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Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:04 pm
by ImGonnaWin
I went to the show and was blown away. Completely blown away. I created this account just so I could tell you all that I was...comepletely...blown away.

I actually recorded several parts of the show on my digital camera. There was no filming allowed so I just held the camera by my side. So it is essentially just audio. And it is HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE quality. And I have no intentions of making it public out of respect for the band. I feel guilty for even taping it. But I wanted to listen to the new stuff bad, so I just recorded it for personal use.

The new material consisted of several songs we had heard of: misery fell, i'm gonna win, turn the lights off, sacred beast, never meant to know. But there were at least 3 new songs that I had never seen or heard.

Song 1
Zubin does the main vocals. The song has a steady driving beat during the verses -- almost like Franz Fedinand's Take Me Out. Then it hits harmonies in a chorus that goes "You, and me, divine..." The quality of the recording is so bad I can't make out anymore lyrics, but the hook is catchy. The end of the song starts to build in minor chrod harmonies like something off Weezer's Green album. And then the guitars drop off leaving the bass and drums and Zubin singing "You turn around and around...I'll be comin' down...I'll be comin' down" a few times.

Song 2
Joe sings the main vocals. It is hard to describe the sound of this song. The vocals for the first half of the song sound like a walking bass line and step up and down the scale like a warm up exercise. There are not any harmonies. The music behind it sounds like if the Doors had written a song combining elements from Inside the Mind of Simon and The Bidding. Then in the back half of the song everything changes abruptly into a swingy sound almost like Squirrel Nut Zippers or Cake and the timbre in Joe's vocals changes accordingly. I can't make out the lyrics except for "See that Betty...apocalypse(?)...she move her lips and it goes like this..." and "Oh the things we know, the things we don't..."


Song 3
Zubin, Joe and Rob all sing through most of this one. The vocal melody is something that could of appeared on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. They sound like an army of singing robots. Picture the "I'd like to say hello and welcome you good day that is my name" cadence during the verses, but extend it a few stanzas. Each chorus uses the lyric, "In the fate of the stars..." wit background harmonizing vocals "Ohhhh...Ohh..Ohhhhhh." Then at the end the song becomes completely a piano instrumental with Andrew playing this beautiful arrangement which sounds like a poor man's Cannon in D.


Altogether, very impressive songs to add to the YouTube songs I have come to love. Completely blown away. :D

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:23 pm
by coz
Thanks for joining and for sharing!

I was also there. Shared my experience on the Tally Hall forums, actually, but because of my poor memory, I couldn't explain in detail the way you did. All I could remember was that I really loved the new stuff, particularly Joe's.

If you took any photos, please don't hesitate to add them to the HITS Galleries. There's not been a new album added in awhile (cough-Angela-cough)

And your actions to respect the band by not posting the "illegal" videos is admirable. But just know that we all are feeling immense envy for you and a few might take the time to go and hunt you down. Myself included.

Here's my account of the show, since we've got a topic for it on these boards, now, too.

I dont have a good memory. I remember feelings moreso than actual events. So, I apologize in advance for not being able to detail too much here.

To tell you the truth, I'd been kinda worried about the new album's material based on Sacred Beast & Never Meant To Know. While Sacred Beast still has not captured me too well, Never Meant To Know has quickly risen to a point I find myself very excited about. Definite "single" potential.

I noticed minor changes in I'm Gonna Win & Misery Fell.

Misery Fell remains a thing of beauty and the changes don't affect much at all, but I miss at the end there was more of a yell when they get to the "WHY! OH! WHY!" (as evidenced at 2:22 of this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKDRHn4-jzc) but now it's being sung instead of yelled. I told Joe I missed it, but not enough where it changes the song so much.

I'm Gonna Win was also never a favorite of mine, though I was a fan of All Of My Friends.... so, explain that. HOWEVER! Joe changed a chord up in the chorus which Rob plays a harmonizing minor-key lead over which, for me, really completes the song. I want to have a recorded version of it. Plus, seeing that song performed is much better than listening to it, even if it's a live performance.

I will tell you that the list of songs we compiled as possible songs on the next album are all outdated. They've written a TON of songs just over the last year.... and even more just in the last few months.

