Whipping Boy - Heartworm info

Blender44 · 17-12-2018 1:27pm #1

We know that this has been criminally ignored, certainly outside Ireland; and these days I do encounter even Irish people who say they've never heard of the band.

I suppose it can add to the "well kept secret" effect but even so I can't find much info at all on the album, how it was recorded and especially the cover art which has always intrigued me.

Anyone know if there's any such info out there?

UrbanSprawl · 17-12-2018 10:41pm

Dunno if you seen this site?
http://www.irishmusiccentral.com/whippingboy/index.html

I did not know Fearghal had some solo stuff sounds pretty good obviously not widely played?Fairly radio friendly tune c 2005.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uILXQ35CMpY

Blender44 · 19-12-2018 12:21pm

That is interesting, thanks

UrbanSprawl · 19-12-2018 11:06pm

Will be 25 years old next year by my reckoning,great opportunity for them to tour that album..

mosstin · 23-12-2018 12:40am

Blender44 wrote: »

We know that this has been criminally ignored, certainly outside Ireland; and these days I do encounter even Irish people who say they've never heard of the band.

I suppose it can add to the "well kept secret" effect but even so I can't find much info at all on the album, how it was recorded and especially the cover art which has always intrigued me.

Anyone know if there's any such info out there?

Still think that, beyond the obvious tracks, it's pretty standard indie rock and no surprise that it didn't make a splash outside these shores. I think that Submarine was streets ahead of it in terms of quality.

UrbanSprawl · 23-12-2018 8:30pm

mosstin wrote: »

Still think that, beyond the obvious tracks, it's pretty standard indie rock and no surprise that it didn't make a splash outside these shores. I think that Submarine was streets ahead of it in terms of quality.

I would have to disagree,there are no standard indie tracks on that album,hell I was listening to it today did not skip any track. I have not really heard much of submarine so cant compare in terms of quality. They were heard outside these shores,they played Jools Holland altough in those days success would have being measured by a TOTP performance.

UrbanSprawl · 23-12-2018 9:26pm

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Will be 25 years old next year by my reckoning,great opportunity for them to tour that album..

I am a year out,it was released Nov 1 1995.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/whipping-boy-the-once-future-kings-of-irish-rock-n-roll-remember-heartworm-1.2418295

The UK music press’s obsession with the derivative Britpop movement – at its peak in mid/late 1995 – effectively torpedoed Heartworm.

mosstin · 23-12-2018 10:35pm

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

I would have to disagree,there are no standard indie tracks on that album,hell I was listening to it today did not skip any track. I have not really heard much of submarine so cant compare in terms of quality. They were heard outside these shores,they played Jools Holland altough in those days success would have being measured by a TOTP performance.

Opinions, eh? I love 2 or 3 of the songs on it but it underwhelms me - then and now. You should absolutely check out Submarine and Whipping Boy EP (very early period). For me, Heartworm was the stage when they wanted to break through and lost the danger they had in their early days.

Funny thing about Heartworm is that they hid one of its strongest songs - A Natural which was a B-side to Twinkle when it was released as a single.

flasher0030 · 24-12-2018 9:33am

mosstin wrote: »

Opinions, eh? I love 2 or 3 of the songs on it but it underwhelms me - then and now. You should absolutely check out Submarine and Whipping Boy EP (very early period). For me, Heartworm was the stage when they wanted to break through and lost the danger they had in their early days.

Funny thing about Heartworm is that they hid one of its strongest songs - A Natural which was a B-side to Twinkle when it was released as a single.

I have submarine, self titled album and heart worm. There is no comparison. Heart worm is streets ahead of the others in terms of quality. Submarine is good. But raw sounding. Whipping boy has some catchy tunes but nothing groundbreaking. Heart worm is otherworldly. Only song I’d consider somewhat around average is blinded. And that’s being negative for the sake of it.

UrbanSprawl · 24-12-2018 2:33pm

mosstin wrote: »

Opinions, eh? I love 2 or 3 of the songs on it but it underwhelms me - then and now. You should absolutely check out Submarine and Whipping Boy EP (very early period). For me, Heartworm was the stage when they wanted to break through and lost the danger they had in their early days.

Funny thing about Heartworm is that they hid one of its strongest songs - A Natural which was a B-side to Twinkle when it was released as a single.

