The Psychedelic Furs Classic or Dud

yeah, this song sounds really good, I'm ready for a new album

The beauty of Richard Butler's ash heap of a larynx is how in 1981 everyone predicted it'd sound like this in 2020.

Everyone or no one?

Love this.

For the first time in the history of the Internet we can say Hey there's a new Psychedelic Furs song

Nope, new song "Alive (For Once In My Lifetime)" was snuck onto a live album in 2001:
https://www.discogs.com/The-Psychedelic-Furs-Alive-For-Once-In-My-Lifetime/release/1813394

I've loved everything Richard Butler has done, looking forward to this!

Another new song out "You'll be mine"... It's great!!

Giving these guys an honest listen for the first time in my life, starting with first album. If they would re-release this album with all the sax removed, I would probably love them.

you're in for crashing disappointment

Huh, the sax is awesome! An only gets better!

okay this was good for a morning lol

you're in for crashing disappointment

I meant if pgwp disliked the sax, he better hold on loosely.

lol fair. least corny sax of the 80s tho.

Yeah, we're not talking Hot Sax(tm), we're talking skronky stuff inspired by Bowie's Berlin stuff. Regardless, Mars Williams, who toured/tours with the band a lot, has serious chops/cred.

First album is great.

It is true there are much worse instances of "hot sax" in the 80s than this. But I personally have an extremely low tolerance for the instrument when used in rock music. There are exceptions but not many. I will still give Talk Talk Talk a chance but I am bracing myself!

If you don't like that album I question not just whether you will ever like the band, but whether you will like tons of other good stuff. For me, Butler's voice alone is better than the entire catalog of many other acts. But no pressure.

Talk Talk Talk is legendary

Todd Rundgren’s production on “love my way” owns me

Josh - given your declaration, were you at the gig at the Chicago Metro with She Wants Revenge on support a few years back ?

if you were, then i am annoyed i ended up having to listen to JW whine on about how great he is as opposed to hanging out with you sir.

'a few years back' = a decade.

f*ck.

Seriously. But no, I've never seen the Psychedelic Furs. In fact, I have no idea why I didn't see their show with James last year. I love both of those bands.

I want to say they did a relatively recent tour with the English Beat as well, and it seemed like such a randomly desperate nostalgia pairing despite, as far as I've heard, both bands still being awesome live, which kind of made me kick myself for not going.

fair enough.
the show at the metro really surprised me.
richards voice sounded so good.
really surprised me.
oh, and all the band dressed head to toe in black.
no deviation at all.
gotta love such devotion.

There's no fucking reason why Made of Rain should be this assured and good.

I'm listening to the songs currently available on Spotify and holy shit

"Don't Believe" and "No One" kill. And the opener "The Boy Who Invented Rock n Roll" is their best in that field since "Forever Now."

"Come All Ye Faithful", "No One", "You'll Be Mine", and "Don't Believe" are the songs I'm listening to and, based on those four songs, this may be my favorite album of the year

Richard Butler has never lost it. Yes, he did take a detour into pop on "Midnight To Midnight" but everything else he's ever been involved with is at least very good, all worth hearing if you like his voice.

Suffice it to say I'll have more professional praise next week.

wow, Amanda Kramer is in the band now?

Very delightfully surprised to learn about all this.

And hey, Bandcamp preorder:

https://thepsychedelicfurs.bandcamp.com/

Holy shit is this good! Really interesting drumming, Richard Fortus' masterful and sympathetic production and of course Butler's presence. This is such a wonderful gift in these strange times.

no one talks about it but i low-key really love the Furs/GnR venn diagram. who could have ever predicted?

Maybe takes its foot of the gas a tad too early, but this is definitely worthy. Some serious '90s vibes to the production, which is perhaps why it also reminds me at times of ... Suede?

I love most of it.

Ooh, Alfred otm that there are some "Wish" vibes to some of this. Which is to say I guess, shoegazey sheets of guitar without being shoegaze?

"The Boy That Invented Rock n Roll" is just fabulous, what an opener.

