Piero Scaruffi's review of BoC

mustbenice · Post by **mustbenice** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:52 am

I hapened to stumble upon Piero Scaruffi's review of Boards of Canada at http://www.scaruffi.com/vol6/boardsof.html for the first time in a long time tonight. I guess I never noticed it before, but the first couple paragraphs of the review mention the pre-Twoism releases. What he writes makes it sound like he's actually heard them, as he has a few words to say about each of them.

Does anyone know how (if?) he managed to get a copy of these? It seems fairly improbable that he'd be able to track them down or to find someone who does have them who could be convinced to let him have a listen. After The Cosmic Crofter (the guy who ran Benbecula, IIRC) who posted the only real info about these releases, he'd be only the second person to even so much as admit to having heard this stuff. He's a relatively well-known and respected music reviwer, so he's probably not just having a laugh. Is he reviewing the fakes that are floating around slsk and similar? Anyone know what the deal is?

ryetronics · Post by **ryetronics** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:51 pm

Who can say?

All I know is, he either mistranslated his own work or doesn't know what he's talking about in this quote... "The EP In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country (Warp, 2000), that contains two gems, In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country and Kid For Today, introduced a gentler pace that was retained for the 23 tracks of Geogaddi (Warp, 2002)."

Whaa?

23degreesdream · Post by **23degreesdream** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:31 pm

It's bollocks. Check the wayback machine. Prior to mid-2002 he had 1 review for BoC, of MHTRTC, which he gives 5/10 and a fairly dismissive review.

In june 2002 he suddenly has access to all of their early material (and MHTRTC score jumps to 6/10 strangely) . If he'd had access to all of this early work why does he choose not to review it until mid 2002? Also, if you had been given access to what is frankly the holy grail of electronic music would you choose to just write a few lines about it? He made it up based on the discography on the BoC website at the time, simple as.

noby · Post by **noby** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:04 pm

23degreesdream wrote:It's bollocks. Check the wayback machine. Prior to mid-2002 he had 1 review for BoC, of MHTRTC, which he gives 5/10 and a fairly dismissive review. In june 2002 he suddenly has access to all of their early material (and MHTRTC score jumps to 6/10 strangely).

He can't change his mind about something? I think it's exactly that makes him a great reviewer, that he is able to reconsider his thoughts.

If he'd had access to all of this early work why does he choose not to review it until mid 2002?

Because there is much more relevant music than BoC, especially their early material. He also has other activities than music.

He made it up based on the discography on the BoC website at the time, simple as.

Just speculation though, can't know for sure.

"The EP In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country (Warp, 2000), that contains two gems, In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country and Kid For Today, introduced a gentler pace that was retained for the 23 tracks of Geogaddi (Warp, 2002)."

I agree that that sentiment probably could be worded a bit better, but I don't see anything particularly wrong with it. I think by gentle he means a more subdued and delicate approach.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:02 pm

23degreesdream wrote:"The EP In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country (Warp, 2000), that contains two gems, In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country and Kid For Today, introduced a gentler pace that was retained for the 23 tracks of Geogaddi (Warp, 2002)."

I think the issue is that he's comparing a record from 2000 to a record from 2002...

Edit: GAH HTML CODE.

noby · Post by **noby** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:25 pm

Kathleen wrote:I think the issue is that he's comparing a record from 2000 to a record from 2002...

I don't get it... nor see the problem with that.

7113(18|3) · Post by **7113(18|3)** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:38 am

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Little Cloud · Post by **Little Cloud** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:09 pm

"The Campfire Headphase (Warp, 2005) is a much simpler work, a throwback to Boards of Canada's early music."

Simpler work?
He obviously didn't spend much time listening to it!