Director - We Thrive in Big Cities

Rollo Tamasi

Anybody have this album? I picked it up last week and so far so good. The lyrics are excellent but his voice isn't the best. It's a bit monotone for a lot of the tracks. The guitars, bass and drumming is all decent enough too.

It's very similar to Revellino's Broadcaster album, but not as good or original.

John

I saw them doing an in store the other day and I liked it but I don't know if I could listen to an album of theirs. At least live there's a bit of oomph but I'd have to listen to the album first. Were these guys called Business at one stage? They seemed familiar.

Mr Rivers

John wrote:

Were these guys called Business at one stage?

Yeah they were, changed cos the name was already taken I think

I liked them when I saw them but after a while I cant stand his voice or how he over-pronounces every word, it's near robotic!

Rollo Tamasi

his voice isn't the best alright

Font22

i think the album is brilliant! i agree about his voice tho. i went to school with three of them and saw the lead singer play at various school events with songs he cud really show his voice off with. he has a really good voice but i dont think any of the songs show it off. <snip>

nah_biy!

They're getting bloody tonnes of advertising space on Today FM!

<snip>

But they remind me a little of Editors, kind of brooding voices at times?

John

Please no mention of MCD shows on boards. Any more and I'll have to lock this thread.

Timans

I saw them on the Late Late and they were awful.

Jonny Arson

Sadly I'm a bit disappointed with the album

sprinkles

Going to see them live, saw them before (not mentioning where ) and I thought they were very good. I can see how the voice might annoy if you're listening to the album for a while but they have a good command of the stage and are something a little bit different

shock media

Think they're very good, i guess the whole big record company PR
thing behind them sometimes puts people off?

BleakestH

Timans wrote:

I saw them on the Late Late and they were awful.

Here here, i saw them on the LL too and they were beyond crap. i can't understand what anyone could get from such monotony.

John

Five posts just deleted as people can't help but discuss MCD related events. Also, Black NG-60-90 banned for a month for both discussing MCD and being a horrid little troll. Thread locked.

jtsuited

was drumming in a band that supported them the other night and they were damn good. First time I've been impressed by a band in a while.

John

I thought I locked this? Evidently not, well I'll leave it open so.

Time Magazine

Big fan of the band and the album.

And the modding.

Sajan

I view Director in the same light as I view other Irish Bands such as the Frames and Bell X1. They are liked for one fundamental reason. They are Irish and promoted on Irish Radio.

Just look at the Director situation. Interpol are an American band that are a lot better musically and lyrically but don't have the same support over here due to the lack of airplay.

It's time that we stop praising and supporting bands just cause they are Irish and we know a few people who went to school with them etc. There is a reason that so few bands from Ireland make it internationally when they are so big over here.. THe reason is that there are better bands to listen to.

DerekD Goldfish

There is a reason that so few bands from Ireland make it internationally when they are so big over here.. THe reason is that there are better bands to listen to.
Today 01:23

Partaly true but Ireland has in my opionion produced 3 of the top 20 bands of all time (Fatima Mansions,Whipping Boy,My bloody valintine) and some other damn good ones which isnt bad for a ralativly small country

Sajan

3 of the top 20 bands of all time is a massive call and one that is totally unfounded in my opinion. Surely if they are to be considered in that light they would be better known.

DerekD Goldfish

Sajan wrote:

3 of the top 20 bands of all time is a massive call and one that is totally unfounded in my opinion. Surely if they are to be considered in that light they would be better known.

In theory yes but that would assume that the geraral populas have taste in music which is not usualy the case. MBV were pretty big back in the day and could have got bigger if they ever got around to a follow up to loveless, FM and WB were both unfortunate to emerge at times when the musical tastes of the public/media lay in different styles

Sajan

My opinion would be that if the music is good enough that it would transcend the general beliefs of the general population. I think that there is enough people around that will genuinely seek out quality music regardless of the popularity amongst others.

