Hercules and Love Affair

Also, his set of "Secretary Disco" on BeatsinSpace (March 20th show), is great. http://www.beatsinspace.net/playlists2007.html

That was why I was slightly surprised by how classic house classique#2 was. The clue's in the name (der).

I haven't heard the Blind remixes yet, and my computer at home is broken!

Nice article and interview here: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/702

There's also a link there that takes you to a free mp3 of Hercules Theme, which is a horn-led instrumental stomp.

Yes Yes Yes! Blind is just. Whoa! I went to the record store right away to try and get it, and I never really buy new vinyl releases, they hadn't even gotten it in yet :(

i know im just jockin but that frankie knuckles remix with antony makes me want to go down on dudes, in a good way

andy is lovely. i'm glad everyone is so hyped for this and i can't wait to see the live incarnation and hear the whole record.

a couple other articles:

now article

xtra article

i think saam is making the video for blind.

yep I love this stuff

this is not the live set, but coming up at studio b in new york:

Friday, February 9

Modular Records and People Don't Dance No More Present

JOAKIM AND HIS ECTOPLASMIC BAND (LIVE)
JUAN MACLEAN DJ set (DFA)
ANDY BUTLER (HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR, DFA)
ROBOT BLAIR (MUSIC FOR ROBOTS)

I dj'd at Cazzo Pazzo, with Simonetti, probably their worst turnout ever. At the low point I thought it'd be a good chance to play Fingers Inc "Never No More Lonely", my first time playing such sounds to a gay crowd (of 8). I think Andy was upset I didn't stick with disco/italo.

Xxpost: What! How did I miss that! (truth be told I didn't know who hercules and love affair were a month ago)

p.s. Benjamin Boles is an Awful writer.

dan, seriously don't understand how that fingers inc track isn't gay or disco

maybe I played more house after that, I don't remember. Morgan Geist played that party as did Derrick Carter, who played for free to a small packed room, and I think opened with I.C. Love Affair.

"Blind" is shaping up to be the new "Lazy", innit. Love that Knuckles remix.

kind of s atrange place for the vid to debut:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/music/article723099.ece

uh, i mean "a strange"

wait, i'm listening to the video and it's not what i thought was the original. i've been listening to (Hercules Club Mix). in the dfa i claimed the original was 10 times better than the frankie knuckles version, i guess i'm claiming this one is.

"in the dfa thread"

thats my favorite fingers inc. track

I hope they don't completely abandon the acid-ity of "Classique #2" on the full length cause it's my favorite thing from them so far.

Goldfrapp - A&E (Hercules and love affair remix)

:D

^^^ yeah

Yes Yes Yes! Blind is just. Whoa! I went to the record store right away to try and get it, and I never really buy new vinyl releases, they hadn't even gotten it in yet :(

-- mehlt, Thursday, January 24, 2008 4:42 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

not out till march ;[

That video!

it's The Sun wot wun it

TS: Original vs Knuckles remix. I'm generationally pre-disposed to side with the smoooooth dad-house of the latter...

im gonna go ahead and big up that golfrapp rmx too cause its baaaaller

I like the Knuckles more than I like any of their proper solo stuff, but there's something compellingly cohesive about all the H&LA tracks I've heard so far. I get the feeling that it's going to be one of those albums I can just set to repeat and leave it be, which is a v. exciting thing.

Classique#3 is still my favourite Hercules track. Hope it sees a release sometime soon...

Hey, is Classique #3 similar to #2? And let's not forget the Hercules Club Mix of "Blind", although it is my least favorite of the three versions I've heard. There is apparently a Serge Santiago mix of "Blind" as well.

No, its quite a bit sparser than #2. Tim Sweeney's played it quite a bit, so check the BiS archives if you want to hear it.

The club mix of Blind is great! Those bass eruptions just kill me. Saw stir drop it last saturday and it was the highlight of the night!

I'll have to find it over at BIS. Thanks for the info jng.

I keep expecting to hear "Girls and Boys" after the intro bassline drops! I'm digging the album version, haven't been inspired by any of the rmxs so far though.

I like the Knuckles more than I like any of their proper solo stuff, but there's something compellingly cohesive about all the H&LA tracks I've heard so far. I get the feeling that it's going to be one of those albums I can just set to repeat and leave it be, which is a v. exciting thing.

-- jamescobo, Monday, 28 January 2008 17:33 (2 days ago) Link

pretty much agree with this, herc&love affair stuff i've heard has all been pretty strong

this stuff is great.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Fsb6pk-0L._SS500_.jpg

they are very good.

super jealous of anyone who has already heard this album. can't wait for vinyl release!!

it's really, really good.

Hercules' Theme.
Fucking hell.
Amazing.

http://www.ci.grandjct.co.us/CityDeptWebPages/AdministrativeServices/CustomerServices/Images/LEAK.jpg

god damn did this album turn out better than I could have ever hoped, even if it's as frontloaded as that Midlake album

so looking fwd to listening to this when i get home

Lovin' that cover art too. This is pretty fantastic.

Great cover. Good album w/a couple of IDM duffers in the second half.

This is awesome. Every Arthur Russell fan needs this.

best album of 2008

so stoked antony is on more than half of it.

It's pretty good. Not sure how good, but I've had it on repeat since last night, so that must count for something.

this is all kinds of good

the 7 minute mp3 i have of athene the = extended version i guess? its only 4 miuntes on the record?

My first impression is that I'm kinda underwhelmed by the album. It's good, but none of the stuff outside of Athene/Blind/Hercules Theme really engages me. Also, the homages to Your Love and Big Fun go a little too far.

Cover is holy shit awesome though.

Antony ruins this album for me in a similar way that Kelley Polar's new one is ruined by awful singing. Stop singing or release instrumental versions of your albums.

wow you are wrong!!!

brotherlovesdub

i don't mind being wrong, i just don't like vocals and especially dislike weak vocals. i'd much prefer to listen to this album if Antony didn't sing on it. i didn't like his song with bjork, didn't like his album. don't much care for singing over house music. i love Happy House though. now that's a DFA tune with vocals that i can fully support.

top marks for Classique #2 and the rest of the album that doesn't have Antony singing.

I love 'Dull Flame of Desire'. I love Antony and the Johnsons and i love what i have heard of this album that Antony sings on. Not sure how anyone can call Antony's vicals 'weak'? Back to dub for you good sir.

that's really funny, because if any song has "weak vocals" it's happy house

i think i like this a lot but i'm not totally sure. i don't think it's a slight to say that i don't yet like anything on here as much as 'athene'/'hercules' theme'/'blind'

'you belong' and 'iris' are the two of the rest that i like best, esp. 'iris' which sounds like the knife kinda

right, and i love Bernard Sumner's vocals too. i'm full of contradictions. antony's singing style just isn't my taste.

Couldn't be more wrong.,

it IS your taste.

i'm glad that antony is doing this. i hope he completely abandons the balladry of i am a bird now entirely.

completely entirely, shees. i'm done

i'm glad that antony is doing this. i hope he completely abandons the balladry of i am a bird now entirely.

Yes! Blind was like a revelation of sort, it's like what he was born to do. A voice with oomph like that has it's place, and where it was before wasn't it.

im pretty sure he cut the vocals for this before i am a bird now

i know for a fact that's true re: 'blind'

Alright, but that's besides the point. Him as a diva-ish disco vocalist works far better than him as indie troubadour.

Glad to see the Miami boys representin' here.

yeah but im saying it's not like this is a new phase for him or something, if anything it seems like the opposite

Yeah, my friend Sarah, who unlike me likes Antony generally, was saying that his voice sounds so gorgeous, so right on Blind, that it was made for it.

Anyway, when's the album out? When is Blind out (there's only a promo so far)? I want to BUY it! The cover is great.

Album March 10, "Blind" March 3.

The idea of Antony singing over house music just feels wrong to me but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. Will give this a listen this evening.

there is most definitely nothing wrong about blind, especially the frankie knuckles remix... its oh so right

i think frankie knuckles should remix the whole album

The persistence of this thread keeps making me give this album another try, but, really, it does nothing for me. Most bafflingly overrated ILM faves since... Junior Boys?

heh, telling

just broke my 'no hype machine at work' rule in order to scope these dudes out

'Hercules Theme' sits very well with Escort's 'Starlight'

Well predictably I loves it all, esp. the Goldfrapp remix. No mix of 'Blind' really stands out for me, all good.

think maybe the constant triggering of "it's a blue" could've instead been a selection of cut up lines, bordering on Todd Edwards style. just doing that to the opening line only feels almost...lazy? still great tho

there's a h&la remix of kathy diamond floating around certain secret filesharing sites

it's kind of dull

Most bafflingly overrated ILM faves

what's so baffling about people loving something that sounds like arthur russell, disco, and house with pop vocals. plus DFA seal of approval. seems tailor made for ILM.

