They really need to ignore this kind of shit.
It's not, like, problematic. It's just not worth their time!
― alpine static, Wednesday, 19 July 2023 19:15 (ten months ago) link
Yeah I agree
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Wednesday, 19 July 2023 19:19 (ten months ago) link
flute also did not sound good
― New No-No Bettencourt (Sufjan Grafton), Wednesday, 19 July 2023 19:28 (ten months ago) link
Ugh I would really like to see them but $80 to see them in the park?
― JoeStork, Wednesday, 19 July 2023 19:35 (ten months ago) link
i just saw them last night and "Vampire Empire" was much closer to the version they just released and it was fantastic. Not missing anything with the absent flute. Was a little sad to hear "Spud Infinity" without the jaw harp though.
They seem to like to mess around with their songs quite a bit, which imo is a great sign for a band, relentlessly creative. They played "Certainty" more or less like the album, maybe a little more oomph to it, and then Adrianne made a comment about how she hasn't really been feeling the rocking out aspect and has been wanting to do it more softly. Then she played it again as a soft, tender ballad. It was really beautiful.
― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Wednesday, 19 July 2023 19:39 (ten months ago) link
i don't really get all the complaints because this is hardly a case of the arrangement being radically different, or the song being ruined or anything. i miss the flute but it's not a big deal at all. if they'd ditched the arrangement completely for the punk version or something i'd have been amused but more disappointed. my only actual complaint is that it's a fairly raw-sounding recording, it's very roomy.
i would still like to hear the unreleased studio version of the rock "dragon" but it's not like the completely different album version was remotely bad either.
― ufo, Thursday, 20 July 2023 06:15 (ten months ago) link
Great little Pfork write-up: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/big-thief-vampire-empire/
As (maybe?) 2021's #1 "Time Escaping" Live on YouTube Fan, I was admittedly a bit flummoxed when the album cut of that song was released... but I figured I'd come to love it, and I certainly didn't go posting "THIS SUCKS" on Instagram (which was one of the thoughtful comments I saw).
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Thursday, 20 July 2023 16:31 (ten months ago) link
(...saw for "Vampire Empire," to clarify)
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Thursday, 20 July 2023 16:33 (ten months ago) link
...except for that bit about Elliot Smith.
― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 20 July 2023 16:39 (ten months ago) link
(haha, I was willing to let that go)
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Thursday, 20 July 2023 16:40 (ten months ago) link
never followed this band but listened to the newly released song followed by the performance on Colbert.
the studio version is better. her vocal performance is stronger on it. the flute doesn't really add anything except that it makes the guitar sound craggier in relation. it feels extraneous.
suspect people only prefer the Colbert version because it's familiar.
maybe i should listen to this band idk. i don't usually like straight up indie rock but Lenker seems like she has more to offer.
― Deflatormouse, Thursday, 20 July 2023 16:55 (ten months ago) link
younger bands are bad at ignoring stuff, and what's more, they can get press for responding, so they usually do.
― J Edgar Noothgrush (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Thursday, 20 July 2023 19:08 (ten months ago) link
honestly the biggest problem with all versions of this song is i can’t stop hearing “empty tushy fills, alive tushy kills”
― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Thursday, 20 July 2023 22:54 (ten months ago) link
Hahaha, I didn't wanna say it....
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Thursday, 20 July 2023 22:59 (ten months ago) link
sounding wonderful on the p4k stream and generously playing a ton of new material
― ufo, Sunday, 23 July 2023 02:00 (ten months ago) link
lmao what the hell is this vocal effect on "spud infinity"
― ufo, Sunday, 23 July 2023 02:54 (ten months ago) link
james is doing pitched-up autotune harmonies on it and it is deeply bizarre
― ufo, Sunday, 23 July 2023 02:56 (ten months ago) link
I was there in person and I dunno what you are talking about. Great set.
― jaymc, Sunday, 23 July 2023 03:43 (ten months ago) link
it was very clear in the stream audio, in the right channel only
― ufo, Sunday, 23 July 2023 03:49 (ten months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwBsusfEI0
this'll probably get taken down at some point, but "spud infinity" is at 1:17:45 if you want to hear the goofy vocal effects.
other highlights are an acoustic "words" (0:00), born for loving you (17:40), "seam" and "free treasure" (48:20), and "happiness" (1:06:00)
― ufo, Sunday, 23 July 2023 21:14 (ten months ago) link
I'm all for the wacky outfits, but I would draw the line at a mermaid's tail. No mermaid's tail or gtfo, guy.
