Geiger #11
There is a new issue of our magazine Geiger in distribution now. It contains among other things an interview with Sunn O))) (that I did), a feature on christianity as inspiration in rock music, and reviews of Pelican, Mount Eerie, Desormais, dEUS, The Residents and Mouse on Mars. It's available at various record stores across Denmark. It's in Danish so there's not much fun in reading it if you don't know the language.
The Polyvinyl Christmas Sale
Here's a little holiday tip. Go to the Polyvinyls shop and take advantage of one of their package deals. You can buy the entire Polyvinyl discography of one artist for a reduced price. For instance you can buy all three Mates of State-albums, an EP and a DVD for only $40. That's a bargain. Polyvinyl was cheap before, but now they're dirtcheap. Choose among Of Montreal, Saturday Looks Good to Me and many others. The sale ends December 21st.
And in other news: Rob Swifts classic turntable-album Soulful Fruit has been re-issued by Fat Beats. For some time the album originally released on Madlibs Stones Throw-label has been hard to come by so it's an awaited release. Peace!
And in other news: Rob Swifts classic turntable-album Soulful Fruit has been re-issued by Fat Beats. For some time the album originally released on Madlibs Stones Throw-label has been hard to come by so it's an awaited release. Peace!
dEUS - not yet a dead horse
Me and a bunch of friends went to see dEUS the other night. We've all listened to them back in the nineties so it was a very anticipated reunion. They have been an important inspiration to discover some of my late favorites such as The Velvet Underground and Tom Waits. And especially the connection with The Velvet Underground is evident in dEUS. Besides the fact that they're obviously inspired by the Velvets, they've also evolved very much like them. They started off with a defying debut (that was actually received way better than the Banana-album was in its time), carried on with an even more experimenting sophomore that showed great diversity. Then Stef Kamil Carlens (John Cale) left the band, and they made a more melodic and less experimental album which showed that Carlens was the experimental generator in the band, while Barman (Lou Reed) was the melody maker. Carlens went on and made Moondog Jr. and later on Zita Swoon that both were and is good, but it's the two of them together that created some of the best rock music of the 90's. On the new album some of the spark is definetely gone and only the last half works really well. Especially the songs where Carlens participates for a guest visit. Hmm, wonder why...?
Anyhow, my expectations were modest. It's been six years since the last album and only Janzoons and Barman of the original line-up is left. First off a danish band called Kitty Wu played their gloomy mix of dry guitars and melancholic arena-rock. They have kind of evolved into sounding like Interpol now, just more grand. They gave what they had, but weren't jawdropping.
After the usual tension-ladden waiting for the main event, the stage suddenly went black and an expectant hymn striked. This was it. The band that made my teenage years less of a hell to fumble in. The band that comforted me with "Nine Threads" when I was sad and made my blood rush with the repetitive guitars of "For the Roses". I got drunk to "Suds and Soda" and expanded my mind inside "Everybody's weird". I saw them in '99 in Hamburg, but it was still exciting. They started off with one of those new, a bit boring, rock'n'roll-songs "Pocket Revolution", but then carried on with a blend of songs from the first three albums as well as some new ones. The sharply cut beams of light coming from behind of the band shrouded them in mystery and took focus away from them and onto the music. Barman really seemed to be on top of the game and happy to be out of his six year hiatus. Remarkably they played most of the new songs with less energy than the old ones. Not all the new songs fell apart though. "Sun Ra" was an exploding buzz of crazed energy, and "Nothing really ends" was as beautiful as on record. Obviously only the good songs from the new record worked well live. Well, duh. The old songs, though, were of course the biggest adventures. Man, when they spazzed out in "Fell off the floor, man" I could have choked out of happiness. Unfortunately it seemed to me that they cut off some of the songs from "The Ideal Crash" before they got really spaced out which was such a shame. But hey, it was still great hearing "Instant Street" and "Magdalena", it was exciting to hear "W.C.S. (first draft)", and warming from the edge of my skin through my blood to my little, soft pounding heart to hear "Serpentine". And "Theme from Turnpike" is still able to amaze and surprise me as a fantastic, obscure score to a seventies spy-movie with it's Morricone-inspired guitar. When they finished, the audience (me included) was so excited that there was no end to the applausing. So they came back. Normally I prefer a band to play a full set and not give in to the mobs screaming for more. But this time around I really wanted them back to play their big hits.