You say that they are three of the best twenty bands of all time. There are thousands/millions of people around the world at the moment who genuinely think that about their favourite bands.

DerekD Goldfish

I think that there is enough people around that will genuinely seek out quality music regardless of the popularity amongst others.

You have far to much faith in humanity

There are thousands/millions of people around the world at the moment who genuinely think that about their favourite bands.

And they are all right it their own way perhaps I should have prefixed my statement with IMO.

Orion

I really like the album. The arrangements are excellent imo. And, for the record, I liked it even before I found out they were Irish

FionnMatthew

Sajan said....

3 of the top 20 bands of all time is a massive call and one that is totally unfounded in my opinion. Surely if they are to be considered in that light they would be better known.

...and...

My opinion would be that if the music is good enough that it would transcend the general beliefs of the general population. I think that there is enough people around that will genuinely seek out quality music regardless of the popularity amongst others.

So if a band is good, it will be well known! But apparently that logic doesn't work for Interpol.

Interpol are an American band that are a lot better musically and lyrically but don't have the same support over here due to the lack of airplay.

On which rests the whole argument against Director deserving their praise. You must really know what you're on about!

(Interpol played four sold-out gigs here last year, in national venues. Director don't have that kind of support. Interpol are, as it stands, far more popular than Director, if you want to go down that route.)

(Director are rather popular in key cities around the UK too, having supported Hard-Fi and the Goo Goo Dolls. They are not a strictly Irish phenomenon.)

(Perhaps you should have more confidence in taste of the listenership that sent Big Cities to No.2 last week. Personally, I don't buy records out of national pride. Anything but! Just a thought.)

I think Big Cities is something really special - we finally have a classic pop act to talk about, a band that doesn't rest on credibility or "intensity" to sell records. They have the goods.

Reni

Saw them live there week before last-don't have the album but on the basis of the live show they don't seem to be up to much

brianon

Sajan wrote:

I view Director in the same light as I view other Irish Bands such as the Frames and Bell X1. They are liked for one fundamental reason. They are Irish and promoted on Irish Radio.

Just look at the Director situation. Interpol are an American band that are a lot better musically and lyrically but don't have the same support over here due to the lack of airplay.

It's time that we stop praising and supporting bands just cause they are Irish and we know a few people who went to school with them etc. There is a reason that so few bands from Ireland make it internationally when they are so big over here.. THe reason is that there are better bands to listen to.

I barely listen to the radio. Saw a review and decided to buy it. I really like the album, great stuff in fact. And I didn't even know they were irish !

/Andy\

I too have seen them live, and to be honest I don't rate them at all. The singer is a poor vocalist, their music is contrived, and they basically just churn out the exact same kind of tunes that dozens of other bands have been doing over the last few years, most doing this rock-by-numbers better than Director. As for them being Irish, I wouldn't throw them 5 cent on the street if they were busking because they carry themselves with the same affected mid-atlanticism as those cretins The Thrills, effectively turning their backs on any Irishness they contain in order to appear "cooler", ha!

mada999

I still wouldnt like Interpol if they were plastered all over the place....i hate em

muppetkiller

Picked it up based on the single and have to say it's utter rubbish imho.
The single Disconnect is pretty catchy but the rest of the album is so Boring and repetitive. I tried to like it but just can't get into it.
It'll be in the adverts.ie section if anyone wants it

mada999

i just listened to some of the tracks on the web site... 1st one seems ok..yer man's voice is a bit weird tho...not the worst song in the world not the best...

Sinfonia

/Andy\ wrote:

they carry themselves with the same affected mid-atlanticism as those cretins The Thrills, effectively turning their backs on any Irishness they contain in order to appear "cooler", ha!

so if somebody Irish enjoys, and wants to perform american music or dress in and american style, or african music or style, or asian music or style, or any kind of music or style that isn't indigenous to Ireland, they should be ashamed, that's what you're saying


for the record, thumbs down to director, regardless of how they carry themselves