Los Campesinos! -- WE ARE BEAUTIFUL, WE ARE DOOMED

[No spoken words]

The important thing is to feel it, though. That's why the band's eloquence feels so brilliant--they take the burden from your shoulders, so that you can just feel it.

Good point.

I'm 38. Good fucking lord. Seriously, what the fuck?

 

[If you shout...]

You've got ten years on me, then, Laz. It overjoys me that not everybody stops caring about art, once they get into the mid-30s. It really does. I went with my girlfriend's 60-year-old father to a My Bloody Valentine show, in September. Amazing. I want to be like that guy.

I wonder, though...do the band's lyrics resonate as pointedly with you as they do with me? Or, failing that (since you're not a psycho and probably wouldn't've been unable to sleep, all night, after being so jazzed), do that at least resonate pointedly? I mention very briefly, in the review, the impotence of the word "universal," and this is what interests me. I mean, clearly...this band is very, very, very young. Just out of uni. They're writing about their own; in fact, people who're already several years younger than I am, suddenly! For somebody who didn't go to high school with a LiveJournal or a Xanga or a Facebook, I wonder what all the beautiful words mean, to you.

I'm NOT saying that they shouldn't mean anything. Not at all. Like I said, these kids are younger than I am, and it still works. I just wonder how you approach this stuff, from a little bit closer to another generation. I think that the band, itself, sort of lives out of time...I mean, they are highly nostalgic for things which pre-date their lives/interests in music. C90, riot grrrl, third-wave feminism, etc.. What say you? Music aside, from where does the emotional pull come? And how does it all function, for you?

Same to you, NSW.

Edit: Actually, fuck that. Same to everybody. I'm sure that somebody in here is several years younger than I am. I'm curious about all y'all's thoughts.

 

[lazarus]

Well, I can relate to that stuff because I've always had younger friends. I've moved around a lot and always wind up falling into same type of crowd. And even though I've been in Los Angeles for almost 10 years, my friends have changed over that time, and most of my friends now are 25 or younger. So I'm not really out of that mentality completely.

Believe me, without the lyrics I wouldn't be this huge of a fan, because I like that kind of meta, self-referential, insider music fan stuff. And what I love is that even though it's very Malkmus-inspired writing, it bears a broken heart that SM rarely let you get a glimpse at, if ever.

 

[No spoken words]

Since moving to Chicago, I've made a lot of younger friends, simply because I work with a lot of people 27 and under. Not that such a thing influences my musical choices (if anything, interference users have greater impact on that), but it helps give me glimpses into the thought processes of those younger me, albeit from a small sample size. But I don't think I could make younger friends if I myself did not have a mindset that jived with theirs. I mean, there are certain viewpoints and thoughts that only experience can shape, but the foundations of how I think are still in place, and those foundations more closely resemble the thoughts of a younger crowd than my own peers, especially in the professional environment I inhabit. To be fair, the advent of Facebook or LiveJournal lends itself to a sort of myopic point of view that I don't always relate to, as I'm a bit global in my thoughts....and while not immune to self-analysis (I suffer from it, if anything), my world never has and never will revolve strictly around me.....so there is that occasional gap. But overall, I've not reached the point where I relate with the married with kids and a mortgage mindset. That's why my age blows my mind, but, that's a whole other topic and I'll spare you.

So, while their lyrics do not resonate with me quite as powerfully as they resonate with you, IYS, they certainly hit home in many instances, and that would help explain my affinity for the band. There's a wisdom there that belies their age, and there's emotion to be felt throughout, at least for me.

As for age impacting art, I find that to be a confusing phenomenon as it pertains to music. I know plenty of people my age who listen to 80's music only, and that's fine, I guess. But, it's not like they only watch 80's films, or read only 80's books. Their tastes in film, TV, literature, if it exists, has not stagnated. Music seems to suffer more from this than any other artistic medium, and I don't really understand why. The thrill of "discovering" Los Campesinos, The National, Okkervil River, TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes, Elbow, Doves, etc, over the past few years is something I'll chase for many years to come. And, yeah, as I grow older it's possible that I'll be challenged to relate to the lyrics, but that has yet to happen.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[If you shout...]

