No-Man

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Not Roger Miller's band, but the one with the singer who looked like Tim Buckley in 1990, and now looks about twenty years older than he actually is. I'd heard good things about them, and though I can safely say that "Days in the Trees" is one of my favorite songs ever. The other stuff seems rather spotty. I can see how they garnered the "Japan for the 1990s" tag (especially considering frequent collaboration with Mick Karn/Steve Jansen/Richard Barbieri), but though I really like "Sweetheart Raw," some of it is really unutterably cheesy. I always wished that their music had been as beautiful as their lyrics. Am I just listening to the wrong stuff ("Loveblows and Lovecries" and "Lovesighs")?

― owen moorhead (i heart daniel miller), Sunday, 23 October 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

They've kept going and then some -- check the AMG section for a lot of reviews from me. I actually think they've gotten better over time, much as I really do love that first album. Also they've found themselves at a nexus of neo-prog stuffage that doubtless Pash might be able to talk more about, thanks to Steven Wilson of course being the main dude in Porcupine Tree.

No-Man official site: http://www.no-man.co.uk/

Burning Shed label/shop: http://www.burningshed.com/

My interview with singer Tim Bowness for FT for some reason is not currently available, hmmm.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Also, there's this related ILM thread:

Porcupine Tree vs. No-Man

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:08 (twenty years ago)

no, that's my feeling too, although I still kind of like them. They do have a very 90's feel to them. Flowermouth is good as well. but it might not change your opinion. Ned loves them! (oops, big xpost)

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

I think Tim Bowness's solo record might be better than any of the No-Man albums I've heard.

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

I think I'm missing that, regrettably! A lot of the newer stuff had to go by the wayside for me since I didn't have the budget to order everything automatically like before, but I've no doubt that solo record's great. Bowness is truly a wonderful singer, and his work with all sorts of bands -- Centrezoon being a good example -- is not to be denied.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

he also deserves credit for getting the wonderful Marconi Union signed to All Saints records.

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 23 October 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

I know next to nothing about these guys but one of my tutors recommended them ... listening to Schoolyard Ghosts now and it's really quite lovely. The biog suggests this new stuff is rather different; what's worth checking out of the older material?

― a tiny, faltering megaphone (grimly fiendish), Saturday, 28 March 2009 16:01 (seventeen years ago)

grimly! Did you see the post about the new Sec 25 coming?

― Music Is Sex For Your Ears (Bimble), Saturday, 28 March 2009 16:03 (seventeen years ago)

What, on here or elsewhere? I know there's one on the way, aye. Apparently it's on a par with From The Hip. AYE, RIGHT, LARRY: SO IT FUCKING IS. Still, I loved that last one, and even bad SXXV is ... er, good.

― a tiny, faltering megaphone (grimly fiendish), Saturday, 28 March 2009 16:06 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

Tim Bowness waxes retrospective:

http://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 17 August 2011 22:01 (fourteen years ago)

five months pass...

Another live release? Twist my arm.

http://www.no-man.co.uk/loveandendings/

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 27 January 2012 17:40 (fourteen years ago)

Thanks, Ned. I'm in for one as well. Am very pleased to see these rare appearances documented and made available.

Have you checked the other recent offerings for Tim Bowness? While Memories of Machines is a bit unsurprising-- it sounds exactly as expected for a NoSound / No-Man composite-- the Slow Electric set is a much welcome return to the territory of California, Norfolk. Also, this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpoK4YUKYu0

is a peak moment for TB, albeit anomalous to the remainder of the White Willow album. The lengthy coda that carries the second half of the song is magnificent.

― doug watson, Friday, 27 January 2012 23:50 (fourteen years ago)

I've been very slack on recent work by Tim B (and Steven, actually) -- a real pity but money is a factor! Hopefully I can play some catchup here soon.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 27 January 2012 23:52 (fourteen years ago)

eight years pass...

Anyone who was into Tim Bowness' recent solo albums, in particular "Lost in the Ghost Light" which was a concept album about a non-existent 70's prog rock band called Moonshot, might be into this recent weird release: Moonshot, Worlds of Yesterday.

https://timbowness.co.uk/a-moonshot-story/

The story here is completely fictional; Bowness asked UK Genesis tribute band Mama to re-record a bunch of his solo songs as though they were mid-70's Genesis tracks, and the outcome is pretty impressive.

― akm, Tuesday, 18 February 2020 20:19 (six years ago)

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