For Against - Echelons

Really, this is great, the drumming is remeniscent of 17 secs era Cure, the guitars evoke a bit of Garlands era Cocteaus. I can hear how they'd maybe have influenced Interpol and Bloc Party a bit too.

If you like Echelons, you absolutely have to get December. A near-classic, that one.

haha Trayce you need to pay more attention to me!! i should have worn my for against t-shirt the other night ;)

if you like echelons then the rest of their catalogue may blow your mind because it's probably one of their weaker albums.. the most recent one (from 2002), Coalesced, is a dreampop classic. they have a new one due later this year.. also an EP of early stuff called In The Marshes is about to be re-released with some extra stuff too..

and yeah they're still very obscure considering how long they've been around and that they've put out six albums..

In the Marshes is finally coming out again! Amazing news.

I do need to get Coalesced there...

OK, thanks guys I'll see if emusic has any more, if not rargh I'll work something out.

Ha: With its fluid bass-and-drum punch and enveloping twists of guitars, December's most fitting reference point is the Chameleons' Script of the Bridge.

I *knew* there was a reason I liked these guys right away. Damn, both Colesced and December are on emusic and I'm out of downloads til next week. Patience, me.

for those more hard-copy inclined, words on music has a store on ebay (some of the stuff is filthy cheap):

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZwritinglettersQQhtZ-1

I am assuming they wont be just easy to pick up from JBhifi or Collectors or somewhere?

no aussie distro. but with the (current) exchange rate even the most expensive one is still only A$15 after postage which ain't bad

Yeah.

OMG "Medication" is AWESOME. Perfect John Hughes lovesick soundtrack song. I fucking love this song. Well worth my last download for the month. Oh man.

testify

Its one of those songs so pretty and catchy I can already sing along to it after 3 listens, the melody is so perfect.

I really like Jack Rabid's review.

If music at its best can remove you entirely from your living room and put you in some other place -- while the words hit home in your own life -- this is what you seek.

Damn, he KNOWS.

Jack's been flying the flag for them for over two decades now. I should know, his reviews in the old Trouser Press editions got me into the band in the first place.

And as I mutter in the AMG review, looking for some Abecedarians next won't hurt you any.

Duly noted!

i'll copy you up a bunch trayce

Jim, you are truly of the awesome.

Oh Trayce, check that Black Watch thread I started that just got revived. You might like them too. And I mention For Against in my opening post!

oooh ok.

I'm still really really loving this stuff. Ridiculously so. "Love You" sounds like an awesome Chameleons instrumental, it is so nice.

woah wtf happened to my quote thingies?

OK, so Ive finally got round to obtaining all of "Coalesced" and this is really beautiful. Everything I also love about the Chameleons, Smiths, even the Cocteaus, with the chiming, drifting pop guitars, and his plaintive, earnest, lovely vocals and lyrics. Perfect lovely dreampop.

the title track and "shelflife" are my faves from that album. it will be very interesting to see what the new album is like, especially since they have gone back to their original guitarist (who played on echelons and december)..

Meantime, In the Marshes has finally made it to CD (or at least the promos are out, since I've got one...)

yep, it's out. new album in the can too..

http://www.words-on-music.com/WM25.html

new album is shipping, apparently. the two songs on the WOM site are quite different to what i was expecting, but give a very clear picture what dingman brought to the band - it's probably the closest to 'december' of all their subsequent releases.

i'm a little apprehensive as i don't totally love those two songs yet, but they've already grown on me quite a lot. the music of 'december' with the vastly better lyrics of their latterday songs is surely a good combination

this new one is good

was there not another FA thread?