The Boo Radleys, Classic or Dud?

i'm pretty sure i voted for "Tomorrow" on our artist Boo Radleys poll. i remember hearing it for the first time and thinking what another great B-Side from this band, had no idea it was a cover at the time. also one of the last new songs i would ever hear from them. fast forward to sort of recently and the Jodi Foster movie was on and i happened to catch the song in the movie where a kid was singing it or something like that.

i don't see this posted on this thread, so for reference:
Just a simple song but God I love it Embedded in me, so bittersweet I’m addicted, I’m a melancholic Sing it again, I’ll be your Poll forever: THE BOO RADLEYS - ILM artist poll #60

I know there's some huge Giant Steps fans here, so figured you might be interested in this re-up on one of my favorite blogs:

https://wilfullyobscure.blogspot.com/2017/05/boo-radleys-giant-steps-demos-1992-93.html

I remember Martin Carr hosting a load of demos on his website, in "Real Audio" (remember that?) along with some live takes. They sounded very telephone. Will have to see what these are like.

These are quite rough. Still fun for fans!

oh wow, i have never heard these before. downloading now and thanks Evan!

the download worked but don't have the software on my computer to play...minor details but i like to just play everything on Spotify these days

Thursday May 28th
8pm (U.K. time)

Giant Steps is getting the #TimsTwitterListeningParty  treatment - @martin_carr will take us on a track by track journey around The Boo Radleys’ seminal album

Come with us pic.twitter.com/lvh2b7dBl4

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) May 24, 2020

Giant Steps getting the Listening Party treatment on twitter tonight at 8:05 uk time

(watch out for my friend stephen posting work-in-progress pics of the original art)

Meanwhile, in a bedsit flat on Huskisson Street, Liverpool 8, circa '92/'93... pic.twitter.com/mdSLTSBgRQ

— Stephen A. Wood (@stephen_a_wood) May 28, 2020

You can see from the top that it's just one of those paper lamp shades with photocopies stick on it, but it did the job.

oh wow, nice. thanks for posting this.

Who else listened in / tweeted last night? I found Martin and Sice very good at it (though Martin's self-deprecation bordered on OTT self-criticism at times). I like (well, not sure if that's the right word) the fact that neither of them like the one I don't like either ('Spun Around').

I'm sad i missed this although people were saying that Martin wasn't really acknowledging Sice too much, despite a number of olive branches being extended. not sure how much to read into it though

I wouldn't have said that was true. Have a read through of it.

there was a point where I loved Spun Around. Cut from the same cloth as Upon 9th and Fairchild. I've come to find that the more enduring moments in their catalogue are the darker, more psychedelic songs for me. It's straight-up twee fare like Barney which I never got on with

xp I will. I'm not very good at navigating twitter tho

Actually, I've been back through it and he doesn't say much about Sice. There was this:

I always loved playing this live.

Poor Sice, having to sing drivel like this.

— Martin Carr (@martin_carr) May 28, 2020

I read Martins tweets, I didn't see Sice's

JULY 8. pic.twitter.com/5OeJSKPZAL

— The Boo Radleys (@theboo_radleys) July 4, 2021

Could Martin be on board for this?

For what?

There was some press about the other three being in the studio together, plus they were due to play some gigs as Sice Boo & The Radleys. This appears to be hinting at something happening under the actual name of The Boo Radleys, which you'd assume would need to include Martin, who has appeared quite reluctant to reform the band. If this is an actual reunion, I wouldn't expect them to use the name if Martin wasn't involved.

Cautiously optimistic. What's w/ the accounts they're following? Maybe just trying to gin up some Britpop nostalgia once the news breaks?

A new single. Tune into @steve_lamacq on @BBC6Music this afternoon to hear it first. pic.twitter.com/bL7co4tPMU

— The Boo Radleys (@theboo_radleys) July 7, 2021

I missed it, but I think the show'll be up soon.

