Movies We've Just Watched discussion
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message 101:
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Baxter
(new)
Aug 11, 2012 05:36PM
I recently discovered the works of Ivor Cutler, by way of his album Dandruff. The amount of delighted I am is beyond words.
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oh nice, he was in the art bears, with fred frith and company, if i'm not mistaken - i was listening to a lot of that stuff in the late 70's - an interesting period in england - there was the bourgeoning improvised music scene, the prog scene, and a lot of experimentation as well - eno got his ideas flowing in this period that resulted in the ambient thing, but he also had a big influence on pop in general of the period - and certainly across the next decade as he began to produce more and more groups, robert fripp stole the looping concept from a lot of other guitarists (this is what frith tells me anyway) and coined the term frippertronics, the punk scene was on the rise ... me thinks the late 70's in england was a very fertile time for music. (and it's not like they didn't have a nice run in the 60's!)
I think you are confusing Ivor Cutler with Chris Cutler, PG... ...but you're right about Jolly Olde in the late 70s, continuing on into the 80s with people like Steve Beresford, who cross-pollinated his musical genes into bands like Alterations, The Flying Lizards, The New Age Steppers, Derek Bailey's COMPANY ensembles, The Portsmouth Sinfonia, Zorn's COBRA ensemble, Gestalt et Jive... closely associated with post-punk bands like The Pop Group, Rip Rig & Panic, The Slits, etc, etc...
i've been listening to the beatles' MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR for a few days now, and i'm so glad they made this record - it really is a kind of strange anomaly in their catalogue. also been listening to a whole feast of keyboard sonatas by papa hadyn. so tasty.
and, i made a mix tape for some students that i'm calling LATE SUMMER, which includes all female singers ... how can you go wrong with a menu that features massive attack, billie holliday, souad massi, brazilian girls, juana molina, dinah washington, bebel gilberto, pj harvey, etta james, MIA, missy elliot, las hermanas segovia, helene smith, lucinda williams, nico, carmen miranda and nurse with wound? i've been playing it constantly in my car.
Phillip wrote: "and, i made a mix tape for some students that i'm calling LATE SUMMER, which includes all female singers ... how can you go wrong with a menu that features massive attack, billie holliday, souad massi, brazilian girls, juana molina, dinah washington, bebel gilberto, pj harvey, etta james, MIA, missy elliot, las hermanas segovia, helene smith, lucinda williams, nico, carmen miranda and nurse with wound?"By not including Charlotte Gainsbourg?
Robert wrote: "Phillip wrote: "and, i made a mix tape for some students that i'm calling LATE SUMMER, which includes all female singers ... how can you go wrong with a menu that features massive attack, billie ho..."Good answer.
My most recent favorite band is Steam Powered Giraffe.They're really hard to explain to other people. The band consists of characters; three robots and two humans, and they usually make music to accommodate that aspect.
They're style (look-wise) is steam punk and robotic, while their music style is folk-y (??) I don't really know...
You'd have to listen to them and figure out their description (:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDRHx4... --This is one of their live music videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQWY-J... --This is one of their legitimate music videos
Robert wrote: "By not including Charlotte Gainsbourg? ..."OUCH!
you know, i don't think i've heard her. i need to check that out.
Seriously, you've never heard "Lemon Incest"? Written by Serge, sung by Charlotte when she was just a kid. One of the creepiest songs EVER.But she has grown into quite the chanteuse--IRM was one of the best albums of 2009, hands down.
Phillip! If you have not yet heard PascAli, we must change this pronto. Two guys (Pascal and Ali, natch) on treated upright basses. All acoustic. I saw 'em last night, one of the best shows I've seen this year.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Jl8D...
Robert wrote: "Seriously, you've never heard "Lemon Incest"? Written by Serge, sung by Charlotte when she was just a kid. One of the creepiest songs EVER.But she has grown into quite the chanteuse--IRM was one ..."
imma check it out.
Robert wrote: "Phillip! If you have not yet heard PascAli, we must change this pronto. Two guys (Pascal and Ali, natch) on treated upright basses. All acoustic. I saw 'em last night, one of the best shows I've se..."now that's what i'm talking about ... when two contrabasses sound like my dad working in the garage? that's the schmidt!
