What direction would you like to see BoC go in?

[Jonse]

A part of me has felt that the brothers seem to have called it quits, or at the very least have put higher priorities over their music. It's not hard to understand why someone might feel that way and I've seen others with the same sort of general feeling. That said, the gap between TCH and TH was the only one of its kind and - from what I understand - was three years or so longer than intended. The overall pattern has otherwise been that consistent three, sometimes four year gap between full length releases, a year or two at most with EP releases.

So, suppose TH marked a return to the "normal" sort of release pattern BoC tends to follow: it may be likely we get an EP or possibly the fifth LP sometime next year. For all their mysticism, I don't see them as a band that'd not announce when they're finally done. I have a pretty good feeling something will be coming.

What sort of musical direction would be most appealing to you? More of what we love? A return to older styles? Drone-laden, fun progressive rock with a goofy direction? Something more experimental like a bunch of harsh noise with cats screaming in the background (seriously though, perhaps a take on post-industrial music or something more upbeat like that Warp 10 track everyone loves)?

Not that it'd have any impact on what they produce, even if the assumed release weren't probably a good chunk finished - I just want to see what the community feels about BoC and the best of their styles.

[Peacock Tail]

I'd like to hear more from them using conventional instruments (such as guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc) in a more prominent fashion. I'd like to hear them as 'musical performers' as opposed to 'musical artists'.... (for want of a better description.)

I guess I mean things like the backing tracks to Broken Drum / Good Friday. Obvious live drums, bass guitar, electric guitar...

But to fair, I'd be interested in anything new!

[Lazerize]

That's what I was going to say. I'd love to hear them record a live off the floor album where they assemble a crack band to play music that's written but still allows for improvisation. I'd love to hear them play with Nick McCabe and Simon Jones from the Verve.

But really I'd like them to do whatever they want. It'll great either way, and far more interesting than anything anyone could think of. I just want genius to do its work, but maybe work a bit harder than it has been lately.

[Dandegyrecorder]

id love to hear a fully ambient and/or drone album from them. im almost certain that wont happen, but hey, this thread isnt about what they MIGHT do. TH seems like a perfect place to stop, so i dont think i would be disappointed if I never heard any new material. they'll probably release something new in the future though, which I'd still be interested in.

[arvy]

4 strong track EP with the soul of IABPOIC and production and ideas of TH

[Skimming Stone]

id love to hear a fully ambient and/or drone album from them. im almost certain that wont happen, but hey, this thread isnt about what they MIGHT do.

Who knows what Catalog 3 actually sounds like, but those track titles seem hopeful! Might be drone by a very immature BoC, but drone nonetheless

[Jango9]

Who knows what Catalog 3 actually sounds like, but those track titles seem hopeful! Might be drone by a very immature BoC, but drone nonetheless

The official BoC timeline says they were making "tapes of television themes with horrific reversed vocals mixed over the music" in 1989. Piero Scaruffi's description of "rather uneventful ambient electronica" might also be the case, though I'm pretty sure he was lying through his teeth when he said he knew what the pre-Twoism albums sounded like.

The official timeline also mentions "A series of collaborations with various friends took place, resulting in multi-layered guitar songs with a dark, orchestrated feel" in 1990, a year before Acid Memories came out. Richard Southern (who's a much more trustworthy source of info on the matter than Scaruffi) backs this up with his "Guitars meet Electronics" line about AM. These collaborations might also be where he got the figure that there were 6 of them back then, since the timeline also says that they were down to Mike, Marcus and Chris by 1989 (they supposedly had 2 more members before that).

The official timeline was written by PIC and Simon Goderich, so I'm led to believe it's accurate.

As for what direction I'd like to see BoC go in, Northwest has always been a pretty nice direction. *is hit by rotten tomato*

[valleaux]

Even though I voted "IABPOITC/Geogaddi", it would be neat to hear something with the qualities of all four major releases. An album with the sound of MHTRTC, the feel of Geogaddi, the song structure of TCH, and the story of TH.

[Opothecary]

Please give me the melody and feel of 1995-2000 paired with the understated type of production that you'd find on R35TT or TH.

[Opothecary]

I'd like to hear more from them using conventional instruments (such as guitar, bass, drums, piano, etc) in a more prominent fashion. I'd like to hear them as 'musical performers' as opposed to 'musical artists'.... (for want of a better description.)

