I'm enjoying it more too. I'm wondering if I'd like it a bit more if Civil Servant had been left off though. I guess it works as a nice scene-setter, but lyrically it doesn't do anything more than Jogging and Fulfilment Centre already do a lot better
― frame casual (dog latin), Monday, 14 October 2019 21:30 (four years ago) link
has one of the strongest melodies on the album though
― imago, Monday, 14 October 2019 21:32 (four years ago) link
I find the 'I refuse refuse refuse!' bit a bit cringey though eeeeh... and it is a strong melody but Dawson's vocals are just a bit much
― frame casual (dog latin), Monday, 14 October 2019 21:35 (four years ago) link
digging into this properly. come fully round on jogging with how the album kinda repurposes pub rock and shitty synth effects. black triangle by far the standout for me.
― devvvine, Friday, 18 October 2019 11:46 (four years ago) link
not a patch on peasant tho
indeed. he did a reddit AMA the other night, need to read that
― imago, Friday, 18 October 2019 11:47 (four years ago) link
"Civil Servant" is hilarious. I must check this album out
― The World According To.... (Michael B), Friday, 18 October 2019 11:49 (four years ago) link
think the less overtly 'state of the nation'-y parts are its strongest. was expecting a dawson song titled freshers ball to be too real, fortunately hit pretty hard in a different way
― devvvine, Friday, 18 October 2019 11:57 (four years ago) link
from the ama re black triangle
the whole ufo sighting was something that really happened to me and my pal neil. the song is completely as it happened right up to the point where neil lives in a barn conversion. so even though it uses this experience, it's not about me........
― devvvine, Friday, 18 October 2019 12:11 (four years ago) link
"Robert Wyatt doing George Benson" is a wonderful observation.
― charlie h, Friday, January 30, 2015 8:33 PM (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink
― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 18 October 2019 18:52 (four years ago) link
vile stuff really is the best song ever made, isn't it?
― devvvine, Sunday, 20 October 2019 14:43 (four years ago) link
What a crazy selection of favorite albums, there were two on there I couldn't even find online (and not the one he said you can't find online).
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 20 October 2019 16:44 (four years ago) link
― devvvine, Sunday, October 20, 2019 2:43 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
its a close-run thing with 'nothing important' but yeah
― imago, Sunday, 20 October 2019 18:40 (four years ago) link
I voted for Person Pitch. That and Feels are fading for me but still like them very much.
― Life is a meaningless nightmare of suffering...save string (Chinaski), Sunday, 20 October 2019 20:34 (four years ago) link
Love the images!
lol I doubt either of his first two albums will place.
― pomenitul, Sunday, 20 October 2019 20:35 (four years ago) link
if dicky dawson doesn't double-up come the 10's poll then i'm banning everyone
― imago, Sunday, 20 October 2019 20:37 (four years ago) link
Hah. It's been a long weekend...
(Agree The Vile Stuff is damn well perfect.)
― Life is a meaningless nightmare of suffering...save string (Chinaski), Sunday, 20 October 2019 20:38 (four years ago) link
Worth a read:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/26/richard-dawson-king-of-uneasy-listening-2020-album-interview
― Duke, Sunday, 27 October 2019 11:37 (four years ago) link
Reveals he has begun work on the next album
ty for that! don't remotely agree with the guardian framing this as his breakout masterpiece though
― imago, Sunday, 27 October 2019 11:44 (four years ago) link
Yeah, for me that was Peasant, which must have significantly widened his audience. But 2020 seems to be getting even more mainstream attention.
― Duke, Sunday, 27 October 2019 13:51 (four years ago) link
while NI is probably my favourite album of the decade, i can fully buy Peasant as his breakout moment yeah. mainstream is always slow to pick up on these things but RYM and the wider nerd community got on board at Peasant
― imago, Sunday, 27 October 2019 14:41 (four years ago) link
imo peasant sounds way more accessible than the nu one
― devvvine, Sunday, 27 October 2019 16:07 (four years ago) link
Crazy talk. The new one is may more accessible on several levels (not leats that's it's way easier to identify with totally relatable stories about people who live now versus people who lived 1400 years ago, never mind tunes and arrangements), and is totally the breakout record. Peasant is the one that hinted a breakout was possible, but it didn't go over the parapet.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 28 October 2019 16:05 (four years ago) link
Yeah, lots of people (my boss included) seem to be very familiar with Jogging. It's been getting a lot of Radio 6 airplay whereas I think Peasant was really a cult thing
― doorstep jetski (dog latin), Monday, 28 October 2019 16:21 (four years ago) link
i meant purely the arrangements and how it sounds, the ugliness of how jogging sounds compared to a song like weaver. not denying the the hooks and lyrics are more accessible.
