FoeWeel !!! ??? | Abstract Elevator Music

d) All Of The Above

2008-07-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Pigeon Point Lighthouse, photo taken by John Kane

A reader participatory entry:

It's funny how your life can change, like that (snap fingers together). You wouldn't believe me (nod your head side to side) , even if I told you the story. Hell, I don't even believe it (slightly raise one eye and lower the other) . Perhaps one's stability works best when everything around them is unstable (extend arms with palms facing up with a slight shrug of the shoulders), or at least not predictable. I'd have to check that box on the employee review that states, "far exceeds expectations". I am completely engaged into a reality that has to be a dream (slightly nibble on left thumb nail).

Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me - this song has a nice swing to it and was made popular by miss simone on her Little Girl Blue release. this version is from the excellent Stealing Beauty soundtrack.

The Faces- Oh La La - from the Rushmore soundtrack. one of my favorite movies, and one of the greatest collection of songs for a movie. great pop gems from an era of classic rock.

Thievery Corporation - Shaolin Satellite - a great drum break with the warm synth hovering just above. and then, the breakdown and...... one.... two..... ah..checka.....one....two.........get down everybody.........

FoodCourt: A New Off-Line Dating Service

2008-06-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

Lloyd Dobler, Say Anything...

I understand for one's progression in life, one should reflect back on the past, but to actually relive it is a different hallucinatory experience altogether. I know that with this blog I am constantly preaching the aspects of music that makes it so personal for the individual, especially me, without divulging too much personal information myself, but a series of strange coincidences that I did not tie together until this morning have left me feeling as if I have been somehow transported back in time, some 20 years. Where to start ?

I am currently studying for a standardized exam which is in 2 weeks. An exam similar to the required regurgitation of worthless information that one usually takes in the high school era of their life. Similar to any of my schooling years, I have tried to do everything to procrastinate from this inevitable brain drain of information, like write this blog entry. Do I truly need to know that "potable" means drinkable, or that Community Property Laws are based on Spanish law shaped by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ? I mean, thanks for that Scrabble word and that tour of history, but how is that information going to help me to become the Thumb Wrestling World Champion. Besides the schooling aspect of my mysterious time travels, my social life has reverted back to that transitional 80's to 90's period as well.

The mall. A place of undeniable fluorescent beauty that became the new town center of any suburban oasis. Apart from Skateland, this is where teenage relationships formed and dissolved, sometimes both, in a matter of hours. Vans, Jams, OP shorts, Parachute pants, Z cavarichi's, Girbaud Jeans and Rolling up your jeans were just some of mistaken forms of identity during this era. The family wood paneled wagon was there to transport you to this neatly packaged digestable form of culture. The center of any mall was, and still is the food court. So, a few weeks back I went to a mall in the outskirts of San Francisco, as parking would be easier, to purchase a black tie for a wedding. I figure I needed a black tie anyway, and considering the fine line between a wedding and a funeral, the function fell in nicely with the form.

At the mall, after purchasing my symbol of life and death, I went into the Apple store which is another strange coincidence for other reasons, but also the fact that Apple, for me brings me back to my teenage years, because it's always been the main computer of use in my life, even before email and the internet. At the Apple store, I met someone and after a brief tutorial on the Mac for the both of us, we had lunch in the food court. Maybe I should elaborate on how I got this person to actually have lunch with me, a stranger, but I can't divulge everything, and it's always up to the female to decide, for whatever reason. Maybe I just said the two magic words, "food court" and her eyes lit up like a newly plugged-in Lite-Brite. I don't think she was as concerned for the fact that we live in SF and that we were having a meal in the food court, at the mall, but I just couldn't get over it. Unfortunately, there was no Sbarro Pizza, or TCBY Frozen Yogurt, but I guess it just proves that you meet people in the most unlikely of places. What impact does this person hold in my life could make this story even stranger, but for now, I kind of do feel as if I was a rejuvenated senior in high school with all of the anticipation and energy to explore the many possibilities of life, and the world.

Here are two songs from that so-called critical period of my life and two songs from my period of life, now.

Bjork - Sun In My Mouth (Recomposed by Ensemble) - from an E.E. Cummings poem, on her, in my opinion, best album. subtle, delicate and full of incredibly textured emotional songs.

Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum (With A Buzz In Our Ears) - this song has that sweeping soundscape Sigur Ros is known for, but with that tribal quality. One of the best albums I have heard in quite a long time.

The Replacements - Within Your Reach - the Mats' Pleased To Meet Me was a fixture in my car radio senior year in high school. There was something ironic about driving my parent's car, dressed in jacket and tie, going to a Jesuit prep school and blaring music that had just become part of a big corporatation, but was still somewhat rooted in ethos of punk rock. This song was on a previous release, but I had found it on the Say Anything... soundtrack, which is another seminal high school movie for me.

