fairytale in the supermarket

Can you say The Raincoats?

lust for life

The one song that's keeping me afloat right now :

twee as fuck

Twee pop, while never really disappeared, have largely gone under the radar this few years. The Pains of Being Pure at Hearts though, may kickstart a new interest in a genre which has often been an object of ridicule. Their eponymous debut album even features on Pitchfork's Best New Music. And judging by their first single, Everything With You, they might just pull it off.

hakuna matata?

African music looks well on its way to become one of the defining force in the next few years. After the interest generated by Amadou and Mariam, and a bunch of indie bands openly citing african music as an influence, the stage is set for the cheekily name The Very Best. The Very Best is the project of Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit, and brings the integration of african music in the noughties up a notch. They mix hip-hop, pop, electronic and, of course, african music, whilst sampling M.I.A, Vampire Weekend and even the Beatles! Their first collection of songs have been released, and is available for free here.

merryweather post pavillion

A lot of people are tripping over themselves to praise the latest Animal Collective album, so much that my first instinct was actually to be extremely critical of the new album. But after hearing Merryweather Post Pavillion, it's easy to see why everybody loves it. It is quite simply one of the best album we'll be hearing this year. Gorgeous melodies, haunting harmonies, I suppose this is something Brian Wilson would do were he born in our post-rock world. The thing I like most about the Collective is their willingness to let a song, or a melody find its own course, and this method of songwriting has reached its peak in this album. Every song in this album has its own charm. Even songs which don't start promising will reveal a beautiful melody, or in some case, melodies, before the songs reach their end. If another album can top Merryweather this year, which frankly, I really can't see happening, 2009 will be consigned to history as one of music's best year.

cruel, cruel fate

Animal Collective is playing tonight in Berlin, and I'm missing the chance to see the one band I've longed to see most in the last one and a half year. Munich really is a provincial city. Just got a listen of their new album though, which is brilliant. More of that later.

'Cause it's getting kind of quiet in my city's head

Sonic Youth will be doing an art exhibition related performance here in Munich! Apparently it focuses on the multidisciplinary activities of Sonic Youth since the band's formation in 1981. Art? Check. Music? Check! Let's just hope I can afford the entry fee.

DETROIT MIX CITY & HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY, MOTOWN

Good God! The first Mixtape of 2009.... First of many more I hope. Our little tribute to Detroit, which coincidentally is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the legendary Motown Records. A small anecdote: in the U-Bahn stations (that's subway stations) in Munich have this screen, where they show you snippets of today's news. The anniversary was apparently deemed important enough to pass as news, like it should be, and was showed on the said screen. Ironically, they managed to fuck up by describing Motown as a JAZZ LABEL! Jesus. They should be hanged for that. Anyway, without further ado: the link to the mixtape. And just because we're smartasses, Ffonz and I commented on every track we mixed! Peace out!

1. MC 5 - Borderline

MC5 stands for Motor City Five, and they were only one of a long line of notorious bands to come out of Detroit. They openly admitted to taking LSD and Marijuana, dabbled in radical left-wing politics and was even affiliated with the White Panther, which, though it sounds like it, not a white supremacy organization, but a radical organization aiming to help the Black Panthers. Their music isn’t less bizarre, combining rock n’roll, r n’b and free jazz just to name a few. This track was taken from their first album, Kick Out the Jams.

2. Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Centre of the Mind

Sure this band was the band where the notorious conservative, red neck and all-round primitive Ted Nugent made his name. But this tune was so good; it made the CD reissue of the legendary Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968. It was also on their eponymous second album on Mainstream Records. The cover depicted 50 different kinds of marijuana smoking devices!

3. Iggy and the Stooges - Gimme Danger

This song is one of the highlight of Raw Power, an album that Iggy had remastered so loud, I swear my ears almost bled when I accidentally listened to it on my headphone.

