Deconstructing The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

What always amazes me about this song, after learning how it was made, is that it's a song that has absolutely no original elements, yet itself is so highly original.

[@davidswanson5669]

Kinda like how there’s only 26 letters in the alphabet, or 12 notes in an octave, yet it’s how you mix them in unique ways that help color the world. This seems to be using that same method, where samples are just notes on a piano.

[@riffcaster]

Close. The samples are essentially riffs.

[@stevekramerf242]

@@riffcaster Yeah, the high art of sampling. Coldcut and The Bomb Squad are/were also masters of this.

[@mr.moonthegoon4178]

Welcome to the wonderful world of DJ mashups, where 20 songs become 1

[@Omnonymous]

​@davidswanson5669 I think you're describing a "rebus".

[@michaelchen2718]

I, and many others, consider this song to be one of the greatest songs ever created.

[@anotheryoutubechannel4809]

hells yes

[@OctopusOwl]

Every sample feels like someone’s echolalia focus. I think that’s why I like it so much. It feels like a quilt of favorite things.

[@Piper_____]

What a great way to describe this song! I agree completely.

[@gaetan4164]

What's really impressive is that those samples are barely transformed (at most pitched to fit the key of the song), it's straight-up collage.

[@jodawgsup]

that's a great way to describe how this song always felt to me, like a collage

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

I knew this song was so dynamic but now, I respect this song way more. You have done insane research.

[@ticnatz]

I've always admired this song, and knew there was a lot of sampling going on, but never understood how complex that sampling was. Thanks for the insight......

[@targetdreamer257]

I kind of realized there was several samples but WOW! The Avalanche have a broad interest to pull together all these bits and pieces.

[@dancoroian1]

IIRC the story was that a record store was going out of business and they managed to get all the old records that they didn't manage to liquidate in the clearance sale. Then, with such a wealth of possible sample sources, they embarked on this crazy ambitious project of an all-sample album

[@richardcrook2112]

@@dancoroian1 That's very interesting, thanks. Intriguing to think of all these obscure records left on the shelf in some defunct record shop being spliced together broadcast around the world, so random.

[@russellcontreras394]

It's amazing what masters of sampling can conjure by mixing things together, they're like chefs. Avalanches, DJ Shadow, MF DOOM, etc.

[@AwpWilliams]

Well now that I've seen this, the music video makes way more sense. They're like, "Well we made the song, now we need a music video. Let's just hire a bunch of people to represent the different sounds we sampled, even if it's not the exact same thing." That's literally all it is. I've been sitting here trying to find meaning behind it and there is none.

[@razzaus1570]

Your a nut, your crazy in the coconut.

[@elemkay5104]

Hahahaha oh buddy

[@lesterforney6200]

It's amazing how they found all this rare media and it just as amazing that you figured it out. My mind is blown.

[@EweKnowWho]

The group used more than 3000 samples to create the entire album that this song is on! And they did it before you could just easily download digital audio files-it’s mostly from vinyl and analog recordings.

[@TheCrimsonMoogle]

I found Frontier Psychiatrist first and it led me to fall in love with The Avalanches. The song is so perfectly stimulating.

[@lemsip207]

For me it was Since I Met You on the Ministry of Sound's chill out album.

[@TheCrimsonMoogle]

@@lemsip207 My second Avalanches song, letting me know I'm in for life.

[@kurtflint64]

I have adored this song since it came out . I can't believe how cool the details turn out to be.

[@kallisto9166]

I was listening to this classic tune at work and the boss came over to ask if I thought it was appropriate music for the workplace. She also asked if it was hip-hop.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Amazing

[@cepson]

Frontier Psychiatrist by The Avalanches . . . an outstanding recording achievement!

[@mudleydatthews]

NEW LEAD! The “Tighten your buttocks” sample could actually be from a series of UK fitness records in the early 80s called “Shape Up and Dance”. After browsing dozens of other exercise albums/programmes, this is the best candidate. At the end of every (available) volume, there’s a track for muscle relaxation, yoga, etc. where the host talks in a more gentle manner. Otherwise, all of these records have upbeat pop with loud instructions (which is obviously not the sample). For reference, listen to the last track of Shape Up and Dance Vol. 1 with Felicity Kendal. The tone is the same for both voice and background ambience…. Even the phrase is almost said verbatim. The only issue is there are several volumes. Only three exist on KZbin and none of them are the exact sample. (Though they generally are within the same ballpark). Hope this helps.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Amazing! Sounds like it might be the one. I'll keep my eye on it, thanks!

