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-Jar-
03-12-2006, 11:04 AM
wow, this song "Persona" (via a Mike comp I think) is really really good. I have to admit that I really didn't think I would enjoy them, I really never investigated and didn't realize that they were really musicians too. I guess I thought the music would be some kind of background muzak for their performance art. Is the rest of their stuff similar to this?

I guess I'd be asking about the album THE COMPLEX. I really dig the sound of that track.

-jar

Dusty Chalk
03-12-2006, 07:54 PM
Both albums are very good, albeit different. The Complex is more vocal-song -oriented, whereas Audio sometimes sounds like one long suite of tracks -- very homogenous, without being boring. Kind of like QE2 by Mike Oldfield. The only time they devolve into a novelty act is when they do covers, but I think they balance those just right with original material.

I'm kind of a hard person to ask for the difference between the two albums -- I like them both very much. I have heard people liking one but not the other (in both directions), but other than the vocals, I don't understand the difference. Both albums are very percussive-heavy (they tour with like 5 or 6 drummers & percussionists), with a Snog-like perverted Western guitar twang element to the music. Very cinematic.

BinFrog
03-13-2006, 05:14 AM
Their 2 albums on DVD-Audio sound fantastic. I love the behind the scenes DVD footage too...mainly because I can see a pair of my studio monitors in the background :cornut:

Mike
03-13-2006, 06:03 AM
Blue Man Group is bit of a curious outfit. I always thought they were purely just a live show, I’ve never seen them but have a DVD of theirs which is pretty cheesy at times, but wacky and fun. I’d love to see them live and I think quite a few folks round here have caught their show.

I picked up the complex album a while ago and I really like it, it features lots of guest vocalists and gives their music real credibility, it even features evertybody’s favourite Dave Matthews! it’s kind of like old style rock meets new, and there’s some great percussive sounds on it. I think you can pick it up pretty cheap second hand.

Cheers
Mike

ForeverAutumn
03-13-2006, 06:25 AM
I haven't heard the CDs, but I have seen the show in Toronto. I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but I suspect that each show would be, at least, similar. All of the music in the show is performed live, on stage. Some of it (percussion) is by the Blue Men themselves, and the rest is performed by a four piece band. All of the musicians were very, very good.

Before they opened the Toronto show, which is a permanent show, they were advertising the audition dates for the Blue Men in the newspaper and one of the criteria was having some experience with percussion.

Troy
03-13-2006, 08:54 AM
I like both CDs. They are a must for any percussion fans.

"Complex" is more accessible and songy with all the guest vocalists and dynamite covers like "White Rabbit" and "I Feel Love." Audio is all instrumental and features the PVC percussion more prominantly.

Both albums have this weird hybrid mix of tribal drumming, western/surf twang and progrock bombast. The Snog comment is right on the mark, but not quite as nasty and cynical. I like it a lot.

The DVD is entertaining and contains most of the songs from "Complex." They are a lot of fun to watch. Cheesy? yeah, in that Cirque Du Soleil, Vegas way, but I suspect a lot of it is rather tongue in cheek. I'd go see 'em without any hesitation. Had the DVD but loaned it to someone who never returned the damn thing.

All 3 discs can be found on the cheap in the used market. I know the Amoeba SF store has about 10 copies of each for $5 or so. The DVD is $7.

Dusty Chalk
03-13-2006, 04:40 PM
I haven't heard the CDs, but I have seen the show in Toronto. I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but I suspect that each show would be, at least, similar. All of the music in the show is performed live, on stage. Some of it (percussion) is by the Blue Men themselves, and the rest is performed by a four piece band. All of the musicians were very, very good.

Before they opened the Toronto show, which is a permanent show, they were advertising the audition dates for the Blue Men in the newspaper and one of the criteria was having some experience with percussion.Just to clarify -- the permanent installation is different from the touring group. The permanent installation is almost entirely covers, and more "Las Vegas"; the touring group is a rock band, and include > 50% original material.

Both are fun, but I've only seen the latter.