4. David Bowie - Panic in Detroit

From the album Aladdin Sane, I suspect Bowie modelled the tune after the Motown sound. Just check out the backing vocals.

5. Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Heard It through the Grapevine

I Heard it Through the Grapevine was covered many, many times. Gladys Knight and the Pips released it first, then Marvin Gaye came and made it his. Other notable covers of this song include the Slits, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The Creedence Clearwater Revival version is originally 11 minutes long and allegedly, Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MGs played the fiery solo, of which I had to cut half of it just in case you lose interest.

6. Kenny Burrel - Midnight Blue

The Detroit native recorded his signature tune on the legendary Blue Note Records. From the 1963 album with the same name, if you just want to buy one Kenny Burrell album, this is probably it.

7. Donald Byrd - Christo Redentor

You can find this piece on A New Perspective, on Blue Note Records. Christo Redentor means Christ the redeemer, and this song fits its title perfectly. Originally released in 1963, the list of musicians playing on the record includes Herbie Hancock on piano and Kenny Burrell on guitar.

8. Gil-Scott Heron - We Almost Lost Detroit

Though not as popular as The Revolution will not be Televised, this number will remain one of the highlight of Heron’s career. The song tells the tale of the 1966 nuclear meltdown in Michigan, and shows Heron’s worth as a lyricist. Originally on the album Bridges, released December 1977 on Arista.

9. Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools

Raised in Detroit, she's always been associated with the soul tradition of the city. Chain of Fools was recorded for her album Lady Soul, and this particular version is the unedited version available as a bonus track on the Rhino reissue.

10. Stevie Wonder – Jesus Children of America

One of the greatest exponents of Motown, Wonder started his career on the label since being a child star and never left the label since. This track originates from the album Innervisions (1972) which was one of the first Stevie Wonder albums written entirely by the man himself (as opposed to the Motown hit factory songwriters)

11. Soul President - Got to Have It

I got introduced to this groovy track by the 4^th installation of the Eccentric Soul compilations: The Big Mack Label, a 1960s Detroit based indie soul record label.

12. The Cool Kids – 88

The Detroit based Cool Kids released their second EP: The Bake Sale in 2008 to much fan fare which is clearly a nod to the golden age of hip-hop (87-94).

13. J Dilla a.k.a Jay Dee – Lightworks

Taken from the album Donuts, the last and good-bye album of legendary underground hip-hop producer, MC and Detroi native J Dilla before he lost his battle with Lupus in 2006, this track has been sampled and circled plenty a time amongst the next generation of left-field underground hip-hop producers ranging from Madlib and MF DOOM to Flying Lotus and Four Tet.

14. Erykah Badu - Amerykhan Promise

Badu’s latest album released in mid 2008 on Universal Motown has been arguably her best. Not only does she expand her familiar nu-soul sound, she also delves into 1970s p-funk, hip-hop and jazz amongst others.

15. Mae Young – Let’s Give Our Love a Try

Yet another of the irresistibly funky grooves served up by the good people at Numero Group who were responsible of the Eccentric Soul IV: Big Mack Label mentioned earlier above.

16. J Dilla a.k.a Jay Dee – Workinonit

Another track taken from the highly experimental Donuts, this album was conceived during J Dilla’s last days before his death in 2006. This particular track opens the album and is the longest of 31 tracks which clocks in at 2:57.

17. Ms. Tyree “Sugar” Jones – If You Feel It

This instrumental track is yet another gem on the Eccentric Soul IV: Big Mack Label series.

18. Stevie Wonder – Contusion

Sticking with instrumentals, this jazz-rock track is taken from Stevie’s 1976 Songs on The Key of Life, arguably his most well known album alongside Talking Book. For greater effect, follow up this track with Sir Duke which naturally follows Contusion on the album.

19. Soul President – Get it Right

By now you must be convinced that I’m a sucker for the Eccentric Soul IV: Big Mack Label compilation and you’d be right. If this wasn’t a mixed track list about Detroit, I’d include many other tracks from the 9 other Eccentric Soul series.