The Cure - Closedown - this song has a close rhythmic pattern to the Sigur Ros song above. Another moody piece from another album full of sweeping sounds from the late 80's.

Boards of Canada Remixes

2008-06-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

30th & Dolores, 2008

Pitch-bending knob twiddlers, Boards of Canada make music for the fourth dimension. What is the 4th D ? It's that sub conscience level of past memories long forgotten. It might even be from a previous life, if you believe in such a thing. It can be scary for some, and enlightening for others. It's best to listen to this music on a partly sunny day, in the shade, at about 2pm in the afternoon, on a Saturday.

cLOUDHEAD - Dead Dogs Two (Boards Of Canada Remix)

Michael Fakesch - Surfaise (Boards Of Canada Trade Winds Mix)

Speedy J & µ-Ziq - Poppy Seed (Boards of Canada Remix)

A Momentary Experience

2008-06-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

Music, at it's best can be such a personal thing. The recorded notes can heighten any moment in time and be the catalyst for a journey of the heart, or mind. For me, live shows bring about another element of the music away from the recorded-forever-in-time version. And the best element that can transcend this singular version, is when the artist improvises and possibly twists an aspect of the song for the listener. La Blogotheque is a french blog with Vincent Moon directing these incredible improvisational moments for some of the best artists in music today. Below, are three of my favorites. From Zach Condon of Beirut on The Penalty playing a ukelele and strolling into a Paris bistro where the rest of the band is crammed in the back, to the Arcade Fire performing in a freight elevator, to Justin Vernon playing on the streets of Paris, these shows perfectly capture the live moment in a unique way.

Show #93 - Bon Iver

Show #64 - Beirut

Show #41.1 - Arcade Fire

Star On Church

2008-06-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Church Street Series, 2008

It's a great thing to meet people who inspire you to be a better person. A muse, on life..........

Bebel Gilberto & Vinicius Cantuaria - Batucada - From the Next Stop Wonderland movie starring Hope Davis with a minor role for Philip Seymour Hoffman. It has a great Bossa Nova soundtrack as well as score from Mark Isham.

Bonobo - In Between The Lines (Nostalgia 77 Remix) (Alternate Unreleased Mix ) - A modern take on some old favor which can never taste bad. I picture the dark smokey club where seedy characters are making deals and this house band is going off.

John Lee Hooker - Annie Mae - If you are ever in San Francisco, please visit the Boom Boom room which is owned by the late God himself. Despair and longing never sounded so sweet.

Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook - The first single from Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, their new album. They've tweaked their sound a bit, but it's still an incredible album that has all of the majestic soundscapes of their previous efforts with a more direct presentation.

At Church, Cover Yourself

2008-06-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

Church on Church (Street), 2008

I'm trying to bring back the hokey-pokey as a legitimate dance style. Are you with me people ?

Here are some songs that would make a great accompaniment for the retro dance move.

LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost (Joy Division) - I think this sounds more like Joy Division than the original. Is that possible ?I think if I had a big house party, and the money, I would hire James Murphy and co.. Ask me 20 years ago, it would have been Oingo Boingo. Hmmmmmm

Arcade Fire - Brazil (Ary Barroso) - From the title to the brilliant Terry Gilliam movie, Brazil. A whimsical song for a movie that appears to have that same light airiness on the outside, but in reality at the heart, it's a dark and twisted tale. Kinda like a clown.

The Blood Brothers - Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie) - Extreme as only the former Brothers of Blood know how to do it. I think it works well for this song, but nothing can top the Van Winkle version. To the extreme....

Editors - Lullaby (The Cure) - The classic track from the darkly lit Disentegration album. Covered by one of the Ian Curtis sounding like bands. The other being Interpol. This should have been the title track for any of the awful Spiderman movies.

Horizontally Contructed Shadows

2008-06-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Mark Farrow Artwork for Spiritualized's A+E

Do you believe in magic ?

Animal Collective - Street Flash : From the Water Curses EP, another freaked out pop gem by the bastard children of Brian Wilson. Soothing melodies over ear-bending screams and throw in all of the noises associated with your gold pinky ring falling down the sink. OhKnow!!!

Borko - Spoonstabber : Another great release off of the Morr Music label from Bjorn Kristiansson. Who doesn't like the sound of birds chirping unless you're lost, and then it can get a bit eery?

Four Tet - Wing Body Wing : The warm sounds of Kieren Hebden are presented in a more traditional fourfour format (say that 3x) on this track from the Ringer EP. His 2nd full length player, Rounds is still one of my favorites and helped me to open my ears to world of melody and abstract beats.

