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on the strength of their new ep, you really should be, you know...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 14:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

probably because it's not out yet dave.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 14:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

also, as much as i like it, i'm not sure it's the best calling card it could have been.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 14:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

probably because it's not out yet dave.

like this is any kind of excuse... i know what you lot get up to with computers and stuff

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 14:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

OMG THE JUNIOR BOYS ARE SO FUCKING AWESOME!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

Will that do?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

you mean like formenting hype before the actual release date, Dave? [polishes halo]

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

plus, after this weekend i'm not sure if i can listen to it anymore.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

fucking indie records.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

you mean like formenting hype before the actual release date, Dave? [polishes halo]

i prefer to think of it as enthusiasm, thinking other people here might have heard it and wanting to get to the bottom of why I like it so much. however, matos that is not to take issue with the obvious fact that you are indeed too good for this place

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:23 (twenty-one years ago) link

;)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

why not jess, what happened this weekend? do you need to talk about it?

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 15:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

who said I was too good for this place? see my contributions to various Luomo, microhouse, and Basement Jaxx threads etc.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 16:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

I like it, 'specially the Fennesz remix at the end there. Not convinced it's doing much that Luomo or MRI haven't already done of late, but I'll be checking 'em in future for certain. Also their label/PR guy that phoned up about it was one of the nicest cold callers I've ever had the pleasure of speaking to.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 17:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

i really want to write about the JB's eventually in print just so 2-step actually gets mentioned.

i think the fennesz remix is pretty perfunctory, all in all. he's verging on self-parody a bit.

nick.K is a super nice guy, yes.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 17:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

I haven't even heard about this until now, oddly enough

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 17:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

matos: http://www.electrokin.com

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 17:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

after spending the weekend i like the ep better than i like luomo's album - it just has a little more edge and mystery - it's lovely.

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 16 September 2003 17:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha is electrokin quoting from blogs?! that's what i wanna see in ads on billboards from now on -- instead of '**** - Spin' or whatever, see '**** - NYLPM'

― geeta, Tuesday, 16 September 2003 18:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think some people are going bonkers about it: quietly, behind closed doors, or amongst themselves. It's a guilty pleasure, and most people who could write about it seem to be waiting for other press endorsement before they'll do something on a pair of unknowns (Jbeez and KIN). That seems to be how it's working.

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 00:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

you heard the man, matos.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 00:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

It actually took a long time to grow on me - for a long time I heard too much Coloma in it, but now I don't see much relation at all. It opened up when I listened long enough and, crucially, loud enough. The Fennesz is lovely, very Fennesz; I think it works in context as a kind of reprise. I wouldn't want to listen to an entire record (or even a side) like that. "Last Exit" is by far the strongest track, just for the way it keeps building, clenching, and then easing off again. If I have a complaint it's that it all blurs together; I'd like to hear more distinct ideas (and assume they'll come with the next record). But "Last Exit" alone is enough, just those two (three?) big arcs of sound. Totally indulgent and totally unabashed. I love it.

― philip sherburne (philip sherburne), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 00:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

look, i don't want it to seem like i was damning with faint praise above. the junior boys are amazing. the best group around at the moment, for my money. "birthday" or "last exit" will almost certainly be in my top 10 this year. (it will be a hard choice.) they totally erase the "dancefloor soul"/"bedroom introspection"/"glittering abstraction" non-divide like it weren't nothing but a thing. they're everything i love most about music, in fact (luscious textures, mopey singing, stuttering beats), minus rapping. THE JUNIOR BOYS ARE FUCKING GREAT, GIVE ELECTROKIN ALL YR MONEY.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 05:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

because birthday has been hanging around for TWO YEARS now, perhaps?

(actually possibly longer, i heard it two years ago but maybe it's even older than that.)

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 06:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

I hyped this stuff up last year - but please Dave continue to hype up the proper release so everyone buys it!

I hope "More Than Real" and "High Come Down" end up getting a release at some stage as well - Nick...?

(ps. Nick I sent an e-mail to you a while ago with some media info and I just got it bounced back after two months, assume it's my fault not yours. anyway i'll send it again w/ some modifications asap)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 07:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

havent heard it but eshun's 'slyly generic name' thing is spot on!

― Chip Morningstar (bob), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 07:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

i hope

― Chip Morningstar (bob), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 07:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

Hell yeah! 'More than Real' opens the album, and 'High Come Down' has it's own EP with remixes. But alot of this depends on the success/reception of the first EP. Again, like Luomo it's not as accessible as people expect it to be, it doesn't immediately grab everyone when they first hear it, working it's way in after a couple of days (after the deadline in many cases... )

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 08:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm glad those two tracks are getting another look in - I think they balance out the more reflective tone of "Birthday" and "More Than Real" with an elements of danger/sex/physicality. A good balancing act between song and groove (especially as that balance kind of gets lost slightly on the really groove-based tracks like "I'm So Into You" which are very Horsepower Productions - mind you good Horsepower Productions).

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 08:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

yeah i got a copy of some stuff last year but didn't really see much point talking about it coz NO ONE knew who they were at all, as opposed to not very many people knowing who they are now - the fennesz mix really drove itself into my head this weekend. in some senses it really reminds me of isolee in that there's a lovely feeling of dissonance and lack, brought to your attention all the more by the occasional surges of sound. if i had to say anything it's that, not unlike plastikman and villalobos' recent stuff, there's a kind of ache and sense of unease to it. anyway, might be my current mood, but i could listen to whole albums worth of music like that, end to end, for days right now

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 17 September 2003 09:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

is it just me or do some of the JBs mp3s floating around in Soulseek suddenly go mute after a minute or so?

― manuel (manuel), Thursday, 18 September 2003 07:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

"last exit" makes me cry, very nice

― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 18 September 2003 07:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

Flicking through the images for Last Exit has a similar effect for me.

Http://www.electrokin.com/images/krunched/motorwaymedium.jpg

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 September 2003 11:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

Http://www.electrokin.com/images/krunched/head0001.jpg

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 September 2003 11:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Http://www.electrokin.com/images/krunched/lights565.jpg

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 September 2003 11:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

Nick I'm sorry yr email about them has been languishing in the FT 'must reply to' pile for ages now. It's my loss judging by this thread :(

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 18 September 2003 11:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

When is this released in the UK?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 18 September 2003 11:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, you can all have your own copy of Birthday in a few days, it's on the next Jockey Slut Cover CD. (matt chk yr email)

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 September 2003 12:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

Http://www.electrokin.com/images/krunched/skydark.jpg

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 19 September 2003 12:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

A thrill to read the first print review, it ends with the line -And the newsgroups shall buzz. I'm excited cause it mentions the net, which is where the JBeez are from, but it still seems strange to read about them off-the-screen. And btw, there's been a v.positive response from France...

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 17:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

two weeks pass...

Just recieved first vinyl and it's just gone on sale on-line, you can order from Boomkat. It'll be in the post first thing, but you'll have to wait till the 20th before it hits the shops.

― nick.K (nick.K), Saturday, 11 October 2003 08:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Just recieved the Junior Boys - Birthday / Last Exit EP in the post this morning. First time I heard it I wasn't quite sure, then it all fell into place. It certainly lives up to the write up on Boomkat -
Cementing this diversity with another spot-on bit of selection, the EP ends with an intricate, painfully structured remix from Fennesz - building the track up from a mess of frozen beats and vocals into a re-configured wall of warm guitars and effervescent distant vocals that conjure up the thought of the Cocteau Twins produced by Kevin Shields at his peak. Really, quite an unbelievable record - something really special is happening here. Unmissable.

― kattie, Tuesday, 14 October 2003 08:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

teriffic - not keen on the fennesz mix myself but the origional of Last Exit is one of the tracks of the year for sure.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 09:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

That's a very good question "Why is everyone not going totally bonkers about the junior boys?" I can't think of a band more NOW. I still don't know who this Fennesz guy is?

― kattie, Tuesday, 14 October 2003 14:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

the thread question is kinda daft - i feel like its only directed towards the blogoshphere and other music writers - they were surely the only people to get promo copies early enough to actually hear the records at the time the question was posted and as far as i can tell they WERE all actaually going nuts about the junior boys.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 15:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

Promos went out to all the UK press in mid/late august for all the magazines: freelancers, reviews editors and editors. If it's not something they already know about or from an acknowledged PR company it often doesn't even get listened to - it's understandable, there's alot of music out there.

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 19:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

seriously, they just get better by the day.

― gabbo giftington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 20:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

This is great. Crap, I need slsk.

― adaml (adaml), Tuesday, 14 October 2003 20:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

3rd best band today after Nasty and Roll Deep! :-)

― Keith McD (Keith McD), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 01:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

i heard some of this on mary anne hobbs! need i say more!

― prima fassy (bob), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 08:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

Can't complain because I never sent her a copy, but did you hear what she said after she'd played it, about me being in league with the devil! Very strange

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 09:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

What???

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 10:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yup..... FACT! One hour fourty minutes into the Breezeblock 30th Sept 2004.
[track fades]'that's the Junior Boys coming out on KIN which is run by a guy called nick who is obviously in league with the devil!?!?!'

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 10:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

i know nothing about mary anne hobbs, but maybe she meant you must be in league with the devil to get such great stuff on yr fledgling label.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 10:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh yeeeeah, i thought she was referring to chris morris

― prima fassy (bob), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 10:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

HOBBS LANE!!

(ph34r)

― prima fassy (bob), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 11:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

Maybe it was a tenuous 'old nick' joke. But more likely the 'devil has all the best tunes' thing - she is a bit of an old rock chick, after all.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 15 October 2003 18:23 (twenty-one years ago) link

nik is the devil...trust me

― greensj, Friday, 17 October 2003 22:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

KIN went LIVE at 10:47 GMT on the 23 oct 2003.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 23 October 2003 09:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

wow - looks really different.

― kattie, Thursday, 23 October 2003 13:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

the thread question is kinda daft - i feel like its only directed towards the blogoshphere and other music writers

it was.

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 23 October 2003 13:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

directed at music writers etc, there's quite a few of us on this board, incidentally.

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 23 October 2003 13:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

Sorry Dave, I'm not sure it was a particularly daft question. An awful lot of journalists/editors had recieved and heard the EP before you was asked it. Many of them got back saying 'no chance, mate' only to find their staff writers and freelancers raving about it a few weeks later. So... why wasn't everyone going totally bonkers about the junior boys?.... because they hadn't heard they should be. Some of their strongest supporters had to be coerced into even giving it a listen so I'm not in the least surprised.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 23 October 2003 14:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

what's to apologise for? come over to the broken beat thread - i'm getting a really hard time there!

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Thursday, 23 October 2003 14:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

Just a sec.
greensj.... you're not supposed to be reading this.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 23 October 2003 14:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

who takes all those photos? KIN, the Junior Boys?

― kattie, Thursday, 23 October 2003 15:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

they are nick k's photos (or at least, many of them are), i particularly like the ones of m25 and hangar lane, i hadnt seen those before.

i have yet to hear the junior boys, this will change very shortly

― charltonlido (gareth), Thursday, 23 October 2003 17:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

An interview where the Junior Boys answer THAT question -

Finally, perhaps this question says more about me than you, but do you think a quasi-paedophilic band name helps or hinders you?

"Perhaps indeed. Needless to say appealing to a child-molesting demographic was not closely considered."

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 27 October 2003 09:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

Thanks Charlton, did you get to hear them yet? Am I alone in loving this EP? everyone else was raving about it last month. It's new to me and right now I want everyone to know.

― kattie, Monday, 27 October 2003 16:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

i love it immensely too. Last Exit = one of the year's best tracks.

― jed (jed_e_3), Monday, 27 October 2003 17:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

I know, the EP's called Birthday/Last Exit but the UK press reviews rarely mention Last Exit, except JS which said it 'veered into industrial territory'?!?!?!

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 27 October 2003 18:05 (twenty-one years ago) link

even though he is probably (could only be) referring to the fennez mix i cant begin to describe the extent to which that makes no sense.

― jed (jed_e_3), Monday, 27 October 2003 18:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

finally got my hands on the vinyl after listening to this on MP3's - my god, what a difference - Last exit is so beautiful it makes me want to cry with joy. Song of the year for me.

― jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 14:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

Nick, is KIN related to the Irish electronic label of the same name at all? They might give you some grief if not...

― Conor (Conor), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 14:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

nick i love this ep more and more with every passing week

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 14:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

ps. the devil is obviously fennesz

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 29 October 2003 14:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

is fennesz the devil then?

― kattie, Thursday, 30 October 2003 16:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

the thing i don't like about the fennesz remix is that it fills up the empitness of the track which is the thing i like most about it.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 30 October 2003 17:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

also the origional is perfect so a remix is unnecesary, i think.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 30 October 2003 17:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

as is so often the case... (re: remixes)

Nick, I have the vinyl now (from Juno) and loving it
"Last Exit" and Coloma's "Illegible Love" make me long for early evening and end-of-night DJing when it will be perfect to play these kinds of tunes.

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 30 October 2003 17:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

coloma's "illegible love" more info please paul - i need to hear that just cos you mentioned them together.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 30 October 2003 17:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

i am in love

― David. (Cozen), Thursday, 30 October 2003 20:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

...still dennis?

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 30 October 2003 20:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

jed - check Tim's great reviews (search Finery +"Tim Finney" should do the trick). also Andy Kellman on AMG (allmusic.com): Coloma - Finery (and Silverware). search Coloma on ILM too. warning: possible acquired taste (if you already like The Blue Nile or -maybe- Colin Newman, it will be easier).

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 30 October 2003 20:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

not to distract from Junior Boys: the undercarriage/rhythm-production differs in that Finery is more mid-range microhouse, while Junior Boys have more garage oomph!

― Paul (scifisoul), Thursday, 30 October 2003 20:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

i thk you shd buy finery colin if only so i can steal it off you!

hah actually (if yr watching phil sherburne, hi phil! sorry) i ws meant to be sending PS a copy of the mayer peel thing in exchange fr finery whoops!

― David. (Cozen), Thursday, 30 October 2003 21:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh well you can do me a copy too while you're at it!

― jed (jed_e_3), Friday, 31 October 2003 10:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

This thread inspired me to go and buy the 12": I expected to not be able to find it, or to have to rifle through piles of vinyl, but it was on the wall in the Cockburn St. Fopp with a little note saying how ace it was. Subsequently, this thread & the note were proved entirely correct by the simple expedient of playing the record.

