Air - Talkie Walkie

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Has Anyone Heard It Yet?
If so is it any good?

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Thursday, 22 January 2004 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

yes and yes

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 22 January 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

is it better than 10,000 Hz. Legend?
cause thats my favorite air album

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Thursday, 22 January 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

so *you're* the one

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 22 January 2004 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I love it. I think there's another thread if you search for 'talkie'

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

i did not like 10,000 hz at all. after that dysappointment i haven't even bothered checking out the new one.

― dyson (dyson), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I have like half of the tracks. They're pretty good, but there's like no dance groove vibe to any. Maybe that is Sofia Coppola's fault.

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, there's another thread about having downloaded it. I don't like it.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

dude, it's not like you were sweatin' to Moon Safari (well, not in a dancing kind of way, except for "Kelly Watch the Stars")

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry xpost

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I like this one mostly for returning to that slow-dancing-with-a-beautiful-ladybot-in-an-opium-den-on-Mars vibe that initially turned me on to them (a la Moon Safari). It's a very good album, very gorgeous and almost overwhelming in a few places.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah yeah, but there's even some slinky groove to a couple tracks on Premiers Symptomes. Without that, Air is a bit airy.

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Half of the tracks are very good. the others are a bit dull.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 22 January 2004 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Run" might as well be called "Robots Get It On".

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I've only heard 'Venus' and 'Biological' so far and i have to say that i'm very impressed.

― uzumaki (uzumaki), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"cherry blossom girl" and "surfin' on a rocket" and "mike mills" are all pretty damn beautiful

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah, I hadn't heard "run". 's good good good... reminds me of the blade runner soundtrack.

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I love the reverbed shaker.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It is good while I hear it but nothing has stuck with me.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:23 (twenty-two years ago)

"Cherry Blossom Girl" is truly amazing. The exact middlepoint between My Bloody Valentine (their songwriting/singing) and The Beach Boys.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

have you seen the video for it?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Their voices sound so much more confident and strong on this album than ever before. Spencer waaaay OTM about "Robots Get It On".

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Run is probably my favorite, then Venus.

I'm looking forward to seeing the artwork.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00013PHGS.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:48 (twenty-two years ago)

i love the record. really fantastic. "surfing on a rock" is my favorite

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 22 January 2004 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I love robots, so of course I adore this.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 22 January 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

"Surfing On a Rocket" reminds me of Opal's "Happy Nightmare Baby" LP.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)

it's the best simulation of being on painkillers that i've yet heard by them (i mean this in a good way!!)

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 22 January 2004 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

how could it be any other way!?@

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

haha true, very true!

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 22 January 2004 23:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha, that cover! They look like they are about to go for a ride in this.

I submitted a review of this to Matos. One descriptor I used was "pixie crunk".

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 22 January 2004 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah the gloves are pretty great. They're like mathematicians WHO MEAN BUSINESS.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 22 January 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

it's definitely a consensus record, very middle of the road and inoffensive.

― keith m (keithmcl), Friday, 23 January 2004 01:53 (twenty-two years ago)

it's definitely a consensus record, it's good

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Friday, 23 January 2004 01:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I might have to go with Keith M's judgment? I mean, I have all their albums aside from the Virgin Suicides soundtrack but it's not anything leaps out at me about this album, whereas all the other ones have at least a few tracks that really stick even though I don't listen to them much.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 January 2004 02:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I like it, ergo Ned must not. It is a law of nature.

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Friday, 23 January 2004 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't *hate* it but Spencer's note on the Beach Boys/MBV popbliss position of the album sorta sums up my feelings about it in a 'oh that's all right then' sense. I mean, that's nice and all but it's almost like that vein's been so heavily gone over now -- and very little of the album felt propulsive to me, which I think is one of Air's most underrated strengths, actually.

I was going to listen to it again tonight to see if I felt any differently -- the last time I listened to it was a lazy sunny afternoon and the album seemed to melt into the haze -- but I just downloaded Siegbran's 2003 mix and frankly, fuck Air, I am in a happy place. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 January 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

position of the album

An overstatement, actually, since he was speaking of a song. Still, most of what I recall of the album seems to slot into that feeling.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 January 2004 03:48 (twenty-two years ago)

does anyone have that City Reading thing?

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Friday, 23 January 2004 04:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Siegbran's 2003 mix

Where can this be found? His 2002 one still gets a lot of play at Nordic Towers.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 23 January 2004 04:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Huzzah!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 January 2004 05:00 (twenty-two years ago)

First impressions of 'Walkie Talkie': bewitching and beguiling, + very lovely.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree with Stevo. I think those that are looking for something "propulsive" or "danceable" are looking in the wrong place. This is drifting daydreamy music. It's a few months early for summer, but this would be ideal for a drowsy summer afternoon. Lovely melodies and harmonies. I think this is the first Nigel Godrich production I've heard that I actually like the sound of. This is a a sugary French cream puff of an album.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 5 February 2004 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Mixed feelings about it. I really liked it the first 3 or 4 times I played it, but then somehow felt that I 'got' it and I've never wanted to hear it since.

