Who likes Simian?

No, I'm not talking the bloke from Silver Apples. Everyone likes him, surely? I mean the group Simian. I really liked their first album ('Chemistry Is What We Are', Source, 2001) which was a lovely example of ecentric english psychpop with a contemporary edge. But something about the follow-up "We Are Your Friends" bothered me. Forgot all about them until the opening track from "WAYF" ( 'La Breeze') started getting heavy rotation on the telly on a Peugot advert recently (the one that goes 'here it comes...here it comes' with a little descending riff that sounds 'borrowed' from The Beatles "Wild Honey Pie", the cuntz). It's really starting to irritate me now. I think I should listen to the album again and see why it bothered me, but I just can't face it. Anyone got any opinions on these guys?

Are they even still going? I checked the (extremely irritating)website which hasn't been updated for over a year.
 

mpc

wasteman
yeah, i kinda like simian. 1st album obviously better than 2nd.

they've released a couple of 12"s (annoying/uninteresting electro type stuff) since last lp.
 

worrior

Well-known member
I think they disintegrated when Source went under. I saw two offshoots in London earlier this year:

The Garden (singer plus drummer) - clarinet pastoral goingson
and Dolorosa (bassist plus drummer) - louder and faster than the Garden with a ian curtis-esque frontman

I was disappointed with both. Too derivative, without those great harmonies and odd textures that Simian had (at least first album)

There's also Simian Mobile Disco (keyboardist plus drummer) that released a single recently I haven't heard.

(The drummer's obviously doing well)
 
C

captain easychord

Guest
they released a 12" on kitsune that's pretty wicked electrofunk.
 

juliand

Well-known member
Kitsune 12" seconded, its pretty good

I loved the cover art, that weird goaty thing. But I found even the first record sortof insubstantial. With the benefit of hindsight it was maybe due to its mixed impulses, music by committee
 

Blackdown

nexKeysound
like Easychord said, Simian aren't together. Doloroso and Garden contain bits of the bands. James, the drummer and producer, is involved with all the offshoot bands, and producing for other acts.
 

appleblim

Well-known member
had the misfortune of seeing this lot live severeal times on an Electric Stew (another misfortune) tour that i worked on....

i have to say i thought they were everything bad about uk guitar music. not enough balls to rock, not enough LSD to be psychedelic, just this in-betweeny singer-songwriterey nonsense......REALLY boring....

been surprised by thier alterego Simian Mobile Disco turning up on countless 'trendy' electro mixes my the likes of Erol Alkan, Freeform Five etc......seems like they have trendy friends or summink.....
 
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