[@HeyCarrieAnneWhite]

It is Felicity Kendal, 1981 - During "I Will Survive", she says it twice

[@mudleydatthews]

@@HeyCarrieAnneWhite I double checked. It isn’t the original, though it’s pretty close.

[@jonduffin7560]

In high school we had to write a play and I came across Wayne & Schuster via my nan. While finding the scripts online I came across this song and we sampled this across parts when we performed it. This song plays on my mind a lot over the years, thank you for the breakdown. I had assumed the instrumental was their own making and the audio was just from their radio plays. I've since found they are still making great music!

[@rateeightx]

I'm honestly amazed that the Avalanches were able to find all these samples back in 2000, Did they just go to every record store they could find and by a tonne of old records just to see if there's anything interesting on them? Even then it's crazy that they even thought to use all of them, Some of these are the most random things, Yet they somehow work so well in the song.

[@deengew]

There is a vid of them record hunting somewhere for samples, one guy didnt even have a record player so he sampled the radio. They must have been searching all the time.

[@AshKetchum442]

thats what i have read

[@cheekybrewskitovarich]

Yeah, that's how we used to do it.

[@trevor_mounts_music]

Yeah that's exactly what they did - looking for samples 24/7 wherever they could find them.

[@thegougy]

And twenty years later I find such gem- the deconstruction. Impressive work, thank you

[@HydroGerm]

TIMESTAMPS If you need it 00:00 - 00:47 Intro 00:47 - 1:20 Geoff Love and His Orchestra - Theme From Lawrence of Arabia 1:20 - 1:35 Polyester (1981) (Dialogue) 1:35 - 2:30 Harvey Mandel - Wade in the Water (Drums) 2:30 - 2:56 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Gun shot 2:56 - 3:40 The Enoch Light Singers - My Way of Life 3:40 - 4:40 Wayne and Shuster - Frontier Psychiatrist (Dialogue) 4:40 - 5:05 Aunt Theresa - White As a Sheet (Diaglogue) 5:05 - 5:50 The Gray Line Tour (He Also Made False Teeth) 5:50 - 6:30 Dexter Wansel - Theme From the Planets (Drums) 6:30 - 7:00 Listen Through 7:00 - 7:19 The Conquest of Everest (1953) 7:19 - 8:00 Percy Faith & His Orchestra - La Chaparrita (Strings) 8:00 - 8:21 Aunt Theresa - Lost Mittens (Dialogue) 8:21 - 8:30 Wayne and Shuster - I Was a TV Addict (Dialogue) 8:30 - 8:52 Flip Wilson (Dialogue) 8:52 - 9:19 Wayne and Shuster - I Was a TV Addict (Dialogue) 9:19 - 9:25 Flip Wilson (Dialogue) 9:25 - 9:35 Aunt Theresa - Milk (Dialogue) 9:35 - 10:00 Laurie Anderson - Rectangles (Dialogue) 10:00 - 10:29 Wayne and Shuster - A Shakespearean Baseball Game (Dialogue) 10:29 - 10:55 Wayne and Shuster - I Was a TV Addict (Dialogue) 10:55 - 11:07 Aunt Theresa - Juice On Your Chin (Dialogue) 11:07 - 11:21 Flip Wilson - Promised My Girlfriend 11:21 - 11:35 Laurie Anderson - Violin (Dialogue) 11:35 - 12:15 Ron Goodwin and His Orchestra - Spitfire Prelude and Fugue (Strings) 12:15 - 13:13 The Eddie Thomas Singers - Wait Till You See Her (Vocals) 13:13 - 13:50 Sesame Street - The Count Counts Flowers 13:50 - 14:30 Eddie Bo and Inez Cheatham - Lover and a Friend (Drums) 14:30 - 15:10 Audio Fidelity Records - Cuckoo Clocks 15:10 - 15:45 Aunt Theresa - A Bird 15:45 - 16:09 Doopees - Dr. Domestic's Physical Effect #1 - Piece for Turntables and Records 16:09 - 17:00 George Barnes - Anna (El Negro Zum Bon) (Outro Music) 17:00 17:24 Outro

[@laurieberry162]

The twin psychiatrist reminds me of a dangerous psychiatrist who I had. Clozapine is dangerous and people died on it. I took it and had to be taken off. This song is creative. I like how Avalanches do this on stage. They jumped around a lot. It’s the way a person would jump around if they saw you as a patient in a long term patient.

