The Wedding Present appreciation thread...

Discussion on new albums, developing listening skills, critical listening to others' work, as well as TOMB members' MP3 links, online recording critiques

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linus
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The Wedding Present appreciation thread...

Post by linus » Fri May 02, 2008 9:06 am

I got turned onto The Wedding Present when their first full album, "George Best" came out in '87 (I think) because they made the "years best" list in Melody Maker magazine that year. And absolutely LOVED it and the next 3 that followed: Bizzaro, Seamonsters, Hit Parade 1. Those 4 albums LIVED on my turntable, in my cassette deck, and CD player for years. I couldn't get enough.

I saw them at the 7th Street Entry (1st Avenue's smaller sideroom in Minneapolis) on the Seamonster tour ('91 I think). They were amazing. I think I've seen every US tour since.

During the last couple years I sort of drifted away from listening to them. I got back into it again with the Take Fountain album from '07. They are back in form again.

In the last couple weeks I've been hitting those first four records hard again.

Seamonsters in particular rocks my world. I LOVE the production on that record. There are tracks that I think Albini used a pair of mics to record lead vocals because the sound drifts a bit L/R when listening on headphones. And the rawness of the guitars. The cool use of slide on the lead guitar. It just has it's own sound.

Anyone else feeling the love for The Wedding Present? If you haven't checked them out before I'd recommend starting with Bizzaro or Seamonsters and then working your way forward/back.
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Post by Babaluma » Fri May 02, 2008 8:17 pm

i loved the cover version single series they did, john peel used to play them all, i really liked the cover of the twin peaks theme song, is that still available anywhere?

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Post by RefD » Fri May 02, 2008 8:27 pm

for some reason i saw this thread and misread it as The Birthday Party.

so much for talking about "The Friend Catcher".

:lol:
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Post by DryCounty » Fri May 02, 2008 9:00 pm

Saw them on the seamonster's tour as well at the old 9:30 club in DC. I'd been a fan ever since Bizarro came out on RCA. Seeing them play live was exhilarating, they were spot on the most professional players I'd ever seen just so tight. The lack of an encore (I mean, really? Even to this day? really....) bugs me to death.

Shit just remembered I also got to see them a William and mary college in Williamsburg in 94 or 95. It was completely surreal. At the time all I was listening to was the Hit Parade CDs. This was the Watusi (??) tour I think and they literally played in a cafeteria attached to a dorm hall. The door was $5 and beers were -- no joke -- 25 cents. Afterwards we got to hang out with most of the (except Gedge) at a party. From what I remember, they were all very cool. The entire experience again was so overwhelmingly surreal.

I still listen to Seamonsters all the damn time. Great, great record. Albini finally found his sound on that record.
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Post by Rodgre » Fri May 02, 2008 9:01 pm

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Bizarro, Seamonsters and especially Hit Parade Volume 1 are three of my "can't live without" albums.

I too love the interesting stereo vocal micing on Seamonsters.

Roger

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Post by DryCounty » Sat May 03, 2008 6:35 am

Babaluma wrote:i loved the cover version single series they did, john peel used to play them all, i really liked the cover of the twin peaks theme song, is that still available anywhere?
BTW yes -- this is one of the last songs on Hit Parade vol. 1 truly an amazing disk.
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Post by Babaluma » Sat May 03, 2008 6:31 pm

DryCounty wrote:
Babaluma wrote:i loved the cover version single series they did, john peel used to play them all, i really liked the cover of the twin peaks theme song, is that still available anywhere?
BTW yes -- this is one of the last songs on Hit Parade vol. 1 truly an amazing disk.
thanks, added to my amazon wishlist!

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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Tue May 06, 2008 9:18 am

years ago, the previous ms morespace picked me up for a date. she had 'seamonsters' in the cd player. i'd never heard it. after 30 seconds or so i said "this sounds good!" after a minute i said "this sounds like steve albini recorded it."

she looked at me like i was nuts and said "you can tell who recorded it from listening to a minute's worth??????"

"erm...yeah...sometimes....when it's steve..."

she was entirely dubious and popped the cd out. and written right there "recorded and mixed by steve albini."

ms mse: impressed!

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Post by darjama » Tue May 06, 2008 9:59 am

I got introduced when the singer of this band I was in wanted to cover Dalliance. I love Sea Monsters, always meant to check out their other records ... no time like the present I guess.

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Post by Fieryjack » Wed May 07, 2008 10:35 am

Love 'em.....Bizzarro did it for me. That is a band where it doesn't f-ing matter who is recording or producing them, as long as the mic works and as long at it is hitting tape.

Saw them at Brixton Academy (London) in Spring of '89--spectacular show.

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Post by Trick Fall » Fri May 09, 2008 11:13 pm

somehow wound up with the song Think That it Might, but have no idea where I got it or where it is from. Really dig it though......if I like that which album should I pick up?

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