Just to say that I received my new Flook CD today (Rubai). It’s quite different from Flatfish especially on the production front, but very easy/light to listen to.
They’ve also got guest musicians including some trombone, bass, fiddle and percussion, but this does not interfere with the trademark Flook sound.
Interesting to note that Brian Finnegan plays a lot more high whistle than on previous Flook albums.
Certainly well worth a listen. I think the official release date is May 6th, but if you are in the UK you can order via their website -
Are you going to let us in on the secret? Namely; how you got a copy before the offcial launch date? My distributor can’t get hold of any for me to have in the shop until after next week.
The CD seems to be for sale on the Flook website now.
Barry, not that “Flatfish” is particularly traditional, but is “Rubai” even less so? The trombone/bass description makes it sound as if they’ve become more jazzy… What do you think of the CD compared with their earlier efforts?
Yeah, I ordered it via the Flook website, with cheap postage and packing! Came the next day.
The arrangements are lighter and slightly more jazzy. Flatfish was very ‘pumping’ from a production point of view with lots of heavy compression and all of the instruments quite dry in the mix (few effects). In some ways perhaps similar to what you hear through the PA at a gig. Rubai is more produced and has more reverb/sounds less urgent and softer.
On the whole more jazzy with the addition of some brass and shaker/hi-hats.
The tunes are from a mixture of sources, but lots more Brian tunes than before. Less ‘notey’ tunes than before and more reflective. As I said in the previous post, there is much more high whistle, and this is nice in contrast to the alto flute.
In conclusion not so much instant ‘wow’ factor but very musical and well produced.
Flook are gigging at our festival on Sat 11th May…we’re all looking forward to hearing the new stuff they play…
[..and the old favourites too, of course]
Just to say i went to see Flook play live in Milton Keynes last night and my head is still spinning…they were truely incredible. Heard them many times before and have Flatfish, but they are on fire right now. Have listened to Rubai three times this morning and cried my soppy eyes out!! Buy this CD and tell me it is not a sound of pure magic coming from four people who have grown up and out during the past three years.PURE CLASSIC!!!
I got Flatfish recently and was a little disappointed - they seem to play the fast stuff at mega-breakneck speed, and that loses something for me. The music was designed originally to be sung and danced to, and I reckon you’d incur serious ligament damage trying to keep up with them!
Is Rubai the same, or has it got a bit more feeling?
I couldn’t disagree with you more about the Flatfish CD: There are slower tunes, and faster tunes, but even the quickest tunes on the CD are played no faster than you’d commonly hear jigs and reels played at many sessions. And as for feeling…well, again I couldn’t disagree more.
Now I’m curious: What are some of your favorite CD’s? I ask not to argue or debate their merit with you, rather I’m trying to understand what you mean when you say you’re looking for something with more feeling - so examples would help.
Loren
[ This Message was edited by: Loren on 2002-05-01 09:37 ]
Nickt,
In my opinion, Rubai is going to blow a lot of people away…there is such depth of feeling in these tracks..just listen to the track titled Rosbeg. As a whistle player i agree that at times on Flatfish the music seemed frantic…sometimes the speed a band play at during a gig can seem faster on record, something to do with live energy. On Rubai i feel they are three years older and have travelled far within themselves as people and as a band and there is real magic going on here. You can sense just how much they enjoyed doing it and the fun they had with the guests, who don’t diminish in the slightest the chemistry between the four.
I’ve only had this CD a little while but i’ve never been as excited about a trad/folk album as i am about this one…it is unique and beautiful from the first note to the last…Rory McLeod’s trombone and all!!! Paul.
[ This Message was edited by: paulkelly on 2002-05-01 11:32 ]
Just got my copy of Rubai and i wanted to say to anyone with reservations about buying it or those new to Flook, you are in for a very special treat.
My girlfriend ordered it for me through the newly vamped Flook website,( go check it out!)and have both been spellbound by it since it arrived. The music is golden and the cover is soooooooooooooooooooooooo gorgeous!!!
Any idea how long it took to arrive from the time the order was placed? I saw that it was up for sale (on the website) a week or two ago, but didn’t realize they would ship to the U.S. through that link.
Hi Loren - very happy to debate with you in the spirit you suggest on this one.
I find that some players seem to get into virtuosity (“see how fast I can play without missing notes”) - I got this feeling from the fast tracks on Flatfish (I concur with you about the slower ones). The key for me is the feeling that goes with the tunes, and this can get lost for me if a player gets into technical excellence as the no.1 criterion. I often find that younger players are prone to this (someone said that Flook is a young high-energy band).
You asked what tracks I listen to that aren’t like that. Well, anything by Paddy Keenan (the “Poirt an Phiobaire” CD is a masterpiece for me. He really evokes the way he slowly winds into a reel). Martin Hayes’ fiddle playing. The Bothy Band and Planxty are time-tested classics, and the fastest pace I can handle! Anything by Alan Stivell too.
Glad to hear your comments on this. Reading the latest postings, I’m warming to Rubai!
Thanks for the reply. Although I don’t necessarily agree with you, I’ll offer no further comments since debate is not my interest here - I was simply curious what sort of music/playing you were comparing Flook to. Now I know, thanks again.
Hey Loren,
Gauging by the post mark on the envelope, from the day it was ordered until it arrived with me took 4days…pretty impressive ! And no problem getting it State side ! It’s so fantastic!
Hi Nick,
give it a go, i promise you that it’ll touch your heart…Paddy Kennan can be pretty fast and extremely flash at times too you know !
I’ve got the new Flook CD with press kit. Flatfish is one of my favorite all time CDs. This one is terrific and time will tell how it stacks up (for me) among favorites. I love this Celtic-Jazz thing. And–yes–it is less trad than Flatfish.
Can’t wait to hear the new Flook CD, thought Flatfish was great.
For about a month I’ve been playing a fantastic CD almost exclusively. No flute or whistle, just concertina & piano. It would fit well under the description Dale just used, Celtic/Jazz. It’s The Big Day In, by Simon Thoumire & David Milligan. I normally wouldn’t mention it here as it’s not flute/whistle, but I just love this recording so much, it will certainly go down as one of my all time favorites. These guys are amazing musicians, the CD was recorded in a single day. There is a good balance between fast & slow tunes & not one bad track on the CD. I think it will live in my CD player for at least another month or so, and then maybe I’ll be ready to try out the new Flook.
Go to http://www.footstompin.com and there are some sample cuts from it. They also have the Wrigley sisters there, another not flute/whistle duo that I like a lot.
