Brian James's Blog, page 25

Weekend Music Roundup!

The weekend has arrived and so has my ramblings on music that I've been grooving. Last weekend, I featured mostly older albums, so this week I'm talking about most new releases. Some of my favorite albums of the spring, and therefore 2019, are on this list. Some were expected, others surprised me. This is mostly indie rock, though there some metal, some soul folk, and whatever you'd classify the talented Amanda Palmer as. Hopefully there's something in here for you to discover. Enjoy.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Brian Jonestown Massacre: It's always odd to me when a band waits 25 years to release a self-titled album, especially a band that has put so much creativity into album titles in the past, but whatever. This album is another brilliant piece of neo-psychedelia influenced by the 60's and their own quarter decade of material. The band has been really active over the past five years, active and in top form. Sure, they never stray far from what they do best, but that's okay, neither do the Stones. As with most of their albums, there really isn't a bad track, as it all seems to fit a groove. Some stand outs are "Drained," "Cannot Be Saved," "We Never Had a Chance," "Too Sad to Tell," and the brilliant "A Word." Another must-have record from the San Fran icons.
Amanda Palmer - There Will Be No Intermission: The newest album from the prolific artist is her first truly solo record in three years. I've always been hit or miss with her work. She's made some of my all time favorite records as collaborations (Evelyn Evelyn, I Can Spin a Rainbow) but have found myself disappointed with other work of hers. This is definitely NOT a disappointment. Easily one of the most deeply honest and culturally relevant records of the year. Amanda doesn't hold back anything as she shares her thoughts on the world we live in, poetically expressing the personal struggles and anxieties many of us face.

Roberta Flack - First Take: The debut album from the legendary soul singer was released in 1969. I recently picked up a nice vinyl copy of this record for a few bucks and absolutely love it. This has the sound of when jazz, soul, and 60's folk briefly met for a split moment in time and it's amazing. From the opening number, "Compared to What," you know you're in for a treat. While so many were celebrating the Summer of Love, the African American community was in the grips of despair in many areas, and this captures that feeling two years before Marvin Gaye's historic What's Going On. Other standout tracks for me are "I Told Jesus," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye." 
Superseed - Superseed: Released last month, this is the debut album from the UK hard rock band. I liked the 90's alt rock sound of this record, it's a sound that you don't hear too much these days and it was nice to know someone out there is still doing it. On the other hand, it's a 90's alt rock sound that seems to belong in an arena, and therefore, not anything terribly original. All that said, it's a quality rock album, one that I think is destined to some teenager's favorite record.  

The Cinematic Orchestra - To Believe: The first album in seven years for the London indie band. It was over a decade ago when their album Ma Fleur caught my attention and imagination with its downtempo post rock beauty. The band hasn't been very active since then, veering farther into nu jazz and soundtrack recordings. This is a bit of a comeback album, which once again captures the art of their best work. A mix of guest vocalists creates a bit of trip-hop vibe reminiscent of Morcheeba and it all comes together for a really satisfying listen that should be taken as a whole rather than track listings.

Sea Wolf - Old World Romance Selects and Outtakes: The L.A. based indie band has not released any new material in five years, so I thought it might be a good time to listen to this EP that came out six years, following their third album (Old World Romance) released a year earlier. I had mixed feelings about that album, but this more curated EP is pretty flawless. They have a beautiful folk vibe that reminds me more of bands from the Pacific Northwest, areas like Portland and Washington state. Definitely worth checking out if you've enjoyed anything from this band before.

Fiction Friday (79)

I always approach sequels with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, especially a sequel to a book I absolutely loved. When I finished Nevermoor a few weeks ago, I quickly requested this book from the library and couldn't wait to start it and find out what happened next. I was also worried that the first book, the author's debut novel, had taken years to write, but this one came out a year later and was another 500+ page book. Was the first book a fluke? I'm happy to report that it wasn't. Jessica Townsend has proven herself to be a storyteller at the absolute top of her game.
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow
by Jessica Townsend
(Lothian, 2018)

