Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx and Louis Gordon Neuro Video

I'm surprised that no-one has given this new album its own thread yet, and it doesn't seem to have been discussed much yet either. So come on chaps and chapesses, spill the beans for those of us who couldn't make it to Cargo and who are waiting for Townsend to put it on sale.

Yeah, c'mon Townsend, before I spend pocket money on my queue of other artist's CD's other than John

I don't want to give comments only after 1 0r two listens - so this is the reason for me to post nothing until yet. But on the first listens I can say: BUY IT - it is worth the money! Very good recording in the same quality as A New Kind Of Man.

It's a great recording of a really interesting gig.

Maybe not all the performance is spot on - John's voice doesn't have the range it once had (only to be expected), so a demanding song such as "Miles Away" would surely have benefitted from a more significant key-change or suitable reworking, in order to be more performable. But at least with Louis on the high notes, they manage to pull it off.

Shadow Man sounds fantastic. However the real highlight for me is "Europe After the Rain" - that version is really good and it sounds so fresh and beautiful.

And the artwork... well it is absolutely stunning. I'm so happy to see an update on that original TPOE concept (and that the original has been sneaked into the booklet ).

The artwork/booklets for both this and Impossible are John's very best , in my opinion. Absolutely perfect.

I'm saving Impossible and Neuro Video as Christmas presents to myself.

You have to admire the willpower

You'll be having Christmas before the weekend!

Totally agree!! Neuro Video has instantly become my favourite sleeve. It is light-hearted, warm, nostalgic, futuristic, and quite possibly slightly sinister.

Are you suggesting that he won't be able to resist playing them if he already has them in hand, or is this a hint to the effect that Townsend will be posting their availability in the next couple of days so he (and the rest of us) will be able to order them soon?

I'm really enjoying this live album perhaps more than the others. Excellent set - I agree about Europe After the Rain which gets a much 'darker' treatment. Right about Miles Away Alex, Foxxy's def struggling with the vocals a bit, pity cos the synth arrangement and the drums are spot on. I'm even getting to like Dancing Like a Gun! Perhaps 11/12 don't really do it for me as songs anyway but the Sailing on Sunshine finale makes up for it.
I'll have to have a (no doubt very unpopular ) gripe tho and say I'm a bit fed-up with this artwork style..! ..they could've made it more 'livey', but no matter..
....it really is a good live album!!!!!!

I have to admit, as much as I absolutely adore the artwork for this, I would have preferred having had it 'saved' for a future studio release. The imagery and title somehow just don't marry up with a gig recording.

I know it's clearly not John's 'thing' to do loads of boring live photos and such, but at times it does feel like a mis-match between music and artwork/packaging with these recent live albums.

Maybe a design using just small sections of live images - like the collage on the back of Glimmer - would have worked nicely, still looking coherent with John's visual style, but retaining a live feel.

I can imagine that this album is something extra special for those of you who were at that gig - you couldn't ask for a better souvenir (okay, you want a DVD, but still!).

In some way, a dvd is whats needed for us that dont get there. Eleven years of touring since the return, come on John + Louis, it must be near dvd time.

Yes, and don't forget the non UK market.

The Marghera gig was being filmed but I don't know if it was an 'in-house' thing. I only saw the one camera...

There was a film camera on the Neuro Video / T-shirt gig too...

And the 'Retro Future' '98 gig in Shrewsbury was also filmed in its entirety.

Agreed. We really do need a 'Live DVD' for John and Louis because I think the live experience needs to be documented (for future generations?!). However I would feel a bit guilty of greed asking this at the moment because of all the projects John is involved in at the moment. Indeed, 2009 just might be his biggest year yet knowing what's in the pipeline to come out!

It's something I do hope John will give some serious consideration to some time.

(....With a bonus disc of the 1983 Golden Section Tour as well! Dream on, Jeff! :rolleyes: )

You have to be careful with these kind of comments. Im sure people have thought about it at some time, in fact i know some have suggested it.

Good news for those of us who couldn't attend Cargo or Marghera – I received an email from Townsend this morning announcing the preorder availability of both Impossible and Neuro Video. I placed my order and look forward to their imminent arrival, as the estimated release date is October 27. Talk about an early Christmas!