(p.s. not being cynical here, it's a great record! probably the best thing I've heard so far this year)

"Blind" is stuck in my head like crazy

This really is fantastic, except for "True False, Fake Real" - I could easily live without that. Just too many cartoony sound effects for me.

someone give me the tracklist ... my version is missing some

also the jr boys comparison makes no sense, save that for folks talking about that boring ass kelley polar

should be "boring-ass" not "boring ass"

I have to give this another listen myself. Love the Goldfrapp remix and the production on the s/t but Antony's voice just kills all things dead for me.
And, no, I don't hear Arthur Russell in Antony's warble.

i dont think anyone compared them as vocalists

Then what's the AR some folks are hearing in this?

i imagine that its going for a similar art-disco vibe, probably overstated comparison but it makes sense as a touchpoint

i imagine that what folks are hearing is it's going for a similar...

I've only heard Blind, but as far as I can tell it's just disco punk with added Antony...this stuff has been done ad infinitum over the last few years.

Did I hear a shit mix of it or something?

I guess it's the fact that it is Antony who's singing over the top, which is what sets this apart, Ronan.

"Hercules Theme" is the shit

tbh i don't get very much 'punk' from "Blind" at all ...? i guess unless you mean how they generally master/engineer the bass+drums on DFA records in gen.

im not the one to defend that tho, i much prefer the knuckles mix

Ha, why do you find Kelley Polar boring, deej?

i dunno, after reading that thread i expected to like it! even Vahid who's normally overly discerning about shit like that couched his crit of the first one in "i really like it but..." He sounded like me talking about Dilla's "Donuts." And when Andy K likes "boring" music I'm usually w/ it too (lol grown folx R&B) but this was just really bland

I think it just struck me as functionally useless, emotionally one-dimensional - vocals are pretty plain and too restrained, production unexciting. i dunno just real hard to get excited about. I think w/ music like this i prefer it to be unabashedly pop like phoenix or whatever, and this was repetitive/hypnotic like track-y dance music but w/out the actual rhythmic drive to keep it grounded. too airy and ethereal, not enough physicality

Are you talking about the first album or the second?

both really

I like the first one better, but in either case, it definitely hits a lot of my pleasure centers: vocal harmonies and strings in the context of rhythmic, synth-based dance music is pretty much unbeatable for me.

yeah not a huge amount of punk I guess, I suppose I mean nu-disco then, disco that sounds post-dfa or post-lindstrom.

I was at a party at the weekend and it dawned on me when some guys played 3 or 4 hours of that stuff how fucking BORING it is.

I've seen Prins Thomas or Jonnie from Optimo play amazing sets of slow motion stuff, and it's quite eclectic and weird, but an entire set of nu-disco just sounds like a warmup DJ to me.

And that's what I get from "Blind" too, just kind of a weak song/track, with neither of the force of either.

I haven't actually thought "Oh I don't like this" in any meaningful way about anything in ages either, so apologies to rain on the party. Highly possible it's just me and my listening habits.

i feel you ronan.

i dont think yr alone in getting a kind of trip hop vibe from a lot of that stuff

yeah for definite, it's definitely some kind of post-internet music version of chillout or triphop...just kind of like "party music" too but in the worst possible way.

I don't know if Hercules and Love Affair is more interesting than that overall, I think I was hoping for something kind of emotionally affecting like old Chicago house and it doesn't really grab me in that way.

If i were you i'd check out the other tracks before passing judgement, def - this record has range. there are some tracks im tossing on initial judgement but its got some joints

Yeah I will do for sure. When is it actually out?

march 10 I think

what is the tracklist everyone's looking at btw? i got some version w/ 10 tracks...

i've got one w/ 10 too

i think it's the real one

so no classique

i thought classique was a separate release

1. Time Will
2. Hercules' Theme
3. You Belong
4. Athene
5. Blind
6. Iris
7. Easy
8. This Is My Love
9. Raise Me Up
10. True False, Fake Real

an entire set of nu-disco just sounds like a warmup DJ to me.

so true!

but "blind" when played in a club (and preferably the "club mix") just sounds like it has come from outer space. the vocal makes me feel how i imagine it would be to be on opium. so warm inside!

the knuckles mix to me sounds like BAD funky / handbag house. hated that sound then, hate it now. mr. knuckles can do so much better.

A couple tracks aside (inc. the Hercules Club Mix of Blind), the album sounds (from a production standpoint, at least) like a slightly "edgier" version of a Naked Music release.

Okay I am listening to the Hercules Club Mix now, it seems a lot more interesting and not as horrible and middy as the original mix, I can imagine enjoying it in a club since there's actually some space in there.

that original mix is wretched tho, it sounds like the Scissor Sisters.

ronan do you mean the original "blind" or the frankie knuckles mix? i find the original sort of boring--one of the weaker on the album i think--but the fk remix is way is lush and pretty without losing any sharpness or bounce; its totally danceable and interesting and perfect for antony

xpost haha ok

jaymc's tracklist is the same thing I've got

hehe, yep! I really can't believe how hackneyed the music in the original is.

now liveblog 3: the frankie knuckles mix

after 10 seconds of this I've decided a cup of tea would be more pleasing.

Listening to the whole album after a week of living (and liking a lot) with "Blind," it sounds ok to pretty good. I wish Frankie Knuckles had done the whole thing.

sometimes i wonder if you like big dumb hooks, ronan. it's really okay if you don't, but to call 'em hackneyed makes me say duh! really loudly at computer screen.

I love them! But I don't see the hooks in the original really...the music sounds like every discopunk/nu-disco trick of the last few years just slapped up.

Sounds more like straight-up disco tropes to these ears...

I think (maybe with some time, to echo arguments made elsewhere on ilm these days) that knuckles remix might stand out as one of the better things to come out of H&LA. in context, it's proper garage, done like no other nowadays. it's lush, the production is both restrained and faultless. and I agree that tune is impossibly catchy!

really liked the extended "athene", "roar" from the single was all right, as for the album I find it too contrivedly assembled but this is how I feel about half of everything, so. there are a hundred reasons to enjoy AND be annoyed by those songs, it's not happening as an indistinct and carefree experience for me at all, especially when it gets rightfully cerebral, away from the dancefloor. the last track is like a lost bumblebee record though right? that one's a keeper.

This really is fantastic, except for "True False, Fake Real" - I could easily live without that. Just too many cartoony sound effects for me.

-- jon /via/ chi 2.0

wtf, my evil twin

but "blind" when played in a club (and preferably the "club mix") just sounds like it has come from outer space. the vocal makes me feel how i imagine it would be to be on opium. so warm inside!

put so much better than I could have phrased it

I heard it out on sat. night (at that joakim/DFA thing I mentioned above), sounded great

dunno if opium makes you warm but it sure makes you horizontal.

Count me in with the 'not feeling it' camp - I liked the Frankie Knuckles track, really liked Blind but the rest of it was just so DULL. I dunno, it seems a bit late in the day for this sort of tasteful, earnest disco revivalism.

It also helped me crystallise a problem I've had with Italians Do It Better (which I really like a lot of). It seems a slightly blokey, nerdy version of italo, without the sense of silliness or vulgarity, and both of those are largely absent in the Hercules & Love Affair record as well. Like, I'm grateful to the crate-diggers who have kept this stuff alive and appreciated but I don't necessarily want all the fun bits, that might be seen as embarrasing, filed off as well.

"Hercules Theme" seems pretty playful and silly to me

yeah i don't find this particularly duller or staler sounding than anything else current, but i haven't heard the full album. think it's interesting that some like H&LA but not KP and some are the opposite - don't really understand either because I like both and tho they don't really sound alike they're fulfilling the same purposes for me. i guess they both often aim for pleasantness rather than intensity, dance-wise, which might put some off.

i think the new kelley polar is a grower. i like how it is sequenced.

so how close is the frankie knuckles remix to "the whistle song"? cuz that's smoooth.

seems like the general opinion here is quite divided. the H&LA i have heard definitely belongs on DFA cuz it has one foot each in the dance and rock camps. it's like there isn't enough of either though.

seems like it would work well in a mix a la fabriclive 36 though.

The club mix of Blind is tremendous, really brings the best out of Antony's vocals, like he's booming out over this huge sound system. Love it.

otm, the club mix brings much drama via the reverb knob. Excellent.

