ILM Listening Chamber 2

This is typical of a lot of songs I hear, where it's very pleasant and there's absolutely nothing to dislike, but not a whole lot to grab my interest either (no insistent hooks, not danceable, no unusual lyrics, nothing extreme or strange). The result being that I've just played it three times in a row and I can hardly remember the tune.

I really don't mind it at all -- singer's got a nice natural voice, glassy production is fine, vaguely evocative (or evocatively vague?) lyrics -- but it's long in length and short on pleasures. I'd have to be in a really drunk and depressed state to actually choose to put this on.

Oddly, I just listened to this album.

Nice, but innocous (sp?), in my opinion.

Hard to disagree. Pretty, crystalline little thing with lovely strings, but a bit slight. The "looking out to the horizon" bit is very nice, but the rest of it lacks oomph, and at nearly 6 minutes, it's trying the patience a tad. Sad, because when the "looking out" bit came on I thought this was going to launch into something really good indeed - and I don't normally like this kind of song at all.

Now, I would REALLY like to know who it is - could someone EMAIL (not post, obviously) me the artist and titie? I recognise the voice but I can't place it...

its haunting in a real stark way. i do not think it is slight at all. But the strings are distracting.

Artists I've never heard whom I imagine sound like this: Edith Frost, Barbara Manning, Mary Lou Lord. I was gonna say Lucinda Williams but I doubt she sounds like this. I find music like this uncomfortable to listen to and impossible to enjoy.

I just have to point out that Edward asked for someone to email him a tittie.

And I meant who not whom.

I love the dissonant strings, hate the melody, and find her to sound oddly like Jewel, whoever she is...

A bit long and short on punch as people have suggested, but I like it enough.

I quite like the strings, the arrangement reminds me of Sodastream -- but that's probably bcuz I just mentioned them in another thread and they were on my mind.

The opening lines I find pretty dreadful and after that she says nothing that causes me to recoil, but nothing interesting as well. There is no melody to speak of but the piano and strings are lovelier everytime I listen. I fear, though, that once I stop listening to this over and over what will stick with me are those awful first couple of lines.

She/they must be American and I bet that this will turn out to be someone that I've meant to hear but haven't.

Actually, three more listens and I think it's rather lovely actually. And Nitsuh, if you'd like to email me a tittie, I'd be most grateful.

Yo, EdwardO, I e-mailed you last night, I thought.

I'd just like to say that I feel like a doofus for thinking yesterday (NOT today) was the 5th of October. D'oh-eth.

the wb is proud to present a very special espisode of the gilmour girls.

The Gilmore Girls has way better music than this shit.

Yo, I didn't notice that EdwardO wanted a TITTIE. Can someone e-mail me one of those, too?

*bracing for the inevitable kodanshi inbox assault*

no, you're right, otis. it's a little too "alternative" for 7th heaven, though. maybe that new show with jessica biel in it, she was always the rebellious one on that show...

I quite liked it, particularly the arrangement. Nice the way it sort of gives up on the song in the middle in favour of some static piano and strings. Nice voice, and v. familiar - I'm sure I must have at least one record she sings on already, whoever it is - and just enough going on around the singer to avoid the 'bland' tag.

A keeper.

I've never much gone for 'sensitive', string-drenched singer/songwriter-style balladry and I don't think this'll be the song that changes things. The production is suitably delicate, the vocals suitably pleasant (I'm not sure if this is an attribute), but the melody and lyrics are, at best, forgettable. When the vocals drop out briefly and things become a little more sparse, I'm slightly more interested. Not quite inoffensively offensive, but my ears aren't picking up anything they especially like, either. (A tip: don't playlist this after Cannibal Ox!)

Oh, and not to get picky or anything, but 'co-created by Mitch Lastnamewithheld', at least.

Mitch, you mean offensively inoffensive, surely? Inoffensively offensive is more like Marilyn Manson...

Don't like this track, no sir. Dreary. It's a 'nice' voice, the kind that always ends up singing this kind of rubbish, plinky nonsense. The music actually isn't that bad, but they don't _do_ anything with it...

You mean this isn't Marilyn Manson?

