Since this band didn’t exactly fit with that other thread where it was mainly stuff everyone already knows, decided to make a separate thread for them. This is just slightly altered from my original post influenced by Amazon UK.

I know most think this band is abysmal; in fact there is no way to put up a convincing argument otherwise. Always thought that they were one of my hidden guilty pleasures where I would never be able to express my love on a message board for an album called Drawn From Memory. The Good Will Out, their debut, was their most popular album but I found it spotty. I happened to really be drawn to the B-sides from this period and found that I liked them much more then the album itself. Loved their second album as stated above with those 12 B-side songs, excluding a bad cover, being every bit as good as the album itself. So when I read that Hut Recordings was going to release a very cheap B-sides compilation, I was pretty ecstatic. Could this be their Sci-Fi Lullabies where fans will say that it's as good if not better than any of their albums?

Now the bad news, If You've Never Been was a horrible album and I wrote off this band forever after trying to get it. Apparently Hut did too and dropped them soon afterward; in fact no B-sides from this era are on this new compilation. So even when Out Of Nothing was getting favorable reviews, with new record label Independiente, and fans seeming to like them again I could care less. Mainly because my music taste had changed, where it took the news of Atlantic Records singing them in the U.S. that finally convinced me to download the album. I enjoyed it more so than I ever thought possible the few times I got around to playing it.
Now the dilemma, when I heard these 17 songs were coming out on Hut I was more than pleased. As it turns out many of my favorite songs from the era mentioned above are sadly missing from this compilation. On a strange twist of fate more songs are from the Independiente era than the Hut era but it's coming out only on Hut Recordings. Since I haven't heard any of those B-sides I will venture out and buy this Import at Amoeba Records in the near future.

STYLUSMAGAZINE.COM'S ALBUM OF THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 7 - NOVEMBER 13, 2005

I also admit to liking Embrace. although the Embrace I'm talking about is Ian's post-Minor Threat, pre-Fugazi band.

i like them too. and im not talking about the one with ian mackaye.

does anyone know if they're a christian band or not? i was totally convinced that they were when i saw them, but my friend, who said it was the best show he'd seen this year til then, claims that they aren't. it doesn't really matter because i don't care for them either way, but i was just wondering if that could be cleared up.

i left their show to see annie anyway. they had better stage presence, but she didn't reach up to the heavens or evoke His name a dozen times in the set.

Swear that Nick S and I are the only true Embrace fan out there, oh I can add the Stylus guy as well. They just put some raw emotion into what they do and it hits, me at least, in all the right places.

I have never heard of the whole Christian thing before, I will ask Nick about it. I can see that getting old very fast but maybe he has discovered Jesus. There are no songs about religion that come to mind without looking at a CD.

Dry Kids – The B-Sides (1997-2005) is album of the week but the new Kate Bush, which is fantastic, got a better rating.

i liked Egg Hunt, where did they fit in?

Embrace make pretty music, but we already have several hundred Coldplay variants and I wonder why anyone would want to be another.

Specific Embrace songs are good, but if I were them, I'd examine every bit of my sound and purge it of all Martinisms.

i'm pretty sure embrace were around long before coldplay.

i'm trying to find dry kids on ss...no luck. you have this BeeOK?

I readily admit to liking their song, "Gravity" but will be the first to say that their sound should be filed under Wuss UK along with Keane and Coldplay.

After having seen Embrace a couple of times, I think I've had my fill for awhile. I think the fact that the band had a popularity falling out, they're just grateful to be back in the limelight. Danny McNamara is a great singer, but the last time, he sounded so desperate after having recently broken up with his longtime girlfriend. Hittin' on girls in the audience isn't exactly what I wanna see ya doing, Danny...especially, when they're with their boyfriends.

The Goodwill Out came out in '98, so yeah they predate Coldplay and used to be called Oasis/Verve acolytes. But if I were in any band right now and had Coldplay-isms, I'd revamp my sound. Heck, If I were Coldplay I'd revamp my sound.

Not that I dislike Coldplay, they're just so ubiquitous that any similar sounds are not going to be afforded the respect they might otherwise get.

At least Embrace aren't purposefully imitating like other bands are probably doing.

They do have a Coldplay association being that Chris Martin wrote their hit song that brought them back into the limelight.

I don’t have this comp yet, what I do have is every single they have (18 own, 10 others) on line now. They have 10 or so songs on this that I don’t already own so I will buy, as it’s a reduced price import.

There is a reason why I stated that most would think this band is abysmal; in fact there is no way to put up a convincing argument otherwise. Most would say that they are just another Coldplay, which should actually mean Travis IMO. They have many songs that don’t sound that way but do it much better than anyone else anyways.

I bought their first EP, because they were on Hut Records, back in 1997. Didn’t fall in love with them until I bought Drawn From Memory while in London in 2000. Still ranks as one of the best albums I have ever made love to. “Factor in extensive liner notes from Stylus' own Nick Southall, and what might at first glance appear to be a fan-only purchase becomes somewhat essential in understanding why the diehards love Embrace so."

i downloaded their newest album awhile ago...it was okay i guess.

The Stylus interview (April 3, 2006) :

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=2287

Vomit.

I mean Jesus Christ dude, there's a line...

Fuck I hate Obner!

I fail to see what is so wrong with that statement, a bit personal but not outlandish.

I have the 'All You Good Good People' EP from '97.

I was more NME influenced back then.

they have some ILM/stylus love, so that means i like them too

ILM hates them almost as much as Bright Eyes or Dave Matthews Band. I think Nick and I are the only ones who really, really like them...

NME gave 2004's Out Of Nothing a 0/10.

I admit to owning their last one and being disappointed with it after really loving one of the songs that convinced me to buy it, but also being willing to give it another listen.

i really liked out of nothing after not really digging anything after the good will out.

i am interested in hearing the new one, but always forget to search it out....

it's cheesy, by-the-numbers anthemic britpop. but i'm a sucker for most "wuss uk" stuff.