With two daughters to keep cheerful during a long car journey, yesterday's listening was mostly a couple of radiolab podcasts (I highly recommend the last segment of the one about pop music, focused on the role of Western music in Afghanistan) plus roughly 3 and a half hours of Florence and the Machine, Imogen Heap, and Emmy Rossum (all from their iPods not mine). Another 7 hours or so to go today, so who knows what's coming?
Another selection from the Shout! drop, a compilation of singer-songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Deke Dickerson. It is a crime this dude doesn't get more recognition. He's got 8 shows at the Internet Archive BTW.
Doughty has a traditional singer-songwriter album coming out next month, but this is a companion album that was released last week. It's electronic and Mobyesque. This is my first listen, but I have yet to hear his voice (there are some other vocals). I love when artists step out of their comfort zone like this, and thus far he's really pulling it off.
Listening to new stuff on First Listen.
These albums aren't on Spotify yet so the Spotify links take you to a page where you can jump to the artist page if you have Spotify installed. I don't use spotify: links because they don't work on all devices.
Kreng - Grimoire "The less we know about Belgian sound alchemist Pepijn Caudron (aka Kreng), the better. We know his debut release LAutopsie Phenomenale De Dieu appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the Miasmah label in 2009, but other than that very little tangible information has surfaced. This sequel, the blackly monikered Grimoire simply re-enforces Caudrons shadowy legacy with a similarly dank concoction of cracked strings, creaking percussion and half-heard dialogue. Thankfully however Caudron has refined his craft in every way, from the artfully restrained layering of samples to the deliriously magickal atmosphere he manages to conjure up. There is the sense even from the first few seconds of the record that you are transported out of time and reality, and as hoarse, alien breaths croak over oily bass drones the poignant spoken words You dont belong here become an apt anchor for the entire album.
It seems almost too easy to compare Grimoire to a film soundtrack at this point; sure Caudron has listened to his fair share of chilling scores but Grimoire is more than simply homage, and maybe the clue is in the title itself. Grimoires are books of magic, the most important of which had a stranglehold on cultures both ancient and more recently than most people probably care to realize. These books have slipped into folklore and legend, and like those faded pages of incantations there is something deeply mystical and indescribable about Krengs music. Caudrons background in theatre no doubt forms a strong foundation for his compositions, but there is so much about his work that only creeps into the light after countless hours of study. These songs are best suited to moonlight, strong spice-laced liquors and the dark recesses of our painfully dull existence. Pepijn Caudron has formed a grimy, surreal ode to not only the past, but also what the future might hold, and from the sounds of it were not getting off lightly. But then were all so tired of pretty, arent we? Miasmah Recordings 2011
- Boomkat Review - Soundcloud Kreng @ Emusers.
Via Spotify, and probably just a bit too loud. Zorn is well represented, this one is a 1998 Tzadik release. Hoping that the label is entirely on Spotify.
John Zorn - Book of Angels (amz)
Playing from [url=spotify:user:plong42:playlist:3Kcp1VwnpxZwRBzIxxVbQm]John Zorn - Book of Angels playlist by Plong42[/url] (spotify player link)
Good to be back for a few days before going to a (work related) conference next week. Lots of threads to catch up on.... Lots of music to follow-up. Some serious downloading coming up too, as I need to use up this month's refresh in a couple of days, so any suggestions really welcome - you know what I like, but no major labels please as I can't access these in the UK from emusic. But Spain was great - very hot and no rain, so different from the UK!
From the artist: "For this concept album, the idea was to make new songwriting. All structures were influenced by rock and also by experimental techno and prepared improvisation (which i still don't really enjoy most of the time though). There's choruses, verses, bridges, introductions and endings. They don't appear in the order, all the times, but they are there. The vocals and the lyrics came after. All lyrics were inspired by the instrumental music. It's marvelous to treat human voice like an instrument instead of the driving force behind the music. I'm making the music i have in my head since many years. I hope the excitation, discovery of infinite possibilities can be heard.
"I also tried to associate general concepts of human existence.
I'm drowning in new music right now. Had an mtraks refresh on Thursday and got an Amazon gift card from the inlaws that I used to grab some new albums (including this one) on Saturday. It's fantastic.
@Dr. Mutex - thanks for the heads up on the new Ollabelle on NPR First Listens. I've been watching for this one - hadn't noticed it on NPR yet, but am going there straightaway.
EDIT// Oh my - just listened to first 4 tracks so far, but I think this is an excellent album!
48 Cameras - B-Sides Are For Lovers (May 23, 1985)
"48 CAMERAS are a very atypical minimal/cold wave/post-punk band: 25 years of creation, nine albums, and just six concerts - a band of variable geometry articulated around Jean-Marie Mathoul, and including amongst the changing members Gerard Malanga (poet, photographer, film director), Rodolphe Burger and Philippe Poirier (KAT ONOMA), David Coutler (POGUES, TEST DEPT), Michael Gira (SWANS), and most recently Nick Grey, Chris Long or Charlemagne Palestine."
- http://www.48cameras.com
Thanks Doofy. I've downloaded a month's worth of tracks (100!) in the last 36 hours ready for refresh in a couple of days - it'll certainly be top of my list for then. My wife and I are both at a Global Learning Conference for most of next week (We both work in education - I train teachers, now part-time and she is a head teacher of a primary school) and hopefully one outcome will be another study visit to The Gambia. One of the things I want to develop further is the role of music as part of global learning, particularly related to West Africa. I'm sure that you will enjoy the Tinariwen stuff...
Comments
Mike Doughty - Dubious Luxury
Doughty has a traditional singer-songwriter album coming out next month, but this is a companion album that was released last week. It's electronic and Mobyesque. This is my first listen, but I have yet to hear his voice (there are some other vocals). I love when artists step out of their comfort zone like this, and thus far he's really pulling it off.
