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Grex > Music > #25: KRJ's miscellaneous rambling | |
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krj
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KRJ's miscellaneous rambling
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Jul 20 11:01 UTC 2006 |
Another item in which I make notes to myself, or make random short
comments which don't seem to merit their own item. The previous incarnation
of my item was item:music3,25 (music3 conference, item 25)
This style of item was introduced to the conference by Mark Ziemba
and I'd like a few more of the regulars to try running such an item
themselves.
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| 30 responses total. |
krj
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response 1 of 30:
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Dec 7 20:37 UTC 2006 |
I finally had reason to play around a bit with iTunes. I had to
install it for work yesterday. (Yeah, work, that's the ticket!)
Seriously, I had to investigate claims by another vendor that iTunes
networking was going to interfere with a PC-based network product my
office is rolling out for its users. (It doesn't interfere.)
So once I had iTunes on the PC, I sniffed around the iTunes Store a
bit and decided that it was Not Awful. I can see how a bad
iTunes shopping addiction could develop.
I have had this vague fantasy for a while that every month I would buy
a compilation-CD-worth of good current rock songs. Right now I feel
like there are few if any rock bands where I am willing to listen to
an entire album of their work.
The problem is, I don't know what to use for an input list.
I can pick up a few performers I saw on Letterman (The Decemberists,
Tilly and the Wall). Bob Lefsetz just pointed to Al Kooper's list of
50 good current songs, and I might dabble a few from there. And
there's always BBC Radio 6, the serious rock station.
Eventually of course I will have to acquire an iPod. My current MP3
players are all CD based. I know, very well, that I can't play
Apple's AAC/Fairplay format on my existing MP3 players; I will have to
convert the files to old-fashioned CD Audio.
(Mike, you had one or two specific Decemberists songs to suggest to me?)
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mcnally
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response 2 of 30:
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Dec 7 20:51 UTC 2006 |
Hmmm.. Some Decemberists track recommendations for Ken...
I believe you'd like "The Chimbley Sweep" from their second album,
"Her Majesty.."
I think you'd also like the topical satire of "Sixteen Military Wives",
the single from their third album ("Picaresque").
I prefer their first album, and from that I'd recommend (in rough order
of preference) "Leslie Anne Levine", "July! July", "Here I Dreamt I Was
an Architect", or "California One Youth and Beauty Brigade."
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cyklone
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response 3 of 30:
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Dec 7 22:56 UTC 2006 |
What kind of current rock songs are you looking for, ken?
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krj
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response 4 of 30:
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Dec 7 23:15 UTC 2006 |
Stuff with electric guitars and halfway decent singing? :)
Various popular reference points in my past would include R.E.M, Jefferson
Airplane, the first Television album, Patti Smith, Led Zepplin albums
II & IV, the hits from Cream and the Rolling Stones, early Neil Young.
Anything resembling rock with traditional/roots influence can usually get
at least a moment or two of interest out of me.
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krj
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response 5 of 30:
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Dec 7 23:25 UTC 2006 |
Among rock music from the 21st century, the only things to stick with
me so far are The White Stripes (who are channelling the year 1974)
and "I Predict A Riot" by the Kaiser Chiefs, who I heard on BBC Radio 6.
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mcnally
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response 6 of 30:
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Dec 8 01:42 UTC 2006 |
What did you think (if anything) about Franz Ferdinand? I thought
their eponymous debut from a few years ago was extremely catchy,
hook-filled pop. Try the track "The Dark of the Matinee" for a
good idea what the rest of their songs sound like.
If you like them, you might like the (even more) tongue-in-cheek
act Art Brut -- check out their single "Formed a Band."
The Shins are very uneven in their output but I loved their 2001
single "New Slang" (also on the LP "Oh, Inverted World") Not sure
it's your cup of tea, but I thought it was great..
And as long as I'm throwing out semi-random recommendations from
pop/rock acts from the past several years, did you manage to miss
the Flaming Lips' excellent 2002 album "Yoshimi Battles the Pink
Robots"? If so, check out tracks 1 ("Fight Test"), 2 ("One More
Robot / Sympathy 3000-21"), and 8 ("It's Summertime").
Also from a few years back, I very much liked Beck's downbeat album
"Sea Change", which strips off the funk flourishes and sound effects
for a much more straightforward album of post-breakup songs. Check
out the lovely opening track "The Golden Age" (reminiscent of the
Stones' "Wild Horses" in its guitar intro) and "Lost Cause" and
"Already Dead", full of rich depressing goodness..
