Category Archives: Cold Cave

Belle and Sebastian Vs. Cold Cave…and Richard X

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Next week* will see the release of a 12″ single from Belle and Sebastian, entitled ‘Come On Sister’ which is not getting a digital release.

Its tracklisting is as follows:
Come On Sister (Tony Doogan mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Richard X mix)
I Didn’t See It Coming (Cold Cave remix)
Blue Eyes of a Millionaire

Cold Cave’s remix of ‘I didn’t see it coming’ can be downloaded via Stereogum below.

Belle and Sebastian -‘I Didn’t See It Coming.’ mp3 (via Stereogum)

There’s also two videos available:

This first one, for ‘Come On Sister’ reminds me of the one for ‘I’m A Cuckoo’ (in a good way)

This animated video for ‘I Didn’t See It Coming’ (with the Richard X remix) is awesome, too:

* I should clarify: it’s out on Rough Trade on July 18 in the UK, and July 26 on Matador in the US.

Album review – Cold Cave

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Cold Cave -‘Cherish The Light Years.’ mp3 (Matador)

Cold Cave is essentially the work of one man, Wesley Eisold, and a cast of contributors. Of the impressive list of those featured here, the most well-known one is Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The theme running through the record is that of nighttime walks in his adopted city of New York.

Critically acclaimed though Cold Cave’s last album, Love Comes Close was, I have to confess that it left me feeling underwhelmed overall. Part of this may be due to the fact that the two mp3s I heard first ‘Life Magazine’ and ‘Laurels Of Erotomania’ were perhaps the best things on the entire album. Some of the album was great, but others just seemed like yet another rehash of eighties new wave/electro.

This album feels much more consistent and I have felt the urge to play it far more (and indeed I have). Sure, I think it’s clear that the band still have a deep love of the likes of the Cure, New Order and Depeche Mode etc.. (so do I !), as well as more recent electro-infused acts like The Faint. The press release mentions Suede’s Dog Man Star and Pulp’s Different Class, albums which I have loved since their release and cannot say I really feel here.

What I do feel is that Mr. Eisold and co. are finding their own voice far more on this record. Amongst the highlights are ‘Underworlds USA’ ‘Icons of Summer’ and the free track doing the rounds ‘The Great Pan Is Dead.’ I still feel that they have it in them to produce a truly great album, and whilst this isn’t it, it is streets ahead of their debut.

***1/2

Cherish the Light Years is released on Matador on April 4.

Cold Cave – ‘The Great Pan Is Dead.’ mp3

Album Review – Cold Cave

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Cold Cave – ‘Love Comes Close.’ (Matador)

Given my effusive praise for much of what has come out on the Matador label, there may be regular readers who feel that forty minutes of bodily functions released on a CD bearing the Matador label would earn a four and a half star review on this blog. This review isn’t designed to completely scorch this…but may do slightly.

Having enjoyed the early mp3s I had heard a couple of months ago, I was really looking forward to this. This thirty minute, nine track album feels somewhat uneven. [Apparently digital copies have three extra tracks; these are not included on the copies sent out for review].Whilst there is some fine electro-pop here -and isn’t that timely in 2009 – there is some dross which lets it down. The title track feels like a bad re-write of New Order’s ‘Your Silent Face.’ ‘The Laurels Of Erotomania’ on the other hand evokes prime period electronic Depeche Mode with its’ catchy one line synth sounds. ‘Heaven Was Full’ sounds like the Sisters Of Mercy jamming with Yazoo.

There’s a lot of promoise here – but I feel that there’s more to be developed. I like much of this album, but despite repeated plays, I have yet to fall in love with it. I will be interested to see what their second album is like.

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Love Comes Close will be released on Matador on October 2.

Cold Cave’s myspace

Cold Cave -‘Laurels Of Erotomania.’ mp3

Cold Cave -‘Life Magazine.’ mp3