Phillip wrote: "Robert wrote: "Phillip! If you have not yet heard PascAli, we must change this pronto. Two guys (Pascal and Ali, natch) on treated upright basses. All acoustic. I saw 'em last night, one of the bes..."Have you heard Adele shes good
haven't heard her ... i'll look into it.
I've been picking up the Zappa remasters on itunes and enjoying what I've been hearing, mainly. I got a real charge out of HOT RATS, which I'm surprised to find works really well as a gym recording.I also watched some of the recent Metropolitan Opera broadcasts of Wagner's RING Cycle. Liked what I saw and heard, for the most part. I'd only seen the whole Cycle many years ago when PBS broadcast another production from the Met, and I remember being largely underwhelmed. The music just kind of lay there, and the acting was pretty embarassing for the most part. I have two positive memories of that old broadcast -- James Morris as Wotan managing to bring a real dignity and power to the role, and another performer whose name I can't remember as Alberich the dwarf, whose big scene where he put a serious curse on the Ring was really something, let me tell you. That Ring was CURSED, man.
This new production at least has some life in the music, which may be due in part to my having a better sound system now than I did all those years ago. I'm looking forward to sitting down and watching the whole mess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgVGri...A Keiji Haino documentary is in the works. Shut up and get this to me RIGHT NOW.
Baxter wrote: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgVGri...A Keiji Haino documentary is in the works. Shut up and get this to me RIGHT NOW."
oh yeah. Need that. Now.
Tom wrote: "I've been picking up the Zappa remasters on itunes and enjoying what I've been hearing, mainly. I got a real charge out of HOT RATS, which I'm surprised to find works really well as a gym recordin..."HOT RATS at the gym .... you are full of surprises, mr d!
Baxter wrote: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgVGri...A Keiji Haino documentary is in the works. Shut up and get this to me RIGHT NOW."
do you know that duo record he did with derek bailey? a strange pairing, but it worked ... of course.
Just got back from seeing (for the first time live!) one of my favorite "traditional" (in the sense of "not avant-garde") regional bands, The Orphan, the Poet. I was the oldest person in a sell-out crowd by at least ten years and didn't care one bit. These guys take the emo/hipster thing that's so popular with the kiddies and re-infuse it with the kind of power-pop that's been out of fashion since The Replacements released Pleased to Meet Me a quarter-century ago (my god, has it really been 25 years...?) and turn out some of the best straight-up rock and roll I have heard in years. They're about to embark on their first nationwide tour with three other like-minded bands... so while you, too, will probably be the oldest nebbish in the room, I STRONGLY suggest checking them out sometime between now and December. (Hit their facebook page for tourdates--unfortunately, they seem to be so hooked into bandsintown that the only place I can find tourdates is on bandsintown's facebook app....)On the way home, I got down to some serious listenin' to an album I was finally able to track down a ridiculously overpriced used copy of on Amazon--Phillip's Stalking Andrei. Dude, I have GOT to get you in town sometime when the Schiebele/Henry/[fill in the blank, it changes every time] ensemble is playing. Alex Henry has sat at the feet of many of the same masters you did, methinks. (And the Fassbinder piece is going to be part of my "background/dinner music" DJ set at my mother-in-law's wedding next year as long as she doesn't veto it. Just sayin'.)
[...and I go check and NOW there's a copy out there for seven bucks. niiiiiiiiice. Go buy it, you schmucks, that's a BARGAIN.]
wow - you're insane! thanks for checking that out - seriously - and for the props. STALKING ANDREI was my first full-length solo record. i hope that i've come a long way since then, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. i haven't listened to it in a loooong time. i'll try to track down the orphan, the poet. i'm rather fond of the right shade of power pop!
Saw EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH today, the Phillip Glass/Robert Wilson opera is touring the world in a production supervised by both Glass and Wilson, and damn was it impressive. I can go both ways on Mr. Glass' music, when it works it really works and when it doesn't it sounds like he dashed it off in about ten minutes after he'd made sure the check cleared, but in EINSTEIN he was really firing on all cylinders, and in this production we got to hear his own ensemble playing the living daylights out of that score, and it ranged from sheer propulsive ferocity to some of the loveliest most transcendent beauty I've yet heard in a theater.One of the highlights was an extended saxophone solo played to one of Glass' more furious compositions. Awesome.
