Let's anticipate the monument of 2007, Battles "Mirrored"

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

It might not be out for a couple of months but since the whole thing is finished (for what I understand) it should probably leak soon and this is where we will revel in it.

The EP's collection blew me away completely and it's interesting that there's to be singing on the album, and I wonder if that means there will be lyrics as well.

― strom (strom), Sunday, 4 February 2007 21:08 (eighteen years ago)

I haven't like any of their recorded material particularly though the two times I've seen them live they have blown me away.

― jimn (jimnaseum), Sunday, 4 February 2007 21:13 (eighteen years ago)

I'm definitely up for a large slice of this. Those EPs were great.

― NickB (NickB), Sunday, 4 February 2007 21:28 (eighteen years ago)

One of those releases where I look forward to the art design as well.

― Jordan Lypkie (loopy de loop), Sunday, 4 February 2007 23:17 (eighteen years ago)

On record they are good, live they absolutely shocked me at how kinetic and almost childishly exciting they managed to make looped-up instrumental rock. Very interested to hear what they produce for the first proper album--- there's going to be singing??? When's the release date?

― gekoppel (Gekoppel), Monday, 5 February 2007 02:07 (eighteen years ago)

they did an amazing new fucked up song at the astoria supporting animal collective. did anyone else see it? IT was almost neubauten math rock

― FACEBRACE (FACEBRACE), Monday, 5 February 2007 14:27 (eighteen years ago)

"Neubauten math rock"... I can't wait!

I don't get how you can be blown away live and then not like them on record, as I have never seen them live, what's THAT much better about them?

― strom (strom), Saturday, 10 February 2007 22:38 (eighteen years ago)

my practice space is next to theirs and they drive me bonkers

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 11 February 2007 00:11 (eighteen years ago)

the thing that makes their live show is the cymbal that's at least three feet above the rest of the kit.

― friday on the porch (lfam), Sunday, 11 February 2007 00:36 (eighteen years ago)

Is there any actual reason as to why that is so? Maybe to give the (absolute beast of a ) drummer some kind of challenge?

― gekopel, Thursday, 22 February 2007 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

it gives the guitarist something to hold on to when he's standing on top of the kick drum

srsly

― lfam, Thursday, 22 February 2007 19:04 (eighteen years ago)

i loved them live and most of the songs on their EPs were solid so i'm pretty excited for this. and yes, their album art is pretty great, too.

― lfam, Thursday, 22 February 2007 19:05 (eighteen years ago)

http://i15.tinypic.com/2gwudtl.jpg

― StanM, Sunday, 4 March 2007 16:53 (eighteen years ago)

a bit late for st. david's day, stan.

(tell more!)

― unfished business, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:00 (eighteen years ago)

is this one of those silly slsk-only leaks?

― toby, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:15 (eighteen years ago)

Been watching the Atlas video lately and not quite deciding whether it's pretty neat or if those annoying-as-hell vocals ruin it and it doesn't change things up enough. But still, the last instrumental bit! BTTLS SCHFFL, awesome.

― a passing spacecadet, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:46 (eighteen years ago)

ah ok, i have it. all is well!

― toby, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:47 (eighteen years ago)

Holy moley, they've found the SECRET DANCE ELIXIR, no more pogoing around to 'Ruby' or 'Monster', this is the new rhythm and it's twice as infectious as before! Some magnificent atonal guitar/keyboard work complementing teh krauty beatz! Can't wait for the album.

― unfished business, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:56 (eighteen years ago)

ME WANT

― strongohulkington, Sunday, 4 March 2007 17:59 (eighteen years ago)

I watched that video three times in a row.

― jim, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:00 (eighteen years ago)

SECRET DANCE ELIXIR, no more pogoing around to ~~'Ruby' or 'Monster'~~ Klaxons surely?

Those vocals!! Exactly where Animal Collective meets the last few years post-punk/Franz/rigid stompy indie-dance? I guess there's a fair bit of space to explore... I'm not sure I like this all that much :/

― fandango, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:07 (eighteen years ago)

holy crap that's so good, even with the irritating vox

― strongohulkington, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:07 (eighteen years ago)

Dj Koze remix on the flip of the single makes so much sense.

― jim, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

actually the vocals (and fidelity in general) sound a hell of a lot better played off their myspace... which is saying something! I could get used to the vocals definitely. They're not that acrid. Just a bit distractingly art-rock.

― fandango, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:12 (eighteen years ago)

~~distractingly~~ self-conciously i think I mean.

― fandango, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:13 (eighteen years ago)

seriously i will pay you and then the band 50 bucks if someone hooks me up with even a clean mp3 of "atlas"

― strongohulkington, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:29 (eighteen years ago)

i may be lying about that

― strongohulkington, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:33 (eighteen years ago)

dj koze remix?!@?#!@

― flavio.pessoa, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

really like "Atlas" (strongo, have 192 rip of it, tho I'm sure it will turn up everywhere soon). this music seems a bit like a quantized Animal Collective circa Sung Tongs to me, everything's cleaned up, but the vibe is still there, very joyous, definitely "danceable" but only because it's so fun to listen to

― Dominique, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:38 (eighteen years ago)

i'm down with this too

― moonship journey to baja, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:43 (eighteen years ago)

dom if u wouldnt mind throwing it on leonardo i'd appreciate it

― strongohulkington, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:43 (eighteen years ago)

I hope this gets played on MTV2!

Record delivers from beginning to end. There's a track in the middle that sounds like OOIOO that's called (wait for it) "Rainbow" that's pretty incredible too. And some skittery d'n'b from John. Will probably be the big-shit art-rock record this year since Animal Collective seems to be splitting their energies.

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

I was all excited about this, but that atlas tune...ugh. no. far too glitterband.

― m the g, Sunday, 4 March 2007 19:00 (eighteen years ago)

APOSTASY!

― jim, Sunday, 4 March 2007 19:02 (eighteen years ago)

it just seems like a misstep towards a more consciously 'accessible' sound, and not in a good way. personally I was hoping theyd go the other way and ramp up the mathiness. I've heard this tune a few times now and just find it...boring. sorry.

although the ending's quite good, and raise my hopes for the album.

― m the g, Sunday, 4 March 2007 19:13 (eighteen years ago)

missing apostrophe! and missing 's'! I need a lie down.

― m the g, Sunday, 4 March 2007 19:14 (eighteen years ago)

not loving the vocals on first listen, really. it may grow on me, though.

― toby, Sunday, 4 March 2007 20:07 (eighteen years ago)

that's not a good idea, toby.

― StanM, Sunday, 4 March 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

err, sorry. off to mod requests i go!

― toby, Sunday, 4 March 2007 20:16 (eighteen years ago)

yeah, i hadn't noticed how eg this thread is right next to that one on google. sorry all.

― toby, Sunday, 4 March 2007 20:19 (eighteen years ago)

Album of the year! [No Lex].

― jim, Monday, 5 March 2007 16:56 (eighteen years ago)

touring the East coast of the US now I think

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 05:12 (eighteen years ago)

I like this.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 05:17 (eighteen years ago)

23 May 2007 20:00 ABC 2 Glasgow

Be there. They've been great the two times I've seen them so far.

― jim, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 16:38 (eighteen years ago)

will they survive the hype???

― lfam, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 16:43 (eighteen years ago)

ILM hype.

