Did anybody see Architecture in Helsinki in the US recently?

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I managed to catch the farewell show at the Corner in Melbourne before they departed for their US tour. They showcased quite a few songs from the next record which sounded, dare I say it, a bit more meaty than the stuff from 'Fingers Crossed'. (More 'Fists Clenched' according to their website.)

Despite some visa problems which left some members temporarily stranded in Oz, when all nine hundred of them finally made it over there the shows went down pretty well. Did any ILM folks get to see them? They are one of my favourite live bands, given the right venue, and probably the only band I have seen more than five times since seeing Bis about eight times in 1996/7.

― wombatX (wombatX), Saturday, 29 May 2004 00:37 (twenty-two years ago)

they may be great live, i dunno, but the album stinks.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 29 May 2004 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)

They are a revelation live. I bought the album when it came out, listened to it a couple of times and put it on the shelf. I thought there were too many tracks that sounded like doodles, and only a couple of fully realised choons. Seeing them live some months later helped make sense of the record, and now I love it. I found that there was a lot of wonderful stuff going on within the tracks I had previously considered weak.

― wombatX (wombatX), Saturday, 29 May 2004 01:12 (twenty-two years ago)

i don't know why i'm still weighing in with an opinion, but anyway..

i've seen them probably a dozen times over the years and more often than not they've been a hideous shambles live. the last time i saw them was not long prior to their album was released here so maybe they're a lot better rehearsed now. whilst i think they're capable of writing very good songs, i make no secret that i find the male singer's voice not very good at all.

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Saturday, 29 May 2004 01:31 (twenty-two years ago)

To me they've always remained just the right side of shambolic live, which is definitely part of the appeal. They always sound barely in control, but for my money they pull it off.

― wombatX (wombatX), Saturday, 29 May 2004 01:44 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, i saw them at the makeout room in sf with casiotone for the painfully alone and p!ano. they were maybe a bit overmatched on that particular bill.

― gygax! (gygax!), Saturday, 29 May 2004 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Somewhat belying their winsome image is the fact three of the core members of Architecture in Helsinki were in the Australian army, one is an explosives expert, and the core of the band actually formed at Duntroon Military College.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Saturday, 29 May 2004 02:42 (twenty-two years ago)

i love them. saw them twice in australia and twice here in the states. that song they did live, the one where they go "we got to shout! we got to shout!" is so damned cute. they're all so damned cute. hee-hee!

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 29 May 2004 03:37 (twenty-two years ago)

terrible. i downloaded and deleted it right away. whats up with the male singer? jesus.

― hsh, Saturday, 29 May 2004 07:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The male singer is a heavy dude. I once saw him dispose of a heckler with a kick and a chop. The guy had to be carrid out by his friends. He was almost comatose. It was not pretty.

Aaaah. Who am I fooling. No-one.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Saturday, 29 May 2004 10:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Twee indie bands, John Howard wants YOU! to join the Australian Army.

― wombatX (wombatX), Sunday, 30 May 2004 00:27 (twenty-two years ago)

next: the lucksmiths

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Sunday, 30 May 2004 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't really see the issue with Cameron's voice. Granted it sounds weak on a couple of the album tracks, but equally I think it is used to great effect on the poppier numbers. Live both vocalists seem a lot more confident these days. The only thing I sometimes wish is that there was a bit more contrast between his and Kellie's vocals.

― wombatX (wombatX), Sunday, 30 May 2004 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Saw them at the Tightspot Records Porchlight thing during SXSW and really liked them.

― goldie2shoes, Sunday, 30 May 2004 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

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