eclectic:
adjective FORMAL
Methods, beliefs, ideas, etc. that are eclectic, combine whatever seem the best or most useful things from many different areas or systems, rather than following a single system.
Bay Shore's Boulton Center for the Performing Arts welcomed legendary Australian rock band, The Church, on April 23. Celebrating three decades of music, and twenty-four albums, the band masterfully evoked the memories of their long-term devoted fans. Vacillating between showcasing their well-known and unbridled virtuosity, and revealing their talents as bona fide raconteurs, lead vocalist Steve Kilbey prefaced each song with its own history - stories punctuated with moments of shrewdly deployed candor, enrobed in witty sarcasm - complete with equally amusing interjections from all members of the band. In doing so, each song became a virtual bookmark in their sonic memoir, and each story quickly engaged listeners, making the obligatory space between the stage and the audience virtually disappear.
"An Intimate Space" provided a return to the uncomplicated and grass-roots methodology of performance - looking not toward the allure of fancy and superfluous stage equipment , or the lucre associated with a twenty-two city tour and all of its inherent merchandising opportunities, but rather the chance to provide the clearly devout fans of The Church with a comfortable place in which to congregate and, more importantly, reminisce.
Throughout the show, Marty Willson-Piper both teased and wooed the adoring crowd with short bursts of soulful, solo guitar riffs, leaving them wide-eyed and hungry for more. Deciding against eschewing perhaps their most eminent effort to a crowd whose knowledge of their material spanned far beyond just the most recognizable, the band contentedly performed "Under the Milky Way," even incorporating the tried and true harmonica solo from Peter Koppes. The audience sang along with numinous zeal, as gossamer, white stars emblazoned themselves onto the curtain backdrop - precisely where Tim Powles worked his rhythmic magic on the drums.
In a startling move, the first of two encores had The Church covering the quintessential hit "Disarm" from The Smashing Pumpkins, who, in 2008, famously performed a cover of "Reptile" during a concert in Sydney.
As the concert drew to a close, Kilbey quietly confessed, "We haven't had a song on commercial radio in twenty years." For a moment, the room was silenced by a piece of information too daunting for an über-fan to contemplate. Willson-Piper finished adjusting his microphone, tilted it toward his mouth, and slyly responded: "Must mean we're doing something right!" With this, the audience exploded into applause, still safe in the knowledge that, without even trying, The Church had somehow laid the groundwork for the next thirty years.
Admittedly, Smokers Delight had remained my penultimate favourite when it came to Nightmares on Wax albums. Until now, that is. Carboot Soul -- mostly because of "Les Nuits" UGH! -- always ranked at the top, while A Word of Science fell somewhere third. So, I guess you could say Smokers Delight kind of landed in the middle (and not counting the others). Lately, however, I'm finding myself unable to stop listening to that album. God, it's so spectacular!
I only started listening to NoW about six or seven years ago -- just as I was first discovering the splendour of "underground hip-hop" -- you know, Atmosphere, Sole, Sage Francis, RJD2, DJ Shadow, etc., etc. There was just something about Nightmares that elevated "them" to another echelon. Something really special.
I'm telling you...all of the best musicians are from Leeds.
I like to call the contents of this album "fan music." Why, you ask? Well, when I play it, it kind of makes me want to put on one of those house fans, and seductively pose in front it -- you know, hair all free-flowing and what not, mouth slightly agape.
Ah, yes. The splendor that is Caia.
With one part Maiku Takahashi (a premiere Japanese producer), and one part Groove Armada's Andy Cato, rest assured that you are in (very) good hands. The Magic Dragon drips with unadulterated sensuality, mixing cool, downtempo electronica beats with a certain trip-hop warmth that is not always easily captured.
If you're thrown by Thievery Corporation or agog with Afterlife, I behoove you to check this one out.
Unabashedly raw and unforgiving, Andy J Gallagher's Crocodiles and Prostitutes EP (Universal/Waga Waga Records) is a sonic panacea to the anemic rock genre. Energetic and dauntless, Gallagher transports listeners back to the no holds barred, punk-infused world of remarkable commotion. With The Damned's legendary songwriter, Roman Jugg, in the producer's seat, Crocodiles and Prostitutes is, at once, a resurrection of punk rock's ascendancy and modern musical promise.
With the brilliantly abrasive, anathematizing love anthem, "Something Else," Gallagher leaves behind any notion of regret in his concise and resolute sentiment of emotional detachment. "The Men in Suits," much like the seemingly depraved characters populating the song, starts off slow and deceitfully disciplined before radically shifting gears. Gallagher narrates this lascivious tale with his signature unhinged vocals and sinewy guitars. "Rope Swings Eternal" shares a similar motif - exposing the downtrodden - and with it, exposing Gallagher's more perceptive and soulful other half, while "C" promptly ends the album with a laconic, and true-to-Gallagher message that will satisfy any post-punk penchant.
