Tindersticks : classic or dud

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I'm sitting on the fence on this question. Help me get my feet back on the ground by giving your thoughts on the glum old 'Sticks. Won't you please, please help meeee? OOOO!

― Dr. C, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To the rescueeee...I know what you mean Dr.C. Tindersticks for me are one of those bands that you read about and then somehow just don't get around to buy an album from. Just recently I heard 'Simple Pleasure' and inmediatly had to get it. It's of course night music, somehow they remind me of late-period Roxy Music. Not sure if they are real classic material, but the potential is there, esp. if they keep making tunes like 'I know that loving'.

― Omar, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the first album is a bona fide gem, distilling all the best cave/cohen moves, noir lyrical sophistication, filmic breadth of vision, ravishing, ragged, lush arrangements. a complete materpiece. for 5 months in 1993 i didn't listen to another record. everything since has been worthy but i don't believe thy've ever re-captured the magic.

― cw, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have all the albums and I still don't know what I think. The singles compilation seems to distill all that is good about them, and of the regular albums the first is clearly the best for me. What drags is the lack of variety, and the sheer stamina required to sit through a whole CD. The second album is particularly hard going. I liked Simple Pleasures, as it was short and they seemed to be trying to work on the 'song' rather than create a 'back-room bar in Berlin at 3 am (with a spaghetti western soundrack playing in the distance) ' atmosphere. Which I don't think they've ever managed to do. I loathe Nick Cave and that may be why too much of Stuart Staples drives me nuts. There's still something good happening though despite all that.

― Dr. C, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I enjoy the albums very much, but for me the real reason for their existence is the impossibly grand show they played in LA in late 1997. That set the whole damn venue on fire.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Heard the albums, wasn't convinced but open to persuasion. Saw them live in Glasgow.... never played them again.

― Stevo, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The second album is the first record I bought on the strength of one radio session (the Mark Radcliffe* show, October 1995). It is also probably the record I have played most intensely over the shortest period of time; I was quite literally obsessed with it, to the extent of acclaiming it as the finest album of the 90s. It was an addiction, a religion to me. The first album I thought was *almost* as good, and the Bloomsbury Theatre live album was the only one of its kind I've yet heard to genuinely improve on the recorded songs (the string sections were like a thousand-fold enhancement to the rather grim, bleak, provincial recorded version of "City Sickness"; the strings changed the sound of the first album songs much more than with the second album material, fairly obviously).

They were enchantment. To such an extent that I don't care that "Curtains" disappointed me and I never even bought "Simple Pleasures". These things don't matter. For a vital period in my mid- teens, the Tindersticks were The Greatest Band In The World. Ever.

*notice that. "Mark Radcliffe". "Mark Radcliffe". "Mark Radcliffe". Not "Mark and Lard". Very important, that.

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The first album was a year of my life, but I lost interest, as so often, after the second one proved to be not quite as good. (In fact a bit duff...). Beginning to wonder if i should hear some of their more recent stuff, but maybe I'll put on the old tapes when I get home, and sit and shiver (puny central heating, large bedroom) along to them. Phenomenal live, when I saw them just after the first LP, but then I was absolutely trolleyed, if that's the word I'm looking for, since none of my hipster friends were willing to go, so I got pissed first on green banana vodka. Still no idea what the wretched stuff was made off.

By the way, what's this Mark Radcliffe, MArk Radcliffe show stuff--is this a Lard diss, or is Robin trying to suggest that they've gone rubbish since they sold out and went to commercial broadcast hours when five million people might get to listen to their show and enjoy them. ;-)

― alex thomson, Tuesday, 30 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Good to see you using the term 'provincial' alongside 'grim' and 'bleak', Robin.

Marc Riley has made a far greater contribution to pop than his mate Redcliffe has or will, by the way.

I like how the Tindersticks embraced soul a little more on the last record. The downbeat end of disco, and the country side of Hi work beautifuuly for them.