[@jave2274]

Clozapine sounds like a ancient greece godess of the headaches

[@ant7699]

​@@jave2274Clozapine is the queen of the trumpets.

[@lemsip207]

It reminds me of being counselling and having a counsellor that I was on the same page with so developed better boundaries. I started to say no to aspects of my voluntary work. But some people didn't want me to change and tried to push me to find help elsewhere. I replied that I was already in therapy, that sometimes you feel worse before you get better as you gain insights and for them to get off my case.

[@tricky1992000]

Clozapine should only be given as drug of last resort and should be heavily monitored for side effects

[@whereisbalakayat]

Something that needs to be appreciated about this sampling is that not only did it create a whole new song, it told an entire story using loads of different dialogue. So cool.

[@UrrTheWise]

beautiful and satisfying deconstruction

[@Emiliapocalypse]

I LOVE this song, didn’t know I needed a deconstruction of it until now ❤❤❤❤

[@musicfreaksco]

You did such a good job! Ive been waiting for some avalanches. knew this would be coming

[@KarlBoltzmann]

100% this one was on the list for a while! More Avalanches to come.

[@roguemutantbrain119]

I’d love the whole album done like this. Close To You, Flight Tonight, or Live At Doninoes especially.

[@robbe4711]

Great example of how sampling creates something totally new!

[@ARCWuLF]

An absolutely incredible amount of work went into this song. Also, an even more incredible amount of work went into researching this video! Thank you for posting!

[@christopherscottcarpenter]

This is one of the few songs that is genuinely funny. The parrot scratching makes me laugh every time I hear it.

[@FinleyGomez]

The width of the drums came from the mixing boards they mixed the album on. A good way to re-create this is with the Haas effect, basically, hard panning the right channel, and left channel, and delaying each by a few ms. This effect was used all over the album!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Absolutely! I use the Haas effect all the time when recreating these tracks. I think I even used it on my version of the drums, although I will admit that I didn't come close to the width or the crispness that the Avalanches achieved.

[@kelbee8974]

Incredible work deconstructing this fantastic track. I never tire of hearing it & now understanding it, its even better. I have gone down the rabbit hole searching out more music from where the samples originated. Should keep me busy for a while.

[@stfm]

Thank you for the insights to this masterpiece. Very interesting where all the parts are coming from and makes it even more incredible how good this is picket and arranged. Together with the Music video this is absolutely art for me.

[@davidjolley2468]

A masterpiece of production. Hands down... and the music video production is equally as masterful.

[@TheMazz1234]

That was awesome ! Love The Avalanches, thanks for the breakdown !

[@UnDEADBishop138]

Something I found interesting about the Eddie Thomas sample over the Ron Goodwin strings is that it seems to accent a subtle sound present in the Ron Goodwin sample when pitched up. So if you listen very closely there are some quiet undertones created by the pitching up of the sample, sounds which at the source frequency go unheard, that may have inspired them to layer over the Eddie Thomas vocals in a similar fashion.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Great ear! I think you might be right.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

That song wormed its way into my brain when it was first released and I don't think it will ever leave, just occasionally pop up to surprise me.

[@huntrrams]

So happy I found this channel! I love this song and the album! You should do the whole Since I Left You album deconstructed! I thought the horse one was from the song Good Guys Only Win in the Movies

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That's definitely in the works.

[@elemkay5104]

God, this song is both ridiculously good and ridiculous all at once

[@KickMaster83]

Awesome video!! Really makes you appreciate the work that goes into both making the track and finding all of the samples afterwards!

[@fepeco3]

This song is criminally insane, I love everything of it.

[@zubayrbhyat8077]

Probably my favourite deconstruction of any track. Thank you!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Cheers, thanks!

[@Ricardofromage]

Now having seen this, what was already a masterpiece to my mind, is proven to be the most mentally eclectic mash up ever made. Blown away at the genius and depth of work involved.

