The Album Review Club - Week #216 (page 1412) - Together Alone - Crowded House

Vee Vee - Archers of Loaf

Well, as the only reviewer living in the vicinity where this band originated from, I was interested to see what I missed out when they were touring around the local bars or the Brewery or Cat's Cradle while I was busy in the mid-90s listening to other bands.

Then I found the irony that they opened for the Eagles, um, er, ... I'm sorry, it was actually Weezer back in 1995 on their world tour. I'm not sure if Foggy had seen that tour, but that did make me smile given a somewhat recent comparison about Rivers' band on the Rock Evolution thread. That's some good stuff there I couldn't have made up even if I tried.

I liked the guitars on this, but that's about where it unfortunately ends with me. I'm much more a fan of the alternative rock and muffled guitars on Sugar and other bands of the like, but the vocals on this was a rinse and repeat and had the songs blending together not in a good way. OB1 took my penultimate song line, so good on that one.

The distorted guitars carried the tracks. Take a song like "Let the Loser Melt". Great guitar opening, right? This is what I like, but what's missing? Ah yes, then the vocals enter halfway through and I remember the opening promise of the track is gone before the vocals entered. I'm sure they're witty and all, but it's hard for me to listen over the delivery.

I'm glad they don't take themselves too seriously, and with their off-kilter sound, it's no wonder they don't. I'm at a 5.5/10 on enjoyment here and I know that's going to be just fine with these loafers and slackers from App State. Am I glad to have heard this? Absolutely, as it's another data point along the Rock Evolution of music I otherwise missed when this year came up, but thankfully it got covered here and enough have enjoyed it for it to prove its point. Am I also glad Disc 2 of the Deluxe Remaster wasn't part of this? Yes, that too.
 
Black&White&BlueMoon Town said:
Vee Vee - Archers of Loaf

Well, as the only reviewer living in the vicinity where this band originated from, I was interested to see what I missed out when they were touring around the local bars or the Brewery or Cat's Cradle while I was busy in the mid-90s listening to other bands.

Then I found the irony that they opened for the Eagles, um, er, ... I'm sorry, it was actually Weezer back in 1995 on their world tour. I'm not sure if Foggy had seen that tour, but that did make me smile given a somewhat recent comparison about Rivers' band on the Rock Evolution thread. That's some good stuff there I couldn't have made up even if I tried.

I liked the guitars on this, but that's about where it unfortunately ends with me. I'm much more a fan of the alternative rock and muffled guitars on Sugar and other bands of the like, but the vocals on this was a rinse and repeat and had the songs blending together not in a good way. OB1 took my penultimate song line, so good on that one.

The distorted guitars carried the tracks. Take a song like "Let the Loser Melt". Great guitar opening, right? This is what I like, but what's missing? Ah yes, then the vocals enter halfway through and I remember the opening promise of the track is gone before the vocals entered. I'm sure they're witty and all, but it's hard for me to listen over the delivery.

I'm glad they don't take themselves too seriously, and with their off-kilter sound, it's no wonder they don't. I'm at a 5.5/10 on enjoyment here and I know that's going to be just fine with these loafers and slackers from App State. Am I glad to have heard this? Absolutely, as it's another data point along the Rock Evolution of music I otherwise missed when this year came up, but thankfully it got covered here and enough have enjoyed it for it to prove its point. Am I also glad Disc 2 of the Deluxe Remaster wasn't part of this? Yes, that too.
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Apparently they did not go over well with the audience whilst opening for Weezer which is fine with me. I like some Weezer songs (like Hash Pipe, e.g.) but they have absolutely nothing to say. Someone once called Rivers Cuomo the “punk Tom Scholz” (of Boston, if you didn’t know) and I always thought that was pretty apt.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
My wife’s response to the reviews thus far:

“A bunch of 60 year-old white men liked it. Whoop-de-fuckin’-doo.”

Can you see why she’s such a treasure? :) :)
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Well, this 60 something yo white guy loved it as well!!

Give me some nicely distorted discordant guitar and I’m generally happy. Given the overall sound I assume they were trying to achieve, the production and vocals didn’t distract too much for me.

Definitely something I’ll be playing more of and checking out their other stuff. It would have got much more air time, but The Black Keys latest album dropped on Friday and it took priority. More on that later… maybe ;)

Great pick Foggy tell your wife she’s a mind reader. On the other hand, Mrs Daze, as a 30 year old black female wasn’t impressed.

8/10
 
GornikDaze said:
Well, this 60 something yo white guy loved it as well!!

