New Year's resolutions update:
Well, the reading thing isn't going completely to plan, I've joined the library, but I've discovered Woking library has a really good comic book section! Although I did manage to get one proper book: a collection of letter's written by the Marquis de Sade whilst he was in prison - slightly controversial choice, but I've been interested in him since he's one of the main character's in The Invisibles. I suspect that most of my initial book choices will be inspired by some of the comic books I've read, I'm intending to check out a few of the books based on character's who appear in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen after I've finished with De Sade, but if anyone has any other reading recommendations they'd be welcome.
As for the other resolutions, well a sizeable part of the credit card bill has been paid, but that's about all - an anti-smoking/get fit plan has yet to be formulated.
Sunday, January 11, 2004
Dub and Scratches...
Philip Jeck - Surf
This is a re-release of an early Philip Jeck CD, once again showcasing his unique turntable skills. If you're feeling curious about his music I'd recommend starting with Stoke or 7, this CD is a little more difficult than those.
Rhythm & Sound with The Artists
I've got a fair amount of dub albums which gernerally fall into one of two camps; either the lates 60's to early 70's likes of King Tubby, Horace Andy or the more modern instrumental stuff by Bill Laswell. This CD sort of combines the two, a modern production team with legendary (apparently... I'm afraid I'm pretty ignorant at times) vocalists - damn fine stuff. The first two tracks, King In My Empire and Queen In My Empire are especially interesting. Essentially they are the same song, but the first time with vocals from a male perspective followed by the female perspective.
Philip Jeck - Surf
This is a re-release of an early Philip Jeck CD, once again showcasing his unique turntable skills. If you're feeling curious about his music I'd recommend starting with Stoke or 7, this CD is a little more difficult than those.
Rhythm & Sound with The Artists
I've got a fair amount of dub albums which gernerally fall into one of two camps; either the lates 60's to early 70's likes of King Tubby, Horace Andy or the more modern instrumental stuff by Bill Laswell. This CD sort of combines the two, a modern production team with legendary (apparently... I'm afraid I'm pretty ignorant at times) vocalists - damn fine stuff. The first two tracks, King In My Empire and Queen In My Empire are especially interesting. Essentially they are the same song, but the first time with vocals from a male perspective followed by the female perspective.
Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Well I've finally seen the last The Lord of The Rings film - now, I know some purists may balk at the loss of the Scouring of the Shire from the film and Sam & Frodo's slightly whirlwind tour of Mordor, but I'd like someone to explain to me how anyone could do any better. And those battle scenes... fuck me! I metaphorically doff my cap to Peter Jackson. That is how you do a trilogy, I just hope certain other director's have been paying attention *cough* Lucas *cough*.
Back to reality, although there may be a bit of fiction here. I give you my New Year's Resolutions:
1.Give up smoking before I'm 30
That gives me 2 months, I'm down to single figures per day - maybe there is hope?
2.Sort my credit card out
It's getting a bit out of control, I think the reasons are obvious. So, I'm going to try to stick to one CD, one game and one DVD per week; raid my meagre savings - Hopefully it will be back under control in a few months... unless the P900 temptation gets too strong. Maybe some of the pr0n subscriptions should go too? Hmm.
3.Read some proper books
I'll defend comic books to the death, but let's face facts - they are not quite literature. They are basically very well written and very nicely illustrated storyboards for films that haven't been made. I need to read some proper books, first step: join the library...
4.Get fit
I'm sure it's possible, with a few energetic sessions on dancing stage megamix.
...anyway, there you are. Fairly realistic don't you think?
Back to reality, although there may be a bit of fiction here. I give you my New Year's Resolutions:
1.Give up smoking before I'm 30
That gives me 2 months, I'm down to single figures per day - maybe there is hope?
2.Sort my credit card out
It's getting a bit out of control, I think the reasons are obvious. So, I'm going to try to stick to one CD, one game and one DVD per week; raid my meagre savings - Hopefully it will be back under control in a few months... unless the P900 temptation gets too strong. Maybe some of the pr0n subscriptions should go too? Hmm.
3.Read some proper books
I'll defend comic books to the death, but let's face facts - they are not quite literature. They are basically very well written and very nicely illustrated storyboards for films that haven't been made. I need to read some proper books, first step: join the library...
