second side is a grower.
― Jamie_ATP, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:04 (fifteen years ago) link
second side better than the first
― cutty, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:11 (fifteen years ago) link
from the title track (two dancers i and ii) until the end
shit this gets exponentially better with every listen, 'this is our lot' being the new discovery
― cockles (country matters), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago) link
also the reason it only got to no. 68 in the chance? Begins with S, ends with y, and has 'potif' in the middle.
― cockles (country matters), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Charts, even. o_O
they don't sound similar to much else out there, besides certain lapses into early U2 guitar jangle. i think "this is our lot" mostly does this.
― cutty, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:24 (fifteen years ago) link
i loved the hell out of the first one, keep forgetting to pick this up!
― Baitullah Sumdud (goole), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago) link
Cutty, I know what you mean about U2, it's been reminding me of that 80s stadium rock thing too. Sounds a bit like Interpol too in parts. These are the bits I'm shying away from at the moment tbh.
― Joerg Hi Dere (NickB), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago) link
despite being a jammy bastard and getting a promo of this a while back, had to go buy it on vinyl too. i cant quite put my finger on why i like it so much and reason tells me i should be a bit bored of it by now. but i'm not. pitchfork better give it mad props.
― Jamie_ATP, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 11:28 (fifteen years ago) link
who cares what pitchfork says
― cutty, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 12:04 (fifteen years ago) link
well i hope they give it a good review for the bands benefit and because a lot more people would love it if it got some nice U.S. based press.
― Jamie_ATP, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 13:43 (fifteen years ago) link
hurrah. 8.4 and a best new music. works for me.
― Jamie_ATP, Monday, 31 August 2009 17:53 (fifteen years ago) link
everything u wanted bro
― cutty, Monday, 31 August 2009 17:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Kinda irks me that the PF review says they're from Leeds.
Leeds is 100 miles from Kendal (where they're actually from).
― Barnaby, Hardly, Monday, 31 August 2009 18:05 (fifteen years ago) link
We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues was absolutely *phenomenal* live, and the rest wasn't far behind (This Is Our Lot being maybe the pick)
― kevision questler (country matters), Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:16 (fifteen years ago) link
going to see them tonight.
― cutty, Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:17 (fifteen years ago) link
...and this was in a big tent, with festival production values. my friend said that this was 'really good, and maybe about half as good as when i saw them at a club' so you're in for a treat! although they didn't play 'through the iron gate' or 'the old dog'. ah well. 'hooting & howling' grows on me every time i hear it btw
― kevision questler (country matters), Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:20 (fifteen years ago) link
also i was not expecting the two singers to exchange lead/backing parts, electric/bass guitar and keys with such unpredictable dexterity
― kevision questler (country matters), Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Going to see them next month. I only recently bought a ticket after they'd been on sale for a few weeks and I still got given ticket number 001. No pushing at the front please.
― Peinlich Manoeuvre (NickB), Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:25 (fifteen years ago) link
"Hooting & Howling" still irritates me.
Saw this video yesterday. Singer's voice is rather yelp-y.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:25 (fifteen years ago) link
h&h is amaaaaaaaaazing.
― cutty, Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago) link
they are so good at arranging!
― goole, Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:28 (fifteen years ago) link
i prefer limbo panto (the new one's a bit too smooth) altho h&h and a few others are great.
― abanana, Thursday, 10 September 2009 16:58 (fifteen years ago) link
ok, this was fucking brilliant. and i totally did not expect to be blown away by the non-singing guitar player. dude is THE EDGE for real. he was too loud in the mix but it didn't matter, he holds everything together so nicely.
the whole interplay between the band is really interesting. all types of finger picking syncopation, and the drummer just really kills it.
i expected them to be better dressed, though? they aren't as fancy as they initially come off as.
― cutty, Friday, 11 September 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah, they do favour the farmhand-at-a-job-interview look don't they?
― Peinlich Manoeuvre (NickB), Friday, 11 September 2009 15:47 (fifteen years ago) link
the show solidified my belief that this band is something special. not just some "look at how weird we are" affair.
― cutty, Friday, 11 September 2009 15:54 (fifteen years ago) link
was disappointed they didn't play two dancers i-ii though
― cutty, Friday, 11 September 2009 16:00 (fifteen years ago) link
yay it hit emusic!
