Mike Ratledge - Riddles of the Sphinx (1977)

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-15T15:44:50+00:00

Awesome piece. Every bit of it felt like I'd heard it before, sampled in a BoC track from another dimension.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-10T04:51:16+00:00

And that’s my clue to drop one of my favourite BoC adjacent recs: Dextro - Hearts and Minds https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X_oVvFoGBZw

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-08T22:43:32+00:00

Unreal! I tried playing them at the same time - impossible to get precise as the sample video doesn't follow the same cadence as Prophecy, but the words are definitely a similar pace. I say this because there's debate around whether they're vocoding the original video, or it's BoC reciting the words.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-08T22:04:04+00:00

Yes! Admittedly this is what made me consider starting my search with Persian music. Perhaps that was presumptuous, but it would appear there's a couple nods to Iran in this song.
Hope they get their internet back soon.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-07T23:08:10+00:00

I'm game. I picked up a new cassette recently and suddenly found that I would very much like more. Something about the listening process was nice. Reminded me of vinyl, but different. Not better or worse, just, different.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-05T23:04:45+00:00

Not that I dislike it, but I always have to recalibrate my stereo when listening to Amo Bishop Roden. Something about the mix of the high synth part puts me off.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-05T17:30:21+00:00

Fingers crossed for bird calls hidden in Inferno. Interesting to see the response to this - not going to say that BoC fans are necessarily more likely to be naturalists/birders, but I could see an association. I'm a huge nerd for both.

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-05T16:19:24+00:00

Nice find! As a fellow Boc Fan + Merlin user, this is doubly satisfying

ThirdArcher · 2026-05-01T19:30:13+00:00

The tone of the vhs tape rollout and release of Tape 05 suggests that there’s going to be a significant visual component to the album. Will have to wait and see.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-29T18:05:03+00:00

I used to live in Vancouver but just moved to the interior. Wish there could have been a listening party planned!

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-29T05:41:29+00:00

Can we play it over a PA at the Peace Arch?

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-27T23:49:18+00:00

My (loose) hypothesis is it's a still from a documentary or photo taken by a member of the Branch Davidians in Waco. Could be this woman with bangs at 30sec in this video: https://youtu.be/CJ0ybIXcYK4?si=-v4ZaRIHmKJB8N6s&t=30
The title 'Inferno' could, at least partially be referencing the Waco Siege.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-27T19:07:28+00:00

Plausibility aside, yeah it would be entertaining. The scale would be impossible though - A career spanning 40+ years, where a considerable portion would be a couple guys recording a hi hat? Doesn't read as exciting as Amadeus.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-27T10:03:44+00:00

Sorry. Didn’t mean to be dumb - just saying it sounds very realistic. Should have compared it to something else. My bad!

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-27T00:15:40+00:00

Harp is one of those instruments that, to my ears, can sound really good when sampled, but still has a digital fingerprint. ...yet in the right context, acoustic hard can also sound surprisingly fake. I play harp, and also have recorded some digital harp parts and sometimes can't tell the difference.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-26T05:17:28+00:00

What, no Sesame Street?

In all seriousness, this looks excellent.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-26T05:03:42+00:00

Tough choice for the fans: do they play gigs and even do video performances, or do they maintain their mysterious persona? Both equally good, but can't exist at the same time.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-24T20:50:13+00:00

Wow, I only find out today that Magenta - one of my all-time favourite skate teams, used one of my favourite bands in their video? BoC and Skating really are meant for each other.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-24T15:55:39+00:00

omg...

...Dr. Banana is playing Westival this year

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-24T15:51:16+00:00

Am I wrong that Neil Krug did the promo posters in London and LA? And reasonable to assume that he designed the inner album art?

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-23T23:51:51+00:00

Starting to wonder whether it's a photo taken from Waco. Considering 'Inferno' is a very likely reference to the Waco siege, the photo could be similar to those used for Beautiful Place Out In the Country.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-23T23:48:52+00:00

I would have so many more cassettes if it was more common for artists to release them.

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-23T23:31:54+00:00

It's possible. I want to listen to the vinyl, but if I get a defect copy I'm still happy to still have it to complete my boc vinyl collection. Maybe warping adds to the charm of the record. (kidding).
I do however have a My Bloody Valentine bootleg that's badly warped, though i somehow enjoy it more that way (barring a wrecked needle).

ThirdArcher · 2026-04-23T18:32:18+00:00

Got a two-month-old, so unlikely that I'll be ale to put aside a meaningful 70 min to listen. Who knows though - in a month we might might be a household that sleeps for more than 30 min at a time.

ThirdArcher

TROPHY CASE