Where are the Imperial Teen threads?

My favorite Imperial Teen song is still "Yoo Hoo," from the second album that sold, I think, about 17 copies worldwide.

That 2nd album was pretty great.

It's been so long I barely remember, but I have this memory that Spin had a very inexplicable hard-on for Seasick. Not inexplicable in that it's a bad record, just that it seemed an odd one to single out for adulation.

I'm still convinced that Seasick has Unrest references.

I think it made their top ten of 1996; I know it made mine. It was one of those little indie records -- one of the innumerable released that summer -- that as editor of my college paper I managed to receive and hear at the right moment, and with which I fell totally in love. A lot of the sexual ambivalences in the material were emotions I was starting to accept in myself too.

Seasick holds a special place in my heart because it's the first masterpiece I discovered without reading any commentary on it whatsoever. I even had time to hate it at first. Not that this makes my response so pure. But it was nice to jump on a record totally unknown to me and have it become one of the best of that decade.

All of their albums are great. And the boyz in the band = yummy!!!!

I forget how consciously Roddy Bottum downplayed the Faith No More connections at the time.

What Is Not To Love is possibly one of the 20 best albums of the 90s. Not even underrated, more like totally forgotten. "Hooray" is absolutely heartbreaking.

And re: the 17 copies comment, mine is indeed a not for sale promo from a used store.

I have "Yoo Hoo" and "Your One" on mp3 at home. I dont think I have ever even listened to them!

I saw a clip of one track, once, and totally loved it, and can't remember the track title - but never forgot the band name.m Didn't know about the Roddy Bottum thing. Yes, he must have downplayed it quite a bit.

Sweet, my band just got confirmed to open for them in Chicago.

DUDE!

I am listening to yoohoo now. Its not too bad! Not entirely my thing but its ok.

Sorry, I just love these guys, and they're really fantastic live (or at least they were way back when I saw them), and ... I think I wrote a review of some live thing they released, back in 2001 or 2002 or something, that basically said "the first Strokes album is great and all, but these guys have the entirety of Strokes-value like in one side pocket, plus way more to go with it" -- which I stand by as 200% true, 2001-me OTM

PS Trace be aware that there are certain sneaking-up qualities with this band -- surface simplicity that somehow deepens?

I've always wanted to get that live album.

The new album's disappointing, alas.

I heard "Butch" on the radio at the time and loved it, and I still have the 7" single somewhere, but I don't think I've ever heard anything else by them. "Butch" still sounds good in my head (I doubt I've heard it out loud in at least 5 years), so I guess I should try something else - which album should I get?

Starting with Seasick seems safe, son

lol u mean imperial queen

Imperial Teen rox, Chaki is all straight

What was their video which had them in what looked like an all ages disco - what was that song? About 2002 I think. CLUB CLASSIC.

nabisco totally otm then and now. go see them in september, chaki! they are honest and fearless and all about love and fun.

i saw them @ du nord about 6 or 8 months ago. they played about 6 new songs, none of which really did much for me at the time. and i was trying! all their records have charm and good songs, but On is a near perfect record, imo

New record hangs in there. I was honestly surprised to hear they were making another one and I think it's about as good as I could have hoped for. Really suffers from a lack of Bottum-sung tunes (only 2) but they still know how to write. Mostly it sounds like 4 people who don't have a pressing need to be in a band but do it because they still enjoy it, and damned if I can't get behind that.

=)

Mostly it sounds like 4 people who don't have a pressing need to be in a band but do it because they still enjoy it, and damned if I can't get behind that.

Agreed! I don't think the new one's great, but I wouldn't be surprised if I listened to it enough by the time December rolls around for me to consider it one of the year's best.

Wait, I thought you found the new disc disappointing. Just curious: Are repeat listenings changing your mind?

"Room With A View" has entered permanent rotation on my iPod.

I like the :30 sample of this song! Call me crazy (or drunk-ish), but it reminds me a bit of Men Without Hats. Which is a good thing, I say.

"Pop Goes The World"? It does, a bit.

Yep.

"Ivanka" from "On" popped on the iPod today. God, what a great song. Like 1/2 Krautrock, 1/2 Unrest, 1/2 Violent Femmes, 1/2 B52s. There's a tiny moment in the song that actually sounds a bit like Can's "Mother Sky" which was kind of cracking me up.

on is a great, great record. i like the first one, only ever heard the second one once (i bought it as a present for someone and had a sneaky listen first) but i remember thinking it was pretty good..

