Mazzy Star

[Prettybrokenspiral]

http://pitchfork.com/news/51548-mazz...re-california/

New album 'Seasons of Your Day' out on September 23/24.

Her voice is pretty much the best thing ever, in my world. It's like being vocally brought to orgasm by a sexy ghost or something. She could have no facial features except for a mouth to sing from and I'd probably still be in love with her.

If they have just one song as radiant as "Happy" or "Into Dust" on this album, it will have been worth the 17 year wait...

[eversonpoe]

the single is really good. i got goosebumps twice listening to it. can't wait for the album.

since i was 8 and saw the movie "angus" for the first time, i had planned on "fade into you" being the first dance at my wedding. but now that i'm actually planning a wedding, and my fiancee and i both cry at the drop of a hat (when it involves anything sappy), we're looking for a different song so that we're not a giant, weepy mess.

[frankie teardrop]

yeah, i enjoyed the 7'' too. nothing groundbreaking, but more of the same we've come to expect, and i'm glad to see there's more on the way. i couldn't get too into hope's solo albums (outside of a handful of tracks, they were a bit snoozy), so i'm very glad to have mazzy star back.

it's a cover, but this was always my favorite mazzy star track:



compared to the original and the pale saints version, this is the definitive for me. she hangs brightly is probably my favorite of the three records to date.

[piggy]

I've been in love with this band for something like 17 years. A fundamental part of the soundtrack of my teens, for sure. They're not even in my top 10 favorite artists, and yet somehow my connection to the music (especially the entire second album) is so strong. I think "Blue Light" is probably my favorite song of theirs.

[Camille]

This is excellent news.

[MazzyFan13]

I was a huge fan of Mazzy Star's music but apparently she and her representatives have become too big for helping children with cancer… I just wanted to share this story with other fans because i'm quite disappointed.

The company I work for is producing a video for a non-profit organization that supports the families of pediatric cancer patients. It would have raised awareness and funding to help countless families struggling with cancer! We asked for permission to use the song Mazzy Star's ‘Fade Into You’ but her agent was usually unresponsive, incredibly rude and provided no reason for the final cold rejection. He's a real class act, our email correspondence is worth a read:
http://ambrette3.wordpress.com/2013/...ncer-patients/

[eversonpoe]

I was a huge fan of Mazzy Star's music but apparently she and her representatives have become too big for helping children with cancer… I just wanted to share this story with other fans because i'm quite disappointed.

The company I work for is producing a video for a non-profit organization that supports the families of pediatric cancer patients. It would have raised awareness and funding to help countless families struggling with cancer! We asked for permission to use the song Mazzy Star's ‘Fade Into You’ but her agent was usually unresponsive, incredibly rude and provided no reason for the final cold rejection. He's a real class act, our email correspondence is worth a read:
http://ambrette3.wordpress.com/2013/...ncer-patients/

while that does suck, you can't extend the lack of a licensing agreement being reached to hope sandoval, in particular. a) mazzy star is more than just her and b) licensing is sometimes a hard thing to negotiate, especially if you're on a different label or have different representation than in the past.

i'm not defending the actions (or inaction) of frank or anyone else with whom you conversed, i'm just saying that it's probably more complicated than "hope sandoval is too big to help children with cancer."

[frankie teardrop]

agreed. i'm sorry to hear that they rejected your licensing of the track- it sounds like an all around good, heartfelt purpose, though i highly doubt the issue was even brought before the band so it's hard to hold them to blame. in general, it seems like a big step to conclude that just because they denied your request, that they're too high and mighty for it.

no offense meant, but it's likely, after reading your blog post and correspondance with their management, that you just came off as too pushy and sent too many emails in expecting something to happen right away. patience is a virtue when dealing with business requests like this. a reminder every so often is completely valid, but if you don't know the people involved, a big email pileup seldom yields results, even if they were originally interested in the prospect to begin with.

[Mantra]

I've seen this crazy person before. They've been going around the web posting that link in any Mazzy Star related comment section. See:

http://www.stereogum.com/1407402/maz...lifornia/mp3s/
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archive...ar_anno_1.html

Is this some weird attempt to put pressure on the band by trying to hurt their public image? Like, hey I got it, I'll post this link on all the blog comment sections and sign up on all the message boards with Mazzy Star threads, and soon the band will HAVE to license the song just to make it all stop.

[Wretchedest]

Yeah i dont know about all this noise but im familiar with mazzys somewhat stingy management through my professional work. My team shoots all kinds of bads, much bigger and smaller than mazzy, and we were actually set to cover mazzys opener. Mazzy refused the oppurtunity to work with us and so badl didnt want it that they forced us to ditch oir equipment if we wanted to stay foe their show. Which is unheard of to ask to put a whole expensive equipment load essentially outside just for fear that we would do the job for free or something ha!

[Digital Twilight]

It's been a long time coming but I'm looking forward to this new album. I hope they plan a few shows in the UK too.

[MazzyFan13]

I have to say, this guy was well within his right to tell you to bug off. And seeing how you broadcasted your conversation with him for the world to see -- and implemented the band itself as heartless and unsympathetic -- only supports his denial.

Seriously, you badgered this guy when he obviously had much more pressing issues to attend to, called his office like some kind of stalker, and then made base assumptions about the band and their agent when you didn't get your way.

