Author |
Topic |
picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 01:13:04
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Fuck, the demos rocks. Were those recorded in early 2018 before the actual sessions ? Joey in particuluar sounds fantastic. I don't know if it's better than BTE, but he sounds... fresh (off-pressure, maybe ?)
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 04:00:15
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quote: Originally posted by picpic
Fuck, the demos rocks. Were those recorded in early 2018 before the actual sessions ? Joey in particuluar sounds fantastic. I don't know if it's better than BTE, but he sounds... fresh (off-pressure, maybe ?)
___ "Service Unavailable"
Remember Joey and Paz posting Instagram pics of the band at Sonelab in Easthampton back in March? I assumed these were recorded at those sessions. I don’t know though, that’s just my guess.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
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stuczuba
= Cult of Ray =
471 Posts |
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jake3
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
248 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 04:43:54
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quote: Originally posted by johnnyribcage
quote: Originally posted by picpic
Fuck, the demos rocks. Were those recorded in early 2018 before the actual sessions ? Joey in particuluar sounds fantastic. I don't know if it's better than BTE, but he sounds... fresh (off-pressure, maybe ?)
___ "Service Unavailable"
Remember Joey and Paz posting Instagram pics of the band at Sonelab in Easthampton back in March? I assumed these were recorded at those sessions. I don’t know though, that’s just my guess.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.
I don't know where it was at (though Sonelab would make sense) but yes the March 2018 date is correct. |
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McDutchie
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
268 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 05:01:56
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Sprite, you're a hero!
I'm listening to them alphabetically now, but for those who care about sequencing, this should be the track list in the correct order, based on the timestamps in the .zip:
1. The_good_works_of_Cyrus.mp3 2. Please_dont_go.mp3 3. Chapel_Hill.mp3 4. Caught_in_a_dream.mp3 5. Mal_de_Mar.mp3 6. Hey_Debussy.mp3 7. Under_the_Marigold.mp3 8. How_I_learned_to_earn_rewards.mp3 9. I_just_cant_break_it_to_you.mp3
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =
USA
955 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 05:11:27
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Well on first listen I already love this collection of songs more than the album. I kind of knew that would happen. And Frank is right, they do sound more like early Pixies, also still like Catholics (Please Don't Go) in that raw way.
Hoping for high quality mp3s or a digital release from the band soon, but these sound pretty good too. |
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rivum
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
265 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 05:42:49
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wow and here I was thinking we were treated with a stellar album. now to hear the demos also it's like having two christmases a week apart! I kinda thought one of the demos would have been the demo for daniel boone that they played a snippit of in episode 11 of the podcast. actually, I thought a bunch of these demos would have been early versions of the BTE songs (like things we've heard on the podcast). but these are whole other songs. she-it...what a treat this is! |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 05:43:57
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Thank you for sharing! |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1334 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 05:45:58
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You're all most welcome and glad to hear they are good, I still haven't listened to 7 of them yet! |
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SmurfyX
- FB Fan -
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 06:15:57
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
You're all most welcome and glad to hear they are good, I still haven't listened to 7 of them yet!
You're beautiful thank you forever. |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 06:25:46
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quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
Well on first listen I already love this collection of songs more than the album.
I follow you on that. I don't know if those are "better" songs, but it's less formal less polished, more spontaneaous. I don't know. It sounds more like rock 'n roll than BTE to me. Maybe it's just production-wise. Less is better.
And the bonus is: these demos won't be recycled into new songs for the next records. So we'll probably have 20+ brand new songs again in within 3 years
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Edited by - picpic on 09/17/2019 06:27:10 |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 06:33:46
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("hey Day-boossy" is stuck in my head)
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 06:59:31
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The Good Works of Cyrus, Under the Marigold and Hey Debussy are my favourites so far. |
Edited by - Ziggy on 09/17/2019 09:18:24 |
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =
France
786 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 07:22:14
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thanks Sprite !!!
sounds raw and nice but the songs seem inferior, and don't have any 'gothic' vibe, which seemed to be a pre-requisite I understand that they were left as demos for this album
full-band Please Don't Go is disappointing when you know the solo live version, in which BF really *begs*... here it's already too polished and sunny
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" "Fucking up my devotion!"