― alpine static, Monday, 24 July 2023 18:29 (ten months ago) link
https://soundcloud.com/97tlr/forgiver
thinking about this 10 minute version of unreleased track "black crow" (aka "forgiver") where they go fully crazy horse
― ufo, Tuesday, 25 July 2023 11:37 (ten months ago) link
i haven't seen the colbert version but i just listened to the new "vampire empire" on spotify and it seems good? seems like a song that could have been on the last album maybe with a bit of two hands era
the whole online thing w/this band is really weird, seems like a band to just listen to and never talk about on social media
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 25 July 2023 16:46 (ten months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8fQGCc_O18
gorgeous sprawling new song
― ufo, Thursday, 27 July 2023 07:33 (ten months ago) link
Wonderful, yeah
― Nonhuman biologics enthusiast (morrisp), Friday, 28 July 2023 02:50 (ten months ago) link
Another one from Buck Meek's alb, out 8/25:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njKwzygKaRY
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 22:29 (ten months ago) link
Classic Country style: you open for, then play with the Big Star er Thief
Buck Meek - Live at The Studio at The Factory, Deep Ellum, Dallas, TX 2/12/2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-PSK8U6DfM
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 22:34 (ten months ago) link
yas?
an American musician from Wimberley, Texas, best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist of Big Thief. #buckmeek 00:00 Cannonball! Pt. 204:40 Haunted Mountain09:58 Pareidolia14:33 Where You're Coming From18:53 Second Sight24:05 Paradise27:41 Secret Life32:20 The Undae Dunes34:54 Stories40:30 Sam Bridges (with Adrianne Lenker)
#buckmeek
00:00 Cannonball! Pt. 204:40 Haunted Mountain09:58 Pareidolia14:33 Where You're Coming From18:53 Second Sight24:05 Paradise27:41 Secret Life32:20 The Undae Dunes34:54 Stories40:30 Sam Bridges (with Adrianne Lenker)
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 22:37 (ten months ago) link
Just now learned that he plays in Shadow Kingdom. Main way now to see it seems to be on pbs.org, though you gotta sign up and get that Passport app (get to watch a lot of other, of course). I saw it during fundraiser (they didn't interrupt with membership pitches): mostly real good, with a few that sounded too slow on the audio-only (now CD/LP)improved by visuals; all the guitar is good for sure.
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 22:55 (ten months ago) link
Sign up and donate, that is. I'm a noob to all this, didn't know about Two Saviors (& wasn't he invited to be on My Rough and Rowdy Ways?https://www.brooklynvegan.com/big-thiefs-buck-meek-announces-new-album-two-saviors-shares-second-sight/
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 23:00 (ten months ago) link
As it turns out, he didn’t actually play on Shadow Kingdom, though he was one of the musicians that “finger synched” in the video recording along with the previously recorded tracks:
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonicaAlex Burke, guitar (Finger synching)Buck Meek, guitar (Finger synching)Shahzad Ismaily, accordion (Finger synching)Janie Cowan, upright bass (Finger synching)Joshua Crumbly, guitar (Finger synching)
The actual recording personnel, though not listed anywhere, is believed to have been:
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonicaJeff Taylor – accordionGreg Leisz – guitar, pedal steel guitar, mandolinTim Pierce – guitarT-Bone Burnett – guitarIra Ingber – guitarDon Was – upright bassJohn Avila – electric bassDoug Lacy – accordionSteve Bartek – additional acoustic guitar
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 2 August 2023 23:24 (ten months ago) link
Weird. Thanks!
― dow, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 23:28 (ten months ago) link
Whaaaat
― Nonhuman biologics enthusiast (morrisp), Wednesday, 2 August 2023 23:35 (ten months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1lnubtQvOQ
this "dragon" is fantastic but lmao they're really into those goofy autotune backing vocals right now huh
― ufo, Thursday, 3 August 2023 06:11 (ten months ago) link
looking forward to the next album going full bon iver
― ufo, Thursday, 3 August 2023 06:12 (ten months ago) link
What a strange effect… is James triggering/playing that somehow? Yeah the performance is awesome though. (I offered to buy my dad tickets to that show, but admission was GA only and that didn’t really work)
― Nonhuman biologics enthusiast (morrisp), Thursday, 3 August 2023 06:21 (ten months ago) link
james' backing vocals are being fed through a bunch of effects including autotune yeah
― ufo, Thursday, 3 August 2023 06:24 (ten months ago) link
i'm seeing them friday evening, will report back on goofy autotune use
― Clay, Thursday, 3 August 2023 06:42 (ten months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WmyWQPxMus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPwd8iJ1uhM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILvivIkUic8
seems like they were in a really jammy mood at that show
― ufo, Thursday, 3 August 2023 10:04 (ten months ago) link
They are some excellent performances, thanks for sharing
― hrep (H.P), Thursday, 3 August 2023 11:13 (ten months ago) link
The way the crowd cheers when the first jaw harp note is struck on "Spud"...