20. The Isley Brothers – Get Into Something

Also known as the band that discovered Jimi Hendrix, The Isely Bros let the funk rip on this 70s funk bonanza on Tamla-Motown. The track later became a staple for breaks in the early hip hop block parties in 1980s New York.

21. Stevie Wonder –Boogie On Reggae Woman

That old Stevie Wonder has been used 3 times already should come as no surprise as not only is he a Motown legend, he is also born and bred in Detroit Michigan making it a must for any mix tape proclaiming to represent the music of Detroit. This track also happens to be on 1974’s Fulfillingness’ First Finale on Tamle-Motown.

22. Q-Tip – Manwomanboogie (Feat. Amanda Diva)

A Tribe Called Quest’s main rhyme flower Q-Tip is back from the dead after an 8 year absence from releasing a full album since 2000’s Amplified. The Renaissance is often claimed by critics as one of the few good quality hip hop albums to come out in 2008. That is of course debatable, but the album on the whole is definitely back to Tip at his best and is a must have for this ridiculously catchy track and its funky bass line alone.

23. Eminem – Any Man

Any mention of rap and Detroit often conjures the image of Eminem. Yet rather than pick a track from his better known albums on Interscope, this track back from ’99 on seminal underground hip-hop label Rawkus Records features Eminem at his best: trash talking and tight rhyming over raw hip-hop beats courtesy of The World Famous Beat Junkies®.

24. J Dilla a.k.a Jay Dee – Body Movin' (Featuring J. Rocc & Karriem Riggins)

A straight forward heavy beat with fuzzy electro synthesized bass line featuring Stones Throw records’ J Rocc & Kariem Riggins on The Shining, released after Dilla’s death.

25. J Dilla a.k.a Jay Dee – Wild (Instrumental)

This track is just damn weird and wildly raw which shows the range of producing skills Dilla is capable of, showing why he’s just waaaaaay ahead of his time.

26. The Jackson Five – Hum Along and Dance

The Jackson Five quickly became Motown’s house band shortly after they relocated to Los Angeles from their Detroit hometown, replacing The Funk Brothers. Besides being the platform to which Michael Jackson would go on and conquer the pop world, they also released this track which also became a favourite amongst dee-jays in early 80s block parties.

27 & 28. J Dilla a.k.a Jay Dee – Time: Donuts of the Heart & Geek Down

Another 2 tracks from Donuts where the former was sampled and used by The Roots in their 2006 Game Theory LP as a tribute track to the Detroit producer.

29. Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make me wanna holler)

Not including a track from perhaps Motown’s best known albums What’s Going On would be quite mad.

looking back : 2008

2008 has consigned itself to the past, and music-wise, it has been another year of discovery of old and new music. A quick glance at my lastfm most played artist of the last 12 months gives an indication of my leanings this year, though it is not in any way the final word in my music consumption since I do like using my stereo to listen to CD's as well. I've been hearing a lot of The Jam since I discovered how well versed they are in the Northern Soul tradition, which is actually only logical, since they were inspired by the Mods movement, a movement which adopted 60s soul as their music of choice. Soul, along with funk, has featured heavily this year too, Kashmere Stage Band being one of few bands to really made it's mark on my life. The occasional soul and funk compilations also regularly found their way to my stereo. I haven't heard as much hip-hop as I'd actually like, but a few highlights this year are Flying Lotus's Los Angeles, Main Source's Breaking Atoms, Gang Starr's Daily Operation and Eric B and Rakim's Paid in Full. African Music made it's first mark this year, the catalyst being the magnificent Amadou & Mariam, and Nigeria 70, an African Funk compilation (all my thanks to Ffonz from the Ludovico here). Indie will never break it's hold of me, and I'm not complaining. 2008 has seen great records like Microcastle from Deerhunter, and Times New Viking's Rip It Off. Fleet Foxes has been greeted by the press with an enthusiasm that surprised me, though it is really well deserved, and Ice Cream Spiritual by Ponytail has been pretty much ignored all year long, despite it being better than the likes of No Age, who despite being good, somehow sounded too much like a few other bands that made their mark this year. TV on the Radio's Dear Science was good, although not as good as some people would like you to think, a bit like Vampire Weekend then. I also actually discovered how good The Kinks and The Byrds are this year. How I didn't discover them before is a mistery.

nostalgia!

