I LOVE the Jewelled Antler library series, some great stuff on those
― sleeve, Thursday, 23 January 2014 19:14 (ten years ago) link
really like this guy. ulaan passerine, ulaan khol i-iii, cities, and crown of marches are some of my faves but I've liked everything I've heard.
― original bgm, Friday, 24 January 2014 16:09 (ten years ago) link
Ending/Returning is pretty cool on first listen - I wouldn't have checked it out if it weren't for this thread priming my attention.
― a man with legs made of sausages - that's not real! (seandalai), Tuesday, 28 January 2014 02:51 (ten years ago) link
Good piece in "The Out Door" by Marc Master (page 2):
http://pitchfork.com/features/the-out-door/9323-genres-of-one
― grandavis, Friday, 7 February 2014 16:53 (ten years ago) link
Choice quote in re all the names/approaches he uses: "Fuck the brand! We're having fun here."
― grandavis, Friday, 7 February 2014 16:54 (ten years ago) link
that picture of him in the yard with all his instruments! this guy is the best. i love what he does with sounds but his approach is top notch too. very thorough piece, lots of details, and i'm glad he is being recognized as singular!
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 7 February 2014 16:58 (ten years ago) link
Yeah, it is a cool piece. I think Marc Masters does a great job, and it will maybe get S. R. Smith a bunch of listens. Pretty amazing output for one guy, especially with the quality he maintains.
― grandavis, Friday, 7 February 2014 17:07 (ten years ago) link
Agree -- he's a good role model for caring about the things that matter to him and also not caring about the things that don't. The Ulaan Markhor album I have is emerging as a personal favorite, over time.
I hope this piece gives him a sales boost! For a while I was starting to get a little embarrassed because I think I bought 3 of his albums within a week or something? It's nice that he has physical releases as well as bandcamp too. If I had to track down all his records, I probably wouldn't have been able to hear them. I dig his approach to the whole thing tbh.
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 7 February 2014 17:19 (ten years ago) link
Yeah completely agree, he has a great attitude about it all.
― grandavis, Friday, 7 February 2014 17:22 (ten years ago) link
people piss and moan about pitchfork but that marc masters column has turned me on to more good stuff than most of the other places i could think of
― night boat to mega therion (NickB), Friday, 7 February 2014 17:44 (ten years ago) link
I mean, there are great writers on Pitchfork and knowledgable folks, but I really only go there via twitter and facebook at his point. Someone I like posts that they have a new piece up, I go read it, I skip the rest of the site. Basically I have zero problems with Pitchfork now.
― grandavis, Friday, 7 February 2014 17:48 (ten years ago) link
I've heard a handful of his solo records and Hala Strana stuff that I thought was pretty good, and a few Thuja records that really didn't leave much of an impression, but I keep coming back to him because most of what I've heard has been interesting enough that I felt like eventually I'd find something in his discography that I'd really enjoy.
Anyway, this morning I heard the first Ulaan Khol record, and it's pretty much exactly what I needed to hear right now. This is like full-on Daniel Fichelscher worship, which the world needs more of (or, if the world already has more of, I need to know about it)!
― cwkiii, Friday, 14 February 2014 14:51 (ten years ago) link
You should try Ulaan Markhor! It's like the louder/less bongos/more crashing side of Fichelscher iirc.
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 14 February 2014 14:58 (ten years ago) link
Also - This is like full-on Daniel Fichelscher worship, which the world needs more of (or, if the world already has more of, I need to know about it)!I've been working on this, give me some time! I practice every day.
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 14 February 2014 15:00 (ten years ago) link
Also fwiw I found Steven R. Smith because I am on a constant hunt for people attempting a very particular aspect of PV's approach to song-making and I feel like he nails it -- generally speaking, the SRS stuff I like best is long passages, repetitive phrases, rhythmic but not busy, melodic but not distractingly so, heavy but not oppressively so, pretty but not repulsively so, etc.
Also watch this if you haven'thttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSGWFX84NkQ
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 14 February 2014 15:11 (ten years ago) link
I'll definitely check out Ulaan Markhor; thanks for the recommendation! Also will watch that video as soon as I get home!
