― dmun, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)
and yes, they're filed neatly next to tindersticks in my mind too.
― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)
― rentboy (rentboy), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)
― Garibaldianne (Garibaldianne), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)
My Czars "portable" CD80 Go!
1. Drug ('Music from the film I'd Rather Be ... Gone')2. Side Effect3. Killjoy4. Caterpillar5. Lullaby 60006. This7. Black and Blue8. Anger9. Catherine10. Accident11. My Funny Valentine/Val12. Goodbye13. Paint the Moon14. Pain15. Song to the Siren (for me the definitive version of this song)16. I Fall to Pieces
(79:02)
I see The Tindersticks comparison, but frankly The Czars songs are much stronger and John Grant's voice is a national treasure.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)
As for Song to the Siren, the Robert Plant version was my favourite ever song until i heard John Grant sing it.
― dmun, Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:06 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:11 (twenty years ago)
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)
― peter d (peter dee), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:16 (twenty years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 01:30 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:17 (twenty years ago)
― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:26 (twenty years ago)
― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)
― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 03:43 (twenty years ago)
― keith m (keithmcl), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)
Well, if you're putting on The Czars, you probably should be in the mood for it. I wouldn't really call them a "drag" - the lyrics are really well written, but yes they are often sad and bitter - and even if they're not, he sings them that way.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 06:25 (twenty years ago)
I can't fathom out why they're not huge - they certainly have the potential to be as popular as REM, say...
― braces tower, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)
John Grant does some vocals on the forthcoming Piano Magic album.
― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)
this is a phenomenon of which i'm not aware. i assume you have to track backwards from the beginning to hear it? hmm. sounds irritating.
― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 20:04 (twenty years ago)
― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 3 March 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)
A phrase that at one point would have made me very happy.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 3 March 2005 04:53 (twenty years ago)
Really? I don't think this at all! The lyrics are consistently excellent! Maybe a bit maudlin or overwrought, but always in a "I'm drunk and bitter and I'm going to be maudlin and overwrought" kind of way.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 March 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)
anyway, listening to Goodbye again today, and thinking the leaps and bounds by which the Czars improve with each album is stunning. Really, one only needs it and Ugly People; but you might appreciate them even more if you hear La Brea Tar Pits and Before but Longer.
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 March 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 March 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 March 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)
"Little would it last. Like hydrogen in the Hindenburg, the band imploded in flames and over the course of the ultimately prophetic “Goodbye”, there would be the departure of five out of six members, including founding members Jeff and Chris, plus long-time guitarists Andy and Roger, as well as violinist Elin Palmer. Apparently “potential” apparently had an expiration date. This web-site is dedicated to all that supported the band from 1994 to 2004."
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)
Sounds like a nasty fight happened and everyone got fired.
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)
and downloading "Song to the Siren"
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 3 March 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)
"Goodbye" is being released in the US later this year.
― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 30 March 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)
sad and slightly embarassed to read my earlier comments on this thread, as the last few years have shown The Czars grown into one of my treasured and favorite bands. it's a tragedy they weren't huge.
And yes, Spencer's note I'd actually say that The Ugly People vs The Beautiful People is their finest moment, beautiful straight through is incredibly OTM
"Just one vice is all any man needs to keep him happy..."
anyone know if John Grant is doing anything these days?
― rentboy, Monday, 17 August 2009 19:05 (fifteen years ago)
hmmm the last Google results I could find is:
"All of Midlake is also co-producing, engineering and playing on an album for their friend John Grant. It's something they work on each night after the Midlake workday ends. Smith is working on yet another album, drumming for St. Vincent's next LP. He'd like to finish up his own band's record too -- they'll all have to get 9-5 jobs if Midlake doesn't tour soon"
http://stereogum.com/archives/progress_report/progress-report-midlake_035761.html
― rentboy, Monday, 17 August 2009 20:08 (fifteen years ago)
anyone know anything more about that? from last November, almost a year old :(
i read an interview with him from last year or earlier this year, he mentions a solo album but he seems terribly unhappy.
