| Author | Message | ||
     Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2006 |
hello. I'd be interested in a general recommendation about The Servants. David Nichols mentions David Westlake as a contemporary of RF in his Go-Betweens bio, plus my all-time musical hero Luke Haines was in the band at one point, which always adds a few cred points for me. Does anyone care to comment? Allegedly Cherry Red is bring out a retrospective CD, which is good because I've never been able to find/hear any Servants material through either legal or illegal means. Also, what I'd like to know is, the blub for the forthcoming comp says this: SERVANTS Reserved (2006 UK 20-track CD album compilation from the indie quartet featuring mainstay & ex-Creation Records solo artist David Westlake alongside band members Luke Haines [Auteurs, Black Box Recorder] & Phil King [Lush], the CD features 7 tracks from the two rare Head singles, including the beautiful 'She's Always Hiding', 4 tracks from a long deleted single on Glass Records, 4 songs recorded for a BBC Radio John Peel session & 5 other previously unreleased recordings, including a cover of The Beach Boys 'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times', includes full liner notes from Luke Haines). ** released 27 March 2006 ** Does this mean that there's no songs from the LP "Disinterest" on the compilation? OK, ramble over, but any infor or suggestions would be appreciated. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 163 Registered: 04-2005 |
I've been curious about the Servants too, because of Luke Haines, a near godlike figure to me. However, I have a book, the Third Ear Alternative Rock guide by Dave Thompson, that gives a brief review of the Servant's "Disinterest": "Bland post-Go-Betweens mopery, with Haines an anonymous guitarist." Mind you, Thompson says very positive things about Haines and the GoBs elsewhere in the book, so he wasn't just being mindlessly dismissive. It sounds like the Servants probably aren't worth paying a lot of money to hear. If I saw a record of theirs in the bargain bin, however... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 226 Registered: 05-2005 |
I saw The Servants in the eighties and I agree with the bland mopery comment. It was like, shoegazing before shoegazing. Now, take Del Amitri at this time, '85 or 86, have a listen to their debut album on Chrysalis. Its the complete opposite to a band like The Servants, but coming from a similar place. The guitar work is exceptional, lyrics a wee bit naieve, but nontheless very clever. Much preferred this group, who I saw play live a lot tat the time. Once supporting the Monochrome Set, bothe bands set the senses on fire, where as The Servants put them out! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 195 Registered: 10-2004 |
i'm curious about the servants too, though for me, luke haines' involvement would deduct a few points if anything (i never could really get into the auteurs), although he does seem to have good taste in other bands. i hadn't heard of them until a message on the orange juice mailing list mentioned them and the new cherry red comp. so, i'm curious, but am not profoudly driven to seek out any of their stuff. speaking of totally obscure 80s pop bands, anyone heard hurrah? i've read a bit about them, heard a few mp3 snippets, etc... but i'm curious to hear more. and another obscure 80s pop band that was recently brought to my attention, but which i haven't heard, is the redskins. i've seen them compared to dexy's and early style council, which in my book is a great thing. anyone heard them? | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2006 |
Jeff, the Redskins sound something like a cross between The Clash and Dexys, but, it must be said, probably not quite as good as that description initially sounds. It's quite strident, and more than half the song title on "Neither Washing ... Nor Moscow" end with a "!" | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 210 Registered: 05-2005 |
Heard one Redskins track on a Mojo magazine CD and thought it was great. Makes me want to check out some more. Loved the horns on it. | ||
| Andy Robinson Member Username: Andyblue Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2005 |
The Redskins were essentially a three piece band with a brass section - I'd say not quite like either the clash nor Dexys. The band supported the Socialist Workers Party in the UK playing a strident, passionate powered political pop - with the politics central to every song. One official album at the time "Neither Washington nor Moscow . . ." and a run of singles Keepon Keepin' On, The Power is Yours, Kick Over the Statues etc. Loved the sound at the time - the band split in about 1989. Recently rebought the album on CD and the passion remains | ||
| Richard67 Member Username: Richard67 Post Number: 12 Registered: 04-2004 |
There is a Go-Betweens link with The Servants - Amanda Brown Brown played violin in their 'The Sun A Small Star' single from 1986. And what a single! A true lost classic. Sounds like it was taken from a French New wave film soundtrack. One of my favourite songs of the 80's. I'm taking it for granted that it'll be included on this upcoming compilation. | ||
| Richard67 Member Username: Richard67 Post Number: 13 Registered: 04-2004 |
Great! 'The Sun, A Small Star' is the lead off track on this compilation! The Sun, A Small Star/ A Fleeting Visit/ You'd Do Me Good/ Afterglow/ She Whom Once I Dreamt Of/ It Takes No Gentleman/ It's My Turn/ Rings On Her Fingers/ Meredith/ She's Always Hiding/ Do Or Be Done / Transparent/ Faithful To 3 Lovers/ Funny Business/ Loggerheads/ Search Under Stones/ Water Baby Blonde/ Who's Calling You Baby Now?/ Hey, Mrs John/ I Just Wasn't Made For These Times More details here: http://www.cherryred.co.uk/newreleases.php | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 204 Registered: 10-2004 |
so then, does someone wanna buy it and report back to us? | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 13 Registered: 03-2006 |
To the best of my knowledge it's not out yet, despite Cherry Red saying it is/was being released in February. Have just emailed them for a release date. None of the online stores I normally use to get stuff from the UK (amazon.co.uk/hmv.co.uk/recordstore.co.uk) are listing it yet. | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 19 Registered: 03-2006 |
