Now that the EP has been out for a week, I guess most of us here have will have heard it. So what’s the general opinion? Did you like it? Did you not? Why? What’s good and what’s bad? Have fun, discuss!
Listen to Flock of Beeps and listen to Night Lead Me Astray, just completely different sounds. I’m glad the gang has a pop music thing going on, they need to go in every direction they feel, but it’s not to my taste and I don’t understand who the audience is. I got into electronic music to get away lyric-driven music. Some pop music has very fine production, but it’s still tied down by the lyrics, and what’s more- there’s tons of it! If you come from NA, it seems like that’s all there is here.
I love the Night Stray Remix. I have not heard the EP yet but im sure it will grow on me just like the Night Stray remix did.
I know a lot of people dont like the direction this band has gone but I dont blame Simon for going towards a full band type thing and kinda stray from computers and synths for a bit. He has been doing electronic for a good while now and im sure jamming out with live instruments feels good and is a nice break. Yeah I do agree the sounds are a bit more mainstream but hopefully that will pull in fans and some money for the label to stay alive and keep pushing out music.
Im hoping Simons next step is Gargoyles( or any colab with Ott) and Hallucinogen 3 :::)
For sure for sure! I hope YB is hugely successful, and heck, I did up a few Pledgemusic items which I see have been charged so yay! I will have some groovy stuff coming to me in the not-too-distant future.
Yes, Night Lead Me Astray sounds more on the mainstream side, but maybe they’re looking for mainstream appeal. In these shit economic times, I’d say that’s a good move. But maybe that has nothing to do with it. Maybe if you stop comparing it to what you know, you can better evaluate the song on its own merits. It seems like all the criticism of new material is based on the idea of “Oh boy, this isn’t what I’m used to. This is different.”
Maybe the challenge is in the simplicity. The beauty may not be so obvious as in Flock of Bleeps or even Last Days, but then those albums were individual works, each displaying a unique facet of YB. I don’t think that imagination is lacking in NLMA, but that the song is intentionally restrained to convey meaning or emotions in ways previous techniques could not or perhaps have been done already.
Many famous painters took risks all their lives, yet you don’t see any of Monet’s paintings, for example, fetching significantly less than others. Enthusiasts recognize work that springs from talent and will always look for beauty and understanding before criticizing so blindly. To compare a piece to which they obviously attach much emotion and meaning to a joke..hot4U, really? Come on man. It’s basically accusing them of laziness, which I couldn’t disagree with more.
It’s not that great, but i’m sure those two tracks don’t represent the whole album. The other snippets we heard keep me hopeful. But then again they’re not bad songs, but yeah… nowhere near the usual YB quality.
I am sure Younger Brother have done their very best. I was just describing my feelings after hearing the EP: I think Night Lead Me Astray and Hot 4 U are comparable, in that they are both epic, easy-listening pop music. I find many simliarities between the works, notably including the massive use of repetitive vocals, delay, and mainstream pop chords. The fact that the two works are somewhat similar, is not that suprising either, because Simon Posford is involved with both of them.
Besides, I don’t listen to Hot 4 U as a lazy project - more like a project for fun. Which is also how I listen to NLMA. Although I don’t think Night Lead Me Astray is meant ironically, (unlike Hot 4 U), I can’t help but listen to it in a slightly ironical way - something I often find myself doing when I listen to simple pop. I wish I could enjoy NLMA fully, but a part of me laughs at myself for trying to love it, something that also happens with me when I listen to Hot 4 U. I do not claim to have any knowledge about the purpose of the musicians, I am merely describing my own feelings.
I have never before felt the urge to laugh at my own expense when listening to a Twisted release, and that is why I think this EP is more comparable with the joke project Hot 4 U, than with the rest of Twisted’s catalogue.
My feelings (if at all applicable…) :
First - the Night Lead Me Astray original track seems like its ‘extended’ - compare it to the Younger Brother track. The extended is a song with feeling-driven lyrics. The YB version is more psychedelic.
Second - Pound a Rhythem is great. Its a balance between the two.
