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I'll make you a CD, kilian. If you like...

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 23 December 2003 01:36 (twenty years ago) link

three months pass...

Working with Youth is a fucking good idea.

― Absolutely not Sick Nouthall because I'm sworn to secrecy (Nick Southall), Monday, 19 April 2004 12:24 (twenty years ago) link

The band drink in the bar of a hotel I sometimes have to stay in. I ain't an embrace fan, but overhearing the line "We've got most of the album written, but Danny has to write the big hit single" made me shudder.

― ___ (___), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:49 (twenty years ago) link

Knowing the guys as I do I'd imagine that was said in jest. And even if it wasn't, wouldn't it be fine for a hip hop or pop or dance act to say something similar?

― Absolutely not Sick Nouthall even though you may think so (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 07:46 (twenty years ago) link

bands have no damn idea which of their own songs would be a hit and which wouldn't anyway

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 07:50 (twenty years ago) link

This is laregly true, Jim.

― Still not Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:02 (twenty years ago) link

ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ahahahahah ha haa haaha... embrace... ha hahahaha.a..

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:13 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~bpantano/GIFS/laughing.gif

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:15 (twenty years ago) link

You're the headbanging one, eh Doomie?

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:20 (twenty years ago) link

Nice to see you nicked that jpeg off Jon Williams too.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:21 (twenty years ago) link

oh stop it the pair of you.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:22 (twenty years ago) link

He only does it cuz he luvvs me.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:22 (twenty years ago) link

I think that might count as entering UNSAFE SPACE

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:22 (twenty years ago) link

Oh dear.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:25 (twenty years ago) link

embrace make me laugh!

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:25 (twenty years ago) link

Anyway, terrible though Embrace were, they at least had some comedy value WHICH IS MORE THAN CAN BE SAiD FOR RIALTO, EH?????/

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:26 (twenty years ago) link

argh mind-meld x-post!!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:26 (twenty years ago) link

The Libertines make me

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:26 (twenty years ago) link

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:27 (twenty years ago) link

you good good people - listen to me!

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~bpantano/GIFS/laughing.gif

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:28 (twenty years ago) link

Precisely how old are you? Aren't you like 34?

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:29 (twenty years ago) link

nope, way younger than that!

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:29 (twenty years ago) link

32?

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:30 (twenty years ago) link

younger.

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:32 (twenty years ago) link

But you're older than, say, 13?

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:33 (twenty years ago) link

anyways, i thought that this was supposed to be about embrace? come back to what you know, nick. ha haa.a..

― doomie x, Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:34 (twenty years ago) link

Awful tune. Always hated it.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:37 (twenty years ago) link

i have always loved embrace's big sweeping ballads, just because the singer so patently isn't up to the job of matching the melodies, and this vulnerability is very touching to me.

― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:39 (twenty years ago) link

I love 'em when they're loud and vainglorious. And when they do lovely shiny summery pop tunes.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:41 (twenty years ago) link

My favourite Embrace moment was when they did The Good Will Out at Glasto 98, with that horrible faux-Hey Jude 'nah nah nah' chorus at the end. I saw it on telly after the festival, and before that end bit kicked in, singer bloke shouted "sing it!" and held is mic out to the audience. And no one sang. He'd been waiting for that moment all his life, and fell flat on his face. Arf!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 08:57 (twenty years ago) link

Schadenfreude is most unbecoming on you, Matt.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 09:14 (twenty years ago) link

I'm sure matt will be relieved, that that made you not want to be coming on him, now.

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 09:18 (twenty years ago) link

???

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 09:22 (twenty years ago) link

come back to what you know.

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 10:09 (twenty years ago) link

one month passes...

I'd revive this to mention that their new single has been written by Chris Martin, but nobody cares. The label (almost) made them do it.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 11:23 (nineteen years ago) link

no! what?!!

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 16 June 2004 12:59 (nineteen years ago) link

It's a tune he wrote a while ago and gave to Embrace cos he thought it was more them than Coldplay. I've heard a evrsion of Martin doing it solo w/piano which is... dull. I'm reliably informed that Embrace's version has "hair on its knackers". Fourth album out on 13th September.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:12 (nineteen years ago) link

Chris Martin fancies himself as the British Linda Perry.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:15 (nineteen years ago) link

He does, doesn't he? Jamelia, Embrace, Ash, The Streets...

