Entertainment For Lively Minds
Cult Heroes: Blue Nile recommendations
Posted by robram on 17 August 2009 - 9:05pm.
Thoroughly enjoyed the latest issue with the Cult Heroes feature a particularly enjoyable read.
Naturally, I was moved to try out some of those featured. I found a suitable Robert Wyatt thread so I know where to start there, but nothing on The Blue Nile.
Can anyone point me in a direction? They're a group I've been meaning to check out for a while, but have never known where to start. Recommendations greatly received.
Thanks in advance
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Hats
if choosing one only
But it's all good
Edit:
All on Spotify - here's a mini-sampler
http://open.spotify.com/user/sheevmaster/playlist/4123Ts1NOZ24XU5nK4UjZe
Anything.
They are simply fantastic. But try "Happiness" from the 'Peace At Last' album, which IMHO is their masterpiece.
As mentioned in another recent thread
you are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to The Blue Nile.
TBN
In order of wonderfulness IMHO:
Hats
High
A Walk Across The Rooftops
Peace At Last
There isn't much else, but check out the handful of as yet unrecorded songs on Youtube, and Regret, which wasn't on any of their albums.
Yes Indeed
This is about right, although I'd put 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' in 2nd place, but it IS all good.
I'd also recommend The Pineapple Thief - any views on them? I love their album 'Variations On A Dream'.
Well...
..it was a toss up between 2nd and 3rd.
Peace At Last is certainly last for me although Family Life is good enough to be on a best of.
(No subject)
Hats
Simple, start with that. Then get Walk Across The Rooftops and soon you'll join their select band of devoted followers.
Q's Top 100 Albums, many years ago....
Hats wasn't in it, but did win the readers vote. There was a competition to extol the virtues of your choice in (was it?) 100 words. I nominated it and thought I'd won. But I hadn't.
Hats is just perfect. I envy you discovering them.
just get them all
that or spotify them.
here's a review of their last gig
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/blue-nile-somerset-house-london-ju...
I don't normaly do lifestyle listening but after dark is best when you can have some peace and maybe a drink (there scottish so that might give you an idea for beverages) and I would suggest non ipod listening.
Indeed
re non ipod: Walk sounds very striking, to quote the Gorilla in Not the Nine O Clock news, "the production on that album is amazing"
I remember the days when no Linn shop was without its copy of Walk and Hats, I think the Linn Records arm was built on those LPs.
Yes and they cost me a fortune
I went into a Linn shop, just to look you understand. One hour later I was the proud owner of an LP12 and a maxed out credit card, all because they sat me down and played Walk!!
Lifestyle listening?
Inneresting concept! Care to expand a little?
That certain kinds only music can only be played at certain
times of day.
I had a house mate who would only play van morrison on sunday morning munching an asda crossiant and would moan if anything not "sunday morning" was played. I'm all music matching your mood but if your not carefuly your in danger of buying cd's that go with the curtains.
Casts a new light on the old Biff cartoon
from http://www.music-reviewer.com/April-2008/Rock-Pop-Alternative/Van-Morris...
With The Blue Nile
You never find yourself saying "Oohh.. that remindes me a bit of XXXX" because they sound like absolutely no-one else. Music for the true connoiseur.
Buy them in order.
Hats is a great place to start but they are irresistible. Buy one every 6 months - they're not to be rushed.
Interesting
What you all seem to be saying about Peace At Last. I bought it after reading the standard eulogies - in Q at the time I think. Happiness is a stone cold classic - one of my favourite songs of all time, but the rest? I struggled then and struggle now to remember any of it. So basically, I should Spotify Hats and give them another chance eh?
Peace At Last
is great I reckon but it is the album with a Blue Nile Song I don't much care for on (Holy Love). Sentimental Man and Family Life are as good as any other high they have had.
Bought Hats
when it came out after a particularly glowing review in Q (at a time when 5 star reviews were pretty rare). Loved it from first listen and still do. The other 3 don't live up to Hats but have all got their strong points.
A Walk Across The Rooftops
will always be special to me because it was the first album of theirs that I owned [being the only album they had recorded]. As I then had roughly 5 years to immerse myself in it, it has permeated my life in a way that the others couldn't. All of this to say that 'Hats' is my favourite!
It gives all other albums a run for their money, in my opinion.