Absolutely. Wonderful posts. Thanks. For realz.

 

[lazarus]

Since moving to Chicago, I've made a lot of younger friends, simply because I work with a lot of people 27 and under. Not that such a thing influences my musical choices (if anything, interference users have greater impact on that), but it helps give me glimpses into the thought processes of those younger me, albeit from a small sample size. But I don't think I could make younger friends if I myself did not have a mindset that jived with theirs. I mean, there are certain viewpoints and thoughts that only experience can shape, but the foundations of how I think are still in place, and those foundations more closely resemble the thoughts of a younger crowd than my own peers, especially in the professional environment I inhabit. To be fair, the advent of Facebook or LiveJournal lends itself to a sort of myopic point of view that I don't always relate to, as I'm a bit global in my thoughts....and while not immune to self-analysis (I suffer from it, if anything), my world never has and never will revolve strictly around me.....so there is that occasional gap. But overall, I've not reached the point where I relate with the married with kids and a mortgage mindset. That's why my age blows my mind, but, that's a whole other topic and I'll spare you.

So, while their lyrics do not resonate with me quite as powerfully as they resonate with you, IYS, they certainly hit home in many instances, and that would help explain my affinity for the band. There's a wisdom there that belies their age, and there's emotion to be felt throughout, at least for me.

As for age impacting art, I find that to be a confusing phenomenon as it pertains to music. I know plenty of people my age who listen to 80's music only, and that's fine, I guess. But, it's not like they only watch 80's films, or read only 80's books. Their tastes in film, TV, literature, if it exists, has not stagnated. Music seems to suffer more from this than any other artistic medium, and I don't really understand why. The thrill of "discovering" Los Campesinos, The National, Okkervil River, TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes, Elbow, Doves, etc, over the past few years is something I'll chase for many years to come. And, yeah, as I grow older it's possible that I'll be challenged to relate to the lyrics, but that has yet to happen.

Hope that makes sense.

Well Written Words from No Spoken Words.

Whatever you said about lacking eloquence, you were wrong.

I can relate to nearly all of what you said.

 

[phillyfan26]

You bunch of old fucks.

 

[If you shout...]

Currently listening to Hold on Now, Youngster, the old school demo collection, from back before they were signed. Really good, even before they got super-serious and brought in middleweight producers, and shit. Still sounds so refreshing...!

 

[No spoken words]

You bunch of old fucks.

In the shadow, THE HISTORIAN gets shiv'd.

 

[lazarus]

In the shower, THE HISTORIAN gets shiv'd.

Fixed.

 

[If you shout...]

Just got an e-mail announcing more dates.


'Sup dudes?

All's good in the LC! hood. With less than a week to go on our current 'right hand side of the US tour' with Titus Andronicus, we are a little maudlin, because it's been the funnest time ever, but there is light, because we today have the pleasure of announcing West Coast/ Mexico/Canadian dates.

As follows:
March 6 - Mexico City, MX @ Lunario Nacional
March 7 - Guadalajara, MX @ Teatro Estudio Cavaret
March 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
March 30 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
March 31 - Montreal, PQ @ La Sala Rosa
April 1 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House
April 2 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
April 3 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
April 4 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Café
April 5 - Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
April 7 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
April 10 - Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
April 11 - Vancouver, BC @ Richard's on Richards
April 12 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
April 13 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow's
April 15 - San Francisco, CA @ Slims
April 16 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones
April 17 - Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival

Touring partners to be announced soon.

Thank you to everyone who has come to watch us and spoken to us and been generally lovely to us on the recent dates. You have been the nicest crowds we have ever had the pleasure of playing to, and we are very grateful.

I'm trying to think of some things to say to make this relevant those of you not from the places written above.

Erm, we'll probably play in the UK again some time. I'd imagine so.

THANKS!

Hang loose,

LC! X

 

[zonelistener]

Well Written Words from No Spoken Words.

Cheers (as someone who is a year younger than NSW - his post sums me up).

