Friday, July 15, 2005
Music theme
In honor of the Intonation Music Fest, I will attempt to offer brief intelligent reviews on the bundle of CDs that I purchased with some birthday money. Most of these I listened to on my train ride, and I managed to doze off nearly every time I played them, but I got the jist of what I was listening to. Oddly enough, none of these bands are playing at Intonation tomorrow and Sunday at the fest. I hope you don't mind the lack of clever music-reviewer words. I'm not a professional writer.
Scissor Sisters -- (self titled) -- This is probably the best first impression of my new CD batch. I haven't heard an album that sparkles with such well-produced modern disco shine ever. It's solid and catchy and has a diverse range of grooves and ballads, all performed with a sense of showmanship. Lo-fi intimate music is important, but its very good to have super overblown music to make boring lives a little bit more interesting.
X -- Los Angeles -- I heard some very good things about this seminal L.A. Punk band, and when their CD reissue of their 1980 debut was for sale for only $7.99, I could not resist. I first heard the band when the title track to this album played on the satellite radio, and then I heard them again as one of the punk bands Daniel Dessario listens to on the episode where he becomes a punk... in 1980, what a coincidence. The album is actually not a fast tempo straightforward romp as I kind of expected listening to the two X songs. There are songs of various tempos and lengths. The title track is such a solid song, but I have to give this album a closer listen to see what makes it special. The hints of rockabilly 50s rock riffs by guitarist Billy Zoom were an interesting touch in some songs, as aurally and without lyrics you see the innocent teeny-bopper sound of "Rock Around the Clock" turn into a dark nihilistic punk doom and gloom.
Beck -- Guero -- A relative dissapointment, at least after 1 listen. I didn't buy this album right away due to price and not very glowing reviews. This is Beck, though I couldn't resist for very long, especially since I have a lot of Beck CDs, Odelay is my sixth favorite album of all time (guess which are my top 5? C'mon!) and Nicotine and Gravy, from 1999's Midnite Vultures album, is in my top 10 favorite songs of all time. And I couldn't hear a track like "Girl" repeatedly with its sole robotically sharp keyboard intro, and never have the opportunity to play it whenever I want. Unlike his previous albums, though, this album does not hit you very strongly with an overwhelming sound scheme or attitude, which gave Beck Hansen's often indecipherable wordplays and style-changes an overall epic arc. He's just not feeling like he has to prove anything on this record, which is all right, but a lot of artists after their inspired crashing into our musical consciousnesses, lose their creativity and drive as they get older and more established. I hope Beck can entertain with new musical ideas for decades to come.
Fela Kuti -- Zombie -- This is a big deal, because Fela Kuti could approach Frank Zappa levels in my admiration, at least as a very prolific artist with an intriguing personally and underground cred. I first heard of Fela because of all the familiar rock bands that were on Pitchfork's Top 100 albums of the 70s list , Fela, a Nigerian who developed the Afrobeat musical genre, had two albums in the top 100, while Frank Zappa had a total of zero! What in Kuti's music appealed to the diehard indie-rock fans at Pitchfork. He was too obscure for me to get into until the 12 minute title track song popped on the satellite radio (noticing a themed entertainment device in all my musical discoveries). It was entirely different than anything I heard before yet suprisingly accessible. From what I understand nearly all his songs are around 10 to 12 minutes, and begin with a long 6 to 7 minute jam combining jazz, funk, and tribal sounds, with Fela and his back up singers sneaking in perfectly to add to the mix. This song actually has a politically charged theme, with the lyrics basically saying that the Nigerian army has no mind of its own and follows whatever its ordered to do, even if it means brutally oppressing populations that are a threat to the government's power. That boring description doesn't do the combined effect of lyrics and sounds justice. It's incredibly groovy with a very angry undertone, especially after seeing the documentary on how Fela's views and music was directly a cause of him being brutally beaten and imprisoned repeatedly by the Nigerian authorities. In the midst of all that, he recorded over 70 albums, many of which have been reissued, of which I will soon own (after I get all the other CDs I want).
This is getting way too long, so TO BE CONTINUED, maybe after a report from the music festival.
My brother told me my posts are too lengthy, but its only in the eye of the blogreader and the subjects he / she is interested. I don't know maybe a possible reader who let's say... plays music semi-professionally... don't know who that could be... (he lives in Vermont)... but doesn't post comments... could chime in with at least an acknowledgement that read through my entire music post. That will make me feel like less of a music geek who won't talk about substantive things. But if you gots new CDs you want to plug here go ahead.
INTONATION tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scissor Sisters -- (self titled) -- This is probably the best first impression of my new CD batch. I haven't heard an album that sparkles with such well-produced modern disco shine ever. It's solid and catchy and has a diverse range of grooves and ballads, all performed with a sense of showmanship. Lo-fi intimate music is important, but its very good to have super overblown music to make boring lives a little bit more interesting.