― jim, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 16:50 (eighteen years ago)

The clips I've heard from the EPs were kinda boring, but I'll give this a shot.

― Jordan, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 16:55 (eighteen years ago)

touring the East coast of the US now I think

Later this month. I might hit up their RI show.

Mar 12 2007 9:00P Ether Festival London, England
Mar 20 2007 8:00P Ottobar Baltimore, MD
Mar 22 2007 8:00P First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PN
Mar 23 2007 8:00P Black Cat Washington DC
Mar 24 2007 8:00P Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
Mar 25 2007 8:00P Drunken Unicorn Atlanta, GA
Mar 27 2007 8:00P Bottletree Birmingham, AL
Mar 28 2007 8:00P The Dame Lexington, KY
Mar 29 2007 8:00P Grog Shop Cleveland Heights, OH
Mar 30 2007 8:00P Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
Mar 31 2007 8:00P Gooski's Pittsburgh, PN
Apr 1 2007 8:00P Lee's Palace Toronto, Ontario
Apr 2 2007 8:00P Soundlab Buffalo, New York
Apr 3 2007 8:00P Bowery Ballroom NYC, NY
Apr 4 2007 8:00P La Sala Rossa Montreal, Quebec
Apr 5 2007 8:00P Great Scott Boston, MA
Apr 6 2007 8:00P AS220 Providence, RI
May 9 2007 8:00P Halfenclan Exil Hamburg, Germany
May 10 2007 8:00P Maria Berlin, Germany
May 11 2007 8:00P JZ Kamp Bielefeld, Germany
May 12 2007 8:00P Studio 672 Koln, Germany
May 14 2007 8:00P Paradiso (room 2) Amsterdam
May 15 2007 8:00P AB Brussels
May 16 2007 8:00P Scala (+ Clark) London
May 17 2007 8:00P The Corporation (+ Clark) Sheffield
May 18 2007 8:00P The Cooler Bristol
May 19 2007 8:00P ATP Festival minehead
May 20 2007 8:00P Stylus Uni (+ Clark & Beans) Leeds
May 22 2007 8:00P Academy 2 Manchester
May 23 2007 8:00P ABC 2 Glasgrow
May 24 2007 8:00P The Barfly Birmingham
May 25 2007 8:00P Birmingham Dublin
May 26 2007 8:00P Maroquinerie Paris
May 27 2007 8:00P Le Grand Mix Roubaix, Lille
May 30 2007 8:00P MJC Oullins Oullins
Jun 1 2007 8:00P Dissonanze Festival Rome

― Edward III, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 17:14 (eighteen years ago)

PN?

― Edward III, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 17:15 (eighteen years ago)

I'm liking this.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 20:04 (eighteen years ago)

It's difficult to tell though, if it's genius or idiocy. The first track is great, and "Atlas" is fucking awesome, and the third track is very good, and the fourth track is good, and I can't really remember much after that. I like the weird pixie vocals. It sounds like little elves doing Kyuss covers at some points, or something. I can't tell if it's profoundly original or just Fridge with LOLs.

― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:05 (eighteen years ago)

little elves doing Kyuss covers

Sold.

There's a UK band called Foals who I saw last night and who seem to have anticipated the direction Battles were gonna take, if a lot of the chat re: Mirrored is anything to go by. I think they're actually supporting Battles in the UK which might be a step too far, mind

― DJ Mencap, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:41 (eighteen years ago)

(I'm hearing Butthole Surfers doing !!! tracks)

― StanM, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:43 (eighteen years ago)

I've been listening to !!! and krauty Boredoms a lot lately, and this fits with that. Buttholes doing !!! I can see. The Kyuss thing is... Oompah Loompahs covering Super Scoopa & Mighty Scoop, but a bit more... physics graduate. With odd helium mantras. "Sing this hook"?

― Scik Mouthy, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:46 (eighteen years ago)

The denatured inhuman pitchshifted vocals are initially jarring (which is a good thing) but actually make the album- and the thought that it all sounds pretty excellent on record means that (following the formula of their Eps) live it will be outstandingly good (given that undoubtedly every piece of trickery on the album is entirely replicateable live...)

― gekopel, Thursday, 8 March 2007 19:50 (eighteen years ago)

they don't sound anything alike, but there's a smidgen of lightning bolt's childlike innocence/playfulness/exuberance and schoolyard chant in the mix.

unfortunately I'm gonna be out of town on the 6th. maybe I should hump up to Boston on the 5th.

― Edward III, Thursday, 8 March 2007 19:58 (eighteen years ago)

I really enjoyed the start of this and then progressively lost interest, but that's only on a first listen. You are all on crack, the helium goblin vocals are great!

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 15:03 (eighteen years ago)

Mmm. On third listen tis a bit uneven, opens well, does drift off a bit with the longer tracks which sound a bit bad prog rock... however the R'n'B styled track is absolutely superb, even tho they cut it off at a mere 3 mins or so...

― gekopel, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:05 (eighteen years ago)

this is my favorite album of the year so far, easily

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

Do all the tracks have vocals? Because I'd like that "Atlas" song quite a lot if not for the retarded vocals.

― The Brainwasher, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:10 (eighteen years ago)

Most of them have some kind of vox presence, tho some are more naturalistic than "Atlas"- I wish there were even more weird vocals really...

― gekopel, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 20:38 (eighteen years ago)

better live than on record. Good stuff though...

― tornup_andhurt, Tuesday, 13 March 2007 21:02 (eighteen years ago)

uh...is there anyone who kinda doesn't like them?

― the table is the table, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 02:25 (eighteen years ago)

Oh no you didn't.

― jim, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 02:29 (eighteen years ago)

xpost:

I like them generaly as a band, but definitely not this single. I'm curious to hear the rest of the album though.

― m the g, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 09:55 (eighteen years ago)

i've seen them live twice, and they're pretty sick live. but their recordings always leave me wondering why they bother releasing studio albums, yet this seems to be an opinion shared by no one else.

― the table is the table, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 13:41 (eighteen years ago)

Anyone else want to hear an "Atlas/Rock & Roll Part 2" mash-up?

― Mark Rich@rdson, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 13:51 (eighteen years ago)

I kinda don't like them, based on Atlas and clips of the EP stuff. I'd like to like them, though.

― Jordan, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 14:31 (eighteen years ago)

rad. I saw the video last month and was amped. is this leonardoed?

― Steve Shasta, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:47 (eighteen years ago)

i've seen them live twice, and they're pretty sick live. but their recordings always leave me wondering why they bother releasing studio albums, yet this seems to be an opinion shared by no one else.

the table is the table

you think they should record live albums? or no albums? this reminds me (not the music) of Melt-Banana... I always assumed it was a touch of fanboyism/elitism (as I don't find Cell-Scape much underwhelming at all, at least no more that to be expected minus amplification & crowd vibe) but recently got round to checking out Charlie (not their first, not their last album) and... it's correct, the studio versions really are quite significantly lesser on it compared to the way they rip them out live.

SO maybe Battles will also work it out a few more records on.

― fandango, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 16:57 (eighteen years ago)

the single is, steve.

― strongohulkington, Wednesday, 14 March 2007 17:00 (eighteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/battlesmirrored.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Photo269.jpg

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:13 (eighteen years ago)

That's a trememdous cover.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:19 (eighteen years ago)

My hand looks so fat.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:21 (eighteen years ago)

the vocals are the best thing about 'Atlas'!