Give me some nicely distorted discordant guitar and I’m generally happy. Given the overall sound I assume they were trying to achieve, the production and vocals didn’t distract too much for me.

Definitely something I’ll be playing more of and checking out their other stuff. It would have got much more air time, but The Black Keys latest album dropped on Friday and it took priority. More on that later… maybe ;)

Great pick Foggy tell your wife she’s a mind reader. On the other hand, Mrs Daze, as a 30 year old black female wasn’t impressed.

8/10
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On a different note Gornik have you clocked the new Diamond Head murial going up just off Stourbridge ring road?
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
My wife’s response to the reviews thus far:

“A bunch of 60 year-old white men liked it. Whoop-de-fuckin’-doo.”

Can you see why she’s such a treasure? :) :)
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The like is not from me but Mrs Spires who has been known to use that particular phrase herself.

She's convinced this thread is the online musical equivalent of Last of The Summer Wine. I try to explain that it's a vibrant broad church of eclectic tastes for all ages. Then she asks me what's in the Top Ten and I change the subject :-)
 
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It Started With A Miss said:
On a different note Gornik have you clocked the new Diamond Head murial going up just off Stourbridge ring road?
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I’ve not seen it yet - whereabouts is it? I read they were going to do it, it’s long overdue. Not got anything against the others that are up, but to not recognise DH would have been a bit wrong.
 
GornikDaze said:
I’ve not seen it yet - whereabouts is it? I read they were going to do it, it’s long overdue. Not got anything against the others that are up, but to not recognise DH would have been a bit wrong.
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Just off the ring road before the Kia garage and the Neds one.
 
journolud said:
My son has been on at me to nominate Kanye West for ages
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When I've had a few I can do all the words to the Jamie Foxx/Ray Charles part of Gold Digger if that helps?

In fairness, though he lost the plot a good while back, Late Registration is a more than good enough album to be worthy of discussion on here.
 
I've kinda said more or less where I am with this mood-wise, and the music itself seems to have been dissected enough.

So instead here is a collection of random thoughts I can remember coming to me while I listened to it. Relative to the album/music, that is. Mostly. In chronological order, to the best of my recollection.

The opening track is a cracker. A bit at odds with the rest of it, wonder what went on there. A bit desert-rocky. Was it a leftover from earlier efforts, was it an attempt at something new, did it just come spontaneously and was left in?

The vocals are in, man he reminds me of someone, but can't for the life of me put my finger on it. It will come to me. Such a familiar tone of voice though!

It has obvious similarities to bands of its time, like Samiam (love), Pavement, a bit of Modest Mouse too. But it also has the very same qualities of a later more distant band I love. Wonder if anyone will pick up on that.

Oh wait, Belf's just gone and mentioned them! But was that deliberate and a cleverly snuck in comparison, or just pure coincidence. Can't be, he meant it, surely. Can never tell with that dude. Will have to wait till his full review.

Man those vocals, who is it they remind me of! It will come to me. I Hope, otherwise I might be a bit pissed off.

It actually wouldn't take much polish, to turn this into the likes of the Lemonheads, guided by voices or other more commercially palatable bands. Hmm, I wonder if Rob might not like that. But then it does have grit! Sometimes polish and grit just don't mix.

Ok, belf's made no further mention in his review so maybe it was just a totally accidental metaphor of a frightened rabbit after all then. But that's the qualities I am drawn to here, that they also have. That raw, grubby, do our own thing because that's us mood and attitude. The feeling that they have something to say it and that comes first, rather than how it is said or recieved. In ways they are comfortable with. You don't have to make it onto Mtv or tick those boxes to say something, and I really like their unfiltered and arguably 'pure' expression. It feels honest. Even decades later. Kudos boys. In particular the song GOAT, the structure of it, the lyrical rhythm. Man could easily be on Midnight Organ Fight and not feel out if place.

Still can't crack those vocals. I mean, there are definite similarities with Scott Hutchisons voice (but that's not what I am thinking of). In itself, not conventionally 'good' or 'strong' as a voice or singer. And that almost too feeble to carry the weight of the theme crackle. Yet it really works as the overall parcel, and there is charm in its shameless perseverance without yielding or changing the style or fitting the music to suit. Kudos boys. Whatever happened to that BBC documentary on FR that was in production, they are taking their time with it. Maybe trying to hold off and time it with a 10 year anniversary of hia death. Wow has it not been 10 years yet, feels a lifetime ago. Still kinda hurts, that one. There was much there left to say..

Wow, AoL are still going, and had an album within the last half a decade! A few breaks and reunions in there, but impressive longevity. Plenty for me to deepdive into after this week.