So far my First Quarter 2008 mix is just the whole Hercules and Love Affair record.

-- kenan, Friday, February 15, 2008 11:30 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

artwork for blind at dfa's myspace page. too lazy to upload it here.

Upload?

http://www.dfarecords.com/myspace/hercules/blind.jpg

errr ... post, i mean?

Frankie Knuckles remix here.

I love songs with this kind of structure, where everything is building up in the first few minutes to that "I feel blind" line.

Amazing Cover

I dunno, it seems a bit late in the day for this sort of tasteful, earnest disco revivalism.

nooooo I just got here!

I feel that same way about the sound of it and the percussion, but that's again, with "Blind" anyway, where having a quality song behind it makes the retro style work (as with "Crazy", as with The Strokes' first record, etc.).

OK, I've listened to "Blind" 20 times today. It's the harmonies on that "I feel blind" that get me each time (something that gets lost in the Frankie Knuckles remix), and the beat right after that where the horns come in and I imagine all the dry ice around the dance floor going whoooosh and all the shirts coming off.

yeah, the horns and how antony sings "i feel it" are my favorite parts of the song.

andy's also got a side project called love & loveless that's sounding really good. he played a couple tracks at the party we threw with him in december as well as on bis a few months ago

aaaahh i'm listening to it right now ... so satisfying. esp the last couple minutes

When the outro starts, is he saying "in movieland"? Like he's a blind man in movieland? What is this song about? Is it a diagnosis manifesto, like "Crazy"?

no i think he's just saying "mm-a-feelin' "

You may have abandoned this thread already Ronan, but you should listen to the first single with "Classique #2" and "Roar" as those two (Classique #2 in particular) sound a bit different than the album tracks I've heard. I prefer them.

Roar reminds me a bit of A Guy Called Gerald.

Off a couple of low key listens in my office, I'm really liking the album.

can a brother without enough net geek kudos to get an invite to any secret filesharing parties catch a PM'd break? anyone?

I'm sorry, what?

cant pick up a promo of the album, would like a r/share link to one and trying to dress it up a bit to not sound like a scummer

live show in london in june

And finally, as a thankyou for signing up to the mailing list, you're now among the first people to know about Hercules And Love Affair playing live! Tickets will go on sale exclusively to people on this list from 9am tomorrow, Tuesday March 4th, to see the full live band play at London's Soho Revue Theatre on June 3rd. They will cost £10 each, plus a booking fee, and are limited to 2 tickets per applicant. Only a limited amount will go on sale tomorrow then the rest will be on sale from 9am Wednesday March 5th. Click here from 9am tomorrow!

(That's a quote, btw)

got my tickets!

So have I!

This album is amazing. Can't believe it hasn't been mentioned how "You Belong" is a great reinterpretation of Inner City's "Good Life".

I still haven't heard the album, as I'm rather traditionally waiting to buy it before hearing it, but on the tracks I've heard, I think Matt's and others' criticisms of conservatism are fair enough. The "tastefulness" charge is also made in the afterword in Peter Shapiro's book, although aimed at an earlier wave of disco revivalists (specifically Daniel Wang, I seem to remember.) Taking the cheese and the sleaze and the glorious silliness out of disco could be missing the point or whatever.

However, this really doesn't trouble me here. It just seems like great music. That said, I haven't really contributed to my own thread because there doesn't seem to be much more to say beyond that. I think the fact that it looks like it's going to be a big success is interesting, to a degree. Like the tip of the iceberg in terms of popularity for all the disco stuff that's been going on.

you should listen to the first single with "Classique #2" and "Roar" as those two (Classique #2 in particular) sound a bit different than the album tracks

This is otm. I wasn't into that single at first, as it wasn't what I was expecting, but it's great.

"Hercules Theme" and "False Real, Fake True" are pretty silly I think. And the album as a whole is pretty daft compared to Chic or something.

As is "Iris" but in a really bad way--the album would be loads better w/out the few elecronica duffers clogging up the back half.

Has anyone heard the b-side? "Shadows," I think it's called?

"you belong" might be my favorite track on it now that I've had it a couple weeks, love the vocals

i think people who think this record is too serious are just taking it too seriously--i hear a ton of fun and cheese

late 80s House is mostly a serious affair anyway. do you think the dude from Raze thought it was all fun and games? Not me pal.

can you say "drop the panties mix" with a straight face, so to speak?

it's a stony faced ORDER

i think people who think this record is too serious are just taking it too seriously--i hear a ton of fun and cheese

-- max, Tuesday, March 4, 2008 11:22 AM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

im saying

this is a real weird record to get all "serious disco is serious :(" about ... i could understand if you were talking about the italians do it better stuff but this?

its SILLY

so is the italians do it better stuff a lot

not that you can't have it both ways

yeah i mean i like a lot of that stuff too, but a good amount of it ('in the city' etc) is very very intense!

The cover on "Blind" is extra lush in real life. The 7" in particular looks beautiful. It has matt card with thick glossy ink.

more likely a spot varnish.

Soz.

anyone know the differences between the several 12" releases of "blind"?

i'm seeing conflicting stuff between discogs/myspace/online record shops.

: ( : ( : (

I can't hear anything past the unlistenable awfultude of Antony.

after listening to this yesterday i decided i don't do blow but i can learn.

i think lady amanda likes her blow

: ( : ( : (

I can't hear anything past the unlistenable awfultude of Antony.

^^^THIS!

B-b-b-b-but he's great?!

on this album is the only time i've not hated antony, and my reservations re:this don't really stem from him

Heard the club mix of Blind on the dancefloor for the first time on Saturday. Sounded incredible, and people went apeshit. Maybe I should give the album another spin.

Club mix of "Blind" was the bomb when Stirmonster dropped it at 3am in the middle of the bush (read: uncultivated land 2 hours out from Melbourne) last night.

sounded great on my crappy pc speakers yesterday lunchtime

was the bomb

yeah, got squeals and cheers when he dropped it 24 hours earlier at a broken-down 1970s function room in Sydney - was v. surprised that so many people were aware of/familiar with/excited about it already! (only went to radio/TV here this week)

So is this coming out in the US or what?

i thought it came out today, but the record store just had the single and scratched their heads about a full-length.

no us release date

:(

hey! what's going on in there? come on out and share with the rest of us!

have they turned up for any live shows yet? they were a no show at roisin murphy on saturday, my girlfriend was gutted as to top it off she played a set of stripped down acoustic moloko medleys (shudders) and the tepid new album with a sum total of 1 tune ferom the ace herbert produced album

"octave-BOGGLING bass lines"?

what's so baffling about people loving something that sounds like arthur russell, disco, and house with pop vocals

It reminds me more of a Jive Bunny Mastermix.

then you need a doctor, chief

her new album wasnt tepid! xxxxp

have they turned up for any live shows yet?

You sure it was advertised as a live set and not a DJ Set?

I was under the impression their June London shows were their first live shows.... but i could be wrong

they're doing a lil show in Phonique tomorrow night I think, but iirc that shop isn't very big and there were 900+ facebook invites...

another show on sale soon by the looks

looks like that's on sale to me

copied from their mail out - more shows now added

Fri 23 - The Parlure Spiegeltent, Brighton Tickets
Sat 24 - Warehouse, Manchester Tickets
Sun 25 - Dot to Dot Festival @ Thekla, Bristol Tickets
Mon 26 - Evolution - Baltic Stage, Newcastle Tickets
Wed 28 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Tickets
Thu 29 - Sound City @ Barfly, Liverpool Tickets
Fri 30 - Classic Grand, Glasgow Tickets
Sat 31 - Wax On - Lotherton Hall, Leeds Tickets
June
Tue 3 - Soho Revue, London (Sold Out)
Wed 4 - Soho Revue, London (Sold Out)
Thu 5 - Heaven, London Tickets

Oh crap, they're playing Nottingham the same night as the Public Enemy It Takes A Nation Of Millions tour, just round the corner at Rock City. What to do, what to do...

Who were a better band? Suede or Hercules and Love Affair

oh bollocks i meant PE, joke ruined

I feel a poll coming on...

Best one-two-three I've done on a CD comp for a friend in a while:

1) Glass Candy - Introduction
2) Hercules & Love Affair - Blind (Club Mix)
3) Adamski. ft. Seal - Killer

Dear Stuart "Macaroni" Maconie:

Why TF are you and Radcliffe not playing anything from this superb album on your Radio 2 show when you've obviously got plenty of time to play crap like MGMT and Neon Neon?

Many thanks for your help in this matter, &c.