Blur's reuniting for a show next year! Well, well, well... This certainly has capped this end of year atmosphere. After looking back to my formative years in light of the declaration of Richey Edwards' death, and reading loads of old Donald Duck comics, it's nostalgia time again. A band reuniting isn't something new, and generally not something I look forward to. I didn't even want to see Led Zeppelin when they played THAT show this year. I must say though, I've always had time for Blur. Whereas Oasis marched on and on churning out the same old song, they did the decent thing and broke up. After a bunch of album, in which they never really stuck to a formula. Well, maybe a bit during their britpop years. Damon Albarn's certainly a guy I really admire. What he's done after Blur has really exceeded everyone's expectation. I would've banked on Jarvis Cocker to have the most interesting solo carreer. And as for Graham Coxon. He was and is and always will be a role model for me as a guitarist. Cool specs and impeccable sense of fashion too. The other two members, though not as interesting as Coxon and Albarn has certainly done something with their lives too. Anyone knows the whereabouts of those two Oasis stalwarts, that Bonehead dude and that bassist (Guiggsy, or something like that)???? No? Didn't think so.

mosaic

Ahhhh.... The Joy of YouTube.... Another gem uploaded by a generous soul. This time Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers' performance in San Remo 1963 playing Mosaic, definitely one of my favorite Jazz number ever. Jazz is, of course, dead. Probably dead-er than rock. No matter. Why look to the future if the past is this glorious.

will ageing ever be their friend?

A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night, Love Is All's sophomore effort is exactly what it is. A sophomore album. The classic sophomore album. A slight expansion of the themes first explored in the first album. The five-piece from Gotheburg, Sweden, specializes in high octane, frenzied, reverb laden, melodic noise fest, their secret weapon being the saxophone, which gives their more energetic songs that extra kick. And whilst their second offering contains many songs in the same vein, they are taking their time now to let the songs breath and find its own natural groove.
The dance funk punk of Franz Ferdinand they rode on has burst long ago, let's see if they'll evolve enough to be remembered.

naked city covers funkadelics' super stupid

I'm in love.

obituaries

Richey James Edwards, who was pronounced dead yesterday after missing for 13 years wasn't a great musician. But he was one hell of a lyricist. I remember taking a shine to Manic Street Preachers' music back when I was 15 or 16. But then I didn't know that the band has long since changed. It was about a year or two after that, after I bought their second album The Holy Bible in Milan that I learn who Richey Edwards was. His opus magnum, I was shocked the first time I listened to it. Here is a kind of music that's far away from the melodic britpop songs that the Manics dish now. This is pure, naked emotion. Raw rage. Real pain. You felt the despair, the loneliness. The Holy Bible remains one of my favorite album to hear when I'm feeling angry and frustrated. It also marked the first time I realized that you could be political musically too. Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart isn't the best title for a song. But the song itself, it was pure verbal diarrhea about, well, the failings and crimes of white america. Revol crammed political figures in my head for the first time in my life in a context i never realized exist. Faster actually quotes some lines from 1984, for which I am eternally thankful, since without the song I would never have read it. All in all, I guess The Holy Bible is the album that woke me up to the reality that is this world. You'll be missed even more, Richey.
Mitch Mitchell, the drummer best known for his work with The Jimi Hendrix Experience has left us as well. On the 12th November he made his way to the drum stool of one of Hendrix's heavenly jam session. Peace out, Mitch. Thanks for the ride.

