Aja on 20/4/2011 at 07:04
so good
PigLick on 18/5/2011 at 03:50
Well done!
Aja on 18/5/2011 at 03:59
Thanks! We've learned a lot during this whole process, and I know our upcoming material will only be better, but this is still something we'll be promoting for a while. So if you eventually get the chance, I'd love to hear some more of your thoughts (praise or criticism, as always!)
PigLick on 18/5/2011 at 04:08
a quick cursory listen reveals much better sound, will comment more when I get the chance to listen to more of it.
Fingernail on 18/5/2011 at 08:57
I always liked The Big Dig and the music, but not the sound, reminds me of Queens of the Stone Age in a weird way.
In general I think it's a great achievement, and the whole thing is just that, it has a sense of whole which is something I personally struggle with, my own writing has been too eclectic thus far. It certainly has a unified sonic language at least, which is probably the thing I find most compelling. It's the right length. Personally I think an EP is probably a lot more digestible (than an LP) to the average listener these days; asking anyone to listen to something for longer than 20 - 25 minutes seems to be asking a lot. It's a bit wispy in general for my taste, probably due to the vocals and their treatment (although they're good). I think my favourite bits are the instrumental sections, although they sometimes verge on the jazz fusion spectrum, they're well played and they don't feel like intrusions on the songs at all. Perhaps a little overwritten if anything; like, why use the most obvious harmony or melody when you can use the second, third or fourth option? Mind you, that's a very big question about whether such intellectual processes colour one's artistic instinct, or whether they are part of that instinct after all. But I would caution against trying to be interesting. I take it back, the melodies at least are fairly accessible.
Aja on 18/5/2011 at 16:34
Interesting comments, thanks :)
Re: being interesting. That's an astute observation, there were definitely a lot of moments where we said "it's too obvious, too boring, too cliched," etc. I think the idea we were working under was "make it accessible, but reward closer listening." I'm not saying we've succeeded, but we're all fans of complex music so I'm not surprised that it shows. I would chalk it up to artistic instinct though—we generally don't put something in unless it's exciting to us in some way. That being said, some of those damned harmonies are still horrible to sing, and the vocal melodies of our newer, unrecorded songs are markedly improved, I think.
ps thanks for your contribution :D
PigLick on 18/5/2011 at 23:48
Endeavour is still my fave song of the lot, really like that one. I can see what Fingernail is saying, some of it comes across as too 'considered' or something, would like to hear a bit more rawness and edge perhaps? I like the jazz/rock flourishes throughout, its there without being obvious. One thing I didnt particularly like much is the drums throughout, not the playing itself which is fine, but the sound. Something texturally doesnt quite mesh with the rest of it, to my ears at least. It is quite hard to record drums and get a decent sound though, I do admit.
All in all, I could show this ep to some of my friends and tell them its the latest new hipster folk/rock band, and they wouldnt bat an eyelid.
Fingernail on 19/5/2011 at 08:56
hey, I figured if musicians don't support each other a bit, who else is going to? You obviously need to make more records so don't delay!
Honestly, Piglick's last comment is the funny thing about the situation today. Twenty, thirty years ago you not only wouldn't have been able to record something this well on your own, it also by rights would have earnt you some kind of wider attention. Who knows, perhaps it will. I'm sure I'll give it more listens.
I would send this to as many blogs as you can find that post about new bands and music.
My band's on the verge of recording a new set of songs, trying to really consolidate a proper vision. We got a set together and played it a few times but it was almost schizophrenic in its tonal contrasts between songs. As much as I value my self-vaunted diversity, I just really want to nail down a set of songs as a coherent project and see that to its best fulfilment. We're going to do the drums (possibly everything) in the proper studio at my college this time. Recorded at the Royal Academy of Music. Taking down the establishment from the inside, yeah?
