Author Topic: General Music talk  (Read 83352 times)

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #260 on: October 13, 2016, 04:15:46 AM »
6 music played a Bowie track; Its Gonna Be Me, from the Young Americans sessions which I think are to be released. The same Luther Vandross led choir fighting with his vocal lead.

The story is the collaboration of Bowie and Lennon led to Fame and Across the Universe pushing other tracks off the album., to Visconti displeasure. Also this track is over 6 min long which, on vinyl, will diminish the quality.. too many grooves on a 12" slab of plastic.
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pixote

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #261 on: October 13, 2016, 09:47:30 AM »
Bob Dylan, Nobel Laureate.

God, that makes me happy. I wonder if even Haruki Murakami was like, yeah, better choice.

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roujin

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #262 on: October 13, 2016, 09:52:38 AM »
Guess Pynchon isn't getting one.

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #263 on: October 14, 2016, 12:47:47 PM »
Today was 1979 day on 6 Music to the extent they asked for letters, and their film review show talked about a movie that would come out next year; a sequel to Star Wars that wouldn't work because who makes sequels?

So in the couple of hours I listened they played;

Heart of Glass- Blondie
Highway to Hell- AC/DC
Don't Stop Till You Get Enough- MJ
I Wanna Be Your Lover- Prince
DJ- David Bowie
Guns of Brixton- The Clash
Good Times- Chic
Mind- Talking Heads (their album of the day was "Fear of Music")

I love modern music but jeez.....

Out of all of these, this is probably the future of music; Shadowplay - Joy Division...the next 20 years anyway.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2016, 01:11:43 PM by verbALs »
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #264 on: October 16, 2016, 02:46:55 AM »
New Album of the Week; No. 3

Head Carrier- The Pixies (Release Date; 30th September 2016)


"I can hear the buzzing modulations of the universe
But you're the first to make me feel it
I love all the universe, I love all the listeners
Watch it! Here's 50,000 watts of goodwill!"

- Bam Thwok, The Pixies

When The Pixies came back in 2004; it was a download only song written by Kim Deal. In the middle of a tidal wave song; it disintegrates and what replaces it is a fairground calliope; one of those steam driven wheezing burping contraptions that, itself, sounds like it is about to explode; like most of the machines at a fair are supposed to. The calliope steadies and the song bursts back in with the chorus; "I can hear the buzzing modulations of the universe". I really think Kim Deal could hear it. 50,000 watts of goodwill is the sound of the Deal bass guitar. The tension between Frank Black and Mrs Deal is in every song on four albums; before Black's black dog overwhelms "Trompe le monde". Even as late as "Bossanova", it is typical to hear Deal lead off a song, as in Is She Weird, where what Deal and Loveridge are doing is in balance with voice and guitar; creating a mini opera of ghoulishness. Tension creates space; Joey Santiago's guitar modulates in those spaces; the twenty other vibrations in one chord have room to find the walls and push them back; impossible epicity in every two and a half minutes.

Frank Black? Like Morrissey, I never cared for Frank; two of my favourite bands and I had it in for the lead singer? Listening to pop and rock songs and actually rooting for the guitarist to win? Adoring Johnny Marr's noodling and disdaining the foppish Wildean air? What I found myself exploring; listening to "Head Carrier" was..."Is this a Frank Black album or is it a Pixies recording". A couple of times it was a Pixies album. Why is the bass player in The Pixies a woman? What a sexist line!  ;D So lets talk sexual politics through the medium of the band formerly known as The Pixies. The tension between Deal and Black was entirely unsexual; but Deal's tutting presence in a Pixies song; her eyerolling reaction to the typical histrionics of male rock bands; Black's irritation; responding with lyrics about sexual diseases, boys own sci fi and horror movie fanboyishness; like a middle finger stage left; the sweetness of the "Gigantic" vocal, the gaspy lead out to "Tony's Theme". Replaced on "Head Carrier" by a girl who could be his daughter (!), who is singing in an imitation, not of Deal, but of Black! Ooh how confusing; but I would interpret  it as another move in the continuing war of the sexes between man-boy Black and life-loving mother figure Deal...."Oh boys" tut tut. This psychoanalysis is best left to the music. Tensions in a band aren't at all unique. Lock people in a room or a car or any small space( server based or otherwise) and no amount of "gee whiz youre great" will stop natural tensions; the attempt will turn that sweet smile to a rictus; lock yourself in your own head and go silently weird...hence the greatness of writing; express that tension in strange and beautiful ways that leave "you're ok I'm ok" like a blanket of ash on the ground. Whilst The Pixies were a volatile mix their art was transcendent; leaving the pettiness of real life "who didnt wash their dishes" behind far below.