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:26 (nineteen years ago) link

It could be good. I don't know which Ash song he wrote, but the album's not bad, Dry Your Eyes is top.. as for Jamelia, well the song is terrible, and doubly so because it's her next single (instead of the brilliant "Taxi") . Linda Perry has done some quite good stuff (well, considering how bad 4 Non Blonds were..), and as such that's probably a more charitable comparison than he deserves.. but anyway I'm looking forward to it even if I only have the first Embrace album...

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:35 (nineteen years ago) link

Pick up Drawn From Memory if you see it cheap, and email me for a list of b-sides I'd suggest downloading if yr interested.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:43 (nineteen years ago) link

EMBRACE UK IS THE PREFERRED NAME THANKS

― 0r4l R0b3rt5 (ex machina), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:45 (nineteen years ago) link

The singles off Drawn From Memory (Hooligan, You're Not Alone) are what made me lose interest! That Playing God feature of yours does indicate that perhaps there are treasures from later on, though.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:48 (nineteen years ago) link

"Embrace UK" sound like a UKIP slogan, Oral, plus Ian mackaye didn't have a problem with it, so neither should you.

Ed, there are definitely plenty of burried gems from later on.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 June 2004 13:52 (nineteen years ago) link

one month passes...

The album is, frankly, utterly surprising. I was expecting very little after the last one (two great songs bookending a load of lacklustre ones, rushed and ignored by the label whilst recording it), and I've been knocked off my feet. it is VERY strong and I'm pretty confident it will do incredibly well. The two things that keep jumping up as comparison points are The Bends Urban Hymns (neither of which I particularly like, and indeed the latter I very much dislike, but you know what I mean), or maybe A Northern Soul, but much more positive, much bigger tunes, much more uplifting, and while it doesn't really sound like either it certainly has that feeling of utterly contemporary enormousness. The Chris Martin tune is a red-herring, and probably the weakest song on the record, but even so fits very nicely, and I've become rather fond of it in a condescending way (haha). Plus there's a b-side on the single called "Too Many Times" which is like Timbaland producing The Verve, insanalist ryhthms and huge, evil guitars. The album (and TMT) is produced by Youth, and he's done a magnificent job - it sounds incredible, huge and detailed and alive and spontaneous.

Just thought you'd like to know. Except most of you wont because they're (still) the most maligned and misunderstood band in the country with the most fucked-up relationship with the press ever.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 08:21 (nineteen years ago) link

I heard their new single on the internet the other day and was surprised at how bad it was even compared to a song like 'Hooligan'.

Probably the only Britpop band to use bagpipes on their first single.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:03 (nineteen years ago) link

To be fair, Hooligan wasn't very good (sorry Nick), but I Wouldn't Wanna Happen To You was very good indeed.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 10:03 (nineteen years ago) link

Bagpipes?

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 27 July 2004 11:55 (nineteen years ago) link

Nick clearly needs some company in Embrace appreciation here. I like them. I never really understood all the extreme hatred directed their way. Although I do tend to favour the big ballads, they can rock out when necessary. My personal favourite track (b-side to something) is You've Only Got To Stop To Get Better. Great use of brass. Fave ballad probably If You Feel Like A Sinner, but I'll probably change my mind...

I like the new single, and I'm jealous of your access to the album pre-release (my journo connections here don't extend to Independiente sadly). I hope it's as good as you say, Nick.

I tried to get into that secret gig #10 page but no luck. Oh well.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 2 August 2004 15:34 (nineteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

Just to reiterate... The new album really is very good indeed. I am very, very pleasantly surprised. I'm still listening to it pretty much every day; the onyl thing I've listened to nearly this much this year is the BP album. It will surprise a lot of people, and, I think, do very very well.

― Jimmybommy JimmyK'KANG (Nick Southall), Monday, 23 August 2004 20:45 (nineteen years ago) link

Skipping 119 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

It's going to be interesting. Apparently I get thanked in the album sleeve, which is nice.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 24 March 2006 12:31 (eighteen years ago) link

And so iTunes has malfunctioned causing entire swathes of Embrace singles sales to be lost, and thus handing the #1 spot to Ne*Yo. CONSPIRACY.

Have we ascertained The Lex's whereabouts when this malfunctioning happened?

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 24 March 2006 12:37 (eighteen years ago) link

He probably owns one of their cds.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 25 March 2006 16:52 (eighteen years ago) link

Number 2 is still pretty good going for a band that was sunk 2 years ago. And that every cunt on ILX hates!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Sunday, 26 March 2006 17:23 (eighteen years ago) link

So I sought this("Nature's Law") out yesterday, hoping that this left-field massive from the lumbering has-beens-if-they-ever-were was as good as Stereophonics' "Dakota" was. On first listen I thought, Pointless. Big and absolutely lacking a hook. I should probably just delete this now. (And I NEVER delete.)