― alext (alext), Friday, 31 October 2003 12:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

supposedly the manitoba remix of birthday is really good. i haven't heard it yet, though.

― toby (tsg20), Friday, 31 October 2003 13:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

Why oh why is this only available on vinyl?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 31 October 2003 14:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

Why oh why indeed?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 31 October 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

MattDC i just emailed you (if thats a real addy)

― jed (jed_e_3), Friday, 31 October 2003 14:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

Matt, you can have my cd promo as soon as I buy the vinyl.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 31 October 2003 16:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yes, the vinyl issue is problem but there isn't a market for CD singles. Unless you're going to get something in the top 30 no one stocks it, and it won't reach the charts without alot of money, no matter how strong the material is.

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 31 October 2003 18:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

no one stocks it

ahem*towerus*ahem

― Paul (scifisoul), Friday, 31 October 2003 18:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

Pitchfork came correct - check the press and other sections.

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 11:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

i gotta hear this coloma record.

― jed (jed_e_3), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 14:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

'veered into industrial territory'?!?!?!

who the fuck wrote that? offlist, nick!

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 15:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

it's all i'm listening to at home, almost

― David. (Cozen), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 19:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

Scott Pl. and I fought for this at Pitchfork for a few weeks. We both love her, uh, him, uh, them.

― Beta, Tuesday, 4 November 2003 19:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

The Junior Boys' line-up changes on many of the tracks which'd explain why it's not clear who they are. And besides, I prefer it when you're not sure exactly what you're listening to.

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:32 (twenty-one years ago) link

we don't need to know, we just want to hear more!

― kattie, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 17:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

Would it be a little impatient of me to ask when an album might appear?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 17:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

yes, when do we get more?

― kattie, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 17:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

Another Junior Boys EP very early in the new year and an album in april 2004.
why so long??? because there's no point releasing anything between oct-jan, it's the silly season when the majors take over. Obviously it's possible to put something out but it's not worth the risk with a barely known band. Meanwhile I'll be putting bits and pieces on the site - mixes, demos, sets, etc...

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 17:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

Whats with all the IDM remixers nick, how about getting some 2-step remixes, or even some electro ones, easier said than done I'm sure, but the theres a certain 'pop' sound to the JBs that would benefit from a less "alt" remix treatment doncha think?

― jk_ (jk@gabba), Thursday, 6 November 2003 22:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

Nick K's got some business head on him! I like it! These (Junior) boys will go far...

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 6 November 2003 22:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

i say don't bother with remixes.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 6 November 2003 22:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

flat meeting says this is banned from the flat. reason: overplay. wtf?! taste fascists.

― kent (Cozen), Thursday, 6 November 2003 22:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

kill them.

― jed (jed_e_3), Friday, 7 November 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

remixes..... yes. I'm open to suggestions (the JBz are another matter). There are a couple of extremely hip people who've expressed interest, but I do worry, some of the tracks are very fragile and could damage easily (ok, so we can rule out Kanye West) but post up names if you can think of an artist, someone who could add another dimension to their sound. It's quite possible the EPs/remixes will be gathered onto a CD next year - make them more available.

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 7 November 2003 18:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

Jammer!

More seriously, Coloma and Junior Boys should remix eachother! And I can imagine Superpitcher doing some great indie-house classic a la "Dream of Evan & Chan" with a lot of the tracks.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 8 November 2003 00:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

get spiritualized to mix them. they did a good job on lfo.

― jed (jed_e_3), Saturday, 8 November 2003 01:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

morgan geist?

― jed (jed_e_3), Saturday, 8 November 2003 02:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

[pause] superpitcher... super-pitcher... damn, why do things like this happen in the middle of the night. Wonder if it'll sound as good in my head on Monday.

― nick.K (nick.K), Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

come monday, jst remember how to spell superpitcher!

― brutal (Cozen), Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:05 (twenty-one years ago) link

one month passes...

Thanks everyone, here's an Xmas card from KIN [shockwave]

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 December 2003 09:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

When is the next release due?

― pixel, Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

KIN002, the next release is out Feb 2003. Already some strong feedback on the promos that were sent out, notably tufluv and sherburne.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

Just have to post and say that this is the best music I heard last year. No doubt someone to watch.

― pm, Thursday, 25 December 2003 15:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

having just heard this for the first time, i'm gutted that more people weren't telling me about junior boys, and sooner.

last exit is lush.

― Nik (Nik), Thursday, 25 December 2003 16:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

they should be massive, I want everyone to know about them

― pm, Thursday, 25 December 2003 17:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

Junior Boys
favorite tracks.

― pm, Thursday, 25 December 2003 17:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

I heard this on the radio the other night, Dj was saying that it was one of 2003's best tracks.

― dr.0845, Friday, 26 December 2003 21:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

Wow, this sounds nothing like I expected. I love it.

It sounds like Telefon Tel Aviv with vocals except way more sparse.

― Jordan (Jordan), Saturday, 27 December 2003 01:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

can anyone work out the lyrics to the third line of "birthday"? "(something something something something) anyway"?

― kin, Sunday, 28 December 2003 08:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

not sure of the specifics, but I've never really tried to figure them out: it's so resigned, beautifully mumbled, as if he doesn't really want you to hear him indulging himself. Conversational lyrics done right can really make a track, I'm really pushing to get someone to do a track with a cheesy phone conversation - something like 'Chromeo - Needy Girl', Ken Laszlo - 'Hey Hey Guy', also it gives DJ's sonewhere to mix out.

― nick.K (nick.K), Sunday, 28 December 2003 20:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

three weeks pass...

there's a wire review for the second ep

― pm, Saturday, 24 January 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

It took me long enough, but I finally got to hear this. It's even more lame considering I bought the 12" but left London without getting to play it. So, my rereading of this lengthy thread is justified by now being able to give this EP some hearfelt props. I'll order in any future releases til I return home - I'm that impressed.

― Barima (Barima), Saturday, 24 January 2004 22:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

"High Come Down" isn't very good.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 24 January 2004 22:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

I bought the first Ep on boomkat and was duly knocked out, and from what I've heard so far "High Come Down" is better than "Birthday" and that's saying something. Can't wait for an album

― pp, Monday, 26 January 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

jed- I love you, but you are mad.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

finally heard 'High Come Down', and while I've been a bit skeptical, when combined with "Birthday", I am now a full fledged totally bonkers Junior Boys fan. Yay.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 07:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

been listening to a cdr of the two JBeez EPs & The World of Arthur Russell in tandem; some haunted synchronicity going on . . .

(haha when will more material be available? & what's this about Manitoba remixing "Birthday"?)

― etc, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 10:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

what some people call "haunted synchronicity" others would call "rip-off."

― Phoebe Dinsmore, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 10:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

are you seriously simplifying both artists, their backgrounds and the context to suggest JBs are derivative of arthur russell. if anything's tired and derivative, it's your posturing. i mean, jeez...

― nebbesh (nebbesh), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

ah, here we go again, express an opinion contrary to the sheep and they "baa" idiotically.

get this straight, the junior boys are not the second coming, they are not god's gift to music (they are not even god's gift the grime mc come to that), they are NOT THAT GREAT.

also arthur russell was and is a genius, i've heard calling out of context, so unless you have as well, then either put up or shut up.

― Phoebe Dinsmore, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 10:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

Ha ha Phoebe but presumably Junior Boys haven't heard the mysterious Calling Out of Context (or hadn't two years ago when these songs were made) so it's a bit harsh to say rip-off. Plus it ignores all the other sources Junior Boys "rip-off" (Timbaland, 2-step, Gary Numan etc. etc. ad nauseum). "Ripping off" implies intentionality or awareness, and a certain stylistic myopia to boot. I doubt the first applies here and I'm certain the second doesn't.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

well yeah, we've all heard arthur russell with. it's your pompous statement that irks. it's not about junior boys being the second coming, it's about how you can beach up and compare the two without any explanation. where's the link between the two, i don't see it?

you never explain yrself, yr just some tired old patrician.

― nebbesh (nebbesh), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

Nick Luscombe played the Junior Boys (High Come Down i think) on XFM's 'Flow-motion' on Sunday night - show opener even, good stuff

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

(xpost)

i don't need to explain myself, other people pay me to do that, and i'd rather be a tired old patrician than a futureless pleb like you, so don't try it.

― Phoebe Dinsmore, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm paid to be polite to people but I don't see why I shouldn't do it for free otherwise.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

OH LORD "DON'T TRY IT" IS BECOMING A MEME.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

yuck - you get paid to write vacuous 100-word reviews for uncut for untutored futureless plebs like me. the only thing i was trying was to get some sense from you. i thought here would be a forum for you to actually say something worth saying, something insightful.

― nebbesh (nebbesh), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

what a load of tosh. junior senior sound nothing like arthur russell.

― searchanddelete, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

it's a shame the legacy of mister russell has become the province of such tedious breeders.

― how can you not hear the junior senior?, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

arthur russell sounds nothing like the breeders.

― Phoebe Dinsmore, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

"(Timbaland, 2-step, Gary Numan etc. etc. ad nauseum). "Ripping off" implies intentionality or awareness, and a certain stylistic myopia to boot"

russell nah, myopia meh, and i wouldnt go so far as ripping off but Junior Boys Influences TM like the above have been part of the propaganda since day dot, they've said as much themselves; these things don't leap out at me tho certainly not the way everyone in the world has said the same verbatim and i feel suspicious towards what sometimes looks a v artful game of flirty blogverse flattery. not that i've spent forever digesting the junior boys sound but c'mon really?

― prima fassy (bob), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

(i suppose some of my reservations already sound inherent in tim's quote already but i'm not sure)

― prima fassy (bob), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 12:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

tim you should get way more paid than you are!

― jeremy jordan (cruisy), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

the band the junior boys remind me of most is ar kane circa i, minus the leftover shoegaze baggage.

the second ep isn't all that, except for "high come down" which is fucking aces (but, like, two years old now.) manitoba needs to fuck back off to indie rockdom, like, yesterday.

according to nick (and jeremy) the album is being mastered as we speak. (hee hee i heard an album track and yooooou didn't.)

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago) link

p.s. anyone who listens to the junior boys and hears nothing in their sound between 1986---->now isn't listening with their ears.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

high come down - reminds me of Scritti Politti

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

well i wouldnt go that far...

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

i would, they remind me of scritti a lot... "so put up or shut up", harvell...

<< / my word is law >

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

They still remind me of a sensitive indie band who have actually been paying attention to and absorbing electronic music trends since 1986 as opposed to just buying a synthesiser cos its more feminine. This is pretty much what I used to publically wish for all the time so it irks me a little that I only like and not love them.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

coz i've heard cupid & psyche 85

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

They remind me of Telefon Tel Aviv + the assorted goth pop influences, and TTA remind of, um, Timbaland + pretty pretty melodies.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

I can't listen to the vocal melody of 'Birthday' without thinking of 'Making Plans for Nigel'. :(

I too am a bit lukewarm.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

grrr that nigel thing may well come to bother me nipper. i hadn't noticed it before, but now...

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

the band the junior boys remind me of most is ar kane circa i, minus the leftover shoegaze baggage.

I must hear this band.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

I must take phoebe's advice and listen to some arthur russell...

hey john

― jeremyg, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

and also must take this oppertunity to big up jess harvell....who is simultaneously my greatest ally and greatest detractor...i love u j

ok...now pretend i wasn't ever here

― jeremyg, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 19:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

You seem a good sort! I'll listen in when I can. Russell is cool stuff indeed.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 19:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Let's face it Marcello wants to have a go at Nick, usual controlled explosions isn't it? Still wondering why the female alias, it really is creepy!

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

"(i suppose some of my reservations already sound inherent in tim's quote already but i'm not sure)"

Prima are your reservations about the transparency of Junior Boys' influences or that people talk about said influences too much?

I think both are a result of - as Tom alluded to - a lot of people wanting exactly this sort of band to come into existence for a long time and either being underwhelmed or predictably overwhelmed now that it has happened. It's too tempting to look at Junior Boys and see the stylistic equation (and either be over-excited or suspicious of that) rather than the group themselves. ie. it's almost too fitting that K-Punk is their biggest cheerleader because they're like the total (mathematical) solution to his problems with the current pop landscape. The tendency is understandable but it can get in the way of whether the music is actually really good or not (I think it is).

Phoebe is unintentionally playing the same game by bringing up Arthur Russell ("my reference points for this group are more obscure and seminal than yours!" basically). I hope it doesn't stifle the group's progress with self-consciousness (Jeremy stop reading this thread now!!)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 23:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well, alternately one could read the thread and be quietly amused/bemused.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 00:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

ronan i think she's something to do with 'singin' in the rain'

― tom west (thomp), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 00:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

right right i would agree with all that. when u say transparency of influences, i mean sometimes it seems deliberately so, fostered by gabba and hyperdub and junior boys themselves. calculated. i dont want to go overboard tho, and nor am i saying that these influences arent necessarily worthy or that ppl have all been chumped by the great conspiracy but i dunno...

― prima fassy (bob), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 00:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

Prima all the main JB tracks were floating around long before gabba's involvement. I can't speak for Mark K-Punk (who I think wrote the original hyperdub article). One of the guys (Jeremy) in the band used to write for CCRU though so you could trace a development of stylistic ideas from there.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:05 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha i did already

"he talks very happily about cultural viruses and very interestingly up to a point but he doesn't think that he himself is a viral contagion; he still thinks that he is the scientist"
-- sadie plant on richard dworkins

― prima fassy (bob), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

Making Plans with Nigel!!!!!

so right and yet so upsetting!

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

what is making plans for nigel?

― Stringent Stepper (Stringent), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 10:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

I must hear this band.

And now I am. Hey, very spiffy! Jess's lurv for them is well justified in my eyes. :-) Yay big empty spaces blocked off by beats and things.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 January 2004 02:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha zemko why do you deny yr eshun heritage

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 30 January 2004 03:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

yes big empty spaces are good.

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 30 January 2004 03:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

'i'm in a wide open spaaaace...'

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 30 January 2004 03:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

Actually much as I like the singing so far -- and it's not really suggestive specifically of Arthur Russell I find, there's a quality distinguishing it and making it different I'm trying to pin down here -- the arrangement that's captured my ears most effectively is "Unbirthday," lack of vocals and all. Something to do with the use of static (which definitely ain't 1986).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 January 2004 03:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

'i'm in a wide open spaaaace...'

that's Coloma not the JB'z

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 30 January 2004 03:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

Has anyone else heard their Kylie cover?