Black's first solo albums were storming and then he lapsed towards aggressive acoustic guitar posturing ("I thought that if I had an acoustic guitar......"). The first Breeders album is another favourite. I think Black needed Deal more than vice versa. Deal's soul is retained on "Last Splash". Once Black had finally destroyed his toys his solo work suffered. Mummy wasn't there to tell him to put them away and come to dinner. So the sexual politics are as suitably weird as any of their songs.

I'm not asking for the clock to turn back 26 years. I'm asking for a (The) Pixies album not a Frank Black album with Santiago and Loveridge in the backing band. For reasons explained earlier, without Deal, Santiago's guitar has no space to play into. Dave's drumming isn't as crisp but he's a bit older now, and his drumming used to be akin to the tiniest cracks in time, letting anti-matter into our universe to explode later. A couple of tracks levitate (me) towards Pixies songs, but their albums weren't filler stuffed. The EP sets were much more aggressive, as a deliberate aim; The Pixies used to be openly confrontational without trying very hard...that tension allowed it. Where I started with this thought was that, if Frank Black continued as a solo artist, it would be natural; in the way Paul Weller or Morrissey (him again) have a solo entity, unrelated to their former bands. If The Jam or The Smiths reformed, it would beg similar questions and comparisons that are impossible to avoid. The solo artist may continue; possibly unheard, but there's a faultline in the concept of the reformed band; in it for the cash grab; on a nostalgia kick; "is it better to flame out or fade away?" I didn't have these thoughts with the last album maybe because Yello always seemed old to me. I can't escape it with The Pixies, but Deal is a massive component, to be bereft of; an engine with any spark plugs still works if its a diesel; chug chug um chagga lagga. A calliope crashed to the ground.

Bam Thwok was one of the tunes I turned to after "Head Carrier"; the others were No 13 Baby and Blown Away. Of course, listening to a band's new record shouldn't set off a nostalgia fest; but this is more about going to specific tunes that explained why "Head Carrier" didn't work. The Pixies have probably made much more money in this latest form than they ever did back then; I don't begrudge them and I look forward to seeing them play again. I know I'll be watching Frank Black and Friends, not The Pixies. Nothing they do changes their greatness, established before the 90s began; somehwere in the crackling ether between Frank Black Francis and the divine Mrs Kim Deal.

Top Tracks; Oona; Might As Well Be Gone

{this is working as well as the books marathon. Art begets writing and the desire to write encourages engagement with the art, a virtuous circle}
« Last Edit: October 19, 2016, 02:31:03 PM by verbALs »
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #265 on: October 19, 2016, 10:47:04 AM »
New Album of the Week: No. 4

Heads Up - Warpaint (Release date; 23rd September 2016)


About The Band
A Los Angeles quartet dealing in sparse, atmospheric art rock, Warpaint originally consisted of sisters Jenny Lee Lindberg and Shannyn Sossamon (on bass and drums, respectively), as well as Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on vocal and guitar. Sossaman left due to conflicts with her acting schedule and was replaced by Stella Mozgawa. With a dedicated lineup, the band began to experiment with murky spaciousness and stripped down arrangements, and gained the attention of former Red Hot Chilli Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. In 2009, they self-released their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse. After a successful show at CMJ, the signed with Rough Trade and set to work recording their full-length debut for the label. The Fool arrived in October 2010, featuring more fleshed-out songcraft and stronger performances. After taking a few years to follow up their debut and citing their desire to experiment more with sounds and really connect as a group, the band released the lead single "Love Is To Die", which was featured in a Calvin Klein advert in September 2013. The eponymous sophomore album, which was produced by Flood and mixed by him and Nigel Goodrich, was released in early 2014. Following the album's release, Warpaint spent almost a year and a half on the road. After the tour finished, the women of Warpaint pursued different projects: Jenny Lee Lindberg issued her solo debut Right On!; Theresa Wayman founded BOSS with Hot Chip's Sarah Jones and All We Are's Guro Gikling; Stella Mogzawa played with Kurt Vile on tour and in the studio, and Emily Kokal collaborated with Paul Bergmann. The band reunited in January 2016 and recorded their third album in a matter of months. Released that September, Heads Up brought a newfound urgency- as well as inspirations such as Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Björk and Outkast - to Warpaint's Music ~ Gregory Heaney, Apple Music



Another disco in a different kitchen. You hear the high hat being rapidly carressed on Arcade Fire's "Reflektor"; gradually changing a rock song into a disco song; a piano makes it house music. Warpaint aren't old disco and they ain't a rock band; so I think this is actually a newer form; all the influences are established and old ten years before they were born; it infected their DNA through the lining of the womb for 9 months. They, obviously, aren't alone in that as individuals, but, to capture and communicate the feeling I got from what I heard, I need to state that piece of plain as the nose on my facedness. This ain't disco but the high hat is; it ain't rock until it needs to be. It may be pop and it sounds certainly more commercial than previous songs, but that may be because the refined sound; particularly in the voices; a maturity; sounds pure pop unintentionally. Sometimes, they sound like a gang of schoolgirls about to rob a businessman of his briefcase on a tube train (I thought I was next!) just because they can. The voices now sound like a beautiful girl with no makeup; the last band not to use voice correction left in the world? Purer than anything else I've heard in a while; but this isn't a girl band. The high hat hit that way pulls it towards disco.

