote for The Book Lovers. One of the best songs of all time.

I'm guessing Echo's Answer at one with Come On Let's Go in second place.

my #1. glad to see the EP version got more votes because that outro elevates the song to a completely different level.

"The Book Lovers" wouldn't have been too out of place on a Cardigans album

The version of "Unchanging Window (Chord Simple)" from EP2 is probably my favourite Broadcast track ever. - Ross, Dec 6, 2016

It's happy hour on Friday which means I'm having some beers in the typing pool.

Sorry this is my first thread comment.

Welcome to the thread, Chris

https://i.imgur.com/QDa4LxK.jpg

4. Pendulum
From Pendulum Ep, 2003 and Haha Sound, 2003
Fan-made video by Sergio Bga on YouTube
563 Points, 19 Votes

for the love of god, listen to "Pendulum" from the last album if you don't know it already. That is the song that made me a cultish Broadcast worshipper, and has the HUGE CLATTERY DRUMS missing from Tender Buttons. Yes, all of them. On just the one song. - telephone thing, Dec 12, 2005

Unchanging Window is good, but I'm surprised it is so well loved

It's unlikely, but I've got my fingers crossed for "Ominous Cloud" at #1...

beers in the typing pool

Same, cheers!

(cheers in the typing pool)

Number three coming up, and it's my #1 vote.

https://i.imgur.com/F9MO3Su.jpg

3. Ominous Cloud
From Haha Sound, 2003
Fan-made video by cp jr on YouTube
576 Points, 21 Votes, 1 First Place Vote

This became my favourite Broadcast track sometime last autumn, since when I've regularly walked around Bloomsbury with it on headphones. Just that quiet longing, that sense of the heaviness of places, it's like nothing else.

I listen to this song like I watch Roy Andersson films, I don't know if it's a healthy obsession, but it's one that seems tailor-made for me.

Wow just seeing this all now. I was the #1 Sixty Forty vote. TOO LOW

Although looking back, not sure its my true number one but I love it and its how I was feeling at that moment lol

great list btw

Actually, "Ominous Cloud" is clearly the REAL real winner, in the "who knew?" stakes, rather than "Youth & Laughter". It was high on my ballot, as it was on many, and we barely even needed to talk about it. Seems we mostly just knew deep down that supporting this mid-career album-track was the thing to do.

Ok, time for the final two, don't want to keep anyone up too late, least of all myself.

These two tracks were at #1 and #2 respectively from the 3rd or 4th ballot, and stayed that way throughout the voting process - there was a sizable gap between them, which started to narrow as we got towards the end. Then, after a weekend's extension had already been and gone, one last ballot came in which finally flipped the #1 and #2 around.

https://i.imgur.com/AVOLuT6.jpg

2. Echo's Answer
Single 1999, The Noise Made By People 2000
Fan-made video by Ave, Lúcifer on YouTube
645 Points, 22 Votes, 1 First Place Vote

Echo's Answer is scary in a little-boy-staying-up-to-watch-scary-movies-on-USA-Network way. - Cunga, Jan 18, 2009

Both lyrically and sonically this song's simple premise concerns time and nature's effect on things. A celebration of the sound after the sound, an answer's echo, the echo as an answer (if the question is 'am I alone?' at least). Multiple connotations that demonstrate to me an impressive sophistication in songwriting when relying on such open references. In just over three minutes you can recognise the sense of progress throughout the song as Trish Keenan observes the passing, the approach and the return of 'the wind' (stop smirking at the back there). It feels like an age old poem and probably is derived from one. The imposed feedback would seem un-necessary were it not for the fact we know that when a room full of instruments but no people is exposed to rushes of air, those instruments can resound. And the feedback here is as beautiful as it's parent and a wonderful compliment to it. Something about heavy chorusing and that flange effect on the guitar (making it more violin-esque) cuts right to my backbone, whether it's heavy rock or something as docile as this beatless wonder. Those dying seconds, where Keenan's soft and ever so human voice melts into the shadows, engulfed by noise like a pebble in an advancing tide, a monument persisting against the elements, still send shivers every time. - the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Aug 20, 2004

https://i.imgur.com/WnAAIz0.jpg

1. Come On Let's Go
Single, 1999. From The Noise Made By People, 2000
Music video on YouTube
660 Points, 22 Votes, 4 First Place Votes

there’s really something entrancing about entering the world of this song. I imagine much of that has to do with Keenan’s vocal, which manages to be both nearly expressionless and very playful. The chord structure probably has something to do with it too, modulating whenever it seems to settle into a comfortable key - Accidentally Gets High By Touching LSD Left in Vintage Buchla (voodoo chili), May 28, 2019

Echo's Answer would have been a more interesting winner, but I have personal reasons for loving Come On Let's Go (it was the "go home" end of the night song at my favourite bar) so equally happy to see it win.

NNN, could I trouble you do post a complete rundown? I am honestly not sure how to get it on here formatted in a readable way.

My thin veneer of impartiality was shattered when said final ballot was only the second to exclude "Echo's Answer", thereby delivering victory to its chirpier rival lol.

XP: Yep! Just a moment...

honestly, all these songs are good

Shout-out to the insane, screechy, clattery echo they deployed on so many tracks to such great effect.

Definitely!

And also to Camaraderie at Arms Length, for outlining the findings of this study so elegantly!

And thanks everyone for voting and writing stuff!

Yes! Brilliant curation and rollout, thanks you two!