― stopsss, Monday, 9 February 2004 17:06 (twenty years ago) link

how'd you know about that? it's true... there is a 'Kylie' cover, only it's not quite finished yet.

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 9 February 2004 17:11 (twenty years ago) link

what track?

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 9 February 2004 17:57 (twenty years ago) link

'Slow'

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 9 February 2004 18:10 (twenty years ago) link

GOD BLESS THEM

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Monday, 9 February 2004 18:51 (twenty years ago) link

Hehehe. I am intrigued.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 9 February 2004 19:00 (twenty years ago) link

there's a story behind it that I won't go into, but I suspect their real reason for doing it was to appease me.

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 9 February 2004 19:25 (twenty years ago) link

ha the most calculated kylie song of all!

ok ok i'm keeping shtoom from now on til i hear some more

― prima fassy (bob), Monday, 9 February 2004 20:26 (twenty years ago) link

(indie spacek! ok ok shhh)

― prima fassy (bob), Monday, 9 February 2004 20:27 (twenty years ago) link

That's great because I've been putting Birthday on mixtapes next to Slow for the last couple of months! Perhaps they should try Andre 3k/Kelis' "Millionaire" next...

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 9 February 2004 20:37 (twenty years ago) link

don't hold your breath prima, I'm not plugging it for radio, you'll have to wait till I post it on the KIN site

― nick.K (nick.K), Monday, 9 February 2004 20:59 (twenty years ago) link

see second review: http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0405/040204_music_cdreviews.php

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Monday, 9 February 2004 21:01 (twenty years ago) link

"england's junior boys"? I thought they were Canadian?

― bnw (bnw), Monday, 9 February 2004 21:17 (twenty years ago) link

"high come down" would fit on the jc chasez record so well...

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:05 (twenty years ago) link

are they really Canadian? fuck, that's my edit mistake.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:08 (twenty years ago) link

(and the treble pulses sound like the hook from "forgot about dre" with the missing parts put back in and then swapped like a utah housewife)

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:09 (twenty years ago) link

They're from Hamilton, Ontario? Or was it Halifax, Nova Scotia?

One of the two.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:12 (twenty years ago) link

ha the most calculated kylie song of all!

oh yes/oh dear?

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:12 (twenty years ago) link

Hamilton.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:12 (twenty years ago) link

"High Come Down" is~~n't~~ very good.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:17 (twenty years ago) link

You are mad.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:24 (twenty years ago) link

I mean, I salute you for being reserved an all the HYPE! threads, but it's a great song, by far the best thing they've done, IMO.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:25 (twenty years ago) link

yeah it is great - i have changed my mind - hence the scorethru. i just love Last Exit too much.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 01:02 (twenty years ago) link

oops, didn't notice that.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 01:05 (twenty years ago) link

So does anyone actually have the Kylie cover??

― stopsss, Tuesday, 10 February 2004 16:09 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.electrokin.com/images/tempimages/buslrg.jpg

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 13 February 2004 18:36 (twenty years ago) link

finally heard the junior boys and i love "last exit" like a lot of the folks here it seems...that fennesz remix is stunning as well.

― tricky disco (disco stu), Friday, 13 February 2004 20:01 (twenty years ago) link

okay, so, the album. it's 4/10 stuff on the singles, and 6/10 stuff i've heard before (but you might not have.) but still...wow. the last three tracks are their feyest, their most "80s", and possibly the most problematic for those who have glommed onto them as the "meeting place between timbaland and john foxx blah blah", including muggins here (they're really pushing the blue nile "bad good taste as aesthetic strategy" in the last track). album of the year, so far, by far. (and yes, i know it's still feb.)

and, no, i will not be sharing it.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 15 February 2004 22:50 (twenty years ago) link

i hear more two step than timbaland in their tracks, but whatever. so when is it coming out?

― tricky disco (disco stu), Monday, 16 February 2004 01:30 (twenty years ago) link

Hey no fair!!!

"they're really pushing the blue nile "bad good taste as aesthetic strategy" in the last track"

Somehow Jess this is the most exciting thing you could have possibly said about this album. Ironic that the band hadn't heard of them when we started tossing around the reference point.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 16 February 2004 01:56 (twenty years ago) link

I am content to wait patiently. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 February 2004 06:39 (twenty years ago) link

yes it's nice to wait isn't it?

Nick that photo is great, it looks like a model.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 16 February 2004 12:40 (twenty years ago) link

sorry tim, i was sworn a blood oath by nick and told i would be banned from gabba otherwise.*

*this part may be a lie.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 February 2004 12:46 (twenty years ago) link

as for the blue nile/last track thing, one word: saxophone.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Monday, 16 February 2004 12:47 (twenty years ago) link

KIN002 has shipped and will be reaching stores from the 23 February. If you can't find it in a store that ought to be stocking it, let us know. I've been fielding emails about where people can buy it, try these on-line shop. Forced Exposure is carrying it in the etates.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 19 February 2004 08:31 (twenty years ago) link

Boomkat are sending them out, I got my copy a couple of days ago. I love "Under The Sun" - is it me or has it got the same (not quite bass) guitar line as the Scissor Sisters' version of "Comfortably Numb"?

― Mike (mratford), Thursday, 19 February 2004 20:07 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

can anyone work out the lyrics to the third line of "birthday"? "(something something something something) anyway"?

"You've gone and then you missed my birthday,
Youve gone and left me on my own,
I'm hard to take, it's cool, so, anyway..."

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 6 March 2004 14:35 (twenty years ago) link

I think that's right, isn't it?

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 6 March 2004 16:29 (twenty years ago) link

do you love them?

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 6 March 2004 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

I'm reserving judgment because I only have the "Birthday" EP. My immediate response is of the "nice/but" variety (as in "nice, but what exactly is the big deal?").

― spittle (spittle), Saturday, 6 March 2004 18:46 (twenty years ago) link

the lyrics are quite clear on the manitoba remix.

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 7 March 2004 00:38 (twenty years ago) link

Have only just noticed, there's a company selling Junior Boys Ringtones - here.

Meanwhile there's a few updates on the site: notes by K-punk and Piers Martin, and some reviews, one from the Village Voice no less.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:00 (twenty years ago) link

It would I am alone in thinking they are completely average, but sound brilliant when remixed. "Un-birthday" is very good too. But their own production is just a bit twee, really.

― ___ (___), Thursday, 11 March 2004 12:33 (twenty years ago) link

someone work out how to program the mono version of the junior boys' 'birthday' into my phone!

mp3 here - http://preview.custommobile.com/mp3/40021.mp3

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 13 March 2004 01:24 (twenty years ago) link

haha, sounds nothing like it!

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 13 March 2004 20:57 (twenty years ago) link

yeah. no vocals.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 13 March 2004 21:01 (twenty years ago) link

just sing it yourself when your phone goes off!

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 13 March 2004 21:30 (twenty years ago) link

actually regardless of the lack of vocals it still sounds nowt like it.

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 14 March 2004 04:16 (twenty years ago) link

So, I've heard the album...hm. I think it'll be a grower, I most certainly don't hate it, but I think it's amusing (and telling) to me that the best moments I didn't already know sound more like a reconfiguring of mid-eighties Depeche Mode instead of an alternate approach to Timbaland, if you will. The vocals also didn't stand out much for me in end. I dunno, I think I like the EPs more.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 23 March 2004 04:05 (twenty years ago) link

three weeks pass...

What's the tracklisting for the LP?

Saw them open for tv on the radio last night. Pretty impressive set. Some stuff was done much differently than on the ep's - could be wrong, but I think it was last exit done with a 2 guitar setup. Others, like Birthday, would be keyboards/vocals with laptops running the beats. Not too good at describing, well, hell, remembering the setups, but I do know it came off well. Leafs played like crap.

― rs, Friday, 16 April 2004 01:58 (twenty years ago) link

Where was this?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 April 2004 02:03 (twenty years ago) link

they're playing at mutek this june, maybe i'll go see them!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 16 April 2004 02:24 (twenty years ago) link

This was in toronto at the horseshoe tavern.

― rs, Friday, 16 April 2004 02:31 (twenty years ago) link

tracklist, I believe

more than real
bellona
high come down
last exit
neonrider
birthday
under the sun
three words
teach me how to fight
when i'm not around

based on the live show, teach me how to fight is a gem. Many of the others leaked long ago or were mistakingly listed on soulseek as tracks on the high come down ep - not sure if the mixes on the lp will be different. Without having heard neonrider, I would say this is a VERY strong debut.

toss it in, uncork some red wine - you're practically already at third.

― rs, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 02:13 (twenty years ago) link

"Neonrider" is pretty much a snippet I think unless my copy is wrong (the transition to "Birthday" is rather sudden so it's hard to tell).

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 04:07 (twenty years ago) link

Where can you buy the EPs online?

― Magic City (ano ano), Monday, 26 April 2004 14:01 (twenty years ago) link

i keep meaning to post pictures from their lee's palace warmup show a few months back. i dug everything except the kylie track, which didn't seem quite there yet.

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 26 April 2004 14:04 (twenty years ago) link

three weeks pass...

I just got this as part of an e-mail press packet on them:

"....imagine Franz Ferdinand joining forces with Pharrell Williams...."

ARAGAHFASDGAGABH.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:59 (twenty years ago) link

just imagine.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:01 (twenty years ago) link

i just vomited my lungs into my lap

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:03 (twenty years ago) link

Junior Boys Interview
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_05.13.04/beat/extended.html

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:14 (twenty years ago) link

haha Franz Ferdinand + Pharrell Williams!!!!!

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:22 (twenty years ago) link

I'm too confused by it to laugh.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:25 (twenty years ago) link

I saw them on Sunday night. It's 1983 New Order. This is not an unwelcome thing.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:26 (twenty years ago) link

The incomplete promo files that showed up on slsk really annoy me. I doubt that the strategy will encourage me to purchase the album. I think I skipped on buying RJD2's first album because of this.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:41 (twenty years ago) link

Apparently, the real deal is now on slsk.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 20:57 (twenty years ago) link

"the next Junior Boys album, inspired by Frank Sinatra's When No One Cares."

!?!

― todd burns (toddburns), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 21:06 (twenty years ago) link

franz ferdinand is the furthest thing from this.

this album is GAY and WONDERFUL, however!

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 22:18 (twenty years ago) link

farthest?

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 22:19 (twenty years ago) link

How do we know the real thing, then?

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 22:48 (twenty years ago) link

the fakes either have gaps in the middle of the songs, or they loop a section of a track halfway through and it goes on for the remainder of the track time. i'm sure a lot of people out there don't even know at first.

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 22:49 (twenty years ago) link

it's a beautiful record. you all really should buy it.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:22 (twenty years ago) link

b-b-b-but, it's not out yet!

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:26 (twenty years ago) link

oh. well, i dont have to buy it anyway.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:27 (twenty years ago) link

haha

OK, but i wondered if you there's a way to tell which ones are fakes without downloading them, like say track length or somethin', for those of us spending the summer on dial-up

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:35 (twenty years ago) link

thanks for the link to the interview.

yeah, I d/led (& was so excited I burnt!) the fake album. tho it actually elicited a "i'll order it online (when I'm not flat broke)".

― etc, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 00:26 (twenty years ago) link

well i'm gonna buy it the minute it hits the shops!

― ian_k, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:03 (twenty years ago) link

Over the past 12 months, Canadian trio Junior Boys have generated more purple prose on internet blogs than anyone except Dizzee Rascal, but they couldn't be more different. While Dizzee's innovations thwack the listener over the head, the quietly radical music on Last Exit hovers around the edges of your eardrums... ...Junior Boys' spectral vision of electronic pop is an understated, unpredictable delight.

The Guardian full text here

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 21 May 2004 07:28 (twenty years ago) link

AMG has already given last exit four and a half stars, before a review has even been posted.

also, listed as one of the junior boys' styles on AMG:

CANADA

yes. canada has finally become their own style of music!

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:41 (twenty years ago) link

(there are parts of the Stars first album that remind me of Junior Boys, so maybe it is a Canadian thang.)

― bnw (bnw), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:54 (twenty years ago) link

true. but stars were from new york first.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:56 (twenty years ago) link

I think I prefer Stars. They have better lyrics, certainly.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:00 (twenty years ago) link

and boards of canada are not from canada.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 21 May 2004 14:00 (twenty years ago) link

stars are more:

romantic
wistful
nostalgic

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:05 (twenty years ago) link

cutty thx for making me SICK.

― ddb, Friday, 21 May 2004 14:12 (twenty years ago) link

dude, you love stars. faggot!

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:13 (twenty years ago) link

junior boys are sexier tho.

― bnw (bnw), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:14 (twenty years ago) link

I really like this record. Despite having heard the majority of it before, I have a newfound appreciation for tracks like Bellona and Last Exit in the context of the album. Listening to this and that Justus Koehncke covers thing actually made me want to go and buy some New Order.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:48 (twenty years ago) link

Actually, am I going to be one of the only people here to rep for Bellona in particular?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:00 (twenty years ago) link

Listening to this and that Justus Koehncke covers thing actually made me want to go and buy some New Order.

You are wise and good.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:14 (twenty years ago) link

'more than real' really moves me. in a dark, stalkerpop kind of way.

i also think that new order comparisons are very lazy.

― myke boomnoise (myke boomnoise), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:15 (twenty years ago) link

Really, why? You'd prefer something a little more "contemporary? I should add that I don't know New Order very well, so it was a comparison based on a very sketchy appreciation of their sound. Anyway, one of those Koehncke tracks has a scandalously Peter Hook-esque bassline.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:37 (twenty years ago) link

not getting on the offensive sorry. and i was talking more in general than about what you said nordic. all i really meant was that i think that there's room for a more developed analysis of their sound than simple and obvious comparisons to new order.

― myke boomnoise (myke boomnoise), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:56 (twenty years ago) link

Probably, but it really never struck me until I heard the whole record.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 21 May 2004 16:05 (twenty years ago) link

does anyone know what bellona is about? this isn't a trick question

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:08 (twenty years ago) link

You mean you don't?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:13 (twenty years ago) link

"last exit" is by far my favourite track on the record.

btw, nick, i am so SO sorry. soon i promise.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:23 (twenty years ago) link

assuming this isn't a trick question which you say it isn't nick, my early interpretation is about losing somebody to someone else, despite a long relationship and dedication to them and the frustration at the situation etc. bellona is the roman godess of war so the conflict idea follows. perhaps the subject is the same individual as in 'more than real'

but maybe i'm on the wrong lines all together.

