...Dude! Calm down!



Calm down on the drinking that is, I've been wandering around today looking like a fucking heroin addict because of some nasty bruises and cuts on the inside of my right arm - I got these from apparently diving over the fence in front of my house last night, like some sort of drunken super man. It's starting to bother me a bit, it's only a matter of time before I do something worse, hence the desire to calm down a bit... Hmm, we shall see.



So, those 4 pictures at the top of the post - what are they all about eh? Well, they are 4 new CDs I acquired on a shopping trip to London today.



First on the left Beehives by Broken Social Scene, it's a b-sides and outtakes compilation which obviously doesn't bode well, but it doesn't look like they are going to release anything before 2005 so it will have to do.



The Second CD is from a band called Sunburned Hand of The Man, they've released over a dozen albums, but pretty much all on CDRs (apparently one of which was packaged in a case involving a piece of wood and some perspex) - this is the first album to be released through a 'proper' label, that is a label which may end up actually distributing the CD in shops. It's fucking weird, sort of a psychedelic improvisational rock folk thing.



The third one is from Stone Sour, the lead singer of Slipknot's other band. After hearing the frankly extrordinary new album from the knot I was curious about this CD - frankly I'm not convinced yet...



Finally, a cheerful little number from Swans consisting of two albums Children of God and World Of Skin, basically it seems to be old testament style fire and brimstone from Michael Gira with nice melodic work from his partner in crime Jarboe.



It's not just been CD shopping today, I've acquired a new jacket which I'm not sure when I'm brave enough to wear, it's a suit jacket with a print refering to taking hallucinogenic drugs on the back...



I also made a bit of a pigramage to the Saatchi Gallery to pay me respects to the art work thats was lost in last weeks warehouse fire. Personal favourites were Damien Hirst's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living which is really impressive when seen in real life; Tracey Emin's My Bed which struck me as being a moving and poignant snapshot of her life at time it was created - there was also a really funny self portrait she did where she's photographed stuffing money up her (and I'm quoting from the card next to the picture here) wazoo. I also liked the sculpture's by Duane Hanson, a collection of hyperrealistic mannequins dotted around the gallery - they seemed more real than many of the people actually wandering around the gallery. Anyway, all good stuff - I just think it's a damn shame so many related pieces of artwork have been lost...



Speaking of works of art, here's some pictures I took from last night - some of them are sort of arty

I've been in London today for a pretty soul destroying training course (sharepoint... it bores the fuck out of me, like 99% of all business software), this also meant I had to deal with a commute on one of the new non-smoking South West trains with all the other cattle - still I suppose it gave me chance to practice my glaring at people in suits whilst listening to Slipknot...



Anyhoo - when I got home the new Infinite Livez CD was waiting for me, and by jove I do believe it's doing a mighty fine job of cheering me up - especially 'The Adventures of the Lactating Man' which wins my vote for 'summer hip-hop anthem'.



If your feeling brave you can watch the vaguely homo-erotic video here.



Oh, and you can watch his one eyed puppet friend Barry Convex sing Hit Me Baby One More Time here.

eMessenger



...web based MSN client. Could be handy.

The wireless pill camera



...I think this may be a gadget too far, even for me.

Why Don't You Corner:



Try sending a text message to a land line, I would start off with your own before moving on to bothering stranges, for maximum amusement make sure the text message is full of as many swear words as you can find...

Here's some thoughts on the last batch of CDs I've purchased.



Looking back at my last few posts I have a feeling I may be getting a bit (more) boring by going on about music all the time, so to make amends here are some non-music related links:



Wulffmorgenthaler is a daily online comic strip (which I'm sure I've linked to before), like the best humour it's slightly surreal, a bit tragic, and features lots of nudity. Personal favourite strips include this, this and this... and maybe this too.



Die Puny Humans is a firm favourite in my RSS Reader. Comic Book author, Warren Ellis's research weblog - well worth a visit or two.



And this message board seems to be quite popular...

suppose I better update this...