Of course you are entitled to call it as you see it but there is only 2 or 3 songs that dont overwhelm me ,personality might be one of those ,not sure I knew who koo stark was. A natural is definately the highlight of the album. I have heard a couple tracks from submarine but sure no harm giving it another listen.
What about the ablum from 2000 whipping boy? Doesnt seem to have had much impact,cant rememeber it being talked about back then.

mosstin · 24-12-2018 6:41pm

flasher0030 wrote: »

I have submarine, self titled album and heart worm. There is no comparison. Heart worm is streets ahead of the others in terms of quality. Submarine is good. But raw sounding. Whipping boy has some catchy tunes but nothing groundbreaking. Heart worm is otherworldly. Only song I’d consider somewhat around average is blinded. And that’s being negative for the sake of it.

I absolutely love raw sounding.

loyatemu · 27-12-2018 10:49pm

It's never done anything for me, I'm always amazed when it gets listed alongside "Loveless" as the best Irish album. "Loveless" is an incredible piece of work that sounds like nothing else, "Heartworm" sounds pretty run-of-the-mill indie in comparison. (again, tastes etc, but I'm not surprised it didn't make a splash outside Ireland).

UrbanSprawl · 28-12-2018 7:23pm

loyatemu wrote: »

It's never done anything for me, I'm always amazed when it gets listed alongside "Loveless" as the best Irish album. "Loveless" is an incredible piece of work that sounds like nothing else, "Heartworm" sounds pretty run-of-the-mill indie in comparison. (again, tastes etc, but I'm not surprised it didn't make a splash outside Ireland).

You are probably correct,any list I check has loveless ahead..believe it or not I have not heard loveless,wont be the same listening to it today so heartworm defaults as my favourite Irish alt album. I just remeber hearing heartworm in the 90's and it did blow me away much more so than the other stuff I would have being listening to at the time e.g american grunge bands and the like.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/unj/the_irish_times_top_40_irish_albums/

http://www.cluas.com/best-irish-albums-ever/

mloc123 · 28-12-2018 7:32pm

Blender44 wrote: »

We know that this has been criminally ignored, certainly outside Ireland; and these days I do encounter even Irish people who say they've never heard of the band.

I suppose it can add to the "well kept secret" effect but even so I can't find much info at all on the album, how it was recorded and especially the cover art which has always intrigued me.

Anyone know if there's any such info out there?

Never looked at the ablum art in much detail, I always thought it was somebody with an American football type helmet on.... Until I looked now.

Loved the album as a teenager tho, must give it another listen.

UrbanSprawl · 28-12-2018 10:50pm

http://www.cluas.com/best-irish-albums-ever/[/QUOTE]

Astral weeks heard it, never understood the acclaim..maybe you had to heard it at the time.
And why is compulsion not on any of these lists?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEJevsUW3SE

RicketyCricket · 29-12-2018 11:57am

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

You are probably correct,any list I check has loveless ahead..believe it or not I have not heard loveless,wont be the same listening to it today so heartworm defaults as my favourite Irish alt album. I just remeber hearing heartworm in the 90's and it did blow me away much more so than the other stuff I would have being listening to at the time e.g american grunge bands and the like.

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/unj/the_irish_times_top_40_irish_albums/

http://www.cluas.com/best-irish-albums-ever/

:eek:

You are in for a treat when you do listen it. Amazing album.

UrbanSprawl · 30-12-2018 4:47am

Had a lsiten ..lots of noise few lyrics nothing profound so far

mosstin · 30-12-2018 10:30am

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Had a lsiten ..lots of noise few lyrics nothing profound so far

Jaysus, give it time, eh?

loyatemu · 30-12-2018 1:54pm

UrbanSprawl wrote: »

Had a lsiten ..lots of noise few lyrics nothing profound so far

the beauty is under the noise.

NapoleonInRags · 30-12-2018 5:06pm

loyatemu wrote: »

the beauty is under the noise.

The noise is pretty cool too, no?

UrbanSprawl · 30-12-2018 10:00pm

I'll give it a proper listen soon!

Blender44 · 01-01-2019 4:26pm

I've tried Loveless several times and find it hard to listen to the whole thing, maybe I'll try again...

This Allmusic review by an American critic just about sums up Heartworm for me:-

https://www.allmusic.com/album/heartworm-mw0000647031

"Heartworm is an earth-shatteringly powerful experience from a previously unheralded band"

Still intrigued by that cover though, I don't think it's a helmet, but seems to capture a lot of the themes in the songs....

[Deleted User] · 01-01-2019 4:40pm

Blender44 wrote: »

I've tried Loveless several times and find it hard to listen to the whole thing, maybe I'll try again...

Same as, Loveless just isn't for me whereas Heartworm is one of my favourite Irish releases. Liked the self titled follow-up too which never got any sort of re-release afaik.