Spiritualized - Soul On Fire : I didn't believe in the effectiveness of the new A+E prescription which stands for Accident + Emergency a few months back, as with the new Portishead concoction as well, but both have grown on me. Jason Pierce returns back to melodic form on this release and makes you want to shun that third stint in rehab, church, or both.

Movement: I Meant The Move

2008-06-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

the old pad, 2002

Well, the worldwide headquarters of FoeWeel has made it's move an entire 1 mile from the original transmission station. Although, it did feel at times like it was to the other side of the country. Does anyone enjoy the process of moving? I like reorganizing, taking stock, throwing away things that you once felt were important in your 20's, but now can't realize what exactly the emotional tie, or significance of said object was, but boxing up your "stuff" which I've accumulated plenty of over the past 5 years, made me just want to donate all of it, and start over. I think this recent Bon Iver interview from TLOBF when asked about his plans for the next 12 months, says it best, for me, about "stuff" and making a true change:

To find the time and the honesty - because it takes hard work to be bold and to be honest and to approach yourself in a way that’s real. I really think that people are good people. But when you walk around in a big city, it’s like everyone’s like holding a mirror in front of their face. And instead of looking at them you’re looking at them looking at you.

So, here's the breakdown of the move:

20 - the number of places I looked at before finding the new hall of justice.
105 - boxes needed to pack all of my belongings aka junk.
25 - trips back and forth to transport "important/fragile" stuff like theremin, flugelhorn, skateboards, bike, drum set, ultimate puffy life-size hello kitty sticker set, super bowflex, signed subway poster of cool as ice starring vanilla ice.
5 - guys hired from a moving company. 3 regular and 2 extra to transport big stuff like hot air balloon basket and homemade clay pigeon shooting set.
3 - shows to go to the week of the move. beirut was great (plenty of footstomps and air castanets), jamie lidell was less than stellar with a shot voice, and hawtin was hawtin.
45 - approximate number of days needed to unpack (guess).
50% - less water pressure than old place.
80% - more sunlight than old pad.

Now, the music that can help with any type of movement............

Flying Lotus - RobertaFlack featuring Dolly (Hip Hop)- steven ellison, the great nephew of coltrane. this track is from his upcoming Warp release. he continues the Warp tradition of progression in music.

Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy - Sophisticated Lady (Jazz) - from the 1964 live show at Cornell. a track to show off Mingus' virtuosity on the upright bass.

Ornette Coleman - Focus On Sanity (Jazz) - from a master who some may think borders on insanity from his out-of-this-world creations. whether he truly is summoning aliens from another world, i think his music makes you feel like the first time you ever tasted ice cream.

Bellissima: The Olga Bell 6th Grade Interview (Avoid The Covers, Get The Girl)

2008-05-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Photo taken by: Lippe Olga Bell demonstrating the proper technique on how to slap someone 5.

bell: noun : a hollow metallic device that gives off a reverberating sound when struck.

Bell is Olga Bell, a full human being who gives off a reverberating sound when struck. And with her new EP, as well as her live performances she has become music's equivalent of a never ending air freshener. No need to ever change the scent, or to even replace it from expiration. She will make you, and your place smell better, guaranteed. The music has a piano pedal in the past as well as a laptop click into the future. Using electronics in much the same vein as on Thom Yorke's Eraser, Bell creates perfectly crafted dynamic songs reminiscent of Bjork.

Bell was born in Moscow and grew up in Alaska, where she started playing piano at the age of 7, and by 2005 she had graduated from the New England Conservatory. From performing concertos to composing four-hand piano suites before most people knew how to ride a bike, Bell has now focused her attention on crafting delicate, yet powerful songs with her bountiful voice. In 2006, demos were released which followed with some live shows and the buzz has been growing ever since.

While Bell is planning her world domination with a full-length LP, she gave us a few minutes to explain the virtues of Ren & Stimpy, Warp Records and having a unique recessive gene. Go buy her EP which is available now, HERE !!!!!

Bell - Echinacea

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FoeWeel: Who are you, and why are you famous ?

Bell: Famous? I'm not famous. I used to be a specialist, I used to be very focused on the piano, now I'm trying to learn about lots of other things--producing, recording, synthesizing, stomping. I'm more of a tinkerer than a specialist at this point. Maybe one day I'll be sought-after for my expertly tinkering.

FoeWeel: Do you have any good groupie stories ?

Bell: When I was ten I went to an arts camp in Michigan and one day the Beach Boys came through and gave a huge campus-wide concert, and JESSIE from Full House was standing in on bass, and I almost lost my pre-pubescent groupie cookies. If you mean groupies at my shows, there was one very memorable time when somebody showed up dressed as Elmo and demanded to be tickled. No, wait, that was a dream...

