The High Llamas: C or D?

I've never bought an album, just downloaded songs, but have loved almost all I have heard.

i'd probably recommend this is the best way to hear them - an album's worth is just too much airbrushed beach boys parody/homage to cope with in one sitting

On re-examination, I was delighted to find that Microdisney actually were the best band ever.

*aside* a guy i used to know insisted on pronouncing the High Llamas' name as if it were Welsh. Never failed to make me giggle.

Oh, and Gideon Gaye is fucking brilliant, and agreed re Hawaii's overlongness. Still ace tho. And Sean's a lovely fella.

of course living in new zealand means you don't need drippy soundtracks to evoke the beach, the surf, the sun, warmth etc.. so perhaps this is music for northern hemisphere conditions

(oh, that didn't stop me liking Fennessz Endless Summer, but that record is a quantum leap from Hawaiia, the latter a record with too many theatrics and not much content, ie songs, ideas, & w/out the wit of stereolab or the almost visceral Fennessz)

gideon gaye is perfect winter's time music, i found. perfect for when yer snowed in, can't get outdoors, and all you can do is watch the snow pile up against yer window and drink warm tea. which might be the point. and it was made for some ridiculously low amount of money (like $10K?) if i remember correctly, which makes it even more of an achievement.

the couple of times i've seen them live were among the best shows i've ever seen by anyone.

Microdisney's 1st album (what's it called 'Everybody is Fantastic' or something?)is utterly classic - once or twice a year I'm convinced that 'Sun' might just be the *best thing ever*. Possibly the best lyrics too.

I loved the songs on 'Clock Came Down...' but prefer the Peel versions of 'Loftholdingswood' etc etc. All great stuff. I didn't really like the last couple of MD albums and The Fatima Mansions were almost as bad as the High Llamas.

Fatima Mansions - have a few more moments, one or two per record and pretty much the whole of Bertie's Brochures is good.

Microdisney - have even more moments, their last album I always think of as a lost classic but I only have it on a tape that doesn't work anymore so this may be nostalgia talking. "Rack" is my favourite song by them FWIW.

I always wanted to get hold of the tapes of the material Sean O'Hagen was arranging for Brian Wilson and Andy Paley, has anyone ever heard these tracks (or knows where I can get them from?)

Chew: if you don't have the Paley/Wilson demos, email off board & I'll see what I can do. Patchy, but moments of greatness.

i like stereolab for the synths, bass, drums, horns, strings, disco, more synths, vocals, guitar, probably in that order, but at least all at once
i can see now that 'lab had the tunes and rhyhtms, while o'hagan provided plenty of atmosphere. since there's only so much from the 'lab and i dunno, maybe that's it anyway, which would be very sad as i think they were going in a great new direction, having somewhat jettisoned the guitar rock or at least made it sound like something other than guitar rock, the tragic forced exit of some of the bubble-vocals would make for an interesting album made more of semi-instrumentals i reckon.

anyway i can hear all those noises on this later llamas record, and if the songs themselves make me think of paul mccartney, with all the best intentions and hand-picked band etc. etc., this makes me think that the greatest music from these guys does still boil down to the mandatory good harmonic tune, so i think the llamas-lab axis should continue, with all those noises included. maybe a new band, tripartite songwriting.

Just bought Beet, Maize & Corn. Just finished listening and it seems like I just put it on. Beautifully done background music. Emphasis on background. To give it some credit, I think it would make for great baby-making music. It evokes springtime to a T.

If O'Hagan brings a small orchestra with him, I'll gladly hop along and see the Llamas when/if they come to town. I saw them many years tour for "Hawaii", and it was absolutely amazing. Later, I saw them tour for "Cold and Bouncy" and it was... well, not amazing.

*Highly recommended*.

definitely a favorite disc of mine.

utterly classic
search: almost everything, *especially* Buzzle Bee, think S O'Hagen was the 2nd best thing that ever happened to Stereolab,(John McEntire being the 1st- wrong wrong wrong)
destroy: Gideon Gaye

and the student has become the teacher - Brian who?
-said for effect

this i agree with, Sean's arrangement work is by far is greatest strength, and he's feckin good at it. Buzzle Bee is no more or less dull than most of the HLs stuff.

Has anyone here heard the Musical Wheel thing that Sean O'Hagan put together with some French artist? The soundtrack for La Vie D'Artiste last year was excellent, so I imagine this is just as inspired/interesting:

http://www.jpmuller.be/musical-painting/

It's probably a D&L thing but Cold & Bouncy has bullied its way into my very being. I accept that I have little/no taste but bugger it.

I've always loved Buzzle Bee.

new one: Talahomi Way, out 4/19/11.

Classic.

Sean O'Hagan is a genius IMO. Creates worlds with his music. It's not so much about the songwriting to me.

yeah, the albums are wonderful sonic journeys -- dunno if o'hagen has written a ton of great "songs", but he's a master at (like you say) creating little worlds.

I view him in the tradition of like Penguin Cafe Orchestra. It's music that takes you away, gliding over the sea, wandering through snow valleys. Just really strikes the right chord with me, plus he does great work for other bands.

I think when he has written actual "songs," he's done a great job. "Put Yourself Down" on the first High Llamas album is something I go back to often and I think Can Cladders could be considered the most song-oriented album he's done since the early days. I enjoyed that one immensely.

Psyched for this even though I thought Can Cladders wasn't as good as it could have been.

i thought can cladders deserved a little more attention than it got. my fave is still gideon gaye, but i don't think they've made a bad album yet.

Anyone check out the latest soundtrack, the Copacabana OST with Tim Gane? I enjoyed it. Pretty insubstantial and sounds about what you'd expect it to sound like, but I'm fond of that niche so it's been one I come back to.

Album art for the new one is on here: http://stereogum.com/tag/the-high-llamas/

i'd like to hear that sdtk, but haven't gotten around to it.
in case anyone's interested i interviewed o'hagan around the time of can cladders: http://www.junkmedia.org/index.php?i=1997

I have a major soft spot for '90s High Llamas albums, but I feel like everything they've done in the past decade has suffered from diminishing returns. As a fan, I'll still listen to the new album, but I guess I just don't expect anything from them anymore.

Fantastic news. Excited. Love everything they've done.

http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/dc469.jpg

Love the art.

I always find with the Llamas that their albums sound a much of a muchness until I've had them on a few times, and then suddenly it clicks and it becomes as essential as anyone else they've ever done. I've never understood the "lift muzak" accusation.

I think "Sailing Bells" and "Honeytrap" off Can Cladders might be my two favourite tracks of theirs. Perfect music to walk home to on a summer evening.

