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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =

USA
944 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  10:15:05  Show Profile  Visit Troubles A Foot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I just went to my youtube on my TV and played There's A Moon On. What I did not realize was my fiance had set our youtube to 1.5x speed because she was listening to podcasts on youtube all night.

The song is pretty rocking at 1.5x....
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <

Iceland
3910 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  10:18:02  Show Profile  Visit pot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

quote:
Originally posted by pot
Also something about songs with the main chorus as the title that doesn't chime with me so well.



Nearly all of the entire history of popular music?!?



You got me there. I'm dissing a whole stack of songs that I like with this blanket statement. It must be something else about it that I don't like about it then.
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natenate101
= Cult of Ray =

USA
892 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  11:15:48  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

I just went to my youtube on my TV and played There's A Moon On. What I did not realize was my fiance had set our youtube to 1.5x speed because she was listening to podcasts on youtube all night.

The song is pretty rocking at 1.5x....



Nice. Playing Indie Cindy that way was how it learned to appreciate that album more,
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  11:44:55  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
My notes:

Nomatterday has this great bass line, and the tempo change is promising

Vault of Heaven has the surfiest guitar ever, straight forward surf western

Dregs of the wine also has some weird changes, the last bit sounds brilliant (that *cough*!)

Haunted House has a nice verse after a Pixies by numbers intro
Another 50s/60s vibe and very slick with keyboards and overdubbed backing vocals
Key Change sounds very well done. The moog part is a in your face version of Velouria's theremin

Thunder and Lightning, another nice verse with a heavy produced chorus, instrumentally it sounds great,
Especially the bass

Doggerel: very produced and large arrangement, another great surfguitar, I like the drums and conga's, but the vocals will be the money maker here (or not!). The last solo; I don't know Joey could play like that

Dalgety on the guitars on Doggerel: Tom Petty, George Harrison and Elton John...oh me oh my


---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <

3133 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:05:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good thoughts Mr Goodman.

I’m looking forward to this album.

Will every 2.0 album be a Dalgety thing from now on?
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *

United Kingdom
2461 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:05:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by natenate101

quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

I just went to my youtube on my TV and played There's A Moon On. What I did not realize was my fiance had set our youtube to 1.5x speed because she was listening to podcasts on youtube all night.

The song is pretty rocking at 1.5x....



Nice. Playing Indie Cindy that way was how it learned to appreciate that album more,



1.25x speed is the sweet spot. And not far off from how they ended playing them live!
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *

Canada
1012 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:20:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman



What about the bit on how Dalgety likes to talk about Boston, Foreigner and Sabbath?
That's ok, I guess, musicians should know about rock legends, but I would rather have them discussing
Angst, Violent Femmes and The Cure. Or something totally new. Or very old. Just not classic rock.

---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?



This!

I loved BTE and am grateful for Tom's role in producing it, but after listening to the podcast and the snippets, I think they would benefit from someone in the indie/alternative tradition rather than the hard rock/classic rock tradition. Even if classic rock is closer to where the band is these days mentally, it would be good for a new producer to push them out in that direction.
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <

3133 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:33:53  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

I just went to my youtube on my TV and played There's A Moon On. What I did not realize was my fiance had set our youtube to 1.5x speed because she was listening to podcasts on youtube all night.

The song is pretty rocking at 1.5x....



Trouble, I introduced a friend to Twin Peaks and he’s loving it but he’s watching it at 1.5 which when I found that out I almost disowned him as a friend
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <

3133 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:37:24  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
For anyone else reading this thread and will be interviewing the band please ask this question:

“Charles and Joey, 2024 will mark 30 years since you two collaborated on an album that wasn’t a Pixies album but is regarded as one of the best albums in the history of the universe by countless people, do you have any thoughts on that?”
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =

USA
944 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  12:59:19  Show Profile  Visit Troubles A Foot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bedbug

Trouble, I introduced a friend to Twin Peaks and he’s loving it but he’s watching it at 1.5 which when I found that out I almost disowned him as a friend




Don't even tell me shit like this.
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *

Canada
1012 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  13:10:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
^ Tangentially related, but RIP Julee Cruise.
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =

USA
944 Posts

Posted - 06/10/2022 :  13:12:47  Show Profile  Visit Troubles A Foot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Good thing your friend is ruining her beautiful, atmospheric songs....sigh. What a rotten thing to do to a work of art.