Tom wrote: "Saw EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH today, the Phillip Glass/Robert Wilson opera is touring the world in a production supervised by both Glass and Wilson, and damn was it impressive. I can go both ways on M..."wow - envious! i think that early work (EINSTEIN) is one of his best "big" works.
i discovered the kronos quartet's recording of his complete string quartets a few years ago and i think that stuff is among my favorite of all his compositions - he's not doing his strict minimalist schtick - highly recommended if you can find it.
i've been going back and working on studying older saxophonists that i've been kind of overlooking for years and have recently picked up a few gems:paul gonzalves - gettin' together - gonzalves was ellington's first tenor throughout the 50's and 60's and has a fantastic sound and approach. this record has him in a more intimate quintet setting with the great nat adderley (trumpet) wynton kelly (piano) sam jones (bass) and jimmy cobb (drums), which mainly constitutes the rhythm section from a lot of miles davis' 1950's recordings. just a great record from start to finish. highly recommended!
arnette cobb - smooth sailing - one of the great "texas tenors", this time hanging out in new jersey and playing with a rhythm section that he worked with regularly in those days (recorded in 1961) - a classic tenor saxophone and organ record - great blowing by cobb. so nice.
illinois jacquet - desert winds - here is another one of the big-toned tenor players in a quintet setting, superbly recorded by rudy van gelder (who recorded most all of the famous blue note recordings of the 50's and 60's) - it's kind of rare that you get jacquet in a small setting like this and so well recorded. the other records i have are big bands and from earlier periods and you just don't get the pristine sound that you get on this one - and he's joined by the great kenny burrell on guitar and tommy flanagan on piano (another important miles davis alumni) ... jacquet sounds totally relaxed and happy to be in such good company. a classic - check it out if you are inclined to hear some vintage jazz.
von freeman - paul catalano - YOU TALKIN' TO ME?"
von freeman passed away recently, and i wanted to go back and do some more research on his stuff. he had a really unusual sound, and mainly stayed in chicago - didn't get out as much as many of his contemporaries. but he is also universally lauded by all who knew his work. i have a few of his great recordings on vinyl, finding his stuff on CD is a little more difficult. this "duet" - which is really two tenors and a rhythm section - is great for the von freeman parts, but the young catalano is kind of anathema to me - he's studied all his coltrane licks and plays them over and over again - and it's just so damned boring. freeman, in contrast, is unique in everything he does - you can hear in his phrasing that he is deeply embedded in the tradition, but he is constantly spinning his own perspective on the language. it's worth it for the freeman, but i seriously just want to delete all the other parts. if you can find some of his vintage recordings - he liked to do the two-tenor thing - look for the recordings with johnny griffin, sonny stitt, or dexter gordon - those are pure gems.
of the four releases listed, i think the paul gonzalves is the apex of these records, but it's hard to choose. i burned a copy for a fellow tenor saxophonist and we talked for about an hour last week on how great a record it is.
Freeman's death was a big deal here in Chicago. I have one of his records, a thing he did with Ed Petersen, and like it a lot. I don't know much about jazz at all.Will soon be getting the new Raveonettes, Fresh & Onlys, Woods, and Dinosaur Jr. records. Too many records, not enough cash.
Phillip, man -- EINSTEIN is going to be hitting Berkeley next month. I can recommend it.
Phillip wrote: "i've been going back and working on studying older saxophonists that i've been kind of overlooking for years and have recently picked up a few gems... "
Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!
Phillip wrote: "wow - you're insane! thanks for checking that out - seriously - and for the props. STALKING ANDREI was my first full-length solo record."It fits in very well with the theme of this group...
Phillip wrote: "i discovered the kronos quartet's recording of his complete string quartets a few years ago and i think that stuff is among my favorite of all his compositions - he's not doing his strict minimalist schtick - highly recommended if you can find it. "I like his minimalist shtick, but this--along with Songs from Liquid Days (the first album of his I heard) and the Candyman soundtrack--are my favorites.
Steve wrote: "Freeman's death was a big deal here in Chicago. I have one of his records, a thing he did with Ed Petersen, and like it a lot. I don't know much about jazz at all..."i played with ed petersen once, he's a monster; wow, i'd love to hear that record - i'm sure it's fantastic.
yes, von freeman was kind of a legend in chicago, i'm sure the local papers touted his passing with great respect and i know there were a few tribute shows.