And so they did. Firstly "Little Arithmetics" with the sweet little melody and the bababaing going into the swirling noise, then as a little suprise and no hit at all (yet) a very wooing, groovy version of "What we talk about (when we talk about love)". Barman was actually kind of sexy. And in the end...tadaaaa...yes, you guessed it: "Suds and soda" as we know it - chaotic, enchanting and a singalong-favorite. Despite the lack of energy in some of the new songs, dEUS still shook the building with some of that popnoisy artrock we kids just love. I had a big grin on my face when the show ended.
Bonusinfo: When I got to work the next day, I was told that dEUS had visited our restaurant for supper and Mr. Barman had hit on one of the waitresses and offered her a place on the guestlist. She foolishly rejected. I think Mr. Barman is enjoying being on the road again.
Anyhow, my expectations were modest. It's been six years since the last album and only Janzoons and Barman of the original line-up is left. First off a danish band called Kitty Wu played their gloomy mix of dry guitars and melancholic arena-rock. They have kind of evolved into sounding like Interpol now, just more grand. They gave what they had, but weren't jawdropping.
After the usual tension-ladden waiting for the main event, the stage suddenly went black and an expectant hymn striked. This was it. The band that made my teenage years less of a hell to fumble in. The band that comforted me with "Nine Threads" when I was sad and made my blood rush with the repetitive guitars of "For the Roses". I got drunk to "Suds and Soda" and expanded my mind inside "Everybody's weird". I saw them in '99 in Hamburg, but it was still exciting. They started off with one of those new, a bit boring, rock'n'roll-songs "Pocket Revolution", but then carried on with a blend of songs from the first three albums as well as some new ones. The sharply cut beams of light coming from behind of the band shrouded them in mystery and took focus away from them and onto the music. Barman really seemed to be on top of the game and happy to be out of his six year hiatus. Remarkably they played most of the new songs with less energy than the old ones. Not all the new songs fell apart though. "Sun Ra" was an exploding buzz of crazed energy, and "Nothing really ends" was as beautiful as on record. Obviously only the good songs from the new record worked well live. Well, duh. The old songs, though, were of course the biggest adventures. Man, when they spazzed out in "Fell off the floor, man" I could have choked out of happiness. Unfortunately it seemed to me that they cut off some of the songs from "The Ideal Crash" before they got really spaced out which was such a shame. But hey, it was still great hearing "Instant Street" and "Magdalena", it was exciting to hear "W.C.S. (first draft)", and warming from the edge of my skin through my blood to my little, soft pounding heart to hear "Serpentine". And "Theme from Turnpike" is still able to amaze and surprise me as a fantastic, obscure score to a seventies spy-movie with it's Morricone-inspired guitar. When they finished, the audience (me included) was so excited that there was no end to the applausing. So they came back. Normally I prefer a band to play a full set and not give in to the mobs screaming for more. But this time around I really wanted them back to play their big hits.
And so they did. Firstly "Little Arithmetics" with the sweet little melody and the bababaing going into the swirling noise, then as a little suprise and no hit at all (yet) a very wooing, groovy version of "What we talk about (when we talk about love)". Barman was actually kind of sexy. And in the end...tadaaaa...yes, you guessed it: "Suds and soda" as we know it - chaotic, enchanting and a singalong-favorite. Despite the lack of energy in some of the new songs, dEUS still shook the building with some of that popnoisy artrock we kids just love. I had a big grin on my face when the show ended.
Bonusinfo: When I got to work the next day, I was told that dEUS had visited our restaurant for supper and Mr. Barman had hit on one of the waitresses and offered her a place on the guestlist. She foolishly rejected. I think Mr. Barman is enjoying being on the road again.
New Weird America - new weird albums?