Faust vs Dalek - Derbe Respect, Alder

Faust are a German band, the phrase associated with them most is 'kraut rock', a pretty silly description really which applied to several hip German bands which have nothing in common other than there country of origin. I don't know much about Faust other than I knew a girl at University who had inherited several vinyl copies of there early work which she used to play on one of those old portable record players, I can't say they did much for me at the time (the band, not the girl). Dalek (there should be one of those umlaut things over the 'a' but I can't be arsed to find it; so it's pronnounced more like 'Dialect') are a band I do know about, they've worked with Kid606 and Techno Animal so there noise credentials are in place. In there own time they produce some pretty bleak experimental hip hop. On this CD Faust's rhythmn section provide some harsh industrial beat-scapes for dalek's MC and DJ to fight through - the whole collaboration is very much worthy of the 'vs' tag; it's harsh, slightly violent, not easy to listen to - but that's kind of the point. Rewarding if you have the patience.



Wire Tapper 11

Free CD from The Wire magazine, so full of pretensious nonsense! Some good stuff though: To Rocco Rot do a fine two step number, Jah Wobble pumps out some quality ambient dub, but it's the Arthur Russell track that stands out to me. He was a cello player who produced ambient and some disco music in the eighties - sadly he died in relative obscurity of AIDS in 1992, however it seems that he left quite a back catalogue behind. The track here has a sort of New Order vibe, with heavily processed cello, a basic electro beat and strange mournful lyrics about a skylight. I really really must start listening to him properly.



Pan Sonic - Kesto (234.48:4)

See those numbers after the title? That means that this album is 234 minutes 48 seconds long, spread over 4 discs. There in lies the problem - it's way too long! The first two CDs are fair enough, some pretty interesting Finnish electronica, disc 3 starts OK with this weird ultra-sonic bass sample that does some weird physological things if you have it loud enough, but then it goes all ambient... and dull. The 4th CD is one single 60 minute long drone track (ie no melody, no beats) - my god, it's not easy to listen to. Frankly this could have been a mighty fine electronica album if they'd stuck to the first couple of CDs, as it is, it's too long!



Slipknot - Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

Blimey, I don't think the maggot's (proper Slipknot fans who dress up in boiler suits and bring dead animals to there concerts) will like this. They've gone soft! Well sort of, there are plenty of typical 'vomit your lungs up' numbers to listen to whilst thinking bad thoughts - but there are 3 songs that, well, in my book count as ballads. Circle could happily be played by a bunch of sad cowboys round a campfire, Vermillion, Pt 2 is shockingly personal, dare I say it quite beautiful with it's gently strummed guitar, simple piano line and is that a cello I can here? And harmonys? It's a love song for gods sake! And the last song sort of reminds me of a Sophia B-side. Let me be clear, it's not all introspection and sad songs, there are some nasty (in a good way) songs here - but it's nice to see them experimenting with there softer cudlier side. A great album.



Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands

I bought this album because of a few reasons: Michael Gira of Swans and Angels of Light fame has kind of taken Devendra under his wing, I felt that I needed something to offset the Slipknot CD, and I've seen some good reviews of it. It's pretty timeless stuff, just Devendra with his odd warbly voice, his amazing guitar picking skills, and a few extra bits of subtle instrumentation - it's basically folk music, it sounds like it could have been recorded anytime after about 1920. A nice album, which I have a feeling will become a very popular Sunday morning CD.

This lunchtime's acquisitions:



First up the new Slipknot CD (Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses). Yeah yeah, you may smirk - but for those 'fuck you world!' moments you'd struggle to find a better soundtrack.



The second CD is basically the complete opposite to Slipknot - Devendra Banhart's Rejoicing in the Hands... it's erm... folk music.















...hold on, the sixth track on this Slipknot album appears to be a ballad - now I'm all confused.

Pictures of an abandoned Japanese Island...

