The Roches

Kinda outta nowhere:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/opinion/sunday/music-takes-a-back-seat-to-fund-raising.html

She even writes op-eds like a Roche.

Here's a Spotify playlist I put together from this thread, including Hideous Lump's Roches Playlist for Mom (sans anything from A Dove which isn't available on Spotify):

http://open.spotify.com/user/124420673/playlist/0iXz3aEWFAupPqmPaS3xD5

the TRUE first album, seductive reasoning, is by far the best IMO (I always think of ma nuit chez maud with that title). esp. the ballads.

lots of unexpected melodic twists in here. malachy's is great, so is down the dream.

if i had to place their sensibility i'd say the closest thing would be loudon wainwright III. he's an acquired taste too.

their albums are more fully developed musically imo. how could it be otherwise w/ those harmonies?

And of course, Loudon was with Suzzy for a long time and had a daughter with her.

ok, that I did _not_ know. it makes almost too much sense.

Yeah, their daughter is a singer-songwriter too, Lucy Wainwright-Roche. She's started recording, but U haven't heard her much yet (also performs with her Mom in the Mountain Stage archives).

Gotta say the first (trio) Roches album was the only thing that got me up and going to an early morning class I dreaded: as written, "Man on a Train"'s verses were so scared (next to a beer-drinking, NY Post-reading man, and wanting, somewhat desperately sounding, "to say, 'Let's have a party,' but I can't because I'm so afraid/Of the man on the train," and shoving into the chorus, "Once you get on, you can never get off/Of the commuter train," so why should that get my ass all the way to class? Admitting the need for company, fear of bridging gaps, and those harmonies rising up, taking me, and the singers' own hopes/fears---aw, it worked, every time, even though I did as badly in the class as prophesied (what the hell, I passed).
"Quitting Time" was real good too, the sound of freeedom; balancing "Man" and the one about "can I have my old job back"--- just about the whole LP was fine ( producer Fripp occasionally used a bit of his own guitar and Larry Fast's Synergy synth, thus maybe inventing folktronica in passing).

That first trio album is one of my favorite records of all time.

when we say the first trio album, we're talking about the one from 1979, fripp-produced?
i love the roches.

Yeah, that's the one I mean.

ok! i actually haven't heard that earlier duo LP -- worth seeking out?

& yeah, comparing loudon and the roches makes a lot of sense aesthetically to me. something about the almost self-sabotaging sense of humor (like a weird joke in the middle of what seems like an utterly serious song) that makes them totally fascinating/unique. probably what makes them an acquired taste too.

Yeah, it's good, and still around, though maybe as cut-out. Maggie and Terre took Paul Simon's class on songwriting, and then they made this (dunno if he helped 'em get a deal).

"seductive reasoning" LP was produced by simon/roy halee (sp?) and there are the same nice and oddball production touches you find on the first few paul simon solo LPs. like a glass harmonica coming in on the verses of one song. but not as inventive as the fripp production of the first proper "roches" album.

"west virginia" and "malachy" are for all time. lots of songs on that record about a young woman's emerging sexuality. à la wainwright, it mixes lyricism with funny frankness. amusingly distanced description of old boyfriends, etc.

Forgot Simon co-produced it. Speaking of Wainwrights and emergence, The McGarrigle Hour, from 1999, is a family get-together, with sonically amicable Loudie and Kate, Anna, maybe the recording debut of Rufus and Martha, plus other relatives and friends, incl. Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. Pretty, sometimes luvly, wry, contemplative, taking a turn with young Martha's epic "Year of The Dragon," written to/at Dad---reminds me of Sally and Don on Mad Men (last scenes of the latest ep notwithstanding).

