SMC: THE FOR CARNATION ~ The For Carnation

transplant

Ok, Popmatters review:

by Erin Hucke

"Whenever I hear landscapic, guitar-based rock with few vocals, I automatically compare it to Scottish innovators, Mogwai. I consider Mogwai's Come On Die Young one of the best records of 1999, so every band falling loosely into the post-rock, instrumental ramblings category is inevitably, and somewhat unfairly, held up to the light Mogwai casts. Everyone must stand in line to be compared side by side with the Moggies to get my post-rock seal of approval. Not too many bands make the cut. The For Carnation does.

The For Carnation fashion this means of cerebral journey with lazy, repeated patterns, and controlled, premeditated guitar notes and drum beats. Ex-Slint member Brian McMahan and crew slither through this six-song/45-minute album with a little vocal help from Kim Deal, formerly of the Breeders, and Rachel Haden of That Dog.

The For Carnation meanders through faraway, hazy yellow fields. It stumbles over twigs in remote wooded areas. It crawls along dim city streets at night. The album has motion. The album has velocity. The album slinks along without climbing. It builds out, not up. It stretches across scenic countrysides you've never seen in real life before. This is eyes-closed music.

This album is space rock minus the space. It's expansive, earth-bound rock. It's organic. It's the deep grain in dark wood. It's a handful of rich soil. It's a smooth sedimentary stone. It's the beauty of imperfection.

You can't see through the opaque wanderings of The For Carnation. Hold the album up to the light and it blocks out the sun. The deep-colored lushness of the album doesn't just equal Mogwai's music on the genre plane. The For Carnation sneaks up on it, taps it on the shoulder and steals its crown before Mogwai can figure out what hit 'em."

This CD begs to be listened to on headphones, preferably in the dark while sipping a cocktail. It is trance like, jazzy, creepy, addicting. My favorite track is the last one Moonbeams. I just think this is a cool ass CD. Of course I am running a decent risk of some of you having this, if you do, let's here your thoughts on it.

Enjoy.

P.S. It is uploading now. If you go out and it is not there, let me know.

alobar

it seems to be downloading for me just fine. Oh, and I've never heard of this band. Was this a one-off album or are they still around making music?

alobar

allmusic.com filled in all the spots for me.

kdpjam

will check out ; thanx!

transplant

John Darnielle's thoughts on it........

This is a meditative, cinematic, small record that hints at longer views than you normally get from songs, and is as perfect for listening to in the dark on headphones as anything I know. The lyrics are the weak point, but the band settles into such a thick groove for the duration that it's easy to take the low-whispered vocals more as part of the overall palette than as an unnecessary point of focus. Better than most of the records that kicked its ass at the cash register in 2000.

bump for the weekend crew.

alobar

o.k. so maybe I downloaded to early because I couldn't open the file once it finished. And now everytime I go back to dl again, yousendit server is too busy and won't let me. hrmmmphhh.

Has anyone got this yet?

viggs20

alobar wrote:

o.k. so maybe I downloaded to early because I couldn't open the file once it finished. And now everytime I go back to dl again, yousendit server is too busy and won't let me. hrmmmphhh.

Has anyone got this yet?

I can't download either...server is too busy. :(

kdpjam

transplant, i am sitting here in the dark.. listening to this, as you suggested. actually, even if you had every light on in town.... this pick is awesome, in my opinion. its just got this whole addicting mysterious vibe thing going for it. realplayer describes the sound as whispery and creepy. that's a good description, and some very good interesting ballads as well. good vocals and lyrics!! granted, it is mellow, but i think its really spacey. this one will get many plays here! thanks..

AndySlash

The hell, for three days now the YSI server has been "too busy". Can you possibly re-up the files?

Edit: n/m it's on Oink. I'll just get it from there.

transplant

kdpjam wrote:

transplant, i am sitting here in the dark.. listening to this, as you suggested. actually, even if you had every light on in town.... this pick is awesome, in my opinion. its just got this whole addicting mysterious vibe thing going for it. realplayer describes the sound as whispery and creepy. that's a good description, and some very good interesting ballads as well. good vocals and lyrics!! granted, it is mellow, but i think its really spacey. this one will get many plays here! thanks..

awesome, glad you like it. I have tried a few times to listen to it casually on my way home from work and it has never done it for me. I have to really get into it to get the full effect.

for the others, man that sucks. if I don't hear anything positive by the end of the work day, I'll throw the pick back up.

