the black midi video: Cavacade & Hellfire｜Vinyl Monday

[@abigaildevoe]

if you saw evidence of my dying keyboard in this video no you didn’t. anyway. comment your favorite album of the 2020s so far!

[@frackingfluidinjection]

obvious choice here, but Ants From Up There is just near flawless for me. somehow already feels like a classic despite only being a little over a year old now.

[@gustavotremont2522]

So far, my top 5 Fiona Apples - Fetch The Bolt Cutters The Strokes - The New Abnormal Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There Hellfire by Black Midi is my honour mention :)

[@dermotmaher7937]

Strangers by Scardust

[@danopticon]

Oh, the eponymous Wet Leg debut ALL DAY!!

[@e.v.k]

can't choose so here are three あのち(ANOCHI) by Gezan/Million Wish Collective To See the Next Part of the Dream by Parannoul hellfire by black midi

[@willowufgood261]

Black Midis album Hellfire is one of the most under appreciated albums of 1968

[@benjaminseelig8675]

The following year, King Crimson covered their classic song "21st Century Schitzoid Man"

[@flannigan7956]

​@@benjaminseelig8675Schizoid

[@chan_martin]

These guys are insanely under-appreciated. They are unironically some of the most talented musicians I’ve seen from any modern band.

[@abigaildevoe]

yes this!! these guys would be a major asset to any group they'd be in, and they all just so happen to be in black midi. kind of incredible. guess that's what happens when you form your group at music school

[@thebasedgodmax1163]

black midi are so cool. they manage to make avant garde super crazy out there music that never slips into boring experimental for the sake of it territory. great vid as usual!

[@abigaildevoe]

yes! i love a band that’s experimental without making me feel dumb for not getting it

[@thomasmartinson8208]

Simpsin is a huge Bill Bruford fan, he was the drummer of Yes and three different versions of King Crimson. They interviewed each other for a podcast once.

[@flapjack7301]

Returning here after bm's break up, first video of yours I ever watched and it still rocks! Really exited to see what all the members do solo.

[@BigBagofHorses]

Love that you're doing some of the best modern music around.

[@millivinilli]

Hi..... I watched this front to back. It was good I liked it. Thanks.

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks!

[@danopticon]

It’s great that it’s again so easy to find new(ish) releases on vinyl! You seem to have bought your Black MIDI LPs pretty easily, and I just pre-ordered the new Dream Wife on vinyl without a hitch. But I still recall the day, in ‘90 or ‘91, I went looking for an LP at my trusty local shop … only to be told the labels simply weren’t releasing any vinyl anymore: CD players and CDs hadn’t been selling like the industry had hoped - especially since CDs were higher-priced than LPs, despite being cheaper to produce, and people tend to resent being gouged - so, to push the transition, the labels had simply quit selling records. Folks may recall, it had gotten so bad, in 1994 when Pearl Jam announced they would release _Vitalogy_ on vinyl as well as on CD, it made front page news!! Anyhow. Let’s hope LPs stick around. Gatefold covers and liner notes and stickers and posters and other swag, plus the occasional violet vinyl … all those little details make life more fun.

[@meagan4605]

Black Midi, what an amazing band. So fresh and imaginative and fun and chaotic. Can't wait to see them live in Buffalo!

[@abigaildevoe]

perfect descriptors for them. especially chaotic. i'm seriously considering seeing them live as well!

[@thoughtman]

i first heard black midi on a live youtube live clip. it was a cacophonous to say the least-1000 mile-per-hour roar, the guitar player playing the most complicated parts and singing at the same time, everyone playing as fast as they can-it sounded like a freeform jam. then came the kicker-with no apparent signal, they all stopped, AT THE SAME TIME, for a short pause and went right back to it. oh my god, this music is ARRANGED ! i loved it. gotta go.

[@abigaildevoe]

sounds pretty similar to my first experience with black midi too! put the 2nd KEXP set on my TV, didn't realize how chaotic and packed with noise it truly was until i paused it to get up for something. that's a moment you don't experience every day

[@thoughtman]

@@abigaildevoe it did happen to me again. a couple of days later, i tried to explain black midi to a friend of mine,. much like the above story. he called it up on his smartphone. i wasn't sure it was the same tune, until it got to the pause. yep, that was the song. unfortunately, he doesn't have the same refined musical tastes as we do. i love your show. thank you.

