clark Clark - Iradelphic

yea I love autechres banjo jams too

how does a guy go from empty the bones of you to this?? answer he hangs with the wrong crowd. he started out so well - steady decline since body riddle imho. if this were a bibio album it would be great, but this is clark, this is the guy who did gob coitus, indigo optimus!!! needless to say i didnt like it.

  On 3/10/2012 at 12:33 PM, Sadsic said:

This album is an amazing feat of interesting engineering and melodies. I dont know why everyone wants their favorite artists to repeat themselves, this album is amazing to me (but I also love Bibio and Boards of Canada). I've never heard an album like this in my life, and everyone saying it sounds similar to something else is only saying this because it has guitar in it. I mean this is seriously a very unique feeling album in mood and creation, I just wish it wasnt so short!

 

Honestly it just seems like people into IDM cannot take warmth in music.

agreed, especially the bolded

i'm thinking he has and ep or 2 under his sleeve. here's hoping it's and active year for Clark!

I did just hear the two preview tracks and I think I'm fine with the new direction. Clark isn't supposed to make the same thing over and over, and as far as I've heard the preview tracks of this album seem to be pretty solid. The scat voices in "Secret" surprised me first but I'm liking the twisted melody they bring a lot. A typical Clark melody, in it's best shape imo. This album could be quite psychedelic and I'm still looking forward to it.

I've never listened to Bibio really, but what I've heard so far isn't in my taste and I don't see a possible comparison with Clark. Unless one of you guys provide your argument with a good example.

Well, definitely not cancelling my pre-order - it is pretty short but there's some very nice stuff in there. It probably helps to have a soft spot for fairport convention-style folky stuff, but I'm rather liking the combination of clarky electronics and acoustic guitars.

  On 3/11/2012 at 1:03 AM, kinski said:

  On 3/11/2012 at 12:11 AM, Candiru said:

Some really negative reactions in this thread but I'm liking his use of guitar a lot. I think the idea of guitars and "IDM" being mutually exclusive is something that people need to get out of their heads because I bet there's a lot of uncharted territory there and if it sounds good then bring it.

 

uuh. clark is not moving it any further than plaid or boards of canada. or bibio. point being, he is not going into any "uncharted territory".

 

i feel like the only electronic act that's not using guitars as a postrock/folk backdrop is rustie.

Didn't say he was. I'm saying there could be lots of new ways to use guitars in electronic music. I'm thinking more of that doom metal band someone posted a while ago.

Well, I've heard this over and over. It's not a great album. The best tracks Imo are com touch, open and secret. The Pinnings are ok, but they'll get tiresome in short term,.... the rest is not good enough and the album overall is short, theres not much content. I hope he releases more stuff this year. I still trust in him, theres alot more to come!

I think somehow this album will work better during hot summer evenings, spinning on a record player.

  On 3/9/2012 at 2:55 PM, Lucy Faringold said:

Wouldn't be surprised if Bibio played guitar on this too.

 

boc stole their wheelchairs?

I never go too mental over Clark. So if it's a bad album it's not the end of the world for me. He's more than capable of releasing top-notch sounds but I will still listen to this album with the attention it deserves. A lot of people don't seem to like Totems Flare? that's a classic for me.

Of course Clark can do what he wants, and of course it's great that an artist develops and explores new territory. But I think those who are saying that kind of thing are misunderstanding why some of us are disappointed. I'm not going to exaggerate and say there's loads of music exactly like this out there - or that Clark ever has been particularly 'experimental' - but the new one is very accessible, user-friendly, conventional music compared to most of Clark's previous output, and especially ETBOY. If you've also got lots of wonderful and unusual folk, psychedelic, prog, and instrumental music from the 60s onwards already, and are hungering for something sonically-challenging and substantial, you're not going to be over-the-moon that one of the few remaining 'electronic' artists on the Warp rooster has gone in this direction. And unfortunately, it's not an unpredictable trajectory anyway... as I've said, it seems to be the general trend, and is even used as a promotional point in new music from these kinds of artists (I mean, the fact that there's now 'proper' musicianship on a whole variety of 'proper', un-mangled acoustic instruments.) I'm no purist and don't care what sound sources are used, but are we ashamed of synthesis, programming, chaos, experimentation and wild audio-mangling now?