― myke boomnoise (myke boomnoise), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:50 (twenty years ago) link

i'm amazed at how much i like this album - over the last few years i've tried to get into junior boys stuff other than 'birthday', but it's never really grabbed me. i've listened to the album quite a lot over the last week, though, and it's really becoming quite a compulsion.

― toby (tsg20), Friday, 21 May 2004 17:55 (twenty years ago) link

i will join you in your particular bellona reppage, adam.

― m. (mitchlnw), Friday, 21 May 2004 18:01 (twenty years ago) link

just interested in hearing what other people think of it, I had an early history of skipping the track. i used to dismiss it because of the impression it gave me, without ever listening or thinking about it much.

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 21 May 2004 18:11 (twenty years ago) link

"Bellona" stood out, especially on the original sampler ep, as an oddly bouncy number partly due to the house beat (I think I initially thought of it as v. Jurgen Paape-like). Not to mention that with the more groove-focused 2-step tracks like "I'm So Into You" that were on there it felt like the furthest edge of JB's song/groove spectrum, whereas on the album it rubs shoulders with the v. song focused "Teach Me How To Fight". Frontloading it near the beginning was a good idea I think, because it makes it seem less of a diversion.

Still trying to work out what to say about this album that isn't essentially a reiteration of my earlier comments on the group.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 21 May 2004 23:21 (twenty years ago) link

Who is issuing this in the UK? Amazon isn't listing it.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 21 May 2004 23:48 (twenty years ago) link

it's not showing up in any of the online store databases.

baked goods is the uk distributor for KIN, so Boomkat will definately be the first to stock it.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Saturday, 22 May 2004 00:10 (twenty years ago) link

"teach me how to fight" is particularly amazing.

― toby (tsg20), Saturday, 22 May 2004 06:26 (twenty years ago) link

trying to work out what to say about this album that isn't essentially a reiteration of my earlier comments on the group
Tim, you wouldn't believe how many journalists have been in touch to say something similar.

― nick.K (nick.K), Saturday, 22 May 2004 07:03 (twenty years ago) link

In case I didn't make it clear, I absolutely love Bellona, and More than Real is one that stands out on vinyl - they both work in clubs. Also I'm sure this has something to do with what Bellona's about (although i'm not sure jeremy would agree)

― nick.K (nick.K), Saturday, 22 May 2004 07:17 (twenty years ago) link

Junior Boys - Last Exit now available to pre-order at:

Warp Mart
http://www.warprecords.com/mart/music/release.php?cat=KIN03

also available at HMV UK
http://hmv.co.uk

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 30 May 2004 20:43 (twenty years ago) link

try again...
http://www.hmv.co.uk

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 30 May 2004 20:44 (twenty years ago) link

too expensive

― rs, Monday, 31 May 2004 17:05 (twenty years ago) link

eh? thats just what records cost now (in the UK anyway).

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 31 May 2004 17:19 (twenty years ago) link

i was blind, now i can see, the Junior Boys album made a believer out of me...

― martin (martin), Monday, 31 May 2004 22:14 (twenty years ago) link

as usual I am late to the party, but I'm really liking this album this morning

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 12:35 (twenty years ago) link

play.com
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?source=676&page=title&r=CDJ&Cur=257&title=172261

have the Junior Boys album for £ 9.99 [free delivery to the UK]

However they normally source CDs from suppliers outside of the UK, and have the album down for June 21st. Play.com trade from Channel Islands = no VAT to pay ..therefore cheaper.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 12:48 (twenty years ago) link

i can't believe this thread has gone on so long and nobody has mentioned TEARS FOR FEARS yet (okay, jess and Ned did come close to doing so)

come on ppl, it's freakin' obvious!

― zebedee (zebedee), Sunday, 6 June 2004 12:23 (twenty years ago) link

(the comparison's a compliment btw)

― zebedee (zebedee), Sunday, 6 June 2004 12:23 (twenty years ago) link

boomkat, have the album for £9.99
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?merchID=13958

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 6 June 2004 12:27 (twenty years ago) link

*** ATTENTION - those who've requested links for places to buy it in the on-line states - try Ear-Rational
+ Forced Exposure / Other Music / Bent Crayon will be stocking it next week

― nick.K (nick.K), Sunday, 6 June 2004 17:54 (twenty years ago) link

I will buy this despite the annoying fake .mp3s that have circulated!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Sunday, 6 June 2004 17:57 (twenty years ago) link

Nick, when will it be in the actual real life shops?

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 6 June 2004 18:19 (twenty years ago) link

it's in the shops tmmw morning but I've already seen a few copies on sale in the independent shops. A few chains are taking it, just go in and ask for it.

― nick.K (nick.K), Sunday, 6 June 2004 18:38 (twenty years ago) link

hey nick tell your band to email me back

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 6 June 2004 19:43 (twenty years ago) link

also spin straw from gold

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Sunday, 6 June 2004 19:43 (twenty years ago) link

i still don't see this on forced assposure.. WHAT THE DEAL

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 15:46 (twenty years ago) link

the 2 shops i went into today didnt have it - Fopp and Rub-a-Dub - i bought the 2 singles from Fopp and they guy said the album wasn't even on the database or the "about to be released" list.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 18:52 (twenty years ago) link

The UK distributor is:

Baked Goods
http://www.baked-goods.com/contact2.html

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 18:55 (twenty years ago) link

Boomkat dispatched mine today.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 18:57 (twenty years ago) link

So, can I pick this up in Toronto or do I have to get it off the net? They'll be selling it at NxNE right?

― bee bop, Tuesday, 8 June 2004 19:21 (twenty years ago) link

nick was nice enough to agree to send a copy to my station. i will purchase my own copy when I get a job.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 19:53 (twenty years ago) link

Was that CD singles or 12"s for the singles, jed? How much?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 19:55 (twenty years ago) link

album of the year for me at the moment, edging The Streets and Kerrier District

― Paul (scifisoul), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 20:19 (twenty years ago) link

Maybe me too. This or Wiley.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 20:20 (twenty years ago) link

i bought the 2 singles from Fopp and they guy said the album wasn't even on the database

N., i should have said I had PREVIOUSLY bought the singles from fopp. they were a fiver each but this was a while back - they dont have them in stock at the moment. They may still have them in stock in Rub A Dub but they will probably be £7 in there.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 21:01 (twenty years ago) link

That's rub a dub.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 21:37 (twenty years ago) link

I Had trouble getting the Album , unavailable in Hmv/Fopp, but finally came across it in select-a-disc (Berwick st)

― marc read, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 08:01 (twenty years ago) link

Try the independent shops first.. then the chains.
btw - it'll be MOJO's Dance Album of the Month in August...

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 08:09 (twenty years ago) link

another version of Bellona is up on http://www.electrokin.com/listen/stream/. Different to the one on Fluxblog

― dot, Friday, 11 June 2004 16:53 (twenty years ago) link

have these junior boys never seen the artwork on bedhead's albums?

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 16:58 (twenty years ago) link

have bedhead ever heard of Tschioldi?

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 17:26 (twenty years ago) link

'tschichold' literally wrote the book on that kind of design

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

Is the first album where the liner notes mention the word "Bloggers"? Sign of the times.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 17:42 (twenty years ago) link

'tschichold' literally wrote the book on that kind of design

but did he record an album?

― cutty (mcutt), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 17:48 (twenty years ago) link

n.m.e. didn't review it...

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 15 June 2004 21:43 (twenty years ago) link

"The (to date) quiet rise of the Junior Boys is well-documented in the virtual world of the blogosphere, which for the most part has gone totally bonkers for the Ontario trio"

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 11:19 (twenty years ago) link

josh and i are now both fully bonkers.

tho if i can ask an impertinent q, can someone clear up the ur-high come down ep thing? there's an early version, yes?

― g--ff (gcannon), Thursday, 17 June 2004 18:23 (twenty years ago) link

there is a sound on 'last exit' (just betw. the intro and the vocal's entrance), a little synth fall, that is straight out of the goonies, I swear.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 26 June 2004 17:14 (twenty years ago) link

not 'last exit', I meant 'birthday'.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 26 June 2004 17:14 (twenty years ago) link

get a hold of yourself.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Sunday, 27 June 2004 18:03 (twenty years ago) link

i bought Kompakt 100 instead - money is tight and i had to choose.

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 27 June 2004 19:31 (twenty years ago) link

So is Last Exit officially released now? If so, how much does the distribution suck?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 28 June 2004 00:21 (twenty years ago) link

ALOT!

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 28 June 2004 00:25 (twenty years ago) link

I got my copy in Fopp (Aberdeen) a couple of weeks ago. I was going to order it from Boomkat, but I just thought I'd nip in for a look on the off-chance ... and they had it.

― coco, Monday, 28 June 2004 09:31 (twenty years ago) link

It's not difficult to find in Fopp. they got about three copies on vinyl in each shop.

There are still three in Edinburgh...l

― ___ (___), Monday, 28 June 2004 09:46 (twenty years ago) link

the question of distribution, is a two flipped coin - don't just blame the distributors - also look at the store managers/ buyers/ or head office merchandising/buying managers - if they lack knowledge of a particular artist then they will be unable to meet customer demand/ expectations - and will not stock that particular new release.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 28 June 2004 09:56 (twenty years ago) link

unfortunately, Fopp in Aberdeen is very small and gave up on vinyl some time ago, but they had it on CD

― coco, Monday, 28 June 2004 10:04 (twenty years ago) link

They didn't even have it available at their live show just over a week ago.

― rs, Monday, 28 June 2004 11:31 (twenty years ago) link

i got mine at tower records. in chicago.

― tricky disco, Monday, 28 June 2004 12:49 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

I finally got this. I don't think any other band has ever made me miss basslines less.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:32 (twenty years ago) link

Also, I think all of the songs I really like happen to be the ones written with Johnny Dark.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 13:36 (twenty years ago) link

I know I've seen some comments, but how are the Junior Boys live? It doesn't look like there's any upcoming touring, but I've been excited lately since we finally have a local venue that has been actively booking interesting shows. If there's a US tour, I would undoubtedly badger anyone I can to try to get them to visit my backward burgh.

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 16 July 2004 14:24 (twenty years ago) link

I saw them a month ago or so and I have to say that they were incredibly boring. It may just be my town?? For some reason I purchased their album anyway, and thought the album was fantastic. It's really too bad... I'll probably give them another chance if they come near my godforsaken town again.

― defektenlieben, Friday, 16 July 2004 19:23 (twenty years ago) link

i saw them on the weekend and i concur.

― dyson (dyson), Friday, 16 July 2004 19:30 (twenty years ago) link

Do they just sing to their tracks?

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 16 July 2004 19:36 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, one of them. The other one sort of stands around next to the Powerbooks.

― defektenlieben (defektenlieben), Friday, 16 July 2004 19:48 (twenty years ago) link

he occasionally holds onto a guitar during the performance aswell.

― dyson (dyson), Friday, 16 July 2004 19:52 (twenty years ago) link

We got this at my college radio station and it is getting a fair amount of play. I should try to get them to play here.

― artdamages (artdamages), Friday, 16 July 2004 20:30 (twenty years ago) link

I'm not sure. : /

― cºzen (Cozen), Friday, 16 July 2004 21:14 (twenty years ago) link

I have heard "Last Exit," "Bellona," and "Birthday." Of those three, I'm meh on the first two, but LOVE the third. Will I like the album?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 16 July 2004 22:18 (twenty years ago) link

it's alright if you like wimpy let's-pretend-it's-1984 electropop which sounds like clan of xymox b-sides.

― Edwin Reardon, Saturday, 17 July 2004 08:03 (twenty years ago) link

four weeks pass...

admittedly i'm really late on this Last Exit album, but fuck i'm diggin' it hard now

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Sunday, 15 August 2004 22:31 (twenty years ago) link

Are there supposed to be sloppy edits on "Bellona" at like 3:26 and 4:38?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:25 (twenty years ago) link

don't try and pretend that those timeodes are not 100% accurate.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:43 (twenty years ago) link

Adam, help me! Do I have a bum mp3?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:48 (twenty years ago) link

That's kind of a loaded question.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:48 (twenty years ago) link

???

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:49 (twenty years ago) link

Yes, I think you have a bum MP3. Buy the record! :)

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:50 (twenty years ago) link

WHERE?

I just sent somebody to England to pick it up for me, and he couldn't find it!

Okay, I guess I will have to "order" it.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:52 (twenty years ago) link

You SENT someone to England? What are you, the wicked witch of the west??
http://www.gckschools.com/users/fortp/klue/flying_monkeys2.jpg

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:55 (twenty years ago) link

Thank you for the visual aid.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:57 (twenty years ago) link

"Fly, my pretties"

― adam. (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 15:58 (twenty years ago) link

tour schedule up @ http://www.electrokin.com/news/live/

― bubbasparks, Tuesday, 24 August 2004 14:49 (twenty years ago) link

HOLY SHIT MPLS YES YES YES YES

oh no, ascot room, oh no!

― g--ff (gcannon), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:12 (twenty years ago) link

I AM SIMPLY GOING TO POP, THIS RULZ

― g--ff (gcannon), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:12 (twenty years ago) link

NICE

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:13 (twenty years ago) link

oh and ratatat, too. wouldn't mind seeing them, tho i gather they are sort of trucker-hatty.

― g--ff (gcannon), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:16 (twenty years ago) link

mom's new album is really good i must admit.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:18 (twenty years ago) link

OMG I'm so excited!

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:20 (twenty years ago) link

(Although I'm actually not all that keen on the new MOM record.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:20 (twenty years ago) link

who wants to drive me from ann arbor to the detroit show?

― Magic City (ano ano), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:22 (twenty years ago) link

I am excited too, but would it be evil of me to point out that all live reports I have read were somewhat less than enthusiastic?

I'll still be there, though.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:22 (twenty years ago) link

ugh that tour itinerary reminds me that halloween is on a sunday this year tho...LAME

xpost: well yeah, but it'll be nice to finally meet jeremy

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:23 (twenty years ago) link

MoM best show i've ever seen bar none

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 15:58 (twenty years ago) link

Sweet, I'll go see them in Milwaukee.

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:02 (twenty years ago) link

Oh no, this is the same date as the debut of my friend's play!

