The vocalist always kind of bugged me (but then so does Dave Gahan) and the music was prety minimal(istic).
But there was always something about them that made me listen.. maybe it was their excellent packaging.
Does anyone else even know who they are?
― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 12 September 2002 11:12 (twenty-two years ago) link
― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 12 September 2002 17:23 (twenty-two years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 12 September 2002 22:54 (twenty-two years ago) link
Search: Mason's California Lunch Room, Shelf Life.
― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Friday, 13 September 2002 04:16 (twenty-two years ago) link
― JC (JC A.), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 17:22 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 July 2004 17:26 (twenty years ago) link
― abegrand, Wednesday, 28 July 2004 18:07 (twenty years ago) link
December is being reissued by WoM in the new year. i consider this to be excellent news...
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:36 (nineteen years ago) link
Does the CD rerelease come with a stalk of wheat like the original LP did?
― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 22 November 2004 22:43 (nineteen years ago) link
There's definitely an improvement in the guy's voice as well, I dunno if he just learnt to use it better or the production helped or both, there's just something I find really likeable about it.
The other thread says they've reformed, any word on what's happening with that?
― Ferg, Ah (Ferg), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 03:10 (nineteen years ago) link
I freely agree -- it's a quantum leap, December is THE album of theirs still to get. (Also, an AMG review rather than NYLPM, surely. ;-))
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 03:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ferg, Ah (Ferg), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 03:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 03:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ferg, Ah (Ferg), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 03:56 (nineteen years ago) link
I haven't played December in a very very long time. Their latest one, Coalesced is very nice, though. (that is one hard word to spell - coalesced)
― Bimble..., Wednesday, 29 December 2004 04:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rizz (Rizz), Wednesday, 29 December 2004 09:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 05:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ian Riese-Moraine: exposing ambitious careerists as charlatans since 1986. (East, Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― M Annoyman (Ferg), Saturday, 2 July 2005 15:02 (nineteen years ago) link
the re-ish of December is out 23rd August. excited! new artwork is lovely too.
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 21 July 2005 02:45 (nineteen years ago) link
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 21 July 2005 02:46 (nineteen years ago) link
― Kitten, the body needs it, the body cries out for Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Friday, 22 July 2005 19:41 (nineteen years ago) link
― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 25 August 2005 03:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 25 August 2005 04:01 (nineteen years ago) link
What's the first line in the chorus of "Clandestine High Holy"? The closest I can get to discerning it is "I held up their passage" although I know that's not the lyric. I've been playing that song all day, though. Those first two albums have very quickly joined the ranks among my favourite records. I'm almost always in the mood to hear them.
― Ian Riese-Moraine: a casualty of social estrangement. (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 26 August 2005 15:31 (nineteen years ago) link
― jimmy glass (electricsound), Saturday, 27 August 2005 00:11 (nineteen years ago) link
― jimmy glass (electricsound), Monday, 5 September 2005 00:36 (nineteen years ago) link
December 24, 2006For Against, starting its 24th year as one of America's most beloved trios, is now officially in the studio recording their as yet untitled 7th album to be released by Words On Music in 2007. The band has worked up more than a dozen songs over the past two years with original guitarist Harry Dingman rejoining the group in 2004 - sixteen years after his departure. Dingman joins original singer/bassist Jeffrey Runnings and drummer Paul Engelhard who has played in For Against since 1990. For Against will be playing two shows in Athens, Greece in mid-March which include some of this new material.
― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Thursday, 4 January 2007 00:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Thursday, 4 January 2007 00:50 (seventeen years ago) link
(hands up if anyone else here has seen For Against live)
― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 4 January 2007 02:20 (seventeen years ago) link
― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Thursday, 4 January 2007 02:21 (seventeen years ago) link
this thread is very difficult to search for!
the new album is great - perhaps not quite 'coalesced' great, but how do you follow up one of the greatest dream pop albums of all time? easily their second best album anyway, all the anger and force of december with the songwriting maturity of coalesced.
i don't know if i prefer angry runnings to happier runnings but dude has a way with a bitter lyric
difficult to pick a favourite (on my third listen now) but underestimate and why are you so angry are up there. section 25 cover is nice but interestingly one of the weaker moments here..