― Baaderist (Fabfunk), Thursday, 5 February 2004 15:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Here's the other thread on it:

Come Anticipate AIR's "Talkie Walkie" With Moi

I don't think it's the kind of album that you "get" - like a joke or a mathematical proof - it's something to enjoy.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 5 February 2004 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

My first impressions are the same as Ned's but I don't think this is a bad thing - when I'm listening to it I think it's gorgeous, and I'm sure the memorable bits will reveal themselves over time. Don't know which songs are which yet as I've been too lazy to write out the titles, but my favourite is somewhere in the middle.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 5 February 2004 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I think those that are looking for something "propulsive" or "danceable" are looking in the wrong place.

Ah, but as I said above, I think it's a strength of theirs that is underrated -- I don't know if *they* underrate it themselves, but I miss its absence. Frankly, I've heard more involving dreamydrift albums.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

(I miss its absence? I like that concept! Miss its presence obv.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 February 2004 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, as someone's who's never listened to Air before, I did not go into the album expecting "propulsiveness" (or anything else) so that may be why I didn't miss it. The thing I like best about the album are the melodies and harmonies.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 5 February 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Excuse me, can you people please point out these floor-filling dancefloor stormers that Air has supposedly done?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 5 February 2004 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

"Kelly Watch The Stars" is both propulsive and danceable if not, you know, a floor-filler.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 5 February 2004 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

True, that's the one I can think of, but I can't do much more than bob (or play ping-pong) to it.

I had always thought of Air as sex music and Talkie Walkie is better at that than 10,000 hz Legend.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I can dance to lots of odd things (like Tom Waits and Lucinda Williams) though, so I don't think my opinion should really be trusted on what's 'danceable'.

"Sexy Boy" is the ultimate foreplay song... I never heard 10,000Hz Legend because I remember the lead single sucking, but I can imagine Talkie Walkie being as good as Moon Safari - better, actually, less distracting.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Excuse me, can you people please point out these floor-filling dancefloor stormers that Air has supposedly done?

I'm not thinking of it quite so extremely but if you must:

"Sexy Boy" = yer gliding along the autobahn
"Radio #1" = yer nodding your head as you do so
the new album = the car's broken down and while it's a pretty view and all there's nowhere to go!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned, don't try it.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course I can't try it, I can't drive!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

based on those being danceable, I don't see why you couldn't dance to say "Run" from Talkie Walkie. It's similarly mid-tempo robotically sexual.

Please note that I'll dance to anything too, but to criticize Talkie Walkie as being less "danceable" than the other albums is unfair.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

This is great. It sort of unites the best bits of Moon Safari (the prettiness, which I liked in practice more than theory) and 10,000 Hz Legend (the eeriness, which I liked in theory more than practice).

And "Alone in Kyoto" is particularly lovely. They should make more Pop Ambient!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 6 February 2004 02:42 (twenty-two years ago)

By that first point I mean that returns the focus on lovely sounds from the first record to the musical ideas of the second. What made 10,000 Hz an only half-successful album for me is that very few of the tracks *sounded* as good as they could have - only "Lucky & Unhappy" really gets that zithery vibe that they capture quite a few times on the new album.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 6 February 2004 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I Think It's Their Best Album So Far.
......I Started This Thread By The Way.
Suprised to see it pop back

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Friday, 6 February 2004 04:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh Tim! You and the way things "sound". BTW, I agree completely, which is why I love "Run". It has that conceptual bodily oddness, the robot talking about "my chest" etc, with the amazing sonics, like that reverbed shaker sound that's like his innards rattling, but in an analog way.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 6 February 2004 06:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"Run" is like being slowly covered in a blanket of honey.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 6 February 2004 06:19 (twenty-two years ago)

By robots.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 6 February 2004 06:19 (twenty-two years ago)

nano-honey

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 6 February 2004 06:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay Spencer I have a schtick, no need to get tetchy about it ;-)

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 6 February 2004 10:01 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

i want to live inside this record. the honey wielding robots have captured me and i have succumbed. (the true test of this recording is a friend listening to it on repeat on his ipod on a direct fight from la to sydney, it really is like entering another world)

― tricky disco, Sunday, 4 April 2004 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

this was the only cd i listened to for a week when i got it

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Sunday, 4 April 2004 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i still totally adore this album.

― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 4 April 2004 20:00 (twenty-one years ago)

me too, it just got better and better

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 4 April 2004 20:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree with Ned on this thread. It's a very nice album, "nice" being the operative word. But it's so blooming inoffensive. Not quite Air by numbers, but as close to it as they will get.

For me, 10,000hz the Legend was their best because even though there were a few clunkers, the experimentation always shined through. This feels like they've gone the polar opposite and tried to do something really restrained and pretty and paintily - and it works on that level, but not many others.

It's for this reason I doubt I'll come back to it although I am surprised how many times I've found myself putting it on since I got it. I guess it's the best examples of a ch*llout album and while that could be seen as an insult, there's never been anything wrong with chillin out as long as it doesn't involve designer furniture.

