Broadcast - Tender Buttons

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

There're only two members left in Broadcast, and their sound is getting more minimal. This new album seems to be a growner, though I doubt it will ever reach the heights of the previous Broadcast records...

Anyone else?

― zeus, Tuesday, 12 July 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

Eeek, when is this due?

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Not due out till the Autumn, is it? I wasn't aware they'd even finished it.

― Philip Alderman (Phil A), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 10:18 (twenty years ago)

warp have just sent out details.

released 20 Sept

here's the cover :

http://www.ireallylovemusic.co.uk/art/tender_button.jpg

will post the full pr if anyone interested ..

m.e

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

only two people left? what happened? there were like seven people in that band on the last tour

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

i can't decide if the gertrude stein reference makes me more or less likely to enjoy this

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

from the site:

August 8th 2005 will see the first fruits of Broadcast's most recent recording sessions when a 2 track 7" will be issued via Warp records on catalogue number 7WAP193. The two tracks which taken from Broadcast's 3rd LP will be America's Boy b/w Tender Buttons. Downloads of the two tracks will be available as well.

On September 19th 2005 [September 20th in the USA] Broadcast's 3rd LP for Warp Records will be unveiled as a 14 track Compact Disk and a limited edition vinyl Long Player. The tracks in order will be

I Found the F
Black cat
Tender Buttons
America's Boy
Tears in the Typing Pool
Corporeal
Bit 35
Arc of a Journey
Michael A Grammar
Subject to the Ladder
Evil is Coming
Goodbye Girls
You and me in Time
I Found the End.
Catalogue number WARPCD136 has been assigned to this project.
Live dates are being worked on at the moment so expect some dates t

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 13:01 (twenty years ago)

only two people left? what happened? there were like seven people in that band on the last tour

there were only three members left on the last album/tour, with people hired to play it live. solo albums next then?

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

I thought they were technically always a quartet, just replacing the drummer regularly for both recording and touring.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

that sort of looks like jenny lewis on the cover, ha

― brokenfuses (brokenfuses), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

they started off with really nice cover art and that is just crappy

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

Presumably the same designer - Julian House @ Intro, but I could be wrong.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 15:45 (twenty years ago)

What's crappy about the cover art? I really like it a lot.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

Also, I assume this will leak shortly (if it hasn't already), right? Have you got a copy, zeus?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't go so far as to say "crappy," but it is really dull-looking... Haha Sound and the Pendulum EP are two of my favorite covers ever, and I kind of wish they'd kept that surrealist style. Oh well, the music's what really matters in the end...

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

Indeed. What more can be disclosed about the music?? I like the sound of 'minimal', as long as its not meant in a Philip Glass sense!?!?

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

i quite like the cover.

does anyone have any songs yet??

― reo, Tuesday, 12 July 2005 21:31 (twenty years ago)

if it is like 'small song iv' it will be great. has anyone heard seeland? one of the ex-broadcast people and someone from plone is in the band.

― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 01:13 (twenty years ago)

their sound is getting more minimal

I'm not too excited about this. I liked Haha Sound because it was darker, more psychedelic and at the same time poppier than their previous outputs.

I'm still undecided about the cover. The double image bugs me a bit.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

It's interesting but they don't use very much live drums on this record, there's a lot of programmed beats instead.

Johnny: I've got a copy at home, yes.

― zeus, Wednesday, 13 July 2005 09:59 (twenty years ago)

The impatient are advised that this is now well and truly available by typical devious means.

Should one be concerned if the word 'electroclash' comes to mind after a couple of tracks?

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Thursday, 14 July 2005 07:06 (twenty years ago)

Whatever did happen to Plone? Over the last week I've gone back majorly to For Beginner's Piano - strangely comforting in such times of misrule - but apart from one other single they seemed simply to disappear.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 14 July 2005 07:16 (twenty years ago)

plone recorded a second lp which warp i believe refused to release. Billy, the lynchplone, has been playing keyboards for broadcast for some time, it's good to hear he's getting it together with seeland, for beginners piano is a wonderous magical record.

― cw (cww), Thursday, 14 July 2005 07:28 (twenty years ago)

"Summer Plays Out" drove me to tears when I played it on Saturday morning; I don't think I need to explain why.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 14 July 2005 07:34 (twenty years ago)

that cover is very Godard.

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 14 July 2005 08:02 (twenty years ago)

I am halfway through. If you can get beyond the flickering and scratchiness, some of it is very SLINKY. The programmed drums are a big plus for me, although not in the way I expected.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

will u be on slsk tonight? ;)

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

i hate to be the one but... can someone post this? solarseek is a joke. i will be a slave 4 u.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm a bit disapointed to hear the drums are programmed. The drumming on The Ha-Ha Sound is fantastic - probably the highlight of the whole album for me. Still, I'll reserve judgement till I hear it.