Tim

― Tim, Wednesday, 31 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

First album made an instant impact but I decided pretty quickly it was all schtick. Which is fine, obviously, if it's a good schtick: I don't think Staples' is. The whole smoky small-hours louche woe-is-me thing....alright in small doses but unless you're Gainsbourg you need another trick. Maybe they've found another trick by now - the last thing I heard by them was Donkeys, which I sold back when I realised that Stuart Staples has one of the worst voices I've ever heard. Another one of those bands which is supposed to be wrackingly emotional but only goes to prove Chuck Eddy's dictum about 'emotional' music.

― Tom, Wednesday, 31 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think Tindersticks are a band of diminishing returns. Kathleen remains one of my favourite records of all time, and the first album was - as Alex says above - a year of my life. The second album seemed to do more of the same (though the duet "Travelling Light" is possibly my favourite track to be shipwrecked to). Curtains didn't do it for me, and the last album seemed a bit expensive for something that possibly wouldn't work.

If its more soul tinged I might go for it. Nice to see them doing the theme tune to The Sins though (good What Is A Man cover). On balance classic - but perhaps they have boxed themselves into a corner.

― Pete, Wednesday, 31 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

When I first heard 'Marbles' I thought here's a band that is NEW and CLASSY and UNLIKE ANYONE ELSE AROUND. Then I realised that I couldn't bear that voice. Mmn mnerr mner mnerrr. Like someone singing in the club style at half speed. It seemed to get more and more ridiculous as time went on. My first indication that Belle & Sebastian weren't quite as cool as I thought they were came in an interview where they referred to touring with "The 'Sticks".

I like some of the music. The backing to 'Can we start again?' is lovely. They're great for sending you off to sleep, too.

I've still got my 'City Sickness' single - is it worth anything?

― Nick, Wednesday, 31 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i like them a lot. very emotional music, i like the awkvardness (sic) of the first album asmuch as i like the soulful beautiful last album

― Jens, Monday, 5 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Commercial broadcast hours, Alex? I didn't know Radio 1 had been privatised :).

Actually all I was saying was that, back on the night show, it was customarily referred to on air and elsewhere as "The Mark Radcliffe Show". The phrase "Mark and Lard" only came into common use after they went daytime. And yes, I do think their schtick now is pretty cheesy, with an unhealthy professional Northerners' element coming in. Still the only intelligent and clever thing on daytime R1, though.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 5 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hopkins, I assume you mean that line entirely seriously. I'm sure you think I've at last come round to your "cause" (as I've written, your attitude problem comes pretty much entirely from having grown up in the 80s, however much you might try to deny it). Wrong, wrong and wrong again; I wouldn't dream of living in London, ever. All I meant in that context was that the original "City Sickness" of 1993 sounds like it's been recorded on a drizzling misty day by the Trent with the band recalling how alienated they felt when they first came to London, and the string-laden version on "Live at Bloomsbury Theatre" sounds like the band actually living in London and learning to love it, somehow.

When you say that Marc Riley has contributed more to music than Radcliffe, do you mean with The Fall (agreed) or with the Creepers (can't comment because I've genuinely never heard them).

Out of interest, Tim, what will you be doing on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th March?

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 5 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

There are some genuine works of genius in the back catalogue, and their utilization of strings is possibly better than any band in recent pop history, but they're too inconsistent by half. Classic, though.

― Ally C, Tuesday, 13 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four weeks pass...

Classic - Didn't like them at first but grew to love them - the whole band serves the song. If I buy one album this year it'll be their new one. Always one step away from parody - they flirt with the schtick admirably. They get more focussed with each release.

No, I don't actually know the difference between parody and pastiche.

― Geordie 'Uneducated' Racer, Tuesday, 10 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

new album - on first listen - i'm a bit indifferent - loathe wah guitar - vocals better - will probably go argue wiv a few tinderfans elsewhere

― Kali-come-a-hunting, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

RFD: the new album. Any thoughts?