[@abigaildevoe]

@@thoughtman i still can’t decide if my enjoyment of black midi is due to being cultured or a victim of brain rot. whatever it is, thank you. glad you like the videos!

[@thoughtman]

@@abigaildevoe c'mon. it's different, not dangerous. (very different and relatively not dangerous). (i hope it isn't creepy that i keep replying to your comments, but there is a little blue 'REPLY' button on my notifications, so...) while i have this opportunity, SPARKS-they have been around for over 50 years. there's a new album coming out, but they have a lot of old ones. thanks again.

[@markfiori6515]

Glad you did one these guys. I heard one of their live sets on K-EXP when it came up randomly while driving, I was blown away. That was a few months back, but I checked out “Hellfire” on here while driving my friend to work today…They’re relatable to a lot of intertwining styles. Makes me feel lazy referencing tropicalia, but it’s hard not to hear an approach like cultural cannibalization everywhere.

[@jules6631]

The way I LEPT when I saw you reviewed black midi. I love your reviews but obviously never expected you to review them so it's really great to see. Anyway TBE!!!!

[@abigaildevoe]

oh wow thanks! glad you liked this one!

[@jmckenzie962]

Just a couple wee corrections about Hellfire: 1, I think you got the premise of "27 Questions" confused with "Welcome To Hell". "27 Questions" is about an old entertainer named Freddie Frost who gives one last performance and poses the titular 27 questions to the audience before dying of a heart attack on stage and being laughed at by the crowd. It's a fascinating bit of meta-commentary from Greep, who I get the feeling wonders how long it will take before people start seeing his band, who right now are one of the hippest and most acclaimed bands around, as cringy and outdated. "Welcome To Hell" is the song about the soldier. It's about Private Tristan Bongo (who is also largely the subject of the song "The Race is About to Begin"), a soldier fighting in some surreal war who is reprimanded by his commander (who is the narrator of the song) for forming too close of a bond with a stripper during shore leave and is subsequently discharged.

[@duncanmacphee200]

Oh, hell(fire) yes!!!! Loving these post-80's videos.

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks! it's been a fun change of pace

[@alejandrocastillo9209]

Saw them at shaky knees in 21 at the smallest stage. These guys are going to blow 🆙 don’t sleep on them

[@jasonshort1437]

Love these guys. First new band I've been excited about in forever. Got to see them and they truly deliver. Sure they have prog leanings but they are truly impossible to pigeonhole.

[@meagan4605]

I'm seeing them July 2nd! So excited!

[@abigaildevoe]

i'm seriously considering seeing them live too omg

[@leomilani_gtr]

The vocals of Black Midi are EXACTLY like Frank's from the movie Frank! And that's a compliment! By the way, love this movie and soundtrack!

[@daveh3766]

BM definitely my favorite band I discovered during the hmmhhmuhum

[@RGRG3232]

Woo-Hoo...2 shout-outs to King Crimson. Larks' Tongues in Aspic is in my top 20 albums all-time. So great, but does take a while to "Get It" but is well worth the effort. Sorry for the tangent here but KC live from 1972-1974 is a beast to behold. They were truly "Kings" of improv in that period. John Wetton on bass is as powerful a bass as can be found.

[@danopticon]

_Starless and Bible Black_ is pretty hard to top: you may already know this, but all but two tracks on it are actually either live improvs or live performances of composed pieces, which were then tidied up or supplemented with a few overdubs to turn them into studio products. So that’s wild, that over half that album was made-up onstage on-the-fly. _Larks’ Tongues in Aspic_ is a beast, though: I think every guitar player who’s heard that album has then felt the need to turn around and completely reinvent how they play guitar … it’s that transformative. Top-tier King Crimson for sure.