Today it randomly shuffles up, and I absolutely fall into it, like a chasm I couldn't have missed if I'd just taken my eyes off the sky. Weird. Not that I am ready to defend its classic-ness yet, but perhaps it's not rubbish.

― Mitya (mitya), Sunday, 26 March 2006 19:54 (eighteen years ago) link

sick's righteous anger always seems a put-on.

i don't much like embrace. even the bluetones are probably better.

― keyth (keyth), Sunday, 26 March 2006 21:02 (eighteen years ago) link

They've been chosen to do the official World Cup song. This should be interesting.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 05:40 (eighteen years ago) link

"All You Goal Goal People"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 05:41 (eighteen years ago) link

nothing is interesting!

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 05:52 (eighteen years ago) link

But they will sing a song to make your neighbors to the south smile and bob their head as they watch football. Why must you be so full of hate, RJG?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 05:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Someone joked on their forum that tickets for the sold-out Barrowlands gig they're doing soon are going on eBay for £1 each now.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 05:59 (eighteen years ago) link

Congratulations Southall! You got thanked in the liner notes of a crappy band and wrote the liner notes to a crappy B-side compilation by the crappy band! Now leave us alone.

― PB, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 10:53 (eighteen years ago) link

the football song may well be the worst song ever recorded!

i thought they'd split up ages ago. why have they not.

also, HA HA HA NE-YO GOT THE NUMBER ONE :D

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 10:59 (eighteen years ago) link

I heard their single on the Mark Radcliffe show and it was pretty good. I liked the intro - nice atmosphere.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 11:06 (eighteen years ago) link

It's like David and Goliath, only this time David won!

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 11:22 (eighteen years ago) link

Peopple are absolute fucking cunts.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 11:55 (eighteen years ago) link

fuck em, nick.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 11:59 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, you're right, Sean. But everytime some anonymous idiot like PB or some gloating child like Lex has a dig it fucking hurts. It's childish and pathetic, especially seeing as all the criticisms that get trotted out are exactly the sdame ones that have been used for 9 years and none of them actually make any sense next to the vast majority of the music.

I got thanked in the credits of my favourite band's favourite album and asked to write liner notes for their b-sides, which I love; I'm fucking PROUD of that.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:05 (eighteen years ago) link

A remake of "Hooligan", maybe? It could do wonders for sales of kazoos...

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:15 (eighteen years ago) link

x-post Nick - there's no reason why you shouldn't be.

Lex - your pop-kid act is as boring as it is predictable. You flounce into every guitar-band thread and say 'why does anyone like this, it's crap, buy J-Lo instead, guitars are nasty NYYAAAHH'. Jesus! Why do you bother?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:15 (eighteen years ago) link

I like how Nick starts off two and a half years ago with a sort of weary indifference to this band in their present state, and gradually becomes more defensive about them until he practically puts a bounty on the head of anyone who suggests that they aren't really very good

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:28 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't know Embrace from Terris, really, what with being a Canadian recently imported to the UK. I know that they were more "interesting" in the past and are now essentially Coldplay-like indie. But I see nothing wrong with Coldplay-like indie, frankly, so long as it's good - and the one Embrace song I know ("Gravity") was cheesy but good.

But all that's irrelevant because yeah, Nick, it's totally fucking awesome that you've made some kind of faint mark on a band you love, and it's a testament to your writing but also to your passion. And I think that anyone who smears either of those things (regardless of what they think about the band) is daft, foolish and mean - in short, not someone I would want to have a conversation with.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:41 (eighteen years ago) link

That's cos all I felt about them two and a half years ago was weary indifference!

x-post - thanks, Sean.

Here's a couple of tracks off the new album for anyone who's interested.

http://s56.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3E81P3DA5IJJR1K684SY3K2S4H
http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2CD57X6N6R7ML0BM3FG4T3MB14

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 12:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Hope u didnt put up This New Day (the song) Sickmouthy cos its not very good. Even Smaller Stones...mmm...

― wootoo, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 15:24 (eighteen years ago) link

People on ILM making ill-informed digs at bands they don't like? Surely not. And hey - SHOCK HORROR - some of the Embrace defenders have done exactly the same thing on countless occasions.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 15:31 (eighteen years ago) link

they're pretty flacid, aren't they?

