Wow, "Double Negative" is really good. The production techniques may be contemporary but conceptually this is not light years removed from the Kranky label's aesthetic. In fact some elements here remind me of early Labradford. I also love how the songs float into each other. How is this live? Maybe I should check out more Low albums because the only one I had since release is "Secret Name". "Songs For A Dead Pilot", "Things We Lost In The Fire" and "Curtain Hits The Cast" have all left my collection at various stages. The latter because it was a reissue. On... urgh.. Plain.
I didn't like it on first listen - couldn't even make it half way through. It's been touted as a stunning artistic statement, and it is indeed quite a challenging work, but I've yet to decipher its beauty. I will give it another try some time, for sure.
Not sure about the "artistic statement", I just like the sound of the album. And I hate how all Low records I've missed, have quite decent ratings/ reviews. And for the life of me, I have no idea why (and when) I sold "Things We Lost In The Fire". Must have seemed like a good idea at the time.
I mean, I always step carefully when I recommend records that are abrasive and noisy. I've done time in the trenches and absolutely love stuff from artists like Wolf Eyes, Merzbow, Les Rallizes denudes, Sunn O))), Full of Hell, Sunburned Hand of the Man and Prurient - so a little abrasive noise and glitchery doesn't bother me in the least. But as you can see from posts in here, others have a real visceral reaction to it. I think it's really cool. And I've actually grown to love it more with additional spins, it is fully deserving of the hype.
Might not be the best choice for getting reacquainted with them (although I really like it)! Try C’mon or The Invisible Way first - their most accessible albums and the high water mark for me.
Thanks for the heads up. Been meaning to delve deeper into their discography as I'm basically new to them, so these two will be a good place to start, methinks.
Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour Amanda Shires To The Sunset Cowboy Junkies All That Reckoning Natalie Prass The Future and the Past Aaron Lee Tasjan Karma For Cheap Paul McCartney Egypt Station .....to name a few
What a great thread. Since I’m new here, lots of what I’d would have posted is already (Mainly Virginia Wing and Lake Ruth, I’m looking at you Davey) Besides those two being my 2nd and 3rd favorites this year, I’ve not seen my number one listed. Lowtide - Southern Mind This is the second lp from this Aussie 3 piece and much stronger than the debut. This band is part of what I’d called the shoegaze rival. Good Songwriting, guy/girl vocals, and wall of sound guitars. True to what made it great in the UK in ‘91. I really think their sound is like The Chameleons mixed with elements of Slowdive. Southern Mind LP, by Lowtide
I love both of these albums... I forgot about the Alaskan Tapes one actually. Will listen to that again tonight. Definitely recommended.
A great archival 2018 release. It is performed on the rudra (a bassy sitar-like instrument) and was recorded in Seattle in 1986.
Another archival at the Roxy album (besides Neil Young’s excellent ‘18 release), the Zappa Roxy album.
The Jonny Greenwood composed OST for “Phantom Thread” is indubitably gorgeous. I’m not familiar with many soundtracks, but this is top notch.
Ideological Organ put out two archival recordings by Ustad Zia Mohuddin Dagar that day. The other is good too. I bought them both. It’s a lot more ambient than most Indian music you hear.
“After,” a live album of mostly songs from “A Crow Looked at Me,” gives another view on those difficult songs about grief. Phil is one of the artists that I collect nearly everything he does because it’s almost always illuminating.
Just found something exceptional. It’s like a cross between Idlewild and Solstafir. Very well played and produced. Singing is otherworldly and emotive. The musician is known for his work in avante metal bands - though this project is much more subdued.
Yea, that is nice, I'm a pretty big sucker for that vintage shoegaze and dreampop sound, especially with some post punk and female voices mixed in, as you say, quite a revival in recent times, just an unimaginable number of bands and albums out there now, I easily find a few really nice ones every year. Tried to get a thread going on the overabundance a couple years ago, but you probably know how far that usually goes here Best Shoegaze and Dream Pop of 2016 Speaking of sheogaze revival, listening to the new one from Magic Shoppe this morning called In Parallel, pretty nice ...
I enjoyed that...will go to BC and check them out. Big fan of Virginia Wing based on your recommendation a couple of years ago....tried to get into Lake Ruth but it's not sticking. Nothing wrong with it but didn't grab me...may give them another shot later today if I have time.