― keythkeythkeyth, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 01:43 (fifteen years ago)
unhappy as in unsatisfied or unhappy as in depressed
― you! me! posting! (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 02:04 (fifteen years ago)
as in depressed.
― keythkeythkeyth, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 02:12 (fifteen years ago)
:(
― rentboy, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)
i didnt know there was a czars thread i didnt post to, but their final three albums are each fantastic. the songs are quality (with some occasionally derivative production tastes), but man, that voice. i hope really good things happen for grant, and soon.
i just dont get how they didnt achieve more success in the market.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 15:25 (fifteen years ago)
the autotune on 'goodbye' is unforgiveable but otherwise yeah
― akm, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 15:31 (fifteen years ago)
Check out the feb 2010 issue of MOJO magazine, 10 for 2010. John Grant is #9
― wolverine25, Tuesday, 26 January 2010 01:22 (fifteen years ago)
OK So this new album is really, really GOOD.
"Jesus Hates Faggots" is maybe my SOTY 2010
― rentboy, Monday, 19 April 2010 12:34 (fifteen years ago)
hmmm...not really liking this. i guess roger green and andy monley were important after all.
― keythhtyek, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 03:44 (fifteen years ago)
cover art a little upsetting tbh
― №, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 05:22 (fifteen years ago)
http://www.atlantamusicguide.com/wp-content/thumbnails/2613.jpg
― №, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 05:23 (fifteen years ago)
i guess roger green and andy monley were important after all.
weird to hear you say that... because to me other than some noticeably, obvious Midlake-sounding musicianship on a couple of songs, it strikes me as much the next logical Czars album as it does a solo John Grant album. Meaning, if someone had played it for me and said "this is a new Czars album" I would've never batted an eye or even questioned it.
Some of the lyrics are truly wonderful. Some, not so much, but it's been that way all along.
― rentboy, Wednesday, 21 April 2010 14:55 (fifteen years ago)
the parts ive heard do sound like the czars ep x would rather listen to y than listen to a c of z's.
― fat mantis (Hunt3r), Wednesday, 21 April 2010 22:00 (fifteen years ago)
maybe i just imagine they kept his confessional side reined in and seemingly they added most of the ethereal bits as this is lacking in that area as well.
― keythhtyek, Thursday, 22 April 2010 03:42 (fifteen years ago)
ok actually loving this album
― №, Thursday, 22 April 2010 03:48 (fifteen years ago)
This album is kind of kooky. I like it, obviously very personal but maybe bording on TMI in a strange way.
― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 27 April 2010 21:51 (fifteen years ago)
OK so I just found out there's a "deluxe edition" out there with a second disc.... Is that just a standard release mechanism for everything nowadays?
― rentboy, Friday, 14 May 2010 14:24 (fifteen years ago)
Second bonus disc - "That's The Good News" - Holy OMGWTFLOL?
― rentboy, Friday, 4 June 2010 12:31 (fourteen years ago)
So the new solo album is about to come out...
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 30 January 2013 16:16 (twelve years ago)
the song 'Blackbelt' off this is awesome. actually I think I really like the whole album. hard to tell if it's gonna make much of a splash but I wouldn't be totally surprised if this time next year lots of posters on here were describing everyone who voted it to #8 in the AOTY poll as human garbage
― ima go (DJ Mencap), Friday, 1 February 2013 16:22 (twelve years ago)
don't really remember the Czars altho I know I've listened to them and possibly seen them live, but I think I'm right in saying that this album is p different. there are tons of synths, not many guitars
― ima go (DJ Mencap), Friday, 1 February 2013 16:25 (twelve years ago)
"best of" is out on Bella Union, does a fair job of the highlights, omits la brea era stuff.
― chemical aioli (Hunt3r), Friday, 12 December 2014 20:31 (ten years ago)