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cyklone
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response 7 of 30:
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Dec 8 04:14 UTC 2006 |
That's funny. I was going to suggest some Beck as well, and Lost Cause was
one of the ones I thought of because of the electonic-folkie vibe.
I would add Tyrannasaurus Hives for its unique Swedish punk take on rock
music from the 60s forward. It's clear from their musical "quotes" that
they listened to some excellent non-Swedish music when they were younger.
It's kind of fun to pick out the parts like "oh, now he's doing Iggy, now
he's doing Jagger, now he's doing McCartney." And the band grooves on
sounds from the English Beat, to the Pixies, to the Clash. There's one
tasteful whole tone guitar solo on the entire album, so there's no real
guitar heroics, just a lot of cool cranked Fender guitar riffs.
And of course I have to put in a plug for my current fave, Betty
Blowtorch. The lead singer has one of the most powerful rock voices I've
ever heard, a cross between Chrissie Hynde and Courtney Love, with lyrics
that occasionally approach Patty Smith's level (the rest tend to be
X-rated). For their most polished studio stuff, check out Love/Hate and
I'm Ugly and I Don't Know Why off the Are You Man Enough? CD. For a rawer
punk/pop sound, check out Dresses and I Wanna Be On Epitath, a musical
parody of the Epitath "sound" on the Last Call CD. And for three minutes
of the most harrowing, pure, raw emotion that matches Patti Smith's
finest, check out Get Off, also on the Last Call CD (or the Get Off EP if
you can find it). It's in 14/8 time and it's the singer's autobiographical
song about being repeatedly raped by her stepfather. As with all their
songs, the musicianship is outstanding. It's also very refreshing to hear
four women who refused to go the Go-Go's route. And if you want guitar
heroics, the lead player can wail.
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krj
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response 8 of 30:
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Dec 8 23:07 UTC 2006 |
Thanks for the recommendations, keep 'em coming.
I listened to the bitty little previews on Amazon for both Art Brut
(Mike's recommendation) and the Hives (cyklone's), and I'm afraid
both of those songs encapsulate quite precisely what I don't want to
hear in today's rock singing. Could we PLEASE have Joey Ramone
or Patti Smith as a minimal standard of tunefulness? :)
Beck goes into the playlist, either for "Lost Cause" or "The Golden Age."
Or maybe both, if it's a short programme on the CD.
Leslie wants me to get a track by The Killers.
Here's some suggestions for me from the Al Kooper Top 50 of 2006.
I have not heard any of these yet.
http://www.alkooper.com/#TopFifty
1. If Only The Moon Were Up 3:02 Field Music
5. Brother 3:52 Dark New Day
11. Out the Door 3:04 Who Made Who
28. Mr. High & Mighty 5:33 Gov't Mule
(and a few folky choices that I won't mention here)
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krj
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response 9 of 30:
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Dec 8 23:13 UTC 2006 |
Decemberists: "July, July" and "The Chimbley Sweep" are in.
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cyklone
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response 10 of 30:
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Dec 8 23:49 UTC 2006 |
Betty Blowtorch is also on iTunes if you want good vocals. Just start with
the ones I suggested or you may end up with one of their X-rated rants. But
hey, at least mcnally and I scored well with Lost Cause.
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cyklone
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response 11 of 30:
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Dec 9 05:15 UTC 2006 |
And after reading Ken's comments, I have to modify my BB recommendations. If
you're looking for Ramones style vocals, check out Party til Ya' Puke for an
excellent Ramones-style tune with great vocals. It's on the Last Call CD.
Imagine a female equivalent and you'll have it. After reading your comments,
I'd delete my recommendation for I Wanna Be on Epitath. It's too much of an
inside joke in a genre you probably dont' know about.
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micklpkl
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response 12 of 30:
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Dec 12 15:16 UTC 2006 |
Just a few more suggestions for Ken:
One of my favourite indie rock bands at the moment is Spoon. As usual, I'm
behind the times and haven't really heard their newest discs. I love 2001's
GIRLS CAN TELL, and 2002's KILL THE MOONLIGHT. A few of my favourite songs
from these --- "Everything Hits at Once" & "The Fitted Shirt" & "The Way We
Get By". In the same indie rock vein, you might like Neutral Milk Hotel or
Guided By Voices. Have you ever heard The Beta Band's song "Assessment?"
