Pendulum - Good or Bad...?

[Mr Ploppy]

Yeah I know there are 2 other popular Pendulum threads but this one is a bit different.

I have heard things about this band in the past and have seen MANY people on here thrilled that they might be playing. I have also seen MANY people on here gutted they might be playing.

Now this seems (to me) to go beyond being impartial. It seems that although some love this group - others seems to hate them with a venom?

Anyway, as I have never heard anything by this band and want to know what the fuss is all about - this thread is your opportunity to praise them or absolutely slate them.

I really want to know your honest thoughts about this band.

I will give them a listen myself soon but firstly would be very interested to know why you love them - or hate them as there does seem a vast divide on this.

Cheers.

[Kyelo]

Yeah I know there are 2 other popular Pendulum threads but this one is a bit different.

I have heard things about this band in the past and have seen MANY people on here thrilled that they might be playing. I have also seen MANY people on here gutted they might be playing.

Now this seems (to me) to go beyond being impartial. It seems that although some love this group - others seems to hate them with a venom?

Anyway, as I have never heard anything by this band and want to know what the fuss is all about - this thread is your opportunity to praise them or absolutely slate them.

I really want to know your honest thoughts about this band.

I will give them a listen myself soon but firstly would be very interested to know why you love them - or hate them as there does seem a vast divide on this.

Cheers.

[Pilton]

Yeah I know there are 2 other popular Pendulum threads but this one is a bit different.

I have heard things about this band in the past and have seen MANY people on here thrilled that they might be playing. I have also seen MANY people on here gutted they might be playing.

Now this seems (to me) to go beyond being impartial. It seems that although some love this group - others seems to hate them with a venom?

Anyway, as I have never heard anything by this band and want to know what the fuss is all about - this thread is your opportunity to praise them or absolutely slate them.

I really want to know your honest thoughts about this band.

I will give them a listen myself soon but firstly would be very interested to know why you love them - or hate them as there does seem a vast divide on this.

Cheers.

[Mr Ploppy]

Before 'In Silico' they were amazing, proper drum'n'bass played live. Now they sound like a bad knock off of Soulwax/The Prodigy or something. Still good, just lost what made them great in the first place.

[Kyelo]

Cheers BenchBuddah,

This is exactly the good explanation I wanted to hear whether pro or con.

;-)

Edited April 23, 2009 by BenchBuddah

[Joshuwarr]

Pretty terrible these days.

[dacbo]

hold your colour was a really good gateway DnB album and the live shows they played touring this album (there weren't many) were also good, staying pretty faithful to the music with a live MC.

with the release of in silico the dnb outfit completely changed themselves into a much more traditional rock band. same (quite poor) vocalist on all of the tracks, simpler song structures and much simpler drumming/electronics.

live-wise, from what I've seen and heard they are still pretty good though and would be worth checking out if you like what you hear. they also still play a lot of hold your colour stuff live from what I've heard.

[hoils]

Agree with what others have said. Hold Your Colour was a good (not fantastic) album of dnb lite. Tarantula being the stand out track.

On In Silico they morphed into a tedious rock band and made one dog's dinner of a record. Shame really.

[Filthy]

Agree with what others have said. Hold Your Colour was a good (not fantastic) album of dnb lite. Tarantula being the stand out track.

On In Silico they morphed into a tedious rock band and made one dog's dinner of a record. Shame really.

[Homer]

Basically they sold out. They're from Oz which doesn't have much of a scene so they attached themselves to the dNb scene (very well) and made a name for themselves.

Once famous, they switched and started rawking out, playing places like Donnington etc. If you're not familiar with their baggage, I'm sure you'll enjoy them. I saw them at Bestival last year when drunk and found it very easy to jump up (and down) to. And they did play a lot from the first album.

[Curtains1]

Still one of the best bands ive seen live for the fact that everyone goes mental and dancing like a goon isnt un known.... but yeah In Sillico was a poor poor album and the best thing about it were the remixes.....

[crimsonking]

Hold your Colour is a pretty awesome album, big DnB sound, dirty undergound beats and nasty baselines. Then along comes the follow-up In Silico, well when my sister who's very much into the safety of James Blunt, Coldplay, Keane etc suddenly downloads it onto her Ipod, and then you see it for sale in Tescos, you know somethings up. As for their appearance at Glasto if Hold your Colour Pendulum turn up, will be very happy.

[Toilet Duck]

...,as a non dnb fan I'll buck the trend here. I don't listen to a lot of "dance" music (for want of a better term), however I do listen to a wide variety of genres and enjoy them all. So, for dnb afficionados, pendulum are probably the sell outs of all sell outs (having said that, even hold your colour has some rock-tinged tracks on it, or at least brilliant guitar-led tracks like "girl in the fire" ). Live they are incredible, and if your taste in music is primarily rooted in rock but you enjoy a bit of chemical bros/prodigy/klaxons, then pendulum are a fine example of a melting pot of different musical styles. Previous posters have mentioned tarantula as the stand out track on hold your colour (a jungle-lite effort), while I'd be more inclined to recommend the title track (see below)

[jag66]

I agree Hold Your Colour was a much better album.. at glasto '07 they were amazing.. both they and Andy C played Prodigy - Voodoo People & Blood Sugar (awsome song on hold your colour special edition).

