This cd contains intense sounds that represent the spirit of the human soul! The Kronos Quartet is the most recognized string quartet. In Black Angels, the Grammy nominated CD, the exploration of man's struggle with their existence is displayed through prominent 20th Century composers and one 16th Century composer. This CD is not for everyone, but provides much insight to feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Excellently recorded, the listener will receive a delight in the display of string instrument playing.
Black Angels (1970) is considered the only String quartet whose inspiration is the Vietnam War. This work portrays a voyage of the soul. The three stages of this voyage are Departure (fall from grace), Absence (spiritual annihilation), and Return (redemption). One cannot but feel the helplessness portrayed through electronic amplification and non-traditional use of the stringed instruments. Screams, shouts, sirens, and utter loneliness of the Vietnam War are heard. Only through repetitive listening can one fully grasp this work.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
20 Lost Treasures from 1990
16. Kronos Quartet - Black Angels (Elektra Nonesuch)
Monday, October 30, 2006
Love is all..
Swans - Love will tear us apart (Acoustic Version)
When the routine bites hard
And ambitions are low
And the resentment rides high
But emotions wont grow
And were changing our ways,
Taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again
Why is the bedroom so cold
Turned away on your side?
Is my timing that flawed,
Our respect run so dry?
Yet theres still this appeal
That weve kept through our lives
Love, love will tear us apart again
Do you cry out in your sleep
All my failings expose?
Get a taste in my mouth
As desperation takes hold
Is it something so good
Just cant function no more?
When love, love will tear us apart again
Sunday, October 29, 2006
For Sunday Morning..
Featured on FANTASTIC FREERIDING - THE NEXT CHAPTER are all the label's acts that have made a well-respected name for themselves in the last five years - ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS, DEELA, KABANJAK and PROTASSOV - with the latest exciting variations on their trademark beats and sounds, as well as some new projects that are yet to be discovered: SUBROK MISSION and PROTASSOV & KINSKI offer their vision of THE NEXT CHAPTER here for the first time.
Also included on FANTASTIC FREERIDING - THE NEXT CHAPTER are two collaborations which are definitely worth a few lines and a good listen: On NAKED, the versatile DEELA offer a touching song in close collaboration with vocalist INGA LUEHNING, who has made a name for herself by touring live with German bands FANTA 4 and RE:JAZZ, providing her voice for a 12" on German House label NEEDS and putting out records under her own name.
And on EASTERN by PROTASSOV & KINSKI, a real legend is involved, playing his beautifully tragic M.F.-horn here: VICTOR BROX who is considered by many as one of the greatest blues singers and performers of our day and has played with big names such as Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Alexis Korner, Screaming Lord Sutch, Stevie Wonder and Keith Moon in his life-long career that isn't finished yet. FANTASTIC FREERIDING - THE NEXT CHAPTER follows the tradition of featuring another promising young graphic artist on each of the series' albums. This time, the artwork was done by the Hamburg-based artist STOHEAD, capturing the space-and-time-expanding effect of the album in his own fresh ways.
Deela feat.Inga Lohning - Naked
Saturday, October 28, 2006
20 Lost Treasures from 1990
17. Peter Blegvad - King Strut (Silvertone Records)
This is an absolutely stunning album, but for some reason Peter Blegvad remains one of the most unknown great performers in the world. For sometime now he has been one of our most able, original, and witty songwriters, and yet even knowledgeable fans will not even recognize his name.
While Blegvad has produced a number of first rate collections of songs, KING STRUT AND OTHER STORIES, first released in 1990, remains his finest achievement. Nearly every song on the album is a stunner, from the opening and title track, "King Strut," all the way to its raw, "plugged" reprise at the end of the disc, Blegvad churns out one amazingly original song after another. There are no weak cuts on this disc. Among my favorites are "Not Weak Enough," which appeared originally on the album DOWNTIME, but which was recorded in a greatly simplified but improved version here, "Gold," "Stranger to Myself," and "Meantime," which unpeels like an onion the various uses to which that word can be put.
I think anyone enjoying good songwriting, from Elliot Smith to T-Bone Burnett to Richard Thompson, will find this to be a spectacular addition to their music library. This album is a classic that has yet to be recognized as such.
This is an absolutely stunning album, but for some reason Peter Blegvad remains one of the most unknown great performers in the world. For sometime now he has been one of our most able, original, and witty songwriters, and yet even knowledgeable fans will not even recognize his name.