In the follow-up to Nevermoor, the young Wundersmith (a powerful person with the terrifying ability to manipulate the very particles that make up life) is ready to embark on her new life as one of the newest members of the Wundrous Society. On the first day of school at the academy, Morrigan is hopeful that she has finally found a place where she fits in.
Her hopes are quickly dashed as she learns that the Society views her as something to be feared and that her so-called brothers and sisters eye her with suspicion. It doesn't help that her patron, and adoptive father figure, Jupiter North, is caught up in a growing mystery of disappearing Society members and spends most of his time away from the magical hotel they call home. 
Things in the city of Nevermoor continue to get stranger as the year goes on. Unsettling events seem to take place at an alarming rate, leaving Morrigan to wonder if her new life is any different from her "cursed" childhood. Is she to blame for everything is going wrong? Is she really the horrible creature her instructors claim? The truth turns out to be far more complicated. 
A masterpiece of storytelling, this expansive tangle of elements is woven together with amazing care to reveal a bigger picture in page turning excitement and overwhelmingly satisfying in its conclusion. Easily one of the best stories I've ever encountered.

Weekend Music Roundup!

It's the weekend...AND Record Store Day! It's been a few weeks since the Roundup has appeared, simply because I haven't yet adapted to my new schedule, which causes Saturday to be busy. When I remember on Sunday, it always feels too late. So this week, I'm prepared. In the spirit of Record Store Day, a holiday in my world, this week's list is vinyl only. These are albums that I've picked up over the past several weeks and they run the course from heavy rock, jazz, classical, and even Britpop. Nothing on here is very contemporary or new, as I typically listen to new albums digitally first to see what is worth blowing the cash for vinyl. Hopefully you're out hunting for Record Store Day...enjoy.
Black Pearl - Black Pearl: The one and only album from the West Coast psychedelic blues rock band was released in 1969 on Atlantic Records, which was the rock label to be on back then. It was the same year Atlantic released Led Zeppelin's debut, and this is clearly meant to go along with that record. This is hard rock, but with obvious soul influences instead of Zep's blues influences. The result is not as successful, but this is still a good lost album of the genre. The guitar work is fantastic, and the vocals are brilliant in Ian Svenonius way of being wild and uncontrolled. "White Devil," "Forget It," and "Bent Over" are standout tracks on this record.  
The Wood Children - Happens Everyday: This 12" single from the UK band was released in 1988, a year before their one and only full length album. This was a London band that was making jangle pop, but being from London, it sounds more like a pre-Britpop band than the Manchester jangle bands like The Smiths. Only three songs, but all three are pretty solid if you're into this kind of thing, as I am. "Two Red Buses" sounds like Suede, four years before Suede.

Faces - A Nod is as Good as a Wink...to a Blind Horse: The third album after Small Faces added Rod Stewart to become simply Faces, this was released in 1971, when the band was at its peak. Having never been a Rod fan, I found myself recently questioning that choice after digging some of their work on the radio. I found this for $1 and felt it certainly was worth a shot. A bar blues band at heart, there's always been something about them that feels like a poor man's Rolling Stones, but that's not such a bad thing. Their a far better poor man's Rolling Stones than Aerosmith. It includes two of my favorites, "Memphis" and "Stay With Me," but every song is solid on here. 
Jelly Roll Morton - The Immortal Jelly Roll Morton: This compilation was released in 1967 and gathers together rare recordings. There's been something of a Jelly Roll goldmine in the discount bins at the local shops and I never turn one of his records for a $1. His ragtime dixie jazz is like music from another world where interesting and unexplainable things are taking place all around you. This is a particularly good compilation in that regards. Music straight out of a opioid dream.
 New York Philharmonic - The Firebird: I picked this record up, literally taken off the junk pile, because my daughter is obsessed with classical ballet scores, and the Firebird is a particular favorite of hers. She was thrilled when I brought this home and listened intently. As is to be expected from Stravinsky, it's dramatic and intense at times, soft and beautiful at others. It's a piece of music meant to tell a story and it's does it very well.

Electric Light Orchestra - Balance of Power: Throughout the '70s, ELO was one of the most widely listened to prog bands, and they continued their career in earnest up to this album, released in 1986. This is far removed from their classic sound and takes on the mid-80's keyboard pop rock sound that dominated the radio. Given to me by a friend, this is actually my first real entry into this band, which really doesn't qualify as an entry. In a way, that might be a positive though, because I come in without the baggage of "oh, this sounds nothing like them" and get to hear it as it is...an 80's pop rock album that could've served as a soundtrack to almost any movie that I watched during my elementary school years. "So Serious," "Getting to the Point," and "Without Someone" were standouts for me.  

