Friday's Roll Call: Bicycle Thieves, Cedars, Nethers..

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Fico:
  great rule, I'd lie if I said I didn't almost break it more than once....

Smackette was about 20 days short of making the rule when we first started dating.

[Tom Servo]

Good thoughts.  I suppose it's a testament to the proliferation of blogs and specialized music sites when an unsigned band gets deafening buzz.  I can definitely understand being apprehensive to a group that's shoved in your face everywhere you turn.  At the risk of opening myself to over-hypenation, I think I need to read more new music news.  
 
 

Originally posted by Kosmo:
  honestly, i gave the track on a recent Paste sampler several listens and just couldn't get past the vocals... the music was by the numbers indie pop kinda twee and dreamy with lots of effects but once the guy started singing, yowsah.

You probably don't care at this point, but I think Home on Ice was the song you heard and in my opinion it sticks out from the rest of the album in terms of overall sound.  The vocal effects are less on the other tracks but it's still the same overall style so maybe it's a no go for you.  
 
 

Originally posted by Jaguar:
  There are often times where it takes me a few good listens to finally get it. CYHSY only gets worse for me with each additional listen. Sorry about that but at least I'm honest.

No apology necessary, nothing wrong with knowing a lot about music and knowing what you like.  I'm still in awe of your "off the top of my head" list of shoegazer bands.  That's quite a handle on the genre you've got there.  
 
 

Originally posted by Fico:
  I guess the snark comes out of feeling "out"..just like when everyone understood algebra in class and you couldn't and you get the "what is wrong with me" guilt...

Funny, I thought that the essence of snark was just the opposite.  That it was a feeling of being "in" and you can't help but think "what is wrong with everyone else."  Maybe I'm thinking of a different word.

[kosmo vinyl]

The track I heard indeed "In This Home On Ice", but there was another of their on the NME "Cool" list CD and my only thought was that it's nice to know Ross Geller found a band to join.  That NME collection indicates to me that more second rate bands are headed this direction if this is considered the "cream" of the crop.
 
 As Hoya points out the band developed a buzz which just increased in volume and since  Music Editor/Writers will not want to have missed CYHSY on thier watch the train just kept a rollin'.  
 
 I reread that hallowed Pitchfork review and it's more about how the reviewer came upon this CD plus being able to name drop as many cool bands as reference points into the review. I think the high rating is reflected in oh how cool it's a band with a PR firm. People keep acting like this the first time a indie band has managed to put out and sell on thier own a CD.  Would the Pitchfork/Blogger been out there creating the buzz for O.A.R. a band which managed to sell 100K of their sell released records.  Didn't Hootie and the Blowfish, Verve Pipe, and DMB have significant indie success?
 
 My point in the other thread is that CYHSY just isn't for me and that if people were looking for a bandwagon to jump on then The High Strung or The High Dials are more deserving.  
 
 I agree with Jag that there is much bangwagon jumping on this one, the way tickets are selling on eBay one would think that the bands been together for years and once played larger venues.   I suspect that there are people that just have to see this band this time so they claim they did, and why anyone would fork over that much money for a hour long set they are likely to be able to here on NPR for free is beyond me.

[Bartelby]

Hello, Tom Servo...I'm so happy to see you pop back up here...
 
 More recent indie successes;  Victory Records sold 558,000 copies of Hawthorne Heights The Silence in Back and White without radio play; Arcade Fire, Interpol and Bright Eyes sold more than 250,000 copies each using only only internet sites like MySpace.
 
 For those casting about for free dowloads of suspiciously over-hyped bands without investing $$$$'s; here's one:  www.rollingstone.com/arcticmonkeys

[renton007]

The biggest criticism I have about CYHSY is that the album, taken as a whole, is a disappointment. I picked it up at Target of all places for 8 bucks just to see if the hype was worthy.  I'd heard Home on Ice and the last track (can't remember the name) and thought an album of songs of this caliber would be worth at least $8.
 Unfortunatly, the only listenable tracks, for me, are Home On Ice, Yellow Country Teeth, and the last track.  These aren't even outstanding. I would only classfiy them as "good".  
 I agree that the vocals have a lot to do my dislike of the album.  However, I think the vocals work on Yellow Country teeth, and as someone mentioned earlier, the vocal style is toned down a bit for Home On Ice.  In contrast, the first track, where the singer seems to be singing prose as opposed to versus really irrates me.
 CYHSY is laudeded as a great band, when really they're a band with a few good singles and not much else to offer.

[kosmo vinyl]

i think there were other factors besides the internet working in favor of Bright Eyes and Interpol for selling 250k... And while Hawthorne Heights can attribute some of their success to Myspace, they also went on several high profile package tours aimed squarely at the teen market, tours also dripping in corporate sponsorship.

