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Remember Remember - Remember Remember

A quite wonderful debut record...

Rock Action

My wife and I are milling about the house on a Sunday morning, ‘Remember Remember’ on the stereo. I find myself dancing to a track, aptly titled ‘The Dancing’, oblivious for minutes of the fact that the wife is doing the exact same thing in another room. When we both wander into the living room to find ourselves mirroring each other, we laugh and proceed make tea (me) and coffee (her). She thinks nothing more of the synchronised spontaneity; I, though, dwell upon it, concluding such a happening must be the result of hearing a quite wonderful record.

Of course, first impressions can often be misleading – while ‘Remember Remember’ is indeed a fine debut album, its opener proper isn’t wholly representative of what follows. While ‘The Dancing’ clicks and clacks like Errors, much of this swoons and sweeps like the more-gorgeous moments of Mice Parade; it flutters its eyelids and has you blushing with ease, the romantic overtones taking hold by the time ‘Fountain’ unwinds itself fully, cyclical guitar patterns hypnotising the listener into a sweet submission. As the track bleeds into the chimes of ‘Mountain’, another mood is manifested, further emotions evoked. Here, delicate instrumentation builds to a fuzzy electro stomp, like The Knife at their most disco-friendly.

Ostensibly the solo project of ex-Multiplies member Graeme Ronald, Remember Remember are a multi-headed on-record beast, with contributors many aiding the production of these ten tracks. Joan Sweeney’s sublime violin work paints pieces with a tangible texture missing on many electro albums, while fellow ex-Multiplies member (and present Errors drummer) James Hamilton adds percussive urgency where required. Even Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite gets in on the action, credited as contributing handclaps.

At its most serene it’s easy to draw parallels between Ronald’s work and that of renowned score composers – there’s a cinematic lusciousness and brilliant luminescence to atmospheric arrangements like ‘The Swimming’ and ‘Imagining Things (ii)’; but even when stripped back to bare bones, as on that initially impacting ‘The Dancing’, there’s a considerable depth to ‘Remember Remember’ that keeps its audience curious to delve further into its layers, shifting the sediment to reveal more delights. For all its eccentricities – recordings of fizzing Irn Bru, of ‘instruments’ including Wind-up Monkey and Sellotape Dispenser – there’s a very accessible heart to this album, one that any man or woman can relate to, and enjoy.

You might dance – you certainly will to begin with – but you might also end the experience crying, just a little. ‘Remember Remember’ is that kind of album – to dive into cliché it is quite the journey, a tale told not by words but by emotions ingrained in instrumentation beautifully developed and perfectly executed. Pigeonhole it as post-rock and you sell its charms short; as modern classical and you can alienate potential admirers. So just take this away with you: ‘Remember Remember’ is one of the most wonderful records you’ll hear in 2008. Or 2009, for that matter.

And if you were really paying attention, you’d have got that message some 400 words ago.

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Read Graeme Ronald's track-by-track guide to 'Remember Remember' HERE.

Remember Remember - Remember Remember

Comments

Robin Murray

Another great release on

Another great release on Rock Action! Anyone seen them live? Strange stuff, but engaging.

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I wanna see him/them live...

I wanna see him/them live...

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its absolutely great ! its

its absolutely great ! its a master piece ! we will surely REMEMBER it .

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This is indeed a great solo

This is indeed a great solo album , well some people do not like it but i am all praise for this one .

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Incredible stuff guys, its

Incredible stuff guys, its seriously a killer one, rock on!!
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This post had me laughing

This post had me laughing picturing you and your wife dancing while each making tea and coffee! I actually haven't heard this record but definitely going to check it out now.

Tim
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Although Robert Catesby led

Although Robert Catesby led the actual plot, Fawkes was in charge of executing the plan because of his military and explosives experience. Authorities foiled the plot shortly before its final execution, when they captured Fawkes as he guarded the gunpowder. He aroused suspicion by wearing a coat, boots, and spurs, as if he intended to leave quickly.

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Remember Remember`s live

Remember Remember`s live shows are a thing to behold. Based around continuous loops of various, often organic sounds, Graham Ronald captures your attention, creating meandering aural soundscapes that seem to last for blissful hours at a time.

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Remember, remember the

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.”

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"Fawkes at midnight, and

"Fawkes at midnight, and by torchlight there was found
With long matches and devices, underground"

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Increasingly, people like to

Increasingly, people like to customise the ceremonies and rituals that mark the passage of their lives. “Remember, remember; the Fifth of November; is gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason; why gunpowder treason; should ever be forgot.

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Words of "Remember Remember"

Words of "Remember Remember" refer to Guy Fawkes with origins in 17th century English history. On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder.

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He has been featured in

He has been featured in films, literature, and music, and several geographical locations have been named after him, including the Isla Guy Fawkes in the Galápagos Islands and Guy Fawkes River in Australia. The word "guy", meaning "man" or "person", derives ultimately from his name.

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Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire

Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night, is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5 November, 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, were alleged to be attempting to blow up the Houses of Parliament, in London, England.

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