Fiction Friday (78)

While waiting for the second book in the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend to come in from library, I decided to pick up a brief book to fill the gap. This is a book that I originally read when it came out sixteen years ago. The sequel to it has been in my "to-read" pile for years and I kept meaning to re-read this one because I couldn't remember what happened. I took the opportunity to refresh my brain and will tackle the next book after finishing the Nevermoor title.
Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter
(Philomel, 2003)

Olivia Kidney is NOT crazy! Of course, she has a hard time convincing others, especially the school psychiatrist. That's because she often talks to her older brother, who has recently died. 
Olivia has taken an interest in seances in hopes of being about to actually speak to her brother, who she misses too much to let go. However, one strange afternoon in the strangest apartment building in New York City will change Olivia's life forever...and her perspective on life in general.
Much like the inhabitants Alice meets in Wonderland, the people living in Olivia's apartment building seem to be from another world, one that functions differently from the rules Olivia is accustomed to. And like Alice, Olivia is set adrift to navigate through the bizarre escapades of those around her, trying in vain to make sense of the nonsensical. Along the way, the reader is treated to stories filled with danger and flights of imagination. And while Olivia is often unnerved by what is happening, the reader remains confident, as we are with Alice, that she is clever and resourceful enough to find her way out any predicament.
This is a much darker story than I remembered, with a hint of brutality running under the surface for most of the story. It's also much more sophisticated in terms of story structure than I remember and by the end, all the threads come flawlessly together.

Surviving Eighth Grade...

I just watched the film Eighth Grade by Bo Burnham and it's definitely a movie that gives you a lot to think about. I'd heard great things about this when it came out last year, but never got around to getting out to the theater to see it...which is never easy for indie movies as they rarely play for longer than a week up here in the Valley. But I spotted the DVD at the library the other day and checked it out.
My first thoughts while watching this story about an eighth grade girl in her last week of Middle School were thank god I'm not 13 again! I could immediately identify with Kayla and her struggle to fit in. The thing is, she's an intelligent character and her struggle to fit in is wrapped up in her struggle to understand social interactions. Kids that seem to just easily "fit in" are ones who typically are not trying to understand why other people do what they do. They don't over analyze everything...but a lot of people do, and they suffer for it during the adolescent years. Watching the film from a place in life removed from that world, it was all so painfully clear and filled me with thoughts of if I only knew then what I know now...and then projecting those thoughts onto the character.
Which brings me to my next series of thoughts while watching the movie, and that was an adult, more specifically, as a parent, and a parent of a daughter. As a parent, how do we share this knowledge with our kids? How do we protect them from the pain that comes with coming of age? And of course, the answer is that we can't...but there must be a way to let our children know that they are truly special, and I think that is something that starts at a young age, something you must continue to do even as your children separate from you. The movie filled me with parental anxiety, which is probably a good thing. Something to keep me on my toes.
Having thought about this age group a ton in my writing career, a lot of the themes were things that I've thought about a lot. Perhaps the most eye-opening aspect for me was how the film showed the way social media has penetrated this coming of age process and adds an entirely new level of stress on these kids. As with everything that teens are into, social media becomes all-important and terribly serious. Teens are intense. Their passions are intense. As a result they tend to take everything very seriously. I think one of the lessons that you learn in college and beyond, is that all of these things you believed were serious, are things that adults don't really take too seriously. This movie however, is one that we should.

Fiction Friday (77)

My goal to read more is still a goal that I'm working hard on trying to accomplish, which isn't always easy. One thing that has helped has been my re-discovery of the library several years ago, which has allowed me to broaden my scope beyond the piles of unread books in my office. A few weeks, when browsing with my daughter, I came across this book whose cover caught my eye, and whose description kept my attention. The result was an absolute delight.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
by Jessica Townsend
(Little Brown, 2017)

In the capital city of an imaginary world, young Morrigan Crow is a cursed child, as are all children born on Eventide and doomed to die on Eventide. As a result, Morrigan's life is a rather miserable one. She is blamed for everything that goes wrong, and forced to write apology letters to those who feel their misfortunes are due to her. Her father, a prominent politician, is forced to make reparations all parties believed to be harmed by the cursed child, so needless to say, he and his new family, are looking forward to the next Eventide when they will be free of Morrigan and her crow.
As it turns out, Morrigan's life doesn't end on her 11th birthday, but rather, is just beginning. When a strange man sponsors her education and whisks her away, outracing the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow who have come to take her away, until they reach the magical city of Nevermoor where she is given the chance to join the prestigious Wundrous Society. Before she can join, she must pass four difficult trails, conquer her own self-doubts, and discover the greatness that lies inside her.
There is no doubt that this award-winning novel was inspired by Harry Potter. The story contains similar plot development and story trajectory, but certainly isn't a rip-off or a cheap duplication. This a fully imagined world, one that is very different than Hogwarts, but just as magical, adventurous, and dangerous. I actually connected to this book more than to Harry Potter, just because the imaginative elements synced with my imagination a little more precisely. 
Taking a brief intermission, and then starting to read the second book right away.

