the chills c/d?

Also, they were very, very classic. May still be, though I have my doubts.

It's "MALE MONSTER FROM THE ID" OH MY GOD...

MY VINYL CAN'T BE FAR OFF NOW...AT LEAST I'VE GOT MY VINYL...

Blue Orchids had the reverse hit rate.

No, I understand what is meant by a Chills success rate and I'm glad someone brought that up, actually. But still...man they were head and shoulders above the Blue Orchids.

Kinda surprised by the love for Brave Words here, to me it's a big drop off from Kaleidoscope World.

brave words is so classic. 'night of chill blue' may be their best song ever. then there is 'rain', 'look for the good in others', 'creep', 'brave words', 'wet blanket'(the only good version of this song), 'dark carnival', 'house with one hundered rooms', 'push', etc, it is all just about perfect.

Yeah, Brave Words is pretty U&K, even though I prefer Submarine Bells.

Title track from Submarine Bells still brings me to tears.

Just saw Martin open for the New Pornographers here in Wellington a few weeks back. Acoustic, but still has that great voice. He suggested he'd be back with a proper band.

Kaleidsocope World wasn't produced very well, as I recall. I still have the vinyl. I dunno, The Chills for me are a truly great band that somehow ended up lost to the mists of my teenage years. I still never really feel comfortable returning to them. But I've got over the same kinds of feelings about Chameleons, so maybe Chills is next in line, who knows?

You mean "Brave Words" wasn't produced very well, don't you? 'Cuz it wasn't.

The production on Brave Words (courtesy Mayo Thompson, I believe) is pretty thin-sounding, but in many ways I prefer it to the more lush sound of the later albums. The songs, in and of themselves, shine through.

I've still got the Kaleidoscope World album on vinyl! God loves me!

Pink Frost could melt a good section of under 25 year olds in this day and age, I'd reckon.

Dan Savage will back me up, I think.

I mean Dan Selzer...shit. I used to get those names confused. I'm sorry.

That's ok. I like Dan Savage.

The Chills were great. Brave Words is underrated.

Gosh thanks for forgiving me for that Dan. That was a problem for me for several years.

God, Submarine Bells is just perfect.

otm.

I paid too much for the lp a whiles ago, don't think I've listened to it yet, will now.

i think there was a 7 inch w/it too?

kaleidoscope world came with a bonus 45, is that the one you're thinking of?

was jamming out to a bit of heavenly pop hits myself this w/e

pretty sure it's submarine bells, i think the guy i bought it off might've just chucked it in with it. will look tonight.

just put on brave words. classic!

pssst

thankig u

Allegedly, Martin will have something new out soon-ish. I've heard that before, though. Sad about his career arc (or lack thereof) this decade. So much talent in that man.

Man, almost a year and nothing. Anyone have any scoop on what Martin is up to?

played a bunch o' gigs in australia a couple of weeks ago. still got it, though the mix was atrocious. i think they've got a new EP out too?

Hmm haven't heard anything, and there's nothing on here: Chills Official Discography but I may be out of touch.

they definitely had something recent at the merch stand, but it might well have been that 'stand by' EP as i didn't look that closely

In off-topic but slightly related news, Die Die Die have signed to Flying Nun today.

Nice!

http://www.clashmusic.com/news/listen-brand-new-material-from-the-chills

was not expecting this! his voice sounds pretty good.

guitars chime pleasantly too, nothing earth shattering and no "Pink Frost", but then what is?

Pretty much sounds like the Chills! I wonder if this means he's ...cleaned up? Dealt with his depression?

I'm excited -- hoping for a tour!

Why in all the press for the new track are they saying it's the first new Chills music since 1996? The Stand By mini-LP came out in 2004. Does that not count as an official Chills release for some reason I've not heard about?

