Emeralds-Classic or Dud?

You can stream one of the tracks here: http://soundcloud.com/wirrzbow/imaginary-softwoods-eye-color

thoughts on A Young Person's Guide... here

(don't mean to plug my writing so much as the McGuire comp., which is excellent)

Is there a fair bit of tape flutter etc on the CD release of A Young Person's Guide.

Can't wait to buy this by the way. This guy and Emeralds are too good.

ilxor, why are you posting all of your brainwashed journals on ilx? I've seen you do that on more than one occasion.

well, i'd normally wax poetic abt McGuire for a couple paragraphs, but i tend to hold off discussing something on ilx if i'm working on a more "formal" review of it. which usually means the things i'm playing the most (like this) i hold my tongue on, then want to share what i think so throw out a link. i can stop linking to 'em if it's poor form though, which seems to be yr implication. no worries.

btw the tape noise is pretty minimal (xxp), i think most of these tracks were pulled from CDs anyway, only a few that were cassette exclusive. i listened on nice phones & didn't notice a thing.

http://editionsmego.com/release/eMEGO+117

^ details here. a few cassette-only things on disc two. but i'd imagine mcguire recorded those tracks on something more hi-fi, then pressed them onto cassette; so probably used the master versions for this reissue. i could be wrong.

i really admire how mark and the rest of emeralds can be so prolific and not churn out any shit.

Nice little status update interview with McGuire on his upcoming projects and what's next for Emeralds.

http://exclaim.ca/News/mark_mcguire_talks_his_young_persons_guide_new_solo_lp_emeralds_future/?&utm_source=TwitterEN&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ENTwitter

i really admire how mark and the rest of emeralds can be so prolific and not churn out any shit.

― jumpskins, Monday, May 9, 2011 10:34 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

this type of thinking killed odd future fwiw

the deed is done

This album is really good so far!

Even though I've been listening for 25 minutes and I'm only like halfway through the second track

It feels really Lovelessy which is something people throw around a lot but almost always inaccurately; this time it actually sorta fits.

the first track is one of the most, er, shoegazy on the whole thing. if mcguire can be called shoegazy. i know what you mean though!

ilxor, please don't stop posting your links - I for one enjoyed your piece.

^^ Co-sign. Haters gonna hate etc.

I'm digging this album btw. Been on a major Emeralds kick lately (new speakers woohoo), this is a great addition.

bullshit boring drone band

zoning out to 'ledges'

new Imaginary Softwoods up for preorder at Amethyst Sunset:

http://www.amethystsunset.net/

I missed out on the white/clear vinyl but o well

also Experimedia still has copies of the 2 new Spectrum Spools releases from Forma & Mist available. next two are out in July, one from Temporal Marauder (w/ awesome artwork) and a 2xLP from Bee Mask which I will slit throats to get.

@Alan N, good call on "The Invisible World". Sounds like one of his best to me. Unfortunately the CD only has the first section of it. It seems to be in two parts on the original tape. Side A is 14 minutes, and has two 7 minute sections.

xp new Bee Mask has me excited

the new Imaginary Softwoods album is really good!

It really is. I've been playing that and the new Pulse Emitter LP to death lately.

What's the production on the new Imaginary Softwoods like compared to the old 2xLP? I recently got that older one based on how much I love Emeralds and Mist, but the low-fi-ness of it has left me a little cold (although the pieces are intriguing and sounds good in their own way). I mean, Does It Look Like I'm Here? just sounds so freaking epic and delicious and huge and detailed, and the incredible production really adds to its immersive character (Imaginary Softwoods feels like something I'm beholding; Does It Look Like I'm Here? feels like something I'm inside, or touching). I really think it's one of the best sounding LPs I own.

well it's not mastered by Plotkin so it obviously won't sound AS rich as DILLIH but it sounds pretty damn good nonetheless. it's totally worth buying just on compositional merits, though; sadly I suck at knowing stuff about original kosmiche records so I'm not going to be much help coming up with comparisons ("it reminds me of Tangerine Dream!" yeah thanks buddy) but I can absolutely affirm that this record does a great job of soundtracking mundane tasks - for example, it helped make folding laundry EPIC last night.

I'll definitely check it out, thanks... The Mist album House from last month is really, really good as well, and it sounds delightful.

I actually couldn't get into that one (or the last Mist album either TBQH). really really REALLY excited for the upcoming Bee Mask 2xLP on Spectrum Spools though!

I really like the only thing from Bee Mask I have, which is the Hyperborean Trenchtown LP. I like it's musique concrete elements and its somewhat noisy and unsettled nature; some of this stuff can tend toward the TOO-smooth. I'm hoping for another Oneohtrix record this year, badly.

Has ayone else heard the Jurgen Muller LP (it came into and out of print instantly)? It fits right in with this stuff based on the tracks I've heard on Altered Zones and shit. Hopefully someone will make it available again.

lovin this Mist LP! (Bye Bye)

It has near zero associations with Emeralds but there's something about the aesthetic... what is it??... that's transitioning so well for me.

so can some kind & dedicated person make me an easy reference list of Emeralds side projects and which member(s) are involved in them? I would really appreciate it, can't keep any of this stuff straight.

John Elliott - Mist/Imaginary Softwoods/Colored Mushroom And The Medicine Rocks. and the guy behind the Spectrum Spools label.

Steve Hauschildt -

Mark McGuire - Skyramps (w/ OPN)/Sun Watcher/Trouble Books & Mark McGuire

Yeah some sort of discography would be invaluable

that's a good start, thank you! xp

Elliott also did a solo LP and a split single with Raglani as Outer Space. both own considerably.

Oh yeah I forgot Outer Space. Those tapes are great

the lp that mark mcguire did with trouble books is really, really good imo

So glad he isn't flooding the year with music, but you're right, that collaboration is one of the better things he's done in a while.

Don't forget that "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morrisette is about Mark McGuire's dad!

!!!!!!

that must be like the worst potential pickup line ever... "hey, guess what famous song was written about my dad?"

"here's a little known factoid you oughtta know..."

McGuire also collabs in Amazing Births, two tapes so far and an LP (which dropped this week, about par for the course so far this year)

Steve Hauschildt had a solo tape or two as well. He's like the Chrissy of Three's Company.

Oops, I meant he's the Janet of Three's Company. Mark is Chrissy.

Mark McGuire's dad is Dave Coulier?

Who do you think bought them that drool-worthy collection of vintage analog gear??