10 Feb 05 ·olli: don't mean to piss on your parade, but wouldn't it be nice to have at least a little bit of information about the song? why you like it, some kind of descripton of the general mood or anything else that would get people geared up to hear it? 23 Feb 05 ·Ricard: This song from a couple of years ago manages to have a great sixties mod feel to it. Very Curt Boettcher influenced, which is always good. Don't be put off by the fact that Paul Weller likes them... this time his taste isn't as afwul as usual!
I'm not usually too big on this kind of indie pop, but this is just gorgeus. Melancholy lyrics, slow picked guitar, piano, church hall ambience...This could have been just about a zillion bands, yet it manages to have a voice of its own.
Just a great song for me right now.
Sounds eerily similar to Magnet, though.
23 Feb 05 ·Ricard: Christian Rock... aaaggghh! 24 Feb 05 ·olli: Yeah, i know, they're christian.. So was Johnny Cash. it's not like they're spreading propaganda or anything,and this happens to be a minor classic. The fact that I don't share the personal beliefs of the artists involved has never stopped me from listening to interesting music.. I'm not too narrowminded to shy away from music by buddhists, nazis, italians from the 80's, satanists, mooncat-worshippers or even christians, and neither should you be. 25 Feb 05 ·rum: I agree olli. Good music is good music whoever's playing it. Narrow-mindedness will only lead to bitterness in old age, bemoaning all the great things you missed out on. I must confess though, ages ago I did once judge little known 80s Bristolian band, the Waxing Gibbons on their MoonCat worshipping beliefs. A mate of mine was really into them, but I was having none of it, wouldn't listen to their, "mumbo jumbo music". Then one time he played some stuff without me knowing who it was, and I was like, "woah, what is THIS?!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Absolutely awful. 03 Mar 05 ·Ricard: Hmmm. You sound like some sort of preacher to me Olli... a Christian Preacher!!! Using the innocent world of Musical Taste to spread your sinister "Italians from the 80's" message to society's more susceptible elements. Despicable 17 Mar 05 ·olli: Magnificent creatures, mooncats. Indeed. Take a look for yourself:
http://www.mooncatstudio.com.tw/fu.jpg
No one talks about this band much. Not in my experience, anyway. It's all instrumental, so I guess they're not for people who are lost without vocals and lyrics. But have a listen - to me they really seem utterly superb. I would love to see them live.
I only have a couple of albums, but they're great. This one was released in 1996 (shit - that was 9 years ago!), but recorded in 1990. Really beautiful twangy surf-pop that fits in perfectly with the whole David Lynch mood that I find so appealing. The album is an intoxicating mix of energetic surf tracks and slower, more atmospheric ones like this. Their recent 'Local Warming' album is great too. Can anyone recommend me any more of their tracks?
from Zero Gravity, available on CD
06 Mar 05 ·olli: Yeah, they're certainly one of the better neo-surf acts out there.
See Laika! Se Laika run! Go laika, go!
There are some disposable pop records that have certain things going for them which lift them above the norm and confer a kind of appeal which, though often temporary in nature, shines through in spite of their annoynances.
So it is with this one, which has a chord sequence that repeats over and over on the synth, and a rather annoying melody/rap sequence. It's also rather rhythmically unimaginative, and most western listeners will find that the Russian folk instrument (don't know what it is) will grate mercilessly. And if that wasn't enough, it ends unforgivably unmusically when an electronic beep simply cuts in suddenly.
However, because I am a such a sucker for this kind of minor key chordal writing, particularly when synths are involved, I enjoy the record, which at least does lack the merciless rhythmic hammering effect of their hit single "All the things she said".
from 200 km/h in the wrong lane, available on CD
06 Mar 05 ·olli: now that's a careful, careful recommendation:) 07 Mar 05 ·Mike: Hmm, yes. I'm a very careful kind of guy!!!! 07 Mar 05 ·Mike: And I think you'd be a lot more concerned if you'd seen a less than careful recommendation for this one! 07 Mar 05 ·olli: hmm, yes. true.
