Penguin Cafe Orchestra - classic or dud?

I've heard a couple of songs by them - telephone and rubber bands (or something like that), surface tension, oscar tango. Good music to listen to while lying in bed thinking about nothing in particular.

2. Other great song about a rubber band: David Bowie, 'Rubber Band'.

Any of you who are fans of Rachel's or the more symphonic High Llamas stuff MUST MUST MUST investigate.

(the sound of a penguin... I think)

http://www.angelfire.com/goth/realmofhell/Tux/penguin.gif

("How many licks of a use of the goth term does it take to get Alex in NYC incensed?")

I do have one Gavin Bryars release.. Sinking Of The Titanic... definitely more on the Eno ambient tip.. like Discreet Music.

I think what's really appealing about PCO to me nowadays is that I'm travelling a lot, and besides being excellent travel music, it's really the one thing I can listen to that can make me bop my head but not make me turn it up so loud such that I annoy my fellow passengers on the plane or train.

(STILL the most overlooked band in Western popular music ever, imho.)

Aside from being a grossly underrated band, they're a grossly miscategorized band, too... "New Age" is often where they're filed under for people who only give them a flash listen.. although I think they are far beyond that genre. Let's just say if John Fahey is one side of the mass influence on the whole Jim O'Rourke/"smooth" Thrill Jockey aesthetic, then Penguin Cafe Orchestra are the overlooked second half of that mass influence.

The band at the core has always been Simon Jeffes, who started the group in the early 70s and has always been a close contemporary of Brian Eno's -- if that gives a hint of where this music lies. The band have sporadically put out albums all the way until the mid 90s...sadly, Jeffes died of a brain tumor in 1997. There have been a few live albums, like When In Rome... (1988) (recorded in England of course) and Concert Programme (1995) that have been released that are great, too... but their best two albums are easily their first two.. Music From The Penguin Cafe (1976) and Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1981).

What sets the Penguin Cafe Orchestra apart from any other assemblance of mostly acoustic band/orchestras is their knack for being able to combine fun and minimalism and dynamics into something that's universally enjoyable, without having to require being LOUD then .... soft, etc. From someone coming from a college radio standpoint, I think they're the perfect bridge to music that would sit easily in an environment that requires "mellow" music... say, a coffeeshop, or what not. Granted, the word "Cafe" in the band name does suggest that, not-so-subconsciously, although the name comes from the location in a dream Jeffes had one time after a severe bout of food poisoning... anyway. here's the almost 80-minute rough guide:

...from Music From The Penguin Cafe (1976)
1. Penguin Cafe Single
2. Zopf a) From The Colonies
3. Zopf d) Milk
4. Zopf f) Giles Farnaby's Dream

...from Pengiun Cafe Orchestra (1981)
5. Air À Danser
6. Yodel 1
7. Telephone And Rubber Band
8. Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter
9. The Ecstasy Of Dancing Fleas
10. Steady State

...from Broadcasting From Home (1984)
11. Music For A Found Harmonium
12. Now Nothing

...from Signs Of Life (1987)
13. Horns Of The Bull
14. Sketch
15. Perpetuum Mobile

...from Union Cafe (1993)
16. Cage Dead
17. Organum
18. Another One From Porlock
19. Silver Star Of Bologna
20. Lie Back And Think Of England
21. Red Shorts

Amazon's been my best bet for PCO stuff, really. No record store really carries them, because no record store knows exactly a) who they are, b) what albums to get, and c) what section of the record store to put them in. They've completely been erased from history since the late 80s, for whatever reason.

My favorite is the last one, Union Cafe, from 1993.. It's a double-album, and i think it has the best songs on it.. then again, I like Jeffes' piano work a lot, and this has quite a bit of it.. it's also not as "folky" as the previous ones... (not saying that's bad or good, just sayin')

although, my enjoyment of this album and my cooking of dinner have made me feel as if i might be turning into a yuppie. that and thouroughly enjoying Paul Simon's Graceland all last week. yup.

said

the

"G" word.

I don't suppose anybody recorded the Radio 4 doc about the Penguin Cafe Orchestra at the end of May? If anyone could provide me with a copy I'd be forever grateful.

That documentary is on the BBC iplayer at the moment. It's fascinating to hear how some of the tracks came together.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/noscript.shtml?/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/penguincafeorchestra

Is it actually the same documentary?!

CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC

I ADORE PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA. THEY ARE PERFECT.

they make the best rainy day music :\ :)

Thinking about it, it 100% isn't the same documentary, because this one featured stuff about the December 07 reunion concerts...

I've just received remasters of five Penguin Cafe Orchestra albums, and am now hearing their music for the first time (I think, although the very first track was familiar).

This is lovely.

Carry on.

OK, here comes the cliche:

"But the originals sounded really gorgeous anyway!"

But it's true. Do the remasters come with bonuses? Or are they just reissues? Cuz I think some of the CDs were out of print if I'm not mistaken.

Listening to "Telephone and Rubber Band" right now. The only song of theirs I have. (Thank you, 1981 comp!) So amazing -- why don't I have any of their records?

Just straight reissues:

Music From...
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Broadcasting From Home
Signs Of Life
When In Rome

Huh, no Union Cafe? That's, like, their best one, second to s/t.

The originals do sound wicked, and PCO certainly don't need their levels bumping up to compete with Coldplay or whatever, BUT remastering gives a fantastic reason to reprint artrwork with better technology and rerelease these ace records witha bit of publicity and win a new audience, potentially.

The remaster of the self-titled album arrived today as the Album of the Month from the Rough Trade Album Club. It came with a sampler CD of all their other albums. I had never heard any of this stuff before; it's really beautiful and so incredibly well produced.

So happy about these reissues. I just picked up s/t (my favorite) and will get the others eventually. What a great band.