Crocodiles and Prostitutes fuses the best of punk's past with an unmatched, contemporary talent.
Exploring the sounds of electronica in its purest, and perhaps most pristine form, Magic Sound Fabric masterfully serves up the chilly and evocative evidence of those explorations on Observer.
Proclaiming: "There's no reality in duality" on the album's opener, "The World is An Illusion" is a prelude of what is to come. Intimations of science-fiction and sumptuous synth-laden grooves nurture the perfect parallel between existentialist allusions and the obstinate beat-head. "Heaven's Coming Down" is eerily beautiful and brilliantly organic amidst the album's well-established digital disposition. Guitar-laced "Only Love is Real" coalesce with fragments of head-nodding dub, while "Majesty" and "Beautiful," Observer's instrumental tracks, hold their own - polished and glaringly dynamic.
Turning futurism into an aural odyssey, Magic Sound Fabric eludes the club-thumping culture of electronica, and brings intelligent life back to the stereo.
With lush, gritty vocals, and uncomplicated, but always melodic guitar work, The Tijuana Sun sonically re-establish the fundamentals of rock. Although echoing the quintessential sound of their idols and influences, this Scottish trio is not to be intermingled with today's sycophants of legendary British musicians.
An omnipresence of the acoustic guitar lends itself to the overall rustic feel of the music. "Blinded By the Lights," however, transits into heavier territory with more pronounced guitars, while "Black and Blue" is a staggering exhibition of Mark Ferguson's aggressive and dynamic vocal abilities. Tambourine-laden "What's Goin' On" paints unexpected soul onto their veracious rock exterior, but never indulgently strays from their central sound.
Raw, vehement vocals juxtaposed against nothing more than the most elementary of instruments create a sound that is remarkably fractured and wonderfully abrasive. Clearly, The Tijuana Sun are primed to be emulated.
With a seemingly innate ability for channeling the glory days of alternative rock, if 'n, hailing from South Jersey, has managed to shift the trajectory of the glossy and one-dimensional backdrop of today's music.
Dripping with a certain drawl, if 'n furtively blends a bit of blues into both lyrics and instrumentation. "Confused Muse" is laggard and sonorous, incorporating just the right amount of letdown into the story, while "Rerun," inheriting a more implicit bleakness, name-checks actor John Astin - a bizarre yet befitting acknowledgment.
In clearing away the cobwebs of complication, the music of if 'n remains simple and utterly accessible - two attributes very much alive in the bouncy, guitar driven "Shake."
Undoubtedly, in straying from the precise and the pretentious, if ‘n has given fans a reason to embrace a homegrown, no-frills approach to making quality music.
Stunningly celestial and sonically profound, Kevin Bartlett’s Glow in the Dark beseeches listeners to not only listen with their ears, but with their soul, as well. Lugubrious and alluring, the album is an aural thoroughfare through which emotions are sure to become heightened.
Ghostly, ethereal vocals sweep atop Bartlett’s trademark blend of ambient electronica and resonant prog-rock – the latter most illustrated on the track “Resuscitation.” Woven into each song are piquant and poignant sounds that will, invariably, lead the listener into a state of supreme bliss. Tracks such as “The Sorrow, The Fish, and Glastonbury Hill,” and “Something Probably” are the gossamer and salient pieces that the discerning ambient devotee will want to examine through headphones and, at the same time, extol for its intensity. “Stethoscope” is dirge-like in its composition, while “God’s Little Do-Over” is uninhibited and robust, yet still teems with tranquility. Adorned with pure, earthy chants, the essence of global music is most prominent on the title track, “Glow in the Dark.”
Although Bartlett finishes the album with the exquisite “Next Life…Let’s Just Wave to Each Other,” the story never truly ceases. The sentiment of Glow in the Dark reverberates everywhere, long after it has been heard.
Last night, I downloaded Telefon Tel Aviv's Immolate Yourself. The sound is nothing short of utopian - otherwordly, almost. I was instantly enamored. You must give this a listen if you find yourself frequenting the whole dream-pop/electronic/shoegaze arena (namely, Ulrich Schnauss, M83 and the like).
Take a listen to "Your Mouth" off of Immolate Yourself, here
At the end of each month, my buoyant marauding around eMusic begins. It's the 27th, in fact. The day my account reloads; the first day marking the inquisition. It's do or die.
