Friday night, I was a last moment fill-in DJ for the Your Latest Crush gang. Cheers again to Aaron, Debbie, and Stuart for having me on. For the uninitiated, Your Latest Crush is an indiepop club night held on the last Friday of each month, over at the House of Shields in San Francisco. Definitely head down there and check it out. Those guys all know and love their indiepop. There are always at least five or six "OMG I can't believe you played that song!" moments, and the rest are "Oh, wow! What's this song?" moments. It's great fun. Also, House of Shields is one of the oldest bars, if not the oldest, in San Francisco and has a very cool atmosphere. So click the link up there and you'll discover pretty much all you need to know about Your Latest Crush.
This is the setlist I played.
Asobi Seksu > Merry Christmas, I Don't Want To Fight Tonight The Four Pennies > When The Boy's Happy (The Girl's Happy Too) Perfume > Plastic Smile Lush > I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend Irma Thomas > Break-A-Way Nick Lowe > So It Goes Cloetta Paris > So Serious David Bowie > Rebel, Rebel J.J. Jackson > But It's Alright PUFFY > Sayonara Lesley Gore > Look of Love The Clash > Hateful The Pixies Three > Cold, Cold Winter Yo La Tengo > Today Is The Day Calexico > Love Will Tear Us Apart
Speaking of old stuff, I downloaded this classic the other day. I don't even know why I thought about it. Fuck, I used to love this song. It still sounds pretty good to me. 1984, I remember I bought the 12" at Tower Records in North Beach after hearing the song being played in the store. I had to go up to the counter to ask what it was. I think this may have been the first time I heard hip hop mixed with rock. When did that Run DMC/Aerosmith track drop? They were probably pretty close to each other. In any case, I'd pick this if I were forced to choose. It's just more edgy and full of rage. Kick ass.
I was kinda half-watching some movie on AMC (I think) last week. I really don't even remember what it was, being more absorbed with what was likely a computer game or something. So at the end of the movie, the credits rolled and this faintly recognizable music caught my ear. I had to pause whatever I was doing and actually pay attention. Seriously, this one was buried deep down in my brain and it took me a few minutes to dig it out and it was....Virginia Astley's A Summer Long Since Passed, from her 1986 album, Hope In A Darkened Heart.
I initially discovered this album in a roundabout way. I liked Ryuichi Sakamoto a lot (I even got his autograph a few years ago!) and he produced most of the album. At the time, Astley was compared to Kate Bush, whom I adore (you already knew that), so that was kind of a no-brainer. Also, I had read her name previously as she contributed the piano on Pete Townshend's single, Slit Skirts. His album, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, was another one of my favorites at the time. So I bought her album based on all these factors and it was like being rewarded for faith. And I don't think I've ever met anybody else who likes this album or even has heard of it. I'm not trying to out-obscure anyone, it's just one of those albums that might seem like it should attract more fans. Everybody knows of an album like that, this happens to be one of mine.
Also, David Sylvian appears on the track, Some Small Hope. He was a pretty big name at the time as he was in the group, Japan, and eventually started off what is now a long solo career. I knew a few peeps who were into him, but I really only know of him by name alone.
I spent many a night listening to this album, and falling asleep to it. The vocals might be too precious for some people, but I think her voice is lovely. The production is a bit dated, you can tell it's an 80s album, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. So back to last week. I hear this song on the telly and when the recognition hits, it's like WOW! I hadn't heard that in forever. I used to have it on vinyl, but all of my vinyl was stolen years ago. I poked around on the net to see if I can pick up a copy, but the prices are retarded import prices. I figured I didn't even have a chance of downloading it anywheres, but I finally found it. It's been so nice rediscovering this album.
I just had a look around and it seems she's still sorta active, although her site, virginiaastley.com, appears not to have been updated in nearly a year. Interesting. So here are a couple tracks; the first is A Summer Long Since Passed, which is the one that inspired this post. It totally sounds like a fading summer, silhouetted figures running on a hillside, a girl on a swing. I love the wistful feeling it conjures up. The second is called So Like Dorian, which is a sweet sounding, but venomous ode to her lover whom she no longer likes. My favorite part is when she sings, "I've heard all your lies, your boring tall tales/I've tasted your tongue like a worm from the grave/Had you inside me and then like a rock beside me". Jeez, I'd hate to be THAT guy.
Hey, I just realized it's been a while. I've been in some kinda mood lately and have kinda been hiding out, hence the lack of activity. I will say this, however. Today at work, I was listening to PJ Harvey's Peel Sessions 1991-2004 album when her cover of Willie Dixon's Wang Dang Doodle, came up. I really like this track, so I turned it up a bit and kept on working. I swear, I got the shivers when she sang "We gonna knock down all the windows, we gonna kick down all the doors". I had to stop and listen to the rest of the song. Anyways, when I'm back, we gonna pitch a wang dang doodle. All. Night. Long.