It's music of subtle complexity. On the surface, it might sound that way. But as I've become a bigger fan over the years, I've grown accustomed to Sean's arrangements and my expectations of hearing expertly layered music that comes with this otherworldly atmosphere is always met.

wow, this new one's really good, nice and tuneful. my favorite since buzzle bee

Sold my copy of Santa Barbara years ago, but I'm listening to clips on Amazon right now and I'm surprised how well (and fondly!) I remember all of these songs. They never did anything else that sounded like this, did they? I guess Gideon Gaye would come closest... (Sorry to revive and not mention the new album. The cover art is nice.)

Nope, can't think of anything like it, but Can Cladders is probably the poppiest thing he's done in ages.

http://thisispopshow.blogspot.ie/2013/02/this-is-pop-show-003-february-22nd-2013.html

"I don't believe them (Radiohead) for a second. I'm not vehemently down on them, as I am say Oasis, but I hate the way that that record ( O.K. Computer ) is supposed to be the greatest record of all time and so radical. I don't think there's anything radical about what they do. They're careful, well-honed cliches. The perfect marketing tool and I think those things need to be exposed. I mean I hate to sound so bitchy about it, but I think it's incumbent upon people to make that point".

*swoon*

Word Sean otm! I always knew Yorke was just a mediocre art student jerkoff. Yeah being a fucking bos-eyed twat might get you laid ... hmmm maybe an album of this type zzzzzzzzzz...... Contribution to modern music = 0 Radiohead fucking boredom deathray pulverising my head in the 90's = 100000000

The audacity of Sean O'Hagan to call something out for being a 'careful, well-honed cliche' is quite frankly obscene

Yeah that was my first thought too. I like some High Llamas now and again (especially Hawaii) but they're hardly the most original band ever.

I guess the difference is that the High Llamas wear their well-honed cliches on their sleeves.

The difference is that the High Llamas actually have some great songs.

I think Cold and Bouncy is extremely progressive music.

Look, I love the High Llamas, but O'Hagan's being dumb there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lei1FFjb4k

I really, really, really loved their last one.

So this is the "musical performance before it becomes an album" he alluded to:

Sean At The End Of The Road Festival.Woodland Library
01 September 2013

Sean is delighted to play a ,very early set , 11.30 on Sunday morning ,in the Woodland Library section at the festival. It will include a reading from a new new piece of narrative work called Here come The Rattling Trees.So its a solo performance with a literary edge set in a library created for the festival in the woods.... magical. Any one around at the time of the morning ? If you are please come along and make a great start to the day!!

sounds cool, are you going? i'd be into hearing an o'hagan solo performance -- do tapes of such things exist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M790D51khiw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjon1Oj7t4Q

thanks! these are great.

seconded

Really wish I could hear the Pauline Detective OST. That was never released. Also thinking this might be nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrW0SbAYEx8

Directed by Tsuneo Goda (director of Domo-Kun) scored by Sean O'Hagan (2013)

i went to a fantastic o'hagan solo performance ca. 2001-02.

holy shit "sparkle up"

Wowie. How I wish I could've seen this

http://wearenoise.com/index.php/2013/11/review-the-high-llamas-felix-the-cat-triskel-christchurch-cork-13-11-13/

Such luxury.

Akin to getting an Indian head massage from Van Dyke Parks while playing Ludo with Rihanna and having Stephen Fry knit you burberry mittens.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome that was the Triskel Christchurch last Wednesday night. The High Llamas had us floating on lemonade rainbows, purring like tranquilised sea-lions, sporting the smiles of gameshow hosts.

The set-up was as simple as Johnny Giles’ mind. The punters were sitting happy in the pews. The band were sitting pretty on the stage. The Felix cartoons unfolded on a giant screen behind the stage. The music and cartoons merged in a feast for the eyes, Tiramisu for the ears; plush and luminous in lush and pluminous ways.

The five feline Felix flights of fancy were easy to sum up: Chameleon cat gets in a pickle – has a bright idea – uses tail as a switchblade or a mosquito net – sticks it to The Man – everybody hurrahs – end credits.

The soundtrack cannot be summed up with words. A contented sigh fits better… Aaaaah…

Once more for the non-believers… Aaaaah…

Aaaaaah…

When you knew the night couldn’t possibly be improved upon, The High Llamas played a twenty minute set from their peerless back catalogue.

Pigeon-headed people would put them in a “lounge music/easy listening pop” pigeon hole. Feed the birds poisoned bread ‘cos The High Llamas make glorious, clever, perfect music. ‘Triads’, ‘Bach Ze’, ‘Woven & Rolled’, ‘Rotary Hop’ were played. A clutch of classics: side 2 of Pet Sounds mixed with meringue dubstep and a dash of oblique Tropicalia.

Sean O’Hagan may be a tad greyer around the temples than back in his mighty Microdisney days but his ability to wring winning, ringing melodies from his guitar remains undiminished. If there’s a finer guitarist alive I’ll lick the leaves from their heart-shaped swimming-pool wearing a polka-dot toga.

Kudos to Cork Film Festival for being able to arrange such a magnificent show. Gratitude to the Triskel for being the greatest arts venue in Ireland. Plaudits to Felix for being funnier than Family Guy.

Love to The High Llamas for being.

Why is there no footage?? :(

http://digthattreasure.blogspot.com/2013/12/resonance-fm-111213-sean-ohagan.html

This has an excerpt of a song fromm the play.

dud

nah they're great. in lieu of new music from them, some of the recent Arp album kinda scratched the high llamas itch this year: https://soundcloud.com/arp-music/high-heeled-clouds-1

I forgive you, Paul.

The band is petered to play which leads us to believe a giddy-mellow resonance will permeate throughout the evenings' bopping festivities. Following a one-off in the New Age town of Hebden Bridge, The High Llamas will perform original music to 5 Felix The Cat films live at the Sheffield Doc/Fest on June 15th! What does the future hold for the High Llamas? More music, more music, of course! Their new musical narrative, Here Come The Rattling Trees, is being recorded and will debut live/theatrically sometime in the near future; til then, grab tickets to see them live for the first time in an age, long live High Llamas!

4/25/14 The Islington London United Kingdom

5/3/14 The Islington London United Kingdom

6/7/14 The Trades Club Hebden Bridge United Kingdom

6/15/14 Sheffield Documentary Festival Sheffield United Kingdom

I'd really like to see the Felix the Cat performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS6m-7asmK4

Email to mailing list last night:

Here Come The Rattling Trees

We would like to announce that the new High Llamas release is a show called Here Come The Rattling Trees. The initial performances will be followed by a conventional physical release.