― electricsound, Thursday, 13 March 2008 00:55 (sixteen years ago) link
dingman is definitely a wilder/darker guitarist than the other dude
― electricsound, Thursday, 13 March 2008 00:57 (sixteen years ago) link
so good
― electricsound, Thursday, 13 March 2008 23:11 (sixteen years ago) link
anyone else heard this yet? it's growing nicely..
there's a similar vibe in this record to sleater-kinney's the hot rock, although maybe a bit more angry
― electricsound, Tuesday, 8 April 2008 23:33 (sixteen years ago) link
My thoughts
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 April 2008 23:47 (sixteen years ago) link
i think the section 25 parallels are very apt.. quite a rare thing to hear bands making what feels like their most alive/'passionate' music two decades or more after they began
― electricsound, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 04:14 (sixteen years ago) link
your review has already been quoted in the words on music news ned!
― electricsound, Thursday, 10 April 2008 00:28 (sixteen years ago) link
Really? Neat.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 April 2008 00:36 (sixteen years ago) link
this album is really great, guys
listen to it
― electricsound, Thursday, 5 June 2008 23:56 (sixteen years ago) link
I have been!
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 6 June 2008 00:19 (sixteen years ago) link
I like listening to Echelons at work, like, all the time, it helps me concentrate somehow. I think because it sends me back to my teenage years even though I'd never heard it when it came out - which is odd, because 1987 Cure/Bunnymen/Xymox etc loving me would have eaten this shit up.
― chk chk BOOM! (Trayce), Thursday, 28 May 2009 03:34 (fifteen years ago) link
they have a new EP due out in a month or two, yay
― jump in the looool (electricsound), Thursday, 28 May 2009 03:53 (fifteen years ago) link
happy happy happy happy happy
Just a little over one year after the release of their critically lauded Shade Side Sunny Side record, For Against’s eighth album, Never Been, will be released on Words On Music this Autumn (ETA: late October). The new record is the second with original guitarist Harry Dingman since his return to the band in 2004 after a 15-year absence, and the first with drummer Nick Buller, who has toured with the band on their last three European tours.
Never Been contains nine new songs: "Sameness," "Different Departures," "Black Willows," "Antidote," "Of a Time," "Per Se," "Specificity," "The Tenebrists," and "You Fade."
Words On Music will announce preorders for the release in the coming weeks.
― more posts that will never be released (electricsound), Thursday, 23 July 2009 23:16 (fifteen years ago) link
Hooray! I read a review of a recentish show that just sounded tremendous. Can't wait!
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 24 July 2009 00:16 (fifteen years ago) link
Man, these guys just keep coming up with the good stuff huh
― MPx4A, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago) link
i'm hearing a bit of early puressence in this record too
― any old tawny port in a storm (electricsound), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 02:38 (fifteen years ago) link
I was just gonna come looking for this thread. Is Shade Side Sunny Side worth getting? I just had a quick listen on emusic and the first track sounds phenomenally dark and gloomy, I liked it a lot. I'm much more a fan of Echelons than anything later so I'm thinking I would?
― i obtain much semillon (Trayce), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 03:03 (fifteen years ago) link
it's a very dark and quite angry record - i adore it, but then i would. 'underestimate' and 'why are you so angry' from it are among my very favourite FA songs
― any old tawny port in a storm (electricsound), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 03:08 (fifteen years ago) link
I will obtain much downloads now then woot.
― i obtain much semillon (Trayce), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 03:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Oh good lord "why are you so angry" is a sad song.
― i obtain much semillon (Trayce), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 04:33 (fifteen years ago) link
i think i've probably posted this elsewhere but the whole album sounds to me like a kiss-off to a dying former friend
― any old tawny port in a storm (electricsound), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 04:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Dying in the literal sense? I'll have to listen to the whole thing when I get home, reluctant to hammer the emusic at work.