― everything, Thursday, 14 July 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

I will dig this if it sounds like Virgil Thomson ??

― Sonny, Thursday, 14 July 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

track 1

― zappi (joni), Thursday, 14 July 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

nice

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 14 July 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

thanks zappi, that sounds great... i've got tracks 1 2 3 and working on 4 now but the person i was d/l'ing it from went offline i think.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 14 July 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

I have zipped and am attempting to YSI in whole but I don't know how many lifetimes it is going to take, I will crack on though.

I think 'slinky' is probably a bit misleading really but "America's Boy" and "Corporeal" and "Goodbye Girls" are exactly what I want from them.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Thursday, 14 July 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

its all quite lo-fi, lots of 8-bit sounding keyboards & the drum machines sound very early 80s - a zx spectrum influence!

― zappi (joni), Thursday, 14 July 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

I got it as well. username = sungravie.

― willem (willem), Thursday, 14 July 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

I put it up on OiNKs if that applies to any of you.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 14 July 2005 18:20 (twenty years ago)

yeah so this is pretty good so far. only on track 3, but have pretty much loved the first three

― rentboy (rentboy), Thursday, 14 July 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

ah! the new album is surprisingly great!

i have to admit i was afraid after hearing the live drums were gone, but the beat programming lends a kind of intimacy to the sound i think.

i also really enjoy the guitar work on the album, like a lo-fi beach party

― drystereo (drystereo), Thursday, 14 July 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

you're all a bunch of big teases.
spoiled brats.

― reo, Thursday, 14 July 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

Can someone YSI "America's Boy," either here or on the YSI thread?

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Thursday, 14 July 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

I shall. Give me a sec.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Thursday, 14 July 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

Here you go:

http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3OBAB9NG9G7TL0YYPADUJFUEDM

Great tune. This album is really really good so far.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Thursday, 14 July 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Thanks- it seems I've missed the file, though (it must've gone over bandwidth or something). Can you gmail it?

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Friday, 15 July 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

Sent.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Friday, 15 July 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

American Boy is probably the best track here.

― zeus, Friday, 15 July 2005 07:01 (twenty years ago)

just heard American Boy (the first single) and its ace, and yes its got a very electroclash kinda feel to it, the b-side, tender buttons' makes me want to dig out my vu/nico records.

and now rather excited about the album.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 15 July 2005 07:11 (twenty years ago)

My attempt to YSI the whole thing died horribly after 10 hours (is there some magic trick to doing this very swiftly?) but, undeterred, here is Corporeal:

http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=37FNAPNAUU6NK3B2I6HAGW6ZJQ

and here is Goodbye Girls:

http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=16YWHO5POPFKE3HWSVFSDTLEH2

and they're both pretty chipper and excellent. I like a bit of space in my Broadcast.

(also am alexfack on slsk if anyone is still struggling to find this)

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 15 July 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

youruletheschool

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Friday, 15 July 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

google found me this forum. anyway: thank you alex, i really enjoy 'goodbye girls' and am about to listen 'corporeal'. how nice!

― Quinten, Friday, 15 July 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

i agree with whomever mentioned vu earlier, broadcast seem to very much be channeling them on this album, which is common for bands to do, except they do it well

― Johann (johann), Friday, 15 July 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

"America's Boy" is excellent, I know nothing about this band otherwise (I think I mix them up with Bent!).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 15 July 2005 23:26 (twenty years ago)

Wow, these other songs are great too!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 15 July 2005 23:57 (twenty years ago)

album of the year!

― Johann (johann), Saturday, 16 July 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

save for "america's boy" and "corporeal", nothing is quite standing out yet, but broadcast records tend to be growers anyway. Spencer, if you're interested in investigating their back catalogue, i really recommend you try "come on lets go", "message from home", "until then", "man is not a bird", "echo's answer" and "hawk".

― jermaine (jnoble), Saturday, 16 July 2005 09:43 (twenty years ago)

I initially had reservations that I'm now attributing largely to the apparent demise of The Broadcast Sound I Know And Luv. Now I'm digging these tracks on their own terms and they're mostly likeable. It starts very strongly, a bit samey with the metronomic beats perhaps...

Is "America's Boy" about US foreign policy? I can almost decipher bits about 'Texan oil', 'army charm' and 'run me down (?) with Yankee power.' Or something.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Saturday, 16 July 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Pleasant stuff but I miss the greater sophistication and depth of previous work, perhaps they had to get away from that a little for good reasons though.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Saturday, 16 July 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

I missed the drums a lot on first listen, but goddamn the fuzziness is just so overwhelming. This definitely stands well in their legacy so far and has the possibility to become my fav with more listens.