I hate your friend. Tell him that!

Anyway back to the topic: So I finally paid attention to the lyrics for the Moon song.

Uhhhh....ahuh...hmm. I may need to "marinate" on this, as they say.
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  02:20:40  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Woke up with Haunted House in my head, as we say in Dutch.
Its chorus was the only thing I didn't really like from the snippets.

That vocal line is pretty 50's/60's - just like swinging There's A Moon On - and has some beauty in it. But I wish it was more understated.
With a clean production, and maybe just backed with 4 instruments, it's not all that cheesy.

That's a Dalgety choice, I guess.
For instance, the Long Rider chorus sounds more and more like ABBA at the end of the song.
A clean vocal from Pazz, maybe double tracked once, would have been perfect.

But hey, what am I complaining. Doggerel and Thunder + Lightning also sound very produced.
Maybe it will work in context of eachother. Bring it on!




---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1301 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  09:08:05  Show Profile  Visit johnnyribcage's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Like practically all Pixies and FBF going mostly all the way back, for me, the first couple listens (moon) didn’t leave much of an impression or understanding. I also suspect, much like everything else eventually it will worm its way in. I want to hear it in context. Doesn’t feel like a “single.”

Didn’t get to the podcast yet, throwing it on now..


I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.

Edited by - johnnyribcage on 06/11/2022 09:15:32
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charky
- FB Fan -

Israel
1 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  09:59:30  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm getting the feeling that this record has no Paz-song on it (?)
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  10:06:58  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by charky

I'm getting the feeling that this record has no Paz-song on it (?)



Who knows for sure but probably not

---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
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Stevio10
* Dog in the Sand *

United Kingdom
1117 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  12:39:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Podcast was good, snippets sound promising some interesting things going on. One of the biggest positives for me was hearing Charles uses his acoustic a lot, I'm looking forward to those songs in particular.
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1301 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2022 :  20:00:02  Show Profile  Visit johnnyribcage's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Well I listened to the podcast. While it was interesting to hear the band and Tom's insights on the process, mindset, and material, I have to say I wasn't too pumped about the snippets we heard. It sounds like more of the same, and not really in a good way. I'm not one to clamor for a revival of Pixies 1.0 or 2.0 or whatever .0 we're on. I want fresh FBF music. And fresh FBF isn't something that used to be hard to come by.

I'm hesitant to form an opinion without hearing the songs, on the album, in order, as intended, in context, and in their final form. I've self-owned myself countless times in the past doing that, and mea culpas are a bitch.

While I'm hesitant, for the reasons stated, what we do have at hand here is essentially a preview of the album. And I voluntarily dove into it to see what's cooking. And what I'm hearing in these early snippets is kind of a cruise control. Like FBF demos that got a coat of Pixies Paint and Dalgetyized. Like many of us that can't explain what exactly is lacking in the Dalgety approach, I'm aligned with Troubles A Foot in that it lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. His influence and production seems too obvious - it's more of the same.

I know the band is saying they're exploring and evolving… they certainly are happy, and they sound like they’re very content, and that’s awesome - seriously. Especially after the last couple years. On the other hand, it’s a little too comfortable. Tom steers them down these familiar or at least highly predictable paths, and he even said (to paraphrase) when he was pushing an idea, that he wanted "exactly what you would expect." Hmm...

So, like I said, I want to hear the finished product. New FBF always takes awhile to worm in anyway for me. BTE was great. I liked it when it came out, and it only grew from there. But I really was hoping we'd hear some actual exploration. Some groundbreaking. Something fresh. What I've heard so far, sounds a little stale. A little formulaic.