― blueski, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:22 (eighteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/battlesmirrored.jpg = http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00022TPU2.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg + http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0002234H2.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg ?

― NickB, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:23 (eighteen years ago)

I love the vocals all through the album, pretty much. "Atlas" does seem like far and away the best track, but the entire record is good. Nice to, ahem, fornicate to.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:24 (eighteen years ago)

for me who wrote this band off a year ago yes tut tut.

― blueski, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:25 (eighteen years ago)

that was a xpost ha ha

― blueski, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 10:25 (eighteen years ago)

My 3-year-old daughter thinks Atlus is lol funny. Snare Hanger fit nicely onto a mix I just finished.

― professor ganson, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 12:37 (eighteen years ago)

this is more fun than i thought it would be, but i had only heard one of the eps

― artdamages, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 12:41 (eighteen years ago)

Scik Mouthy's hand is really fucking fat.

― Pye Poudre, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)

But my wrist is so skinny!

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 13:54 (eighteen years ago)

take a look around, you're probably being filmed my Michel Gondry.

― blueski, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 13:54 (eighteen years ago)

Saw them at the Empty Bottle last night and they killed everything. Personally i didn't mind the vocals on Atlas on first listen, and I've grown to really enjoy them.

One of the opening bands, Voltage, was really good too, though they occasionally veered a little close to Castlevania III territory. Which isn't a bad thing at all, really.

― Z S, Saturday, 31 March 2007 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

^ Cool, Voltage and Battles, nice combination. I rather like Voltage's Building the Bass Castle.

― professor ganson, Saturday, 31 March 2007 21:53 (eighteen years ago)

this is very very good. i just played "atlas" on my radio show and it sounds wonderful on these nice headphones. i am really kicking myself for not seeing them live when i had the chance. can't wait for this album.

― Emily Bjurnhjam, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 20:38 (eighteen years ago)

It's getting tons of hype considering it won't be out for a month and a half. I like Atlas and all, but if it's really the best thing on the album then hmmm...

― Jordan, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 20:59 (eighteen years ago)

not feeling Atlas.
unfortunate, since i thought the EPs were pretty awesome.

― gypsysphinx, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 21:02 (eighteen years ago)

I like Atlas and all, but if it's really the best thing on the album then hmmm...

I like Tij more than Atlas, but then there's nothing nearly as good as those two. Would've liked this more as another EP.

― xox, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 21:41 (eighteen years ago)

So I decided I didn't want to wait for the release old school, and just listened to the opening track Race In and what a fucking killer. And I mean that in the most unkilling way.

― sonderangerbot, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 22:09 (eighteen years ago)

i don't know what you mean but race:in is so fucking elegant, sounds like tortoise on uppers

― cutty, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 22:16 (eighteen years ago)

Well, that is probably what I mean. I didn't expect for such a mellow and cool opening but I think it sounds great.

― sonderangerbot, Tuesday, 3 April 2007 22:18 (eighteen years ago)

this is my favorite album of the year so far, easily

-- strongohulkington, Tuesday, March 13, 2007 4:09 PM (3 weeks ago)

cp misspelled the drummers name "stainer" 3 times in one review! did a factchecker quit lol?

― am0n, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 04:29 (eighteen years ago)

this is what happens when your factchecking department is lazy college students

― strongohulkington, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:03 (eighteen years ago)

which still somehow puts us ahead of village voice media

― strongohulkington, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:03 (eighteen years ago)

were you here for the hampdenfest that battles played? i think need new body opened

― am0n, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

when was that? first hampdenfest i was at was '05, i think.

― strongohulkington, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:17 (eighteen years ago)

guh, it was longer ago than i thought

― am0n, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:23 (eighteen years ago)

i liked it at first, but then it began reminding me of that yodeling heavy metal band Focus. Eh. More muppet singing is good though. Maybe someone show a new perspective to let it get its hooks in me.

― orb_q, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 17:44 (eighteen years ago)

A complete show on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PbYLafK1OU

― StanM, Thursday, 12 April 2007 13:47 (eighteen years ago)

(oops - this is the full thing this PFM item came from)

― StanM, Thursday, 12 April 2007 13:53 (eighteen years ago)

NYCers can see them at the NYU Kimmel center on April 19th, 8:00 w/ O'Death and Dirty Projectors.

― poortheatre, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:17 (eighteen years ago)

i will be at that nyu show! i'm really looking forward to it.

― jonathan - stl, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:48 (eighteen years ago)

I have previously dismissed atlas, but it sounded great in a club on saturday night. maybe I was wrong.

― m the g, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:50 (eighteen years ago)

Oompah Loompahs covering Super Scoopa & Mighty Scoop, but a bit more... physics graduate. With odd helium mantras. "Sing this hook"?

yeah, is he really singing that? fucking AWESOME album.

― CharlieNo4, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 17:42 (eighteen years ago)

Second best track: "Rainbow"

Boredomsy mountian-shouting prism burst. With an inexplicable Man Man circus breakdown in the middle...

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)

not so good.

― johnny hai, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 18:51 (eighteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

So I should be seeing these guys in Bristolo next Friday and interviewing them for Stylus. I know piss-all about mathrock or their histories; what should I ask them?

― Scik Mouthy, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:08 (eighteen years ago)

should you see them: unqualified yes
should you interview them if you're completely unfamiliar with their backgrounds, their music, and their basic "thing": of course not, chucklehead

― strongohulkington, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:11 (eighteen years ago)

Let's anticipate the monument of 2007, Battles "Mirrored"

A monument to dullness perhaps.

― braveclub, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:11 (eighteen years ago)

Haha, I've had Mirrored ages, and love it; likewise the EPs. What I'm not familiar with is Don Caballero, etcetera. I know son of Anthony Braxton is the pixie voice dude.

― Scik Mouthy, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:13 (eighteen years ago)

Ask Tyondai about his old man.

Ask Ian Williams if there is an interesting story behind his love of tapping.

Don't ask about the high up cymbal, I bet they've heard that a million times.

― jim, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:14 (eighteen years ago)

ask ian where he picked up his slick dance moves
ask john what his workout routine is
ask tyondai where he shops for clothes when at home
ask dave how it feels being the dude who never gets mentioned in blurbs

― strongohulkington, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:16 (eighteen years ago)

See if Ian doesn't have an interesting story about the tapping, how about making one up about him spraining a wrist in childhood and having to develope a one handed guitar technique through perseverance and inginuity. It'll make beautiful copy.

― jim, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:18 (eighteen years ago)

Ask Tyondai if he has had a look at his sister in Playboy yet

― DJ Mencap, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:24 (eighteen years ago)

Ask Ian Williams if there is an interesting story behind his love of tapping.

Is he still using the Headrush pedal? That's what made American Don sound so interesting to me.

Oh, and don't forget to ask him about Damon Che ;o)

― MacDara, Friday, 11 May 2007 13:36 (eighteen years ago)

If you hadn't have put the smilie in he might have actually done it ;-<

― jim, Friday, 11 May 2007 14:56 (eighteen years ago)

I've got a week to Google all this shit you're trying to trip me up with, people...

