Martina Topley-Bird

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after all the enthusiasm for this on the Mercury Music Prize thread,
here's one so we can talk about the album

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 22 July 2003 16:34 (twenty years ago) link

I heard part of it on Friday and was bowled over - need to hear the full thing,
but from impressions this could be another worthy candidate besides Dizzee.

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 22 July 2003 16:36 (twenty years ago) link

Can you elaborate on how it sounds? I wasn't even aware she was still recording until I read an interview with her in Mojo (?).

― nathalie (nathalie), Tuesday, 22 July 2003 16:50 (twenty years ago) link

I would love to hear this, I wasn't even aware she had an album out.

― Larcole (Nicole), Tuesday, 22 July 2003 16:51 (twenty years ago) link

Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan are involved on some tracks, giving them a rougher edge - but it's mostly drifting dreamy shifting-layered dub highlighting her haunting vocals. mid-way between Maxinquaye and Beth Gibbons maybe.

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 22 July 2003 19:49 (twenty years ago) link

oooh! so exciting. when is this out in canada?

― derrick (derrick), Wednesday, 23 July 2003 05:05 (twenty years ago) link

def. better than anything tricky has done in years but that goes without saying. listened to it three times today and every listen I thought more highly of it.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 23 July 2003 05:27 (twenty years ago) link

two months pass...

Got this recently; it's really good as others have pointed out. No US release, but spend the couple extra dollars.

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 9 October 2003 06:27 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I acquired this the other day, and "Anything" is gorgeous in that brooding, sleepy manner. Also love "Too Tough To Die" and the closing track too. Ooh, and "Lullaby" is a thing of fragile, sumptuous beauty too.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 9 October 2003 09:22 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

Revive only to mention how much I like this album.

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 06:07 (twenty years ago) link

I found it terribly underwritten, as if the voice and the production -- which, mark my words, will date badly -- were enough. There's no real content here, just an empty exercise in style.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 06:43 (twenty years ago) link

I more or less agree with Kenan. I like about three of the songs, and the rest are kind of boring, and the whole record is going to age very poorly.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 13:25 (twenty years ago) link

it reminds me even more now of the Beth Gibbons album, in that I've enjoyed what I've heard, but haven't felt drawn to listening closely. on the other hand, these make great background listening - perhaps because of the emptiness and reliance on the voice alone. maybe these are the vocal equivalent of dub albums?

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 14:18 (twenty years ago) link

i think theres not enough emptiness OR voice in the album. I love Lullaby and the Intro but other than that the recors is fairly weak. Live, however, she really was on fire. Brilliant.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 14:24 (twenty years ago) link

on one listen it sounds a bit run of the mill soul diva, nothing like as Trickytastic as I was hoping for. great voice though.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 28 October 2003 16:23 (twenty years ago) link

four years pass...

New album next year called The Blue God, produced by Dangermouse. The single ("Carnies") is nice enough, but not exactly impressive.

http://www.myspace.com/martinatopleybird

― Telephone thing, Friday, 21 December 2007 01:32 (sixteen years ago) link

nine months pass...

Blue God is a fiver on itunes right now. Should I fork out? The samples haven't blown me away, but do suggest it could be a grower.

― chap, Monday, 6 October 2008 15:32 (fifteen years ago) link

'carnies' is a terrific, terrific song. i can't remember anything else on it

― lex pretend, Monday, 6 October 2008 15:35 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

the new one sounds great so far. i didn't hear "Blue God" and had no interest in it (Dangermouse, no thanks). strangely, perhaps, this new one is mostly re-recorded songs from the first two records. very stripped back, few electronic beats or samples as far as i can tell. it's beautifully recorded. the new version of "Intro" with the fast kick drum is crazy thrilling.

― jed_, Saturday, 17 July 2010 18:58 (thirteen years ago) link

has anyone heard this yet? i think it's pretty great!

― jed_, Tuesday, 20 July 2010 13:22 (thirteen years ago) link

i haven't, but i'll check it out now!

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Tuesday, 20 July 2010 14:03 (thirteen years ago) link

interested to hear this new one. always thought her solo stuff was a bit too produced/polished.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Tuesday, 20 July 2010 17:50 (thirteen years ago) link

one month passes...

anyone? i absolutely love this record.

― jed_, Saturday, 18 September 2010 19:57 (thirteen years ago) link

one year passes...

i'm absolutely sure "Some Place Simple" is a forgotten classic. one of my go-to records of the last few years. if one person sees this revival and checks it out as a result then i'll feel like i've done a good thing.

― jed_, Sunday, 9 September 2012 23:22 (eleven years ago) link

I really love this record, totally overlooked.

― akm, Monday, 10 September 2012 00:09 (eleven years ago) link

nice one akm,

― jed_, Monday, 10 September 2012 00:19 (eleven years ago) link

five years pass...

I... don't know what I think of this yet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUj9yHjo1sI

― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Monday, 9 July 2018 17:54 (five years ago) link

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Martina Topley-Bird - Quixotic