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The Surfing magazines

 
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Dav
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Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 2890
Location: Rennes, France

PostPosted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 7:09 pm    Post subject: The Surfing magazines Reply with quote

I've just received my copy of The Surfing Magazines LP and it's been spinning ever since, the whole LP is so great, Some surf music songs, a Bo Didleyish tune, some great soulish songs, some garage, and even a Syd Barrett Pink Flyd era (some parts of the first song outro)
i think it's much much better and inspired than the last Wave pictures LP.
Anyone else heard this one?
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dazmann



Joined: 19 Sep 2012
Posts: 86

PostPosted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree - its a good album. I like the inclusion of surf-music - quite unusual, but apt given their name. There's a lyric that goes "‘pickled onion monster munch for lunch" which is equally amusing and inspired. I'm not sure how well this reference travels but its referring to a pickled-onion favoured snack for kids.

There's a tune in there that reminds me of Neil Young too. I saw them on their recent tour - they performed a couple of his tunes. Their version of Like a Hurricane was fantastic. Dave Tattersall is probably the best guitarist I've ever seen live.

The musicianship is superb but only downside is that I find the lyrics sometimes deliberately odd or contrived. I feel there's often a really great song itching to get out...but just not quite there. Its maddening, as it seems almost a deliberate act to avoid greatness...
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jefflewis



Joined: 21 Nov 2005
Posts: 1481

PostPosted: Sat Nov 25, 2017 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah I get frustrated with Tattersall's songwriting, I think he suffers from the influence of Andre Herman Dune, in the idea that "you record and release every song you write"... I think this makes a situation where the albums are often unbalanced with too many not-very-great songs. In a certain way, it's like treating songwriting as guitar playing: you're just doing it, stringing words together, the same way you improvise on guitar, stringing notes together, but on guitar the fluency and endless flow of notes creates a pleasing and impressive effect, full of surprises and drama, when it's a great guitar player. Words, on the other hand, are not notes, they're made of different stuff. Dave's written some great songs though, and on an album like City Forgiveness there are a lot of very strong songs in addition to the great musicianship. But then they'll put out a record like "A Season in Hull" that just doesn't really have any serious songwriting on it, to my ears, it's just words filling in space without discerning between what says something and what doesn't. Certainly it's better to write a lot of songs than not to write a lot of songs, but the way I think about it I'd rather write 50 songs and then pick the best 3 or 4 of them to keep, then go write another 50 songs, pick the best few, throw out the ones that don't feel as strong.
But all of this is because I'm not secure in my guitar playing (or singing). I feel like I have to only use my best songs because there's nothing else in my music that gives it enough strength to stand on its own... if I was a dynamite guitar player like Dave Tattersall I would probably put out more songs because each song would be a chance to play more guitar!
But who's funding all these recording sessions, anyway? It's one thing to record a million songs when you're just recording home tapes for free, but if you have to get into a recording studio because you're recording with a drum kit, that usually costs money, so that's another good reason not to record too many songs!
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Dav
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Location: Rennes, France

PostPosted: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think just the same as you Jeffrey, when you listen to the older stuff the lyrics are much stronger.
One the good side there always are a couple of great tunes on each of their record but there a realso song i really dislike a lot and that wasn't the case on their older stuff, some of their newer stuff i just can't listen, i don't really enjoy the new "rock and roll" tunes, like the song "running man" is just bad to me, i like their garage/soul songs much better.
When i think about it what i enjoyed about David Tattersall lyrics was the Freudian songs he use to write.
(i've been wanted to make a post about that but it would be a big one, got to find the time and will to do it)
Having said that i can't help buying every LP as i'm a collecting person and i kinda fear that i would regret if i don't buy an LP and it goes out of print.
Also as a french listener the lyrics don't hit me at first listen the way it does to you guys, i discover them clearer and clearer as i spin the record more and more (i like that)
to resume my post, i've been desapointed by their lastest one but i can't wait to hear their next one
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brunser



Joined: 04 May 2009
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm kind of the opposite to you guys - I want to hear everything that The Wave Pictures produce!

Sure, Bamboo Diner In The Rain wasn't their best album, but I'm happy to take a few new songs every year and see them play a different set every tour. Although I've got to say that I really thought they peaked as a live band during 2013/14 when City Forgiveness came out. Some of those gigs were the best I've ever been to.

For what it's worth, I've listed all of the albums they've released of original material in the last 10 years (nine albums) in order of preference based on how often I listen to them!!

1) Instant Coffee Baby (2008)
2) City Forgiveness (2013)
3) Long Black Cars (2012)
4) Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon (2015)
5) Susan Rode the Cyclone (2010)
6) A Season in Hull (2016)
7) If You Leave It Alone (2009)
Cool Beer in the Breakers (2011)
9) Bamboo Diner in the Rain (2016)
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Dav
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Joined: 30 Oct 2005
Posts: 2890
Location: Rennes, France

PostPosted: Fri Dec 01, 2017 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't get me wrong, i also wanna hear everything, i just think they kinda lost it lately, even if there are always a couple of songs i really love on each LP.

To me their best work is their cdr

airplanes at brescia
hawaiian open mic night
and more street and less tv.
Are my top three by the wave pictures
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