More Mitchell Museum
I am putting Mitchell Museum down as unsigned at the moment, but I doubt that will be the case for much longer. Labels are sniffing around them like flies round a honeypot, apparently, so I don’t think it’ll be long before we see them on a label; independent, boutique, major or otherwise. I know that Beggars Group are intending to scout one of their upcoming shows, but then Beggars comprises so many record labels that could mean almost anything. Personally I’d love to work with them myself on Song, by Toad Records, apart from the fact that in terms of money and time I wouldn’t be ready for a couple of months at the least, so I will probably have missed my chance by then. Still, they have a big, bold sound, so maybe a bigger, or at least a trendier, record label would be more suitable anyway.
Anyhow, here is another song, the b-side to their single Warning Bells (buy it from their website), which has appeared on their MySpace page recently. It’s very much of a piece with their general brand of thumping spastic mentalism and, as such, is bloody brilliant. I still haven’t seen them live, but Nick from Sparrow & the Workshop reckons they are a band I have to get through to Glasgow and check out as soon as I can, having seen them a couple of times himself.
Given I am now aware of ‘the buzz’ I do wonder slightly if I’m getting caught up in it a bit too much, rather than making this call on my own judgement alone, but I certainly think this band are capable of big things, assuming the rest of their songs are as good as the ones we’ve heard so far. Definitely one to keep an eye on in 2009 I would say.
Mitchell Museum – Take the Tongue Out
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I can see the novelty in this wearing very thin very rapidly, and I thought the same when the one song was included on the Toadcast.
I’m afraid I hear precious little ‘thumping spastic mentalism’ here. Instead I find laboured, over-produced and over-rehearsed pretentiousness.
They lack the spontaneity and recklessness you must have to get away this sort of music, and end up just sounding like the background music to one of those kids’ TV shows where people get buckets of green gunk tipped over their heads.
If you want raucous roustabout music, you can do so much better elsewhere.
This isn’t some point-scoring exercise where we make ourselves feel clever by making grandstanding put downs of bands with four recorded songs to their name solely in order to showcase our own cleverness.
If you don’t like it, fair enough, say so, but not like that, not on this site, not at this stage of a band’s career.
Huh?
Who are you and what have you done with Matthew?
I don’t know if this band have done four or four dozen songs, but I’ve heard two and that’s my response to them.
As for the tone of the comment, it’s not exactly a departure from other times I’ve commented on here about stuff I didn’t like.
If you’d prefer me to sum up my opinion of these two songs in one word, I can certainly do that, but don’t go worrying that I suddenly believe my opinion means anything – or should mean anything – to these guys or to anybody else. My opinion doesn’t mean that much to me!
For the record, I sincerely wish them the best of luck with their career and hope they find an audience. I mean that. They’re out there giving it a go and I respect that in any performer. I doubt I’ll be in that audience – but if they make other people happy – then brilliant.
You’ve always encouraged debate on here, so if you don’t agree with my point of view, great, pick my argument to bits, let’s have it.
But I actually think you’re a bit out of line to suddenly turn on me personally like that out of the blue. A year or so ago you actually said pretty much the exact opposite to me, explaining that the parts of the Toad Manifesto relating to new and unsigned bands in intended to apply to your own reviews, and the comments section is available for much more free expression of opinion.
If something I’ve said on here causes a problem for you outside of the comments section, then I’d prefer you hit the delete button and maybe drop me a line in the real world outside the site to explain, but don’t have a go at me on here when I’m not behaving any different than I usually do. That’s not fair.
Well maybe I should heed my own words and bite my tongue a little. And maybe I do assume people know more about these bands than they do.
Basically, they are filed under ‘Unsigned’ and ‘New Music’, a trip to their MySpace shows how new they are, and I have mentioned before that they only have a few months under their belts. Still, I guess I shouldn’t be assuming that people read that stuff.
But I really don’t want a band’s first couple of reviews to be followed by not just criticism, but sneering criticism. Once they become more famous then fair enough, although I know there’s no clear line you can draw.
You’re right though, I did say that it should be fair game in the comments section, and I should stick to that. Mind you, if it had been some random newbie I’d have been a lot harsher.
One of the things I hate about Drowned in Sound is the tone of the comments, and Pitchfork can be like that in their reviews at times as well, even of really new bands.
I just imagine one of the band stumbling across the review – all the more likely because there aren’t that many reviews around – and then the first thing they read is something like that and it makes me squirm because it still feels like it’s coming from me.
I need to disown the comments a little better, so I’m sorry, but basically I had this image of the band basically thinking ‘Oh thanks so much for writing about us on your blog and giving everyone the chance to take the piss out of us and treat us like cunts’, which would be awful. And given they’re on the Scottish scene as well I’m really wary of us all turning into some sort of Edinburgh alt-folk clique who turn their noses up at everyone else and act like we’re oh so special.
So I guess it was largely just me being paranoid, and I’m sorry. But as a regular commenter I would appreciate you at least being aware of who you slag off and how. I don’t know by what right I say that either, probably just because I think it isn’t very nice and is easily avoided.
Ouch. Fine, Matthew, but take your own advice please.
Well, forgive me for jumping in, but I really like MM and your blog isn’t the first place I’ve heard them. Mp3hugger featured them about two months ago and I’ve been hooked ever since and he’s Irish, so there!
You’re right, they’re a great band and worthy of a label. I think they have loads to bring to the music scene, they’re just getting started. And if they want to shoot me something, I’d be more than happy to feature them on my own space. I’ll be keeping a keen eye on what happens to them. That’s one of the cool things about being a fan and having blogs like this to read – you get to watch the process evolve. Thanks for featuring them.
xoxox
C&B I think you’ll find I said that.
