Idlewild - American English
07-18-02, 04:19 AM
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Melbourne, AUS
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Re: Idlewild - American English
Originally posted by BadlyDrawnBoy
How good is this song and why have I not heard of this band before now?
How good is this song and why have I not heard of this band before now?
They are not popular in the states because they play their own instruments, have meaningful lyrics, and aren't commercially friendly. I really don't have any good reason why they don't get more respect outside of England.
Haven't heard their new album yet, but I'm thinking about picking it up soon.
-eeyoreed
07-18-02, 09:34 AM
#5
Moderator
If you ever get to see them live, they are ace, saw them a couple years back at the "T in the Park - festival" . Fantastic. Knew that the single was released, totally unaware that the full length came out as well, got to add this to my next amazon.co.uk order.
Also try to find the first album "Hope is Important" it has some great songs. I've got the song "When I argue I see shapes" stuck in my head right now.
Also try to find the first album "Hope is Important" it has some great songs. I've got the song "When I argue I see shapes" stuck in my head right now.
Last edited by Giles; 07-18-02 at 09:38 AM.
07-18-02, 09:56 AM
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Their last album, 100 Broken Windows, is pretty good. NME has a spectacular review of their new album. It go me so excited about it I brought 100 Broken Windows to work with me today.
Does anyone know when and if the new album be coming out? It seems like everything I like is an import only album. Then you have to wait six months for the American release which will have extras that the British didn't have (like Suede's Coming Up for example)...it's just unfair!
Does anyone know when and if the new album be coming out? It seems like everything I like is an import only album. Then you have to wait six months for the American release which will have extras that the British didn't have (like Suede's Coming Up for example)...it's just unfair!
07-18-02, 11:13 AM
#8
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Ok - I'm back.
Stupid question: what do you have to put in the postcode box on Amazon UK to make the thing work? Apparently the regular US zipcodes don't do the trick.
Help! Must. Have. Idlewild.
Stupid question: what do you have to put in the postcode box on Amazon UK to make the thing work? Apparently the regular US zipcodes don't do the trick.
Help! Must. Have. Idlewild.
07-18-02, 11:49 AM
#9
Moderator
For the completists:
American English CD1:
1. American English
2. Poor Thing
3. These Are Just Years
4. American English (Video)
CD2:
1. American English
2. The Nothing I Know
3. We Always Have To Impress
American English CD1:
1. American English
2. Poor Thing
3. These Are Just Years
4. American English (Video)
CD2:
1. American English
2. The Nothing I Know
3. We Always Have To Impress
07-30-02, 01:46 PM
#10
DVD Talk Limited Edition
*sigh*
As you can see from earlier on in this thread, I've been anticipating the new Idlewild album for quite some time. Their last slab of snarky Scottish pop should have blown them wide open here in the U.S. "100 Broken Windows" was (and still is) the best album produced by any "rock" band over the last few years. It was bratty, loud and had inescapable hooks that lodged themselves in your brain upon the first listen. It should have sold millions of copies IMO.
So I go out and buy the expensive import version of Idlewild's next album "The Remote Part" on AmazonUK. It came in the mail on Saturday afternoon and I've given it a few spins since that time and I'll give you my initial reaction:
WHO REPLACED MY BELOVED IDLEWILD WITH SOME SAPPY COLDPLAY RETREAD?
"The Remote Part" is such a huge step-down from the charging, Nirvana-pop of "100 Broken Windows". It's so calculated, so over-produced and slick that it doesn't even sound like the same band. The hooks just aren't there and for Christ's sake, there's even a pretentious string section incorporated into the first track (!?!). Every song blends into the next seamlessly as if it were one long 30 minute remix version of Coldplay's "Yellow."
Who snipped off the band's balls? The sound engineer responsible for this new album clearly didn't see what was working from "100 Broken Windows" and simply cleaned the slate musically. The vocals are front and center and gone are the edgy, messy guitar squalls that made the last couple of albums so beautiful.
No longer associate the angular pop sensibilities of Kurt Cobain, the Pixies or Sonic Youth's "Daydream Nation" with Idlewild. This album was cut by someone who wanted to compete head-to-head with Travis' "The Man Who" and the Coldplay "oeuvre." But there's something even more retro about the ringing anti-septic sound than even that comparison implies. Think the drastic change in style and sound made by the late-great new-wavers "The Hooters" in the 80's when they slid into that "One Way Home" serious mandolin phase. Think nothing but ballads and crystal clear production sounds of someone like (eek) The Rembrandts. Think of those difficult mid-period Big Country albums (you know where Big Country debuted with that impossibly rich Celtic fuzz and then belly-flopped into adult contemporary sonic wallpaper?).
Yes, the single "American English" is pretty. But it won't break them in the U.S. No way. No how. And the rollicking, almost nu-metal live assault of the band simply will be too much of a huge shock to the system for folks expecting a stage-full of reticent, tinny, shoe-gazing Scottish romantics.
I am so crushed.
grunter sadly pops in the "100 Broken Windows" CD, cranks up "Idea Track" and daydreams about the beautiful, beautiful noise that could have been.
As you can see from earlier on in this thread, I've been anticipating the new Idlewild album for quite some time. Their last slab of snarky Scottish pop should have blown them wide open here in the U.S. "100 Broken Windows" was (and still is) the best album produced by any "rock" band over the last few years. It was bratty, loud and had inescapable hooks that lodged themselves in your brain upon the first listen. It should have sold millions of copies IMO.
So I go out and buy the expensive import version of Idlewild's next album "The Remote Part" on AmazonUK. It came in the mail on Saturday afternoon and I've given it a few spins since that time and I'll give you my initial reaction:
WHO REPLACED MY BELOVED IDLEWILD WITH SOME SAPPY COLDPLAY RETREAD?
"The Remote Part" is such a huge step-down from the charging, Nirvana-pop of "100 Broken Windows". It's so calculated, so over-produced and slick that it doesn't even sound like the same band. The hooks just aren't there and for Christ's sake, there's even a pretentious string section incorporated into the first track (!?!). Every song blends into the next seamlessly as if it were one long 30 minute remix version of Coldplay's "Yellow."
Who snipped off the band's balls? The sound engineer responsible for this new album clearly didn't see what was working from "100 Broken Windows" and simply cleaned the slate musically. The vocals are front and center and gone are the edgy, messy guitar squalls that made the last couple of albums so beautiful.
No longer associate the angular pop sensibilities of Kurt Cobain, the Pixies or Sonic Youth's "Daydream Nation" with Idlewild. This album was cut by someone who wanted to compete head-to-head with Travis' "The Man Who" and the Coldplay "oeuvre." But there's something even more retro about the ringing anti-septic sound than even that comparison implies. Think the drastic change in style and sound made by the late-great new-wavers "The Hooters" in the 80's when they slid into that "One Way Home" serious mandolin phase. Think nothing but ballads and crystal clear production sounds of someone like (eek) The Rembrandts. Think of those difficult mid-period Big Country albums (you know where Big Country debuted with that impossibly rich Celtic fuzz and then belly-flopped into adult contemporary sonic wallpaper?).
Yes, the single "American English" is pretty. But it won't break them in the U.S. No way. No how. And the rollicking, almost nu-metal live assault of the band simply will be too much of a huge shock to the system for folks expecting a stage-full of reticent, tinny, shoe-gazing Scottish romantics.
I am so crushed.
grunter sadly pops in the "100 Broken Windows" CD, cranks up "Idea Track" and daydreams about the beautiful, beautiful noise that could have been.
Last edited by grunter; 07-30-02 at 02:01 PM.