Cant judge what theyre like live now, but ill still be there and will be loving it!

[Red Day]

Yeah I know there are 2 other popular Pendulum threads but this one is a bit different.

I have heard things about this band in the past and have seen MANY people on here thrilled that they might be playing. I have also seen MANY people on here gutted they might be playing.

Now this seems (to me) to go beyond being impartial. It seems that although some love this group - others seems to hate them with a venom?

Anyway, as I have never heard anything by this band and want to know what the fuss is all about - this thread is your opportunity to praise them or absolutely slate them.

I really want to know your honest thoughts about this band.

I will give them a listen myself soon but firstly would be very interested to know why you love them - or hate them as there does seem a vast divide on this.

Cheers.

[Red Day]

..., Live they are incredible, and if your taste in music is primarily rooted in rock but you enjoy a bit of chemical bros/prodigy/klaxons, then pendulum are a fine example of a melting pot of different musical styles. Previous posters have mentioned tarantula as the stand out track on hold your colour (a jungle-lite effort), while I'd be more inclined to recommend the title track (see below)

That sums it up very well

[disasterplan]

The first album was produced as a d&b album and eventually reworked for a band in a live setting.

They approached the second album as a band (the few tracks that buck this trend tend to be filler - Visions and Midnight Runner come to mind) and targetted a totally different audience.

I don't enjoy In Silico nearly as much as Hold Your Colour but I won't hold it against them. I wouldn't have got into d&b if it wasn't for Hold Your Colour and though there's far less drum & bass in the new record, they're still cracking new markets (Download, supporting Linkin Park etc) and I won't fault them for that. Also, if you read any of the press they did when In Silico came out, you'll see they're not too keen on being lumped in with d&b anyway.

But anyway. Whatever you think of their albums, their originality and all that, their live show is awesome. If you're curious, make sure you see them.

[bombfrog]

I prefer their new stuff (don't like DnB) and I'm really looking forward to them. They're not as good as the Prodigy but should still be a mental set.

[hombrederayo]

Im a big dnb fan as well as being into prodge, chems, orbital, fat boy and other really good mainstream dance acts.

I got into pendulum through tarantula, and the hold your colour album which imo is one of the best dnb albums of last few years. I saw them at glasto 2 years ago, 1/2 between the 2 albums and they were already veering towards the live proper band setup they have now. I couldnt even get into the dance east/west tent it was so packed, then I was right at the front for their set at Reading last year, and was class. They are a really good live act and would recommend them at glasto - I reckon they will be on other stage, as I remember hearing that they were going to play in the tents last year and then move onto the bigger stages this year. I can fully appreciate how/why they have gone the direction they have with the guitars/live band setup.

Its the same thing with the prodigy, when they started using guitars in their live sets around fat of the land, I cant remember if they were slagged off so much then though. I dont think so as they had a #1 single in firestarter. Plus the dnb community can be very insular which annoys me.

Another quality dnb act I also hope are playing glasto is chase and status, their album is a really good example of a dnb act looking outwards and not just doing straightup dnb.

Also, if you think you're gonna like pendulum live, also check out the qemists.

[darrenbha]

I'll echo that comment on chase and status, they had the tough act of following the prodigy at the brixton all nighter and were great to carry on dancing to

[freeak]

I have liked Pendulum on and off since they dropped the seminal tune 'Vault' in 2003.

Watched their set at Glasto 2007 and left half way through as they weren't playing drum and bass. The tunes had halfed in tempo and full of cheesy rock guitar riffs.

However I saw them again at last years bestival and they smashed it , when they are on form they can hold their own with any of the major dance acts.

Edited April 24, 2009 by freeak

[Mr Ploppy]

Thanks to EVERYONE who replied, am currently checking it out.

Cheers peeps!

MrPloppy :-)

[Holty]

One of the best live act i have ever seen

[pedmills]

I think its better to think of them as more of a dance/rock band in the mould of The Prodigy, than a drum and bass act.

The vocals are weak and very strongly auto-tuned by the sound of it, which I would say ruins their music a bit, but they are in the very small minority of dance acts which actually have strong melodies.

They are danceable and have ultracatchy riffs. What more could you want from a live act? Plus the crowds are always really lively. I think if you watch them expecting a true drum and bass act you will disappointed, and I think if you go expecting a true rock band with proper singing you'll be disappointed.

[pineapple-tea]

I agree with everyone else that's posted so far - their old album was amazing but their new one was a bit of a letdown.

HOWEVER. The new album has the tempest which should be epic live.