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Edited by - sdon on 09/17/2019 12:51:22 |
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yarbles
= Cult of Ray =
USA
635 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 09:01:04
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quote: Originally posted by sdon
thanks Sprite !!!
sounds raw and nice but the songs seem inferior, and don't have any 'gothic' vibe, which seemed to be a pre-requisite I understand that they were left as demos for this album
full-band Please Don't Go is disappointing when you know the solo live version, in which really *begs*... here it's already to polished and sunny
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" "Fucking up my devotion!"
I don't think the direction of "gothic" came about until later on, closer to the actual sessions in December 2018. These demos seem to be the ones recorded in March 2018, as posted about on Instagram by Paz and Joey. I'm guessing there was just a batch of demos, they gravitated towards the ones that actually made the album and then wrote more in the studio... those were the "gothy" ones. These are the other rockers that didn't fit that mood. |
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =
USA
955 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 09:31:16
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quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
Well on first listen I already love this collection of songs more than the album.
I follow you on that. I don't know if those are "better" songs, but it's less formal less polished, more spontaneaous. I don't know. It sounds more like rock 'n roll than BTE to me. Maybe it's just production-wise. Less is better.
Oh yes yes...I listened to them again today. I should be specific:
I agree exactly. I don't know if these songs are better. But I know that they feel more exciting to me and they feel like rock 'n roll, like you said. This feels more like a band having fun and there are times this actually sounds like Surfer Rosa, which HEY I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD EVEN DO THAT?? Or even like Devil's Workshop or something, maybe my favorite Catholics album because they sound like they are in a garage and banging songs out fast. (To be clear: I absolutely love Dog in the Sand for how beautiful and lush it sounds...I'm not anti-polished production!)
I appreciate the new album and there's some cool production techniques in it, but damn the thing is slick as hell...I don't mind slick. Frank Black self-titled is slick. Most bands I love are slick. But I don't know. Hearing these songs it felt like traveling back in time a few years before everything got so digital and autotuned and ultra compressed. If they put these 9 songs out as an album (with maybe 1 or 2 more) I may be confused at first but I think I'd massively respect it..It just sounds like they are a real band (I mean, I know they are a real band...) and having fun and rocking and rolling and just thank you Frank for putting this stuff out.
To sum up, these two releases are the exact thing to make me obsess over production and artistic philosophies with music as I often do anyway. I'll be thinking about this all month, I bet.
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 09:46:41
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quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
Well on first listen I already love this collection of songs more than the album.
I follow you on that. I don't know if those are "better" songs, but it's less formal less polished, more spontaneaous. I don't know. It sounds more like rock 'n roll than BTE to me. Maybe it's just production-wise. Less is better.
I appreciate the new album and there's some cool production techniques in it, but damn the thing is slick as hell...I don't mind slick. Frank Black self-titled is slick. Most bands I love are slick. But I don't know. Hearing these songs it felt like traveling back in time a few years before everything got so digital and autotuned and ultra compressed. If they put these 9 songs out as an album (with maybe 1 or 2 more) I may be confused at first but I think I'd massively respect it..It just sounds like they are a real band (I mean, I know they are a real band...) and having fun and rocking and rolling and just thank you Frank for putting this stuff out.
I agree with everything you said (except I’m not sure I hear any Surfer Rosa in there - need to listen some more). Unfortunately, I’m afraid the days of Charles formally releasing anything nice and raw like these demos are behind us. I mean, he released these, but not as an album and he made sure to highly limit their distribution.