Although, I saw Doves and Elbow like eight years ago...so he is a bit behind.

Question: because of our age, we really could not be classified as indie kids. What then? Indie adolescences? Indie teens? Indie young adults?

 

[onebloodonelife]

Just got an e-mail announcing more dates.
April 4 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Café

This spring's shaping up to be a great concert season.

 

[No spoken words]

Cheers (as someone who is a year younger than NSW - his post sums me up).

Although, I saw Doves and Elbow like eight years ago...so he is a bit behind.

Question: because of our age, we really could not be classified as indie kids. What then? Indie adolescences? Indie teens? Indie young adults?

I saw Doves 8 years ago, too, hence the "over the past few years part".

 

[u2popmofo]

I don't want to go to Colorado, so it looks like I won't be seeing them.

Also, I don't want to read the posts about being old, because it'll probably hit far too close to home. That and because if NSW wrote it, I don't want anything to do with it.

 

[If you shout...]

All I know is that I cannot wait to find out what a Milwaukee audience for a Los Campesinos! show looks like. Should be incredibly interesting.

 

[No spoken words]

All I know is that I cannot wait to find out what a Milwaukee audience for a Los Campesinos! show looks like. Should be incredibly interesting.

I saw the Milwaukee date and the wheels in my head started to spin.

 

[No spoken words]

I don't want to go to Colorado, so it looks like I won't be seeing them.

Also, I don't want to read the posts about being old, because it'll probably hit far too close to home. That and because if NSW wrote it, I don't want anything to do with it.

It's not like it was some sort of diatribe railing against growing older. Read it.

 

[onebloodonelife]

All I know is that I cannot wait to find out what a Milwaukee audience for a Los Campesinos! show looks like. Should be incredibly interesting.

That would be interesting. I saw Explosions in the Sky in Milwaukee, and it was quite the mix of people.

 

[Dalton]

36.

You're 36? You handlebarred motherfucker.

 

[Dalton]

IFS, you've won me over. I'm starting to dig We are beautiful, we are doomed.

 

[No spoken words]

IFS, you've won me over. I'm starting to dig We are beautiful, we are doomed.

Who the fuck is IFS? Idiot.

And, the album, for me, was a grower in the truest sense. Totally clicked after 3 or 4 listens and then I could hardly stop listening.

 

[zonelistener]

That would be interesting. I saw Explosions in the Sky in Milwaukee, and it was quite the mix of people.

Think Madison and Chicago. Should be a pretty good crowd.

 

[Dalton]

Who the fuck is IFS? Idiot.

And, the album, for me, was a grower in the truest sense. Totally clicked after 3 or 4 listens and then I could hardly stop listening.

You are going to look awfully funny walking down the streets of Chicago with a piece of my West Michigan boot up your ass.

 

[No spoken words]

I thought that everyone in West Michigan went barefoot, lived in a trailer and eschewed "book learnin". My bad.

 

[Dalton]

I thought that everyone in West Michigan went barefoot, lived in a trailer and eschewed "book learnin". My bad.

We suit up when we're heading to the "Big City". Its hard to stop my car on pavement if I'm not wearing shoes.

 

[No spoken words]

We suit up when we're heading to the "Big City". Its hard to stop my car on pavement if I'm not wearing shoes.

Because of the blood that runs through your veins, and the fact that you live in West Michigan, I'm going to go ahead and assume that you make your own boots from the hides of the animals you hunt. No part of the animal goes unused.

 

[Dalton]

Because of the blood that runs through your veins, and the fact that you live in West Michigan, I'm going to go ahead and assume that you make your own boots from the hides of the animals you hunt. No part of the animal goes unused.

All true. We dishonor our Brother Deer when we waste any part of his sacrifice. The first poker chips were made out of dung. This pleased the Great Spirit.

 

[bono_212]

I do believe it is about time I see what all the fuss is about.

 

[lazarus]

All true. We dishonor our Brother Deer when we waste any part of his sacrifice. The first poker chips were made out of dung. This pleased the Great Spirit.

The Great Forest Spirit?