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Saturday, 16 July 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

I agree with the lo-fi beach party upthread, and also the VU, which is v.pronounced on the title track. Overall it is not as dense and splintery as Haha Sound. A much easier listen. "Arc Of A Journey" is like a big duvet of bleeeps.

There is not a single waltz on this album, I think.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Saturday, 16 July 2005 22:00 (twenty years ago)

oh, except for "Tears In The Typing Pool", bah. which is also the nominal 'really-great-title' this time around.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Saturday, 16 July 2005 22:04 (twenty years ago)

A much easier listen

but haha sound was easy to listen to. did you think otherwise? it was practically an adventures in stereo record, granted it would have been the best adventures in stereo record ever but it was completely accessible from the start. mostly for me it is about her voice, if she is still singing i will probably love the new one just as i have loved everything else by them.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 16 July 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

I found Haha Sound much denser and heavier going than the stuff on the first two records, I think I always want Broadcast to be this immaculate cool zero-gravity spacepop thing and the non-Pendulum tracks on the Pendulum EP worried me due to being noodly and dense and a bit avant-freeform-squonky. Haha Sound was much less so but occasionally still felt a bit axe-in-piano (Black Umbrellas, maybe). I love it to bits now, but, it took TIME. yes.

But then so did TNMBP. Broadcast are the only band that I really love and get all fannish about whose records always seem a bit obtuse and impenetrable at first. all are growers. but I trust them, they are worth the time, so it's okay.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Saturday, 16 July 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

this is fucking amazing.

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 17 July 2005 02:21 (twenty years ago)

This album is too good.

It beat the New Pornographers for the 2nd spot on my 2005 Albums List.

I'll post the whole list at the end of the year.

― Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Sunday, 17 July 2005 02:24 (twenty years ago)

we are eagerly awaiting.

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 17 July 2005 02:32 (twenty years ago)

damn it, can someone resend the album again?

dying to hear it

― breezy, Sunday, 17 July 2005 07:02 (twenty years ago)

the album's up on oink now!

― Johann (johann), Sunday, 17 July 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

I will be loving "Michael a Grammar" forever for obvious reasons.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 July 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

Seriously I can only think of like 1 or 2 other good (let alone great) songs with the word "Michael" in it.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 18 July 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

Haha, the phrase "MI-chael, Michael-MI-chael, my feet are dancing so much!!" has been stuck in my head for days actually...

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Monday, 18 July 2005 21:02 (twenty years ago)

...ysi?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 18 July 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

I am loving this record, especially "Goodbye Girls," "Corporeal," "Michael Agrammar," "Black Cat," and "I Found The F." I'm so pleased with this record, because I think I sorta gave on them after Ha Ha Sound, which was mostly quite duddy.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 23 July 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and about "America's Boy," - in the press release, Trish Keenan explains the song thusly:

The lyrics to "America's Boy" were generated by my reactions to a tabloid cryptic crossword. The clues were topically about the war in Iraq, and in general, their stance was one of anti-American occupation.

In my frustration at not being able to decipher the clues, I began to react to them, make up my own answers, mimicking backthe language of the clues. I was interested then in possible answers. I got on a roll arguing with the clues, asking questions back, taking offense to them and deliberately misreading them. What came back was a sort of celebration of the American soldier. Snap shots of the heroics of American Imperialism, the all out impressiveness of its big achievements. Also something that the British do not have in their culture, a self celebratory nature of Americans towards their own country.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 23 July 2005 14:19 (twenty years ago)

And anyone who thinks the cover is bad is out of their mind. It's the best album cover of 2005 thus far, no contest.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 23 July 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Not on your nelly.

And why do people prefer this to the last album, those that do?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Saturday, 23 July 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

Also something that the British do not have in their culture, a self celebratory nature of Americans towards their own country.

hahahaha

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 23 July 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

is this a joke?

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 23 July 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

I think she's referring to the pervading culture here of shame regarding patriotism (not nationalism), flying the flag, pride and prestige etc. - which surely exists, though without actually supporting that as a good thing one presumes...

meanwhile this is now my favourite album of 2005 - faves are 'Black Cat', 'Tears In The Typing Pool', 'America's Boy' and 'Subject To The Ladder'.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 1 August 2005 09:36 (twenty years ago)

I think it might be mine, now. It is springier with each listen. It doesn't wander off distractedly, like I felt Haha Sound did halfway through.

