The Wooden Shjips Thread

I like it alright but the bonus disc is MUCH better

It's like a more irie Spacemen 3. I like both of these discs.
I'm a big pothead, too.

Bonus disc is better, agreed.

I think they need a new bass player actually. The Can-style 2 note grooves are good but dude has all kinds of rhythm problems and could stand to be a tad more adventerous...

But overall, I dig the album. The length is good too.

I don't think I've ever heard such a straight-faced Spacemen 3 ripoff band in my life.

Ever heard the Colorsound album You're Only As Good As Your Sound? released on Sub Pop subsidiary Summershine, it is a total S3 ripoff and is great to boot.

I want to like this band more than I do. There is just something lacking. I think it might be the bass player as mentioned above. I like the last few tracks on their full length better than the first few.

yeah, so, is there any way to tell the difference between the single and double cd versions of the holy mountain release? i'm more in it for the bonus cd than the album itself.

I'm not sure in stores. I ordered mine from Amazon before I knew about the bonus CD. I checked it only said "1 disc", but it came with the second disc anyway. The second disc comes in a separate cardboard sleeve, if that helps at all.

they are playing in brooklyn on 10/19, I think I will check them out.

The second disc comes in a separate cardboard sleeve, if that helps at all.

that does help, cheers.

didn't hear any doors thing (other than the obv. lineup) def. got more of a krauty stooges "sister ray/european son" type vibe going on...
this is true, but i thought the drummer was the weak link. the songs are very driving and a bit more propulsion from the kit would put them over the edge. pretty fun show.

WTB a new rhythm section for Wooden Shjips!

Yeah I saw them in Oakland a couple weeks ago and their live show is so much better than this new record. I also prefer the second disc of older material to the overly produced stuff.

there's no fucking doors in the album at all. you know what there's a shitload of? rallizes. seriously, listen to the vocals, especially the effects and the kind of clipped and tuneless muttering, and listen to the way the songs kind of plod along until suddenly a big fuzzy guitar bit comes in. the production's obviously cleaner, but it's total apeage/homage. could almost be a different band to the bonus disc stuff (which i found, yay).

do i need this album? or can i live without it. record store still has the 2 disc cd version.

need, probably not. but i got a used copy w/bonus disc and i like it enough. in fact, i liked the bonus disc much more (shakey mo and trip maker are pretty right-on about the songs on that) than the album, but the album's definitely growing on me. i don't know, do you need american rallizes?

i was gonna revive this thread by saying Wooden Shjips vs High Tide

the first track, "We Ask You to Ride" is the only one where i really hear the Doors. dude totally sounds like jim and that organ. rest of it, not so much.

We Ask You To Ride

haha! i was just listening to that video and wifee asked me if it was the Doors. unprompted!

and just for fun, a live version of Wooden Ships by CSN&Y
http://youtube.com/watch?v=a0P_cviczko

there's no fucking doors in the album at all

That's patently untrue. I'm still debating it: I kinda like it anyway, despite hating the Doors. Jaxon's right, though, it is pretty much concentrated in the first track.

"patently untrue" my ass. NO DOORS! organ /= equal doors!

Wooden Shjips vs High Tide

high tide by a country mile.

it's not just the organ, dude. that voice on the first song is totally jim. and the reason i compared high tide is because that dude sounds like morrison too.

Psych bands inspired by The Doors >>>> The Doors

This has always been true.

uuu_uuu

the alb totally reminded me of the doors too, fwiw

hey, you know what? the s/t is really good for late night driving. especially track 3. suddenly the weirdly skeletal production makes sense (i can't think of a 'psych' band with 4 members who sound more minimal than these dudes) and the organ really comes to the fore. it's almost neu!-like, but not really sounding like them at all.

7" on sub pop also real good. i think the b is my favorite shjips jam.

I don't really think the LP held up to repeated listenings.. I got a promo copy of the CD, listened to it a few times driving to and from Rhode Island, realized I didn't need to buy the LP.

You're OTM re the Rallizes sound though

the s/t grew on me except for the first track (i think)

this is still my favorite of all their songs. just put this on repeat
http://www.woodenshjips.com/mp3/Shrinking%20Moon%20for%20You%20(edit).MP3

also ws >>>>>>>>>>>>>> endless boogie

much love for w.s.

SHRINKING MOON FOR YOU

^^ this

When bandleader Ripley Johnson put the band together in 2003 he wasn't interested in playing gigs or becoming famous. His original intention was to find a group of non-musicians and create music with them. The idea was that untrained players would have a brand new outlook on what music is and bring something fresh to the table, perhaps a blend of the often noisy trance rock of the Velvet Underground and the frenetic mania of the one-hit wonder garage punks of the early '60s. Bassman Dusty Jermier, for example, was originally recruited to play sax, an instrument he'd never picked up before. Other members from that first incarnation often had such a lack of interest in playing live for people the band didn't even bother looking for gigs.

u dudes like that magic lantern album on not not fun? lands somewhere between the shjips and endless boogie, actually. it's unexpectedly worth checking out

New album titled Dos to be released April 14th. Looking forward to this very much.

well, it's around..

Nice..will search for it

As regards style, I can understand the Rallizes comparison from what I've heard. But the one album I have of Wooden Shjips is utterly bland (the s/t LP on Holy Mountain). The only good track on it is the last one (no pun intended, Rallizes fans).