The fact that you repeatedly exploit the cancer patients in your e-mails as a bargaining tool to use the song is pretty offensive, too. Any professional videographer who is looking to license a song from a band who doesn't even own the song to begin with should know that backup options are a MUST. If you're going to put all your eggs in one basket, don't be disappointed when you drop the basket and every egg breaks.

Simple as that. Your blog only supports his decision, I'm afraid.

I'm a concerned fan questioning their priorities and the management they employ. If you had an opportunity to help families in need without any inconvenience to yourself, wouldn't you approve of it?

After years of listening to Mazzy Star, I'm simply disappointed that her management refused to even acknowledge such a worthy cause. As her agent, It's his job to respond to requests not ignore them. If he had responded or said no upfront and provided a reason this would be a much different situation. We all have deadlines to meet and in this case it was dependent on a response from him. In the past, attaining licensing agreements has rarely been an issue and when it has been it hasn't been because of a failure to even respond.

I just hope that this wasn't a decision made by the band because it would be difficult for me to remain a fan. Other names like Matt Damon and Ming Tsai have found time to actually participate in and support events for this organization. We're asking far less than that from Mazzy Star, a band that I've always respected.

[Mantra]

Yeah this album is awesome. Today is the first real day of Fall around here, and this was the perfect soundtrack for that. They really do have their own signature sound. So glad they've still got it.

[thevoid99]

I heard it last night and man, it's fucking good. The production is amazing where it's strong yet atmospheric. I like some of the swooning country elements into the record. So what if they're not doing anything new. They stick with what works and why change if it's not broken?

[blackholesun]

I got this but am not in the mood to hear it yet. I need a nice night alone.

[Digital Twilight]

Album stream here:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/mus...y-album-stream

[[parasite]]

its so good to hear her perfect voice!

[halo33]

Can't wait to listen to this on the way to work today. Got tickets to see them in November.

Perfect timing with the cool autumn weather creeping in. Like an old sweater.

[frankie teardrop]

Can't wait to listen to this on the way to work today. Got tickets to see them in November.

Perfect timing with the cool autumn weather creeping in. Like an old sweater.

glad you got the link- i still haven't listened to it yet myself because someone didn't want to in the car ride home last night...

otherwise, 'tis the season!

[Twiggy]

Cool i'll have a listen. I haven't listening to them for a while.

[frankie teardrop]

first listen complete.

on first glance, it sounds more like a hope sandoval solo record than it does a mazzy star album proper. i know, that's a pretty small spectrum and the two are interchangeable more or less, but mazzy has always been a little more electric on the guitar front, mixing the acoustic ballads and the pedal steel with some more shoegazey elements. there's very little, if any of that here... more bluesy/soft/quiet songs in general.

that's not to say i dislike it- it's quite good. i just miss a bit of that edge that separates the two.

[brokenfragility]

The new album is really great. Seems to pick up right where they left off.

[[parasite]]

really lovin the new album! a very welcome return!

[frankie teardrop]

Really? I think her solo stuff is darker and more atmospheric than her stuff with Mazzy. Almost like an expansion of the Mazzy sound. I can hear it right away in songs like Suzanne, Around My Smile, For the Rest of Your Life, Thinking Like That, etc.

Totally agree about the electric guitar thing though; it's virtually non-existent in her solo outings.

oh, i agree about the solo records being more dark moody, but they're also more sparse. this record fits comfortably alongside them, in my opinion. not as lush as some of the previous material- which usually has more aggressive textures (see: 'ghost highway,' 'happy' etc.) mixed in with slower, more atmospheric tracks. the previous mazzy star albums were more diverse and dare i say...dynamic, while the new one lives in its own world and doesn't move around much, which is a trait i've always associated with the warm inventions material.

that's not to say i dislike the record, quite the opposite! i think it's a great addition to the catalog and i'm very happy that they're back!

[[parasite]]

interview in the Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/music/201...-day-interview

[blackholesun]

They come off as...well I don't know. Very odd interview.

[EmmaL]

I just started a new Mazzy star fan forum. It includes news info, interviews, as well as live recordings/rarities that one of our members has kindly shared on the forum:

http://mazzystar.free.fr

Feel free to join this new forum!

[frankie teardrop]

i just saw the gig at terminal five in NYC. the band sounded great, really warm and delicate, as expected. however, terminal five is the worst venue to see a show in the city, let alone something so intimate. absolutely no sight lines unless you're crammed in the front on the floor, or first on the balcony. the band plays in near darkness anyway with a projector and a few candles on stage, so it's not a huge spectacle, but it would have been better having seen more than 10% of the stage at any given time.

in good news though, i won tickets to jimmy fallon's band bench which puts me right alongside the band for today's taping, which should more than make up for not seeing anything last week. look for me on television tonight!

[Your Name Here]

I love Hope Sandovals voice, it's haunted ghostly and sexy all at the same time. They're an underrated band it's too bad the don't get the attention they deserve. Love the new album.

[Mantra]

I saw them when they came through a few weeks back and I can honestly say that it was one of the best live shows I've ever seen. It wasn't some bombastic spectacle or anything like that, which seems to be what a lot of people expect from concerts. It was just real delicate and moving. I was so grateful that the rest of the audience stayed quiet on some of the most important parts, like the violin part in "Into Dust." If that had been a NIN concert someone would have probably screamed and thrown a lighter in Hope's face or something. Instead you could hear a pin drop from how still everything was. One of the most moving shows I've ever been to. The setlist was perfect too.