FoeWeel: Who are some of your favorite classical composers ? When you were playing recitals, did you hum/sing along to the piano like Glenn Gould ?

Bell: I think about that all the time! Especially because I have a few piano students who hum along with themselves when they play and I can never decide whether it's distracting or meditative. I never hummed along, but I frequently forgot to breathe during intense moments. You'd think breathing wouldn't be an issue when you're not using your lungs to make sound ... as I do more singing and vocal recording, I've become a little obsessed with the sound of breath intake---especially on songs I know well. The last third of "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" has some really wonderful breathing sounds. . .

And there are so many composers I love---Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Bach, Tallis, Ravel, Ligeti. I can be a lot more specific about moments in music that I love, but it's difficult to just pick outpeople.

FoeWeel: If you could be a superhero, or famous celebrity, which, in this day and age is the same thing, who would it be, and why ?

Bell: I don't really think much about superheroes or celebrities. I liked Powdered Toast Man from Ren and Stimpy. His echoey call and sparkly toast-powder were intriguing, his butt-first flying made me extremely uncomfortable. That whole cartoon really nailed a very rarefied vibe... ever see the episode with the horse in the wife-beater looking for a rubber walrus-protector? soooo good.

FoeWeel: Hilary, Obama or Ross Perot ?

Bell: Perot has ears like a Fennec fox, that's all I know. Big, big foxy ears.

FoeWeel: From your various covers, you seem to have a wide variety of taste in music. Who are some of your pop music inspirations ?

Bell: The first pop record I really got into was "The Bends", when I was eleven. The first thing I ever saw on MTV was Weezer's "Sweater Song", so immediately bought that album too. In ninth grade I wanted very much to fit in with the cool upperclassmen who, at the time, at East Anchorage High, were all blasting "36 Chambers", "Bobby Digital" and various other Wu-ventures--- that introduced me to hip-hop, and I also remember being obsessed with the string sample from Busta Rhymes' "Gimme Some More" and all the little tweaky noises in Missy Elliot's first record. I forget when I began listening to Bjork, I've always felt very close to her compositions. In college I discovered Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Boards of Canada, and listened almost exclusively to Warp artists for a few years .. .. they went very well with hammering away at a piano and my new big busy-city surroundings.

FoeWeel: Your music has that subtle texture present in ambient/electronic music while also having that dynamic range. Do you think having that range of emotion helps to connect with the listener ?

Bell: I hope so. Variation is better than flatness, right? Unless people are looking to be flattened, in which case I'm useless.

FoeWeel: What talent do you have, besides the obvious musical ones, that many people don't know, or would never believe that you possess ?

Bell: I think I got the deluxe version of that recessive gene that allows you to curl your tongue and make it go sideways and up and down. Mine also folds up into two little corners that meet in the middle, like origami.

FoeWeel: You do a great version of the Running Man dance (YouTube). I think you should do a whole instructional set including the Cabbage Patch, the lawnmower, and the sprinkler. Have you ever thought of doing a dance off during one of your sets ?

Bell: Yes! I'd love to do that. If only I didn't have to be always playing or singing something. Then I could focus on DANCE. Maybe I can incorporate a good dance break into something very serious. Hmm....

FoeWeel: What are the plans for a full-length album, as well as a tour ?

Bell: Big ideas. Big big big.

FoeWeel: What's the first non-gig related thing you do when you hit a new town ?

Bell: I've only really hit towns as a classical pianist, the first order of business was always to find a piano. I've yet to hit any towns with what I'm doing now ... If it's a coastal town I'd probably ask around about sushi.

FoeWeel: What are you reading ?

Bell: I'm reading Alex Ross' "The Rest is Noise", from which I have to take occasional non-music-related breaks, but it's really good and really dense with stories of music I ought to know.

FoeWeel:What are you listening to right now ?

Bell: Right this second? High Places' myspace page. Throughout the day "In Rainbows", Clark's "Throttle Promoter" EP, Clipse, old Four Tet, Crystal Castles, Sam Amidon, Fleet Foxes.

FoeWeel: Name 5, or more albums that you love.

Bell: (in no particular order!)
Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
Aphex Twin - drukqs
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
The Notwist - Neon Golden
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders/The Low End Theory
Tom Vek - We Have Sound
Air - music from 'The Virgin Suicides'

Interview: Heartthrob

2008-05-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Photo Taken by Markus Jans

The world of techno has a revolving door of faces and styles, but over the last 10 years a constant has been the M-nus label. Founded by Richie Hawtin, the label has flourished as of late with a roster of talent that continues to push the boundaries of techno. One of the new stars of the label is Heartthrob, aka Jesse Siminski. His melodic yet dark productions, as well as his live sets have made him a standout in the already stellar M-nus group. Heartthrob's new album Dear Painter, Paint Me will be released June 30th.

