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Wild Colonials — Spark
Album: Fruit Of Life
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 373









Released: 0
Length: 4:16
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Works for me.
 
Reminds me of a breakup that shouldn't have happened.  Fortunately, it was undone :)
Posted 5 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
Just doesn't hook me. Was a 4 for the blah melody and boring lyrics; pushed up to a 5 for at least reminding me of Cowboy Junkies (though paling in comparison).

Posted 12 years ago by brookap    [ Reply ]
The spark's certainly gone from this song, if it had one in the first place. The same descending 4-note sequence all through, in 4-bar sections, without any variation. A nailed on Ho-Hum {#Sleep}
Posted 13 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Just remembered that I used to drink beer in a friend's backyard in West Hollywood with a guy named Shark who said he was in a band. "Yeah, what's it called?". "Wild Colonials".

Wikipedia says he's the guitar player. I thought it was a cover story, but they actually made records.

Huh.

Posted 13 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
 handyrae wrote:
I'm throwing my marker in the "sounds like Natalie Merchant" pot.

{#No}  this is soooooo much better........


Posted 13 years ago by Bakaretsu    [ Reply ]
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
...Prof. Longhair's Dancing Cat album from about 1985).

I know you're just being a cuisine-challenged bridge substructure symbiont, but Henry Roeland Byrd left the planet in 1980 and never, to my recollection, issued an album titled Dancing Cat.

No worries, I post in an altered state from time to time as well.



Posted 14 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
This song has grown on me on the first listen. Nice.
Posted 14 years ago by Wittgenstein    [ Reply ]
I'm throwing my marker in the "sounds like Natalie Merchant" pot.


Posted 14 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
I was lucky to catch the Colonials several times way back when...  Gotta thank Chris Douridas of KCRW for the "introduction."  Seemed like all was good, but then Angela lost all the weight.  Hmmm.
Posted 14 years ago by jjparadise    [ Reply ]
mandolin wrote:
...it's like indigo girls without the cliche melody...


So it's not like the indigo girls at all then?

*runs away

Posted 14 years ago by vit    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Y'know how when you go to a cool record store and buy something so jaw-droppingly cool (that would be everything I buy; not so sure about you) and you go to the cashier and they just bag it up and take your money and don't respond in any way to the overwhelming aroma of coolness that is you with your latest music purchase? Yeah.

The clerk at Amoeba in Hollywood fawned over this one for an uncomfortably long time. I think she wanted me. Or she was in the band, not sure. Anyway that was one of 3 times anything I bought ever raised an eyebrow (along with They Might Be Giants first album, Prof. Longhair's Dancing Cat album from about 1985).

 
So, how many years of yoga did it take before you were able to self-fellate?

Posted 15 years ago by punkbot    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Y'know how when you go to a cool record store and buy something so jaw-droppingly cool (that would be everything I buy; not so sure about you) and you go to the cashier and they just bag it up and take your money and don't respond in any way to the overwhelming aroma of coolness that is you with your latest music purchase? Yeah.

The clerk at Amoeba in Hollywood fawned over this one for an uncomfortably long time. I think she wanted me. Or she was in the band, not sure. Anyway that was one of 3 times anything I bought ever raised an eyebrow (along with They Might Be Giants first album, Prof. Longhair's Dancing Cat album from about 1985).

 
Wow, wish we all were as cool as you and I'm sure she probably wanted you lol

Posted 15 years ago by stkman    [ Reply ]
Y'know how when you go to a cool record store and buy something so jaw-droppingly cool (that would be everything I buy; not so sure about you) and you go to the cashier and they just bag it up and take your money and don't respond in any way to the overwhelming aroma of coolness that is you with your latest music purchase? Yeah.

The clerk at Amoeba in Hollywood fawned over this one for an uncomfortably long time. I think she wanted me. Or she was in the band, not sure. Anyway that was one of 3 times anything I bought ever raised an eyebrow (along with They Might Be Giants first album, Prof. Longhair's Dancing Cat album from about 1985).

Posted 15 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
She reminds me of the singer from Leslie Spit Trio, Laura Hubert. That was a great little band from the early 90's.

https://www.gweep.ca/~edmonds/music/spits.html



Posted 15 years ago by Droidac    [ Reply ]
Such  a forlorn  feel - I like.
Posted 15 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
 MrsAustin wrote:
I like the voice especially when it breaks. She has the same kinda tone as Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls.
 