Man who does that voice remind me of, this is getting frustrating now. There it is right there, that back of throat crackle, the almost struggle to pull the note out. 'They clogged up the valley and drifted to ouuuteer space'. So familiar. I can almost hear it but can't name it. Why is it so hard to think.. no wait.. hard to DRINK.. 'really hard to driiiink'. That's bloody it! Motherfucking Silverchair! That what I was thinking of. Phew, I don't think I could have handled the week ending with that hanging over me. Man, Frogstomp was such a good album! I should revisit it, it has been a while.

Suppose I better score this. Really enjoyed the week, managed to transpose myself elsewhere, provoked a lot of reaction and brought about thoughts and emotions, and the album itself is a blast. Plus plenty more back catalogue to go through. Can't be anything less than a 9.
 
Coatigan said:
It actually wouldn't take much polish, to turn this into the likes of the Lemonheads, guided by voices or other more commercially palatable bands. Hmm, I wonder if Rob might not like that. But then it does have grit! Sometimes polish and grit just don't mix.
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I just don't understand why bands don't want the best recorded versions of themselves on a recording that could last hundreds of years. Whatever your style of music, from one guy with a guitar to a 90-piece orchestra (do they have they many players), why not record the sounds - whether it be acoustic strums or buzzsaw guitar - in a way that sounds like you standing right next to me? I just. don't. get. it.

Or, as Eric Bachmann might say:-

Arrrrrggghgh roooofl kkeeyeu bbbbbbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm recorded versions nooooooooooooooo sssssssss ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr aaaarggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh buzzsaw guitar aaaarrrrrgggggggggg!!!!!!

Coatigan said:
The feeling that they have something to say .....
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They may very well have something to say, except the vocals are recorded so badly, I could barely make out a tenth of what he was going on about.
 
RobMCFC said:
I just don't understand why bands don't want the best recorded versions of themselves on a recording that could last hundreds of years. Whatever your style of music, from one guy with a guitar to a 90-piece orchestra (do they have they many players), why not record the sounds - whether it be acoustic strums or buzzsaw guitar - in a way that sounds like you standing right next to me? I just. don't. get. it.

Or, as Eric Bachmann might say:-

Arrrrrggghgh roooofl kkeeyeu bbbbbbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm recorded versions nooooooooooooooo sssssssss ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr aaaarggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh buzzsaw guitar aaaarrrrrgggggggggg!!!!!!


They may very well have something to say, except the vocals are recorded so badly, I could barely make out a tenth of what he was going on about.
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It is a discussion in itself, that applies to all art I guess.

I don't think their sound (style aside) is as bad as you make out.

By 'having something to say', I don't mean strictly in words or lyrics, but include expression in that
 
Whilst the votes were a bit of a mixed bag, Vee Vee by Archers of Loaf managed to score a decent 6.79 from 11 votes. Thanks to @FogBlueInSanFran for the nomination.

With our missing members, we are running out of nominators in this round and if things don't change, this week's pick will be the penultimate nomination in this round. Over to @Mancitydoogle for the clues/selection.
 
journolud said:
Also interestingly, I had this on in the car when I picked my son up to take on an errand and having told him that it was this week's pick and nothing else he offered that it "sounds like a rubbish Pavement".

I've listened to Pavement before but had to refresh my memory and did indeed find it an easier and more satisfying listen. I mentioned to my son that some people preferred Archers of Loaf to Pavement and he said they can fuck all the way off with that shit. Or something like that.
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Where does he stand on Samiam, or Silverchair to calibrate that.

journolud said:
Coatigan said that if he'd heard this when he was younger he might have enjoyed it more and the same may be true for me. It worried me (a little) that I'm becoming more conservative and middle of the road in my musical tastes but had to remind myself there is some very satisfying lo fi, amateurish and wilfully shambolic music out there that I still listen to.
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Wouldn't say it is a case of becoming more conservative, more the inability to experisnce something not new as new to me. Whereas I can and do comfortably like new stuff, whether or not it sounds new. Like the new Chalk album.
 
RobMCFC said:
Whilst the votes were a bit of a mixed bag, Vee Vee by Archers of Loaf managed to score a decent 6.79 from 11 votes. Thanks to @FogBlueInSanFran for the nomination.

With our missing members, we are running out of nominators in this round and if things don't change, this week's pick will be the penultimate nomination in this round. Over to @Mancitydoogle for the clues/selection.
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FWIW, I have chosen my next album to review but not written anything; although I have played it a couple of times recently to get the thought process going.
 
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