Mark wrote: << Another friend commented that B&S reminded him of some artists on the Sarah label. The Field Mice are the only ones I know. Would you say Northern Picture Library or Trembling Blue Stars is a significant development beyond The Field Mice? Their naivete and greeting-card sentiment was endearing, but that could become tiresome after a few more years of it.>> Well, I'm *really* biased about this, because TBS' Lips That Taste of Tears is one of my favourite records of this year - probably the only new lp that I've played to death (I've been buying lots of singles instead, they're more pop, or indeed P!O!P!, & cheaper to boot). It's long, slightly meandering, and varied, but when it's good, it's damned good. And he is one of the few people who seem interested in melding guitars and (above all) fully developed lyrics to different kinds of sounds and beats. Not having been particularly precocious, and not being inordinately wealthy either, I don't know that much of the Field Mice's stuff, but I did decide a couple of weeks ago that "Sensitive" was the best song ever made (if only for that week, when it was continually on my walkman) - which *isn't* greeting-card or naive or any of those things, just *beautiful*, and much more direct than you'd expect from their reputation - and Northern Picture Library's "Paris" isn't far behind. The B&S comparison's more valid than a lot that I've heard - Stone Roses?! - although it's partly to do with the unabashed sensitivity (for want of a better word) of both groups. "Sensitive" and "Paris" are both on the last Sarah compilation, "There and Back Again Lane", which doesn't cost 75 dollars, or whatever people are trying to get for Field Mice singles, so there's no excuse... And there is going to be a lovely Field Mice retrospective soon, so you can all decide whether the comparisons are at all justified (look at the Shinkansen website if you don't believe me). Oh, incidently, I was told last week that someone's made off with the signpost of the real There and Back Again Lane, in Bristol. Not big, or clever. The other Sarah band I've heard likened to B&S are The Orchids, who shared a dancey tendency with the Field Mice's later stages - I've just got some tapes of their stuff, which I haven't had a chance to listen to properly yet, but I'd say that "Electronic Renaissance" is the closest reference point. That and a similar Scottish slightly mumbly vocal style (that's supposed to be complimentary). Hell, there are other people around who are much better qualified to say all this stuff that I am... Also, I've decided that I'm going to wait until the new B&S record is released until I hear it - I've just got this rather romantic notion that it'll be so much nicer to carry it home in a plastic bag and listen to it lovingly while looking at the sleeve... sigh... Lucy ---------------------- Lucy Munro lucy.munro@kcl.ac.uk +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Lucy Munro wrote:
The other Sarah band I've heard likened to B&S are The Orchids, who shared a dancey tendency with the Field Mice's later stages - I've just got some tapes of their stuff, which I haven't had a chance to listen to properly yet, but I'd say that "Electronic Renaissance" is the closest reference point. That and a similar Scottish slightly mumbly vocal style (that's supposed to be complimentary).
If you can get hold of their first album (10" vinyl, natch), 'Lyceum' you'll be in for an absolute treat. No 'dance element', but eight very gorgeous pop songs. The best thing Sarah records ever put out, anyone ? You could ask someone to tape it for you. Hey you could ask me. But you'll have to get in a small queue, cos I owe his lordship the D of H a tape. Speaking of which, sorry I haven't written Alastair, but I've been all over the shop lately, honest. And have you got the Bats brill 12" 'Made Up In Blue' cos if you haven't I can put it on the tape. You're gonna get a C90 now, cos there's too many Richard Buckner songs to do justice too. I'll write soon(ish) re. my impressions of your tape, when I've had chance to listen to it more than halfway through the Stars of Heaven songs. Laters, yerluvinuncleTurt +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Lucy Munro wrote:
Not having been particularly precocious, and not being inordinately wealthy either, I don't know that much of the Field Mice's stuff, but I did decide a couple of weeks ago that "Sensitive" was the best song ever made (if only for that week, when it was continually on my walkman) - which *isn't* greeting-card or naive or any of those things, just *beautiful*, and much more direct than you'd expect from their reputation - and Northern Picture Library's "Paris" isn't far behind. The B&S comparison's more valid than a lot that I've heard - Stone Roses?! - although it's partly to do with the unabashed sensitivity (for want of a better word) of both groups.
Yeah, the Field Mice were fab. I have to confess, I like them a weensy bit more than B&S. Maybe I'll change my mind when the new album comes out... Anyway, I suppose I can see a vague kind of connection between the Field Mice & B&S. I think that it's more their common influences (Nick Drake, Felt, 60's pop, the Go-Betweens) than B&S being influenced by the Field Mice. I guess it stands to reason that a B&S fan has a good chance of liking the Field Mice as well. Northern Picture Library are very different-sounding, though. At times they were similar to the Field Mice (an example would be the brilliant and already mentioned "Paris") but mostly they were fairly different-sounding from the Field Mice, mining a lot of electronic & wall-of-sound things, coming off at different times similar to later MBV (but better if you ask me) or St. Etienne. In other words, not much like B&S. Still, very very very good, though. And what's more, virtually everything they did is still in print. Too bad "Paris" and the 3 other songs they released on Sarah aren't, though =(
for Field Mice singles, so there's no excuse... And there is going to be a lovely Field Mice retrospective soon, so you can all decide whether the comparisons are at all justified (look at the Shinkansen
Yes, and some day there will be a Field Mice tribute, too. I think the retrospective will come out sooner. As a fan who was 9 years old when they formed, I think it's good that they are giving us the opportunity to hear their songs again without paying a ton of money.
The other Sarah band I've heard likened to B&S are The Orchids, who shared a dancey tendency with the Field Mice's later stages - I've just got some tapes of their stuff, which I haven't had a chance to listen to properly yet, but I'd say that "Electronic Renaissance" is the closest reference point. That and a similar Scottish slightly mumbly vocal style (that's supposed to be complimentary).
I'm not as sure about the Orchids comparison. They seemed more rock & roll to me. Idunno, it's all a matter of what you listen for. Personally I liked the last Orchids album better than Lyceum. I've yet to hear a song of theirs I enjoyed more than "Avignon." Wonderful.
Hell, there are other people around who are much better qualified to say all this stuff that I am...
Well, seeing as how the person who runs a Field Mice webpage is on this list, I'd say that about myself too, but it doesn't mean I still don't have some insight, or that I didn't get any from your post =) /"\_/"\_/"\ Mick McMick - mick@indiepop.com - ICQ#5056758 \ / Sandcastle Records - sandcastlerecords@indiepop.com | | Sandcastle Homepage - http://indiepop.com/sandcastle/ | | | | "Everyone has their own cup of tea. | | Some just happen to like a lot of sugar in it!" | | - Me! +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
participants (3)
-
Ian Turton -
Lucy Munro -
Mick McMick