These performances will take place at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Soho, London from October 20th to October 25th 2014. Information detailing ticket purchase will follow very shortly. We are excited by this new event in the band's existence and hope you join us in the experience.

Here Come The Rattling Trees is a new departure for us, a piece combining spoken word and music which will be performed by the band and three actors. It explores the theme of urban renewal in South London through the response of a series of characters to the rebranding of their local leisure centre. What emerges is a very contemporary tale. New songs, and a brand new score.

New 7" Single on Ghost Box

Sean O'Hagan has joined Jon Brooks from The Advisory Circle to release a single on Ghost Box as part of the labels Other Voices release series. Sean and Jon collaborated on both songs , 'Calibair' and 'Mulclair'.

The record can purchased from Ghost Box as a 7" single or a download.
http://www.ghostbox.co.uk

Sounds interesting, although I'm hesitant about the "spoken word" bit.

BTW: I really can't wait to hear the collaboration with Jon Brooks. What an awesome idea. I ordered the 7", but it hasn't arrived yet.

The collaboration is great. I could use an entire album like that.

And I can't get enough of this song lately:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j3O4X0CkWw

I only recently noticed how nice the nylon string guitar sounds.

that's definitely one of my favorites, I think Snowbug may well be their best album overall

I've never seen that video before. Is Mary Hansen pushing those moons around? I miss her so much.

I do as well. I think that she would've sounded great on Can Cladders. She always sounded great.

Lately, my favorite Mary vocal is her bit on the second half of "Double Rocker."

"Long Life Love" is a really good one featuring Mary.

I won't say that he hasn't come up with lyrical passages I enjoy, but Sean has written some real bizarre duds. "Bobby's Court" is inexplicable

I strongly recommend this if you haven't heard it

http://www.musicalpainting.com/en/home.php

I think it's one of the most cohesive projects he has worked on

Found this on the High Llamas forum. No one else has written about it:

I was at the last show on Saturday. I can see the comparison with 'Say Hi...' but thought this was far superior. Coe's dialogues can be pretty cringe inducing. Sean decided to go with all monologues and the writing was fantastic throughout. Must have been a pleasure for the actors to recite. Also, I was surprised by the range of subjects/voices covered. I didn't expect a tale about getting lost while jogging in Canberra! The songs punctuate the stories within each monologue. A couple of potentials for the HL canon, inc. the title song (which was repeated as the final encore), The rest were OK. But it's not the music I took away really, more a new respect for Sean the author. :)

Never thought of Sean as a writer. I'd love to hear this.

http://www.stereogum.com/1841897/the-high-llamas-here-comes-the-rattling-trees/mp3s/

London pastoral poppers the High Llamas haven’t released an album since 2011’s Talahomi Way, but last year their long-time label Drag City teased that the band was working on a new “musical narrative” project called Here Comes The Rattling Trees, and they’ve played a few shows around the UK throughout 2014. billed under that title. Today we’ve been given the first recorded music from the project in the form of a title track. The release is being billed as “Music From The Original Stage Production,” which means that it’s probably tracks culled from those live performances, and more performances could be coming in the future. Check out the first track and tracklist for the new record below.

cool!
randomly heard a sondre lerche track this week and thought, hey this sounds like high llamas -- and of course o'hagan did the strings.

Re: "it’s probably tracks culled from those live performances"

In fact, it's the whole show reproduced in album form. Tracks titled as "(x) Recalls" are the monologues.

The song on soundcloud is good, but it's a very wispy version! The arrangement when they performed it in the show was much punchier. (Not that High Llamas recordings can often be described as 'punchy', I'll grant you)

Oh wait, track times on the Drag City website - http://www.dragcity.com/products/here-come-the-rattling-trees - suggests those "Recalls" tracks are very short.

So, not the whole monologue :(

I'm disappointed it'll be five years since the excellent Talahomi Way and all we're getting is what looks like a pretty short soundtrack. I really like the song, though. It's nice to hear Sean reign it in sometimes. I guess the actual narrative is actually pretty good, then? I've found little about it online.

looks like this is coming out this week

I bought it. It's really, really nice, but only 28 minutes long. :'(

So there's no dialogue from the play at all? That's disappointing, I was hoping to get at least a flavour of what it was like.

It's a bit like the problem I had with Scott Walker's "And Who Shall Go To The Ball...", in that it's difficult to appreciate as a whole piece of work due to a crucial part being missing.

"go to montecito" is secretly the best track on snowbug.

harpers romo, cookie bay, the american scene, janet jangle. o'hagan's melodies have never since been quite as accomplished imo.

Can Cladders and Talahomi Way are two of their strongest albums. Ive been playing them to death in between Stereolab sessions. The addition of the soulful backing vocals really gives the Cladders songs some needed life and the arrangements on Talahomi are to die for...

His inability to write a hook or a memorable song is overstated on this forum. Yeah, Gideon Gaye was probably his strongest set of traditional songs, but I think he's had a lot of decent melodies up his sleeve all along.

Sean performed a Basil Kirchin tribute the other night with a group that included Tim Gane.

They recorded at least one song, which pops up at 55:30. It's an original.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08dns54

Just noticed HL remixed a track from the Rundgren/Lindstrøm Runddans collaboration. First listen makes me think it's kind of inspired – Rundgren has always loved the Beach Boys but it's rarely materialized in his music. This takes one of the poppiest pieces from a very proggy record andsome of the background vox Rundgren recorded that got buried in the final mix and does a little Gold Star treatment with them. Pretty neat.

https://soundcloud.com/vonmehren/aerosuiteremixseanohagan

I love Sean's remixes.

Completely rebuilt that song.

I hear an element of a fairly famous tropicalia song I can't put my finger on.

recent live show here -- glad they are still at it. http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=3318
just gave can cladders a listen last weekend randomly — still a really strong album! the backup singers are a nice touch.

By the way, that Alexander Von Mehren album is very good if you're a Stereolab/Llamas fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYJOmiVkN6c

Thanks for the link, tyler.

CLASSIC just for influence on Cobra and Phases

There was a lot of disdain for his influence on the group in one of the many Stereolab threads. :(

More than just an influence, O'Hagan performed or provided arrangements on most of Stereolab's albums

i think o'hagan + stereolab is usually successful ... and i love the hansen/sadier vocals on snowbug.

just LOLd at this classic early pitchfork review: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3855-snowbug/

Yep, and still actively collaborates with tim. even played piano on a cavern of antimatter track or two. He's clearly been favored by Tim for a long time, or is it the other way around...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lAWOMUNabk

SeanO did the strings on this song. lol

Well, he does on the original. That's not the original.

Dud.