Anyone catch him DJ at the end with C2 last night?

just found out it's only a DJ set in SF :(

Anybody else find it incredibly frustrating that (and please correct me if I'm wrong) the only physical release of their available domestically in the US is still the "Classique #2 / Roar" 12"? I mean, sure, they're probably not gonna get nearly the attention over here, but if DFA is a NYC based label, why can't they put out this stuff domestically? Any word on this? I know there was some talk of things with EMI changing up, but would that keep them from releasing stuff here?

has anyone heard classique#3 yet? a friend has an advance copy from tim dfa and it sounds stunning

I know there was some talk of things with EMI changing up, but would that keep them from releasing stuff here?

If EMI is in fact dropping DFA then I imagine that's the reason. I haven't heard anything further about whether or not this is true though.

EMI didn't exactly push the boat to promote the album, did they?

Can You Belong be the next single, plz

I need an Optimo remix of it or something :)

Amazon is still listing a domestic release for the upcoming Syclops album, and the latest LCD and Hot Chip albums apparently sold fairly well, so I dunno what's up with this...

Can You Belong be the next single, plz

I need an Optimo remix of it or something :)

-- The Macallan 18 Year, Thursday, March 27, 2008 4:12 PM (Yesterday)

you win. may 19 i hear.

So it looks like Mute will be releasing it in the US. Great news. But I still don't understand how DFA can't just release it as a DFA release. These things confuse me, but oh well. At least it'll be here soon:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/49859-hercules-and-love-affair-sign-to-mute-for-us-release

yeah, that confused me too. perhaps they've been in talks to do this all the while?

Mute is owned by EMI. Maybe it's their decision.

The import is $$$.

So maybe you have a little more insight Dan. Since DFA is officially affiliated with EMI, I guess they can't just choose to release an album in the US as a DFA album? The singles stuff is confusing enough to me. There are tons more DFA/EMI singles released in the UK but then there are the DFA 12" released over here that have the classic DFA labels and stuff but that aren't released in the UK. And what about the Astralwerks stuff like the Juan Maclean album?

The import is $$$.

-- Spencer Chow, Thursday, April 10, 2008 1:59 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

i paid like 11$ for the 12" which is about ave. for an import @ gramaphone.

i don't really get the ins and outs of who can release what, but going by that article ... it says mute licensed it from dfa, so maybe it's a deal that was put together to enable wider distribution? i dunno, just a guess ...

xpost, it's like $30 at Amoeba.

even the brits over at djh are complaining the lp is expensive at 20 pounds

$10 for 256kb/s files on itunes

I'm old fashioned about albums as good as this one.

xpost, it's like $30 at Amoeba.

-- Spencer Chow, Thursday, April 10, 2008 2:58 PM (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

ouch! you do know im talking about the 12" and not the LP? doesnt someone from ilx work @ amoeba? demand an explanation

the sebastien tellier is like $24 at gramaphone. cant decide whether its worth it in order to play 'kilometer' out

haha, yeah, talking about the CD.

Anyone seen him DJ? He's playing Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

Saw him DJ in Leeds Easter weekend, sadly there were about 9 people on the dance floor and he wasn't on form. Probably not his fault, more the lame crowd and attendance. In terms of his I remember a Nu Groove track (I think). I'm very much looking forward to the London show though.

"his playlist" I meant.

he's playing a dj set in SF with Timo Maas. i wonder if i should bother...

opening for timo maas

when he played in t.o. in december i thought he was great. held the dancefloor for a good couple hours and the place was packed despite the massive snowstorm taking place outside.

yeah, don't take my example, Zip from Perlon was playing to even less people next door at the same time. The sound systems were cr@p. I'd say go..

Mute is owned by EMI, as is Astralwerkse. Word is Astralwerks passed on it and Mute was interested. They may not want to release it themselves because they think it deserves the support of a larger label and/or will benefit from that.

I'm old fashioned about albums as good as this one.

this ^

late 80s House is mostly a serious affair anyway. do you think the dude from Raze thought it was all fun and games?

Well, it's serious in that it's not made as a joke. No, obv it's not Ween. But there's "serious about it" and then there's po-faced, humorless, missionary.

And on a note that is not related to that AT ALL, just in case you were tampted, don't bother with the new Moby. Not even as a download. :(

This album is amazing. Can't believe it hasn't been mentioned how "You Belong" is a great reinterpretation of Inner City's "Good Life".

Wow, I thought of "Good Life" when I heard it too, but then, I know nothing about house so I was reluctant to mention how that keyboard/synth sound is so similar. That song just happens to be one of a handful of house songs I really like, so I figured, well, it probably reminds me of that song because I just don't know too many others by name. So it's nice to see someone who actually knows something about this music making that comment.

"You Belong" is easily my favorite song of the bunch. Not sure the album will ultimately stick with me, since it's pretty far removed from my usual(s). The ketjak meets "Good Life" is pretty hard to resist though, at least when done this well.

'You Belong' is Frankie Knuckles' 'Your Love' more than 'Good Life' I think, but its a great track nonetheless.

saw him play records last night in SF. such a blast. played the best selection of beardy disco and triumphant house. was easily the gayest show i've been to. it was a toga party and they even had extras at the door. he put on a piano house remix of an old madonna song (IIRC it was express yourself) and the entire crowd of gay men and straight women (and myself) were singing along top of their lungs.

xpost, Actually "Time Will" has the exact same bassline as "Your Love". The synth line (minus a note) and even the cowbells on "You Belong" are directly from "Good Life" (although the vocals are more like "Your Love", yes).

Actually I didn't have a point in the first place, I got You Belong and Time Will mixed up. Ignore me.

I like the disco sound of this album but I'm not crazy about the vocals.

xpost, haha ok!

the last track with all the layered voices is pretty remarkable; i was hoping it'd go on for a lot longer.

apparently there's a riton re-rub of 'you belong' around somewhere?

bimble otm

xpost

Yes, it's very good.

he put on a piano house remix of an old madonna song (IIRC it was express yourself) and the entire crowd of gay men and straight women (and myself) were singing along top of their lungs.

caught him in vancouver on sat. - liked this remix. details on it?

the riton rmx is great

yeah it is

Aeroplane Feat Kathy Diamond - Whispers [Hercules and Love Affair Remix]

where have you been all my life, sweetie

That's a beauty, indeed. Goldfrapp remix's also ace.

i saw that they'd done a yazoo remix?

yazoo "situation" remix ....

http://www.yazooinfo.com/news.html#n15

first live vids from studio b this past saturday ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MaLzZyJbzyw

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_WC3PbVAIGs

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rph-OCeR7SY

I'm warming up to this. I've gotten past the point of annoyance with Antony's vocals and WOW THE HORNS.

videos of them doing this live are great

blind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaLzZyJbzyw

hercules' theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WC3PbVAIGs

lol ill start reading threads soon

is that a pretty hot girl or a really hot trannie?

also on remix tip: the two chaz jankel remixes are good. aeroplane one is the best, though (and the original aeroplane track is great, that is a quality 12").

unbelievably hot tranny.

transsexual Nomi

u down with o.p.p.? yeah, you nomi

u down with a rad tranny? yeah, you nomi

Those clips are completely terrible.

Nomi ROCKS. Interviewed her last week, and she's totally adorable.

I’m curious to know what sort of atmosphere you get at your shows, because you’ve got that lovely contrast. On one level, they’re uptempo, celebratory dance songs, but at the same time you’ve got that private, introspective quality. How does that work on stage?

"It is a celebration, but it’s emotional as well. When I’m singing the song, it’s emotional for me because the lyrics are so introspective, and I really empathise. It really makes me think so much. When I’m singing Blind, I’m really singing the words, and I’m singing to the audience. It’s strange, because I can talk to myself and use those words, and I can talk to the people and use those words."

I can imagine you looking out as you’re singing that, and seeing that some people are getting it on the level of being a dance track, and that other people are completely in the emotion of the song at the same time.

"It’s so fun, because at one point you’re just having fun, you’re dancing, the band is all in the moment. And then there are the words, and the emotion where I sing from. I sing from an emotional place. I relate the songs to my life, and it comes out in my performance. It’s an interesting mix."

You’ve talked previously about growing up in a rough neighbourhood, where music helped to provide you with a fantasy world, and a means of escape. Is that still an element of how you perform now?

"Yes, I still have that. It’s when I feel most alive in myself. I just feel like my existence, whoever I am, matters at that moment. So when I’m on stage and I’m performing, I just feel like: this is it, this is what I’m made of, you know?"

But I hope there will also be glamour, and general fabulousness of that nature.