Snow Patrol? (One of my favourites of theirs is "Spitting Games") Modest Mouse
- "Float On"?
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mcnally
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response 13 of 30:
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Dec 12 17:38 UTC 2006 |
I'll second the recommendation for Spoon's "Everything Hits at Once" from
"Girls Can Tell." I'm indifferent to a lot of their output but that's a
fine track. I'd say Mickey was biased in favor of the hometown band but
I know several other people who think very highly of them. For me some of
their stuff clicks, some doesn't.
As far as Neutral Milk Hotel goes, several people have already recommended
them to Ken and he's tried "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" and had something
of an allergic reaction to Jeff Mangum and his chaotic goodness. That's
prevented me from recommending other (lesser, but still worthy) labelmates
on the Elephant 6 label, such as the Apples in Stereo (sample tracks:
"Stream Running Over" from "The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone" and
"Strawberryfire" from "Her Wallpaper Reverie") I won't push them on Ken
but people who like sunny Beatles-wannabe pop will probably enjoy them.
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mcnally
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response 14 of 30:
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Dec 12 17:51 UTC 2006 |
Speaking of Beatles-influenced, "Humpty Dumpty", the excellent opening
track on Aimee Mann's 2002 album "Lost in Space", is practically wallowing
in Beatles nostalgia. The rest of the album is a disappointment, however,
coming after her much superior 2000 LP "Bachelor No. 2, or the Last Remains
of the Dodo." "Bachelor No. 2" is chock full of good songs but my favorites
keep shifting so I'm reluctant to single any out for special attention.
I suppose if I had to recommend one as a place to start I'd pick "Red Vines".
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krj
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response 15 of 30:
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Dec 12 21:10 UTC 2006 |
My pick for Beatles nostalgia remains Sam Phillips'
"Martinis and Bikinis." Everybody knows that one, right?
Curiously, I have never cared much for another album by Ms.
Phillips.
Thanks, I'm reading all of these and I hope to get to free sampling
of most/all of them. Some are going to slide until Jan 2007, but
the idea of buying a mix CD off of iTunes will be, I hope, an
ongoing project.
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mcnally
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response 16 of 30:
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Dec 13 01:16 UTC 2006 |
I didn't realize we were opening the floodgates to include stuff recorded
last millenium..
But maybe I'll give "Martinis and Bikinis" a listen sometime -- I'd avoided
it because I'd heard other stuff by Sam Phillips that I didn't like much at
all..
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krj
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response 17 of 30:
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Dec 13 03:03 UTC 2006 |
(Well, the vague guidline for my compilation CD project is rock from,
say, the 21st Century. But since the topic of Beatles-influenced tunes
came up...)
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mcnally
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response 18 of 30:
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Dec 16 11:04 UTC 2006 |
I'm not sure if it's Ken's cup of tea, but I'm currently lovin'
the single "Cobrastyle", wherein Swedish pop group the Teddybears
meet up with Jamaican dancehall DJ Mad Cobra. I'm guessing that
at some point the novelty of this insanely catchy tune will wear
off but until then I have just one thing to say: my style is
the bomb di di bomb di dang di dang diddy diddy, oooo ooo
ooooooOOOOOOOooooooo!
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krj
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response 19 of 30:
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Dec 18 21:04 UTC 2006 |
(( I ran out of time to get the mix CD sequenced and built before
the holiday travelling, but I do expect to come back to this
after Christmas.
I've just hit that point where all tasks and projects are in
a sort of triage mode right now, and if something is not
necessary to the family holidays, and takes more than five
minutes, it's getting deferred for now. Aieeee, trip panic! ))
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krj
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response 20 of 30:
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May 15 17:39 UTC 2007 |
Two fun CDs picked up at the used shoppe yesterday. A British jazz
group called the Nostalgia 77 Octet, "Sevens and Eights."
Supposedly heavily influenced by free jazz, though so far I have
only run into one track featurign the sort of squally unpleasant
dissonance I usually associate with free jazz. I bought this
out of the player in the store after hanging around and tapping
my toes through three tracks. This is a fairly current release.
I need to dig around the web and read some more about these guys.
The other was a safe buy -- La Bottine Souriante, "Let's Dance With LBS."
This is an anthology of instrumental tracks, mostly drawn from the
band's brass-band era which started around 1994. I have all the
source albums and so I had passed on this when it came out, but
for $10 it makes a nice trinket for the car. Oh, this was a USA
release, and La Bottine Souriante is the most prominent Quebecois
folk band.