"Where do I look first?" I ask myself, fingers slightly curved over my blue and grey mouse, sweeping each corner of my mismatched but suitably green mouse pad. My first stop: Rock/Pop. I just have to see what it could possibly be hiding. Much to my chagrin, The Gaslight Anthem's The '59 Sound appears on the main page. "No," I say to myself. This kind of music is cold - it makes me feel cold! It's like getting lost in the aisles of a Borders. The faint smell of Seattle coffee signaling me to run before it's too late. But it's not all bad on Rock/Pop street. Some '80s, British Invasion, prog rock, new-wave and synthpop. Okay. I can exhale safely. I move on with a few, new downloads in my eMusic desktop folder. I need some electronica, though. The type of electronica with synths the sonic equivalent of fireworks - flourishing higher, becoming denser, richer as other sounds explode into it and on top of it - then coming down playfully, leaving only small fragments of its existence. On my way, I stop off at Industrial. I love industrial, but I'm fastidious about the genre. I take a listen to Project Pitchfork's Chakra Red, and am amazed by the music. My only trouble lies in the vocals. The devilishly deep, almost unnecessarily robotic vocals really do make me giggle. It just sounds ridiculous. I download the beautiful "Human Crossing," the album's first track. I can always just mentally expunge the hideous vocals.
Don't get me wrong. eMusic can get you lost in its veritable deluge of music. For the most part, it strays from the de rigueur nicely.
So, what have I been listening to these past six months? Well.
New stuff:
THE CATHERINE WHEEL THE DURUTTI COLUMN (Vini Reilly...yeahhh) Deastro Liam Finn Lonely London Lad Project Pitchfork The High Violets Tosca Friendly Fires Burial Glasvegas Caged Baby Chapterhouse Culture Kultur Datarock Gene Loves Jezebel Glass Candy Joakim Lykke Li Mahogany Neon Neon Oszibarack Repeater Sebastien Tellier Spacemen 3 Tycho The Parallelograms The House of Love
there are a lot more, but you get the point. Oh, and, embarrassingly enough, THE DANDY WARHOLS. Oh god.
Of course, there are also a bunch of artists for whom my obsession has only grown deeper - those I won't list. Too many to mention. Let me just say that they lie in the acid house/brit rock/electronic (dance)/Madchester/alternative/shoegaze/blah blah region.
I recently had the chance to interview and photograph this up and coming band. Read on!
Just as the Chelsea area of London birthed innovation and art, audacious South Jersey trio, Chelsea in Orbit, soulfully embodies this concept. There is little doubt that Chelsea in Orbit is fluent in the language of British rock, easily translating the sonic syntax of classic '80s bands into an amalgamation all their own. Their music is not, however, to be confused with the outpouring of the ubiquitous neo-'80s bands seen today. Instead, they set out do something extraordinary: make great songs. Seemingly undaunted by the prospect of "making it big," and never ostentatious, all three members let the music do the real talking.
The songs crafted by Chelsea in Orbit are, undoubtedly, crafted with patience. Never taking themselves too seriously - Juan Parejo (vocals), Gregg Biesiada (lead guitar) and Rick Eddy (drums) - all would rather tell the tales of their strange and comical encounters through three years of touring, than to sit and list their myriad accomplishments.
After winning Origivation Magazine's awards for "Band of the Year" and "Best Modern Rock Band," Chelsea in Orbit already had three albums behind them. This remarkable acknowledgment led to the placement of their song, "Perfect Kiss" in the short, indie film "Life Coach." All major feats for which you are unlikely to hear any of the guys mention unless under strict questioning. In fact, when asked why they enjoyed performing at the prestigious Dewey Beach Music conference, Juan answered earnestly: "We got to eat a lot of pancakes."
There is more to Chelsea in Orbit than just great music made by musicians with whom you'd love to hang around; the music is bold, the instrumentation is no-nonsense and the vocals can only be described as chill-inducing. Juan's fierce voice is replete with strong characteristics that are seldom heard anywhere else. Encroaching upon the release of their fourth album, the intricate yet jolting musicianship is clearly showcased. And it doesn't stop there.
When acclaimed producer Jamie Myerson (Amy Cook, Duncan Sheik, Dido, AM), took the band under his veteran wing, the music truly began to take a life of its own as he engendered the album's perfect atmospheric touches.
"Working with others, it never sounded quite right, never sounded quite like us until now," Rick explained. If their current endeavor is any indication as to what Chelsea in Orbit really is, people will certainly be listening.
"The songs are stronger," Juan added. Gregg explained that working with Myerson on their album was "natural, like hanging out."