Once again my weekend has been dominated by beer; Friday evening was spent drinking muchos Stella, meeting a slightly mad (but in a good way) Irish girl, and possibly saying something inappropriate to a lesbian... :-P. Most of Saturday was spent in the pub drinking too much Stella, which didn't end too well - At least the dangerously hungover mood I've been in today has given me the opportunity to spend some quality time listening to the new Pan Sonic album. It's something that demands patience - 4 CDs of fairly uncompromising electronica, and the last CD is one 60 minute long ambient track... bloody hard work! The other CD is a free one from my subscription to The Wire, it's got a really good track from this New York cellist called Arthur Russell who used to make kind of sad ambient-y disco-y music - I've been meaning to start listening to his stuff for quite some time.

Damn You Adam! Damn yoooo!

Got this today, the almost legendary (well, legendary if you read the right magazines and websites) collaboration between krautrockers Faust (who I don't know much about I'm afraid) and experimental hip-hoppers Dalek.



Not an easy CD to listen to, the phrase 'sound-clash' is very apt - the whole thing sounds like a battle, it's all crashing metal and brutally honest lyrics. Real end of the world music...



I've got another CD in the post; actually it's a 4 CD album from electronic artists Pan Sonic - it got a really good review in Kerrang of all places!

If you're in the mood for some good old fashioned minimal techno (at least I think it's techno? it's what we called techno when I was a young lad), may I suggest visiting Speedy J's website. If you can make it through the frankly appalling menu system there are some cracking mp3s to download in the 'gratis/snds' section.

Toying with the idea of a redesign soon, and the 'mildly obsessive cd collecting details' section may be assimilated into the main section soon, there doesn't seem to be much point having it on its own...

Some quick sloppy 'reviews'...



RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke

Glad I ignored all the 'ho-hum' reviews, this is great - like Deadringer (his first album) it rocks in all the right places, and knows when to get down with some sweet sweet soul music - and, he's also obviously been listening to 80's synth-pop. Let me make this clear now: this is a good thing!



Two Lone Swordsmen - From The Double Gone Chapel

Fantastically sleazy album: it's all dirty bass, punk-rock drums, and Andrew Weatherall's slightly alarming vocals. Best stuff he's done since the Sabres of Paradise's Haunted Dancehall.... actually, this might even be better.



Curve - The Way of Curve

This is what I like to think of as a utility disc, I've already got most of the songs on offer here - but it's good to have them all in the same place, and there are a few extra rarities on the second disc. In case you have never heard of Curve, think of the band Garbage - basically Garbage stole every single one of there ideas from Curve. So if you like Garbage, you'll be comfortable with this

Old skool indie kids who can't be arsed with hunting around for such things on P2P networks may want to point there download managers over here, where there is not just one, but two Pixie's live shows to download.

There's this song on that new RJD2 album which is the prettiest song I've heard for months - lovely...



Anyway, I've finally got round to posting some more pictures of my weekend over here, Saturday was spent watching Leicester have a reasonable go at ruining Ars*n*l's season - there was also some drinking and petty theft; Sunday was spent at a barbeque - that also involved quite a lot of drinking.



All in all, I spent about 4 hours when I was awake not drinking - my mum would be so proud!

I got these today, the Curve retrospective takes me back a bit to when I had a crush on there singer Toni Halliday.



I'm about half way through the RJD2 disc, I wasn't going to get it after reading some iffy reviews, glad I did though now, good solid RJD2 production - although he does sometimes go a bit weird and starts to pretend he's actually an early incarnation of Depeche Mode. I kind of like that though...

This arrived two days before it's meant to be released, which is nice - reminds me of The Clash, sort of.



Besides that nothing to report, some pictures from last night are here - there's an attempt at a panoramic picture too! I'm now off to shout abuse at Arsenal fans, should be fun.

This joke made me laugh:



Knock knock...



Who's there?



Despair...



Come in, I know you well



Ho ho!

Ooh look, a website with a new bug remix, nice to find out other people like his stuff. And I do believe the rude female MC is The Warrior Queen, better than porn I say - and I've watched a lot of porn, yes sirree!

TUMIKI Fighters



This is fantastic! A simple 2D side scrolling shooter, but with the added twist that you when you destroy an enemy you can stick there ship onto your ship in true stickle brick style, to provide a shield and extra weapons. Worth downloading if your feeling a bit old skool about videogames.

