Re: The Guardian (UK): Boards of Canada: Inferno revie w – after 13 years away, their prodigal return is a big disappointment

Jordan Meinecke <[email protected]> Tue, 2 Jun 2026 12:25:29 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.music.idm
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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<html class=3D"apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equi=
v=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body dir=3D=
"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr"></div><div dir=3D"ltr">That's cute, I prefer my imme=
rsion the way the artist intended</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=
=3D"cite">On Jun 2, 2026, at 11:39=E2=80=AFAM, Theo Philip &lt;tphilip96@gma=
il.com&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div d=
ir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D"ltr">Well, I do really like the songs withou=
t the&nbsp;drums in. I'd rather hear an album from them that's more atmosphe=
ric, because on the tracks they take this approach it is much more immersive=
 and interesting.</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container">=
<div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, 2 Jun 2026 at 19:33, David New=
man &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt;=
 wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0=
px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>The v=
owel, timing bending on father and son is very interesting!<br id=3D"m_-1412=
211526835473959lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div>
<div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:normal;text-align=
:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0=
px;text-decoration:none"><div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-=
spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-sp=
ace:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><div><p class=3D"MsoNormal=
">Best wishes</p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">David Newman</p><p class=3D"MsoNorma=
l"><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica Light&quot;,san=
s-serif;color:rgb(11,118,160)"><a href=3D"http://www.audiobulb.com/" target=3D=
"_blank"><span style=3D"color:rgb(11,118,160)">www.audiobulb.com</span></a>&=
nbsp;:&nbsp;</span><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica=
 Light&quot;,sans-serif">exploratory music</span><span style=3D"font-size:10=
pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size=
:10pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica Light&quot;,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,118,16=
0)"><a href=3D"http://www.audiomoves.com/" target=3D"_blank"><span style=3D"=
color:rgb(11,118,160)">www.audiomoves.com</span></a></span><span style=3D"fo=
nt-size:10pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica Light&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;: amb=
ient music sync&nbsp;specialist</span><span style=3D"font-size:10pt"><u></u>=
<u></u></span></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:10pt;font-=
family:&quot;Helvetica Light&quot;,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,118,160)"><a href=
=3D"http://www.volume-objects.com/" target=3D"_blank"><span style=3D"color:r=
gb(11,118,160)">www.volume-objects.com</span></a></span><span style=3D"font-=
size:10pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica Light&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;: abstra=
ct ambience :: broken space</span></p></div></div></div>
</div>
<div><br><div>On 2 Jun 2026, at 17:59, Alan Lucas &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:aluc=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:</div><br><di=
v><div dir=3D"auto">On the contrary, I=E2=80=99m quite happy to hear all man=
ner of opinions.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I like a=
 lot of the album so far, but Father And Son sounds like something that The B=
ooks would have done back around 2005. Same with The Word Becomes Flesh, but=
 that one is slightly less bothersome to me for whatever reason.&nbsp;</div>=
<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"=
 dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 2, 2026 at 1=
0:37=E2=80=AFAM Jordan Meinecke &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]=
om" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><bloc=
kquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1=
px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"lt=
r"></div><div dir=3D"ltr">No one wants to hear your negative opinions</div><=
div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Jun 1, 2026, at 5:58=E2=80=AF=
PM, Theo Philip &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank"=
>[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote ty=
pe=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF</div></blockquote></div><div dir=3D"a=
uto"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">I think I a=
gree with the&nbsp;reviewer. BoC's drum beats are just so boring. The songs I=
 really like of theirs, happen to be the ones without drums, Memory Death an=
d Deep Time on Inferno, Bocuma and The Color of The Fire on music has the ri=
ght to children. Compare to a contemporary like Amon Tobin, and this is for m=
e what would make their tracks more enjoyable to listen to.&nbsp;</div><br><=
div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 1 Ju=
n 2026 at 22:03, Zheanna Murray &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"=
 target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote=
 class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px sol=
id rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">Have had a chance to s=
pin 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 r=
evolutionary (can anyone say they truly expected that from them to begin wit=
h?), it's a pleasure to listen to and I'm certain it will grow on me even mo=
re over time.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Everyone seems to be enamored with Fa=
ther And Son but there's something about those vocal slices that is unsettli=
ng, and I don't just mean their subject matter. Several tracks (Hydrogen Hel=
ium Lithium Leviathan and Arena Americanada especially) remind me a bit of t=
he catalogue stuff made for Bruton Music in the 80s....shades of Mark Shreev=
e's masterwork "Mephisto", for example, or Francis Monkman's "Perpetual Moti=
on" off the Energism album. Love that bold sound.</div><div><br></div><div>Z=
</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_a=
ttr">On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 1:42=E2=80=AFPM Rjyan Kidwell &lt;<a href=3D"mai=
lto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br=