upwards and onwards

Congratulations to the talented Dinda for winning the Bloc Party australian tour poster competition (click the above picture to see the poster in all it's glory). For those not in the know, the 25 year old is also responsible for the nifty header this blog currently sport. Cheers! You're destined for bigger things.

thank you for the music

In the jungle of post-modern rock, it is hard, if not impossible, to explore new territory. I remember talking with Ffonz about the stagnating condition of indie music. A condition which prompted us the search for pastures greener. But then again, once in a while there comes an artist to revive your hope in rock 'n roll, however briefly. Teasing us with the possibility of experiencing a second music revolution, which however you see it will never come again. Deerhunter falls into this category. They sound like the logical continuation of bands like Pavement and Radiohead. But something nags at the back of my head. Something isn't right.
Microcastle, their third lp to date, starts with Cover Me Slowly, which segues into Agoraphobia, both tracks effectively one song, evoking Pavement and Thom Yorke and with it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Despite the lackluster Never Stops which sounds a little bit too much like early Interpol, the band set their course straight again with Little Kids, a dream inducing number from which you'll be slightly disappointed to be waken from. The thought that the album has reached its climax in the course of three songs did cross my mind. Luckily the rest of the album is almost perfection itself. Now, I'm pretty sure the songs weren't created in the order they appear on the album, but it certainly sounds like it. The cohesion of the album is surpassed maybe only by OK Computer or Loveless and this is for me is the biggest strength of post modern rock. This is why Sgt. Pepper is one of the touchstone of popular music. The way that the sum is bigger than its parts. It's hard to imagine the songs standing on it's own, although the likes of Agoraphobia and Nothing Ever Happened certainly could hold out on their own. This simultaneously encapsulates the problem of modern music though. Who would want to experience albums as a whole entity in this age of iPods and music downloads?
And there it was. The dawning realization that rock truly is dead. In its golden age rock music truly encapsulates the zeitgeist of the time. It was both revolutionary and commercial. It was food for the soul and opium for the masses at the same time. Deerhunter may have released a beautiful album, but it is also their destiny to be keepsakes for only a select group of people, and for it is also for these group of people they've ultimately created this album. Rock is dead. Long live rock 'n roll.

a day in the life

Phew! Long time since I've posted. But I take it no one was too concerned by my absence, though it may just be my own fault since I've never really bothered too build up a readership. And now I'm feeling talkative, which may have to do with the fact that I just woke up, and a certain girl wasn't available for idle chit-chat.

Saw a dead body yesterday at 7.30 in the morning. MUCH much much too early for stuff like that really. Unfortunately it is uni related, so no escaping that. Got very little sleep last night too, after an epic billiard battle which involved 4 deuces. We won with me sinking the last shot, which was a surprise because I am actually quite the bottler. Wasn't an easy one either, with the angle of the shot usually giving room to big mistake margins. Anyway, waking up I hastily made my way to the Hospital to find the patient I was supposed to meet was gone! Got herself an one day vacation the nurse said (there's no real English word for male nurses are there? In German, it's Krankenpfleger for male nurse and Krankenschwester for the female ones). And little annoyed me left the hospital in a slightly bad mood, though it soon changed after I had a luxurious 2 hour long breakfast, after which I slumped into the bed again. Gorillaz was pretty annoying to hear when you're floating in half sleep, but I managed nevertheless.