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:12 (twenty years ago) link

Knitting Factory October 7, hmmm...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:16 (twenty years ago) link

the echo is so much better than the knitting factory... which is to say people actually dance at the echo and the echo is... the night before?... after?

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 16:57 (twenty years ago) link

The night before they're at San Francisco and the night after is San Diego, so no Echo show for them, m'friend.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:00 (twenty years ago) link

oh right... thinking of animal collective this weekend...
damn... also, huge lapse anyhow... forgot i was going to both
the cashbah and the knitting factory... though i hate the drive
down to san diego.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:09 (twenty years ago) link

btw, ned... how long has it been since you had a show on kuci? or do you still? i know lots
of kuci peeps...

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:09 (twenty years ago) link

a seattle show's been added on the first of october

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:11 (twenty years ago) link

Last had a show on KUCI in 2000 -- who d'you know?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:12 (twenty years ago) link

clay young, dave m., eyad k., meghan c... natalie... umm... trying to think how had shows at the time... lots of people i know through clay... was at his b-day last night at detroit actually... know him?

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:13 (twenty years ago) link

Good lord, I'm surprised we haven't crossed paths at some point -- last saw Dave M. a little over a week ago.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:14 (twenty years ago) link

huh... where at... kitsch? do you know marc, eyad, rob, dave... that whole corner table kitsch alliance?

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:16 (twenty years ago) link

if so it's highly likely that we have crossed paths

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:16 (twenty years ago) link

Well Clay and Dave and I all know each other from way the hell back, but these days I mostly hang around with the Scott/Yen/Chris/Bill/Kristina contingent when I'm at Kitsch, usually on Sundays. I'm *pretty* sure I know Eyad and Marc but for some reason I'm drawing a blank.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:18 (twenty years ago) link

eyad dj's with rob on tuesdays at kitsch... marc's been around a while... sunday's i'm usually thinking of mondays so i don't get out much on a sunday night. at any rate... i am know your kitsch friends by name and can envision a very dim sillouhette... i'm sure
knowing mutual people it's highly likely that we cannot avoid meeting up at some point.
not the least of which is to do with the fact that i am seriously fucking excited about this
MoM Junior Boys show.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:24 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I'll doubtless find a way up for that -- so wait, you live around here, Costa Mesa or the nearby area? We must indeed talk.

So you're around on Tuesdays generally? Often I'm busy those evenings but I might be free tonight, so if you see someone who looks like me in the middle distance feel free to introduce yourself.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:26 (twenty years ago) link

Ned now you must release an introspective solo album called The Middle Distance, which bears a cover of your in an overcoat standing on the beach on a particularly gray day, looking out into the water.

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:29 (twenty years ago) link

i live in mission viejo... but the only thing ever to do around here is karaoke at this dive bar down the street, so i mostly wind up at kitsch, avalon, detroit or la cave... like most...
work is quite hellish right now so i'm not gonna make it tonight as i'll be at my office til
probably 10 or 11 tonight ... will almost certainly be there next week though...
rob and eyad spin mostly stuff that would be talked about
on ILM though, minus the electronic contingent. i'm sure you'd be into it.
i seem to recall from an earlier thread that you were described as a lou barlow looking
fellow, so i'll keep my eyes open.
dave is almost always there too.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 17:57 (twenty years ago) link

Ned now you must release an introspective solo album called The Middle Distance, which bears a cover of your in an overcoat standing on the beach on a particularly gray day, looking out into the water.

I do that by implication.

i seem to recall from an earlier thread that you were described as a lou barlow looking
fellow, so i'll keep my eyes open.

Hahah -- the more so because I'm *NOT* a Sebadoh fan at all. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:25 (twenty years ago) link

(soaring vox)
Introduuuuce yourself
If you should happen to seeee
Someone who looks like me
(hushed vox)
in the middle distance...
(tinkling piano)

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:28 (twenty years ago) link

Not enough beats.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:34 (twenty years ago) link

wait for the remix

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:36 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah but it's MY album, punk. And I'll be damned if I sound like a Chris Martin Unplugged album.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:37 (twenty years ago) link

what ever happened to that kylie cover?

― m. (mitchlnw), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:38 (twenty years ago) link

not enough:

http://www.roganjosh.co.uk/content/images/harmonica.gif

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:39 (twenty years ago) link

Hurrah!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:40 (twenty years ago) link

I like the implication of a Ned Raggett "solo album" that he's currently occupied with a band.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:43 (twenty years ago) link

Ned and the Crouching Squirrels

http://www.animalmakers.com/Secure/RigsPuppetsFolder/SmallMammalsFolder/images/SquirrelGroup.jpg

― Gear! (Gear!), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:44 (twenty years ago) link

Well, there ARE the spoken word efforts...but those are fairly minimal.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 18:44 (twenty years ago) link

So what's the deal with MoM?

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 19:21 (twenty years ago) link

they're touring and junior boys (yay!) and ratatat (boo!) are opening

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 24 August 2004 19:23 (twenty years ago) link

mitch - Kylie was very excited by their cover.

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 10:20 (twenty years ago) link

ooooh

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 10:30 (twenty years ago) link

not sure her enthusiasm would be shared by EMI, they didn't care what paul mccartney thought when he spoke up for dangermouse.

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 10:40 (twenty years ago) link

an interview i haven't read but which has a nice picture of the boys

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:44 (twenty years ago) link

also recently - Omar wrote an interesting piece

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 11:51 (twenty years ago) link

That first interview is pretty bad.

― hmmm (hmmm), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 12:32 (twenty years ago) link

According to the Domino website, their version of Last Exit will have a second disc. Having tantalized me with this tidbit, Domino then fail to publish the tracklisting of the second disc (they are consistent; they've not listed what's on the Ulrich Schnauss bonus disc, either). Does anyone have info about the tracklisting of the second disc?

― paul c (paul c), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 18:52 (twenty years ago) link

Jesus, you guys sure are enthusiastic bout these fellas.
Could anyone drop me a track in my inbox? I'm curious.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 19:03 (twenty years ago) link

Oh, MoM = Mouse on Mars = I R an idiot (but even more excited about this show).

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 19:27 (twenty years ago) link

"Teach Me How to Fight" is really amazing. It's the most New Order-y and the chorus synth line sounds a bit like "Elegia".

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 23:27 (twenty years ago) link

Great interview, http://www.usounds.com/mt/archives/000309.html

― Frenchie, Wednesday, 25 August 2004 23:28 (twenty years ago) link

xpost:
...and of course the chorus-ed bass toward the end.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 25 August 2004 23:29 (twenty years ago) link

er, sorry, in THIS emailbox. if you could please.
Thanks ever so.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Thursday, 26 August 2004 01:28 (twenty years ago) link

i'm very happy this tour is coming to my humble town.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 26 August 2004 01:29 (twenty years ago) link

"Elegia"

I love that song..

― hector (hector), Thursday, 26 August 2004 02:11 (twenty years ago) link

I like these guys. One or both of them went to my University, but I think it was years after me. A couple of Hamilton boys making good, it's nice to see.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 26 August 2004 05:56 (twenty years ago) link

forksclovetofu - there are still hi-quality audio streams on the site if you need to hear some.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 26 August 2004 06:05 (twenty years ago) link

v. good j-boyz q&a:

http://www.zoilus.com/documents/in_depth/2004/000148.shtml

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 26 August 2004 13:23 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

sorry zem, but this is really really good.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 11 September 2004 18:43 (twenty years ago) link

Congrats Junior Boys - "Birthday" is on Sander Kleinenberg's new Renaissance mix This Is Everybody Too - which should introduce the band to a whole new fanbase of prog house heads! (too be fair, Sander always seems to have been surprisingly open-minded and wide-ranging)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 24 September 2004 12:53 (twenty years ago) link

The US release of the album apparently has a bonus disc with all the bsides from the singles on it.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:44 (twenty years ago) link

Those bastards.

I still don't know if I'm going to see them tonight.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:45 (twenty years ago) link

they were in town on Wednesday and i couldn't get anyone to go with me :(

― Dave M. (rotten03), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:56 (twenty years ago) link

You are wise and good.

this is the line i always use when making fun of NR but until now i wasn't aware he had actually used it!

in any event, the JB are amazing

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:39 (twenty years ago) link

"I'm gonna wash my hands real slow"

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:41 (twenty years ago) link

hell, I'M even a fan now. Beats Sade.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:43 (twenty years ago) link

Am: do you want to go see them with me? They're playing Oct. 29 at Logan Sq. Auditorium with Mouse on Mars.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:45 (twenty years ago) link

I find that this is the perfect soundtrack to going home kinda tipsy on a night bus/tram.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:46 (twenty years ago) link

that's the night after i take the gre's. we'll see how i'm feeling.

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:47 (twenty years ago) link

OK!

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:47 (twenty years ago) link

what will i think of mouse on mars? i always confuse them with modest mouse

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:48 (twenty years ago) link

did I tell you that Kyl1e is a now major JBz fan.. she fell for their 'slow' cover, but I'm not sure EMI would feel the same way.

― nick.K (nick.K), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:48 (twenty years ago) link

i don't know what modest mouse sound like either

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:50 (twenty years ago) link

Mouse on Mars is generally categorized as IDM, although they've had a pretty varied career, from early ambient techno to glitchy drum-n-bass to pretty acoustic stuff. I've heard the new record once and wasn't that fond of it -- it's too spastic (although I like the single, "Wipe That Sound") -- but I just saw them do a short set at the Hideout Block Party and they totally brought all sorts of fantastic energy.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 3 October 2004 23:02 (twenty years ago) link

Whereas Modest Mouse is a generic US alterna-rock band.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Sunday, 3 October 2004 23:04 (twenty years ago) link

The Moon and Antarctica is actually a pretty good album -- like taking the interesting guitar lines and fractured songs structures of their early material (but without as much shouty) and the developed melodic sensibility of their later material (but without the boring).

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 3 October 2004 23:11 (twenty years ago) link

re: MOM. Here's a photo of andi from Mouse on Mars, scrutinizing the vinyl and hearing the junior boys for the first time. Did I already mention just what wonderful people MoM are..

― nick.K (nick.K), Sunday, 3 October 2004 23:28 (twenty years ago) link

i'm very excited about when this tour comes to mtl

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 4 October 2004 00:07 (twenty years ago) link

this is the line i always use when making fun of NR but until now i wasn't aware he had actually used it!

And now that means you were merely following in my path, like a fine cultist. Thanks!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 4 October 2004 00:35 (twenty years ago) link

it's a good line, actually

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 4 October 2004 00:39 (twenty years ago) link

One tries.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 4 October 2004 00:58 (twenty years ago) link

definitely worth seeing live on their current tour, although being the first band of three makes it hard to work the crowd...

― mike h. (mike h.), Monday, 4 October 2004 03:09 (twenty years ago) link

who's gonna be seeing this show in nyc? i'm showing up on time for sure.

― lemin (lemin), Monday, 4 October 2004 05:17 (twenty years ago) link

I might be up for Oct. 29th show in Chicago also. Remind me later.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 4 October 2004 14:07 (twenty years ago) link

And at this point robotsinlove aka Jaymc's brother Mark and I are going to the Thursday show in LA. Anyone else up for it?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 4 October 2004 14:26 (twenty years ago) link

how best to hear this Kylie cover?

― BbetaA, Monday, 4 October 2004 15:01 (twenty years ago) link

This tour must be seen. I seen em in Seattle on Friday, and Junior Boys were great live, better than I expected. Mouse on Mars were just ridiculous. One of the best dance concerts I have seen in a long time. Their live show is much more rousing and anthemic than I would have thought; more in the vain of their recent records, just taken to extreme levels of fun. Ratatat was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

― Scott CE (Scott CE), Monday, 4 October 2004 15:38 (twenty years ago) link

i don't think i need to hear this Kylie cover - i already know exactly how it sounds.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 4 October 2004 17:46 (twenty years ago) link

...i say again,the time devoted to ratatat on the tour with MoM and junior boys would have been better put to use by j.b.'s....half an hour was definately not enough from them.

― william (william), Monday, 4 October 2004 19:22 (twenty years ago) link

Only thing I've heard is the track included with the latest Uncut. Which was an interesting piece of 80s-meets-R&B (thankfully with more empasis on the former). Absolutely interested in hearing more.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 4 October 2004 19:33 (twenty years ago) link

geir you are seeming entirely more sensible lately

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Monday, 4 October 2004 19:44 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.exclaim.ca/images/coverart/up-cover_1004_juniorboys.jpg

Junior Boys on the front cover of Canadian mag: Exclaim.

In a good way the front cover looks so Melody Maker circa 1983/ 1984 or Record Mirror.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:07 (twenty years ago) link

geir you are seeming entirely more sensible lately

You've changed your mind by now, I think.

Fellow I talked to who knows something of the ILM is the guy on the left, and very friendly he was at that. A big Tim Finney fan, like all right thinking folk.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:10 (twenty years ago) link

I don't find Geir's interest in the Junior Boys all that contradictory with his tastes, given the fact that he's a big fan of 80s synth-pop.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:30 (twenty years ago) link

I'm still surprised that I like this album so much. It goes against everything I stand for.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:45 (twenty years ago) link

Er? How so?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:59 (twenty years ago) link

I actually feel like the album was designed for me right at this moment, given the way my tastes have shifted and developed recently.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:25 (twenty years ago) link

I can say based on the live show that:

1) The new songs (I think there were at least two, I could be wrong) sound quite great
2) The guitar playing is a fine addition when used (the singer feller whose name I can never remember said later that he was specifically doing it in a Robin Guthrie-style, which Spencer to his credit called right from the start)
3) They sounded excellent. Maybe still a touch nervous on stage? But it all worked really well and they got people dancing.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:30 (twenty years ago) link

It goes against what I usually like in music by:
1. Being very very slick.
2. Sounding totally '80's.
3. Being emo.
But I was being about 34% facetious. In fact, you can pretty much read anything I post on ILX as being 34% facetious.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

It's emo?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:38 (twenty years ago) link

It's totally emo, Ned!