[@danielmukhlis5709]

I’m so happy that you covered Black Midi! Personally, I enjoyed Hellfire a whole lot more than Cavalcade; they just seems much stronger overall as an album experience and the songs are just miles better than in Cavalcade (other than John L, Dethroned and Ascending Forth). As for someone who’s interested in diving into Black Midi, I’d recommend their performance of ‘bmbmbm’ during 2019 Mercury Prize as well as their Live at the Windmill (the venue where they got their start) performances filmed by Lou Smith. And lest I forget, you have to check out the supergroup Black Midi, New Road (Black Midi + Black Country, New Road). Edit: Blue Rev by Alvvays episode incoming 😳?

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks for dropping more black midi performances to check out. i've heard a lot about BM and BCNR being pretty interconnected but didn't know there was a supergroup! might have to check out their sister group now

[@danielmukhlis5709]

@@abigaildevoe Definitely recommend checking out BCNR! Although, as a big fan of them I would like to see you cover them someday, I don’t know if covering them fits into your channel as their influences seem to be much more recent than the 60s and 70s, though if you can pull it off, I’m looking forward for that.

[@castaholic8665]

I’ve never related more to the part in the video where u talk about how hard it is to talk about black midi outside of the technicality of the instrumentation especially for not being a musician! I’m not a musician myself either and I’ve always felt kinda like a poseur for being into bands like black midi, the mothers of invention, king crimson and others that are primarily very technical bands. I think what some people fail to recognise is that it doesn’t matter how little you may know about a certain medium of art but you can easily tell when something has taken lots of effort and talent to create even if u may not like the music personally u can still really respect it.

[@MacgyverMike1]

Great video this band is giving me king crimson vibes and I love the double review surprise

[@jaellycookie]

Schlagenheim is my favourite album of all time! Love these 2 as well, seen them live twice 😸

[@abigaildevoe]

nice!! i'll have to properly squeeze schlagenheim in on this channel somehow

[@marydarko3380]

first band covered on vinyl monday that i have NO idea about, except i’ve heard that name vaguely here and there, I’m definitely excited to get into them! I guess I’m gonna delve into these two albums, the question is which first? 😳

[@abigaildevoe]

to be completely honest: there is no palatable black midi album to start with! start with their KEXP performances from 2018 and 2021 to see what they’re all about. if 2018 is more your speed check out schlagenheim, if 2021 then listen to the albums i cover in this vid

[@briankessler8952]

Never heard of this band. Looking forward to listening. Thanks for all you do.

[@inherentlyincoherent]

You gotta do Black Country, New Road at some point, they are also very good friends with Black Midi having came up together in the same scene.

[@alejandrocastillo9209]

Also IDLES

[@defaultuser1447]

Mod Month has been interesting for me, because it features artists and albums I'm not very familiar with.

[@abigaildevoe]

nice! that was the objective of mod month (plus it's a nice change of pace for me) glad you like the miniseries

[@defaultuser1447]

@@abigaildevoe Absolutely. Thank you for taking the time to make these for us. I know it's tough in the early going building the subscribers up.

[@sm_uadib]

i had a dream you did this. i really like black midi

[@abigaildevoe]

always a trip to know i’m being perceived. thank you

[@sm_uadib]

@@abigaildevoe i reckon you used subliminal dream messages instead of youtube community posts this week

[@DELHPIEY]

i am so excited for when she has to make a video on lp7

[@PauloRicardo-fz9gx]

Great video and great makeup!

[@funnyyellowdog8833]

Great review for an incredibly eclectic album! The cover art is awesome, but I'm hesitant to buy such modern albums on vinyl. I love your content! You inspired me to begin a small collection of 60's psychedelic rock albums -- without even owning a record player... But it feels great to have them! PS: Your collection seems to lack "Love - Forever Changes"

[@jmckenzie962]