― i obtain much semillon (Trayce), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 04:42 (fifteen years ago) link
dying or sick, maybe..
― any old tawny port in a storm (electricsound), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 04:44 (fifteen years ago) link
'of a time' is *devastating*
― indie spare (electricsound), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 23:13 (fourteen years ago) link
"new" 7" of very early unreleased recordings out in a couple of months, first of a series apparently, yay
http://www.words-on-music.com/WM29.html
― lemon lime & butters (electricsound), Sunday, 30 May 2010 23:03 (fourteen years ago) link
the 45 is way delayed but soundclips are up on the above link, the tracks sound pretty great to me
― xanaxdu (electricsound), Friday, 19 November 2010 10:32 (thirteen years ago) link
And the CD version of said early tracks just arrived in the mail. Lovely stuff.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 11 March 2011 02:35 (thirteen years ago) link
woo
hope there's a new album on the way..
― australian rules football quarterback (electricsound), Friday, 11 March 2011 02:36 (thirteen years ago) link
signed to captured tracks?
― our love will change the world (electricsound), Monday, 14 May 2012 04:41 (twelve years ago) link
looks like it
― akm, Monday, 14 May 2012 06:20 (twelve years ago) link
well this looks like it will be fucking beautiful
http://pitchfork.com/news/47006-captured-tracks-to-release-for-against-box-set/
― beater drummer (electricsound), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 22:42 (twelve years ago) link
So, I came to these guys late (about ten years ago) and I've found their three 90's pretty evasive in second hand shops. The albums I'm talking about are Aperture, Mason's California Lunch Room and Shelf Life.
I've never actually heard any of these — can anyone more well-versed in these guys expound how they place in the bigger picture of the band's discography?
― Austin, Thursday, 28 June 2012 00:34 (twelve years ago) link
aperture is probably the most "80s indie rock" of the lot, quite a tinny sound but good songs.
mason's is imo their weakest and most samey-sounding but it's still a decent record.
shelflife definitely shows where they were headed with coalesced, though the sound is still a little thin. probably my favourite record of their IPR period, 'lilacs' and 'shadow' rate among their best tracks
― beater drummer (electricsound), Thursday, 28 June 2012 00:48 (twelve years ago) link
These guys were devastating at the Big Takeover 30th anniversary show, much much more muscular and intense than on record.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 28 June 2012 00:59 (twelve years ago) link
i'm hoping this reissue stuff is a precursor to some new material v soon
― beater drummer (electricsound), Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:06 (twelve years ago) link
So that box set should be out soon. Meantime, if anyone needs it...
http://wilfullyobscure.blogspot.com/2012/03/for-against-shelf-life-1997-independent.html
(Not on iTunes, Amazon copies are $30 and up.)
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 12 September 2012 05:09 (twelve years ago) link
recommended album, 'lilacs' and 'shadow' both among my top FA tracks
― yo is it true mcanus got sonned by a disco after a sunno))) beef (electricsound), Wednesday, 12 September 2012 05:18 (twelve years ago) link
Indeed!
Meantime, an update -- Captured Tracks have pushed back the release by a couple of months, so look for the box in December or January.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 13 September 2012 01:24 (twelve years ago) link
no more new material, apparently
http://www.sicmagazine.net/articles/1281/interview-jeff-runnings-from-for-against
― kiss magritte (electricsound), Thursday, 4 April 2013 21:14 (eleven years ago) link
Great interview. Kind of a downer tone to the whole thing not just that announcement, though.
xpost: Thanks for that link, Ned. Would love to see proper reissues of that stuff. But I'll take what I can get in the meantime.
― Austin, Friday, 5 April 2013 00:17 (eleven years ago) link
One listen to Shelf Life and I have to say yes to the person upthread that said it's a good starting point for where they would go with Coalesced.
However, I got to the last track ('Seascape') and let out a small squeal when I realized it's a cover of the Tracey Thorn song! And a good one, too!
