|
Unsung Forum » Psychedelic Revolution |
Log In to post a reply
|
|
|
|
| Topic View: Flat | Threaded | |
stray 2057 posts |
Edited Feb 10, 2012, 11:51
Feb 10, 2012, 11:49
|
||
|
IanB wrote: I hate to be ungracious when the artist is the host of such a fine web site and hence provides the meeting point for this community of fellow travelers but surely I am not the only person listening to this record and shaking with laughter at some of it? Buy Folk The Banks instead would be my advice. Better sleeve too as it happens if you want to have something that Occupies your record collection. Sorry but to my mind he is simply much better (a pop genius in fact) with metaphysics than with geopolitics. Heheh.. His metaphysics isn't that great either tbh.. I don't think I'll try this album, judging from the responses its everything I feared it would be. This whole appropriation of the anarcho communist flag (or anarcho syndicalist if you are so inclined.. er.. and confused ;)) just.. irks me. Well that, and then whacking a quote from Hegel on a recent sleeve, its silly, or opportunist, or oddly inconsistent, or something. I don't mind appropriation at all really, if you've got a Dadaist or a Situationist approach. He.. um.. hasn't.. to my eyes anyroad. Fuck it, he should just drop that flag and switch to the IWWs black cat instead, or the black cross, they're much better images frankly. He may as well misappropriate and misuse all the symbols of political struggle while he rants semi coherently ;)
|
|||
Hunter T Wolfe 1708 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 12:52
|
||
|
I've given it a first listen and really enjoyed it. I have to admit I haven't listened closely to the lyrics yet, but it did seem that only a small portion of it is actually heavily political. Otherwise we've got woden, lunar mysticism, alien autopsies... I am uncomfortable with the militaristic sleeve imagery, but the songs themselves were strong. It's basically Black Sheep (the band) doing melodic old-style Julian Cope songs, in much the same way as Citizen Cain'd / Dark Orgasm were Brain Donor doing melodic old-style Julian Cope songs... it's folky, quite sparse, droning, but always tuneful, and with singing, not shouting or ranting. It occurs to me that Cope's early albums were all about doubt, and his later albums are all about certainty. Which is a lot harder to like and empathise with, especially if you don't agree with him. However, he's found a viewpoint and he's going with it, and he's engaging with current outside realities... if he'd stayed with the solipsistic introspection of 'Fried' etc he'd have ended up a Morrissey-like self-parody. Again, that kind of narcissistic, drug-damaged navel-gazing is more attractive from someone in their early twenties than a family main in his fifties. Which isn't to say that revolutionary posturing is any more dignified, but at least he's got fire in his belly.
|
|||
Kosmischeboy 664 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 13:14
|
||
|
Well i've given it a good listening to this morning and i think it's his strongest collection of melody driven stuff in a long time. Disc one is more black sheep acoustic style stuff and has elements of Skellington in there as well. It's also far more bluntly political lyric wise. But has some gems, Cromwell in Ireland and As The Beer Flows Over Me being my faves. The final track Hooded And Benign has one of the most beautiful electric guitar motifs on the intro too. Assuming it's Copey playing but not sure. Disc two is far more laid back and mellotron filled, the title track Psychedelic Revolution really stands out and is the most overtly political song on Disc two, the rest of the disc flows really well and again is full of melody and songs. A more melancholic listening experience overall, but i think it will stand the test of time more than disc one. So musically great all round but lyrically blunt at times is my overall opinion. The one thing i'm not overly comfortable with is the gun on the cover and the advocation of violent revolution that seem to underpin everything at the moment. I find that hard to stomach. "When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the systems game. The establishment will irritate you: Pull your beard, flick your face to make you fight. Because once they've got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don't know how to handle is non violence and humour." - John Lennon.
