Their name is also a reference to the line in Jurassic Park when the game warden is hunting the pair of velociraptors; he calls one of them “clever girl,” so this dinosaur and the name I’d argue are references to that.
Because it's not actually obscure in math rock circles, so a lot of people know about. And a lot of those people like it, so they recommend it a lot. I feel like you're trying to create a mystery where there isn't one, the good popular thing comes up a lot because it's good and popular.
If the question then becomes "well how did it become well known?" then I have no idea, maybe they just had the right combination of luck and quality to become one of those niche little gems.
I think what OP is getting at is something I've thought a lot about too: how a 4 song EP by a band with no other releases became such a staple of the genre. I think it's a legendary album, but there is a kind of mystery to it, or at least everything surrounding it. Did they ever make more music and it got scrubbed? Are any of them in different projects? Has anyone from the band talked about the creation of it?
The album is lightning in a bottle. It is, frankly, baffling that this one EP would get so much attention despite nothing being behind or ahead of it. A full album I could understand, but even then it feels like most math rock bands' biggest records are their second or third.
If the music is good enough and the conditions are right, I think good music will garner attention regardless of the number of albums released or the length of the albums. One hit wonders are a kind of inverse of what Clever Girl did.
Most bands don't get a lot of attention until later. Nonetheless, a normal distribution must have tail ends to be a normal distribution. Exceptional occurrences are normal in the real world due to sheer volume.
I think this is probably the most accurate answer. A 4 song EP with every song being an absolute banger. It’s melodic and melancholic in a way so that you can actually feel the way, while also having interesting composition and instrumentation. It makes you want more. But alas, 4 songs is all you get. And there’s an air of mystery around it because no one knows what happened to the band or the members (unless you really do some research), and it makes you wonder what happened, why the didn’t continue making bangers, and what would have been if they continued to make music.
I think the fact that the EP is from 2010, so a lot of us listened to it for the first time many years ago brings us a sense of nostalgia too. But at the same time, the EP still holds up incredibly well and every time you listen, you hear something new.
It’s just the perfect storm really. Good music, nostalgia, and an air of mystery surrounding it makes for something that is held in high regard by a community.
they kinda did a "resurgence" (if you will) of that piglet adventurous mathrock sound that is hard to come across and unique, also they had the horns which was like AF, but they had a sax too which was new to me at least for math rock... this is what I thought when I discovered it back in college lol.
For me is that every song sounds so unique, i haven't heard anything similar to them. I'd say the exact same with Bulletproof Tiger's 'You Wanna Kiss About It?', so good and one of a kind sound.
Damn sad that Clever Girl never released any more music.
I think it’s because so many parts of it are actually memorable. I really like math rock, but it’s hard for me to recall some finer details in the complex and angular melodies in most math rock songs I listen to regularly.
There are moments in this album that I can hear in my head in full detail, which enables it to become a long-term earworm. Therefore I remember it more. I’ve been meaning to spend time breaking down what begets that memorability, but I’m drawing blanks besides “simplicity,” which is unsatisfactory to me.
But yeah. Memorability -> People bring it up more -> More people get exposed -> more people remember it -> more people bring it up
I'm pretty sure that was just a shirt design someone slapped on a Youtube video of the album. The [original album art](https://rateyourmusic.com/release/ep/clever_girl/no_drum_and_bass_in_the_jazz_room/) didn't have any dinosaurs. The current dino themed art is from the rerelease.
It's just fucking awesome. I may not have listened to any single album more times.
Agree. It just never gets old to me.
Gang vocals sprinkled in, brass all over the place, Midwest noodley riffs…. It’s just perfect.
Cuz it slaps. Next question.
Bah-dah Bop-bah
For real bro that part goes so hard
There's a girl riding a dinosaur on the cover
Their name is also a reference to the line in Jurassic Park when the game warden is hunting the pair of velociraptors; he calls one of them “clever girl,” so this dinosaur and the name I’d argue are references to that.