Just come back from seeing Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind: a slightly left of centre film (most of it is set in Jim Carrey's character's subconscious) which appeals to the hopeless romantic in me. One of those films that is a bit difficult to discuss after the credits have rolled.

...and this is a psp. Another toy for my shopping list

Right, the reason why I don't like the new Street's album is over here.

I don't like it...



The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

Well I've tried to like it, but I just can't. It's not because of the subject matter, let's be brutally honest here: I am not the most cultured person in the world - I'll drink Stella, I'll hit the Aftershocks if the evening calls for a bit of a kick up the arse, I obsess over text messages and get annoyed when my FUCKING PHONE DOESN'T WORK. I don't even have a problem with his delivery or somewhat simplistic take on RnB (for the last time: The Street's are not garage!), to be honest I find all that quite refreshing in the over-produced/over-hyped/pop-idol world of pop music. Here's the problem I have with it: it's just not 'real'. Let me explain, the first Street's album was a fantastic collection of inner city tales where every song felt like it came from experiance (even if they didn't, they felt like it) - this album, with it's grand concept of 'A day in the life of a geezer' is just too 'fictional', every song sounds like a fake Street's track - admittedly very well put together fakes - but never the less, fake. And that is why I don't like it.

So this is a Nintendo DS? Hmm...

New Streets CD today, I've had a quick listen to it at lunch - funny old album, it sounds like the a musical to me, very narrative. Some clever songs too, I especially like the way the last song sort of restarts half way through. I'll need to give it a few more listens to give a proper opinion.



In other news: it's the start of the week, and I'm feeling all virtuous after the weekend's debauchery. So, I'm going to have another go at giving up smoking. I think I need a slightly harsher support network this time, the whole 'tutting and looking disappointed' thing doesn't work, so if anyone sees me with a cigarette you have my permission to give me a slap. Just try not to leave any lasting scars, OK?

A couple of quotes from the poet that sat behind me and Johnboy at the football, these really need to be documented for future generations:



"You come from a Village! Where they can't afford Spinach!"

(to be shouted at Away fans - a fantastically surreal insult)



"That cunt is such a twat!"

(to be shouted at a Manager, either one - it doesn't seem to matter)

I think it all went wrong when we hit the Turbo Shandies.



Anyway, yesterday I went to the last home game of the season of my adoptive football team Spurs, although it was mainly about the drinking really - and there was a hell of a lot of drinking... my god, there was a lot of drinking. Pictures are here and there is a little movie here and another one here - they may be of some amusement to someone.



There was quite a bit of drinking and weirdness on Friday too, there doesn't seem to be much evidence of that though - probably for the best really. I'm pretty sure we had a repeat of an arguement about The Village People, could I just point out now, once and for all: There is a cowboy in The Village People!!!

This month's CD purchases in glorious jpeg format:



...and it's only the 7th. I need help, I can't stop myself!



PS You can read about the latest additions here

Arabic Hip Hop & Old Skool Industrial Music...



Shotgun Wedding Vol.1 - DJ /Rupture vs Mutamassik - The Bidoun Sessions

OK, I'm going to start with Mutamassik first as I've gone on about DJ /Rupture before. Mutamassik is a female DJ of Egyptian origin, she's all about the beats really, on her mix she throws down hip hop, drum and bass and plenty of seriously bad ass beats from the middle east with some mad DJ skillz - I read an interview with her where she was talking about punching her decks to play bass or percussion and tapping the needle head to get other sounds, I love that sort of shit! Anyway, I'm well impressed with her mix - must hunt down some of her other stuff... OK, now onto the DJ /Rupture mix. if there is such a thing as a typical mix from him this is it: North African hip hop? - check! Ragga riddims? - check! Odd bit of relentless noise? check! Modern RnB thrown in to mix at inappropriate moments? check! Yep, it's all there - a good old fashioned DJ /rupture party album. ;-)