Here's an interview I did recently with Heartthrob. If you're lucky to be in any of the towns below, go check out an experience you will soon not forget. Your mind will thank you, later.

FoeWeel: How has your environment, from living in a small town in Michigan, to New York, and now to Paris affected your music ?

Heartthrob: The track's that appear on Dear Painter, Paint Me were written in Paris. The feel of the city, mostly the experience of being an outsider influenced the way they sound. Paris is a very romantic museum of a city, but it also can be cold place at times, especially after living in New York for 8 years. Being on the road constantly also had a hand in how the songs turned out.

FoeWeel: What's albums are you listening to now ?

Heartthrob: Radiohead's "In Rainbows" and Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" Both are very powerfully emotional records.

FoeWeel: What is your live/dj setup and how does playing live influence your production ?

Heartthrob: I use a computer abelton live and a sequenced synth/ drummachine. I do a lot of stuff on the fly which sometimes becomes elements of new tracks and I always play new unreleased ideas live.

FoeWeel: What city do you most enjoy playing live ?

Heartthrob: I love Fabric in London, Paradiso in Amsterdam, Rex in Paris and Watergate in Berlin. These cities all have great venues and very eager crowds.

FoeWeel: I get this sense of being in an altered reality listening to your new album, Dear Painter, Paint Me, what track took you the longest to produce ?

Heartthrob: Confession is the most complex tune on the record and took the most time arranging. I made a real effort to layer the musical elements to create a rich atmosphere while keeping things more of less stripped. Its more epic than the other tracks and has a few twists and turns...

FoeWeel: Thanks for your time. We look forward to your appearance in San Francisco on the 30th at 103 Harriet.

MINUS ANNIVERSARY TOUR

RICHIE HAWTIN, MAGDA & HEARTTHROB live

MAY 24 detroit @ st. andrew's hall
MAY 25 detroit @ demf
MAY 28 vancouver @ celebrities
MAY 29 portland @ holocene
MAY 30 san francisco @ 103 harriet st
MAY 31 los angeles @ cinespace

The Lampshade Special

2008-05-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesy of Handmade Paper Lampshades

Whether you're covering up that lampshade to set a mood, or wearing one on your head because you're trying to forget that mood, these songs are tributes to the various applications of the lampshade.

Flight Of The Conchords - Ladies Of The World (Soul, Comedy) - from the full length self-titled LP. they can copy any genre. it's a "funky jam". prince would be proud.

Otis Redding - You Don't Miss Your Water (Soul) - they recently reissued Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul which has to be one of the greatest soul albums of all time. a definite post lampshade album.

Brael And Tokyo Bloodworm - Seed (Ambient) - for the morning where you're still in a daze, but you know it's going to be a good day because you can't remember a thing about the previous evening.

Bell @ Mercury Lounge in NYC...TONIGHT

2008-05-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Picture taken from Stereogum

If you're in The New York area, please go check out Bell at the Mercury Lounge TONIGHT.

From a whisper, to a vein popping yell that teeters on the brink of tears, Olga Bell is about as real as it gets in music.

More to come soon...............

Covers from Jeff Buckley

2008-05-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

image courtesy of Merri Cyr, 1995

Besides Grace, which was Jeff Buckley's only officially completed album, the legacy of songs and material that remain comes mainly from his incredible live shows which consisted of playing various covers from a vast array of artists. His vocal range was such that he took on many songs from powerful female singers. Many times, he took the originals and made them his own, as is the case with his version of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. Here are some unique covers with the originals, or the version that he was inspired by. He has inspired, and continues to inspire other artists, as is the case with Radiohead.

from the recent Word magazine interview with Radiohead:
It's funny how their own records are often punctuated by seeing other bands, he (Colin Greenwood) says. "Making The Bends in spring 1994, we were having a crap day in the studio so John Leckie said, 'Come on, let's go and see Jeff Buckley at the Garage.' Then we went back to the studio and Thom recorded Fake Plastic Trees straight away. It was genuinely, properly inspiring."

Bob Dylan - Mama, You've Been On My Mind - this track is from the Bootleg series

Jeff Buckley - Mama, You've Been On My Mind - from the Grace Legacy Edition

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Nina Simone - Lilac Wine - from the 1966 Wild Is The Wind album.

Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine (Live)- from the Palais Theatre in Melbourne Australia, on the Mystery White Boy release. a great slowed down version of the song.

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Big Star - Kangaroo - written by Alex Chilton who also inspired Paul Westerberg from the Replacements to write the song Alex Chilton from the excellent Pleased To Meet Me album.

