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Idlewild: The Remote Part

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by Sara Lovejoy
[this review is late cus sean the editor *thought* he'd uploaded it, after much staff fighting. then didn't. for some reason. so here's sara's interpretation as we know you probably have it already...]

"What if you held the world in your arms?"

What if, indeed you held this blunt, rusted world in your arms. Your hands cupping its curve and your tears plopping into its many oceans.

"If I need to remember that the entire Earth is outside this room
So close the windows, keep the curtains shut forever"

Like a child, optimistically sad, waiting for the sunshine wearing a bright yellow t-shirt, when all there is to see is grey rain clouds. Idlewild bend into my ears like a startled cat jumping through a forgotten window. Nothing so stunning has come through that window in so long, I had forgoten it was open.

"I return but don’t remain, I’m impatient for a reason
To complain about winter, making me see through again"

They spread their beauty like the best jam, made from boiled up stars and silver moonlight, caught from a reflection using a green fishing net. My pulse begins to gain pace, as my eyes roll into the back of head. I want to eat all the words laid out infront of me. Have them sink into my stomach and turn my blue blood crimson.

Each song is sublime, lyrically and musically. Roddy spills his vocals like a clumsey, just woke up person spilling gasoline. My body taps and jars, i want to jump against walls and hide under my bed, both at the same time. (I mean that in good way)

"And happiness, did it happen
Sooner than the doubt it cost you
You learn from the mistakes that I taught you"

These words are what I want to say, even though i know nothing of what they mean. Words hummed under my breath for days, words aching to be heard, but Roddy does it so much better. I need to sidle up to the speaker, put my arms around it and press my head against the fine mesh. Just to get close to it. Just to get warm from its after glow. This is a perfectly imperfect (cos who likes perfection?) collection of songs that make the days seem warmer and the nights more magical.

"We stop in every passing place
To watch the world move faster than we do
Watch it pass with our eyes closed the way we usually choose to"

  • Idlewild 10 / 10

Idlewild - The Remote Part

what's everyones favourite song? I think mine is 'Stay the Same' - anyone know if that's the next single?

i really want to interview roddy to talk about this album. think i can get a phone interview. a lot of it sounds very post 9/11 and everso slightly demanding social revolution or at least some subtle revolution.

sean

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

No. This album is about girls.
The lyrics are rambling and i find the effect is about what relationships can do when they go wrong, its a load of messed up thoughts coming out in an incoherant fashion but they still make perfect sense.

Idlewild - The Remote Part

Call this a review? You are a strange, strange person, and possible borderline psychotic. What happened to, like, describing what the album was actually like? Are you nuts or what?

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

This was a wonderful, passionate review . I presume Goliath would rather the author wrote a plain description
.... just like every other plain drab review... but maybe Goliath never gets moved by records and can't relate to people who do...
Perhaps passion is indeed a temporary psychosis... then Vive la Psychosis!

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Here, here!

If you want chord structures, go buy the tab sheets. If you want to hear how people feel about a record, then carry on reading.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Yes, this is a beautiful kind of review, so what if it talks in pictures and dreams, isn't that what music inspires? Some things are to big to be put into ordinary words.
This record has a similar effect on me, too.
And of course you'd call it psychosis, after all creativity is nothing but a pretty disease, but everyone wants to be sick with it! :)

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Wierdly, I prefer my psychosis on the actual record, and look to critics for my critisism. But that's just me. I look forward to reading a passionate 12-stanza ballad describing the "critic-visualised thought-pictures" Radiohead's next album inspires, at least that way something arising from Radiohead will be entertaining.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Who gives a fuck about "critics" that kind of journalism should just fucking die. Inspired writing and sharing the joy of music, that's what it's about. Who cares about someone who isn't some superstar or who can't create music, or even create half descent prose, then why bother? be a bricklayer. be a fighter pilot. don't be the judge and jury over people who at least try to be creative.

critics. pah. i just hate the idea of them. why criticise? why judge? just enjoy, swim, drown, lose yourself, in the sound. that's what this site is about. if you want boring, chord structure dissections and degree-level grammar fuck off and read Q or Mojo or one of those proper muso magazines.

I want to know about stars, inspiring music, life changing records, records which make no sense, records which define, which invoke, which feel spiritual and dizzying. records which actually matter. entertain me, writers and musicians alike.

if you don't like it, fuck off.

sean

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

So you want everyone to tell you how great your site is?

