The High Llamas: C or D?

https://houseofhiss.bandcamp.com/track/shang

There it is. Soooo good.

Sean O'Hagan is unjustly despised on this site.

He's a fuckin' genius.

Been going through h the entire Llamas discography and aside from the not very good solo debut and the middling Santa Barbara, it's just delight after delight. Every album its own little universe, a mini masterpiece after another. It's breathtaking.

Wait, who despises him? I don't think I've ever read anything negative about him on here.

There are a couple Stereolab threads where the comments on him are overwhelmingly negative.

1. Here are some drawings from a new video/animation I was asked to make for former @High_Llamas frontman and songwriter Sean O’Hagan @seano_arsenal. This for the first single from the ‘Radum Calls, Radum Calls’ album on @dragcityrecords (25/10/2019)... #animation pic.twitter.com/U7bFrZix09

— Paperface (@paperfacetweet) August 13, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOqaHefEN8c

Sean's second solo album in 30 years reflects the bold new sounds of today embedded in the plush sound-world he's built for The High Llamas, Stereolab and many others – thick low end synths under light orchestra strings, dubby percussion atop bossa-nova beats and rumbling drum sounds driving Sean's tounge-in-cheek ditties. Guest vocals from former Microdisney partner, vocalist Cathal Coughlan add to the surreal bloom of Sean’s new musical conception.

Woah @ Cathal.

There’s at least one song from The Peacock Hunter on the album, judging from the track titles on the DC website.

I wonder who actually plays on this record. It sounds like The High Llamas. I only recently started appreciating Jon Fell’s Bass work. It’s extraordinary.

Yeah, I don't exactly get how he distinguishes his solo stuff from High Llamas exactly. It's a bit of a weird track, but maybe a bit more adventurous than some of the stuff he's done in recent years. Looking forward to the album.

There’s at least one song from The Peacock Hunter on the album, judging from the track titles on the DC website.

― Jeff W, Wednesday, August 14, 2019 12:42 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I hope the full Peacock Hunter material is destined for a separate release, as I thought that was some of the best stuff he's done in years.

I love O'Hagan, he's done some incredible stuff over the years. Snowbug is one of the greatest summer albums ever made by anybody.

He seems like a nice bloke too.

He also did a Basil Kirchin tribute a couple years ago. What I heard online sounded incredible. The music was original, but influenced by, aside from a cover of “I Start Counting” with Jane Weaver on vocals. Too good not to record.

i was graced with a promo copy

it's incredible

first track is a pretty weird 'psychedelic' song with cathal coughlan on lead vox

i love it when sean breaks out the synths. he always gets the best sounds out of them.

This album is ridiculously good. Like best in years. Why'd they give it such an unassuming cover?

Good review. Comes close to my initial thoughts:

https://www.popmatters.com/sean-ohagan-radum-calls-radum-2641069306.html

Sean's definitely on his own track and continues to make wonderful music.

He just canceled a bunch of shows because of 'health issues.'

Gutted.

What shows?

From what I understand, everything.

I was just about to buy a ticket for one of them!

Yeah. I am bummed out. The new album is great. I am happy he got to release a quality LP under his own name. That first Sean O' album is not one of my favs.

Get well soon Sean O'Hagan @seano_arsenal pic.twitter.com/r9NTDIICmU

— J. John Foyle (@JJohnFoyle) October 22, 2019

Jeez, I don't like this news at all, I hope he's ok

Appears he played a little set at Rough Trade at least.

https://t.co/VBG08RqwBg?amp=1

Here’s a new interview as well: https://therecoup.com/2019/10/25/pull-up-a-chair-for-a-spoken-gem-a-conversation-with-sean-ohagan/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Have you officially retired The High Llamas?

Not officially, no, and I don’t consider them as such. But what needs to happen, and I am desperately trying to make happen, is to get the rights back to our label output from the Nineties. They’re owned by Universal, who are extremely reluctant to do anything with our catalog, and I’ve really been wanting to get them remastered and pressed on vinyl, and maybe do an expanded series like Stereolab have done. If we can get that to happen, we’ll tour. Maybe not a full-scale tour, but perhaps residencies where we play one or two albums a night over two or three nights. If we can get those albums reissued, we’ll definitely tour. Maybe we’ll do a new record to go along with them. Then we might use that as an opportunity to officially retire—it would be a great way to close that book, don’t you think?

Agreed. But you know, if you do decide to make one last record, you have to title it Sean O’Hagan.

