Boards of Canada Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

[oscillik]

fucking vinyl hasn't arrived yet so it's unlikely to arrive until Monday

[Guest jasondonervan]

fucking vinyl hasn't arrived yet so it's unlikely to arrive until Monday

 

Did you order other stuff, and did that arrive today? I didn't get anything and I ordered CD/Vinyl/Shirts.

[Guest feralkittens]

I've gotten the "how could they create something so beautiful?" feeling so much with this album, on every single track really. It's a different kind of beauty though. Cold Earth sounded so simple to me at first, then I started hearing all the little touches and I can't get over their ability to put these gorgeous touches into their songs, how do they know how to do that's? It's insane!

 

And Jacquard Causeway just meandering and struggling then meeting up with itself. It's so atmospheric. It so intentionally creates a feeling. It was a struggle for me at first, but I almost think the struggle is built into the song. I could go on forever here. It almost feels wrong how they can get inside my brain and twang my feelings like this. Like they hacked my emotions.

[oscillik]

fucking vinyl hasn't arrived yet so it's unlikely to arrive until Monday

Did you order other stuff, and did that arrive today? I didn't get anything and I ordered CD/Vinyl/Shirts.

I bought CD and vinyl in separate orders, CD arrived but vinyl hasn't.

 

no download code, and no download in bleep account

Edited June 8, 2013 by oscillik

[fumi]

 

 

 

 

Mine arrived this morning.

 

I so want to like this, but I'm pretty underwhelmed, to be honest. I hope it grows on me. 'Reach for the Dead' is the best track by far; many others seem 'bitty' and underdeveloped to me, and I find the fact that they don't flow into each other only increases that sense of lack. 'Jacquard Causeway' is my least favourite one on the album and it left a pretty sour taste in my mouth for the rest. Perhaps I shouldn't have got too into the hype and the crazily positive responses I was seeing here and elsewhere, or re-listened to their back catalogue in preparation for this one (at the moment, to me, this album completely pales in comparison to the rest!) I also don't find it 'dark' (sorry, I don't like that word either, but can't think of another!) at all - after everything I read and after seeing all the imagery, I was hoping for something much darker, something more tense and moody and mysterious and cinematic and challenging. The only challenging aspect is how they decided to leave things quite minimal and how they've cut certain ideas short just as they get going!

 

I'm not sure what they've been up to for the last 8 years (it doesn't sound like too many of those years was actually spent on this album to me), but I did enjoy following the pre-release antics and it was fun getting excited about BoC again. Getting back into their old work was a wonderful experience. I don't mean to be negative - but for those who haven't heard it yet, I hope you enjoy it! Don't expect it to be quite as bleak, deep or 'flowing' as many have made it out to be, though.

 

The overwhelming majority of fans on this forum and others, as well as stellar reviews suggest that this is a classic.

 

I don't agree. I've been listening to this solidly for three days but I'm beginning to wonder if a) I'm doing this simply because it's BOC and b) I've waited eight years for an album.

 

I don't want to get into any arguments here or stir up abuse - If you really like the album - great. I'm happy for you. Please don't start flaming me simply because my opinion doesn't fall in with yours.

 

Music means different things to different people.

 

For me, it has always come down to a familiar pattern with their releases. Every album has a fair share of fillers, a couple of good tracks and two or three tracks that are just so far removed from the others, so stellar and fantastic that I still find myself returning to them long after the rest has been mostly forgotten.

 

On 'Tomorrow's Harvest' the first two types are in evidence. The third is sadly missing.

 

People will say I'm not giving it a fair chance. BOC slowly reveal the magic over months of playing. I've never found that to be the case with them before. There have always been standout tracks right off the bat.

 

I don't know why it took them eight years to put out an album and frankly, it's none of my business.

I can only go on what I'm given and this time around, it feels like something is missing.

 

 

That sucks man, it's hard to wait such a long time for something only to not feel it much.

 

Oh and Lianne, you may like it after multiple listens. I hated Jacquard at first too.

 

 

I didn't want to give the feeling I don't like it. I do.

Everything is present and correct - the sound we've all come to know and love.

 

However, this time around, there are no tracks that have just had me shaking my head in disbelief and thinking 'How could anyone create something that beautiful?'

 

Everyone will have a different take on this album, I'm sure.

 

Nothing Is Real doesn't do that for you?

 

 

It's very good. Probably the best one, I reckon. A track where they seemed to easily channel back into the almost timeless, haunting melancholy that lifts their best work.

 

I just wish there had been more of it.

[fumi]

 

 

fucking vinyl hasn't arrived yet so it's unlikely to arrive until Monday

Did you order other stuff, and did that arrive today? I didn't get anything and I ordered CD/Vinyl/Shirts.

 

I bought CD and vinyl in separate orders, CD arrived but vinyl hasn't.

 

no download code, and no download in bleep account

 

 

In the Warp Office sorting room.

 

Guy A: "Aren't you going to put stickers in there, like ALL the others?"

 

Guy B: "No way, man. He dissed our AWS procedures."

