New Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
"Blog buzz band" wasn't coined for Clap Your Hands, but the Philly/Brooklyn band's sudden, web-fueled surge last year gave the term its legs -- and made the group its poster boys. And the extent to which they became synonymous with this little culture we're all a part of makes them a HUGE target this time around; some aren't gonna give 'em a fair shake no matter the sophomore record's quality. Some just creamed themselves reading this post's title. Either way, the album is nearing release -- and here's the first taste. Are you gonna love it? These tracks give you two disparate peeks at the sound of Some Loud Thunder.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Underwater (You And Me)" (MP3)
"Underwater (You And Me)" starts with a Smokey clang and then spends 30 seconds introducing the strong, contrapuntal bassline that carries the tune straight to its conclusion, when it fades to reveal shimmery, color guitars. The 30-second mark is also where we meet Alec's voice again, and as we know, he likes to do it two ways: either in relatively straight-forward service of his Byrne-y melodies; or in over-the-top flails and spasms, to the point that his voice is itself the show, and the melody's a barely trascribable suggestion. It's the vocal spasms that make your friends think you're nuts when you preach CYHSY, but both are why you love the Clap like you do. Here, it's reservedly melodic Alec, and it's fucking fantastic. We're into it.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Love Song No. 7" (MP3)
Considering these are the two tunes the band has made available, it seems "Love Song" is the band's challenge to you; there's bound to be more poppy stuff on the record, but this one's an odd ball. Some of Alec's vocal ticks are in play, though not spotlight stealing; the one-two piano plod gives way to intermittent rhythm section crashes, and the spooky sound is at odds with Alec's repeating "Safe and sound." Sorta sounds like the soundtrack to a trippy walk through a carnival's house of mirrors. We're interested -- and curious.
So we leave it to you. Whaddaya think? More or less excited for the record? Either way, it's coming at ya soon! Some Loud Thunder is officially out 1/30/07, but the band is making the record available via Insound as MP3s on 1/16; if you buy it that way, they'll send you a physical copy, on the house. How sweet! Oh and before you go, we wanna letcha know that tour favorite "Satan Said Dance" is streaming over at ClapSpace. Enjoy!
Posted at 4:11 PM in MP3, MP3
Tags: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
They sucked from the start
Score = 0
If this were "Guess the blogger," (which it's not) I'd vote Amrit.
Ah...I do miss the posts being credited to the writer.
Score = 0
"the one-two piano plod gives way to intermittent rhythm section crashes, and the spooky sound is at odds with Alec's repeating "Safe and sound."
I hate you for writing like this. Oh, and CYHSY are awful. Really, really awful.
Score = 0
Love Song 7 sounds kinda like Supertramp.
Score = 0
Nothing really jumps out at me about either of these. Then again, the only song I've ever liked by them is "Over And Over Again (Lost And Found)".
Score = 0
underwater is pretty rad, kids. i think i like love song too, probably a grower, which is good by me! not sure how to compare this to the older stuff. different. not sure if better.
Score = 0
I'm liking both. Can't wait for the alb.
Score = 0
Have they been listening to the Stones Roses? Some DJ is going to have a fun time playing "I Am The Resurrection" right after "Underwater." Nice song, but not even my favorite song with the word underwater in the title. That would have to be Hanoi Rocks' "Underwater World."
Score = 0
BBC Radio 1 played another new track, "Satan Said Dance," last night. Definitely far superior to these.
By the way, I heard it in my car listening to Sirius. Eff you to whoever on this site ripped on Sirius a few weeks back.
Score = 0
I like! Now tighten up that live show kids.
Score = 0
Underwater sounds like a repetetive outro that takes 3 minutes to finally start fading out. though the melody is nice...and his voice sounds great.
These songs seem to be missing a lot of the magic that the songs on the debut had.
However, they're not so bad that im done with this band, that's f'sho.
Score = 0
These two songs are different from anything else they've been working on lately. It sounds creepy and sort of whimsical. Less rock too. That sucks.
Good thing the other new songs they've been playing live pick up the pace a bit.
Score = 0
i really dislike this band, but these are far more interesting than their first album. still suck though
Score = 0
i like the first song until the end, where it just wouldn't like ummm, end.
Score = 0
the solo demo of 'underwater' that alec posted on the now defunct flashypython.com earlier in the year is way way better. not even close.
Score = 0
Contrapuntal? When did Stereogum get all music major on us?
Score = 0
Clap Your Hands Say Fuck This Shitty Band.
Score = 0
screw you guys. put me squarely in the camp that wished they'd brought a clean pair of pants to work today. nyah.
Score = 0
I Got The CLAP From My Dirty Girlfriend's HAND SAY YEAH Bitch
Score = 0
it sucks that they released these songs like this.....they should have just released satan said dance.
the album has a completely different direction (in more of a psychedellic flaming lips sort of way). These songs, by themselves, don't sound very interesting, but in the context of the album, once you get what they're doing differently, they're pretty damn good. So don't be too quick to judge, the album as a whole is easily as good as the last, but in a different way.
Score = 0
These two tracks are way more interesting than a majority of new artists/songs i've heard recently. I only liked a handful of the tracks from the first album, and flat out hated them initially. These songs have potential, seem like growers.
