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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Jun 29, 2017 10:03:43 GMT -5
I barely knew about him but this is terrible news. RIP.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Jun 7, 2017 3:52:19 GMT -5
Radiohead's Ok Computer, Gargoyle, Flying Lotus' Los Angeles.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 18, 2017 4:03:44 GMT -5
Me neither, brother. When a friend told me of his passing I started shaking like crazy. I'm just too fucking out of my mind. RIP.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 16, 2017 5:30:21 GMT -5
Amazon UK is now listing it for a 31 August release. At this rate, we'll be lucky to get it this year. FFS. Yeah, maybe Mark (or whoever's pushing back the date, most likely he has little control over when it drops) wants to give us a Christmas present.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 15, 2017 16:41:22 GMT -5
Oh god. This is already excruciating enough. I wonder why the release date keeps getting pushed back.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 13, 2017 13:53:38 GMT -5
The more I listen to the record the more I enjoy it. I'm starting to think its main point of appeal is its variety: no two songs sound exactly the same.
Death's Head Tattoo: after a few listens, I thought this song was kinda underwhelming, now I really like it. I really like the vaguely industrial vibe. Perhaps the lyrics refer to some sort of apocalyptic scenario? "When California starts to crawl". Creepy stuff.
Nocturne: This is probably the most intense and menacing song on the record. The dramatic guitars and driving drums are the perfect bedrock for the lyrics to unfold upon. I picture Mark going on an all-night bender. Talk of drugs, hallucinations, near-death experiences.
Blue Blue Sea: an interesting experiment. Very spacy sounding.
Beehive: A sunnier Nocturne, perhaps. The lyrics still hint at possibly violent and dark scenarios but the chorus seems to extoll the uplifting power of love. The swarm-like synths at the start are a cool touch.
Sister: a sort of ambient/psychedelic blues track. Probably my favorite song on the record. The lyrics make me think of the Middle Ages, for some reason.
Emperor: not as cool and swaggering as Methamphetamine Blues but still interesting and catchy enough. The lyrics are confusing: they seem to go from a personal, confessional tone to some sort of oblique condemnation of war.
Goodbye To Beauty: a song in the vein of Sister but with a folkier touch. Too short, in my opinion. I believe it's about attending a friend's funeral or an ex-lover's wedding. The "day follows night, night follows day" part is heartbreaking and makes me think of the passage of time and existential weariness.
Drunk on Destruction: not sure what to make of this one. The mix of electronic beats and heavy guitars sounds kinda forced and unnatural to me, and I'm usually a fan of electronica-influenced rock. The lyrics seem to be about a man about to be condemned for some unspeakable crime.
First Day of Winter: a cross between Waltzing in Blue and Torn Red Heart, in my opinion. It probably features the most heartbreaking melody of the record but marries it to clichèd lyrics. Not a success.
Old Swan: I have trouble connecting the title to the lyrics, but this song is definitely growing on me. It exhudes uncharachteristically positive vibes and confidence. I'd define it as a sunny blues. Lyrically, it gives off an almost pagan vibe: it's unclear whether Mark's addressing the world as a deity ("sweet mother/my mistress and my queen") or the woman of his life. Either way, this song might hint at a less gloomy and foreboding future.
Overall: 7.5/10
Which songs would I add to my MP3 player? Death's Head Tattoo, Nocturne, Sister, Goodbye To Beauty.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 9, 2017 12:44:42 GMT -5
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 5, 2017 19:06:32 GMT -5
AllMusic review by Mark Deming:
Gargoyle, Mark Lanegan's fourth album under the moniker the Mark Lanegan Band, opens with a song called "Death's Head Tattoo," and given the singer's chronically gloomy outlook on the world around him, that title sounds like it could be the height of cliché in Lanegan's hands. But thanks to his intelligence as a songwriter and his gifts as a vocalist, even under the worst circumstances Lanegan would deliver something worth hearing, and "Death's Head Tattoo" turns out to be more perceptive than one might have feared. Similarly, Gargoyle turns out to be a more satisfying listen than the previous Mark Lanegan Band albums. In addition to his usual collaborator, producer and multi-instrumentalist Alain Johannes, most of the tracks also feature guitars, bass, and other instruments from Rob Marshall, guitarist with the band Exit Calm. Having Marshall on board has given most of these tracks a welcome dose of muscle and rock action, and if electronics still dominate the sonic horizons of Gargoyle, the results feel more organic, and Lanegan appears to be more invested in this material. "Beehive" is a testimony to the pleasures and perils of addiction, "Emperor" is a meditation on loneliness that could have been an outtake from Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression (and features guest vocals from Iggy and Mark's mutual friend Josh Homme), "Drunk on Destruction" is a powerful fusion of six-string howl and drum loops, and "Old Swan" brings the album to a suitably epochal conclusion. Lanegan's vocals are in fine form throughout; quieter numbers such as "Sister" and "First Day of Winter" allow him to deliver more nuanced performances that show how well he makes use of the nooks and crannies of his instrument, and the album's best rockers are full of liberating power. At first glance, Gargoyle doesn't feel like an album full of surprises, but after the second or third spin, the fuller and bolder sound of the arrangements and production becomes clear, and it all serves Lanegan's talents in a way his last few Mark Lanegan Band albums have not.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 3, 2017 4:24:28 GMT -5