I keep going on about how much Easier and maybe Better it is than Haha Sound, which is unfair, I have had a lot more time for that record since I heard this one. Maybe because this = their current StateOfMind and is more in keeping with what I always wanted them to be like (clean lines, room to breathe, bouncy-ish), whereas Haha Sound was less so, and sounded vaguely like potential squandered when I first heard it. But now it slots happily into the Broadcast Storybook. A big whirly diversion. So I will probably end up liking it best, eventually.

But this one is bracing fizz and I continue to be delighted by it. "Corporeal" especially (Trish duets with a collapsing building to luscious effect)

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 1 August 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

I'd come to see 'haha sound' as their best album in the end - i felt 'The Noise...' had a bigger problem with disinteresting drift halfway through. Still not THAT radical a departure all in all ('Bit 35' and 'Evil Is Coming' seem equally as pointless as 'Black Umbrellas' and 'Distorsion' after all), though I can see this one attracting more of those who weren't into the previous albums.

'Corporeal' is the one that reminds me most of early 90s stoned/surf/psyche-tinged West Coast indie, I guess I'd include Sonic Youth and The Breeders in that, out of ignorance for that scene/sound generally round that time. It's SO dreary though! but then I seem to like it for precisely that reason - reminds me of how dreary things could be round that time for me, combined with the strange contrast presented by a lot of American indie-rock at that time, exoticised by me yet just as sullen and disorientated in expression.

Broadcast evoke this sense of nostalgia (much personal tho often for a childhood YOU only imagined as opposed to actually experienced) in me more than Boards Of Canada (closest link between the two now being 'I Found The End').

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 1 August 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

I think they had to work through Ha Ha Sound to get to this record, it just couldn't have happened another way. I agree that I have a lot more time for Ha Ha Sound now that I have this record for perspective. Coming after The Noise Made By People, that record seemed very wishy washy to me, but there's a focus and craft on Tender Buttons that I find very impressive and addictive.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Monday, 1 August 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

I am probably overstating the transformation a bit, 'focus' is the word I was scrabbling around for. Certainly when I first listened things like "Bit 35" had similar 'pointless' quality to the Haha Sound noodlings but seemed smoother and nicer because they were softy electronical things instead of careering musique concrete-y psychosis. I have decided that Haha Sound is their baroque album, despite two-thirds of it being a perfectly straightforward refinement of TNMBP. I don't think of it as wishy washy, if anything it seems a more pointed autumn-twilight summerisle menacing thingo, especially towards the end. In fact, their best/most interesting, in theory. But I also love them when they are buzzy and softpop and crisp and a bit dirgey, as on the first two (and TNMBP, especially). So I guess I love all of the albums, a lot, now. Good.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 1 August 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

'haha sound' is pretty much four seasons in one album though - 'Colour Me In' a perfect ode to Spring and the subsequent tracks forming a path from there to the bleak winterland that is 'Hawk' - feels like a rigid linear procession in that sense, though many describe them as generally Autumnal.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 1 August 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

I like this idea, it would not usually occur to me to view anything by Broadcast as summery. Maybe "Lunch Hour Pops". I think what is most striking about Tender Buttons is how bright and clear and brisk it all is, by their standards at least. So maybe it is a spring thing (although I get quite a big Yo La Tengo Summer Son 'thing' off it too) (this whole assigning-seasons-to-albums activity is something I probably need to stop forcing myself to do, I am easily led by sleeve-colour)

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 1 August 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

'Small Song IV' off the Pendulum EP is perhaps the most 'Summery' thing they've done.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 1 August 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Pendulum also houses "Still Feels Like Tears"! I had forgotten about this. It would fit on the new album very nicely, and is fantastic.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 1 August 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

Never overlook the EPs! Every single EP track they've done is better than the weakest tracks on each album.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 1 August 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

yeah, the ep with illumination and where youth and laughter go is perfect with those easily ranking among their best songs ever.

― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

I had somehow never heard them until "America's Boy" which is amazing. I look forward to tracking down these EPs!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 01:21 (twenty years ago)

Spencer, if you're interested in investigating their back catalogue, i really recommend you try "come on lets go", "message from home", "until then", "man is not a bird", "echo's answer" and "hawk".

and if I may I'd like to add "Before We Begin" and "Winter Now". Both from HaHa Sound.

― daavid (daavid), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 03:45 (twenty years ago)

... and 'The Book Lovers" and "Living Room"! Those early singles were equally amazing.

― zeus, Tuesday, 2 August 2005 07:03 (twenty years ago)

Would be interesting to hear what you make of their older stuff Spencer. I can't believe you've missed them for so long as I would've thought they would be right up your boulevard.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

Don't forget "You Can Fall," "Lights Out," and "Colour Me In."

