Stuck with phrases
Sometimes I feel stuck writing reviews. I use the same phrases over and over again and I find it hard to find new ones. At other times it is of course a lot easier. But that's when I bump into something new. In that way I don't really feel that I'm writing the reviews. Not if the album shocks and amazes me. Then it inspires me and I'm just trying to put down what I'm experiencing. Of course I'm interpreting and bringing my experiences into the review. But in the end I feel like the music is dictating my writing. When I listen to horrible music it is so much easier to take control and attack the music in any way I like. The moments I feel stuck is when I encounter numerous average or above average albums. Because they don't bring new thoughts so I just write the same phrases I've used before because it fits into a category. It is as if there are some prewritten phrases I can use about a noiserock- or hiphop-album, and they just appear before me like blocks, and then my job is to put them down in a suitable order. I can rearrange them, but it's always more or less the same result.
It's always a struggle to try and put just a bit of creativity into it. And unfortunately I seldom succeed.
It's always a struggle to try and put just a bit of creativity into it. And unfortunately I seldom succeed.
Heaven and a funeral
Bloody Hell! My vacation is disappearing in far out experiences and I don't have enough time to get bored at home. Daedelus, A Hawk and a Hacksaw and especially Battles were all amazing at Jazzjuice. Daedelus sweated through his white coat in an energetic set, A Hawk and a Hacksaw moved with their emotional playing and the insane drumming, and Battles were an explosion of microtones twisting and turning into one giant, minimalistic, funky workout. Mindblowing!
But then my father called to tell me that my grandma died. It was kind of expected, but still sad. So I stayed in Jutland to attend her funeral a couple of days later. My sweet girlfriend got off work so she could come too, which meant a lot to me. Besides the possibility to remember my grandma and all the good times we had, the funeral also gave me time to enjoy the atmosphere at one. The doomy bells and the beautiful singing as the casket is lowered into the ground by her sons. It's a very emotional thing because we, everybody, bid her farewell by singing. From our rusty voices to the angels up above.
I don't really believe in God the christian way, but the ritual itself is very moving. You should go to one soon. One where you don't know the dead one.
But then my father called to tell me that my grandma died. It was kind of expected, but still sad. So I stayed in Jutland to attend her funeral a couple of days later. My sweet girlfriend got off work so she could come too, which meant a lot to me. Besides the possibility to remember my grandma and all the good times we had, the funeral also gave me time to enjoy the atmosphere at one. The doomy bells and the beautiful singing as the casket is lowered into the ground by her sons. It's a very emotional thing because we, everybody, bid her farewell by singing. From our rusty voices to the angels up above.
I don't really believe in God the christian way, but the ritual itself is very moving. You should go to one soon. One where you don't know the dead one.
Elektronisk Jazzjuice
There's a festival. It's in another town. It's mostly electronic. I'm going. Why? Because Battles, Tape, Daedelus and A Hawk and a Hacksaw are coming. Battles is the extreme of mathrock. Tape is a swedish lake in the middle of a forest. Daedelus is piano lessons gone wild. A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a one man european folk music band. Don't miss it. It's called Elektronisk Jazzjuice and takes place at Aarhus this thursday to saturday.
The lighting won't behave and my girlfriend is almost naked. Does it turn you on?
The lighting won't behave and my girlfriend is almost naked. Does it turn you on?
Bad remix! Go sit in the corner.
At work we have a remix of "Seven Nation Army" of The White Stripes on our Ipod. It's a good song with a great bassline and an unforgettable melody. So the idiot who made the remix didn't find it necessary to make an effort. Normally I don't listen that much to remixes, but I've heard a few that I liked.
Some artists make the songs into a song of their own. Boards of Canada for instance. Some don't even use the song they're remixing. Aphex Twin. The best are the ones where the remixer puts his own fingerprints on the song and makes another great song. The version of "Seven Nation Army" is made for the dancefloors. So the remixer has only thrown a pumping beat in there and build ups for rave-mania. It's so schematic and unimaginative that it's hard to believe that even drunk ravers will find it danceable. I sure hope his next job is pushing shopping trolleys and collecting food from garbage cans.
There isn't enough lighting in the room and my upper body is naked. Does it turn you on?
Some artists make the songs into a song of their own. Boards of Canada for instance. Some don't even use the song they're remixing. Aphex Twin. The best are the ones where the remixer puts his own fingerprints on the song and makes another great song. The version of "Seven Nation Army" is made for the dancefloors. So the remixer has only thrown a pumping beat in there and build ups for rave-mania. It's so schematic and unimaginative that it's hard to believe that even drunk ravers will find it danceable. I sure hope his next job is pushing shopping trolleys and collecting food from garbage cans.
There isn't enough lighting in the room and my upper body is naked. Does it turn you on?
Why do the good always die young?
