― darren (darren), Sunday, 26 October 2003 19:54 (twenty years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 23 January 2004 20:33 (twenty years ago) link
― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 23 January 2004 21:10 (twenty years ago) link
If O'Hagan brings a small orchestra with him, I'll gladly hop along and see the Llamas when/if they come to town. I saw them many years tour for "Hawaii", and it was absolutely amazing. Later, I saw them tour for "Cold and Bouncy" and it was... well, not amazing.
― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 23 January 2004 21:16 (twenty years ago) link
― wuperetta, Saturday, 24 January 2004 00:23 (twenty years ago) link
*Highly recommended*.
― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:32 (twenty years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:38 (twenty years ago) link
― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:41 (twenty years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:42 (twenty years ago) link
― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 02:11 (twenty years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 16 October 2004 02:37 (nineteen years ago) link
― retort pouch (retort pouch), Saturday, 16 October 2004 02:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― retort pouch (retort pouch), Saturday, 16 October 2004 03:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 16 October 2004 03:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― retort pouch (retort pouch), Saturday, 16 October 2004 03:17 (nineteen years ago) link
definitely a favorite disc of mine.
― reo, Saturday, 16 October 2004 03:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― god of rock, Saturday, 16 October 2004 04:22 (nineteen years ago) link
utterly classicsearch: almost everything, *especially* Buzzle Bee, think S O'Hagen was the 2nd best thing that ever happened to Stereolab,(John McEntire being the 1st- wrong wrong wrong) destroy: Gideon Gaye
and the student has become the teacher - Brian who?-said for effect
― tremendoid, Saturday, 16 October 2004 04:27 (nineteen years ago) link
― hstencil (hstencil), Saturday, 16 October 2004 04:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― tremendoid, Saturday, 16 October 2004 04:45 (nineteen years ago) link
― jaymc, Saturday, 16 October 2004 07:21 (nineteen years ago) link
this i agree with, Sean's arrangement work is by far is greatest strength, and he's feckin good at it. Buzzle Bee is no more or less dull than most of the HLs stuff.
― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Saturday, 16 October 2004 07:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 16 October 2004 15:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― god of rock, Saturday, 16 October 2004 17:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 16 October 2004 19:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― bangelo (bangelo), Thursday, 25 January 2007 22:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tyler W (tylerw), Thursday, 25 January 2007 23:18 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 25 January 2007 23:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tyler W (tylerw), Thursday, 25 January 2007 23:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― zeus, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 14:07 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link
Has anyone here heard the Musical Wheel thing that Sean O'Hagan put together with some French artist? The soundtrack for La Vie D'Artiste last year was excellent, so I imagine this is just as inspired/interesting:
http://www.jpmuller.be/musical-painting/
― teflon monkey, Monday, 23 June 2008 20:39 (fifteen years ago) link
It's probably a D&L thing but Cold & Bouncy has bullied its way into my very being. I accept that I have little/no taste but bugger it.
― TS: Toad of Toad Hall v Wobbie of Wobbies World (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 22 October 2010 11:58 (thirteen years ago) link
I've always loved Buzzle Bee.
― corey, Friday, 22 October 2010 14:07 (thirteen years ago) link
new one: Talahomi Way, out 4/19/11.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Classic.
Sean O'Hagan is a genius IMO. Creates worlds with his music. It's not so much about the songwriting to me.
― mjqjazzjbar (teflon monkey), Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:32 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah, the albums are wonderful sonic journeys -- dunno if o'hagen has written a ton of great "songs", but he's a master at (like you say) creating little worlds.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:39 (thirteen years ago) link
I view him in the tradition of like Penguin Cafe Orchestra. It's music that takes you away, gliding over the sea, wandering through snow valleys. Just really strikes the right chord with me, plus he does great work for other bands.
I think when he has written actual "songs," he's done a great job. "Put Yourself Down" on the first High Llamas album is something I go back to often and I think Can Cladders could be considered the most song-oriented album he's done since the early days. I enjoyed that one immensely.
― mjqjazzjbar (teflon monkey), Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Psyched for this even though I thought Can Cladders wasn't as good as it could have been.
― Moodles, Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:45 (thirteen years ago) link
i thought can cladders deserved a little more attention than it got. my fave is still gideon gaye, but i don't think they've made a bad album yet.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Anyone check out the latest soundtrack, the Copacabana OST with Tim Gane? I enjoyed it. Pretty insubstantial and sounds about what you'd expect it to sound like, but I'm fond of that niche so it's been one I come back to.
Album art for the new one is on here: http://stereogum.com/tag/the-high-llamas/
― mjqjazzjbar (teflon monkey), Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:49 (thirteen years ago) link
i'd like to hear that sdtk, but haven't gotten around to it.in case anyone's interested i interviewed o'hagan around the time of can cladders: http://www.junkmedia.org/index.php?i=1997
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:53 (thirteen years ago) link
I have a major soft spot for '90s High Llamas albums, but I feel like everything they've done in the past decade has suffered from diminishing returns. As a fan, I'll still listen to the new album, but I guess I just don't expect anything from them anymore.