It can't be pop because it took a few listens for it to surface; or to find the entrance to the rabbit hole. It was subtle; it initially felt insubstantial but the laziness turned to creaminess and then like a whole; with the mood struck. Lots of modern things taken a step cooler; with a "who me?" innocence of a thief with a gorgeous face. California girls with the world's pulse under their finger. 

Ok call it pop and be done with it.

Top tracks; Whiteout; New Song
« Last Edit: October 20, 2016, 02:43:12 PM by verbALs »
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

Sandy

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #266 on: October 19, 2016, 01:45:43 PM »
I like! (and I'm keeping it)

I also like you taking the time to write about music, because you are perfectly suited for this. Any music magazine would be fortunate to have such skilled and artistic commentary. 

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #267 on: October 19, 2016, 02:14:56 PM »
Ta
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #268 on: October 27, 2016, 12:50:36 PM »
New Album of the Week: No. 5

The Way - The Buzzcocks (Release date; 1st May 2014)



....


Again, like The Pixies, one of my favourite bands; releasing new material. It's a couple of years old, but I brought myself up to date, because we are going to see them on their 40th Anniversary tour tomorrow night; which suggests a golden oldies night, maybe sprinkled with new songs. Unlike The Pixies there's a superior musicality that shows its head on this record. Punks of the 77 vintage? Musicality? That's what shines through on this record. Not The Pixies? One of the greatest bands, but that doesn't assume musicality. I'm setting a challenge with this statement. Even the loudest Buzzcocks songs have lyrical content, a pure beat, an almost lackadaisical high tone to the vocals, and finger-pickery complexity to the guitar playing. A prog rock song expands the same riff for 20 minutes; The Buzzcocks pack 6 guitar riffs into one break after the second chorus. This is apparent on the newest album; the guitars aren't getting older even if the fingers on the fret board are.

Pete Shelley's naif vocals now take on a reedy, breaking quality. If he's getting tired quickly, then he shares the vocals. A Buzzcocks song is a Shelley vocal however. Shelley's voice has the off tone when its good, then the guitar starts to find a counterpoint to wherever Shelley has wandered. It's tiring obviously. An older man might be able to exert himself physically; but he's done it a thousand times, so why go there? Similarly, Shelley only really puts himself out there on "The Way" which makes it the outstanding track, and a proper throwback to the oh-so-good old days. The guitar hints at those times, strangling off one of those multi-wave riffs. As if to say; "we could, but we aren't going to..." Fair enough chaps. The fortress of your greatness is unassailable. I'll take the hits tomorrow night. You deserve my money, cos when I was 12 my mum wouldn't have given me the money to go to your gigs, so I'm paying for all those great songs now.

Top tracks; The Way
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

verbALs

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Re: General Music talk
« Reply #269 on: October 29, 2016, 02:24:52 AM »
Re: above- Yesterday was the Buzzcocks anniversary tour gig; as my daughter said afterwards, I wouldn't have wanted to miss that. Weird atmosphere; perhaps the outside impression of a British rock gig is of aggression and tension but I always found them to be a love-in between band and crowd. Last night, despite a lot of people being older than me, there was an angry side to it; been a while since anyone pushed past me at a bar; some guy nearly 60 with a Mohawk! My retaliation was to politely point out the guy who was there before me at the bar; rising above, ever upwards; I can't take back all the aggressive London impatience of the past but I show I'm not stuck in the past. My daughter found it funny anyway; "I'm not letting that dickhead drag me down" in a loud voice so he could hear.  ;D

Starting with Boredom and Fast Cars finishing with Ever Fallen In Love and Orgasm Addict with a few new songs not spoiling the flow. Damn loud; Promises and Moving Away From The Pulsebeat were favourites, I even let the change in drum pattern go unbothered. Singing along to cultural touchstone songs with the Pete Shelley really was special. Sore throats all round. My daughter bought me a Harmony in my Head tshirt. Merch is a big thing in a Spotify kind of world.
I used to encourage everyone I knew to make art; I don't do that so much anymore. - Banksy

 

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