It was a third option Lele. The hypothetical scenario if he had them.

I'm surprised that John hasn't produced a live DVD yet, i've seen video cameras at quite a few of his gig's & i'm sure that there is enough fan interest around the globe to make it worth while?.

Yes, I bought the CDs at Cargo. Still sitting in the cupboard waiting for Christmas. My problem is that I've already spent far too much on CDs this year and so santa is taking some of the financial strain :rolleyes:

I couldn't wait until Christmas. I'm not a patient person especially where John is concerned. They were out of their wrapping on the train on the way home and played the following day.
Peter

All of which begs the obvious question, why hasn't any of this stuff surfaced yet?

come on, you can't release EVERYTHING you ever record! lol

Indeed, one might argue Louis & Steve Malins have cajoled John into releasing rather a lot of duplicate, alternate and live versions of material in recent years...

If you're replying to me, I was referring to the videos.

I know I’m probably the second-to-last-or-so person on the planet to hear Neuro Video (hiya Martin! Morning Steve!) but I just had to say something.

And before I start, can I just rant at the few who would rather a live photo on the front, than the artwork that accompanies this release? Just two things my friends;

1) You would not get this beautiful attention to detail from any other artist. You’ve never had it so good and,
2) If you want to see where this live album photo malarkey leads to, take a look at the original sleeve design horror for Numan’s Ghost album – the horror. The horror.

Anyway, back to the noise. After the faithful to the original opener of Swimmer II we get a trilogy of locked rhythm and grooves with Making Movies, Camera and Uptown/Down

Making Movies goes about its taut and steely, bleepy business until it gets to the break. And then it goes all Kraftwerk berserk; full-on robots with lasers. Obviously I enjoy listening to Foxx’s voice but the break on this track is worth getting lost in that you kinda hope the vocals don’t come back and you also wish it would go on a bit longer – forever perhaps. But the break in Making Movies is just the tip on the glacial synth-noise iceberg.

Because Camera f*****g rocks. I’d love to write something more elaborate than that but some things are best put frankly and simply. But being me I have to elaborate so - Camera really f*****g rocks. It’s the breaks y’see? The break does all sorts of things, sounding like Europe Endless is one of them and gets a gold star for that alone, but it’s the dazzling interplay between man and heavily sequenced machinery, and the drums kicking in, and the noise of the crowd that elevate this beyond gold-star status.

Uptown/Downtown keeps the momentum going with Louis having little need to switch off the button marked ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’ (that’s a thought – wouldn’t it be great to have a button marked ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’? Imagine the possibilities!? “Tired of tedious soaps? Liven up episodes of Eastenders with the RONCO ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’ remote! Instantly transport Walford to the hostile alien quarries of Kent in Blakes 7! Traffic Jam? Imagine the freedom of an Autobahn with clear blue skies…” etc, etc…). And the beat goes on, lost in a warm rhythm whilst strolling down the avenues. The crowd give it some again too, adding an extra glow.

Europe After the Rain is a welcome surprise, and I’m reminded that this is the T-shirt gig that I couldn’t attend and feel a small pang of regret because this is my favourite Foxx track ever and I really wish I’d been there. It’s a very faithful live version too and I hope it re-appears in future shows.

More death defying dizzying electronic madness on The One Who Walks Through You which feels so brief it’s almost Punk. A Million Cars sounds like a million cars – all warm metal, lights on, revved up and raring to go. Miles Away sadly, doesn’t rev up and go – and I have to remind myself that everything else has gone wonderfully, spectacularly right that it wouldn’t be a live performance if something didn’t go awry somewhere along the way.

Dancing Like a Gun like Europe After the Rain is very faithful to the original arrangement and must have been great to sing along to if you were there. I’ve a soft spot for all The Garden material as it’s my favourite Foxx album, and over the last few years, minus one or two tracks, he’s almost performed the entire album live (there now follows a brief hint to Messrs Foxx, Gordon, D’Agostino, Chris 1, Chris 2 and Malins;) *cough* AHEM! I SAID ‘THE WHOLE ALBUM! LIVE!’ (subtle hint ends).

