4 posts tagged “david”
“… as I edit these pages I am aware that I have an urge to see my sometime random wandering as having a plot.”
Reading David Byrne’s latest release, I have to ask, “What hasn’t this man done?” Currently, the co-founder of The Talking Heads is working with Fat Boy Slim, creating a musical collaboration on the life of Imelda Marcos. He recently completed a commission to design artistic bicycle racks for New York City. He also took some time to publish his fifth book, Bicycle Diaries, a passing view on two wheels.
Byrne first took to the bicycle not as an eco-statement or as health kick but as a way to get around his neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. He quickly enjoyed the freedom and decided to bring a folding bike on his many journeys. And through his travels, Byrne muses on why his favorite mode transportation isn’t as popular in other parts of world, like Istanbul where biking might imply being poor to Buenas Aires where no one bikes because no one has ever biked before. He also comments how the bicycle lanes are fully integrated in Berlin’s transportation grid and cycling in Manila is anything goes.
The best part of this book is Byrne’s thoughts and opinions as bicycles through the major cosmopolitan centers of the world, reflecting on land reparation in Palestine, Tibet and South Dakota and comparing Third World Markets to American malls in how uniformly similar they are from suburb to suburb, country to country, “… a kind of self-reflecting architecture.”
Byrne also provides unusual facts that don’t make it into the usual travelogue. Like did you know the founder of Kodak, George Eastman, committed suicide, leaving a matter-of-fact note, stating, “My work is done. Why wait?’ Byrne also writes about a museum in Berlin dedicated to the now-defunct East German secret police, showcasing the absurd (a birdhouse/camera) to the telling (the modest office furnishings of the head of the Stasi).
Like a bike ride, this is a breezy read. Neither bed rocked in a firm notion nor adhering to a solid belief, Byrne’s Bicycle Diaries are like the artist, himself, open, refreshing and in motion.
Dave
edharcourt.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter
Ed Harcourt is nothing short of amazing when he's playing live, possibly due to his many years of opening up for REM, Wilco, Beth Orton, Supergrass, etc. An amazing multi-instrumentalist, he mostly relies on his piano and strong vocals.
Recently, he composed the score for the "Donnie Darko" sequel S Darko, which I gave it a good review... despite the critics panning the movie. Russian Roulette EP is the latest release, around or after sxsw.
Like many of his previous songs, these songs on the EP tells little stories. I think sometime his personal life shows through in these songs, for instance the musical roller coaster "Caterpillar" reflects the singer's emotions of highs & lows when his newborn daughter Roxy was placed in an incubator.
These are great piano songs, they sometime sound a bit like old fashion television theme songs (accessible to anyone that hears it). There is one mountain folky-ish song called "Creep Out Of The Woodwork", which may be because of the country-sounding intro.It's the first song I've written about her. She was a little ill and we waited for her in the hospital for the chrysalis so we could take her home.
-- Ed Harcourt
My favorite is "Sour Milk, Motheaten Silk", whose music was inspired by "Cypress Hill and Japanese children's shows". The violins towards the end by his wife, Gita, added a nice touch to the song.
You can get Russian Roulette EP from Dovecote Records, where you can also purchase his last album, The Beautiful Lie. Although it may sound gimmicky, you can get the EP via USB in the shape of a bullet. It's cool!
Harcourt will next appear in London at Standon Calling on August 2nd.