While Blegvad has produced a number of first rate collections of songs, KING STRUT AND OTHER STORIES, first released in 1990, remains his finest achievement. Nearly every song on the album is a stunner, from the opening and title track, "King Strut," all the way to its raw, "plugged" reprise at the end of the disc, Blegvad churns out one amazingly original song after another. There are no weak cuts on this disc. Among my favorites are "Not Weak Enough," which appeared originally on the album DOWNTIME, but which was recorded in a greatly simplified but improved version here, "Gold," "Stranger to Myself," and "Meantime," which unpeels like an onion the various uses to which that word can be put.
I think anyone enjoying good songwriting, from Elliot Smith to T-Bone Burnett to Richard Thompson, will find this to be a spectacular addition to their music library. This album is a classic that has yet to be recognized as such.
Friday, October 27, 2006
20 Lost Treasures from 1990
18. The Posies - Dear 23 (Geffen Records)
One of the Northwest's best pop bands makes their major label debut with their second LP. Their first effort, on the Popllama label, bounced around the Seattle area on tape for quite awhile before getting issued on vinyl. It was (and is) a great slice of quirky, jangly (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know) pop.
Originally formed as a 2-piece band, the playing on the first LP was nice and ragged (especially the drumming), which complemented the 2-part harmony vocals, and gave the music a great homegrown feeling. The new LP sees the Posies expanded to a four piece, with a much fuller sound. The songs tread a similar area to the first LP, and the vocals have the same great sound as the debut, but with fuller backing harmonies.
In some ways, approaching this LP reminds me of approaching the second LP by the Proclaimers. On the Proclaimers' debut they had sung their 2-part harmonies to the accompaniment of a single acoustic guitar, on the followup they had electrified and added a band. It took a little while to get used to the familiar elements poking their way out of the fuller sound.
And so it is with this Posies record. The elements that originally attracted me to the band (songwriting, vocals, melodies) are all there, but they don't present themselves the same way as on the debut. The drumming is more forceful (and timely), the guitars shift from acoustic to electric and back. The bass line is full and forms more of a rhythm section with the drums. The songs are a bit more stretched out too, with some nice neo-pop-psych guitar solos and instrumental passages.
In the end I'm really glad to see the Posies expanding and realizing new versions of their sound. Kenneth Stringfellow and Jonathan Auer have a unique way with melodies, lyrics and especially vocals, and whatever context they choose to play them in, it's always (well, so far anyway) an interesting result.
Repeated listenings to this disc quickly has really ingrained it's songs and pushes it to my pick-hit list for the pop crowd.
''Golden Blunders''
One of the Northwest's best pop bands makes their major label debut with their second LP. Their first effort, on the Popllama label, bounced around the Seattle area on tape for quite awhile before getting issued on vinyl. It was (and is) a great slice of quirky, jangly (yeah, yeah, yeah, I know) pop.
Originally formed as a 2-piece band, the playing on the first LP was nice and ragged (especially the drumming), which complemented the 2-part harmony vocals, and gave the music a great homegrown feeling. The new LP sees the Posies expanded to a four piece, with a much fuller sound. The songs tread a similar area to the first LP, and the vocals have the same great sound as the debut, but with fuller backing harmonies.
In some ways, approaching this LP reminds me of approaching the second LP by the Proclaimers. On the Proclaimers' debut they had sung their 2-part harmonies to the accompaniment of a single acoustic guitar, on the followup they had electrified and added a band. It took a little while to get used to the familiar elements poking their way out of the fuller sound.
And so it is with this Posies record. The elements that originally attracted me to the band (songwriting, vocals, melodies) are all there, but they don't present themselves the same way as on the debut. The drumming is more forceful (and timely), the guitars shift from acoustic to electric and back. The bass line is full and forms more of a rhythm section with the drums. The songs are a bit more stretched out too, with some nice neo-pop-psych guitar solos and instrumental passages.
In the end I'm really glad to see the Posies expanding and realizing new versions of their sound. Kenneth Stringfellow and Jonathan Auer have a unique way with melodies, lyrics and especially vocals, and whatever context they choose to play them in, it's always (well, so far anyway) an interesting result.
Repeated listenings to this disc quickly has really ingrained it's songs and pushes it to my pick-hit list for the pop crowd.
''Golden Blunders''
20 Lost Treasures from 1990
19. Lustmord - Heresy (Soleilmoon Records)
When speaking of certain types of music, one can (in most cases) identify the artists who define the various genres. When one thinks of grunge: Nirvana; when one thinks of jazz: John Coltrane; when one thinks of blues: Robert Johnson; and when one thinks of dark-ambient: Lustmord. You may already be asking the question, "Hey Amneziak, is dark-ambient really a genre, and is it even large enough to consider it on the same level as the others?" The answer is both yes and no. No, it's not as large as the others, but yes, it is an ever-growing movement that has congregated a number of supporters.
