The Hungry Saw

Last updated

The Hungry Saw
The Hungry Saw cover.jpg
Studio album by
Tindersticks
Released28 April 2008
RecordedJune–August 2007
StudioLe Chien Chanceaux, France
Eastcote, London
Olympic, London
Genre Chamber pop
Length45:23
Label Beggars Banquet
Producer Stuart A. Staples
Tindersticks chronology
Working for the Man
(2004)		The Hungry Saw
(2008)		 Falling Down a Mountain
(2010)
Singles from The Hungry Saw
  1. "The Hungry Saw"
    Released: 14 April 2008
  2. "Boobar Come Back to Me"
    Released: 29 September 2008

The Hungry Saw is the seventh studio album by British alternative band Tindersticks, released on 28 April 2008 by Beggars Banquet Records. Following the release of the band's sixth album, Waiting for the Moon in 2003, Tindersticks had entered an extended hiatus before reconvening to perform at the Don't Look Back event in September 2006. This concert marked the final performance of the original line-up of the band, and three members left the group shortly afterwards. The remaining members of Tindersticks felt reinvigorated by the performance, and relocated to France to begin working on new material in the summer of 2007, recording and producing the album at their own Le Chien Chanceaux studio in Limousin. The Hungry Saw was the first new Tindersticks material in five years.

Contents

Two songs from the album, "The Hungry Saw" and "Boobar Come Back to Me", were released as singles. Critics noted that the album stayed close to the soul-influenced sound that Tindersticks had been exploring since their 1999 album Simple Pleasure , and praised the band for their consistency. The Hungry Saw was met with generally positive reviews.

Background and recording

Musical differences had come to a head during the recording of Tindersticks' previous album Waiting for the Moon in 2003, and the band entered an extended hiatus. [1] Island Records issued remastered and expanded versions of the band's first four studio albums and the Nénette et Boni soundtrack, along with a compilation album that documented Tindersticks' time with Island entitled Working for the Man , in 2004. [2] Singer Stuart Staples started the Lucky Dog record label and released his debut solo album, Lucky Dog Recordings 03–04 , in 2005 [3] and the Leaving Songs album in 2006, [4] while violinist Dickon Hinchcliffe recorded the score to the 2005 Ira Sachs film Forty Shades of Blue . [5] The original six members of Tindersticks reconvened for one final time in September 2006 to play their second album Tindersticks in its entirety for the Don't Look Back series of concerts, after which three band members left the group. [1]

The remaining three members, Staples, guitarist Neil Fraser, and multi-instrumentalist David Boulter, felt reinvigorated by the concert and were keen to continue as Tindersticks. [1] In 2006 Staples and his family had relocated to Limousin in France, and during the first half of 2007 the band built their own studio, Le Chien Chanceaux, in a barn in his garden. Most of the recording for The Hungry Saw, the first new Tindersticks material in five years, took place over an eight-day period in June 2007 in the new studio. Dan McKinna and Thomas Belhom, who later became full-time members of the group, were recruited to play bass and drums respectively, and long-time collaborators Ian Caple, Terry Edwards, Lucy Wilkins and Calina de la Mare helped with the recording and the arrangements. Following further recording sessions at Eastcote Studios and Olympic Studios in London, the album was produced and mixed at Le Chien Chanceaux by Stuart Staples. [1]

Musical content

The Hungry Saw contains twelve tracks with a total running time of forty-six minutes. Critics noted that the music on the album was a continuation of the sound that Tindersticks had been exploring since 1999's soul-influenced Simple Pleasure , with PopMatters stating that "the revamped band sound(s) much like it has since 1999, when they gave up on grandiosity...the paired-down [sic] sound of The Hungry Saw is really nothing new." [6] Reviews for The Hungry Saw described the album as containing "foreboding, compelling soul", [7] and "blue-eyed/black-lung balladry with classic soul touches-- warm Hammond organ tones, tambourine-rattled rhythms, female back-up singers" that were "remarkably in tune with contemporary British pop music's neo-soul slant". [8]

