The Horrors ~ Primary Colors

[bono_212]

I picked this up off a random recommendation from Rate Your Music, five listens later, I know I have a new favorite for 2009. The album kinda sounds like if Joy Division and The Cure had a kid who got into Shoegaze.


As far as I can tell their first album got mega-hyped, and ended up disappointing, but most of the reviews tend to focus on how much of an improvement this album is over it's predecessor.

Where once stood five carefully styled students looking to create a loud racket, Primary Colours reveals a confident, poised group of songwriters who aren’t afraid of acknowledging the sounds of years gone by while successfully sidestepping the pitfalls of pastiche. The influences are apparent and that can’t be denied. The Cure, The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Psychedelic Furs and every other black clad British rocker of a certain vintage have left their mark on Primary Colours. The pulsating chimes of opener 'Mirror’s Image' even tip a hat to Brian Eno’s early ambient work.

From Drowned in Sound

The lead single:

YouTube - The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea [HQ]


And my personal favorite Track (happens to be the title track):

YouTube - The Horrors - Primary Colours (2009)

 

[LemonMelon]

I was quite taken aback by this record. I hear loads of Joy Division here, particularly in the vocals (although there is a certain imposing Nick Cave feel to them that Ian Curtis' cries and shouts lacked), but there's some early Cure in here too...possibly Seventeen Seconds? To top it all off, squalls of hazy, pseudo-melodic shoegaze guitar. Great record. And, though I need more time to digest it, especially if I'm ever going to be able to name a favorite track, it's quite clear to me that this will be one of my very favorite albums of the year.

 

[the tourist]

It's a pretty dense record, to be sure.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

nevermind

 

[martha]

I was listening to the 30 second samples from Amazon last night, and I think there's too much Cure in it for my tastes. I liked the first album with all the screaming and organ and nuttiness.

 

[LJT]

I really don't hear The Cure...My Bloody Valentine and a wee bit of Joy Division yes but The Cure nada.

 

[LemonMelon]

I hear far more than a wee bit of Joy Division. Faris Rotter does one of the better Ian Curtis impressions I've heard. And I don't really hear that much MBV...I think as far as shoegaze goes, it's closer to The Jesus And Mary Chain than anything.

 

[LJT]

We each hear our own thing...makes for a good album me thinks

 

[The Sad Punk]

Just picked it up today and listened to it while driving home - very good record, I was rather surprised by how much I like it. As mentioned, it does sound very dense, good mixture of influences going on. Feels like it could be released any year of the past 20 years or so, and I say this in a good way.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

You guys are all fitted and ready to join the NME army

 

[LJT]

Not really, the NME loved their last album if I remember, most other places classed it as a disappointment. This has been getting good reviews across the board.

That said I still think The Libertines were great.

 

[If you shout...]

You're all crazy. This sounds like the Psychedelic Furs.

 

[bono_212]

For the record, I didn't hate their first album, I just don't think it's nearly as strong as this one.

 

[LJT]

Seems we all hear what we want to hear

 

[u2popmofo]

These guys were supposed to open for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club when I saw them touring for Baby 81. For some reason they didn't show up or cancelled or something. I too had not heard overly positive things about the first album, but your descriptions have all been 100% right up my alley, so I'm going to have to take a looksie at the links 212 provided.

 

[If you shout...]

You know, this is quite a strong (if utterly and very forgivably unambitious) record. I imagine that it will stick with me relatively well, for the rest of the year. Thinking about this, I'm struck by how many records usually wind up as my faves of any given year that aren't heralded statements, massive releases, or even particularly daring/inventive (or at least that don't arrive being trumpeted as such).

Though my tastes veer towards the periphery of the mainstream, at "best," and often into the vast wilderness of the completely unknown (Xela 4evr), at "worst," I can't deny that while my tastes should fit me in quite squarely with the elitists/hipsters/whomever, the most resonant records are generally...well, you know...the ones that don't bother with much more than having good, enjoyable songs.

I was stunned, earlier in the year, at how much flack The Pains of Being Pure at Heart caught for no more than sounding (vaguely) like some of the C86 bands, or at least that "era" of UK indie. Like, does it really matter that a good song sounds like a JAMC song? After all, it's a good song, isn't it? Isn't that all that really matters?

Perhaps not quite the right place to bring this up, given the non-obsessive nature of this board, but whatever. I feel that it's an appropriate topic of discussion, in relation to this record/The Horrors. I like this album, even if it really does sound like Joy Division and the Furs in a blender. The songs are hella-strong, and I don't really give a shit whether or not they, OMFGzZzZzz, don't sound like a single other band in the history of history. Good stuff. Good, out-of-the-fucking-blue stuff. I'm very pleased with this record.

 

[If you shout...]

Oh, and u2pm--last night I found myself at a club which was, no shit, celebrating a monthly tradition called "The Smiths Night." Not really my style, but it was certainly something a bit different. I'm done, now.

 

[LemonMelon]

I was stunned, earlier in the year, at how much flack The Pains of Being Pure at Heart caught for no more than sounding (vaguely) like some of the C86 bands, or at least that "era" of UK indie. Like, does it really matter that a good song sounds like a JAMC song? After all, it's a good song, isn't it? Isn't that all that really matters?

Sure. But you're making the assumption that their songs are actually good.

 

[If you shout...]