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

I hate you, Sean. If you would just accept the fact that the Remote Part review is actually EMBARRASSING, then we could all just forget it. You don't realise that you're appearing as more and more of a pretentious git with every post you make. You've clearly missed the point of music, which is enjoyment and entertainment... not all this bollocks. I can't decide what's more embarrassing... the album, the review, or you.

I take it all back

Forgive me, now I've actually had time to study the review in-depth I can see that it is genius, with comments like:

"Your hands cupping its curve and your tears plopping into its many oceans."

"Idlewild bend into my ears like a startled cat jumping through a forgotten window. " (What?)

"i want to jump against walls and hide under my bed, both at the same time. (I mean that in good way)"

And my own personal favorite:

"They spread their beauty like the best jam"

LOL!

Seriously though, if you're a critic, it's probably best to appear impartial, which might not best be achieved by making it seem like you want to fuck the lead singer. That aside, this is clearly genius.

Re: I take it all back

that is good critisism. a lot of that cringeworthy review made no sense whatsoever.

Re: I take it all back

"Cringeworthy" - that's the word. I thought it was written by a 14 year old.

Re: I take it all back

Geez, and i thought being horrible was something humans grow out of. I bet you heckle at gigs during some of the most beautiful, touching, tear-jerking moments ruining it for everyone is.

Like i always say, if you can do better, try it.

Only losers who couldn't do it sit and poke everyone else who're trying.

Why don't you put your real names/emails? Scared you might be wrong. This is the internet, there's 54million people in england alone, no-one will know who you are.

Doesnt mean we can't find you...

Re: I take it all back

So i'm not allowed to say i dislike stuff now? Sorry Sean. The review was truly masterful.
And don't assume i'm a wanker just because i didn't like the review. I could easily sit and tell you to fuck off and make a better album if you wrote a bad review of something, because you're not trying to make good albums. Y'know?

Re: I take it all back

And if you really want to know who i am, i'll be happy to email you. I don't particularly want to leave my address on the posts though.

Re: I take it all back

Think about it, Sean. DiS posts negative reviews of albums every fucking day, and we aren't allowed to post negative comments about anything? At all? So what is it, Sean. Do you fancy the person who wrote the review? Or do you fancy Roddy Woomble? And another thing... if you go to gigs for "beautiful, tearjerking moments" (or whatever the fuck it was you said) then you really should stop listening to fucking Coner Oberst and learn to have a good time.

Re: I take it all back

Ah, so we wrote a bad review of your band.

That grammar and capilization looks SO very, very, very Joe Wisbey.

Me, paranoid, never...

Sean
p.s. i dont even like bright eyes, was just suggesting something. you can't really fuck people off during the loud bits, unless you wank in their faces or something, which maybe you do.

Re: I take it all back

Come on. You can't think that everyone that disagrees with you holds some sort of grudge. Sometimes people just don't agree.
Y'know...that's like saying whoever reviewed the papa roach album gave it a bad review because the singer turned down his sexual advances or something. and that's clearly not true.

Re: I take it all back

I wouldn't put it past Raz.

I just don't like the way you don't use your real name e-mail when clearly you can and would if you had any respect in slating other people, which is what you're doing... i mean, would you walk along the street and tell someone you hated what they're wearing or would you let the stranger walk on by?

Same differences.

Re: I take it all back

Fair enough, Sean. Fair enough. Happy?
Am I allowed to have an opinion now?

Re: I take it all back

An opinion cotrary to yours, that is.

Re: I take it all back

Contrary. Hmmm...

Re: I take it all back

Go on Hank. Tell him what you think. I'm embarrassed to read the review actually.

Re: I take it all back

My name is James Crichton and my email address is now visible. Do I have your permission to speak my mind now? Excuse me while I "wank in your face". Prick.

Idlewild - The Remote Part

You seem to be complimenting Idlewild on their lyrical ability. WHY?! It's their weakest area, they right a damn fine tune, but Roddy's lyrics could have been written by a 15 year poet-wannabe.

Good lyricists =
Stuart Murdoch - B&S
Morrissey - Smiths
Stephen Merrit - Magnetic Fields

Idlewild - The Remote Part

This is simply a wonderful, beautiful album...

Re: Worst review ever written ?

well no. basically. it reflects the beauty of the album, and is far more enjoyable than a breakdown of chord structures that some longer more rambling reviews tend to be. ptx

Re: Worst review ever written ?

face it, man. the review is just a joke.

oh, and idlewild suck

Re: Worst review ever written ?

Face it, having an opinion and no indentity is about as sensical as calling rape, love or not entering a competiton and complaining cus you didn't win or whatever. if you dont like something, just fuck off, innit.

face off, face on...