― Nonhuman biologics enthusiast (morrisp), Thursday, 3 August 2023 16:25 (ten months ago) link
I'd like to post the lyrics that someone transcribed for that "Real House" song (above), b/c they're just so good:
* * *
Do you remember running? The purity of the air aroundBraiding low branches into a crownThat love is all I want
I'm a child hummingInto the purity of the black spaceWhere stars shine like tears on the night's faceIn a cool wind
Mama, what happened?Never thought we'd go this longNow 31 and I don’t feel strongAnd your love is all I want
When I was 7I saw the first film that made me scaredAnd I thought of this whole world endingI thought of dying unprepared
We moved into a real houseA wild field behind itI wanted to be an inventorCollected scraps to make a portalI wanted so much for magic to be real
So many dreams of flyingRising high over the crowdAnd they go “oh man, look at her go”And I go
Do you rememberComing to the hospital when I was 14?My friends all left me there spinningDad was angry and you saw everythingAnd you made me laugh as the nurses undressed meYou held my hand as they put the needle in me
I never saw you cryNot until our dog diedAnd our whole family came back togetherWe held her body as they put the needle in herAnd then I saw you cryAnd then I saw you cry
― Nonhuman biologics enthusiast (morrisp), Thursday, 3 August 2023 19:47 (ten months ago) link
Listening just now to "Vampire Empire," which has been released as a single. Great stuff, again.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 01:14 (nine months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OpbuEvZvkM
it's a great song but this recording doesn't quite have the energy of some of the live versions, just a little bit more laid back
― ufo, Tuesday, 12 September 2023 23:45 (eight months ago) link
Not available in this hemisphere until it's officially Wednesday, but looking forward to hearing it.
― Taylor Swift Reporter (morrisp), Wednesday, 13 September 2023 00:05 (eight months ago) link
...and it sounds really nice, as expected. Laid back, for sure.
Btw – a friend mentioned that fans on Reddit were upset at "Vampire Empire" not just for the absence of flute, but also removal of the boldface phrases below from the lyrics (when compared to the song as performed on Fallon and maybe other live settings):
I am empty 'til she fills, alive until she killsIn her vampire empire, I am the fish and she's my gillsFalling, yeah(...)Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time in a rowIt's like trying to start a fire with matches in the snowWhere you can't seem to hold me, can't seem to let me go
(...)
Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time in a rowIt's like trying to start a fire with matches in the snowWhere you can't seem to hold me, can't seem to let me go
I can see why Adrianne may have considered those bits to be awkward or unnecessary (e.g., what does "last time in a row" mean, exactly); though I understand how their removal makes for "incomplete rhymes." Anyway, I don't think the song suffers greatly without them...
― Taylor Swift Reporter (morrisp), Wednesday, 13 September 2023 21:20 (eight months ago) link
https://www.reddit.com/r/bigthief/comments/16ihrhi/news_from_buck_about_big_thief/
some news:-they plan for the next album they record to be 'violent, distorted and screamed' and don't expect the recent unreleased live songs to fit with the concept-they're going to spend 6 months writing songs for that next album soon, and are taking a year off from touring-new adrianne solo album coming soon -they're still thinking about putting out some unreleased material (probably from the dwnmibyi sessions?) as a stop gap while they work on their next album
― ufo, Saturday, 30 September 2023 02:11 (eight months ago) link
All cool… hope they do that last thing!
― Chavez video on MTV, July 1995 (morrisp), Saturday, 30 September 2023 02:24 (eight months ago) link
it sounds like we can probably expect the adrianne solo album in january or so
― ufo, Saturday, 30 September 2023 02:39 (eight months ago) link
A little surprising they would decide on the sound of a new album before even writing it, let alone getting into the studio… from past interviews, I had the sense that they followed a much more “organic” method of finding each album’s particular voice.
― Chavez video on MTV, July 1995 (morrisp), Saturday, 30 September 2023 03:01 (eight months ago) link