 

[Guest englishbob]

Sick Times, New Seeds and Come to Dust are the best examples of vinyl over the CD at the moment, they sound glorious! ;)

Edited June 8, 2013 by englishbob

[Guest feralkittens]

Ugh dying over here. Need to hear sick times drums deliciously analog.

[YangYing]

I guess I'll have to wait until Monday. Monday will be a good day.

[Guest disoriental express]

Officially my favorite BoC record by about a trillion miles. One of my favorite records of all time point blank. Absolutely unbelievable - especially Sick Times.... That synth in the background.... the transition....

 

There's just something about Tomorrow's Harvest that really REALLY hits home for me. And it's funny because I actually didn't think I was going to like it before I heard it for some reason... I think part of it was that I didn't think it could possibly be anywhere near as good as Exai, fuck was I ever wrong. This thing is the perfect counterpart to Exai....

[BOCfan]

I have my LP and CD - yay! Arrived this morning just as I was heading out of the door, but I'm back now and I'm going to listen to it.

[beerwolf]

Got the lot, t-shirt, cd, vinyl and something extra.....a vial of Boards of Canada perfume

 

Next job: Sort out some green.

Edited June 8, 2013 by beerwolf

[NorthernFusion]

Officially my favorite BoC record by about a trillion miles. One of my favorite records of all time point blank. Absolutely unbelievable - especially Sick Times.... That synth in the background.... the transition....

 

There's just something about Tomorrow's Harvest that really REALLY hits home for me. And it's funny because I actually didn't think I was going to like it before I heard it for some reason... I think part of it was that I didn't think it could possibly be anywhere near as good as Exai, fuck was I ever wrong. This thing is the perfect counterpart to Exai....

This. I can't choose between the two because my mind has been blown twice over.

[NorthernFusion]

 

 

 

 

 

Mine arrived this morning.

 

I so want to like this, but I'm pretty underwhelmed, to be honest. I hope it grows on me. 'Reach for the Dead' is the best track by far; many others seem 'bitty' and underdeveloped to me, and I find the fact that they don't flow into each other only increases that sense of lack. 'Jacquard Causeway' is my least favourite one on the album and it left a pretty sour taste in my mouth for the rest. Perhaps I shouldn't have got too into the hype and the crazily positive responses I was seeing here and elsewhere, or re-listened to their back catalogue in preparation for this one (at the moment, to me, this album completely pales in comparison to the rest!) I also don't find it 'dark' (sorry, I don't like that word either, but can't think of another!) at all - after everything I read and after seeing all the imagery, I was hoping for something much darker, something more tense and moody and mysterious and cinematic and challenging. The only challenging aspect is how they decided to leave things quite minimal and how they've cut certain ideas short just as they get going!

 

I'm not sure what they've been up to for the last 8 years (it doesn't sound like too many of those years was actually spent on this album to me), but I did enjoy following the pre-release antics and it was fun getting excited about BoC again. Getting back into their old work was a wonderful experience. I don't mean to be negative - but for those who haven't heard it yet, I hope you enjoy it! Don't expect it to be quite as bleak, deep or 'flowing' as many have made it out to be, though.

 

The overwhelming majority of fans on this forum and others, as well as stellar reviews suggest that this is a classic.

 

I don't agree. I've been listening to this solidly for three days but I'm beginning to wonder if a) I'm doing this simply because it's BOC and b) I've waited eight years for an album.

 

I don't want to get into any arguments here or stir up abuse - If you really like the album - great. I'm happy for you. Please don't start flaming me simply because my opinion doesn't fall in with yours.

 

Music means different things to different people.

 

For me, it has always come down to a familiar pattern with their releases. Every album has a fair share of fillers, a couple of good tracks and two or three tracks that are just so far removed from the others, so stellar and fantastic that I still find myself returning to them long after the rest has been mostly forgotten.

 

On 'Tomorrow's Harvest' the first two types are in evidence. The third is sadly missing.

 

People will say I'm not giving it a fair chance. BOC slowly reveal the magic over months of playing. I've never found that to be the case with them before. There have always been standout tracks right off the bat.

 

I don't know why it took them eight years to put out an album and frankly, it's none of my business.

I can only go on what I'm given and this time around, it feels like something is missing.

 

 

That sucks man, it's hard to wait such a long time for something only to not feel it much.

 

Oh and Lianne, you may like it after multiple listens. I hated Jacquard at first too.

 

 

I didn't want to give the feeling I don't like it. I do.

Everything is present and correct - the sound we've all come to know and love.

 

However, this time around, there are no tracks that have just had me shaking my head in disbelief and thinking 'How could anyone create something that beautiful?'

 

Everyone will have a different take on this album, I'm sure.

 

Nothing Is Real doesn't do that for you?

 

 

It's very good. Probably the best one, I reckon. A track where they seemed to easily channel back into the almost timeless, haunting melancholy that lifts their best work.

 

I just wish there had been more of it.

 

There's so many moments on this album where it just clicks, but I've only heard it 3 times so that might not mean much to you.

