Chromatics

[frankie teardrop]

while I'm a far bigger fan of the first wave italo disco*, the massive love and respect for the drive soundtrack prompted this thread on one of the genre's more recent champions.

they pretty much go hand in hand with glass candy (often difficult to separate the two of them), but i lean more towards the chromatics. they're slowly trickling out their latest record via several youtube videos with a very heavy late 70s/early 80s vibe. no release date for the new record, but with five singles, i reckon it'll be pretty soon.

here's a smattering of works past and present:






(dark day cover- almost unrecognizable compared to the original paranoid reading from 1979)




(rather impressive neil young cover)








*mid-1980s synth-tinged disco as influenced heavily by giorgio moroder and john carpenter & goblin's soundtrack work at best, cheesy-as-fuck at it's worst: see charlie's- spacer woman, art fine- dark silence, fockewulf 190- gitano for better examples

[Deadpool]

I recently listened to the entirety of Night Drive (clued in by the Drive soundtrack of course) and there are some choice tracks. I'm looking forward to Kill For Love. This live video gives me the impression that they're a better live band than studio band. I like this version better at least:


I know this is somewhat off-topic, as it's more Desire than Chromatics related, but has anyone else heard The Twilight Singers' cover of Desire's "Don't Call"? I heard the cover before I knew it was a cover, and thought it was just a new Twilight Singers track. Now that I've revisited it, it blows me away. I love the original, too, of course, but Greg Dulli takes it to new heights.

[frankie teardrop]

that live version gives it a more post-punk feel, which i appreciate. probably worth changing the title to hit all the jewel side projects or as a catch all thread for the italians do it better label. pretty similar stories between glass candy and chromatics (noise/electro/glam moving into italo territory).

[richardp]

Love The Chromatics. The Drive Soundtrack made me dive headfirst into that genre of electro-pop and I fucking love it so much.

[Deadpool]

probably worth changing the title to hit all the jewel side projects or as a catch all thread for the italians do it better label.

I could get behind this. I was hesitant to post the Desire video because I still can't tell if catch-all threads are frowned upon here or not. Anyway, I guess "Lady" was re-recorded for the new album? The 'In The City' version is definitely one of the highlights of that mini-LP, and the current take is probably my favorite of the singles they've released so far.

Any thoughts on Symmetry? I only gave it once through when it was first posted to Johnny Jewel's soundcloud, but I liked what I heard. I've been meaning to give it a more active listen since. I also found Pitchfork's review of it really, really frustrating: whoever wrote the review seemed dead sure that it was entirely made up of Jewel's unused Drive score, which the press release very clearly confirms it's NOT. It's so annoying to see writers like that thinking they're "outsmarting" the artist or something. Sorry for the rant.

[BlueCalx]

What do we make of Kill For Love, gang? I've not played a newly-released album as much for a very long time. That said, I often skip "Into the Black". I like it perfectly well on its own, but I don't like it as an opener, especially when the title track works so much better for me.

[Deadpool]

I haven't even streamed the album on Soundcloud yet. I just want to be able to give it a full listen in one sitting, I guess. Maybe I'll check it out today, 'cause I'm dying to finally hear it.

[frankie teardrop]

i actually love the neil young cover as an opener... for it's what got me to listen to this band again after feeling like i was over the modern crop of bands.

that said, the album is fantastic, but i haven't been able to enjoy it in one full listen. a little over-long at points. i could do without the male vocal autotune tracks that hit a little too close to 808 and heartbreak, but otherwise, definitely enjoying it.

[BlueCalx]

Good call with the 808s comparison! I actually like 808s and Heartbreak and the male vocal tracks didn't grate on me all that much at all on Kill For Love. A person I follow on Tumblr talked about not seeing the album's appeal, she said that it sounded like a "big, long blur". The album's big, long blurriness is what's kept me coming back to it. It's not a collection of knockout songs, but it's great for groove and ambience.

[frankie teardrop]

i honestly have the same issue with the instrumental soundtrack material jewel recently released, and *gasp* the girl with the dragon tattoo score, as well. it's no fault of the artists really- if the music is good and they're feeling prolific, more power to them, but it's just a lot to digest. call it city living. i usually have a 45 minute commute so anything in that range is ideal for me.

[BlueCalx]

Y'know, except for the big ol' Led Zeppelin cover, I don't think I've listened to the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo score at all, except as background music during tabletop RPGs.

I've found myself listening to this album when I've either got a ton of work to get through during the day or am driving around late at night.

[chris]

via Pitchfork: "Chromatics share drumless versions of Kill for Love, tour information"
click here to download file from sendspace

[GoodSoldier333]

Love every one of Johnny's projects; he rolls out songs as quickly as Trent does these days.

[Deadpool]

Big congrats to the band for selling out the first-run, magenta-colored Kill For Love vinyl... in 12 hours no less (10,000 copies!). Pretty crazy. Planning on snatching the second, blue pressing when that rolls around - likely with the Desire LP. On that note, I'm psyched for After Dark 2 (which I could easily see matching the demand for Kill for Love), so I'm gonna have funds at the ready for that. Still wanna grab Symmetry, too.

