Levitation

For new sounds, old sounds and favourite sound discussion...

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sm-iom
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Location: Isle of Man

Re: Levitation

Post by sm-iom »

It's arrived. This weekend's listening :D
olan
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Location: Liverpool

Re: Levitation

Post by olan »

I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
niamhm
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Re: Levitation

Post by niamhm »

olan wrote:I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
Must say I always found Levitation to be a bit prog, not necessarily a criticism by the way, I always quite liked Levitation.
Bull Lee
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Re: Levitation

Post by Bull Lee »

niamhm wrote:
olan wrote:I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
Must say I always found Levitation to be a bit prog, not necessarily a criticism by the way, I always quite liked Levitation.
Couldn't agree more. I like it but I feel a few listens and it'll popped on the shelf without to much of a further listen. A little overblown/overproduced for my liking. I love the interview Jonny Mattocks does in the wibble copy of NME where he says Jason likes the drums low in the mix for LGM and it suites it well wthout a prog vibe. Hail hail Jason and his wider non dated picture, which sadly Levitation do not hang on to IMO. LGM sounds as fresh now as it did back in the day - can one say that about Bickers and Co.
White__Light
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Re: Levitation

Post by White__Light »

Can anyone help me track down a copy of the 1994 release of Meanwhile Gardens with Steve Ludwin on vocals?

Now that we've got an official release of MG with Bickers on vocals, I'm curious to hear how it compares to the 1994 release.

Thanks.
mh
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Location: The corners where the idiot children call

Re: Levitation

Post by mh »

White__Light wrote:Can anyone help me track down a copy of the 1994 release of Meanwhile Gardens with Steve Ludwin on vocals?

Now that we've got an official release of MG with Bickers on vocals, I'm curious to hear how it compares to the 1994 release.

Thanks.
Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQNyzkNyFwU

IMO Meanwhile Gardens remains weaker than Need For Not. It's great to finally have it, but when I want to listen to some Levitation, Need For Not will still be the one I reach for.
White__Light
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Re: Levitation

Post by White__Light »

mh wrote:
White__Light wrote:Can anyone help me track down a copy of the 1994 release of Meanwhile Gardens with Steve Ludwin on vocals?

Now that we've got an official release of MG with Bickers on vocals, I'm curious to hear how it compares to the 1994 release.

Thanks.
Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQNyzkNyFwU

IMO Meanwhile Gardens remains weaker than Need For Not. It's great to finally have it, but when I want to listen to some Levitation, Need For Not will still be the one I reach for.

Thanks MH.

I'm actually really enjoyed Meanwhile Gardens. I found it more enjoyable changing the track sequencing to resemble what was planned back in 1993 and added the two tracks released earlier this year and I find the whole thing flows much better.
natty
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Re: Levitation

Post by natty »

Bull Lee wrote:
niamhm wrote:
olan wrote:I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
Must say I always found Levitation to be a bit prog, not necessarily a criticism by the way, I always quite liked Levitation.
Couldn't agree more. I like it but I feel a few listens and it'll popped on the shelf without to much of a further listen. A little overblown/overproduced for my liking. I love the interview Jonny Mattocks does in the wibble copy of NME where he says Jason likes the drums low in the mix for LGM and it suites it well wthout a prog vibe. Hail hail Jason and his wider non dated picture, which sadly Levitation do not hang on to IMO. LGM sounds as fresh now as it did back in the day - can one say that about Bickers and Co.
It does sound a bit of it's time, but there are some truly brilliant moments on it. "Magnifying Glass", "King of Mice", "Imagine the Sharks" and "Burrows" are all outstanding. With regard to that quote from Jason though and with all due respect to Jonny, when you've got a drummer as good as David Francolini, it would be a bleeding travesty to bury the drums in the mix.

It's funny, it doesn't sound like a band on the verge of disintegration to me, it sounds really focussed and a step forward from "Need for Not".
Shinesalight
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Re: Levitation

Post by Shinesalight »

Kind of weird thread to bump but I'm just about to release an album by Brighton based psych-outfit Zofff featuring no other than Christian "Bic" Hayes of Levitation fame. I remembered there being quite a bit of discussion about Levitation on the forum so thought I would post this for anyone that is interested. Anyway, Zofff are due to appear at this year's Liverpool Psych Fest and are also going to be Damo Suzuki's backing band for the Brighton leg of his UK tour. They've just had their debut album released on vinyl by Dom's Deep Distance label and I (Drone Rock Records) am going to be putting out the live set they did at last year's Kozfest which is up on their Bandcamp page:-

https://zofff.bandcamp.com
www.dronerockrecords.com
The Home of Drone
Bon Ronham
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Re: Levitation

