SMC: Augie March- Strange Bird
AndySlash
Posts: 3,254
Hey folks.
Moving on from the great Sandra Black album, I give you Augie March's Strange Bird. Released in their native Australia in 2002, this didn't see a US release until 2004. I have to thank my friend Emily for introducing them to me back in 2003 by giving me copies of this and their first album, Sunset Studies. They've got a new release- Moo, You Bloody Choir coming up soon (March in Australia, hopefully only a couple months later for the rest of the world) so what better time to put this up.
I don't like spoiling people's first listening experiences with comments, but if you're one of those who likes to know something about the band/album before you listen to it, here is a link to the google search page so you can peruse whatever review you want:
Google!
The page timed out when I put it up, but it shows up in the message list, so let me know if anything is wonky when you get it.
Enjoy.
Moving on from the great Sandra Black album, I give you Augie March's Strange Bird. Released in their native Australia in 2002, this didn't see a US release until 2004. I have to thank my friend Emily for introducing them to me back in 2003 by giving me copies of this and their first album, Sunset Studies. They've got a new release- Moo, You Bloody Choir coming up soon (March in Australia, hopefully only a couple months later for the rest of the world) so what better time to put this up.
I don't like spoiling people's first listening experiences with comments, but if you're one of those who likes to know something about the band/album before you listen to it, here is a link to the google search page so you can peruse whatever review you want:
Google!
The page timed out when I put it up, but it shows up in the message list, so let me know if anything is wonky when you get it.
Enjoy.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
i made a post about theses guys and their new album yesterday, good to see them get a little recognition overseas...
good choice, although i personally sunset studies, but the new album should be excellent, especially going on the strength of the new single, one crowded hour..
you am i, the drones, art of fighting, rocket science, architecture in helcinki, gelbison etc.
10 characters
On my first listen, the first track began and I thought "oh, God, no... an other band attempting to write a Beatles song", I really prepared myself for a catchy but kind of boring journey with this album... but then track 2 began and suddenly my opinion and expectations radically changed, found myself really liking how this song evolved with that wild drumming and the vocal harmonies making the title "This Train Will Be Taking No Passengers" more than perfect for this song. From there on I really enjoyed most of what I heard. I really enjoyed the arrengements, what they get out from their instruments and especially how they manage the vocals. I think through all the album prevails a feeling of insanity, of some kind of harmonic chaos and almost a psychedelic mood very well balanced. I appreciate how there's something very unique to each track and none sounds like the other, though preserving the personality of this band.
I just loved the kind of jazzy trend you can note on almost every song, the trumpets in "Up the Hill and Down", the general approach to "Addle Brains", the brushed drums and piano in "The Keepa"... now that I mention piano, I think that's an essential instrument for this band to build their sound around, you can feel that sort of wide musical scope that piano gives while other instruments might be kind of more limited.
On my second listen I even liked the first track 'cause I took it as an introduction for all the great things that come after it. As I suggested at the beginning, I don't think you can digest this record at first listen, there are just so many elements to each song and the songs are so different among themselves that I think it takes time to really appreciate it. I'm almost sure I'll find something different every time I get back to it. But I also think it shouldn't take much time to an experienced listener to perceive there's something worth of attention in this record and this band. For example, the first thing I liked was finding a young band developing a vision of their own instead of trying to repeat what was done by Television, or Talking Heads, or Richard Hell, or Gang of Four, or Wire like most of the other young bands.
Really good pick, Andy
now, news on the poster raffle... see next post.
-The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
Mexico C. 12/10/05.
"There is a rose that I want to live for
although, God knows, I may not have met her"
-J. Strummer
"And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
Here you have the results in the order they came out:
swede - 2
psycosmic - 7
transplant - 3
VEDHEAD27 - 8
trappedinmyradio - 5
AndySlash - 4
thebetterman - 0
viggs20 - 9
alobar - 1
burnin-candle - 6
So as I told you, the winner will be decided following the last digit in the winning number for the "Sorteo Mayor" of the Mexican Lottery on February 7, 2005, that means next tuesday. For those who didn't read my last post, this means if the winning number in the Lottery is 4349, here the winner will be the person with the last digit, in this case 9 and that would make viggy the winner, get it?
OK, in case anyone wants to keep track of it, you can find the Mexican Lottery webpage here: lotenal.gob.mx of course there everything is in Spanish, but well, just remember you have to look for the "Sorteo Mayor" that will be done on February, tuesday 7.
Well, good luck everyone, I'm really excited to know who will end up getting the poster.
Best vibes.
-The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
Mexico C. 12/10/05.
"There is a rose that I want to live for
although, God knows, I may not have met her"
-J. Strummer
"And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
voice is too monotone, I don't hear much variation. I just don't feel any kind of emotion coming out of him. I want him to SING, pick up your voice a little.
orchestration. there is always something going on in the backround, whether it be an organ chord being drawn out, or a chorus of some sort oh-ing and ah-ing behind it. for me it drowns out the individual instruments and makes the vocal delivery cloudy. I just don't feel like they can pull it off like say....Belle and Sebastian where even a piccolo comes across clear as day. I wish they would take a more minimalist approach to it at times to differentiate.
my favorite complaint is length. If you are coming out with a CD over an hour long, I want it to keep my attention. By midway thru track 10, my mind has fully wandered to another place and I am unable to get back. I even tried starting it from track 10 but by track 12...lost. 13 picks up a little. I do want to note that I like tracks 2 and 6.
Anyway, I mean I still have it playing, so it isn't like it's hurting my ears any, though I may have to bust out Opeth or something by the end of my work day.
thanks for the pick.
