Where's Your Gravity?

From Brilliant Trees through Died In The Wool...

Where's Your Gravity?

Postby missouriman on Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:28 pm

Ingrid Chavez's Black Eskimo Radio played the track in full last night. It did not disappoint. Jang Bang's atmospherics to the front and David's voice curling around your legs like a cat. "share your thoughts with me, waste my time".
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby karnsculpture on Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:08 pm

It's superb.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby Blemished on Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:06 pm

Have to admit to mixed feelings on this one at the moment.

I really like the woozy trumpet-led ambience. Reminds me of the Brilliant Trees era. And more broadly it has a lovely, wistful feel.

But not at all sure about the rumbling bass background (which you can't hear unless you're using good speakers). At times the main song is in time with this and at others (especially at the start) it is way out. Those first keyboard clinks sound out of time for example.

Also not keen on some of the vocal stylings - find the 'self annihilation' bit quite annoying as well as the weird trill around 'where's your mind' at the end.

It's definitely got something, but a bit of disappointment IMHO.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby baht habit on Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:16 pm

Blemished wrote:Have to admit to mixed feelings on this one at the moment.

I really like the woozy trumpet-led ambience. Reminds me of the Brilliant Trees era. And more broadly it has a lovely, wistful feel.

But not at all sure about the rumbling bass background (which you can't hear unless you're using good speakers). At times the main song is in time with this and at others (especially at the start) it is way out. Those first keyboard clinks sound out of time for example.

Also not keen on some of the vocal stylings - find the 'self annihilation' bit quite annoying as well as the weird trill around 'where's your mind' at the end.

It's definitely got something, but a bit of disappointment IMHO.


I should probably start by mentioning that I have yet to find anything all that appealing about any of the collaborations with Bang - in my opinion, all the tracks sound like giant steps backwards when compared to other recent material released by Sylvian. When it comes to the overall sound and samples they have chosen to utilize when providing accompaniment for Sylvian, Bang and Honore seem to be a bit too mired in the 80s era of Sylvian's career. I have yet to become comfortable with that, but obviously Sylvian is fine with it...and that is perplexing to me. So for example, the ambience of this new song sounds like some cross pollinization of elements from tracks like Maria, River Man and perhaps something like Ink In The Well.

As for the 'rumbling bass background', to my ears, that actual part seems precisely like the backbone of the track. It is essentially a walking bass line...maybe even considered more loping than walking...but the entire track is built around the jazz-tinged feel of Bang's bass. So I am a bit befuddled that you've mentioned how one will not hear it without good speakers.
Granted, some of the samples that flutter in and out do sound somewhat off-kilter, as they seem to be a bit too straight to easily interact with the foundation, which has a swing feel to it. But I would hardly believe that the placement of these samples is that far off to hamper the overall feel, which remains consistent throughout. Unfortunately, it is that rigid consistency and repetition that seems to give Sylvian so little options when it comes to his melodic content.

I had reservations about this track when Chris Dahlen described it as 'sexy'. Thankfully, it is merely one song. Hopefully, it is not a direction that Sylvian plans to follow in the future.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby Blemished on Tue Feb 28, 2012 9:11 pm

Hi Baht. Sounds like we've the same conclusion for different reasons...

Yes, the bass is the backbone. But I first listened to the track as an MP3 from Amazon on a laptop on moderate volume and it really wasn't that obvious. Headphones would have helped I'm sure, but listening to a compressed file on poor speakers really does make a difference. Tony Cousins is one of the best mastering engineers there is so I'm sure its subtlety is a mixing decision. It's a jazzy dub bass but it's more rumble than bite!

There is definitely something off about some of the sample timings; imprecision is hardly a Sylvian trait but that's my take anyhow. Maybe my ears are blocked...

I think Bang's work is adding a lot of smudge and smear to David's sound - there's a lot of reverb masking the samples. It's quite a change compared with the electronic clarity of Nine Horses and the acoustic precision of Manafon.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby baht habit on Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:27 pm

Blemished wrote:Hi Baht. Sounds like we've the same conclusion for different reasons...

I think Bang's work is adding a lot of smudge and smear to David's sound - there's a lot of reverb masking the samples. It's quite a change compared with the electronic clarity of Nine Horses and the acoustic precision of Manafon.


Good point, I hadn't actually taken the amount of saturating reverb into account. And that may possibly be a major factor regarding why I find Bang's textures to be far too reminiscent of the sound from a long bygone era.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby Sweetie on Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:59 am

Love it!
To me, it has a lazy, laid back feel to it, and yes, it is kind of sexy. I, for one, hope it's a taste of what's to come.
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything."~ Plato ~
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby shesgotmedals on Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:43 am

I have to admit to not being as cultured as some on this site, and have no clue about reverb et al... I JUST LOVE THIS NEW SONG end of...

IMHO

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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby Stoobie on Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:31 pm

Gets my vote big time !

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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby hitch on Fri Mar 02, 2012 5:05 pm

great song. love it.
Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby afternoonfix on Sat Mar 03, 2012 4:38 am

pretty weak - average , one of his forgetful numbers I think -
some of the lyrics are good.
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby silentwings on Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:50 am

For me, there is a great deal to love about this track. I really like the quirky rhythm/time signature, the textures of the soundscape, the lyrics and the vocal delivery. It shows that there are further discoveries to be made in a more traditional song structure than David has been working in latterly, and I look forward to hearing where this might lead next.

Of course, all opinions here respected, these are just my views humbly shared.
“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.” att to Jack Kerouac
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Re: Where's Your Gravity?

Postby Chet on Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:07 am

I think it's a great song
one of his in twenty years.
but the great repetitive bass line is just too quiet.
and I kind of would have liked him to move into some sort of chord change at one moment... I don't know.
it's good, even great,
but still feels unfinished
And my heart sings of many things
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