Clark's Crunchy Sounds

[Guest EskimoSpy]

also that rdj is simply a better musician than clark.

 

Dumb.

[dr lopez]

also that rdj is simply a better musician than clark.

 

Dumb.

why? He's simply on a higher technical, emotional, and compositional level that clark will ever be.

[Guest EskimoSpy]

Not only have you passed off subjective assessment for fact, you've also predicted the future.. amazing!

 

We should just glad there are musicians the caliber of Clark and RDJ in the world, pointless to squabble over who is better.. you're not winning any points that way.

 

Besides, if art's value is only determined by the strength of the emotional reaction it produces in the consumer, then what right do any of us have to say who is better?

[marf]

i think it's safe to assume that there is rdj, and then there is everyone else

[tokn]

 

I've whined about Iradelphic as much as anyone, but Clark'll probably go crunchy again someday. Whether it's the next album or five years from now (or maybe both, : :), who knows.

 

[tokn]

I don't know the guy. But, to me, Clark's music suggests that he thinks there's more to his music than we think there is. He comes across, honestly, as someone who's still struggling with how much his art is supposed to say about his self.

The guy's clearly still struggling with who he wants to be. Freud out.

 

 

Sorry for the doube post but too late to edit

 

To me it seems like all the first clark releases we love so much (body riddle, totems flare, the early eps) use the same kind of heavily processed samples he talks about a lot in interviews from that time. The percussion is so playful and fx and textures are so rich. Beginning with Totems Flare he somehow lost his track - using obvious drum samples and more and more simplified melodies. So maybe you are right that Clark suggests more than there is - maybe these early samples he worked on for years (?) are clark's magic. Also compare: An Aphex track which sounds dry and unappealing as fuck but is full of genius and a Clark track which sounds so rich and deep but actually doesn't evoce that "Wow!". While the early Clark stuff often evoce these special moments, to me, he is loosing this abilty beginning with Totems Flare. Or it's simply me growing up. Anyway just speculating because I love this guy's music to death.

[Kavinsky]

 

 

also that rdj is simply a better musician than clark.

Dumb.

 

why? He's simply on a higher technical, emotional, and compositional level that clark will ever be.

 

 

listen to outside plume and shut up

[Lianne]

 

i really like clark's ambient side, much more than most other artist's attempts at ambient music. one of my favorite songs of his is definitely "the autumnal crush." the abrasive loudness and distortion melding into the slow sustained movement later in the song is utterly fantastic. what a great way to end that album in particular

Agreed on The Autumnal Crush. Beautiful song.

 

I've whined about Iradelphic as much as anyone, but Clark'll probably go crunchy again someday. Whether it's the next album or five years from now (or maybe both, : :), who knows. If Squarepusher can come back with Ufabulum, Clark can at least get back to Body Riddle. All the way back to Turning Dragon? Maybe not, but not many people really want that, anyway.

 

Whether intentional or not, if critics were ever going to love a Clark album, Iradelphic was the one. And they don't. Love it, at least. If Clark entertained any notions of becoming significantly "bigger" through this album, he has been disabused of those notions.

 

But Clark has always been at best playful, at worst, a prick, about being "catchy" or "crunchy" or whatever. Many tracks abruptly go ambient far too early or for seemingly no reason whatsoever (a shitload of his remixes; Totem Crackerjack, etc.). Others find an absolutely sick groove and play it out for an absurdly short time without even building on it as a theme.

 

Just to name a few:

 

Bricks @ 1:37

Outside Plume @ 3:22

Rainbow Voodoo @ 4:11

Totem Crackerjack @ 3:55 (arguable)

Beg (all of it)

Nordic Wilt (live edit) @ 1:29 (this one is my favorite, a complete middle finger)

Hammersmashed remix @ 0:58

Kitchen Sink remix @ 2:45

 

You get the idea (sorry, I was kind of enjoying finding those). Then think about his most straight-up crunchy tracks. Hot Bath Rinse, Dead Shark Eyes, and Violenl are the first three that come to mind. Only one even got a proper album release, and Violenl'd been around for years prior.

 

So why pull this shit? I'm obviously speculating; I don't know the guy. But, to me, Clark's music suggests that he thinks there's more to his music than we think there is. He comes across, honestly, as someone who's still struggling with how much his art is supposed to say about his self. Love the album or hate it, does anyone really think it makes any sense that he trod through the wilderness for three years or whatever, took field recordings of Tibetian Monks pissing off the end of the Earth, and crafted the album he always wanted to create--only it sounds exactly like a boring outtake from his Wolverhampton BFF?

 

The guy's clearly still struggling with who he wants to be. Freud out.

 

 

Actually, I think you're on to 'something' here, and what you said has helped me realise what I've felt listening to his music isn't just me. I love the man's output, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get rid of feeling like I'm feeling something of his psychology as I listen, in a not good way (whether what I'm sensing is at all accurate or not I don't know... probably not!) I've found his musical decisions often and increasingly quite oddly-cautious and 'self-aware', insecure even (stella as his production is) - and this sense initially just came through his (later) music. But reading interviews with him and what he had to say about albums (especially Iradelphic) absolutely and unfortunately cemented this feeling. In connection with this: apart from the words he speaks, within the music I think his 'weak point' is the musical structures and movements of tracks. Everything else is usually excellent.