"Oh, it’s all glamour."

Hot Tranny Mess.

I like the tank tops they're wearing. I Googled "Banjee" to see what that meant, and apparently:

Banjee is a term from the 1980s or earlier that describes a certain type of young Latino, Black, or multiracial man who has sex with men and who dresses in stereotypical maculine urban fashion for reasons which may include expressing masculinity, hiding his sexual orientation and attracting male partners. The term is mostly associated with New York City and may be Nuyorican in origin.

Those videos are great!

banjee girl: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XU0PcBmrWa0

oh this ones better ... it's got boy as well: http://youtube.com/watch?v=emcWrytDRgo

<3 Paris Is Burning

sometimes i wear that exact outfit, w/ the tight jeans and grey sneaks and black and white striped sweater.

also "paris is burning" is one of the top 5 all time "what it means to be alive" films

is this out in the US yet? i couldn't find it about a month ago.

June 24

-=+~PARIS IS BURNING~+=-

Favorite tracks: "True False/Fake Real," "Hercules Theme," "Easy," more or less in that order.

WOW THE HORNS.

-- The Reverend, Wednesday, May 21, 2008 12:06 AM (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

originally i thought this was frontloaded like crazy but ive had the back half of this on repeat this week, esp. late at night. it's very narcotic in a screwed sense i think. then of course the horns. the last 2:30 or so of "this is my love" stands up to any part of the album including the singles also.

basically the thesis of the pitchfork review of this is totally otm. just so many great ideas here.

http://a152.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/123/l_6eac37d40a840b65079dfce8297c7bff.gif

If the cover of the physical release doesn't do that, I'm going to be disappointed.

My favorite bit is at the end of "Hercules Theme" where it totally clamps down to just the horns and drums, then explodes everything out into the solos.

re: blind

after last nite my preference has changed from the frankie knuckles remix to the club mix. people were loving it.

thanks for the tip! i've listened to the frankie knuckles to the exclusion of the rest of the mixes, but now i'll go back.

this is andy butler talking about the album track-by-track http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOVdEw0hDg&eurl=http://perpetua.tumblr.com/

it's 25 mins long but pretty worth it

if only cuz it's cool to hear something about the tracks on here that aren't blind/athene/hercules' them

club mix is craz-e good

My favorite track on this is still "Iris." What does that mean

youre looking for the goo goo dolls thread

there it is

"Blind" is the free iTunes single of the week.

The reviews are full of haterade tho

Okay, the iTunes comments are a goddamned goldmine. Some highlights below (with choice lines in bold) - all (sic); and concluding with one genuinely awesome one:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

uh. are you joking, itunes? it sounds like an old man moaning in pain because his hip broke in the middle of a nightclub. and as he falls, someone plays the trumpet. jeez.

blind and bad. Yet another substandard sound which lacks inspiration, creativity, and especially depth of emotion. There is simply nothing to hold onto in this mix of over used sounds bad rhythm tracks un rudimentary melodic lines if you can call them that. This is just tired music for sleepy people. Nothing exciting or original. Next!

Terible! What is this supposed to be??? i wish itunes would give out better songs, i mean so fa,r this is the WORST song, in my opinion, that they have given out!!!! This sounds like OPERA, OPERA!!!!!! This makes me think about falling asleep, and i can hardly sleep at night!

what is this this is complete trash. its not even a joking matter. wow. click "yes" if you agree

no thank you. ok someone else may love this, but im not liking it. Pretty strange. His voice just scares me, like hes not strait, and the beat really annoys me. Itunes, please, some alternative or rock, i beg of you.

yikes! I never thought there was such a thing as bad music. and wow. this is awful!

are you kidding i maybe will start crying next time i hear it.

Awful! The nanny goat vibrato and the chords that don't progress with the melody make it for a weird disco-ish that belongs in a Saturday Night skit... wait... some cable show skit at 3am

i would just like to say that my dog could write and perform better music.

I'm a 56-year-old lady, and I thought this was a neat song. I don't always like the free iTunes, yet sometimes one comes along that touches me. This is one of those. I love the lead singer's voice.

There's also some more depressing homophobic ones, and lots of just "this sucks!" one-star reviews.

I know I'm out of touch with the mainstream, but I'm sort of surprised by the intensity of the hate. Good lord... people are not having this. There is also a truly remarkable united movement against capitalization happening in this world.

you have to consider the types of people who write itunes reviews, mostly 15 year old tool fanatics. don't think h&la is their thing

This makes me think about falling asleep, and i can hardly sleep at night!

surely a godsend then

lol very true

<3 The yazoo mix

<3 56-year-old lady

Kinda fancy this at The Amersham Arms, New Cross on Monday, even though I gotta work the next day. Anyone going?

2nd Jun 08
Andy Butler (HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR) dj set
21:00-02:00
A very special dose of disco inferno at the Amersham tonight, with man of the moment, Andy Butler, the brains behind DFA's hotter than hot Hercules and Love Affair. If you been seduced by Antony and the Jonsons collaboration 'Blind', and the fantastic album yet, you must have been living under a rock.

uh. are you joking, itunes? it sounds like an old man moaning in pain because his hip broke in the middle of a nightclub. and as he falls, someone plays the trumpet. jeez.

haaaaaaaa

itunes comments remind me of what it was like to play music that i loved to my friends, always hoping that they'd like it too.

" it sounds like an old man moaning in pain because his hip broke in the middle of a nightclub. and as he falls, someone plays the trumpet."

funniest thing i've read all week!

itunes comments remind me of what it was like to play music that i loved to my friends, always hoping that they'd like it too.

-- jermainetwo, Wednesday, May 28, 2008 1:52 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Link

that makes it sound like you killed them all

I know! Someone plays the TRUMPET! I kind of imagine this sound effect.

I should've added "as a teenager", somewhere in there.

By the way - hi, resident advisor readers who aren't also ilm readers!

the vinyl version of the album (with the fluoro cover) looks fantastic. the $70 asking price, not so much!

I have at least one and possibly two tickets spare for the gig tomorrow night at the Soho Revue Bar.

Would anyone be interested?

Face value, so a tenner? Doors are 19.30, but I'm not sure what time they'll be on.

Jamie, just ILX mailed you....

Cool. I'll check my mail.

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=281357041&s=143441

lol itunes

I can't get that link to open (it's geofiltered for the U.S.). What is it?

link to the itunes comments upthread

"His voice just scares me, like hes not strait"

My goodness. . .

Awful, but it kinda cuts to the heart of the matter. That's WHY all the vitriol, do u see? This is some serious faggot disco, right here.

There's also some more depressing homophobic ones

They're ALL homophobic!

It gives me an idea, though... I think a radio station, possibly in the Midwest, could generate a lot of publicity if they sponsored an event, perhaps at a large sporting venue, where they could... demolish Hercules and Love Affair records. Call it Hercules and Love Affair Demolition Night.

I fucking hate this country.

"His voice just scares me, like hes not george strait"

seriously if you think hercules & love affair would get a different reaction anywhere else ...

also let's not forget what kind of people go for the weekly free itunes download (hint: teenagers)

what are the odds i wont hate this

Itunes reviews aren't surprising, but it makes me sad. ;_;

i'd say 50/50. i don't get the hype myself ... i started listening to dance music partly to avoid shit like antony!

sayin

no way ethan makes it through 1 mintue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9koeZGK3mk

also let's not forget what kind of people go for the weekly free itunes download (hint: teenagers)

yeah, the only reason to pay attention to the free iTunes is if mom and dad would kill you for downloading from anywhere else.

i love this album very much

me too, so far it's second on my '08 list behind erykah

i started listening to dance music partly to avoid shit like antony!

-- moonship journey to baja, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 1:52 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Link

??? antony sounds v much in the tradition of dance music on this

you have to realize that i started w/ early 90s hardcore and tribal house, then moved on through big beat and into hard techno.

in other words, NOT MY TRADITION, hipster

sylvester really was the best part of the velvet underground

have you heard his work with king tubby and the tony conrad's dream syndicate? it's like the birth of acid house.

enjoyed the London show, lovely venue. If Anthony was there it would have been perfect, the girls voices were too deep in the mix. Everyone looked as though they were having fun even stuck around after the show. Oh and NOMI is AMAZING, love the pink dress.

I saw Nomi at the end of last week's Public Enemy gig in Nottingham. Hercules had finished their set at the Rescue Rooms next door, and she had wandered through to catch the last half hour or so. She does look amazing, I agree!

yeah, I'm in love.

enjoyed the London show, lovely venue. If Anthony was there it would have been perfect, the girls voices were too deep in the mix. Everyone looked as though they were having fun even stuck around after the show. Oh and NOMI is AMAZING, love the pink dress.