Tiny Mix Tapes described the album as "a quiet, subtle record", [9] while the BBC noticed that the simple sound of the record resulted in a "stripped-bare, unfussy take on proceedings." [10] PopMatters remarked that "ornamental instrumentation is used quite sparingly", [6] while other critics noted the "smoky, solitary atmosphere and muted string arrangements" [8] and "restrained" brass accompaniment. [11] AllMusic said that Tindersticks "retain every last aspect of what made the band special (the inventive arrangements, the cinematic sweep of the songs, Stuart Staples' distinctive vocals)" and noted that "the arrangements...are given extra care", describing the horns as "superb" and remarking that "the strings sound rich and suitably dramatic on the heavy ballads and breezy on the light ones." [12] Dusted magazine also commended the arrangements, remarking that they carried "poignant depth, cinematic sweep and enviable perfectionism", [7] while Drowned in Sound described them as "immaculate". [13]

The pace of The Hungry Saw's music was described by Uncut as "funereal", [14] while Tiny Mix Tapes remarked upon the album's "low-down grooves" and "slow tempos". Magnet magazine stated that the band's "grand balladry is more stately and slow-boiled than ever", [15] and Dusted described the album's ballads as "fragile", saying that they "linger like half-forgotten dreams, deeply romantic yet always tinged with regret." [7] Pitchfork noted that "with their smoky, solitary atmosphere and muted string arrangements, "The Other Side of the World" and "All the Love" are textbook Tindersticks ballads". [8] "All the Love" was also described as "typically downbeat", [16] "lovely and harrowing" [12] and "uncommonly spare, even for a T-sticks ballad", [7] but it was mentioned that Suzanne Osbourne's backing vocals provided "a welcome touch of sunshine" to the track. [12]

Despite the "heavily maudlin" [10] sound of the album, "The Flicker of a Little Girl" was described as a "sprightly", [11] "breezy piano-rolled folk lullaby" [8] that "owes a debt to Lee Hazlewood." [6] The influence of Hazlewood on the record was also noted by other critics. [15] [17] [18] The "almost poppy" [12] song "Boobar Come Back to Me", which employs a call and response vocal pattern, [6] [8] was described as "one of The Hungry Saw's undisputed highlights" [18] that "suggests another solitary Staples serenade about lost love, before slowly blossoming into a wonderful Spectorized finale." [8]

Artwork and release

The album features artwork by Stuart Staples and his artist wife, Suzanne Osborne. The front cover is a photograph of a carving of heart and a saw, and the back cover photograph shows the album track listing, also carved. Staples had used a screwdriver to make the carvings into the wall of his kitchen at home in Limousin, "to make it stay there. To properly mark our new start." [1]

Tindersticks announced The Hungry Saw in February 2008, [19] with "The Flicker of a Little Girl" being made available as a free digital download from the band's Myspace page. [20] Prior to the release of the album, title track "The Hungry Saw" was released as a single available as a digital download and on seven-inch vinyl. [19] The Hungry Saw album was released on vinyl and CD formats on 28 April 2008 by Beggars Banquet Records in the UK & Europe, [21] and the band played a series of live dates in Copenhagen, Brussels, London and Paris to promote the album's release. [19]

A second single, "Boobar Come Back to Me", was released on seven-inch in September 2008 on the band's own Lucky Dog label, [22] and The Hungry Saw received a North American release on 16 September 2008 by Constellation Records. [23] After performing at some music festivals in the summer of 2008, more European dates followed in November and December, [24] before Tindersticks undertook a tour of North America in February and March 2009. [25]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 79/100 [26]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The A.V. Club A− [16]
Drowned in Sound 7/10 [13]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Pitchfork Media 7.1/10.0 [8]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [27]
Spin 6/10 [28]
Tiny Mix Tapes TMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT full.svgTMT empty.svg [9]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]

