2024 New Music

[gigpusher]

Really enjoying the new Gruff Rhys one. Been a bit slow to start the year as was still listening to the best of last year but also enjoying Sprints album. I've put together a bit of a playlist of the best of January so will hopefully be up to speed in a week or 2.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Imma grab Gruff Rhys and Das Koolies and bang their heads together and tell them to stop being such silly sods.

[FloopFiller]

New Camera Obscura, finally! 😃 Album May 3:

 

[Quark]

13 hours ago, FloopFiller said:

New Camera Obscura, finally! 😃 Album May 3:

 

Oh nice.  I only discovered (for me at least) them recently, replayed the listening party for Let's Get Out Of This Country as I knew the name but they'd completely passed me by.

[Jacko45]

Just heard these lads, love their sound. Feels abit Aussie surfer/indie vibe.

They've just done a Sophie Ellis Bexter cover (like everyone) that seems to have gotten some more eyeballs on them at least. 

 

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

The new (old) Orbital tune is quite beautiful

[st dan]

The Last Dinner Party album is sounding great, although can’t help it has been spoiled somewhat by all the hype and the lead singles being released months in advance.

[LinvoyPrimus]

Really not sure I understand the Last Dinner Party hype. Couple of good tunes, singles sucked most of the air of the album release, and the album itself feels very overproduced and is an occasionally exhausting listen. Doesn't feels particularly convincing or authentic – a bit paint-by-numbers.

Anyway, I have to chuckle in the context of people holding TLDP up as 'actually good' (when compared with "industry plants" Wet Leg). Two sides of the same coin. 

Edited February 2 by LinvoyPrimus

[CaledonianGonzo]

Not heard the album yet, but TLDP have had way more than the usual amount of 'industry plant' cynicism. Even more than Wet Leg.

[LinvoyPrimus]

Oh yeah I think I heard those comments around last summer when they were at BST Hyde Park, supporting Pulp etc. 

Think their rise over the last few months has given the 'industry plant' theory a lot more ammo.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Not heard the album yet, but TLDP have had way more than the usual amount of 'industry plant' cynicism. Even more than Wet Leg.

It's just a boring label and a reminder that I should spend less time reading online discussions about the subject.

[CaledonianGonzo]

From last year 

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/may/05/the-guide-the-last-dinner-party-music

https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-last-dinner-party-respond-to-industry-plant-allegations-nme-radar-3436536

 

[Hugh Jass II]

What does "industry plant" even mean and does it even matter?

Regardless of how an act has made it if they can't write a tune that people react to then they will swiftly tumble out of view.

[gigpusher]

10 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

What does "industry plant" even mean and does it even matter?

Regardless of how an act has made it if they can't write a tune that people react to then they will swiftly tumble out of view.

Just been having this conversation this morning as honestly I am utterly confused by it. I have seen them live and can confirm they are able to sing and play their instruments so they're not a Milli Vanilli style plant. Beyond that does it matter that they are lucky enough to have a record label believing in them and pushing them. I wish it was happening for a lot more acts but if you are the act lucky enough for it to be happening for you, you're hardly going to say no thanks I'd rather it be much harder for me.

[Hugh Jass II]

4 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Just been having this conversation this morning as honestly I am utterly confused by it. I have seen them live and can confirm they are able to sing and play their instruments so they're not a Milli Vanilli style plant. Beyond that does it matter that they are lucky enough to have a record label believing in them and pushing them. I wish it was happening for a lot more acts but if you are the act lucky enough for it to be happening for you, you're hardly going to say no thanks I'd rather it be much harder for me.

Exactly, and like I say l, if the music is no good then all the industry pushing in the world isn’t going to get them that far.

[gigpusher]

9 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Exactly, and like I say l, if the music is no good then all the industry pushing in the world isn’t going to get them that far.

Yes it's a bit like the nepo baby accusation to an extent anyone can get a leg up but it'll never be enough to sustain a career. Is it fair that some people get it and some don't no it isn't but if I was lucky enough to be getting it I probably wouldn't look a gift-horse in the mouth.

[LinvoyPrimus]

17 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Exactly, and like I say l, if the music is no good then all the industry pushing in the world isn’t going to get them that far.

True but I think we can all agree that plenty of shite music has gotten 'that far' on account of relentless label pushing.

Edited February 2 by LinvoyPrimus

[northernringo]

25 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Just been having this conversation this morning as honestly I am utterly confused by it. I have seen them live and can confirm they are able to sing and play their instruments so they're not a Milli Vanilli style plant. Beyond that does it matter that they are lucky enough to have a record label believing in them and pushing them. I wish it was happening for a lot more acts but if you are the act lucky enough for it to be happening for you, you're hardly going to say no thanks I'd rather it be much harder for me.

I think it has become the new 'thing' to find them dull/overrated. They seem to get a lot of hipster/bandwagon hate online/OOF.

Fair enough, they mightn't be everyone's cup of tea, but the dislike of them from some people feels forced.

[st dan]

3 minutes ago, LinvoyPrimus said:

True but I think we can all agree that plenty of shite music has gotten 'that far' on account of relentless label pushing.

But I guess that isn’t unique to the music industry - I would say this happens more or less in every walk of life. 
Regardless of how you get there, you need to have the talent to stay there or it will be very short lived. 

[gigpusher]

8 minutes ago, st dan said:

But I guess that isn’t unique to the music industry - I would say this happens more or less in every walk of life. 
Regardless of how you get there, you need to have the talent to stay there or it will be very short lived. 

And tbf even with talent huge success in the music industry tends to be shortlived as everyone wants the next big thing. Look at even the biggest artists in the world McCartney and The Rolling Stones etc are still mostly known and loved for songs they wrote in their 20's. Yes they have of course released albums worth of new material but nobody is listening to it in the same numbers. Exit Stage Left by Nick Duerden is an interesting book on what happens to people after their 5 minutes of fame are up.

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, LinvoyPrimus said:

True but I think we can all agree that plenty of shite music has gotten 'that far' on account of relentless label pushing.

This is very true, partly relentless label pushing and partly relentless radio play.

The history of popular music is littered with it, while plenty of properly good bands never make it.

[nikkic]

2 hours ago, LinvoyPrimus said:

True but I think we can all agree that plenty of shite music has gotten 'that far' on account of relentless label pushing.

“Shite music” is subjective though, isn’t it? 

A band will only succeed if people actually buy their music and gig tickets. 

And a record label will only pump money into something they get a return from. 

So if a band is doing well, ultimately it’s because they have people who want to hear/see them. 

[The Nal]

3 hours ago, Hugh Jass II said:

What does "industry plant" even mean

The record industry supporting a band. Bad apparently.

Not a huge fan but saw them at EOTR last year and they were fun. Good live band, lots of energy.

[uscore]

8 minutes ago, nikkic said:

“Shite music” is subjective though, isn’t it? 

A band will only succeed if people actually buy their music and gig tickets. 

And a record label will only pump money into something they get a return from. 

So if a band is doing well, ultimately it’s because they have people who want to hear/see them. 

I think that's only partly true.

 

an average band can be pushed further than they arguably deserve.  Repeated airplay gets songs into people's heads.  

It's not a simple meritocracy.  Sometimes a band will get lucky because they have a single at the right time, or is on an advert, or has a link to another famous person or act,  or is pushed harder by a record label that likes them.

 

A band has to have a certain level of competence to "do well" as you put it, but there are countless other factors at play too.

 

[Skip997]

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