Weekend Music Roundup!

It's the weekend once again! It has a habit of coming every seven days, as do my rambling musings on the world of music. This week features a bunch of recent pick-ups, both old and new. It's also a wide range of stuff, from bands I've long-followed, to ones I'd never heard of. There's some metal, some rock, some folk, some psych, and some psych folk. All in all, there's some really great records on this list, ones I hope some of you will be excited to check out. Enjoy.
Ordos - The End: The third album from the Swedish metal band was released last month. I pre-ordered the vinyl, which will ship from Sweden in a week or so, but with the purchase came a free download which I got immediately. I've really been into this band the last few years. They play a doom stoner metal and it sounds near perfect. The band's timing is phenomenal and I love the world they've created on their records. "Upsala" and "III" are my two favorite tracks, but the album is solid all around.
Marc Jonson - Years: The NY singer songwriter released this one album in 1972 when he was 20, and it would 11 years until his next record. This is a pyschedelic folk pop record that is very much of the time, which just happens to be a time in music that I love. It sounds a bit like early Cat Stevens, but with Baroque Pop elements that make it stand out, and far less commercial. There's a Syd Barrett kind of innocence and honesty. It's no wonder Vanguard released this record, it's just a wonder that no one really remembers it. Absolutely fantastic record.
Red House Painters - Songs for a Blue Guitar: Released in 1996, this Mark Kozelek's pre-Sun Kil Moon band that was a pioneering early '90s band that was playing the new style of folk rock several years before it became an indie staple. I was lucky enough to know of this band when they were around and recently came across a used vinyl copy of this double album, possibly their best. Absolutely fantastic indie folk. Interesting fact, the song "L-48" on the newest Sun Kil Moon album is about the guitar pictured on the cover.

Kyle Falconer - No Thank You: Released last summer, this is the debut record from The View frontman. I've been a big fan of that band since their 2007 debut and was surprised to only recently hear about this. It came out three years after the band's last album, and in that time, it appears that the man known for his wild behavior has fallen in love and had a child, and this album is the tale of his new look on life. It's incredibly positive pop rock that displays his immense songwriting talent. "Kelly," "Japanese Girl," "Confusion," "Family Tree," and "Jekyll Down Your Hyde" are among my favorites on this fantastic record.
Bukowski - Strangers:  I will fully admit to listening to this because of the combination of their band name and the cover. This is the fifth album from the Paris based band. They remind me a bit of some metal bands from the early 00's that combined nu-metal with emo to create a sound that at times is blissful and aggressive, and basically off-putting at other times. Thankfully that off-putting moments were infrequent enough to allow me to get into this record, but too often for me to probably return to, which is unfortunate because this is one of those records that I think could grow on me if I spent a lot more time with it. "Mater Dolorosa," and "Haters" are my favorites.  
Mississippi - Velvet Sandpaper: After the break-up of White Light, founding member Gary Abrams recorded and released this record in 1970 under the name Mississippi. This album moves away from the psychedelic sound of White Light into more of a heavy blues rock sound. Still though, you could definitely classify it under acid rock. "Light," "Debbie," and "VDFM" are standouts for me.

Princess World

My soon to be four year old daughter is obsessed with Disney Princesses. Despite our best efforts to shield her from the world of princesses, the Disney marketing machine found it's way in via other children and she fell under the spell of pretty dresses...but as this obsession moves into it's ninth month (or thereabouts), I realize the true pull for her is the concept of magic, and that's something I can respect.
Her first trio of princess movies was Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Best. The first two are disappointingly old fashioned as it pertains to gender stereotypes, featuring very passive female characters. Thankfully Disney has acknowledged this issue to some extent, and Belle is more suitable role model. My daughter's new obsessions are Frozen and Tangled, both are movies that came out after my childhood and were films I had not seen. That, in itself, was a bonus for me, but beyond that, they are both very enjoyable films, and both films that feature strong female characters. 
Both Anna and Rapunzel are characters of action and determination. Yes, they have male companions who help them, but the male characters don't act as saviors, but rather partners aiding the female characters in their journey. I really enchanted by Tangled and think it may be the best of all the Princess movies I've seen (which is now most). Perhaps this obsession doesn't have to be the negative influence we always feared.