Craig
New album focussing on soul. Currently listening to the entire album on Rolling Stone's website. Listen here.
Enjoying it immensely. I might have to buy this one.
Now starting:
I do like mtraks.
Craig
These albums aren't on Spotify yet so the Spotify links take you to a page where you can jump to the artist page if you have Spotify installed. I don't use spotify: links because they don't work on all devices.
Muppets: The Green Album (amz)
Hear Muppets: The Green Album on NPR First Listen
Beirut - The Rip Tide (amz)
Beirut on Spotify
Hear Beirut - The Rip Tide on NPR First Listen
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic (amz)
Stephen Malkmus on Spotify
Hear Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic on NPR First Listen
Kreng - Grimoire
"The less we know about Belgian sound alchemist Pepijn Caudron (aka Kreng), the better. We know his debut release LAutopsie Phenomenale De Dieu appeared seemingly out of nowhere on the Miasmah label in 2009, but other than that very little tangible information has surfaced. This sequel, the blackly monikered Grimoire simply re-enforces Caudrons shadowy legacy with a similarly dank concoction of cracked strings, creaking percussion and half-heard dialogue. Thankfully however Caudron has refined his craft in every way, from the artfully restrained layering of samples to the deliriously magickal atmosphere he manages to conjure up. There is the sense even from the first few seconds of the record that you are transported out of time and reality, and as hoarse, alien breaths croak over oily bass drones the poignant spoken words You dont belong here become an apt anchor for the entire album.
It seems almost too easy to compare Grimoire to a film soundtrack at this point; sure Caudron has listened to his fair share of chilling scores but Grimoire is more than simply homage, and maybe the clue is in the title itself. Grimoires are books of magic, the most important of which had a stranglehold on cultures both ancient and more recently than most people probably care to realize. These books have slipped into folklore and legend, and like those faded pages of incantations there is something deeply mystical and indescribable about Krengs music. Caudrons background in theatre no doubt forms a strong foundation for his compositions, but there is so much about his work that only creeps into the light after countless hours of study. These songs are best suited to moonlight, strong spice-laced liquors and the dark recesses of our painfully dull existence. Pepijn Caudron has formed a grimy, surreal ode to not only the past, but also what the future might hold, and from the sounds of it were not getting off lightly. But then were all so tired of pretty, arent we?
Miasmah Recordings 2011
-
Boomkat Review - Soundcloud
Kreng @ Emusers.
_____
Fixed link - Mutex
Via Spotify, and probably just a bit too loud. Zorn is well represented, this one is a 1998 Tzadik release. Hoping that the label is entirely on Spotify.
Take some fantastic African musicians, add some fantastic Cuban musicians, and stir.
Craig
Ollabelle - Neon Blue Bird (amz)
Go to album in Spotify (http)
Hear Ollabelle - Neon Blue Bird on NPR First Listen
Good stuff.
John Zorn - Book of Angels (amz)
Playing from [url=spotify:user:plong42:playlist:3Kcp1VwnpxZwRBzIxxVbQm]John Zorn - Book of Angels playlist by Plong42[/url] (spotify player link)
Good to be back for a few days before going to a (work related) conference next week. Lots of threads to catch up on.... Lots of music to follow-up. Some serious downloading coming up too, as I need to use up this month's refresh in a couple of days, so any suggestions really welcome - you know what I like, but no major labels please as I can't access these in the UK from emusic. But Spain was great - very hot and no rain, so different from the UK!
(url=>amz)
This is the kind of Fusion I can get behind.
(Webbed Hand Records - 2007)
From the artist:
"For this concept album, the idea was to make new songwriting. All structures were influenced by rock and also by experimental techno and prepared improvisation (which i still don't really enjoy most of the time though). There's choruses, verses, bridges, introductions and endings. They don't appear in the order, all the times, but they are there. The vocals and the lyrics came after. All lyrics were inspired by the instrumental music. It's marvelous to treat human voice like an instrument instead of the driving force behind the music. I'm making the music i have in my head since many years. I hope the excitation, discovery of infinite possibilities can be heard.
"I also tried to associate general concepts of human existence.
"Thanks for listening!"
--Vincent Bergeron
Berger Rond aka. Vincent Bergerron - Un doux r
From back in the freebie recs, somewhere...
Austra - Feel it Break
I'm drowning in new music right now. Had an mtraks refresh on Thursday and got an Amazon gift card from the inlaws that I used to grab some new albums (including this one) on Saturday. It's fantastic.
Craig
EDIT// Oh my - just listened to first 4 tracks so far, but I think this is an excellent album!
- A DIN Label compilation (free @ Bandcamp)
Tinariwen Live at Bouffes du Nord - see Free Music thread for details
Downloaded from emusic after it was an AAJ disk of the day, thanks Johanpwll
Again following an AAJ free download
Looking forward to hearing the Tinariwen.
48 Cameras - B-Sides Are For Lovers (May 23, 1985)
"48 CAMERAS are a very atypical minimal/cold wave/post-punk band: 25 years of creation, nine albums, and just six concerts - a band of variable geometry articulated around Jean-Marie Mathoul, and including amongst the changing members Gerard Malanga (poet, photographer, film director), Rodolphe Burger and Philippe Poirier (KAT ONOMA), David Coutler (POGUES, TEST DEPT), Michael Gira (SWANS), and most recently Nick Grey, Chris Long or Charlemagne Palestine."
- http://www.48cameras.com
(url=>amz)
This is quickly becoming my go to album for mountain biking as it's elegant, nimble, and beautiful. eMusic has it for $7.50 if you are so inclined.