Metamatic Forums News and Announcements John Foxx news John Foxx And The Maths : Rhapsody

Rhapsody

is a brand new album from John Foxx And The Maths, featuring ten tracks recorded live at The Maths studio (www.memetune.net) after the Interplay Tour in November 2011.

Artwork is again by the very wonderful Jonathan Barnbrook

Wow!! Another album. The creative juices are certainly flowing still!

Exciting, isn't it.

Bear in mind though that this is not 'new' material, but rather live studio versions of the Interplay tour setlist in the same vein as Live From A Room (2006)

Great News!

I assume we can buy this CD on the forthcoming live shows?

I'll let you know as soon as I know.

It's up on Townend https://cart.tmstor.es/product.php?id=11445

Brian

1 The Good Shadow (Instrumental)
2 Shatterproof
3 He's A Liquid
4 The Running Man
5 The Shadow Of His Former Self
6 Hiroshima Mon Amour
7 Interplay
8 Burning Car
9 Catwalk
10 Just For A Moment


https://cart.tmstor.es/product.php?id=11075

Brian

Yes - thanks Brian.
The CD is available from 26th April, 2013

PRE-ORDER RHAPSODY AND EXPONENTIALSM

We're delighted to announce 2 new releases, Rhapsody and Exponentialism, which are available as a multi-buy for £13.99.....

John Foxx And The Maths' Rhapsody is made up of 10 tracks recorded live atLondon's MemeTune Studios in late 2011, shortly after the UK Interplay tour. The Maths line-up on this session is as follows: John Foxx (Vocals, keyboards);Benge (Percussion, keyboards); Hannah Peel (Violin, keyboards); Serafina Steer(Bass, keyboards). It's fantastic to hear a live band playing with electronics, plus the addition of bass guitar and layers of violin also creates fresh angles and edges on many of the songs. Foxx's voice is often stripped of effects, adding an emotional shiver to songs such as 'Interplay', 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' and 'Just For A Moment'. Meanwhile the opening track is an instrumental version of 'The Good Shadow', which features - as do nearly all of the tracks - Hannah Peel on violin. Artwork is by Jonathan Barnbrook.

Gazelle Twin, I Speak Machine - Exponentialism. This limited edition EP (only 750 copies) features Gazelle Twin and I Speak Machine (Tara Busch's new project) who explore Foxx's lyrical themes and ideas on 4 beautifully executed cover versions which also relate strongly to their own work. I Speak Machine's take on'My Sex' transforms it into a gigantic, cyber-sensual pop song, while 'I Want To Be A Machine' is a much darker, stranger transformation. Gazelle Twin has been planning a cover of Foxx/Gordon's 'Never Let Me Go' for a couple of years. In 2011 she told Artrocker Magazine: 'Never Let Me Go' is a mirage of maternal comfort in a toxic and unrelenting world. It's one of those songs I wish I'd made; drenched in analogue pulses and drones, a lullaby-like synth melody accompanying an android (yet emotional) dual-vocal part. I can definitely feel a cover coming on.' Meanwhile, Gazelle Twin's stark version of 'He's A Liquid' reveals a different side to her work as she delivers the surreal, dream-like lyrics in a voice that is completely different to the lullabying 'Never Let Me Go'.

Order HERE:

http://johnfoxx.tmstor.es/index.php?page=products&section=CDs

The REALLY good news is that both CDs should be available to buy at venues on the forthcoming OMD tour

Thank you Martin and Brian.

Will order Rhapsody next. I'm not sure for Exponentialism.

Can you post the artwork here too, please?

No problem.

[img]https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-000044809594-hgjdsv-t500x500.jpg?c29f14e[/img]

Hmmm - link works, but image won't display?

Thank you Martin.

I guess it is Jonathan Barnbrook artwork, too?

Yes.
And it's a Metamatic Records release

I ordered both, as soon as I got the message from Townsend.
Wasn't sure I wanted the EP until I heard "Never Let Me Go"..

I have to admit that it remains a somewhat uninspiring setlist, in so far as the tracks are taken almost exclusively from "Metamatic" and "Interplay", with nothing representing the years from 1981 to 2009. It's almost as if John has disowned not just his early 1980s output but the albums he did with Louis as well.

Now John has the luxury of a full band, I'd have thought some of the more band-based tracks from The Garden and The Golden Section would work well with such a set up, rather than trying to reinterpret electronic tracks for live instruments. Not only must we all have umpteen versions of Hiroshima Mon Amour, Just For A Moment, Burning Cat and He's A Liquid, none have surpassed the originals, have they!

Have to admit, I this does feel a bit more like something that's been put together more to coincide with the OMD tour. The track listing doesn't do anything for me, especially not long after the Analogue Circuit live album… hopefully the songs will sound different enough to warrant some interest.

Should sound very different.
First studio album to feature Hannah Peel AND Serafina Steer.

This has been 'on the cards' for sometime - at least since the Interplay tour in 2011

Apologies for this but John Foxx And The Maths' new album Rhapsody has been delayed by production problems and will now be exclusively available through the Official John Foxx Store on 10th May

Bummer, I was looking forward to picking up this and Exponentialism. The timing was just right because I leave to travel for six months at the end of May, but now my concern is if I pre-order it, it probably won't arrive until after I leave.

It's arrived - always a nice surprise to get home to after a day at the office.

Slimline digipack like Evidence, but in my opinion, more interesting artwork overall for Rhapsody. I really like the booklet.

The Maths albums are looking so good together as a set, it almost warrants display!

...sounds pretty good too...!

I haven't got any versions of Burning Cat! looking forward to this one though!

I could tell you exactly how many versions of each of these we have. If you like...

But I would disagree about Burning Car. IMHO there are two or three versions out that are 'better' than the original...

all together now..

"It's a burning cat! mee-owww!
It's a burning cat! mee-owww!
Alright!"


I was a bit underwhelmed by this. Doesn't really add much to the originals/other versions except a whole lotta pad-drumming by Benge. Expected more squeaky violin by Ms. Peel.

I didn't say that RHAPSODY was one of them... ;D

I'm also a bit underwhelmed by Rhapsody. Though Melody is no problem. I've no issue with the roughness of it, but I could have done with more power . I agree there's not enough of Hannah's violin and when it is heard it lacks the atmosphere it had when I saw The Maths live. And a few more songs from the tour set would have been welcome. Perhaps they were recorded and turned out to be substandard.

Got my copy of Rhapsody today.

Sounds very good and a nice booklet.
I like it.

Rhapsody has it's moments (Catwalk and He's A Liquid being particular highlights), but it does sounds very rough and ready. John's vocals sound a bit off in places too.

Sadly it does sort of feel like this is a short selection (probably the best bits) from a longer recording, released (pretty much last minute) for the OMD tour...

By my reckoning, 'we' have :

He's A Liquid - 7 versions
Just For A Moment - 8 versions
Hiroshima Mon Amour - 9 versions
Burning Car - 10 versions