Bloody Good Bar Fight Song
August 8, 2017 10:16 PM Subscribe
Back in 2013, Carbon Leaf released Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle with no advance notice. As a fan who had been missing new output from them, my first listen was really thrilling. If you like rock-flavored Celtic-tinged music, maybe you'd like a first listen too. [YT playlist, 12 songs, annoying silence at the end of track two, sorry, not my fault]
"Just a few broken bones, and the teeth begin to fly..."
posted by wallabear at 10:39 PM on August 8, 2017
posted by wallabear at 10:39 PM on August 8, 2017
hippybear, a few seconds led me to think, "surely br. hippybear is familiar with Horslips," but den i t'ot, "what if he's not?"
posted by mwhybark at 11:21 PM on August 8, 2017
posted by mwhybark at 11:21 PM on August 8, 2017
I appreciate that link. I will enjoy learning more about that band. I had never heard of them until now. So, yay!
The thing about Carbon Leaf is that no two of their albums sound the same. They have celtic influence across the years, but this is the one deep dive they've done. My most favoritest song by them is Let Your Troubles Roll By. No wait, it's Lake of Silver Bells. No wait, it's Blue Ridge Laughing. Or Life Less Ordinary. Or... Or... Or....
I love Carbon Leaf the way I love Indigo Girls. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MAJOR A STATEMENT THAT IS.
posted by hippybear at 11:58 PM on August 8, 2017 [6 favorites]
The thing about Carbon Leaf is that no two of their albums sound the same. They have celtic influence across the years, but this is the one deep dive they've done. My most favoritest song by them is Let Your Troubles Roll By. No wait, it's Lake of Silver Bells. No wait, it's Blue Ridge Laughing. Or Life Less Ordinary. Or... Or... Or....
I love Carbon Leaf the way I love Indigo Girls. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MAJOR A STATEMENT THAT IS.
posted by hippybear at 11:58 PM on August 8, 2017 [6 favorites]
They are my official favorite band ever - we've seen them live a TON, and own their entire catalog. They have used Pledge Music to fund some recent re-recordings of some earlier records so they could own the masters again, and I always contribute. We hang around after shows to buy the thumb drive copy of the show we just saw. MY favorite song is The Sea. Wait, no, it's One Prairie Outpost. Wait, no, it's any live version of Desperation Song. Yeah.
posted by ersatzkat at 1:23 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by ersatzkat at 1:23 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was really into them up through "Love Loss Hope Repeat" but somehow didn't keep up with them after. Thanks for the reminder to catch up.
Favorite songs? Raise the Roof (has one of my favorite lyrics ever: "Touch me again in my dreams til I feel/Touch me again til I wake and it's real.")
Texas Stars (I like this version better than the original album version. Somewhere I have an audio rip of a show where they premiered this song and it sounded more like this - when it turned up on the album they'd made it more "rock." I like the mellow tone better.)
The War Was in Color (which makes me bawl thinking about my grandfather.)
posted by dnash at 5:49 AM on August 9, 2017
Favorite songs? Raise the Roof (has one of my favorite lyrics ever: "Touch me again in my dreams til I feel/Touch me again til I wake and it's real.")
Texas Stars (I like this version better than the original album version. Somewhere I have an audio rip of a show where they premiered this song and it sounded more like this - when it turned up on the album they'd made it more "rock." I like the mellow tone better.)
The War Was in Color (which makes me bawl thinking about my grandfather.)
posted by dnash at 5:49 AM on August 9, 2017
I have such a mixed relationship with Carbon Leaf. I've known about them for years and they've written some of my outright favorite songs. Some of their stuff, including Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle which I only discovered a year or so ago, is just so great. Some of it, particularly a few of the more recent albums, just leaves me cold.
Some of my favorites include Desperation Song (the song that got me into them), The Boxer, What About Everything, and Under the Wire. Note that there are two versions of, at least, the albums "Indian Summer" and "Love Loss Hope Repeat." They broke with their label at one point and just rerecorded everything they'd recorded with that label so that they would own their own masters.
I'm working on a story project and I started out integrating real music lyrics into it, mostly as chapter titles but also through the characters listening to real songs. I'm taking that stuff out because I ultimately decided it was disrespectful to music artists I really love to use their lyrics in my story without permission, so I'm going to share a joke I'm not sure will survive revision. At one point the main characters, a bunch of teenagers who are getting to know each other, are sharing music they like with each other. It's a fantasy Earth where cars are rare and train travel is common, and one of the teens just moved across the country by train. He's a very cool teen who is not used to being embarrassed, and is flirting with one of the other teens. He puts on Under the Wire, which is a love song using a train metaphor and contains lines like "Tell me what to do to get to you." However, he prefaces it by saying he listened to the song a lot on the trip across the country, so the remaining teens start laughing at him for listening to a love song with a train metaphor just because he was riding a train.