></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;b=
order-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">Th=
at said,<div dir=3D"auto">The Crowded House-adjacent guitar this time around=
 is their coolest deployment of guitar ever imo and I would be psyched if th=
ere's any more of that to come.&nbsp;</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div d=
ir=3D"auto">Also the synthetic Clouddead flows in the super cutup vocals tra=
cks is a bold choice that works way better than I would have expected.&nbsp;=
</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"au=
to">-rk</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"=
gmail_attr">On Mon, Jun 1, 2026, 4:18 AM Rjyan Kidwell &lt;<a href=3D"mailto=
:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></=
div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;bord=
er-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">When I=
 listened to bits and pieces of it while doing other things, I didn't care f=
or it at all.<div>Then today I ended up sitting down on a couch and listenin=
g to the whole thing (on shuffle, by accident) without doing or focusing on a=
nything else and I had a real good time.&nbsp;</div><div><br>I think the inc=
reasing enshittification of everything tech, and trashiness of everything ab=
out AI, has kinda called the whole "artist must make PROGRESS" framing into q=
uestion for me on a fundamental level. At age 40 I prob would have been righ=
t there with ppl saying, "They've added nothing/They've evolved none!" but a=
t age 45 I'm actually really genuinely glad that these two weirdos still get=
 to live in a beautiful place out in the highlands and make the exact sounds=
 they want to make.&nbsp;I don't think they need to invent a whole nother ae=
sthetic or History of The Nuum moment to be a net gain/good deal for the res=
t of the species.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>-rk</div></d=
iv><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On S=
at, May 30, 2026 at 7:40=E2=80=AFAM Elijah Fink &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:efink0=
[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt=
; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0=
px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid 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" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, 29 May 2026, 06:12 David New=
man, &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D=
"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; 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">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 t=
han tomorrow=E2=80=99s harvest I=E2=80=99m happy&nbsp;<div><br id=3D"m_-1412=
211526835473959m_-3072126643699566337m_-2512781088294948826m_-68514064606837=
74907m_194040298882962608m_4473043227417954994m_200966731321310408lineBreakA=
tBeginningOfSignature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Best wishes</div><div><br></div=
>David Newman - shorter message sent from a mobile device =F0=9F=93=B2</div>=
<div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On 28 May 2026, at 21:00, Zom=
biefly &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferr=
er" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockquote=
></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D"ltr">=
<span style=3D"border-style:none;background:0% 0% repeat">just</span> heard i=
t.<div><span style=3D"border-style:none;background:0% 0% repeat">the</span> r=
eview 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 M=
ay 2026 at 23:55, steven richard price &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:priceey2@gmail.=
com" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&=
gt; 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 di=
r=3D"auto">Truly awful review.&nbsp;</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><di=
v dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 25 May 2026, 20:04 Seth Branum, &=
lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=
=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; 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"ltr">BoC's religious/cult themes made=
 him squeamish.&nbsp;&nbsp;=F0=9F=98=85<br><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail=
_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, May 25, 2026 at 6:10=E2=
=80=AFAM Ren=C3=A9 Wilhelm &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=
=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]=
om</a>&gt; 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"font-family:arial,hel=
vetica,sans-serif">ragebait</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div d=
ir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, 25 May 2026 at 15:05, Richard Barnet=
t &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"noreferrer noref=
errer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrot=
e:<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/music/2026/may/23/boards-of-ca=
nada-inferno-review-after-13-years-away-their-prodigal-return-is-a-big-disap=
pointment" rel=3D"noreferrer noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https:=
//www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/23/boards-of-canada-inferno-review-afte=
r-13-years-away-their-prodigal-return-is-a-big-disappointment</a></div><div>=
<br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"l=
tr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><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_signa=
ture"><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif" style=3D"font-famil=
y:tahoma,sans-serif">----------------------------------------</font><div><fo=
nt face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif" style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">&nbsp=
; &nbsp; &nbsp;not sent from an iDevice</font></div><div><span style=3D"font=
-size:12.8px"><font face=3D"tahoma, sans-serif" style=3D"font-family:tahoma,=
sans-serif">----------------------------------------</font></span><br></div>=
</div></div>
</div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></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_signa=
ture">~Theo Philip<div><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_bla=
nk">[email protected]</a></div></div>
</div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></div>
</div></div><br></div></blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><=
br></div><span class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"lt=
r" class=3D"gmail_signature">~Theo Philip<div><a href=3D"mailto:tphilip96@gm=
ail.com" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a></div></div>
</div></blockquote></body></html>=

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