Bishop Allen EPs: Worth It?

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Background: B.A. is releasing limited Ed. EPs once a month, titled "January," "February," etc. - http://bishopallen.com/
I'm abroad in the UK for a bit, but can any Brooklynites tell me if these monthly Bishop Allen EPs are worth it? Should I have someone horde the 3 or 4 till I get back? I guess just based on "January" 'cause I think Feb just came out today.

― x142155, Tuesday, 28 February 2006 00:28 (twenty years ago)

That song "Corazon" from the January EP is the best song I've heard by the band. I haven't heard February yet.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 01:16 (twenty years ago)

I'm a big fan of the band but probably wouldn't buy January for $5 with its current packaging. Two good songs, really. The cover art being an envelope that you tear open is less appealing than the group thinks, I suspect.

I've not listened to February yet. I am hoping that something weird doesn't happen and the sets become worth gazillions of dollars and I regret my integrity.

The unreleased "Rain" is fucking amazing, though.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 09:18 (twenty years ago)

I kind of like the packaging - sure it's dirt cheap, but it's fun having a CD slipcase with my name handwritten on it, and stamps, and a postmark. Plus, these new songs seem like a marked improvement on most of the songs on the debut album, which always sounded childish to me - "Corazon" on "January" is gorgeous.

Is this a deliberate echo of the Wedding Present's record breaking 12-hit-singles-in-a-year project?

― Rick Spence (spencerman), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 12:33 (twenty years ago)

You have to decide whether to support the band or not. They have no label right now, and by purchasing the EPs you're helping to keep them going while they look for some label backing. I liked the first album, thought they were a blast live and want to hear more from them. So for me, even if I only liked half of it like Sean (I feel it's more like 3 of 4), it would be a worthwhile expense.

And having a "mini-collectible" makes it fun (though I honestly don't care if they ever appreciate in value). I wish they would do a subscription though - drop $60 in January and receive a disc each month.

― EZ Snappin (afka Erik the Mainer) (EZSnappin), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 13:01 (twenty years ago)

id say yes, buy it, for all the reasons listed above.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 14:42 (twenty years ago)

How does BA not have a label right now? That's surprising.

― KPH, Tuesday, 28 February 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

How does BA not have a label right now? That's surprising.

my take is that BA dont want to be on a label - they're much happier releasing their own material and being you know, indie.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 23:14 (twenty years ago)

it was rumoured they signed to Polyvinyl last year, but apparently it fell through.

― pinder (pinder), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 00:52 (twenty years ago)

yeah, i heard the same thing too. anyway, i ordered those EPs today! cant wait to hear them.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 1 March 2006 01:02 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

February just arrived this afternoon and I like it more than January. First impression is that it might be the best thing they've yet released.

― EZ Snappin (EZSnappin), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 02:03 (twenty years ago)

How does BA not have a label right now? That's surprising.

(At least)One of the guys is independently wealthy, having made a bundle on a website type dealy several years ago. So I wouldn't buy these just to support the band. financially at least.

― bean, Wednesday, 22 March 2006 02:24 (twenty years ago)

I don't get the appeal. that one song about "I want to be the bullet that hit John Kennedy" or whatever is terrible. the rest are nondescript ...

I do like "Corazon" a little bit I guess, if you forced to me to say something nice

― Renard (Renard), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 03:17 (twenty years ago)

This thread just reminded me that I ordered the Feb EP a month ago and it still hasn't come.
I want my damn ep.
Jan was probably good, but I forgot about this one also.

I guess the verdict is good enough..but forgettable.

― mox twelve (Mox twleve), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 04:14 (twenty years ago)

I do like "Corazon" a little bit I guess, if you forced to me to say something nice

yeah, it's nice, but it sort of plods.

― mox twelve (Mox twleve), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 04:18 (twenty years ago)

Agreed. It's funny - I really like the "Big D" (ie, the John Kennedy song), basically because it doesn't plod. I love its lurches of melody. But lyrically, I'm less sure about it...

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 22 March 2006 09:12 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

I've gone from scepticism about this project to being won over completely. January was a bit thin, with really only one good track on, but February and March were both excellent, and the preview track from April is probably the best song released so far. I'm genuinely taken aback by how much I'm loving them.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Thursday, 11 May 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

April's by far the best one so far - the only one i've considered buying.

(but they're too much money for us overseas people)

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Thursday, 11 May 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

pshaw, that's no excuse - they're only charging $3/order international shipping.

it says on the website that April won't be pressed until 15th May. if there are copies knocking around i want to know why i haven't got one!

― Lee F# (fsharp), Thursday, 11 May 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

Revive!

I'm listening to The Broken String right now and it's completely charming. I'm surprised by how old they are, actually. This totally sounds to me like music you'd make if you were a 25-year-old Brooklyn indie rocker who nonetheless had fond memories of Counting Crows from when you were 12.

They closed their set here with a cover of "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 14 October 2007 19:02 (eighteen years ago)

Broken String was so disappointing. So saccharine and unfrayed. Reminds me a lot of Barenaked Ladies' <I>Gordon</i> in its melodicism and charm, but lacks the nostalgia value.

― sean gramophone, Sunday, 14 October 2007 19:25 (eighteen years ago)

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