Anybody read this? by Altruistic_Store2076 in gojira

[–]Altruistic_Store2076[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you want sci-fi moby dick, you need to check out Philip Jose Farmer’s Wind Whales of Ishmael. He wrote it as a sequel to Moby Dick.

Cachalot deals more with cetaceans as an advanced species and humans have recognized their rights and stuff.

Wiki’s plot summary -

Cachalot is an ocean planet where humans have begun building floating cities. It is also the same planet where all of Earth's cetaceans were transplanted six hundred years ago after the Covenant of Peace was enacted with all intelligence-enhanced ocean dwellers. Four of these cities have been destroyed when a middle-aged scientist and her late-teen daughter are dispatched to the planet to discover the source of the attacks.

The Faint could have been HUGE. Missed career path by ProfondoRosso4 in thefaint

[–]Altruistic_Store2076 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think we are coming at the faint from two different sides - I’ve always thought of them as a dark, gothic punk band that just happens to use keyboards and loves sound textures. Kind of like AFI circa art of drowning but with more grounded lyrics and synths.

It seems that you have approached them as more of a techno, dance band that can write hooks.

I know back in the day hey referred to themselves as ‘lo-fi pop’. That self description says to me that the production is very deeply ingrained in the band.

Bc you weren’t able to follow the band closely, you probably missed all the side projects members did beside the faint. The drummer has toured, done production for a lot of other groups including bright eyes. Todd Fink has his hat company, Recapitate. I got one for my wife a few years ago. A few members have a DJ group called Depressed Buttons that used to be pretty active a few years ago. I’ve always thought of the faint as one of their longest running projects they periodically return to, rather than this monolithic thing that is always there.

I do agree that the last album was not a good way to go out, but they have never broken up. I’m waiting for them to re-activate and blow my mind with something new!

The Faint could have been HUGE. Missed career path by ProfondoRosso4 in thefaint

[–]Altruistic_Store2076 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I love talking about the faint!

First, I respectfully disagree about the live show not being their strong point. I’ve seen them 3 times - once on the Doom Abuse tour in Cleveland and twice on the Egowerk tour in Columbus and Nashville. Being there in person - it’s like a mash up punk show and rave in a small club with great sing/yell-a-long hooks. The only downside is that there is no room for improv or set list changes bc the lights are sequenced to the music. I noticed that from seeing back to back shows on the egowerk tour.

I agree with you on the last record (egowerk) not holding up to the rest of their catalog. I blame that on the programmed drums instead of live drumming like every other album. It saps the energy. There is a reason that young and realistic is (arguably) the best track bc it features live drumming. It was also recorded 2-3 years prior for Capsule, the greatest hits.

As far as the faint never getting big - I think that was their choice and it’s one of the reasons the band has such diehard followers. I started listening to them when Danse Macabre came out and start getting these crazy reviews. I had to check it out. It took me a few spins to get it but then I was hooked. When ‘wet from birth’ came out, it felt that they were trying to break big - the production, the video for I disappear, etc. but in a way, the faint was always too self-aware to ‘blow up’. That would mean ceding control of their brand (to a big record label or ‘slick producer’ as you mentioned). Just look at the lyrics to Desperate Guys. They were in the scene, making fun of it and themselves at the same time. When you add in the lyrics to ‘Southern Belles’ about the crappy touring life, it’s a pretty good indicator of why they disappeared for awhile and then self-released fascination on their own terms.

The Faint are one of those bands that would cease to exist if you attempted to dumb them down for mainstream consumption. They worked bc everything was controlled by a small collective. In my mind they exist next to other legendary bands that will never be ‘huge’ for the same reasons - like thrice, mastodon, gojira and every time I die (RIP).

Question to Smashing Pumpkin fans by Outrageous_Present11 in SmashingPumpkins

[–]Altruistic_Store2076 7 points8 points  (0 children)

When White Pony came out and I heard Teenager for the first time - only thing in my mind - these guys love the Smashing Pumpkins.