X -- Los Angeles -- I heard some very good things about this seminal L.A. Punk band, and when their CD reissue of their 1980 debut was for sale for only $7.99, I could not resist. I first heard the band when the title track to this album played on the satellite radio, and then I heard them again as one of the punk bands Daniel Dessario listens to on the episode where he becomes a punk... in 1980, what a coincidence. The album is actually not a fast tempo straightforward romp as I kind of expected listening to the two X songs. There are songs of various tempos and lengths. The title track is such a solid song, but I have to give this album a closer listen to see what makes it special. The hints of rockabilly 50s rock riffs by guitarist Billy Zoom were an interesting touch in some songs, as aurally and without lyrics you see the innocent teeny-bopper sound of "Rock Around the Clock" turn into a dark nihilistic punk doom and gloom.
Beck -- Guero -- A relative dissapointment, at least after 1 listen. I didn't buy this album right away due to price and not very glowing reviews. This is Beck, though I couldn't resist for very long, especially since I have a lot of Beck CDs, Odelay is my sixth favorite album of all time (guess which are my top 5? C'mon!) and Nicotine and Gravy, from 1999's Midnite Vultures album, is in my top 10 favorite songs of all time. And I couldn't hear a track like "Girl" repeatedly with its sole robotically sharp keyboard intro, and never have the opportunity to play it whenever I want. Unlike his previous albums, though, this album does not hit you very strongly with an overwhelming sound scheme or attitude, which gave Beck Hansen's often indecipherable wordplays and style-changes an overall epic arc. He's just not feeling like he has to prove anything on this record, which is all right, but a lot of artists after their inspired crashing into our musical consciousnesses, lose their creativity and drive as they get older and more established. I hope Beck can entertain with new musical ideas for decades to come.
Fela Kuti -- Zombie -- This is a big deal, because Fela Kuti could approach Frank Zappa levels in my admiration, at least as a very prolific artist with an intriguing personally and underground cred. I first heard of Fela because of all the familiar rock bands that were on Pitchfork's Top 100 albums of the 70s list , Fela, a Nigerian who developed the Afrobeat musical genre, had two albums in the top 100, while Frank Zappa had a total of zero! What in Kuti's music appealed to the diehard indie-rock fans at Pitchfork. He was too obscure for me to get into until the 12 minute title track song popped on the satellite radio (noticing a themed entertainment device in all my musical discoveries). It was entirely different than anything I heard before yet suprisingly accessible. From what I understand nearly all his songs are around 10 to 12 minutes, and begin with a long 6 to 7 minute jam combining jazz, funk, and tribal sounds, with Fela and his back up singers sneaking in perfectly to add to the mix. This song actually has a politically charged theme, with the lyrics basically saying that the Nigerian army has no mind of its own and follows whatever its ordered to do, even if it means brutally oppressing populations that are a threat to the government's power. That boring description doesn't do the combined effect of lyrics and sounds justice. It's incredibly groovy with a very angry undertone, especially after seeing the documentary on how Fela's views and music was directly a cause of him being brutally beaten and imprisoned repeatedly by the Nigerian authorities. In the midst of all that, he recorded over 70 albums, many of which have been reissued, of which I will soon own (after I get all the other CDs I want).
This is getting way too long, so TO BE CONTINUED, maybe after a report from the music festival.
My brother told me my posts are too lengthy, but its only in the eye of the blogreader and the subjects he / she is interested. I don't know maybe a possible reader who let's say... plays music semi-professionally... don't know who that could be... (he lives in Vermont)... but doesn't post comments... could chime in with at least an acknowledgement that read through my entire music post. That will make me feel like less of a music geek who won't talk about substantive things. But if you gots new CDs you want to plug here go ahead.
INTONATION tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Yeah I'm here.
Miss me? It's been pretty busy with all the aforementioned stuff going on. Some updates...
1) My Spanish classes are going to be all right. We have a small class of 4 people (One 40-something guy, one early twenties guy, one late 20s lady, and me) and I can feel my poor monolingual brain strain and the challenges a language class is doing. Even more so, it is a very engaging activity when you both have to translate and understand something as your communicating. No mind-wandering or overanalyzing social crises in the two hours of class for sure.
2) Intonation Music Fest is coming up! Oh boy!!!! And it's all free since I'm nice enough to volunteer for a few hours. 3 stages, record vendors, multiple bands that I've heard of!! And I really hope my volunteer activity involves interacting with other volunteers because that could get a guaranteed crowd to hang out with during my off hours. I can bring in a digital camera, nothing illegal there, so I can get pictures of your favorite bands if you let me know what you like.