 

The odd thing is, I should feel this way about, say - Squarepusher. I don't particularly enjoy most of Squarepusher's output post 'Hello Everything', and as his interviews and mission statements have become increasingly ambitious, intellectual and/or grandiose in tone, I've found his music and production becoming increasingly daft and poor. It's like there's been a blatant inverse of how he frames his music vs the quality of the actual music. But even with Squarepusher's album/interview statements and incredibly odd and weak production/mastering decisions, I don't get that 'feeling' when listening to his new music that I do when I hear Clark's. In contrast it 'feels' psychologically clean, like he's doing exactly what he wants - even if I find it pretty ridiculous and a far cry from the glory days of 'Go Plastic'!

 

Maybe this is all bonkers, though. :D

[Perezvon]

 

 

i really like clark's ambient side, much more than most other artist's attempts at ambient music. one of my favorite songs of his is definitely "the autumnal crush." the abrasive loudness and distortion melding into the slow sustained movement later in the song is utterly fantastic. what a great way to end that album in particular

Agreed on The Autumnal Crush. Beautiful song.

 

I've whined about Iradelphic as much as anyone, but Clark'll probably go crunchy again someday. Whether it's the next album or five years from now (or maybe both, : :), who knows. If Squarepusher can come back with Ufabulum, Clark can at least get back to Body Riddle. All the way back to Turning Dragon? Maybe not, but not many people really want that, anyway.

 

Whether intentional or not, if critics were ever going to love a Clark album, Iradelphic was the one. And they don't. Love it, at least. If Clark entertained any notions of becoming significantly "bigger" through this album, he has been disabused of those notions.

 

But Clark has always been at best playful, at worst, a prick, about being "catchy" or "crunchy" or whatever. Many tracks abruptly go ambient far too early or for seemingly no reason whatsoever (a shitload of his remixes; Totem Crackerjack, etc.). Others find an absolutely sick groove and play it out for an absurdly short time without even building on it as a theme.

 

Just to name a few:

 

Bricks @ 1:37

Outside Plume @ 3:22

Rainbow Voodoo @ 4:11

Totem Crackerjack @ 3:55 (arguable)

Beg (all of it)

Nordic Wilt (live edit) @ 1:29 (this one is my favorite, a complete middle finger)

Hammersmashed remix @ 0:58

Kitchen Sink remix @ 2:45

 

You get the idea (sorry, I was kind of enjoying finding those). Then think about his most straight-up crunchy tracks. Hot Bath Rinse, Dead Shark Eyes, and Violenl are the first three that come to mind. Only one even got a proper album release, and Violenl'd been around for years prior.

 

So why pull this shit? I'm obviously speculating; I don't know the guy. But, to me, Clark's music suggests that he thinks there's more to his music than we think there is. He comes across, honestly, as someone who's still struggling with how much his art is supposed to say about his self. Love the album or hate it, does anyone really think it makes any sense that he trod through the wilderness for three years or whatever, took field recordings of Tibetian Monks pissing off the end of the Earth, and crafted the album he always wanted to create--only it sounds exactly like a boring outtake from his Wolverhampton BFF?

 

The guy's clearly still struggling with who he wants to be. Freud out.

 

 

Actually, I think you're on to 'something' here, and what you said has helped me realise what I've felt listening to his music isn't just me. I love the man's output, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get rid of feeling like I'm feeling something of his psychology as I listen, in a not good way (whether what I'm sensing is at all accurate or not I don't know... probably not!) I've found his musical decisions often and increasingly quite oddly-cautious and 'self-aware', insecure even (stella as his production is) - and this sense initially just came through his (later) music. But reading interviews with him and what he had to say about albums (especially Iradelphic) absolutely and unfortunately cemented this feeling. In connection with this: apart from the words he speaks, within the music I think his 'weak point' is the musical structures and movements of tracks. Everything else is usually excellent.

 

The odd thing is, I should feel this way about, say - Squarepusher. I don't particularly enjoy most of Squarepusher's output post 'Hello Everything', and as his interviews and mission statements have become increasingly ambitious, intellectual and/or grandiose in tone, I've found his music and production becoming increasingly daft and poor. It's like there's been a blatant inverse of how he frames his music vs the quality of the actual music. But even with Squarepusher's album/interview statements and incredibly odd and weak production/mastering decisions, I don't get that 'feeling' when listening to his new music that I do when I hear Clark's. In contrast it 'feels' psychologically clean, like he's doing exactly what he wants - even if I find it pretty ridiculous and a far cry from the glory days of 'Go Plastic'!

 

Maybe this is all bonkers, though. :D

 

I don't like doing psychologism, especially on music, but I kinda agree with you here. I've always felt something insecure in an unique way behind his playfulness. That might even be why I like the guy way more than other producers.

 

Also I think that's why we're getting a self-titled album now, like he's finally at peace with his sound and his tracks just sound like the quintessence of himself or something.

But that may be all bonkers too eh.