-- mmmm, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 11:36 PM (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Yeah the London show was funny and sweet and sexy and funky and way more Arthur Russell than the album.

They did a great cover of Don't Fear the Reaper!

I met thread starter Jamie T Smith there for the first time and he is a fantastic guy!

They did a great cover of Don't Fear the Reaper!

w-w-w-w-wowzers!

Jesus I want to hear that so bad now :(

damn they didn't play reaper at their gig in manchester. did they cover fox the fox - precious little diamond in london too?

my brother had a boner for nomi. i told him nomi is a dude. his response?..."i'm not gay".

i would recommend ethan check the frankie knuckles remix first

Hercules and Love Affair is good stuff. In the US outside of cities you're basically a "fuckin fagot" if you eat fresh fruit, vegetables, and read for fun. Copping Sylvester to them is headexplode.gif

those iTunes reviews are a pretty good window into how the gay marriage issue can help a dumbass like Bush win an election. Hence why a ridiculously conservative state supreme court recently approved of gay marriage rights ... which can coincidentally be challenged by voters on the first Tuesday this coming November.

burt plz stfu

Did you come into this thread just to say that? Screw you dumbass.

No Fox the Fox cover (at least, I don't think--I don't know the song and can't get YouTube at work).

omg the frankie knuckles mix

yes, that knuckles is something else. also, this album i encountered with trepidation but now it's become one my most listened to records of 08.

riton remix of "you belong" sounds awesome

i would recommend ethan check the frankie knuckles remix first

-- deej, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 10:23 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Link

checked for this on youtube

it was aite

He looks like one of Hood on the cover of this month's XLR8R. This amuses me more than it should.

he gets stripped down in the latest issue of BUTT magazine too.

The lead singer on "You Belong," Nomi Ruiz, was recently quoted as saying she never listened to disco

Nomi Fiasco

He looks like one of Hood on the cover of this month's XLR8R. This amuses me more than it should.

-- djh, Saturday, June 14, 2008 2:30 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Link

i thought this said he looks like HOOS

i got a six-track promo CD of "blind" for pre-ordering a domestic copy of the CD at my local shop. it looks like this, except instead of the instrumental it has the serge santiago remix.

the tracklisting on the back lists seven tracks (radio edit, album version, club mix, frankie knuckles vocal, frankie knuckles dub, serge santiago, instrumental) but it looks like the instrumental was left off.

anyway ... bonus!!

also it comes in a jewel case instead of a cardboard sleeve.

the 'you belong' double pack is gonna be a treat - OG, instrumental, riton, kevin saunderson and derrick carter mixes plus another hercules club mix!

i picked up the domestic 2LP the other day for about $20. not bad considering all the bitching i heard about the price of the record in the uk/ europe. the packaging looks great!

oh and i'm happy there's lyrics! i finally know what kim ann is singing on athene after all this time :D

i cant wait to buy this on tuesday

i hope it's a digi

anyone read yesterday's NYT story?

yes. trying to recall if Hua Hsu's been in the Times before.

They're playing in SF!.

http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=mezzanine&pl=mezzaninesf

beta blog, I think he has.

I like the video for "You Belong" a lot and will be seeing them (along with ONLY GAYS, according to that NYT article) in August in NYC. EXCITED.

http://phs.abstractdynamics.org/2008/06/npr_baffled_by_hercules_and_lo.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91707889

42:40

interview: http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature-read.aspx?id=927

anyone know what crusty punk band his lil brother's in?

^^^He has a Jacques Lacan quote tattooed across his chest.^^^

lacan't do that on television

lacan in pop music? a little scritti politti for me

wait what's the lacan quote?

"DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DESIRE"

also, a lyric in "Iris"

Just got the US CD on Mute. Thumbnail pictures online do not do justice to the eyeball-searing colors the packaging is printed in- kind of wishing I'd gone for the LP just for the sheer visual appeal of the thing.

Speaking of "Iris," I'm kind of shocked that so few reviews even mention it, it's fucking great.

apparently that's Raw Patrick's favorite song of 2008.

Yeah, I won't lie and say that "Iris" is better than "Athena," "Blind," or "Hercules Theme," but that shows how deep this album goes, because I do love it.

i like it too but the lyrics are well corny

apparently that's Raw Patrick's favorite song of 2008.

-- Steve Shasta, Wednesday, July 2, 2008 4:58 PM (42 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

I'm being libelled!

we know the real answer is slipknot's 'all hope is gone'

They're just telling it the way I'm feeling it.

love that BUTT now comes with a plastic cover. cute article too.

Iris is fierce.

Re: packaging- I really like the green they used to denote the two bonus tracks. It adds something to the color scheme I didn't think was there in my import version.

They were so amazing (in San Diego) last night. Some dipshit from one of the earlier bands broke their SH101 so they almost didn't go on, but they fixed it and went on to blow up the place. So much fun and so life-affirming.

Something about they way the songs came out live makes them seem very 'overcoming' and triumphant. They finished with "Hercules Theme" and let the horn players just jam out until the end. I'm still pretty happy form that show.

Saw them last night in SF, and it was truly one of the best concerts I've seen in ages. Life-affirming-- they were giving so much love to the crowd and the crowd was going insane and giving so much love back. Really wonderful.

have they played 'precious little diamond' at any of their recent shows?

what table said. amazing show. for the encore they surprised everyone when Daniel Wang came out in shiny lime green leggings and a cowbell and vogued. amazing. i guess he's originally from daly city?

i wish they'd played 'precious little diamond', but they played 'don't fear the reaper' (which was also pretty great.

michael mayer covered it first
http://www.imeem.com/exonsama/music/1Rc4EB5c/michael_mayer_amanda/

;-p

jaxon, you're joking, right?

i heard the same thing, vahid. but i missed the show :( next time!

i don't joke

fuck deej! thank you. i knew i knew the precious little diamond song from somewhere before. that's on Total 2, right? so great.

"Iris" = sleeper

They played '...Reaper' in San Diego too. Wish I could have heard '...Diamond' also but we're probably not hip enough for that.

I really wanna see these again. They played Reaper when I saw them so I want Diamond next time.

I also caught the show in SF and can only mimic what everyone else has said. the horn jam sessions were particularly sweet and they opened by covering Danny Wang's "I can't stop dreaming." and yes jaxon the wang vogueing was sweet, I thought he moved to SF and that's when he "discovered" disco but I could be wrong.

i feel like i've sen danny wang in other places recently, too.

anyway-- 'don't fear the reaper' was quite something.

they opened by covering Danny Wang's "I can't stop dreaming."

the low point of the show for me :-\

how come? you don't like that song or it didn't come off well?

kinda wishing I saw them in New York now.

also jaxon, i totally saw you at the show, but i was distracted so i didn't say hello.

they opened by covering Danny Wang's "I can't stop dreaming."

the low point of the show for me :-\

-- Steve Shasta, Monday, July 28, 2008 11:14 AM (44 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

yeah it wasn't really the greatest cover but i thought it was a cool homage to an sf disco artist. sorry, guess i didn't really contextualize that well with my exuberance over the horn jam sessions

Shoulda gone to the SF show. My former roommate went and said it was nuts. Awesome there are many SFers on this board. Also, Daniel Wang from Daly City? I'm new to Italo and disco so the few comps I have, I can't tell who actually existed in 1981 and who is from 2004 - glad to hear he's not only contemporary but local! Or am I wrong?

danny wang is older than the bible

been involved in the scene for a very long time, only started releasing records in 93.

Danny Wang sold me a Roland SH-101 about six years ago.

he is hot

danny wang is a discosaurus sex

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2710844954_c1a9e26ba0_o.jpg

wow he looks like he works out a bit

i couldn't figure out which would be worse / better: going to the show and trying to not look at him/her, or trying to explain to my wife that it's okay because in reality i'm actually staring at a man.

-- moonship journey to baja, Saturday, July 26, 2008 4:58 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

his last name is "wang"

Man, I hope H&LA come to Chicago sometime.

that quote is re: nomi, for the record

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/CORPOD/CB040720~Chihuahua-Wearing-Eyeglasses-Posters.jpg

"Daniel Wang looks so feminine"

Have no idea about the live show, but the album is pretty damn boring.