Neuro Video drifts in beautifully – a warm, shimmering version that should have been on the Impossible album. It always sounded warm, worn and plaintive and here it’s been given a stronger ambient presence that reflects the plaintive, questioning in the vocal. The haunting refrain of ‘How did we come to this?’ now really contrasts with the almost cold, surgical answer of ‘NEURO. VIDEO’.

And it’s great to reflect on all this, and I could do for hours, but there’s a reason the term ‘bangin’ was invented, one was probably to stop people like me reflecting about plaintive vocals and haunting ambience and other niceities, but another reason for the term ‘bangin’ is Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible and Shadow Man – which together are almost seventeen minutes of full-on electro-stomp madness. There’s really not much more to say about Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible and Shadow Man – they do the job they were brought in to do; kicking in the doors of subtlety with big drums, thunderous bass and vocoders – and how we love vocoders, big drums, thunderous bass and seventeen minutes of full-on electro-stomp. Go on – get your head kicked in by bass boom and robots – it’s gorgeous. Stupid people pay silly money for this kind of therapy and you can have it all if you just turn the volume UP.

Sadly, all good things must end, Foxx returning home by autobahn to his native Alphaville and Gordon – home by transit van up the M1, M6, M60 and then to bed. The encore then is a happy, glowing Sailing on Sunshine – a welcome singalong at the end of what must have been a fantastic night.

I’m not saying this album is the greatest live album ever (because as everyone knows, Slade Alive is the greatest live album ever), but as a document of a ‘F*****g great night’, which is what it is – it works.

Gazza

That's a heck of great review Gary.

Thanks for posting.

Brian

Rather enjoyable review again, RadioBeach

I ordered Impossible & Neuro Video CD:s + Glimmer t-shirt - package from Townsend only today. The Glimmer t-shirt costs £9 when bought together with those two CD:s, so why not..

Uptown/Downtown keeps the momentum going with Louis having little need to switch off the button marked ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’ (that’s a thought – wouldn’t it be great to have a button marked ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’? Imagine the possibilities!? “Tired of tedious soaps? Liven up episodes of Eastenders with the RONCO ‘Kraftwerk ‘77’ remote! Instantly transport Walford to the hostile alien quarries of Kent in Blakes 7! Traffic Jam? Imagine the freedom of an Autobahn with clear blue skies…” etc, etc…). And the beat goes on, lost in a warm rhythm whilst strolling down the avenues. The crowd give it some again too, adding an extra glow.


A rare sortie for me into the "John Foxx " section Glad I did Excellent stuff Gareth , but I can't help feeling you've started early on the performance enhancing drugs in your attempt to get the Velomatic flag to the top of Mont Ventoux Or is it always like that on Planet Radler ?(alternatively it could be the copious amounts of alcohol consumed since the arrival of 'Appy 'Arry plus the general (doctor) feelgood factor Once again many thanks for that
One last thing . my ironymeter is being repaired , but I'm sure it would pick up a zero reading whilst scanning your Slade comment I've seen them three times , never less than brilliant Probably my favourite live band I'd like to see them again COZ I LUV DEM
In lieu of a gold star for your review , please accept this

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=a8QpO3yVI2Q

A live synth rework of this would be ace
John as Noddy
Louis as Dave Hill
and special guest appearance from Billy Curry n Chips as Jim Lea

There are some of us still in the basement here who haven’t managed to get out into the daylight and enjoy the Neuro Video/Impossible glow either.
Great review, really made me want to hit the ‘online commit to spending button’ that suddenly materialised on my keyboard. But I must wait a bit longer, still work to do in the basement before I’m allowed out again into yet more new Foxxscape.

If only

Some of us have Impossible and Neuro Video sitting in the cupboard (in Christmas wrapping paper)

Great review Garry

nahhhhhh . .you cannot be serious!

Admirable will power, or certifiable insanity?

My CDs arrived finally in yesterday's mail but I haven't yet had the chance to listen to either of them. I am hoping to do so today at the office (discreetly, with dictation headphones). I consider them my birthday present to myself — that's how I justified the expense. The robot hamster I ordered from Japan was supposed to be my birthday present, too, but if I put it back in its package carefully it can still be my Christmas present, whereas I know I couldn't keep the CDs tucked away for another month and a half.

