Re: The Guardian (UK): Boards of Canada: Inferno rev iew – after 13 years away, their prodigal return is a big disappointment
Zheanna Murray <[email protected]> Mon, 1 Jun 2026 17:03:19 -0400
| Newsgroups | gmane.music.idm |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <CAFoWbEvt12uEo-wMUa0dAmXJ=9i8WuPT15wntTGLM6xHi5-eeg@mail.gmail.com> |
--000000000000cee59b065337868c Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Have had a chance to spin it a few times now front to back; it certainly sounds more "modern" than any prior BOC stuff, in my opinion - not that that's a bad thing at all. It still feels very BOC, and while it doesn't feel like anything particularly revolutionary (can anyone say they truly expected that from them to begin with?), it's a pleasure to listen to and I'm certain it will grow on me even more over time. Everyone seems to be enamored with Father And Son but there's something about those vocal slices that is unsettling, and I don't just mean their subject matter. Several tracks (Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan and Arena Americanada especially) remind me a bit of the catalogue stuff made for Bruton Music in the 80s....shades of Mark Shreeve's masterwork "Mephisto", for example, or Francis Monkman's "Perpetual Motion" off the Energism album. Love that bold sound. Z On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 1:42=E2=80=AFPM Rjyan Kidwell <[email protected]> wr= ote: > That said, > The Crowded House-adjacent guitar this time around is their coolest > deployment of guitar ever imo and I would be psyched if there's any more = of > that to come. > > Also the synthetic Clouddead flows in the super cutup vocals tracks is a > bold choice that works way better than I would have expected. > > > -rk > > On Mon, Jun 1, 2026, 4:18 AM Rjyan Kidwell <[email protected]> wrote: > >> When I listened to bits and pieces of it while doing other things, I >> didn't care for it at all. >> Then today I ended up sitting down on a couch and listening to the whole >> thing (on shuffle, by accident) without doing or focusing on anything el= se >> and I had a real good time. >> >> I think the increasing enshittification of everything tech, and >> trashiness of everything about AI, has kinda called the whole "artist mu= st >> make PROGRESS" framing into question for me on a fundamental level. At a= ge >> 40 I prob would have been right there with ppl saying, "They've added >> nothing/They've evolved none!" but at age 45 I'm actually really genuine= ly >> glad that these two weirdos still get to live in a beautiful place out i= n >> the highlands and make the exact sounds they want to make. I don't think >> they need to invent a whole nother aesthetic or History of The Nuum mome= nt >> to be a net gain/good deal for the rest of the species. >> >> >> -rk >> >> On Sat, May 30, 2026 at 7:40=E2=80=AFAM Elijah Fink <[email protected]>= wrote: >> >>> The album rules, review is rubbish >>> >>> On Fri, 29 May 2026, 06:12 David Newman, <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Just going to a listening party=E2=80=A6 with open ears and an open mi= nd =E2=80=A6. If >>>> it=E2=80=99s better than tomorrow=E2=80=99s harvest I=E2=80=99m happy >>>> >>>> Best wishes >>>> >>>> David Newman - shorter message sent from a mobile device =F0=9F=93=B2 >>>> >>>> On 28 May 2026, at 21:00, Zombiefly <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> =EF=BB=BF >>>> just heard it. >>>> the review is bang on. >>>> >>>> how disappointing >>>> >>>> On Mon, 25 May 2026 at 23:55, steven richard price <[email protected]= > >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Truly awful review. >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, 25 May 2026, 20:04 Seth Branum, <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> BoC's religious/cult themes made him squeamish. =F0=9F=98=85 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, May 25, 2026 at 6:10=E2=80=AFAM Ren=C3=A9 Wilhelm <rene.wilh= [email protected]> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> ragebait >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, 25 May 2026 at 15:05, Richard Barnett < >>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/23/boards-of-canada-inf= erno-review-after-13-years-away-their-prodigal-return-is-a-big-disappointme= nt >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> Richard Barnett >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> ---------------------------------------- >>>> not sent from an iDevice >>>> ---------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> --000000000000cee59b065337868c Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">Have had a chance to spin it a few times now front to back= ; it certainly sounds more "modern" than any prior BOC stuff, in = my opinion - not that that's a bad thing at all. It still feels very BO= C, and while it doesn't feel like anything particularly revolutionary (= can anyone say they truly expected that from them to begin with?), it's= a pleasure to listen to and I'm certain it will grow on me even more o= ver time.=C2=A0<div><br></div><div>Everyone seems to be enamored with Fathe= r And Son but there's something about those vocal slices that is unsett= ling, and I don't just mean their subject matter. Several tracks (Hydro= gen Helium Lithium Leviathan and Arena Americanada especially) remind me a = bit of the catalogue stuff made for Bruton Music in the 80s....shades of Ma= rk Shreeve's masterwork "Mephisto", for example, or Francis M= onkman's "Perpetual Motion" off the Energism album. Love that= bold sound.</div><div><br></div><div>Z</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_= quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, = Jun 1, 2026 at 1:42=E2=80=AFPM Rjyan Kidwell <<a href=3D"mailto:cexwell@= gmail.com">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"g= mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204= ,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">That said,<div dir=3D"auto">T= he Crowded House-adjacent guitar this time around is their coolest deployme= nt of guitar ever imo and I would be psyched if there's any more of tha= t to come.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Also th= e synthetic Clouddead flows in the super cutup vocals tracks is a bold choi= ce that works way better than I would have expected.