4.Get fit
I'm sure it's possible, with a few energetic sessions on dancing stage megamix.
...anyway, there you are. Fairly realistic don't you think?
It's weird medical ailment time! Hand's up who knows what is wrong with my eye? I suspect football was involved, but I can't remember being hit in the face - I'm secretly hoping I'm starting to develop laser beam eyes - then they'll all pay! Oh yes they will!!
Tuesday, January 6, 2004
So, where have I been for the last, ooh six days? Well I spent most of this evening defrosting my fridge and ironing, the rest of it's been spent wondering why I'm in the job I am... god I hate my life! Post-christmas blues or what?
I'm being melodramatic of course, I've actually been buying tons of CDs.
I'm being melodramatic of course, I've actually been buying tons of CDs.
Monday, January 5, 2004
Christmas presents to myself...
William Parker Violin Trio - Scrapbook
It's Jazz I'm afraid, so I'm at a loss to do this justice as I can't go off and start name-checking obscure jazz musicians since my knowledge of the subject is pretty bad. I know William Parker from his work with Spring Heel Jack, he's a bass player which I guess is one reason that the music is more 'structured' than most free jazz albums I know - I think by there nature Bass players will be more inclined to stick to a rythmn than the more egotistical sax players out there. He's complemented by Hammid Drake on drums, who like the best of them can go off on one - but who knows exactly when to real it in back to the groove Mr Parker is laying down; then there is Billy Bang on violin - not the most 'jazz' instrument in the world, but in the context of such a tight rythmn section it works well. Anyway, that's my take on it.
Philip Jeck - 7
Yet another release from Philip Jeck, I think it's about the 4th one? Anyway, I've gone on about him before - but in case you weren't listening first time, he uses old dusty records, possibly older record players and cheap casio keyboards to create some of the best ambient music I've ever heard. What he somehow manages to bring to ambient music (or maybe minimalist music is a better phrase, some of this CD is quite abrasive) is a sense of warmth sorely lacking elsewhere. I think his methods also lend a feeling of nostalgia to his recordings, I don't want to start going on about returning to the womb, cos that would be bollocks - hopefully you know what I mean. Recommended to people who enjoy listening...
King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader
Anyone heard of MF Doom, the MC in the Iron Mask? I'd heard of him, but I hadn't heard any of his stuff, even though (or maybe because of?) he's considered to be one of the Underground Hip-Hop's biggest stars. Well, here he is in an alternative disguise, that of Godzilla's buddy: the giant three headed lizard King Geedorah. The japanese monster film theme is throughout this disc, plenty of samples straight from cheesy dialogue, much of the background tracks sound like they've been made from that sort of sci-fi incidental music. Beats are tight, lyrics suitably dope, damn fine hip-hop album
RJD2 - Constant Elevation: The 'Say Word' Mix
Nice surprise here, I hadn't heard of this mix - I kind of assume if RJD2 is going to release anything, I'm going to damn well know about it - but here he is sneaking his little old skool funk remixes out without telling me. Usual stuff, plenty of classic breaks, he manages something a little different with this mix by going a bit DJ Yoda towards the end with the Knightrider theme, and the other (and better) Tears for Fears tune from Donnie Darko is on this.
Out Hud - S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D.
Not sure if you've heard but there is a bit of a revolution going on in the world of indie music, indie kids are learning to appreciate a well shaken bootie. There's this lot, !!! and The Rapture (see later) doing some damn fine dance music - and that's proper dance music, not the crap heard in Yates on a Friday night, music made to dance to, not to drown out drunken conversations and to annoy me!
Alias - Muted
Nice, mainly instrumental album from one of the Anticon crew. It sort of reminds of the last Four Tet album, but without the folktronica tag. Although it's mainly an instrumental album
Boom Bip & Dose One - Circle
Very odd album, like cLOUDDEAD (who Dose One is a member of... I'm trying to educate you here people!) the seem to get bored of songs very quickly. There are songs on the album, but it seems to be mainly musical ideas. Still, when you have a producer of Boom Bip's calibre on production duties and the awesome Dose One on vocals they come up with some pretty damn fine ideas...