I was lucky enough to see Black Midi twice recently when they came to New Zealand, first in Wellington and then in Auckland. I had a fucking amazing time at the Wellington show - it was at a very small and intimate venue and me and my friend were right up near the front, I was sweating like a pig by the end of it all. And then as their closer they played a nearly 10-minute-long unreleased song that I legit think is one of the best songs I've ever heard, so profound in fact that I didn't really fully process it the first time (probably because by the end I was so tired from all the moshing!). The second show in Auckland was quite different for me, it was at a larger venue and me and my friend were much further back this time, so it was a less chaotic experience. They played a different and shorter setlist, but they still ended with that same epic - Magician - and this time I really took in it and legit started crying a little, it made me think about how much my life had changed since COVID hit and it was especially heart-wrenching I think because my grandparents' house had recently been written off after damage from Cyclone Gabrielle, and a place that was the source of so many fond childhood memories was now completely gone. I think that after both of those fucking amazing experiences, Black Midi might be my favourite band now. There is perhaps no other band that is keeping the true spirit of rock and roll alive and correctly adapting it to Gen Z culture as much as them.

[@jules6631]

I think magician is unironically my favourite thing they've done... I need the recorded version more than life itself I stg. I'm glad you got to have such a good experience w/ them!!

[@smoshbooz]

Did Ascending Forth have to be 10 minutes long? Yes it does. Agreed on Dethroned though. I was also missing the sax from the live set, but still a great song. Hellfire is at least as good as Cavalcade. Still is beautiful and a nice breather. All works very well.

[@jameschavez6400]

It was good to see the king crimson sharks /court of the crimson king since tomorrow is roberts🎂birthday-77 I’m sure the cover he is aware of snd is not angry people haven’t caught up yet that he is past age of being snipeing ❤️

[@kingcrimsonandthelizardwizard]

YESSS I LOVE BLACK MIDI

[@abigaildevoe]

bmbmbm

[@flannigan7956]

Fivisms are a must. Can't remiss along the lines of "if it's good enough for Brother Wayne...". They're clearly advanced as hell, I don't know about purchasing the flapjacks but I'll hafta become familiar with the better part of their stuff

[@abigaildevoe]

"if it's good enough for brother wayne" really should be another trope of this channel

[@flannigan7956]

@@abigaildevoe concur concur

[@michaelshiflett4835]

There’s an album called Small Fame by a band called Bend Sinister that would be perfect for Mod Month. It was recorded in 2012.

[@abigaildevoe]

noted, thanks!

[@leighfoulkes7297]

Went out and listened to the Hellfire album and it kind of reminded me of The Pretty Things "S.F. Sorrow" at times (one of the greatest psychedelic albums of all time).

[@abigaildevoe]

wow can't believe i didn't make this connection myself. totally comparable on the concept album basis

[@michaelshiflett4835]

This was such a good episode, thank you 😊

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks so much!

[@creeder44]

I'd never heard of this band, so I watched that KEXP show you mentioned. If I had to compare them to any band that went before, I'd say "Hot Rats" era Frank Zappa.

[@maxmustermann-hx3fx]

Not only did they cover love Story they also made it GAY!!! Been listening to the Cover the whole week.

[@ilostinthesauce5377]

she moved with a purpose!!!!

[@abigaildevoe]

that i did, lostinthesauce

[@twofromthetrunk9932]

Once again enjoyed your video. Well done.

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks!

[@MarsHottentot]

Not a prog guy, but - yes, this is one of the better modern iterations

[@dermotmaher7937]

*Cavalcade Hail black midi! Glad you didn't choose between these two

[@abigaildevoe]

i’m glad i didn’t either, i was panicking a little haha

[@fender31]

Hmm ... They sound as Pärson Sound - out of the 1967. Legendary Swedish tropicana band, available here, on YT. BTW - Reverend guitar + duct tape = the best solution!

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

Unreasonably good 😂 For a difficult album to try I suggest Jazz from Hell (Frank Zappa). I am pretty much into FZ but this album is a difficult one.

[@dukromeo]

i would bet they were and still are heavily influenced by Zappa.

[@abigaildevoe]

black midi could trace a good chunk of their musical lineage back to zappa

[@avery7001]

Have you heard of Zappas black page? named for so many notes the page looks black

[@nordland2235]

Album art reminds me of bummer acid trips.

[@abigaildevoe]

everything about these albums is a trip and a half really

[@leomilani_gtr]

I did feel it needed a bit more clarity in it's proposal. Overall it seemed a very chaotic and confused experience. I don't know, I need some dynamics to breathe in between the madness too.

