Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

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TheWarmth
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Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by TheWarmth »

A friend recommended this band to me. If they had told me this was a new Spectrum single, I wouldn't have questioned it. My understanding is that Sonic Boom is working with them on their new album. I don't know if he worked on this track or not.

According to the Austin Psych Fest site, "the duo takes as much inspiration from Bo Diddley and The Stooges as it does from Andy Warhol and Arthur Rimbaud."

Hofstadter
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by Hofstadter »

I just ordered the 7" - I really like this a ton, thanks for posting!!!!
TheWarmth
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by TheWarmth »

According to a post on their Tumblr page, they're opening for Dean Wareham in DC, NYC and PA in early April.

http://thevacantlots.tumblr.com/
sunray
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by sunray »

I really don't know about this kind of stuff anymore. I mean it sounds nice and everything but it's sort of laughable really isn't it? :?
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
TheWarmth
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by TheWarmth »

sunray wrote:I really don't know about this kind of stuff anymore. I mean it sounds nice and everything but it's sort of laughable really isn't it? :?
It is too similar to Spectrum and some of the Sonic-penned S3 material for comfort, IMO. On the other hand, I doubt the new Spectrum album is ever going to be released, so maybe this is the next best thing.
burningwheel
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by burningwheel »

These guys are great live too
[url=http://www.loveisforever.org]Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Chapterhouse, The Telescopes, Loop, Verve and more![/url]
mc
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by mc »

A very pleasant track, but straight Spacemen 3/Spectrum/early Spiritualized homage (or pastiche, if you're being cruel...) My partner just said, "oh, I thought that was Spiritualized" :lol: I'd listen to more though, because as TheWarmth points out, it might be the next best thing we get to more Spectrum material...
pale blue eyes
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by pale blue eyes »

man the Lots are taking a beating round here. i think they're great, seen them twice and they were brilliant.

yeah they wear their influences are their sleeves but so did the Spacemen. sure they are walking down a well worn path, but i say go for it...i mean would you rather have another mumford and sons style band?

me thinks not.

keep the good vibes coming Vacant Lots.
clewsr
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by clewsr »

pale blue eyes wrote:man the Lots are taking a beating round here. i think they're great, seen them twice and they were brilliant.

yeah they wear their influences are their sleeves but so did the Spacemen. sure they are walking down a well worn path, but i say go for it...i mean would you rather have another mumford and sons style band?

me thinks not.

keep the good vibes coming Vacant Lots.
I can see both sides to this, but I do like the track, and yes I'd much rather this than another Mumford and Sons!
James T
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by James T »

I like'em, but I can see both sides too.
BzaInSpace
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by BzaInSpace »

pale blue eyes wrote: yeah they wear their influences are their sleeves but so did the Spacemen. sure they are walking down a well worn path, but i say go for it....
C'mon Shonn, at least the Spacemen took their influences and ran with them to get somewhere else.

This isn't so much a pastiche as a xerox - if this was any more Pete Kember it would be wearing moccasins and surrounded in a plume of smoke.
O P 8
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by redcloud »

To be inspired is one thing but it is what you do with your inspiration that is key. Why settle for a mere copy when you can have the real thing? I would choose to put on "Soul Kiss" over searching these guys out. They should be proud of who they get inspiration from but now need to try and take it into their own direction.
pale blue eyes
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by pale blue eyes »

BzaInSpace wrote:
pale blue eyes wrote: yeah they wear their influences are their sleeves but so did the Spacemen. sure they are walking down a well worn path, but i say go for it....
C'mon Shonn, at least the Spacemen took their influences and ran with them to get somewhere else.

This isn't so much a pastiche as a xerox - if this was any more Pete Kember it would be wearing moccasins and surrounded in a plume of smoke.


muahahaha! i was waiting for you to chime in. oh don't get me wrong i own nothing by them but i appreciate what they are doing. how many 'kids' even know who Sp3 are/were. yes it's totally flattery but i take another helping. there has to be a valid reason why Pete would get involved with these guys (i mean it's pretty hard to pump his ego any bigger). yes yes yes they are walking on sacred ground (at least around these parts) but again i would rather have 500 copies of SP3 than most of the bands that are being touted on Pitchfork and what not. again i agree with both you and Redcloud, they do need to channel their inspiration and make something unique. i'm not a purist though, here's an example i've been listening to the Nuggets Comp again and i absolutely love the Mouse track , YESYESYES it's a complete xerox of Like A Rolling Stone by Dylan. here it is if anyone has yet to hear it:





let's go back to bashing Loop

:wink:
Last edited by pale blue eyes on Fri Mar 28, 2014 8:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
pale blue eyes
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by pale blue eyes »

p/s- how you like them apples Runci! thanks for the lesson... :)
runcible
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by runcible »

pale blue eyes wrote:p/s- how you like them apples Runci! thanks for the lesson... :)
:D
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by porkchop »