Jeff Buckley - Kangaroo (Live) - live form the Logo Club in Hamburg Germany. recorded February 22, 1995

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Van Morrison - The Way Young Lovers Do (Live) - live from the Fillmore in San Francisco, recorded 4/26/1970 (((link removed at the request of the publisher)))

Jeff Buckley - The Way Young Lovers Do (Live)- from the Live From The Bataclan (Paris) release. he takes the original jazzy version of the song and turns it into bluesy guitar fueled rant.

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Genesis - Back in N.Y.C. (demo #4) - from 1974, a demo of this track from the classic Lamb Lies Down On Broadway release. this was the period when Peter Gabriel fronted the band.

Jeff Buckley - Back In N.Y.C. - a demo from the Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk release.

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Nina Simone - The Twelfth Of Never (Live) - from the out of print Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall. Buckley covered more tracks by Nina Simone than any other artist. I think he related to the soulfulness and the unique phrasing from her voice.

Jeff Buckley - The Twelfth Of Never (Live) - from Live At Sin-e´. he rarely altered Nina Simone's version of the songs.

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For more Buckley stuff, click HERE

A Wah Wah Pedal To Your Soul

2008-05-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Spiritualized - Fucked Up Inside (Cover)

When I was working at a record store (Discovery Discs) in Philly around 1993/94, I was a big fan of Spiritualized's Lazer Guided Melodies and somehow our shop got a few copies of this limited edition live, mail-order only Spiritualized disc called Fucked Up Inside (see cover above). For some reason, I didn't get a copy and I soon found out that they only made 1000 copies, plus another 5000 for general pressing, so copies have been going for bank (north of $100) from various online resellers. Well, the other day, I found a copy at a record store I frequent, and it was fairly reasonably priced, so I got it. Now, I just need to find the limited pill case version of Ladies and Gentlemen....

I saw Spiritualized open for Radiohead in 1997 which was just a wall of distortion, and not the feedback Sonic Youth type of distortion, but a high frequency horror movie soundtrack type of noise. Most of the people had a look of disgust, or that look of, i just soiled my pants. I saw them recently again for the Acoustic Mainline tour (read here), and being in the minority, I thought it was pretty bad and bland, so I left early, which I have only done a handful of times. And for their new album, Songs in A+E, we're still in that "get to know each other" phase. Also, Ladies and Gentlemen... is still one of my favorites. This featured release is a 7 track Live EP from Nov 21, 1992 at the Hollywood Palladium as well as a show at the Warfield in San Francisco from the previous evening, so it has a multitude of significances in my life. And besides the Royal Albert Hall release, this is the only way to hear the band at, or near it's peak. (Note: the new release, Songs in A+E will come with a limited poster of syringes)

Spiritualized - Take Good Care Of It - the non-distorted original version.

Spiritualized - Walking With Jesus - the first live version and a bit slower than the Royal Albert Hall version.

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Aphex Twin - Windowlicker (Original Demo) Cover

The other rarity I found was this 1 track CD single of Windowlicker with a different take from the original cover. It has the demo version of the song as well as the video. I know you can find everything, in terms of music through the internet these days, but there's still something about finding it on the shelves and owning an actual physical copy. I probably sound like my elders when they were referring to vinyl, or 8 tracks.

Aphex Twin - Windowlicker (Original Demo)

American Teen

2008-05-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

Last night, I went to see American Teen at the soon to be defunct San Francisco International Film Festival. Well, that's what I was told by the guy sitting next to me, and the presenter alluded to "the waning days of the festival" before the screening. I hope this isn't true. It would be a sad fact that the Mill Valley festival would be the only premiere film festival in the area. A town known for being the pinnacle of blandness and conformity. So, I went into this movie knowing next to nothing besides The Breakfast Club like poster above. It's basically a documentary on teen life, specifically senior year at Warsaw High School in Warsaw Indiana. It portrays the popular kid, the jock, the artist, and the social misfit. Basically, every stereotype that exists in the high school setting.

Is it truly a "documentary, or is it reality-television in a movie format ? I hope, no, I think people have many different sides of their personality and when filming something like this, with the hundreds of hours of footage, I think you have to create, through editing, a hero and a villain. You have to create that drama and support the roles you've created with the footage you have available. The film is enjoyable. The gamut of emotions run through the viewer which is a good sign that the film is connecting with the audience, but I just felt as though I was being fed a so-called real life CW/WB dystopian tv show with that glimmer of hope as to keep the viewer interested and cheering for the lives of these kids. We all know the insecurities and the awkwardness involved in teenage life and whether it's in the midwest or on either coast, everyone is trying to find comfort in their own self. And some people still spend their whole lives trying to find that comfort. So, I would say the movie was more like a docu-drama.