Maybe this is old news, but Jackie-O Motherfucker is set to release a new album in december which I'm surely looking forward to. According to ATP Recordings there is not much to be said about this, but then again the information level on that website has always been sparse. If you keep an eye on Pitchforkmedia though (do the scroll, baby), you will be enlightened. Supposedly it is going to be "an epic recording documenting the group's maturing skills in writing, arranging and production, and is a timeless de-construction of American music." So I guess more or less more of the same same. Doesn't bother me. I just hope they will hit a theater near me in the wake of the album.
And while we're at it: I bought the new No-neck Blues Band-record, but haven't listened to it enough to say something stupid about it.
And while we're at it: I bought the new No-neck Blues Band-record, but haven't listened to it enough to say something stupid about it.
Animal Collective - all echo and delay
Sometimes you look forward to a concert so much that you can't help getting disappointed. On the other hand you can also experience having outrageous expectations and getting them fulfilled beyond belief. That unfortunately happens seldom, but actually was the case when I saw Liars in Berlin about a month ago. The first thing happened to me two days ago in Malmo when I saw Animal Collective.
Before they went on stage we were pestered by Nix Noltes which is an islandic orchestra with that one twin from Mum. It was some kind of texmex-balkan-folk music and to be truthful not very exciting. They had decidedly boring songs with few poignant moments, and I would rather see a reel balkan-orchestra because they play in that insanely high pace and are brilliant musicians. That wasn't exactly the case with Nix Noltes.
Then it was time for Animal Collective. I had really been looking forward to this concert because they're one of the most interesting bands at the moment. But alas! They didn't seem to be in the right mood. They started off with some voice experiments that actually were pretty groovy, but from then on they spent way too much time playing their stoned out songs and halfimprovised experiments. This idea they have about making noise with a minimum of effort by using lots of echo and delay rocks like hell, but if they don't use it for making something constructive, moving, exhilarating, anything - then who gives a fuck. And Animal Collective didn't. It was mostly a bunch of art wank. When they played "Grass", they even did it at half pace which wasn't exactly swell either. There was no doubt they rocked the hardest when they played their uptempo, melodic songs. With them they made energy, rhythms and babbling vocals move themselves and the entire audience, and unfortunately only a few of their psychedelic swampsongs were capable of grasping the pleasure center in the same way.
If that wasn't enough they also played just long enough for us to miss the train so we had to wait almost an hour at a freezing cold station half past midnight to get home. Not really the perfect night I had hoped for, although it did have more than a few big moments.
Before they went on stage we were pestered by Nix Noltes which is an islandic orchestra with that one twin from Mum. It was some kind of texmex-balkan-folk music and to be truthful not very exciting. They had decidedly boring songs with few poignant moments, and I would rather see a reel balkan-orchestra because they play in that insanely high pace and are brilliant musicians. That wasn't exactly the case with Nix Noltes.
Then it was time for Animal Collective. I had really been looking forward to this concert because they're one of the most interesting bands at the moment. But alas! They didn't seem to be in the right mood. They started off with some voice experiments that actually were pretty groovy, but from then on they spent way too much time playing their stoned out songs and halfimprovised experiments. This idea they have about making noise with a minimum of effort by using lots of echo and delay rocks like hell, but if they don't use it for making something constructive, moving, exhilarating, anything - then who gives a fuck. And Animal Collective didn't. It was mostly a bunch of art wank. When they played "Grass", they even did it at half pace which wasn't exactly swell either. There was no doubt they rocked the hardest when they played their uptempo, melodic songs. With them they made energy, rhythms and babbling vocals move themselves and the entire audience, and unfortunately only a few of their psychedelic swampsongs were capable of grasping the pleasure center in the same way.
If that wasn't enough they also played just long enough for us to miss the train so we had to wait almost an hour at a freezing cold station half past midnight to get home. Not really the perfect night I had hoped for, although it did have more than a few big moments.
Singer/songwriter-galore
Ok, so yesterday I was to this singer/songwriter-concert, and I normally stay away from singer/songwriters because I find them boring and way to whining all though I do like Bright Eyes. But we heard that this Jason Anderson-guy should be pretty entertaining. And he was.