I especially like "Run", probably the one most similar to 10,000hz the Legend. I hated "Surfing On A Rocket" when I first heard it, mostly because they pronounce it "wocket" on the song and it sounds silly - but hearing it on the radio at work really cheered me up.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 4 April 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah putting this album on for me is like getting back into bed to sleep - which is always great - but you know it'd be better if you got a few things done.

― scissors (Honda), Sunday, 4 April 2004 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

huh?

― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 4 April 2004 23:44 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe i am just needlessly resisting the charms. it's a lovely album but really unchallenging and that tends to bug me.

― scissors (Honda), Monday, 5 April 2004 00:04 (twenty-one years ago)

(or: i haven't succumbed to the honey robots yet)

― scissors (Honda), Monday, 5 April 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Scissors OTM

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Monday, 5 April 2004 07:14 (twenty-one years ago)

i still haven't heard this record yet, but i was amused to read the rant in the Grauniad Guide on saturday about the overuse of "Alone in Kyoto" as background music in TV programmes. already.

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 5 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm curious as to where the line is drawn between challenging and inoffensive. surely it's completely subjective.

anyway, i think the album is a total return to form for the band.

the robots have been dispatched to scissors' house.

― tricky disco (disco stu), Monday, 5 April 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think "challenging" is really part of Air's position description. 10 000 Hz Legend was only challenging insofar as it wasn't Zero 7.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 5 April 2004 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, i was gonna say--what was so challenging about moon safari? "all i need"?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 5 April 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

for the record i'm one of the 10,000 Hz Legend-is-my-favorite pests.

― scissors (Honda), Monday, 5 April 2004 22:11 (twenty-one years ago)

well air could certainly be challenging for someone deeply into death metal.

xpost

― tricky disco (disco stu), Monday, 5 April 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

hate to say it but moon safari wasn't exactly pushing the envelope. really, it did have some interesting recording ideas and well above average tunes, but was it more sonically or musically interesting as, say any other chillout act?

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 5 April 2004 22:58 (twenty-one years ago)

dunno, i always associate air with daft punk cos i heard them both for the first time around the same time. "cassanova 70" and "musique"/"da funk". </avoiding the question>

what i have a problem with are the ideas of "musically interesting" or "challenging" which i'm realizing is an absolutely futile exercise

― tricky disco (disco stu), Monday, 5 April 2004 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, really who cares if air were "pushing the envelope"? what the hell does that even mean?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 5 April 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

ok, maybe it's the wrong expression, but there is a difference between a tune being more interesting than one not being so interesting. there are reasons why you come back to a certain album again and again and some you leave up on the shelf even though they're good. i think the problem with talkie walkie and moon safari is that you hear them once, you've heard them a million times. the songs are great but once you've discovered them, there's not that much to come back to.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 5 April 2004 23:43 (twenty-one years ago)

your right dog latin but now even hearing them for the first time is too much.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 5 April 2004 23:46 (twenty-one years ago)

i guess that's why i haven't really stopped on talkie walkie. i think in my brain i'm thinking "god, i'll be so sick of this album soon", but i still put it on quite often. "moon safari" not so much.

the reason i liked 10,000hz was becuase it was like hearing an updated "white album" or a "smiley smile" or something. if moon safari was "pet sounds" or "today", i think talkie walkie would have to be "friends". let's hope the next one has the same vibe as "love you", eh - or is that taking the beach boys analogies too far?

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 5 April 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I think "10,000 Hz Legend" and "Talkie Walkie" are fairly similar except that the latter is prettier - you could say that such a shift in itself represents a pulling back from some sort of edge, except that 10khz worked *best* when it was trying to be pretty. If everything on 10khz was as spacey as "Lucky & Unhappy" i'd probably love it unconditionally, but it also has unnecessary diversions like the Beck track.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Talkie Walkie = cotton candy.

10,000 Hz Legend = Cinammon Fireball.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 02:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I kind of understand the "unchallenging" sentiment. I mean I kind of don't see the point really, of Air still being around. I'm sure the new album is actually ok but it just seems like death to me, what is there to say at this point?

Not that there has to be anything, I guess also I just resent the critical jizzing in the broadsheets etc.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 09:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they are more bad than pointless. This music just depresses me so much. for my money Zero 7 are better than air, at least they know how to use vocals.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Aw. C'mon. Don't you like big fwuffy marshmawows?

I generally only like Zero 7 when they've been interestingly remixed, which fortunately is a lot.

― Verbal (Verbal), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

no i dont like fwuffy marshmallows, they make me feel sick. I got so tired of Moon safari over the years that now i cant liten to air - even though they are different songs they are basically the same as the moon safari songs except that nd the Vocals are truly, staggeringly vomit inducing this time round.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm seeing them tonight!! don't know who's opening though

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 16 April 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Hope they don't prove to be glum chums.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Friday, 16 April 2004 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

apparently the opening act is a band called the mosquitos. if anyone knows if they're worth showing up for, please let me know!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 16 April 2004 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

The Mosquitos, apparently. Judge as thou wilt.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

mosquitos suXoR

― geeta (geeta), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Hm. I would trust Geeta's words. But in what manner do they suXoR?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

In this manner.

http://www.mosquitosnyc.com/show_image.php?file=%2Fphotos%2F9%2Flouco.jpg

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Cryptic.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 April 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)