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 2 August 2005 12:43 (twenty years ago)

I am pointedly not overlooking the EPs, now; I listened to Extended Play 2 this morning and it is maybe the most wide-ranging thing of all. I remembered that "A Man For Atlantis" was all doo-wop and great but "Poem Of Dead Song" had passed me by for ages, kind of wobbly, um, 'exotica'. Like the Gentle People, almost. Another for the ALL-TIME-BEST list.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 12:47 (twenty years ago)

'Dave's Dream' is still my favourite EP track just about, of the instrumentals at least.

it's worth picking up the Warp Vision DVD just for the mix CD that comes with it - buried within is a snatch of 'Poem Of Dead Song' music over teh phat beats and is just superb.

is 'Hammer Without A Master' only available on the We Are Reasonable People compilation?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

I think it is so. There is a tiny instrumental fragment called "Misc" that was on a free NME In The City cassette(!) from mid-98-ish, it is only about 90 seconds long. but it's great. I would like this to have resurfaced in some (digital) form, please.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

I think I have it at home - stay tuned...

Is 'Microtronics' worth hearing at all?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

It is, rather. I can zip'n'send this evening, if that would be rad.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 13:24 (twenty years ago)

cool :)

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Misc

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 4 August 2005 09:31 (twenty years ago)

fantastique, I will grab as soon as I am home, thanks. What was that thing that was a less time-consuming alternative to ysi? it had a .de in the url, possibly.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Thursday, 4 August 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

rapidshare.de - it is actually more time-consuming, but the link stays up a lot longer

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Thursday, 4 August 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

> is 'Hammer Without A Master' only available on the We Are Reasonable People compilation?

think so. remixed on the warp 10+3 thing too. but you know that.

> Misc

― koogs (koogs), Thursday, 4 August 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

FINALLY

Microtronics: http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0957EKR1VGGEU12PXKRJDQNHBF

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Thursday, 4 August 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

i dont know anything about oink... what's another way to get the album?

― eric, Monday, 8 August 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

my email, by the way, is ovaloids@yahoo.com if you have any information...

http://webpages.acs.ttu.edu/erduncan

― eric, Monday, 8 August 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

http://www.poptones.co.uk/interviews/qod_broadcast.htm

just interviewed trish ... !

― doomie x, Friday, 12 August 2005 08:42 (twenty years ago)

good stuff

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Friday, 12 August 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

America's Boy sounds like that first Lida Husik album on Shimmy Disc, the vocal melodies especially!

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Monday, 12 September 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

if you want the album email me...

― Rodrigo Alcocer, Thursday, 15 September 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sure why this is getting so slept on.. it's easily one of the best things I've heard this year.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Monday, 19 September 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

I like it very much. Thanks again to Steve!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 19 September 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

There is pink! on the sleeve. I hoped that in "Tears In The Typing Pool" she was saying "that bitch turns on you", but, she isn't.

― Alex in Sheffield (Alex in Doncaster), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to the gig at Koko on the 28th. Will be interesting to see how different it is to previous shows - just two on stage or some added sessionists for any older tracks? No live drums = no older stuff at all?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

love it so much

― breezy, Tuesday, 20 September 2005 17:26 (twenty years ago)

This is the best of their 3 Warp albums by a country mile.

Surprised nobody's mentioned Young Marble Giants yet as a reference point (I'm thinking tracks 6 and 7 in particular - sorry, not familiar with the song titles yet).

― Jeff W (zebedee), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 09:02 (twenty years ago)

I tend to trust Boomkat on such matters and they wanked over it... so it must be good.

― Grumbleweed, Wednesday, 21 September 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

just got it, and its wonderful. sounds like "spoon" by can in a lot of place. the title track is one of the best songs this year, i think. the beats dont detract from their sound whatsoever, and i really liked haha sound a lot. it sounds like something blooming or something.

― petesmith (plsmith), Sunday, 25 September 2005 23:28 (twenty years ago)

i can tell i'm going to listen to this album about a thousand times before the new year.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Monday, 26 September 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

the title track reminds me of mazzy star, and the last track aphex twin.

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Monday, 26 September 2005 00:10 (twenty years ago)

it is their best album, i can't believe anyone is lamenting the departure of the drummer even as clever as he was after hearing it. is the bit about automatic writing in the press release because every review mentions it. ir is all so smartly done, it's polished without being soulless and the noisy bits they add here sound sculpted and carefully mapped, it's all so wonderful.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 26 September 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)

This is a smash hit! I like the way the words of the second track seem to conflate Edgar Allan Poe and Lewis Carroll.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 26 September 2005 20:15 (twenty years ago)

i wonder if "michael a grammar" is inspired by gertrude stein's "arthur a grammar." from a book of nonsense called "how to write." nonsense is like automatic writing, right?