I guess I mean things like the backing tracks to Broken Drum / Good Friday. Obvious live drums, bass guitar, electric guitar...

But to fair, I'd be interested in anything new!

I would like to see some more traditional instrumentation from them, but more along the lines of the "acoustic goth" (not sure what else to call it) that you'd find on A10 or A13 on R35TT. TCH was a nice, hopefully one time attempt at crossing the streams, but I think they are great on both fronts individually - I like vodka and I like beer, I don't really like vodka mixed in my beer though.

[Peacock Tail]

I would like to see some more traditional instrumentation from them, but more along the lines of the "acoustic goth" (not sure what else to call it) that you'd find on A10...

A10 sounds like it should be accompanied with this:

[drillkicker]

Whichever direction leads to them letting us hear their early shit.

[Jango9]

Whichever direction leads to them letting us hear their early shit.

So, northwest?

Lately I've found myself really, really getting into the darker, murkier tracks on the R35TT (A08, A13 and B12, for example). I'd love to hear some more of that. That or the five mystery albums (which I have a sneaking suspicion contain some tracks like the ones I just mentioned).

However, I think Mike and Marcus know what they're doing well enough that I'll probably enjoy whatever they decide to put out next. Maybe they'll release a rap mixtape next, who knows?

(Seriously though, I fucking love A13. I've listened to it more than 100 times according to Winamp's play counter)

[Aerial Boundaries]

I chose "Something totally new" but that isn't exactly what I mean. I'd like to see a synthesis of their earlier ideas and techniques, a new body of work made in light of the old and everything they've learnt along the way from their lives and careers. Something that feels like a natural progression, yet totally unexpected at the same time.

Most of all though, I want them not to compromise on their ideas and what their hearts and minds tell them to make. Regardless of how unpopular it might be with their fans. Looking at their track record I feel pretty safe to assume I'm in good hands there.

If I'm going to be honest, if they just threw back to a particular era like people have suggested time and time again, I'd find that incredibly boring. The last thing I want is Geogaddi volume 2 for instance.

[Jango9]

Most of all though, I want them not to compromise on their ideas and what their hearts and minds tell them to make. Regardless of how unpopular it might be with their fans. Looking at their track record I feel pretty safe to assume I'm in good hands there.

This.

[Opothecary]

Looking back, Old Tunes is a more pure thing, and no matter how you cut it, expectations and compromise entered the picture as time went on. They just didn't care about sequencing or overarching concepts or anything of that back then but it still worked - maybe things like Hooper Bay or Closes Vol. 1 have a more unified approach, but who knows? I think Maxima/MHTRTC is definitely the peak of the BoC mixtape concept and it paid off in spades.

Since Geogaddi it's been about crafting some sort of hidden narrative on each LP and worrying about how the music all hangs together. I think this approach can alienate some people depending on their musical tastes, which is why I think TCH and TH were both polarizing in their own way.

Give me a grab bag of the best of what you've got lying around, that's what I want, I don't care how schizophrenic it is. If keeping it simple is no longer a workable approach, just kill 2 birds with one stone and finally release the BoC set so we can finally shut up about it.

[Lazerize]

If BoC went back to an old style it would be just like when any band "goes back to their roots." It would be momentarily exciting to hear great old sounds again, but inevitably it would turn into "This sounds like Song X but isn't as good."

Releasing old stuff would be great - the old tunes tapes and R35TT are cool and have some good songs on them, but whatever they do now will surely be better than their juvenilia. BoC are pretty good with quality control - everything they release is at least 8.5/10 - and because of that I think it's safe to assume that the rest of the unreleased stuff isn't up to their standard. They probably picked the best songs for the tapes anyway. New material is so much more enticing than old stuff. I'd love to hear the old stuff, of course, but not at the expense of new music.

[Lazerize]

If keeping it simple is no longer a workable approach, just kill 2 birds with one stone and finally release the BoC set so we can finally shut up about it.

They should just put that shit up on bandcamp and let their kids dub tapes as the orders come in. Every kid needs a hobby...

[FortonServices]

Tomorrow's Harvest 2.

[warphead]

Seeing as they are music visionaries and I work for Royal Mail I think I shall let them decide