Stereolab reminds me of 1997
In a good way

Turrican, ever the buzzkill

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/nubian-mindz-somebody-else-remixes/638308-01/

Couple of new remixes by Sean & Tim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEFHwApSJ2U

Interesting interview w/ Sean, mostly questions about his work with other bands and artists. It's fairly long.

Interesting that he feels like he doesn't take enough chances with the Llamas material

I love how when he hums & sings during the interview, he sounds nothing like he does in his own music. It's a much more gravelly, normal voice, rather than that airy, kind of flat voice we're all used to.

Just found out about this album. Came out a couple months ago. It's very, very good:

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-is-a-big-god-mw0003159611

The rough guitar sketches he sent to O'Hagan earned beautifully detailed string arrangements, eventually forming the basis of this beautifully crafted collection. As a creative foil to Lancellotti's soothing yet ambitious approach, O'Hagan is a perfect fit, enhancing instrumental tracks like the lilting title cut and the gorgeous "Árvores" with exquisitely rendered string parts that seem both featherlight and absolutely essential. As on previous releases, both Kassin and Veloso also return to help out, the former adding sitar, guitars, and synth to the mysterious "Aracne" and the latter singing and co-writing the breezy highlight "Tudo ao Redor." For his part, Lancellotti remains the captain here, singing, arranging, playing a multitude of instruments, and turning out challenging avant-garde pop on "Asas" and sunny samba rhythms on "Insatiable," and crooning over eerie synths on the magical "Dama da Noite." The Good Is a Big God may be a lofty album rich in layers, details, and rhythms, yet it never flaunts its ambition. Lancellotti is a master of subtlety, gracefully melding his own attributes with the strengths of others to great effect on this excellent sophomore outing.

Thanks for the tip, checking this out right now

Did you notice Seano started a new website recently?
https://www.seanohaganmusic.com

There are some audio clips on the 'Music in Art' page that I need to check out.

That Basil Kirchin track is part of an album that I believe is either being worked on or completely finished. I heard one track and thought it was phenomenal.

This Lancellotti album is nice. "Asas" has a monster groove.

There's even a song where Sean takes lead vocals. Sounds totally Llamas. The instrumentals sound heavily influenced by Sean as well.

http://hernehillfestival.org/programme/155-Sean+O%26%2339%3BHagan%2C+Kieran+Mahon%2C+and+friends

Sean O'Hagan - The Peacock Hunter
Sean O’Hagan has spent 30 years in music as a performer and writer, first as the co-founder of Microdisney in the 1980s, then as the founder of the still current High Llamas as well as being a part time member of Stereolab. Sean has made a living as an arranger, in film, art and event writing. In 2014 Sean wrote a staged musical narrative called Here Come The Rattling Trees set in Peckham, his home for 30 years. Here Come The Rattling Trees is now the High Llamas's 10th studio LP. In 2017 Sean was commissioned by Hull City of Culture 2017 to write We Start Counting, a tribute to Basil Kirchin.

The Peacock Hunter, the show which will be performed this evening, takes you on an impressionistic trip from a Coventry production line to the last days of a collapsing Middle Eastern dynasty, using original music and text and archive images. Music written and performed by Sean O'Hagan, Marcus Holdaway, and Dominic Murcott, with text written and delivered by Liam McNeive. Liam McNeive has originated or collaborated in various musical and filmic creations, including a BBC-produced virtual reality world.

Looks fun!

Tickets have gone on sale now too

Peacock show is on Saturday.

https://www.wegottickets.com/event/446156

I thought I’d bought a ticket but seems like I hadn’t! Glad there are some left.

I can't wait to hear how it goes.

I wonder if this is connected to the Basil Kirchin project they were working on.

Ta for the reminder, I was planning to go to this and nearly forgot. Herne Hill's a mainline service as well so coming from Luton I've no excuse, the train comes practically right to the door of the venue.

Sean vs The Banging Door and Sean vs The Hand Drier = one for the ages

Seriously though, a great show in a lovely venue (the above mentioned drawbacks notwithstanding). The Peacock Hunter bears no relation at all to We Start Counting (the Kirchin project), it's much closer to Here Come The Rattling Trees in terms of structure, but with a single story arc rather than a series of loosely linked narratives.

I wonder what planning lunacy led to the toilets being directly behind the stage area, it was farcical. I genuinely thought Sean was going to kick off when they had to stop Bramble Black, he must've been fuming.

Lovely set though apart from the "technical issues", glad to've caught it.

Magical show by @mercuryrevvd at Oslo. Exquisite versions of tracks from Deserter’s Songs, a cover of Here by Pavement and a quite staggering surprise guest appearance of Sean O’Hagan to lead them through Checking In Checking Out by The High Llamas. Incredible night. pic.twitter.com/XDdu2xuRgG

— Steven Johnson (@_SPJ_) December 18, 2018

Woah

very nice, that song sounds like it was pulled directly off of Pretzel Logic

Fuuuck, I hoped that was going to be a video. Wonder if anyone thought to record it?

Also I had no idea Sean and the Rev boys had collaborated before, many years ago, on a cover of I Only Have Eyes For You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tc1CwA8wbQ

Amazing how you just keep uncovering things as you trudge along the net:

https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/houseofhiss

Anyone ever heard this song 'Shang'? Sounds brilliant. Sean doing vocals.

https://houseofhiss.bandcamp.com/track/shang

There it is. Soooo good.

Sean O'Hagan is unjustly despised on this site.

He's a fuckin' genius.

Been going through h the entire Llamas discography and aside from the not very good solo debut and the middling Santa Barbara, it's just delight after delight. Every album its own little universe, a mini masterpiece after another. It's breathtaking.

Wait, who despises him? I don't think I've ever read anything negative about him on here.

There are a couple Stereolab threads where the comments on him are overwhelmingly negative.

1. Here are some drawings from a new video/animation I was asked to make for former @High_Llamas frontman and songwriter Sean O’Hagan @seano_arsenal. This for the first single from the ‘Radum Calls, Radum Calls’ album on @dragcityrecords (25/10/2019)... #animation pic.twitter.com/U7bFrZix09

— Paperface (@paperfacetweet) August 13, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOqaHefEN8c

Sean's second solo album in 30 years reflects the bold new sounds of today embedded in the plush sound-world he's built for The High Llamas, Stereolab and many others – thick low end synths under light orchestra strings, dubby percussion atop bossa-nova beats and rumbling drum sounds driving Sean's tounge-in-cheek ditties. Guest vocals from former Microdisney partner, vocalist Cathal Coughlan add to the surreal bloom of Sean’s new musical conception.

Woah @ Cathal.

There’s at least one song from The Peacock Hunter on the album, judging from the track titles on the DC website.

