the pleasure machine is here: a few thoughts Big questions tend to throw us in multiple directions at once. What does it mean to live a good life? There are simply too many factors to consider. No reasonable person can be expected to provide a succinct, satisfactory answer. That’s why philosophers use thought experiments. The... Continue Reading →
Joyrex EP Reviews Spex Magazine (August 1992) Presumably they meant Joyrex J4 and J5 CAUSTIC WINDOW Joyrex EP 3 and 4 (Reflex) Both records clearly bear the signature of Aphex Twin’s >> Bubblebath Vol. 1 << EP. Unpredictable and avant-garde in every respect, they incorporate children’s melodies as well as harsh electronic passages, adding aContinue reading "Contemporary Reviews: Caustic Window EPs and Compilation"
I'm resigning from the discourse. Weekstarter is here with your usual and unusual updates, recommendations, and some notes about why "The street finds its own uses" should be our approach to the technology.
Two tunes tied to the homecoming story everybody can't stop talking about
Again thanks to my brother Paul for the scan cheers! APHEX TWIN the wizzkid Interview by Thee J. Johanz He is already being called a child prodigy. Music of his has been released that he made as early as the age of twelve. Lately, he hasn’t been sleeping. The American major label Sire is lyingContinue reading "Opscene Magazine (August/September 1993)"
Heavy Metal Suicide, by the humorously named Ringo Deathstarr. Their music spans several genres, from shoegaze to throwback alternative metal—this track being a good example of the latter. Their albums have been hit or miss for me, but each one has contained at least two or three good tracks, making for a good back catalog. […]
This week’s theme: It’s Springtime! Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Dexter Gordon, Karin Krog, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson, Carmen McRae, [...] The post Podcast: Joy Spring first appeared on jazzcollector.com.
John Fahey - Amazingrace Coffeehouse, Evanston, Illinois, August 24, 1974We checked out John Fahey’s amazing “Performance As War” essay a few weeks back, and had our senses thoroughly scrambled by Blind Joe Death’s, er, unique insights and opinions. Now, let’s get even more scrambled by checking out an excellent recording of the guitarist from right around the time “Performance As War” was published in 1974. This era is, in my opinion, Fahey’s peak as a live act, as he delivers long unbroken ...
An ongoing series Love this deep dive on the origins of The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine”. Certified musical legend Alan Mencken breaks down his ‘90s Disney movie hits. Lots of fun and goofy designs in this 1956 Fun With Your Typewriter book. Really cool online tool to generate slipcovers for VHS, Blockbuster cases, and other […]
It’s blues melody week in theory and aural skills. That doesn’t just mean we’re looking at the blues genre, though; we’re covering all the genres that use what Richard Ripani calls “the blues system”: the characteristic pitches, harmonies, rhythms and vocal techniques that make music sound bluesy. Gospel uses the blues system extensively, and nobody … Continue reading "The Gospel According To Aretha"
The VitalsRelease date: 20 June 1966UK chart peak: #3Running time: 72:37Singles: One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) (#33), Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (#7), I Want You (#16) Despite being considered one of the greatest albums of all time, Blonde on Blonde didn’t make as spectacular a splash in 1966 as you’d expect […]
I’ve long enjoyed the jingles of comedian Adam Buxton, aka Doctor Buckles, aka Count Buckulees: “The Counting Song” and “I […]
It’s an I-5 battle as Sacramento’s Cake takes on LA’s Margo Guryan. Good morning! Today we’re taking a look at Cake’s Comfort Eagle and Margo Guryan’s 25 Demos. Note: As many of you saw, I recently wrote about a Best Record of 2001 challenge and noted that I’d be writing some of these up. The […]
1. Alto is just such a hard instrument; there are so few people that play it really well. I feel it’s the best one, too, now. At first I didn’t feel that way — I wanted to be a tenor player. It took a long time for me to feel that alto was the mnst […]
Music for Intersecting Planes by Leila Bordreuil + Kali Malone Aphelion by Isolde & Isobelle Vision Transmissions by zakè, Christina Giannone, Tyresta Bodies of Water…
Listen now | Back to the Future marches on in March.
It’s the return of the Tuesday blog post! In this edition of Pressing Concerns, we’re looking at new albums from The Pretty Flowers, Fake Canadian, Eggs on Mars, and Shop Talk. It’s a great set; check them out below, and, if you missed Monday’s blog post (featuring Stuck, Miscellaneous Owl, The Disassociation, and Louisa BénâtreContinue reading "Pressing Concerns: The Pretty Flowers, Fake Canadian, Eggs on Mars, Shop Talk"
"Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie Post one of your favorite relaxing songs. After we finish our Thanksgiving meal, my family has a tradition dating back to my childhood. We all gather in the living room and listen Alice's Restaurant, the story of Arlo Guthrie's arrest for littering in a Massachusetts small town in the late 1960's. View Lou Plummer's Crucial Tracks profile
We just saw Dark Divine play the final show of their first US headline tour.
No antiquated music playback devices
My most recent column for MusicRadar is an explainer on Quebec’s hottest microtonal prog-techno sensation. My editor cut out my selection of comments from the YouTube video, so I include them here: “Weird part starts at 0:00” “I started to transcribe the tab of this for guitar but i started getting a metallic taste in … Continue reading "Angine de Poitrine on MusicRadar"
Rough Magic by Bandits on the Run I need to introduce you to this band. I feel like they’re a secret I’ve been needlessly keeping for far too long. Incredible harmonies, beautiful song structure, inventive instrumentation, but/and I know them and they’re also lovely humans. New album soon. Buy it.
"Purple Rain" by Prince & The Revolution Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. Post one of your favorite songs that has the name of a color in the title. I think this is one his biggest hits and a movie that I vaguely remember. I love the way that Prince did so many things and never limited himself. View Mandaris's Crucial Tracks profile Listen to my Apple Music playlist
"Ready, Steady, Go!" by Harry Styles Listen on Apple Music Your browser does not support the audio element. What's your favorite new track released this week? This wasn't released this week, but it's still pretty recent. I think this is one of my favorite tracks on the album. View Mandaris's Crucial Tracks profile Listen to my Apple Music playlist
Paraphrasing the Soul Sonic Force and sorting through today`s releases for tunes that could have graced Alfie & Leo’s Amnesia dance-floor… &Co. / Staycation / Quiet Village This is a 2-track 12 from the trio of Alberto Bof, Alex Olson and Paul Takahashi. Both numbers originating from sessions that took place a decade ago. Lean […]