Word--"Ivanka" is absolutely brilliant. The bass plays only one note in the entire song, which is like really hard to do.

the hair, the tv.. is slowly but surely becoming my favourite album of theirs

didn't grab me much at first but now every time i hear the tracks they're like old friends

i have never heard this band til just now, im five songs into "on." ive listended to ivanka 2x tho. the breakdown of ivanka above is pretty accurate, and it is good.

the hair, the tv.. is slowly but surely becoming my favourite album of theirs

xpost:i need to relisten to that one, never grabbed me quite the way On did, but these guys are pretty awesome and fun; and underrated, i see

+1

Seems like a What is Not to Love day. So I'm playing it.

Ha! I would never have pegged you as an admirer.

"Open Season" is great.

I saw them open for Luna once. They were great.

Why wouldn't I like 'em, Alfred!

Oh shit, had no idea these guys had a new album coming out on Merge later this month. Super excited, tbh.

whoa really

http://www.mergerecords.com/phpThumb/phpThumb.php?src=/store/images/catalog/MRG423.jpg&w=450&q=95

The fifth album by Imperial Teen, Feel the Sound, succeeds completely at its goal, plainly stated in the collection’s title. Like the sharpest pop music, Feel the Sound gets you to keep coming back for more, but unlike so much music today, it rewards you for doing so, giving you the experience of a fulfilled and yet still yearning, lively potential, one that will be further realized when the songs are performed live. From the exhilarating, propulsive “Runaway,” which features the entire band on lead vocals (how many other groups can make that claim?), to the expansive final statement of “Overtaken,” Roddy Bottum, Lynn Perko Truell, Will Schwartz, and Jone Stebbins feel the sound themselves and, in turn, make the listener feel it in ways immediate and pleasurable but also lasting and haunting.

ELO-like symphonic pop has become a touchstone for everyone from Justice to Cut Copy in recent years, but Feel the Sound makes it manifest through live instrumentation that possesses a Krautrock level of intuitive synchronicity and a desert island jukebox’s sense of fun. So many bands lose momentum and focus over time, but a little past its sweet sixteenth year of existence, Imperial Teen somehow grows both younger and wiser, connecting four characterful lives through creative friendship and deep trust, and forging a communal power that continues to grow stronger. Feel the sound of a one-of-a-kind group that’s never sounded more like itself.

Oops.

http://pitchfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/news/44609/header.jpeg

Full album streaming now at Spin.com (Thanks, Whiney!)

This sounds fucking great.

"Runaway" is my favorite single of theirs since "You're One." The rest I'm still getting a handle on.

With every album they put out, I'm amazed by how much I like them now, given how annoyed I was by Spin's overkill (or so I thought at the time) on promoting their first album. I still have them filed as the best available substitute for Unrest, even though they don't exactly sound like Unrest.

the first one was one of my formative albums for better or worse. very excited about this despite the last couple which were duds IMO.

Wait a second...are you counting "On" as last couple? Ivanka? Seriously...?

Maybe it's worth taking another listen.

Love this record.

I've played this once all the way through, and skipped around a bit in the car. I don't think I'm going to love it. I do love two songs, though: "Hanging About" (where they get some Yo La Tengo going on in the background) and "Don't Know How You Do It."

Yo La Tengo until the bridge--then it's Supertramp's "Dreamer."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct77FNgVGGM

i dismissed this band for years because i really hated 'yoo hoo' (and based on a re-listen just now, i still do) but i'm now listening to some of their back catalog and am happy to say my dismissal was pretty unjustified (really loving "lipstick" and "you're one" esp)

First album in a while.

http://exclaim.ca/images/imperial_teen_now_we_are_timeless_album_art.jpg

One of my two or three favourite bands for a few years--some of their albums had a bunch of great songs, and even the least of them had a couple. No real expectations, but I'll look for this.

(xpost)

"You're One" one of the greatest songs of the past couple of decades (and the smartest response to Kurt Cobain ever).

otm to both posts

"You're the One" proved personally revelatory the summer of its release -- it and "Butch" spoke a language I was starting to understand.

Ooh, missed this bump, just learned of album #6 recently. Out next Friday, three songs already streaming: https://imperialteen.bandcamp.com/album/now-we-are-timeless

Oh yeah, that's the stuff:

https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/the-royal-we/

excited for this. also remembering that their last album had a line about the royal we...