 

Persevere, it may happen. If it doesn't, then it doesn't. BoC have never been the type to please everyone.

[Hugh Mughnus]

For some reason at 1:55 of cold earth my whole body breaks out in goosebumps and I can feel it in my scalp and spine. Happens without fail every time...

 

It's definitely doing something.

[Caretstik]

 

Sick Times! The drums:)

definitely an extension of trans canada highway possibilities.

My first thought was that this album kind of follows up on the promise of the TCH EP (Dayvan Cowboy aside).

 

So first listen over and my initial impressions that noone'll care about but what the fuck:

 

This is the only album other than Twoism (if you can grant Twoism as an album) from which I wouldn't excise a single moment.

 

In hindsight this was an obvious album for BoC to make, without ever sounding predictable or safe.

 

Not sure about all the symmetry and shit yet, but Semena Mertvykh is both a perfect closer and opener to my ears; I already want to go back and listen again straight away (which I will do once I've been for a piss and finished typing this shit), so it feels kind of cyclical in that sense.

 

Their own comments about tracks finishing abruptly so as to act as soundtrack cues makes the album make a lot more sense.

 

In some ways it feels like some of the Strange Life albums (I.e. imaginary film soundtracks).

 

Anyways, sorry for the tl;dr bollocks, it only remains for me to recant my cynicism of the past few years. I was quick to lambast BoC for their extended radio silence and argue that whatever they released could only be a massive disappointment. I was wrong, wrong and fucking wrong. I am prepared to not only eat my words with a supersize side order of humble pie, but vomit up said words and chow them down again straight away while they're still steaming at the bottom of the bucket.

[Guest feralkittens]

Yeah Cold Earth has invaded my brain. That metallic laser sound! Like did they just write the song and then go back and say "hmmm needs more lasers". So good. I also love how the melody turns inside out in itself, i'd like to hear how it sounds backwards. Remember when we thought there were flutes on this track haha?

[Hugh Mughnus]

Yeah Cold Earth has invaded my brain. That metallic laser sound! Like did they just write the song and then go back and say "hmmm needs more lasers". So good. I also love how the melody turns inside out in itself, i'd like to hear how it sounds backwards. Remember when we thought there were flutes on this track haha?

 

I never thought there were flutes lol I remember someone saying that but it didn't make sense to me. I still don't hear any flutes..

 

It really is an awesome song. At some points I can hear this really small detailed sine wave (about 2 seconds in length) that sounds like a tuning fork and that's where I get goosebumps. I don't know if it was intentional or just a byproduct of however they were using their synths.. but I like it.

[Guest feralkittens]

I remember that one track by track that hypothesized this would become a favorite of fans and I thought that was such a huge order to fill, but I can see what they meant. Now I remember why we go so nuts for these guys.

 

Someone was talking about this album drawing in new fans, I do wonder about that. It would be cool, but to me this sounds like an album for the already initiated. It raises the bar. For the record I think Maxima is a great place to start for first time listeners. It's a good preview of their different sounds.

[Caretstik]

Presumably Jazz, but is the little diminishing melody right at the very end of New Seeds the jingle from the Record Store Day 12"? And fuck RFTD, Come To Dust is THE shit.

[baph]

I'm with osc on waiting for the vinyl (at this point; probably would have given early official downloads a listen, but might as well stretch this fucker out now).

 

I have been rather obsessively dipping my cheap audio-technica cartridge into a piece of magic eraser in anticipation/frustration.

[Atop]

transformative earth message received via fibre optic neural aural vibratory rhythms and all frequency, turning the mind set from one of submission to one of inability to abide laws set by bureaucratic zombies, opening up the gates leading to creative necessity and a life lived, not squandered.

 

60/10

[Bubba69]

i have to say my fav tracks are, in song order:

 

cold earth (that bass is pretty funktarded)

palace posy (aphex collab)

nothing is real (simple and coherent, nice fucked up creepy vocals)

[Ifeelspace]

My early faves;

 

Cold Earth - The most traditionally 'BOC like' and amazing track on the album,imo. Love the vocals, the melody and the bass. Such a sweet tune.

Reach For The Dead - Love the hiss, love the melody around 3 min 50

Sick times - sick tune. Quite understated

Palace Posy - Quite like the drum patterns and the chanting. Quite a different tune for BOC

New Seeds - The beginning of the track is awesome. Love the way the melody changes around 3 mins 50 and the little plinky plonk piano sound

Come To Dust - Nice solid track

 

The rest of the tracks are pretty awesome too with the exception of Jacquard Causeway. Not feeling it.

[Guest englishbob]

Excellent LP, up there with the best of this years output. So many new mysteries to discover, quite a few hidden messages and voices in there. Along with that cover art (I wonder what the relvance of the upside down 822 figures are?)

 

The difference between the vinyl quality and the CD is night and day, the vinyl is so much MORE in delivering a great sound with plenty of beef, this disc sounds flat.

 

Anyone going to go for the 24bit WAV's on Monday? Are these already available in Japan and Aus/NZ? If so, does anyone have an opinion on them?