I wonder who actually plays on this record. It sounds like The High Llamas. I only recently started appreciating Jon Fell’s Bass work. It’s extraordinary.

Yeah, I don't exactly get how he distinguishes his solo stuff from High Llamas exactly. It's a bit of a weird track, but maybe a bit more adventurous than some of the stuff he's done in recent years. Looking forward to the album.

There’s at least one song from The Peacock Hunter on the album, judging from the track titles on the DC website.

― Jeff W, Wednesday, August 14, 2019 12:42 AM (seven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I hope the full Peacock Hunter material is destined for a separate release, as I thought that was some of the best stuff he's done in years.

I love O'Hagan, he's done some incredible stuff over the years. Snowbug is one of the greatest summer albums ever made by anybody.

He seems like a nice bloke too.

He also did a Basil Kirchin tribute a couple years ago. What I heard online sounded incredible. The music was original, but influenced by, aside from a cover of “I Start Counting” with Jane Weaver on vocals. Too good not to record.

i was graced with a promo copy

it's incredible

first track is a pretty weird 'psychedelic' song with cathal coughlan on lead vox

i love it when sean breaks out the synths. he always gets the best sounds out of them.

This album is ridiculously good. Like best in years. Why'd they give it such an unassuming cover?

Good review. Comes close to my initial thoughts:

https://www.popmatters.com/sean-ohagan-radum-calls-radum-2641069306.html

Sean's definitely on his own track and continues to make wonderful music.

He just canceled a bunch of shows because of 'health issues.'

Gutted.

What shows?

From what I understand, everything.

I was just about to buy a ticket for one of them!

Yeah. I am bummed out. The new album is great. I am happy he got to release a quality LP under his own name. That first Sean O' album is not one of my favs.

Get well soon Sean O'Hagan @seano_arsenal pic.twitter.com/r9NTDIICmU

— J. John Foyle (@JJohnFoyle) October 22, 2019

Jeez, I don't like this news at all, I hope he's ok

Appears he played a little set at Rough Trade at least.

https://t.co/VBG08RqwBg?amp=1

Here’s a new interview as well: https://therecoup.com/2019/10/25/pull-up-a-chair-for-a-spoken-gem-a-conversation-with-sean-ohagan/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Have you officially retired The High Llamas?

Not officially, no, and I don’t consider them as such. But what needs to happen, and I am desperately trying to make happen, is to get the rights back to our label output from the Nineties. They’re owned by Universal, who are extremely reluctant to do anything with our catalog, and I’ve really been wanting to get them remastered and pressed on vinyl, and maybe do an expanded series like Stereolab have done. If we can get that to happen, we’ll tour. Maybe not a full-scale tour, but perhaps residencies where we play one or two albums a night over two or three nights. If we can get those albums reissued, we’ll definitely tour. Maybe we’ll do a new record to go along with them. Then we might use that as an opportunity to officially retire—it would be a great way to close that book, don’t you think?

Agreed. But you know, if you do decide to make one last record, you have to title it Sean O’Hagan.

(Confused) What? What do you mean?? I don’t…(Pauses, then bursts into uproarious laughter). Joseph, my friend, that is brilliant! I simply must do that, you’re absolutely right! What an absolutely perfect way to bookend it all

Some typically fantastic outros on the new one

The 6 November London Show at Cafe Oto is still on, I believe (which is good because I have a ticket for that). Only shows planned from 9 November onwards are postponed.

https://www.musicomh.com/features/interviews/sean-ohagan

He's giving good interviews.

“The music that is coming out of this generation of say, 17 to 37-year-olds, is the best it has been for years. They have finally cast off the past but are able to reference it in a healthy way. There’s this esoteric, creative jazz popping out everywhere. Hip hop is so old now it almost has the legacy and weight of jazz. It’s got such a history and presence that finds itself in this great contemporary music that we hear so much in the UK and US”. He compares Khalid to Marvin Gaye (“that Talk track he did with Disclosure – if Marvin Gaye released that people would be saying it is one of his best songs”) and likens Kadhja Bonet to the 1960s psychedelic soul outfit Rotary Connection. He goes on to praise the likes of Frank Ocean, Steve Lacy, The Internet, Mount Kimbie, Empirical and new(ish) Coventry band Batsch. “I don’t see a demarcation between musical eras. A problem I do see is my personal contemporaries who say there’s nothing interesting being released now. He suddenly remembers Tyler, The Creator – “nutty old Tyler, what a joy!” – and when we talk about some of the amazing short instrumental tracks on Radum Calls, Radum Calls he remarks how he was going to leave them off the album “but then I listened to Tyler, The Creator do them and I thought fuck it – if Tyler’s doing it, I’ll do it!”. It’s refreshing and inspiring to hear a musician who has just entered his 60s talk in such animated, heartfelt, excited tones about contemporary music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca63gRUHSeA

Finally got around to putting this up. Might have to try a re-encode though as youtube seems to've fucked the upload :/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVmIE7_bGfY

Oh my goodness. That's fantastic. Thank you.

Ha! Came here to promote ^this (Twitter has just found it). Thanks, Pheeel!

Great playlist:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b8gx

Unfortunately, it appears he is dealing with cancer. I wish Sean the best.

Oh fuck, really? That's awful.

Get well soon Sean.

I can't find anything about this online, where did you happen to hear it?

I've been at the sharp end in hospital under going cancer treatment , cared for by a team if wonderful health workers from all over the world. Migrant workers.This latest revulsion from Johnson as he attempts to shore up the vilest sentiment for votes is criminal.Times shame.

— High Llamas (@High_Llamas) December 9, 2019

Fuck, this sucks

Thanks for the tweet. That's dreadful news.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD8nkYmYkEQ

ugh! hopefully he'll get better.

Yeah, fingers crossed for Sean, genuinely a good guy.

Wishing Sean a speedy recovery, he's such a lovely guy. Reading some of these comments from years ago, I think there's been some misconception that The High Llamas' records are meant to be a kind of terminus. The culmination of their influences, e.g. "what the Beach Boys were aspiring to". I believe this is looking at it the wrong way about. Surely they were the entry point? And from there we were meant to go on to check out Giu La Testa, Clube da Esquina and Marcos Valle? We didn't have algorithms for that in the 90's. Sean has been criticized a great deal for wearing his influences on his sleeve, and I understand but if you flip the triangle the other way around, it's incredibly generous, isn't it?