Tom wrote: "Phillip, man -- EINSTEIN is going to be hitting Berkeley next month. I can recommend it."i'm all over it. thanks for the encouragement!
Barbara wrote: "Phillip wrote: "i've been going back and working on studying older saxophonists that i've been kind of overlooking for years and have recently picked up a few gems... "Thank you very much!"
it's my pleasure.
Robert wrote: "I like his minimalist shtick ..."well, philip glass is one of the founding architects of the movement; but like tom, it sometimes sounds to me like he spent more time at the xerox machine than he did writing music. there are a lot of things he has done that i really like - but some, perhaps many of the soundtrack works have felt like they were motivated by the paycheck more than the work itself. i can't blame the brother, i might be seduced to crank out stuff like that, but then again ... no. that's not why i make music (the mere lure of legal tender).
Phillip wrote: i played with ed petersen once; man, i'd love to hear that record - i'm sure it's fantastic.That's awesome. The record is Von/Ed, and it's from Delmark Records, legendary Chicago label (I'm sure you know it).
Phillip wrote: "Tom wrote: "Phillip, man -- EINSTEIN is going to be hitting Berkeley next month. I can recommend it."i'm all over it. thanks for the encouragement!"
Phillip, if you manage to see it, make sure you stay to the end -- the big BED sequence in Act 4 is one of the real marvels of American theater.
Steve wrote: "Phillip wrote: i played with ed petersen once; man, i'd love to hear that record - i'm sure it's fantastic.That's awesome. The record is Von/Ed, and it's from Delmark Records, legendary Chicago l..."
yeah, delmark put out all those early art ensemble of chicago records ... been digging their stuff for decades. i'll look for that duo - i didn't know it existed ... thanks!
Tom wrote: "Phillip, if you manage to see it, make sure you stay to the end -- the big BED sequence in Act 4 is one of the real marvels of American theater. ..."i'm going to buy tickets on monday. yay!
Speaking of Haino, I've just discovered Kikuri, a one-off (as far as I can tell) collaboration between Haino and Masami Akita, aka Merzbow, aka The Undisputed King of Japanese Noise. What many people don't know (at least, those who don't have the Bustmonster 7") is that in addition to being the Guru of Pedals, Akita-san is also an accomplished drummer, and he puts out here, making this probably the most rock-ish Merzbow disc since he collaborated with Boris on Rock Dream. The end result (over which Merzbow layers a hefty layer of sludgy noise) is more of a freak-out record than I ever expected to hear from either Haino or Akita.{If you are unfamiliar with freak-out, a distinctly Japanese form of psychedelic rock, go to youtube, plug in the phrase "acid mothers temple", and PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MIND BLOWN.}
Anyway, the album is called Pulverized Purple, and it's outrageously good.
Baxter: did I ever throw you a rec about Tom Hovinbole's amazing doco Nor Noise? Easily the best noise doco I own (and I've tracked down about a dozen over the years). So so so so good.
Just got the latest Mission of Burma "Unsound" and dig it pretty well. Those guys are still going strong IMO.Also a two-disc set called Ghana Special, featuring "modern high life, Afro sounds, and Ghanaian blues" from the 1960s through early 1980s. Haven't spun it yet but I dig these kinds that present a survey of subgenres like this.
And filled a couple holes in my collection: The Avengers s/t LP, The Vibrators "V2" ("Pure Mania" is one of my all-time favorite albums so I somehow never got this, their second alb), The Jam "Sound Affects" and their unfairly maligned final record, "The Gift"; and finally The Wanderers "Only Lovers Left Alive." Love me some Stiv Bators, though the synths here date the album a bit.
I listened to Jonny Greenwood's score for THE MASTER today, and can only say that if it doesn't pick up some serious attention in the awards feeding frenzy then that'll just be all too goddamn typical.
Robert wrote: "Baxter: did I ever throw you a rec about Tom Hovinbole's amazing doco Nor Noise? Easily the best noise doco I own (and I've tracked down about a dozen over the years). So so so so good."It sounds vaguely familiar, so you probably have and I just can't remember. Looking it up though, and it sounds like something I'll defo have to be tracking down soon.