The better stuff is in the middle, but all in all, it's defies attention span. :-/

*gasp*

Lifelike also did a great rework or Precious Little Diamond as 'My Precious Diamond') a few years back btw

Who does Antony's vocals on tour? Or do they not play his songs? I can't imagine them not playing "Blind."

i like this album.

but as much as i've tried, something about anthony's voice just bugs me and i can't quite ever get over it.

jaymc, "she" does

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/herculesandloveaffair/studiob/hercules-3.jpg

S/he looks virtual in that photo.

youre allowed to say "she," guys

without the quotes cuz damn look at that rack

^^ my man

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that she's a regular woman, with big breasts.

Does it matter? When the show is good and the singing is good (although it will never be Anthony) does it matter if it's a boy or a girl? Here in Europe we're dealing with a whole lot more important and simular casus: the singer of the German band Tokyo Hotel. What kind of creature is that? And can German bands never be normal people? Apart from, well, bands like Blumfeld, Tocotronic and a whole lot of other bands that i like but don't have a 13-year old female fanbase. Why?

can German bands never be normal people?

THANK U ROY

At the LA show they played a tape of Anthony's vocal and Nomi added extra backing vocals.

It was an awkward moment in an otherwise GREAT show.

I'm thinking about dropping $70 to see them on nov 1 with the B-52's -- worth it?

i had a mad "boner" for the booby "girl" that night in SF, but then again i was on drugs

i guess she's a little muscley, but fuckin a, H&LA = androgyny right?

androgyny hegarty?

has anyone picked up that live album?

Canada live dates: Toronto - Sat Oct 18 @ the Opera House - 735 Queen St E / Montreal - Sun Oct 19 @ Les Saints – 30 St Catherine O.

There's also a Kim Ann mix up at BiS

so siked

so fun

Tempted to make without the quotes cuz damn look at that rack my new name on here.

robyn you shoulda come to the after

the whole band hit the little zoob dancefloor.. andy butler djing... sooo good

there were lasers

has anyone picked up that live album?

Eh?

I was a little underwhelmed at this show. Maybe it was just at the venue I was at, but the mix was unbalanced and too loud. I wanted crispness. I was actually happiest when the DJ who opened for them played "Happy House." But they were still pretty fun to watch.

Jaymc have you had a chance to see The Juan Maclean live on this tour? They closed the show I was at with a 20+ minute version of Happy House. I was sore the next day.

Luuved me the Blur Oyster Cult cover in Chicago.

Um, Blue Oyster Cult. Blur had nothing to do with it.

Yeah, it took me a minute to realize what song that was!

And no, matt2, I missed that show and kind of regret it.

lasers
i love lasers
i was being all prudent re: my crazy mondays, but i'm tired anyway and have 5 hrs of work to do in 3 hrs uhhh. i shld put on some h&la to make it all ok!

to see you now, to hear you now, i can look outside myself! ooo-oo-ooo-oo
.working.

They closed the show I was at with a 20+ minute version of Happy House. I was sore the next day.

plz come back down here Juan

I was the only person dancing in 2500 capacity theatre last time tho :(

"Raise Me Up" = slow burner

indeed

saw them at sonar and was pretty disappointed. i like the album enough but the 'replacement' singers were off key. actually all the singers didn't sound right that night.

has anyone picked up that live album?

Eh?

http://liveherenow.com/Product.asp?ArID=220&AID=404

seems they've got a new mix album coming out on renaissance in july. the same tracks on two cds: one mixed, one not

1. WestBam - And Party
2. Sax - No Pares (Don't Stop)
3. Hercules & Love Affair - I Can't Wait
4. In Flagranti - I Never Screwed Around Before
5. Dubwise - Hold me Real Tight
6. Fax Yourself - Sunshine
7. Todd Terry Project - Weekend
8. Daniel Wang - Zola Has Landed
9. Rhythm Masters - Oh Oh Why
10. Los Kings Del Mambo - Studio X
11. Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band - I'll Play The Fool
12. Ray Martinez Jnr - Lady of the Night
13. Gino Soccio - Dream On
14. Rainbow Team - Dreaming

I'll pick this up fo sho.

god how awesome would it be if that new track was a nu shooz cover

This mix is out in the UK now- anyone heard it?

Aha in fact it's not out yet, but my question stands!

so these guys have been dropped by DFA?

? really?

i hears a rumour that's all

i dig the new track

mix is pretty good--tho beware, the unmixed cd doesnt have the new h&la or the in flagranti or the rhythm masters

only listened once tho so i reserve the right to change my opinion

Really enjoying this mix. Took a couple tracks to warm up but by the time Sunshine comes on, i'm sold.

Haven't heard it yet, but anything that revives N-Fusion releases is AWESOME!

SPECIFICALLY those two tracks!

DJ set tonight. Should I attend?

<a href="http://www.inlovewithhercules.com"; target="_blank">there's a new album finished, already!?</a> Anyone know if they're still going to be on dfa? If Shit Robot was getting his LP out this year, i'd have the trifecta of my 3 favourite DFA associated artists releasing music in the same year. The other being LCD obv

http://www.inlovewithhercules.com

Yes, wicked! It's not that surprising that LP2 is around so quickly as the debut was in the making years before it actually came out.

I wonder if there are any special guest vocalists.

http://pitchfork.com/news/39843-hear-a-new-track-from-hercules-and-love-affair-leader-andrew-butler/

so so dope. jason kendig is from SF's honey soundsystem

that player isn't working for me :(

http://www.xlr8r.com/news/2010/08/stream-new-track-hercules-love-a

I am glad to see Jason getting some shine.

new single "my house"

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=122&p=9478&title=hercules_aamp_love_affair_stream_exclusi&more=1&c=1

love love love

I * love * this band but that song is thin, I like the vocalist tough.

I'm dying to hear the record version of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx3AQdrgY_s

Album is future classic in the making I hope!

Ok I'm on a binge right now, these guys make me want to go fabulous and stuff.

Wicked dance moves from the new guy

"I can't wait" is on the Sidetracked mixtape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjRG99lfFXU&feature=related

would be better if the moron in the sailor cap stfu.

maybe this is being from chicago & hearing this kind of stuff everywhere but 'my house' aint doin it for me.

It is a little thin, but it's a great tune. Bit obvious in 2010 to have cut-up vocal samples but it really works, and between this, Tensnake and Azari & Ill I think it's safe to say that the 90s house revival is well and truly underway, which makes me very happy.

i fuck with this

it's definitely very comfort food-y but w/e

It's not bad.

the idea there will be no antony on this makes me ;_;

it "sounds" great but the song itself is barely there, like someone singing ridiculous cliché lyrics in a booth to check the levels. which is exactly why they need antony. "Painted Eyes" is better than this though.

otm whats the point of this? empty revivalism & no song

I accept it as an above-average generic house track.

On the dance floor I would have noticed it.

you're right that there's not much of a song but I'm really liking the production. these guys were amazing live a couple months ago.

Speaking as a big fan of the first album, Blue Songs isn't doing much for me on first listen... empty pastiche.

is Nomi on it?

Press one sheet:

Hercules & Love Affair return with their new album Blue Songs on Moshi Moshi released 31st January.

Blazing a trial with the worldwide club smash Blind, their self-titled debut garnered considerable critical and commercial acclaim. Named as the Breakthrough Album of the year in The New York Times and featuring in Pitchfork’s Top Ten albums of 2008,

Herc main man Andy Butler has shifted the focus gently away from the New York house and disco forms of the debut; relocating to Denver and recording the album in Vienna with techno producer Patrick Pulsinger. Herc mainstay Kim Ann Foxman returns on vocals, and is joined in starring roles by Venezuelan singer Aerea Negrot, fan-turned-collaborator Shaun Wright and Kele Okereke (Bloc Party),

Blue Songs sees Bulter broaden his musical palette - “There’s definitely jacking house and there’s definitely even more full-blown disco, but there’s also more experimental, softer music” he explains.

Tracklisting for Blue Songs:

1. Painted Eyes

2. My House

3. Answers Come In Dreams

4. Leonora

5. Boy Blue

6. Blue Songs

7. Falling

8. I Can’t Wait

9. Step Up

10. Visitor

11. It’s Alright

Blue Songs will be preceded by a single "My House" – Release on the 24th Jan

I mean the acid-y bits are better but still not grabbing me. Still, first listen...

'my house' is boring

Actually the last track Visitor is smoking. Maybe I just need to inhale more anal relaxant and put some mood lighting on.

haha ... See, this is what I was talking about. I had the most horrible day and when I saw this vid everything was instantly 15% better. I wish I was invited to parties like this ;_:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKM6lhzc74E

so from DFA to Moshi Moshi !

given that for a while moshi moshi was a find-em-and-lose-em-to-the-majors venture .. is this the first time a major label band has gone the other way ?

is this gonna be like the last HALA album where it seems like your gonna listen to it way more than you ever do?

is DFA a major label, mark e?

so weird that they moved though, DFA has a readymade fanbase of people who will listen to anything they bring out plus they reach a lot of people outside that fanbase.

i listened to half of the last H&LA a lot and the rest of it i skipped.