The Hungry Saw was met with some critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream critics, the album received a metascore of 79, based on 20 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews". [26] In his review for AllMusic, Tim Sendra described the album as "classic Tindersticks", remarking that "the band retain every last aspect of what made [them] special", but also that the band managed to sound "rejuvenated and fresh at the same time". [12] Reviewing The Hungry Saw for The A.V. Club, Vadim Rizov noted that while the "strings and brass remain constant" and "Tindersticks remains a champion at feel-bad soul strings," the music on the album was "pared down" and represented "a new sound". [16] Drowned in Sound's Billy Hamilton offered the opinion that while "there's very little here that couldn't slot seamlessly into any of the group's output", The Hungry Saw was "something that can be unequivocally relied upon to produce the goods." [13] This consistency was also noticed by Campbell Stevenson of The Observer , who opined that "it's an eternal 3am in their songs, and they haven't messed with the losers' formula." [17]

Pitchfork writer Stuart Berman stated that "The Hungry Saw's temperate approach feels like the work of a band who are grateful for a new lease on life, but not sure exactly what to do with it," noting how "the record turns increasingly more restrained, as it reconciles the band's well-established soul affinities with a more pastoral presentation" while praising its "beautifully rendered" ballads. [8] In his review for PopMatters, Michael Keefe opined that while "all of The Hungry Saw finds Tindersticks trekking through fairly familiar territory...they find new diversions along the way." [6] Writing for Record Collector , Jake Kennedy said that "The Hungry Saw marks a wonderful coming of age for Tindersticks...this is the sound of pure rejuvenation." [27] In a less complementary review, Shannon Zimmerman of Spin found that "the first half of Tindersticks' latest is a can't-miss proposition" but that "the disc's second half descends into a morass of half-finished, melancholic curios that mostly go nowhere slowly." [28] Uncut critic Sam Richards was similarly unimpressed, offering that "Tindersticks have returned refreshed, but some of the old dissolute glamour is gone." [14] This opinion was not shared by Tiny Mix Tapes, whose reviewing writer said that "ultimately, it's another Tindersticks record, and they're still good after all these years. It's not an incredibly remarkable record, but when a band is this consistent for this long, it's hard to fault it." [9]

Track listing

  1. "Introduction" (David Boulter) – 3:32
  2. "Yesterdays Tomorrows" (Boulter, Stuart Staples) – 3:49
  3. "The Flicker of a Little Girl" (Staples) – 3:30
  4. "Come Feel the Sun" (Boulter, Staples) – 2:28
  5. "E-Type" (Boulter) – 2:54
  6. "The Other Side of the World" (Staples) – 4:12
  7. "The Organist Entertains" (Boulter) – 2:33
  8. "The Hungry Saw" (Staples) – 3:46
  9. "Mother Dear" (Staples) – 4:19
  10. "Boobar Come Back to Me" (Staples) – 3:58
  11. "All the Love" (Staples) – 4:53
  12. "The Turns We Took" (Boulter, Staples) – 5:29

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [29]

Chart performance

Chart (2008)Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [30] 44
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [31] 14
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [32] 53
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [33] 24
French Albums (SNEP) [34] 61
UK Albums (OCC) [35] 81

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tindersticks</span> English rock band

Tindersticks are an English alternative rock band formed in Nottingham in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples embarked on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006 and more permanently the following year. The band recorded several film soundtracks, and have a long-standing collaboration with French director Claire Denis.

<i>Murder Ballads</i> 1996 studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Murder Ballads is the ninth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in 1996 on Mute Records. As its title suggests, the album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, a genre of songs that relays the details of crimes of passion.

<i>If Youre Feeling Sinister</i> 1996 studio album by Belle and Sebastian

If You're Feeling Sinister is the second album by the Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian. It was released in 1996 on Jeepster Records in the United Kingdom and in 1997 by Matador Records in the United States. It is often ranked among the best albums of the 1990s, including being ranked #14 in Pitchfork's list of Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.

<i>Tindersticks</i> (1993 album) 1993 studio album by Tindersticks

Tindersticks is the debut album by the chamber pop band Tindersticks, released in the UK on 11 October 1993 on This Way Up. Following positive reviews for their early singles and live performances, it was released to widespread critical acclaim by the music press, eventually being named album of the year by the UK music magazine Melody Maker.

Asphalt Ribbons were an English rock band that formed in Nottingham in 1987.