― goole, Friday, 11 September 2009 16:02 (fifteen years ago) link
It did? Did it un-hit again?
Each time I listen to Two Dancers, I'm more impressed. I think Cutty's on to something: there is something special here, and whatever they're doing isn't just trying to be different for the sake of it but stems from a really fucking smart songwriting set-up. They're playing Glasgow next Tuesday, too. Hmm.
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Thursday, 24 September 2009 11:12 (fourteen years ago) link
go see them!
― cutty, Thursday, 24 September 2009 11:42 (fourteen years ago) link
It's sorted: I'm reviewing them :)
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Thursday, 24 September 2009 12:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Paper Planes supporting, too ... plus Blue Roses, about whom I know fuck all.
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Thursday, 24 September 2009 12:59 (fourteen years ago) link
it's funny all my favorite albums this year have flown under the ILX radar. wild beasts, why?, the big pink, the maccabees...
― cutty, Thursday, 24 September 2009 13:40 (fourteen years ago) link
Holy shit.
Trying to write a review now. Not sure I can adequately express my dropped-jaw astonishment, though. Thanks, Cutty: I probably wouldn't have gone if it hadn't been for you, and that would have meant missing certainly the best gig I've seen this year, and one of the best I can remember ... er, ever, really.
Fuck me, what a band.
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:23 (fourteen years ago) link
!
― Peinlich Manoeuvre (NickB), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:24 (fourteen years ago) link
awesome.
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:55 (fourteen years ago) link
It's the drumming live that's revelatory ... I actually don't think Two Dancers captures that at all. Fucking incredible: so heavy, so delicate. At one point I thought there must be an extra percussionist I couldn't see.
And I'm a sucker for heavy-duty instrument-swapping, too.
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:07 (fourteen years ago) link
At one point I thought there must be an extra percussionist I couldn't see.
yeah, his parts are pretty complex for being so minimal and repetitive
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:23 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm intrigued. Despite the lead singer's voice (which kind of grates on me), I'm going to download it.
― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:27 (fourteen years ago) link
he isn't the lead singer btw--i feel like all their press releases give that wrong impression. nor is the other singer the "bass player"
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:44 (fourteen years ago) link
it's funny with this band, so many things become more apparent when you see them live
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:45 (fourteen years ago) link
They not going to play South Florida, I'd guess (not a popular rock venue).
― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:48 (fourteen years ago) link
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 13:45 (4 minutes ago) Bookmark
^^^
― should probably be practising shorthand (country matters), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 12:51 (fourteen years ago) link
The Associates/Billy Mackenzie mailing list has been going nuts over these folks.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 13:44 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes, absolutely. I mean, Two Dancers has grown on me massively but live they're something else entirely ... I listened to TD again this morning while I was writing my review and there were a couple of points where I was actually a bit disappointed: "Woah, hang on, this was so much better last night." Put it this way: while I think it's a fine album, I wouldn't be able to use it to support all my hyperbole about how good they are live.
xpost Yeh, I can see why. I mentioned the Associates in my review -- Scottish paper, natch -- but (like The XX) you could cite any number of influences or similarities and still not nail it. To me -- and I don't think many people will agree, but fuck it -- there's a lot of (mid-eighties) Wire in there, for instance.
― What do you want? This ain't an egg shop (grimly fiendish), Wednesday, 30 September 2009 13:46 (fourteen years ago) link
they also remind me of (and sit right next to on my iPod) the US band wilderness. it's the glacial guitars and the drumming.
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 14:48 (fourteen years ago) link
they also remind me of (and sit right next to on my iPod) the US band wilderness.
That's a comparison I can get excited about! (I like Wilderness -- a lot).
― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 30 September 2009 14:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I love Wilderness but they don't necessarily sound close to them from what I've heard. At least I don't remember thinking Wilderness when I did hear portions of it.
― Evan, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 14:55 (fourteen years ago) link
listen to both again and think about it
― cutty, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 14:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Their b-sides were so good, hope they do a comp
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Monday, 25 September 2017 14:18 (six years ago) link
I saw them on the 'Boy King' tour and thought the songs from that album made quite a bit more sense live - like they were more direct and streamlined and likely to come across better on the festival circuit. Was a very good gig, pretty well balanced set.
