Emeralds-Classic or Dud?

I'm going to be a slathering mess by that point if this album keeps up delivering the goodness like this...

This album just came out on emusic this week, fyi, for anyone who uses that site. I'm anxiously waiting for my June dls to come in.

you all should check out Skyramps as well, if you haven't already. iirc it's McGuire and the Oneohtrix Point Never guy.

yeah that Skyramps record is awesome. I picked that up because I liked Oneohtrix "Rifts" and now I feel like I need to dig into the Emeralds stuff too ...

FWIW, I totally recommend buying the vinyl version of the Mego release. I listened to 320s of the album for a week or more, and felt like I really had a handle on the record. But when my mail-ordered wax finally came, it sounded almost like a different record. Ok, I'm exaggerating. But the space of it blew wide open.

yeah this is a band that is best heard in full fidelity.

I had the exact same experience with Solar Bridge, loved my mp3's but once I got the CD reissue it was like DAMN

Agreed about Skyramps being really awesome.

Btw, there is an emeralds thread that this discussion should be in and not this horseshit thread.

― Bilderbooger (van smack), Wednesday, June 9, 2010 10:12 AM (32 seconds ago)

Thumbs up

this is some of the most gorgeous music that i have heard in a long time. really loving the new album

yeah, it's top notch.

I love how they condensed their sound into mini epics. first track is like a statement of purpose.

I'm still down for the side-length stuff as well, obv.

this new one is Harald Grosskopf's album Synthesist minus the drums.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ggdnTzSVD3E/RxO-gBnNOHI/AAAAAAAAACY/JBrYw8NSVDE/s320/synthesist.jpg

too much harmonic consonance in this record. needs more dissonance

Great band

Great post

Thanks, ilxor

I thought these guys would break out last year on the strength of What Happened? and the opening slots for TG, but I guess the big ol' Mego 2xLP has them really hitting the big time. More power to them. FWIW, every side project/solo project involving these guys I've heard has been of merit (to varying degrees). John Elliot seems to be the most prolific (check out Mist, Outer Space, and the epic Infinity Window material) but Mark Mcguire's stuff is mind-boggling good (2xLP re-ish of the pieces "Tidings" and "Amethyst Waves" on Weird Forest is epic and the "Off In The Distance" cassette was just re-released on a tasty LP). The full Emeralds complement is heading out on a fairly extensive North American tour opening for Caribou in late Sept/early Oct.

yeah I saw that. Would be interested to see them live but am not a fan of Caribou =/

i cant stop listening to Now You See Me from the new one

such a great album

It is a great album, isn't it?

am not a fan of Caribou =/

This is unfortunate, you are missing out on awesomeness.

check out Mist, Outer Space, and the epic Infinity Window material)

Total nu-synth brain fart here. Infinity Window is Daniel Lopatin's (now defunct?) synth duo group (their sole extant LP on Arbor is great BTW...), the epic John Elliot solo project is called Imaginary Softwoods.

yeah I saw that. Would be interested to see them live but am not a fan of Caribou =/

id say its worth getting a ticket just to see them and ducking out for caribou. saw them in june and it was a rad show - short set but p transcendent

Maybe!

I have a real soft spot for bands from Ohio. It truly is one of the USA's greatest music states.

amen! (i am from ohio)

Every time I see an album by these guys I can't help but think of these other guys: http://www.theemeralds.net/

http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/14796-clouds-rolling-in/

last album was dope, but really doesn't hold any re-listening value for me

This new Outer Space LP from John Elliott of Emeralds is a good one, especially "Scanlon": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmEFlQYlSs8

Ossining's I Will Be Missed record is tops too.

I'm in the process of ripping three Outer Space cassettes.

Also, I've heard the new McGuire lp, and it's not a big departure blah blah blah... but still a good listen nonetheless.

New Mark McGuire LP is great, sounds much less synth-y than the Emeralds LP. Gonna be listening to this a lot I think.

Most of the records I buy these days are related to Emeralds it seems...this year alone two McGuire reissues (Tidings/Amethyst Waves and Off In The Distance), the Outer Space LP, the Outer Space/Raglani split, the two Emeralds 7"s, and the new full-length. Will be picking up the new McGuire as well...damn.

liking that mcguire clip a bunch. hadn't heard about this one yet but I'm definitely looking forward to it now. thanks!

and I believe that I mentioned it on the rolling psych thread as well but if you haven't heard mcguire's the invisible world tape, check it out. hands down my favorite release from the guy.

take that with a grain of salt cuz I'd venture I've only heard about 10% of his solo output. but still, this is a great little wash of ashra/a.r. & machines guitar-looping psych.

this thread is like a suckerpunch to my bank account; so far I've gotten the new LP and ordered the Outer Space LP & split, and I'm not going to be able to pass up the Editions Mego 2xLP reissue of What Happened next month either.

the Editions Mego 2xLP reissue of What Happened next month either.

I hadn't heard of that until now. THANKS A LOT!
(mentally deducts $30 from next paycheck)

as an aside, thanks to this thread I can't read that album's title without hearing Fred Willard's voice in my head

interviewing them sometimes this week. any pressing questions?

i'm trying to find a way to frame it, especially since i saw them during their beginnings in 06-07, then ignored them for a few years, and then started up again after 'What Happened' came out..

how do they decide what goes on the solo albums and what goes on the Emeralds albums? is there a specific "sound" that they look for under the main name? what processes distinguish the group efforts?

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s45/Al_English/EMERALDSFLYER.png

I'm really bummed I missed that show; I wish they were playing another London date. I really like that Dean McPhee "Brown Bear" EP as well (it's arguably closer to the recent MacGuire solo stuff; just pretty clean guitar work - it's £2 for MP3s on Amazon, too (as opposed to 12 credits on eMusic and £10 on iTunes). I have heard that Camp Basement venue is a drag - has anyone else been there?

mcguire's living with yourself is beyond gorgeous, instant record of the year shortlist here

I need to hear that! I recently picked up the Tidings/Amethyst Waves reissue and have really been loving it. So lovely.

just out on mego, should be pretty easy to track down. and yeah, the weird forest reissue of tidings/amethyst is beautiful. at this point, i think i like mcguire better than emeralds (but don't tell anyone).

just noticed (thanks google) that it got 8.2 @ pfork just two days ago. lol bandwagon jumping [/prr].

I headed down the the show at Camp...doors didn't open till 9 so I bailed. Was it good?

fell asleep to 'what happened' for countless nights this year, if theres anything to be remembered from this past decade it's those tracks

going to see them in december too HLLYH

Read somewhere that they are prepping a reunion, which !!!

ooh!!

excellent

with Yellow Swans and Emeralds reuniting, next thing you know NNCK and Tan As Fuck will be touring by end of next year.

(an aging noiser can hope)

If those four toured as a unit, OMFG

Okay wtf just found out Solar Bridge is improvised with no dubs or edits??????