I like this a lot. Normally, I wouldn't go for any song with this type of vocal treatment, but the arrangement behind actually supports it nicely.

Then again, I'm a sucker for strings and lush subtle backgrounds. I'd even like a Third Eye Blind song if it had strings.

Speaking of which...

Are we free to just declare an ILM Listening Chamber session, as long as we can support keeping the Mp3 in our private disk space?

Or is this something that the initiater wants to keep to himself?

I'm asking because I did something like this on alt.music.alternative about a year ago.. and I kinda miss doing it. :)

I don't see why not, Bri. Linking to it on my li'l pagey wagey would be cake & pie; saves some disc space for yours truly; spreads the love. I'm for it.

And no slight was meant, Mitch. I will be coming correct later today.

No probby wobby, Dave. (I can't talk this way, sorry.) I also made something of a logo if you wanna use it.

I really wanted to do a Capybar in the style of the HMV dog, with a PC substituted for the gramophone. Maybe later.

Cool logo, but why does he look so worried?

He doesn't like strings.

why has nobody commented on my logo? made in fifteen minutes on a 256 color monitor, god bless my quadra.

The strings def. seem at odds with her downhome roadtrip remembrance, so I'm like COOL but then it never really went anywhere with it. Just a LITTLE guitar pickin to start up about halfway thru, or a reverbed crash cymbal mixed WAY down would give it some legs. as-is, it just kinds of swims about like a sad tadpole.

oh sorry. we were talking about the logo. It's cool!

No, we're talking about the song! I semi-agree with EdwardO's observation that four minutes in, the song sounds as if it's almost finally reaching some kind of apex, but nothing much really happens. (Perhaps I should be thankful that the producer didn't just set the strings to 'swell' and turned the lush-o-meter up to 'nauseate', as I imagine is usual treatment for the 'emotional' bits in this kind of song.)

what about my fucking logo?!?

what are you talking about ethan, you weirdigan? What logo?

The logo that be gracin' the ILM Listening Chamber homepage, ya silly.

ethan, your logo sucks.

I do not understand your logo ethan, are we all talking Hebrew now? What?

I made it to 1.07

we're all THINKING in hebrew.

Do we ever get to find out what the songs were? I'm still not able to listen to my computer but I'm curious to know what was being described.

I think that's only fair. Have the poster offer some tidbits about why they chose the song and what not.

Are folks that aren't participating doing so because of the MP3 formatting or because of personal computer issues? I know EP, for instance, can't hear shit because of his Quadra 800 can opener. Is there a user-friendly soundfile type that all people can be happy with?

I ask because I care.

Re: Brian Mcdonald

"Heck, I'd even like a Third Eye Blind song if it had strings in it."

They actually do have at least a couple of album tracks with strings on their most recent album, "Blue" albeit Zeppelin strings not lush gentle strings. Try the album out; no, really. The songwriting isn't that great, but it was self-produced, in gloriously indulgent fashion. Hard as it is to imagine the "doot-doot-doot" band as sound sculptors, that album has choirs, mellotron, drum fills, vocoder, phasing, and everything but the kitchen sink.

Perhaps we wait one week after posting the track before revealing who and why?

well i actually rather liked this, which surprised me. i'm also surprised that everyone else seems to like it, its weedy and insipid, it seems like it should be on a tv programme midway between dawsons and northern exposure or something. AND I LIKE IT! i imagine it to be one of those singer/songwriter Jewl types that are popular over in America but we never actually get to hear, here in the th'UK. voice slightly detracted, might have worked better as an instrumental, but then might have lost the endearing corporate overtones.

Well, I don't like it. It's weedy and insipid. There's nothing engaging about this woman's voice. Two people who do this sort of thing miles better: Beth Orton and K (aka Karla Schickele). The music's nice, maybe a bit too nice, and it could do with a little less smooth production.

Just listened to the track, and my first thought was "Hmm, sounds like Fiona Apple's little sister." I agree with most of the negative comments made previously -- it's nice enough but ultimately very insipid, not to mention overlong. If this was on an album it would definitely be a filler track, one of those ones that you debate skipping, but in the end leave it playing with the comforting knowledge that a "real" song is coming up.

