saint etienne are a bunch of weird cookies aren't they ?
they play at playing pop music, using obvious poptastic type tropes, and yet seem to almost always come across as inhabiting some parallel pop universe where serge Gainsborough is bigger than Elvis...i tend to lump them with the likes of stereolab, though obviously S>E have more of a grip on what constitutes a top tune than the labs ever will...
anyway to song in question is a pretty nice way to spend nine minutes on a rainy monday in rochdale, intestingly (or not), i detected a faint whiff of what the native hipsters now call 'hauntolgy' hiding away in bits of this. is this a good thing ?
decent choice nico
always regretted not seeing them at latitude, did any one catch 'em ?

I'm by no means a big St. Etienne fan and didn't even watch their Latitude 2009 Uncut Arena set despite the AMAZING viral advertising throughout Sunday which is probably better than any of their records. I quite enjoy Foxbase Alpha in a 'this is nice but I don't really feel the need to listen to it more than once every 4 months' way. This falls into the same line as that record in that it's not AMAZING but it is not TERRIBLE either.

It's strange but I kind of have the same feeling as Nico and Thomas have both touched on above - it feels really familiar though I have most definitely not heard it before Saturday morning. The first section reminds me of the fantatic Darren Hayman solo record from last year 'Pram Town' and is probably my favourite of the three sections. Section number 2 is a bit dull and I feel they're not the best at doing the whole slow building dancey thing as well as other people since. The last section is kind of nothing.

All in all, it's a nice bit of music but I will probably never hear it again in my life.

CAN WE HAVE THE THOMAS HIT NOW PLEASE

Hi soz for not contributing guys I was in Bilbao for the weekend, will have a listen to the tracks and give my belated opinion in a bit.

Thomas' song is on its merry way tonight, so keep jabbing F5 on the finest thread this side o' the festival!
 
 
I'm growing moist - in all of the wrong areas - in anticipation.
 

I'm growing moist - in all of the wrong areas - in anticipation.

dirty boy

I am writing on the Forum Best Albums Ever thread. I am writing about music and cities. I am criticising bands who sing about suburban angst. I am telling them to observe the city properly. I am telling them to tell us what cities are really like. I think that if they want to talk about the city they can do it in a better way. I am listening to the Wu-Tang Clan reimagine the city as a Japanese battlefield. I am listening to Warren G and Nate Dogg reimagine the city as the Wild West. The city is the only way to live. If you don't like the city or the suburbs then you are wrong. I am reading the CD swap thread. I am remembering 1999. I am remembering the Country Teasers. I am listening to their albums. I am posting one of their songs. Nico Rijnders wanted a mournful dirge.

The Country Teasers - Mos E17ley

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/5X34gEJlNRe5UUx7azBE1x
Youtube live footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJKoRl7W1e8


What do you think about cities?
What music is urban?
Does this song do anything for you?
Should I have listened to it more than twice before posting it?
Am I just doing this to lower expectations about my Latitude Mix CD?
Hang on, didn't The Fall do this sort of thing better?
Isn't Corrie going through a rough patch?

BeeRose


Hi soz for not contributing guys I was in Bilbao for the weekend, will have a listen to the tracks and give my belated opinion in a bit.

 


OMG.


Bilbao is one of my absolute favourite places. I've only been once mind, but would love to go again.  Did you have a nice time?


Aupa! Aupa! Athletic!

Thomas

The Country Teasers - Mos E17ley

 
Crikey, I never caught this stuff before
 
Really like it on first listen: thanks, Thomas - even if you probably think "Corrie" used to be good.
 
No, this is distinctive and effective.
 
Will write more tomorrow.
 
Gosh, great stuff! I'm actually shocked.
 
Why does Spotify list them as "The Empire Strikes Back? though.

hang on (while i listen to GZA doing it to me oldskool style)...

thomas just mentioned the group...does this mean i crack open the bubbly, blow up some balloons, and basically organise an urban street party ?
no ? thought not

Yo Moochoo, glad you like it. I had one eye on you when I chose it. I think it's good.

Anyway, what I mean to say is that 'The Empire Strikes Back' is the name of the album it's on.

Daft me, that's the record name. Am listening to the whole album now. Sounds phenomenal.
 
Truly amazing - I'm climaxing like a boiling kettle.

warren g though, its like Schoolly D never happened, anodyne does not begin to describe this...may well have to dig out the original pressing of 'P.S.k. What does it mean'*, in order to recover my now sadly diminished faith in urban music...that or go back to the inedible string band.

* PSK=park side killers

I suspect that Thomas has mentioned Regulate because of this excellence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulate_(song)#Synopsis

And yes, Corrie is positively wretched at the moment. I'd gladly swap the forthcoming tram mishap for a cruise missile, if it meant the back of *insert usual list*.

I think "It's like Schoolly D never happened" might become my go-to music review line.

and now to the main event...the country teasers...

yeah, great song, and even greater video; the best use of shoe removal in a pop video ever, wait till madonna sees this.
they look very much like the bunch of drunken idiots i ended up dancing with at a calexico show a few years ago at the overtly straight laced bridgwater hall...
good call thomas; nice to hear a northern voice in a pop song

Nico Rijnders


I suspect that Thomas has mentioned Regulate because of this excellence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulate_(song)#Synopsis

Yes, as seen elsewhere etc. But it has to be said that Regulate is probably the most referenced song in general conversation with me and it nearly made it onto my Latitude Mix CD, so it is a song very dear to my heart.

Re: that Wikipedia article. I was thinking earlier that an Arcade Fire fan could write a similarly styled analysis of what Arcade Fire say about the suburbs, but without it being a joke. It would be seen as evidence of their intellectual and meaningful narrative lyrics. So does that mean that assuming the Regulate article was intended as a joke is racist?

Bilbao was brilliant but nobody told us it was like the Brighton of Spain, literally it was basically one massive gay bar, which we loved obviously although I'm glad we didn't go to the Santo-Bear, are you aware of this establishment??
There were loads of creepy guys though, all the straight guys there are obsessed with foreigners and because me and my friend are pale and blonde we really stand out, so loads of times we got hassled and had to flee to our hostel (which we later found on a map of gay friendly locations). Also I wasn't used to the custom of using 90% spirit with a cheeky splash of mixer, two Spanish style gin and tonics and I was basically floored. AND while clubs and bars in England close at 3 the one we went to was still going strong at half 5, the next morning I wished I'd never been born.
But it was overall a fabulous trip.

Mos E17ley is fantastic. I'm going to write about it later tonight.

This is definitely the best pick so far. Thomas mentioned a certain Manchester Group in the introductory post but I'd ignore that and say it's closer to Godspeed You! Black Emperor or someone like that. The music definitely reminds me of something from Dead Frog Blues or something, and they sure loved their spoken word didn't they. It's better than that, though - where Godspeed would hold the 'groove' (for want of a better word) for a mere 30 seconds before drifting off into tedious ambience, The Country Teasers keep it going for what could be forever. The best bits are when everything else drops out apart from the drums, which sound like death itself.

I've just had a look at their last.fm page and it turns out they're playing the Godspeed! ATP anyway so, whoda thunkit, eh? I'm off to listen to the entire album.