St. Vincent - a.k.a. Annie Clark;

is this the only mention of it on ilx? hm.

hmmm. Single did not wow me.

she has the stage presence of prince

Wow, really? Never seen her live

there's lots of great st. vincent live online - pf linked this one some time back, it's awesome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N66HPoQBChk

saw her live once and was blown away, only thing might annoy you she's not that "true" to the songs' album sound but if you can get past that it's really something special. there's so much dynamics and she is wiiild :-)

Hmm, the times I've seen her she's generally been very formal, except for the guitar freakouts, which seemed kind of ironic counterpoints to her otherwise intentionally stylized/stiff/cold stage demeanor. I mean, it works, but I would not put her on my short list of dynamic, charismatic performers.

Love her covers, though, which is when I usually see her go nuts. Her Pop Group cover was incredible.

I wish I liked Strange Mercy more, i really do but I don't

Hmm, the times I've seen her she's generally been very formal, except for the guitar freakouts, which seemed kind of ironic counterpoints to her otherwise intentionally stylized/stiff/cold stage demeanor. I mean, it works, but I would not put her on my short list of dynamic, charismatic performers.

Love her covers, though, which is when I usually see her go nuts. Her Pop Group cover was incredible.

I'd echo this. Her songs live were very true to the album versions minus some extra-skronky guitar workouts. That being said---excellent live show. She also crowd-surfed during her Pop Group cover...I was impressed.

I thought she was amazing live. Also, and I hate to say it, much more strikingly beautiful than I'd imagined - her eyes were just luminescent and absorbing. And she rocked. Like Robert Fripp.

Haha, I read your post as

I thought she was amazing live. Also, and I hate to say it, much more strikingly beautiful than I'd imagined - her eyes were just like Robert Fripp's.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 31 August 2012 16:07 (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

someone has never seen Prince

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/02/160262123/first-listen-david-byrne-st-vincent-love-this-giant?sc=fb&cc=fmp

still need to listen to this some more

a frigid creature this one is

I'm loving it.

THere was a piece on them in the Guardian yesterday
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/sep/08/david-byrne-st-vincent?INTCMP=SRCH

"I saw this diminutive minx open for John Vanderslice this past Saturday night"

I definitely wake up when she's singing lead, or better yet, solo. If Byrne's writing or co-writing those songs, good for him, but so far I'm wishing he'd stayed more in the background. "I Used To Watch TV" has some of the old T.Heads engagement, though, and I'll listen some more. Good horns, wish she was playing more audible guitar.

fun detail from the guardian thing is that the prosthetics for the cover are by the guy who did matthew barney's

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WsJG6wD__Os/SjvqgNBdljI/AAAAAAAABVE/sI_d21bh9fg/s400/Cremaster4.jpg

eh-- my reaction so far to the new album

Sonically, texturally, in terms of energy, ideas, this is great on first exposure. Dunno how the songs will hold up in time but they don't quite seem like the primary focus yet.

What other records use brass in ways comparable to this? There must be some but I can't think of anything off he top of my head.

this is the first thing byrne has done in years that I've liked. probably the first album since his s/t one.

I was expecting it to be not so great, as 1) Melissa said she didn't like it and 2) BRASS. I am semi-allergic to brass but wow, this album was actually all kinds of awesome, I liked it from the first hearing, and it got even better the more I listened to it. The brass arrangements are really quite unusual, not what I was expecting at all, and really quite moreish.

(But mostly it made me dig out a bunch of old Talking Heads records I haven't listened to since I was in high school.)

Do you like St Vincent's other stuff WCC?

Yes.

Personally I loved Actor so much but Strange Mercy kind of grated on me. I'm looking forward to hearing this record though.

st. vincent is a bit lame

you're a bit lame.

I was lukewarm on the album after a couple spins (except for the horn arrangements, it wasn't really grabbing me...though I was working while listening).

However, seeing these Jimmy Fallon live performances really brought things together. Think I might end up digging this as much as the last St. Vincent record (a pop gem), though in a more brainy, less brawny manner. Bummed that the closest this tour is coming to me is Chicago in the middle of the week. Times like this...hate the Midwest.

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/david-byrne-and-st-vincent-the-forest-awakes-91012/1416222/

Byrne's vocal melodies have not won me over yet, but maybe if I give it a few more listens.

She seems better live, judging by a number of fairly recent YouTubes. Drop-dead cool gradually becomes poignant (emerging/undertow desperation of the "Joan Didionesque" persona she's cited), plus hairline fractures in keyboard bridges x guitar skronk. Byrne x horns-wise, so far I prefer Music From The Knee Plays.

What other records use brass in ways comparable to this? There must be some but I can't think of anything off he top of my head.

Seeing the show tonight, but underwhelmed by the album.

Saw the show last night and liked the songs from the album better live. Live they are also doing lots of choreography for each number plus using lights and shadows to keep your interest. Alas, Byrne's stiff movements don't seem that endearing to me, and Annie's wiggling also gets a bit predictable. Her voice sounds great I just wish she would write some (conventional) choruses and hooks. The crowd was mainly there for David Byrne I sensed. It was a really expensive show-- $75 to $125 list for tickets.

Haven't looked for the Strathmore (MD/DC ) setlist online. It will be a slight bit different than this one from NY that I saw but its not that different:

Who
Weekend in the Dust
Strange Overtones
(David Byrne cover)
Lazy
(David Byrne cover)
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
(Talking Heads cover)
I am an Ape
Marrow
(St. Vincent cover)
I Should Watch TV
Ice Age
Like Humans Do
(David Byrne cover)
The One Who Broke Your Heart
Lazarus
Cheerleader
(St. Vincent cover)
Outside of Space and Time
Encore:
Cruel
(St. Vincent cover)
Burning Down The House
(Talking Heads cover)
Encore 2:
The Party
(St. Vincent cover)
Road To Nowhere
(Talking Heads cover)

that looks like an awesome setlist

Aye, I bet that was wicked. Prefer her songs / vocals to his on the record.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35vDF3J_-P8&feature=player_embedded

imo this is quite lovely and the out of focus cameraphone footage rather accentuates it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2AL2xvZO1g

Still getting my head round this. Hate to say it, but Byrne's hokier moments (singing about TV and procreation etc) kind of spoil it a little bit. It's a great pairing though - Annie's moments really do remind me of prime TH-songwriting style. It's roughly 70/30 good/bad though.

if they tour the uk, I'll def be there.

http://sickmouthy.com/2013/03/21/st-vincent-actor-2009/

http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/st-vincent.html

Looks pretty sick

Nice, I was wondering what that was when she played it with Taylor Swift the other night.I don't usually go for Music Man's body shapes (esp. the albert lee. I don't understand how that guitar continues to get produced), but this looks cool.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-taylor-swift-perform-explosive-live-cover-with-beck-st-vincent-20150826

Isn't the Albert Lee what she usually plays?

Yeah, it's really just one of my least favorite guitar shapes.

I like St. Vincent, and I love the original of this, so I really wish that I liked this cover more, but...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOzC_q4357c

A new song from Ms. Clark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n48vQgfXygc

Giving me some Actor vibes but . . . more earnest and direct?