"wow, Amanda Kramer is in the band now?" she has been for quite a while now

I bought Mirror Moves in 1986, so I'm OK with calling the 21st century "now"

"The Boy That Invented Rock n Roll" is just fabulous, what an opener.

Quite (listening to the album and that track now).

Truly one of the more amazing things about this is is the fact that since his voice *always* sounded like that, now that he's 64 years old and has kept his voice going through all the regular enough touring, it really hasn't felt like it's changed in the slightest. And that's not something that most singers can say.

If anything, the brutal touring schedule has kept it sharp and trim.

Is the soprano sax a new addition to the band's sonic arsenal?

I enjoyed your Pitchfork review, Alfred, though you seemed to like it more than the 7.0 score would imply.

The score was mine!

Really enjoying this too. Not too familiar with the Furs, tho I had the second Love Spit Love album when I was, uh, ten (why I wanted it I truly cannot say) and find myself hearing this in the context of that time. Seems a bit less sardonic, so far.

I was more curious than excited about this, but it is actually a good record! Everybody otm about Butler's deathless rasp sounding essentially unchanged. The alienation feels familiar and comforting under the circumstances, likewise the doomed melodicism.

Good songs. The productions is very 90s as pointed out above, which makes it a bit jarring (since my knowledge of the Furs mainly centers around TalkX3)

wow, this album is really beautiful! reminds me of the last Church album, shimmery production that sounds great at any volume, and as tipsy mothra says, the acid has aged like a fine whiskey, it absolutely sparkles.

Mike Mills in a recent interview:

I just saw one of the best shows I’ve seen in years, the Psychedelic Furs opening for Squeeze, and it was awesome in every way. There was no feeling of age up there. They all played and acted like young men and sounded great, and I couldn’t have had a better time.

i saw the same pairing in Denver, Squeeze opened for Furs. Good show, they played very well, the sound system was terrible terrible. the vox were almost totally lost to me, row 2. Enjoyed it a great deal, wouldn't say the elder furs seemed like young men, but they were extremely credible, very casually and comfortably active (and interactive) rock adults ha.

Did they play the 2020 songs? They deserve inclusion.

they played a few at the show I saw, so I assume so.

Yup and agree that album is very solid imo. Effective pop lyricist and songwriter for me.

when I saw them in May 2023 they played The Boy That Invented Rock'n'Roll, Wrong Train, and No-One from the new album, so they're not neglecting it

Wish they'd play something from the Love Spit Love albums. So underrated!

hugely underrated!!

Is there any other band of their era that tours as reliably as the Furs? They play several dozen dates across the US annually, and have done so nearly every year since 2000.

i kept thinking “kooky, hmmm a little, but not too granny like, rly”?

the rows up front dissolved during the show and i got a good handshake from r butler on a walk-by, it was gratifying as hell.

Oh no...

Rest in peace, Mars

Shit. There was a benefit scheduled for him in a couple of days. He was a pretty incredible player. Amazing that he could fit in just as well with the Psychedelic Furs and Peter Brotzmann.

I think you recommended The Chicago Octet/Tentet which is indeed an amazing album.

(A limited edition physical release but still available on Bandcamp)

Big loss to Chicago area rock/jazz scene. This dude was on so many fun records!

Liquid Soul shows were so dope.

RIP awesome sax guy, you were amazing live

Awesome, awesome player, for me he will always be a part of Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble, Finnish/Swiss Tour, The Hal Russell Story, their free jazz opera, and Hal on Earth esp

RIP

Fine tribute by Peter Margasak. Mentions the support he gave other musicians with addiction issues: sounds like a good guy and real community player. Love those Christmas Ayler records.

https://petermargasak.substack.com/p/mars-williams-has-left-the-stage?utm_source=substack&publication_id=85512&post_id=139041340&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=3b6cq

Only just noticed this news, terrible

One of my favourite rock sax guys ever, amazing tone, essential to all their best work

Slight rewind but still, fuck mortality

oh man I love those Christmas Ayler records too.

He's even adding to the din here

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