May 2012
18 posts
RA: Breaking Through - Skirt →
residentadvisor.net
Hugely impressed by the songs here. Definitely my favourite breaking artist on RA in ages. Can really hear the Surgeon influence on some tracks but really it’s quite unlike anything in particular. Deep though, that’s for sure.
“Of all the things that piss me off, nothing pisses me off more than the term “rock chick.” Why? Because it’s 2012, that’s why. The whole women-playing-in-bands thing is not shocking anymore. I hate it when people ask me what it’s like to be a girl who plays “punk” music. You want to know what it’s like? That’s what it’s like. The only difference about being a girl who plays “punk” music is that people ask you that stupid question.”
—
Mish Way of White Lung.
“
Philip Sherbourne: I would assume you’re aware of The Wire’s term “hypnagogic pop.” What do you think about that taxonomy, and do you think your literally hypnagogic music fits?
Aaron Funk: I’m not aware of that term. Sounds a bit pretentious, to be honest.
” —P. Sherbourne in conversation with A. Funk, better known as Venetian Snares, in relation to Funk’s Last Step project. Part of a much longer interview obviously, just thought that was really funny for some reason.
Teengirl Fantasy - Motif
Teengirl Fantasy - Motif
This plays around for a while but once it gets into a groove it really hits the spot. Looking forward to the album big time.
“
The dollar, either Canadian or American, is the key to Paris. With the U.S. dollar worth twelve and a half francs and the Canadian dollar quoted at something over eleven francs, it is a very effective key.
At the present rate of exchange, a Canadian with an income of one thousand dollars a year can live comfortably and enjoyably in Paris. If exchange were normal the same Canadian would starve to death. Exchange is a wonderful thing.
” —Ernest Hemingway - The Toronto Star Weekly, February 4, 1922.
From this really great little article about living in Paris in the early 20s. Somewhere in the back of my mind I’m hoping one can replace the words “Canadian”, “Paris” and “1922” with “Irishman”, “Berlin” and “2012” and the article will still ring true (allowing for inflation of course).
RA: The Esoteric Art Of Great Sound →
residentadvisor.net
A not-too-nerdy dipping of toes into the world of good sound. Kind of an ad feature for Funktion One but who cares, they do actually do what they say they do so no major complaints here. Worth a read for anyone not really up to speed on live sound, as I know many studio heads get confused when things get physical. I’m one of them, most of the time…
“I would like to move it onto the plain of just pure music and assume that we now have a universal acceptance that our national identity is both diverse and secure. This is not to say that our music is not reflective of our past or of some essential part of our national psyche. However, we are treating the music as an unruly teenager to whom we are unwilling to offer full independence lest it not adhere to some static notion of what the tradition is. That fear exists because the context that created the music, that nourished it, that even brought the revival movement of this music into existence, all of these things have, in some sense, almost run their course and we now no longer have the cultural environment that created this music. The passing on of the tradition has to involve more than dogma and repetition. It must now also include some of the universals that are part of any artistic journey.”
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Journal of Music article from 2004 by Martin Hayes, master fiddle player.
Seeing Martin play on Saturday night with the Gloaming will go down as one of the unforgettable moments in my young life. The rush of blood and feeling as he took control of the first medley back from Thomas Bartlett on the piano was just incredible to experience. There were times where the adrenalin of the whole thing reminded me very much of some great DJ sets that I’ve been at. Just the level of control, the builds, the stretches, the eventual climaxes, it had it all and Martin was the fulcrum of the whole night.
Fort Evil Fruit: Naythen Wilson - This Is A Death Dream →
fortevilfruit.blogspot.com
Very excited to hear the new cassette coming from Fort Evil Fruit. This one is a collection of Corwood-approved Jandek covers by hyper-prolific Maine-born musician Naythen Wilson. Drawing entirely on material prior to Jandek’s “emergence” as a live performer, it should make for an interesting look back at one of modern music’s most confounding discographies.
“For a lot of musicians and people making music, music producers, there’s an emphasis, like success or progress is kind of equated with how many releases you’re doing, how many gigs you’re doing. I think, for me, it was quite a liberating thing to realise that you don’t have to do that. There’s a difference between making music and the music world. So my concern was to make progress in the music rather than make progress as an artist with a career. Obviously, the two are connected, it’s not like one happens in a vacuum, but I think you can have differences of emphasis. Just because there’s nothing public doesn’t mean that there’s nothing going on.”
—
From this RBMA Interview with Mark Fell of SND/Mark Fell/Sensate Focus “fame”.
Really good interview. Gets gear nerdy at times so obviously I’m going to love it. Interesting to see someone work with both programming environments like Max/MSP and then massively successful commercial synths like the Native Instruments stuff. As well Digital Performer, which is a DAW not exactly loved on this side of the Atlantic. Much more common in Americay for some reason.
Also, this quote reminded me of a few acts I’ve seen, including some Irish lads particularly. Nodding your head in time with a loop is not performance, anyway you want to look at it.
“Around that time both Mat and I made a definite decision never to nod our heads on stage in time to music. When we first started doing it, you kind of get into it, you start nodding your head, and it is a bit of a signal to the audience that the performers are enjoying it. But what’s going on in that kind of relationship? It’s like prompting the audience to respond in a certain way, or to have some assumptions about how we’re relating to the music. So yeah, since that point, neither of us have nodded our heads on stage in time to music. [laughs]”
Immersion Into Noise by Joseph Nechvatal →
quod.lib.umich.edu
I’ve begun reading this book which, in true noise art spirit, is available for free online in its entirety. Not going to be easy going I’m sure but the approach is very interesting.
Eli Keszler & Keith Fullerton Whitman In Conversation →
imposemagazine.com
Great feature from Impose here. Very informed chat between two people who really are operating on the edge of modern composition, pushing and pulling it in ways that continue to surprise. Their recent split LP on NNA is highly recommended.
Moss Icon - Complete Discography
This is an essential collection of songs by an essential band. One of the most forward-thinking punk bands of their time, Moss Icon set the groundwork for so much of what was to come. They were political, uncompromising and aggressive. They understood the raw punch of hardcore, stretched the boundaries of noise and texture and topped it all off with inspired lyrics. You just have to listen.
In sickness and in health
I’ve pretty much been out of action for the last week due to having to do actual work in a fancy pants restaurant for a while followed by a bout of sickness and a (self-imposed) ban on headphone usage for a couple of days. I’ve got a list of things as long as both my arms to listen to and a ton of Quarter Inch stuff that needs doing pronto but here’s a cool song that I’ve come to like an awful lot this past week. Singing it to myself in the restaurant kept me sane some days. It will also hopefully serve as some kind of reminder for myself to say something about the whole trad purism debacle that’s happening over on Nialler9 where no one is coming out particularly well and some people are just doing themselves no favours at all. Plus ca change, eh?