― Tyler/Perry's "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" (jaymc), Wednesday, 26 January 2011 19:04 (thirteen years ago) link
Fantastic news. Excited. Love everything they've done.
― Touch of Death, Friday, 28 January 2011 01:29 (thirteen years ago) link
http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/dc469.jpg
Love the art.
― mjqjazzjbar (teflon monkey), Friday, 25 February 2011 20:48 (thirteen years ago) link
I always find with the Llamas that their albums sound a much of a muchness until I've had them on a few times, and then suddenly it clicks and it becomes as essential as anyone else they've ever done. I've never understood the "lift muzak" accusation.
I think "Sailing Bells" and "Honeytrap" off Can Cladders might be my two favourite tracks of theirs. Perfect music to walk home to on a summer evening.
― Pheeel, Saturday, 26 February 2011 11:03 (thirteen years ago) link
It's music of subtle complexity. On the surface, it might sound that way. But as I've become a bigger fan over the years, I've grown accustomed to Sean's arrangements and my expectations of hearing expertly layered music that comes with this otherworldly atmosphere is always met.
― mjqjazzjbar (teflon monkey), Saturday, 26 February 2011 15:36 (thirteen years ago) link
wow, this new one's really good, nice and tuneful. my favorite since buzzle bee
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 31 March 2011 13:17 (twelve years ago) link
Sold my copy of Santa Barbara years ago, but I'm listening to clips on Amazon right now and I'm surprised how well (and fondly!) I remember all of these songs. They never did anything else that sounded like this, did they? I guess Gideon Gaye would come closest... (Sorry to revive and not mention the new album. The cover art is nice.)
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:18 (twelve years ago) link
Nope, can't think of anything like it, but Can Cladders is probably the poppiest thing he's done in ages.
― i-i (teflon monkey), Thursday, 26 May 2011 00:57 (twelve years ago) link
Looks like Drag City is about to re-issue the Llamas back-catalog, beginning with Hawaii.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 12 March 2024 14:48 (two weeks ago) link
Actually, I think beginning with Gideon Gaye. I keep forgetting about Gideon Gaye, which is also an excellent album.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 12 March 2024 14:52 (two weeks ago) link
― afriendlypioneer
This is great news. I've been hoping they would do this for years.
― kitchen person, Tuesday, 12 March 2024 15:14 (two weeks ago) link
I am so hyped for the new album. All the reviews I'm reading make it sound very interesting.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 27 March 2024 17:19 (two days ago) link
With a title track that references Sean O'Hagan's obsession with a carrot eating panda he watched on TikTok during lockdown, it's clear The High Llamas are leaning into mass culture on this one. 2016's 'Here Come the Rattling Trees' was still indebted to the '60s pop and exotica that had shaped the band's entire output up to that point, but here they sound driven by a different beat. O'Hagan's voice is often distorted by AutoTune - on 'The Water Moves' he sounds like a sunnier Rainy Miller, and on 'La Masse' he croons over an interpolation of the Super Mario theme - and his accompaniments are bright, breezy and unashamedly electronic. There's still a trace of exotica, of course ('The Grade' is a great blend of cruise-liner pop and contemporary R&B), but The High Llamas have evolved.'How the Best Was Won', a duet with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, is probably the most striking deviation. Anchored by a skittering trap beat (really), the track comes off like Jeremih singing country in the style of blue-eyed soul, with a chorus that might be the theme from a children's song. It's not even the only Will Oldham collaboration either; the fabled folk revivalist crops up again on 'Hungriest Man', a cybernetic Dylan-alike that's best compared with Bon Iver's quirkiest cottage rap. It's all good fun, and when it works, 'Hey Panda' is effortlessly charming: 'Sisters Friends', a collaboration with Blackpool-born singer-songwriter 'Sisters Friends' sounds like Steely Dan jamming with T-Pain, if you can imagine it.
'How the Best Was Won', a duet with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, is probably the most striking deviation. Anchored by a skittering trap beat (really), the track comes off like Jeremih singing country in the style of blue-eyed soul, with a chorus that might be the theme from a children's song. It's not even the only Will Oldham collaboration either; the fabled folk revivalist crops up again on 'Hungriest Man', a cybernetic Dylan-alike that's best compared with Bon Iver's quirkiest cottage rap. It's all good fun, and when it works, 'Hey Panda' is effortlessly charming: 'Sisters Friends', a collaboration with Blackpool-born singer-songwriter 'Sisters Friends' sounds like Steely Dan jamming with T-Pain, if you can imagine it.
https://boomkat.com/products/hey-panda
Isn't "when it works" Boomkat code for "buy something else"?
― djh, Wednesday, 27 March 2024 21:31 (two days ago) link
There’s other positive blurbs out there, just liked the way they described it.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 27 March 2024 21:40 (two days ago) link
Listened this morning.
Probably the most experimental Llamas album. Surprising lack of strings though production is busy and I may have missed some elements
Will Oldham is great. They should collaborate more. Old posts in here complained about Sean’s thin voice and his presence adds a new element.
It’s also fun and weird. Great late era album from one of my all time favorite artists.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 28 March 2024 13:16 (yesterday) link