Breeders "Title TK" -- Thoughts?

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In other words it's not just a mediocre album by any band, but by one that has all the advantages. -- Are massive expectations and an automatic skeptical tipping of the critical scale toward "suck" really advantages? I mean, I see what you're saying, but geez.

This, interestingly, is a big critic-vs-fan divide. Critics move a little faster, I think, and thus are pretty unlikely to be impressed by a band that comes back years and years later doing basically the same thing. Casual fans, who aren't racing along down the road, are happier just to get more songs they like. Result: unprecedented numbers of "your reviewer is a stupid trendy snob this album is great" letters for comebacks like this, right?

I don't think Title TK was anything to be mad at. I'm not sure why anyone would have expected the Breeders to get massively amazing during years and years of problems and lineup changes and inactivity. I was just pleasantly surprised that it had some decent songs and didn't sound horribly dated.

nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 14 February 2003 22:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

I actually got a fair split of letters frpm my review between those who agreed completely and those who disagreed. Can I stand behind the anger of what I wrote now? Not at all. I'm a big Breeders fan and I always have been. Shit, I loved the Amps record! I was just hugely let down by that album. I wasn't expecting anything "massively amazing," I just wanted something decent, which I don't think Title TK is (but I know many will disagree).

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 14 February 2003 22:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

When I wrote what I wrote, I was trying to get into the nasty all-or-nothing spirit of Yancey's review. But see, his review jolted me into thinking (and I'll let you know after I relisten to Title TK) that not only was I *not* being too hard on the new album, I'd actually been too easy on it. You know, because I wanted to like the new Breeders album, I worked pretty hard at finding things to like about a pretty mediocre record. Whereas I would have given up right away on a similar record by a group I didn't care about. See what I'm saying?

Paula G., Friday, 14 February 2003 22:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm fairly certain that the drummer was Britt Walford from Slint, having been close to that scene way back when.

Kerry (dymaxia), Friday, 14 February 2003 22:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

(much to wl's chagrin)

Eh, not so much. Actually, I hdan't heard the record yet and really liked your review. Still do. I disagree, tho'.

wl (wl), Saturday, 15 February 2003 03:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

Thanks Kerry. You and the olde rumor mill can't be wrong. But hey I listened to Title Tk and it really is poor. The song Yancey loves is okay if only for being slow tempo and having a cool out of place keyboard burp at the beginning. Also okay is the instrumental near the end. I'm putting this in the to trade pile.

Paula G., Friday, 21 February 2003 20:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think we have close to the exact same taste, Paula. KISSES!

Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 21 February 2003 20:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

Ned Raggett might say their no MBV.

I might.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 February 2003 20:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

Oh Yancey! My heart is pounding. Why haven't you burst into the Azita thread to sweep me off my feet?

Paula G., Friday, 21 February 2003 21:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

their on-disc versh of the buffy themetune is not as good as nerf herder's, but it wd be silly to mind abt this

mark s (mark s), Saturday, 22 February 2003 11:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

four years pass...
i don't know why i haven't posted to this thread. maybe i have. don't think so. Title TK absolutely rocks. Pod is still their best album (i don't know if u can get much better than Iris or When I Was a Painter), but Title TK REALLY has some mind boggling moments, and no really bad ones. also i don't think they're doing the same thing here. they're still the breeders but it's definitely a new take.

Surmounter, Sunday, 13 May 2007 01:09 (sixteen years ago) link

i mean Off You alone, while not a rocker, carries enough credibility, as far as magic goes. she sat down and got magical with that song. um, also Dear Traveler (is that the title? number four?) is inSANE trancey bass stuff. i think both those songs are a refreshed sound from them, and certainly no less "wtf factor" than their earlier albums. this album actually came out to very good reviews at the time. it was like people had almost forgotten about the breeders (never i) and really just couldn't come up with much of a critique: oh yeah, they're good! kindof a thing. made me happy.

Surmounter, Sunday, 13 May 2007 01:18 (sixteen years ago) link

just reading stuff above: Pod is one of my alltime fav records 2, and yes Title TK does sound like it in ways.