As for the poster who said "This must be one of the Jewel-types that we never get to hear in the UK," try Fiona Apple, she sounds like this but much, much better.

I'm listening to all these tracks late because I can only download stuff at work. (Avoiding looking at the answers obviously!)

Very nice if corny see-saw strings at 2'40". Otherwise forget it, because I surely will. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I don't like women singing.

i didn't expect to like this one, but actually really enjoyed it. the first couple of lines reminded me of Nanci Griffiths or someone, but the production was a lot more 'modern' sounding. strings were good, as was the general feel of the track - slightly sinister, maybe. it seemed to fit a wintry evening mood - perfect when dark outside. absolutely no idea who it is...

I know this voice. I like it. And I like the whole song. It is very calm there is not a lot happening. But it not hollow. It is just parsimonious. A song which only opens itself up to you if you listen several times to it. But on the other hand. It definitely can also become annoying if you listen too often to it. And the voice as well.

a week is up - can we have have the details of this track please, someone?

I shall get on this ASAP. I am working, y'know.

Dave, am I going outta my mind or did you have a post on your blog mentioning this artist and then removed it?

wasn't chasing, just interested!

Yes, Mitch, there was mention of the artist in question on my website - right here, I do believe - the August 22nd entry (and I even discuss the song in question, which is...)

ARTIST: Ida
SONG: "Gladiolas"
ALBUM: The Braille Night

In hindsight, I don't think this was the best track to pick - in context of the album (preceeded by an atmospheric lead-in featuring warbling violin strings), it sounds amazing. Standing by itself, it doesn't carry the same impact, but I still think it has plenty to offer. My favorite part (which seems to be the favorite of other folks that aren't completely offended by this) is where the song drops out, leaving just the piano and the occasional bowing of strings. I think the lyrics tell a nice, simple story that's ably fleshed out by its delivery. And the way the chorus is sung kills me every time I hear it - goes to show that it doesn't matter what's actually being said if the presentation is good. And Liz Mitchell's voice (she who sings this song) ... ah, well. You're either floored or you're non-plussed. And it's funny that JoB mentions K. in conjunction with this track, since Ms. Karla Schickele is a member of Ida - she's contributed a song or two to their last 3 albums. (I'd recommend _Will You Find Me_ to folks interested in pursuing more. This site has more MP3s for your listening pleasure. It's an acquired taste, this sort of guileless, gentle, orchestrated acoustic-based songwriting striving for simple poetry. But I think it's a taste worth acquiring, because when it works, there's nothing better in my book.

Thank you David. That was a phantastic choice. I had heard of Ida but never listened to anything by them. Liz Mitchell is the singer you say? Never heard of her. She is not Joni Mitchell's daughter by any chance? Thought I had heard her voice before but now I am not sure anymore. But it resembles definitely a lot Suzanne Vega's. The same "accent" (actually there is none) and the same intonation and pitch of the voice.

Thanks for the info. I was one of the naysayers, but it had enough merit that I'm willing to check her out more.

mark s can't listen to mp3s either, and i know there's some more. try putting up two files, an mp3 and a 22kHz mono aiff, that way it won't be huge and ancient machines can play it.

That might work, Ethan. Many thanks.

People on Macs who can't listen to MP3s because their processor isn't fast enough (i.e. is 68k or a slow PPC) should use the brilliant application SoundApp to convert MP3 files into the format of their choice -- 44k 16-bit stereo if they have the hard drive space (10MB/min.), something of lesser quality if they don't. SoundApp will play the converted file, too -- it plays just about anything except RealAudio files, including MIDI files. This will also mean that people who can't play MP3s don't have to download huge files -- they can just uncompress/convert the MP3 on their hard drive.

I'm sure there's a PC equivalent, though there's no PC version of SoundApp itself.

Oh, and as for the track, it's impossible for me to be unbiased, since I love Ida (though I hadn't heard this track before, since I don't have TBN). My personal favorite of theirs is the Losing True EP, which is one of the best records I've heard by anyone in the last few years.