"The Junior Boys, on the other hand, make music so achingly raw and emotional that I will be surprised if anything else I hear this year will make me flinch quite so hard." -- J0hn Darn1elle

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:41 (twenty years ago) link

I guess I'm getting old. I was listening to this album on my commute this morning, and was thinking to myself, "This is basically a Sade album for aging indie rock kids...but I like it." I think I'm going to get a t-shirt printed up that says "100% INDIE GUILT" and wear it over my gradually developing beer belly.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:42 (twenty years ago) link

Huh (to Jaymc's post). *scratches head* I mean, I tend to think of the long-established A R Kane/Arthur Russell connections, which while emotional, as John's post indicates, makes me think of nothing involving dudes in ratty sweaters wishing they were Conor or whatever.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:45 (twenty years ago) link

yeah everyone go see this show, it's great!

ok ratatat are fucking bullshit, but still, everyone go.

― g--ff (gcannon), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:47 (twenty years ago) link

Any band with a song called "Show Me How to Fight" is emo.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:49 (twenty years ago) link

the terrorists have won.

― g--ff (gcannon), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:50 (twenty years ago) link

And they're parading around in their chunky black glasses and torn cardigans.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:54 (twenty years ago) link

seriously, ceding all territory coded as sad to teh "emo" is a defeat analagous to "family values"

― g--ff (gcannon), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:58 (twenty years ago) link

Also, I dunno, this is kinda emo:

"Tonight I got your number
I even know your street
If you could only meet me
I know we're meant to meet

And if I find you
I know you make me feel
You make me feel more than real"

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 15:04 (twenty years ago) link

Man, I can just tell this album is going to sound more and more awesome on rainy days like today.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 15:13 (twenty years ago) link

I think my secret fave on the album is "Under the Sun," in that it does the cold early eighties AOR thing right (as opposed to others these days who do it wrong).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 15:16 (twenty years ago) link

Also the way the guitar on that track connects Hats to Hex is u+k.

― RickyT (RickyT), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:00 (twenty years ago) link

Ha ha yes! Although I thought that link was already very strong (it's just a short jump from the end of "The Downtown Lights" to something like "Blood Rush", although also to U2 and Disco Inferno! People don't give The Blue Nile enough credit for the guitar playing on those first two albums)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:01 (twenty years ago) link

God, I hate Under the Sun. It's the only track on the album that didn't make it to my iPod.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:03 (twenty years ago) link

I have to second Tim here, that's an incredibly astute call. Cheers for RickyT! I think I'll relisten to the album now with that in mind.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:04 (twenty years ago) link

God, I hate Under the Sun.

I hate you. (A lie.)

This gives me a half chance to talk about what is actually my fave obscure track from Them Early 80s which fits into that vein, Paul Gardiner's "Stormtrooper in Drag." He was Gary Numan's bassist for a long time and Numan wrote and sang the lyrics (as one can guess from the title alone, really), and it's an extremely disconcerting, fascinating result.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:06 (twenty years ago) link

(Oh yeah Tim, did you get my mail? I tell you, sir, you are shaping a generation. :-) )

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:06 (twenty years ago) link

Jaymc needs some Arthur Russell.

― Howard Wine (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:08 (twenty years ago) link

Probably!

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:11 (twenty years ago) link

Checking my e-mail now Ned.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:12 (twenty years ago) link

(I'd go further and say that not enough attention is paid to all the instrumentation of the first two BN albums, not just the guitar. You get a lot of talk about them sounding very eighties, and the glossiness of the production, but the underlying arrangements and playing are rarely written about. Which is curious, because they way they transcend their potential, um, schlockiness(?) seems to me as deeply bound up with that as with Paul Buchanan's voice.)

― RickyT (RickyT), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:14 (twenty years ago) link

(the way the Blue Nile transcend their potential schlockiness, I mean)

― RickyT (RickyT), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:20 (twenty years ago) link

I know exactly what you're talking about. I once wrote a very detailed breakdown of the sounds at work in "Rags To Riches" but I'm not sure if it ended up being posted anywhere. Personally though the endings of "Tinseltown In The Rain", "The Downtown Lights" and "Saturday Nights" (though the latter in a different way slightly) are their most thrilling moments sonically - transcendence that is up there with the endings of "The Last Dance" or "Second Language"

It's that feel which I'd like to see Junior Boys go for a bit more. Oddly the one track on the album that really feels a bit like it is "More Than Real", the way the groove just plays out at the end.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:25 (twenty years ago) link

Interesting you mention Disco Inferno, as I brought it up to the feller last night unprompted (what IS his name? The bearded singer?). He has heard some and was intrigued. I'm on their e-mail list now so I should send him a copy of That CDR Collection.

Ah wait, he did also say this! He apparently just heard Slowdive's Pygmalion for the first time and was blown away. That to my mind sounds very promising in terms of what he could do with that sound.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:31 (twenty years ago) link

what IS his name? The bearded singer?)

Jeremy.

― Howard Wine (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:36 (twenty years ago) link

Gracias.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:39 (twenty years ago) link

Oh, wait, here's my other question -- did I miss a lineup change or do only two out of three actually tour?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:39 (twenty years ago) link

Aren't there only two Junior Boys?

― Howard Wine (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:41 (twenty years ago) link

I think it was previously Jeremy and a different guy to the one it is now. Actually I have a weird memory of it initially being Jeremy and his brother, but that may be fabricated by my imagination.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:43 (twenty years ago) link

There are three people listed for the album credits -- Jeremy, Matt Didemus and Johnny Dark.

"Under the Sun" now playing and Jordan is a crack-smoker. There.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:43 (twenty years ago) link

That's just it, all my favorite songs from the album are the ones that Johnny Dark co-wrote/produced. Under the Sun just doesn't have enough there for me, it's too much plodding non-descript 80'sism.

Too much of the soundtrack to the 80s remix of Fritz Lang's Metropolis and not enough Timbaland.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:47 (twenty years ago) link

Johnny Dark was the original member along with Jeremy (Greenspan! He was destined to be embraced by ILM...). Actually I don't think they're brothers.

I agree w/ Jordan to the extent that I generally prefer the more R&B-ish tracks.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:50 (twenty years ago) link

As i may have said before here or elsewhere, their original promo presented an entirely different picture of them in that "Birthday" was the most 80s/new wave thing on there and it was complemented by almost instrumental 2-step rhythm tracks like "You Want To" and "I'm So Into You" - which were slightly weaker. At the time I thought "they should probably allow themselves to be more songful"; the new stuff on the album bore that out more than I would have anticipated.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 8 October 2004 16:53 (twenty years ago) link

not to encourage the accusations of emo, but received a txt from a friend saying he'd just broken up w/his g/f, followed ten minutes later w/:
"O but hey,how gd does that junior boys song u gav me sound wen goin thru a lil emotional confustion? Cool"

― etc, Friday, 8 October 2004 22:03 (twenty years ago) link

That doesn't necessarily make it emo though. I usually put on Darklands after a breakup. Maybe the Jesus and Mary Chain *are* emo!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 8 October 2004 22:04 (twenty years ago) link

I found an odd article where the author used Last Exit to explain an 'album rating theory'.
sample quote - I now realise that a mediocre album and a very good album are actually the same thing up until about 10 - 15 listens. After that, depending on the quality of the tracks that don't immediately appeal or jump out, it could either be very good (The Prodigy) or mediocre (Junior Boys).

btw - pleased to hear you're still enjoying the album, ned

― nick.K (nick.K), Friday, 8 October 2004 22:31 (twenty years ago) link

Why thanks! It's a grower, and that is no insult. What seemed initially to be something of a samey listen has changed much over time in my mind -- I always like albums that do that. I think there's a distinction to be made between releases that don't invite the necessary relistens to overcome that perception and those that do, and what that element is is often hard to pin down, and differs from album to album.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 October 2004 22:40 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

Happened to be walking by Other Music tonight at the same time they were playing an in-store for about 30 people. Good enough that I now want to buy their album, but (as far as live shows go) I wish they were taller. And English. And girls.

― dlp9001, Sunday, 24 October 2004 23:58 (twenty years ago) link

the new songs (live) are great - want to hear more!

― Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 25 October 2004 21:43 (twenty years ago) link

so what did people make of the NY show?

― nick.K (nick.K), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 00:19 (twenty years ago) link

It was kinda like their album. In fact, some songs were more interesting than their album versions ("Under the Sun" in particular). If you'd never heard them before, it would have been a great introudction.

Ratatat was surprisingly good, seeing as I hated them the last time I saw them. Maybe it was because I was farther back in the crowd. and dancing.

and was it me, or did Mouse on Mars just break it fucking open after the first 3 songs? About the time where they said they'd play something with more rhythm, it became absolutely incredibly fun.

and there definitely wasn't enough dancing.

― lemin (lemin), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 00:43 (twenty years ago) link

just back from the cambridge show - i thought they were fantastic, way better than i imagined their live show would be. ratatat also impressed me a good deal, i suspect they're shit on record but they're a lot of fun live. mouse on mars sucked, though.

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 03:19 (twenty years ago) link

anyone else notice the newOrder sample on Three Words? The high hat rhythm and snare hit are sampled from Truth on Movement...though it could be the Peel Sessions version they sampled...either way, it's newOrder!

― biznotic, Tuesday, 26 October 2004 03:38 (twenty years ago) link

finally got it last night and "got it" fairly quickly. its ace. came at the right moment too, as i was getting a bit bogged down at work and needed some music to remind me of the existence of possibility. fall release also perfect as it coincides with the dusting off of all my OMD and associates records ("white car in germany", as brilliant as it is, is difficult to consume in DC in July, DC having some of the most crappy summer weather in all the US). unfortunately, i missed the tour, though the likelihood that i would have been able to afford taking off work AND get any friends to come along AND get them to see the opener for the opener, was sorta low, though this is one of those bands i would have liked to have been able to say i saw on their first visit. anyways, if, on an off chance, i ever become wealthy, i am going to give you a call nick and come work for Kin for free ;-)

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:41 (twenty years ago) link

I thought the NYC show as great. I actually had never heard Mouse on Mars before the show, and they completely blew me away. As for the Junior Boys themselves, I thought they came off pretty well. And the 2 new songs they played (new to me, at least) were very cool. Ratatat were okay, a lot more energetic than I expected, but not as fun as the Jr. Boys, I thought, and certainly nowhere near Mouse on Mars.

― Maciej Kasperowicz (Maciej), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago) link

The idiotic Peter Margasak in the Chicago Reader:

"Opening the show is Canadian duo Junior Boys, whose debut album, Last Exit (Domino/KIN), fuses mopey indie-pop vocals to spare synth melodies and fractured microhouse beats. The songs sound to me like minimal Timbaland remixes of obscure Pet Shop Boys tunes—and that’s not a compliment."

Come on! In what world does Timbaland remixing the Pet Shop Boys not sound awesome???

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:43 (twenty years ago) link

Hey, some people still thought that the ultimate 80s group was the Del-Fuegos.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 29 October 2004 03:33 (twenty years ago) link

i actually like margasak and he's entitled to his opinion--it's funny that his description of jr boys is actually fairly accurate, but he takes it as a negative and i take it as a positive. go figure.

― amateur!!st, Friday, 29 October 2004 03:43 (twenty years ago) link

Mouse on Mars (live) fucking kick ass. Yay.

― tk, Friday, 29 October 2004 08:28 (twenty years ago) link

It's been a long time since either Timbaland or the Pet Shop Boys "sounded awesome."

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 October 2004 08:35 (twenty years ago) link

Marcello re the former have you heard "Get On Dis Motorcycle" or "Keep It Moving" or the best tracks from the last Bubba album?

That said the Timbaland tracks Junior Boys theoretically take their cues from are like five years old.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:11 (twenty years ago) link

Specifically a couple of tracks from Missy's Da Real World.

Although really if you're gonna be strict about it I always thought a 2-step connection was easier to make out than a clear and distinct Timbaland connection - Steve Gurley particularly.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:15 (twenty years ago) link

Tracks 2 and 3 were the only ones I wanted to keep from the last Bubba album. The rest of it sounded like Guns N' Roses melted into a banjo fondue to soundtrack reruns of CHIPS.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 October 2004 13:17 (twenty years ago) link

That sounds awesome though.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:18 (twenty years ago) link

Which were 2 and 3 again?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:19 (twenty years ago) link

The ones that sounded more country. Track 2 had Ryan Pedder on vocals. Can't remember what they were called, being at work and the CD not being to hand.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 October 2004 13:21 (twenty years ago) link

'Jimmy Mathis' and 'Comin' Round'. MC be more of a Neptunes man, right?

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:22 (twenty years ago) link

MC you gotta love "Nowhere" and "Deliverance" and "Hootenanny", right?

Everyone quotes it a lot but I love that line in "Deliverance", "Solid on the surface as I crumble within/but legends are made out of vulnerable men"

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:24 (twenty years ago) link

To be utterly honest, Tim, that's the first time I've seen anyone quote the line!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:25 (twenty years ago) link

Wrong.

Definitely more of a Neptunes man. That Kenna album is something else, innit, even if it was recorded three years ago.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 October 2004 13:26 (twenty years ago) link

nb: that "Wrong" was a Tim xpost.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 October 2004 13:27 (twenty years ago) link

That Kenna album is something else, innit

Ah good! You and Dan and I can form a united front against Scott Seward on this matter. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:28 (twenty years ago) link

whoa man i don't get you guys at all. that album blows!

i've played the JBz to tons of people and given the album to one. i'm a one-man groundswell, i tell u.

― g--ff (gcannon), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:57 (twenty years ago) link

Opening for MoM only drove home the fact that they are incredibly dull live.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

I'm really excited about this show tonight.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:37 (twenty years ago) link

The idiotic Peter Margasak in the Chicago Reader:

Someone call Liz Phair and see if she can get him fired again.

― dlp9001, Friday, 29 October 2004 15:14 (twenty years ago) link

To be fair to Margasak, I'd never really had a problem with his writing before. The descriptor "idiotic" mostly comes from stories I've heard about him from those who've worked with him.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:19 (twenty years ago) link

I'm going to the show tonight as well. I fully expect to get my ass knocked off by Mouse on Mars (who I've never heard before) and will demand a refund from ILM if I'm not satisfied.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:37 (twenty years ago) link

I'd rather hear most of Timbaland's recent work than the Junior Boys, and I like the Junior Boys ok.

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:42 (twenty years ago) link

I feel safe promising you a good time, Nick.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:43 (twenty years ago) link

(Should we just meet up at the LSA, or do you want to meet somewhere beforehand? I have no other plans tonight.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:43 (twenty years ago) link

Hmm, are you driving? Because we're meeting my sister and her bf at the show, and they're going to have a rental car, so if you could give us a ride to the show, then we can just ride home with them in their rental car afterwords and not have to have them follow us. Maybe we could go for a quick dinner somewhere before the show. I actually have a job interview after work today, so I'll be getting home a little later than usual.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:07 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, I can give you a ride. How about you just call me when you get home from your interview?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:23 (twenty years ago) link

I'm EXCITED TOO! WOO HOO! And John, that means you have to hang out with me too. Bwah ha ha.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:47 (twenty years ago) link

What does that mean?!