Boy, now that I've put all that effort into typing that up, it really doesn't translate out of the story at all. Dang. I have multiple good jokes I might have to ditch because I can't get permission to use lyrics. Writing's hard, y'all. Anyway, sorry about the derail.
posted by Caduceus at 6:27 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Some of my favorites include Desperation Song (the song that got me into them), The Boxer, What About Everything, and Under the Wire. Note that there are two versions of, at least, the albums "Indian Summer" and "Love Loss Hope Repeat." They broke with their label at one point and just rerecorded everything they'd recorded with that label so that they would own their own masters.
I'm working on a story project and I started out integrating real music lyrics into it, mostly as chapter titles but also through the characters listening to real songs. I'm taking that stuff out because I ultimately decided it was disrespectful to music artists I really love to use their lyrics in my story without permission, so I'm going to share a joke I'm not sure will survive revision. At one point the main characters, a bunch of teenagers who are getting to know each other, are sharing music they like with each other. It's a fantasy Earth where cars are rare and train travel is common, and one of the teens just moved across the country by train. He's a very cool teen who is not used to being embarrassed, and is flirting with one of the other teens. He puts on Under the Wire, which is a love song using a train metaphor and contains lines like "Tell me what to do to get to you." However, he prefaces it by saying he listened to the song a lot on the trip across the country, so the remaining teens start laughing at him for listening to a love song with a train metaphor just because he was riding a train.
Boy, now that I've put all that effort into typing that up, it really doesn't translate out of the story at all. Dang. I have multiple good jokes I might have to ditch because I can't get permission to use lyrics. Writing's hard, y'all. Anyway, sorry about the derail.
posted by Caduceus at 6:27 AM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh hippybear I really think we share the same itunes library. I LOVE carbonleaf, and have seen them a few times. GREAT band to see live. Esp if you can catch them around Christmas time. They do a whole song about the guitarist beard.
and thier best song is One Prairie Outpost. hands down
posted by ShawnString at 6:43 AM on August 9, 2017
and thier best song is One Prairie Outpost. hands down
posted by ShawnString at 6:43 AM on August 9, 2017
CARBON LEAF CARBON LEAF CARBON LEAF
okay breathing for a minute
NEW CARBON LEAF EEEEE
posted by sciatrix at 6:53 AM on August 9, 2017
okay breathing for a minute
NEW CARBON LEAF EEEEE
posted by sciatrix at 6:53 AM on August 9, 2017
I seriously loved Carbon Leaf's earlier stuff but fell away from them after disliking most of "Nothing Rhymes with Woman." The songwriting didn't seem like it was holding up. Going to give this a listen with my fingers crossed.
posted by PussKillian at 8:04 AM on August 9, 2017
posted by PussKillian at 8:04 AM on August 9, 2017
Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle
The six that start with "Attacks" don't really make sense, but the other eighteen permutations are all equally good album titles (and I suspect many people would be hard-pressed to pick the real one out of a list)
posted by Wolfdog at 9:03 AM on August 9, 2017
The six that start with "Attacks" don't really make sense, but the other eighteen permutations are all equally good album titles (and I suspect many people would be hard-pressed to pick the real one out of a list)
posted by Wolfdog at 9:03 AM on August 9, 2017
If you fell away from them and you HAVEN'T listened to Constellation Prize, do yourself a favor. It's beautiful!
posted by ersatzkat at 9:30 AM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by ersatzkat at 9:30 AM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Carbon Leaf! I do need to catch up with those guys, thanks hippybear!
I may have, um, skirted the law to see them back in 2002 when they came to Seattle. It was a three hour solo drive from Portland and I might not have been 21, but they were playing the Sunset Tavern and if I knew one thing, it was that I needed to see that show. Still love The Boxer, still love Blue Ridge Laughing.
posted by redsparkler at 10:42 AM on August 9, 2017
I may have, um, skirted the law to see them back in 2002 when they came to Seattle. It was a three hour solo drive from Portland and I might not have been 21, but they were playing the Sunset Tavern and if I knew one thing, it was that I needed to see that show. Still love The Boxer, still love Blue Ridge Laughing.
posted by redsparkler at 10:42 AM on August 9, 2017
True story: I shared a MeFi Music post long ago when a band I was in recorded a silly song because we were sort of jealous of Carbon Leaf's success. "I just can't see a pennywhistle on the MTV except for REM, and you ain't them."
