The High Llamas: C or D?

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.

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/

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.

I've always loved Buzzle Bee.

new one: Talahomi Way, out 4/19/11.

Classic.

Sean O'Hagan is a genius IMO. Creates worlds with his music. It's not so much about the songwriting to me.

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.

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.

Psyched for this even though I thought Can Cladders wasn't as good as it could have been.

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.

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/

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

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.

Fantastic news. Excited. Love everything they've done.

http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/dc469.jpg

Love the art.

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.

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.

wow, this new one's really good, nice and tuneful. my favorite since buzzle bee

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.)

Nope, can't think of anything like it, but Can Cladders is probably the poppiest thing he's done in ages.

http://thisispopshow.blogspot.ie/2013/02/this-is-pop-show-003-february-22nd-2013.html

"I don't believe them (Radiohead) for a second. I'm not vehemently down on them, as I am say Oasis, but I hate the way that that record ( O.K. Computer ) is supposed to be the greatest record of all time and so radical. I don't think there's anything radical about what they do. They're careful, well-honed cliches. The perfect marketing tool and I think those things need to be exposed. I mean I hate to sound so bitchy about it, but I think it's incumbent upon people to make that point".

*swoon*

Word Sean otm! I always knew Yorke was just a mediocre art student jerkoff. Yeah being a fucking bos-eyed twat might get you laid ... hmmm maybe an album of this type zzzzzzzzzz...... Contribution to modern music = 0 Radiohead fucking boredom deathray pulverising my head in the 90's = 100000000

The audacity of Sean O'Hagan to call something out for being a 'careful, well-honed cliche' is quite frankly obscene

Yeah that was my first thought too. I like some High Llamas now and again (especially Hawaii) but they're hardly the most original band ever.

I guess the difference is that the High Llamas wear their well-honed cliches on their sleeves.

The difference is that the High Llamas actually have some great songs.

I think Cold and Bouncy is extremely progressive music.

Look, I love the High Llamas, but O'Hagan's being dumb there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lei1FFjb4k

I really, really, really loved their last one.

So this is the "musical performance before it becomes an album" he alluded to:

Sean At The End Of The Road Festival.Woodland Library
01 September 2013

Sean is delighted to play a ,very early set , 11.30 on Sunday morning ,in the Woodland Library section at the festival. It will include a reading from a new new piece of narrative work called Here come The Rattling Trees.So its a solo performance with a literary edge set in a library created for the festival in the woods.... magical. Any one around at the time of the morning ? If you are please come along and make a great start to the day!!

sounds cool, are you going? i'd be into hearing an o'hagan solo performance -- do tapes of such things exist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M790D51khiw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjon1Oj7t4Q

thanks! these are great.

seconded

Really wish I could hear the Pauline Detective OST. That was never released. Also thinking this might be nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrW0SbAYEx8

Directed by Tsuneo Goda (director of Domo-Kun) scored by Sean O'Hagan (2013)

i went to a fantastic o'hagan solo performance ca. 2001-02.

holy shit "sparkle up"

Wowie. How I wish I could've seen this

http://wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/11/review-the-high-llamas-felix-the-cat-triskel-christchurch-cork-13-11-13/

Such luxury.

Akin to getting an Indian head massage from Van Dyke Parks while playing Ludo with Rihanna and having Stephen Fry knit you burberry mittens.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome that was the Triskel Christchurch last Wednesday night. The High Llamas had us floating on lemonade rainbows, purring like tranquilised sea-lions, sporting the smiles of gameshow hosts.

The set-up was as simple as Johnny Giles’ mind. The punters were sitting happy in the pews. The band were sitting pretty on the stage. The Felix cartoons unfolded on a giant screen behind the stage. The music and cartoons merged in a feast for the eyes, Tiramisu for the ears; plush and luminous in lush and pluminous ways.

The five feline Felix flights of fancy were easy to sum up: Chameleon cat gets in a pickle – has a bright idea – uses tail as a switchblade or a mosquito net – sticks it to The Man – everybody hurrahs – end credits.

The soundtrack cannot be summed up with words. A contented sigh fits better… Aaaaah…

Once more for the non-believers… Aaaaah…

Aaaaaah…

When you knew the night couldn’t possibly be improved upon, The High Llamas played a twenty minute set from their peerless back catalogue.

Pigeon-headed people would put them in a “lounge music/easy listening pop” pigeon hole. Feed the birds poisoned bread ‘cos The High Llamas make glorious, clever, perfect music. ‘Triads’, ‘Bach Ze’, ‘Woven & Rolled’, ‘Rotary Hop’ were played. A clutch of classics: side 2 of Pet Sounds mixed with meringue dubstep and a dash of oblique Tropicalia.

Sean O’Hagan may be a tad greyer around the temples than back in his mighty Microdisney days but his ability to wring winning, ringing melodies from his guitar remains undiminished. If there’s a finer guitarist alive I’ll lick the leaves from their heart-shaped swimming-pool wearing a polka-dot toga.

Kudos to Cork Film Festival for being able to arrange such a magnificent show. Gratitude to the Triskel for being the greatest arts venue in Ireland. Plaudits to Felix for being funnier than Family Guy.

Love to The High Llamas for being.

Why is there no footage?? :(

http://digthattreasure.blogspot.com/2013/12/resonance-fm-111213-sean-ohagan.html

This has an excerpt of a song fromm the play.