From Che Sent Sun, Nov 1st 1998, 22:05
From Che Sent Sun, Nov 1st 1998, 22:05
At 08:20 PM 10/31/98 GMT, Mark Stevens wrote: >Heh, I seem to remember when it was first released (almost a year >ago), many people on this list slated it because it <shock!> had a few >vocal tracks and acoustic instruments in the mix. Actually, the main reason I panned it was because it's weak. Repeated listenings have only made this painfully clear - it's not getting better w/ age. I stand by my original evaluation - emotionless techno-by-numbers. I regret that I didn't sell my copy before the Nothing version was announced. >If you're not as short-sighted as those folk, then 'Not For Threes' is >a gorgeous album. If it accomplishes anything, it proves that Andy and >Ed were pretty much responsible for 80% of the classic Black Dog style >and sound. But having said that, don't expect 'Not For Threes' to be a >follow-up to 'Spanners'. Whilst there are similarities, it's the >differences that are much more interesting. If it accomplishes anything, it proves that Warp fucked up bigtime in dropping Black Dog. In 5 years, we'll still be talking about "Music For Adverts", while "Not For Threes" will be an album that you have trouble giving away. Someday soon I hope to give a track by track rundown on who did what Black Dog tracks. While trying to identify the Live Tape tracks I released I have a pretty good grip on their individual styles. I think your 80% figure is WAY OFF. Based on a preliminary analysis, I would say somewhere between 60-70%, which is what you'd expect for 2/3 of a group that doesn't really collaborate (I'd love to know how true this is - I occasionally hear elements of both styles, like on Olivine, and wonder if Ed & Ken did work together, or whether they just influenced each other. If they didn't work together at all, it seems a little weird, but based on my own experiences w/ electronic music collaborations & "creative types" it would not surprise me). >Having lived with it for about 10 months, it does look a little bit >average now. "A little bit average"??? Try letting go of your emotional attachment to Ed & Andy and be honest - it's below average, and way below what they're capable of. >Worth getting? Definitely. ...if you buy it used, and it shows up a lot on people's FS/FT lists, so you won't have to wait long. >But you may want to track down the >'Undoneson' EP (Warp), ...if you like paying $10 for 1 track you have & 2 below average tracks you don't have (note: at least US fans now get these tracks as a bonus on the Nothing release) > the 'Android' EP (Clear), the Reflections remix >12-inch (Clear) and the new Kushti LP (Octopus) to hear Plaid at their >best. It's also worth getting hold of Leila's 'Feeling' EP -- the >title track has been remixed at Plaid's studio. So much so that that >it practically *is* Plaid. Finally, you're starting to sound sensible. Don't forget the Studio Pressure remix, the Bjork remixes, and the dozens of other Plaid remixes that are way better than anything on Not For Threes. >New Plaid album out on Warp early in the new year. Let's hope they snap out of it & deliver this time. Che