Blender44 · 02-01-2019 1:51pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Same as, Loveless just isn't for me whereas Heartworm is one of my favourite Irish releases. Liked the self titled follow-up too which never got any sort of re-release afaik.

Same reviewer is raving about that as well; will have to get searching...

https://www.allmusic.com/album/whipping-boy-mw0001191621

flasher0030 · 02-01-2019 2:35pm

In my opinion, the self-titled album is average. Nothing to get excited about. Heartworm is exceptional.
I know the Loveless comparison has been doing the rounds for 2 decades. But I don't get it. I actually bought Loveless twice. I thought the album that I bought first was crocked, as the songs sounded so out of tune. 2nd one I bought sounded the same, so I just went with it and gave it enough listens hoping that there was some magic formula to it. But I guess it just wasn't meant for me. If it hadn't got the publicity that it has been getting, I would have just put it in the pretentious rubbish category. But obviously there is something to it when it has achieved the critical acclaim that it has.

mosstin · 02-01-2019 6:30pm

flasher0030 wrote: »

In my opinion, the self-titled album is average. Nothing to get excited about. Heartworm is exceptional.
I know the Loveless comparison has been doing the rounds for 2 decades. But I don't get it. I actually bought Loveless twice. I thought the album that I bought first was crocked, as the songs sounded so out of tune. 2nd one I bought sounded the same, so I just went with it and gave it enough listens hoping that there was some magic formula to it. But I guess it just wasn't meant for me. If it hadn't got the publicity that it has been getting, I would have just put it in the pretentious rubbish category. But obviously there is something to it when it has achieved the critical acclaim that it has.

Comparison in what terms? Sonically they're completely different beasts. I'm assuming you mean the Irish link? Other than that, I can't seeing anything that would place the two albums in the same category.

flasher0030 · 03-01-2019 10:31am

Sorry. Ya. Meant as in rivals for best "alternative" Irish album. Must listen to MBV again. Maybe the more mature me will appreciate it better.:):D. It's probably over a decade ago since I listened to any of their stuff. I heard some time ago that they were the real deal live.

On the whipping boy topic, is there any possibility that they could get together again, even if just for a few live dates?

roll · 03-01-2019 2:14pm

eh no. or at least very very unlikely. As long as they don't re-appear without Paul and Myles like they did last time-saw them in Limerick in the mid 2000s and it was all a bit sad.....

Submarine was a great album and had 5 or 6 songs to rival anything on Heartworm, but there is just something about Heartworm that every song is at least an 8/10. Somebody mention 'Blinded' wasn't a good song?! Good God-not in my book!

And yes, comparisons with MBV 'Loveless' are difficult to make any real sense of.

Of course, if I can digress a little further on MBV-I remember way back when, hearing 'Sometimes' and buying Loveless only to be told that 'Isn't Anything' was the superior album. Time certainly changes opinion! Sometimes is one of the greatest 'songs' I've ever heard but I'm still not sure which album I prefer.....

UrbanSprawl · 03-01-2019 9:12pm

Had a pretty good listen to loveless and yes there is some great guitar music contained within.
I think however I dont emotionally connect much with the themes of these songs and lyrically its quite weak.'Sometimes' for example the lyrics are exceptionally simple,even cliched.I looked them up to try to understand what was going on in the song.
I had actually thought some of these songs sound a bit like certain songs on siamense dream and sure enough upon googling it appears Corgan heard and bought this album before siamense dream was released and has stated them an influence!
I would however say both albums like Siamense Dream and Heartworm with clear audible lyrics are more my cuppa.I was never really a 'shoegazer',doubt I was even aware of the term never mind the scene in the 90's.
Heartworm still no contest for best Irish album for me.Also never said Blinded was a bad song just one of my lesser favourites on that album.

UrbanSprawl · 03-01-2019 9:14pm

flasher0030 wrote: »

On the whipping boy topic, is there any possibility that they could get together again, even if just for a few live dates?

Well if they do I am there! Hopefully they might give it another crack,play heartworm start to finish.

UrbanSprawl · 03-01-2019 9:17pm

Blender44 wrote: »

I've tried Loveless several times and find it hard to listen to the whole thing, maybe I'll try again...

This Allmusic review by an American critic just about sums up Heartworm for me:-

https://www.allmusic.com/album/heartworm-mw0000647031

"Heartworm is an earth-shatteringly powerful experience from a previously unheralded band"

Still intrigued by that cover though, I don't think it's a helmet, but seems to capture a lot of the themes in the songs....

Isn't it a broken mirror in the shape of heart?

Whipping Boy - Heartworm info

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