First off though Tiger Saw played, and he was a bit nervous, a bit giggling and a bit boring. Very heartbroken, non-personal songs. But Jason Anderson was a mosquito on fire and made everyone (almost) come on stage, while he stood on a chair, to sing, clap and make eerie ghost-like wails with our eyes closed. He was very enthusiastic and trying to make it a special moment even though he probably did the same show every night. But it worked and the otherwise shy, sober (it was monday night) danish audience actually participated all though a bit anxious (maybe that was just me). When a string at the end of the set bursted, he made everyone clap while singing some big mainstream-hit I didn't really know. But it was all good fun. At the end Kimya Dawson from Moldy Peaches played her funny/sad antifolk-songs which took the form of long crazy stories from suburban life with all the crushed dreams and weird personalities that implies. Between songs she was very sweet and moving sincere.
So it turned out to be a not-so-boring evening after all. If you live in Germany, Schwitzerland or France you still have the chance to catch the three of them. They're a very pleasant company.
First off though Tiger Saw played, and he was a bit nervous, a bit giggling and a bit boring. Very heartbroken, non-personal songs. But Jason Anderson was a mosquito on fire and made everyone (almost) come on stage, while he stood on a chair, to sing, clap and make eerie ghost-like wails with our eyes closed. He was very enthusiastic and trying to make it a special moment even though he probably did the same show every night. But it worked and the otherwise shy, sober (it was monday night) danish audience actually participated all though a bit anxious (maybe that was just me). When a string at the end of the set bursted, he made everyone clap while singing some big mainstream-hit I didn't really know. But it was all good fun. At the end Kimya Dawson from Moldy Peaches played her funny/sad antifolk-songs which took the form of long crazy stories from suburban life with all the crushed dreams and weird personalities that implies. Between songs she was very sweet and moving sincere.
So it turned out to be a not-so-boring evening after all. If you live in Germany, Schwitzerland or France you still have the chance to catch the three of them. They're a very pleasant company.
David Thomas and the lyrical Negros
Saturday I was supposed to see David Thomas of Pere Ubu playing a live concert with a danish musician, but I never got to do it because I was having such a wonderful time with my girlfriend. I normally prioritize concerts over anything else because you may not get the chance to see that band or person again, but then again - I've missed out on so many other concerts and right at that moment being with my girlfriend was just as special, and that particular situation would never accur again. Of course I can see my girlfriend, and will, as often as I want to, but it won't ever be that particular fantastic moment as it was. I regret nothing.
And by the way she found a set of amazing books in a dumpster for me. It's a encychlopedia called Store Nordiske Konversations Leksikon (Big Nordic Encyclopedia) from 1921. It is always fun to see the perception of the world in a time other than your own. For instance under the article "Neger" (negro) it says: "N. is lively, lyrical, childish, loves music, docile, but not persevering, or particularly strong at developing." At the time it was perceived as scientific facts. Today you would be arrested.
And by the way she found a set of amazing books in a dumpster for me. It's a encychlopedia called Store Nordiske Konversations Leksikon (Big Nordic Encyclopedia) from 1921. It is always fun to see the perception of the world in a time other than your own. For instance under the article "Neger" (negro) it says: "N. is lively, lyrical, childish, loves music, docile, but not persevering, or particularly strong at developing." At the time it was perceived as scientific facts. Today you would be arrested.
Big Star - shining not so bright
When you always stumble into a name that seems to have had great impact on a lot of bands, you get curious and want to check it out. Right? Well, then you also know that it is quite disappointing when you hear the band and don't understand how they became so influential.
I have that problem with Big Star. Tonight I am listening to #1 Record and Radio City for the billionth time and I'm still not getting it. Yeah, they do have good songs and all, but it just sounds like a mishmash of the sixties. Maybe some day I will buy The Third Album/Sister Lovers and I will see a big shining light in the sky revealing all the secrets. Until then they will just remain a good popband in my world.
I have that problem with Big Star. Tonight I am listening to #1 Record and Radio City for the billionth time and I'm still not getting it. Yeah, they do have good songs and all, but it just sounds like a mishmash of the sixties. Maybe some day I will buy The Third Album/Sister Lovers and I will see a big shining light in the sky revealing all the secrets. Until then they will just remain a good popband in my world.