[@judgeberry6071]

Definitely their best work. Excellent music video too.

[@Flat_Earth_Sophia]

The rest is all rap :(

[@judgeberry6071]

@@Flat_Earth_Sophia Which parts are rapping?

[@Flat_Earth_Sophia]

@@judgeberry6071 All of them.

[@judgeberry6071]

@@Flat_Earth_Sophia Nope. There is nobody rapping. It's all samples. Did you watch the video?

[@Flat_Earth_Sophia]

@@judgeberry6071 Yes there is. Do not contradict me. It's all gangster rap. How do you think I know? How dare you ask me if I watched the videos, when you clearly have not.

[@meditatingdog]

I had no idea it was assembled like this, now I like the song even more.

[@o80MiM08o]

Awesome deconstruction!

[@sean..L]

It’s ridiculous how the avalanches managed to use thousands of samples just in one album alone. This reconstruction reveals just how subtle and obscure they got with it, like they raided a record store dollar bin.

[@Binary_Omlet]

First video I've seen of you and I'm blown away! One of my favorite songs and I never once thought about the samples used to create it. Instant subscribe!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I appreciate that, thanks!

[@AlexDiamantopulo]

This is insane! Great job! Thank you so much for covering this 👍👍👍

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Thanks Alex! More Avalanches to come in the near future.

[@hollie7926]

I've always loved this song lol. I knew there were superimposed pieces throughout it... I didn't realize the ENTIRE song was made with these... This is masterwork in dj mixing right here.

[@MatthewBester]

23 years on I would never have guessed all these sounds would be discovered. While I am here that horse sounds like the one after the gunshot pitched. Perhaps they just swapped them around?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I thought so too at first, but it is 100% from another source. I haven't checked in a while though so it is possible that it's been found since I made the video.

[@OriginalMindTrick]

The mixing and mastering are so insanely well executed.

[@Riversdoc11deff]

Enjoyed the video so much! great work!

[@360misc]

Fantastic breakdown - I could (and have) watch it over and over. Subbed!

[@murrfeeling]

Laurie Anderson's Home of The Brave is REALLY worth a watch.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

It's brilliant! Way ahead of its time.

[@KiDPANDA14]

This is awesome. came to YT on an impulse listen and saw this recommended. love a good deconstruction. thanks.

[@summerlaverdure]

amazing deconstruction, thank you!

[@andodezi3643]

Wayne and Shuster are so underrated! So goddamn funny. Truly some of the best comedy Canada has ever produced.

[@secretsunofficial]

This track has some AMAZING drums!! Good one.Our music taste is 100% in sync :D

[@KarlBoltzmann]

You've got great taste in music then ;)

[@MikeViGa]

The Wayne and Shuster Frontier Psychiatrist sketch was from 1983, not 1959. They were on the air for a long time!

[@gigabytemmx]

by far my favorite sampled song of all time, i love this track. very interesting seeing where all of the sample came from. save for a few, can't wait for those to be found

[@matthewleahy6550]

This is awesome. What a cool video. I discovered this song about six months ago, randomly on an Instagram post. I'm trying to figure out how I missed this group considering I listened to all sorts of experimental electronica.

[@pyrat42]

I've always wanted someone to make a piece like this.

[@DavidHarberRadio]

Thanks so much for putting all the effort into this. You've answered all my questions!

[@bjs001001]

THANK YOU! I've loved this song for years and always wondered where the samples come from.

[@elemkay5104]

DJ Shadow also featured Theme From The Planets as part of his 1998 sets, sped up massively as part of a funk breakbeat medley leading up to a drop into Building Steam. I'd recognize that epic psychedelic synth line a million miles away!

[@kanekane1728]

I always thought of this type of music as sound assemblages or collages. Supposedly this album had over 3000 samples on it.

[@NicolasDeWolfe]

I was always curious about this song. Thanks for making this.

[@troncek]

This is incredible.

[@maximusmop]

Seen them play live in the arches, boy what a gig

[@CD3WD-Project]

I found this video from this song and this channel is so underrated

[@Cobalt-Jester]

The "tighten your buttocks" sample is from a Jane Fonda exercise routine. I don't know if it has a name.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

That is what I had heard too, but I don't think anyone has yet found the exact sample yet.