― scott p., Wednesday, 23 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

i saw the tindersticks play live with a big string section just the other night in dublin's grand old olympia theatre, and i thought they were brilliant. although the strings suited their emotion-drenched major-to-minor-and-back-again songs perfectly, i found myself very impressed with the band themselves and half-wished they'd do a few songs without the strings just so i could hear them as a band. they didn't play anything off the first two albums (not that i knew this until my disappointed friends told me), but because i don't know their stuff i wasn't bothered. and stuart staples is the perfect histrionic woe-is-me front man.

i don't know the records at all, but i'd really *really* recommend seeing them live.

― rener, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

can some one give me a discography? what is the second album?

i know of: the one with the ballet dnacer on live at bloomsbury curtains that film soundtrack donkeys a simple pleasure the one before simple pleasures

what order did these all come in? my first one was the live album and i only bought curtains which wasnt as good at all.##

― ambrose, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the second album is just called Tindersticks (as was the first). it is by far the best album, and is an essential record.

― gareth, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Album discog. - off the top of my head:

'Tindersticks' - '93
'Tinderstick's Second Album' - '95
'Live at Bloomsbury' -'96
'Curtains' - '97
'Donkeys 92-97' - '98
'Simple Pleasures' - '99
'Can Our Love... ' - 2001

I think that's right. They've also done a couple of soundtrack albums as well. And it's all good stuff.

― DavidM, Saturday, 13 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

get Marks Moods if you can. and they did the soundtrack for Nénette et Boni.

― ktrey, Friday, 19 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

remastered reissues!

http://www.tindersticks.co.uk/reissues.html

i'm implausibly excited about getting the remastered first album. maybe the 2nd, too, although i already have the bloomsbury set on cd and i never like the 2nd album as much as the first, anyway. but the first album...

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 11 March 2004 09:31 (twenty-one years ago)

oh deep deep joy. Looks like i'll be buying the whole bloody lot all over again then...might as well get "mug" tattooed across my forehead now and have done with it!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 11 March 2004 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

heh. I have that first alb on cassete (taped it from my record library many many years ago), a great debut and prob one of my fave slabs of indie stuff.

I checked the third album and that was nowhere near as good so I just stopped bothering with them.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 11 March 2004 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I still can't be arsed either way about most of their canon, but I have a little time for the 1st album, Simple Pleasures and Can Our Love...

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 11 March 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm very partial to Tindersticks - I've got all the studio albums + a couple of freebies that have come with them + Donkeys but I haven't actually bought any singles, EP's, live albums or either of the soundtrack albums.

If they'd released all this bonus material etc. as a boxset then I might well have been tempted (I'm a great big sucker for boxsets at the best of times) but being asked to fork out again for four albums I already own and a Greatest Hits I've already got every track on, to get this stuff just feels like a rip-off.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:27 (twenty-one years ago)

at least more people can hear simple pleasure now. i have that but nobody else i know seems to be able to find it.

― !!!! (amateurist), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:41 (twenty-one years ago)

the soundtrack albums are pointless as i recall. the bloomsbury theatre album is fantastic though.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

? Amazon.co.uk, Play.com and 101cd.com are all stocking it - and all quite cheaply too, presumably because of the forthcoming remastered / bonus CD issues.

101's currently cheapest if you're going to buy something else as well, otherwise by the time you've paid a quid for postage & packing it works out the same as Play (£7.99).

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the "old" un-remastered single disc versions of all those albums kicking around extremely cheaply once the new ones come out 'though....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 11 March 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, last message was replying to !!! rather than Toby.

The Bloomsbury Theatre one seems to be the only one that isn't still available in the original version.... if it's that good it might make re-purchasing the 2nd studio album a little more pallatable 'though.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 11 March 2004 12:05 (twenty-one years ago)

This is weird - if I already have the second alum as a double CD set with the Bloomsbury gig as the second CD (bought in Germany in 1995ish), am I in possession of a rarity?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 11 March 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm perfectly happy with the sound on the first three albums, so see no need to repurchase them. The bonus disc on the 'greatest hits' set looks far more tempting, though.