  On 3/11/2012 at 8:53 AM, mrgypsum said:

how does a guy go from empty the bones of you to this?? answer he hangs with the wrong crowd. he started out so well - steady decline since body riddle imho. if this were a bibio album it would be great, but this is clark, this is the guy who did gob coitus, indigo optimus!!! needless to say i didnt like it.

This is what I am thinking. It's like David Lynch, out of nowhere, making The Straight Story. Sure, he has the right to prove to himself that he can make "that kind of movie" and even seamlessly sneak in a few harcore Lynchian elements into "that kind of movie". But to most of his established audience it's fairly uninteresting except on a conceptional level. It's like "oh props to him for trying something like this" and you maybe watch the scenes with the close-ups of fire on youtube eventually, but you can't actually be bothered to watch the entire film.

Incidentally, am I the only one who's met several women who list The Straight Story as their favourite Lynch film? Maybe that's what Iradelphic is; Clark for women. I don't mean this in any pejorative sense. Maybe he actually is just catering to a different listener (be it the feminine side in male listeners, which again is not meant as insult or whatever)(I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's dick here, but I probably am).

  On 3/12/2012 at 1:37 PM, Gretsky 3D said:

  On 3/11/2012 at 8:53 AM, mrgypsum said:

how does a guy go from empty the bones of you to this?? answer he hangs with the wrong crowd. he started out so well - steady decline since body riddle imho. if this were a bibio album it would be great, but this is clark, this is the guy who did gob coitus, indigo optimus!!! needless to say i didnt like it.

 

This is what I am thinking. It's like David Lynch, out of nowhere, making The Straight Story. Sure, he has the right to prove to himself that he can make "that kind of movie" and even seamlessly sneak in a few harcore Lynchian elements into "that kind of movie". But to most of his established audience it's fairly uninteresting except on a conceptional level. It's like "oh props to him for trying something like this" and you maybe watch the scenes with the close-ups of fire on youtube eventually, but you can't actually be bothered to watch the entire film.

 

 

Incidentally, am I the only one who's met several women who list The Straight Story as their favourite Lynch film? Maybe that's what Iradelphic is; Clark for women. I don't mean this in any pejorative sense. Maybe he actually is just catering to a different listener (be it the feminine side in male listeners, which again is not meant as insult or whatever)(I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's dick here, but I probably am).

lol

  On 3/12/2012 at 1:37 PM, Gretsky 3D said:

  On 3/11/2012 at 8:53 AM, mrgypsum said:

how does a guy go from empty the bones of you to this?? answer he hangs with the wrong crowd. he started out so well - steady decline since body riddle imho. if this were a bibio album it would be great, but this is clark, this is the guy who did gob coitus, indigo optimus!!! needless to say i didnt like it.

 

This is what I am thinking. It's like David Lynch, out of nowhere, making The Straight Story. Sure, he has the right to prove to himself that he can make "that kind of movie" and even seamlessly sneak in a few harcore Lynchian elements into "that kind of movie". But to most of his established audience it's fairly uninteresting except on a conceptional level. It's like "oh props to him for trying something like this" and you maybe watch the scenes with the close-ups of fire on youtube eventually, but you can't actually be bothered to watch the entire film.

 

 

Incidentally, am I the only one who's met several women who list The Straight Story as their favourite Lynch film? Maybe that's what Iradelphic is; Clark for women. I don't mean this in any pejorative sense. Maybe he actually is just catering to a different listener (be it the feminine side in male listeners, which again is not meant as insult or whatever)(I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's dick here, but I probably am).

That YouTube video where he makes quinoa is my favorite Lynch film. Never really understood him.

  On 3/11/2012 at 8:53 AM, mrgypsum said:

how does a guy go from empty the bones of you to this?? answer he hangs with the wrong crowd. he started out so well - steady decline since body riddle imho. if this were a bibio album it would be great, but this is clark, this is the guy who did gob coitus, indigo optimus!!! needless to say i didnt like it.

Actually the answer is far more simple than that; Clark has stated in interviews that ETBOY is his least favourite album.

If you are judging him based on that album then you should probably have given up on Clark a good 6 years ago, because it was only after that album that he actually started developing his personal style.

But really... "he hangs with the wrong crowd"? How could you have the authority to say that when you think his compression trilogy are his worst works? That's just silly.