Ooh! New Perfume song! I think the single drops sometime this month. Jennifer, if you're reading this, the one with the shorts reminds me of you. I think it's the hair. I'm not sure if it's exactly the same, but it just reminds me, that's all.
Thanks to Jim, I ran into this Shonen Knife interview the other day over at J-pop World. The girls are still going strong and they have a new bass player, Ritsuko. I've professed my love for Shonen Knife in the past, so I'll spare you the gushing. My favorite part of the interview (I'm guessing it was conducted by email) was where the guy asks Ritsuko, "What does playing music mean to you?" Kind of a standard question, but her reply was most amusing; "I can't realize. Playing music is an exciting thing like eating a giant cake during my whole life."
Although Ritsuko is a new member of Shonen Knife, her response, in my mind, kinda sums up the entire existence of the band. These girls are having fun and eating a giant choco cake while they do it, and it shows. And they want you to be happy and have fun with them. Awesome. I suspect they're gonna keep going until they absolutely cannot do it anymore. We need more bands like them, more power to Shonen Knife.
They have just released a new album, Super Group, in Japan. Hopefully it finds its way into my greedy little paws. In the meantime, listen to choice tracks here, and check out Cookie Day from their 1998 classic, Happy Hour.
I just read Kristin Hersh's blog. Today's post is kinda strange. On one hand, it's very charming and self-deprecating. On the other hand, it's kinda sad. Heartbreaking sad, not pathetic sad. It's as if she exists in her own bubble, unable to connect with most people and unable to master the available technology to connect with people around her. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but that's how it comes off to me. Thankfully, she's able to use make music which can connect with people. She also does pretty cool covers, as well.
Kristin Hersh > Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey
You once sang: In America The land of the free they said And of opportunity In a just and a truthful way But where the president is never black female or gay and until that day you've got nothing to say to me to help me believe Time to retire that song, eh buddy?
To quote Flavor Flav: Step back, we got a black quarterback!
I dunno who's reading this anymore, if anyone at all. Lately, I've been getting these lame, racist and nasty spam comments, so I've activated the comment moderation. So if you do happen read this and you do happen to comment and it doesn't show up right away, that's why.
I couldn't sleep last night, so I spent my insomniac hours playing around with this. Laugh if you must, but I do like 30 Days of Night. I like the colors, dark with cold shades of grey, almost sorta metallic. Portishead's Machine Gun has the same feel, I think. It's cold, metallic and industrial. It sounds like Beth Gibbons is singing in a factory. To me, the song fits the film perfectly.
Also, please note that this might be a little graphic for some peeps.
White on white translucent black capes Back on the rack Bela Lugosi's dead The bats have left the bell tower The victims have been bled Red velvet lines the black box Bela Lugosi's dead Undead undead undead The virginal brides file past his tomb Strewn with time's dead flowers Bereft in deathly bloom Alone in a darkened room The count Bela Lugosi's dead Undead undead undead
The pic up there is Bauhaus playing at Coachella in 2005. Look carefully and you'll see an upside-down Peter Murphy.
Hey, I was playing around with another video. These clips are from Hero, directed by Zhang Yimou. If you haven't seen it, I really like the story and the movie looks really, really gorgeous. The fight scenes are awesome. I was gonna make a little compilation of Nameless (Jet Li) knocking off Sky (Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Tony Leung) and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung), who are the top three assassins in the country. Somehow, I ended up focusing on the love triangle between Broken Sword, Flying Snow and Moon (Zhang Ziyi) and the subsequent battle between Flying Snow and Moon. I with I could have fit more into it, that scene is so cool. Anyways, this is just one very small part of the film. Go check it out, drop it in your Netflix queue or whatever. I promise it'll be worth your time. Oh yeah, the song is Kaela Kimura's Tree Climbers, from her very cool album, Scratch.
Around eleven years ago, my friend had an extra ticket to go see Tindersticks at The Fillmoreand invited me along, since his girlf didn't like them. He wanted to get there early to check out the opener, a guy called Elliott Smith that he was interested in. That was my first experience with the man. He was really quiet, sitting in a chair alone onstage. I liked what I had heard, and picked up his latest release (at the time), Either/Or. My favorite song was, and probably still is, Angeles. Elliott Smith died five years ago this week. This is Angeles, played live at the Los Angeles nightclub, Largo. By the way, this track is on a CD of previously unreleased material that comes with the book, Elliott Smith, by Autumn de Wilde.