[Jobe]

 

 

 

i really like clark's ambient side, much more than most other artist's attempts at ambient music. one of my favorite songs of his is definitely "the autumnal crush." the abrasive loudness and distortion melding into the slow sustained movement later in the song is utterly fantastic. what a great way to end that album in particular

Agreed on The Autumnal Crush. Beautiful song.

 

I've whined about Iradelphic as much as anyone, but Clark'll probably go crunchy again someday. Whether it's the next album or five years from now (or maybe both, : :), who knows. If Squarepusher can come back with Ufabulum, Clark can at least get back to Body Riddle. All the way back to Turning Dragon? Maybe not, but not many people really want that, anyway.

 

Whether intentional or not, if critics were ever going to love a Clark album, Iradelphic was the one. And they don't. Love it, at least. If Clark entertained any notions of becoming significantly "bigger" through this album, he has been disabused of those notions.

 

But Clark has always been at best playful, at worst, a prick, about being "catchy" or "crunchy" or whatever. Many tracks abruptly go ambient far too early or for seemingly no reason whatsoever (a shitload of his remixes; Totem Crackerjack, etc.). Others find an absolutely sick groove and play it out for an absurdly short time without even building on it as a theme.

 

Just to name a few:

 

Bricks @ 1:37

Outside Plume @ 3:22

Rainbow Voodoo @ 4:11

Totem Crackerjack @ 3:55 (arguable)

Beg (all of it)

Nordic Wilt (live edit) @ 1:29 (this one is my favorite, a complete middle finger)

Hammersmashed remix @ 0:58

Kitchen Sink remix @ 2:45

 

You get the idea (sorry, I was kind of enjoying finding those). Then think about his most straight-up crunchy tracks. Hot Bath Rinse, Dead Shark Eyes, and Violenl are the first three that come to mind. Only one even got a proper album release, and Violenl'd been around for years prior.

 

So why pull this shit? I'm obviously speculating; I don't know the guy. But, to me, Clark's music suggests that he thinks there's more to his music than we think there is. He comes across, honestly, as someone who's still struggling with how much his art is supposed to say about his self. Love the album or hate it, does anyone really think it makes any sense that he trod through the wilderness for three years or whatever, took field recordings of Tibetian Monks pissing off the end of the Earth, and crafted the album he always wanted to create--only it sounds exactly like a boring outtake from his Wolverhampton BFF?

 

The guy's clearly still struggling with who he wants to be. Freud out.

 

 

Actually, I think you're on to 'something' here, and what you said has helped me realise what I've felt listening to his music isn't just me. I love the man's output, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get rid of feeling like I'm feeling something of his psychology as I listen, in a not good way (whether what I'm sensing is at all accurate or not I don't know... probably not!) I've found his musical decisions often and increasingly quite oddly-cautious and 'self-aware', insecure even (stella as his production is) - and this sense initially just came through his (later) music. But reading interviews with him and what he had to say about albums (especially Iradelphic) absolutely and unfortunately cemented this feeling. In connection with this: apart from the words he speaks, within the music I think his 'weak point' is the musical structures and movements of tracks. Everything else is usually excellent.

 

The odd thing is, I should feel this way about, say - Squarepusher. I don't particularly enjoy most of Squarepusher's output post 'Hello Everything', and as his interviews and mission statements have become increasingly ambitious, intellectual and/or grandiose in tone, I've found his music and production becoming increasingly daft and poor. It's like there's been a blatant inverse of how he frames his music vs the quality of the actual music. But even with Squarepusher's album/interview statements and incredibly odd and weak production/mastering decisions, I don't get that 'feeling' when listening to his new music that I do when I hear Clark's. In contrast it 'feels' psychologically clean, like he's doing exactly what he wants - even if I find it pretty ridiculous and a far cry from the glory days of 'Go Plastic'!

 

Maybe this is all bonkers, though. :D

 

I don't like doing psychologism, especially on music, but I kinda agree with you here. I've always felt something insecure in an unique way behind his playfulness. That might even be why I like the guy way more than other producers.

 

Also I think that's why we're getting a self-titled album now, like he's finally at peace with his sound and his tracks just sound like the quintessence of himself or something.

But that may be all bonkers too eh.

 

Neat to rediscover this post from a couple years ago, even if I cringed at myself a couple times (not a new experience for me). Cheers to both of you.

 

I didn't even think to mention the name change/shortening as further evidence of this. Again, from the comfort of my amateur psychologist's armchair. I don't know why he seems less authentic to me than Squarepusher or Aphex, but authenticity is kind of my soapbox, so maybe that's why it bothers me. At the same time, he's not inauthentic just because the music he ultimately wants to make isn't my favorite music that he's ever made.

[Friendly Foil]

lol this thread

[tokn]

yeah if clark reads this and he probably is i will feel very embarrassed about my speculations. stupid teenie fanboyism...

[lamourfou]

I'm going to try and bring this back to crunchiness. On a scale of breakfast cereal these rank at Captain Crunch.

 

 

[lamourfou]

Oh also Wolf, crunchy like granola.

 

[digman]

here is to hoping the new album is a raging banger like Totems Flare or Turning Dragon