Jackie O MotherFucker - Wow / The Magick Fire Music
Reminds me no end of Miles Davis, funny since I was expecting God Speed! You Black Emporer...
Wanna Buy A Craprak?
Do I? Go on then... This is a compilation, recommended in The Wire's review of 20003, taken from a label run by a chap called Hrvatski. I know him from this really cool digi-ragga remix of a Kid606 song he did a while ago, but this compilation is nothing like that - a gentle pleasant stroll through some leftfield electronic tunes.
The Rapture - Echoes
Back to the indie dance music, a bit rawer than Out Hud, and not quite as funky as !!! Very eighties feel in places, can't think of much else to say since it's getting too late.
Odd Nosdam - No More Wig For Ohio
Another Anticon (he's in cLOUDDEAD) release which goes all over the place, he doen't even bother naming the tracks. Nice album...
Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban - Mambo Sinuendo
Mambo!! So, where do I start... Well, I've got this thing where I try to pick something from each of The Wire's best of 2003 - this was in the global section. It's fun, definitely adds a bit of a shimmy to your step, and I love the tracks with the Coro singers, no idea what Coro means, but it sounds good!
Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
Another good album which I spent far too long ignoring - I still don't think they've peaked, but it makes a nice stop gap whilst waiting for the next Prodigy album
Sunn 0))) - White1
The ultimate drone metal album, three tracks - the first one clocking in at 25 minutes. But, maybe because the instruments are slowed to a crawl it doesn't seem that long. This one also has a couple of guest vocals including a fucking hilarious one from Julian Cope. How he can bellow the line "Old mother fucker, she was a cock sucker" with out instantly pissing himself is beyond me
William Parker Violin Trio - Scrapbook
It's Jazz I'm afraid, so I'm at a loss to do this justice as I can't go off and start name-checking obscure jazz musicians since my knowledge of the subject is pretty bad. I know William Parker from his work with Spring Heel Jack, he's a bass player which I guess is one reason that the music is more 'structured' than most free jazz albums I know - I think by there nature Bass players will be more inclined to stick to a rythmn than the more egotistical sax players out there. He's complemented by Hammid Drake on drums, who like the best of them can go off on one - but who knows exactly when to real it in back to the groove Mr Parker is laying down; then there is Billy Bang on violin - not the most 'jazz' instrument in the world, but in the context of such a tight rythmn section it works well. Anyway, that's my take on it.
Philip Jeck - 7
Yet another release from Philip Jeck, I think it's about the 4th one? Anyway, I've gone on about him before - but in case you weren't listening first time, he uses old dusty records, possibly older record players and cheap casio keyboards to create some of the best ambient music I've ever heard. What he somehow manages to bring to ambient music (or maybe minimalist music is a better phrase, some of this CD is quite abrasive) is a sense of warmth sorely lacking elsewhere. I think his methods also lend a feeling of nostalgia to his recordings, I don't want to start going on about returning to the womb, cos that would be bollocks - hopefully you know what I mean. Recommended to people who enjoy listening...
King Geedorah - Take Me To Your Leader
Anyone heard of MF Doom, the MC in the Iron Mask? I'd heard of him, but I hadn't heard any of his stuff, even though (or maybe because of?) he's considered to be one of the Underground Hip-Hop's biggest stars. Well, here he is in an alternative disguise, that of Godzilla's buddy: the giant three headed lizard King Geedorah. The japanese monster film theme is throughout this disc, plenty of samples straight from cheesy dialogue, much of the background tracks sound like they've been made from that sort of sci-fi incidental music. Beats are tight, lyrics suitably dope, damn fine hip-hop album
RJD2 - Constant Elevation: The 'Say Word' Mix
Nice surprise here, I hadn't heard of this mix - I kind of assume if RJD2 is going to release anything, I'm going to damn well know about it - but here he is sneaking his little old skool funk remixes out without telling me. Usual stuff, plenty of classic breaks, he manages something a little different with this mix by going a bit DJ Yoda towards the end with the Knightrider theme, and the other (and better) Tears for Fears tune from Donnie Darko is on this.
Out Hud - S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D.
