― msp, Friday, 4 June 2004 03:04 (nineteen years ago) link
I'm too tired to rant about various individual moments of brilliance but like, CLASSIC, obviously.
― Fergal (Ferg), Friday, 4 June 2004 05:38 (nineteen years ago) link
― Bimble (bimble), Friday, 4 June 2004 05:41 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 4 June 2004 07:16 (nineteen years ago) link
― Grell (Grell), Monday, 25 October 2004 00:54 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ian Riese-Moraine: a casualty of social estrangement. (Eastern Mantra), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― F (Ferg), Thursday, 1 September 2005 15:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 September 2005 15:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:02 (eighteen years ago) link
Anyone that links to A Certain Pitchfrock thread in here gets a Dirty Sanchez.
― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 1 September 2005 19:44 (eighteen years ago) link
― F (Ferg), Thursday, 1 September 2005 20:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 1 September 2005 22:46 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 00:06 (eighteen years ago) link
They've also got the entire band to answer various fan questions. Steve Fellows thinks "Hate It Or Love It" was one of the best songs of last year, interestingly.
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 00:08 (eighteen years ago) link
I loved ‘La Ritournelle‘ by Sebastien Tellier. I like ‘ How To Be Invisible’ on the Kate Bush album.
― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 01:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 01:31 (eighteen years ago) link
I've been listening to The Outsiders a lot recently - possibly even better than The Sound.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 10:29 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Friday, 7 April 2006 11:28 (eighteen years ago) link
Just thought you'd like to know x1000 into oblivion.
been listening to this song a lot.
A+++++++++++++++++++++++++
― W4LTER, Thursday, 16 August 2007 21:50 (sixteen years ago) link
This years reissues are well worth it: _My Minds Eye_, which I sometimes feel is their best album, gets a mess of bonus cuts. _The Glamour_ gets expanded and reordered to a 2 disc set and the new tracks definitely improve it. The odds and ends set is for devotees only with some throw-away stuff and some "why hasn't this come out before" numbers.
― Mr. Odd, Thursday, 16 August 2007 22:29 (sixteen years ago) link
Well well well...
http://www.o2academysheffield.co.uk/search.php?event=Comsat+Angels&allvenues=Sheffield
http://www.hotsdesign.co.uk/comsats/missing.htm
The Comsat Angels will be playing live for the 1st time since 1995, in Sheffield in April, as part of the annual Sensoria Music and Film Festival.The concert will take place on Sunday 26th April 2009 at the 02 Academy in Sheffield. The band will be playing material from the first 3 albums for this show.
The concert will take place on Sunday 26th April 2009 at the 02 Academy in Sheffield. The band will be playing material from the first 3 albums for this show.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 8 February 2009 00:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Mik Glaisher will never die
― MPx4A, Sunday, 25 October 2009 13:26 (fourteen years ago) link
he is great
― cutty, Sunday, 25 October 2009 15:19 (fourteen years ago) link
Listening to the "Time Considered" BBC collection and, damn, Mik Glaisher is god-like on the session that opens the album. "At Sea" and "Eye Of The Lens" just throb with unreleased energy and Mik's the soul of the band. As usual, many of these versions are my favorites.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 19 June 2011 01:00 (twelve years ago) link
I'm a big fan of these guys. Sleep No More has slowly become one of my favorite albums of all time.
Some things not discussed in here that I was curious about:
Did anyone get that two disc set on Renascent called To Before? Thoughts?
Is there a collective thought on the Dream Command album here? Terrible? Or undeserving of its bad reputation?
What about the band's more rockin' later output in the 90's? Redemption?
― Austin, Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:56 (eleven years ago) link
The Dream Command album is pretty weak. "Venus" is the stand-out track, maybe one or two more are ok but you're not missing anything by skipping it.
"To Before" is hit and miss, worth picking up if you've got everything else.
"My Minds Eye" is a stunning return to form, and I like "The Glamour" though it's definitely more guitar-driven than synth-driven (but it's a nice change of pace).
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 25 June 2012 00:10 (eleven years ago) link
I'm only really familiar with Waiting For A Miracle, which I like. I take it from reading this thread that Sleep No More is the next one I should get?