Yes, get well soon, Sean. Always liked this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ten0um-Ae8

I'll pick this thread 'cuz Sean's the one who interests me the most of the characters on the line-up. I am looking forward to this on Friday:

https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/grande-est-la-maison

Grande est la maison – Cabane’s first album is the outcome of Belgian composer Thomas Jean Henri bringing together the American Will Oldham (Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) and English musician Kate Stables (This Is The Kit), to perform some songs arranged by Sean O’Hagan (The High Llamas) ; a dream line-up for this collection of tunes, bordering on both folk and orchestral pop. Far from the maddening sounds, ‘Grande est la maison’ will be a warm shelter for lovers of Nick Drake or Vashti Bunyan.

Oh thanks for that - this was the fellow out of Soy Un Caballo, whose LP I love (it also involved Sean in a similar capacity I think).

Sean also produces the upcoming album, High January by Market Starling.

*Marker, grrr stupid autocorrect

Kate Sables appears courtesy of Rough Trade Records Ltd
Will Oldham appears with courtesy of his own damn self
Sean O'hagan appears with courtesy of Domino Publishing

Sounds good, Jeff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlfy7dnR6pY

Laetitia with a guest spot.

Pretty sure Sean O'Hagan did some playing/arranging with the early Palace Bros.

"I'll pick this thread 'cuz Sean's the one who interests me the most of the characters on the line-up. I am looking forward to this on Friday:

https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/grande-est-la-maison";

I think this guy is mainly a photographer, Sean has worked on his records before and played a gig in his apartment a few years ago.

I've hit an age where I have panic attacks when threads are unexpectedly revived.

It's pretty reasonable to panic with this particular thread

never talk about anybody old and not dead on the internet

ugh sorry didn’t know dude was actually not doing well, fp away

yes, made me very nervous to see this revived. i haven't heard anything about his condition since december.

I think there's been some misconception that The High Llamas' records are meant to be a kind of terminus. The culmination of their influences, e.g. "what the Beach Boys were aspiring to". I believe this is looking at it the wrong way about. Surely they were the entry point? And from there we were meant to go on to check out Giu La Testa, Clube da Esquina and Marcos Valle? We didn't have algorithms for that in the 90's. Sean has been criticized a great deal for wearing his influences on his sleeve, and I understand but if you flip the triangle the other way around, it's incredibly generous, isn't it?

― Deflatormouse, Friday, December 13, 2019 6:08 PM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink

Thank you for this, I think it’s a lovely summation of what I’ve thought many times; I can’t think of any single artist in the past few decades who has been so ill-served by a lazy shorthand for their work. I hope more people will figure it out with time.

Really digging the Cabane album. There's something very Llamas-esque about it beyond the string arrangements. I am enjoying Kate Stables's songs; I hadn't heard her before.

damn this is REALLY nice

I really like the Cabane also - if you like it and you haven't heard the Soy Un Caballo LP you have a big treat in store.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB9N9NWN3ys

Aargh someone take the harmonica away from whoever’s ruining this lovely cover 😆

Seriously though, good to see Sean looking OK and in fine voice after last year’s medical treatment

Fantastic that Sean O'Hagan (High Llamas) is looking healthy & hale here — and sounding typically wonderful. https://t.co/WTusACr6xZ

— Tyler Wilcox (@tywilc) April 24, 2020

yeah this made my day

Yes, it's great to see him in good spirits and fine form. I think his voice is getting better w/ age. His voice always needed a little extra grit. I'm also enjoying his daughter's contributions; her voice is wonderful on Radum Calls.

Love him. I don't know if any others made the connection between their musics over the decades, but this is the closest to imagining having my hero Simon Jeffes from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra doing a home concert for free.

My wet dream would be Sean producing a new David Sylvian album.

As mentioned upthread, he also produced the new Marker Starling LP, which is out now and v nice.

I completely missed up until now that the video in tylerw’s tweet is different to the one posted on 20 April. Just caught up with the former - so good, and brings back good memories of the Café Oto gig last year.

There was also short essay by Sean published on the Drag City website on the same day. Worth a read:
https://www.dragcity.com/news/2020-04-24-cracking-the-code

I've loved O'Hagan's music for a long time. In fact, it was one of two reasons why I launched a website around his music https://coughlanohagan.com/.

*shits*

Message on Bandcamp: “Small something special coming to you on June 18th. Stay tuned to Drag City”

https://www.dragcity.com/news/2020-06-18-wild-in-the-streets?fbclid=IwAR3-DjefQRHjdXG2hFvJnebHGBTrCGSP6UUJv9m66C8VxoGxBtAcvph-TXQ

The lockdown-era return of wildlife to the towns looked foreboding, with images of our streets deserted but for the odd roaming animals - but weren't cities built for everyone? Sean O' Hagan and his daughter Livvy have teamed up to sing of this ecstatic, divisive and unexpected homecoming, with squelching, modern r'n'b beats to boost the much needed energies in our stagnated communities today. Mixed by modern art-pop wunderkind Fryars, "The Wild Are Welcome" introduces a futuristic side of O'Hagan's always inventive songcraft. Sean writes:

"This April, the animals were coming back to the cities. I love our wild in London, the foxes and badgers - but then sheep, deer and goats started to stray back into the edges of urbanity, in Essex and on the fringes of Swansea and Edinburgh. So I imagined the conversations the animals were having as they acclimatized to the new norm. And of course it flipped the status for the rest of us not in captivity, as we stared out at the wild from our lockdown. As much as I have enjoyed the musical landscape that I have explored for 30 years, I want to creep beyond it. I can still drop the chords as I always have but I am enamored with the 2020 RnB experience and here I have found new tools to put records together. Livvy keeps me informed and I increasingly run stuff by her, so when the idea of this tune emerged, I wanted a female vocal around which to hang an approximated vocal running through bit crushing and transformers to get the 'sound'. The sounds of Sly's Riot mixed with these vital new expressions. This is where I am at in 2020: SEAN SYLVESTER DRAKE 61."

Nothing to add to Sean’s own description! Hard to judge from just one song but yeah more in this vein would not I think be unwelcome.

A really great interview with @High_Llamas Sean O'Hagan on his creative process: https://t.co/g0UVGTGqOd

— Paul McDermott (@learnandsing) June 18, 2020

For an act that gets a lot of "every record sounds the same," he sure releases quite an eclectic array of music. I'm addicted to the new song. His daughter's got a lovely voice. She's great on Radum Calls as well.

I keep returning to "The Wild Are Welcome." What a wonderful song. I really hope that's a taste of his next album.

Turned on Resonance FM for the first time in ages this morning and caught the last ten minutes of an interview with Sean on "Clear Spot".

He mentioned being friends with the members of Broadcast (as they were one-time label mates on DuoPhonic) and that there was some talk of him doing the strings on a future album at one time. Sadly wasn't to be :(

https://www.mixcloud.com/driftrecordshop/sean-ohagan-in-conversation/

Found a link, looks like it was a repeat from a year or so ago.