True story: Carbon Leaf's longtime drummer is now a sub drummer for my current band.
posted by emelenjr at 10:48 AM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
True story: Carbon Leaf's longtime drummer is now a sub drummer for my current band.
posted by emelenjr at 10:48 AM on August 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
(continuing the Horslips derail, here is their best-known album, The Táin, broken up into three YT vids. I was introduced to them by Dublin College alum Dr. Philip Murphy, who grew excited when informed that I was playing mandolin in a band that did rock versions of Irish tunes. They are a bit on the 70s concept-dino rock side for me, but they influenced a fair number of players and bands. Have fun digging in.)
posted by mwhybark at 2:43 PM on August 9, 2017
posted by mwhybark at 2:43 PM on August 9, 2017
I love Carbon Leaf (maybe I've seen some MeFites at concerts up and down the East Coast??) but I really wish they'd explain WTF is going on with their drummer, who appears to have been fired but they won't answer questions about it or announce what's up, sigh.
And nthing that Constellation Prize is fantastic, and I feel like the band pretty much admits that NRWW and How the West Was One weren't their strongest efforts (though there are lovely songs on each album nonetheless).
posted by TwoStride at 8:04 PM on August 9, 2017
And nthing that Constellation Prize is fantastic, and I feel like the band pretty much admits that NRWW and How the West Was One weren't their strongest efforts (though there are lovely songs on each album nonetheless).
posted by TwoStride at 8:04 PM on August 9, 2017
Oh jeez, on their instagram you can see they have a new drummer.
Bummer, I really liked Jason. He was super friendly at concerts, always enthusiastic to talk to fans, and he was very talented.
Either that or else Neal has lost a lot of weight.
posted by hippybear at 8:37 PM on August 9, 2017
Bummer, I really liked Jason. He was super friendly at concerts, always enthusiastic to talk to fans, and he was very talented.
Either that or else Neal has lost a lot of weight.
posted by hippybear at 8:37 PM on August 9, 2017
Jason hasn't been on tour since December and he's not in their latest promotional photo. They've had the drummer from another band (his name's escaping me at the moment) but that doesn't seem like a sustainable model, given the other band. Last show I was at they didn't mention why the new drummer, and they've been ignoring tweets and FB comments that ask what's up with Jason...
posted by TwoStride at 8:37 PM on August 9, 2017
posted by TwoStride at 8:37 PM on August 9, 2017
Hrm, that's peculiar. Maybe Jason is just on a leave of absence?
Hard to say. I will be seeing them next month.
posted by hippybear at 8:39 PM on August 9, 2017
Hard to say. I will be seeing them next month.
posted by hippybear at 8:39 PM on August 9, 2017
I hope so, they've just been really weird about like (like no "and filling in for Jason while he's on family leave [or whatever] is ____!"
But I'm probably just really gunshy afer the sudden and ugly collapse of Great Big Sea.
posted by TwoStride at 8:47 PM on August 9, 2017
But I'm probably just really gunshy afer the sudden and ugly collapse of Great Big Sea.
posted by TwoStride at 8:47 PM on August 9, 2017
I doubt this band is going to collapse. Barry, Terry, and Carter all seem in it for the long haul. Other members have been swapped out.
posted by hippybear at 8:49 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 8:49 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
I love Carbon Leaf a lot, and I'm glad to see that other people like them too. Maybe Today means a lot to me; it always seems to pull me out of a melancholy mood.
posted by JDHarper at 8:59 PM on August 9, 2017
posted by JDHarper at 8:59 PM on August 9, 2017
I once requested Desperation Song for a show over twitter and they played it.
I love that they have two live modes. The total rock-out shows and the sit-down and be amazed shows. Obviously you get amazed at the rock shows too, but it's interesting that they have to completely different ways to present themselves.
posted by hippybear at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2017
I love that they have two live modes. The total rock-out shows and the sit-down and be amazed shows. Obviously you get amazed at the rock shows too, but it's interesting that they have to completely different ways to present themselves.
posted by hippybear at 9:05 PM on August 9, 2017
Also, no mention of X Ray. Which is a truly great song.
I think one of the things I love about Carbon Leaf is their ability to express nostalgia while also dispensing wisdom for The Now.
posted by hippybear at 9:58 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think one of the things I love about Carbon Leaf is their ability to express nostalgia while also dispensing wisdom for The Now.
posted by hippybear at 9:58 PM on August 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
And truly no discussion of Carbon Leaf would be complete without mentioning Attica's Flower Box Window. [lyrics, because they come at you think and fast]
posted by hippybear at 10:13 PM on August 9, 2017
posted by hippybear at 10:13 PM on August 9, 2017
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posted by hippybear at 10:17 PM on August 8, 2017