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D= "auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">-rk</div></d= iv><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On = Mon, Jun 1, 2026, 4:18 AM Rjyan Kidwell <<a href=3D"mailto:cexwell@gmail= .com" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquo= te class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px = solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">When I listened t= o bits and pieces of it while doing other things, I didn't care for it = at all.<div>Then today I ended up sitting down on a couch and listening to = the whole thing (on shuffle, by accident) without doing or focusing on anyt= hing else and I had a real good time.=C2=A0</div><div><br>I think the incre= asing enshittification of everything tech, and trashiness of everything abo= ut AI, has kinda called the whole "artist must make PROGRESS" fra= ming into question for me on a fundamental level. At age 40 I prob would ha= ve been right there with ppl saying, "They've added nothing/They&#= 39;ve evolved none!" but at age 45 I'm actually really genuinely g= lad that these two weirdos still get to live in a beautiful place out in th= e highlands and make the exact sounds they want to make.=C2=A0I don't t= hink they need to invent a whole nother aesthetic or History of The Nuum mo= ment to be a net gain/good deal for the rest of the species.=C2=A0</div><di= v><br></div><div><br></div><div>-rk</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quot= e"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, May 30, 2026 at 7:40=E2=80= =AFAM Elijah Fink <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferr= er" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquot= e class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px s= olid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">The album rules, = review is rubbish</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" clas= s=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, 29 May 2026, 06:12 David Newman, <<a href=3D"ma= ilto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">dwnewman@cl= ara.co.uk</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style= =3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding= -left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">Just going to a listening party=E2=80=A6 with = open ears and an open mind =E2=80=A6. If it=E2=80=99s better than tomorrow= =E2=80=99s harvest I=E2=80=99m happy=C2=A0<div><br id=3D"m_-685140646068377= 4907m_194040298882962608m_4473043227417954994m_200966731321310408lineBreakA= tBeginningOfSignature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Best wishes</div><div><br></di= v>David Newman - shorter message sent from a mobile device =F0=9F=93=B2</di= v><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On 28 May 2026, at 21:00, = Zombiefly <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer nore= ferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br><br></block= quote></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D= "ltr"><span style=3D"border-style:none;background:none">just</span> heard i= t.<div><span style=3D"border-style:none;background:none">the</span> review = is bang on.</div><div><br></div><div>how disappointing</div></div><br><div = class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 25 May = 2026 at 23:55, steven richard price <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= m" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&g= t; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0p= x 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div d= ir=3D"auto">Truly awful review.=C2=A0</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><= div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 25 May 2026, 20:04 Seth Branum= , <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" ta= rget=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class= =3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rg= b(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">BoC's religious/cult = themes made him squeamish.=C2=A0=C2=A0=F0=9F=98=85<br><br></div><br><div cl= ass=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, May 25, 2= 026 at 6:10=E2=80=AFAM Ren=C3=A9 Wilhelm <<a href=3D"mailto:rene.wilhelm= @gmail.com" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">rene= [email protected]</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote= " style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);= padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"fo= nt-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">ragebait</div></div><br><div class=3D= "gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 25 May 2026 at = 15:05, Richard Barnett <<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" r= el=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">richard.d.barnett= @gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style= =3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding= -left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/mus= ic/2026/may/23/boards-of-canada-inferno-review-after-13-years-away-their-pr= odigal-return-is-a-big-disappointment" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer norefer= rer" target=3D"_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/23/boards= -of-canada-inferno-review-after-13-years-away-their-prodigal-return-is-a-bi= g-disappointment</a></div><div><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_pre= fix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"l= tr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Richard Barnett<br><br></div><div><br></div></div= ></div></div></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class= =3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_s= ignature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif">--------------= --------------------------</font><div><font face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif">=C2= =A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0not sent from an iDevice</font></div><div><span style=3D"f= ont-size:12.8px"><font face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif">------------------------= ----------------</font></span><br></div></div></div> </div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> </blockquote></div> --000000000000cee59b065337868c--