Majical Cloudz

Impersonator - Might be my record of the year? It's the first truly direct record I've heard in a LONG time. The 4 song run at the end is incredible. If I was feeling hyperbolic I'd say it might be my favourite record on Matador or that there are moments that rival the Mark Hollis solo record... Possibly extreme statements but the fact that I thought that for even a second is noteworthy.

Great Record.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WindomEarle.jpg

Just saw these guys at Origami Vinyl.

Short set list, which was nice, because it was not the best place to play at. I'm kind of wondering if Devon cut it short because of that?

Anyway, these guys are growing on me.

I have to wonder what I would think of the album if I hadn't seen them live a couple of times first. Dude is intense, though- did he stare you directly in the eyes at any point in the show?

I first heard the album before I knew/read/saw anything about them. A couple of tracks immediately stood out. As in, I was totally entranced. Then read about them and heard interviews. And after that, I thought he sounded pretty intense.

I thought it would be a little uncomfortable watching them live due to that, but when I saw him/them live it was fine. But again, I think this wasn't a proper show, so I'm not sure if it is anything to go by. I was standing quite far, and even though it seemed like he was looking at me (which I'm pretty sure he wasn't), I couldn't get a proper feel for the performance.

Will definitely try to go to a proper show.

This group actually reminds me of Underworld. In my mind there's a weird parallel between Devon Welch and Karl Hyde.... There's this polite tasteful coffee table house music and then this weird dude starts singing over the top.

Fucking love it though. I guess it also reminds me of Bjork (err that one with the swan cover) and Kate Bush (even Hounds of Love era) for slightly different reasons. Unafraid of singing nonsense at times, singular to the point of solipsism, etc. etc.

Love this album.

It has this oddly melancholic vibe that almost makes me cry, and I don't even know exactly why that is.

He's quietly released a few singles since the album came out, also good.

Any thoughts on the new album? Loving individual tracks, haven't fully formed an opinion on the whole - though I wish it had grown at least a little more from the previous album.

I've only listened once so haven't rlly fully formed an opinion about it. Maybe it's not bad when the tunes on a record are kind of samey like they are in this one. It does have the oddly melancholic vibe that the last LP had but the consistency doesn't count against them as far as I'm concerned. Maybe more of that feel is a good thing and anyway thinking about it critically just makes me want to listen to both records a couple more times.

nothing from the first album stuck for me but just heard "downtown" for the first time and got floored

this is a good album but it would be a better album if his voice wasn't so jarring against the music

also heard Downtown for the first time recently and was amazed, love this album. the previous album didn't do a lot for me but they've subtly improved on everything. there's something really compelling about the way his voice stands out

Feel almost exactly the opposite, first album was really moving, this one iust treads water

I think this album is great but it is missing at least one song where the music/energy level picks up a notch, like "Childhood's End" on the last one, or their single from last year, "Your Eyes". They are good at creating tension with a few extra beats, but as much as I like the new one I think it wallows too much.

I like the focus of this album a lot, only feel it kind of loses steam when it drifts away from the centre ("Downtown", the title track), agree there are no hits like "Childhood's End" or "Turns Turns Turns" but I'll take the intimacy of "Control" or "Silver Car Crash" over either of those songs

The thing that struck me hard about this band is just how disarming it is to hear Devon sing such clichés so forthrightly, at first it took me aback like "are you serious?" but the bluntness of it kind of turns into intensity with how economical everything about it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxuaaONzLc3e-2HISWA6ejXssHAn6GHZK&v=Gxip5MtS3LQ

This is good

I have never seen a studio audience gawk so libidinously

Reminds me of the Blue Nile.

The Blue Nile were my first thought when I heard Downtown.

This one feels much more melodically direct than Impersonator, which fits better with the directness of the lyrics etc. It just makes for something really compelling with the weird sort of intensity.

I don't know that a track with a little more energy would really help it though, Downtown and the title track stand out as highlights to me because there's just a little more to them than the some of the others, but anything more than that would probably detract from how focused it feels.

"if you're lonely" has to be trolling with the lyrics rite

their shtick seems hard to pull off right. if everything isn't perfectly in place it all falls apart. but when it clicks its amazing

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21497-wait-see-ep/

This review kinda nails my feeling about this band. Really love Impersonator, liked the handful of in-between singles they did, think the new one is pretty good but not as good, and now the new EP just feels like they don't know how to get out of the corner they've painted themselves into.

I feel like this band is in the same place Low were at circa Long Division or the Transmission EP: the formula has revealed itself. In Low's case they nailed their early formula on their third album and then revealed themselves to be one of the greatest bands of the last 20 years by their sheer ingenuity—expanding their pallet while staying true to themselves. It's unclear so far if Majical Cloudz can do the same, or if they're going to go the way of Bedhead (great band, only messed with their formula in increments, faded away).

"downtown" is the best song ever tbh

it really is!

xp the EP seeming like that is probably because it's just album outtakes. it's ok but i'm glad none of the tracks on it made the album. Are You Alone? feels different enough to Impersonator that I think there's plenty of room for them to grow in the future, at least I hope

Apparently they broke up. Hopefully they are each as good on their own as they were as a duo--and thank god I don't have to keep buying records by a band called "Majical Cloudz".

I joked with them today that if anybody asks them why they broke up they could just say the "j" and the "z"

i was really looking forward to seeing where they'd go next so the break up's quite sad. Downtown is still incredible and i'll be very happy if either of them can make something as great as that. i'm excited for whatever solo material Devon releases this year at least

Devon Welsh released his solo album Dream Songs last week. Love the chamber arrangements on a few songs. "I'll Be Your Ladder" was a gut-punch for me, stirred up some of those same feelings I got listening to Impersonator for the first time. A very sweet, kind set of tunes. I hope people give it a listen cause he seems like a positive, genuine soul.

really enjoying this, it's exactly what I'd want from a Welsh solo album - his songwriting hasn't changed and he's still such a powerful presence. despite the switch from electronics to largely live instrumentation the arrangements capture the same wonderful feeling as Majical Cloudz did.

Are You Alone? remains one of my favourite albums this decade, it's like someone stretched out the best minute of Hats over an entire album. I listened to it to go to sleep every night for about a year.

it is very disappointing to hear about the allegations against Matthew Otto though. https://pitchfork.com/news/devon-welsh-addresses-misconduct-accusation-against-former-magical-cloudz-bandmate-matthew-otto/ the Magical Cloudz breakup seems like it was for the best then

Oh wow, had no idea about the allegations. That's distressing, people wanna go to his shows and don't feel safe, hopefully that can change. Never saw them live, sad Welsh isn't coming to my city, everything I've heard about him live makes me experience it.

Like the Blue Nile comparison, I really need to spend more time with Are You Alone. Always just default to Impersonator when I want that Majical Cloudz juice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALUybEcCVLs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TubKksFHiH0

new Devon album True Love out October 11

the singles feel like a direct continuation from Are You Alone? so i'm looking forward to it (though I'm not sure if "War" is on it - the press releases seem to say it's on the record but then it's not on the tracklist?)

On my first listen of the new album. Wasn’t crazy about the opening track but just about everything after that has been great—liking it more than his first solo album.

Oh but really not into that last track.