the feelies - classic or dud?

Kind of want to see them revisit the first album style next, just to see what they can do, as this is generally Good Earth part 2 (though as we now know, Slipping was an early composition...)

yeah interesting that the first album is kind of the outlier in their catalog now, even though it's the "iconic" record.

the thing is the first album really was an outlier in that a lot of it's sound is defined by the methods they used in the studio, which was not at all indicative of their live sound...and they've even expressed some regret about those choices. I'm sure they don't think it sounds bad, I think they just feel like at the time they didn't want to sound too punk but in my discussions with them there was a sense that it was too bad they weren't able to release something as powerful as their live sound. As we all know, they did a bunch of recordings, including the stuff recently release by Ork, and felt like they weren't ready to present themselves so they waited then went into the studio without their usual engineer and did something more out of the box and came up with that sound.

Is there a thread for bands whose most iconic record is their first one, but which is also stylistically an outlier in their catalog?

Got the album in the mail today. After one run through I have to say it's predictably excellent. Which is comforting.

10/10. . . Five stars. . . or whatever.

They really are proving to be one of the most consistent bands ever.

"Gone Gone Gone" does give a nod to the Crazy Rhythms sound. Another fun idea would be for them to record all the other covers they've been known for over the years.

So glad to have the Feelies back in such magical form. And I still like and listen to all the albums. Below are a couple more things I've written about them. The live review of the Lou Reed tour was pre-web, for my school paper. The second time I saw them, 20 years later, was a free show on a shimmering summer evening at the Frank Gehry designed Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. It was even better, as they had the headlining spot with the time to do 18 songs, including a cover of R.E.M.'s "Carnival Of Sorts," and I finally got to hear them do "What Goes On" after they chickened out doing it when opening for Reed.

The Feelies And Lou Reed Make History At The Orpheum
Feelies – Crazy Rhythms & The Good Earth

Was that the Orpheum in Boston? I saw that same show in Detroit, at the State Theater I think. I really liked the Feelies but was pretty drunk by the time Lou Reed played and almost got beaten up for throwing an empty beer cup.

Is there a thread for bands whose most iconic record is their first one, but which is also stylistically an outlier in their catalog?

yeah, now

Bands whose most iconic record is their first one, but which is also stylistically an outlier in their catalog

No, Minneapolis.

Good call on Gone Gone Gone. A little more treble and a little faster and it's definitely first album stuff.

and they've even expressed some regret about those choices. I'm sure they don't think it sounds bad, I think they just feel like at the time they didn't want to sound too punk but in my discussions with them there was a sense that it was too bad they weren't able to release something as powerful as their live sound.

That's crazy talk. Their experiments in plugging unamped guitars directly into the soundboard were brilliant, and one of the big reasons it's such a unique classic. I think an attempt to capture their live power would have failed, like most bands.

Also crazy are all the band's side projects that are such reclusive wallflowers they literally disappear into the wallpaper. Case in point, Speed The Plough. I love their albums, but I had no f-ing idea they released a new album, Now in 2015, until I stumbled upon it on their site - http://www.speedtheplough.com/. It's not on RYM, not on Spotify, not on Bandcamp. Wild Carnation is also very under the radar.

I just bought a ticket for Saturday July 15 Pitchfork. Feelies are playing with PJ Harvey, Angel Olsen and A Tribe Called Quest that day.

Friday April 28 - Rent Party* at The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
Saturday April 29 - World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
Friday May 12 - Rough Trade, Brooklyn, NY
Saturday May 13 - Rough Trade, Brooklyn NY
Saturday July 15 - Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago, IL
Sunday July 16 - El Club, Detroit MI

Cool

I might see the Philly show. I saw 'em in 2011 at World Cafe Live and 2013 at Union Transfer, both great shows.

Nice piece by Rick Moody and a great interview with Demeski and Weckerman (incl. a Sauter-penned addendum) here: http://therumpus.net/2017/04/swinging-modern-sounds-79-the-rhythm-section-speaks/
(Demeski would like to play Europe again, I (and a lot of others) would like them to come over again but I don't think it'll ever happen)

boy this record is great.

last track on the new album almost made me feel like I was listening to Stereolab, wtf

That's the highlight of the album.