Music-wise it's been back to basic to me these last 3 days or so. The last month was, ummm, eclectic, to say the least. Released 2 new mix tapes with ole' F-man from the Lud, and that was quite an achievement. Never thought we'd get past the first one to be honest. As to what I've listened, well, there's always the lastfm thingie below right of this blog, but to put it in words, strange weird wonderful music. Which is basically what I like to hear, really. But the discovery of Kapitän Rindherz, or Captain Beefheart as he is more commonly known, or Don van Vleet, if you insist on being pedantic and hate those stupid names artists hide themselves behind. Really really weird stuff on Trout Mask Replica, and cool bluesy less avant-garde but avant-garde nonetheless stuff on Clear Spot. On the last mix tape my segment begins with someone talking about a blimp. That's his work right there. El Guincho is the other interesting discovery these last weeks. Probably Panda Bear's long lost brother or something. More or less the same concept, loops upon loops recorded anchoring a gorgeous melody in a bathroom, though Guincho mostly favors, I dunno, I suppose tropicalia flavored samples. No word of an official release here in Germany, and no appearance either, but you can bet I'm looking forward to those.

I talked earlier about my back to basic taste in music these last 3 days, and that is thanks too Times New Viking (no German release for them either! I mean JESUS!). I do wonder why I keep going back to lo-fi, amateurish sounds. To be fair, all those lo-fi bands I like do tend to produce impossibly pretty melodies, but as in the case of Times New Viking, aren't they actually ruining those said melodies by using white noise as background? And it's not really My Bloody Valentine either with their ability to produce textural backdrops. Anyway they're this lo-fi amateurish sounding band with a knack of making catchy melodies. Television Personalities is also a pretty similar case. Figuring quite high these days in my top artist list, they're not only amateurish and good at writing good songs, they also make LOAAAAAAAAADS of pop culture references. They wrote a pretty good song called I Know Where Syd Barret Lives, and when Pink Floyd brought them along on a tour as opening act, no doubt to boost their profile in the eyes of those dinosaur rock hating punks of '77, they actually revealed Syd's address after the song, which really freaked Pink Floyd out. I'm sure it wasn't done out of malice or anything. Just youthful hero worship mixed with a healthy dose of youth daftness.

Marquevicolicous

And Say Children, What Does Marquevico means?

Click on the 2 links above for the rapidshare download.

it's alive!

The Marquee, in cooperation with The Ludovico, hereby present to you: Sounds from the Marquevico. Basically a one hour worth of music, mixed really badly for your enjoyment. Cheers!

if you're feeling sinister

Nick's first career choice left a lot to be desired

Yes, I am quoting Belle & Sebastian's first album's name. Because if there's ever need for proof, that the Glaswegians belong to the long list of people who admire Nick Drake, it's in this album. I've been listening to Bryter Layter again. This time without pause. Over and over again. This last 3 days. And it became apparent, how similiar the album felt, like the aforementioned B&S album. Bryter Layter was always regarded as Nick Drake's "pop" album. And in contrast to the low key first album, and the utterly melancholic Pink Moon, it's understandable. For me Bryter Layter is his best album. Not just because I'm a pop fan, but also because of it's understated beauty, elegant songs, it's poetic, if slightly naive, lyrics, and because for me, this is Nick Drake at his most focused. The intimacy of Drake's songs has always fascinated me too. I remember a few years ago, when I found out, that an acquaintance of mine liked Nick Drake too. And frankly it annoyed me to no end because it felt like I've been robbed of my privacy, and I had to share my love for his songs with someone else.

that's entertainment

I didn't especially liked The Jam. I liked a few of their songs, but i thought their most popular album (All Mod Cons) is massively overrated. And they influenced Oasis, for Christ's sake. But after listening to a compilation of their singles and b-sides I had to change my mind. Paul Weller wrote songs in the classic british invasion style, soul, psychedelia, basically all form of pop music to ever dominate Britain. And it's not just the melodies. A closer look at his lyrics reveals an incredibly poetic side. He's the first musician I've ever heard, to compare himself to a paper in the wind, gliding upstream and downstream (on Boy About Town). Or That's Entertainment, a sardonic take on Thatcher-era Britain. Who cares if he uses the same song structure over and over again, or that most of his songs is built around C, D and G?

------->The Jam - I Got You a mp3!!! only for something only, i'm not responsible, will take it down after few days, bllablablablbalbla.....