Not sure if you've heard but there is a bit of a revolution going on in the world of indie music, indie kids are learning to appreciate a well shaken bootie. There's this lot, !!! and The Rapture (see later) doing some damn fine dance music - and that's proper dance music, not the crap heard in Yates on a Friday night, music made to dance to, not to drown out drunken conversations and to annoy me!
Alias - Muted
Nice, mainly instrumental album from one of the Anticon crew. It sort of reminds of the last Four Tet album, but without the folktronica tag. Although it's mainly an instrumental album
Boom Bip & Dose One - Circle
Very odd album, like cLOUDDEAD (who Dose One is a member of... I'm trying to educate you here people!) the seem to get bored of songs very quickly. There are songs on the album, but it seems to be mainly musical ideas. Still, when you have a producer of Boom Bip's calibre on production duties and the awesome Dose One on vocals they come up with some pretty damn fine ideas...
Jackie O MotherFucker - Wow / The Magick Fire Music
Reminds me no end of Miles Davis, funny since I was expecting God Speed! You Black Emporer...
Wanna Buy A Craprak?
Do I? Go on then... This is a compilation, recommended in The Wire's review of 20003, taken from a label run by a chap called Hrvatski. I know him from this really cool digi-ragga remix of a Kid606 song he did a while ago, but this compilation is nothing like that - a gentle pleasant stroll through some leftfield electronic tunes.
The Rapture - Echoes
Back to the indie dance music, a bit rawer than Out Hud, and not quite as funky as !!! Very eighties feel in places, can't think of much else to say since it's getting too late.
Odd Nosdam - No More Wig For Ohio
Another Anticon (he's in cLOUDDEAD) release which goes all over the place, he doen't even bother naming the tracks. Nice album...
Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban - Mambo Sinuendo
Mambo!! So, where do I start... Well, I've got this thing where I try to pick something from each of The Wire's best of 2003 - this was in the global section. It's fun, definitely adds a bit of a shimmy to your step, and I love the tracks with the Coro singers, no idea what Coro means, but it sounds good!
Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
Another good album which I spent far too long ignoring - I still don't think they've peaked, but it makes a nice stop gap whilst waiting for the next Prodigy album
Sunn 0))) - White1
The ultimate drone metal album, three tracks - the first one clocking in at 25 minutes. But, maybe because the instruments are slowed to a crawl it doesn't seem that long. This one also has a couple of guest vocals including a fucking hilarious one from Julian Cope. How he can bellow the line "Old mother fucker, she was a cock sucker" with out instantly pissing himself is beyond me
Thursday, January 1, 2004
It appears to be 2004... and someone better sort out the whole flying car/jet pack situation soon, I was expecting them about four years ago, my patience is wearing thin.
I spent New Year's Eve in the company of friends and many many dangerously strong drinks. I think I may have drunk too much gin since I woke up feeling what can only be described as faintly annoyed, there's only one drink that will do that to me - the aforementioned gin.
The 'give up smoking' resolution has already been broken, I'm struggling to come up with any worthy alternatives. I'd like a resolution that would improve my quality of life rather than make me miserable, or maybe one that would at least make the rest of the world think I'm a better person (...being the self-centered bastard that I am). I'm going to be 30 this year, although it shouldn't mean anything other than I've been round the Sun almost 30 times, I can't help but think that it's a milestone and as such should mark a point in my life where I need to change - dare I say it? Maybe even grow up a bit?
Or maybe I could stop writing moody blog entries! Gin, don't do it kids!
I spent New Year's Eve in the company of friends and many many dangerously strong drinks. I think I may have drunk too much gin since I woke up feeling what can only be described as faintly annoyed, there's only one drink that will do that to me - the aforementioned gin.
The 'give up smoking' resolution has already been broken, I'm struggling to come up with any worthy alternatives. I'd like a resolution that would improve my quality of life rather than make me miserable, or maybe one that would at least make the rest of the world think I'm a better person (...being the self-centered bastard that I am). I'm going to be 30 this year, although it shouldn't mean anything other than I've been round the Sun almost 30 times, I can't help but think that it's a milestone and as such should mark a point in my life where I need to change - dare I say it? Maybe even grow up a bit?
Or maybe I could stop writing moody blog entries! Gin, don't do it kids!
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