Post by Bon Ronham »

natty wrote:
Bull Lee wrote:
niamhm wrote:
olan wrote:I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
Must say I always found Levitation to be a bit prog, not necessarily a criticism by the way, I always quite liked Levitation.
Couldn't agree more. I like it but I feel a few listens and it'll popped on the shelf without to much of a further listen. A little overblown/overproduced for my liking. I love the interview Jonny Mattocks does in the wibble copy of NME where he says Jason likes the drums low in the mix for LGM and it suites it well wthout a prog vibe. Hail hail Jason and his wider non dated picture, which sadly Levitation do not hang on to IMO. LGM sounds as fresh now as it did back in the day - can one say that about Bickers and Co.
It does sound a bit of it's time, but there are some truly brilliant moments on it. "Magnifying Glass", "King of Mice", "Imagine the Sharks" and "Burrows" are all outstanding. With regard to that quote from Jason though and with all due respect to Jonny, when you've got a drummer as good as David Francolini, it would be a bleeding travesty to bury the drums in the mix.

It's funny, it doesn't sound like a band on the verge of disintegration to me, it sounds really focussed and a step forward from "Need for Not".

Yeah, let's call it like it was; Dave is a complete monster on the drums; super athletic drumming. Maddox on the other hand played them with all the grace of a drowning dog, it fit the music at the time but he was the weakest of links in the early line up of the band.

Still don't think anything comes close to 1992 levitation. Maybe 1994 Verve, Idk tho... :shock:
natty
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Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Comfortably dumb.

Re: Levitation

Post by natty »

Bon Ronham wrote:
natty wrote:
Bull Lee wrote:
niamhm wrote:
olan wrote:I quite like it. I was very surprised that bits of it remind me of XTC or (sorry about this) prog.

I clearly never was subjected to a final mix. I wonder how fantastic it might have been in the hands of an appropriate/sensitive producer.

Well worth buying anyway....
Must say I always found Levitation to be a bit prog, not necessarily a criticism by the way, I always quite liked Levitation.
Couldn't agree more. I like it but I feel a few listens and it'll popped on the shelf without to much of a further listen. A little overblown/overproduced for my liking. I love the interview Jonny Mattocks does in the wibble copy of NME where he says Jason likes the drums low in the mix for LGM and it suites it well wthout a prog vibe. Hail hail Jason and his wider non dated picture, which sadly Levitation do not hang on to IMO. LGM sounds as fresh now as it did back in the day - can one say that about Bickers and Co.
It does sound a bit of it's time, but there are some truly brilliant moments on it. "Magnifying Glass", "King of Mice", "Imagine the Sharks" and "Burrows" are all outstanding. With regard to that quote from Jason though and with all due respect to Jonny, when you've got a drummer as good as David Francolini, it would be a bleeding travesty to bury the drums in the mix.

It's funny, it doesn't sound like a band on the verge of disintegration to me, it sounds really focussed and a step forward from "Need for Not".

Yeah, let's call it like it was; Dave is a complete monster on the drums; super athletic drumming. Maddox on the other hand played them with all the grace of a drowning dog, it fit the music at the time but he was the weakest of links in the early line up of the band.

Still don't think anything comes close to 1992 levitation. Maybe 1994 Verve, Idk tho... :shock:
Not having that, Jonny is a decent drummer, as his career attests. I played in Slipstream for a short while.

David Francolini was something else though. An exceptional talent.
natty
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Location: Comfortably dumb.

Re: Levitation

Post by natty »

Bon Ronham wrote:



Yeah, let's call it like it was; Dave is a complete monster on the drums; super athletic drumming. Maddox on the other hand played them with all the grace of a drowning dog, it fit the music at the time but he was the weakest of links in the early line up of the band.

Still don't think anything comes close to 1992 levitation. Maybe 1994 Verve, Idk tho... :shock:
Not having that, Jonny is a more than decent drummer, as his career attests. I played in Slipstream for a short while. Surely Kate was the weakest link, anyway.

David Francolini was something else though. An exceptional talent.
Bon Ronham
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Re: Levitation

Post by Bon Ronham »

natty wrote:
Bon Ronham wrote:



Yeah, let's call it like it was; Dave is a complete monster on the drums; super athletic drumming. Maddox on the other hand played them with all the grace of a drowning dog, it fit the music at the time but he was the weakest of links in the early line up of the band.

Still don't think anything comes close to 1992 levitation. Maybe 1994 Verve, Idk tho... :shock:
Not having that, Jonny is a more than decent drummer, as his career attests. I played in Slipstream for a short while. Surely Kate was the weakest link, anyway.

David Francolini was something else though. An exceptional talent.
'

Fair play mate. Maybe overstating the difference a bit I will admit.
freddiehubbard
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Re: Levitation

Post by freddiehubbard »

hello,

can anyone please link me Zurich and the Dark Star jams please ... I have suffered HD failure and cannot find the original discs Loz sent me...

cheers Luke (Spunder)
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