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:50 (twenty years ago) link

(You're just mad because I was never able to think of a celebrity you look like.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:51 (twenty years ago) link

OK, awesome. CALL U L8TER D00D!

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 29 October 2004 17:34 (twenty years ago) link

two months pass...

Rob Da Plank on The Blue Room

Apparently reckons The Junior Boys album was not released in the UK last year, but is available in the US !

Da Plank also wants the Junior Boys in for a session.

When is the next Junior Boys album due ? mentioned on

philip sherburne
http://phs.abstractdynamics.org/archives/004707.html

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 12 January 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago) link

i've no idea when the next album's due

― nick.K (nick.K), Wednesday, 12 January 2005 23:39 (twenty years ago) link

This stuff is awful.

― RS £aRue (rockist_scientist), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago) link

four months pass...

have the MFA "bellona" and the fennesz "teach me how to fight" surfaced yet?

― jermaine (jnoble), Sunday, 19 June 2005 09:58 (nineteen years ago) link

whoa.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 19 June 2005 13:11 (nineteen years ago) link

I think I just had a brain aneurysm. WHAT? jermaine, details!

― mike h. (mike h.), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:59 (nineteen years ago) link

re-reading this thread has really bummed me out.

― strng hlkngtn, Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:30 (nineteen years ago) link

i heard this album last night for the first time in a while and it sounded amazing!

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:38 (nineteen years ago) link

why strongo?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:39 (nineteen years ago) link

(you don't actually have to answer that)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:39 (nineteen years ago) link

i'm depressed because i missed that tour with MoM & ratatat, why did i do that again?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:44 (nineteen years ago) link

mike: apparently the "another birthday" ep is being released "soon", with an mfa remix of 'bellona' (i think it was fe zaffe that mentioned this on another thread), and a xtian fennesz touchup of "teach me how to fight"

― jermaine (jnoble), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:48 (nineteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

So.... is there a release date on this ep? I've been checking occasionally but haven't seen any announcements.

― mike h. (mike h.), Monday, 11 July 2005 04:25 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm listening to the song "Last Exit" right now and I don't know if it's ever been noted before, but it's a fairly creepy little number, in a vague sort of way.

get you through the border.
keep the new car up all night.
hide you in the city.
they're watching so i'll take my time.
when the lights go out.
behind the bridge last exit.
through the highway's yellow glare.
have you been out this far?
when you think you're going,
you can change your face again.
if you think you're going.
no i'll catch you just the same.
hit the north 400.
the high beams slowly kiss the lake.
the trees are dark, it's just as well.
a fog shines off the hospital.
as the night goes past.
a silver light begins to show.
as if you could (who'd lit a call?).
your hair it starts to smell like fall.
when you think you're going,
you can change your face again.
and if you think you're going.
no I'll catch you just the same

also, Oldy over at the Voice dudded this one last week. ugh.

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 18 July 2005 07:25 (nineteen years ago) link

I always hear it as "know I'll catch you just the same", which is either a reassurance or a threat, I'm not sure.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 18 July 2005 22:50 (nineteen years ago) link

romantic getaway? kidnapping? who knows? it's great.

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:04 (nineteen years ago) link

"the high beams slowly kiss the lake" is a beautiful line.

i always thought it was

and if you think you're falling.
no I'll catch you just the same.

but listening again and it is "going". i like "falling" more.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:05 (nineteen years ago) link

listening to it now.

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:08 (nineteen years ago) link

it sounds even more wonderful now.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:10 (nineteen years ago) link

this album sounds better today than it ever did!

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:10 (nineteen years ago) link

why does anyone think that xgau's opinion is worth a shit again?

― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:11 (nineteen years ago) link

...

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:27 (nineteen years ago) link

I've always heard it the way Tim has. sounding better than ever in the Auckland winter &c.

― etc, Monday, 18 July 2005 23:38 (nineteen years ago) link

release date. ep. ANSWERS!

― mike h. (mike h.), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:44 (nineteen years ago) link

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 18 July 2005 23:47 (nineteen years ago) link

Supposedly they've got an "Another Birthday" EP coming out. With another Fennesz remix, one by Matthew Dear, and some other stuff I know absolutely nothing about.

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 01:27 (nineteen years ago) link

evidently Christgau is NOT going bonkers about the Junior Boys. In his new extra laptoppy consumer guide he gives them a dud. They probably sound too much like posh eighties.

― miccio (miccio), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 13:00 (nineteen years ago) link

why does anyone think that xgau's opinion is worth a shit again?
-- Gear! (speed.to.roa...), July 19th, 2005.

― mike h. (mike h.), Tuesday, 19 July 2005 21:54 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...

has anyone heard the junior boys' remix of 'fumbling towards ecstasy' by sarah mclachlan?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000AA3002/qid%3D1124118592/sr%3D1-6/ref%3Dsr%5F1%5F6/002-4506223-3591203

― manuel (manuel), Thursday, 15 September 2005 23:48 (nineteen years ago) link

Wow! Go Junior Boys!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 15 September 2005 23:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm kind of sad that I emailed Domino and a few other email addresses and still haven't heard back about this supposed upcoming EP.

― mike h. (mike h.), Friday, 16 September 2005 00:05 (nineteen years ago) link

sarah mclachlan - fumbling towards ecstasy (junior boys rmx)

http://s25.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=22RKZC0LJLMPC0AKNJDCH7I9OJ

― manuel (manuel), Friday, 16 September 2005 23:15 (nineteen years ago) link

thanks for posting that manuel. it's terrible!

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 17 September 2005 01:48 (nineteen years ago) link

yeah, i was dissapointed

― manuel (manuel), Saturday, 17 September 2005 01:58 (nineteen years ago) link

haha. this is like one of thoes times your friend goes, "this tastes like shit, try it" and you do out of curiosity

― Jaxon (jaxon), Saturday, 17 September 2005 02:01 (nineteen years ago) link

actually most of the fault lies with the song itself (i've never heard sarah m. before and hopefully never will again) but i still don't like what the jb's have done here.

― jed_ (jed), Saturday, 17 September 2005 02:06 (nineteen years ago) link

where MFA bellona already? argh!!

― jermaine (jnoble), Saturday, 17 September 2005 09:18 (nineteen years ago) link

yeah honestly there's no way i'm gonna get excited about a sarah mclachlan remix

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 17 September 2005 14:15 (nineteen years ago) link

four months pass...

hey, that mfa mix is now floating around.

― jermaine (jnoble), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago) link

muerto from above?

― jaxon (jaxon), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 17:48 (nineteen years ago) link

What difference does it make? That EP still hasn't seen the light of day.

...
*groan*

― mike h. (mike h.), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago) link

four months pass...

there is a sound on 'last exit' (just betw. the intro and the vocal's entrance), a little synth fall, that is straight out of the goonies, I swear.
-- cozen (coze...), June 27th, 2004.
not 'last exit', I meant 'birthday'.

-- cozen (coze...), June 27th, 2004.

Haha, I pulled this album out to compare with the new one and it was driving me crazy trying to remember where this sound was from.

― splates (splates), Sunday, 11 June 2006 07:33 (eighteen years ago) link

eight months pass...

http://assets.pitchforkmedia.com/images/image/26911.x-news-juniorboysdeadhorse-sm.jpg

― jaxon, Thursday, 1 March 2007 06:45 (seventeen years ago) link

jaxon, what's that?

― modestmickey, Thursday, 1 March 2007 06:47 (seventeen years ago) link

remix ep. 5 tracks. out in april

― jaxon, Thursday, 1 March 2007 06:52 (seventeen years ago) link

boo. thanks.

― modestmickey, Thursday, 1 March 2007 06:52 (seventeen years ago) link

It seems like the second album didn't have the same staying power as Last Exit. More consistent perhaps, but nothing as impeccable as the 4-5 highlights of the debut lp.

― baaderonixx, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:04 (seventeen years ago) link

no way, the second album is if anything even more sublime! the chorus of 'the equalizer' ranks up there with anything on the first album.

― lex pretend, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:13 (seventeen years ago) link

2n album much greater.

― jed_, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Wow, assuming this is the final tracklist and not just the promo:
In The Morning (Hot Chip Remix)
FM (Ten Snake Remix)
Like A Child (Carl Craig Remix)
Double Shadow (Kode 9 Remix)
FM (Marsen Jules Remix)

That MFA remix from the first album was never released officially, right? :/

― mh, Thursday, 1 March 2007 15:30 (seventeen years ago) link

another vote cast for second album much better

― modestmickey, Thursday, 1 March 2007 16:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Like A Child (Carl Craig Remix)

omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgOMG

― lex pretend, Thursday, 1 March 2007 16:17 (seventeen years ago) link

Props for getting Ten Snake on the case!

― Tim F, Friday, 2 March 2007 02:16 (seventeen years ago) link

The Tensnake mix is the only good one. possibly the songs are just too close to me now but the Hot Chip and Carl Craig Mixes made me think they had missed the point of the songs or never understood them. the CC one gets better after a pretty awful intro but it's fairly rote. The Kode 9 mix doesn't even have Jeremy on it except for one second at the end - you could read tat one second blip of him as an insult - but it does have bleedin' spaceape moanin all over it.

― jed_, Saturday, 3 March 2007 12:05 (seventeen years ago) link

actually the Kode 9 one does have some jeremy buried under all the layers and it is a decent tune if not the remix i wanted.

― jed_, Saturday, 3 March 2007 12:07 (seventeen years ago) link

four months pass...

The "itunes session" version of "under the sun" might be my favourite thing by the boys ever. it is its own Studio remix! total disco shoegaze, even moreso than maurice fulton's ost & kjex remix. tim, get on this.

― jermainetwo, Thursday, 19 July 2007 11:20 (seventeen years ago) link

the album has been re-released with all of that itunes session and all the remixes on a bonus disc. must get!

― haitch, Thursday, 19 July 2007 15:46 (seventeen years ago) link

There are three or four live Junior Boys sessions floating around as podcasts. The latest I've heard is their sonar set at http://www.youarehear.co.uk/ although I believe KEXP's podcast had them as well.

― mh, Thursday, 19 July 2007 16:13 (seventeen years ago) link

Listening to this Johnny Dark EP (: ) !) it is a total shame that he is not in the band anymore. He is really lacking on the second album IMHO.

― I know, right?, Saturday, 21 July 2007 11:40 (seventeen years ago) link

I wish it was Jeremy Greenspan, not the San Serac dude singing on Johnny Dark's new project, album soon apparently.

Under the Sun session vers. kills yes. It needs remixing into a 15 minute balearic epic though!

― Alex xy, Saturday, 21 July 2007 12:15 (seventeen years ago) link

Thanks for posting that link!

― I know, right?, Saturday, 21 July 2007 12:22 (seventeen years ago) link

San Serac is like an excercise in 'what if David Bowie couldn't sing'? Maybe it will grow on me.

― Alex xy, Saturday, 21 July 2007 12:29 (seventeen years ago) link

He is really lacking on the second album IMHO

oh really?

― o-ess, Saturday, 21 July 2007 15:59 (seventeen years ago) link

Fuck you.

― I know, right?, Saturday, 21 July 2007 16:10 (seventeen years ago) link

second album is better than the first and all the better for not having JD in the band.

― jed_, Saturday, 21 July 2007 17:59 (seventeen years ago) link

No it isn't! Its kind of obvious in comparison. The great thing about Last Exit was how it tore OMD down to just the sparest bleeps and tickles of sound. Dark's production on the songs I imagine are mainly him (such as Bellona, High Come Down and When I'm Not Around) is the way he gently fucks with the remains, rubbing up against splashes of Garage and House and Seventies AOR. They hold the songs up in a strange, wobbly fashion.

Most of what makes Junior Boys so beautiful is the way they maroon genre, they appropriate all these little elements of pop music into something really darkly personal and beautiful. Its the way they inform the songs with all these bits of radio pop music and then rub it all out until its just smudged fragments, so endlessly suggestive and delicately precarious.

Bellona is my favourite track, the 2-step helium voice and Greenspan almost duetting, him gently pleading against her android-like gibberish. Its really genuinely moving. The title track's sparseness and the way the shuddering beats echo off into the oceans of emptiness manages to even suggest the radio in the car being turned off, and the subsequent silence...

There are really strong tracks that aren't Dark affiliated, Teach Me How To Fight has some of the best lyrics on the album and the synth line bursts out from the rhythm section with the right amount of sensuously mysterious melancholy.

The second album is gorgeous, but it seems to straight ahead, too certain of itself. Too comfortable.

― I know, right?, Saturday, 21 July 2007 18:28 (seventeen years ago) link

you're insane.

― o-ess, Sunday, 22 July 2007 00:01 (seventeen years ago) link

i agree re: bellona

― cutty, Sunday, 22 July 2007 00:08 (seventeen years ago) link

You agree that I'm insane with re: bellona?

― I know, right?, Sunday, 22 July 2007 00:34 (seventeen years ago) link

no, i agree w you

― cutty, Sunday, 22 July 2007 01:21 (seventeen years ago) link

jesus

― cutty, Sunday, 22 July 2007 01:21 (seventeen years ago) link

"Bellona" is great but it's not 2-step, it's kind of a forerunner for the first few tracks on the second album. it's always reminded me or jurgen paape's lighter moments a bit.

― Tim F, Sunday, 22 July 2007 04:26 (seventeen years ago) link

i didn't like most of what i heard from the 2nd album at all but i'll probably buy the deluxe version for some of the remixes and that itunes under the sun thing.

― babedad, Sunday, 22 July 2007 06:00 (seventeen years ago) link

The Tensnake mix is the only good one.

OTM.

― jaymc, Sunday, 22 July 2007 08:13 (seventeen years ago) link

I didn't go bonkers in 2003, but last year's followup was really, really great. Looking forward to more great electropop coming up next time around.

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 22 July 2007 12:12 (seventeen years ago) link

jesus

No, sometimes I get genuinely confused when there's so many people talking, I don't know who's reacting to who. Y'know?