But I would still say start with 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' [has there ever been a more enigmatic album title? - as soon as I heard the title I had to hear the record] and proceed chronologically.
I was there when they played at Manchester Free Trade Hall [which I think was their first ever live performance] and still to this day they are the only band I have ever seen live who got a standing ovation just for walking out on stage [and I mean a proper standing ovation - it went on for a good couple of minutes.]
What I would add is that I first listened to them due to the glowing reviews for their single 'Stay' which I remember buying and playing - a lot- but feeling distinctly underwhelmed by. It must have been after the 7th or 8th play that I got it. So if you feel the same after a few plays, don't be put off. Stick with it and eventually all will be revealed.
Sheev's was good, but here's my own Mini playlist
http://open.spotify.com/user/discostu/playlist/7jpMNnzoEX9AFVqCHNQwqB
Another vote for "Hats"
But no, in real terms you can't go wrong.
"Let's Go Out Tonight" brings me close to tears if it gets me in the right/wrong mood - it's not on Spotify, but there's a version worth checking out on Craig Armstrong's album "The Space Between Us", still with Paul Buchanan vocals though.
Since rescinded
This is the version I was going to buy at Fopp in Glasgow's Byres Road
As I sauntered along Byres Road i just couldn't get the song out of my head.
As I neared Fopp I saw the aforementioned Paul Buchanan walking TOWARDS me.
This totally freaked me out so I escaped into John Smiths (bookshop, as was)
He came in AFTER ME.
I managed to escape his clutches and have since rescinded his restraining order.
That's nothing
I used to live in Gt George St off Byres Rd and every morning I used to see the great Chic Murray walk past my window. One day he looked in and smiled at me. I was in heaven for weeks.
"It's a small world...
...but I wouldn't want to have to paint it."
More Murray gems
here
On the subject of covers
Annie Lennox did what I personally thought was a good (but pretty straight) cover of The Downtown Lights
Also Rod S
does a fine version of "The Downtown Lights".
This is what he should be doing - not all that Great American Songbook cobblers
http://open.spotify.com/track/02I4gMUmfY9eQuCVaiiqPR
I would put
WATR at the top myself, it has a slightly more Musique concrète feel to it that I like. However, Peace at Last also contains Family Life which ALWAYS has me blubbing like an 8 year old who has just skinned their knees
Always felt that some of that concrete-ness
was Ivor Tiefenbrun, MD of Linn and by all accounts a most persuasive man, suggesting that it was a great album, and would be even greater with some really cool sounds on it
;-). I am sure they would deny this though ...
I remember hearing Hats first on an all-Linn system shortly after the break with Naim, played by someone in Jeffries HiFi in Brighton. Didn't have intended effect as I actually didn't like the more conventional sound, having loved the incredible sense of space in which WATR happens.
Played some of Hats and WATR on the bus this morning-"even" in lossless and on Bose headphones they sound pretty good ...
I couldn't pass this up
I saw them in Edinburgh (although he was playing as Paul Buchanan - something to do with PJM not playing?) about 3 years ago, and they played this beautiful, unrecorded song.
(the song begins around 1.20)
I caught that tour
at the Philharmonic and remember him giving the impression that a new album was imminent. The exchange went something like, 'This is a new song. We've been working away for a while on a new album and it's getting there.' (Audience) 'So it'll be out soon then?' 'Weeeell! We're still getting it right' - I think right then, everyone in the crowd thought '5 more years'
It's a beautiful track. Thanks for putting that up.
Hats Is the Best
all their albums are good but I didn't think High was as good as the others.
there are a number of killer songs Family Life or From A Late Night Train in particular.
heres my playlist
http://open.spotify.com/user/marbles22/playlist/6i4pUItmhH3dqq5XihVZcV
Thanks a million
This is exactly why I love the Word Massive - I knew it wouldn't let me down.
My order for Hats - initially - is placed and I'm pretty sure I'll be having a listen to some of their other stuff.
Many thanks, one and all :o)
ohhhhhhhhhhh
I remember listening to Hats on my Walkman on the bus once, out of nowhere I had tears pouring down my face at The Downtown Lights
Just to update
Hats arrived this morning and have listened to it a good few times since - really enjoying it and definitely glad I made the plunge into the Blue Nile.
Thanks for all the recommendations!
Hurrah!