DISC 3
John Cage/David Tudor
Mesostics re Merce Cunningham/Untitled (1972) 55:17
(simultaneous performance) John Cage, voice; David Tudor, live electronics
A selected part of the music of Stavros Gasparatos for the production ''Stallerhof'' by Franz Xaver Kroetz
(at Neos Kosmos Theater, Athens 2012)
ETA:
The Music of Stavros Gasparatos for the play "The Glass Menagerie'' by Tennessee Williams.
Stavros Gasparatos is a composer and digital sound artist, who lives and works in Athens, Greece. He mainly composes music for dance, theatre and cinema, but he is also frequently working on solo projects.
His music has been performed in all major Greek theatres and concert venues (including the ancient Epidaurus theatre, the Onassis Cultural Centre, the Megaron Concert Hall, etc) and also in the UK (London), China (Macao), Italy (Napoly), Germany (Berlin), Nederlands (Amsterdam) and Bulgaria (Sofia). He is a frequent collaborator of the National Greek Theatre and he is considered as one of the most important composers of the new Greek generation.
ETA 2:
The Music of Stavros Gasparatos for the play "Antigone'' by Jean Anouilh.
'Greek' Theatre, Athens, Greece 2013.
"Sam Thomas revitalises the most maligned words in music: post - rock to stunning effect. Its quite possibly our favourite track of the year" - Liverpool Echo
"Its almost unthinkable that someone can do anything truly new with guitar music anymore, as 60 or 70 years of it has exhausted so many possibilities, but we've never heard anything quite like this before. A wonderful introduction" - The Sound Of Confusion
"Brings a provocation to thoughts and emotions as well as opening up visions and imagination to go along with its evocative sounds and ideas...a wonderful piece of composing and realisation incorporating a rich soak of invention and thought. Sam Thomas is destined to make a major impact, his creativity transcending and inspiring so many genres and flavours" - The Ringmaster
In a series of self-produced recordings, the trumpeter Leron Thomas has gone from straight-ahead jazz to rock and electronic music with wild, cutting jokes about stereotypes and anxieties. Whatever isnt exactly the midpoint its a jazz record all the way, with the pianist Taylor Eigsti, the guitarist Matthew Stevens, the bassist Harish Raghavan and the drummer Eric Harland. (Those who follow jazz in New York will see those names as guarantors of quality.) But its his best jazz record, both his most thoughtful and his sketchiest. Its music keeps breaking down into smaller groups of musicians and stubborn, cycling riffs before blooming out into patient, narrative soloing, of which some of the best is Mr. Thomass.
Just back after a week on jury duty. The system works! (Sort of.)
AJ Roach is an American folk singer with a very different, very strong Appalachian flair (that does not translate to 'hillbilly music'). He is one of the 'best of the best' discoveries I found from back in my emusic days. Fairly often I get in the mood to hear him. Today is such a day, so I thought I'd play AJ's newest CD, 'Pleistocene' - but I only lasted about 3 songs in before giving it up and putting on 'Revelation' instead. (I could have chosen to play the debut album, 'Dogwood Winter,' just as easily for my Appalachian fix, but 'Revelation' is the runaway winner for me - especially the self-titled track!). So I'm playing 'Revelation.' Ahh, yeah, that's more like it. I love AJ Roach and I've tried to love 'Pleistocene,' - two tracks feature the Irish singer and flutist, Nuala Kennedy (and AJ contributes to one track on Kennedy's excellent 2012 release, 'Noble Stranger,' as well) - but 'Pleistocene trades in mandolin, fiddles and banjo for a more lush orchestrated sound with horns, and every time I set out to listen to it in its entirety, I always find myself wanting to migrate back to 'Revelation' before I'm halfway through listening to 'Pleistocene.' Not that I'm giving up on 'Pleistocene.' I still think it's a worthy effort. But not for today. Today's a day for a 'revelation.' Ooh, ooh, ooh. Good to the last note.
We all have those days when we have three or four songs that you have to hear or the day isn't right and I'm having one right now. Those four songs kick of A.J. Roach's incredibly rootsy-but-not-really Revelation CD and if I don't hear them it's like I spilled coffee in the car. The roots he claims must be my roots as well because when I hear him, I dance and dream and get a little melancholy, depending upon the song. One of the biggest uppers I've heard in some time is the midtempo, hand-clapping Clinch River Blues, the beat totally infectious and his voice straddling old-timey and country. With fiddle rhythms making my feet stomp and something called a mandochello laying out a modern-old-timey sound, I dance on the inside and, when I've had a bit of caffeine, laugh as well. Roach couldn't have a better opening track. The core of Devil May Dance is pure sixties/seventies folk/psych. Roach sweetens the voice and rides a melodic chorus of do-do-do's into some of the best psych organ (Charlie Rowan on the C3, ladies and gentlemen! Let's hear it for him!) and I'm back in college listening to David Harris speak at the Free Speech Podium. If you really want to hear what folk/psych is because you haven't quite been able to put a sound to it, this is the best example I've heard in years. God loves the Wurlitzer and so do I, so it's not a surprise that Fashionistas strikes a chord. A down-and-outer, it cries despair and gives Roach a chance to let loose. That voice with its slight southern accent is much more than another country voice. Much more. I hear a bit of Pure Prairie League in Sears and Roebuck Suit, but it's probably just me. I have an affinity for that light country rock sound and feel that PPL had at the beginning and Roach nails it here. With a chorus of "I love you more than you love yourself and I wish it wasn't true", Roach says goodbye to a loved one, a son or daughter maybe, and bleeds a little on the inside. Maybe it's someone saying goodbye to him. No matter. It makes its point perfectly and I love the sound...This CD is damn gooddamn goodso forgive me if I walk away when music discussions revolve around the tried and true or the flavor of the moment. I know a winner when I see one and Revelation is one." - FAME Review by Frank Gutch Jr.
