Iceage - Plowing into the Field of Love

[version sound]

Best record of 2014. Easily.

[xxxMidgexxx]

Best album, if there has to be just 1, is probably Bob Mould's album. Or Spoon's 'They Want my Soul'

[scannest]

That sounds dirty.

Plus, aren't they nazis or something?

[version sound]

That sounds dirty.

Plus, aren't they nazis or something?

Nope. Just dumb kids that flirted with fascist imagery at one point.

[version sound]

Did all of you sleep on this record? Jesus. Y'all are hopeless.

[yourenotevil]

they never did anything for me personally.

[Michele]

Iceage= you're doing it wrong

[Stormy]

Haven't heard it yet. Anyone have a link??
Last album was great. Wouldn't be surprised if the new one was the best of 2014. That's not a big feat.

[version sound]

I love You're Nothing, but this one's better. Never could find a d/l. Just had to suck it up and buy it. I doubt you would regret it if you did the same.

[clash77]

Sounds like a few folks trying to find good when there is none?.Am i wrong?

[version sound]

Sounds like a few folks trying to find good when there is none?.Am i wrong?

Totally wrong. I love this record.

[patient_ot]

I listen to a couple tracks, and couldn't get into it. Based on all the hype around the band and they type of music they're doing, I should dig them, but for some reason I don't. I get that they are trying to do some kind of punky Nick Cave/Birthday Party thing, but the tracks I heard just sounded forced and lacking in melody or anything to draw me in. The vocalist just isn't that good, IMHO, and their whole schtick seems pretty pretentious (lyrics esp.). That is just my opinion.

[JGJR]

Sounds like a few folks trying to find good when there is none?.Am i wrong?

I'm curious if you gave it a listen.

[version sound]

As for the lyrics, he's writing them in his non-native language, and he's doing fine IMO. I've heard much worse from people whose first language is English.

Not to split hairs, but I don't hear any Birthday Party. Early Bad Seeds, early These Immortal Souls, even a little Pogues, but no BP.

Speaking of the Pogues, I think the singer is more in the mold of Shane MacGowan than anyone else I can think of. He's not really a "singer" proper, but I like his voice.

[version sound]

PS: Melody and/or "hooks" are overrated. A lot of my favorite records don't have much of either.

[yourenotevil]

PS: Melody and/or "hooks" are overrated. A lot of my favorite records don't have much of either.

yeah, i would fall into this category too.

[gregpolard]

I love melody and hooks.

[version sound]

I love melody and hooks.

They have their place. I don't necessarily need them to enjoy a record, though.

[JGJR]

As for the lyrics, he's writing them in his non-native language, and he's doing fine IMO. I've heard much worse from people whose first language is English.

Not to split hairs, but I don't hear any Birthday Party. Early Bad Seeds, early These Immortal Souls, even a little Pogues, but no BP.

Speaking of the Pogues, I think the singer is more in the mold of Shane MacGowan than anyone else I can think of. He's not really a "singer" proper, but I like his voice.

He's nowhere near as engaging of a vocalist (and nowhere near as good of a songwriter or lyricist) as MacGowan in his prime. I mean, I'm not trying to take anything away from them, but Rum, Sodomy and The Lash is basically better than 99.9% of everything.

[version sound]

Again, English is Shane's first language, so that's not a fair comparison. See how well Shane writes in Danish, then get back to me.

I was only comparing them as vocalists in the sense that neither can really sing properly. Shane has, what 25 or 30 years more experience than this kid? Give the kid a break.

[JGJR]

Again, English is Shane's first language, so that's not a fair comparison. See how well Shane writes in Danish, then get back to me.

I was only comparing them as vocalists in the sense that neither can really sing properly. Shane has, what 25 or 30 years more experience than this kid? Give the kid a break.

OK fair enough re: the comparison. I wasn't talking about Shane now, but Shane in the mid '80s though even then he was way older (late 20s) than these blokes.

Anyhow, they (Iceage) probably all learned English from when they were little kids and though it's a second language, they're clearly fluent in it. Furthermore, if you want your band to be successful in some of the biggest music markets (US and UK), singing in English helps a lot. I'm sure you know, but it's hard to ignore that.

I wonder if Gaelic was actually Shane's first language or if he learned it at the same time as English (serious question).

And I'm not saying that more Americans shouldn't learn other languages, BTW. Of course they should.

[patient_ot]

As far as the language thing goes, I'd rather bands write in their native tongue and provide English translations for us dumb Americans if they are not comfortable singing in English. The band chose to sing in English, so I just perceive (or judge) their lyrics the same as any other band that sings in English. Sure, they can't be as bad as some of the lyrics the Interpol guy did. Anyway...

As far as the McGowan comparison, I can see that. The slurring of the words and enunciation definitely reminds me a of McGowan and Strummer to an extent.

Re: the BP comparison, I'm thinking Mutiny/Bad Seed era.

I don't need melody to enjoy music, but certain bands/styles of music benefit from melody. Hooks also don't have to be embedded in conventional song structure. For me "hook" doesn't necessarily mean "chorus" in a verse/chorus/verse song.

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on this band, but I'm just giving my initial reaction.

As for the lyrics, he's writing them in his non-native language, and he's doing fine IMO. I've heard much worse from people whose first language is English.

Not to split hairs, but I don't hear any Birthday Party. Early Bad Seeds, early These Immortal Souls, even a little Pogues, but no BP.

Speaking of the Pogues, I think the singer is more in the mold of Shane MacGowan than anyone else I can think of. He's not really a "singer" proper, but I like his voice.

[version sound]

I wonder if Gaelic was actually Shane's first language or if he learned it at the same time as English (serious question).

Doubt it. You sure he speaks it at all?

MacGowan was born on Christmas Day in Pembury, Kent, England, in 1957,[1] to Irish parents. MacGowan spent his early childhood in Tipperary, Ireland before his family moved back to England when he was six and a half. He lived in many parts of the south-east, including Brighton and London.

[JGJR]

I wonder if Gaelic was actually Shane's first language or if he learned it at the same time as English (serious question).

Doubt it. You sure he speaks it at all?

MacGowan was born on Christmas Day in Pembury, Kent, England, in 1957,[1] to Irish parents. MacGowan spent his early childhood in Tipperary, Ireland before his family moved back to England when he was six and a half. He lived in many parts of the south-east, including Brighton and London.

It was just conjecture given his background, but you're probably right. I also thought the original name of the band was extrapolated and transliterated into the English "Pogue Mahone" from the Gaelic phrase for "kiss my ass."

Also, I was also thinking of those last few BP EPs (proto-Bad Seeds; heck one of is even called the Bad Seed EP), not the earlier stuff, re: comparing newer Iceage to them.

[version sound]

No, no, no, no. The last two BP EPs are in no way proto-Bad Seeds. RSH was the heart of the BP, especially on those last two records. The only thing the two bands really have in common are Nick's singing and Mick's drumming. Hell, Rowland played guitar on a leg of the Firstborn is Dead tour, and even then the Bad Seeds didn't sound like the BP.