My bad, I was in the record/cd store (there's still a few) about a month ago and couldn't find this on any recent Indigo girls CD's, that's what I get for assuming. Was looking for "The Spark Is Gone" or something similar, leave it to Bill to fool me again.

Posted 15 years ago by oldman    [ Reply ]
...it's like indigo girls without the cliche melody...
Posted 15 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
Wild Colonials!!!
Yeah Bill, lets have more.
Posted 15 years ago by strongbad    [ Reply ]
Such a good song.
Posted 15 years ago by Kittee    [ Reply ]
Back in I think '94, I was the in-house artist for an L.A. radio station and attended a lunch meeting with these guys back when this album had just been released. Great people and a fun band. Wonder what became of them?
Posted 15 years ago by sharkartist    [ Reply ]
squidish wrote:
This is so interesting, I knew about Angela McCluskey, but have never heard of this band. I would love to see them in a little cabaret or pub somewhere in SF. (hint hint)
You and me both, SD. I saw them in Pittsburgh years ago in a smallish venue, and they were great. She tours as a solo act now, I think.
Posted 15 years ago by kyleminor    [ Reply ]
This is so interesting, I knew about Angela McCluskey, but have never heard of this band. I would love to see them in a little cabaret or pub somewhere in SF. (hint hint)
Posted 15 years ago by squidish    [ Reply ]
I like WC, but I advise listening to this album repeated. A bit depressing.
Posted 15 years ago by Papernapkin    [ Reply ]
At first, I thought... Indigo Girls got a new one? Then, Melissa Etheridge? Compliments all. Me likey.
Posted 16 years ago by bmeador    [ Reply ]
My absolute favorite band
Posted 16 years ago by strongbad    [ Reply ]
Yes, thanks. A little bit like both I'd say.
Posted 16 years ago by beastly    [ Reply ]
Sounds like the Indigo Girls. And not in a good way.
Posted 16 years ago by Professor_C    [ Reply ]
beastly wrote:
reminds me a little bit of the vocalist from ten thousand maniacs.
Natalie Merchant? Hmmm, she reminds me of Melissa Ethridge.
Posted 16 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
reminds me a little bit of the vocalist from ten thousand maniacs.
Posted 16 years ago by beastly    [ Reply ]
is this a cover photo or a graduation photo?
Posted 16 years ago by mefrombrazil    [ Reply ]
Yeah, real wild. Their name should be the Insipid Colonials.
Posted 16 years ago by nate917    [ Reply ]
What a beautiful, sad, sorrowful song. The cellos are crying. Love it.
Posted 16 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
MrsAustin wrote:
I like the voice especially when it breaks. She has the same kinda tone as Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls.
Posted 16 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
Angela McClusky (forgive the spelling) is an amazing voice and talent. If you are so shallow as to say that she has FAKE vocals then you have never seen her live. 3 feet in front of my ears at the Troubadour in LA about killed me! She is an amazing vocalist!
Posted 16 years ago by dohkimo1    [ Reply ]
bokey wrote:
Horrible sucky fake vocals
? How can that be? Has voice synthesis technology grown to now enable one to create horrible fake vocals? I could understand "horrible sucky vocals" or "fake sounding vocals" or "horribly sucky fake sounding vocals", but this doens't parse. Sorry. Could be that Bokey just doesn't like this?
Posted 16 years ago by fretman    [ Reply ]
bokey wrote:
Horrible sucky fake vocals
Huh?
Posted 17 years ago by dwhayslett    [ Reply ]
Ooof!
Posted 17 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
Horrible sucky fake vocals
Posted 17 years ago by bokey    [ Reply ]
MrsAustin wrote:
I like the voice especially when it breaks. She has the same kinda tone as Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls.
And I thought it sounded like Laura Hubert, who used to sing (perhaps still does) for Toronto's Leslie Spit Treeo...
Posted 17 years ago by MM_Prague    [ Reply ]
artmaven wrote:
The answer is in that sex manual called, Ouch, You're On My Hair.
For some people, maintaining long hair when you have to manage small children is a lot to ask, too. The granny bun doesnt have the allure and ease that "just cutting it off" does.
Posted 17 years ago by celadonstone    [ Reply ]
thewiseking wrote:
like the voice. even when it breaks.
I like the voice especially when it breaks. She has the same kinda tone as Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls.