Sean had launched a minor social media campaign to get UMG to put all the Llamas stuff up for streaming. Looks like he won that battle. Says he's been trying to get the music re-released for 14 years now. Looks like it's on to fighting for some physical reissues... hope they start with Gideon.

Curious. Is there a reason why the label wouldn't want them on streaming services and/or released?

I assume lack of interest, sadly.

boom

These 4 albums from the @High_Llamas catalogue now available on all digital services for the first time worldwide. Spotify links below
Santa Barbarahttps://t.co/jryZEUnqxB
Gideon Gayehttps://t.co/0w5AD6FoYh
Hawaiihttps://t.co/H0wpUwxdl3
Cold And Bouncyhttps://t.co/D1YjcYj6Uu

— Sean O'Hagan (@seanohaganmusic) June 23, 2021

Yes!

I see a couple of Talahomi Way vinyl for sale on Bandcamp.

Wait, I mean Can Cladders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhZuSuycHIU

Forgot about this beauty.

Maybe it's just me living as a High Llamas/Sean O' fanboy for a couple decades now, but Santa Barbara sounds like a much better record than I remembered. I'm glad it's on Spotify. Lyrically, it's spotty; Sean's never written the best traditional song lyrics. Melodically, it's great. I love the little Steely Dan-esque guitar flourishes, and he even brings some noise to a track or two: Period Music" ends with some rad outburst. It's also mercifully short, at 9 tracks. I like it much better than I like his first solo release.

I always liked that one.

This new Fryars LP, God Melodies. I don't know what to make of it. Lyrically, totally obnoxious & dude seems kind of annoying, but the hooks & Sean O' arrangements keep bringing me back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfu5isOKqlE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLQ0uSOyyE

https://driftrecords.com/products/fryars-god-melodies

Written, Produced and Performed by Fryars
Guru, Collaborator in Chief, Arrangements, String Arrangements, Musical Direction
and Additional Production - Sean O’Hagan

Hearing the signature string arrangement + chord change switches on a song about bangin' a woman twice the dude's age is kind of amusing.

I dunno. I sort of like this. Songwriting gets a bit lazy by the end tho, imo.

An EP ft. Sean just came out:

https://eileengogandimplediscs.bandcamp.com

Eileen Gogan has been a fixture on the Dublin music scene for a good many years, performing in various bands including The Would Be’s, The Revenants, Acton Bell and The Drays. Her breakthrough moment came in 2020 with the release of her second solo album “Under Moving Skies”, which received a 4-star review in MOJO, play on Gideon Coe's BBC6 Music show, and widespread praise from Irish and UK media and radio. The Irish Times called her… “one of Ireland’s most underrated artists” while Americana UK magazine called her album…”a showcase for Gogan’s beguiling vocals”.

Sean O’Hagan has a very storied career in music as a performer/writer/arranger and producer. Born in the UK to Irish parents, he moved to Cork as a teenager and formed the highly revered Irish band Microdisney with singer Cathal Coughlan. He was an early member of Stereolab before leaving to form the highly influential group The High Llamas, and in doing so, practically invented the sub-genre known as ‘chamber pop’. His credits as arranger and producer include Paul Weller, Gilberto Gil, Sondre Lerche, Tim Burgess, Fryars, Gruff Rhys, Bill Callahan, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and more.

Together these Anglo-Irish luminaries have found a fascinating synergy that has resulted in the new EP “Another Golden Day”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdNzMQPsDDA

sounds good!

Lovely

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CckStvXjOz8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Nomads would be a really good song if it just knew when to stop. It's over four minutes long when it should be 1m50 like something off Friends.

This comment had me at a loss until it clicked you weren't talking about Monica, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel.

Have to disagree anyway, Nomads has never felt too long to me, it's the perfect length for such a languid composition. If it was less than two minutes it'd feel like it had hardly even started.

Also the fact the promo was co-directed by Edgar Wright is one of those little things that always me makes me go "Huh!" when I remember it.

https://www.discogs.com/release/28999000-Nile-Rodgers-Sean-OHagan-Mulatu-Astatke-Kassin-Robert-Wyatt-Terry-Riley-Archie-Shepp-7x7

This looks pretty interesting.

Tricatel is proud to present, in a limited edition of 777 hand-numbered copies, the superb double vinyl/book dedicated to 7×7, inspired by Bertrand Burgalat.

Seven notes in the scale, seven days in the week, seven colors in the rainbow, seven wonders of the world, seven virtues and seven sins, seven ages of life, seven samurai, seven dwarfs for Snow White… Under the sign of 7, Belgian artist Jean Pierre Müller, in close collaboration with seven music legends (Robert Wyatt, Archie Shepp, Sean O’Hagan, Mulatu Astatke, Kassin, Nile Rodgers, Terry Riley), has conceived a magical project combining visual and sound compositions, in all senses and meanings.

In the summer of 2012, 7×7 was first presented to the public in its entirety at Edinburgh’s Summerhall, the start of a series of high-profile exhibitions and shows that have taken 7×7 from New York to Cannes. Ten years later, Jean Pierre and Tricatel would like to dream again with you, this time of a physical object celebrating 7×7 and offering the general public the opportunity to own a piece of the 7 colors dream.

This art and music object is a Gatefold double-vinyl, comprising two white vinyl records in printed inner sleeves and a 64-page booklet in the center, like a book.

More about Jean Pierre Müller: jeanpierremuller.be / 7x7art.com

oh my god these llamas are a dream! One of those names I consistently saw buzzing about but never grabbed a hold of a record. Listening to Hawaii right now, what a lovely lovely lovely lovely lovely record! It's hard to twist, turn and somersault when your on a sandy sunny beach without getting dirty or confused, but this record is doing it. These llamas ain't fluff. Beach boys pastiche this ain't, its a continuation.

Anyways sorry, couple decades late I know, but before my time.

<3

Some great llama hate posts earlier in this thread. Very funny idea to me that Hawaii could drive you mad, that's just excellent

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sn2g

Looks like a new album is coming too. New song is called “Hey Panda.”

new music is good news — especially if it means Sean's health is good.

love this tune — o'hagan string arrangement: https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/track/today

the whole previous Cabane record has plenty of Sean contributions too: https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/grande-est-la-maison

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LKd4lHAt9cA/maxresdefault.jpg

Looks like a full band affair. The first song is interesting. Auto-tune and a bit of atonality you rarely hear on a proper High Llamas track. According to Gilles Petereson it's a true High Llamas LP with the full band on the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKd4lHAt9cA

I like that they are bringing some electronics back into the mix on this one

^ Definitely. That may be my favorite sounding Llamas track since Buzzle Bee (which is 24 years old!)