Not only does dark-ambient music have quite a following, but it has motivated many musicians to incorporate its dark atmosphere into their own works: particularly in the doom, black, and death metal sub-genres. Now, chances are you haven't heard much of anything about Lustmord, so why should this name immediately come to mind in regards to dark-ambient music? For starters, Brian Williams, the solo performer of Lustmord, made Heresy before the dark-ambient genre had been clearly defined. In a sense, he started the entire movement with this recording; or at least that's what some people believe. And second, because there have been so many albums since its release that have tried to imitate the atmosphere and imagery that it so greatly possesses.
Broken up into six parts, Heresy defines a sound that embodies cold, dark, and empty surroundings. The album was recorded in several cavernous locations, and then it was manipulated in the studio with help from London-based artist, Andrew Lagowski. The cover art, which is the painting "The Great Day of His Wrath," by John Martin, is the best indicator of what Heresy sounds like. You have a sense of being trapped deep in the bottom of a deep cave where you are forced to listen to some eerie rituals taking place; only these ritualistic activities are just far enough away that you can only imagine them in your head. Echoing drones and noises are the best examples of how this album gets its ambience, while the rest comes from distant cries of humans and animals. The imagery it portrays is not something you'll have to work too hard at to find.
Brian Williams has gone on to record many great albums since, including work for movies, commercials, and collaborative material with Robert Rich. However, Heresy is my favorite of the lot. It's an album that executes everything perfectly. I love my music dark, and it never lets me down. There aren't too many albums that encompass the same consistency as it does. Even though there are albums with darker and scarier themes, this should be the first thing you hear if you are new to this type of music. Once you have, the name Lustmord may even be the first name that pops into your head the next time you think of the dark-ambient genre.
When speaking of certain types of music, one can (in most cases) identify the artists who define the various genres. When one thinks of grunge: Nirvana; when one thinks of jazz: John Coltrane; when one thinks of blues: Robert Johnson; and when one thinks of dark-ambient: Lustmord. You may already be asking the question, "Hey Amneziak, is dark-ambient really a genre, and is it even large enough to consider it on the same level as the others?" The answer is both yes and no. No, it's not as large as the others, but yes, it is an ever-growing movement that has congregated a number of supporters.
Not only does dark-ambient music have quite a following, but it has motivated many musicians to incorporate its dark atmosphere into their own works: particularly in the doom, black, and death metal sub-genres. Now, chances are you haven't heard much of anything about Lustmord, so why should this name immediately come to mind in regards to dark-ambient music? For starters, Brian Williams, the solo performer of Lustmord, made Heresy before the dark-ambient genre had been clearly defined. In a sense, he started the entire movement with this recording; or at least that's what some people believe. And second, because there have been so many albums since its release that have tried to imitate the atmosphere and imagery that it so greatly possesses.
Broken up into six parts, Heresy defines a sound that embodies cold, dark, and empty surroundings. The album was recorded in several cavernous locations, and then it was manipulated in the studio with help from London-based artist, Andrew Lagowski. The cover art, which is the painting "The Great Day of His Wrath," by John Martin, is the best indicator of what Heresy sounds like. You have a sense of being trapped deep in the bottom of a deep cave where you are forced to listen to some eerie rituals taking place; only these ritualistic activities are just far enough away that you can only imagine them in your head. Echoing drones and noises are the best examples of how this album gets its ambience, while the rest comes from distant cries of humans and animals. The imagery it portrays is not something you'll have to work too hard at to find.
Brian Williams has gone on to record many great albums since, including work for movies, commercials, and collaborative material with Robert Rich. However, Heresy is my favorite of the lot. It's an album that executes everything perfectly. I love my music dark, and it never lets me down. There aren't too many albums that encompass the same consistency as it does. Even though there are albums with darker and scarier themes, this should be the first thing you hear if you are new to this type of music. Once you have, the name Lustmord may even be the first name that pops into your head the next time you think of the dark-ambient genre.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
20 Lost Treasures from 1990
20.Renegade Soundwave - In Dub (Mute Records)
"Whatever happened to Renegade Soundwave?" is one of the more frequent questions you'll hear from the dance cognoscenti. Producers of classics like 'Biting My Nails,' 'Phantom,' 'Thunder' (all essentially the same song, but let's not hold it against them), dub enthusiasts and remixers extraordinaire, the ground-breaking trio simply disappeared in the mid-nineties and let others make the most of their considerable influence..