Re: Worst review ever written ?

Would you rather everyone posted about how brilliant the review is? Come on...

Re: Worst review ever written ?

not posting under my own name shows that i recognise rape as being love?
sorry ?

oh, and just quit your fucking ass as DiS head honcho cos you didn't know that 'Rocks' was actually a real Primal Scream song.


Idlewild - The Remote Part

Worst review since, erm, the Def Leppard one. Tell us how emotionally involved the author is with the album, but it doesnt tell what it sounds like, or how good it is. That would work far better as a piece of prose than a review.

Still, it doesn't tell me why the last single sounded like The Frank and Walters though does it? LOL

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Yes. Hmm. Whats the record sound like? What's it mean? Lots of great prose. But it's not a review. It's a prose-poem destined for diaries and obscure first novels I think.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Bleh! read the small print... it said everyone will have heard/bought it by now who was planning to. And if you don't know what idlewild sound like, what on earth are you doing reading this website?

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

So what is the point in this review even existing? Is it in fact just a self-indulgent, pretentious, contrived and embarrasing piece of shit which was written purely for sake of the reviewer's vanity? Yes. Yes it is.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Yes! Finally someone who gets it! Reviews are supposed to be personal, relating how a certain individual conects with a sound, and inspiring to others. Idlewild are a stonking band who have been around for ages, so if you don't know what on earth they sound like maybe you should take your heads out of your own arses and concentrate on the music rather than pelting reviewers with icy cold words, in an attempt to make your own views heard.(BREATHE!) If you don't like it, think you can do better, go on then! Write your own damn reviews, show us what you can do, your own true ideas, emotions that are attached to a record, up here, in the public domain, for others to tear to shreads. Not feeling so brave now? Go on you must have some idea of how a record makes you feel, release a little of that pent up aggression! Dares ya!

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

I'd have to agree with you on that one. 6th form poetry isn't the way to go with record reviews, please... *cringes*

nothing personal by the way, i'm sure it all makes sense in your head but to the reading public it - well - doesn't.

Idlewild - The Remote Part

a refreshing, marvellous and charming review. i must investigate this album soon.

Idlewild - The Remote Part

I've followed this debate with interest, and two things seem abudantly clear. First, that there are far too many people willing to snipe mercilessly from the sidelines without offering anything better as an alternative. And second, that subjective, free associatative writing provokes more thought and debate than callow, monochrome, say-nothing, amateurish music criticism. (and God knows, there's enough of that on this site.)

That's not to say that I found Sara's review faultless. (In fact, I found its maze of rather clumsy, unintentionally humourous quasi-metaphors a little embarrassing to read.) Neither am I a fan of Idlewild. But at least the review was driven by a genuine passion for the subject it tackled. Personally, I'm glad she had the guts to approach the album in such a way, and it's a shame that so many would seek to deny her the confidence to attempt such a review again.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

I thought it was a good review. It's only the worst review in the world because you have to think abut what it means. An alternative review is needed for the retards:

"Idlewild have returned with their 4th album! I don't have any kind of opinion so I'll just tell you what it sounds like and fuck off. Ummm, actually why don't you just go to a fucking listening booth in HMV you fucking cunts."

I wonder if they understood that. I doubt it. Go let your mum force feed your CDs down your fucking throat. It depresses me when I have to think about the idiots that I write for. You're not even worth educating. Stay ignorant. Flip me a fucking burger.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Grrrr. Raz is great.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

hehehe...I'll drink to that.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

You really are a wanker, aren't you?

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Doing something with feeling does NOT make it good. I was feeling pretty intense when i took a shit this morning, but it still stunk. You can go tell people that they're retarded for not basking in the smell of it if you want though.
And my mum doesn't force me to listen to Brainiac.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Does not INSTANTLY make it good, that is.

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

I suggest that drowned in sound abolishes text reviews and begins to communicate its musical opions in morse code in order to make its readership think more.

but Raz, it's not as if you've been writing your reviews in pig latin up to now, is it ?

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

oh, forgot to say

wanker!

Re: Idlewild - The Remote Part

Since reviewers are supposed to give honest opinions about stuff they review, they should expect honest opinions from people who read their reviews.
Hopefully the writer won't be discouraged. Her decent: shite review ratio's still in her favour.

Idlewild - The Remote Part

50 (now 51) have replied to this review. therefore it's good.

there are three types of review
1) detailed analysis (you've read this in Q)

2) bland pap based on cliches and pre - determined judgements (you read THIS in NME)

3) An empassioned responce to the music written by a true music fan (you read this HERE)




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