Natural, for sure. Chelsea in Orbit's sound doesn't overpower, instead, it suggests and pulls you in; allowing the listener to circumnavigate around a taste of their many influences, but always keeping their own style in the aural forefront.
"I just hope there's an audience out there that understands the passion of our work and feels as good about it as we do," Rick said, one of his less zany retorts made. But just when things become too mushy, a cellular phone goes off, blaring Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon." Gregg answers, looks around and swoops in with a saving quip:
"There's a niche for what we're doing - it could be six people - but there's a niche."
Check out some of CIO's music on their Myspace OR Download a free mp3 of the epic Truth and the Fire
I apologize for the ridiculously long hiatus, but I swear I've been working on new material. Oh, and I swear I'm going to start updating this thing weekly, if not daily. (Reminder to self: Must get WordPress!) It is my duty to bring you good music, god damnit!
I decided to get my creative juices flowing by writing this squib, of sorts. Read it and weep.
Something extremely disheartening has been taking place in the world in the past two decades or so. In fact, it appears to be a disease that has been running rampant with no sign of any real vector and its point of entrance is somewhat blurred. Somehow, in some way, 99% of the population has been enculturated to embrace music borne from absolute ineptitude. What is it about people falling for unoriginal music?
I tend to liken this phenomena to an obviously plastic-surgery altered woman in a short, slutty dress. Someone is going to go for her because she's right there, she's cheap and she's available. I lend no credence to the thought of human beings having an open mind anymore. It's not that hard to go on and look for something better. It's really not. But people are going to fall for the most acquirable simply because it's easy. And you'll fall for it, all right.
Since the advent of Fruity Loops, YouTube - hell, since the advent of Color-By-Numbers, the humanities bar has been lowered to near ground level. If you create a "track" using Fruity Loops and upload it to Myspace or Virb, you're suddenly playing The Knitting Factory at ten bucks a pop. There's no real talent being exuded in toggling with music software that you have ripped off the internet, or was given to you by your best friend on a CD-RW covered with illegible phrases squiggled on with a compact disc-safe magic marker.
Speaking of magic, there isn't any in mainstream music. My notion that people will fall for anything has been proven true over and over again. So, these so called artists keep doing what they're doing. Honestly, did you know that there are other female artists out there besides Natasha Bedingfield? Well, did ya? And why are Nickelback (Picklesmack) songs still being played on the radio?
Why do chart-toppers lack panache?
Perhaps the really good, intelligent, ingenious and substantial stuff is best left for those who know what to do with it. In Bjork's "Alarm Call," she says: "I want to go on a mountain-top with a radio and good batteries and play a joyous tune and free the human race from suffering."
Now ask yourself. Which tune would you play and would others probably choose to play the same?
(Oh, and caveat lector: This little squib is really not applicable to more than most of the people who will read this. And believe me, I'm really not judgmental. Just really serious about the music I listen to).
I like to think of "year in reviews" as funerary processions with really, really good music. 2007 saw nearly zilch in the popular- but-interesting music department - please! I was always taught never to expect anything if I didn't want to be disappointed. Either way, I kept an account of some of the best songs, albums and artists that I greatly enjoyed/discovered this past year; a very formal accounting of it, might I add: it's something I like to call "iTunes." The "Pocket Symphony" folder I created on my computer has been slowly overflowing, as well.
"Pocket Symphony!?" you ask, "Isn't that the name of the most recent Air alb...?" Yeah, yeah. Oh, you Francophiles!
Onward...
10. Alex Cortiz
It's somewhat difficult to write about an artist of whom you know almost no biographical information, gender, birthplace, influences, etc. Christ, he/she doesn't even have a Myspace page (gasp!). What Alex Cortiz does have is an album, however; a lounge album that surpasses all lounge albums. Never boring and disgustingly sensual and smooth. Not smooth jazz smooth, but smooth as in silk sheets and dark chocolate. Magnifico is a mysterious grin, a fiery stare from across the room or a weekend getaway to Brazil. It's lounge music that makes you want to do anything but lounge!
Download suggestions: "Barfly," "Glamourgirl," "My Favourite Moment"
9. Daniel Agust
I posted a review several months ago about ex-GusGus member Mr. Agust. There is not much more to say about him and his stellar album Swallowed a Star except I absolutely implore you to check it out.
From Eclectriciti:
"Delightfully dark and symphonically beautiful, Daniel Agust - ex GusGus member - takes his new album "Swallowed a Star," through fits of rapture and majesty. Punctuated with orchestral melodies, the album shines a light on a new, and exciting side of electronica."