I'm going to try to draw a line in the sand on this one for myself from here out until the release, and not proselytize alone, listening to the voice with my ears. I'll cover my breath, cover my teeth, and keep my fingers crossed. I still have hopes for this one, though they're a little less lofty than before I heard the podcast. In the end, I'm always happy for new musc from the man. As I explained in a lengthy diatribe on another thread recently, I'll take it any way I can get it. The guy is a songwriting legend, and anything new is a good thing, ultimately. All the snippets sound fine. I’m sure it will be good. When I get the vinyl in hand this September, I’ll roll a pinner, crack open a bottle of red, get the headphones on and see what we really have here. And I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

But, until that day, for now, it seems like - sonically, as in the delivery of it - we're on a treadmill at this point. We're working out and getting something from it, but still staring at the same scenery. Physically busting a sweat, but staring at the same old room we're laboring in.


I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.

Edited by - johnnyribcage on 06/11/2022 20:54:50
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <

Iceland
3910 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  02:45:38  Show Profile  Visit pot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I've not listened to the podcast yet and I'm not going to because I don't want to hear snippets of songs before the full album is released. I feel it might negatively influence my perception of the album when I hear it, which is now already tainted by the dirge that we were treated to the other day. Plus, I'm not really that interested in how they produced it as it's not an area I have much knowledge in - I just want to hear the end result. That's the post.
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *

1329 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  04:20:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm in two minds whether to listen it is as well especially after hearing the single, however, after taking two days away from it I listened to it a couple of times today and I am really digging it now. Somebody posted on YouTube that it sounds The Stranglers and it made more sense after that.

So am back very much excited about the new album (although I still think if you want to call it Dolittle Snr you need to put 15 songs on it).
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =

USA
944 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  09:02:36  Show Profile  Visit Troubles A Foot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by johnnyribcage
While I'm hesitant, for the reasons stated, what we do have at hand here is essentially a preview of the album. And I voluntarily dove into it to see what's cooking. And what I'm hearing in these early snippets is kind of a cruise control. Like FBF demos that got a coat of Pixies Paint and Dalgetyized. Like many of us that can't explain what exactly is lacking in the Dalgety approach, I'm aligned with Troubles A Foot in that it lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. His influence and production seems too obvious - it's more of the same.



Yeah. What makes this is even stranger is that we have those damn BTE demos, which to me were FRESH and NEW and surprised me and really dug deep. They are joyous and angsty and sad and...cool? Jesus sometimes I can't listen to them because I have an emotional attachment to those songs and they make me too upset. It's a brilliant album. I don't deny that BTE proper is a very cohesive and flowing album...Tom did a good job in crafting that. And it really seems to be all Tom who decided the tracklist, based on the podcast. But sometimes I think was he INSANE to leave off the demo songs?? WHAT?!?
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  09:51:58  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
To be honest I think that Caught in a Dream, Chapel Hill and Under the Marigold, Hey Debussy are not all that great.
They work on that disc though. Good B-sides


---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?

Edited by - billgoodman on 06/12/2022 10:16:09
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1301 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  11:03:51  Show Profile  Visit johnnyribcage's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by billgoodman

To be honest I think that Caught in a Dream, Chapel Hill and Under the Marigold, Hey Debussy are not all that great.
They work on that disc though. Good B-sides

---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?



I’m in agreement with you on that one. I like the demo disc, but those tracks do sound like B-sides to me as well. I think what gets folks pumped about it is just the underproduced, lofi sound and that the songs were just banged out quick instead of crafted. Sure sounds like they just popped a few mics on the kit, mic’d up each amp, and sang through some dynamic mics all live in a room. The actual songs are kind of besides the point. It sounds (production and performance-wise) to me like Svn Fngrs Tw, Fngr Hrdr. But more lofi. I would definitely prefer to hear the same setup and engineering as BF or SF on a Pixies album. The BTE demos are just a little TOO under-engineered for me.