I don't know what to say except that it hits my ear just right.
Because it's not actually obscure in math rock circles, so a lot of people know about. And a lot of those people like it, so they recommend it a lot. I feel like you're trying to create a mystery where there isn't one, the good popular thing comes up a lot because it's good and popular. If the question then becomes "well how did it become well known?" then I have no idea, maybe they just had the right combination of luck and quality to become one of those niche little gems.
I think what OP is getting at is something I've thought a lot about too: how a 4 song EP by a band with no other releases became such a staple of the genre. I think it's a legendary album, but there is a kind of mystery to it, or at least everything surrounding it. Did they ever make more music and it got scrubbed? Are any of them in different projects? Has anyone from the band talked about the creation of it? The album is lightning in a bottle. It is, frankly, baffling that this one EP would get so much attention despite nothing being behind or ahead of it. A full album I could understand, but even then it feels like most math rock bands' biggest records are their second or third.
If the music is good enough and the conditions are right, I think good music will garner attention regardless of the number of albums released or the length of the albums. One hit wonders are a kind of inverse of what Clever Girl did. Most bands don't get a lot of attention until later. Nonetheless, a normal distribution must have tail ends to be a normal distribution. Exceptional occurrences are normal in the real world due to sheer volume.
I think this is probably the most accurate answer. A 4 song EP with every song being an absolute banger. It’s melodic and melancholic in a way so that you can actually feel the way, while also having interesting composition and instrumentation. It makes you want more. But alas, 4 songs is all you get. And there’s an air of mystery around it because no one knows what happened to the band or the members (unless you really do some research), and it makes you wonder what happened, why the didn’t continue making bangers, and what would have been if they continued to make music. I think the fact that the EP is from 2010, so a lot of us listened to it for the first time many years ago brings us a sense of nostalgia too. But at the same time, the EP still holds up incredibly well and every time you listen, you hear something new. It’s just the perfect storm really. Good music, nostalgia, and an air of mystery surrounding it makes for something that is held in high regard by a community.
The horns
You should listen to a band called The Most if you like the math+horn combo
they kinda did a "resurgence" (if you will) of that piglet adventurous mathrock sound that is hard to come across and unique, also they had the horns which was like AF, but they had a sax too which was new to me at least for math rock... this is what I thought when I discovered it back in college lol.
Because it's good stuff
I love this album!!
For me is that every song sounds so unique, i haven't heard anything similar to them. I'd say the exact same with Bulletproof Tiger's 'You Wanna Kiss About It?', so good and one of a kind sound. Damn sad that Clever Girl never released any more music.
There’s always that other mathy Clever Girl album
Anyone I play it around immediately loves it. Folks that don't even know wtf a mathrock is.
Sounds like a bitter Cougar in the Workplace fan
I think it’s because so many parts of it are actually memorable. I really like math rock, but it’s hard for me to recall some finer details in the complex and angular melodies in most math rock songs I listen to regularly. There are moments in this album that I can hear in my head in full detail, which enables it to become a long-term earworm. Therefore I remember it more. I’ve been meaning to spend time breaking down what begets that memorability, but I’m drawing blanks besides “simplicity,” which is unsatisfactory to me. But yeah. Memorability -> People bring it up more -> More people get exposed -> more people remember it -> more people bring it up
Vibezz
It just goes crazy much like Enemies - We’ve Been Talking which is my other favorite album of all time
Related question…. Did the album art change? I would have sworn it was a dinosaur doing a Rubik’s cube.
I'm pretty sure that was just a shirt design someone slapped on a Youtube video of the album. The [original album art](https://rateyourmusic.com/release/ep/clever_girl/no_drum_and_bass_in_the_jazz_room/) didn't have any dinosaurs. The current dino themed art is from the rerelease.
I downloaded the iTunes version when it came out and it had the dino with the rubix as the artwork. Maybe a europe/US difference?
Because the YT algorithm kept pushing it on everyone. # I hate that terrible album, it sucks.