Throbbing Gristle - The Taste of TG (A Beginner's Guide To The Music Of Throbbing Gristle)

Not quite as terrifying as I was lead to believe, tracks such as 'Distant Dreams - Part Two' are in fact quite pleasant in a minimal electro type way as is 'Hot on the heels of love' - although the whip cracking throughout does give that song a fairly sinister edge. However you can't be lulled into a false sense of security with the band, they seemed to enjoy treating there audience with contempt back in the day: as witnessed on the track 'We Hate You (Little Girls)' which was apparently written because they didn't like teenage girls standing at the front of gigs, and the scream at the end of 'Cabaret Voltaire'. Anyway, very interesting album - a sort of pre-electro history lesson I guess.

I bet your wondering what the hell that is on the left...



Well, physically speaking, it's a very delicious cheese stuffed roll baked using instructions from a Crank's recipe book.



Metaphorically speaking, it's a sign that either I've found a new sense of maturity where I can now make the effort to get up early in the morning and using no measuring devices bake a mighty fine piece of bread - or that I've lost the plot, and have got to the stage that I'm so tired and bored of my life that I'll wake up early with the sole intention of baking a mighty fine piece of bread. I'll let you decide... (although personally speaking, I think we're in the grey area somewhere in between)



Anyway, enough of baked goods: let me point you in the direction of some interesting CDs over here. Being the egotist that I am I like to think someone will buy at least one of them based on my purchasing habits.

CD binge...



Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back And Forth

Although you may think you've never heard of Four Tet you probably have, it's the sort of music that trendy BBC producers love to have as background music in there TV programs - a gentle example of folktronica (ie electronica with samples of acoustic instruments basically - it doesn't really have much to do with folk music as such I'm afraid). This 5 track EP contains 2 remixes - which I was dreading, Four Tet's music seems a bit un-re-mixable to me. Fortunatly the remixers have been chosen carefully and bring the required extra 'oomph' to there chosen songs. However the new tracks from Four tet are a bit throwaway - which is a shame. This CD also comes with a DVD with all his promo videos, the video to 'No more mosquitoes' with Mr Tet as a baby being harrassed by grapes is particularly disturbing.



Autechre & The Hafler Trio - ae3o&h3ae

I'm not convinced that Autechre had anything to do with this, neither of the two tracks contain there very liberal attitude to a regular beat, instead what we have here is two tracks of drone based ambient music which seems to be designed purely to put the listener's teeth on edge (I'm a great believer that some music should be uncomfortable to listen to, if everything was nice and melodius the world would be a very dull place). Special mention has to be made of the packaging, the two 15 minute tracks are split over two 3" CDs, which are in turn embedded within normal sized perspex CDs all packaged in a beautiful piece of textured papercraft with some translucent slides - worth owning for the packaging alone!



Isis - SGNL>05

Isis are a heavy metal band, you can tell that by the way the singer shouts, but they are possibly one of the most intelligent metal bands around - dedicated to producing some of the heaviest, apocalyptic music you'll ever hear; but being fully rounded enough to know when to turn the volume down and to not be afraid to introduce a bit of quiet. This old EP contains two almost ambient tracks, two of the finest examples of doomy sludgy metal I've ever witnessed, and a (dare I say it!) subtle remix from Justin Broadrick of Godflesh fame - I just wish they would get off there collective arses and release some new stuff.



Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG

I've always been a bit curious about Throbbing Gristle as they have been a big influence on some of the bands I've grown up with, but I've never got round to listening to them due to there scary back catalogue (24 hour CD box sets anyone?), and there equally scary reputation. However after watching a documentary about there enigmatic former frontman/woman Genesis P-Orridge (him and his wife recently had matching breast implants - who says romance is dead?) on my new disinformation DVD I realised there music isn't that scary, and having this CD recommended by The Milk Factory website helped. Even though it's a remix CD it's mean't to be fairly kind to the originals - although being a Gristle virgin I can't say for sure. What I can say is there are some jolly good tunes here, big up respect to the Ratcliffe Remix of Hot on The Heels of Love which sounds like Slam at there finest; and the spooky, fucked up remix of Persuassion by some one called Motor. Carl Craig, Two Lone Swordsmen and original members of TG: Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti also provide remixing duties - all good stuff.