(Confused) What? What do you mean?? I don’t…(Pauses, then bursts into uproarious laughter). Joseph, my friend, that is brilliant! I simply must do that, you’re absolutely right! What an absolutely perfect way to bookend it all

Some typically fantastic outros on the new one

The 6 November London Show at Cafe Oto is still on, I believe (which is good because I have a ticket for that). Only shows planned from 9 November onwards are postponed.

https://www.musicomh.com/features/interviews/sean-ohagan

He's giving good interviews.

“The music that is coming out of this generation of say, 17 to 37-year-olds, is the best it has been for years. They have finally cast off the past but are able to reference it in a healthy way. There’s this esoteric, creative jazz popping out everywhere. Hip hop is so old now it almost has the legacy and weight of jazz. It’s got such a history and presence that finds itself in this great contemporary music that we hear so much in the UK and US”. He compares Khalid to Marvin Gaye (“that Talk track he did with Disclosure – if Marvin Gaye released that people would be saying it is one of his best songs”) and likens Kadhja Bonet to the 1960s psychedelic soul outfit Rotary Connection. He goes on to praise the likes of Frank Ocean, Steve Lacy, The Internet, Mount Kimbie, Empirical and new(ish) Coventry band Batsch. “I don’t see a demarcation between musical eras. A problem I do see is my personal contemporaries who say there’s nothing interesting being released now. He suddenly remembers Tyler, The Creator – “nutty old Tyler, what a joy!” – and when we talk about some of the amazing short instrumental tracks on Radum Calls, Radum Calls he remarks how he was going to leave them off the album “but then I listened to Tyler, The Creator do them and I thought fuck it – if Tyler’s doing it, I’ll do it!”. It’s refreshing and inspiring to hear a musician who has just entered his 60s talk in such animated, heartfelt, excited tones about contemporary music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca63gRUHSeA

Finally got around to putting this up. Might have to try a re-encode though as youtube seems to've fucked the upload :/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVmIE7_bGfY

Oh my goodness. That's fantastic. Thank you.

Ha! Came here to promote ^this (Twitter has just found it). Thanks, Pheeel!

Great playlist:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b8gx

Unfortunately, it appears he is dealing with cancer. I wish Sean the best.

Oh fuck, really? That's awful.

Get well soon Sean.

I can't find anything about this online, where did you happen to hear it?

I've been at the sharp end in hospital under going cancer treatment , cared for by a team if wonderful health workers from all over the world. Migrant workers.This latest revulsion from Johnson as he attempts to shore up the vilest sentiment for votes is criminal.Times shame.

— High Llamas (@High_Llamas) December 9, 2019

Fuck, this sucks

Thanks for the tweet. That's dreadful news.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD8nkYmYkEQ

ugh! hopefully he'll get better.

Yeah, fingers crossed for Sean, genuinely a good guy.

Wishing Sean a speedy recovery, he's such a lovely guy. Reading some of these comments from years ago, I think there's been some misconception that The High Llamas' records are meant to be a kind of terminus. The culmination of their influences, e.g. "what the Beach Boys were aspiring to". I believe this is looking at it the wrong way about. Surely they were the entry point? And from there we were meant to go on to check out Giu La Testa, Clube da Esquina and Marcos Valle? We didn't have algorithms for that in the 90's. Sean has been criticized a great deal for wearing his influences on his sleeve, and I understand but if you flip the triangle the other way around, it's incredibly generous, isn't it?

Yes, get well soon, Sean. Always liked this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ten0um-Ae8

I'll pick this thread 'cuz Sean's the one who interests me the most of the characters on the line-up. I am looking forward to this on Friday:

https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/grande-est-la-maison

Grande est la maison – Cabane’s first album is the outcome of Belgian composer Thomas Jean Henri bringing together the American Will Oldham (Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) and English musician Kate Stables (This Is The Kit), to perform some songs arranged by Sean O’Hagan (The High Llamas) ; a dream line-up for this collection of tunes, bordering on both folk and orchestral pop. Far from the maddening sounds, ‘Grande est la maison’ will be a warm shelter for lovers of Nick Drake or Vashti Bunyan.

Oh thanks for that - this was the fellow out of Soy Un Caballo, whose LP I love (it also involved Sean in a similar capacity I think).

Sean also produces the upcoming album, High January by Market Starling.

*Marker, grrr stupid autocorrect

Kate Sables appears courtesy of Rough Trade Records Ltd
Will Oldham appears with courtesy of his own damn self
Sean O'hagan appears with courtesy of Domino Publishing

Sounds good, Jeff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlfy7dnR6pY

Laetitia with a guest spot.