[@saulmc8920]

Brilliant song and amazing breakdown

[@Nate_the_Nobody]

2:32 Is it possible the horse sample they used is the same horse you hear in the clip of the gunshot?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

It has been confirmed to be a different horse. I'm not sure if it's been found or not yet, but people are on the hunt.

[@flunkedouttanasa9450]

Great job. I just found you and I’m hooked!

[@BayAreaMike99]

The fact i found this song YEARS AGO from a 15 year old Halo Machinima “It’s A Wonderful Live” and here i am is crazy

[@MareCat31]

this song sounds like what Brainrot is...and i love it

[@coenisgreat]

Fun fact; the man playing the drummer in the music video, Peter Whitford, was my secondary school's Hungarian Language teacher.

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Neat

[@catp1ss987]

one of my biggest inspiration as an artist. life is better if you dont care about copyright laws. i cant get sued because i dont know how that shit works

[@brucelee9243]

i like the way the sound is.

[@Stormtrooper53]

Well I guess I need to track down that Dexter Wansel album. Heck, and all those other albums, too.

[@satanmax13]

Amazing video about a amazing song !

[@sun6moon9]

Proper and respectable DJs!

[@namahecc]

I miss these videos! Any news on when you're coming back?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Soon! I've taken the summer to focus on other things, but I will be making these videos again very soon.

[@namahecc]

Awesome, take your time obviously. Will definitely be tuning in.

[@ozielmoralescabrera8821]

thanks, just thanks, this is amazing!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

[@maurobrunosolavergara5041]

Amazing job deconstructing the track and hunting down the samples. Are you planning to do the whole album?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

I will definitely be doing more of their tracks in the near future.

[@maurobrunosolavergara5041]

@@KarlBoltzmann I would'd love to see them !

[@valentingomezcuello6491]

This song became my favorite from the album Since I Left You. There are only four samples left to discover: the horse's neigh, the drums that sound in the middle and at the end of the song, the line "and tight on your buttocks" and the parrot sound. I loved the deconstruction of the song! 😃😁👏

[@devinsamuel3612]

Apparently the line is "tighten your buttocks" and is from a Jane Fonda workout tape

[@valentingomezcuello6491]

@@devinsamuel3612 In another video I found that supposed origin, but I couldn't find it. It is a very rare tape and very difficult to find.

[@mattclay513]

So many great tunes

[@dentyH]

The entire album is plunderphonics btw everyone here, it's all samples for about an hour of amazing songwork

[@davids8449]

It's in the trees it's coming...............

[@Returntotheworld]

Mind blown as I have a vinyl copy of that war themes album!

[@woritsez]

absolute gold

[@sheepwshotguns42]

crazy as a coconut how much effort went into this, there's just one question. what does it mean?

[@patmfitz]

Thanks - very interesting!

[@endofthelinejoel]

Great breakdown. Thank you.

[@willess7312]

Awesome video ! Thank u for that

[@NostalgiCrazy]

Daaang how long did it take ya to find and put this together? Great job as this track is so intriguing!

[@KarlBoltzmann]

It definitely takes a while to put these together in a way that I am satisfied with, but I am not responsible for finding the samples in this track! There are communities of amazing sample hunters who found these samples over many years, paving the way for this to be made.

[@NostalgiCrazy]

@@KarlBoltzmann Oh right I forgot 😅Still, the dedication to this vid is awesome! I wonder if it's still the most sampled song ever?

[@KarlBoltzmann]

It could be! All of their tracks are such a beautiful collage of so many interesting samples.

[@superhacker35]

Wow incredible work!

[@jamesepstein642]

Amazing vid. That Dexter Wansel song still slaps

[@AxleRods]

This was #3 of about 15 on my nomad 2 zune mp3 player in 2001

[@lemsip207]

They were edgy and creative without overstepping the line. They showed how it could be done.

[@zweij]

Just found you by accident, I searched for Bloodstain, and now... I see The Avalanches AND Fatboy Slim? I smiled. :) New subscriber here! Best, Julia

[@KarlBoltzmann]

Cheers, thanks!

[@AC3handle]

I've always wondered about the 'hypnotize' sample, now I know it's from Eddie Bo.

[@grapemultimedia6230]

dope breakdown