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The Hemulen View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Battles
    Posted: July 02 2009 at 08:06
These chaps completely passed me by when "Mirrored" was released in 2007, but I picked up a copy a few days ago for the very reasonable price of £5 and was pretty much blown away. I've not heard anything so tight, knotty and effortlessly flamboyant (whilst still remaining more or less accessible to yer average punter) since I discovered Gentle Giant!

I'm now wondering what other delights I've missed out on in the last 2 or 3 years whilst I was busy poncing about at art college...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 09:37
I've listened to them, I've reviewed Mirrored, I even had to evaluate them for Art Rock. Now that Math Rock is fully-fledged, they're spot is entitled.

I basically don't like Battles (or Mirrored). Just a few good songs, headlined by Atlas, otherwise it's a bit too erratic and musically unrefined. Not to be understand that I except something masterliness from an indie-type of ensemble and vision, nevertheless they simply didn't impress me at all, they're totally on the bad side of energetic and unusual.


Edited by Ricochet - July 02 2009 at 13:52
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 09:39
I discovered Mirrored a few months ago, and it's quite an interesting album.  I went jumping around Myspace one day trying to find some modern bands and I found them and Russian Circles.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 10:50
Great band. Saw them live on Jools Holland, they are absolutely amazing live. Russian Circles are similar but I found them less interesting.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 10:53
Russian Circles is great too, but they aren't anything like Battles.
 
Battles is awesome! Mirrored is such a fun album.
www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 11:16
They're such an interesting and unique band... one of the most progressive contemporary acts, certainly! 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 13:32
Originally posted by Ricochet Ricochet wrote:

I've listened to them, I've reviewed Mirrors, I even had to evaluate them for Art Rock. Now that Math Rock is fully-fledged, they're spot is entitled.

I basically don't like Battles (or Mirrors). Just a few good songs, headlined by Atlas, otherwise it's a bit too erratic and musically unrefined. Not to be understand that I except something masterliness from an indie-type of ensemble and vision, nevertheless they simply didn't impress me at all, they're totally on the bad side of energetic and unusual.

Well, judging by the fact that you got the name of their album wrong twice, they certainly don't seem to have made much of an impression on you!

Like all music, it's always down to personal taste in the end. All I can say is that they tick a lot of the right boxes for me - quirky, complicated, catchy... It makes my ears happy. You say they're "totally on the bad side of energetic and unusual". I'd say that's a pretty tough thing to be on the bad side of - those are qualities any decent band ought to aspire to, in my opinion!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 13:51
Oh...sorry about the album name.

And by the bad side of it I meant they're doing it wrong.


Edited by Ricochet - July 02 2009 at 13:52
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 13:53
Originally posted by Ricochet Ricochet wrote:

Oh...sorry about the album name.

LOL No worries. I hope my pointing that out didn't come across as malicious. I just thought it was an amusing indicator of your (totally understandable) apathy towards the band.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 15:19
Check out new comers Jardin de la Croix: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4625
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 21:22
I've only kept Race In and Race Out on my iTunes. LOL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 22:33
I'm checking these guys out for sure! souds like what I like.

any more math rock people would care to suggest?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 22:41
okay, i'm going through a playlist on utube, and their videos have over 1 mill views!!

if something this crazy can get that many views then I officially announce a comeback of prog!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 22:44
Originally posted by hitting_singularity2 hitting_singularity2 wrote:


any more math rock people would care to suggest?


This

Originally posted by Plankowner Plankowner wrote:

Check out new comers Jardin de la Croix: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4625




And this:

CHEVAL DE FRISE

ABOUT TESS

DON CABALLERO - For Respect, Don Caballero 2, American Don

GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES!

HELLA

RUMAH SAKIT

TERA MELOS

WE ARE KNIVES

UPSILON ACRUX


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2009 at 23:14
They also seem to be getting a lot of exposure.
They are in the soundtrack to Little Big Planet and they were also in one part of Top Gear.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 03 2009 at 00:21
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Originally posted by hitting_singularity2 hitting_singularity2 wrote:


any more math rock people would care to suggest?


This

Originally posted by Plankowner Plankowner wrote:

Check out new comers Jardin de la Croix: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=4625




And this:

CHEVAL DE FRISE

ABOUT TESS

DON CABALLERO - For Respect, Don Caballero 2, American Don

GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES!

HELLA

RUMAH SAKIT

TERA MELOS

WE ARE KNIVES

UPSILON ACRUX




thank you, i will check them all out

just discovered Pivot and ELO
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 04 2009 at 11:02
Personally, I like their EP's "B EP" and" EP C" more than the "Mirrored" CD. The EP's are more experimental but less cachy than the CD :)


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 04 2009 at 12:01
Battles Mirrored, Great drumming, unusual Clap
Music is the refuge of souls ulcerated by happiness.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 09 2009 at 14:28
Battles rules check out a similar band, Time Columns: http://www.myspace.com/timecolumns
"My music is best understood by children and animals"
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 10 2009 at 07:45
Battles appears to be far more accessible to non-math rock fans, than those in the main body of the genre. Which suggests they are doing some right to have this appeal. Also remember the UK label Warp, Battles are signed to, is very much into experimental electronica, e.g. Add N to [X], so why should we expect "pure" math rock? BTW check out the DVD of 'Tonto' on the largest TV screen you can find - saw it on a 52" screen Christmas 2007 and it is impressive. BTW it isn't just Top Gear that sample the album for incidental music. I'm very much looking forward to the follow up album.
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