What is the deal with Azure Ray? (C/D, S/D, whatever)

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Having heard a few songs by them in the past and liked a couple of them enough to hear them more than once (but having been bored to tears by the others), I just experienced the Azure Ray live show in conjunction with Crooked Fingers (who rocked). It made me very frustrated. They don't actually completely suck ass in every way, but it's like watching a knitting circle read the phone book. They barely move or raise their voices. Maybe that's the point of it, I am not well versed in their ethos or mission statement, but I wanted someone to just scream and start smashing instruments, something, anything to break the monotony. They did one song that almost sorta nearly rocked, and went right back to the paaaaaainfully slow, drawn out whiny crap about crying and tears. Overall it was the same reaction I got to most of their records I have heard.

I think I'm angry because I feel like I ought to like it for some reason, or it ought to be better than it is, but it's just not. I want to at least hear passion in someone's voice, and their voices are so passionless (to me) both in recording and live. I don't know why I'm putting so much effort into explaining this, it's just incredibly rare that I see a band play that frustrates me like that. And I am a fairly mopey person... I don't go to punk shows or anything. I can handle laid back and quiet, just not COMATOSE.

Also, "November" is totally a rewrite of ABBA's "winner takes it all". I still sort of like it when I'm in the mood, but it is. And "no cure for pain" is pretty good. OK, tell me what you know about Azure Ray, oh enlightened ones. At this point I'd have to say dud even though a few of their songs are ok.

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I like them for 2-3 songs, but then their songs start sounding the same and it all kind of blends together, which is usually the complaint that i hear about their albums. That said, they make good going to sleep music.

― Feedback (feedback), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I like them, actually. Best song I've heard is 'Sleep'. New album on Saddle Creek is pretty good. Yeah, slow and dull, but I guess I gravitate towards stuff like this...

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never seen Orenda and Maria performing as Azure Ray, but I unwittingly managed to see Little Red Rocket a couple of times and left satisfied. I just can't imagine Azure Ray holding my attention in a live setting, though.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

They actually made me nervous watching them. It was like they were forced to perform at gunpoint in a library, or something...

I guess I'm curious as to what others might see in them that I'm just missing due to the fact that they sound absolutely effing bored by every song they sing.

Crooked Fingers were awesome, though.

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i wanna fuck them

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:09 (twenty-one years ago)

At least you're honest.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 4 December 2003 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you have a fetish for mannequins?? They're so (e)motionless!

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Thursday, 4 December 2003 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

zzzzzzz

― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 4 December 2003 00:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Like most Saddle Creek bands, they've got one or two songs that make my head explode. And a bunch that sound just like those two.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 4 December 2003 01:58 (twenty-one years ago)

they sound a bit like cloudboy actually.

― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 4 December 2003 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

i love this band. they crept up on me slowly, as i had little interest in them to start with. "rise" and "november" slay me. i do so love whooshy folksy stuff.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Search the New Resolution single, which has a great spare version of "The Drinks We Drank Last Night" and a Postal Service remix of the title song that is great.

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Tuesday, 14 September 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

the remix of the single is better than the original, methinks

― kingfish (Kingfish), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)

Search: "November"

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

Search: "These White Lights Will Bend To Make Blue"

i don't think they really sound that emotionless. i think they sound achey.

― the leglo (the leglo), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

The thing that really bothers me about this band is the damn vocals. It’s like they’re trying to improve their overall mediocre vocal skills (or emotion), by amplifying the vocals, Sometimes it sounds like they have tiny microphones planted on the inside of their mouths, which frankly, is a bit creepy.

― Jena (JenaP), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 21:24 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x256/nottoriamos/LOS%202/dd.jpg

Azure Ray first album in six years is called Drawing Down the Moon it will be released on September 14, 2010 on Saddle Creek Records.

01 Wake Up, Sleepyhead
02 Don’t Leave My Mind
03 In the Fog
04 Larraine
05 On and On Again
06 Make Your Heart
07 Silver Sorrow
08 Signs in the Leaves
09 Love and Permanence
10 Shouldn’t Have Loved
11 Dancing Ghosts
12 Walking in Circles

― Bee OK, Wednesday, 25 August 2010 02:59 (fifteen years ago)

I used to really like that first record, kinda don't know what became of it because I don't have it anymore, can't remember a single song on it besides "Sleep" which was gorgeous. Good band, I think, or thought. Didn't know they were still around a decade on. Anyone heard any of this material?

― Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 25 August 2010 03:04 (fifteen years ago)

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