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Monday, 25 June 2012 16:01 (eleven years ago) link
Turrican:Miracle is a bit more stock "new wave" sounding than the two albums that followed. Some really good tracks, but on the whole, they're just playing a lot faster on that album than they would for the next few years. Sleep is definitely one of the great post-punk mood albums, along the lines of the Cure's Pornography, Joy Division's Closer and anything that Bauhaus ever did. It's a bit more rockin' than any of those albums, but the sound of it is absolutely huge — the production is nearly the star of the show. Just one, completely unified and isolated atmosphere to lose yourself in.
Gerald:I actually get a kick out of Fire on the Moon! It's certainly not worse than Land or 7 Day Weekend. I thought To Before was really good, but I definitely agree that it's for completists only. The early demos for 'Island' and 'Lost Continent' are definitely worth it though. I'm actually of the opinion that Mind's Eye, just because it is so much better than their previous four or five album, has become overrated. It's a good album and all, but the Glamour (especially Renascent's two disc edition) blows it away. But I'm in all over the place albums.
― Austin, Monday, 25 June 2012 20:11 (eleven years ago) link
I think Fiction is my favorite record of theirs these days... But they've long been one of my favorite groups of the era.
― Clarke B., Monday, 25 June 2012 20:13 (eleven years ago) link
Fiction has indeed opened itself to me over the last few years as being probably my second favorite of the band's albums (after Sleep, of course).
― Austin, Monday, 25 June 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
I actually get a kick out of Fire on the Moon! It's certainly not worse than Land or 7 Day Weekend.
I beg to differ - "Fire On The Moon" may not SOUND different, the production is equally as inappropriate, but the songwriting was much stronger on "Land" and "7 Day Weekend". I like the songs on those two records and they sound MUCH better on the Peel sessions disc or in demo form as you noted.
I'm actually of the opinion that Mind's Eye, just because it is so much better than their previous four or five album, has become overrated. It's a good album and all, but the Glamour (especially Renascent's two disc edition) blows it away.
No, "My Mind's Eye" has the reputation it has because it's the Comsats mastering their craft and giving us an album of atmospheric majesty. Every time I listen to it, it takes me on an inescapable journey from one song to the next, I just can't pull myself away.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 25 June 2012 22:59 (eleven years ago) link
Sleep is definitely one of the great post-punk mood albums, along the lines of the Cure's Pornography, Joy Division's Closer and anything that Bauhaus ever did. It's a bit more rockin' than any of those albums, but the sound of it is absolutely huge — the production is nearly the star of the show. Just one, completely unified and isolated atmosphere to lose yourself in.
I agree that the sound/production bit is key here - all of those comparisons make perfect sense but (as you suggest) I think Sleep No More is less stark and more all-enveloping e.g. I'd probably compare it to albums like Disintegration or (esp) The Church's Priest = Aura as much as or more than its actual peers. In this sense it sounds very ahead of its time, I think.
― Tim F, Monday, 25 June 2012 23:39 (eleven years ago) link
Just... that bit in "Gone" where Stephen intones "WHAT WAS HIS NAME" over and over again and then the whole thing explodes into that wracked, trembling guitar line. One of my favourite moments in music.
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:47 (eleven years ago) link
:-) I remember first hearing the song through Martin Gore's cover on the original Counterfeit and wondering what the heck it was, who did and where from. Back in 1989 that was not exactly easy to find out.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:48 (eleven years ago) link
I've never heard that!
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:50 (eleven years ago) link
haha this sounds exactly how I imagined it would.
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:53 (eleven years ago) link
Well, yeah. Part of the charm. :-D
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:58 (eleven years ago) link
― Tim F, Monday, July 16, 2012 10:47 AM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I've always felt the same!
― Clarke B., Monday, 16 July 2012 15:00 (eleven years ago) link
New vinyl reissues are damned expensive, but Chasing Shadows though. . . !