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VERISMO
verismetal.com ♥ myspace Well metal's still huge all over the world, but it's a question of taste... and personally it's not my cup of tea. But if you like a bit of a harder (but not ear-punishing as some metal bands I've heard) guitar-noodling of Verismo, you can download their latest EP Greed for (ironically) free, if you sign up on their mailing list:
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| THE RADIO DEPT. theradiodept.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter
We've previously mentioned Radio Dept. before and Randy describes This Past Week as: "it's shoegazey, melancholy, a bit subdued, but also lush and really well-layered between the vocals, guitar, keyboard, samples, and drum machine." I think anytime I read layer and drum machines, I just think of lo-fi, but they aren't. They're definitely dreamy in some chases. The single (4 tracks) are a quick listen. The songs are easy-on-the-ears, a little too relaxing with the mostly-instrumental "The Idle Urban Contemporaries". Obviously the main and title track "David" is the best among the songs. However, I didn't particularly care for the Rice Twins remix of "David", which is too jumpy and that use of vocal autotune drives me nuts, in my opinion. It could've been an interesting song if you haven't heard the original mix. But then again, I've mentioned before that I wasn't keen on remixes either. David EP is available now from Labrador. |
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BRAIN CHILDREN
myspace.com They've just released a self-titled CD/12" and based on the six tracks, it's pretty much what you would expect out of a disco dance/synth band... ultimately sounding like they're from the 80s. There's definitely some bassy funk elements, especially on the "Guts", which I think there are actual girls-vocals on it. Either way, if you like what you heard, check out more at their myspace. It's easy for Australians to order the Brain Children EP directly from their record label Stained Circles (THEY SELL TAPES! TAPES!!! It's like 1986 again). Outside of ozland, you can only order 7" only, and you must use paypal. |
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GALA
galasound.com ♥ myspace ♥ twitter Her latest release is an EP called Tough Love. This release is really polished, a very professional produced little six-track. For the most part, I love pop music, and since Gala's background is from Italy, she certainly knows her eurodisco music. If you don't like eurodisco, then turn away now, but if you dig Sophie Ellis-Bextor or Kyle Minogue, then you'll love Gala. Pretty soon, you'll find youself dancing uncontrollably to "Freed From Desire The Un-Remix" and "DKOL (Different Kind Of Love)". Watch out for that distinctive yip-yelp she does on "Tough Love". I see that she'll be heading over to Moscow for a live show at the Forbes Club on September 18th. You can follow her on Twitter, which she will occasional take some pictures on her walkabouts. |
07/17/2009 00:04:12 ♥ vu (
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♥weheartmusic.com♥twitter.com/weheartmusic♥news.weheartmusic.com
JAZZ NOTE # 2 – PLAY A SHOWTUNE
written by Dave
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The best way an artist can grab the attention of an ever-elusive audience is to take something tried and true and turn it on its head. I’m talking about reinterpretation. When it comes to jazz, there is no better way to ease a new listener into a new sound than to play a familiar tune, especially when song comes from the Rogers and Hammerstein’s musical, “Oklahoma” and Ray Charles is the one singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” from the 2006 Concord release, “Ray Sings Basie Swings.”
What I like most about this cover is that it doesn’t remotely sound like morning. I don’t think the word even exists in the jazz lexicon. Most jazz musicians don’t even get out of bed before noon. So when Charles steps into Count Basie’s thick, crisp harmony sounding like a stiff belt of whiskey, he doesn’t lope like a man waking up. Instead, you hear that growl in his voice and you can see the grin growing for he is a man who is happy that the sun is finally going down.
The time of day isn’t the only thing mixed-up in this song. Take a full listen and see if you can determine if Charles is singing with a live band. At the time he was. But when these master tapes were found after his death, the only parts that were salvageable were his vocals. Count Basie and his orchestra were not properly miked during the concert, but not problem. Bill Hughes who now steers the venerable, still-playing Count Basie Orchestra was available to lay down the new tracks.
Some jazz purist may balk at the technology that bridges musicians playing in different decades. But if that technology allows me to visualize Ray Charles wearing a cowboy hat on top of a horse jazzing up an otherwise “oh hum” song, then I, too, have a wide grin just to hear one more time Ray Charles growl.
JAZZ
NOTE # 1 – MAKE IT CATCHY
written by Dave
As post-war Bebop began to wane into the cold war era, a group of jazz musicians sought to reconnect with their audience. Hard Bop, West Coast Cool, wherever the name, the songs usually stated a quick, catchy theme, letting the players take it from there. A few classics from this time are Lee Morgan’s “Sidewinder”, Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father” and this gem from Miles Davis, “Milestone” from the same-name 1958 Columbia record.
What I like most about this piece is how the hierarchy of the jazz combo is turned around. Usually, it’s the headliner that takes the lead and sets the tone. You would think in a song with “Miles” in the name that Davis would step up to the mic with his muted horn. Instead it’s his sideman on tenor sax, John Coltrane, grabbing the first solo like a quarter-horse out of the gate, sounding like he wants to completely break from the pack, ripping up and down the scales with a buoyant, joyous ease.
“Too many notes,” Davis would constantly chide his young band mate. Coltrane is definitely an interesting contrast to Davis’ subtle, understated tone. Just listen to the first two solos: one playing the edge, almost willingly losing control; the other with no need to impress, a consummate professional taking the smoothest of rides. Also, make note of the slightly awkward transition between the two solos. It almost sounds like Davis tapped Coltrane on the shoulder with a “That’s enough.”
