Double Hipness

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Time for another Associates thread! I bought Double Hipness, the rareties/demos collection yesterday. To be honest, I was expecting a whole stack of fairly dodgy rough demos along the lines of the extra tracks on the last reissue of 'Fourth Drawer Down'. Instead, what I found is staggering - an alternate, perfectly-formed Associates-world brought to light. Holy shit - this stuff is nearly all GREAT! I definitely disagree with Andy Kellman's AMG review, in which he says that this material stains their reputation. I'd say just the opposite - it provides masses of extra examples of their greatness, highlights a few influences, but preserves the mystery of exactly how they did what they did, and where it all came from.

So what do you think about Double Hipness? Also what do you think about releasing demos and tracks never meant to see the light of day?

― Dr. C, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't make me do what the atheists do!

― DG, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Some of those last tunes are just a bit too glossy for me to take, especially in comparison with the utterly delirious heights of the eighties. The one song about Morrissey was a hoot, though. ;-) And the collection as a whole is really quite fine, though I'd need to listen to it more to make some specific decisions.

Tracks never meant to see the light of day -- many obviously should stay that way, but there are definite exceptions (Prince is an obvious example -- he has albums' worth of great songs). Demos I flat out adore, though -- I enjoy the compare/contrast nature, and often they can be revelatory. Them Smashing Pumpkins have tons of demos circulating, and Billy C.'s solo versions of songs like "Thirty-Three" and "Once Upon a Time" are just breathtaking.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And while I'm thinking of it, the demo for Depeche's "Enjoy the Silence" is equally astounding -- just Martin Gore, a wheezing keyboard, and a slow, ballad pace. The complete opposite from the final result but no less involving.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.