― gek-opl, Tuesday, 28 March 2006 18:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Yes, and mawkish and self-consciously "anthemic", but some of the stuff in here is a bit too ad hominem.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 18:04 (eighteen years ago) link

I agree screw the haters. People seem to forget that Embrace had two albums out before Coldplay debut.

Anyways I read your review Nick, nice on BTW, and now am looking forward to hearing this record. They are signed over here in the States and will be coming out one day.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Tuesday, 28 March 2006 23:20 (eighteen years ago) link

I prefer Delta Goodrem.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 15:58 (eighteen years ago) link

The Football Association's choice of band to record England's World Cup song has not been embraced by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and co, according to media reports.
An unnamed source close to the squad told the Sun that England's bling-bling stars were "gutted" that clean-cut, middle-of-the-road indie band Embrace were chosen to pen their World Cup anthem, as they wanted a bad ass rapper instead.
Rather than drawing up a tactical masterplan to bring the trophy back to England for the first time since 1966, the players have apparently been spending a great deal of time in recent months deciding on the more pressing issue of who should record their tune.
And according to the insider, the consensus was for US hip hop impresario and part-time political commentator Kanye West, famed for his love of girls, god and glamour.
Imagine their dismay, then, when music consultant Chris Nathanial, who had been drafted in to choose the artist, chose to overlook Chicago b-boy Kanye and instead plumped for the somewhat more down-to-earth Huddersfield quartet.
"A leading music consultant was paid good money to make sure an artist was chosen who the players would respect and be willing to work with," the source told the newspaper.
"Kanye West got a resounding thumbs-up and moves were made to get him on board.
"The players were gutted when they found out the FA wanted to stay British and Kanye had been snubbed."
England stars Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney are all self-confessed hip-hop aficionados, while England skipper David 'Straight outta Leyton' Beckham named his two dogs after his favourite rappers Snoop and Puffy.
Ferdinand and Rooney are also currently working on a MC battle-based TV show, Hip Hop Idol.
Still, while the squad may be less-than-enamoured with Embrace, it could have been much worse.

Apparently, Rooney had been attempting to plug a rap joint recorded by the Manchester United star's cousin, James, entitled Dreams as the perfect rousing World Cup anthem, which fiancee Colleen McLoughlin thought was "brilliant". We're sure it was a masterpiece, Colleen.

http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/news-channels/entertainment-channel/england-stars-gutted-over-world-cup-song-$361875.htm

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Monday, 3 April 2006 16:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Kanye? As if!

V annoyingly patronising tone from the reporter.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 3 April 2006 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link

Rooney's on record about a million times saying that Stereophonics are the best band in the world ever. That doesn't mean he isn't a "hip-hop aficionado", of course, but it should.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 3 April 2006 18:08 (eighteen years ago) link

seven years pass...

Gosh I used to get angry.

― I can still taste the Taboo in my mouth when I hear those songs (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 20 January 2014 14:08 (ten years ago) link

Pretty surprised you called them your favourite band at one point.

Lex has not changed one bit has he?

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 20 January 2014 14:47 (ten years ago) link

As much as I (or anyone) has or had a favourite band, then yeah, it probably was them. In that I cared about and followed and was affected by their music more than anyone else. But then my relationship with them and their music has always been atypical, so there's no other artist who even comes close to being comparable.

― I can still taste the Taboo in my mouth when I hear those songs (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 20 January 2014 14:50 (ten years ago) link

Fair enough. I've never been a fan of them myself but I can see why having that relationship would make you feel like you did and express it the way you did on this thread. I Think when this thread started Mansun were probably still my favourite band (probably the last year after a good seven years of them being there) I still like those first two albums a lot but I can think of at least fifty bands I like more right now. Kind of glad I wasn't on a forum like this defending them back then, I'd probably regret a lot of what I said.

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 20 January 2014 14:59 (ten years ago) link

My housemate at uni loved Mansun.

― I can still taste the Taboo in my mouth when I hear those songs (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 20 January 2014 15:02 (ten years ago) link

Can I ask, without wishing to seem rude, how old you were in 2004?

― the Shearer of simulated snowsex etc. (Dwight Yorke), Monday, 20 January 2014 15:23 (ten years ago) link

24/25. I was in relationship hell for the first six months or so of that year, which isn't an excuse but is context.

― I can still taste the Taboo in my mouth when I hear those songs (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 20 January 2014 15:40 (ten years ago) link

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