They were surprisingly vivid at Pitchfork last weekend.

A very comforting album for me. Love it.

As I indicated on a different thread earlier today, "Slipping (Into Something)" and "Find a Way" are god's, or Wim Wenders', or somebody's idea of the most perfect open-expanse driving music ever.

oh my GOD @ the last track

it's like they said "hey you kids in Yo La Tengo, we hear you dig us, let us show you how it's done"

once the vocals drop out and everybody relaxes and the guitar squall kicks in it's one of my favorite Feelies moments ever

n.b. I love YLT but this track is in some ultra-zoned & rarified "Sunsquashed" type of territory

Finally bought the most recent album. (I'd forgotten it was out there till the last few posts.) I've had it in the car for a few days and like most every song--definitely more than the one before this, where I only kept one song on my hard drive. My favourite is "Stay the Course." Still not sure about the last one; doesn't really feel like the Feelies (Stereolab, yes).

I told my fried I'd put together a CD-80 for him. I have all the albums, plus Yung Wu's Shore Leave--any stray B-sides or anything else that absolutely should be on there?

Uh, "friend."

the covers from the no one knows EP ("sedan delivery" and "she said she said") are pretty essential (think they were included as digital bonuses to the good earth reissue). The two early tracks from Numero's Ork Records comp are awesome too (though I don't think they're necessarily better than the Crazy Rhythms versions). the trypes stuff is good, but i don't know if it's totally essential if you're just intro-ing someone.

WHAT?!?!?

Just kidding, you know I gotta rep for the Trypes though.

I would've tried to reissue Shore Leave if I was still doing records.

haha, damn it! i meant to say "the trypes stuff is good, but i don't know if it's totally essential if you're just intro-ing someone.

and yeah, i think i've said it before, but someone should do a Weckerman set that has his early single(s?) + Yung Wu, plus whatever else he's got lying around (that covers record from a few years back that he never really released maybe).

maybe i should just do it. putting out records is a good way to make a lot of money, right?

Oh yeah, totally.

Thanks. I think I may have something by the Trypes, I'll have to check. When I went online, I found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypes. Did not look familiar...

http://store.carparkrecords.com/products/568324-acu015-the-trypes-music-for-neighbors

btw, writing is not my favorite activity but I'm pretty happy with that press release.

Trypes are totally essential to the legend of the Feelies.

Trypes reissue on acute is great -- probably a nicer overall package than the proper Feelies reissues in the past few years.

Will definitely co-sign that; Dan did a fantastic job!

thanks all.

Just playing the Trypes comp through Spotify and feeling the need to own this but it looks sold out at my usual vendors... damn!

Sorry, likely sold out everywhere. Was intended as a limited edition vinyl kind of thing, especially with all the handwork that went into putting the sleeve together. Here's a video of me printing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85JhTzws56I

It is a beautifully done package, Dan.

https://scontent.fams1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25591703_1781958448504299_1329034844024715324_n.jpg?oh=1430b5376d68ba246f9ce22bf8c5f3cc&oe=5ABDDB40

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-feelies-announce-2018-tour-dates-yung-wu-lp-being-reissued/

Yung Wu, which was basically The Feelies but with percussionist Dave Weckerman writing the songs and singing, will have its 1987 album Shore Leave reissued by Bar/None in April.

nice, excited for that reissue, really is a great record.
seriously considering flying out for one of these feelies shows ... i gotta see them sometime (and they probably won't be playing forever).

plus John from The Trypes!

His post on facebook mentioned an extra special treat of some sort, I'm hoping it's the inclusion of Weckerman's insanely awesome 1980 7" with a much art-punkier take on Shore Leave b/w Out of Baby's Reach.

yeah that is so good!

Gah, going to be in New York the week after!

Here are seventeen awesome tracks.

In a discography as great the Feelies' any list of that sort would be somewhat accurate.

Great picks, though, for sure.