I absolutely love Bluefinger, and Svn Fngrs is solid too. Part of what makes them work is the approach. Loose and fun, obviously recorded quick and dirty. So when it became clear the Pixies were going to finally do a new album, I wrongly assumed they might keep that approach, since it’s pretty clear Bluefinger was, if not 100% supposed to be Pixies material, it sure as hell sounds like it in many ways, plus the Black Francis name switch to boot.

Anyway, the BTE bonus tracks. Most of them are just okay. and I can see why they didn’t make the cut. Mal de Mer and I Just Can’t Break It to You are great though. Break it sounds like vintage Catholics circa 98-99.




I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.

Edited by - johnnyribcage on 06/12/2022 11:05:28
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *

Canada
1012 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  12:30:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
^ Agreed with the above two posts. A good disc, but a good disc of demos/b-sides - if it was a proper album I would be disappointed with the songwriting, but I love it for the low-stakes thing it is. I *worry* based on the snippets that the songwriting sounds a bit closer to the demos - i.e., vintage Catholics throwaways with the Pixies as a backing band. I put worry in asterixes because as johnnyribcage points out a few posts ago, it's very easy to get egg on one's face by judging FBF songs too early.
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Bedbug
> Teenager of the Year <

3133 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  13:17:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
B-neath the Eyrie seems to be a better title for the album

I like BTE a lot and the BTE B-sides a lot. I don’t think the B-sides would have made sense on the album though
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  13:32:22  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bedbug

B-neath the Eyrie seems to be a better title for the album

I like BTE a lot and the BTE B-sides a lot. I don’t think the B-sides would have made sense on the album though



Very funny, we should keep B-neath as a title

---------------------------
BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <

Iceland
3910 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  13:48:31  Show Profile  Visit pot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I like to think of B-neath the Eyre as "the rest of SVN FNGRS" or "the other nine-fingered hand"

Edited by - pot on 06/12/2022 13:54:27
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Troubles A Foot
= Cult of Ray =

USA
944 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  15:27:01  Show Profile  Visit Troubles A Foot's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I guess no one wanted to adopt my title of Beneath Beneath The Eyrie.
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1301 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  17:31:04  Show Profile  Visit johnnyribcage's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by pot

I like to think of B-neath the Eyre as "the rest of SVN FNGRS" or "the other nine-fingered hand"





quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

I guess no one wanted to adopt my title of Beneath Beneath The Eyrie.



I like it, but B-neath is hard to top...

---------------

So here's some more thoughts on Dalgety... As I think more about what we've been discussing, and about some of his and the band's, particularly Charle's very revealing comments about deprioritizing music, 'who gives a fuck,' etc in light of the seismic world events around us, and other comments, it really seems like that at this point, Dalgety is basically the Fifth Pixie.

He has an extremely consequential and influential role in not just the song selection and recording of the music, but also in the fundamental arrangements and maybe even stretching into some of the songwriting by proxy, or at least influencing it on the spot.

This is the classic, deeply collaborative approach that many old school producers take / took, and I'm sure many still do - as we see here. Obviously Gil Norton had a lot of say in his work with the band, especially on IC.

Having a heavy handed producer involved obviously resonates with the band. And from a process standpoint I'd imagine it's probably nice to have that extra voice and to relinquish some of the brain busting on thinking through arrangements and approaches. Given the path they've been on, I doubt that will change.

But I hope they switch it up for the next one, assuming there is one. FBF *appears* to thrive with a more hands off approach. Or maybe not. I have no idea what Nick Vincent's level of collaboration was with FB&C. But it sure as hell worked. EDF is great - self titled and TOTY in particular are masterpieces - and he's more of a collaborator, but I wasn't as wowed when he came back into the fold with NSE. Everyone knows Albini's role in the classic albums - mostly engineering it seems. Tape a microphone to the floor or whatever and just let the band go.