Yes, Tart, he beat me to it by a couple of weeks I think. Or at least, he was the only one on the Hype Machine who’d mentioned them when I wrote my post in December. All that and running a label as well – how does he find the time.
I was applying the second quote to your statement about Dylan, but never mind. None of my beeswax.
This Mitchell Museum band is OK I guess, lots of interesting noises and whatnot, and they can clearly play their instruments. The guy’s voice on Extra Lives still reminds me of Polvo, but I’ve listened several times now and I’m not hearing much of a “tune” in either song.
Perhaps I’m getting too old. The stuff you kids listen to these days….
Well it’s one of the reasons I like it. A lot of stuff to which this is vaguely related can be far too jerky and twitchy for me, but I hear just enough standard pop music in here to make it at bit more my kind of thing.
The other thing worth bearing in mind is that these are probably the two most frenetic songs on their page. A few of the others are a lot more low key and experimental – really good, too. I would have posted one today, but then I’d have four of their five songs available to download and I didn’t think that was very fair.
Matthew, I think that’s C&Bs point is it not?
What is C&B’s point? That their other stuff is less frantic?
No, I meant the comment – I would appreciate you at least being aware of who you slag off and how.
But I missed the post where he explained that!! Nevermind.
So I’ve checked out their myspace and discovered that the tunes you posted here are the ones I like least. In fact, there’s a few tunes on there (Warning Bells, Number 3 daemonstration version and Arthur Loves the Shadows) that are positively Beatlesque, with a very enjoyable Enon or Brainiac vibe and some actual riffage, which I always appreciate.
I’ve asked them to be meh-friend.
I am not keen on Warning Bells – sounds a bit Cast-era Britpop to me – but the others are indeed excellent tunes. As I said, the only reason I didn’t post one of those other ones today was because of wanting to keep the number of freebies down to a minimum, but perhaps in retrospect that was a mistake.
The other thing to mention is that I haven’t seen them live yet, which is apparently a whole different experience altogether. No idea in quite what way because no-one who’s said that has been able to give me a straight answer, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
My two cents, for what its worth: I thought their session for Marc Riley on 6Music was one of the most enjoyable of last year – the songs sounded much better in that environment than their tracks on myspace might suggest, plus they came across as sharp humorous coves to boot. So I’m with Matthew on this one, especially given their playful and inventive gig at “Rock the Boat” last weekend.
Splendid. I was intending to catch their next gig actually, but it might have to wait until they play with Sparrow & the Workshop in February at Oran Mor.
Good stuff. I think I’ll be going to that one too, see you then if not before.
Excellent news. It’s a date!
Hi Matthew.. I seriously hope you DONT go to see them in Oran Mor in February with Sparrow and the workshop!! As you will have attended the wrong venue!
Their February gig is at the Twisted Wheel.
The Oran Mor gig is with ID Parade at the end of January.
I am curious where you got your info from about the Beggars group? I am aware of others who have approached them,but Beggars is a new one on me!
It would be good though,I think.
I am sure the guys will very much appreciate your generous comments. Just a shame you didn’t make the gig at Sneaky Petes… It was a superb night with Jesus H Fox.
As for Dylan.. I feel that he has been somewhat harsh!! And certainly to come out with such strong comments on the basis of listening to two songs is hardly justified. I am sure the guys will not be overly concerned about it though.
Namely because when they have had such positive comments made about them by the likes of Jim Gellatly,Steve Lamacq,Marc Riley,and Vic Galloway who sees them as being ones to watch for 09, a few negative comments from someone who doesn’t get what they do,will simply be accepted.
We all have different views,and different likes and dislikes,and we are all entitled to our opinion.
Watch out for them in session with Vic Galloway on Monday night on Radio Scotland. Should be good
Good grief, I am a bozo. Yes, Twisted Wheel. Wherever that is. And it is a shame I didn’t make the show over here, but it just wasn’t possible, unfortunately. Hours in the day and number of gigs and so on.
Who else has approached them, if you don’t mind my asking?
I know about Beggars because a friend of mine who works for them will be doing the scouting. It doesn’t necessarily mean much though – labels that size scout loads of bands and sign very few.
The other thing to bear in mind is that they have loads of little labels under their umbrella, and tend to test the water with bands on one of the smaller ones. They did something similar with Broken Records, who ended up releasing a single on Young Turks, having initially talked with someone from XL.
So it’s tentatively positive, but nothing to get too excited about. Labels do tend to sniff around groups a lot without often putting their hands in their pockets. Makes sense, I suppose – it’s a big commitment.
Absolutely agree Matthew. Being scouted by one of the majors local scouts, is not something in itself to be excited about. But better to be checked out than not, I suppose.
I suspect that for any band, it really is a case of waiting and seeing. With the way things are with the majors now, they are not as likely to give out the the contracts they once did.
Glad to put you right re venues , I wouldn’t want you chasing round Glasgow trying to find them
P.s Twisted Wheel is in Queen street
i loved them at This is Music, noise fantastica.
i, like everyone else, can’t tell you exactly what they were like live. sort of cause of the music, sort of cause i was taking photos, sort of cause of the wine (mostly because of the wine).
i do remember that i loved it.
(and hello, toady, happy spiffing new year)
Erm thanks Nic, that was dead helpful.
A quick update Matthew… It seems you might save yourself some bus fare
MM are now playing on the 29th Jan at the Voodoo Rooms.
I know. Fucking ridiculous. I’ve promised to go for a pint with someone at the MM show on the Wednesday and to go and to see Rick Redbeard in Glasgow on the Thursday. So I’ve managed to, erm… well, make a total cock of things is the term, I think.