Swans - Soundtracks for the Blind

Where to start? Well who were Swans? Basically Michael Gira who played guitar and vocals and who now records as The Angels of Light and who runs Young God Records; and Jarboe, a fairly scary lady who sung and provided keyboards - I'm unfortunatly not familiar with her current work. This was there last of about 15 albums, it's a seriously daunting double CD package - produced from old songs, live recordings, tape loops and quite possibly the kitchen sink. Some of it sounds like The Angels of Light, some of it is almost ambient, some of it sounds like Sonic Youth - the main problem is there is almost too much to take in! I can only really give an honest opinion of the first disc - which is obviously great. The funny thing is the stand out track is possibly the slimest: a two and a half minute track called Live Through Me which seems to have been constructed by various guitar loops which just makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up - this is followed by a frankly scary live version of a song called Yum-Yab Killers which finishes with Jarboe screaming 'Blow your brains out!' like some sort of demon woman. I look forward to exploring this album and the rest of there back catalogue.



The Bad Plus - These are the Vistas

The Bad Plus are a piano fronted jazz trio (ie piano, jazz and drums) who have a reputation for doing modern cover versions. This CD contains covers of Blondie, Nirvana and The Aphex Twin amongst there own compositions. There version of Smells like Teen Spirit is brilliant, staying faithful to the way the original song; it gently spirals out of control but adds that 'jazz' feel, there own songs are pretty good too - although on this CD the rythmn section seems to be a bit less physical compared to there latest CD, which I think is a bit of a shame.



TV on the Radio - Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes

Nice suprise to find the import version of this in Oxford Street's HMV for a reasonable price as I wasn't looking forward to waiting so long for the UK version. A pretty remarkable album, even though it can't help but dwell in the shadow of The Young Liars EP, which was fucking ace! This is still a pretty remarkable album, the music is constructed from remarkably simple basic elements: the simplest beats, a few loops and minimal guitar riffs - but when these are added to wonderfully soulful vocals the overall sound is something that I haven't heard before. Standout track by a mile is Dreams; a really sad (but in a good way) lament about the lack of people's desire to dream (christ, that sounds pretentious) - *sigh*. Anyway, easily the most listened to of this bunch of CDs by yours truly.

This weekend I have mainly been drinking, or recovering from drinking - I'm currently in the recovery phase, and beginning to worry that I still have a headache and it's almost half past nine in the evening. I did manage to crowbar in a trip to The National Gallery as some sort of token attempt at being cultured. What did I think of it? Not really my cup of tea, too many religious paintings of various saints being tortured - the medieval equivalent of a snuff movie IMHO... Some of the later stuff is better, and there was this self portrait that Rembrandt did which impressed me, when you see his work in the flesh you can't help but concede that he knew how to hold a brush!



I have also been buying too many CDs, here are some initial thoughts:



The Bad Plus - These Are The Vistas

Jazz Piano Trio - they belt out a cracking version of Nirvana's Smell Like Teen Spirit...



TV On The Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

I agree with the Pitchfork review where they say this isn't as fully realised as the Young Liars EP - it's still bloody good though.



Swans - Soundtracks For The Blind

This isn't a record! It's a mountain range or some other huge geological feature, one of the most daunting CDs I've bought - but I had to start my Swans retrospective somewhere and there last one seemed like the easiest to get in to.



Throbbing Gristle - Mutant TG

Another attempt to get into some older music - in this case a remix album of those crazy old 'destroyers of civilisation' Throbbing Gristle, as recommended by The Milk Factory.



Isis - Sgnl>05

Heavy metal with post rock tendencies - I've been meaning to buy this for a while



Autechre & The Hafler Trio - ae3o&h3ae

One of the most beautifully packaged CDs I've ever bought - haven't listened to it



Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back And Forth

New Four Tet single with all of his very strange videos on a bonus DVD



...details of all new CDs to follow