― Scik Mouthy, Friday, 11 May 2007 15:02 (eighteen years ago)

Powerful green man OTM:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/42910-mirrored

― StanM, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 10:45 (eighteen years ago)

LIKE: frances morgan's feature on them in new plan b
DO NOT LIKE: their music, still

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 10:47 (eighteen years ago)

Really looking forward to seeing them play at ATP this weekend.

― Neil S, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 10:48 (eighteen years ago)

in theory I totally agree with the pitchfork review but I saw the phrase "vice-tight" and my throat swelled shut

― bernard snowy, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 10:49 (eighteen years ago)

i'm just kind of amazed this is a "best new music" and that my inane 9.1 rating was actually kept

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:21 (eighteen years ago)

art rock: it's not just for wire-readers anymore

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:21 (eighteen years ago)

i'm wondering what the next 9.6 is gonna be. you guys only hand 'em out (to new records at least) once every 6 months or so. sadly, it probably won't be the new 65daysofstatic album. interestingly, what you said about the most successful augmentation of rock music with computers...65DOS do something very similar, and yet the new album sounds incredibly organic despite all the IDM whirring in the background. i reckon they're the closest Britain has to matching Battles, and i heartily recommend you all give them a listen for comparison's sake.

― Just got offed, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:25 (eighteen years ago)

Saw 65DOS open for Mogwai last year. Wasn't impressed. They have one good idea per song, but halfway every one of their songs I started looking at my watch wondering when the song would end and the next one would start. This became even more clear when Mogwai started playing: they use several ideas in every song and even introduce new stuff 8 minutes into a track. Most of the crowd was pretty enthusiastic, though. No waiting at the bar. :-)

― StanM, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:42 (eighteen years ago)

Combination of idm and post-rock in 2007 = :(

― jim, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:46 (eighteen years ago)

Battles : funky robochicken
65dos : neogothmetalrock

― StanM, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:52 (eighteen years ago)

(at least, their crowd was all dressed in neogothmetalrock)

― StanM, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:55 (eighteen years ago)

haha, that's not a very good description, stan! it's not really metal OR goth. the idm is toned down, the songcraft is emphasised, and the whole thing flows like a motherfucker. i suggest you give it a listen; now that aereogramme are dead, i feel you might need someone new...

― Just got offed, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:57 (eighteen years ago)

You going to see them at the AB tonight?

xp

― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:58 (eighteen years ago)

"I'm done with ILX".

Not for long, eh?
xpost.

― jim, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:58 (eighteen years ago)

http://louisjagger.ytmnd.com/

― jim, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 12:58 (eighteen years ago)

If you hadn't have put the smilie in he might have actually done it ;-<

Sorry, I try to be cruel but I just don't have the heart for it.

― MacDara, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 13:03 (eighteen years ago)

Battles at the AB tonight: yes!

― StanM, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 13:03 (eighteen years ago)

i would see this band live every day

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 13:03 (eighteen years ago)

Watching the youtube gig, I'm starting to think that Atlas is the only thing I like.

― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 13:48 (eighteen years ago)

Actually the song that starts around the 45-minute mark is pretty awesome.

― baaderonixx, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 14:06 (eighteen years ago)

WARP has the most irritating website ever.

― Hurting 2, Tuesday, 15 May 2007 17:01 (eighteen years ago)

the first 25 seconds of "TIJ" is easily the best part of this album.

― Jordan Sargent, Wednesday, 16 May 2007 00:36 (eighteen years ago)

I really liked the concert and I like the single. I am shocked as hell because I stopped listening to this kind of music many years ago.

― Dimension 5ive, Wednesday, 16 May 2007 01:13 (eighteen years ago)

this album makes me want to run through a forest of cyborg trees.

― Emily Bjurnhjam, Wednesday, 16 May 2007 01:32 (eighteen years ago)

I feel the horrible urge to call their music post-post-rock

― Hurting 2, Wednesday, 16 May 2007 02:19 (eighteen years ago)

― Drooone, Wednesday, 16 May 2007 02:20 (eighteen years ago)

Saw them for the third time tonight (but the first time in two years so the show was 90% new to me) missing the Champions League final in the process (nice one Rossoneri!). Was even better than the last time I saw them and I bought the vinyl of the album off of John Stanier at the merch table while holding in the urge to say anything nerdy to him about Helmet being the first gig I ever went to when I was 12.

― jim, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

Atlas is good. I don't really get how so many people think it's the greatest thing ever, but it's good.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 23:34 (eighteen years ago)

It was the big-pop-hit type song at the gig. Crowd went wild. I scowled a little, tutted and muttered "parvenus" under my breath and then my snobwant was sated.

― jim, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

Not feeling this at all.

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 24 May 2007 00:21 (eighteen years ago)

I am. It's a real grower. Looking forward to PrimaVera, plus gonna review this and the 65DOS album simultaneously with glowing words on my blog.

REAL GLOWING WORDS!

― the next grozart, Thursday, 24 May 2007 00:37 (eighteen years ago)

"Atlas" seems to be intentionally irritating.

― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 24 May 2007 00:42 (eighteen years ago)

i like their older stuff much better.

― chaki, Thursday, 24 May 2007 00:55 (eighteen years ago)

great album, especially when driving through farmland.

― Dimension 5ive, Thursday, 24 May 2007 01:30 (eighteen years ago)

great album. atlas is deliberately irritating, and by some way the album's worst track. it still makes me move though.

― m the g, Thursday, 24 May 2007 09:26 (eighteen years ago)

It was a great show last week, but my brain kinda killed my Atlas enjoyment during the show, as it suddenly started singing the Brother Rat (NoMeansNo) lyrics at me and ever since I can't stop hearing the influence :-(

― StanM, Thursday, 24 May 2007 09:30 (eighteen years ago)

(I automatically kick into "the beautiful people, the beautiful people, aaaah" upon hearing the intro)

― willem, Thursday, 24 May 2007 09:43 (eighteen years ago)

lol! next time we see them we should sing that out loud, both of us.

― StanM, Thursday, 24 May 2007 09:45 (eighteen years ago)

This is a really curious album! I wasn't sure I liked it at first, I'm not big on proggy stuff and I couldnt really see the 65dos parallells/spiritual link, but on a few more listens it has grown on me. Race:In and Race: Out are awesome bookends and Snare Hangar rocks.

Note to self: not a good thing to listen to when one is stressed to the heavens and has just flooded the hall carpet with a rogue washingmachine accident.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 May 2007 10:38 (eighteen years ago)

My ex loves it. He sees some Mr Bungle similarities.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 May 2007 10:39 (eighteen years ago)

I have this and it has slowly been growing on me. Race:In is as wonderful as everyone says, Snare Hangar is also one of my favourites. The other longer songs (i.e. those which are not Atlas) will take some more digesting before I can comment.

― Just got offed, Thursday, 24 May 2007 10:48 (eighteen years ago)

Atlas sounds like some kind of pirate sea shanty sung by the Smurfs to me.

― the next grozart, Thursday, 24 May 2007 11:41 (eighteen years ago)

I'm totally cold for this. It reminds me of Primal Scream in some kind of odd isomorphic way.

― Mister Craig, Thursday, 24 May 2007 11:42 (eighteen years ago)

first impressions... not really 'getting' this :/

― fandango, Thursday, 24 May 2007 11:50 (eighteen years ago)

Primal Scream? That's possibly the most unexpected referrence point so far.

