The Indelicates have two halves; not quite a whole
Much as I adore the Indelicates, they never sound quite right and I think it’s down to the voices. Their songs aren’t anything out of the ordinary on the most part, although I can’t tell you how much it pleases me to hear a band that is so political so much of the time. To get back to the voices, neither Simon or Julia Indelicate sound like singers in a rock band. Simon sounds like he should be belting out folk protest songs on the edges of musical festivals and Julia is far too developed of a singer to be doing anything other than opera.
All of which gives the band a rather disjointed quality. The elements don’t really form a cohesive whole, and the fact they split lead vocal duties leads to a band that has a lot of sounds but no one of it’s own. This all sounds rather negative and as I’m putting the band down, but I’m not. It works for me personally, but then I tend to enjoy things that sound just a little odd. It may help explain why they haven’t really caught on very much. Outside of Germany at least, where strangely they seem to be quite big.
The two songs here taken from their debut American Demo album demonstrate this perfectly. Our Daughters Will Never Be Free is a vicious attack on the current state on feminism and how things have seemingly gone backwards. I don’t entirely agree with the politics, but it’s so well crafted that it’s hard not to go along with it. And hell, it least it has a political point to make. If Jeff Buckley Is Lived however is another of band’s explorations of rock stars dying early (also on their Waiting For Pete Doherty To Die) and how it changes our perceptions. Would Buckley really have sunk into obscurity following “a weak second album and a difficult third”? Maybe, maybe not. It’s pretty much a given that he wouldn’t be as revered as he is now though.
Both of these songs are good (to my ears anyway), but they certainly don’t sound like they come from the same album. I know we live in an age now where the album is less important than the song, but it makes American Demo lack that special something.
MP3 The Indelicates – If Jeff Buckley Had Lived
American Demo was released nearly a year ago on Weekender Records.
Are u crazy? “pretty much a given that he wouldn’t be as revered as he is now though” He would be just as lionized as ever. This man had a spirit that he sang and played from, that no other musician now or since has been able to emulate. U need to do a little more homework on how his peers idolize him.
Really? There are plenty of artists who have put out a perfect first album and never been able to follow it up. If he’d never been able to make another Grace and put out a load of average records, he’d still be seen in the same light? Or if he’d started making radio friendly middle of the road tosh or something? Obviously he may not have done either, but who knows? Dying young does make you better regarded than sinking into obscurity, so I’ve no idea why Buckley would be any different.
If one can’t see why Jeff Buckley would have been different, it only means you can’t see where he was coming from and who he was. He never planned on making another Grace. The point you are missing is he WAS as large in life as he became in death. He wasn’t into music, he was music and “radio friendly” would, could, never, ever apply to him. If he only made one album in 10yrs, he would never go into obscurity. What ever he put out in the future, whether one liked it or not, whether it became “commerical” or not, for other musicians he would still shine. It’s like Frank Lloyd Wright or any great. They never go into obscurity because they create from a place that other’s don’t. And the light always shines on these greats because they are always leading way. People are always looking for and to them for whatever is next. They are always on peoples’ mind. Dead or alive it’s impossible for them to become obscure. Yes, there are plenty of artists who made one album and never made it again. Think of what the difference was? They may have been good, but they were not GREAT. They were not lionized in life. When they were alive, they were NOT larger than life. And again, they didn’t create from that same spirit that greats, like Ray Charles and Jeff and Edith Piaf did. That’s the difference of being able to become obscure or not. And that is why they became obscure. They were NOT great. Now I have to listen to the Indelicates and see if they come from that same place. :)
Hey Scrunty they suck! write about some good music may i suggest the following:
Frightened Rabbit- keep thursday 16 free+ wednesday to be safe
Mother Mother
The Acorn
Tinchy Stryder
Port O’Brien
Agree with u about Jeff Buckley(over hyped… like Nirvana & the foos, all songs either sound like the one or learn to fly)
Now someone who wasn’t over hyped is Buddy Holly he was great! also the beatles were overhyped because of John Lennon dieing thingy… the who are far better.