I think at least some of the reason for this is his professional results releasing rawer, rougher material in the past. From FB&C on, with some exceptions, almost everything he put out was fairly raw sounding - even the efforts that they really focused on (DITS). Still very live sounding (because it was!). He was rewarded with dwindling sales and increasing irrelevance. Even as the Pixies reunion was banging on all 8 cylinders, his solo releases were largely ignored or scoffed at as being some kind of cynical ploy or something. I’ve read some ridiculous shit about them. So he finally said screw it, after a couple decades of this, it’s not working, so I’m going back to the tired and true methods. Which I think is fine - I love the new Pixies material.
You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
Edited by - johnnyribcage on 09/17/2019 09:59:43 |
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tamefan
- FB Fan -
Canada
239 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 10:50:14
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Joey's guitar tone on Hey, Debussy sounds like Pavement. |
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picpic
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1874 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 11:31:59
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quote: [i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable" |
Edited by - picpic on 09/17/2019 11:34:04 |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 11:39:31
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I think I Just Can’t Break It To You is, for, maybe my instantly favorite Charles song in the last decade.
That’s a hot take, by the way ;)
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
Edited by - johnnyribcage on 09/17/2019 11:56:41 |
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =
USA
955 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 11:58:31
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quote:
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this
Yes, not only that, but Paz weirdly sounds more like Kim here than in any other song I've heard (not that she should "sound like Kim" as a rule.) Like these songs really do sound like early Pixies mixed with solo Frank in a way that is very pleasing to me.
I'm struggling with this cause I really do like the new album and I appreciate how lush it is and the production of it I think is really impressive...but...maybe it's some hipster part of me that wants all that gloss taken away...I am just absolutely loving these demos.
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =
France
786 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 12:58:53
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quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
quote:
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this
Yes, not only that, but Paz weirdly sounds more like Kim here than in any other song I've heard (not that she should "sound like Kim" as a rule.) Like these songs really do sound like early Pixies mixed with solo Frank in a way that is very pleasing to me.
I'm struggling with this cause I really do like the new album and I appreciate how lush it is and the production of it I think is really impressive...but...maybe it's some hipster part of me that wants all that gloss taken away...I am just absolutely loving these demos.
I agree with both of you about how exciting those demos sound, the Pavement and Sonic Youth vibe, the naturally young voices, the not-so-compressed feeling... And even some Surfer Rosa references, minus Albini's specific way of positioning mics. Nonetheless, I prefer the songs on BTE Maybe I would have preferred BTE songs if they sounded like those demos, but that's pure conjecture
This may be the sound Joey was alluding to, in post-HC interviews, when he referred to "rawer, less pop"
Probably not Dalgety's cup of tea, or at least not his vision of how Pixies should sound to make a successful record
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" "Fucking up my devotion!"
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Edited by - sdon on 09/17/2019 13:03:24 |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:01:23
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I agree that on the whole the BTE songs are clearly the stronger material. I think it all shook out just right, as we got 2 great albums that both hang together quite nicely and have their own vibes.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:02:34
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quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: [i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable"
I do think there's an element of pitch-shifting on this mp3s from the record speed potentially... Cyrus seems a fraction sharper than standard tuning for example.
Enjoying Charles' guitar tone on these too. As much as I like the fuzz on the BTE/HC songs at times, this sounds a little cleaner but still crunches. |
Edited by - Ziggy on 09/17/2019 13:03:52 |
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =
France
786 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:05:59
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quote: Originally posted by Ziggy
quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: [i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable"
I do think there's an element of pitch-shifting on this mp3s from the record speed potentially... Cyrus seems a fraction sharper than standard tuning for example.
You may be onto something here Please Don't Go seems abnormally high too
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" "Fucking up my devotion!"
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:20:25
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quote: Originally posted by Ziggy
quote: Originally posted by sdon
quote: Originally posted by Ziggy
quote: Originally posted by picpic
[quote][i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable"
I do think there's an element of pitch-shifting on this mp3s from the record speed potentially... Cyrus seems a fraction sharper than standard tuning for example.
