Yeah you still like it.

Always loved this one from Sevdaliza:



Did you see she did a Tiny Desk earlier this year?

Big Record Store Day news for Bob.

I'm going in to get Meteora re-release, srsly do you want me to look out for it for you? They're usually about £30 each.

Wtaf

https://youtu.be/JakDyczt_ug

Lolol

Some of you man should spend more time in the UK thread, jus sayin.

I know there are a few people on here who are Decemberists fans (and others who'd rather cut off their ears).  For those who are interested they're currently streaming a series of paid gigs having finally accepted they can't do the planned 20th Anniversary tour. 

Tickets are here.

They're not particularly cheap, so I figured a review might help.

I've only watched the first one (though plan to watch others) which I believe will remain up until the end of this week.

Bad stuff first - like a lot of these streamed gigs it inevitably suffers from the lack of an audience. Meloy tends to be at his best at gigs when he's sparking off the crowd, and there's simply no-one there. It's also kind of weird seeing them all brightly lit, without having to stare through the darkness.  So, yeah, the atmosphere is somewhat lacking.

On the flipside it means you can more readily appreciate their skills.  (My kids are fans of the band, which is why we stumped up for all 3 gigs, however they are now specifically fans of Jenny Conlee having previously never quite twigged how insanely talented she is.) 

Really though, the main draw here is that this is a 20th Anniversary gig.  There know what songs you've come for, and they deliver.  I'm not sure what they have lined up for gigs 2 & 3 because this one already feels like fan service of the upmost degree. 
If they hadn't just released a live version on vinyl, I would be half expecting them to end the gigs with Hazards of Love in its entirety.

So yeah, not perfect. It doesn't come close to an actual live gig, but it's still pretty damn good.

tin_robot wrote:

Decemberists!

Nice.  Not sure if you've looked at the setlist for the second gig so I'll just say there's a treat in the middle.  I haven't watched any paid-for lockdown gigs, will see if the wife wants to watch one of these at some point.      

After reading your post last night I put some old favourites on for my walk to work and Dear Avery climbs the rigging a little every time I hear it.   I'd put them in the Greatest Hit/Artist of the week thread but it probably wouldn't be worth it for a small handful of badgers so I'll just ask directly - what are the Tin favourites?

Moot_Geeza wrote:

tin_robot wrote:

Decemberists!

Nice.  Not sure if you've looked at the setlist for the second gig so I'll just say there's a treat in the middle.  I haven't watched any paid-for lockdown gigs, will see if the wife wants to watch one of these at some point.       After reading your post last night I put some old favourites on for my walk to work and Dear Avery climbs the rigging a little every time I hear it.   I'd put them in the Greatest Hit/Artist of the week thread but it probably wouldn't be worth it for a small handful of badgers so I'll just ask directly - what are the Tin favourites?

Oh blimey, that's a hard one.  (I assume you mean other than Dracula's Daughter, obviously?)

I can see this being a post in which I simply end up naming all their songs.

Right, let's start with the songs that I love, but if I'm honest suspect my affection is at least partly down to what they remind me of.  So there's the Great Lost REM tune Calamity Song, the faux Nick Drake of Lake Song, the sheer ballsy "let's rip off Hey Jude" of Valerie Plame, and even the jaunty ELO pastiche of Midlist Author. 

Then there's the ones that have worked their way into my heart because of the yarns they spin - the sick joke of Cautionary Song,  the entirely self explanatory Apology Song, live favourite Mariner's Revenge Song, and of course the insane epics of Crane Wife, The Tain and let's be honest, the entirety of Hazards of Love.

But, ultimately, I think I like the really simple ones best. This may be purely because they're the ones my kids will just randomly start playing on a guitar, leading to spontaneous sing alongs that sound horribly twee but are, in truth, some of the only moments of pure happiness I can recall.  So, yes, definitely Dear Avery, but Sons and Daughters wins the "best closer" for me purely because of the afore mentioned Sing-along potential.   I have a weird soft spot for "Raincoat Song" as well, which is about as simple a ditty as you could concoct and still get away with describing it as a song.

Oh God, and then there's "I Was Meant for the Stage" and "The Gymnast High Above the Ground" and, and, and...

But if I'm going to climb off the fence and pick one, right now, in my current mood?  It's "Red Right Ankle".  Again stupidly simple, and I appreciate some people find the reference to Carson's "gypsy uncle" problematic, but (shrugs), I love it.  It's hard to do a love song without it being horribly cliched, yet this cuts through it, simultaneously intimate and strange - a song about connection that exudes longing.

Ask me tomorrow though, and I'll doubtless pick a different one.

Yooooooooo! I've fallen away so hey seems a good time to catch up. Thanking you!

Yeah I've seen him live, his voice is absolutely perfect.

Album cover kings, to go along with bangers.

I love her. My recommendations are Might Bang Might Not and Offence, but your particular tastes may vary.

Lovely.

Yeah Venom slaps!

Really enjoyed Dead Body as well, gave me Clipping vibes.