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Monday, 26 September 2005 21:12 (twenty years ago)

well..the album is named after Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Monday, 26 September 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

yep, easily their best album so far.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 26 September 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

oh, i didn't know that about the title!

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

I was at the gig in Glasgow last night. They are a four piece, with a live drummer, all the way through. They played some older stuff but it was mostly tracks from tender buttons.

― hmmm (hmmm), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 07:55 (twenty years ago)

the live drums on the new tracks sounded a little off. on the whole, definitely nowhere near as good as they were on the Ha Ha Sound tour.

― a, Tuesday, 27 September 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

I totally agree. I was really disappointed by it.

I'm trying to give them the benfit of the doubt as it was the first night of the tour and the first gig with the new drummer (I think, based on how nervous he looked and how over keen he was to impress by hitting things a bit too hard).

I also think they need another member, at times, to do additional bass and keyboard stuff.

― hmmm (hmmm), Tuesday, 27 September 2005 10:01 (twenty years ago)

Surprised nobody's mentioned Young Marble Giants yet as a reference point

Definitely. Though it doesn't sound like YMG, I definitely hear their guitar and drum-machine sound throughout the album.

― mike a, Tuesday, 27 September 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

I happened to see Broadcast twice last week, in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. I thought I was only going to see them in Amsterdam but they happened to be playing in Rotterdam when I was there and it seemed perverse to miss it.

I like the LP and was not sure it would translate to a live rock concert: it's a small thing, really. But Broadcast appear to have re-cast these songs live into the shape of loud snarling drone affairs. I liked it very much, even though if you'd asked me beforehand I'd have told you that I don't much like loud snarling drone affairs. Getting that new drummer, who seems from the audience to be a professional rock drummer, all driving beat and funny faces and "COME ON!!!", was a genius idea. It completely changes the group.

Well done them.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 11 October 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

I came across a track on my PC last night that had a VERY similar slidey guitar hook to that of 'Black Cat' - cannot remember the band or song though, must check tonight. I think it was credited to a solo male.

They sped 'America's Boy' up a little for the live show and it works well. Still find it odd that they open with 'Pendulum', then all new stuff until 'Winter Now', 'Still Feels Like Tears' and 'Come On Let's Go' as the only remnants from previous sets. I'd like an mp3 of final track '40/40' as I've forgotten how it goes again (probably an indication that it's not so hot).

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Tuesday, 11 October 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

have the lyrics been done using 'automatic writing' before this lp or is it new for tender buttons? i find there's something missing with the new lp and i think it might be the lyrics. i do, however, like the dirty, gritty samples they are using.

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 11 October 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

(btw, that poptones link above has changed:
http://www.poptones.co.uk/index.php?/questions_of_doom/more/trish_keenan/
it's july 2005 if you're looking for it manually)

― koogs (koogs), Tuesday, 11 October 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

It was song by The Raincoats, re similarity with 'Black Cat' guitar - forgotten the title again though.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 12:37 (twenty years ago)

I've come around to liking this record, but it's still nowhere in the same league as all of their previous material.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

I disagree mr. gill. I like it soooo much.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:57 (twenty years ago)

I think Broadcast keeps getting better. Tender Buttons trumps their catalog to date. There's something about the development of their melodic sense that has drawn me to this conclusion.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Thursday, 13 October 2005 01:09 (twenty years ago)

i really like this. i've been exposed to broadcast a lot in the past, but i've never been anything more than a casual fan. this is quite unique and nice though! love the cover art.

― tricky (disco stu), Thursday, 13 October 2005 01:19 (twenty years ago)

fuck this is a great album. the simplicity of 'michael a grammar' is blowing my mind right now

― vacuum cleaner (electricsound), Thursday, 13 October 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

> It was song by The Raincoats, re similarity with 'Black Cat' guitar - forgotten the title again though.

That wouldn't be "Only Loved At Night", would it?

― jon dale, Thursday, 13 October 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

if the mood of this album were a LITTLE BIT less consistently swoony/sad, and a little more psychedelic (im talking tenths of percents, here!), it would unequivocally be my favorite of 2005. as it stands, its slightly-equivocally my favorite of 2005.

― petesmith (plsmith), Thursday, 13 October 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

If all was good in the world, this would top all of the year-end polls.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Friday, 28 October 2005 22:05 (twenty years ago)

I don't like the Michael song so much. It sounds like a response to that Franz Ferdinand song.

― first light's freeze, Friday, 28 October 2005 22:50 (twenty years ago)

Tender Buttons is the best album they've done so far.
it also sounds more original than the previous albums.

― sonore (sonore), Monday, 7 November 2005 07:42 (twenty years ago)

Oh shit ... they played here tonight and I decided not to go. I love loud snarling drone affairs.