After the premiere at Sundance, the movie was picked up by a studio, and it will be released widely at the end of the year. It wouldn't surprise me if it became a big hit. It relates to everyone who has been through high school and it has that feel-good story that everyone always champions. I guess we can thank John Hughes, or Nanette Burstein, the director can thank him for the blueprint.

Now, onto reality,

Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground (Live) - from a bootleg from a London show in 1974, it starts out with a slow funky jam, and not of the Flight of the Conchords variety, and around 2:45, higher ground kicks in.

Aretha Franklin - Medley: I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)/I Say a Little Prayer - from a live show in Philly in 1972. they don't call her the queen of soul for nothing.

Ben Harper - Waiting On An Angel (Live) - from the defunct REV 105 Archive in Minneapolis. this was before harper got all jam-band on us. from his first album, welcome to the cruel world. a great album full of sparse instrumentation and soulful integrity.

Pick Neck Table

2008-05-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Bridge and The House...picture taken by TG

Thanks to everyone who voted for my quick remix of Nude. My personal favorite was the Spor Remix. I liked the pitch and tempo change and how he kept the overall feel of the song.

Martina Topley-Bird - Razor Tongue (Downtempo) - one of the most anticipated releases, at least for me, for this year. still waiting for the doves and madvillain. and like the others that have come and gone (lidell, portishead), it disappoints. well, at least compared to her previous release. another danger mouse production. geezus, this guy is everywhere. there are some good songs, but what mtb had on quixotic/anything was that smokey flavor. it was like you were let into a door for a seedy, sultry, almost dangerous experience. maybe that's why greg dulli covered a track. here, you get a collection of post lexapro pop songs. i do like this track which has more of that past quality. (correction: the track is not Poison, it was labeled incorrectly)

Santogold - I'm A Lady (featuring Trouble Andrew) (Pop) - she's been everywhere and has Bjork as a major fan. she's rapped alongside Spank Rock and been compared often to MIA from the few tracks that have been out there. these comparisons are true for the tracks heard, as they were reworkings by the same producers that have worked with MIA in the past. for her first release, miss santi white shows her 80's chops with almost every genre covered including dub, punk, rock, hip hop, beats, etc.. the track above is a pop song which also features mister trevor andrew, pro snowboarder extraordinaire and leader of the band trouble.

Plastikman - Spastik (Dubfire Rework) (Techno) - take a member of the progressive house group Deep Dish, have him release a track (Rib Cage) off of what is arguably one of the best, and most influential techno labels (m-nus) and then have that label head, (Richie Hawtin) play said track for the final track of the 2006 Detroit Electronic Music Festival. And then to further add the imaginary fuel to the fire, have this member of Deep Dish rework a classic track for a series of special releases (Nostalgik 3) from the Plastikman days. It's kind of like having Radiohead ask Coldplay to play on one of their albums, and then have them cover Let Down and release it as a song on a Radiohead single. the backlash has begun. "house music all night long ? say what ?" people are raising their hands in the air and waving them because they do care.

A Cage In A Bird: Bringing Back NOT

2008-04-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

Corona Heights Park, 2008

Boris - Afterburner (Metal) - from the album Pink which has to be the best offering so far from this Japanese musical outfit. they cannot be pigeonholed into any one genre, especially metal. the album offers up shoegazed drones to ambient textures while also throwing in the heavy distorted guitar riffs that make this one of the best guitar based releases in a long time. think heavier Sonic Youth with more melody.

Noze - Ethiopo (House) - from Songs On The Rocks..., which is being released off of Get Physical, the humorous french duo keep going down the strange path of mixing in the brass with anything else to make them sound like no one else in the music. it feels like world music with a house shuffle, but in a domestic sort of way.

Booka Shade - Comacabana (Electro) - speaking of the Get Physical label, here is one of the founding groups to offer up their new full release. it's a new path which sees the duo straying away from the groove based electro which i think made them a standout, but it's still an interesting direction as you can tell by this track.

The Replacements - You're Getting Married (Solo Home Demo) - Rhino will finally release all of the Twin/Tone releases from the Mats which is one of my favorite bands, and probably the greatest american rock band ever. Westerberg was? so good with words i think he could have worked for hallmark or better yet, an ad agency (NOT). this track is from the Stink era and it was supposedly the first introspective mid/slow tempo song that Westerberg wrote, and when he presented it to the band, they told him to save it for his solo album.

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Vote For Nude

2008-04-15T05:40:00.000-07:00

Vote HERE for the Remix from the widget on my last post. If not, please don't vote for one of the cheesy dance mixes that seem to make up 90% of the remixes.