I just found this via The Hype Machine. It's a raucous version of Gillian Welch's Time (The Revelator), covered by Ryan Adams. I'm not a huge Adams fan, but I like him well enough. I saw him one time at a Bridge School concert a few years ago, and he's pretty good live. I love Gillian Welch, however, and have gone to see her live a few times. In any case, I love the original, and I like this a lot as well. Pick up the original on Ms. Welch's album of the same name. For now, compare and contrast. There will be a quiz this Friday.
I've been going back and forth between posting this. I guess I will, since it keeps popping up in my head. In any case, current events in the news totally brings this track to mind. The words of the man being interviewed pretty much speak for themselves. I wonder if the music was composed before or after hearing the interview. The music is sad, angry and haunting. If you have the patience to sit through all 17:45 of this, check out the strings at the very end of the track. Very moving. If you don't have the patience, well, I understand. It's not for everyone.
You can find this on GYBE's 1999 EP, Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada (pictured here).Listen to samples from their albums here, and read more about them here.The band has been on hiatus since their 2002 release, Yanqui U.X.O. I think there was a brief tour after the album dropped and then in 2003, they officially announced their current status. That was a bummer for me, as I had first heard their music around 2003. A guy I know told me he'd seen them in the summer of 02, and said it was the gloomiest gig he'd ever attended.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor > -- (Track 2, aka bbf3)
Hooray! Asobi Seksu are back! The new single, Me & Mary, drops next month (Nov 17th) and the new album will apparently drop in February. I like how Yuki's voice is unfiltered and clear on this track. Sorta like half shoegaze and half dream pop, this song brings back Lush (for me). It's a good thing for sure, and I am excited for this album. And you lucky UK peeps get to see them with fucking Ladytron. How cool is that? I'm totally jealous. However, I will get to see them here in San Francisco on the 30th, which will be good. Check out the rest of their US tourdates here, and see if they're coming to your town. In the meantime....
I can't get enough of this song. Also, the instrumental version is great. The breakdown part in the middle cracks me up. The first time I heard it, I was sooooo confused for a moment there. Then the beat kicked back in. As far as I know, both tracks are b-sides and can only be found on the Polyryhthm single (pictured below).
If you asked me, I couldn't tell you why I'm so addicted to Perfume right now. I could say something like "I really admire the pristine production of Nakata Yasutaka" or something pretentious like that. In reality, it's nothing more than I just like the music because it sounds good to me. No indie snobbery here, this shit just sounds fucking great. It might pass, it might not. Right now, I really really like it. Maybe you will, too...
Hey, I really like this. It's Cloetta Paris, from Sweden. More cool music from Sweden. Doesn't seem like the well is ever gonna run dry at this point. Anyways, I've only heard what's on her myspxxx page so far. It's kinda (light) ambient electro-pop mixed with dance/disco and precious, but not cutesy, female vocals. Her voice reminds me of someone, but I'm struggling to place it. Anybody? If I had to compare to other bands, I'd run off the list of, I dunno... Erasure/Vince Clarke, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode and Yaz. Something like that, I guess. I'm not well versed in that area, to be honest, so listen and decide for yourself! Oh yeah, and her album, Secret Eyes, is on Skywriting Records, if you're interested.
Cloetta Paris > Broken Heart Tango (from the album, Secret Eyes)
A friend posted this elsewhere, it's Word Magazine's album covers map. It's pretty cool, a google map with album covers. As stated on the site, "Word Magazine readers have been busy building this map showing where iconic album cover photographs were taken."
I recently ran into these mp3s of El Perro Del Mar's set at the Bowery Ballroom, from the spring tour earlier this year (with the awesome Lykke Li and Anna Ternheim). This is the full-band version of God Knows (You Gotta Give To Get). I really like this, it feels so natural and joyful. It makes me happy. Check out her blog while you're listening to this.
El Perro Del Mar > God Knows (You Gotta Give To Get) (Live at the Bowery Ballroom)
Friday night, I was a last moment fill-in DJ for the Your Latest Crush gang. Cheers again to Aaron, Debbie, and Stuart for having me on. For the uninitiated, Your Latest Crush is an indiepop club night held on the last Friday of each month, over at the House of Shields in San Francisco. Definitely head down there and check it out. Those guys all know and love their indiepop. There are always at least five or six "OMG I can't believe you played that song!" moments, and the rest are "Oh, wow! What's this song?" moments. It's great fun. Also, House of Shields is one of the oldest bars, if not the oldest, in San Francisco and has a very cool atmosphere. So click the link up there and you'll discover pretty much all you need to know about Your Latest Crush.