Surmounter, Sunday, 13 May 2007 01:21 (sixteen years ago) link

people dismiss, they're amiss.
Amps still kick so much ass in my book.
but, yeah, Off You sorta kills me, esp. on headphones.
those last 2 songs goin into each other also, verah noice

edde, Sunday, 13 May 2007 17:22 (sixteen years ago) link

headphones for Off You are very good. yeah, sorta kills me is right. I am the autumn and the scarlet, i am the make up on your eyes

it really is devestating.

and Pacer is incredible btw, very much a lot

Surmounter, Sunday, 13 May 2007 22:28 (sixteen years ago) link

Pacer/Last Splash/Title TK/Pod

President Evil, Monday, 14 May 2007 07:53 (sixteen years ago) link

Pod/Title TK/4 Song EP/Pod Demos/Pacer/Sassy Magazine/Last Splash

dlp9001, Monday, 14 May 2007 12:42 (sixteen years ago) link

'sassy magazine'????

edde, Monday, 14 May 2007 16:19 (sixteen years ago) link

three months pass...

i just broke this out again. every time i break it out it impresses me even more.

THE SHE
TOO ALIVE
SON OF THREE

basically the first 8 songs are absurdly great. and then u have sinister foxx which is like OK. and then the last 3 songs are beautiful.

i mean WHAT THE FUCK

THIS ALBUM FUCKING RULES. i feel a phase coming on.

Surmounter, Friday, 17 August 2007 18:35 (sixteen years ago) link

just saw that pixies reunion doc (what an awkward band!), featuring kim & kelley working on breeders demos in the tourvan -- never heard Title TK, but I should probably get it ... I think I love pretty much everything Ms. Deal does ...

tylerw, Friday, 17 August 2007 19:24 (sixteen years ago) link

Kelly's matronly upper arms are so hott I'm confused

I'm confused, too. What does this mean?

Daniel, Esq., Friday, 17 August 2007 21:17 (sixteen years ago) link

yea kim is def someone whose work i love in its entirity. not a song i don't.

Surmounter, Friday, 17 August 2007 23:59 (sixteen years ago) link

three years pass...

i tried
i even sent in friends
they did it as a favor cuz i'm not that way

janice (surm), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 04:56 (thirteen years ago) link

my copy of this got nicked by an ex

i don't remember what it's like

the mandelbrot cassette (electricsound), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 04:58 (thirteen years ago) link

u should probably get it

janice (surm), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:02 (thirteen years ago) link

it's a wonder, though i wonder if it'll get the remaster treatment 15 yrs from now and i'll think 'that's what it ALWAYS shoulda sounded like'

156, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:24 (thirteen years ago) link

been watching buffy and found myself very pleased to see them playing within an episode, unannounced and seemingly out of fucking nowhere

oohhh weennnddddyyy weennnddyy what went wrrrooonnnnggg (kelpolaris), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:26 (thirteen years ago) link

this is a great record & has always been a great record

gross rainbow of haerosmith (underrated aerosmith albums I have loved), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:52 (thirteen years ago) link

favorite fucking breeders record. stark, chalky thing from the mouth of nowhere.

Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:54 (thirteen years ago) link

also so loud and so sad.

Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 05:54 (thirteen years ago) link

^^ posts of truth

janice (surm), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 06:01 (thirteen years ago) link

this record sounds so so so perfect

Chaki doesn't have beef with unicorn (stevie), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 09:08 (thirteen years ago) link

its a strange odd record. i liked it when it came out, havent listened to it in a long time (must dig it out again) and everybody i knew either hated it or was just befuddled by it. its all feel and mood i guess, like 'pod' in that sense. theres no 'cannonball' or 'drivin on nine' here.

Michael B, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12:19 (thirteen years ago) link

'mountain battles' even better i thought

Michael B, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12:19 (thirteen years ago) link

My copy has been stuck in my car's CD player since 2002, so the album's legendary status has only grown.