Seems that’s the mission statement here:

https://i.imgur.com/CTVsgVG.jpg

Some great llama hate posts earlier in this thread. Very funny idea to me that Hawaii could drive you mad, that's just excellent

― H.P, Friday, November 24, 2023 6:51 PM (four days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Depends upon what you mean by 'mad'. Hawaii is notorious in my world for being the album I was listening to that one time when I briefly lost my ability to understand English. Okay, sure, I might've been on something at the time. But I can still hear the incomprehensible string of random phonemes that comprised the lyrics to 'Nomads' as clear as a bell.

“Hey Panda” is so good. I was unconvinced on my first listen but it’s not left my head. I’ve had a few more listens and I like it more each time. Sean has a way with chords and nifty little sounds. He pieces everything together so well.

Nomads lyrics were incomprehensible to me even without being on something. Literature is fluff to nomads is such a great one-two punch. I’ve been pumping Hawaii on my daily morning drive to the beach with dog and it’s really a wonderful way to start the day

Their lyrics are like Steely Dan with the obliqueness maxed out.

It’s a very good album. The tracks are lil impressionistic paintings, with the lyrics. That’s the High Llamas way. I think Sean writes pretty evocative lyrics and clearly knew his strengths weren’t the same as Cathal’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktv4ATNdGyU

Enjoying this lesser known Sean O' album today. It's so nice. He makes very good sounds.

wow what the hell is "hey panda" (in a good way). the only reference point i have for this is like, lambchop's this (is what i wanted to tell you) (which i adore). it's not as good as that but i'm very intrigued

He did a song with his daughter a couple years ago that foreshadowed this new direction. I really dig it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1X_N4wraY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWxJWAlrtM

\m/

new Cabane record is up on Bandcamp and flying out (vinyl only). self-released again, so may be one pressing of 500 like the first (thought they did do CDrs).

https://cabanemusic.bandcamp.com/album/br-l-e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YekklReDLPI

I love it.

It’s so good. A repeat listen since the first upload. Just lovely in every way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YekklReDLPI

The High Llamas in conversation and playing a few tunes from Hey Panda + signing LPs and CDs at Rough Trade East on 3rd April. Ticket price includes the album in the physical format of your choice. Tickets on sale now via DICE.

Hint from Sean on Instagram of some proper live dates later on.

9/10 in Uncut.

Haven't seen the Llamas get such a high score from the press in a long while.

Though they're all 9/10s to me.

Looks like Drag City is about to re-issue the Llamas back-catalog, beginning with Hawaii.

Actually, I think beginning with Gideon Gaye. I keep forgetting about Gideon Gaye, which is also an excellent album.

Looks like Drag City is about to re-issue the Llamas back-catalog, beginning with Hawaii.

― afriendlypioneer

This is great news. I've been hoping they would do this for years.

I am so hyped for the new album. All the reviews I'm reading make it sound very interesting.

With a title track that references Sean O'Hagan's obsession with a carrot eating panda he watched on TikTok during lockdown, it's clear The High Llamas are leaning into mass culture on this one. 2016's 'Here Come the Rattling Trees' was still indebted to the '60s pop and exotica that had shaped the band's entire output up to that point, but here they sound driven by a different beat. O'Hagan's voice is often distorted by AutoTune - on 'The Water Moves' he sounds like a sunnier Rainy Miller, and on 'La Masse' he croons over an interpolation of the Super Mario theme - and his accompaniments are bright, breezy and unashamedly electronic. There's still a trace of exotica, of course ('The Grade' is a great blend of cruise-liner pop and contemporary R&B), but The High Llamas have evolved.

'How the Best Was Won', a duet with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, is probably the most striking deviation. Anchored by a skittering trap beat (really), the track comes off like Jeremih singing country in the style of blue-eyed soul, with a chorus that might be the theme from a children's song. It's not even the only Will Oldham collaboration either; the fabled folk revivalist crops up again on 'Hungriest Man', a cybernetic Dylan-alike that's best compared with Bon Iver's quirkiest cottage rap. It's all good fun, and when it works, 'Hey Panda' is effortlessly charming: 'Sisters Friends', a collaboration with Blackpool-born singer-songwriter 'Sisters Friends' sounds like Steely Dan jamming with T-Pain, if you can imagine it.

https://boomkat.com/products/hey-panda

Isn't "when it works" Boomkat code for "buy something else"?

There’s other positive blurbs out there, just liked the way they described it.

Listened this morning.

Probably the most experimental Llamas album. Surprising lack of strings though production is busy and I may have missed some elements

Will Oldham is great. They should collaborate more. Old posts in here complained about Sean’s thin voice and his presence adds a new element.

It’s also fun and weird. Great late era album from one of my all time favorite artists.

It's going to take me a while to wrap my head around this album, was not expecting this direction, had more or less given up on new music from them altogether. It's strange hearing all these electronic elements after they pretty much abandoned that aspect of their music for the last 20 years.

this owns

i like this but am still not entirely sure what to make of it, it's wild

it is equally irritating and compelling?

It's oddly the most personal album Sean's made. Some of the lyrics are actually about feelings & thoughts. Granted, I read a couple interviews for added context, particularly this one - https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2024/03/30/sean-ohagan-that-lovely-beautiful-humanity-i-had-with-cathal-coughlan-in-those-later-years-was-amazing/

I really like it.

Best HL album since Gideon Gaye. I'm surprised by how much I'm liking this and I generally hate autotune but the Bonnie Prince Billy tracks are really effective. "Sisters Friends" has really grown on me too. He seems to have finally shaken off his Beach Boys obsession (although traces are still there of course). Sounds contemporary but still with enough avant pop leanings and nifty chord changes to make it distinctively O'Hagan.

I just caught up with this radio show on Mixcloud from 8th April. Features Sean & Livvy O’Hagan live in session, an unreleased Livvy solo track and an extended interview with both. Really interesting discussions, and the session includes a cover of Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again”. Starts about 35-40 minutes in, and lasts for nearly an hour:
https://www.mixcloud.com/sohoradio/barkino-125-sean-ohagan-livvy-ohagan-in-session-08042024/

mentioned above, but the Drag City represses are now available for pre order: https://www.dragcity.com/products/the-highest-llama-bundle

first time for Santa Barbara on LP

I feel like I've been, the hungriest man in the woooooooorld, for sooooo long

Every call from you Lord 🎵
Every man in song 🎵

I got my new records this week. Gosh, Sean O'Hagan is still just the dreamiest man in music as far as I'm concerned.

Santa Barbara is my favorite record in the world right now.

It's good.