No, I'm not talking about the loss of Syd Barrett although I mourn that as well. But today Pitchforkmedia reported that Out Hud is no more. I didn't even get to see them live. Well, I hope !!! will release a new album soon then. It should be under way.
Even worse The Mars Volta are already releasing a new album in the end of August. Just a year after the amazing Frances the Mute. "Oh, but that's great", you think, but it's not, because if you listen to the new song on their My Space-page you would know that they have started playing more plain, conformative, boring rock. I want the energy, the many breaks, the crazy ideas in a hysteric fashion, goddamn it! I sure don't hope the rest of the album sounds like that.
Ok, I'm done bitching for now.
There's a corner from a peanut-bag on my desk and a salty taste in my mouth.
Even worse The Mars Volta are already releasing a new album in the end of August. Just a year after the amazing Frances the Mute. "Oh, but that's great", you think, but it's not, because if you listen to the new song on their My Space-page you would know that they have started playing more plain, conformative, boring rock. I want the energy, the many breaks, the crazy ideas in a hysteric fashion, goddamn it! I sure don't hope the rest of the album sounds like that.
Ok, I'm done bitching for now.
There's a corner from a peanut-bag on my desk and a salty taste in my mouth.
The Copenhagen, Roskilde, Malmo, Berlin, Copenhagen-tour
I'm back on Earth, breathing and not at all lonely anymore. Hooray!
Actually I've been so goddamn social the last couple of weeks that I consider it to be quite alright if I just talk to the wall (and my premium girlfriend) for a while.
Ok, the quick update is as follows:
Roskilde Festival, heartbreak, drunk in the dark, heart fixed, the best fucking friends in the world!, swedish soul/hiphop Up Hygh shined, stoned, Whomadewho partyrocked, Guns'n'Roses rocked and sucked with confetti and fireworks, drunk, Gogol Bordello tried to be Manowar playing too loud, Lady Sovereign is a nasty little bitch (you go girl), Happy Mondays tripped, Marcelo D2 samba! hiphop! jazz!, Dalek were on the beat, real drunk, The Ex proved that age is no problem, Why? lighted the sun, Primal Scream was Rolling Stones Jam - only better, Tool blew my fucking mind once again, George Clinton had white fur negros and afros in a diaper, bad intoxication, Kanye West walked in a hit parade, almost sober, Killl didn't kill anything, Wolfmother (shoulder shrug), The Strokes were shy and drugged up, Coldcut delivered amazing videoscratching, Spank Rock funked tha' booty (again), The Raconteurs were blocked by a crowd, Roger Waters carried golden tones and I went home before I was blocked by a crowd.
Accelarator in Malmo, cosy, kind and shy Vashti Bunyan, Atmosphere engaged everyone with charm and a flow to die for from Slug, Silver Jews rocked, and I fatigued during Hot Chip.
Berlin, fanatic soccerfans, extremely hot and sweaty, cheap, alcoholism, The Man's parodic electro-rock in closed roman bath with high ceilings and atmospheric lighting, thunder and lightning, sushi, shopping and stagnation. Absolute mind drain. No power.
Two months of vacation is absolutely needed. A chance to do practical things and intellectual challenges.
Actually I've been so goddamn social the last couple of weeks that I consider it to be quite alright if I just talk to the wall (and my premium girlfriend) for a while.
Ok, the quick update is as follows:
Roskilde Festival, heartbreak, drunk in the dark, heart fixed, the best fucking friends in the world!, swedish soul/hiphop Up Hygh shined, stoned, Whomadewho partyrocked, Guns'n'Roses rocked and sucked with confetti and fireworks, drunk, Gogol Bordello tried to be Manowar playing too loud, Lady Sovereign is a nasty little bitch (you go girl), Happy Mondays tripped, Marcelo D2 samba! hiphop! jazz!, Dalek were on the beat, real drunk, The Ex proved that age is no problem, Why? lighted the sun, Primal Scream was Rolling Stones Jam - only better, Tool blew my fucking mind once again, George Clinton had white fur negros and afros in a diaper, bad intoxication, Kanye West walked in a hit parade, almost sober, Killl didn't kill anything, Wolfmother (shoulder shrug), The Strokes were shy and drugged up, Coldcut delivered amazing videoscratching, Spank Rock funked tha' booty (again), The Raconteurs were blocked by a crowd, Roger Waters carried golden tones and I went home before I was blocked by a crowd.
Accelarator in Malmo, cosy, kind and shy Vashti Bunyan, Atmosphere engaged everyone with charm and a flow to die for from Slug, Silver Jews rocked, and I fatigued during Hot Chip.
Berlin, fanatic soccerfans, extremely hot and sweaty, cheap, alcoholism, The Man's parodic electro-rock in closed roman bath with high ceilings and atmospheric lighting, thunder and lightning, sushi, shopping and stagnation. Absolute mind drain. No power.
Two months of vacation is absolutely needed. A chance to do practical things and intellectual challenges.