Score = 0
These songs sound beautiful to me - they certainly don't "suck" as some of you ever-so-eloquent indie fucks have said above. Clearly, you can't wait to hate what isn't "underground" anymore.
Score = 0
Wawow.. ch ch ch this tune has me dancing in my apt. I say spray pam on the above haterz.
Score = 0
fuck you this shit was never underground and i hated it the first time i heard it
Score = 0
Meh. They were never more than a slightly enjoyable Talking Heads rip off anyway.
Score = 0
God do I hate people whining. If people don't like a band, why do they even waste their energy posting about it? I don't know about other people, but if I don like something I'll just ignore it and not waste my time telling everyone about how much I think band x sucks.
Score = 0
I think "Satan Said Dance," on the ol' myspace, is a bit cooler than these two songs, so if you aren't one of the enlightened gentlemen (or ladies) filling up the comments with prose that can be mistaken for a modern-day Shakespeare, I'd advise you to hit it up.
Score = 0
I'm with missing python. The Underwater demo was fantastic, so amazing. I really can't wait for the album, though.
Score = 0
I'm with missing python. The Underwater demo was fantastic, so amazing. I really can't wait for the album; though, hopefully this new version will work better in context.
Score = 0
I'm with missing python. The Underwater demo was fantastic, so amazing. I really can't wait for the album, though, hopefully this new version will work better in context.
Score = 0
"It's the vocal spasms that make your friends think you're nuts when you preach CYHSY, but both are why you love the Clap like you do."
I thought it was only me.
Score = 0
This cd will be amazing. That is all.
Score = 0
Alec needs to drop the band and go solo. His solo demos are better than anything he's done with the full band.
Score = 0
I for one would like to hear the album before deciding whether it sucks. Maybe I'm old fashioned.
Looking forward to hearing it.
Score = 0
I agree that "Satan Said Dance" is miles beyond the other two. You can grab it at my site if you want:
http://www.youaintnopicasso.com/2006/12/05/cyhsy-satan-said-dance/
Score = 0
Why do two measly, albeit pretty different, Clap Your Hands songs get an entry but the leak of the new LCD Soundsystem joint doesn't?
Score = 0
i agree with corey, if you don't like it fine, but no need to spew hatred. i quite like both tracks, but i too will wait for the whole record to come out.
Score = 0
I like them both...they're not more 'refined' or 'restrained' or anything but it sounds kind of quieter, more contemplative...I donno.
Maybe these tracks are a bit more inviting than older stuff because they're less confronting, less disjointed...I really donno.
But CYHSY songs are pretty hard to analyse outside the context of the album; as I've proven...bleurgh.
At the end of the day, if the new album has anything commensurate to 'The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth' -- even 'In This Home On Ice' -- then I'm sold.
Score = 0
I know this is pretty obvious, but each Stereogum post reaks of comment board troll bait. Discuss!
Score = 0
Well said, Crispin. I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this irritating...
Score = 0
"Love Song 7 sounds kinda like Supertramp."
uh no. it's a total 'take the long way home' rip off. so not kinda, but more like totally.
I'll take my supertramp over this, thank you.
Score = 0
i like that they're going for a more mature sound. that being said, it seems like they lost any sort of edge that they kind of had.
after their last album, i have very low expectations for this album. on top of that, their live show is garbage.
Score = 0
There's a lot of energy in the live show, and the songs kind of destruct themselves. The guitars are typically mixed louder and the drums are huge. Neither of these really capture that, it's disappointing. Kind of how Mogwai released Rock Action and similar contemplative releases.. they were still strong, but release songs you'd want to play live.
I'm fine with it not being "tight" as the above guy said, I quite enjoy their live offerings.
Score = 0
Clap your hands premiered new songs!? I can't wait to get on stereogum and be a passive agressive asshat!
I personally liked it.
Score = 0
awesome songs, saw them live in philly, can't wait for their new album to come out. their live show is definitely worth seeing.
Score = 0
Yikes. The demo of Underwater is about 10,000 times better than this shit. The demo sounds like a Talking Heads song. This one sounds like a Talking Heads song... played at the wrong speed.
Score = 0
@Mark Swiderski
Left of Center could be so much better, but it really pisses me off that the music isn't consistent from one song to the next. Sometimes it's great and other times its like a horrible mix tape.
Also, the DJs need to learn that when they are trying to be funny and it comes out awkward, just move on and stop trying to explain yourself.
I love sirius, but I wish there was a station that was a mixture of "chill", "alt nation" and "left of center".
Score = 0
yeah..CYHSY! is the shittiest, most over-hyped band. OBNOXIOUS
Score = 0
hmmmm.....I dunno, the arrangments/production are nice, except on the more upbeat number, I think the bass holding down the tonic gets a little grating, but the real thing is...where are the melodies? I mean the really excellent vocal melodies that made the first album stick out? I agree with some people here, maybe these two weren't the ones to be put out in front of the new album, especially if they're not representative. I mean, far be it from me to criticize people for trying new things, but there's something a bit lazy about these two numbers.
Score = 0
indie rock nyc hype bullshit band
Score = 0