View Full Version : Oh no, not another Swedish shoegazer band!
Davey
01-09-2005, 09:25 AM
Any of you happen to have heard anything about Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.? Guess it was released in 2003 in their native land, but not until 2004 in cowboy land. Sounds kind of like something I would like, a lot. But maybe I've already heard it all before? Hmmm, such a quandry. I don't see it on any top 10 lists around here, but it would probably go well with that other Swedish duo I have in my top 10, The Moonbabies, who could be described as a heavily produced and oftentimes orchestrated pop band, much more along the lines of the Beatles, but they do have some shoegazer elements in their music. Another one for the list. Maybe I can find some good samples. Maybe Jim or Dusty will pick it up. Maybe I'll skip it and admit that I have enough music already. Maybe at sunrise the monkeys will fly and leave me with pennies in my eyes. Maybe someday there will be a new Sparklehorse album on the way ;)
Hey Stone, speaking of Sparklehorse, been listening to your 2004 comp this morning and there are sure a lot of cool sounding songs on it that aren't too far removed from that Mark Linkous sound. Lots to like. Pretty quiet. I see what people mean about Joanna Newsom - she does take some getting used to! Hehehe, that Apostle of Hustle is cool stuff. Do you really like the Trashcan Sinatras? ;)
From http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/10664.html
Occasionally - once a year in you're lucky - a record comes along and falls into your lap that is so good, so wonderful, that a journalist is positively fearful of writing about it. How can he put into words what only a few bands can put to music? How can one person convey the beauty of a recording without sullying it with mere misplaced words?
'Lesser Matters' is one of those records. The brainchild of Swedish duo Martin Larsson and Johan Duncanson who are the core of The Radio Dept., their long-incubated debut LP is a thing of great fuzzy wonder. Sounding like it was recorded in a world where four tracks are the most heavenly of all creations, the record gently fizzes along on a train of buzzing guitars and strained keyboards, with vocals gently focussing in the background. It has the same majesty and ethereal wonder contained in the best works of the Flaming Lips, Boo Radleys, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain and Mercury Rev, plus tens of other bands who have bled their soul onto acetate.
Dusty Chalk
01-09-2005, 11:26 AM
Maybe ...Dusty will pick it up. Perchance. It's on my wish list, anyway. My ever-expanding wish-list. My wish list which is so big, I couldn't possibly listen to it all, much less purchase it all...
Stone
01-09-2005, 03:11 PM
Any of you happen to have heard anything about Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.?
No, I've heard the name (probably on CMJ/Obner, but really know nothing about them. They sound interesting, though. Hopefully we'll get a guinea pig soon on that one.
Hey Stone, speaking of Sparklehorse, been listening to your 2004 comp this morning and there are sure a lot of cool sounding songs on it that aren't too far removed from that Mark Linkous sound. Lots to like. Pretty quiet. I see what people mean about Joanna Newsom - she does take some getting used to! Hehehe, that Apostle of Hustle is cool stuff. Do you really like the Trashcan Sinatras? ;)
Oh, come on. The Trashcan Sinatras are good and you know it. Okay, so it's basically just a cheesy ballad, but I do like it. That album really hasn't moved me in a big way (although I think it's alright), and I don't think it stands up to their debut, which was a really nice slice of brit pop. I should probably spend more time with that album, though.
Joanna Newsom really does take some getting used to, but I love that album. Lots of harp and harpsichord on that album, which you just don't hear every day.
Hopefully we'll hear something out of Linkous soon. Have you heard any scoop on what he's up to, if anything?
Davey
01-09-2005, 03:49 PM
Oh, come on. The Trashcan Sinatras are good and you know it.
Hehehe, I'd believe it if I heard it, but both you and Jimbo have failed to convince me! Yeah, they're OK I guess. I think Jim's comp was actually the first I'd heard them. I guess they just don't seem very distinctive to me or something, but they're 5-star all the way at amazon.com so probably just chalk it up to a gap in my musical upbringing (any time I can blame the parental units and not take personal responsibility...well, you guys know how it is :)).
Haven't really listened to the Microphones opener yet though. First few notes had me reaching for the [NEXT] button, especially since I wasn't alone. Christmas is over. Time to move on. I think you and I are the only fans of the Microphones around here, huh?
Just pulled out a Stella Artois from Belgium and put on that beloved Augie March album, but the brew is a bit underwhelming. I remember this Belgium lager to be a lot better than this. What happened? Augie March still shines bright, though. Think maybe I'll switch over to a local Gordon Biersch Pilsner from downtown San Jose.....also not the greatest, but a little better (and cheaper :)).
Dusty Chalk
01-09-2005, 06:31 PM
I listened to the two samples on the XL recordings site (http://www.xlrecordings.com/theradiodept/release/~lessermatterscd-0/), and based on that, I won't be getting this.
Sounds like something you'd like, though.
Davey
01-09-2005, 10:26 PM
I listened to the two samples on the XL recordings site (http://www.xlrecordings.com/theradiodept/release/~lessermatterscd-0/), and based on that, I won't be getting this.
If anyone else is interested, there are three full length mp3 songs available from the album as well as a lot of press stuff at http://www.shelflife.com/shop/shelflife/life049.html and also another newer track at http://www.labrador.se/mp3/theradiodept-pulling_our_weight.mp3 that sounds really good, probably the best of them all in fact.
Sounds pretty good, although maybe not too distinctive on first listen. I do really like that "Pulling Our Weight" quite a lot, but overall the vocals and the music are maybe a bit too soft and hushed. Guess I'll take a wait and see on this one :)
-Jar-
01-10-2005, 09:04 AM
I listened to the two samples on the XL recordings site (http://www.xlrecordings.com/theradiodept/release/~lessermatterscd-0/), and based on that, I won't be getting this.
Sounds like something you'd like, though.
what are "RAM" files anyway? My Media Player won't play them.
I listened to a few clips off MP3.com and I agree.
Probably won't be seeking this out.
Sounds like it was made using toys.
-jar
Dusty Chalk
01-10-2005, 09:17 AM
They're live streams -- you have to be connected, and using RealPlayer to listen to them.
My issue with them was not that they're bad, just that they're kinda not shoegazery enough for me. They sound more britpoppy. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'd just prefer something less mediocre.
I mean, L, my friend Mandy makes better songs than that.
Here, check out "Alcohol" and "Weebles" (http://www.skydiversmusic.com/music1.htm).
Jim Clark
01-10-2005, 01:19 PM
They're live streams -- you have to be connected, and using RealPlayer to listen to them.
My issue with them was not that they're bad, just that they're kinda not shoegazery enough for me. They sound more britpoppy. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'd just prefer something less mediocre.
I mean, L, my friend Mandy makes better songs than that.
Here, check out "Alcohol" and "Weebles" (http://www.skydiversmusic.com/music1.htm).
That is some pretty good Britpop there, thanks for the link. Cruising their site I looked at their link page and say the Skywave plug. I have that CD Synthtastic
so we must be on the same wavelength there. Just a little oddity I figured I'd mention since Skywave isn't exactly a household name.
jc
Dusty Chalk
01-11-2005, 03:34 PM
Well, he kinda straddles that Britpop/shoegazer fence with both feet, if you pardon the cowboy visual. It's funny that what was at odds in the 90's sounds perfectly at home in his hands.
Yeah, they're good friends with each other Skywave/Skydivers, but there's no relation. They play with each other whenever they're in each others areas.
Bummer about Mike, I only found out about that yesterday. He was cool.
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