High Places

They are great. Sometimes I get reminded of Barbara Manning a bit, not in the sound itself but in the effect- that kind of clean, straight singing voice that becomes very powerful by being simple. I like the way that their rhythms work too, very rough and funky and stapled together.

do ilxors not like this or have they just not heard it?

Not sure if this is the explanation, but High Places stuff is still hard to get. They're one of the "eMusic Select" acts, but you only qualify for that if you're (a) otherwise unsigned and (b) agree to distribute only via eMusic for 6 months. So they're often discussed on eMusic, but I've heard little about them from other sources (so far, at least).

i have not heard it

aw yea

(i will be the official ilx high places retainer)

Live, she lip-synchs: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2008/04/live_gang_gang.php

The 7 inch I bought from them is great.

She was singing live but through a harmonizer thing that automatically processes her vocal part at the show that I saw at Floristree, so I dunno about "lip-synch" as the only explanation.

This is really good

I know. Reminds me of the first DNtel album and some Animal Collective. Album drops late September I think.

seems like the album is way less poppy than the high places ep/03/07 stuff. its relies more on beats which are pretty tribal. lots of bleeps and bloops too. its almost like grime in a way.

I saw them last year with soft circle and lucky dragons on their first tour and they were great. Nice folks too.

so have people heard the long player yet? I imagined that i would adore it, but i'm finding it so hard to like. Absolutely everything is the same volume, there are no dynamics at all which is infuriating. The construction of the songs themselves are great, and i love the weird, flat thinness of Mary's voice but that dude is a horrible producer. I'm like dude how come that clappy snare sound takes on the same tone of the third cycle of delay on a synth sound? It just makes for an annoying listening experience. Then i guess many people buying this will be listening on a cute retro portable deck, so i guess it doesnt matter all that.

Hmmm, I like the arrangements but not so much the voice.

After about six months of only listening to the occasional track, this stuff is finally starting to click with me. You really have to abandon all logic and just wade in, knee deep, into the hippyish wonder. Also, The Moving Line by yer wan's solo project Transformation Surprise is also nice.

i was introduced to their music while they were on tour with no age. they're one of those bands that you really need to see live, because their sound is so much bigger than their recordings suggest.

i don't care for the voice much either, but live, the juxtaposition between the vocals and the massive music is really interesting, and after hearing it that way, it makes a bit more sense.

Rob's side project the Urxed is really fucking excellent. saw him tonight, and even though his mixer got fuxxored and his set was short, it was really sweet. highly suggest that everyone download "Gardening at Night" up on 20jfg.

also yes, he is a goddamn sweet dude. really nice and engaging to talk with.

Did it ever look like Rob was faking it live (with High Places) to anyone else? Maybe I don't know enough about his equipment, but I had trouble matching his on-stage drumming with what I was hearing when I saw them live at a park awhile ago. It only vaguely matched, like you saw his sticks hitting along with only one of five audible sounds, then suddenly that sound happens when he doesn't hit. I'm aware of the gear that can loop, but if that is the case than shouldn't the process look more like Martin Dosh's? Not saying I'm convinced he is faking it, but it always seemed a bit off and I could never shake the slightly suspicious curiosity.

Anyone?

what does it matter

It doesn't, I'm just curious.

saw the urxed friday night. i enjoyed

there was a girl doing weird yoga dances to his music. oh sfpaws :(

New album is GREAT. Not as singular in sound as the first one but really diverse and restlessly inventive and thank god no more of that bored speak-singing. Tempted to describe it as Remain in the Dreamhouse. Love the 1990-ness of the sampled rhythms.

my concern after hearing 'On Giving Up' was that they may have lost a bit of their singularity, as you put it (maybe I'm just not well-listened enough, but the self-titled album really sounds like nothing else to me, whereas this song has a few big reference points I can pick up on), but I well appreciate how ridiculous that feeling is since I like it as much as I like any of their other songs. Looking forward to hearing this, for sure.

Basically they've toned down the gamelan a lot - this is more distorted guitar (A.R. Kane-ish), atmospherics, found sound, heavy use of hip hop/dancey rhythms.

I enjoy stretches of the new one, but imo the opening "The Longest Shadows" towers above the rest. Already a top 3 track of the year contender for me, at least. I had the same experience with the debut LP - eventually I could only listen to the closing "From Stardust to Sentience". Is "On Giving Up" the single? If so, that's too bad, because I found it to be the weakest track, at least on my first few listens.

yeah i like the opener too but not much else is sticking - agreed about "from stardust to sentience", i want more songs like that, or just more Songs

imo the opening "The Longest Shadows" towers above the rest.

Does it remind anyone else of Frozen by Madonna? I am fine w/ this, just saying - I like this new album a bunch more than the first, I think

^I could see that. Has anyone seen them do the vs. Mankind stuff live? I'm really digging the new-ish pop direction and am curious how it translates to a live setting.

I've tried really hard to like them, but I dunno, something's missing. Saw them play a Vice issue launch party, someone I was with fell asleep stood up during their set. CRAZY!!!!!

Is the newie worth a d/l?

Did this person who fell asleep not notice the mountains of cocaine that are de rigeur for any Vice party?

Feel like this album has been unjustly ignored by everyone this year.

I listened to it once and wasn't feeling it at all and never worked up the interest to go back to it.

"the longest shadows" is one of my fav tracks of the year. I thought I raved about it here but maybe that was another thread?

http://soundcloud.com/thrilljockey/high_places-year_off/

liking this new track a lot, synth bass throb especially.

poor unappreciated High Places, I still really like 'Year Off' and the album it's from.