Gucci Mane hermeneuticist (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12:46 (thirteen years ago) link

this record is weird. i love the way it ends Sinister Foxx/Forced to Drive/ T and T/ Huffer are all awesome. don't like much else aside from those and Off You, which is one of the most beautiful things ever.

mizzell, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 13:42 (thirteen years ago) link

Off You, with "I am the make-up on your eyes" and whatever that SOUND is (BEYOOOOOO), is classic.

trippin lookin at my portfolio (billy), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 14:25 (thirteen years ago) link

Son of Three always smacks me in the face in the best way

verhexen, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 14:49 (thirteen years ago) link

Great album, great band. Mountain Battles is just about as good, but different.
I love the language exercise songs on Mountain Battles.
Was there a tour video released around the time of Title TK?
There's a video for Son of Three (for instance) on youtube and the song is a little faster and uh dirtier, I guess.

Trip Maker, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 15:04 (thirteen years ago) link

this record has some really great songs on it...

rotting-month story (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 16:06 (thirteen years ago) link

kind of surprised to hear haerosmith likes it though...

rotting-month story (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 17:28 (thirteen years ago) link

OFF YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

so good, i kind of never need to hear another Kim Deal song because it's perfect.

LAMBDA LAMBDA LANDA (Beatrix Kiddo), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 21:29 (thirteen years ago) link

i can't even really talk about it anymore

janice (surm), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 21:30 (thirteen years ago) link

My latest theory is that Title TK distills all the stuff I liked from Pod, and drops all the stuff I hated from Last Splash, which explains the divided response. I'm getting iffier and iffier lately about whether even Pod is better...

dlp9001, Wednesday, 1 September 2010 23:04 (thirteen years ago) link

for some reason i have never checked the breeders about beyond this album. i love it a lot, but i've heard it's their worst? that's a lot of hype for their other music.

marc iv, Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:09 (thirteen years ago) link

so weird. this album's reception is like an enigma.

janice (surm), Thursday, 2 September 2010 04:13 (thirteen years ago) link

seven years pass...

Imagine hating on an album that goes from "Off You" to "The She" to "Too Alive"

the man from P.O.R.L.O.C.K. (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 10:02 (six years ago) link

God this record. Who could ever write and record "Sinister Foxx"? A ticket to the subconscious.

startled macropod (MatthewK), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 10:14 (six years ago) link

This is still probs my favourite Breeders LP.

papa don't take no meth (stevie), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 10:38 (six years ago) link

How on earth is this thread 16 years old? This album still feels pretty new to me.

nate woolls, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 10:50 (six years ago) link

hhhas anyone seen...the iguanaaaaaa?

J. Sam, Tuesday, 13 March 2018 13:26 (six years ago) link

dumb made for fucking
and missing from the party
that boy's spun out

na (NA), Tuesday, 13 March 2018 14:20 (six years ago) link

eight months pass...

GRINDCORE LITTLE FURY

J. Sam, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 18:19 (five years ago) link

super quotable album, tho you could say that about most deal records

J. Sam, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 18:22 (five years ago) link

DUMB MADE FOR FUCKING

BĂȘnoit Balls (stevie), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 20:10 (five years ago) link

I KNOW I WILL HAVE SPUN OUT

BĂȘnoit Balls (stevie), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 20:10 (five years ago) link

torn
(aaaaahh)
toiled and troubled

J. Sam, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 20:15 (five years ago) link

Swingerrs

slack thompson (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 20:25 (five years ago) link

This record is incredible

chr1sb3singer, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 20:44 (five years ago) link

you get an empty case of whippets and a boyfriend with a beeper

J. Sam, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 21:15 (five years ago) link

one year passes...

I picked up the 2018 vinyl reissue of this today--felt obligated bc "all wave"--and of course it sounds better than ever. Just an endlessly fascinating album for me, full of weird and wonderful ideas. Today the random bursts of violence on Put On A Side jumped out more than usual. I think Kim Deal has my favorite voice of any human

J. Sam, Friday, 18 September 2020 02:09 (three years ago) link

one year passes...

misery's fun i'm kissing everyone

J. Sam, Sunday, 10 April 2022 04:08 (two years ago) link

slipping through the states to find the static yeah, there's something to believe

All time top 5 KD for me (so probably top 10 anyone)

assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 10 April 2022 05:08 (two years ago) link


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