Loving Gargoyle. Beehive has (to me) a "summer" vibe to it, not always the case for Mark's songs! Goodbye to Beauty is gorgeous and somehow reminiscent of "Scraps at Midnight". First Day of Winter is spine-tingling. I still tend to think that Blues Funeral is the best of his recent electronic-leaning output, but Gargoyle is still an album most singer-songwriters would kill to be able to come up with. Congrats are due to Rob Marshall (and the rest of the usual MLB of course). I agree with what you said about Beehive. Maybe it's about some sort of apocalyptic summer scenario, what with the references to blood rushing up from fountains, electric storms and firecrackers. I'm also picking up a strange but pleasant "medieval" vibe from some of the lyrics throughout the record, but that might be some free-association on my part. I wonder if Mark's a history buff.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on May 1, 2017 13:50:51 GMT -5
First listened to it today. As an overall impression I'm still not sure how it compares to Phantom Radio, but damn, does it sound good. Standout tracks: Sister, Goodbye To Beauty, Nocturne. Goodbye To Beauty, although very good, could have been even better if only it had been a little longer, while the chorus to Death's Head Tattoo feels anticlimactic, the song never seems to truly "explode". Drunk On Destruction is definitely the weirdest song in my opinion, not sure I'm crazy about the generic jungle beats.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 27, 2017 13:00:21 GMT -5
Amazon US shipping today, Heavenly dispatched today my order...So I will listen to Gargoyle maybe in 4th may (birthday) That's cool. Hopefully I'll be able to listen to my copy on the same day (my order has been dispatched today too)
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 25, 2017 9:26:41 GMT -5
Still didn't get an email from Heavenly about dispatch. The wait will be longer... I haven't received anything either. My order is still "being processed".
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 24, 2017 3:16:30 GMT -5
I'm going to hold out! Quality of the leak is probably shit anyway, don't spoil your first listen folks Couldn't agree more!
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 21, 2017 6:41:31 GMT -5
Feel sorry for me ya bastards as god knows when I'll get mine 🤣🤣🤣 I think we're pretty much in the same situation. I will order the record in the late afternoon, who knows how long it will take to reach Italy. I'm starting to hear voices and see things that aren't there LOL
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 20, 2017 11:19:47 GMT -5
Great. Thank you once again.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 20, 2017 9:55:44 GMT -5
The State 51 people who are doing the distribution are pretty good at timing postage so UK releases arrive on the day. Not sure about international ones though. I preordered from The State 51, shipping to Poland so I think that I don't get it until 28th. Edit: Louder Than War review louderthanwar.com/mark-lanegan-band-gargoyle-album-review/How can I order from The State 51? I can't seem to find anything on their website. Thanks in advance.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Apr 14, 2017 6:38:29 GMT -5
I haven't read any reviews and I don't plan on doing so until the record drops but I'm fascinated by Drunk on Destruction. It reminds me of something Albert Camus said about Austrian anarchist philosopher Max Stirner.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 31, 2017 5:41:04 GMT -5
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 28, 2017 8:18:58 GMT -5
Damn that sucks he won't be on the new QOTSA record. Good interview as always though--looking forward to reading the book this summer. Also I know I'm in the minority here, but I'm enjoying Beehive WAY more than Nocturne. Both great tunes, but Beehive is just so damn colorful and catchy. He just genuinely sounds like he's having fun and it struck me much the same way Sad Lover did with the strong Trees influence. Lyrically not his strongest song, sure, but it's nice to hear some positive vibes coming from his music over the somewhat predictable gloom and doom. I agree. I'm not sure what song I like the most, but I'm all for Mark having a good time and letting that seep into his music. I think the "doom and gloom", as you aptly put it, is part of his musical language, it's the way he expresses himself and a huge part of his artistic/psychological identity, but he's clearly in a much better position now than he was all those years ago. He might be finally ready to share some of that with us.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 8, 2017 2:59:09 GMT -5
I'd like it very much if he branched out into other genres, maybe mixing unconventional instruments with his past acoustic fare. That would be really cool IMO. I'm thinking Dead Can Dance, for example. Holy shit that would be incredible. I believe he could pull that off quite comfortably. He's got enough strenght in both voice and lyrics. I guess we can dream
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 7, 2017 12:36:45 GMT -5
I wasn't expecting another "electronic" record either. I'd like it very much if he branched out into other genres, maybe mixing unconventional instruments with his past acoustic fare. That would be really cool IMO. I'm thinking Dead Can Dance, for example. That kind of thing. Whatever it is I'll give it a listen.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 6, 2017 6:15:57 GMT -5
Beehive is cool. I loved it. It rocks just as hard as Nocturne but maybe it's more melancholy than dark. Definitely excited.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Mar 1, 2017 11:49:25 GMT -5
Dr told me I need double umbilical hernia opp What the fuck!!! Aw, man, that sucks. I hope you'll get through it without any unnecessary nuisances. Stay strong.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Feb 27, 2017 6:51:57 GMT -5
did anyone else do a google search for the book and discover an amazingly awesome kids book? I think I just did. I'm sure Mark would love that.
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Post by Psychotropic Snake on Feb 23, 2017 4:44:00 GMT -5
Yep I bought that shit too! Totally forgot bout that little gem. You feel my pain, then. To think that I pre-ordered it! Just too much of a disappointment.
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