<i>Tindersticks</i> (1995 album) 1995 studio album by Tindersticks

Tindersticks is the second album by the British alternative band Tindersticks, released in 1995. It is often referred to as The Second Tindersticks Album to distinguish it from the band's first album, which was also called Tindersticks. It reached no. 13 in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Funeral</i> (Arcade Fire album) 2004 studio album by Arcade Fire

Funeral is the debut studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on September 14, 2004 by Merge Records. Preliminary recordings for Funeral were made during the course of a week in August 2003 at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal, Quebec, and the recording was completed later that year all in an analogue recording format.

<i>The Boy with the Arab Strap</i> 1998 studio album by Belle & Sebastian

The Boy with the Arab Strap is the third studio album by Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, released in 1998 through Jeepster Records.

<i>Waiting for the Moon</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Tindersticks

Waiting for the Moon is the sixth studio album by Tindersticks. Recorded between September 2001 and January 2003 at Great Linford Manor, Eastcote and various home studios, the long-player was released on the Beggar's Banquet label in 2003. This was the last Tindersticks album to feature the band's original lineup before their extended hiatus and subsequent departure of half the band. Tindersticks member David Boulter later selected it as his least favorite Tindersticks album, remarking: "It has a feeling of something that was lost—the feeling that the band hadn't been great for a couple of albums."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart A. Staples</span> English musician

Stuart Ashton Staples is an English musician best known as the lead singer of indie band Tindersticks, in which he also plays guitar. Staples is noted for his crooning vocal style and a bass, nasal voice.

<i>Working for the Man</i> (album) 2004 compilation album by Tindersticks

Working for the Man is a compilation album by British band Tindersticks. It was released on Island Records in April 2004 in the UK, and on Island's parent company Universal in November 2004 in the U.S. The album covers the period from the band's first single in 1992 to 1999, when Tindersticks' contract with Island ended after the release of their fourth studio album Simple Pleasure. Working for the Man was released ahead of the reissue by Island of the group's first five albums in remastered and expanded versions.

<i>Songs for the Young at Heart</i> 2007 compilation album by Various Artists

Songs for the Young at Heart is a children's music album put together by Stuart A. Staples and Dave Boulter, both from the band Tindersticks. It features a number of classic children's songs, stories, and nursery rhymes set to music, and features vocals from a number of famous artists.

<i>Made in the Dark</i> 2008 studio album by Hot Chip

Made in the Dark is the third studio album by the English indietronica band Hot Chip, released on 4 February 2008 through EMI Records internationally and Astralwerks and DFA Records in the United States. Comprising 13 tracks, a defining feature of the album is the strong presence of romantic ballads. The title ballad was described as "sublime" by one critic, although not all the ballads received universal praise. Alexis Taylor, the main contributor to the lyrics, said he was proud of the album lyrically and felt that feeling of love and happiness, partly the result of his recent marriage, had contributed to the album's romantic tone.

<i>Falling Down a Mountain</i> 2010 studio album by Tindersticks

Falling Down a Mountain is the eighth studio album by English rock band Tindersticks, released in 2010 on 4AD/Constellation Records. The album peaked at number two in Greece, and achieved modest chart placings in other European countries.

<i>The Something Rain</i> 2012 studio album by Tindersticks

The Something Rain is the ninth studio album by British band Tindersticks, released in February 2012 on their own Lucky Dog Recordings label in the UK, on City Slang Records in Europe, and on Constellation Records in North America.

<i>Across Six Leap Years</i> 2013 studio album by Tindersticks

Across Six Leap Years is the tenth studio album by British alternative band Tindersticks, released on 14 October 2013. The album consists of ten previously released songs from the band's and singer Stuart Staples' solo back catalogue, which were re-recorded at Abbey Road Studios. The title refers to the fact that there had been six leap years during the 21 years that Tindersticks had been together up to the recording of this album, and hinted that the record was something of a retrospective interpretation of their career.

<i>To Be Kind</i> 2014 Swans album

To Be Kind is the thirteenth studio album by American experimental rock band Swans, released on May 12, 2014. A double album, it was recorded by producer John Congleton in Texas.