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krj
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response 21 of 30:
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Dec 10 18:32 UTC 2007 |
Quickie reviews/mentions from the four-concert weekend:
Saturday afternoon: U. Michigan Early Music Ensemble, which is a mix
of students in Edward Parmentier's early music class, along with a few
townies, mostly in the chorus. This concert is the class final
project, I think, as it comes along at the end of each semester.
Alas, much of this one left me cool. I'm not sure that two soprano
saxophones are the right instrumentation for Telemann and Praetorius,
though high marks for originality! But I did love the suite at the
end, "The Apotheosis of Corelli," by Couperin, arranged for
harpsichord, flute, violin and cello.
Saturday evening: Holiday concert by Ann Arbor's Vocal Arts
Ensemble, the choir my wife sang with for a few years. Two baroque
settings of the "Magnificat", by Pergolesi and Vivaldi, mixed in with
a bunch of European carols and a few Hannukah tunes.
Always fun to hear this group sing, as they
are very good, and to chat with them all afterwards.
Sunday morning: OK, technically a church service is not a concert,
but this one had a small orchestra, dancers, and my wife had a big
vocal solo. Nice settings of some religious Christmas songs from
different European backgrounds, some familiar and some new to me.
Sunday evening: the annual Ragtime Bash at the Unitarian-Universalist
church. This December tradition has been going for over three
decades, though this was only my fourth or fifth time. The music
branches out somewhat from ragtime to include some stride, boogie
woogie and a bit of jazz. About a half dozen performers from around
Ann Arbor, Detroit and Toledo, including John Remmers.
There were two ensembles with novel instrumentation for ragtime this
year; one string quartet, a subset of the River Raisin Ragtime Revue,
and one trio of piano, trumpet and banjo, a subset from a saloon band
down in Toledo. I scribbled down the name of that band but I
don't have it with me.
Tonight: yet another concert. World Premiere for "The Old Burying
Ground," a song cycle based on inscriptions from a New Hampshire
cemetery, and featuring folksinger Tim Eriksen who has been a fave of
mine back to his days in electric-folk band Cordelia's Dad.
Second half of the program is Stravinsky's RITE OF SPRING.
This is a free concert presented by the University Symphony Orchestra.
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krj
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response 22 of 30:
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Mar 19 21:47 UTC 2008 |
Fun way of finding new bands: read newspaper writeups on the SxSW
festival, and then start trawling through MySpace for the bands
some critics liked. Find #1: Los Campesinos, from Wales. 80's
style "punk/new wave", male/female vocals, big melodic sound
from a seven-piece group. Maybe old geezers like me need to stick
with the retro stuff.
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anderyn
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response 23 of 30:
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Mar 20 16:39 UTC 2008 |
Darn. I like 'em!
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mcnally
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response 24 of 30:
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Apr 14 05:13 UTC 2008 |
I'm hijacking Ken's musical meanderings because there's no miscellaneous
item in this cf and I'm too lazy to create one. But I found this newspaper
article somewhat amusing:
Old rockers give new meaning to life and lyrics
--
The unlikely image of a 92-year-old war bride screaming The Clash's
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" into a microphone backed by an
elderly chorus has already captivated live audiences around the world.
Now the film version is set to do the same.
"Young at Heart" documents the group of U.S. senior citizens belting
out songs by Sonic Youth through to James Brown. The small-town
act has been running for some 25 years but international fame is
now at hand.
"A monster has been created," filmmaker Stephen Walker joked in
an interview about the film's rise.
It started as a 2006 British television documentary and became an
audience favourite at the Los Angeles and Sundance film festivals
in 2007 and 2008.
The opening sequence showing Eileen Hall, then 92, singing the
1982 hit from punk-rock group The Clash provided the inspiration
for Walker when he first saw the group onstage in London in 2005.
"I was totally blown away," Walker said. "It was an amazing way
to look at this song afresh. It becomes a song about love and death
and not about relationships."
That led to Walker spending several months filming the group in
Northampton, Massachusetts -- population 30,000 -- as members
struggled to master lyrics from Sonic Youth's "Schizophrenia" to
Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can."
The film opens across the United States this week and, after scoring
distribution deals, will soon open in France, Belgium, Switzerland,
Germany, Japan and Australia.
(read the rest at: http://tinyurl.com/4kmssq )
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