― Austin, Friday, 5 April 2013 02:06 (eleven years ago) link
i guess it shouldn't surprise me that drinking played a significant part in his music, there is a strong vibe of dependence running through a lot of his latterday lyrics
it would be a damn shame if runnings didn't do a solo record at some point. someone needs to lean on him a bit
― de stijlled (electricsound), Friday, 5 April 2013 02:26 (eleven years ago) link
box is up for preorder
http://capturedtracks.com/catalog/store/ct-167-168-169-for-against-box-set/
― kel's vintage port (electricsound), Thursday, 7 November 2013 22:40 (ten years ago) link
That price tag, oof!
― Austin, Friday, 8 November 2013 14:37 (ten years ago) link
looks like IPR have reissued 'shelflife' digitally, hopefully more to follow
― kel's vintage port (electricsound), Wednesday, 20 November 2013 22:21 (ten years ago) link
hopes rewarded, masons c.l. & aperture now back in print digitally
― kel's vintage port (electricsound), Thursday, 21 November 2013 23:58 (ten years ago) link
Nice!
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 November 2013 00:00 (ten years ago) link
Meantime:
http://www.amazon.com/Shelf-Life-For-Against/dp/B000005LBI/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_9
Audio CD, 1997 -- New: $1,342.94 Used: $74.92
Hooray oh wait
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 November 2013 00:02 (ten years ago) link
There's two at that price!
One in Texas, one in Japan.
That's just about as hilarious and awesome as I could hope for.
― Austin, Saturday, 7 December 2013 22:33 (ten years ago) link
This was very fun/satisfying to write:
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18980-for-against-box-set/
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 17 April 2014 14:19 (ten years ago) link
nice one
― denial plan (electricsound), Thursday, 17 April 2014 23:22 (ten years ago) link
Great read Ned. I love that Captured Tracks is doing such great work reissuing all of this stuff, but I do wish they'd do an occassional CD release for these box sets too.
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 18 April 2014 18:03 (ten years ago) link
The CD versions were already out on Words on Music so this is more exactly for the vinyl crowd.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 19 April 2014 23:11 (ten years ago) link
the song Coalesced. now that is how you write a fucking coda.
― charlie h, Monday, 21 April 2014 01:08 (ten years ago) link
Gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. I guess I was assuming again based on the Cleaners From Venus sets. Or are those out on CD somewhere too?
― djenter the dragon? (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 21 April 2014 15:26 (ten years ago) link
new material forthcoming in the form of a runnings solo record
http://lazy-i.com/2015/01/jeff-runnings-for-against-signs-to-saint-marie-new-album-in-late-summer/
― don't ask me why i posted this (electricsound), Wednesday, 21 January 2015 01:16 (nine years ago) link
It's out now! And really good. All my moody gay summer anthems are on here. It's basically what you'd expect a Harry Dingman-less For Against album to sound like in 2016, but also something of a departure. If, like me, you love Bob Mould's Modulate...
― geoffreyess, Thursday, 23 June 2016 01:33 (eight years ago) link
Also Runnings has a way of writing lyrics where you can't tell if he's singing about relationship troubles or just honoring the other person's layers of unknowability. He's recently married I seem to recall.
― geoffreyess, Thursday, 23 June 2016 01:37 (eight years ago) link
Quick note that a PledgeMusic campaign to get the 90s albums back in print is at 99% with just a couple of days to go.
https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/foragainst
Filled in a corner by ordering the repress of _Shelf Life_ on CD, the one album I've never physically owned. So hey, help 'em out if you can!
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 19 May 2018 03:48 (six years ago) link
Quick addition that they made their goal so these will be coming along.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 19 May 2018 20:59 (six years ago) link
got those 90s reissues in the mail today -- sounding great :)
― geoffreyess, Saturday, 1 December 2018 23:40 (five years ago) link
Damn, sad news here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jeff-runnings-battle-stage-4-cancer
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 October 2024 16:26 (three days ago) link
That's really awful, rooting for him. Thanks for sharing the link
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Wednesday, 30 October 2024 19:17 (three days ago) link
horrible news
― moral ziosk (geoffreyess), Thursday, 31 October 2024 23:58 (two days ago) link