a thread for Italians Do It Better

anybody else think Mssr. Jewel comes off like a total prick in that pitchfork interview from yesterday?

"Mssr."

Um, yeah. He definitely comes across as arrogant, not that it's especially shocking for a record producer. Also seems to be willing to take a lot of credit for things, real or imagined ('the first mysterious blog movements', 'a lot of bands popping up that had a post-After Dark feel')...

And of course, the drumless versions are for web remixes (that JJ will apparently won't even end up listening to because he's in the studio jamming to Jacques Brel!). Anyway, I'm a consumer I guess, so I'll listen to these as well.

Speaking of remixes though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz9aWI8Rs3E

haha gutsy indeed:

There's never been an Italians release that isn't good. There's no filler. Chromatics never released a bad record. Since In the City, everything's been great. All these songs are classics now.

That interview bummed me out.

Me too. I really don't like the way he keeps casually tossing off the lines about how he could just shit out awesome songs constantly and everyone would love them, but he just didn't want to.

chromatics are obviously a band helmed by someone more concerned with looking good than being good (or by someone who confuses the two). not always a bad thing.

in the long run (part IV, lol), i've finally gotten my head around this album. it's not bad when resequenced, but still not great. some good ideas, but they're held back by their resolute commitment to their aesthetic - and to their crippled singer. ultimately i'm surprised by how little they've progressed in the last five years. this is basically a carbon copy of night drive, down to the corny overreliance on faux surface noise.

that interview is hilarious.

But you can't look at this as a business model for other people because the only reason it was possible for us is because the record is so fucking ill.

...

There's been interest from basically everybody on the radio. Their creative departments are very aware of what we are doing; we're on that radar. I don't write Top 40 vocals, but my beats can be manipulated so that they can be on the radio and be just fine. And they're starting to recognize that.

might be totally true, but he still sounds like a dick.

oh he's so cool, he has no decision

Mike Simonetti seems like a dick too. They probably deserve each other

i didnt think he seemed like such a dick, relax u guys

whether he is a dick or not i don't know but simonetti is definitely a thieving scumbag

Whoa, wait, what's the story there?

one example i'm aware of

ultimately i'm surprised by how little they've progressed in the last five years. this is basically a carbon copy of night drive, down to the corny overreliance on faux surface noise.

I dunno, I think the album sounds very different to Night Drive, even though the feel are broader aesthetic are consistent. The italo influences which dominated that album have been replaced by a determination to sound like the XX but more bloodless.

Whether this is a good move or not is debatable but I don't think they can be accused of standing still.

the feel and broader aesthetic.

I don't think they can be accused of standing still

i stand accusatory

bloody hell - that waxidermy thread.

Yeah, that Waixdermy thread was a trip of a read, but I don't feel totally confident throwing around "thieving scumbag" based on that. Nobody in that thread comes off great.

agreed.

i just cant get over the fact that people are trading 7" for so much money ..

I know; Jesus! I feel guilty when I spend £20 on a record, and even then I get paranoid about my turntable wrecking it when I'm playing the goddamned thing.

talk is just talk. until he steals my money, he's just a dork.

They were so good at White Heat last night. Exceeded my expectations.

http://thequietus.com/articles/08974-chromatics-live-review

Listened to Kill For Love all the way through for the first time this morning and really enjoyed it. That is all.

bah, bummed to have missed out on tickets for that. though i'm seeing them tonight. but still.

They were great at Village Underground last night! It was kind of a drag that they were the support act since they started so early and couldn't play for very long (they were booked on the gig ages ago, pre-Kill for Love's release), but it seemed like there was a large amount of the crowd that was there for them. "These Streets Will Never Look the Same" was a highlight; I didn't realize the guitarist sings that one.

Drumless

the placement of 'the river' almost at the end is just right.

I'm seeing them this week. I've never seen them/hope they don't suck/am jazzed despite having to find parking.

Symmetry's 'Themes For An Imaginary Film' is now available on vinyl... http://italiansdoitbetter.bigcartel.com/

http://vivaitalians.blogspot.com/2012/07/after-dark-2.html

awesome

"gold glitter vinyl"!!

that first instrumental on 'kill for love', so good. generally a fantastic record, although I have a hard time taking the lonely robot vocoder stuff seriously.

http://soundcloud.com/johnnyjewel/after-dark-remastered

this label seems extremely generous to fans. all the more surprising considering they seem to operate from a blogspot.

Yeah, they've always given away tons of music.
I was kind of bummed out to read Prof. Genius' comment on the Soundcloud page there, though - it sucks if people aren't getting paid. I LOVE those two tracks of his on that comp.

But then it also looks like they resolved this?

In any case, agree that those two tracks are the bomb.

Hey guys - that was me (Prof Genius).

Thanks for digging the stuff. Johnny's a good guy. He's correcting that situation. Seems it wasn't really his doing but I will say no more. (bet u can guess).

also - i've made/released lots of stuff since the IDIB releases: soundcloud.com/professorjorge >> some randomness

didn't know you were part of bim marx! good stuff

Johnny's a good guy

i want to believe this, but several pdxers i've spoken with say... otherwise

So far so good : )

still rocking your tropical computer system cdr on a regular basis, so awesome. just sayin' :)

Thanks!I'm glad it's still got some life left! Most recent releases on other labels have been less synthpop/Italo flavored. I'll be starting a Bandcamp in a few months that will remedy that. I'll keep you posted!

awesome
pegaso was my fave track on that comp.

Here's a link that's still active (c. 2009) with free downloads, including the full version of "Pegaso". Have at it since the other label that released that hasn't payed me for it since 2009 as well !

http://rcrdlbl.com/2009/10/07/exclusive_new_download_jorge_velez_perfume_across_the_spree_pegaso "> http://rcrdlbl.com/2009/10/07/exclusive_new_download_jorge_velez_perfume_across_the_spree_pegaso

Sorry about that. One of those two links works.