― michaellambert, Monday, 25 September 2017 17:47 (six years ago) link
Two Dancers and Smother are absolute, stone cold classics. Present Tense is very good. Limbo Panto is pretty good. Boy King didn't know where to go; it also broke the narrative arc - onanistic adolescents, whooping lads on the town, falling in love/ infatuation, domestic bliss. Midlife crisis? I'm sad. Great band, fabulous live. And yes, some cracking b sides. Thankless Thing!
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 26 September 2017 05:14 (six years ago) link
They're releasing one last EP of Boy King outtakes, which guess makes this their last newly released song
https://open.spotify.com/track/6b3HeQ00jtHHG9hBU92atJ
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 26 September 2017 16:51 (six years ago) link
New interview with Hayden doesn't really shed any light on the reason behind the split
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 26 September 2017 19:42 (six years ago) link
Final shows tonight, tomorrow and Saturday; Dublin, Manchester, and London.
Q posted their final interview earlier; quite sweet this. Kinda poignant too obviously https://www.qthemusic.com/articles/wild-beasts-this-is-the-end-my-friends
One for the Rock Stars Who Went Back To Work thread; one's a roofer now, one is training in accountancy.
― piscesx, Thursday, 15 February 2018 19:48 (six years ago) link
We're all quiffed and cropped,This is our lot,We hold each other up heavy with hops.
This Is Our Lot is so fucking good.
― Have the Rams stopped screaming yet, Lloris? (Chinaski), Saturday, 29 September 2018 21:21 (five years ago) link
Hayden's new thing
https://divinerdiviner.com/
― piscesx, Friday, 15 February 2019 05:31 (five years ago) link
New song
https://youtu.be/4uPHw6zFpto
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Tuesday, 9 April 2019 14:17 (five years ago) link
Try that again ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uPHw6zFpto
― Steve Reich In The Afternoon (Against The 80s), Tuesday, 9 April 2019 14:18 (five years ago) link
I like this a lot. It sounds exactly like you'd expect a WBs solo offshoot to sound like, but in a good way.
― Simon H., Tuesday, 9 April 2019 14:18 (five years ago) link
Hey, that's really good! Looking forward to this after the final album, which is decidedly not my cup of tea.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 9 April 2019 19:54 (five years ago) link
So the Hayden Thorpe solo album is out. It's pretty mellow, lots of voice + piano + small touches. I must admit I miss the voice of Tom Fleming as the counterpoint to Hayden's falsetto. I've only listened to it once and it feels like a grower, we'll see.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 24 May 2019 15:27 (five years ago) link
I’ve listened to it once and really liked it. Can see it as a grower and also as not being a record for all moods. It’s not Wild Beasts but it doesn’t feel like a radical departure either.
― michaellambert, Friday, 24 May 2019 23:01 (five years ago) link
Tom Fleming's current project is One True Pairing: https://onetruepairing.bandcamp.com/ - first album is fun if a bit derivative, latest EP is voice and guitar.
Hayden Thorpe has a new album out as well: https://haydenthorpe.bandcamp.com/album/moondust-for-my-diamond
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 17 October 2021 15:49 (two years ago) link
revisited them earlier today and man I miss these guys
wish they had more songs like Reach A Bit Further where they just had Hayden and Tom trading lead vocals back and forth
― Murgatroid, Sunday, 12 May 2024 20:14 (four months ago) link
Yeah they seemed to lose the magic in the end but still felt like their split was rushed. Not sure any of them will ever capture that magic again
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Sunday, 12 May 2024 21:41 (four months ago) link
Two Dancers and Smother are practically faultless. Present Tense is very good. I remember almost nothing about Boy King, sadly. I wish they’d taken the Smother aesthetic further, rather than reaching for synthesisers and maximalism.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Sunday, 12 May 2024 21:52 (four months ago) link
sorry this goes against what you just said but this is a great performance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUwVD6nQ6pM
― Murgatroid, Tuesday, 14 May 2024 01:34 (four months ago) link
https://haydenthorpe.bandcamp.com/album/ness Coming Sept 27.
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Wednesday, 12 June 2024 16:05 (three months ago) link