I agree with transplant that the cd may result a bit too long for its own sake. On my first listen I guess I experienced the same, I also arrived sort of tired to the last few tracks on the album, I almost gave them up, but since I started to like what I heard before I let it ran... I think it'd be good for the album if it was just a bit shorter.
However on later listens I went through the cd without any problem at all. As I said on my review, I think every track is so particular and that helps to keep you excited. The problem as I see it, is that you don't get excited quickly, honestly I think this band, at least this album, really needs an acquired taste and if you don't have it, it may bore you to hell. Good thing is that I think it didn't take me that long to acquire the taste, so I'm really happy to adress this album with the title of a Dogs D'Amour song (old brittish band, toured with Mother Love Bone): "Beautifully Insane"
-The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
Mexico C. 12/10/05.
"There is a rose that I want to live for
although, God knows, I may not have met her"
-J. Strummer
"And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
This CD could quite possibly be an acquired taste. So much of enjoying a CD depends on mood/time/place/state of mind/ etc.. that it is hard to give a full review of something in a week. I have noticed that some of my selections have been the same way.
Man, I LOOOOOOOVE the Dogs D'Amour, wish they were still around... and that it'll be easier to get their albums on CD. Everything I have I got it on vinyl... and one cassette... and we all know vinyl is pretty cool, but sometimes I wish I had that music on cd for practical reasons... the closest I came to it was a few years ago that I got to download some of their best tracks and then made my own "greatest hits" cd... Some of the best music to get drunk with.
hmmm... Graveyard of Empty Bottles? Isn't that the one that later was re-titled "Errol Flynn"? If that's the case, yes, I have it on vinyl... but if I'm wrong then I guess I'm out of it... but I'm pretty sure Errol Flynn is the same album.
-The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
Mexico C. 12/10/05.
"There is a rose that I want to live for
although, God knows, I may not have met her"
-J. Strummer
"And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
i'd like to apologize for not participating much lately... but i'm having some major computer problems with my piece of junk laptop so please bear with me... i will get up some reviews once everything works ok...
and barcoach, that's a great way of doing the lottery... not that anyone would have a right to complain about not winning anyway since you're doing this as a random act of kindness... but that's a great system... you rock... good karma, my friend, good karma...
Some days you wake up and sit on a park bench next to an eighty year old Russian architect, and some days you don't. I think this is my new life philosophy.
http://epplehausradio.blogspot.com/
pearl jam @ the astoria, london, 20/04/06
Thanks AndySlash!
And barcoach, that's awesome!
"Lo√e, you know the word
...YOU invented it!" ~ E√
¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Did you ever listen to the London Quireboys? same vein, incredible drinking music.
On topic, I really like track 1 and the energy on track 2, though I think I mentioned that already.
And this is a delightful pick. I have this and Sunset Studies, and I truly think this band is very underrated. They do have some great textures and a variety of arrangements, but I guess I understand transplant that they put too much stuff into their music. It could be better if it was a bit more stripped down. The voice is not spectacular, but I feel it fits their music in a way. Sorry this is short, but I really like the album, though Sunset Studies might get my pick.
Barcoach, that lottery is going to be exciting! Thanks, man.
If you can't get high on purely music and the sounds that you hear, you're missing out on something.
22278
you can check it here: http://www.lotenal.gob.mx/list_prem/mayor3147.pdf
so, if you check the numbers list on the previous page of this thread, that means everybody shall get together and give a huge hug and congratulations to our own SMC winner, the one and only: VEDHEAD27
Honestly think this poster will rest in good hands. Well, VEDHEAD, I just need your address info to ship this to you as soon as possible, I'll be contacting you as soon as I finish this post. That means now. Best wishes everyone, hope you enjoyed taking part in this little thing. Take tons of care and of course.... long live to the SMC and the band that makes all of this possible... Turn the music UP!!!
-The crazy guy with the Ramones t-shirt.
Mexico C. 12/10/05.
"There is a rose that I want to live for
although, God knows, I may not have met her"
-J. Strummer
"And you'll never know just how dark this screen could be"
I might agree that Sunset Studies is a better album. But this album has Brundisium (track 13). I can listen to this song over and over- everything about it is perfection. Sure, there is a lot going on at the end, but I think in this track it works as opposed to some of the other songs on this record. His vocals are beautifully pained. I could just gush and gush about this song, but I wont so I don't completely ruin it for people by overpromoting it.
It took me a long time to appreciate this record. It does require repeated and attentive listens. It probably was too much to expect folks here to form a real good opinion about it within a week or so. That said, I hope you all do give it a listen every once in a while. I'd bet that for some of you, one day the record will just 'click' for you. That's how it was for me.
with that said...i really like this selection. it has been mentioned that each song seems to be exclusive and that it sort of holds your attention, but that by the end you're a little exhausted. i found the album to be long, but not because i was tired. i found it to be long because of the song lengths and the number of songs...so, the actual length of the record didn't really bother me. it was just something i noted and went on.
there are a lot of competing sounds happening here. i wonder if these songs could stand to be stripped down and played with just guitar, drums, and bass. i feel that someone in this band has a very attention deficit mind and the thoughts fly around and touch of impulses from synapse to synapse and in the end, this is what the final product sounds like.
a big complaint for me is the processed sound of the guy's voice. i'm not sure if i ever heard HIS voice on the record.
shit, okay, i have to go class. i'll be back.
from my window to yours
if I could take track 13, throw the organ out the window and give that song to whomever produced Clann Zu's Black Coats and Bandages, I could easily foresee a work of perfection.
Side Note....this is the last selection for SMC Round 3. I hope people are gonna stick around and go on to the next round. I'll throw a thread together about in on Monday.
also who is up next?
sorry im so out of touch...