[kosmo vinyl]

well i haven't heard the whole CYHSY CD as it really doesn't interest me, many have pointed out that it's a standard indie band trick to put the "difficult" track first as a way of weeding people out who might not otherwise get the band.  a bit of indie snobbery ... kinda of like the people who got their pants in bunch when the bands DC show got less stellar reviews.  my fav justification given for the DC show was because DC audiences are so judgemental and it effected the bands performance.  
 
 i'll bet there is more than one group of people who clap thier hands and say yeah after each song at that show.
 
 i propose that everyone do it for the Cedars  

[kosmo vinyl]

Back to the topic at hand, hope to see plenty of you out at this show.  Stop by the coat check area during the bands and say Hi... I'm not good company while DJing..

[Fico]

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  Back to the topic at hand, hope to see plenty of you out at this show.  Stop by the coat check area during the bands and say Hi... I'm not good company while DJing..

What's yer favorite beer Kosmo??? this one is on me.  
 
 And yes, going back to the initial topic, come on out tomorrow..should be a great night. I for one can say we've never sounded as good as we're sounding right now...Paul has made things fresh and interesting for us, and hence for you.

[Bartelby]

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  i think there were other factors besides the internet working in favor of Bright Eyes and Interpol for selling 250k... And while Hawthorne Heights can attribute some of their success to Myspace, they also went on several high profile package tours aimed squarely at the teen market, tours also dripping in corporate sponsorship.

You might wish to refer to the 1/26/06 issue of Rolling Stones, where they do their industry wrap-up for the prior year.  Stats are very interesting (and somewhat discouraging for those of us who love alt/rock/unique bands; label performance surprising; and they provided the above cited info. on indie groups/labels and internet distribution strategies...like MySpace. It's based on Nielson's music databases and not solely "opinions" of the writers.
 
 Hey, Fico:  Is that "divided by two plus 7" formula for age or IQ?
 
 See you Friday:  Can't wait for Paul's debut with ya'all.

[Fico]

Suki,
 
 The formula for "smackability" is age/2 + 7.
 
 Which leads me to the following question, does such an equation exist for older women?? the existing formula basically applies to the younglings..but what's the equation for MILFs for example?? Will Julie Cooper-Nichol forever be a freebie or is there an expiration date on her???
 
 hmmmm....Vansmack thoughts?

[Tom Servo]

I think Kosmo was right about the album being something of a demo.  3 out of 12 tracks including the first one are "throwaway" in that they aren't actually songs but little 1 minute instrumental interludes.  I happen to like the other 9 tracks but I can see how the group might have been light on material and looking for filler.  I also got the album as a gift so no buyers remorse.  
 
 I was definitely surprised that the show sold out so fast.  I think that much of it was word of mouth recommendations among friends (the good kind of hype) since people who like the group seem vocal about it.  I also suspect a lot of scalper investment purchases.
 
 I'll have to check out the High Strung.  Already on board with the High Dials.  
 
 

Originally posted by BadSushi:
  Hello, Tom Servo...I'm so happy to see you pop back up here...
 
 [/URL]

Thanks!  I've been around but have had quite the show drought, like some others I think, so I haven't had much to add recently.  It was mid-January before I got my best shows of 2005 arranged, so I missed the thread.  

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Fico:
  The formula for "smackability" is age/2 + 7.
 

Quote of the year!
 
 Smackability!  I love it!

[vansmack]

Originally posted by Fico:
  Which leads me to the following question, does such an equation exist for older women?? the existing formula basically applies to the younglings..but what's the equation for MILFs for example?? Will Julie Cooper-Nichol forever be a freebie or is there an expiration date on her???
 
 hmmmm....Vansmack thoughts?

Hmmm.  I have never thought about the reverese theory.  I may have to pull the tribal council together tonight for a 12er of the High Life and get a consensus.
 
 We have applied the laws of averages in some instances:
 
 I've had the discussion about the Mother/Daughter exception - 1/2 your age + 7 and the mother and dughter ages are averaged, minus 7.  The minus 7 is for your own good.
 
 And the sister exception applies as well - 1/2 you age + 7 and the sisters ages are averaged.  
 
 There is a pretty strong lobby for "if one girl meets the regular rule, then it's ok," but the tribe voted to apply the law of averages.

[Fico]

Originally posted by vansmack:
   

Originally posted by Fico:
  Which leads me to the following question, does such an equation exist for older women?? the existing formula basically applies to the younglings..but what's the equation for MILFs for example?? Will Julie Cooper-Nichol forever be a freebie or is there an expiration date on her???
 
 hmmmm....Vansmack thoughts?

Hmmm.  I have never thought about the reverese theory.  I may have to pull the tribal council together tonight for a 12er of the High Life and get a consensus.
 
 We have applied the laws of averages in some instances:
 
 I've had the discussion about the Mother/Daughter exception - 1/2 your age + 7 and the mother and dughter ages are averaged, minus 7.  The minus 7 is for your own good.
 
 And the sister exception applies as well - 1/2 you age + 7 and the sisters ages are averaged.  
 
 There is a pretty strong lobby for "if one girl meets the regular rule, then it's ok," but the tribe voted to apply the law of averages. [/b]

Ladies and Gentleman, Professor Van SmacKinsley.