  On 3/12/2012 at 12:23 PM, beerwolf said:

I never go too mental over Clark. So if it's a bad album it's not the end of the world for me. He's more than capable of releasing top-notch sounds but I will still listen to this album with the attention it deserves. A lot of people don't seem to like Totems Flare? that's a classic for me.

indeed. my thoughts exactly.

I'm actually under the impression that after each album watmm is always disappointe, and complains its not like the previous album, and yet by the next album all is forgiven enough to complain about the new one. maybe watmm needs to be more distinct with its opinions...

still excited for this. gonna get my folk on.

yea even after all this negativity I've been reading, I'm still psyched for this. now I'm dying to hear it though.

im a Clark fan

Haven't listened yet (waiting for the release), but after reading about it I listened to the short samples on Amazon and quite liked them... having been prepared by watmm. By the time I actually hear the album it'll seem pretty normal I'm sure and I'll probably love it!

Had I heard the samples without any warning I most likely would have been very disappointed. It's all in the expectations!

  On 3/12/2012 at 1:34 PM, Lianne said:

Of course Clark can do what he wants, and of course it's great that an artist develops and explores new territory. But I think those who are saying that kind of thing are misunderstanding why some of us are disappointed. I'm not going to exaggerate and say there's loads of music exactly like this out there - or that Clark ever has been particularly 'experimental' - but the new one is very accessible, user-friendly, conventional music compared to most of Clark's previous output, and especially ETBOY. If you've also got lots of wonderful and unusual folk, psychedelic, prog, and instrumental music from the 60s onwards already, and are hungering for something sonically-challenging and substantial, you're not going to be over-the-moon that one of the few remaining 'electronic' artists on the Warp rooster has gone in this direction. And unfortunately, it's not an unpredictable trajectory anyway... as I've said, it seems to be the general trend, and is even used as a promotional point in new music from these kinds of artists (I mean, the fact that there's now 'proper' musicianship on a whole variety of 'proper', un-mangled acoustic instruments.) I'm no purist and don't care what sound sources are used, but are we ashamed of synthesis, programming, chaos, experimentation and wild audio-mangling now?

really well said - and for the rest of you, clark is hugely talented. i disliked body riddle as much as i disliked this album but i thought turning dragon and totems flare were great - my point is i just dont like this album, i wish he would go back to writing something strickly electronic. it seems like he is going for the great review in pitchfork with this release. thats all, if this album is what you like, thats great. its just not for me.

I like the album. It does drag a little towards the middle/end, but overall I like style and direction it's going. Some of the tracks (Com Touch, Tooth Moves:) are amazing.

Felt inclined to not comment on the leak.. but had to balance out the negativity a little!

edit:

!!further to above!! This album has some really strong tracks. It also has some pretty weak moments. Maybe it's just me, but Ghoster, for example, just feels like the biggest filler. Overall, the album feels a little disjointed, and doesn't feel as strong as his previous albums. I still don't think it's anything fans should be overly concerned about. Fans of Body Riddle/Totems Flare should find something to enjoy in it:)

  On 3/13/2012 at 2:45 AM, jules said:

yea even after all this negativity I've been reading, I'm still psyched for this. now I'm dying to hear it though.

 

im a Clark fan

++ 3 weeks left! Unless Warp releases it early.

love it, best album so far imo

Not disappointed with anything I have heard on this album so far, and apparently now I have heard about half the tracks. I can pretty well bet that I will be camping this summer listening to this album, completely content that I brought it up in a context relative euphoria. At the very least the some of the production style on this album is really quite inspiring to the direction I have been heading in the last 2 years on one of my projects.

I highly highly doubt I will ever rate this as my favorite Clark album... but my favorite Clark track could very well end up being on here I think.

sounds like Daedelus in a lot of places.

tooth moves in incredible.

  On 1/23/2012 at 10:50 PM, Zephyr_Nova said:

The kick/snare are background, melodic content is the focal point. That's why they're not banging-in-your-face-awesome sounding. It's in part why I find this to be a refreshing shift in direction.

^ yeah that. this has got me nicely teased...

remember this is just a cheeky wee appetiser for your lugholes... an amuse-oreilles if you will. (pretentious hand gesture)

and keep your leak i'm waiting for the release.