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I got Lapham's Quarterly Volume V, Number 3 Summer 2012: Magic Shows in the mail yesterday. The Family Ghost had, I guess, our frist real review. It's on the Memphis Flyer's website . I'm not sure if it's in the printed version, I'll have to go wrangle up a copy. It, of course is for our live ep-ish thingie: Artifact 2012. The review's mostly positive, which I'm sure you'll see for yourself. There are a few funny bits. I'll go ahead and cut and paste the review for posterity's sake:
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Memphis is a city short on indie rock groups like the Family Ghost. Whereas many new underground bands in town tend to hone in on a ragged blues and/or garage-rock influences, the Family Ghost has established itself as, arguably and if nothing else, the most fiercely unclassifiable post-punk band in Memphis.
And, without a doubt, there are moments when the Family Ghost absolutely kill on Artifact 2012: The disco-punk "Like Clockwork" is a clear highlight, as is the psychedelic spoken-word offering "Fall Behind." But then there are times when the band makes you wait for it a bit too long. I'm sorry, but in my book, 04:45 into a song is too late to start singing — as is the case with the EP's unfortunately dull opener, "Intro/A Series of False Starts." — JDR
Grade: B-
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Is it cheesy to now give my own commentary? Eh, what the hell. The first thing that jumps out is the nice complement about us being "fiercely unclassifiable," but this is, of course, annotated with the caveat "if nothing else." I'm not sure what to make of "Fall Behind" being called a "spoken-word offering" as I, um, sing on it and stuff. I guess I do know what to make of it, really. I know I'm a really bad singer, I'd never go to bat in defense of that. I just didn't realize my attempt at singing wouldn't even be recognized as such. Ah well. Also, not sure I'd ever use "psychedelic" to describe, well, much of anything, but that's a minor footnote. The best and funniest is the last bit. In its defense, which it absolutely doesn't need, it does go through two songs on the first part and the intro is an instrumental. But our real record, False Start, opens with "Taken": one song that takes 5:57 to get to the singing. It's a silly notion of music or a song revolving around the singing as if it was the only important part. Anyway, I know JD is a big pop dude, so it makes sense given the source. But all in all I found it incredibly funny. Now, I'm sure it sounds like I'm being bitchy here in my commentary. Really, I did think the review was wholly either positive or funny. Just wanted to jot down my own thoughts as is this my journal and all.
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Memphis is a city short on indie rock groups like the Family Ghost. Whereas many new underground bands in town tend to hone in on a ragged blues and/or garage-rock influences, the Family Ghost has established itself as, arguably and if nothing else, the most fiercely unclassifiable post-punk band in Memphis.
And, without a doubt, there are moments when the Family Ghost absolutely kill on Artifact 2012: The disco-punk "Like Clockwork" is a clear highlight, as is the psychedelic spoken-word offering "Fall Behind." But then there are times when the band makes you wait for it a bit too long. I'm sorry, but in my book, 04:45 into a song is too late to start singing — as is the case with the EP's unfortunately dull opener, "Intro/A Series of False Starts." — JDR
Grade: B-
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Is it cheesy to now give my own commentary? Eh, what the hell. The first thing that jumps out is the nice complement about us being "fiercely unclassifiable," but this is, of course, annotated with the caveat "if nothing else." I'm not sure what to make of "Fall Behind" being called a "spoken-word offering" as I, um, sing on it and stuff. I guess I do know what to make of it, really. I know I'm a really bad singer, I'd never go to bat in defense of that. I just didn't realize my attempt at singing wouldn't even be recognized as such. Ah well. Also, not sure I'd ever use "psychedelic" to describe, well, much of anything, but that's a minor footnote. The best and funniest is the last bit. In its defense, which it absolutely doesn't need, it does go through two songs on the first part and the intro is an instrumental. But our real record, False Start, opens with "Taken": one song that takes 5:57 to get to the singing. It's a silly notion of music or a song revolving around the singing as if it was the only important part. Anyway, I know JD is a big pop dude, so it makes sense given the source. But all in all I found it incredibly funny. Now, I'm sure it sounds like I'm being bitchy here in my commentary. Really, I did think the review was wholly either positive or funny. Just wanted to jot down my own thoughts as is this my journal and all.