Posted 17 years ago by MrsAustin    [ Reply ]
like the voice. even when it breaks.
Posted 17 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
rascal420 wrote:
How come women cut their hair all off a couple of years after they get married?
I've always had pixie short hair cuts but I've been married for two years and my hairs the longest it's been in a long time.
Posted 17 years ago by pixidrizzl    [ Reply ]
Has a sorta better sound than 10,000 Maine e acts
Posted 17 years ago by horstman    [ Reply ]
artmaven wrote:
The answer is in that sex manual called, Ouch, You're On My Hair.
Posted 17 years ago by ArbiterOfGoodTaste    [ Reply ]
rascal420 wrote:
How come women cut their hair all off a couple of years after they get married?
The answer is in that sex manual called, Ouch, You're On My Hair.
Posted 17 years ago by artmaven    [ Reply ]
handyrae wrote:
Gee, I think I have this CD. I should did it out and give it a whirl or two.
Or you could send it to me. I'll make sure it isn't dusty.
Posted 18 years ago by ArbiterOfGoodTaste    [ Reply ]
Gee, I think I have this CD. I should did it out and give it a whirl or two.
Posted 18 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
This song seems nice enough, but (to my ears anyway) seems to sound "MP3 ish" in that I can really hear compression artifacts. I am on the 192 kbs link too. Perhaps it was sampled at a lower rate. Then again, it could just be the music. I also notice Sarah McLachlan songs can be hard to compress too.
Posted 18 years ago by bob789    [ Reply ]
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
Agreed!
... ...
Posted 18 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
coding_to_music wrote:
Is this a breakup song? A song about growing older? Long-distance relationship? lyrics are a bit hard to figger out...
It's about her childhood pet dog.
Posted 18 years ago by sans    [ Reply ]
Remember back in the early 90's when MTV was still a bit credible? And the show 120 Minutes? God I miss that show. Especially because, in the last 10 or 15 minutes, they would play stuff like this. And I probably haven't heard it since then, but it's so good that I remembered it.
Posted 18 years ago by formersnowbug    [ Reply ]
musicfreak wrote:
the violin solo in the middle is so groovy - love it!
Agreed!
Posted 18 years ago by ArbiterOfGoodTaste    [ Reply ]
ohmygosh! I remember hearing these guys on some promotional compilation CD I got in the mail. After looking them up, I now remember it was "Heaven and Hell" from the same album. Great song, great band! Thanks for the reminder, RP! I'll have to dig it up and upload it for everyone's listening pleasure.
Posted 18 years ago by trollboy    [ Reply ]
Is this a breakup song? A song about growing older? Long-distance relationship? lyrics are a bit hard to figger out...
Posted 18 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
Intro chord progression sounds exactly like Todd Rundgren's Utopia, doing "One World". Not a bad tune overall. Cdog wrote:
shayde wrote:
This is the first time I've heard this track, and complete with the mid-western 'crack' that Amy Rae normally has in her pieces, this is a direct knock off of Indigo Girls.
Posted 18 years ago by seedy    [ Reply ]
rascal420 wrote:
How come women cut their hair all off a couple of years after they get married?
I've been married for 4 years and my hair is really long.
Posted 18 years ago by mafe    [ Reply ]
Very catchy and well produced track, so full and complete, somehow. I'll be picking up this cd fer sure!
Posted 18 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
How come women cut their hair all off a couple of years after they get married?
Posted 18 years ago by rascal420    [ Reply ]
absolutely one of my favorite cd's...
Posted 18 years ago by fuace    [ Reply ]
WC isn't West Coast, they hark from all over the world, I believe... at any rate, Angela's Scottish. I saw them open for an impromptu Midnight Oil concert at the Fillmore in SF many many many years ago, never even heard of them, and they blew me away. Big fan ever since.
Posted 18 years ago by Thea    [ Reply ]
shayde wrote:
This is the first time I've heard this track, and complete with the mid-western 'crack' that Amy Rae normally has in her pieces, this is a direct knock off of Indigo Girls. While I scrolled down to see if there were any other references to KSCA (sorely missed, or maybe it's just a fond memory) I noticed that this was the second time Shayde had commented about the similarity to Indigo Girls. The first time he/she liked it. Next time I post on this one, I'll mention KSCA (sorely missed, or maybe it's just a fond memory..... :-k