Broadcast have always been a "better in theory than in practice" band for me. The first thing I heard from them was "Hammer Without a Master" and eventually I stopped waiting for them to make anything that good. I do think they're starting to catch up to their hype with the new album, though.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 7 November 2005 07:50 (twenty years ago)

Broadcast have always been a "better in theory than in practice" band for me.

And for me too, until this album and this tour. The third time I've seen them live, and this was the first time that I fully clicked.

The salient difference? I'd say it was warmth. That glacial space-age ice-maiden schtick is fine as far as it goes, but I like it when she forgets herself and cracks a smile.

"Michael A Grammar" spooks me, because Trish calls out "Michael!" in exactly the same sing-song tone/interval that my mother used when I was little, calling me downstairs for my tea.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Monday, 7 November 2005 10:18 (twenty years ago)

I don't quite get why so many think this is their best album.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 7 November 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

I don't quite get why so many think this is their best album.
-- Sociah T Azzahole (stevem7...), November 7th, 2005.

Me neither... Noise Made By People was so much better, as well the early singles. This will be probably the first Broadcast album, which wouldn't make my end of the year list.

― zeus (zeus), Monday, 7 November 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

It sounds to me like Broadcast found the Bitcrusher plugin on Logic.

― Steve.n. (sjkirk), Monday, 7 November 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

My girlfriend's band is opening for broadcast this week(end.)
So I get to see Broadcast, who I never really paid much attention to before now.

Hmm.

― Special Agent Dale Koopa (orion), Monday, 7 November 2005 15:08 (twenty years ago)

I finally warmed to this, but it's not nearly as overwhelming as "Ha Ha Sound" (which I find to be one of the masterpieces of the decade.)

Still, major props for doing a "Michael" song.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 7 November 2005 18:51 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

And anyone who thinks the cover is bad is out of their mind. It's the best album cover of 2005 thus far, no contest. (eyes rolling)

I've always got this kind of over-praised, dreary "cult band" vibe from this act, perhaps being on Warp (we need a Stereolab! we need a FutureheadsFerdinand!) helped add to my suspicion too. And comments like the above (why is it good? It's not bad, but I'm mystified at 'best of year'?)

Also that nothing I ever heard from them before ever really leapt out at me as worth the effort of investigating further one bit. But crikey, that "Michael A Grammar" song is a huge earworm! If the rest of the album is this good (and that sound doesn't get wearing over x number of tracks) I'll have to admit I've sorely overlooked them and I'm sorry.

― login name (fandango), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

I'm also sorry for ragging on Warp. I need to pick up the Jackson album still "Disco Concrete" (to steal a phrase) wasn't what I was hoping for exactly, more dance-but-odd, but the fact it came out a bit weird like that might mean it's one step ahead of me or something.... The samples on Bleep.com are still kinda eh to me though.

― login name (fandango), Monday, 12 December 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Download "America's Boy" if you haven't heard it yet, though almost any song from Tender Buttons will do- it's very tight, very low on filler. And for the love of god, listen to "Pendulum" from the last album if you don't know it already. That is the song that made me a cultish Broadcast worshipper, and has the HUGE CLATTERY DRUMS missing from Tender Buttons. Yes, all of them. On just the one song.

― telephone thing, Monday, 12 December 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

Found, will listen properly later, thanks for the tip!

In passing... http://scenestars.net/2005/08/broadcast-americas-boy.php (dead link, and OT comment but good lord... are they deliberately trying to be the naffest blog ever?)

― login name (fandango), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

Live from KEXP October 2005

http://www.kexp.org/aspnet_client/KEXPViewMediaGroup.aspx?rID=2799&pID=528&fID=1108&date=1108

― brg30 (brg30), Thursday, 22 December 2005 02:28 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

[ADMIN: as this thread seems to be the latest spambot-magnet, I've locked it to unregistered users. Apologies for inconvenience]

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 08:43 (twenty years ago)

At least that means spammers have good taste

― snowballing (snowballing), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:08 (twenty years ago)

the last spam magnet thread was about clap your hands say yeah, though!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:11 (twenty years ago)

I wish people would explain more, here, why they don't like Haha Sound. It's not half as difficult as people seem to make out; and it has just as much space as Tender Buttons: it's right there between those huge, great,drum sounds. Also, DisTORSION is great you are all mad. Also, as much as I like the new one, it's not the album I stick on when I want to hear some Broadcast, which is, yeah, damning criticism in my book for a Broadcast album.

Sorry, I've been listening to Haha Sound constantly, recently.

― steviespitfire (steviespitfire), Monday, 20 February 2006 11:03 (twenty years ago)

I think haha sound is an excellent album and I really like that whole billowing electronic psych sound while I'm listening to it, but I find a lot of it doesn't stick. the songs are stronger on the new one.

there's room for both though!