|
|||
Squid Tempest 8763 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 13:21
|
||
|
Kosmischeboy wrote: Well i've given it a good listening to this morning and i think it's his strongest collection of melody driven stuff in a long time. Disc one is more black sheep acoustic style stuff and has elements of Skellington in there as well. It's also far more bluntly political lyric wise. But has some gems, Cromwell in Ireland and As The Beer Flows Over Me being my faves. The final track Hooded And Benign has one of the most beautiful electric guitar motifs on the intro too. Assuming it's Copey playing but not sure. Disc two is far more laid back and mellotron filled, the title track Psychedelic Revolution really stands out and is the most overtly political song on Disc two, the rest of the disc flows really well and again is full of melody and songs. A more melancholic listening experience overall, but i think it will stand the test of time more than disc one. So musically great all round but lyrically blunt at times is my overall opinion. The one thing i'm not overly comfortable with is the gun on the cover and the advocation of violent revolution that seem to underpin everything at the moment. I find that hard to stomach. "When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the systems game. The establishment will irritate you: Pull your beard, flick your face to make you fight. Because once they've got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don't know how to handle is non violence and humour." - John Lennon. Good quote.
|
|||
|
stray 2057 posts |
Edited Feb 10, 2012, 17:25
Feb 10, 2012, 17:13
|
||
|
But also as Malcom X said 'There is no such thing as a non-violent revolution'. They will, eventually, open fire on you if it actually looks like you're getting somewhere. Edit : I think, that not only considering revolutionary history in general, but also what is happening (and has happened) in our present time with the 'arab spring' movements, that to argue that non violent revolution is possible is er.. churlish. Same goes for defending yourself on a peaceful protest, just how many times can you be hit with a stick before you'll think about hitting back ?
|
|||
|
Squid Tempest 8763 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 17:21
|
||
|
stray wrote: But also as Malcom X said 'There is no such thing as a non-violent revolution'. They will, eventually, open fire on you if it actually looks like you're getting somewhere. Yup, you're probably right. Still, you know, trips not guns! Love and peace (maaan), Incorrigible Old Hippy xx
|
|||
IanB 6761 posts |
Edited Feb 13, 2012, 08:24
Feb 10, 2012, 17:58
|
||
|
Kosmischeboy wrote: "When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the systems game. The establishment will irritate you: Pull your beard, flick your face to make you fight. Because once they've got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don't know how to handle is non violence and humour." - John Lennon. That is a good quote and I think Lennon also understood (after a flip-flop or two) that it is artistically bankrupt to glamorise (let alone advocate) forms of violent activism for others (either directly or through works of art) that you are not going to engage in yourself. Gerhard Richter's response to the Baader Meinhof prison suicides is the more effective one politically AND artistically because you end up looking at his work and asking all the "why" questions about their story and its relevance to your story and the political and economic relationships that make up the foundations of your own life. That's an artistic response I can trust in. Rock stars with guns not so much. Remember, it's this GUITAR that kills Fascists. I would expect someone who was around RAR and the ANL and paying attention to know that. Unless that is a real gun (rather than a replica or a decommissioned one) in which case that's a whole other ball of confusion. Though I really can't see it myself, can you?
|
|||
|
Moon Cat 9577 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 18:03
|
||
|
Probably be a week or two before I get this but I am genuinely looking forward to it now having digested all the comments. At least people seem enthused about the music. Yeah, the gun thing is a bit...phluuuurrrphmmm. Thing is, putting aside the non-violent/Violent revolution thing aside for a minute, (though just for the record, I think I'd rather get stuck in a lift with Ghandi than a window-smasher) it can look all a bit...silly. Funny, I remember seeing Public Enemy years ago when they had the 'Security of the First World' guys on stage in their military wear and with their fake Uzi's doing dance steps to the music. It didn't look kick-ass or menacing or whatever it was supposed to be to me; it looked unbelievably camp as a row of tents. Probably not the desired reaction but there you go.
|
|||
|
Moon Cat 9577 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 18:52
|
||
|
stray wrote: But also as Malcom X said 'There is no such thing as a non-violent revolution'. They will, eventually, open fire on you if it actually looks like you're getting somewhere. Edit : I think, that not only considering revolutionary history in general, but also what is happening (and has happened) in our present time with the 'arab spring' movements, that to argue that non violent revolution is possible is er.. churlish. Same goes for defending yourself on a peaceful protest, just how many times can you be hit with a stick before you'll think about hitting back ? Probably true, sadly. Still, can't help but wonder if it's only a matter of time before the ones hitting back become the ones just hitting and hitting and round we go again. (currently frozen) peas and love
|
|||
Piquiod 525 posts |
Feb 10, 2012, 18:57
|
||
I just want my copy to arrive...
|
| Pages: 27 – [ Previous | 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 | Next ] | Add a reply to this topic |
|
|
|
| Unsung Forum Index | |