It seems like Tim Goldsworthy was a connection between DFA and HALA last time because he produced the majority of the record. Maybe the bad blood has meant a shift was needed and also Buttler is releasing this partly through his Mr. INTL label, right?

EMI distributes certain DFA releases (not the first H&LA album though), but I'm pretty that's all the extent of their deal.

cannot wait for this album!!

EMI totally put out the first Hercules album in Australia

Hmmm, it was distroed by Mute in the US.

i thought that EMI/DFA deal was dead but i could be wrong.

Maybe? Last year's LCD and Hot Chip albums still came out through EMI

is DFA a major label, mark e?

as has been said, at the time of the first HALA album, DFA was getting a lot of help via their team up with EMI.

i'm pretty sure my cd copy has an emi logo on it.

still, i'd say it's a pretty big deal for moshi moshi.

then again after their big slash with florence/drums etc, i guess its to be expected.

[now i'm beginning to wonder if there is a collectors market for old moshi moshi promos ..]

I really really rooley carnt wait for the new album!!

Hmmm, it was distroed by Mute in the US.

and Mute was wholly owned by EMI from 2002-2009 so

ah, didn't know that

there is NO WAY this'll be better than the first but my prediction is that it'll still be rad & i'll jam it 2 my death

word

http://soundcloud.com/moshimoshimusic/sets/hercules-love-affair-blue-songs

preview of whole album. only on track 3. sounds like grace jones. weird singer, less housey

oh

Maybe I need to listen to it a few times for it to take effect. As of now, it's just that album with "I Can't Wait" and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

maybe this is just the shock of the (well...) new but this sounds fn excellent.

honestly the first one was kindof a disappointment, mainly for not including roar which was my favourite cut from the ep(s?)

there was two classique eps right?

No, there was just a single: "Classique #2" b/w "Roar"

oh ok i get it, roar was amazing.

not sure I want to waste my first listen on a 128 kbps web stream but what the hell...

oh good! I knew I would love Step Up not so sure about the rest

I really want to like this

this is wack as expected

:O

is "wack" good or bad?

sounds boring 2 me but i wasnt v excited by the single at all & this follows suit

I deleted the single two days after downloading it, alas.

I only skipped through the rest of the songs because I had to leave, but I didnt really like it overall. Mostly due to the singer. Blue Boy was just awful. Not sure if was all just so new to me at the time, or Antony but this was pretty boring.

^ i agree. i saw them perform with this new lineup a few months back and was just as underwhelmed as i am by the album on first listen. i really want to like it but it's just missing something

haven't heard the album but i'm feeling this today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsSzxfTdlao

reviewed this yesterday. wasn't feeling. disappointing.

haha, on first listen I way prefer this. I liked the frankie knuckles mix of blind but otherwise their debut always seemed a little overstuffed. The singer *is* kinda weird but theres a general sense of exoticism that he seems keyed into closed eyes smokily slow tempos dancing close in the dark.

i didn't really think the debut was a ~great album~ either but it did have several great cuts and enough personality and hooks to move it beyond just pastiche. this doesn't, really. i like "i can't wait" and "boy blue", i guess. there are a couple of songs where the attempts to faithfully recreate the debut album are just dispiriting.

ok if deej doesnt like this i actually dont get deejs taste in music.

the kim Ann Foxman single is better than anything i've heard on this record yet.

I'm with Lex. I Can't Wait is great but most of the rest lacks personality.

ok if deej doesnt like this i actually dont get deejs taste in music.

― plax (ico), Tuesday, January 25, 2011 6:46 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i dont know what this means but these tracks just sound like largely halfassed trax tributes

idk deej, i just always figure you as being one of the most receptive ppl to this kind of languid moody house. Dont really get what you mean by halfassed trax tributes, i mean i think it definitely leans more towards boogie and levan than that.

FAO Lex:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxodGkgnIa8

4th person to tell me that. no doubt there are plenty in the guardian comments too! i had no idea.

the moral of the story is that familiarity isn't always a good thing for writers! (in my case with the PSB version, which i'd never had cause to question whether it was an original or not.)

also i've never actually liked the song

Ha, sorry, I was trying to do it as subtly as possible.

You're right on the most crucial point though, namely that the H&LA version is feeble.

nah i don't mind, it's kinda funny! miraculously i think it's the first time i've got something like this actually WRONG - i usually check but the album didn't come with credits/familiarity meant i thought i knew. ah well.

also, i'm glad i got the album so far in advance - if i'd had to turn it around within a week of hearing i'd probably have given the songs the benefit of the doubt and given it 3 stars, but after a month i was pretty sure that it wasn't that they weren't immediate, it was that they were weak.

maybe i'll give this a pass then. love this though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF3yAQUO4cc

you gave me 77 reasons to love you that night

wait, that's not originally a Pet Shop Boys song????? My world is imploding

lex offtm: some great tunes here (incl but def not limited to Leonora (aka "77 reasons"), Boy Blue, and Falling) that are not totally immediate but pretty much gorgeous.

on a couple of the more bangin trax the bassline seems to obscure the song that IS there, however (see My House, Step Up). Step Up is almost a total anthem.

http://soundcloud.com/campari_safari/01-wolfram-feat-hercules-love

This has been up on Luisterpaal for a little while now.

(The album, that is.)

This album doesn't bang.

yeah i like that abt it?

I'm really enjoying this. It's kind of sloppy and unfocused but the debut was also kind of one-note and overconsistent. "Falling" is as good or better than anything they have ever done.

yeah "falling" is my favorite one on this, I also like "leonora," "answers come in dreams," the title track... the songs are a lot less structured than on the debut and do seem sort of aimless at first but it's definitely not a bad album.

Very Good but not Great.

But still, screw the haters.

It doesn't really work as an album, but there are some fantastic tracks here. My personal favourite is "Blue Songs" even if it's the least typically H&LA cut here. "My House" is the worst imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq_8jGHWWlU >>>> Blue Songs

^Been jammin' to that for a year. Nomi is riding maximum slutwaves in that clip. Werk!

xx cover

http://soundcloud.com/moshimoshimusic/shelter-xx-cover

more like zz cover, amirite?

lol i like it

really like the Jessica 6 track - much better than Kim-Ann Foxman's imo. i only recently heard the 'Blind' b-side 'Shadows' and love it, bit of a 'Deeper And Deeper' vibe here and there

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H70XeBvIKHQ

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhg9e0hfEh1qzw3gpo1_500.jpg

xp that's funny because i can't stand that jessica 6 thing and i love the kim ann foxman

Both of those are good and better than anything on the new H&LA.

old guy in the black t-shirt looks way out of place xxp

is that munch

luv gay house; they better than indie tho.

xx cover roxx!!! but needs extended version.

Listening for the first time in a couple of months, and this is better than I remembered. If nothing else, "Painted Eyes" and "Leonora" are both excellent.

Weirdly, I never noticed that "Boy Blue" cuts out 1:45 into the song on the version I have. If anyone wants to e-mail me the full mp3, I'd appreciate it!

don't have mp3, but this album is great!!

what's the deal with no release in north america??

it's alright is corny as hell but i really like it

sorta see where you hear corny... earnest, definitely

"see where you hear" haha

New single: https://soundcloud.com/hercules-and-love-affair/do-you-feel-the-same-released/s-mPHkQ

I love it.

Great new song featuring John Grant !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTFf8jqPNu0

Oh, that's gorgeous; lovely video, too.

John Grant is an inspired vocalist choice.

No one's talking about it, eh? Too bad. I love it.

I don't have much to say about it but I am feeling it too. Still not as good as the debut but the John Grant tracks and "Do You Feel The Same" are some of the best stuff that he's (collectively?) done. The lyrics of "My Offence" feel a bit clunky but it stands out and I appreciate the sentiment if not the execution.

Kinda front-loaded but yeah, love it.

Man I need to give this another chance. I thought the second album was generally better than it was given credit for being -- and was surprised at the positive notices for the new one, which barely left an impression.

I have really enjoyed the new one while listening but it has a very generic feel. The beats and overall sound are repetitive over the course of an album.

New track. Gloomy indie is not what I expected.. Album coming in June.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmbDJFHqpoQ

Strange song.

new record is wonderfully goth