― devvvine, Monday, 28 October 2019 16:47 (four years ago) link
working from a base of what wld my mum prefer so good chance i am talking nonsense
― devvvine, Monday, 28 October 2019 16:49 (four years ago) link
Shades of how my other Favourite Current Artist, Weyes Blood, had to release three incredible albums in a row before the powers that be really caught on. (And as with Dawson, the one that pushed her over the edge might not be her best, although in her case it's much more arguable)
― imago, Monday, 28 October 2019 17:03 (four years ago) link
Finally got a copy of Nothing Important yesterday, bought direct from Domino after reconciling myself to the fact that it will A: never be cheap online and B: never be in stock in my local HMV again.
So apart from The Vile Stuff it all sounds basically like unlistenable improvised torture to me right now, but HOLY SHIT I've listened to The Vile Stuff about 6 times in a row and WTF
What's it doing?! It's a 16-minute raga about a school trip that somehow finds a level of emotional intensity that is completely unwarranted. It makes Venus In Furs sound like Scouting For Girls. It makes a lyric about Newcastle United wallpaper sound like something occult.
Wow.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 1 November 2019 10:00 (four years ago) link
It's a brilliant song. The bit about him spacing out and having visions as he stares at his Newcastle United poster is something else
― doorstep jetski (dog latin), Friday, 1 November 2019 10:05 (four years ago) link
He has a visual disability that brings such visions about
Wait until the title-track clicks...
― imago, Friday, 1 November 2019 10:10 (four years ago) link
I must admit that, as much as I enjoy Dawson's music and Nothing Important in particular, there's a dare I say cultural barrier that will never dissolve completely.
― pomenitul, Friday, 1 November 2019 10:13 (four years ago) link
Kitchen sink mysticism ftw.
― Life is a meaningless nightmare of suffering...save string (Chinaski), Friday, 1 November 2019 10:15 (four years ago) link
xp Is that barrier not what makes it all the more compelling and appealing? For me it is tbf.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 1 November 2019 10:16 (four years ago) link
Up to a point. Then again, I'm not much of an anglophile – anglo-agnostic is probably a better descriptor.
― pomenitul, Friday, 1 November 2019 10:20 (four years ago) link
omg
https://thequietus.com/articles/17205-richard-dawson-interview-2
"Dawson hides his intent in plain sight, threading his lyrics with plenty of clues. The assailant outside the chip shop (Thadeus); the lad who cracks his head open (Peter); the pupil who “fills a Reebok Pump with the pulp from his belly” (Simon) and the object of his affections (Bartholomew); the lad who gobs at the narrator (Matthew); his neighbour who “lost two fingers to a Staffie-cross” (Andrew) who works at a no win no fee solicitors (James and James) and even the brand of screwdriver he injures himself with (Philip) are all the names of Christ’s apostles. (He hides his intent elsewhere as well. The two instrumental tracks on the album are called ‘Doubting Thomas’ and ‘Judas Iscariot’.)"
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Friday, 1 November 2019 11:01 (four years ago) link
xp Aren't we all in a way? :) (I hear you though)
― Le Bateau Ivre, Friday, 1 November 2019 11:23 (four years ago) link
xp [eric wareheim exploding head gif]
― devvvine, Friday, 1 November 2019 11:29 (four years ago) link
Most of it just reminds me of Half Man Half Biscuit.
― fetter, Friday, 1 November 2019 15:06 (four years ago) link
the other great uk folk-rock act of our time, but there's a distinct spirit
― imago, Friday, 1 November 2019 15:17 (four years ago) link
The potato line in Shapeshifter is bugging me. They weren't introduced to the UK until 1586 or whenever, so how is one in this song. I have tried googling "Richard Dawson potato" to no avail of an explanation from the author.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 4 November 2019 13:45 (four years ago) link
he did explain it somewhere - elements from all time periods are included by design. 'prostitute' has a prominent synth part!
― imago, Monday, 4 November 2019 13:54 (four years ago) link
Poet(ato)ic licence.
― Michael Oliver of Penge Wins £5 (Tom D.), Monday, 4 November 2019 13:55 (four years ago) link
Shapeshifters have also yet to be introduced to the UK
― ogmor, Monday, 4 November 2019 13:56 (four years ago) link
That's what you think.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 5 November 2019 15:41 (four years ago) link
They've been on the throne since the turn of the 18th century surely?
― Michael Oliver of Penge Wins £5 (Tom D.), Tuesday, 5 November 2019 15:51 (four years ago) link
One's prime minister right now.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 5 November 2019 16:10 (four years ago) link
giving his 2005 debut album a listen for the first time. found it in a charity shop for 50p a couple of years back and hadn't ever got round to playing it before. it's not especially good tbh, mildly eccentric in places but nowhere near as daring as what was to come. probably one for the sale pile i think.
― the creator has a mazda van (NickB), Tuesday, 5 November 2019 23:29 (four years ago) link
Part of me would love to hear it. But I know he's disowned it, so the other half of me wants to respect that.
― Duke, Tuesday, 5 November 2019 23:35 (four years ago) link