AndySlash

Three songs in and I'm already digging this.

Enigma

Weird. I never expected somebody on here to mention TFC. I've had this album for awhile and have enjoyed it. Great atmospheric tunes.

StoneG82

yeah I've been trying for a few days to download it and I'm getting the "too busy" page also.
you might wanna re-up it. i'm really interested in hearing this!

transplant

StoneG82 wrote:

yeah I've been trying for a few days to download it and I'm getting the "too busy" page also.
you might wanna re-up it. i'm really interested in hearing this!

ok, I'll re up it in 2 parts. can't do it until later tonight though.

transplant

Ok, I re-upped the first half of the disc. Let me know if that works any better. the second half is in progress.

StoneG82

transplant wrote:

Ok, I re-upped the first half of the disc. Let me know if that works any better. the second half is in progress.

its working now, thanks

transplant

another day or so for this pick and we move on...........

jb13letters

I love The For Carnation, though the Touch and Go record is probably my least favorite of their 3. My pick would have been their debut EP on Matador, just for "Get and Stay Get March."

You can't go wrong with any of their records, though?

Slightly off-topic, is there any word on any releases from the Slint reunion? I'd heard rumors of a DVD or live album...

AndySlash

I haven't been able to listen to this as much as I'd like to (and with headphones/lights off, too), but I will say this:

Someday I want to open a bar. It's going to be a low key bar (not a dance bar or anything like that), and I want to bathe it in red mood lighting and include music in the jukebox or over the sound system that creates the mood I am looking for. This album fits the bill in spades.

burnin-candle

I had trouble downloading but I got through a couple of spins, and yes I dig this. I'd been wanting to hear this band for a while and I finally got a good taste. Although I do feel that there could have been more of a build "up" (something I just prefer), I totally love the atmosphere on this album. The repeated patterns sink into you and creeps up your spine, it certainly is addictive. The vocal harmonies were a surprisingly good addition to the whole thing, although it all could stand perfectly well on just instrumentals. I really like the small trickles of various instruments sprinkled across the main riff, which adds more variety in a good way. There's a certain feel of anxiety and nerve, too, which builds tension without exploding sonically, which is not very easy to do. But, hey, this is a former-Slint man, he does with ease.;)

Thanks transplant, this will be getting a lot more spins!

And I will comment on the previous mix shortly. Sorry for being late!

And AndySlash, that bar idea sounds awesome!

alobar

This is slow.




And slow is good! These guys never showed up on my radar so this was a nice surprise to discover The For Carnation. I listened to it twice so far, and plan to do a headphones listening tonight (very soon). Really great vibe throughout this album.....and consistently good. I kept waiting for a build up on a few songs, but they didn't happen. Upon reflection, the songs didn't need a build up. They held a nice groove instead.

Great stuff Transplant. This is a nice addition to my collection.

transplant

burnin-candle wrote:

I really like the small trickles of various instruments sprinkled across the main riff, which adds more variety in a good way.

I am with you on this one. Just a little guitar note here and there, keyboards, some bizarre computer generated swooshes from nowhere etc, especially on A Tribute To. I find myself singing the lyric "there is no justice" over and over and over again.

I also hark back to Clann Zu on occasion, mainly the song There is No Morning Copy.

Alobar, every review does make it seem like there is some massive build up on these songs but I agree with you, I don't think they are really there. They keep a consistent groove which is also fine by me.

I think it is great you guys are digging this after only a few spins. Every one after for me the music sunk into my skull a little bit more. Again, I think that is the addicting quality I find on this. If I were an artist, I think it would be difficult being in this kind of mood throughout a whole recording. It makes me wonder how long it took them to record it.

jb13letters, I haven't heard their other stuff but I surely plan to. AndySlash, yeah, that bar idea sounds wonderful.

So obviously more comments are encouraged. I'll get the ball rolling on the next pick.

StoneG82

I find myself listening to this laying in bed every night. That's a good thing. It's really relaxing.

I like it alot. It's cool to hear such a great record from an ex-Slint member.

viggs20

Not had much time to listen to this album...but managed to get a few spins here and there. The first time I heard it I was waiting for some rocking parts but couple more spins later its growing on me. I think its best to let the album sink in...its not an album you're going to pull out to specifically listen to. But I will say, between The For Carnation, The Dead Science and the new Isis...I've just about had my fill for atmospheric music this year.