lukowski

but the Dead (and those jam bands in general) are a much bigger deal in the States than over here, especially with baby boomer-style publications like Rolling Stone. I meant no disrespect to Jerry Garcia, or his lovely ice cream.

Spiritofjazz's contributions to Pearl Jam DiScussion over the years noted - he can have the signed goodies, but not clear that he's up for the game, so I'll PM him to see if he's arsed about it, if not we'll award two prizes, yeah?

tbh I spent a faintly embarrassing amount of time looking for the original post to see if I could work out who it actually was...

Oops on trac name type, corrected.

I'm going to be honest, I was in a bit of a rush today

I've never actually enquired as to whether she's actually American or not, but I think it's fair for her, maybe not so for everyone...

and I can't quite put my finger on why

I've actually thought Kasabian have always been rather deft in interviews in making themselves look as laddish as possible to get the media to say they're 'like Oasis' so their relatively weird music can reach a wider audience.

As for the article... some good points, but I don't really see EXACTLY what you're driving at. There's virtually no mention of any chart pop music here, just mainstream indie bands, so I'm a little confused about who PRECISELY you think isn't getting written about with enough respect. I mean, you're surely not saying that The Enemy deserve more respect than The Black Eyed Peas because they're a guitar band?

I mean, also I think while you may have a fair point about broadsheets (though by choosing to purchase a relatively low-selling paper like the Guardian's rather than something like NOTW - which has pretty good music reviews - then you've probably painted yourself into a certain corner) then the majority of the music press is niche to some extent or other; backing Snow Patrol simply because they're popular shouldn't be a prerequisite of being A Music Publication. And actually, Q presumably WOULD put them on the cover...

But I was talking about in the greater scheme of Nirvana gigs, and I suppose an awful lot has been written and said about this gig and if felt a lot more 'normal' than I'd maybe expected. I suppose I'm contrasting with Unplugged, which does feel overtly 'special' and one off and has a kind of end of days thing to it. This is good, and I'm sure a lot of people will get a lot from it.

If you're going to give something 7/10 then in all likelihood you're going to start off with what's good and finish with what's wrong, or vice versa. You can't just omit yr criticisms, like.

not that there's any reason you should know Mr Powell's bio, but you're WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY off the mark here.

for Julian C. Great first line, Rob, sadly sadly true

looks like I totally failed to predict the reaction here! I agree it's a flawed and messy album, and that a lot of what Thom says basically makes sense but for me those first three tracks are enough to make the whole endeavor reasonably worthwhile.

this is going to be controversial. Personally I think the first three tracks are pretty astonishing and then it perhaps does get buried by the kitchen sink approach, but I quite enjoy all the texture floating about. Also I think it's as much a country-influenced record as an eighties/'eighties' one. Though 'eighties' country is as dark a sounding genre as I can imagine. Anyway, well-argued, even if I disagree, hope this comments thread doesn't turn into a total bloodbath.

Okay, pmckeand wins for both the deployment of those accursed 'facts' in a non annoying way, and also the v touching second bit. Cool. Will be in touch.

(sorry)

Peculiar, innit?

I think maybe it does come down to the fact that If It Was You and This Business Of Art are much more my type of thing - I definitely respect the fact that a lot of people like the last couple of records, but I do think they are basically AOR, albeit pretty good AOR, and I think they could have turned out a very different band had they not pursued that route/stayed working within the restraints of being a 'proper' duo.

Sort of see what thephotobooth/Laura is saying, but I think Night Watch! and Arrow in particular are really good, interesting electronic songs that do bear out that more experimental side really well. But yeah, it's a bit frustrating that they've had these somewhat hifalutin conceits to The Con and - technically - this one (there's some guff about the lyrical concerns tying in with the name) but they've never really applied any sort of concerted aesthetic to their music (or they haven't since they lost the restrictions of it just being the pair of them). I think if you took the best bits this and the more electronic bits of The Con you'd probably have a pretty cracking record, but they'll always write trite emo strums to bulk it out. Is the problem.

I suppose the only way around that would be to rate each song and present the final score as an average. And that would literally be THE WORST SYSTEM EVER.

and 10/10 is 'mostly good'...

rattle this all off on my mobile, hence inefficient posting - Ardack was the winner, sorry I wasn't a bit clearer.

he sounds properly delighted. Given the attention to detail, fact it's for a good cause, etc, it's really very hard to tell whether it's meant to, y'know, all be a big joke or not.

Much as I love the album, it didn't totally click with me 'til I saw her live. While I think a lot of that was to do with how fucking terrifying her stage show is, I think there's an extra weight there, especially to the pitch-shifted songs... hope that's comes off here.

it's just because the review is generated with a cross ref to the listings, and obviously the support is sometimes reviewed, it just depends when the reviewer get there, alack

artist DiS covered in his 'indie' incarnation with The Library + Kanye West, who DiS would cover = somebody we're writing about. Maybe he'll drift off too far one way, but for now DiS is writing about him, Rough Trade are stocking him, etc. Not my thing, but Ed's explained his reasons for liking pretty well.

I was all lined up to bring the pain, but that's meek Row-B. MEEK, I tell you.

is incredible, definitely one of my songs of the year, would heartily recommend.

I knew it sounded like something!

But I thought the 4 stood pretty well - he had some nice stuff to say about bits of it, but he didn't really seem to like any of the actual songs.

I wonder if musicians having a breakdown over the 'death of the album' is going to become a recognised psychological problem..?

I think the musical palette is definitely noise-based (drones, feedback, heavy distortion) but they've used it to create something that approximates 90s-style dance music. I think it probably depends on what your definition of noise is; but I think I'd definitely call this a dance record rather than a noise one. It's definitely not a noise record attitudinally.

it pretty much came down to being left with a nagging feeling that they'll top it.

I really should physically invest in this album...

I have literally no idea why I use Chrome (no spellcheck), it's sort of got me hypnotised

You really think 'most journalists' went to private school? I suppose a fair number probably did, but I think you're giving the profession more credit than it's due (or at least, music-wise - don't private school kids tend to be successful?)

I did mean cover artists on Warp specifically, labelmates covering labelmates isn't that weird. Unless you're saying No Idea did a Warp covers album? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE FUCKING WEIRD.

I suspect it is, can't really imagine them doing it at the MAC!

I misread it as Jim James from My Morning Jacket. I thought he was an unusual guest. Probably for the best.

is what I'd like to know, please

My problem with them is that they kind of sound like a Tesco Own Brand Fleet Foxes. Though I can see why that might appeal.

Ultimately if Dom thinks the debut was a 9/10 (or even 10/10) record, then his actual room for manoeuvring is fairly microscopic when faced with the task of summarising a feeling of anti-climax via the medium of a single, lower digit.

it just smacks of a writer trying to elevate their personal musical opinion into a higher social virtue - his basic argument is 'good old fashioned guitar record with lyrics reflective of the present'.

Though actually reading it it doesn't actually use the word important anywhere, does it? Oops, argument fail on both accounts.

to me it just sounds way more conventional indie rock than the first

it just seems weird that nobody involved in the process even turned round and said 'er, this is starting to get just a wee bit dull...' - I find it inconceivable that NOBODY involved in the process found the record horribly boring. And I've got such good memories of seeing him live in Brizzle a couple of times...