I've been listening to the new Grouper record a lot...
... and I would like to know:
a) what you all think of it
b) what else I can listen to a bit like it.
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It grows on me with each listen
I had dismissed it as a "Dragging a dear..." outtakes collection, but it stands alone as an album.
As for recommendations... well first go through her back catalogue, because there isn't anyone quite like her. She also has some split albums with Tiny Vipers (Mirroring) and Inca Ore. Then try:
Julianna Barwick
Lee Noble
Noveller
Me too
a) It's ace
b) You probably know already, but the tracks on the new record were from the same sessions as the album 'Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill' so you'll almost certainly like that. Would also really recommend Grouper's 'A I A' set that came out in 2011 if you haven't already heard it.
As for other stuff, I reckon you might like Illyas Ahmed (he plays with Grouper a lot and they have a split album out).
Natural Snow Buildings would be another - don't sound too much like Grouper (don't think many people do) but they do a similar drone/folk thing. Would start with their 'Dance Of The Moon And The Sun' record, but you can't really go wrong with much of their stuff.
i'd agree with natural snow buildings, they have so much variety in their albums but some of their songs do the grouper vocals+reverb as an instrument thing, the side project isengrind especially
I think its great
Not quite as beautiful as Dragging.. A couple of times that the melodies really resemble some of those on that album.
I don't think there's anything exactly like Grouper but for what its worth I've been listening a lot to Sibylle Baier - a German lady who made lots of beautiful folk in the 70s, and on the other side of that an album by Lee Gamble called Diversions 94-96 which is a series of cut up old jungle tapes stretched and edited into a fantastic ambient record. Those two combined i guess = Grouper.
Also as an aside
I liked how Pitchfork admitted they underrated Dragging a Dead Dear initially (despite giving it 8.2). I was expecting a stellar reissue review, but none yet.
As everyone else has already said,
plough through her previous works - AIA is amazing IMO.
To be honest I'm not the biggest fan of "Dragging..." but the new one is fantastic; a good mix of her acoustic stuff and proper droney ambient material.
In a shockingly shameless JAG, I rip off Grouper's guitar sound whenever I can, so if you fancy a free EP of similar noises -
http://soundcloud.com/stormsonthemoon
In the fall of 2009, I got married.
My best man came to the wedding with swine flu, which I then caught. I spent about a month at home, since I couldn't go to work with a plague.
During that week, I smoked a fair amount of pot. On one such occasion, I watched the video for "Hold the Way," which if you haven't seen it, looks like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhiKqkmkvO4
Now, that video is disconcerting while sober. But I was very, very high. And it freaked me the fuck out.
I never smoked pot again.
I really like the new Grouper album, though. She doesn't make duds, it seems.
Fuck me
that's terrifying
Have you heard Ekin Fil?
She's Turkish and makes music that definitely has a Grouper-ish vibe. Pretty sure it was Liz Harris who recommended her to Root Strata, although I might be making that up.
should be hearing it in a few days when it comes through the post
as for comparisons, I'd second the Mirrorring album because it's just brilliant... as well as some stuff you've probably already heard (Cocteau Twins' more ambient stuff, esp. their collab with Harold Budd, Slowdive's 'Pygmalion' has some bits that I'm sure influenced Grouper ('Cello', mainly)).
Main thing I'd mention, thinking about it, would be something by Fieldhead -- if you dig the degraded sound. I reviewed his latest album here: http://beardrock.com/reviews/fieldhead, but his EP 'Riser' is probably the most Grouper-ish.
gorgeous stuff.
hadn't listened before. will be picking up 'Dragging...' immediately.
There is a Grouper gig in Bristol
and although I don't know much of her/their stuff, I may go along. Has anyone had experience of them live, what are they like?
Cheers
Saw her supporting Fennesz
She was good but... went on a bit. The plug ended up being pulled on poor Fennesz (it was in a church so had a strict curfew.)
I saw her open for...
...get this...
...Animal Collective on the Merriweather Post Pavilion tour???
That is still one of the most beautifully mismatched lineups I've ever seen. I had never heard of her before that show. She sat down in a chair near the end of the stage, just her, a couple pedals, her guitar, and a mic. And she proceeded to make some of the most beautiful music I've seen performed live in my life. The venue was half full at that moment, so everything bounced off of everything. Normally, people end up talking a shitton during an opener like that, but the place was almost silent and reverent. It was fucking incredible.
that sounds amazing
though I can imagine it would have been a HUGE contrast.
I've never seen so many dumbstruck faces.
I've seen people unable to process that contrast before (I once saw a Jesus Lizard cover band booed off stage because they wanted Girl Talk to come out already), but people were almost speechless.
It was a really beautiful thing.
So she's good live?
I love her music but never imagined it could be done justice live.
I always imagine (having never seen her live, I should add)
that it'd be quite the experience to hear those sounds live in a big room. Probably not something I'd invite someone unfamiliar with her to.
I'm awfully tempted by this Bristol thing.
Yes.
She is very, very good live. Go see her.
If you like Grouper
You'll like Harmony in Ultraviolet by Tim Hecker.
It's awesome.
or any Hecker, you could argue
I was listening to Harmony today, and I decided that Radio Spiricom is one of my favourite album moments ever. The pitchfork review described it sounding like "something huge that has been torn apart" and "the album turned inside out" and I have to agree with that. It's huge and awe-inspiring, especially after the calm of "Harmony in Blue IV".
I had never made that connection before.
Listening to "Chimeras" (my favorite moment on Harmony in Ultraviolet), there is definitely something unnerving and unsettling going on just beneath the surface of everything. That record is vaguely terrifying, because the notes connect with a very weird part of your brain.
Or MY brain, at least.
Chimeras is my favourite track
I've only recently discovered Harmony and have become a bit obsessed with it.
Dungeoneering is an ABSOLUTELY CLASS DRONE THROB!
Looks like everybody has a favourite moment on HIUV. I also love how the intro and outro Rainbow Blood tracks almost feel like you're being washed / cleansed in drone. Beautiful, beautiful music.
Chimeras is a rareity in that it's a Hecker track that works out of its album context
I do love it too, rinsed it when I first got into him. Radio Spiricom just eleviates the whole album for me.
The Battle Of Land And Sea
http://youtu.be/XunZgm3vLHY
also Marissa Nadler
http://youtu.be/Q0QGX1z7oSk
just came through the post!
not going to listen to it till later. Mainly cause it's so damn sunny and thus is not really Grouper weather.
I dig the artwork and FREE STICKERS though.
definitely agree with Storms on the Moon
having only listened to 'Dragging...' for the first time today, it sounds like 'The Man Who Died in His Boat' feels definitely like a medium point between that and the less acoustic, more reverb 'n droney stuff on 'AIA'
Bought this on Friday
and have been enjoying it very much. As said upthread, the melodies on this one are quite similar in places to Dragging... but it is a stormer nonetheless.
The A I A duo of albums are great, but no one really sounds like Liz Harris.
Just listened to Grouper for the first time.
I think it's probably exactly what I've been looking for since always.
How should I listen to Grouper?
baked, fried?
http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4424719#r7312970
Already covered by myself.