High Llamas - "Talahomi Way" (April 2011)

Personally, I love Can Cladders - it takes the warm, earthy vibe of BM&C and applies it to more upbeat pop- and soul-influenced songs. Buzzle Bee is worth having if you can find it for cheap, but Thomas is right in saying it's pretty inessential.

Did anyone else pick up the Llamas 7" that Drag City put out for Record Store Day? The store I found mine at had it filed away in the regular 7" bins, possibly because I don't think it was an "official" RSD release. Anyway, both songs ("Damby Delight" b/w "Spring the Surprise") are instrumentals and they're both very good, plus the b&w cover art is cool - looks like marker drawings from the same guy who does those cool architecture illustrations for their albums.

In an ironic twist, I came home and started listening to the 7" and had it up so loud that I missed the mailman trying to deliver my copy of Talahomi Way, hopefully I have time to swing by the post office on Monday as I'm not going to be at home much this week.

 

It is on its way to me right now. Found it for around 8 bones including shipping. We'll see how I like it....I'm quite fond of "Snowbug" even though most here scoff at that one.

 

Ahh but 'Snowbug' IS great Jose..!!

New one will take time to grow on me but there's some killer moments already....

T.

 

Well, my local record store had a promo copy of Talahomi Way in the used bins on Saturday (record store day), so I snatched it up.

Unfortunately, after a few listens, I have to say that I'm quite disappointed. I'm having difficulty really connecting with most of it, and I say this is an avid, longtime High Llamas fan. Many of the songs are structurally/melodically convoluted, and lacking in any really strong, memorable melodies. The overall feel is very light, and many songs display these sort of cute, old-timey (for lack of a better word!) melodies. There's something very flaky, slight, and flimsy about this set of songs, as well as a pronounced lack of immediacy. There's nothing like "Nomads" or "Old Spring Town," for example.

"Fly, Baby Fly" is the standout, and it's definitely the most melodically engaging and memorable composition. It's pretty catchy, too. But the rest of the album manages to be both lightweight and muddled at the same time.

The arrangements are lush and largely organic and chamber-oriented (extremely little electronic instrumentation). There's definitely very little of the energy found on tracks like "Old Spring Town" or "Winter's Day" from the last album, nor is there the kind of focused melodicism found on songs like "Nomads," "Track Goes By," "The Sun Beats Down," and countless others ("Fly, Baby Fly" being the notable exception). You definitely wouldn't catch yourself humming most of these songs (which could be said of plenty other Llamas material as well, but this is a more extreme case, IMO).

I think a casual listener might find "Talahomi Way" similar to "BM&C," and while there is a lightness of touch on both albums, the melodies on "BM&C" are much stronger and more engaging, IMO.

I don't mean to be a buzzkill, and I hope (and believe) that others of you will like this album just fine. For me, however, it's really not clicking, and I'm even finding myself skipping some songs midway through out of impatience.

 

I just finished my first spin of Talahomi Way and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I can definitely understand where you're coming from - in a way this album actually seems to hearken back to records like Hawaii in terms of the amount of ideas being presented. The songs also occasionally run on too long, but that's always been something Sean O'Hagan has struggled with. The one thing that stood out immediately is the relative lack of female vocals.

 

If anyone's looking for a copy of the "Damby Delight" single, Drag City apparently has a small amount for sale: http://www.dragcity.com/products/damby-delight

 

After a few more listens, I'm liking Talahomi Way even less. "A Rock in May" has got to be one of the most annoying things I've ever heard them do. "To the Abbey" isn't far behind. I'm really not into the direction O'Hagan has taken here. This could be the most bloodless album they've done, not to mention the most flightily whimsical. Now, clearly, I'd anticipate a certain level of bloodlessness and whimsy with any High Llamas album, but here those characteristics are pushed to the fore like never before. Never the less, I'm curious to hear what other people think.

 

You actually expect us to buy it after you've savaged the album so mercilessly?

 

You've talked me out of it. I still haven't heard Can Cladders yet so between that & Buzzle Bee (which just arrived), I have enough Llamas to last me for awhile...

 

Hey, don't take my word for it! I assume fans would want to hear it for themselves. As demonstrated by this thread, there's quite a difference of opinion as to the quality of each Llamas album, so I'm sure there are people who would really dig this record.

 

I think you should check out Can Cladders! It's not my favorite album of theirs, but it does contain several undeniably good songs.

 

Haha, those are actually two of my favorite songs on the album - I like side two a lot so far. I agree that the album as a whole lays on the whimsy pretty thick, but it's a type of whimsy that sits pretty well with me. It almost sounds like a classic Disney soundtrack as imagined by the Llamas, which should be a good indicator if those on here are going to like it or not. It's very gentle and flighty, even by their usual standard - O'Hagan seems to be toying with "easy listening" here, much like Stereolab's flirtations over the years. The instrumentation (harmonica, vibes, harpsichord/spinet and strings dominate) sells it a bit for me, as I've always been a sucker for those instruments used in a pop context.

As an aside, I noticed that no one is credited for the harmonica playing (at least it sounds like one, might be a melodica I suppose) on the sleeve, but O'Hagan is credited for banjo - IIRC, that was always an instrument that they used a synth to replicate in the past.

 

That is a very apt description! I was kind of thinking the same thing, myself.

No, O'Hagan has always played a real banjo with the Llamas. He busts out with the banjo at shows, as well (typically for "Nomads").

The harmonica may as well have been played by O'Hagan. I believe he was credited with playing it in Microdisney on a couple songs (like "And He Descended Into Hell" from Crooked Mile), so it's not a stretch to imagine him playing it on Talahomi Way.

 

A "synth" banjo? Yuck. If O'Hagan ever tried that shortcut, my High Llama boycott would instantly begin. Some instruments you do not try to simulate.

 

I was kidding... I'm a fan, I'll buy it. The worst thing anyone could say about a new album is "more of the same" and that doesn't sound like the case here. For better or worse they've folded a fresh set of wrinkles into their sonic quilt.

 

Great band that had fallen off the radar in my listening rotation. Playing Gideon Gaye and thinking it's time too fill in the holes of my collection.