― Rob M (Rob M), Thursday, 11 March 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Unfortunately it seems to be one of those FREE BONUS DISC (when you buy the first disc at twice the normal price) deals.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 11 March 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

what great advances in technology have been made in the past four years that would justify a 'remaster' of simple pleasure anyhow??

― !!!! (amateurist), Thursday, 11 March 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

so how come the original version of Marriage Made in Heaven(WITHOUT Rosselini) is nowhere to be found? Or am I dense?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 11 March 2004 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

It would be 1/100 th as interesting without Isabella Rosselini. I wouldn't want to find it.
Does anyone else here have a lot of love for last year's "Waiting For the Moon"? I thought it was spectacular, but it didn't have anywhere close to the impact that their earlier records did.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 11 March 2004 20:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Worst voice ever.

― David Allen (David Allen), Thursday, 11 March 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Barry, have you heard the original? It's SOOOOO much better! The arrangement's totally different, and of course the singing is totally different....

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 11 March 2004 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Dan: I haven't ... sorry, it's out of character for me to slag something without hearing it ... I think I have difficulty imagining any Tindersticks duet without the female singer. Those tracks are always one of the finest on their albums.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 11 March 2004 21:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I adore this band but don't think I'll shell out for remastered versions of any of these records, because they all sound pretty good to me. well, maybe the first one. I liked waiting for the moon more than can our love or simple pleasures. The first two will always be my favorites though. The one asphault ribbons song I heard was terrible!

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 11 March 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

The original Marriage Made In Heaven single was a Rough Trade Single Series release with a drawing of Lee Hazlewood on the cover and a dedication on the back, something like "To Lee, father of us all" and it DOES feature female vocals, just not Isabella Rossellini's. I forget exactly who sings but it's not too unlike Travelling Light, another great male/female duet from the second self-titled album.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Thursday, 11 March 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

since when have records that are 10 years old or so needed to be remastered? No way I am re-purchasing these.

― mentalist (mentalist), Friday, 12 March 2004 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

the original "marriage made in heaven" is so so so much better than the pointless retread with isabella rossellini.

funnily enough the female vocals are by her out of huggy bear, greeham coxon's ex. endearingly nasal.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 12 March 2004 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

simple pleasure is still my fave tindersticks lp BY FAR

― !!!! (amateurist), Friday, 12 March 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Love the first album, not sure if you need more than one Tindersticks record though.

― holojames (holojames), Friday, 12 March 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

amst, can you explain why you love simple pleasure?

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 12 March 2004 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I have the other marriage made in heaven, I can put it on slsk tonight if anyone is looking for it.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 12 March 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 373 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

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

― djh, Saturday, 12 February 2022 21:56 (three years ago)

one year passes...

An instrumental playlist (draft/early version):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/20d7vs21rgUxh8vS9fGJjt

Need to go back to the soundtracks with red wine.

― djh, Wednesday, 15 February 2023 21:51 (two years ago)

Not sure if the recent David Boulter mini-CD has been posted on other threads:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwLM-b5kHJI

― djh, Thursday, 16 February 2023 07:12 (two years ago)

five months pass...

My Tindersticks Spotify playlists:

Songs for the cat
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7kSYlZUZL66QSicP4dVPeB
Named on the highly twee idea that my cat is happy listening to Tindersticks. A single CD best of.

A Tindersticks Disco
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0bemoNJ96EBMOhClH4ZJ27
The original versions of some songs covered by the Tindersticks interspersed with Tindersticks songs - think I'd originally meant to create a sort of imaginary Tindersticks DJ Kicks but got too drunk. (Curiously, I was pondering what would be the inspiration for their first album songs, the other day).