In related news, I'm thrilled that the band posted the VHS cover I illustrated/designed on the Italians site. It means a lot as a fan. Hopefully they visit NYC for another real gig soon (not counting that Pitchfork video-game thing) so I can give the band physical copies, and hopefully get one signed for me!

[GoodSoldier333]

This is about a month late, but i was soooo lucky to snatch a copy of the Magenta KFL vinyl!

I agree dude. After Dark II will be awesome! They said they'd start leaking songs from it starting this week.

Overall very exciting looking ahead. After Dark II, the debut record for Farah coming early next year according to Johnny (those two Farah tracks on the first After Dark were killer), new Glass Candy album FINALLY coming out next year. I love this guy. Not just for the fact that he's releasing so much shit, but it's all.................GOOD.

[Deadpool]

And here we go: first new track from After Dark II, , is out and it's pretty fucking awesome. Apparently the original is 17 minutes long?!? Good lord. I'm starting to realize why this is gonna be a triple LP. Very excited!

[richardp]

No longer Killing For Love, eh?

::insert rimshot here::

[GoodSoldier333]

So it's the After Dark II version of Tomorrow Is So Far Away eh?

Great track; awesome video yet again from Mr. Rossini. I thought that was Saul around 0:50 at first. heh.

[Deadpool]

So... a fair amount of Chromatics news to catch up on!

Firstly, "RUNNING FROM THE SUN" is up on iTunes to buy, and being prepared at the pressing plant, so hopefully physical copies of that will start shipping within a month or 2.

The "CHERRY" LP is also at the pressing plant, and will be another download on Johnny's soundcloud once he's happy with the mastering.

There's also a ton of new shirts on the way, as well as "THE MESSENGER" Promo EP from Symmetry (their first release which is on iTunes right now).


Lastly, After Dark 2 is at the pressing plant! Yes! So much goodness is on the way!


On another note, I finally bought some Chromatics vinyl (took me long enough) - "Night Drive" on snow white vinyl to be specfic - and it sounds fantastic. Also nabbed Glass Candy's "Warm In The Winter" on colored vinyl this afternoon. Hopefully I can snag some of the above stuff once it goes on sale!

[GoodSoldier333]

Good on you dude! Get as much as you can. I love collecting vinyls from all of his projects as they're far more colorful than your usual vinyl covers.

I've been slightly annoyed with Italians Do It Better because they love to rave about stuff that they're planning to release, but it's all hype. After Dark II was supposed to arguably come out last October but Johnny has shelved it (he's also been busy doing a soundtrack), and then he's directly said that new Farah/Glass Candy was slated for late 2012. And then Alexis Rivera, the dude that runs the store, always says ____ album will come out on ____ date, and it never does.

Not a bad problem to have. They are afterall working on so much music (and pressings) at the same time. Just think they should calm themselves with all the excitement and take it easy on announcing when stuff will come out. How bout just surprising the fans?

Anyway, they posted lots of teases in the Italians Do It Better store of stuff that's "Coming Soon". Can't wait for all of it to come out, whenever that may be.

[GoodSoldier333]

After Dark II may or may not be on our ipods by the end of next week...

[Deadpool]

Whaaaaa? What'd I miss?!

[richardp]

Well it's about damn time

[GoodSoldier333]

Check out the Facebook profile pictures for Chromatics, Desire, Glass Candy, and Italians Do It Better.

Echoparkrecords have said "If I were a betting man (and I am) I would say that by Maureen O'Sullivan's birthday it will be released." So by the 17th hopefully..

[GoodSoldier333]

"AFTER DARK 2 is officially out worldwide on Itunes!"

Go get some.

[Camille]

Here's A New Single From Chromatics Featuring Megan Louise (Desire), Ida No (Glass Candy), & Ruth Radelet (Chromatics) Sharing Vocals.
From The Film "Lost River" Written & Directed By Ryan Gosling.
Info from and listen to track https://soundcloud.com/johnnyjewel/lost-river

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

I recently came across this group, and I have been in awe ever since. They are dreamy, dark, synthy, and perfect for night driving (Personal preference). I started off with "Night Drive", but "Kill For Love" is so perfect with almost every song ending with impressive instrumentals that help you detach yourself from reality for a little while. If you need to get away, or you're on track to take a long drive, give these guys a spin.

[BRoswell]

I really dig them as well. My first exposure to them (like a lot of people) was through the film Drive, but I've since become a really big fan of theirs. I received their first two albums for my birthday last year, and I was happy to get a free poster for the as yet unreleased "Dear Tommy" when they were offering them a while back.

[thevoid99]

Drive was a great introduction of that group and all of those acts. Kill for Love is definitely one of the best albums I've heard in years.

[Dream]

Love Chromatics.

Check out the rest of Italians Do It Better.

Glass Candy are particularly great.