Even in these simple pull quotes, you see the dialogue emerge:

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (2009): Reviews

You also see that most other people are also "assuming" that the songs are actually good.

In a similar way, a dialogue is emerging about whether or not it's okay to like Primary Colours, but not because of the songs. (Not sure how, or if, that is playing out in "professional" reviews, but it is emerging in internet chatter, repeated ad nauseum.) Rather, because of the fact that these songs are written and performed by The Horrors. Interesting. Again, too, an impressive majority agrees that the songs are good.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I remember thinking that "Sheena Is A Parasite" was a pretty cool song. I'm guessing this new stuff sounds nothing like that?

 

[u2popmofo]

I know what you mean, Shouter. On a related, but slightly different tangent, I notice the older I get, the more I fall into mainly wanting to hear the exact type of likely predictable stuff I've more or less always liked musically and am comfortable with. Genres I like to sometimes venture into and get an album here and there from just never seem to have much lasting appeal for me. I'll listen to the album, think it's fantastic, but never find myself wanting to hear it. Instead, I fall back on whatever familiar type of sound I normally listen to.

For me personally, I just don't put the importance in things like "experimentation", "daring", "forward-looking", whatever you want to call it, as I used to. While I certainly still have a lot of respect and enjoyment in that type of music, I find that I much prefer music that mixes this type of effort with more accessible and familiar sounds as well. At the end of the day, popular music has followed the same structures and formula for centuries now, and there's really only so far you can veer from that with it still being enjoyable for most listeners.

Some of my friends whose musical tastes I most respect are the people who seek out great music regardless of the genre, label, popularity, etc. I worry sometimes if I only don't like an artist because they're "too popular" or something silly like that, particularly artists I used to love when they were "unknown". At the end of the day, all that should matter is the music. If it's good, being familiar or popular hopefully shouldn't make any difference. As much fun as it is to catch onto bands when they're still small and relatively unknown, it's also just as fun to be able to actually discuss bands and music with people who actually know them as well. Hence why I still don't shy away from being a fan some of the more popular, accessible, and less daring types of bands I like, as it's nice to actually be able to discuss concerts and albums with people I work with or my family from time to time without getting blank stares.

 

[LemonMelon]

Even in these simple pull quotes, you see the dialogue emerge:

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (2009): Reviews

You also see that most other people are also "assuming" that the songs are actually good.

In a similar way, a dialogue is emerging about whether or not it's okay to like Primary Colours, but not because of the songs. (Not sure how, or if, that is playing out in "professional" reviews, but it is emerging in internet chatter, repeated ad nauseum.) Rather, because of the fact that these songs are written and performed by The Horrors. Interesting. Again, too, an impressive majority agrees that the songs are good.

Just a simple joke, my friend. I hate Pains, but it's not because they're derivative (more than slightly, as far as I'm concerned) of bands like TJAMC. It's because I find their melodies flimsy and unmemorable, and their lyrics even worse. I realize I'm in the minority here though.

 

[bono_212]

I remember thinking that "Sheena Is A Parasite" was a pretty cool song. I'm guessing this new stuff sounds nothing like that?

Yeah, they really aren't doing much of the punk kind of thing so much on this album...If you would call that punk. I'm not very good at calling genres.

 

[u2popmofo]

I purchased this today having not heard a single thing from it yet. Hopefully my trust in all your tastes won't have led me astray.

(I'm listening to Sea Within A Sea right now, and it definitely seems like the type of thing I'm going to like)

 

[If you shout...]

"Who Can Say" is the highlight, I think. The cheekily titled "Three Decades" works almost as smashingly, as do "Do You Remember" and the title track.

 

[u2popmofo]

Someone should have told me Geoff Barrow produced this, as that's freaking awesome.

 

[bono_212]

Ok, so I just got back from seeing them live, and am now the proud owner of a signed LP of Primary Colours. Though, I was a little scared to meet them after the lead singer attacked a roadie during the show for having the AUDACITY to try and pick up a fallen mic stand. It was kind of a crazy awesome, loud, fantastic show. I didn't take any video or anything cause the venue said they'll put it all up on youtube, so if anyone's curious, I'll link from there when it goes up.

 

[bono_212]

Actually, speaking of The Horrors:

The Horrors: Whole New Way

We’re all set to release a new single on November 2nd, entitled ‘Whole New Way’. An earlier version of the song was initially available as a bonus track on the Japanese release of Primary Colours, but we’ve since returned to it and given it an overhaul. We recorded some extra parts before giving the track a new mix at XL’s inhouse studio alongside Rodaidh McDonald. The single will be available digitally and on 7” vinyl, with Primary Colours backing it.
You can hear ‘Whole New Way’ here:

I'm pretty fond of the song myself, but it's not anywhere near as shoegazey as the rest of Primary Colours.

 

[U2lunatic]

I've been listening to Primary Colours for about two moths and It has become my favourite album of this year so far. Maybe one of my most favourite albums ever. I love every minute of it. I also enjoyed Strange House but of course it's nowhere near as good as PC.
I'm seeing them on Friday the 13 in November in Vienna...nice date. That's gonna be a highlight of my autumn/winter gig calendar.

 

[MilotheMayor]

They had Primary Colours, Dear Science and Saturdays = Youth on rotation before the first Chicago show. New Ice Age sounded immense over the sound system. Reminded me how how awesome it would have been with one of those three bands warming up.