― Scik Mouthy, Thursday, 24 May 2007 11:58 (eighteen years ago)

"Atlas" made me think of Gary Glitter with the stompin beat. Or like someone said above, the start of Manson eek :/ Its ok, I'm not too sold on the helium vocals but it'll grow on me, Mercury Rev took time too.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 May 2007 22:19 (eighteen years ago)

I'm not crazy about this band on record.

But they were intense live this evening.

― arghkaybee, Friday, 25 May 2007 01:01 (eighteen years ago)

WOW. It's so upbeat. Best instrumental/post/whatever rock album in years.

― call all destroyer, Friday, 25 May 2007 14:54 (eighteen years ago)

best live band around! not as keen on the silly bits on the record, but there's still nothing like this around. It manages to rock and sound totally abstract at the same time

― axelnormand, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:44 (eighteen years ago)

I'm into it. The sing-songyness kind of tempers the metrically crazy shit.

― Jordan, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:47 (eighteen years ago)

And I don't mean the vocals, just the parts in general sound sing-songy to me.

(although there are a couple moments on the album that sound straight Dream Theater :>)

― Jordan, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:48 (eighteen years ago)

"Atlas" sounds pretty much exactly like the intro of "Step Into My Office Baby" followed by the breakdown section of "So Many People In The Neighborhood."

― billstevejim, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:49 (eighteen years ago)

I liked "atlas" 'cause it sounded like some weird new direction, math rock by way of eno's pop albums. but the rest of mirrored sounds like trans am and I'm like isn't this post-rock thing out of our system yet? granted, I missed 'em live and that's supposedly their strong turf.

― Edward III, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:52 (eighteen years ago)

or tortoise. or whatever you post-rock hipsters were listening to in '97.

― Edward III, Friday, 25 May 2007 15:53 (eighteen years ago)

I love these guys live - they're like a giant eukaryotic cell where each dude is a different organelle doing its own weird pulsating thing in a a different direction and they all somehow, mysteriously contribute to a larger life form.

― Hurting 2, Saturday, 26 May 2007 01:31 (eighteen years ago)

My first exposure to them was the video for "Atlas" on my local video channel. I was initially unimpressed and didn't really get the acclaim. I'd heard "prog," "math rock" and "heavy" tossed around and was disappointed that they weren't Meshuggah-lite or robo-bpm Kyuss.

Decided to give the album a try when I learned they were playing in town next weekend. Suddenly it all fell into place and I love the damn thing now (I suspect hearing it on price-o speakers vs. hearing it on television helped).

I'm seeing them live next week. It will be awesome.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 3 June 2007 17:18 (eighteen years ago)

I don't know why I said "robo-bpm Kyuss" as though Kyuss is a prog band.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 3 June 2007 17:18 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

Was anyone else at the show in Boston last night? They burned the house down. Best show I've seen all year.

― duestown, Thursday, 19 July 2007 13:29 (eighteen years ago)

I saw them at pitchfork fest and was sad that I hadn't stopped to see them in iowa city two days earlier. Great show.

― mh, Thursday, 19 July 2007 14:51 (eighteen years ago)

i'm breaking about as much news as if i announced that JFK died, but they fucking tore it up in miami... best show i've seen all year by far, one of the best ever, etc. etc. etc.

anyway, i was surprised at how delicate their music is when i was watching them, how much they rely on non-verbal cues and how they all looked really relieved when weird time changes went down right. really endeared them to me.

― Jordan Sargent, Thursday, 19 July 2007 15:59 (eighteen years ago)

I really wanted to see them in Milwaukee, but was just too tired :(

― Jordan, Thursday, 19 July 2007 16:00 (eighteen years ago)

'in my house, Duran Duran-ness is something one works to achieve...'
-SFJ

also, i didn't realize that the frontman was anthony braxton's kid!

― poortheatre, Thursday, 19 July 2007 17:57 (eighteen years ago)

Jordan: I concur. It looked like there were times when their loops wouldn't record correctly, so they had to try a couple times, and they seemed so happy when it all ended up sounding great anyway. And during all of this, John kept pounding away on his kit.

Then he went right out to the merch table to sell t-shirts, which all ended up covered in the sweat that was dripping off his soaked shirt.

― duestown, Thursday, 19 July 2007 18:48 (eighteen years ago)

My biggest regret at Pitchfork was that I missed their set.

― jaymc, Thursday, 19 July 2007 18:51 (eighteen years ago)

I'm not that into the album but now I'm thinking I should go see em live

they're playing for free at South St Seaport in NYC at the end of August ...

― dmr, Thursday, 19 July 2007 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

Definitely go. The Seaport shows are usually a lot of fun even without Battles (I saw Animal Collective and Menomena there). I'd go just to see them a second time but I'll be back in Ithaca.

― duestown, Thursday, 19 July 2007 19:07 (eighteen years ago)

yeah I was bummed to miss AC. couldn't go. but I've been to a few of the Seaport shows the past couple years.

― dmr, Thursday, 19 July 2007 19:16 (eighteen years ago)

i thought their live set was pretty tedious, but w/ brief moments of glory. parts of it reminded me of primus while other parts seemed flown in straight from 2017. overall, i guess it was better than watching tv at home

― 6335, Thursday, 19 July 2007 19:24 (eighteen years ago)

they're playing for free at South St Seaport in NYC at the end of August ...

Also on Friday at Studio B.

― C0L1N B..., Thursday, 19 July 2007 20:18 (eighteen years ago)

at the studio b show...what should i have told the girl who kept saying they sounded like rage against the machine? other than i love her.

― le hague, Saturday, 21 July 2007 11:16 (eighteen years ago)

I've finally gotten round to this album, and the big surprise is that I love it. And Atlas is incredible. Hmmm.

― I know, right?, Saturday, 21 July 2007 11:30 (eighteen years ago)

parts of it reminded me of primus

OTM

― Ben Boyerrr, Saturday, 21 July 2007 18:33 (eighteen years ago)

Battles are playing a gig in Melbourne in September! AWESOME. I am totally looking forwards to that.

― Trayce, Saturday, 21 July 2007 22:54 (eighteen years ago)

I like it - reminds me of instrumental King Crimson circa Lark's Tongue or Red. That said, I have a hard time seeing it as a "monument of 2007" or any other year. It's good, but doesn't blow my mind.

― Moodles, Saturday, 21 July 2007 23:38 (eighteen years ago)

alright i just bought the actual cd and the packaging is breathtaking.
it's like a present that never stops being a present.

― Jordan Sargent, Wednesday, 25 July 2007 03:13 (eighteen years ago)

I was at the Boston show. What really struck me is how exhausting their music is to play--they're never at rest onstage, always making loops and setting up the next parts of songs. When they really got going it was pretty incredible (Race: Out as the opener really killed), but I thought one or two songs (ATLAS) were better on the record than they were live. Stanier is just unbelievable though, he's a machine.

― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 25 July 2007 20:31 (eighteen years ago)

If anything breaks down, he just keeps going without ever perceptibly getting off beat. Solid!

Agreed on race:out, at the time it jumps back into the main guitar part you get that moment of recognition from earlier in the show/album and it's a great bookend.

