I'm sure its been done before old-timers, but hey, if a thing's good, its worth doing more than once (the Comsats proved that with their endless repackaging of Independence Day, after all...).
― jon (jon), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 10:09 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 10:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
And the packaging reflects this: Far East-style wirting over 'landscape' of empty Sheffield motorway at night (as if it was an oriental view for poetic contemplation, not a depressing bit of concrete in the North) - just about sums up the best of the record.
― jon (jon), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 12:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Lee G (Lee G), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 16:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 18:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 19:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― g (graysonlane), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 22:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 22:57 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 23:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Clarke B., Thursday, 7 November 2002 05:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
Yes, Ned, two such moments on a perfect album. ;-) No, I agree, though; "Dark Parade" unbelievably perfectly expresses the sort of half-given-up smoldering resentment/tension/jealousy that wakes you from your sleep and you're not even sure quite why.
― Clarke B., Thursday, 7 November 2002 05:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 7 November 2002 06:28 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Clarke B., Thursday, 7 November 2002 06:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
This contains the whole of the three albums they did for Polydor complete with all the tracks that I've been hoarding for the last 20-25 years on the original singles, gatefolds, 12"'s etc.
There's also a 4th CD of demos, outtakes etc.; so in other words it's absolutely completely and utterly comprehensive apart from one positively enormous and glaring omission, which brings me to the question I have for all you nice people:
Does anyone have any idea why the hell they couldn't have included Red Planet, I Get Excited and Specimen No. 2 from the first single they released on their own Junta label in 1979? Were Polydor too tight or too stupid to license it from the band? Are the band really (still) too angry at Polydor to licence it to them? It's an absolute travesty that this gem remains largely unavailable (yes of course I've still got the original copy I rushed out and bought after hearing it John Peel in 1979 - that's not the point!).
Also, while I'm here, is any of their post-Polydor stuff any good? I was toying with the idea of buying the "From Beyond" comp. - would this be a good move?
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:35 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stacey Pollen (Andy K), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:50 (nineteen years ago) link
Trivia question - anyone know if they had a guitar player called Robbo at one stage?
― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 3 June 2004 10:50 (nineteen years ago) link
All of it, FUCKING CLASSIC!! new wave sell out albums included!
cutty to thread.
― ddb, Thursday, 3 June 2004 15:54 (nineteen years ago) link
it's a GREAT deal for the price and worth it for the outtakes stuff alone.
destroy the faux DVD style package.
I found the bulk of their output on LP for very little $.
And, It's ALL good.
― ddb, Thursday, 3 June 2004 15:56 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 3 June 2004 18:00 (nineteen years ago) link
chasing shadows is brilliance.
also see: real genius montage
http://www.movie-montage.com/montageView.php?montageCategoryCode=1&montageCode=11
― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 3 June 2004 19:08 (nineteen years ago) link
― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 4 June 2004 00:56 (nineteen years ago) link
― Erick H (Erick H), Friday, 4 June 2004 01:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 4 June 2004 01:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Friday, 4 June 2004 01:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― msp, Friday, 4 June 2004 02:43 (nineteen years ago) link
worst packaging ever?
― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 4 June 2004 02:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 4 June 2004 02:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― msp, Friday, 4 June 2004 03:04 (nineteen years ago) link
I'm too tired to rant about various individual moments of brilliance but like, CLASSIC, obviously.
― Fergal (Ferg), Friday, 4 June 2004 05:38 (nineteen years ago) link
― Bimble (bimble), Friday, 4 June 2004 05:41 (nineteen years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 4 June 2004 07:16 (nineteen years ago) link
― Grell (Grell), Monday, 25 October 2004 00:54 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ian Riese-Moraine: a casualty of social estrangement. (Eastern Mantra), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 15:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― F (Ferg), Thursday, 1 September 2005 15:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 September 2005 15:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:02 (eighteen years ago) link
Anyone that links to A Certain Pitchfrock thread in here gets a Dirty Sanchez.
― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:07 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 September 2005 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link
― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 1 September 2005 19:44 (eighteen years ago) link
― F (Ferg), Thursday, 1 September 2005 20:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 1 September 2005 22:46 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 00:06 (eighteen years ago) link
They've also got the entire band to answer various fan questions. Steve Fellows thinks "Hate It Or Love It" was one of the best songs of last year, interestingly.
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 00:08 (eighteen years ago) link
I loved ‘La Ritournelle‘ by Sebastien Tellier. I like ‘ How To Be Invisible’ on the Kate Bush album.
― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 01:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 01:31 (eighteen years ago) link
I've been listening to The Outsiders a lot recently - possibly even better than The Sound.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 10:29 (eighteen years ago) link
― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Friday, 7 April 2006 11:28 (eighteen years ago) link
Sleep is definitely one of the great post-punk mood albums, along the lines of the Cure's Pornography, Joy Division's Closer and anything that Bauhaus ever did. It's a bit more rockin' than any of those albums, but the sound of it is absolutely huge — the production is nearly the star of the show. Just one, completely unified and isolated atmosphere to lose yourself in.
I agree that the sound/production bit is key here - all of those comparisons make perfect sense but (as you suggest) I think Sleep No More is less stark and more all-enveloping e.g. I'd probably compare it to albums like Disintegration or (esp) The Church's Priest = Aura as much as or more than its actual peers. In this sense it sounds very ahead of its time, I think.
― Tim F, Monday, 25 June 2012 23:39 (eleven years ago) link
Just... that bit in "Gone" where Stephen intones "WHAT WAS HIS NAME" over and over again and then the whole thing explodes into that wracked, trembling guitar line. One of my favourite moments in music.
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:47 (eleven years ago) link
:-) I remember first hearing the song through Martin Gore's cover on the original Counterfeit and wondering what the heck it was, who did and where from. Back in 1989 that was not exactly easy to find out.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:48 (eleven years ago) link
I've never heard that!
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:50 (eleven years ago) link
haha this sounds exactly how I imagined it would.
― Tim F, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:53 (eleven years ago) link
Well, yeah. Part of the charm. :-D
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:58 (eleven years ago) link
― Tim F, Monday, July 16, 2012 10:47 AM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I've always felt the same!
― Clarke B., Monday, 16 July 2012 15:00 (eleven years ago) link
New vinyl reissues are damned expensive, but Chasing Shadows though. . . !
― Austin, Saturday, 9 January 2016 17:59 (eight years ago) link
feeling this song today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CPvcvxzmc
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Tuesday, 15 March 2016 14:02 (eight years ago) link
Was digging for comsats deep cuts and this dream command song is fucking great imo fuiud etc
http://youtu.be/B4qvS9hQJc0
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:11 (eight years ago) link
^ someone needs to hook up brad with that, think he would dig
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:14 (eight years ago) link
Rest of the album is not good, but that is numbed out mondeo rock perfection, almost even blue nile-esque
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:20 (eight years ago) link
Actually I like 'ice sculpture' quite a bit too
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:29 (eight years ago) link
Big fan of this one too, strongly approve of the comsats when they're in this moody ferry-esque mode
http://youtu.be/aiTC56ZVPXk
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, 26 March 2016 08:55 (eight years ago) link
I like Fire on the Moon. Really don't see anything wrong with it, honestly.
― Austin, Saturday, 26 March 2016 17:06 (eight years ago) link
"Fire On The Moon" has some decent bits but it's clearly a band that has shaved off all the edges. "Ice Sculpture" and "Venus Hunter" are my picks, with "Transport Of Delight" and "She's Invisible" also being ok.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 26 March 2016 19:10 (eight years ago) link
I think The Comsat Angels' Blue Nile-ish tendencies peaked early with "After The Rain".
― Tim F, Sunday, 27 March 2016 01:53 (eight years ago) link
Man Sleep No More really is the best album ever made.
― Tim F, Sunday, 27 March 2016 04:15 (eight years ago) link
just noticed that the first three albums have disappeared from spotify but now there are two volumes of 'lost sessions' up there instead. not sure what these are, sound quality isn't great though.
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 17:02 (six years ago) link
eeek, these sound like they've been taped straight off the radio (and then the tape's gone a bit funny)
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 17:05 (six years ago) link
Wow, the audio quality of these is dire. Still great to hear, though.
(Peering into the Spotify catalog, I see that the first 3 Comsat Angels albums are there, but currently available only in GB. Nothing else other than these two Lost Sessions comps.)
― glenn mcdonald, Thursday, 22 March 2018 18:26 (six years ago) link
This guy was a fkn awesome drummer btw.
― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Thursday, 22 March 2018 18:29 (six years ago) link
Are these "Lost Sessions" the same recordings from that To Before set from a few years back?
https://www.discogs.com/The-Comsat-Angels-To-Before/release/886361
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:14 (six years ago) link
No, this is some poor quality stuff that's definitely been taped off the radio - volume 2 even has the DJs talking over the end of the songs and then getting chopped off mid-speech. Who the heck uploaded it? Surely it can't be sanctioned by the band
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:24 (six years ago) link
looks like they're selling it on amazon too (don't buy it!):
https://www.amazon.com/Comsat-Angels-Lost-Sessions-Vol/dp/B078VRMLXQhttps://www.amazon.com/Comsat-Angels-Lost-Sessions-Vol/dp/B078VHTTYW
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:28 (six years ago) link
yeah, the more i listen the more amazing he gets
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 19:30 (six years ago) link
i read in the sleep no more deluxe cd booklet that he recorded the drums at the bottom of a stairway. like bonham on "when the levee breaks"!!
― brimstead, Thursday, 22 March 2018 20:05 (six years ago) link
yeah that’s right - in the office building one of them worked in iirc
― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Thursday, 22 March 2018 20:11 (six years ago) link
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, March 26, 2016 1:11 AM (three years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― François Pitchforkian (NickB), Saturday, March 26, 2016 1:14 AM (three years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
damn three years late but thank you nick! tim finally got me into this band a few years ago, the first three albums are incredible, but i've been v curious about the later stuff
― american bradass (BradNelson), Monday, 22 April 2019 13:11 (four years ago) link
anyway this is the best band ever
― american bradass (BradNelson), Monday, 22 April 2019 13:14 (four years ago) link
Re: their later stuff, get thee to "My Mind's Eye" pronto!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 22 April 2019 14:32 (four years ago) link
I've always thought the later, starting with Chasing Shadows, stuff was pretty admirable. Fire on the Moon has an especially poor (and unmerited) reputation. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Fire on the Moon is no worse than the worst albums by their peers; it's probably better, honestly.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Monday, 22 April 2019 21:39 (four years ago) link
Fire on the Moon is no worse than the worst albums by their peers; it's probably better, honestly.
That's probably true. It's definitely better than Killing Joke's "Outside The Gate" and on par with Gang Of Four's "Hard". After that, it depends on which albums you consider 'the worst' from other post-punk luminaries.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 23 April 2019 02:37 (four years ago) link
I think Fire on the Moon (and its follow-ups) is way better than Wild Mood Swings or Republic.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 15:53 (four years ago) link
we need to keep this Cure vs New Order thing contained or it'll take over the whole site
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 16:02 (four years ago) link
i can't wait to check out the later stuff! however i may never get over how bottomlessly great the first three records are
― american bradass (BradNelson), Saturday, 27 April 2019 14:08 (four years ago) link
just listening to "monkey pilot" and thinking WOW WHAT A SONG today
also like.... "real story"!!! who were these guys???? their basslines never quit
― american bradass (BradNelson), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:37 (four years ago) link
Their rhythm section was something else, what an amazing drummer.
― Freddie Starr (Hitler in shorts) (Tom D.), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:40 (four years ago) link
yes!!!!!!
― american bradass (BradNelson), Sunday, 28 April 2019 14:42 (four years ago) link
I don't believe I've gone a single night DJ'ing without playing "It's History" at some point. Secret favorite band!
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 28 April 2019 21:55 (four years ago) link
i may never get over how bottomlessly great the first three records are
to be fair, not even the band could get over this.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 1 May 2019 18:35 (four years ago) link
I've been meaning to make a Comsats anthology to put on my phone. And it wouldn't all be from the first 3 albums!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 1 May 2019 21:25 (four years ago) link
hey gerald, curious what you ended up going with?
my un-obvious (read: non-first three lps) comsats 'best of' picks would be:
'lost continent''citadel' (yes i know it's a cover; don't care, it slays)'driving''i hear a new world''ice sculpture'
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 13 September 2019 16:17 (four years ago) link
Not gotten round to it yet, but thanks for the reminder, will add it to my queue of music projects.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 13 September 2019 17:43 (four years ago) link
I completely missed that Stephen Fellows released an album this year and it's very very good. Fave "welcome back" album of the year for sure: https://stephenfellows.bandcamp.com/album/slow-glass
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 20 November 2020 09:17 (three years ago) link
!
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Friday, 20 November 2020 13:54 (three years ago) link
Thanks for the heads up! One of my fastest purchases of the year
― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Friday, 20 November 2020 13:55 (three years ago) link
The new album is ok, doesn't knock my socks off or demand multiple listenings. He released a bunch of stuff on Myspace eons ago like "Helicopters 111" that had great potential but that stuff appears to have been shelved.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 20 November 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
thank you, e t! definitely going to check this out.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 20 November 2020 16:02 (three years ago) link