They are nice kids, a bit too much of a carbon copy for my tastes. Sonic's mrs, is their manager hence how he's involved. They've done very well for themselves so far. About to goto the Uk and open for the BJM.
niamhm
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by niamhm »

Their album has been picking up some good reviews so far, looking forward to hearing it,

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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by natty »

Nice record, but they could at least try to be more than the sum of their influences, couldn't they?
stegraham
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by stegraham »

Anyone else got the new Vacant Lots album? I got it yesterday - 8 tracks coming in at just over 27 mins, it's more of an EP length really. The tracks are good (apart from the last one, in which the vocal spoil it - IMO), but they all sound like edits. They are all short and feel like they should go on for longer - maybe they do when played live? Strange.

Ste
niamhm
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by niamhm »

No, but I have listened to it a few times - streams and Spotify - and it is pretty short as you mentioned but I enjoyed it tbh I would have bought it but it wasn`t so easy to find in the UK, missing all announced release dates as far as I could see and ludicrously over priced, £30 for less than 30 mins music, quite a few things I`ve been interested in recently have been the same , yeah you Kikagaku Moyo!! Stone Garden over £30 for less than half an hours music by the time postage is included is taking the piss I think.
olan
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by olan »

niamhm wrote: yeah you Kikagaku Moyo!! Stone Garden over £30 for less than half an hours music by the time postage is included is taking the piss I think.
Given that my copy has still not turned up, weeks after it was supposedly mailed to me, I'm kind of grumpy with Kikagaku Moyo. I'll give it to 23rd June and then make a claim for a refund from PayPal despite the new, newer and now newest postage information from the band :cry:
niamhm
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by niamhm »

Have you heard it Olan? I bought it on bandcamp and it a good listen, but the 1st track in particular is so lofi in recording /production its hardly worth pressing to vinyl IMO, starting to come around to thinking that I wont be buying sessions/ live recordings and sweepings up of the studio floor on the vinyl anymore, feel free to shoot me down with some great stuff I would have missed having followed this path.
olan
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by olan »

niamhm wrote:Have you heard it Olan? I bought it on bandcamp and it a good listen, but the 1st track in particular is so lofi in recording /production its hardly worth pressing to vinyl IMO, starting to come around to thinking that I wont be buying sessions/ live recordings and sweepings up of the studio floor on the vinyl anymore, feel free to shoot me down with some great stuff I would have missed having followed this path.
Yep, I bought it on the day the pre-sale on Bandcamp was announced, which seems like many months ago. I've listened to it a bit, but it made little impression so far. I absolutely love a lot of their earlier records, some of which I took a lot of time to get into so I'm not too concerned about instant response. It does piss me off though as when you sell direct to your audience and fail to deliver it creates a very poor impression. I expect they'll sort it though.

I've had other experience with being stiffed by bands direct selling via pre-sale and then being told to fuck off after non-delivery. One of whom used to post here regularly until he stiffed a bunch of us. I can't see KM doing this as they appear to be a very nice bunch of lads.

I wonder how Neil is?
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by sunray »

olan wrote: I wonder how Neil is?
Still refusing to provide d/l codes to people who buy his records :roll:
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
olan
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by olan »

sunray wrote:
olan wrote: I wonder how Neil is?
Still refusing to provide d/l codes to people who buy his records :roll:
:D
niamhm
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by niamhm »

Just been given the brush off by Thrill Jockey Records- the new UK arm - over a White Hills album that`s vanished in the post apparently so tha`ts two purchases from them, one scratched and one disappeared, not a great strike rate, now pursuing the Royal Mail over it, not happy about it tbh.
olan
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Re: Vacant Lots : Highs & Low (Spectrum/S3 - soundalike)

Post by olan »

niamhm wrote:Just been given the brush off by Thrill Jockey Records- the new UK arm - over a White Hills album that`s vanished in the post apparently so tha`ts two purchases from them, one scratched and one disappeared, not a great strike rate, now pursuing the Royal Mail over it, not happy about it tbh.
What about a PayPal complaint? The RM are utter bastards to deal with at times. We had stuff nicked at our previous address and had the old RM stall us at the same time they were firing people from our local sorting office. It took months to sort out.
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