I'd love to see them do something with Nick Vincent, or bring in someone new. I don't have my finger on the pulse of the industry enough to know who that might be. God help me I can't believe I'm going to say this: Rick Ruben might be able to get something cooking. He's legendarily hands off a lot of the time, but also seems to have an ability to say the right things at the right times to get a band really going. He also seems to have backed off his loudness war approach lately, thank god - the new RHCP is great, subtle, and extremely well recorded and mastered, particularly the vinyl. Put Rick and the band together in a lively studio room with some nice room ambiance, recording as a full band w/ minimal overdubs, and who knows...

None of that will work though if the band needs / welcomes a kick in the ass when it comes to recording and arranging. Not sure they do - but that appeared to be a subtext to the podcast to me anyway.

I dunno. Just some Sunday evening thoughts. My wife’s been away on an annual girls trip since Thursday, and the kids have been at their aunt’s. Bored here.


I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.

Edited by - johnnyribcage on 06/12/2022 17:58:34
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =

France
786 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  22:37:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Listened to the podcast snippets !

Nomatterday (4:00): drums are sounding very Dalgetyesque, and I hear some Cult of Ray atmosphere by Joey.
Bass riff could remind me of a twisted Gigantic, which is good

Vault of Heaven (12:57) : vintage guitar sound a la Surfer Muertos, not sure I like Charles' falsely juvenile voice here

Dregs of the wine (18:25) : does the Kinks argument sound a bit like Black Country New Road ? interesting as it's less Pixiesque than usual...
Some chords remind me of The Who surprisingly. And the ending could be reminiscent of Motorway to Roswell in the 19th century

Human Crime (20:40) : I know it's not on the album, but I really like how bass and drums drive the verse

Haunted House (24:10) : classic Pixies intro, between Monkey Gone to Heaven and Catfish Kate, and Velouria-type solo
I hear the Tom Petty thing too (Learning to Fly :) )
Chorus is more Frank Black than Black Francis

There's a Moon On (28:20) : still find it very bland as a single, but maybe it will fit better on the album

Thunder and Lightning (29:48) : classic sweet pop-rock vibe, not overly modern, no weird twist. Kind of Teenage Fanclub (but then why not?)

Doggerel (35:30) : interesting composition process, cross-pollinizing demos. Rather surprising groove, but not cheesy
(btw the word 'Doggerel' sounds a bit like 'Doolittle')


It seems to me that the guitars on Doggerel are better than on BTE
Not just the sound, but the 'depth of research'.
This is a very important element of the songs wearing out fast or not

Overall, I think I'll like Doggerel, the songs seem more 'natural' than on HC and BTE, with a rich pop appeal
I'm more optimistic than I was when I discovered There's a Moon On, I feel there will be more good surprises

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
"Fucking up my devotion!"

Edited by - sdon on 06/12/2022 23:17:51
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =

France
786 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  23:15:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes Johnny, Tom Dalgety has become the Fifth Pixie, he's kind of the rational brain tying the band's ideas together, allowing Charles not to be prescriptive. He has gained their trust, and he motivates them to raise the bar, kind of. I would go as far as to say his role is similar to Kim Deal's, helping filtering (consciously or not) through the prolific writing.
So we now have Paz and Kim in the same band, lucky us :)

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
"Fucking up my devotion!"
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sdon
= Cult of Ray =

France
786 Posts

Posted - 06/12/2022 :  23:34:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by pot

I like to think of B-neath the Eyre as "the rest of SVN FNGRS" or "the other nine-fingered hand"



I really love BTE demos (Beneath BTE?)
They're totally different from BTE, almost as if from another band
To me they're Bluefinger 2.0 (similar Charles' guitar sound, same vocal gimmicks)

Cyrus-Please-Chapel-Caught is such a strong opening sequence sonically

Not sure if that's even possible, but the Youtube versions sound very good


--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
"Fucking up my devotion!"
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2022 :  00:24:49  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by johnnyribcage

quote:
Originally posted by pot

I like to think of B-neath the Eyre as "the rest of SVN FNGRS" or "the other nine-fingered hand"





quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot

I guess no one wanted to adopt my title of Beneath Beneath The Eyrie.