Hello, does anybody know of the meaning of the Hammond Song? Also was there really a Mr. Sellack?

if you go down to Hammond…

Holy shit, that's an awesome performance.

i just heard "hammond song" for the first time. what a remarkable song. the odd lyrics and those harmonies playing around with the guitar Frippery. yum

Amazing song, definitely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h84PS-CQ6ag

Basically what Michael B posted in the last revive... I like the hip camp counsellor vibe. The harmonies are weird, unexpected, super-polished in places and clashy in others. Sometimes the girls sing the same notes, sometimes two drop out quite suddenly to leave just one. Other times they scatter and make the most beautiful sound. And yeah, Fripp just turns up and does his thing and it's like the future being beamed into a 1970s American kitchen.

"Hammond Song" is just the best. A magical song.

This song cannot be invoked without me listening to it like 3 or 4 times in a row.

Also a jam: "The Married Men"

Distinct Roche-harmonies vibes from London-based act The Drink (esp notable about 30 seconds in here):

http://youtu.be/EjMK6hMIFuo

thoughts?

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

xp oh! I played a gig with The Drink once. Glad to see they're doing well.

To the original poster...you only need to sit through two and a half minutes and you get to one of the most beautiful transitions/songs in recorded music!

https://devonrecordclub.com/2016/07/11/the-roches-the-roches-round-91-toms-selection/

RIP Maggie

ah, shit. I really need to pick up some more Roches records beyond the debut.

love them but she was always my favorite, amazing songwriter. very sad to hear this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBqhigRvplo

https://youtu.be/oh9nlTTygmQ

love them but she was always my favorite, amazing songwriter. very sad to hear this.
📹

Also, embedded link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh9nlTTygmQ&feature=youtu.be

I was too pat and dismissive in my earlier posts on this thread, although yeah, I still think they were too cutesy at times. Maybe it's just another example of the self-indulgence that you sometimes have to indulge (at least to the extent of setting it aside) in artists you enjoy.

Anyway, she was a great songwriter, overall.

RIP. My favorite of her songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MyJIQkdruo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBQSJLRb-mw

My favorite of hers, written from the point of view of her father who was in the late stages of Alzheimer's; the "she" in the song is her mother.

Thanks, and good to know that kid sister Suzzy is still active, touring in '16 w daughter Lucy Wainwright Roche, who also works solo and with Martha as The Wainwright Sisters. Mom and daughter did this song and video, re Suzzy's novel Wayward Saints:
http://www.roches.com/suzzy/

So sorry to hear this, I grew up listening to the first two Roches albums - the first is covered very well upthread, but the 'Nurds' is also absolutely worth checking out. The title track starts off sort of MOR and almost gets like Roches do Kleenex/LiLiPUT after a bit which is pretty unexpected if you're going through their LPs in order.

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

Does anyone know the story behind the stuff they shout it in "Nurds?" I'm guessing some of it might be actual school girl taunts.

My pal Steve just uploaded this, it's apparently an off air copy and has a Q&A that was never broadcasted, the second part is uploading as we speak I believe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsRB0xH55P4&feature=youtu.be

Dang, one more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsRB0xH55P4

the prince was confused, so he asked the magician

i just heard "hammond song" for the first time. what a remarkable song. the odd lyrics and those harmonies playing around with the guitar Frippery. yum

― tayto fan (Michael B), Wednesday, October 28, 2015 10:35 PM (one year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^^ Me right now.

absolutely love Hammond Song. Go-to drinking song tbh

Don't know if the Roches have any true heiresses, but The Unthanks come to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyAPZaey7PQ

Soz, meant this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPnDO4gJk84

Folk evolving into British Sea Power-esque proggy bliss where stakes are honestly high.

I am probably half of the dedicated Unthanks thread at this point

Suzzy & Lucy got a new alb out Oct. 30, details here (didn't know this site, got a lot of Roche-Wainwright-and-otherwise-relateds/compatibles):http://storysoundrecords.com/news

Nice. I've been meaning to check out the others they've done, or really any of the various solo and duo Roche albums. So much stuff released between A Dove and Moonswept, in particular, and those are both great.