I just heard the Clientele for the first time

The song that really stood out for me was 'Kelvin Parade'. ('Emptily Through Holloway' I'd heard before.) The rest will take more time, but I think it will come. I'm glad they're taking a new direction, and I feel that the ep creates a distinct atmosphere. Considering the songs that they've performed live that weren't included on the ep, I'm guessing that they were aiming for varied overtones, rather than the continuous high of Suburban Light.

it sounds like they were still searching for the formula on the early songs

I dunno... the guitar work always sounds exquisite to me, like no one else. I'm interested in all those variations. In a chickfactor interview, I read that Alasdair Maclean writes the songs on a nylon- string guitar, and while I can only guess at the difference, I imagine some kind of toy instrument in one scenario, something completely angelic in another. I think he is an original musician.

the songs were not released in the order that they were written. i think you'll find that some of the songs where they were "searching for the formula" as you say were actually written much later than a couple of the songs on "a fading summer". the stuff coming out now is all new (sorta) but there will be songs on the next album that will be older than the songs on "the lost weekend" and maybe older than a couple of the songs on "suburban light"?

I'm off to attack the Lost Weekend ep, a 10" copy of which I obtained last night (cheers, m. !)

If interested, more info about the band can be gleaned here or form the very laid back lacewings list

I think I have convinced myself that I like this album a lot.

It's exciting that the Clientele seem to be going some of the way to fulfilling Dan's hopes in the triffic article Youn (come back Youn!) linked to above, and I hope allaying some of his fears.

i might also add that its true that alasdair is an exceptional and original guitarist with an amazing, dripping voice; the other members of the band are amazing musicians as well. james' bass lines are silky smooth ...

james yorkston is basically a singer-songwriter with a collective. the clientele have yet to release something as worthy as 'Sweet Jesus'. A simple soul song. "they look so cosmopolitan like this is france or this is londontown" - something so heart-breaking about that line. a folk song from people on the outside looking in at the bright lights. i don't buy the clientele's bedsit poetry. something more honest about james yorkston. even in the winter pastoralism of the music with the lone pidgeon doing mantra-like backing vocals.

i would have to say no to the clientele - though ric menck never heard them before - (we had an argument at the tyde show) that - clientele were alright. better than that godawful london rubbish of comet gain.

you should check out aidan smith. an eccles singer-song writer.

jim - i don't think you are missing much re: clientele live. yawn. the tyde review is done, going to bed.

I just listened again hoping it might click - as I loved the initial releases - but it's so foggy and whispy and seems mostly to insinuate melodies that rarely emerge.

Several tracks are sublime - eg. "Lamplight", the title track, those two earlier singles revisited - but I wish they would be a little more insistent throughout. Anyone else find it hard to adore?

What was your verdict in the end, Doc?

doesn't mean i don't like it though, in fact i'm just not sure

Better late than never. Scooped up some tunes after reading thru the Clientele threads. A Fading Summer EP, "Rain," and "Since K Got Over Me" best so far. Superb.

One thing I don't get. The AMG review of A Fading Summer says it's for people who cherish Love's Forever Changes. Huh?? Forever Changes is great and all but A Fading Summer is very different in tone and intent. The references to Neil Halsted and Dean Wareham make more sense.

new EP is out sometime in the next couple of weeks, by the way.

Always found the Love referencing a tad odd myself, though I think it has to do with an approach to songwriting more than the actual sound. Someone who likes Love more than I could probably explain. Anyway, listening today to Violet Hour all the way through for the first time in a while and it sounds pretty fucking great -- better than I remembered. Not hard to see why it was a little disappointing after Suburban Light-- how could it not be?-- but it seems like the perfect album-length distillation of their early sound in retrospect.

New EP? Is it new, original material or re-mixed old songs?

I love this band, BTW.

ariadne ep is my favorite

The Love comparisons are only half-right. If you took Arthur Lee out of Love and just let Bryan MacLean (presumably someone who's only spiritually related to Alasdair) sing about "orange skies, carnivals and cotton candy" you'd have a pretty decent blueprint for the Clientele's sound. Bryan's collected demos released ten years ago, as well as the Love songs where he sings lead, would be an example of what this Lee-less Love would sound like.

Fans of the C should check out this band Murals