"I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they've gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind."
X were a LA. punk band, and an excellent one, formed in 1977 and "Los Angeles" is their cult debut abum (and one of the '77 punk milestones).
I must have listened to it tons of times and I never get tired, so I have to say that it stands the test of time just fine (and also me aging could have affected its value but it didn't) and Johnny hit and run paulene is still one of my fave punk songs (see the video below).
Persepolis is a movie in competition in the official selection at the Cannes festival, adapted from Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel of the same title (and co-directed by her). The comic is fabulous: a funny satire of all generalisations and cultural dogmas written with an almost childish naiveté. And the film seems to be up to it. Here is the teaser trailer:
As I had promised here comes some more music: Lou Reed's "Hooky Wooky" single CD. Which contains, of course, the so-titled song (from the "Set the twilight reeling" LP), plus This magic moment out of the Doc Pomus tribute album, You'll never know you loved out of the "Friends"TV Series Soundtrack, and the previously unreleased (and very beautiful) Run.
And since this is supposed to be a music blog (but I promise I'll post more than this next time) here is -at least- one song: Oasis' Champagne Supernova (with its non-sense lyrics, but one of the few songs of theirs I really like...and it's so ecstatic that it seems to be fit for this occasion).
Starting from tomorrow NBC is going to finally air the remaining six episodes of Studio 60 (at 10 pm). It was about time. This one will also feature as guest star Alison Janney (aka CJ in "The West Wing"). If you have never seen an Aaron Sorkin's show try and take a look at it. Down here I've put three excerpts from Sorkin's works: one from Studio 60, and then two old ones, one from Sports Nights and one from The West Wing. You can view S60's new promo here.
Plus, for all the West Wing hardcore fans: download Tori Amos' cover version of I don't like mondays (you remember the 4th season episode, right?)
I'll go see a Low concert in a few days, so I think this is the the proper time to remind someone out there of some live recordings of this great Minnesota band available on the net... Here you can find lots of them (@ the Internet Archive). And these are my favourite ones (both because of the performance and the quality of the sound) : 1 ...and 2.
I know this blog is supposed to talk about music but I bumped into this video yesterday and I was shocked. It is an episode of a BBC program called Panorama, from 2006, and it shows how Roman Church has covered up all the child abuse crimes committed by catholic priests. So what is Crimen sollicitationis? It is a secret document issued by the Holy Office that imposes secrecy (concerning sex crimes) even upon victims of sexual abuse. In a few words: priests who are known by hierarchies to be pedophiles get transferred and more often than not everything is done in order to avoid legal prosecution. Hence no support for the victims, hence the chance for these child abusers to commit their awful crime again too. And by the way, Pope Joseph Ratzinger has more than something to be blamed.
Maybe it's time to go back to the originals: after Franz Ferdinand, Bloc things and many other Talking Heads wannabes why not listen to some 100& talking heads? So here's "More songs about buldings and food, their second LP, mostly famous for the cover of Al Green's Take me to the river (truly a must), but it is anyway miles ahead of its predecessor, probably because it's also their first album produced by Brian Eno (first of three: if you do not have them go get 'em).
I feel pretty strongly about this: "Sound of silver"is one of my favourite albums of this this year. I've been listenig to it for only a couple of weeks by now (and for a longer time partly because I had found the fist LP rather interesting but not that interesting -like: would this change my life? Not really...good things but not over the top, probably a bit too stylish -and à la mode- and too simplicistic, I don't know). Was it embarassing as most of the dance-oriented electronic music often is? No way. But "Sound of..." is far far better.
It is still very unlikely that some friend will catch me dancing on tables because of the new LCD, yet I would not mind so much (but I do not find myself usually in such situations...). Stranger to me is that I am way more attracted by colder electronica (Aphex Twin, Four Tet) or Indietronica. Lots of great songs-songs in here by the way: All my friends, New York I love you above all. Plus James Murphy has learned to write some lyrics too, being NY I love you a good example:
You're still the one pool Where I'd happily drown And oh.. Take me off your mailing list For kids that think it still exists Yes, for those who think it still exists
Obvious considerations (aren't they?): Murphy owes more than something to new wavers, Brian Eno, David Bowie (like the way he sings -along with doubled voices in Get Innocuous)...and most of his music is filled up with hommages to those beautiful years between Glam-Rock's zenith (1974) and post punk revolution (1979-82). Not an inch of plagiarism but tons of love from (a now famous) big fan to his much-loved idols. Or am I the only one who loves to hear Iggy Pop references along with Devo or Kraftwerk-like synth hooks?
I was reading a nice article about them, (in italian, in the new issue of Mucchio Extra), and I immediately felt like listening to my fav Pavement's album, "Brighten the corners", and my mind went back to some years ago when I went to a party (or crashed it, can't quite remember...), heard Shady Lane through a stereo set and thought: "This is a great party!", and ever since I have always been sure that the coolest thing is to get in a room full of people you don't know and hear one of the best indie-rock songs of all the time. "This is my people" flashed in my mind, and I felt suddenly at ease, smiling as much as I could.
X were a LA. punk band, and an excellent one, formed in 1977 and "Los Angeles" is their cult debut abum (and one of the '77 punk milestones).
