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Thread: Algiers

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    Marietta, Georgia
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    Algiers

    I've recently discovered Algiers and it's some of the most inventive, refreshing music I've heard in a long time. Elements of post-punk, gospel, industrial, and Motown, with heavy elements of sampling and multi-instrumentation, all weave together throughout their catalog, and I haven't found two songs that sound alike. I found out about them through looking into what the original drummer from Bloc Party (Matt Tong) was up to these days, as his drumming on the earlier BP albums was one of my favorite elements, and he joined Algiers as a full-time member a few years ago. I'll be honest, I checked them out awhile back and it didn't really click. I revisited with the newest album that just came out in January 2020 (There is No Year) and something was different - I was in step with exactly what they were going for - and I immediately fell in love with their entire catalog. They opened for Depeche Mode I believe in 2017, so I've seen their name thrown around here on the forum before, but hadn't seen a thread specifically about them and wanted to throw out the recommendation for anyone that hasn't heard of them.

    I've seen a couple of reviews that their latest album was a bit of a letdown following up on The Underside of Power, which is fantastic. I can understand the sentiment, though I don't agree with it. The newest album sounds like a bit more of a sidestep, looking internally, and focuses on subtlety over bombast. We Can't Be Found is a great example of this - very low key and builds into a beautiful chorus, but when it feels like it should overcome, it gets buried, and to me that's more in sync with the subject matter than with listener expectations, which is what I've grown to love about this band. I find myself listening to that song on repeat and it sticks in my head throughout the day constantly.

    I caught them Saturday night here in Atlanta on the last night of their cancelled tour in a relatively small venue (529 in East Atlanta Village). I've been self-quarantining with the state of things and COVID-19, and sure I felt a bit guilty about going out, but it was a small, very personal-space conscious crowd, and I didn't go anywhere else before or after the show, and won't be for a long time (I work from home normally). They, like most bands, cancelled the tour after only 4 dates, and I wanted to catch them live. They put on an amazing show - 150% into every single song, with a great deal of multi-instrumentation coming from most of them. Riveting live band.

    If you give them a shot I suggest checking out at least 2 or 3 songs. So many songs sound so different and tread entirely different ground. Song recommendations: There is No Year (song), Death March, We Can't Be Found, Cry of the Martyrs, Blood, Cleveland. And holy hell if you want to get pumped up for something listen to Walk Like a Panther on full volume to get yourself amped up.

    Edited to link a video:

    Last edited by tcrudolph; 03-16-2020 at 09:10 AM. Reason: Added video

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
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    Germany
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    Lots of love for this band! Just saw them recently and did so two years ago, we even conducted an interview this time around as I had great fun having shots with the guys during their last stay. The new record is very polished in comparison to the first two albums, but hell, it's a mad and genius ride!

    This band is meant to be seen live so I can only say, once the situation is over, you should all try and get tickets for their shows! Insane band!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    Belgium
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    I agree with both of you, best concert I've seen in a while. Powerful music and great musicians (and nice people, we got to talk a bit after their concert)!
    I'm glad to see this thread, I was thinking lately that people in here would like the band quite a bit!

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