― mh, Wednesday, 25 July 2007 21:16 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

way late on this, but boy is it good. total late/mid 90s math rock dudes trying to make "my life in the bush of ghosts" but better than that sounds....hella tried to do some shit like this but this does it way way better...takes all the don cab and goes disco which is great....love all the electronic vocals and other studio fuckery...reminds me once again why TV on the Radio, as much as i wanted to like them is just mediocre (that and the new blonde redhead)...

real great awesome album cover. kind of reminds me of, which probably isn't bad ref. either for this:

http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/images/FE-NP.jpg

― M@tt He1ges0n, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:21 (eighteen years ago)

I didn't listen for agres either, M@tt. But I totally love it.

― W4LTER, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

i like Mirrored ok, but i must say: worst car music ever

― latebloomer, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:26 (eighteen years ago)

this reminds me of neither fripp/eno, byrne/eno, blonde redhead, or tv on the radio, wtf are you on about?

this is a good gym album.

― akm, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:43 (eighteen years ago)

it doesn't really sound like those. it reminds me of if a math rock band kinda took the idea of sounding like bush of ghosts or something, that just came into my head when i heard it. it sounds like itself.

it reminds me of what i wished tv on the radio sounds like.

it doesn't sound like blonde redhead, i was just saying that was another kinda arty produced rock record this year that reminded me of why i don't like tv on the radio so much.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:55 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LLAN29W-4w

― am0n, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:01 (eighteen years ago)

the singing on it sounds stupid. anyway, there are too many people making "post rock" style stuff now, it's become a formula. listen to trans am's "surrender to the night" instead.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:09 (eighteen years ago)

it would be awesome if they could afford to bring crazy, synched lights like that on tour.

― Jordan Sargent, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:33 (eighteen years ago)

I thought I'd like this, but didn't. Atlas is OK.

― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:40 (eighteen years ago)

I think this album is pretty boss.

― HI DERE, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:42 (eighteen years ago)

BAN MAX R

― am0n, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:45 (eighteen years ago)

Boss! You're taking me back to 7th grade (if not a bit earlier).

― Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 14:59 (eighteen years ago)

there are too many people making "post rock" style stuff now, it's become a formula

lol 1997

I *still* haven't heard Mirrored which is very poor of me really but WRT Trans Am, they were one of the most disappointing live bands I can recall seeing, whereas Battles have been utterly on point every time I've clocked 'em and at one performance in particular (Green Man headline set) completely floored me

― DJ Mencap, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:14 (eighteen years ago)

i think trans am went a bit shit after STTN, anyway.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:19 (eighteen years ago)

I prefer to listen to Chk Chk Chk.

http://www.hollywoodstandups.com/images/homerIntense.jpg

― da croupier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:21 (eighteen years ago)

don't get me started on them.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:24 (eighteen years ago)

you are an idiot..

― cutty, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:27 (eighteen years ago)

ok. sorry, they are great.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:29 (eighteen years ago)

#1 battles is not post rock

#2 battles has a formula, but it is unique and not derivative of post-rock a la late 90s trans am

#3 hi you are an idiot

― cutty, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:29 (eighteen years ago)

it's kind of similar.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:30 (eighteen years ago)

it would be better if they sounded like trans am.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:31 (eighteen years ago)

oh--trans am had three guitar players, two of which played keyboard simultaneously, heavy use of digital delay and repetitive loops?

― cutty, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:32 (eighteen years ago)

i don't know from "post-rock" but he's right about the vocals.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:32 (eighteen years ago)

i thought post-rock was just shorthand for "some chicago bullshit" anyway

― da croupier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:33 (eighteen years ago)

c'mon, battles wouldn't exist without all that stuff like tortoise. you know it.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:34 (eighteen years ago)

let's not even get into what is post rock and what isn't. just know that battles is not derivative on 90s post rock. if anything it is derivative of 90s MATH ROCK. like don caballero, of which ian williams was a member.

― cutty, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:35 (eighteen years ago)

Battles have their own sound (sure it's not unprecedented or anything, but wtf).

― Jordan, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:35 (eighteen years ago)

wikipedia says your both right. xpost

― da croupier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:36 (eighteen years ago)

what the fuck does wikipedia have to do with this. i know what trans am sounds like, and where they came from, and i know the context in which battles exists.

― cutty, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:38 (eighteen years ago)

You could just say they're "experimental," cuz they look at their equipment like its test tubes and beakers with steam coming out of them.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:39 (eighteen years ago)

i though math rock was just another press term for post rock and that the musicians involved thought they were both bullshit anyway.

― max r, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:39 (eighteen years ago)

Wrong, right respectively

― DJ Mencap, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 15:40 (eighteen years ago)

two months pass...

Heads up: I did a track-by-track breakdown with Battles on PTW.

http://www.paperthinwalls.com/listeningparty/index?id=47

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Tuesday, 11 December 2007 19:57 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

Holy crap, giving this a really good listen now and it just gets better every time. I'm coming to appreciate this record more and more in light of the 2008 albums poll. It's a brilliant, fun and original artistic statement, made with great musical sophistication and wit, and not a little complexity, and yet somehow it garnered widespread public appreciation. Nick Southall made some good points in his review of it, about it being representative of a machination of rock'n'roll, a total sublimation into the electronic and the mechanical of ideas that could only come from thinking, artful humans within a rock context. It's got so much up its sleeves, all of it somehow both alien and thrillingly primal. Really awesome record.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Saturday, 14 February 2009 14:13 (sixteen years ago)

you seen them live, lj? They are braw.

― Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ft Phil Collins (jim), Saturday, 14 February 2009 14:52 (sixteen years ago)

like so much better than the record.

― Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ft Phil Collins (jim), Saturday, 14 February 2009 14:52 (sixteen years ago)

really would like to, haven't

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Saturday, 14 February 2009 17:28 (sixteen years ago)

Also, no mention of "Tonto" on this thread, wtf

like, it might even be my favourite track (Rainbow notwithstanding)

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Sunday, 15 February 2009 22:03 (sixteen years ago)

oh man, this albummmmmm

feels like some sort of spiritual homecoming, listening to it now and feelin' them scales drop

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 01:15 (sixteen years ago)

yes it's still good and yes tonto and rainbow are probably my favorite tracks too, but maybe that's not a very challenging opinion

― sonderangerbot, Monday, 16 February 2009 01:50 (sixteen years ago)

I'm not trying to be challopsin', I'm just feelin' love

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 02:04 (sixteen years ago)

What review?

The main thing about this album, to me, is that it proves how weak 2008 was for music.

― Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 16 February 2009 08:47 (sixteen years ago)

Starts really well but I've always found myself getting bored by about two-thirds in, there's a big sag in quality.

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Monday, 16 February 2009 08:51 (sixteen years ago)

Like most albums, aye, it is too long. A taut 40 minutes is always preferable to an indulgent 50.

Que Louis.

― Sickamous Mouthall (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 16 February 2009 09:25 (sixteen years ago)

Nick, I think I mean "your comments on the 65DOS thread" which I somehow have remembered as a review.

"Bad Trails" is perhaps a moment where the album loses a bit of momentum, without that song it'd be even tauter and more manageable; the (awesome) slow bit at the end of "Rainbow" drags back on the throttle enough for the 1-2 punch of Prismism/Snare Hangar to suddenly bust through with guns blazing afterwards. That's the only change I'd make. Maybe I'd get rid of "Prismism" too, but it seems to be on the record for a good reason, i.e. to blindside the listener.