The song Angela referred to which Joe sings without any harmonies is called "&" pronounced "And". It is stunning. I can't even remember why. I do recall there was a bluesy groove going on at the end which gets everyone's heads/bodies moving immediately.

Another song I remember featured Joe and Andrew playing a delicate melody overtop of each other. I don't even remember if this song had vocals. But I do remember that when they were done, someone behind me noted on how cool that song was. I agreed. It could be what Angela found to be called "Mind Control". Zubin had to sing off a lyric sheet for one of the songs... which, again, I know I enjoyed but can't remember a damn thing about.

I really enjoyed all the NEW stuff I heard.
Unlike Sacred Beast & Never Meant To Know, which sound like they are written in the Happy Monster Band era, these new NEW songs are definitely not. There's not a lot of humor coming across in the melodies, though they retain the humor in the banter between songs.

(This next factoid is mainly for Oliver, but I'm sure all of you will enjoy it)
Zubin has written a song. They were thinking of playing it on Thursday, in fact, but it just wasn't solid enough yet. Will it be on the album? The answer to that and every other "Will _____ be on the next album?" all lies in the hands of the record label, now, folks. The band makes their rough demos, sends 'em over and hopes for the best.


I was given the honor of hopping up on stage and getting into a huddle with the band as they asked me for a pep talk. I hate being caught off guard, so I showed them a secret handshake and wished them all a good show. Then I was asked to hit a bunch of random keys on Andrew's keyboard to get the soundscape going on the intro to 13, leading into Ruler. The audience had no idea what I was doing up there, I'm sure, as none of what was occurring was being picked up by the mics.

I am thoroughly grateful to Joe for letting me crash at his place, which really was why I was able to make the decision to go; knowing I didn't have to come home in the middle of the night. While at the bar I did get to meet and hang out with Angela(lala) and a lovely, young actress & friend of the band named Lindsay with whom I discussed film and micro-expressions with. And... I got to see the cramped, little rehearsal room. I really had a great time. It's hard not to say this was my most memorable of TH shows. As always, they were gracious and friendly. It was a real honor; a real treat.

For those wondering... Joe now is obsessed with the meaning of names (see: babynames.com, his new fave website) and good vs. evil. Ross really enjoys living there and definitely considers DJing a newfound passion and is semi-actively pursuing it as a side career, neither of which would be nearly as possible if he lived in AA. They all seem to enjoy living there, I'd say.

As evidenced by her previous post, Angela has a better memory than I, so I hope she will fill in any gaps I left out.

I did ask a lot of questions. So if there's anything you're wondering about, I may have the answer. I also may not be able to answer. Dun dun DUNNNNN!!!

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:36 pm
by DwightTheGreat
Thank you very much for the song reviews! Always nice to read more, though I'll admit, I am rather envious... Glad you enjoyed the show though!

Welcome to the boards!

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:08 am
by ImGonnaWin
Dwight -- I am a big fan of those rugby store vids. Those are great quality and they do the songs justice. Unfortunately, the recordings I have are perhaps even poorer in quality than the Maybe in the Night video.

I was listening more to Song 1 above, and I believe the Chorus is:

You, and me, divine
A circular design
The time, a place, in mind
A person on the line

And at the end:
You and me, the time to be
____? all the time
You turn around and around
I'll be comin' down
I'll be comin' down


Maybe it is called Circular Design?

Coz, please don't hurt me. When these songs become more commonplace, HITS can have these vids for the archives.

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:30 am
by ImGonnaWin
Song 1's beat is a little more Fraggle Rock theme song than Franz Ferdinand...haha

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:27 pm
by coz
ImGonnaWin wrote: Coz, please don't hurt me. When these songs become more commonplace, HITS can have these vids for the archives.
Deal!

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:10 pm
by Bumbling Dragon
ImGonnaWin wrote:Song 1's beat is a little more Fraggle Rock theme song than Franz Ferdinand...haha
If this is true, I can die happily. Fraggle Rock....rocks.

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 1:33 am
by coz
coz wrote:
ImGonnaWin wrote: Coz, please don't hurt me. When these songs become more commonplace, HITS can have these vids for the archives.
Deal!
Knock Knock. We're waiting! :)

Re: Brooklyn @ Union Hall 2-26

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:30 pm
by DwightTheGreat
I don't know if he'll be back... But I got them from him when he was active.