― I know, right?, Sunday, 22 July 2007 12:24 (seventeen years ago) link

no one thinks the hot chip remix is any good? really?

― vadx, Sunday, 22 July 2007 15:43 (seventeen years ago) link

five months pass...

any mention of this yet?

― haitch, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 05:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Looks pretty good from here...

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 05:19 (seventeen years ago) link

where's dave stelfox these days?

― sam500, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 05:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Wow. Was not expecting that. I love that they've used Steadycam's "In The Moog For Love" - I thought I was the only person in the world who thought that was an astonishing track.

― Tim F, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 05:52 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm liking the look of this.

― Raw Patrick, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 09:38 (seventeen years ago) link

in the moog for love is indeed lovely! i think i got it on your recommendation on here tim!

glad people are still playing deer in the headlights, that vocal is one of my favourite things to come from get physical. also thought that might be guitar (the electro-shoegaze band) but, no.

― Crackle Box, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 11:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Listening to it right now. It's good.

― theslothproject, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 22:56 (seventeen years ago) link

the mix is decent but it's not even close to as good as vol5 (chateau fligh) and i'm about finished listening to mixes from people who aren't actual dj's. the mixing on a few of these transitions is terrible despite being done with software.

the first mix is shit. just because the songs are going the same speed doesn't mean you should just mix it in wherever you like. first track fades out too fast, second track enters and it's only just begun, losing all flow from the previous tune. this type of annoying mixing continues throughout. if you're going to do a computer mix get someone who knows how to sequence songs to put the set together and mix it for you.

having said that, it's a decent collection. i won't be buying this like i bought the previous 4 or 5 volumes but it's been a decent way to spend an hour.

― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 23:22 (seventeen years ago) link

just listening again and the transition from 2 to 3 is horrible too. from Supermayer into Chelonis..how the fuck do you trainwreck a digital mix that isn't live? too bad Get Physical is banking on the Junior Boys name selling copies instead of giving us a quality mix.

― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 23:26 (seventeen years ago) link

bad news because that tracklist looks really nice

― tricky, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 23:29 (seventeen years ago) link

was the chateau flight one good? i like them but never picked up a copy.

― haitch, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 23:52 (seventeen years ago) link

the chateau flight mix is great. i've enjoyed listening to it many times. i'd recommend that mix over this one any day.

― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 23:53 (seventeen years ago) link

I guess I'm going to have to try harder to check these guys out. I tried them once before, and nothing came of it, but I'm smitten over the Dead Horse EP. It all started this morning when I heard my alarm clock go off and on the radio was playing "FM (Tensnake remix)". I was like "wow, what is this?"

― Bimble, Saturday, 19 January 2008 11:27 (seventeen years ago) link

Last Exit>>>>>>>>>So this is Goodbye, Bimble. Please retry and repost.

― I know, right?, Saturday, 19 January 2008 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link

If anything the mix prompted me to buy a couple of Stereo Image tracks. Sounding somewhere between Safety Scissors and Junior Boys.

How involved was Johnny Dark in the making of Last Exit?

― arghkaybee, Saturday, 19 January 2008 23:27 (seventeen years ago) link

six years pass...

you know what's bonkers? this is one of, seriously, 24 threads about junior boys on ilm, lol.

― jaymc, Sunday, 21 September 2014 04:42 (ten years ago) link

i think they're a band, tho, where i'll probably listen to anything they do as long as they keep making records. like the sea & cake, you know. even if it's mediocre, it's a sound that i find very appealing.

― jaymc, Sunday, 21 September 2014 04:45 (ten years ago) link

i find it hard to defend certain musical artists who have my aesthetic number, so to speak. i will genuinely stump for last exit and so this is goodbye, tho.

― jaymc, Sunday, 21 September 2014 04:46 (ten years ago) link

For me the 3 most frustrating albums from the 00s onwards are:

yeah yeah yeahs - its blitz
The rapture - house of jealous lovers
Junior Boys - last exit

I love most of the compositions in those records but hate the way they are mixed. I'm not a producer so I don't know how to describe it properly but it sounds too high on the treble for a dance album. It sounds spike-y, it kind of aches my ears and it frustrates me because with a different, better production I'm sure they'd be amazing

― Moka, Sunday, 21 September 2014 07:58 (ten years ago) link

this could be to do with what's known in the industry as "dynamic range compression", or DRC for short. basically they "compress" the dynamic range, and this basically compresses the sound. it's a real "hot topic" among music buffs, and could change the way we listen to music for years to come

― cool music buff (missingNO), Sunday, 21 September 2014 11:33 (ten years ago) link

three years pass...

It's amazing how well Last Exit holds up 14 (!) years later.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 7 March 2018 23:22 (six years ago) link

four years pass...

New one is gorgeous. I'm in love with side 2, in particular. AOTY material for me

― Paul Ponzi, Sunday, 23 October 2022 00:07 (two years ago) link

Really lovely stuff yeah. Their most ambient release by a wide margin but that seems like a very logical space for them to explore. Not sure where it’ll end up in my estimations, but then I only fully fell in love with the last two albums this year, so.

― Tim F, Thursday, 27 October 2022 21:35 (two years ago) link

I think this is easily their best album to date.

― boxedjoy, Friday, 28 October 2022 07:13 (two years ago) link

Tough to beat Last Exit but this one may be a contender, for sure

Also disappointed that this thread title remains sadly apt. Where is everyone?

― Paul Ponzi, Friday, 28 October 2022 10:46 (two years ago) link

wow this is sublime

― ufo, Friday, 28 October 2022 11:24 (two years ago) link

This is absolutely gorgeous. My favourite since So This Is Goodbye. Exactly the kind of album I needed today.

― kitchen person, Friday, 28 October 2022 14:31 (two years ago) link

this might be my favourite thing they've ever done

― ufo, Saturday, 29 October 2022 14:15 (two years ago) link

Same, I think.

― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 29 October 2022 15:51 (two years ago) link

certified slapper. both perfect for the current Michael mann moment and also its own irreducible thing

― Vapor waif (uptown churl), Saturday, 29 October 2022 16:53 (two years ago) link

can't wait to listen to this.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 29 October 2022 17:03 (two years ago) link

This is gorgeous. The last track is the standout at the moment. Sounds like We Are King. Junior Boys do quiet storm.

― Shard-borne Beatles with their drowsy hums (Chinaski), Saturday, 29 October 2022 17:19 (two years ago) link

yeah, I'd put this on in the car and three tracks in I'm not sure the car is the right place for it on a sunny beautiful fall day. think I'm going to go switch to earphones and go for a walk with it.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 29 October 2022 17:22 (two years ago) link

All about side 2 for me. "Dum Audio" through title track just perfection.

― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 29 October 2022 18:03 (two years ago) link

ok, better on headphones. I get what they're after but it's really not what I want right now. immediately put on the Cut Copy album from 2020 when this was over.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 29 October 2022 18:04 (two years ago) link

Freeze Melt is so underrated, imo. I just got shipping notice from Rough Trade so my Junior Boys listening session will still be a few days from now.

― brotherlovesdub, Saturday, 29 October 2022 18:41 (two years ago) link

amazing how totally immersed i am in this on first listen. beautiful sound sculpture, walking home on a foggy night at like 3 am when your senses are kind of brushing the world around you into blurs of paint and you're sort of not even able to put the words in your head into sequence, they're just fragments, loops of anxiety that as soon as you're aware of them they've already faded, blurred over themselves, incidentally this walk is longer than you remembered as time has been stretched at the quantum level and every block seems to be a repeat of the previous and it's like you're stuck in the liminal space between club and home forever

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 29 October 2022 18:44 (two years ago) link

Beautifully put. This feels like an album whose rep will grow with time, one of those rare releases that will endure after the novelty of "cult band releases new album" wears off, but I've been very wrong about such things before

― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 29 October 2022 20:38 (two years ago) link

this shit is indistinguishable from the “lo-fi beats to study to” playlist my kid falls asleep up every night

― na (NA), Saturday, 29 October 2022 23:46 (two years ago) link

asleep to

it’s not bad but I’m not sure what elevates it above that kind of intentional audio wallpaper

― na (NA), Saturday, 29 October 2022 23:53 (two years ago) link

ha ha you guys

my kid’s lo-fi beats podcast was queued up on spotify and started playing after the first junior boys song. that is what I’ve been listening to. and i thought i was being so acerbic up there but I’m just an idiot lol

i apologize

― na (NA), Saturday, 29 October 2022 23:56 (two years ago) link

hahaha

― maf you one two (maffew12), Sunday, 30 October 2022 00:27 (two years ago) link

This made for some weird Friday morning commute music and I look forward to playing it next time I can't sleep.

Just because I don't see her name on this thread and in case anyone needs to hear it, Junior Boys' own Jeremy Greenspan has worked on all 3 of Jessy Lanza's albums and they are beautiful. In googling his involvement just now (writing/producing/mixing) I found that they broke up after the second album and "established a new working relationship" for the third. Oddly the back cover of that one says "by Jessy Lanza and Jeremy Greenspan".

― maf you one two (maffew12), Sunday, 30 October 2022 00:42 (two years ago) link

let's have an embed. the single's video is the Toronto subway in 1986. a beaut. now i'm proper sleepy gnite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aic8dgxZls

― maf you one two (maffew12), Sunday, 30 October 2022 01:33 (two years ago) link

whatever happened to Johnny dark anyway? That Stereo Image or whatever album sucked. Miss his fucked up El-b by way of timberland beatz

― lets hear some blues on those synths (brimstead), Sunday, 30 October 2022 02:10 (two years ago) link

Lmao NA

― frogbs, Sunday, 30 October 2022 02:22 (two years ago) link

my favorite Junior Boys bit is the ending of "FM" where the drums get stripped away and it's just this little synth/vocal thing. so I'm really liking this so far

― frogbs, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 01:49 (two years ago) link

digging the new one a lot. i've been going back through the catalog and "begone dull care" feels slept on to me.

speaking of endings, I never appreciated how glorious the last 2 minutes of "Like a Child" were.

― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 01:57 (two years ago) link

before we’ve completely moved past it:

lol NA

― mh, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 02:01 (two years ago) link

this is kinda like if Air really leaned into their Kraftwerk influences. or something. man that bit midway through the title track hits so hard given how quiet everything is. really nice and yeah it might be their best album but it feels weird to say that since it almost feels like this is a JB side project (but like, in a Dukes of Stratosfear type way)

― frogbs, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 02:18 (two years ago) link

digging the new one a lot. i've been going back through the catalog and "begone dull care" feels slept on to me.

― Western® with Bacon Flavor

Yeah, I went back to this one last week and enjoyed it a lot. It's not in the same league as the first two which are basically perfect, but it's a beautiful album.

― kitchen person, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 03:01 (two years ago) link

Begone Dull Care is the least-good album and is still great. What a band.

― Tim F, Wednesday, 2 November 2022 04:42 (two years ago) link

i listened to begone dull care on repeat during a particularly vulnerable month of life so every song on on it is like a great cosmic unfolding to me

the least good junior boys album is so this is goodbye, controversial but true

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 3 November 2022 21:17 (two years ago) link

I have a friend who played the title track repeatedly in the car in 2006, to my dismay.

― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 3 November 2022 21:26 (two years ago) link

i'm aware this is kinda kneejerk but tbh this is beautifully produced and all, impressive synth work, but i just. cannot. get past the thin, reedy singing. nails on chalkboard for me. also kinda self serious. jessy lanza has a similar sound but is fun. not for me but i get the appeal.

― ꙮ (map), Thursday, 3 November 2022 21:32 (two years ago) link

similar sound partially due to Jeremy Greenspan being co-producer!

― mh, Thursday, 3 November 2022 22:32 (two years ago) link

the least good junior boys album is so this is goodbye, controversial but true

― flamenco drop (BradNelson)

Woah, that's my favourite. The Equalizer, First Time and especially FM are some of their most beautiful melodies. It's the album that made me fall for them after struggling with Last Exit.

Big Black Coat is their only album that doesn't feel essential. Apart from the title track, the second half is kind of bland. Songs like Baby Don't Hurt Me and Love Is A Fire sound weirdly unfinished.

― kitchen person, Friday, 4 November 2022 01:07 (two years ago) link

IMO, It's All True = Last Exit > So This Is Goodbye > Waiting Game (though too early to tell) = Big Black Coat > Begone Dull Care

― Tim F, Friday, 4 November 2022 01:38 (two years ago) link

After listening to this a few dozen times I'm pretty sure it's my personal favorite in the catalog (even if it's not "the best").

It really does work best as a focused listen with no distractions or other stimulation (although something to fuck with your perception before hand doesn't hurt!). Extremely meditative, ruminative and calming.

I think it was Matt DC who once said something around the time of So This is Goodbye that always stuck with me. Paraphrasing here but it was about how you could follow each element as an ever-modulating thread and how no single note was the same. This has that on a whole new level with the 'peripheral', barely perceptible sounds your ears have to "reach" for. The result for me is after so many listens I still find myself able to hone in something I feel like I've never noticed before on every song. Spellbinding stuff!

― anza808, Saturday, 12 November 2022 23:45 (two years ago) link

Great post. I'm impatiently awaiting delivery of the LP release, which has predictably been pushed back a few weeks I guess. Saying I love this one as much as Last Exit feels like a kind of blasphemy, and I'm not ready to go there quite yet, but it's definitely close.

― Paul Ponzi, Sunday, 13 November 2022 01:23 (two years ago) link

Just took a cold, cloudy morning walk with this, very nice.

I'll pick it up on CD if I see it. An imperfect vinyl pressing of such a quiet record would be annoying.

― maf you one two (maffew12), Sunday, 13 November 2022 14:21 (two years ago) link

three months pass...

listening to Last Exit for the first time in like a decade, god damn this sounds like it was made TODAY

― frogbs, Wednesday, 8 March 2023 03:14 (one year ago) link

absolutely

― hootenanny-soundtracking clusterfucks about milking cows (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 8 March 2023 04:09 (one year ago) link

one year passes...

Happy Birthday!

The first Junior Boys album “Last Exit” is celebrating its 20th birthday today!! I’m so thankful to have had a life in music since then, and am genuinely touched by those of you who still enjoy it all these years later.🖖 pic.twitter.com/LfU2X9Fsws
— Junior Boys (@Juniorboys) June 7, 2024

― groovypanda, Friday, 7 June 2024 15:03 (seven months ago) link

Man, flashbacks.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 June 2024 15:13 (seven months ago) link

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