Really glad to hear this, I received the Rough Trade reissue from the album club and am looking forward to listening to it now.

I dabbled with these and there is one of their tracks that I love.What a shiteo post as I can't remember what it's called
Sailed a bit too close to dodgy sails imho - what with my limited musical appreciation

Seems that PCO and Penguin Cafe and not exactly the same thing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin_cafe

I haven't heard Penguin Cafe yet.

FUCKING CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE MUSIC GOD PLAYS IN HIS RUMPUS ROOM

Is it right to say they're the kind of like the soundtrack to the most amazing dream you ever had but can't really remember?

that's pretty close. I would have said it's the soundtrack of pure joy and creative energy... maybe like the most amazing dream you've ever had!

Have we polled these guys?

Has anyone heard the new one?

new one? how?

It's just "Penguin Cafe."

http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/penguin-cafe-red-book

i'm curious about it, but somehow i feel like the boundless beauty and joyfulness of PCO cannot be recreated so easily. maybe i'm wrong.

I hear you, and I think they missed the mark with their last album. IT's definitely not vintage PCO. I still have hope that his son can carry on his legacy, however.

Is it really PCO without Jeffes

I listened to the one that came out a couple years ago recently, and it definitely didn't have the same charm as the classic records. I think it's possible that someone could potentially recapture some of the magic. It seems to me that his son gets what made PCO wonderful, but he's just not there yet. The art on this new one leaves me wanting. That's for sure.

the cover art is an affront to the PCO legacy... but then again, if they had made it in the same vein, I would also have been offended ("how dare they!").

True. AllMusic credits say it's the same artist who did the old record sleeves.

^emily young: jeffes' partner of the time and mother of the current leader, i believe (also supposedly the emily of see emily play according to wiki). not sure if they've done any recording, but there were a bunch of ex-pco people playing live shows at one time under another name after a falling out of some type with jeffes jr.

I never would have suspected such a close link from Pink Floyd to the PCO! My fab discovery of the day.....

I heard about that group, no lime tangier.

Didn't know it was a result of discord, but I wondered why there was a splinter group.

Has anyone had a listen to The Red Book yet? I plan on giving it a whirl this weekend. I'm pretty tempted to purchase it just because it is the Penguin Cafe...

I listened to the 3 tracks on Spotify. They're kind of downers.

downers because they're bad or because they're sad songs?

Sad songs.

sometimes i think this is the prettiest thing i've ever heard:

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

Wiki says they supported Kraftwerk at the Roundhouse in 1976... oh man what a night that must have been.

My wife came out to this at our wedding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJsll2poz1E

I got misty eyed...

I had Bean Fields playing at my weddding!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFOUK1HkEs

<3

also the live in rome take of this is really good. as is the whole thing!!

anyone who claims they dislike the music of PCO are lying

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51aD4DFtG7L._SS400_.jpg

Wasn't this album cover adapted into "Eyes Wide Shut?"

Love this group. One of the sadder aspects of Jeffes death is that he and the band were so obscure (by design, really) that not a lot of people took notice.

Still haven't heard The Red Book. I do really like this new song, however:

http://boilerroom.tv/penguin-cafe-the-track-of-the-dull-sun/

CLASSIC OBVIOUSLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYUAud0C-2A

I’m super into Broadcasting From Home these days, might be my fave PCO now

The new Penguin Cafe album called Handfuls of Night is quite nice, calm, slow, slightly melancholic instrumental music with classical instruments. The Penguin Cafe is hosted by Arthur Jeffes, Simon Jeffes son.

If anyone is needing a PCO/gentle chamber music fix, this (2018) Group Listening record is doing it for me right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTM5c9WN1EY

Thank you!

Thanks, this is really good and does indeed hit the Penguin Cafe Orchestra vibe (though on first listen not with the same richness, but -- who does?)

An Arthur Russell cover, no less! This is nice.

I've listened to the album a few times over the last couple of days and aye, not quite in the same league as PCO but lovely all the same.

listening to the first album now and yeah: why did i pass on this record so many times? this is "where have you been all my life" kind of good.

absolutely! what a great vibe

First 2 albums (Music from PCO and PCO respectivly) are both great. I was haunted by the cover of the 1st album way before hearing it. Gotta say I prefer the weird folk of the 2nd album to the more dreamy 1st but they both sound great on a Sunday morning.

the hiphop group i was in many years ago had a track where we sampled "telephone and rubberband" and somebody in the audience at one of our shows knew the sample and booed us and gave the double thumbs down. good times.

Austin where do you live that hiphop crowds are full of Penguin Cafe Orchestra fans

I guess if I'm gonna bump this thread I should comment on their music. what I really like is how casually brilliant they could be. that horn bit on "In the Back of a Taxi" is a good example. Its a goofy moment but its also perfect. Also I noticed "Heartwind" has a cowrite by Ryuichi Sakamoto...did they work together or did they borrow a melody?

It was in Reno, frogs. No idea who the guy was. We were playing on a benefit bill with all different types of bands, one of which was a group of aging old school punks playing semi-joke "pirate rock", so I've always assumed our heckler was someone from that lot.

The name of their band was Scurvy Bastards, by the way.

I love Penguin Cafe Orchestra, also by the way.

New Group Listening album is lovely: https://grouplistening.bandcamp.com/album/clarinet-piano-selected-works-vol-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iDdqY-VEcg

Bought Signs of Life on CD for a dollar today, first thing I've ever heard by them. Except for the last song, really like it--not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. Favourite is "Oscar Tango."

Wrong song: "Horns of the Bull."

I’d like to like the new Penguin Cafe line-up and recordings but it’s just not the same. The soul isn’t there. I follow their social media and see albums and recordings coming and going and wish I enjoyed it.

I really cherish PCO. That’s all.