#Firstplay: "A Full Syringe And Memories Of You" by The Boo Radleys on BBC Radio 6 Music

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/182141682_116144803945611_210419184829450941_n.jpg

Uploaded May 4th (lol). I guess the hardcore fans disappeared.

https://i.imgur.com/jM3m3yb.jpg

Meant to link that.

according to their fb martin isn't involved, it's just the other three lol

Ugh. Yuck. I dunno about that.

https://open.spotify.com/track/15EihUMaEeYbcHPRQukpFL?si=3dfc576ea3a649b4

Well, if it's tomorrow for any of you, check out the song and report back... please? The little horn sample's got me thinking it's not gonna go well.

https://www.nme.com/news/music/boo-radleys-to-reunite-as-sice-boo-the-radleys-for-2021-shiiine-on-festival-2803454

And there you go.

laughable

Oh, well, that link is old and someone upthread already mentioned Sice & Boos. But clearly Martin's not joining.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xlrs

Song's at about 40 minutes if you're feeling curious...

I don't hate it. But kinda amazed they're using the Boos name. When I saw the 'Sice Boo & The Radleys' listing I thought fair enough, makes it clear that it's not going to be the full band

Could be much worse, but it’s not the same band.

oh wow, no matter what i am excited about this. with or without Martin. can't seem to listen to this in the states as of yet.

the sounds link should work, it's not geoblocked

Agreed that I am interested even without Martin's participation, but it does feel disingenuous to call it the Boo Radleys (maybe Ruse Badlys?).
I didn't realize Martin wasn't involved when I first heard the new track and though it is a bit slight and straight forward, I didn't guess it either. Decent melodies and Sice's vocals sound better (smoother, younger maybe) than I expected. Honestly, it could easily slot on Kingsize or Martin's recent records for that matter. At least as good as any Eggman tracks that I can remember.

Mixing is a bit weak and demoey, but yeah it's not a world away from Kingsize

I assume Martin's OK with all this...

yeah, a bit like when Crabbie got the all clear to continue to use PWEI.

If this is the only means of seeing them live (never did back in the day) and Martin has firmly said he'll never do it then I'll take it, to be honest. It is disappointing as a reunion of the proper lineup with them getting their dues was something I'd always hoped for

Well this sounds.... like the Boo Radleys, as in it could easily have been lifted from a Kingsize session and it's giving me the same goose pimples I haven't had since I was eighteen and bought my last new Boos release. Whether I can love it in the same way with 23 year's hindsight is another matter.

Those brass announcements are pure Lazarus rebooted. There's something ever so slightly ploddy about the drums in certain parts and it's missing the more leftfield experimentation I like about them. But it's good, I like it well enough!

> There's something ever so slightly ploddy about the drums in certain parts

it's the original drummer by the look. and personally i was hoping for something more like ichabod and less like newer boos.

just received the PR for this release.

"The four members, including influential guitarist and songwriter, Martin Carr, retreated from life as The Boo Radleys shortly after the release of sixth album, Kingsize.

Having been largely out of contact since the end of the sessions for that final album, all members of The Boo Radleys have come together in recent years to discuss future plans. As a result, The Boo Radleys in 2021 are Tim Brown (bass/guitar/keyboards), Sice (guitar/vocals) and Rob Cieka (drums). Martin Carr does not appear in the current line-up.
"

Sice is a psychotherapist last I heard.

Why did you want to reform the Boo Radleys?

Sice: Nobody had the idea to reform the group. It is something that has evolved naturally. I invited Tim to attend my 50th birthday party. While exchanging, we found that neither of us had made music for years. We said to each other: why not get back together? We started sending each other files to exchange ideas. Very quickly, Rob joined us. At no time did we find ourselves in the same room. Everything was done remotely. Without really noticing it, we have accumulated a good stock of songs. All were finalized.

Did you hesitate before thinking about making them public?

Sice: Honestly, yes. We didn't really know what to do with it. Only one thing was clear in our mind, we didn't want to release them as The Boo Radleys. The first idea that sprouted was to give a few concerts. We have planned dates under the name of Sice Boo & The Radleys. We had other ideas for names that were just as crazy (laughs). With the containment, we had to cancel them.

Why did you change your mind about the name of the group?

Sice: I went to visit Martin Carr (former guitarist and composer of the group, editor's note ) in Wales for a day. I asked him if he wanted to join the group. He was honest and preferred to decline. He has other plans in mind at the moment. On the other hand, he told me that it was useless to play under another name. He was the one who urged me to use the Boo Radleys name again.

https://section-26.fr/the-boo-radleys-pour-notre-retour-on-fuit-la-pression/?fbclid=IwAR3rdDD0db5Mz3zmFGUYMvAubo4q168-wMBd4LGM-lOJjaIKkET4aj60Yfc

Well, fair enough then.

Yeah can’t argue.