Formed in London during the late '80s, Renegade Soundwave applied the punk and industrial ethic to both dub and dancefloor electronica, in good company with fellow sound terrorists throughout the decade, from Cabaret Voltaire to Skinny Puppy and Meat Beat Manifesto. The trio of Gary Asquith, Danny Briottet and Carl Bonnie debuted on Rhythm King with the 1987 single "Kray Twins," and moved to Mute one year later for an EP, Biting My Nails. Though Renegade Soundwave spent two years recording material for an album, the release of Soundclash and In Dub within six months vindicated them somewhat. The group's only hit, "Probably a Robbery" (from Soundclash), made the British Top 40 early in 1990, but Bonnie left later that year, after releasing the single "Renegade Soundwave", for a solo career. Asquith and Briottet spent several years in isolation before emerging in 1994 with the "Renegade Soundwave" single and the album How You Doin? After playing their first live date in history during late 1994, the duo released Brixton and The Next Chapter of Dub the following year. The compilation RSW 87-95 emerged in 1996.
What can I say about this album ! With''In Dub'' they paved the way for many modern dance acts, and even listening today, still shows them how it should be done. The production quality on this album is incredible, with almost fetishistic attention to detail. Superb.
Thunder
"Whatever happened to Renegade Soundwave?" is one of the more frequent questions you'll hear from the dance cognoscenti. Producers of classics like 'Biting My Nails,' 'Phantom,' 'Thunder' (all essentially the same song, but let's not hold it against them), dub enthusiasts and remixers extraordinaire, the ground-breaking trio simply disappeared in the mid-nineties and let others make the most of their considerable influence..
Formed in London during the late '80s, Renegade Soundwave applied the punk and industrial ethic to both dub and dancefloor electronica, in good company with fellow sound terrorists throughout the decade, from Cabaret Voltaire to Skinny Puppy and Meat Beat Manifesto. The trio of Gary Asquith, Danny Briottet and Carl Bonnie debuted on Rhythm King with the 1987 single "Kray Twins," and moved to Mute one year later for an EP, Biting My Nails. Though Renegade Soundwave spent two years recording material for an album, the release of Soundclash and In Dub within six months vindicated them somewhat. The group's only hit, "Probably a Robbery" (from Soundclash), made the British Top 40 early in 1990, but Bonnie left later that year, after releasing the single "Renegade Soundwave", for a solo career. Asquith and Briottet spent several years in isolation before emerging in 1994 with the "Renegade Soundwave" single and the album How You Doin? After playing their first live date in history during late 1994, the duo released Brixton and The Next Chapter of Dub the following year. The compilation RSW 87-95 emerged in 1996.
What can I say about this album ! With''In Dub'' they paved the way for many modern dance acts, and even listening today, still shows them how it should be done. The production quality on this album is incredible, with almost fetishistic attention to detail. Superb.
Thunder
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Morning Act.15-Stay Cool
23/10/2006
1.Carmen McRae & David Brubeck Quartet - Take Five
2.Mel Torme - Secret Agent Man
3.The Clash - Return to Brixton
4.Louis Armostrong - Mack the Knife
5.Dandy Livingstone - A message to you Rudy
6.Lill'Flipp - The Ghetto
7.The Specials - Ghost Town
8.Boss - Recipe of a Hoe
9.Java - Pepetes
10.Miles Davis - Sometime my prince will come
11.Aretha Franklin - Won't be Long
12.Fleetwood Mac - Black Magic Woman
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Waiting for...
the Cast : Anthony Hopkins
Laurence Fishburne
Hellen Hunt
Sharon Stone
Elijah Wood
Harry Belafonte
Demi Moore
Heather Graham
William H.Macy
Martin Sheen
Christian Slater
Emilio Estevez (& director)
Ashton Kutcher
Joshua Jackson
..not bad
Who's got the Keys ?
Earlier this year, The Black Keys finished out their Fat Possum contract with the Junior Kimbrough cover EP titled "Chulahoma." Compared to Dan and Patrick's previous release, "Rubber Factory", the EP was a side-step to the dark-side compared to the grittty blues-rock of the band's previous releases.
Continuing with their new sense of direction, The Black Keys released a full-length album titled "Magic Potion", an album that, while its definitely the blues, goes into other areas such as acid-rock and straight up hard-rock. This display of diversity within the confines of a two-piece blues-band is comparable to previous releases as the band is comfortable moving between blues-rock, some form of pop blues-rock which hasn't been mined actively yet, slower ballads, hints of country soul, and now they add hard-rock and acid-rock to the list. While the album contains an ability to make the listener stomp their foot and, at times, shake the ol southern can, the album suffers from a rare disease; its too consistent.
''Your Touch''
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
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