― WROFLMOTHER (haitch), Monday, 20 February 2006 12:37 (twenty years ago)

If anything I'd say the opposite re song strength. Considering Keenan took a less 'bothered' approach to penning them this time and a lot of it is equivalent to Karl Hyde-esque nonsense. It depends whether you prefer the more minimal but increased urgency of Tender Buttons to HaHa Sound's wider, opulent sound. I really love both but would probably prefer Tender Buttons right now just because it's fresher in my mind.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 12:55 (twenty years ago)

Agreed about the song strength, not to mention the sounds: Haha Sound is sonic fetishist heaven! TB has a more fizzy drone thing, which is good, but just doesn't hit me as hard.

Also, The lyrics just pass me by on TB.

Tender Buttons sounds like a debut album, for a new band. What difference did the departed members make?

― steviespitfire (steviespitfire), Monday, 20 February 2006 14:07 (twenty years ago)

I think they deliberately wanted to make it different from previous work , not just a reflection of the dynamic of the band changing to just a duo. TB sounds like a duo whereas HaHa Sound sounded like a band's work because of the greater depth of instrumentation.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 14:57 (twenty years ago)

How were they playing on the TB tour?

― steviespitfire (steviespitfire), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:04 (twenty years ago)

they did have a couple of people with them inc. yet another brilliant drummer so they're still performing as a quartet just so they can still do the older stuff presumably.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:19 (twenty years ago)

I don't really have a big problem with Ha Ha Sound other than that I only really care about three or four songs on it.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:21 (twenty years ago)

that's like all albums ever for me, pretty much.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

This is yet another album that I've picked up based on the slavering hype and kinda felt like "Meh" about. From what's said above, I should probably get Haha Sound instead...

― js (honestengine), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

TB = jumping up and down on the spot.
HHS = spinning round and round and round.

― steviespitfire (steviespitfire), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:39 (twenty years ago)

good call

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:39 (twenty years ago)

I wonder, listening now to TB, where they could go from here to be honest.

― steviespitfire (steviespitfire), Monday, 20 February 2006 15:40 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

This album is about four tracks too long, it doesn't make you wanna listen all the way, especially with such good stuff hidden at the end.

― I know, right?, Thursday, 20 November 2008 11:23 (seventeen years ago)

Really? Which tracks would you take off? I think the album is pretty perfect as is.

― fart like a whale (The Brainwasher), Monday, 24 November 2008 08:50 (seventeen years ago)

five years pass...

"Hawk" from Haha Sound, delicious shoegaze

― Gotta take it slow in your fast ride (calstars), Sunday, 29 December 2013 23:09 (twelve years ago)

nine years pass...

revisited this album recently after getting into the early 00's hauntology stuff and finding out that they were close with, and collaborated with, julian house of the focus group, who also did the cover of this album (and the others, as far as i remember).

of all their major releases i think i like this one the best. the use of primitive programmed drums throughout the album gives it this driving, austere feel. the melodies are sticky and hypnotic. the synths (apparently a software emulation of the SID chip) are both warm and digital and seem to some kind of randomizer that make certain chords sound choked and damaged to wonderful effect. trish keenan's vocals straddle this strange line between emotive and distant.

haven't seen much love for tender buttons compared to haha sound but i think it's incredible. definitely the best old album i've discovered this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Th7Gp7dEs

― tremolo, Friday, 22 September 2023 08:26 (two years ago)

"The Be Colony" from the Broadcast/Focus Group collab record is a top 10 (top 5?) all-time song for me.

File that one under one of those "Songs you have listened to on repeat for hours"

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, 22 September 2023 12:12 (two years ago)

Absolutely LOVE this album. Black Cat, Corporeal, Tears … impeccable, menacing, halcyon

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 22 September 2023 13:31 (two years ago)

"the be colony" (like a few other broadcasts songs and a boatload of songs that sound a lot like broadcast) was used to memorable effect in the show lodge 49

― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Friday, 22 September 2023 13:40 (two years ago)

It goes even beyond that... "All Circles Vanish" (a refrain from "The Be Colony") is the title of S2E1.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Saturday, 23 September 2023 17:22 (two years ago)

Gee, I kinda sorta endorse piracy at the beginning of this thread, all those centuries ago, lol.

"All Circles Vanish" (a refrain from "The Be Colony") is the title of S2E1

I think Lodge 49 came up during the Broadcast poll last year, at which point I vowed to have a look. Having just this week finished my Peter Strickland homework stemming from that thread, this is a compelling and well-timed reminder!

― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Sunday, 24 September 2023 03:50 (two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.