Monday, August 23, 2004
Born Under a Phone Star
The day I was born, Blondie's song "Call Me" was the no.1 hit in both England and the US. I feel that that fact has colored my taste in music, fashion, and technology. I have a serious infatuation with pop ballads that include some technical lingo and or communication topics. I like bands that reassign meaning to technology which might otherwise go ignored. Why think of phones as sterile? Computers are people too... OK, OK I know that her song Call Me is about a relationship, and not a phone, but I am trying to draw some cosmic links between the content of my blog, and the song of my birth. Or something.
The Units of Measure are A'Moving
To carry on with this technological theme, I am presenting you with the best new "I am referencing the talking heads band" to appear on the scene since The Rapture. I think that this band really embraces the punk slash no wave elements of sound, while remaining somewhat disaffected (which is always scientific). Never-mind that they always use disco drums and distorted vocals, the mood they create is catchy and raw, it takes up the gap that the ever growing corporate movement of bands like Interpoland The Rapture are leaving. Interpol was once a darker edgy band and their latest single, "Evil" sounds like well.. it sounds kinda like surf pop. And the Rapture, bless their hearts, are putting out songs like "Sister Saviour" which is gay club music... Nothing against house music, I love the electro slash disco punk vibe, but sometimes you just want to listen to a dirty little rock ballad.
That is where The Moving Units come in and provide me with songs like Between Us and Them. I can't but help imagining myself Rocking Out hard when i hear this song and every other song on their four song EP. I mean FOR REAL, check them out!
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Pastoral Pop Makes a Comeback
I think you all should give this band Electrelane a serious listen. They are playing at Cafe' du Nord on Sept 20th 2004, next month. I am interested in sharing this song Gone Under Sea which is a great example of modern pastoral pop with an electro vibe. The earlier incarnations of such music included bands like Forest. The band was producing music from 1969-1970 with members Martin Welham, Derek Allenby, and Hadrian Welham. Their music is sort of renissance, fantasy, chamber pop. Although it is more acoustic hippi and less electric, I think it does mark some of the roots of current pastoral popish bands like Electrelane and Belle and Sebastian.
Electrelane, with the track Gone Under Sea and the chorus of "Ave Marias" as well as the choral hymns on The Valleys takes the non secular approach to secular music. They manage to infuse mystery and reverence into delicate and moving music. Brighton, England's Electrelane formed in 1998, eventually comprising guitarist Mia Clarke, bassist Rachel Dalley, drummer Emma Gaze, and keyboardist/guitarist Verity Susman. My, how I love the English!
I think you all should give this band Electrelane a serious listen. They are playing at Cafe' du Nord on Sept 20th 2004, next month. I am interested in sharing this song Gone Under Sea which is a great example of modern pastoral pop with an electro vibe. The earlier incarnations of such music included bands like Forest. The band was producing music from 1969-1970 with members Martin Welham, Derek Allenby, and Hadrian Welham. Their music is sort of renissance, fantasy, chamber pop. Although it is more acoustic hippi and less electric, I think it does mark some of the roots of current pastoral popish bands like Electrelane and Belle and Sebastian.
Electrelane, with the track Gone Under Sea and the chorus of "Ave Marias" as well as the choral hymns on The Valleys takes the non secular approach to secular music. They manage to infuse mystery and reverence into delicate and moving music. Brighton, England's Electrelane formed in 1998, eventually comprising guitarist Mia Clarke, bassist Rachel Dalley, drummer Emma Gaze, and keyboardist/guitarist Verity Susman. My, how I love the English!
Monday, August 09, 2004
Seems like a week since I last wrote a little review.. Oh, It was. .. Well I would like all of you to take a minute to listen to the newly posted Dat Politics track. Bees 're Bees . This band is an amazing mix of Glitch and Kitsch and samples. Choppy and silly. This is a little sample of their new album, go pets go. I especially enjoy some of their collaborations with Matmos on the Plugs and Plus album. I myself have choreographed more than one space dance routine to a dat politics song with children and adults. I consider them to be at the forefront of the avant electro pop scene. Here are some photos of one of my Space Dances . Yes and Yes.
The Band Moving Units is playing at the 418 Project in Santa Cruz see their tour schedule. This band has some awesome discopunk tracks like "Available" . They are reminiscent of older no wave bands like talking heads and newer bands like the rapture.. Check them out!
The Band Moving Units is playing at the 418 Project in Santa Cruz see their tour schedule. This band has some awesome discopunk tracks like "Available" . They are reminiscent of older no wave bands like talking heads and newer bands like the rapture.. Check them out!
Monday, August 02, 2004
Last Friday I saw Miss Kitten at the Mezzenine in SF. She blew all the other gents out of the water who played before her. I mean, Matthew Dear was good, but laptops don't compare to the two turntables and a microphone all at the same time. And Mr. Dear was only singing and playing the occasional piano riff, Miss K was scratching, mixing and singing all at the same time. She definately rocked the house! I was really inspired because I have never seen a woman DJ with such finesse, she was the best. Her new albun I Com is pretty good too. And she is the one who produced most of the music for it, she is truely coming into her own. If she hits your city, check her out (esp all those ladies out there, she will get you moving!).