Weekend Music Roundup!

It's the weekend, and this is a special weekend because it's my Anniversary weekend (I Love you, Missus)! But enough of the mushy stuff, we're here to talk music. Or rather, I'm here to talk music and share my thoughts on some albums I've been grooving to of late. This is a random mix that includes three new releases, some recent discoveries, and one that had sat in my "To Listen To" folder for years. Hopefully there's something on here that you will want to check out. Enjoy.
Strand of Oaks - Eraserland: The sixth album from the Philly based singer songwriter is his follow up to 2017's wonderful Hard Love record. As with his previous efforts, he channels the spirit of working class rock and roll with the groove of bands like My Morning Jacket. This is the perfect follow-up record in that it doesn't stray far from the winning formula of the last album, but also shows growth. Some of my favorite songs on here include "Keys," "Weird Ways," and "Moon Landing." 

Roberta Flack - Quiet Fire: The soul singer's third record was released in 1971 and I recently found a beautiful copy in excellent condition for $3 and had to give this one a chance. I knew she had a great voice from her hits that came later, but had no idea just how amazingly beautiful her voice truly is. This is wonderful soul pop record. No real "hits" but some great tracks, like "Sunday and Sister Jones," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," and "To Love Somebody." 
Sun Kil Moon - I Also Want to Die in New Orleans: The latest album from Mark Kozelek's band continues with the evolving sound they first introduced in the beginning of this decade. The band's sound blends their old indie americana folk sound with more spoken word segments with Mark reflecting on real life in ways that feel almost Ginsburg-esque in that it seems mundane, but holds something profound in his observations. There's some brilliant moments on this record, especially "I'm Not Laughing at You," and "Cows." Probably not an album you'll want to listen to all the time, it's more like a novel, one that should be listened to and thought about.

JPEGMAFIA - Veteran: The second album from the L.A. based NYC hip group explores the experimental aspects of current hip-hop. The lyrics are strictly hardcore, clearly inspired by Ol' Dirty (as is one of the various cassette album covers, two of which are pictured above), but the beats range from glitch hop to nearly industrial at times. These guys ain't playing around and hit hard and angry at anything and everything. "Thug Tears," "Baby I'm Bleeding," "DD Form 214," "Williamsburg," and "Curb Stomp" are my personal favorites.

Oasis - Be Here Now (Demos & B-Sides): When I recently purchased the vinyl re-issue of this album, I downloaded the bonus tracks that came with, well only one of the three discs as I had the others already. The demos and B-Sides actually features a few Oasis songs that were unfamiliar to me, which I didn't think was possible (long time followers of the Roundup will remember my year of Oasis bootleg Tuesdays). The scaled back demos are probably what Noel now wishes were released, due to his constant hate for this record. I love the acoustic versions (though I do love the official album too). "If We Shadows" was a song I don't recall ever hearing before and it's beautiful. Definitely worth the download. 

Go Ogres - 23 Earths: Released in 2012, this EP is the only release from the all female trio out of New Paltz, NY (a neighboring town from me). It features Kate Larson on guitar and vocals. She has been involved in a number of projects, including Jordaan Mason and The Horse Museum project from a several years ago, a favorite of mine. This is a solid indie pop record with 90's indie rock influences. You can listen to it on the Bandcamp page.

Going Somewhere...Maybe

A few weeks ago, I posted about a project I'd begun and my decision to change the perspective from first person to third and how refreshing that felt. Two weeks later, I'm still loving that choice and have continued to progress on the story in a way that I haven't in quite some time. 
In the past, I always put pressure on myself to write a certain amount either per day, or per sit down. As I try to break back into this world of story creation in a legitimate way, I've abandoned that approach. I don't want to set artificial goals that honestly are not important or really motivating. And though I've been keeping notes, I have not attempted to outline the story yet because I want to let it evolve more organically, as I used to do back in my early days. 
I feel good about this one...I feel like I'm enjoying the process for the first time in a long time.