Bottle 1, Bottle 2
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6qyrg5nOGWRfDofEbvF0fJ
Self-explanatory. Supposed to cover the arc of an evening.

Closing Titles
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/20d7vs21rgUxh8vS9fGJjt
Instrumentals (Could do with being edited to include more soundtrack recordings).

A drunk shouts outside your window
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xkrEf49hQpLCMZyyFoWnZ
Rowdier tracks!

― djh, Tuesday, 8 August 2023 18:07 (two years ago)

I was just thinking about the first timr I met their one time manager James Endicott sitting in a van talking to Norman from Boy Hairdresser after the Primal Scream gig that had been Dinosaur (jr)'s London debut because of a Teenage Fanclub t-shirt somebody shared a photo of earlier.
Like just a couple of minutes before I saw the thread revival.

Saw them in the Olympia in Dublin in the late 90s. Do enjoy the records too.

― Stevo, Tuesday, 8 August 2023 23:27 (two years ago)

Thanks for the playlists, djh! Been curious about Tindersticks for a while but never checked them out, will have a listen to that cat one when I have a moment

― vexingvexillologist, Wednesday, 9 August 2023 12:38 (two years ago)

Are there obvious influences on "Her"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS50FPRMiQ8

By which I mean ... If I like this what (non-Tindersticks) music would I enjoy with my bottle of red?

― djh, Saturday, 12 August 2023 18:58 (two years ago)

God idk. I love that album so much. Whenever I feel like listening to Nick Cave or The National I mostoften just switch over the Tindersticks instead

― Snoopy is a cat, who lives in a cage (flamboyant goon tie included), Saturday, 12 August 2023 20:23 (two years ago)

six months pass...

Enjoying this, by David Boulter: https://davidboulter.bandcamp.com/album/five-nights-in-maine-soundtrack

― djh, Sunday, 3 March 2024 10:52 (one year ago)

one month passes...

A friend asked if I'd make a compilation of what I thought Tindersticks would play on their tour later this year - they've not really followed them after their third or fourth album:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6iU2G4AnPQ16fXelETcfVx

This is based on what they were playing in 2023 ... and doesn't include anything from "Distractions" (which I don't really know) or their new album. Threw in some recent tracks I like. Imagine that they play "Her" or "Marbles" or something as an encore.

Enjoy with red wine.

(As I did).

― djh, Monday, 8 April 2024 19:19 (one year ago)

Another new David Boulter album coming up as well as a Tindersticks album this year.

Does anyone keep up to date with Dickon's projects? Or others?

― djh, Thursday, 18 April 2024 22:06 (one year ago)

I thought his music for The Lost Daughter was excellent.

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Friday, 19 April 2024 04:40 (one year ago)

Thanks for the tip-off, bbee.

― djh, Saturday, 20 April 2024 08:12 (one year ago)

The new Boulter album sounds really decent - very "Clay Pipe Music".

― djh, Wednesday, 24 April 2024 21:27 (one year ago)

two weeks pass...

New album, Soft Tissue, announced:

https://tindersticks.bandcamp.com/album/soft-tissue

― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Tuesday, 14 May 2024 12:09 (one year ago)

Two new tracks on Spotify (and, presumably, other places) - both seem decent.

― djh, Tuesday, 14 May 2024 13:12 (one year ago)

four months pass...

Haven’t kept up with or listened to a Tindersticks album in yonks. Saw they’re playing stateside (first time in 16 years!) and was surprised to find they have a new album out and that said album is unexpectedly fantastic on first listen.

― vmajestic, Thursday, 26 September 2024 05:27 (eleven months ago)

Was surprised to see a lead review in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/sep/12/tindersticks-soft-tissue-review-abundant-with-lovely-subtle-details

Much as I love them, would have guessed a half-hearted small review, at best.

― djh, Thursday, 26 September 2024 20:04 (eleven months ago)

two weeks pass...

Anyone seen/seeing the current tour?