I like it, but B-neath is hard to top...

---------------

So here's some more thoughts on Dalgety... As I think more about what we've been discussing, and about some of his and the band's, particularly Charle's very revealing comments about deprioritizing music, 'who gives a fuck,' etc in light of the seismic world events around us, and other comments, it really seems like that at this point, Dalgety is basically the Fifth Pixie.

He has an extremely consequential and influential role in not just the song selection and recording of the music, but also in the fundamental arrangements and maybe even stretching into some of the songwriting by proxy, or at least influencing it on the spot.

This is the classic, deeply collaborative approach that many old school producers take / took, and I'm sure many still do - as we see here. Obviously Gil Norton had a lot of say in his work with the band, especially on IC.

Having a heavy handed producer involved obviously resonates with the band. And from a process standpoint I'd imagine it's probably nice to have that extra voice and to relinquish some of the brain busting on thinking through arrangements and approaches. Given the path they've been on, I doubt that will change.

But I hope they switch it up for the next one, assuming there is one. FBF *appears* to thrive with a more hands off approach. Or maybe not. I have no idea what Nick Vincent's level of collaboration was with FB&C. But it sure as hell worked. EDF is great - self titled and TOTY in particular are masterpieces - and he's more of a collaborator, but I wasn't as wowed when he came back into the fold with NSE. Everyone knows Albini's role in the classic albums - mostly engineering it seems. Tape a microphone to the floor or whatever and just let the band go.

I'd love to see them do something with Nick Vincent, or bring in someone new. I don't have my finger on the pulse of the industry enough to know who that might be. God help me I can't believe I'm going to say this: Rick Ruben might be able to get something cooking. He's legendarily hands off a lot of the time, but also seems to have an ability to say the right things at the right times to get a band really going. He also seems to have backed off his loudness war approach lately, thank god - the new RHCP is great, subtle, and extremely well recorded and mastered, particularly the vinyl. Put Rick and the band together in a lively studio room with some nice room ambiance, recording as a full band w/ minimal overdubs, and who knows...

None of that will work though if the band needs / welcomes a kick in the ass when it comes to recording and arranging. Not sure they do - but that appeared to be a subtext to the podcast to me anyway.

I dunno. Just some Sunday evening thoughts. My wife’s been away on an annual girls trip since Thursday, and the kids have been at their aunt’s. Bored here.


I had a bad reaction to your public hobby writings.



Great post. I think that Tom is an ideal partner (in crime) and perfect for what they are doing: trusting on their manager to record and release when he thinks it's right. "The King ordered a song".

So they are always on a schedule. And Tom is very good in project planning. Paz says something about that in the last episode, but it was also a topic before.

In the last podcasts series and in the new episode FBF is always downplaying his own roll as an artist. He could make a record a year, but management chooses not to. Painting is his main creative outlet.


In the last episode he keeps on talking (I love that, but he can sound a bit like a high school teacher) on the medium of music (lps, singles, 3 minute song). Even Tony, who seems the nicest guy in the planet, has to stop him.

Back to "the king ordered a song", I guess Richard Jones is also a big player in the bands career. Maybe more than Ken Goes was before. I have a very romantic idea of artists releasing music because they want to. They need to. They want to scratch their creative bone. Frank did that with the Catholics. I'm sure about that. Also briefly during Bluefinger/SVN FGRS-ero. Releasing albums becauses he had a creative outburst. Maybe the first run of the Pixies was also like that.

FB and the C's was great, and I believe they all enjoyed working so hard. They had a good run too, but it was very based on craftmanship and blood, sweat and tears. Driving their own van and carrying their own amps.