[@paulf.5261]

Never heard of them before, but the cover reminded me of The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch..... after a listen🤔 the music too 😉🙏

[@abigaildevoe]

YES omg i was going to make this connection but totally blanked! thank you for adding it in

[@roseopheliashepherd8379]

"I love a musician who doesn't look anything like the music they make" Me: a pink haired trans woman who only wears flowery dresses, and is also the vocalist and song writer for an all transwoman melodic death metal band... I feel loved 😻 x

[@abigaildevoe]

hell yes! that's what it's all about!

[@zephead64]

I am intrigued.. I have never heard their music yet but this video has me curious AF. My thoughts at this very moment is that based on your video is 'Neutral Milk Hotel' on shrooms?.. Does that seem somewhat accurate?

[@abigaildevoe]

yes it's accurate but also no. they have a similar meme factor to NMH, maybe more comparable to death grips in that aspect

[@avery7001]

Liked and subscribed

[@abigaildevoe]

thanks so much!

[@NotData]

As a 67 year old Baby Boomer, I admit I would not have subscribed to this channel if newer material like this was the standard. But I am glad when you have a Mod month or simply throw in a more recent album as a change of pace. It helps me discover some new good music I would not have heard of otherwise. For example, none of the radio stations I listen to plays black midi.

[@avery7001]

This is the station and we are the lonely hearts 💕

[@n.nealparadise3963]

haven't listened to Cavalcade yet, but Hellfire was like someone shooting you with a machine gun that fired paintballs instead of bullets. there's Frank Zappa, there's King Crimson, there's Simon & Garfunkel, there's Radiohead - there's a lot here. it explores some pretty bizarre and grotesque subject matter, but the band has a heart and a moral center that can't be denied. fascinating stuff! btw, since you said it a few times, it's pronounced "mar-LEEN DEE-trick." she's an actress from the silent film era. not being condescending here, just trying to help! 🙂

[@kaiziarek915]

WE. NEED. MORE. VINYL MONDAYS. THAT. COVER. POST. 2000'S. ALBUMS!!!

[@abigaildevoe]

there’s one coming next week!!!

[@alanclayton9277]

Hellfire's for me ,modern life storms in with this album though there's a push toward song writing which you identify. The cover strangely suggests Ernst's Europe After the Rain to me. Don't think that's fanciful. See if people miss Vinyl Monday in Sixty Seconds they don't see the different visuals. Like watching the International Space Station zoom across the sky. Don't think that's accurate.

[@danopticon]

As a sideline to the channel, if you ran a page simply cataloging all your sunglass sources, I’d likely buy a pair of each! (Men are offered very boring choices in sunglasses - and shoe colors - so I have to accessorize creatively.)

[@abigaildevoe]

funny you say that - this was originally supposed to be a fashion channel! the vinyl was a complete accident!

[@NotData]

Did you say there is only one more Mod Monday? There are two Mondays left in May. Or are you taking Memorial Day off?

[@abigaildevoe]

mod month is ending a little early so an album can celebrate its 30th anniversary

[@RGRG3232]

​@Abigail Devoe oooh...nice hint...I'm personally hoping it will be one of these 3: Tool's 'Undertow', Nirvana's 'In Utero' or Smashing Pumpkins' 'Siamese Dream'. Really anything from 1993 will be fun. Some great music was made from 1989 - 1994.

[@abigaildevoe]

@@RGRG3232 keep an eye out for siamese dream and in utero over the summer. this one’s a little more shoegaze than grunge

[@GoDrex]

Mr. Bungle plus some Zappa

[@GoDrex]

Btw I took my two sons to see them in Pittsburgh in a small venue. I was impressed.

[@leomilani_gtr]

I really need this episode to help me make up what the f**CK I just heard...

