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Post by AlExMachina on May 8, 2009 18:53:17 GMT
Sam Herlihy and Simon Jones (from Hope of the States) have announced a new band called The Northwestern. Gigs are in late May/early June if anyone's interested. www.nme.com/news/hope-of-the-states/44477This is the only interesting music news I have received whilst in America so forgive (if you see it as a downside) my lack of chat of late.
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Post by AlExMachina on May 8, 2009 18:55:56 GMT
ah, just realised this is in chat not music - sorry! Hopefully Lawrie will have read this anyways so can move it to it's rightful place.
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Post by Lawrie on May 8, 2009 19:02:06 GMT
Ah yeah, cheers Alex, saw this on Planet Sound (Channel 4 teletext) earlier on this week: John Earls pretty much broke Hope Of The States to the general public, since Sony signed them on the back of his 5/5 demo review for Black Dollar Bills, and therefore news about the ex-members finds its way to him and out into the ether pretty quickly. But yeah, fantastic news - if they're even a quarter of the band that HOTS were then we're all in for a massive treat! (Oh, and how's this for a Bewitched-style fingers-snap to make this thread appear in Music? ;D)
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Post by Lawrie on May 8, 2009 19:38:36 GMT
Also pre-ordered the debut single in double quick time: first time round, I had a chance to buy (new) one of the limited edition of Black Dollar Bills singles (the ones that came in hand-sewn hessian sleeves by the band) but baulked at the idea of getting a single by a band I hadn't fully heard the song of etc. Now those boys are EXTREMELY collectible and just ****ing cool in any case. Idiot.
Anyway, I shan't be making the same mistake again - handpackaged and labelled by the band, and confetti in the sleeve: limited edition stuff kicks ass!
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Post by AlExMachina on May 8, 2009 19:47:45 GMT
good shout - from where might I order this treat? Also, you now have that ****ing annoying bewitched theme in my head. Damn.
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Post by Lawrie on May 8, 2009 19:52:26 GMT
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Post by ryan on May 9, 2009 0:56:27 GMT
this has prompted me to actually listen to Hope Of The States. I've got the lost riots on the go at the moment. LOVE the instrumentation. The vocals I'm not digging as much. It'd be ok if they were just mixed a little lower. Maybe I need to give it a little more time...
I've also finally ripped Thee Dust Rackets stuff to listen to (sent to me by someone on the old board that I don't think made it here...). Listened to the first two so far and dug them a lot.
As for limited edition hand-made type stuff... you should see some of the cool stuff I've got! I'm really into ambient and drone music, and so much of that gets short runs in awesome packaging. I've got a whole box of that kind of thing. I'll often buy stuff just because it's interestingly packaged.
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Post by Lawrie on May 9, 2009 6:45:17 GMT
Nice one! It's true that Sam's vocals are definitely a bit of an acquired taste, and he is a technically flawed singer. For me though, that was all part of the appeal, because a good deal of HOTS' catalogue were songs about bruised optimism and hope in spite of setbacks. Therefore the fact that Sam missed a note here and there gave the songs a really fallible human quality that fitted absolutely perfectly with both the music, lyrics and general intent of the songs for me. But I can understand how that wouldn't work for everyone, and some people will never be able to get past his vocal style even if they love the music behind it. Hope [pardon the pun] you end up finding some stuff in there that clicks with you, mate. As for limited edition/unusually packaged stuff, I'm not sure whether I could ever buy a record PURELY because of its packaging, but it is indeed definitely super-cool when someone you like releases something in some unusual/collectible packaging. I haven't got LOADS of stuff like that, but my favourite one is the limited edition library-book release of Radiohead's Amnesiac. Always a good band for limited edition releases, that has been their greatest innovative packing moment (it's cooler than even the In Rainbows discbox). My worst limited edition album packaging happens to be The Lost Riots by Hope Of The States. The limited version came in a really neat little cardboard envelope with extra artwork prints on boards of cardboard inside and stuff. Thing is, the cardboard envelope was sealed, so if you wanted to see all the goodies inside (never mind listen to the actual disc) then you had to irreversibly break the seal on the envelope, and hence un-mint your collectible. Solution is to buy two and keep one in mint condition (I never did, I just have my opened copy), but that seems a tad exploitative on the fans to me, so I always had a bit of a grudge against this particular version of the album on that score. The limited edition album that I wish I'd been around for (I got on their bandwagon 3 years too late) was R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People - the limited edition for that boy was an old-style wooden pencil-case box with a sliding lid and everything: quality idea! I'm sure their are other packaging innovations that beat that into a cocked hat, but in terms of amazing album combined with excellent packaging, that is indeed The One That Got Away for me.
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Post by ryan on May 9, 2009 14:25:26 GMT
I was actually looking at a mint Lost Riots on ebay last night. It's not the fact he's a technically flawed singer, Efrim from Silver Mt. Zion isn't the greatest singer by a long shot but I love his voice, I think it's that he sounds too much like Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins!
I don't think I've ever bought something without at least having a quick listen, but it's certainly prompted me to buy stuff. Never anything outrageously expensive though. I've got the Amnesiac book, and the Kid A hard back... and In Rainbows! I've also got the last Sigur Ros album/book thing, and the DVD/book from before that. Ghosts by Nine Inch Nails is a nice package, as was Steven Wilson's last. I've got the Portishead Third boxset too. Those are the only really expensive things I've got though I've got few things tied with string, hand-printed, drawn on, stamped, that kind of thing.
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Post by AlExMachina on May 9, 2009 17:09:45 GMT
I think it's not the greatest voice certainly, but I have missed it. Troubles are excellent but there is something so rousing about his voice (Lawrie has put it much better than I could ever). I HAVE got to see them - I have never seen HOTS or any offshoot live even though Lost Riots and Left are two of my faourite albums ever made (Left is more accessible but Lost Riots has to edge it). Anyway, I was surprised by the quality of the music when I heard it on their myspace (listening to it now). I'm really very excited about this. Is anyone going to a gig? I'd go to their Winchester one but am seeing Manics that night in London (poor me!). Will try to make the London one but may be in Russia...
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Post by Lawrie on May 9, 2009 18:51:31 GMT
I might be doing a gig or two. Will keep this thread posted in good time as and when I see which, if any, gigs I can make.
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Post by Lawrie on May 15, 2009 13:44:57 GMT
Right, only waiting on one of my mates to get back to me now before I go ahead and order, but it looks like I'll be heading to the London date at 93ft East on 9th June. Confirmation of my order as and when.
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Post by AlExMachina on May 18, 2009 5:41:41 GMT
I'll be going if I'm in the country at the time - which is uncertain at this point. I hope I'll go and definitely up for a drink beforehand if you do. Will provide more info as it comes.
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Post by Lawrie on May 18, 2009 8:48:31 GMT
None of my mates wanted to take a punt on a band where they could only hear 2 or 3 songs beforehand, so I'm on my own on this one. So I've got my ticket now, I'll be heading to the London gig at 93ft East on 9th June. (Though I very nearly baulked at the extra charges that Ticketmaster slap on - a £7.50 face-value ticket is costing me £15 [!!!] with postage and booking fees added on: disgraceful! ) Anyone ends up going to that one, give me a holler.
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Post by AlExMachina on May 20, 2009 23:09:49 GMT
I will be there if I'm in the country. Looking pretty likely atm. Your friends didn't like All The Ones?! Anyway, yeah will defs give you warning in the likely event I will make it. Gogol Bordello tonight though and then Manics next friday. Life is good.
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