Is this album commonly seen as their weak one? In other words should I give them another chance?

i think the compilation 'volume 1' is superior, but it doesn't sound drastically different to the album, so i think if you're not keen on that, it's not going to change your mind really

ps can anyone sort me out with a link to the new one, can't find it anywhere!

i think most ppl agreed the singles before the album were superior (compiled on Volume 1)

So Wooden Shjips are to psych-rock what The Strokes are to NY post-punk?

That was rather facetious. But I feel they are simply a bland retread of something I hold dear.

early stuff (volume 1): loop/spacemen 3 fuzz dronin

album: rallizes (basic channel reshape)

can't wait to hear the new one.

its good. lies somewhere in between those ^^

I'm not liking the new one that much. I only liketwo of the five..."Motorbike" and "Down by the Sea" are pretty good, and the rest are forgettable. I might have to comeback to this later, but for now -- meh

the new one is more like the singles ("loop/spacemen 3 fuzz dronin") with the suicide american-anglo motorik amped up. "motorbike" could be "ghost rider 2009"

yeah i think its better than the 1st album.

i don't. it's good, but the kind of dryness of it is a little too much. it'll probably grow on me, but i was really hoping for a whole album like the b-side of the 7". god i love that track.

Sounds good to me so far. Looking forward to hearing this!

it's good, but the kind of dryness of it is a little too much.

yeah the production on this seems to be restraining their signature sound

the "e-z" version of "i hear the vibrations" on the b-side of the contact 12"... WOW. the build of the droning organ and guitar is beautiful. i need to find a good rip of the original.

is the pronunciation shyps or ships?

I love this Rose City Band album. It really is a perfect summer record, so warm. I haven't paid much attention to the Wooden Shjips universe, but this made me go back to some of their stuff and also to Moon Duo. I like his whole vibe.

Another Rose City Band album coming in May, Earth Trip. You can pre-order it from Trill Jockey and get some rolling papers with it, on brand.

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1390957203_10.jpg

another one! he's really churning these out ... which is good! i always put on this guy's records and think "eh, this is kinda boring" and then about two minutes in I think "hey this is great!"

haha yes

this new one is great, maybe the spaciest/ mellowest yet

ooh that sounds good, stuff like 'I Hear The Vibrations (E-Z Version)' is my fave - is that a good reference point?

no not really. it’s much more acoustic sounding with beautiful pedal steel. none of the motorik groove/ driving bass lines like on Vibrations.

SHRINKING MOON FOR YOU

^^ this

― Calling All Creeps! (contenderizer), Tuesday, January 6, 2009 5:03 PM (thirteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

hilarious to me that this doors worship band is named after a song by a guy who famously hated jim morrison and his music

The Doors comparisons didn't make sense to me in 2007 and they still don't in 2023, tbh.

haha yeah — he occasionally has sort of subtly morrison-esque croon but I wouldn't call 'em a Doors worship band.
New one is pretty killer, all the players are really good, Barry Walker especially.

Assume you are talking about his new Rose City Band album, otherwise I missed some news!

oh haha, yes the new Rose City! no new Wooden Shjips record as far as I know.

Huge fan of all things Ripley Johnson and have loved everyhting RCB since the self-titled! tylerw, care to share how this new one compares to the 1st three? more of the same country 'choogle'? cosmic americana? more psych-y perhaps? Barry Walker on the lap steel is always a great thing! Any sneak peek/intel would be greatly appreciated!

i was such a huge Shjips and Moon Duo fan, but i can't get into RCB at all ... and i live close to the RC and i've tried ... just won't take.

I've liked all the Rose City Band stuff but I think the new one is my favorite — I've seen some reviews that don't love its increased space noodle factor, but I love that! The last three tracks in particular are just kind of a long gorgeous reverie. No particular place to go and no hurry to get there.

This is exactly what I needed this morning without knowing I needed it. Very JJ Cale.

Yeah I already held RCB in high regard, but the new one takes it to a whole new level. I've gotten so much mileage out of it.

I really love the first three records, but had kinda decided to sit the latest one out, just because I felt I had enough of them, there's other music to buy etc.
But then last night, two beers in, I read tipsy's post, listened to about half of Mariposa, and immediately ordered the record.

this is really scratching my "what else sounds like Relatively Clean Rivers" itch, thanks thread

New one is my favorite too.

A lot of it reminds me of Beachwood Sparks’ The Tarnished Gold—a really terrific and overlooked album. RCB is a lot noodlier but there is still a shared vibe

i can't really hang with this RCB record. it just sounds like easy listening music? i'm not saying that's bad, it's just not for me i guess.

Was pleasantly surprised to hear These Shadows in Episode 8 of The Diplomat on Netflix. Pink Floyd's The Great Gig in the Sky as well.

it just sounds like easy listening music?

no man, it's cosmic :)

It's easy to listen to, but in a good way imo. Definitely a vibe, so if you don't vibe with it, c'est ca.

hilarious to me that this doors worship band is named after a song by a guy who famously hated jim morrison and his music

― budo jeru, Thursday, March 30, 2023 6:47 PM (two months ago)

The Doors comparisons didn't make sense to me in 2007 and they still don't in 2023, tbh.

― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, March 31, 2023 8:49 AM (two months ago)

the last time i saw them (2006 or 2007) they opened for 水晶の舟 whose name translates to "The Crystal Ship".