Posted 18 years ago by Cdog    [ Reply ]
Wow, great to hear this song! I've been a Wild Colonials fan for years but never hear them anywhere. So thanks for playing them...try "Girl" or the cover of Billy Holiday's "Don't Explain"...awesome voice and band. If you get a chance to see them live, DO IT! I also happen to love the Indigo Girls but am absolutely not getting the comparison.
Posted 18 years ago by donitaann    [ Reply ]
These folks were incredible to see live. Only saw the once at Schuba's in Chicago. I saw Angela McCluskey perform last year as an opening act for the Finn Brothers. Her voice gets better every time I hear her. I highly recommend her solo record to anyone who likes this song or album. If I were more technically inclined I would try to upload tracks off that for review here on RP with hopes of getting it added. But alas.....technology wins again.
Posted 19 years ago by hannibal812    [ Reply ]
Wow, I had only heard this song off the album, which my dad has had for years and always enjoyed, but we never thought anyone else had heard of them...are they more of a West Coast group?
Posted 19 years ago by BoFiS    [ Reply ]
Despite the prevalent comparisons to the Indigo Girls: I've seen both in concert and (IMHO) I much prefer the Wild Colonials. Perhaps a minority here, but that's cool. The WC actually opened for the group we had come to see. I had never heard of the Wild Colonials before then but was a fan there-after. A chilled-out group ... lots of talent missing only in trappings of 'mass appeal' (i.e. Bono, Britney) Simply ... More Wild Colonials Please. Me Much Likie!
Posted 19 years ago by thekid    [ Reply ]
wow. i always assumed this was the Indigo Girls.
Posted 19 years ago by rah    [ Reply ]
stonedown wrote:
I first heard this song on KSCA as well. Beautiful song. :)
Yeah. I sure missed KSCA when they went off the air. Now if I can only get RP to play in my car.
Posted 19 years ago by Franlrc    [ Reply ]
this entire cd is great, i bought it when it came out and still listen to it. lyrics, music, harmonies are great.
Posted 20 years ago by fuace    [ Reply ]
I bought an EP of Wild Colonials about 7 years ago and this track won me over immediately. Fantastic vocals and even the lyrics are impressive. No, they're not The Indigo Girls or Emmylou or Dylan, but they are not bad at all. Hope to hear more of them on RP.
Posted 20 years ago by dolfan    [ Reply ]
Great, nice voice! :)
Posted 20 years ago by DRS    [ Reply ]
This is the first time I've heard this track, and complete with the mid-western 'crack' that Amy Rae normally has in her pieces, this is a direct knock off of Indigo Girls. Weaker lyrics, but the styles are dead on. And going on about the Violin solo in the middle - that's pretty uninspired, honestly. Take a look at the Violin piece in the Indigo Girls live album, in the middle of Dylans "Tangled up and Blue" - THAT is talent.
Posted 20 years ago by shayde    [ Reply ]
musicfreak wrote:
the violin solo in the middle is so groovy - love it!
HEH!! That just started as I was reading your note.... strange that!! Yeah I like this.... must check them out.
Posted 20 years ago by Heathen    [ Reply ]
Definintely more Wild Colonials. Especially off their \"This Can\'t Be Life\" release.
Posted 20 years ago by dddenver    [ Reply ]
the violin solo in the middle is so groovy - love it!
Posted 20 years ago by musicfreak    [ Reply ]
Quite Likable
Posted 21 years ago by Kolrabi    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by bmrosen: Har...I had the exact same response. Is that the Indigo Girls girl? You saved me from having to go check for myself.
Wow! I did not hear that at all! But interestingly enough, I love the song. And I love Amy Ray... hmmm...
Posted 21 years ago by gypsy222    [ Reply ]
Not bad, I like it, but I kept going \"Wait. This sure as heck sounds like Indigo Girls\". The lead singer (Angela McCluskey) sure sounds a lot like Amy Ray - I had to look up Wild Colonials to maks sure Amy wasn\'t doing some outside work :)
Posted 21 years ago by shayde    [ Reply ]
Excellent song!
Posted 21 years ago by gatesofthenorth    [ Reply ]
Great band name. Great sound.
Posted 21 years ago by tom_tom    [ Reply ]
this is the first song WC played when they opened for Midnight Oil, years ago (1993? 1994?). See how I remember that? I\'ve been a fan ever since. :)
Posted 22 years ago by Thea    [ Reply ]