― cwkiii, Friday, 14 February 2014 15:23 (ten years ago) link
I think I have PV filed away in my brain as, like, sui generis or whatever, so I never think "I'm going to look for more stuff that sounds like this", so when I do stumble upon it, it kinda blows my mind.
― cwkiii, Friday, 14 February 2014 15:26 (ten years ago) link
Yeah I mean it comes close -- no one could be all the way there unless they are Fricke and Fichelscher (and friends) tbh. I've decided to settle for bits and pieces of what I'm looking for.
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 14 February 2014 15:36 (ten years ago) link
New one! http://worstward.bandcamp.com/album/byzantium-crow
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 14 March 2014 21:26 (ten years ago) link
Man that one really deserves cross-posting in the American Popol Vuh thread!
― brains hangin (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 15 March 2014 05:34 (ten years ago) link
Newsflash: I just learned about another Steven R. Smith -- http://csp.sagepub.com/content/25/4/554.short
He is a disability scholar and once posited (acc to the book I'm reading), "A completely painless existence could also quite plausibly be seen as deficient for most people."
Agree tbh.
― we slowly invented brains (La Lechera), Friday, 21 March 2014 02:22 (ten years ago) link
i wonder what this guy has been up to
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Tuesday, 16 September 2014 19:24 (nine years ago) link
new one! http://worstward.bandcamp.com/album/spiral-horns-black-onions-et-al
i got an email about it last week or some time ago and just remembered to check it outsounds good so far!
― La Lechera, Monday, 17 November 2014 21:07 (nine years ago) link
i like how all of his songs sound kind of underdevelopedthat really beats being overcooked imo
― La Lechera, Monday, 17 November 2014 21:20 (nine years ago) link
Oh man gotta check this out, thanks for reminding me! Underdeveloped in the best sense, i.e., open to possibilities.
― grandavis, Monday, 17 November 2014 21:53 (nine years ago) link
This is the most conventionally rock thing he's done in a long time, isn't it?
― Temple of Infinite Grohls (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 04:20 (nine years ago) link
I don't know, this is sounding pretty out to me.I like it a lot!
― Trip Maker, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 04:40 (nine years ago) link
Oh wait, I am listening to Byzantium Crow.
― Trip Maker, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 04:41 (nine years ago) link
I'm really enjoying the new one! The way the last 15 seconds or so of The Nocturnal in Daylight basically turns into a different song makes my heart leap. It kinda reminds me of The Church? He has a really great sense of song dynamics imo.
― La Lechera, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 14:35 (nine years ago) link
Man, I need to get this.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 15:14 (nine years ago) link
It's really cool. My first exposure to him! Nice to know there's a deep body of work to get into.
― global tetrahedron, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 15:21 (nine years ago) link
:D that's how i felt when i started this thread i was like what magical planet did this guy come from (california, i guess)i still really admire his dedication and work ethic and style and general approach to making music
― La Lechera, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 15:24 (nine years ago) link
not really familiar w/ this dude but the ulaan markhor album is killer.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 15:26 (nine years ago) link
Tyler and Global, there is a LOT to check out in re S.R. Smith. Definitely listen to some Hala Strana (a lot more acoustic playing and great mix of influences), as well as all of the Ulaan ... records (he changes the second word in the name from time to time but the "Ulaan" remains).
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:43 (nine years ago) link
I am sure this is posted above, but just for easy reference here is Marc Masters very good profile from "The Out Door", which lots of tunes linked:
http://pitchfork.com/features/the-out-door/9323-genres-of-one/2/
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:45 (nine years ago) link
With lots of tunes obviously.
agreeall of my choices are the best ones obvs -- i like the ulaan markhor stuff the best, then SRS self titled stuff (iirc?) and then the more gypsy folky stuff but honestly it's all really good! "lot to enjoy" otm
― La Lechera, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:45 (nine years ago) link
Hala Strana 3" CD on Jeweled Antler (collected on the library Series 4CD set) is very very good
― sleeve, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:49 (nine years ago) link
everything i have is good. and i have a lot. all vinyl though. probably missing out on some good cd and cdr-only releases.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:50 (nine years ago) link
Scott, probably not your thing too much, but there is a lot available for streaming on his Worstward Recordings bandcamp site. Seems like you have a lot already, but if you were looking to fill in some gaps they may be here (also posted above): https://worstward.bandcamp.com/
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:55 (nine years ago) link
thanks for the recs! obviously a whole lot to dig into judging from that bandcamp...