Third - The All I Want is a remixed ‘bonus’ track.
I enjoyed the EP release. This is the purpose of an EP release. It does not (I think) accurately represent the new album in full.
I still cannot wait for Vaccine!! Sound evolves - with an open mind.
On the other thread ‘Pound a Rhythm’ I’ve mentioned about this track which I find interesting and is generally a new kinda YB sound. It reminds me in places of 60’s psy(ish) with a Floyd influence, I don’t really think it’s that challenging but I like it and NLMA deffinatley isn’t, however I do think it’s nice track but that’s it. The YB remix of astray I really like but still quite accessible.
I’m keeping an open mind and not going to judge until the new album is out, I think it will be very nice but not sure if it will ‘push my sensory buttons’ as much as Shpongle, Hallucinogen etc based on what I’ve heard so far. I’m saying that thinking it will be more a band format and band orientated music I find boring, I’m into electronic music and that’s why I’ve followed Twisted so far. In general I’m a bit confused at present as to the new musical positioning of YB.
Simon P made a comment in one of the Pledge vids saying that with live musicians ‘their sonic palet’ had increased. That’s all very well but doesn’t neccessarily mean it’s going to be better or more interesting. I don’t think anything could be more interesting than Shpongle and diverse etc. However it doesn’t suprise me him wanting to do this after sitting behind a computer for so long.
I’m not going to London this week as I feel I don’t want to part with £300+ to go and see them do a band format type thing, it’s just not for me. If Shpongle or Hallucingen was on (doing a album launch) I’d be down like lighting, I’ve heard Shpongle DJ sets about 3 times now and Hallucinogen live x 3 (I don’t want to pay to hear old stuff anymore). I would like to hear Benji do his new Prometheus set but overall that doesn’t justify the journey.
I’m delighted for them that they are getting noticed in papers like the Independant and hope they do very well off the new ablum they totally deserve it, especially since a year ago it looked like Twisted may go under. I only hope that they carry on making the material Twisted heads like such as Shpongle, Hallucinogen 3.
that does pretty much sum it up. this new direction addresses a younger and hipper peergroup (which probably is wealthier, than the average psychonaut, as well (::: ). i really wish them success with this direction, but i won’t be able follow them there. it’s just not for me.. :( i did pledge on one of the rarer items though, to support some of my most favourite artists. but this singing really isn’t my thing.. i tried to like NLMA, but i failed horribly at it.. :( just one track of good old YB-sound (no singing!) on the new album, and all would be well again
and don’t take me the wrong way, i’m not trying to bash ru. i’m sure he does his singing very well.. but it’s just not for me
that does pretty much sum it up. this new direction addresses a younger and hipper peergroup (which probably is wealthier, than the average psychonaut, as well (::: ). i really wish them success with this direction, but i won’t be able follow them there. it’s just not for me.. :( i did pledge on one of the rarer items though, to support some of my most favourite artists. but this singing really isn’t my thing.. i tried to like NLMA, but i failed horribly at it.. :( just one track of good old YB-sound (no singing!) on the new album, and all would be well again
and don’t take me the wrong way, i’m not trying to bash ru. i’m sure he does his singing very well.. but it’s just not for me
Simon, I regret to say but for the first time I think, I don’t like your work.
I’ve known it from the first time I heard the track and after you made the video clip on You Tube of NLMA I said that this has gone too much.
I respect all your work and you guys at twisted probably think of ways to try and get new fans by making different music but be careful not to loose your old fans.
I never liked Lyric music and that’s why all my life has been around electronic music in general and Twisted’s music in particular.
I did pledge and bought the album plus a few items. I will keep supporting you guys for as long as I can but I wish the new line of music won’t make me loose the only thing I really love - the Twisted sound
Remember !! The video of Simon playing the guitar with the screwdriver? Did you forget about that one? That should make things worth it!
(I half-agree on the lyrics. I am not too fond of them. Hopefully things will sound more psychedelic then poppy. A twisted Floyd sound would be cool.