I enjoyed your review tremendously, Garry! I am going to put a 'Kraftwerk 77' button on my wish list for Santa and see what he comes up with, but I wonder if I would make as much use of it as I do the 'online commit to spending button’ core memory refers to!

Probably a bit of both :rolleyes:

Cheers All!

I think I've OD'd on NeuroImpossibleVideo and feel a little unwell - like a kid who went on the rollercoaster again and again and again! Right, I'm off to listen to something completely different...

Trans-Europe Expres and Slade Alive


However, that sure is a nice shiny new rollercoaster...

Hmm, Kraftwerk and Slade,
could this be the new direction for Johns next album:
Come On... "Feel The Noize" or 'Run Run Spin Away...' :rolleyes:

Some thoughts on Neuro Video from The Quiet Man;

The latest Neuro Video CD carrier is supporting a unique collection of small user-friendly
electronic nanones of hybrid neuron dna. Delivery skin and method is
Trojan horse CD music track. Auto-neuro installation.

When incorporated, each nanone load allows user choice activation of
a number of exciting new features:-

1. Inaudible hidden track connects directly with unconscious
associations, allowing user to match-access any other mood
participant worldwide on any neural level. From mood share to full
neuroshadowing (limited duration host-permission-only access, of
course). Government issue permission bypass facility available under
license. Know what they know. Be effective in business. Make new
friends.

2. Activates buried DNA strands from genetic memory thereby allowing
instant outline shifts and multiple choice face, voice and physique
morphing. Be the centre of attention at parties.

3. Facilitates biological communications connection via any
electronic device - remote access user thought content from single
touch contact with keyboard or telephone. This system can be
upgraded to ‘any surface’ mode - chat to friends by touching a wall,
or water, for instance. Leave Neuro Video message memory post at any
location to surprise friends.

4. Allows easy transmission and computer download of physical objects
of any mass. (Given sufficient CPU, of course). Great potential for
instant access car purchase. Makes late night food and drink delivery
simple. Be popular.

5. Movie library neurone. Allows traveller to experience Neuro Video
( internal video) anywhere at any time. Getty/Universal movies and TV
world archive library all-area-access pass included. Participate
fully in any movie. Internal and external mode swich included.
Amaze your friends. Speak with the authentic voice of any actor. Take
any role ever filmed, complete with background soundtrack.
Neuro Video allows you to be completely ‘In the Picture’.

This month only- Free introductory gift of our exclusive Shimmer
Passport. User can accellerate their personal particle foundation
index at will, allowing it to pass easily through slower index
material. User can walk or reach through walls. windows or floors.
Impress your boss. Be the envy of co-workers.

This was a message from NV Metamedia - New market leaders in electrobiological communications.

We welcome user experience strands for our ongoing R&D programmes.

http://blog.thequietman.co.uk/2008/11/neuro-video/#more-98

Both Neuro Video and Impossible dropped through my letterbox on Monday, a very quick delivery from Townsend as I’d almost forgotten that I ordered these last Friday. Haven’t had time to play anything, in fact I’m trying to hold out till next month before I do, so it’s something else to look forward to as I’m presently still enjoying experiencing all the other recent releases.

I’m well chuffed with having these though, and only so far managed to get around to taking the cellophane off and looking at the booklets today, these are really fantastic, have to agree with everyone else who’s commented favourably on these, something about the reassembled theatrics of the illustrations just goes so well for me with the established music that I’ve come to expect from John and Louis.

Right now I am sitting with a Max Ernst book in front of me: Maximiliana, (no, really ). Its got some great juxtapositions of Victoriana and the cosmic, but much as I like looking at Max’s world of fantasy somehow I think it maybe just needs spicing up a bit with Johns particular aural syntax to accompany it

I had both discs in the mailbox as well yesterday
Only played Neuro Video yet and what a disc it is!
Was worth the waiting indeed!