Nowadays FBF plays shows that are bigger than one could ever imagine. Even in 2004/2005. No way that it was expected that they could still play these crowds 17 years after their first reunion tour. I think that the band is very grateful for that and don't want to lose that. Richard Jones seems to know how to keep them in the eye of the public and the media and the music industry.

I don't think that Jones will let them release a new record - which may be already in the can - after Doggerel soon. But what do I know?
I would love it of course!

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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken?
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6201 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2022 :  00:27:40  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sdon

Listened to the podcast snippets !

Nomatterday (4:00): drums are sounding very Dalgetyesque, and I hear some Cult of Ray atmosphere by Joey.
Bass riff could remind me of a twisted Gigantic, which is good

Vault of Heaven (12:57) : vintage guitar sound a la Surfer Muertos, not sure I like Charles' falsely juvenile voice here

Dregs of the wine (18:25) : does the Kinks argument sound a bit like Black Country New Road ? interesting as it's less Pixiesque than usual...
Some chords remind me of The Who surprisingly. And the ending could be reminiscent of Motorway to Roswell in the 19th century

Human Crime (20:40) : I know it's not on the album, but I really like how bass and drums drive the verse

Haunted House (24:10) : classic Pixies intro, between Monkey Gone to Heaven and Catfish Kate, and Velouria-type solo
I hear the Tom Petty thing too (Learning to Fly :) )
Chorus is more Frank Black than Black Francis

There's a Moon On (28:20) : still find it very bland as a single, but maybe it will fit better on the album

Thunder and Lightning (29:48) : classic sweet pop-rock vibe, not overly modern, no weird twist. Kind of Teenage Fanclub (but then why not?)

Doggerel (35:30) : interesting composition process, cross-pollinizing demos. Rather surprising groove, but not cheesy
(btw the word 'Doggerel' sounds a bit like 'Doolittle')


It seems to me that the guitars on Doggerel are better than on BTE
Not just the sound, but the 'depth of research'.
This is a very important element of the songs wearing out fast or not

Overall, I think I'll like Doggerel, the songs seem more 'natural' than on HC and BTE, with a rich pop appeal
I'm more optimistic than I was when I discovered There's a Moon On, I feel there will be more good surprises

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
"Fucking up my devotion!"




Thanks for your notes, I enjoyed reading them and I will listen with more detail to their guitars.

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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *

Canada
1012 Posts

Posted - 06/13/2022 :  00:59:00  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sdon

Yes Johnny, Tom Dalgety has become the Fifth Pixie, he's kind of the rational brain tying the band's ideas together, allowing Charles not to be prescriptive. He has gained their trust, and he motivates them to raise the bar, kind of. I would go as far as to say his role is similar to Kim Deal's, helping filtering (consciously or not) through the prolific writing.
So we now have Paz and Kim in the same band, lucky us :)

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
"Fucking up my devotion!"




Yes, I'm not opposed to an actively involved producer. I see latter-day Charles as being similar to latter-day Neil Young; both are very prolific, but songwriting comes so naturally to them that they benefit from a guiding influence/quality control filter. After some pretty lean years after the death of his producer, Neil's best latter-day album Le Noise was the result of his collaboration with Daniel Lanois, who ordered Neil to come back with a stronger batch of songs after being impressed by the first wave, and then worked to find a new sound for the two to explore. In the BTE podcast we see Tom doing good work pushing Charles (we should all be grateful for the suggestion for the Daniel Boone bridge), and was instrumental in getting the band to flesh out arrangements (though perhaps the band over-relies on him for arrangements now).

It was a good run - but the difference between him and Kim serving as filters (if she did indeed do this) is that Kim has impeccable taste. That's missing with Tom who is more of a hard rock guy. As I wrote before, I would really like to see them shake things up next time with a producer who can push them in the art-rock direction. But yes, it sounds like Tom might firmly be the fifth Pixie at this point (the podcast even calls them a five-man unit).
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