3) Nothing much on the Jewish socializing opportunity I hinted at before. I kept it personally vague so I wouldn't get caught up in things, but I basically did everything I think I'm supposed to given the established and appropriate communication chanells. Ideally, I was hoping that this girl would be interested enough to contact me soon and attend the music festival but maybe that's asking too much. I will only share with you positive developments on that front.
1) My Spanish classes are going to be all right. We have a small class of 4 people (One 40-something guy, one early twenties guy, one late 20s lady, and me) and I can feel my poor monolingual brain strain and the challenges a language class is doing. Even more so, it is a very engaging activity when you both have to translate and understand something as your communicating. No mind-wandering or overanalyzing social crises in the two hours of class for sure.
2) Intonation Music Fest is coming up! Oh boy!!!! And it's all free since I'm nice enough to volunteer for a few hours. 3 stages, record vendors, multiple bands that I've heard of!! And I really hope my volunteer activity involves interacting with other volunteers because that could get a guaranteed crowd to hang out with during my off hours. I can bring in a digital camera, nothing illegal there, so I can get pictures of your favorite bands if you let me know what you like.
3) Nothing much on the Jewish socializing opportunity I hinted at before. I kept it personally vague so I wouldn't get caught up in things, but I basically did everything I think I'm supposed to given the established and appropriate communication chanells. Ideally, I was hoping that this girl would be interested enough to contact me soon and attend the music festival but maybe that's asking too much. I will only share with you positive developments on that front.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Sunday night happy time!
I'm not in a politically cranky mood, unusually, so I will have to get back to moderate Mark's comments on my last post. I'm surprised the issue of my lost nice red dress shirt doesn't excite as much passions as my discussion of anti-terrorism policy. They both are equally relevant, in my view.
Instead I'm going to list some socially promising things to lull myself to sleep on a Sunday night with false hopes of achieving inner peace.
1) My Spanish classes start this week. It's a small instruction program with a class size of maximum 6 people. It's my first serious pursuit of enrichment beyond what's in my degree program, and I hope to at least meet 5 likeable people out of it, as well as gain some language skills that could make me more marketable. Muy bien! Tenga una reserva. [other Spanish words]
2) Next weekend is Intonation Music Fest! And because I volunteer I get free tickets for both days and a t-shirt! I don't know what I'll be doing really, but maybe I'll be hanging out with bands or something, going to stores buying them everything they demand to propertly do a kick-ass performance. I hope they don't make me do anything illegal. If possible I will see what pictures I can get and post cool ones up here.
3) Finally, I want to be vague because I always raise my expectations about these kind of things, but at the last Jewish community event I went to Friday night, I met someone nice who seemed to have reciprocated my desire to have substantial conservations with new people, and this person later on expressed interest in meeting and doing a general tourist thing, since we are both relatively new to Chicago. She was pretty friendly with a lot of folks at the event, so I don't know what to make of it, but if I get to hang out with a Jewish lady outside of a synagogue setting and find out more about them, that should count for something regardless of what it leads to, right? Any of my female friends want to poke and prod and tease?
So it will be a great balance between new activities and the productive drudgery of work this week. I'm looking forward to it.
Now where's my red shirt dammit! I can't work the charms with a freakin' tan short sleeve!
Instead I'm going to list some socially promising things to lull myself to sleep on a Sunday night with false hopes of achieving inner peace.
1) My Spanish classes start this week. It's a small instruction program with a class size of maximum 6 people. It's my first serious pursuit of enrichment beyond what's in my degree program, and I hope to at least meet 5 likeable people out of it, as well as gain some language skills that could make me more marketable. Muy bien! Tenga una reserva. [other Spanish words]
2) Next weekend is Intonation Music Fest! And because I volunteer I get free tickets for both days and a t-shirt! I don't know what I'll be doing really, but maybe I'll be hanging out with bands or something, going to stores buying them everything they demand to propertly do a kick-ass performance. I hope they don't make me do anything illegal. If possible I will see what pictures I can get and post cool ones up here.
3) Finally, I want to be vague because I always raise my expectations about these kind of things, but at the last Jewish community event I went to Friday night, I met someone nice who seemed to have reciprocated my desire to have substantial conservations with new people, and this person later on expressed interest in meeting and doing a general tourist thing, since we are both relatively new to Chicago. She was pretty friendly with a lot of folks at the event, so I don't know what to make of it, but if I get to hang out with a Jewish lady outside of a synagogue setting and find out more about them, that should count for something regardless of what it leads to, right? Any of my female friends want to poke and prod and tease?
So it will be a great balance between new activities and the productive drudgery of work this week. I'm looking forward to it.
Now where's my red shirt dammit! I can't work the charms with a freakin' tan short sleeve!