― tylerw, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:56 (nine years ago) link
Yeah it is nuts, but very well organized and handy when used in combination with Marc's "Out Door" rundown.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:57 (nine years ago) link
Problem with listening to S.R. Smith in depth is, if you play somewhat similar music yourself you come to realize that he has already been there and generally covered that ground already. And probably done it better.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 16:59 (nine years ago) link
I want to reiterate the suggestion for "Tableland" mentioned above, a really good one under his own name.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 26 November 2014 17:01 (nine years ago) link
Problem with listening to S.R. Smith in depth is, if you play somewhat similar music yourself you come to realize that he has already been there and generally covered that ground already. And probably done it better.I have been thinking about this -- I can see it being true from a guitar perspective, but his rhythm section could use some beefing upgood thing this totally random internet person has come to the rescue ;) http://bit.ly/1AgSOjW
― La Lechera, Thursday, 4 December 2014 21:27 (nine years ago) link
Found three SRS CDs I didn't have in a dollar bin. Tableland is sounding pretty good right now. Got that Vuh thing happening but with a little Labradford circia A Stable Reference twang.
― Jawn DWYCK (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 5 March 2015 05:20 (nine years ago) link
ulaan markhor owns
― adam, Thursday, 5 March 2015 15:03 (nine years ago) link
wow, dollar bin! that's good fortune. i've seen a couple more people talking about Steven R Smith and it makes me happy. Apparently he has no interest in playing shows, but I wonder if he could be convinced.
― groundless round (La Lechera), Thursday, 5 March 2015 15:11 (nine years ago) link
new one! https://worstward.bandcamp.com/album/light-in-dust-e-p
― Florianne Fracke (La Lechera), Monday, 11 May 2015 19:55 (eight years ago) link
Ooh nice, gonna check this today! Also, good job on that reworked SR Smith tune random internet person :)
― grandavis, Tuesday, 12 May 2015 13:42 (eight years ago) link
new one, under his name! here is a reviewhttp://magnetmagazine.com/2019/06/30/essential-new-music-steven-r-smiths-a-sketchbook-of-endings
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 1 July 2019 13:35 (four years ago) link
I enjoy them all but this one didn't really stand out for me. Still, I'm always up for more.
― pomenitul, Monday, 1 July 2019 13:40 (four years ago) link
There's another one out there... 43 Odes, which is SRS and Glenn Donaldson invoking a little bit of Jeweled Antler action but somehow sounding a lot more forward-looking now than it was then. So far I'm liking this best of all the recent releases.https://eiderdownrecords.bandcamp.com/album/43-odes
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 20 July 2019 05:14 (four years ago) link
There's also this one:https://worstward.bandcamp.com/album/collapsing-hymns
― Dinsdale, Saturday, 20 July 2019 07:18 (four years ago) link
awesome that he's back
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 20 July 2019 14:54 (four years ago) link
xxp this 43 Odes is great, thanks ET
― Skip Spence None the Richer (sleeve), Saturday, 20 July 2019 15:33 (four years ago) link
Entire Worstward discography is on sale on Bandcamp - 50% off!
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 22 October 2020 22:27 (three years ago) link
Ooh!! Thanks for the heads up!!
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Thursday, 22 October 2020 22:57 (three years ago) link
I liked the Jewelled Antler stuff - there were too many recordings to keep track of - the Franciscan Hobbies, Hala Strana, the Ivytree, the Birdtree, the Child Readers, Blithe Sons, the Skygreen Leopards, Coelacanth - but have to admit I haven't heard of Worstward recordings until now
― Dan S, Friday, 23 October 2020 01:03 (three years ago) link
Interview!! https://foxydigitalis.zone/2022/05/19/steven-r-smith-is-still-here/
New album today too, "Spring"I'm enjoying it
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Friday, 20 May 2022 17:54 (one year ago) link