― djh, Wednesday, 16 October 2024 21:45 (ten months ago)

Thinking about it when it gets here next year.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 16 October 2024 21:55 (ten months ago)

Booked my tix for Antwerp date in March. Haven’t listened to any of their stuff beyond Curtains but I’m excited

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 17 October 2024 08:22 (ten months ago)

Mentioned this upthread, if you use Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6iU2G4AnPQ16fXelETcfVx

For some reason I've never really got into Distractions but Soft Tissue has some decent tracks.

Apparently, they're not playing much "old stuff" on this tour, which I'm kind of pleased about (in a perverse way ... I love early Tindersticks).

― djh, Thursday, 17 October 2024 11:53 (ten months ago)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/13KyBXzWf3PYW4PFYCSBY2?si=T5grklMCSq-nrFK3xDYFrA&pi=JAYYbtIMQF6Bx
My improved version of Distractions, including the Charles Webster remixes instead of the original Man Alone.

― willem, Thursday, 17 October 2024 12:24 (ten months ago)

gave this a partial listen last week and like most of their work after the first three albums, it's good, but it doesn't draw me in like earliest stuff. that said I'll certainly go see them again, I always do (they come to the US rarely enough)

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Thursday, 17 October 2024 14:25 (ten months ago)

They're a very different band.

― djh, Thursday, 17 October 2024 15:16 (ten months ago)

Apparently, they're not playing much "old stuff" on this tour, which I'm kind of pleased about (in a perverse way ... I love early Tindersticks).

Yeah. Here's a recent setlist:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/tindersticks/2024/tivolivredenburg-grote-zaal-utrecht-netherlands-353e58f.html

I'm on the fence about the upcoming US tour, but maybe they will throw in a few oldies because it's been so long?

― Position Position, Thursday, 17 October 2024 16:48 (ten months ago)

“always a stranger” off the new one felt immediately to me like a tindersticks track that’s always existed

― ivy., Thursday, 17 October 2024 16:51 (ten months ago)

It's a good track.

How to put it? I was at their Bloomsbury Theatre gig and ... I'm not hoping for that night.

― djh, Thursday, 17 October 2024 19:12 (ten months ago)

Wasn't going to look at that set list but curiousity got the better of me (possibly wine-related). Dead excited for Manchester tomorrow.

― djh, Tuesday, 22 October 2024 19:55 (ten months ago)

"Short set" then "Main set" tonight, apparently.

― djh, Wednesday, 23 October 2024 06:45 (ten months ago)

Update: it was very good!

― djh, Thursday, 24 October 2024 18:46 (ten months ago)

three weeks pass...

Decided to actively not mention songs from their live show just because the curious timings of the sets added an intrigue/excitement to events that I didn't want to spoil but think the tour is over. First set - songs to be sung sat down - included Staples' solo track "Memories of Love" which was very good and made me re-visit his album (Feel a bit weird that Staples solo tracks are seen as interchangeable with Tindersticks tracks but enjoyed it nevertheless)

― djh, Monday, 18 November 2024 22:01 (nine months ago)

hrm, I'm definitely a 'the first two albums are the best' person so not sure how I feel about going to see them play only things from what I consider a 'post reunion' period (which is now at least 20 years long). will probably go anyway.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Monday, 18 November 2024 22:22 (nine months ago)

They're definitely worth seeing. I love the first two albums (and other releases, beyond) but there was definitely something about seeing a band play the stuff they want to play. And, I guess, I was at Bloomsbury Theatre and I'm never going to see a show like that again, even if they play the same set list.

Not sure where you're based akm but I imagine the Royal Albert Hall show (and that tour) will cover more of their career (though I don't really know what basis I'm assuming that on).

― djh, Monday, 18 November 2024 22:36 (nine months ago)

yeah I'm in california. I mean I've seen them like 4 times already, including back in the classic years, so it's not like I never got to experience it.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Tuesday, 19 November 2024 00:01 (nine months ago)

three months pass...