Download Suggestions: "Nobody Else," "Sparks Will Fly," "If You Leave Me Now"
8. Veil Veil Vanish
(see last post)
From Eclectriciti:
"Perhaps one of my favourite new bands to come on the scene; post-punk, shoegazer and ultimately fabulous. Veil Veil Vanish imparts a certain darkness to the bright, sunny state from which they hail: California. Throbbing guitars, and broodingly impactful vocals by Keven Tecon."
Download suggestions: "What Will You Say Tonight," "Shadows Dripping Like Honey Kissing," "All Hands in Prayer"
7. Worm is Green
Doesn't it seem as if the world has become bedeviled by Icelandic musicians? I don't know about you, but I think this is certain. It began with Bjork, Sigur Ros and has slowly evolved into Worm is Green. Not that there is anything wrong with this, don't get me wrong. Automagic is pretty and peculiar; no sign of any glaciers with this group.
Download suggestions: "Army of Them," "Electron John"
6. Cut Copy
Interestingly enough, this group sits right above Daft Punk on my playlists. Alphabetically speaking, of course. Zing!
From Eclectriciti:
"What do you get when you mix Daft Punk and The Cure? Interestingly, you get the sharp electro band Cut Copy. "Bright Like Neon Love" is a perfect introduction for the electro neophyte. This band spices its music with hints of funk, electro and new wave, reminiscent of Daft Punk with a bit more guitar and Aussie accents."
Download suggestions: "Saturdays," "A Dream," "Hearts on Fire," "Autobahn Music Box," "Going Nowhere"
5. Studio
From Eclectriciti:
"More Swedes in the news! Presumably the most "exotic" of the bands listed, Studio is, as one individual described them, a Swedish duo who does "afro-prog -disco- yacht rock." Personally, I am unfamiliar with either term, but it is somehow befitting of the duo. I would describe this group as a harder Kula Shaker - an amalgam of African/Indian sounds and rhythms and alternative rock. At first glance, it doesn't seem like it would be appealing to you, does it? Trust me on this one. Take a ride through Studio's extrinsic exploration.
Though not newly discovered this past year, Mr. Hawley released Lady's Bridge this past August - well, October for us Americans -and blew fans away once again with his consolatory melodies and deep, sonorous vocals. UK born Hawley takes his listeners through hope, gloom and even parts of Nashville with his infamous usage of the lap steel guitar. Nothing compares.
Download suggestions: "The Ocean," "Valentine," "Run For Me," "The Only Road"
3. Colder
Channeling a little bit of the breathiness of T Rex's Marc Bolan, the sizzling synths of Depeche Mode, and sexy, dub-like guitar work of The Cure and Joy Division, Colder's Marc Nguyen Tan - a native of France - is a graphic designer turned DJ/musician (not to mention famously remixing "Clean" on Depeche Mode's Singles 81-04 album). His music is nothing less than arousing and has clean, sensuous rhythm for days. Great for the post-punk crowds and just as good for electroheads.
Download suggestions: "To The Music," "Silicone Sexy," "Tonight"
2. Air
Speaking of Air, I just...sort of decided to put their album Pocket Symphony at numero due on my list. Kidding. I actually really adored this album, and if I may be so audacious, think it is perhaps their best. I was very much tickled at the fact that legendary Jarvis Cocker fronted "One Hell of a Party," and found their instrumentals ("Space Maker," specifically) to be some of the most simply magnificent pieces the French duo have thought up. I will always be a fan of Air, and I am sure millions can say the same, as well.
Download suggestions: "Once Upon a Time," Space Maker," "Playground Love," "Run"
1. Dave Gahan
I know you know. I do. I know you know that I was going to make Dave Gahan's Hourglass number one on this list. Sure. I must admit to you all now, though: I swear I didn't do it because it's Dave Gahan - the almighty Dave Gahan for whom I stood on-line for 10 hours for with no sleep prior just to meet; for whom I spent countless dollars on concert tickets, and CDs to see the group with which he performs (well, they happen to be my favourite); for whom I...well, wait. I'm not doing too well on this "just because he's Dave Gahan" case of mine, am I? Well, regardless of what you may think, this album was my most revered, and with good reason, too. Gahan created tracks that would make Gore or Wilder jealous. Dark, depraved and often times literally beautiful, Hourglass is everything a Dave Gahan album should be; everything we expected of him. "Miracles," I tell ya. Miracles.
Eclectriciti is dedicated to the expansion of the musical mind in all receptive individuals. The amalgamation of all genres in music are here, in a hip, untarnished, unbiased format.
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