There’s a Shadowman…

So I pop the CD on, not quite sure what to expect, there’s a short cheer from an audience, then John politely shouts “hello” and we’re off with a fantastic opener Swimmer II , building swiftly with its moody undertow. Not having heard this track in some time it now feels like its always been an instrumental that’s predated PsyDub, albeit in a more darker fashion with its menacing spacey-bass propulsion, how great if we now went straight from here into a similar treatment of Paternoster. But there’s no disappointment as Making Movies follows on in much the same vein, its meaty beats turning my kitchen floor into a dance space for its 7:28 minutes duration, and before the end of 'MM' I discover that the kitchen worktops make an excellent ‘air-keyboard’, and the act of making my breakfast toast is transformed into the pretend pressing of keys, and making those ‘serious’ synth moves in time to the beat!

How beautiful is Camera here, I never realised before just how emotionally anthemic it could be, as I reach out for my imaginary lighter to hold up high in the dark silent night air, swaying slowly to the music in tandem with all the many other imaginary twinkling lights, “Silent Night, Camera Night… All is Bright, All is light…”
Only three tracks into the album set and already a beautiful highpoint has been reached.

Gliding into Uptown/Downtown, and again like Camera we have another beautiful hypnotic version of a TPOE track. John’s voice seems to flow more calmly that I remember from the original, now it balances smoothly with the perky faster beats of the music. There are stars in the sky, and city lights in the rain, and a warm romance in this performance of Camera and Uptown/Downtown, John has really made both these tracks feel that bit more special here.


So far this album has not been quite what I expected, an ascending start with tracks 1 and 2, and then it's into a very relaxing down-tempo vibe with tracks 3 and 4, which would make for a great late night listen whilst the world is at peace. In some ways I’m a little resentful by the appearance of the strident pulsing of Europe After The Rain, although it is slightly more soothing than the original version, but I can’t help wondering how it would have sounded if presented in a much more relaxed style. It momentarily broke the spell for me, but I can’t resist its gentle call to arms, and again I’m back to the air-keyboard and marching along to its long familiar shimmering guitar and piano as John gives a mellow singing performance.

The One Who Walks Through You bounces in, I’m not quite as captured by it as the previous tracks, but it does keep the lively flow of the album going up until an excellent performance of A Million Cars follows on. As John’s voice still effortlessly drives the lyrics along I find myself swaying in time, frantically trying to find my air-keyboard yet again, I have to improvise with some cutlery lying in the sink, bashing it together in time to the beat!

But after this, disaster strikes! the wheels come off, what’s happened to John’s voice on Miles Away, is he miss-hitting the high notes, for a second I thought it was actually me singing in the kitchen and not the master himself, ”I’m walking in like someone else again…” And turning my head to the shine again I’m listening up to Dancing Like A Gun, but it seems like some of the charge has gone from John’s voice, no soaring here, or shrieking synths, there’s a really good bouncy beat though, good for doing aerobics to? I dunno, I’ve never tried.

Oh oh, Neuro Video coming to the rescue, time to grab the cutlery from the sink and bash some metal together again for a fantastic ”direct transmission”. Hmm, I wonder what’s happening across the world, should I turn on Sky News Live, keep the volume muted, let John’s great words and music provide the Intel. Yes, lets keep it escapist with a more imaginative panorama rather than the UK news headlines about ‘Car factory closures, Christmas shoppers, and music chart wars between rival X-factor finalists’.

Wow, I really prefer this energised disco version of Concrete Bulletproof Invisible, to the 'so so' original one, if only I could do popping with my body, some street dancing would be appropriate here. Shadowman is also another really great highlight in the end set, ”there’s a silhouette” and robot John makes an appearance invoking an EBM reaction to my listening patterns resulting in involuntary body movements, I just hope the neighbours aren’t watching this.


For me, Shadowman would be a fitting closure, and with the finale I have to confess that I’ve always thought Sailing On Sunshine to be a bit cheesy, although the more pop version here works okay, I’m not convinced it fits with all the other songs.
This is a more straightforward uplifting number to end on, and I guess that at the time of planning this set maybe John felt that he’s been fortunate to have sailed along on sunshine, and I hope he continues to feel that way. I do prefer it when there’s a bit more darkness of texture in John’s fuel, but if travel by light is continuing to propel his creativity forwards, then here’s to that…

That's an entertaining review, thanks for posting! I hope your kitchen is still standing ...

Nice one Core thanks for that.

cheers Church Puddle, and MemberD, I enjoyed writing it as much as I enjoyed hearing the CD, (and the kitchen often becomes music central nowadays )