And yeah, music in 2008 hasn't been particularly great; there have been no grand, unifying, wildly popular "true art-rock" records. Youthmovies' Good Nature has the quality (if not quite the complexity and otherworldly groove of Battles) to have been that record, but nobody really gave it the time of day. Not sure if Late Of The Pier count as "art-rock".

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 13:04 (sixteen years ago)

Art-rock is a stupid term that means nothing, anything qualifies.

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Monday, 16 February 2009 13:17 (sixteen years ago)

It's my definition of the term. About the best I can do to describe music with these ambitions.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 13:22 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, and Volcano's Paperwork was also good enough to manoeuvre the more experimental side of popular music into the limelight...didn't happen.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 13:36 (sixteen years ago)

go ahead mention that fucking volcano album one more time

― cutty, Monday, 16 February 2009 14:18 (sixteen years ago)

Relax, dude, I'm gonna listen to GGD

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:00 (sixteen years ago)

Wait you haven't heard the Gang Gang Dance album? I've been thinking that's the one big ILM consensus album of 2008 you'd really like.

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:03 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah, most things I've read about it make it seem pretty good. I'll try and find a track or two now.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:05 (sixteen years ago)

Listen to the whole thing in its entirety, otherwise you'll just end up hearing Princes and going WTF?

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:12 (sixteen years ago)

"House Jam" is pretty good, especially the transition at the end. I'll try and track down the whole thing.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:14 (sixteen years ago)

(The tracks mostly flow into one another really anyway - a lot of them won't make sense on their own).

― Maximo Park Ji-Sung (Matt DC), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:15 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, so is the last 30 seconds of "House Jam" on the 2008 trax thread simply a transition into another song? Good segues tickle my fancy.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:16 (sixteen years ago)

LJ, I promise you will love 'First Communion'.

― Frank Sumatra (NickB), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:21 (sixteen years ago)

Well, the album's on its way. I'll report in to the GGD thread with any thoughts I might have.

― there's no antivote to (country matters), Monday, 16 February 2009 15:25 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

ok lol at these guys being on the new Twilight movie soundtrack

the song's not bad though! so far!

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

listen here: http://drownedinsound.com/news/4140145-listen--stream-the-whole-of-twilight--eclipse-ost-ft-new-battles-song?ticker

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

wtf?

― sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:13 (fifteen years ago)

song is alright, pretty straightforward atlas-y. which makes sense, why scare people off with crazy mathiness now

― sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:22 (fifteen years ago)

but that is what they should do

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:24 (fifteen years ago)

(btw don't listen to the Muse song unless you want to hear the abominable bloated wreckage of a formerly very good band getting pumped full of fart gas and set ablaze)

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:24 (fifteen years ago)

LP2 should be out this year, but based on this new song, hoping they haven't ditched the heavy stuff.

I went to school with Bombay Bicycle Club.

― Davek (davek_00), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:26 (fifteen years ago)

yeah i don't blame them for putting something like this on the twilight soundtrack and bring in some decent cash but if the whole album sounds like it i'll probably be disappointed

― sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:27 (fifteen years ago)

will the new twilight soundtrack be the monument of 2010?

― NUDE. MAYNE. (s1ocki), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:37 (fifteen years ago)

I thought that was LCD Soundsystem

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:38 (fifteen years ago)

muse were good?

― disastrous sixth series (MaresNest), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:40 (fifteen years ago)

yeah they were, only for two albums though

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:42 (fifteen years ago)

I have acquired four LL demos LJ. :)

― disastrous sixth series (MaresNest), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:43 (fifteen years ago)

SEND THEM

wait what happened to that Spratley's Japs album :P

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:44 (fifteen years ago)

i'm not sure i ever got beyond the monster single from the last disc. that's one hell of a herky-jerky anthem.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:45 (fifteen years ago)

what an unremarkable song

― don cab for cutie (Future_Perfect), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:47 (fifteen years ago)

XP - Oops, yes I shall, promise.

― disastrous sixth series (MaresNest), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:47 (fifteen years ago)

btw I have determined that The Sea Nymphs is possibly Cardiacs' 2nd or 3rd best album, and that Unwreckaged is the standout track on the Knifeworld album

end progress report

― some men enjoy the feeling of being owned (acoleuthic), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 17:49 (fifteen years ago)

wow, don't like this one bit.

― original bgm, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 19:25 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqg7RLXo2C4

― Vision Creation Mansun (NickB), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 21:20 (fifteen years ago)

hmm, think it's alright once it gets going and speeds up but start is pretty uninteresting rhythmically, boring melodically, was going to say the production is lacking but lol i am listening to a youtube stfu me.

― No disre but maryanne hobbs is peng trust me (jim in glasgow), Thursday, 3 June 2010 00:00 (fifteen years ago)

god bless john stanier

― chocolatepiekid, Thursday, 3 June 2010 02:44 (fifteen years ago)

was hoping they'd cover ABBA for their new single.

― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 3 June 2010 02:45 (fifteen years ago)

Motherfuck. My wife loved the last soundtrack (even though she thankfully has nothing to do with the books or movies) so she asked me to pick up this one mostly because she wanted the Vampire Weekend song. And of fucking course it doesn't have the Battles song. Apparently only the super special deluxe edition does.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 14 June 2010 21:13 (fifteen years ago)

Download it.

― jaymc, Monday, 14 June 2010 21:21 (fifteen years ago)

Done. It was just the fact that there was supposedly a Battles track on the album that made me feel okay with carrying the damn thing up to the register and actually parting with cash for it.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 14 June 2010 21:26 (fifteen years ago)

I listened to Mirrored a few weeks ago and was surprised at how cheesy and canned it was. I remember it being cool, even kind of edgy. Then again I used to love that Sufjan Stevens album.

― skip, Monday, 14 June 2010 21:30 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

News from the future from ATP:

Monday August 9, 2010

We are sad to announce Battles will no longer be able to perform at Release the Bats in October this year. Please see the below statement from the band for a full explanation;

"Battles and Tyondai would like to let their fans know they have chosen to follow their own musical paths.

Due to Battles' ambitions of finishing their second studio album followed by commitments to a full touring schedule in 2011, and Tyondai's own commitments as a solo artist and his desire not to tour, both Battles and Tyondai have decided to move on without each other. It is a sad but amicable split.

Battles wishes Tyondai all the best"

― useless chamber, Friday, 6 August 2010 13:36 (fifteen years ago)

― strongohulkingtonsghost, Friday, 6 August 2010 13:48 (fifteen years ago)

he was kinda the most interesting part

― emotional radiohead whatever (Jordan), Friday, 6 August 2010 13:52 (fifteen years ago)

bummer

― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Friday, 6 August 2010 14:06 (fifteen years ago)

May as well put Battles out of its misery without Tyondai...

― ilxor has truly been got at and become an ILXor (ilxor), Friday, 6 August 2010 15:48 (fifteen years ago)

damn

― call all destroyer, Friday, 6 August 2010 15:50 (fifteen years ago)

o shit. I like his solo stuff but not nearly as much as I like Battles, yet I can't imagine being too excited about anything they do without them. Oh well.

― Merdeyeux, Friday, 6 August 2010 16:01 (fifteen years ago)

yeah we really needed more chipmunk vocals on this new album

― QUEEN LATFH (LOLK), Friday, 6 August 2010 16:04 (fifteen years ago)

and plunky fake rhodes arpeggios

― QUEEN LATFH (LOLK), Friday, 6 August 2010 16:05 (fifteen years ago)

yeah ppl are making a big assumption about what each member brings to the table

― call all destroyer, Friday, 6 August 2010 16:06 (fifteen years ago)

So I guess they're intending to tour as a three piece? I'm game I guess.

― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Friday, 6 August 2010 19:22 (fifteen years ago)

I'm still willing to give them a chance, but his contributions were probably the most distinctive element on the first album.

― Moodles, Friday, 6 August 2010 19:33 (fifteen years ago)

Bummed. Even though I still think they are capable of interesting stuff without him, he did bring a much needed charismatic presence when I saw them live.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 6 August 2010 20:36 (fifteen years ago)

six months pass...

New album details released. Very interested in the guests.

GLOSS DROP
6th / 7th June 2011

1. Africastle
2. Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
3. Futura
4. Inchworm
5. Wall Street
6. My Machines (Featuring Gary Numan)
7. Dominican Fade
8. Sweetie & Shag (Featuring Kazu Makino)
9. Toddler
10. Rolls Bayce
11. White Electric
12. Sundome (Featuring Yamantaka Eye)

― mh, Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:21 (fourteen years ago)

yay for kazu!

― he do the waka lyfe (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:27 (fourteen years ago)

in retrospect, it's kinda funny how "mirrored" got as much hype as it did

― bows don't kill people, arrows do (Jordan), Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:30 (fourteen years ago)

I think I first saw them when they just had the EPs out. Those get criminally underrated.

― mh, Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:32 (fourteen years ago)

still one of the best shows i've ever seen

― pop the s1ock (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:33 (fourteen years ago)

eYe!!!!!!

― jan špankwajer.com (diamonddave85), Thursday, 24 February 2011 19:38 (fourteen years ago)

guest lineup looks spectacular

― Damn this thread seems so....different without ilxor (ilxor), Thursday, 24 February 2011 20:16 (fourteen years ago)

website by carles http://bttls.com/gloss-drop/

― jan špankwajer.com (diamonddave85), Thursday, 24 February 2011 21:25 (fourteen years ago)

haha.

so, no tyondai on this, right? even so, great guest lineup, yeah. (gary numan!)

and the EPs are still my fave battles material.

― original bgm, Thursday, 24 February 2011 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

ep c/b that is. didn't like the tonto one much.

― original bgm, Thursday, 24 February 2011 21:55 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah the EPs ruled, but I loved Mirrored too. Slightly disappointed about no Tyondai but those guests certainly look promising enough to make up for it.

― rendezvous then i'm through with HOOS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 24 February 2011 21:57 (fourteen years ago)

I dont care less about the guests (I dont even know who they are Numan aside) but I've always been a Battles fan (shit I'm wearing a Battles tshirt as I type) and Mirrored was a great album.

And I have to stress I was SO not into all the Atlas hype at the time, that all completely escaped me. Took me a long time to get into em but I did.

― berk psychosis (Trayce), Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:12 (fourteen years ago)

eYe and Aguayo very interesting to me

― mh, Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:14 (fourteen years ago)

Hope they tour Australia again. They were tight as fuck when I saw them in 2007.

― berk psychosis (Trayce), Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:16 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, I mean, "Atlas" is probably the sixth or seventh best track on Mirrored and I still love it to death. But Mirrored was also my number one album of 2007, so I can't really undersell how much I love it.

― rendezvous then i'm through with HOOS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:18 (fourteen years ago)

eYe and Aguayo very interesting to me

AguaeYeo!!!

― Damn this thread seems so....different without ilxor (ilxor), Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:20 (fourteen years ago)

Trayce, Yamantaka Eye is the guy from the Boredoms, Aguayo was one of the two dudes in Closer Musik and Kazu is in Blonde Redhead <- all legends imo

― ka£ka (NickB), Thursday, 24 February 2011 22:23 (fourteen years ago)

Ah ok, I should have known about the BR bit at least guh.

― berk psychosis (Trayce), Thursday, 24 February 2011 23:04 (fourteen years ago)

BTW fellow new yorkers, Tyondai leading a 30-piece ensemble on March 7th in his own composition "Central Market" plus pieces by Andriessen, Adams and Burhans.

http://new.lincolncenter.org/live/index.php/ts-2011-tyondai-braxton-a-wordless-music-orchestra

― Ban Hammerskjold (Jon Lewis), Friday, 25 February 2011 17:22 (fourteen years ago)

So the track with Matias Aguayo is a horrible mess

― Number None, Wednesday, 9 March 2011 23:29 (fourteen years ago)

bummer. Not actually that into the idea of their new record, but am psyched about seeing them live.

― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 10 March 2011 00:04 (fourteen years ago)

one year passes...

http://sickmouthy.com/2013/02/15/battles-mirrored-2007/

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 15 February 2013 20:18 (twelve years ago)

seven months pass...

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

― 乒乓, Sunday, 15 September 2013 17:20 (twelve years ago)

yes! also noticed that. get that dodge money battles!

― sleepingbag, Sunday, 15 September 2013 17:22 (twelve years ago)

these guys at studio a in miami 2008 was one of the best shows i've ever seen

― sleepingbag, Sunday, 15 September 2013 17:23 (twelve years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS5ltxihivA

― Let's talk about Bucks baby (MaresNest), Thursday, 23 July 2015 16:58 (ten years ago)

one month passes...

New album is pretty fabulous. Gloss Drop kind of passed me by, but this is great - I might even prefer it front-to-back to Mirrored.

― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 09:06 (ten years ago)

This is really playful, feels much lighter-of-touch than some of the early stuff. Feels quite jazzy, which there were always leanings towards, I think.

― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 13:03 (ten years ago)

yeah I really enjoyed this on my first listen and I too had sort of fallen off with Gloss Drop

― Ma$e-en-scène (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 14:41 (ten years ago)

great video up there^

― flappy bird, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:42 (ten years ago)

i'm liking this record more and more. at first sounded like they were on autopilot, but idk, i need to get over thinking they were crippled by tyondai leaving

― flappy bird, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:44 (ten years ago)

imo gloss drop was about them getting over tyondai leaving. this is back to heavy instrumental jams and it's sounding great.

― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:54 (ten years ago)

IMO Gloss Drop > Mirrored

― frogbs, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 17:59 (ten years ago)

yeah, didn't they have the record basically in the can when tyondai left, and then replaced all of his parts and vox? i remember being so stoked by video of their set at the Warp anniversary show in 2009, "Ice Cream" particularly, and then the record was just such a let down, tyondai really fucked them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnJw1Noawfg

― flappy bird, Tuesday, 22 September 2015 18:10 (ten years ago)

the sound on Gloss Drop was really flat

― a silly gif of awkward larping (Sparkle Motion), Tuesday, 22 September 2015 18:38 (ten years ago)

three years pass...

new album Juice B Crypts out October 18. Dave Konopka is also out.

https://media.pitchfork.com/photos/5d4acf42a10bea00085b7fef/master/pass/Battles.jpg

― flappy bird, Wednesday, 7 August 2019 17:03 (six years ago)

Uh... John Anderson shows up on this record?!?

― the public eating of beans (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 8 August 2019 15:04 (six years ago)

I guess one upside of being a duo is that there's a lot of room for the drums to sound huge

― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 8 August 2019 16:44 (six years ago)

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