[@avery7001]

I wash vinyl with dawn and a rinse drying the label to to prevent separation

[@abigaildevoe]

i swear by simplegreen

[@avery7001]

@@abigaildevoe being sure vinyl is dry before playing Moisture and electricity causes a burn on the record . Even if you blo on the needle to remove dust a droplet could get on there Evidence would be areas where the vinyl is a lighter shade

[@avery7001]

@@abigaildevoe simply green has to be used sparingly its a strong degreaser Please wear gloves

[@LikaLaruku]

When I saw your thumbnail, I thought this was a Münecat video.

[@abigaildevoe]

funny you say that, i saw my first video of hers the other day

[@Pizzapartydad]

This band reminds me of Larval

[@trevordoolan5011]

Don't know Black Midi too much. I'm more in the Fontaines D.C. camp... Actually, Black Midi and Fontaines DC seem to be very much on the same trajectory. They've both kinda reached the same point, but started from different starting-points. Fontaines DC have also had like 5 KEXP Live appearances. Obviously Fontaines DC have Record in Dublin, Ireland. Fontaines DC have also released three L.P. in the space of three / four years ("Dogrel" 2019, "A Hero's Death" 2020 and "Skinty Fia" 2022 (and now Lead singer Grian Chatten has just released a solo L.P., "Chaos For The Fly" too)). There are aligned similarities between Black Midi and Fontaines DC, they sound so differently the same... .

[@robotubetwob]

So here's a question from the old school. How did you first hear Black Midi? I don't believe it could be radio. How do young people source what's musically important these days?

[@sewerentropy5217]

typically from other people or creators who talk about music or browsing through new releases in your preferred music streaming service

[@abigaildevoe]

pretty sure i first heard OF black midi from this guy standing in front of me at a gig! i first heard them on an epic KEXP sessions binge over the winter

[@colorcrims0n]

No love for dangerous liaisons 😢

[@czezzy338]

ants from up there episode when⁉⁉😳😳😳

[@abigaildevoe]

at some point probably

[@thebenefactor6744]

Sorry I'm late miss Devoe. Here's my hall pass.

[@abigaildevoe]

you're forgiven ...once

[@crapmalls]

Brief segoo 😂

[@frankrogers2968]

I also like Cavalcade better than Hellfire. My favorite album of the 2020s so far is A Light for Attracting Attention by the Smile.

[@fernandoperdomomusic]

Midi is one of my trigger words....

[@fernandoperdomomusic]

Miami Herald called me "The Anti Midi"

[@ArmandoMPR]

At least when it comes to Hellfire, I think more of Zappa's Hot Rats than any prog. Not a fan of the band or the style.

[@richardelliott8352]

while some art is of necessity complex and not easily accessible , at times I think this reviewer lashes herself to the mast and listens as though it is her job to makes sense of art that, an intelligent woman with a lot of musical understanding, still isn't speaking to her after a year of listening. Then she blames herself, never the musician, defecting the criticism, by saying she is not a musician , when she comes across what might be a poorly executed concept, or even just self indulgent bad music. I guess that shows an ability for unconditional love, but it could also simply be unrequited love, if the music is just not good. I am certainly not trying to limit another's taste in music, just want to say some music might not be more than what the first impression says it is, especially with such an. intrinsically transitory medium as music. If it takes a hundred listenings to understand the work, the work is denying the medium of what music is, , and is no longer music, just sounds made for recording and playback. Much like an audiophile record of the sounds of trains, but without the trains.

[@danielmukhlis5709]

I’m not sure if I can agree with you on whether there’s a threshold when the music stops being real music based on how many listens you have to go through to ‘get’ it; I don’t necessarily get everything that’s in these two albums and that never stopped them from being real music, and an enjoyable ones at that.

[@ArtbyJoeH]

Nope. Never heard of !

[@figglebop]

I knew nothing about this band, thanks for the intro, Abby! ***Future vinyl episode suggestion: Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel. I don't know if you own any of his music, but it seems like it'd be right down your alley if you like Mike Nesmith's style of country.

[@abigaildevoe]

i love gram parsons! first heard of him through miss pamela

[@figglebop]

@@abigaildevoe I love him too. Tragic story, but on the bright side, not everyone can say they were a Flying Burrito Brother!

[@alazar8678]

Im guessing your favorite film is Almost Famous

[@abigaildevoe]

i'm partial to mystery train