Rob St. John – Like Alchemy EP
He doesn’t half make enigmatic little records, Mr. Rob St. John. I’ve had a copy of this in my possession for a couple of months now but it seems to take me ages to quite come to terms with where I think the beating heart of this recording actually lies. Previous release Tipping In also baffled me for a while: much like this my favourite songs seemed to change with every listen, and my impression of the core of the recording shifted similarly.
Funnily enough, even though I think Tipping In was a better pop record, in the sense that it had more obvious, immediate hooks, I might be starting to think that this is nevertheless the superior piece of work. Would it be fair to suggest that, while on Tipping In he sounded a bit like James Yorkston, here he sounds very much like himself.
Having seen him play live, where he’s wielding an electric guitar these days and singing with real conviction, it seems to me that Rob has hit his stride. This EP is spookier than his previous, and there’s an underlying tension to it which jousts subtly with the beauty he achieved so easily on Tipping In. It may not be as lovable, and this may be why I took so long to review the EP in the first place, but I would say that this is perhaps the more satisfying record if you give it the time it needs to sink in.
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It is a great little EP. As have called time on my blog, I guess I won’t be reviewing now, alas…ed
You think you have, Ed, but you fucking well haven’t. Export all your posts using the Google thingummy in the control panel and I will shift 17 Secs to remote hosting over Christmas. I am already doing the same for Vic at Muruch and myself. They aren’t their toys and they can’t take them away from us.
Go! man, go! This is Jensen’s “resourceful, evaluative maximizing model” in action! The ingenuity and creativity of bloggers will always find ways around these silly constraints.
As for Rob St. John, for some reason I find this new EP immediately more satisfying than Tipping In, which never really clicked with me for some reason. A Red Heron is a real standout track for me as well.
Friend or not, i think this is awesome……over the past couple of years or so I’ve watched Rob (sorry Mr St. John as we now call him) grow in stature nd confidence as a performer and songwriter…..and this EP is just small fruit compared with what will hopefully come in the future.
This really disappoints me. When a serious post about a seriously good edinburgh musician is put up on this site, there are only 4 comments about it?? Whats that about?!! I think is disappointing that the sexual exploits of the various people who use this site, or whether paela has chicken bones in it or not, could generate more debate and discussion than Rob’s new ep. So, for what it’s worth. I agree with Tom completely about Rob as a performer. Saturdays Trampoline show was excellent and I think he gets better whenever I see him live. That said, I prefer the first ep to this in terms of the actual songs, though I really enjoy the production and sound to this, and Paper Ships is a cracking tune whichever way you look at it. So to be honest, another fine release from another fine Edinburgh musician, which can only be a good thing.
these things take time Euan……the snowball is rolling!!
Whinge whinge whinge.
I know what you mean though, old chap. I’ve had the exact same moan in the past when I’ve worked for hours and hours on writing up an interview and editing all the video that goes with it, only to receive almost no feedback at all.
I don’t think it’s too much to worry about exactly, although there are times I think people are showing little interest in the new music and unsigned bands which are, for me, still the focus of the site. The problem is, what do you say, half the time? ‘Yes, this is good, you’re right’ may not seem a point worth making, to most folk. Or when I write up an interview or do a session, they sort of stand for themselves and don’t really invite discussion.
On the other hand, banter about paella bones is definitely not ‘debate’ either, it’s just a way of people being easily able to take part in the site, even if there is nothing substantial to say. It’s also more social glue than actual commentary, but then, how much of the chat you have down the pub, even with your close friends, is actual, meaningful discussion and how much is banal chit-chat? The proportion is probably similar – the fluff is just casual bonding that keeps things ticking over until the next proper discussion comes up.
The Snow Patrol/Frightened Rabbit debate, for example, was proper musical debate, albeit it not in a dry, stuffy sense, but it wasn’t all just fluffy nonsense either and it is just about the most-commented post ever on the site.
apt words euan….
rob’s music definitely brings something unique to the music scene here. i know he has ‘gone electric’ but i admire the purity of his songwriting vision, his refusal to compromise and the way traditional folk sensibilities are never far from his material.
i too have also noticed a real progression in his performances, the band of local heroes he uses at the moment compliment his songs well and rob is definitely growing into his role, and remember he is still relatively young.
just as importantly, these new recordings can only help him in the arduous task of reaching the kind of serious, dedicated audience this music deserves and hats off to damon who i believe supervised or engineered these sessions. it’s all good.
yr friend,
wormhole hubble T sex sex sex
x
Well I missed Trampoline, but when he played at the Bowery recently he seemed downright cocky, which is a real compliment, I promise. It’s a bit like I said in the review, his performance, like this recording, give the impression of someone who is becoming quite sure of himself. He’s always seemed a little, er, deliberate and determined about exactly how he likes to do things, and it almost seems like he is now starting to feel reassured that he was right to be that way. He wouldn’t be wrong, either.