<i>Food</i> (Kelis album) 2014 studio album by Kelis

Food is the sixth studio album by American singer Kelis. It was released on April 18, 2014, becoming her first album released under Ninja Tune Records. After parting ways with Jive Records in 2007, Kelis signed to Interscope and will.i.am Music Group in 2009, through the label she released her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone, which saw Kelis experiment with a dance sound. In 2011, Kelis began work on the follow-up to Flesh Tone; however, she left Interscope and signed to Federal Prism, before officially signing to the British independent label Ninja Tune for the release of Food. Food is an R&B and soul album with a diverse musical style that incorporates funk, Afrobeat, Memphis soul, and neo soul. Its songs feature crackling horns, brass, earthy guitars, simmering electronics and vocals from Kelis that were noted as being breathy, smoky and sultry.

<i>The Waiting Room</i> (Tindersticks album) 2016 studio album by Tindersticks

The Waiting Room is the eleventh studio album by the British band Tindersticks, released in 2016 on the City Slang label. Some editions of the album came packaged with a short film that had been commissioned for each song by various directors.

<i>No Treasure but Hope</i> 2019 studio album by Tindersticks

No Treasure but Hope is the twelfth studio album by English alternative rock band Tindersticks, released on 15 November 2019 on Lucky Dog Recordings/City Slang. Although the album failed to chart in the UK, it achieved modest chart placings in other European countries.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rogers, Jude (1 May 2008). "It was time to look each other in the eye". The Guardian . Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  2. ↑ Murphy, Matthew (9 December 2004). "Tindersticks: Working for the Man: The Best of the Island Years, 1992-99 | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Neate, Wilson. "Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 – Stuart Staples | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Tangari, Joe (20 June 2006). "Stuart A. Staples: Leaving Songs | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  5. ↑ Schweiger, Daniel (17 January 2012). "Interview with Dickon Hinchliffe". Film Music Magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Keefe, Michael (14 May 2008). "Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw". PopMatters . Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Dameron, Emerson (12 May 2008). "Dusted Reviews: Tindersticks — The Hungry Saw". Dusted magazine. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Berman, Stuart (1 May 2008). "Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 TMT, Julie (2008). "Tindersticks — The Hungry Saw | Music Review | Tiny Mix Tapes". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  10. 1 2 Fox, Al (2008). "BBC — Music — Review of Tindersticks — The Hungry Saw". BBC Music . Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  11. 1 2 Bussolini, Brandon (15 October 2008). "Album Review: Tindersticks — The Hungry Saw | Prefix". Prefix magazine. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sendra, Tim. Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw > Review at AllMusic
  13. 1 2 3 Hamilton, Billy (2 May 2008). "Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 Richards, Sam. "Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw". Uncut. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  15. 1 2 Amorosi, A.D. (2008). "TINDERSTICKS: The Hungry Saw [Constellation]". Magnet magazine. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 Rizov, Vadim (15 September 2008). "Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 Stevenson, Campbell (20 April 2008). "Tindersticks, The Hungry Saw". The Observer . Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  18. 1 2 Haworth, Keith (28 April 2008). "Culturedeluxe — Album Review — The Tindersticks — The Hungry Saw". culturedeluxe.com. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 "Tindersticks Announce London Show | News | Clash Magazine". Clash . 19 February 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  20. ↑ Orange, James (27 February 2008). "Tindersticks wield The Hungry Saw on tour | RFB". rockfeedback.com. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "tindersticks — the hungry saw". tindersticks.co.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "tindersticks — boobar come back to me". tindersticks.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "CST055 TINDERSTICKS: The Hungry Saw | Constellation Records". cstrecords.com. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  24. ↑ "tindersticks — concerts – played". tindersticks.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  25. ↑ "Tindersticks – 2009 Tour Dates (Brooklyn Masonic Temple)". BrooklynVegan . 17 December 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  26. 1 2 "Critic Reviews for The Hungry Saw – Metacritic". Metacritic . Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  27. 1 2 Kennedy, Jake. "The Hungry Saw — Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector . Diamond Publishing . Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  28. 1 2 Zimmerman, Shannon (2 October 2008). "Tindersticks, The Hungry Saw". Spin. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  29. ↑ The Hungry Saw (CD booklet). Tindersticks. London: Beggars Banquet. 2008. BBQCD 269.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  32. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  33. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  34. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  35. ↑ "Tindersticks | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 10 November 2014.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.