― Austin, Saturday, 9 January 2016 17:59 (eight years ago) link
feeling this song today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CPvcvxzmc
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Tuesday, 15 March 2016 14:02 (eight years ago) link
Was digging for comsats deep cuts and this dream command song is fucking great imo fuiud etc
http://youtu.be/B4qvS9hQJc0
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:11 (eight years ago) link
^ someone needs to hook up brad with that, think he would dig
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:14 (eight years ago) link
Rest of the album is not good, but that is numbed out mondeo rock perfection, almost even blue nile-esque
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:20 (eight years ago) link
Actually I like 'ice sculpture' quite a bit too
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:29 (eight years ago) link
Big fan of this one too, strongly approve of the comsats when they're in this moody ferry-esque mode
http://youtu.be/aiTC56ZVPXk
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:55 (eight years ago) link
I like Fire on the Moon. Really don't see anything wrong with it, honestly.
― Austin, Saturday, 26 March 2016 17:06 (eight years ago) link
"Fire On The Moon" has some decent bits but it's clearly a band that has shaved off all the edges. "Ice Sculpture" and "Venus Hunter" are my picks, with "Transport Of Delight" and "She's Invisible" also being ok.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 26 March 2016 19:10 (eight years ago) link
anyway this is the best band ever
― american bradass (BradNelson), Monday, 22 April 2019 13:14 (five years ago) link
Re: their later stuff, get thee to "My Mind's Eye" pronto!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 22 April 2019 14:32 (five years ago) link
I've always thought the later, starting with Chasing Shadows, stuff was pretty admirable. Fire on the Moon has an especially poor (and unmerited) reputation. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Fire on the Moon is no worse than the worst albums by their peers; it's probably better, honestly.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Monday, 22 April 2019 21:39 (five years ago) link
Fire on the Moon is no worse than the worst albums by their peers; it's probably better, honestly.
That's probably true. It's definitely better than Killing Joke's "Outside The Gate" and on par with Gang Of Four's "Hard". After that, it depends on which albums you consider 'the worst' from other post-punk luminaries.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 23 April 2019 02:37 (five years ago) link
I think Fire on the Moon (and its follow-ups) is way better than Wild Mood Swings or Republic.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 15:53 (five years ago) link
we need to keep this Cure vs New Order thing contained or it'll take over the whole site
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 16:02 (five years ago) link
i can't wait to check out the later stuff! however i may never get over how bottomlessly great the first three records are
― american bradass (BradNelson), Saturday, 27 April 2019 14:08 (five years ago) link
just listening to "monkey pilot" and thinking WOW WHAT A SONG today
also like.... "real story"!!! who were these guys???? their basslines never quit
― american bradass (BradNelson), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:37 (five years ago) link
Their rhythm section was something else, what an amazing drummer.
― Freddie Starr (Hitler in shorts) (Tom D.), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:40 (five years ago) link
yes!!!!!!
― american bradass (BradNelson), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:42 (five years ago) link
I don't believe I've gone a single night DJ'ing without playing "It's History" at some point. Secret favorite band!
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 28 April 2019 21:55 (five years ago) link
i may never get over how bottomlessly great the first three records are
to be fair, not even the band could get over this.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 1 May 2019 18:35 (five years ago) link
I've been meaning to make a Comsats anthology to put on my phone. And it wouldn't all be from the first 3 albums!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 1 May 2019 21:25 (five years ago) link
hey gerald, curious what you ended up going with?
my un-obvious (read: non-first three lps) comsats 'best of' picks would be:
'lost continent''citadel' (yes i know it's a cover; don't care, it slays)'driving''i hear a new world''ice sculpture'
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 13 September 2019 16:17 (four years ago) link
Not gotten round to it yet, but thanks for the reminder, will add it to my queue of music projects.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 13 September 2019 17:43 (four years ago) link
I completely missed that Stephen Fellows released an album this year and it's very very good. Fave "welcome back" album of the year for sure: https://stephenfellows.bandcamp.com/album/slow-glass
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 20 November 2020 09:17 (three years ago) link
!
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Friday, 20 November 2020 13:54 (three years ago) link
Thanks for the heads up! One of my fastest purchases of the year
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Friday, 20 November 2020 13:55 (three years ago) link
The new album is ok, doesn't knock my socks off or demand multiple listenings. He released a bunch of stuff on Myspace eons ago like "Helicopters 111" that had great potential but that stuff appears to have been shelved.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 20 November 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
thank you, e t! definitely going to check this out.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 20 November 2020 16:02 (three years ago) link