I know what you mean Matthew, people maybe only have “I agree or don’t agree” to say. However, as an artist myself I would like to think that my music would be able to encourage more of a debate than the shite Asda gin Dylan bought for your party on Saturday! Even somebody saying “I disagree with you Matthew” would mean more than just complete silence. This blog affords the opportunity for upcoming musicians, and in Edinburgh they are plentiful, to be heard at not just a local scale, given the audience you must now command? It also affords the opportunity for discussion and debate, which is really healthy in my opinion and something that music magazines sadly lack.
I’m not saying that the banter doesn’t have a place here. I’d say whenever me and Dylan stand at the Wark bar and drink, about 98% of our chat is shite. Just ask Shonagh! I just find it disappointing that these important posts about talented and promising Scottish songwriters often go by without comment or discussion.
I find there are a number of reasons that variously serve to explain the occasions I don’t respond to Matthew’s posts.
Firstly, there are the times that I just agree with Matthew and have nothing to add. Often there’s music that I like well enough – but that doesn’t cataclysmically rock my world, or an offbeat post that livens up the day a litlle (The Stephen Fry video the other day, for example) that I just enjoy as bit of light entertainment and move on.
Then there are the occasions that I don’t care for something that’s been posted, and it simply doesn’t stir any reaction in me, positive or negative. On those occasions I simply have nothing to say, and I just forget about it and wait to see what Matthew’s got up his sleeve for us next.
Then there are posts like the longer interviews which are a pleasure to read, but don’t tend to generate debate. I could put a comment on here saying “Well done, mate, nice one.” but that just seems a bit redundant to me. Matthew certainly knows that if I don’t like it I’ll say something! (..but maybe down the pub and not on here..) Although the flip side of that is that perhaps Matthew would enjoy the reassurance of knowing that someone out there was reading it after he’s put all that work in.
Occasionally, as in Rob’s case, I find I haven’t made a connection with the music yet. In Rob’s particular case I’m certain I will make that connection in due course, but I missed the first EP first time around and I haven’t been in the right place (physically or mentally) to pay close enough attention to listen to either EP recently and pay the sort of attention I’m aware the music is due. I like Rob immensely as a bloke and I’m looking forward to getting to know his music better – I’m going to set aside some time at home over Christmas to do just that – but as yet I simply haven’t formed an opinion to add – and I don’t want to make a tit of myself by rushing in and saying something daft.
So there it is, I wouldn’t normally put a comment on this thread, but being as I’ve started I would like to say well done to Rob for making something that clearly already means a great deal to people – and that I’m looking forward to spending some time in his musical company over the next couple of weeks!
I really like the ep, I think its boss. I am currently enjoying the wicker basket. Well done to rob for making a really fucking good ep.
(That wasn’t meant to sound condesending, I really really like it)
I haven’t heard anything called boss in ages.
I thought my favourite was A Red Heron for the first few listens, then I drifted to Paper Ships, then A Wicker Basket. I don’t know – it seems to change every six or seven listens or so.
I think that when your favourite songs change its always a great indicator of a good album (or in this case ep). Rather embarrisingly although I am well aquainted to both of his ep’s I’m yet to see the great Rob St.John live (one of those always seem to miss him kind of ones) hopefully I’ll be able to see him soon.
Boss is a favourite of mine, so much so that I do believe I am begining to over-do it and thus become a characture of myself.
The only question I’d have about Rob’s stuff is whether or not his music would stand up to an album. He may need to introduce a little more variation of pace here and there if he were to go for a full, ten-song long player. I’m not saying I don’t think he can, it’s just something that springs to mind. I would have said the same about eagleowl until I heard For the Thoughts You Never Had.
Then again, there’s no particular need to write albums, these days. It makes more sense to release as and when you have a bunch of songs that go together, that you’re happy with, and that represent a coherent ‘whole’, irrespective of how many songs that is, so maybe it’s a silly question.
“Then again, there’s no particular need to write albums, these days. ”
I think thats really bang on. A lot of my favourite releases this year have been ep, for the thoughts you never had, here it never snowed, religious songs & this one. I don’t see the need in extending that to 10 or 12 songs if you’re doing it just for the sake of putting together an album, obvious filler songs annoy me!
Euan, i think you might just be a little pompous in implying that this post deserves more of a response that a comment on Dylan’s shite taste in Gin.
It’s all about what people identify with……and all banter is relevant in an community.
Anyway Euan, you calling yourself an artist these days….and here I was thinking that you were a planner?
Paper Ships is my fave
Actually, that gin was bad enough that loud and widespread condemnation was not just called for, it was urgently necessary.
I know dav, but then again, when people do make whole album and they use little filler songs more as bridges than as padding, then I really love that feeling of completeness that a really well-constructed album can give you. But imagine if either Rob or eagleowl had tried to shoehorn in another four or five songs they weren’t sure about just to make an album – it would have been crazy.