I got the Servants CD in the post the other day. (Oddly, amnazon.co.uk still doesn't list it, or, at least, they didn't yesterday) but I can verify its existence. Anyway, as suspected, it's pretty good, and sounds like a cross between The Auteurs' "New Wave" and "Spring Hill Fair"/"Before Hollywood". Annoyingly, there's actually no material from The Servants actual album, "Disinterest", it's all early singles/b-sides/Peel Sessions etc. Anyway, certainly worthy of investigation for Go-Betweens songs. David Westlake's voice sounds a hell of a lot like RFs. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 243 Registered: 10-2004 |
Thanks for the update, Lawrence! Looks like I'll be hunting this one down, as your review makes it look pretty promising. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 224 Registered: 04-2005 |
Maybe "Disinterest" was the not-so-great album of mopery, but other stuff by the band is better. It does sound promising based on what you say, Lawrence. I read that Luke Haines wrote the liner notes--true? And I'm under the impression he wasn't in the earlier incarnations of the band, so does he even appear on this new compilation? | ||
| Lawrence Mikkelsen Member Username: Simplythrilledhoney Post Number: 20 Registered: 03-2006 |
confusingly, Luke Haines played on the David Westlake album and in the latter incarnation of The Servants. I think he's only on a couple of the latter tracks on this album, but his liner notes are really great. Given what a total misanthrope he ususally is, it's surprising to hear him giving Westlake the props he does. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 225 Registered: 04-2005 |
Luke is capable of saying something nice about another person? Amazing. But he likes the Go-Betweens, right? Wasn't he spotted at the Barbican show? "Valet Parking" always seemed like a near relative of "Draining the Pool for You." | ||
| Per Stam Member Username: Matsrep Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2005 |
I once had a Servants album (maybe Disinterest) and the Westlake mini album (s/t ?) where he was backed by a cast of assorted Triffids. I never got into them: too me Servants sounded like second hand GBs (not unlike Send me a lullaby, which I like, but ...). So I'm afraid a sold them long ago. (Now I would maybe have given them another try.) | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 245 Registered: 10-2004 |
i checked the local record shops and none of them have the servants cd, so i just ordered it from darla.com. should have it by the middle of next week. i'll be sure to post my thoughts on it, especially if i like it. on another note, a bit of google searching brought me to a small discussion of the servants on the TweeNet message board. the discussion looks to have taken place about 5 years ago, but some of what they have to say about the servants seems promising. they also mention that servants member david westlake did a solo record for creation which sounds like it might be worth searching out. someone in the discussion said, it's a "fine, fine record, well worthy of westlake's 'best go-betweens wannabe ever' tag." another person said the servants reminded him of "a lusher go-betweens" and also compared them to early apartments. anyway, here's the link: http://www.twee.net/shalala/m200003/mess1142.html if you scroll down the page you'll see the links to the three other messages on the servants thread. just thought i'd post that because any useful or descriptive info on the servants seems to be very elusive. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 232 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks, Jeff, for "taking one for the team" with the Servants reissue. If you give it a thumbs-up, I'm sure I'll order a copy too. Anything that's compared favorably to BH/SHF is a must-hear for me. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 281 Registered: 10-2004 |
Okay, so I got the Servants CD in the mail yesterday. I obviously haven't had enough time to spend with it yet to give a thorough review or anything, but here are my impressions so far: It's pretty good. It's not blowing my mind or anything, but there are a few gems. Several songs were produced by none other than Richard Preston, and those tend to be the standouts. The singer, David Westlake, does sound a bit like a low-key Robert Forster, and his singing is a bit flat sometimes. Sometimes flat enough to make me wonder why he didn't do another take. If there's one flaw that comes to mind, it's that some of the songs are melodically under-developed. For example, you can hear places where some more, or better definied, melodies would have given the songs a shot in the arm. But the songs Preston produced seem to have dealt with this issue a little better. A few songs are just run-of-the-mill shambling C86, which is strange since in the liner notes, Luke Haines says they didn't want to be associated with that. Production, not surprisingly, is generally pretty low-fi, which kind of makes me think of what it would sound like if Postcard-era Orange Juice played songs written by the Go-Betweens. But yet not as good as either band. Many songs aren't as melodic as the Go-Betweens, and obviously the overall tone is more serious and understated than the campy, fun early OJ stuff. But sometimes you'll hear this guitar melody done up high on the neck that sounds out of tune in a way that indicates a cheap guitar with intonation problems, a hallmark of the early OJ sound. Does that make sense? My favorite tracks are "The Sun, A Small Star," "It's My Turn," "Faithful to 3 Lovers," "It Takes No Gentleman," and "She Whom Once I Dreamt Of." Oh, and they do an admirable, reverent, acoustic guitar-based cover of the Beach Boys classic "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." I'm curious to hear the David Westlake solo album, not to mention the one full-length Servants album "Disinterest" (if I can ever track them down!). But ultimately, their importance to the whole 80s melodic guitar-pop genre isn't much more than an interesting footnote. Some good stuff here, but I can't give it an overwhelmingly ecstatic recommendation. Hmmm, I guess that was kind of a thorough review afterall. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 259 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks, Jeff...very informative review. Doesn't sound like a must-buy, but worth checking out. |