(As a side note - AJ Roach and Nuala Kennedy have begun a new duo project called "AJ and Nuala," and have created a webpage of their own for the project. I suppose at some point they will record a full album together but I haven't seen any news of it yet.)
New EP from a local noise rock band. Best part of the album is the last track (unlisted on Bandcamp) is called "Greg Ginn Lawsuit Pending" and it's a cover of Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown". I find that quite funny.
Free/NYOP on Bandcamp. EDIT: Whoops no longer Free/NYOP. Now $3. Still worth it.
One of the books I have been reading whilst away in Crete is Glory Days, a biography of Bruce Springsteen upto the mid 80s. (I'll put some comments on the reading thread later) Whilst reading it I tried to listen to the appropriate tracks and rediscovered elements of this that I really appreciate.
Comments
Old news from Clapping Music (the label with Domotic, Yeti Lane, Egyptology etc.)
Charming stuff !
Indescribable - I've listened to this almost non-stop over the last 3 days.
Just traded in some old paperbacks at the local bookstore and turned them into a good discount on this on CD. Sublime stuff.
Info @ Emusers
"Sam Thomas revitalises the most maligned words in music: post - rock to stunning effect. Its quite possibly our favourite track of the year" - Liverpool Echo
"Its almost unthinkable that someone can do anything truly new with guitar music anymore, as 60 or 70 years of it has exhausted so many possibilities, but we've never heard anything quite like this before. A wonderful introduction" - The Sound Of Confusion
"Brings a provocation to thoughts and emotions as well as opening up visions and imagination to go along with its evocative sounds and ideas...a wonderful piece of composing and realisation incorporating a rich soak of invention and thought. Sam Thomas is destined to make a major impact, his creativity transcending and inspiring so many genres and flavours" - The Ringmaster
Thanks, Lowlife, this was brand new to me, but it's rather good isn't it?
The 1975 by the 1975
Tuneful but not earth shattering, can see them being big on the festival circuit next year
Awesome record of acoustic blues -- Kennedy has a new album out next week, but I can only cross my fingers that eMu will have it before Memorial Day.
Ben Ratliff in this week's NYT Playlist column:
Just back after a week on jury duty. The system works! (Sort of.)
Revelation - by AJ Roach
AJ Roach is an American folk singer with a very different, very strong Appalachian flair (that does not translate to 'hillbilly music'). He is one of the 'best of the best' discoveries I found from back in my emusic days. Fairly often I get in the mood to hear him. Today is such a day, so I thought I'd play AJ's newest CD, 'Pleistocene' - but I only lasted about 3 songs in before giving it up and putting on 'Revelation' instead. (I could have chosen to play the debut album, 'Dogwood Winter,' just as easily for my Appalachian fix, but 'Revelation' is the runaway winner for me - especially the self-titled track!). So I'm playing 'Revelation.' Ahh, yeah, that's more like it. I love AJ Roach and I've tried to love 'Pleistocene,' - two tracks feature the Irish singer and flutist, Nuala Kennedy (and AJ contributes to one track on Kennedy's excellent 2012 release, 'Noble Stranger,' as well) - but 'Pleistocene trades in mandolin, fiddles and banjo for a more lush orchestrated sound with horns, and every time I set out to listen to it in its entirety, I always find myself wanting to migrate back to 'Revelation' before I'm halfway through listening to 'Pleistocene.' Not that I'm giving up on 'Pleistocene.' I still think it's a worthy effort. But not for today. Today's a day for a 'revelation.' Ooh, ooh, ooh. Good to the last note.
(As a side note - AJ Roach and Nuala Kennedy have begun a new duo project called "AJ and Nuala," and have created a webpage of their own for the project. I suppose at some point they will record a full album together but I haven't seen any news of it yet.)
Daniel Wohl - Corps Exquis
Info @ Emusers
BvDub-Serenity
Bas van Huizen - Zwelg
New EP from a local noise rock band. Best part of the album is the last track (unlisted on Bandcamp) is called "Greg Ginn Lawsuit Pending" and it's a cover of Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown". I find that quite funny.
Free/NYOP on Bandcamp. EDIT: Whoops no longer Free/NYOP. Now $3. Still worth it.
Craig
Still not certain whether I like this.
One of the books I have been reading whilst away in Crete is Glory Days, a biography of Bruce Springsteen upto the mid 80s. (I'll put some comments on the reading thread later) Whilst reading it I tried to listen to the appropriate tracks and rediscovered elements of this that I really appreciate.
eta Dusted Reviews link
Craig
New Tim Hecker. Currently streaming on NPR. Comes out on Tuesday. Very good.
Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals
Haven't decided yet if I like it, but I get the feeling it will fall in between Treats (love) and Reign of Terror (meh) in their discography for me.
Craig
An oldie but goodie. Still sounds great after all these years. I do so love this album.