The only time having an album really seems to help is in terms of the press. I got barely a whisper from the print press about any of the EPs I sent them, no matter, how good, but Meursault got all sorts. And as we can see from a much less one-track online reaction, that isn’t just down to it being more of an obvious pop record.
You still drank it though..
Dylan. I take your point. And I’m not saying that light hearted posts don’t have their place. I was merely commenting on how it’s always disappointing to see how few comments a post like this tends to get. You might have nothing to say at all cause it doesn’t move you or you have not connected as yet with the record. I understand that – but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who use this site every day and, this post – up since yesterday – only attracted 4 posts. Which I happened to find a really disappointing reaction. That is all.
Dav – agree with Matthew. Great use of the word boss.
I t happens to US bands all the time. Bear in mind as well that it’s my task to write the thing, and no-one else’s to do anything at all.
And it hardly takes consideration to make a smart-arsed remark, and a little more thought to actually comment sensibly on music.
(Dylan, I’d have drunk bleach, diesel fuel, or pretty much anything else at that point.)
Matthew – I totally agree, a well constructed album is a beautiful thing it’s just sad that the press seem uninterested in ep’s. I think that the meursault album is fucking brilliant and if the reason the press dont pay attention is just because this, or some of the ep’s you’ve put out, is an ep then they are fucking idiots.
Er, I meant to say “attention to this”, it makes more sense!
Well they get an avalanche of stuff, so they have to limit it somehow. And I guess most groups like to make albums and see being given the opportunity to do so as some sign of validation, but there’s a touch of chicken and egg going on there, so I don’t know. Clash and Artrocker are pretty good about EPs and single, I think, as are Plan B. It’s a shame though. We had the Nightjar record reviewed as a single twice, but it’s six songs long, so is it an EP or a mini-album? Who knows and, frankly, who fucking cares.
I was going to make this point earlier.
It took me about 45 minutes to bang out that long, considered post; and about eight seconds to bang out that silly one-liner.
Like it or not, that will make a difference to the sort of comments that will be in the majority.
(I wandered off to a meeting and came back to discover that most of these points were made in my absence, but I’d already typed the comment so dagnamit I’m going to submit it anyway)
On comments:
For many people, it takes a certain quantity of cojones to state an opinion on anything artistic (beyond perhaps “I like/don’t like it”). Particularly if they don’t produce art themselves (and might think “who the fuck am I to pass judgement?”). Even more so when the comment is being read by people who know the artist personally, and potentially even the artist. OK, that might be a bit of a lazy attitude to adopt, but it’s a hell of lot less committing to pass judgement on cheap gin (depending on context I guess, I must have missed that discussion).
That said, the above track intrigued me enough to order the CD, so I’ll pass judgement in due course.
On albums:
While appreciating that EPs offer a whole lot of advantages, particularly for bands getting off the ground, and that there are some hogwash albums with two killler tracks out there, I’d be really sad to see bands stop trying to make albums. OK, prog rock may have consigned the concept album to an unholy grave, but there is still value in having a sustained sequence of songs, thematically unified to some degree, that is long enough to take you somewhere for a while: Mariee Sioux and David Thomas Broughton come to mind; also Donny Hue: great songs individually, but the whole also manages to exceed the sum of the parts very nicely.
I think a more positive sign is the fact that, after what seemed to be a slew of bloated albums through the 90s that seemed to run to 70 minutes just cos a CD could hold it, it seems to once again be acceptable to release an album running for 35-40 minutes. (That’s a subjective observation by the way, I’m sure counter-examples abound.)
The constraints of the old LP do seem to be felicitous ones.
I see LPs as the musical equivalent of novels and EPs as the equivalent of short stories or poems. Both can be beautiful and expressive, but for some reason the public taste gravitates toward LPs just as it does toward novels. I’ve always liked short stories, and I really love EPs. I enjoy The Blue Trees by Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci better than any of their full-lengths.
Edinburgh isn’t alone in its great EPs this year. How about Gentleness of Nothing by Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter? The Second Gleam by Avett Brothers? The Confiscation by Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers? Sun Giant by Fleet Foxes? Just A Boy by Angus & Julia Stone? One after another. There’s something stirring there.
i agree, there are some salient points made here about the way technology maybe has changed the way albums are conceived. even the old side A, side B thing, which i think was really beautiful, and the time constraints inherent in the old vinyl format, and on cassettes for that matter. i liked the way it was more difficult to circumvent the sequence the artist may have intended you to hear the album in. but hey ho…here i am using a computer. what a joke.
also i like ep’s for the simple reason you don’t have to write as many songs to make one.
Wrinkly H’loom 6×3
x
(c’mon, when is someone gonna tell me to stop being a dick and using those weird signatures im using?)
Although I will often play my whole collection on random, I never play a whole album on random because that does seem a bit naughty.
I like WH666’s weird signatures.
They bring some much needed light relief to the interminable chin-stroking and dull intellectual debates on this stuffy, highbrow message board.