I've been slacking on my noise lately--been enjoying the opposite side with onkyo/eai/field recording stuff (that Cool Quartet with Eric La Casa album is EASILY the best thing I've heard from this year)--but I can feel the urges returning. Once you get into the noise, there's no getting out.
Steve wrote: "Just got the latest Mission of Burma "Unsound" and dig it pretty well. Those guys are still going strong IMO."Got to see them live/meet them in 2009 (my wife got press-ganged into running their merch table while they were onstage!). Still as blistering as ever.
Baxter wrote: "I've been slacking on my noise lately--been enjoying the opposite side with onkyo/eai/field recording stuff (that Cool Quartet with Eric La Casa album is EASILY the best thing I've heard from this year)--but I can feel the urges returning. Once you get into the noise, there's no getting out. "Gotta pick that up--I pulled out The Stones of the Threshold and Afflux's Boquetot-Paris-Port-Jerome a coupla weeks ago (and tangentially, Afflux: now THAT is a goddamn supergroup! La Casa, Jean-Luc Guionnet, and Eric Cordier... good god!) and they still sound as ass-kicking as they did in 1999. TSotT is actually on my recently-revamped-for-the-first-time-since-1998 100 favorite albums list. TSotT was the first album that really made me understand how subtle manipulation of straight field recordings could be compelling.
[edit: Jim O'Rourke and Syllyk collabed on an album? OH MY GOD HOW DO I NOT HAVE THIS?]
Saint Vitus and Weedeater played Cleveland last night. I actually blew the show off--despite not having seen Saint Vitus live since before Wino started singing and before anyone coined the term "doom metal"--in order to head for Pittsburgh to see some hardcore. Two of my old friends from Pittsburgh's eighties hardcore staple Battered Citizens (I went to high school with Greg, BC's drummer, who went on to Submachine, Caustic Christ, and Short Dark Strangers over the years) reunited in early 2011 to form Killer of Sheep, an all-black-except-the-drummer band playing straight-up eighties hardcore, and I missed them last time they came my way, so I went there. They were opening for two bands I'd never heard of (Seattle's Heartless and DC's Cyanare) and two bands I'd very much heard of (Protestant, one of the stalwarts of Milwaukee's underground scene, and Clevo's own "blastafarians" Masakari, who are friends with just about everyone I'm friends with, but I somehow never actually met them until last night).Unfortunately, rumor has it Killer of Sheep broke up the day of the show. If true, this would make the third gig I've been to in my life where a band broke up the day of the show (and the second of those times, they were my opening act. GENIUS.). In any case, they dogged out. Cyanare and Heartless--about to embark on a European tour--were both plagued with technical problems, so I'm withholding judgment. Masakari were incredible. But Protestant, whom I've never seen live before, were mesmerizing. You remember a crappy nineties band called the Spin Doctors? Their lead singer was known for being something of a contortionist onstage. Now imagine him as the bassist for a hardcore/doom metal band, but a foot taller, twenty pounds lighter, and twenty years older. That's something worth seeing live! Also, Protestant understand the breakdown, and its application in hardcore (not to mention its effectiveness at whipping the crowd into a frenzy), more than any band since... Give Them Rope-era Coalesce, maybe? I'm amazed the venue was still standing by the time they finished playing.
Robert wrote: "Speaking of Haino, I've just discovered Kikuri, a one-off (as far as I can tell) collaboration between Haino and Masami Akita, aka Merzbow, aka The Undisputed King of Japanese Noise. Anyway, the album is called Pulverized Purple, and it's outrageously good. ..."
merely echoing the sentiments expressed above - that is a great record! a friend burned the complete merzbow for me a while back. so glad to have it! there is a link that i might still have around in my inbox somewhere to download (free) the complete recordings - if you're interested, email me off list and i will send the link ...
Tom wrote: "I listened to Jonny Greenwood's score for THE MASTER today, and can only say that if it doesn't pick up some serious attention in the awards feeding frenzy then that'll just be all too goddamn typi..."yep ... fucking hans zimmer will probably continue to pick up whatever half-baked awards they are tossing these days. at least i'm not seeing danny elfman's name on every other soundtrack these days.