You may be onto something here Please Don't Go seems abnormally high too
-- "Aristophanes! (gong sounds)" "Fucking up my devotion!"
Really enjoying Caught In A Dream now. That and Chapel Hill (which seems the most unfinished of all the demos) were definitely redone in the BTE sessions weren't they? Have I missed any others?
It really does feel like we're in a great era for FBF material.
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Edited by - Ziggy on 09/17/2019 13:20:55 |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:22:56
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Pitch difference could be intentional - these guys are Beatles fans, and they pioneered that trick to go for a specific sound. This almost certainly was cut from a digital master so unless they accidentally pulled a 48/44k mistake in the final digital master, i wouldn’t blame the vinyl. Maybe. But pretty much no one does all analog... could have been from tape I suppose. With Charles I guess that wouldn’t surprise me. Probably digital though. Sprite’s turntable may have been running fast - I haven’t a/b’d but it sounds to me to be identical to my record. I’d have to check to be sure though.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
Edited by - johnnyribcage on 09/17/2019 13:24:59 |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1334 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:27:35
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quote: Originally posted by Ziggy
quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: [i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable"
I do think there's an element of pitch-shifting on this mp3s from the record speed potentially... Cyrus seems a fraction sharper than standard tuning for example.
Enjoying Charles' guitar tone on these too. As much as I like the fuzz on the BTE/HC songs at times, this sounds a little cleaner but still crunches.
That's good sleuthing there. I noticed afterwards the mat had a slight warp on one side. Maybe that's it? I could redo them without the mat I guess. |
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =
USA
955 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:38:23
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Ahahahaha oh my god it is hilarious we all were saying how young they sound and it's cause of possible pitch shifting. Amazing. |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:44:05
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quote: Originally posted by Sprite
quote: Originally posted by Ziggy
quote: Originally posted by picpic
quote: [i]Originally posted by johnnyribcage[ You’re right though, that live, rocking sound is hard to beat. And I think those demos were him throwing a bone to those of us that adore that stuff without making a big deal out of it.
Thats exactly how I feel. Very, very cool move.
And the fact that it sounds like old Pixies stuff is mainly Joey playing without many FX. And also for some odd reason BF voice somehow sounds like he’s 10 years younger on these too. Anyone feeling this ?
___ "Service Unavailable"
I do think there's an element of pitch-shifting on this mp3s from the record speed potentially... Cyrus seems a fraction sharper than standard tuning for example.
Enjoying Charles' guitar tone on these too. As much as I like the fuzz on the BTE/HC songs at times, this sounds a little cleaner but still crunches.
That's good sleuthing there. I noticed afterwards the mat had a slight warp on one side. Maybe that's it? I could redo them without the mat I guess.
You've done us a tremendous service ripping and these!
I was figuring out the chords to Cyrus (a tremendously satisfying song to play) and that's where it struck me.
Would absolutely love a digital/physical release of these and all the other non-album tracks. |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 13:54:59
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quote: Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
Ahahahaha oh my god it is hilarious we all were saying how young they sound and it's cause of possible pitch shifting. Amazing.
Guys I honestly don’t think there is any pitch shifting going on here really. And Sprite, don’t adjust your turntable I just played your file along with my record, and it was pitch perfect, and I know for a fact my set up is dead on.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
Edited by - johnnyribcage on 09/17/2019 13:56:19 |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 14:13:01
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Speaking of Please Don’t Go, I feel like that’s the one above all the others that sounds like a straight up lost track from Svn Fngrs.
I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings. |
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hammerhands
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1594 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 14:58:41
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Is the book that comes with the CD the same content as the booklet with the vinyl? |
Edited by - hammerhands on 09/17/2019 15:08:25 |
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tamefan
- FB Fan -
Canada
239 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 15:06:08
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21 songs in total, more than an hour of music... the most since teenager of the year. whew |
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hammerhands
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1594 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2019 : 15:09:04
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This is now clarified on the store page:
“Includes new album download code. Download does not include bonus tracks or demos.” |
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