New Frond

[neuroticdog]

Has anyone heard the new one, "Were your friends, man" by Mr. Saloman?

On my first listening, it didnt really resonate with me...but it sure did on the second go! This is another exemplary album (in a very long string) of exemplary albums by the Bevis Frond.

I always liked his lyrics, but for some reason they really stood out for me on this one. Quite cynical in places and mildly self deprecating, do I dare compare him to my favorite lyricist, Pete Townshend? (Sure, why not)

I always dug (the percieved) air of English-ness that pervades his music. I'm probably putting this very poorly having been to England a grand total of one time (when I was about 11 years old) but it's like this shroud of Victorian mist that hangs over everything he does...even his heavy psychedelic guitar meltdowns that are included on all his albums has this...I don't know...it's like stepping into another time...post war working class sooty smoke stacked early industrialized London...or something like that.

(I just realized that what I just wrote is not the same thing as Victorian mist but...whatever...maybe somebody who knows what I'm talking about can describe it better because I usually don't know what i'm talking about half the time anyway.)

best
Michael

[spellbound]

Gonna have to hear that one. I'm a long time fan of Bevis Frond/Nick Saloman. Also of Pete Townshend's lyrics. To me, though, the man who puts the most Englishness into his lyrics is Ray Davies. I have to admit I've never been to England, but I kinda like the Beatles.

[moecurlythanu]

Wasn't aware of this one, but I'll keep an eye out for it now.

[Mascodagama]

Thanks for the heads up, neuroticdog. Saloman flies so far under the radar that even though I've been a fan for nigh on thirty years I never seem to find out about a new album until a year after it's come out.

I see one of the commenters on Bandcamp puts this in the same bracket as New River Head, one of my favourite albums ever. That would be amazing.

[revporl]

Oh its really good. He seems to have put more effort into both the writing and the arrangement than in the last couple. I love all his stuff, I must admit I'm the biggest fan of the lo fi stuff where he plays everything, like New River Head and North Circular (my favourite).

Re his Englishness, its specifically London that he evokes. I'm from Manchester and still here and I love that he is completely parochial, and all his cultural reference points are from one city, its not evocative of England as a whole at all to me, although I could see how it could be to people from abroad, particularly the USA, who can have a very London-centric view of the UK sometimes (not your fault, its how we market ourselves!)

Paul

[neuroticdog]

Hey Paul...thx for expounding on that! I was hoping someone from the UK would post their thoughts about his "English-ness". All my impressions are based on the (to many) British detective series and Brit-coms i've watched over the years so...I'm sure what you say about "marketing yourselves" is true. I'm from Chicago, and one of the biggest tourist attractions in this town is a bus tour of all the famous "gangster sights" the city has to offer.

The more I listen to the the new one, the more I'm loving it. Here is a review where the writer postulates that, based on his lyrics from several of the songs, this could quite possibly be The Fronds last album. Hope he's wrong, but I can see what he's talking about.

http://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog...r-friends-man/

Anyway, here is a video of what could possibly be my favorite 3:15 seconds of music evah!! It's from the album "White Numbers" and it's an earworm extraordinare!!



best
Michael

[revporl]

Oh I love Garden Feature!

Nick seems to have retired before, after Hit Squad I remember he took a break that lasted years and years. I think its something thats always on his radar given the lack of acknowledgement hes had over the years.

"I'm from Chicago, and one of the biggest tourist attractions in this town is a bus tour of all the famous "gangster sights" the city has to offer." ha ha ha,brilliant! We've got tours of Manchester United and where the Smiths used to live as children! And that's about it, but still a million tourists come each year!

[spacefreak]

It's among his very good ones.