News on the new album:

http://www.emusic.com/17dots/2013/08/29/exclusive-the-chills-announce-new-album-pre-order-fire-records-signing-share-new-song/

Err, meant to post this link instead:

http://www.firerecords.com/site/index.php?page=release&releaseid=01022

Aw, you got me excited for new material. A live album will be nice and all but I want me some fresh meat!

Yes. More new songs please. Its only been a million years.

Just listened to "Sunburnt" and "Stand By" for the first time in years - both weaker than I remember. The overly busy and loud keyboards on "Sunburnt" hurt many of the songs, though it does have some killer cuts like "Come Home" and the title track. "Stand By" has full-band versions of some of the demos that were released on "Sketchbook" and I prefer the demos.

Still hoping for one helluva comeback from Martin! "Molten Gold" was good.

that recent BBC sessions disc is fantastic. hadn't heard those before...

They were part of the "Secret Box" set, have you heard that Tyler?

i haven't... aside from the first few albums, i'm not super knowledgable.

yikes, looking at the prices it goes for on discogs i should have hung onto that thing (and sold it now!)

i taped that last john peel session off the radio when it was broadcast originally. so good, and it's great to hear it again!

Brave Words is sounding like a really good record today, via streaming. I doubt I would even have contemplated whether the sound quality was better if not primed by the years of chatter about the mix, but I'm prepared to believe that may be a subtle but significant factor?!? (I only previously had mp3 rips and it was less well imprinted on my brain than most of the early stuff as result, so I am not the best test subject.)

Just streamed the two tracks and it's definitely got more clarity and oomph compared to my CD. I'm probably alone in this but I'm slightly disappointed that it's seemingly not going to get a CD release.

You're not alone, mate.

all the recent new albums have turned up on CD... maybe they'll do it eventually?

I know it's not fashionable but woo hoo 'Brave Words: Spoken Bravely' is getting the 2 CD treatment!

Right there with you, happy to send Martin some dosh.

that's the stuff... will preorder CD and vinyl so they get some cash

Fashionable in my household.

Nice! I was wondering if that would happen. Besides the new mixes, a few "new" songs he was unveiling on the road were really good (basically finishing old songs that he kind of set aside and later included as-is on Secret Box). I imagine they may be included on this new deluxe set. Will definitely spring for it.

For some reason I never bothered with the Chills after "Submarine Bells" so today was the first time I ever heard "Soft Bomb" and my first impression is that it's really not very good at all. It's misleading because it's starts off with "Male Monster From the Id", which is great and sounds like the Chills, thereafter the album sounds like Martin Phillipps and some other people (which is apparently what it was) and there's a dearth of memorable songs. Winds down all the way to "Water Wolves", which is horrible.

Robert Christgau gave a good recommendation for an alternate tracklist. Here's a playlist on Spotify that sets it up.

I heard this for the first time this year, my only picks would be "Ocean Ocean" and "So Long".

Winds down all the way to "Water Wolves", which is horrible.

You wonder why, before enlisting Van Dyke Parks and a big string section, no-one told Phillipps "look, for this song, don't bother". Unless he was thinking that he was Brian Wilson, Scott Walker, Nick Drake and Randy Newman all in one, and wasn't taking advice from anyone.

wasn't taking advice from anyone

Based on the (excellent) documentary, this seems to have been the case. Ego, drugs, a misbegotten belief that the Chills had real commercial potential ...

“double summer” from soft bombis pretty

Yeah Double Summer is one of their best songs you goons.

17 songs is WAY too many songs to have on an album though, unless you're GBV or Wire.

The Chills were in that awkward position of being a great band with a small but dedicated fanbase, but it was probably too indirect to ever cross over to the mainstream so they kind of got caught in the middle. Not unlike like the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and all your other faves in fact.

Missed this - an interview with the producer behind the new Brave Words remix:

http://www.apessimistisneverdisappointed.com/2023/09/it-was-manic-street-preachers-that.html

Weird (or polite?) that that article never mentions Mayo Thompson?