I wonder who the "special guests" will be at the Royal Albert Hall? (The advertising seems to imply they mean "special guests" joining them rather than being kind in their description of the support band but perhaps I am misreading that).

― djh, Monday, 10 March 2025 19:31 (five months ago)

Probably just Terry Edwards on horns and Gina Foster on b/vox, they're with them this week for the European dates.

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Monday, 10 March 2025 19:59 (five months ago)

Well, I was hoping for Isabel Monteiro or Niki Sin at a minimum ...

― djh, Monday, 10 March 2025 20:45 (five months ago)

Strangely, I’d imagined the Royal Albert Hall show to feel more of an event, billed as it was: “with strings and special guests” but it didn’t seem vastly different to last year’s Manchester show.

― djh, Tuesday, 18 March 2025 16:12 (five months ago)

Willow, from Staples’ soundtrack for High Life, is an absolute blinder live.

(I slept on that soundtrack, and when I saw them two weeks ago, that was the one song I didn’t know, and the highlight of the show)

Btw for those planning to see them, they’re not playing anything older than The Something Rain. Not an issue at all, but worth mentioning for those who care.

― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Tuesday, 18 March 2025 17:25 (five months ago)

I generally like that they play largely new stuff and aren't just trading off old glories. That said, having seen them late last year, I'd have been happy to hear anything last night.

They did play "Travelling Light" at the RAH. Can't remember the oldest song at the Manchester show - I think something off "Waiting For The Moon".

― djh, Tuesday, 18 March 2025 18:58 (five months ago)

Saw them in Glasgow on Friday night. My first time, near two hour set and as per others’ experience it was nothing pre ‘The Something Rain’ apart from a wonderful “Travelling Light” and I was quite alright with that. Thought they were excellent.

― hamicle, Tuesday, 18 March 2025 23:05 (five months ago)

I have an ahem patchy knowledge of the more recent work but really enjoyed the RAH show. Playing a lot of 'How he entered' and 'Lady with the braid' since (and Dory Previn from there, who's new to me)

― woof, Wednesday, 19 March 2025 12:19 (five months ago)

three weeks pass...

Oh man this show in SF last night was beautiful. I too have only patchy knowledge of the last .... six albums or so, and they def didn't play anything from the first four (and I still think the first two are the best things they ever did), but live these songs really worked. So beautiful. Guy playing guitar is fantastic.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 9 April 2025 16:48 (four months ago)

cosign on the Tindersticks show at the Fillmore last night. I think the only "old" song they played was Medicine off "The Something Rain". Would have loved to hear something of the first two LPs as those are my favorites too. But have to respect them wanted to play new material, especially with the stripped down lineup. Willow was a highlight for me, but everything sounded incredible. For the Beauty, indeed.

― KorovaMilkbar, Wednesday, 9 April 2025 18:35 (four months ago)

I also appreciated lack of an opener and the place only being 3/4 full. I mean, I do hope tindersticks make back their money on this tour, but compared to the last time I saw them at the Fillmore (with Elliot Smith opening, in 1999!!!), which was packed to the gills, it was nice to be able to breathe and walk around.

someone commented on the way out that the average age of the audience was 55.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 9 April 2025 20:52 (four months ago)

"Guy playing guitar is fantastic."

Neil Fraser? He's been a constant figure but he does somehow look different. Older but not unhealthier, maybe?

― djh, Wednesday, 9 April 2025 22:33 (four months ago)

i have literally no idea who is or has been in tindersticks for the past 25 years other than Stuart

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 9 April 2025 22:39 (four months ago)

ha, ok, looked this up. for some reason I was under the impression there was more of a turnover in the band than two members.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 9 April 2025 23:00 (four months ago)

It was three original members who left after the sixth album – the violinist, bassist and drummer.

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Thursday, 10 April 2025 02:46 (four months ago)

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