Here's the remix as well as one of the first times Radiohead played this song which was often referred to as "Big Ideas (Don't Get Any)", or according to ateaseweb.com "Failure to Receive Payment Will Put Your House At Risk". The last title is sort of appropriate for the mortgage and credit crisis that has put the world economy in turmoil. It was also the first time that I experienced Radiohead by themselves, as a year earlier I was at Randall's Island for the incredible Tibetan Freedom Concert where Radiohead was sandwiched in between A Tribe Called Quest and U2.

Radiohead - Nude (FoeWeel Remix)

Radiohead - Nude (Live @ Radio City Music Hall, NYC 17/04/1998)

Here's what the press has been sayin'about the remix :

Pitchfork: "It's like a sweet pair of white Vuarnet shades that's been put on Radiohead."

Vice Magazine: "Paul is Dead, Paul is Dead, Long live the revolution."

XLR8R: "It's not from Berlin, but we still dig it."

Stereogum: "Reve Ximer Trseb"

Radiohead - Nude (FoeWeel Remix)

Nude Remix

2008-04-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

Radiohead - Nude (FoeWeel Remix)

The Original Rick James and the Folky Guy

2008-04-04T11:05:00.001-07:00

Build Up, or Build Around, San Francisco, 2008

This is a two parter, so pay attention, if you can. First off, it was announced a few weeks back that Aphex Twin is playing at Coachella. The truly original Rick James. He hardly ever tours, so I might have to go just to check him out, but here's hoping that he stops over in San Francisco to deliver his ambient-sub-bass-wretched genius. Maybe, he'll get added to the Outside Lands Festival. The Radiohead driven festival at Golden Gate Park, due to last minute planning has a lack of talent. At least they have Regina Spektor, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and Bon Iver.

As far as Bon Iver, with so much hype of indie rock music by the blogging community, who for the most part just take music from another blog and then repost it, or for some, just take verbatim what the another person wrote, and post it as their own thoughts, I gave it a quick listen awhile back and it fell through the cracks. I listened to it again this morning because of a recommendation from a friend, and it is one of those special albums that actually deserves the accolades.

I can't tell you why I like one piece of music over another and how I sometimes agree with the greater majority, or just sometimes completely deviate to outer space, but I guess it's similar to that quote about porn from the supreme court judge who said something to the effect that he can't define it, but he knows it when he sees it. I hear it and I don't care if it's popular on pitchfork, or some blog, it connects to who I am from the music that I've experienced already. I can't say it is the melody, or the rhythm because my music taste varies so much, but I think the one thing that connects all of the music that I like is the genuineness of the music from the artist, and how the delivery, or the message is unique to that artist. I don't know how I can sense that, but I think most people can tell the difference between what is real and what is fake. You can see the emotional painting the artist creates through their words, music, or both.

I love music and I enjoy discovering new music, and not just rock music. Good music is good music ,whether it's techno, jazz, ambient, classical, or 2 people banging chopsticks against cans in the corner of a room. People need to open their minds and not be stuck in one genre of music. I think Radiohead is helping people open up to new types of music because of their support of bands like modeselektor, four tet, liars, and burial, so hopefully we'll see some blogs and Favorite10 lists change it up a bit. It seems like most of them are too influenced by Pitchfork. I can only name a handful of blogs that have a variety of music and one of them is Motel De Moka which through various contributors covers the spectrum of music. I'm done with my rant. Now, steal the music I love and add it to your great collection.

Adem - To Cure A Weakling Chile (Boy Girl Song) (Singer Songwriter) - part of Fridge with Four Tet. he makes quirky guitar based music with nice melodies. his latest album Takes is a covers album, but one that covers everyone from Bjork, Tortoise, Pinback, PJ Harvey to this song by Aphex Twin. The man has good taste. And he played all of the instruments on the album.

Aphex Twin - To Cure A Weakling Child (IDM, Ambient, Abstract) - one of the few artists i need to see before i die. i think the only artist to refuse a touring spot with radiohead. one of the most influential and original artists in music and probably the single person who has progressed music further than anyone today.

Bon Iver - The Wolves (Act I And II) (Singer Songwriter) - there's no manufactured pain here. everything seems to work. the arrangements, the songs, the truth. one of the best things to come along in a long time. and it should get better with age.

Bon Iver - re: Stacks (Singer Songwriter) - " Everything that happens is from now on" . what an incredible song. it's as good as the trapeze swinger from iron and wine. unique perspective not quite fully understood, but it seems to create the mood from a lost love to the point of moving on...

Thom Yorke Muxtape

2008-03-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Photo Image Courtesy of Someone on the Internet

My last post was about Muxtape which everyone is raving about including my dentist and librarian. Well, I came across one from Thom Yorke, or someone claiming to be him, and it is filled with a number of unreleased and exclusive never before heard tracks. Check it out.

Thom Yorke Muxtape (thomyorke.muxtape.com)

Here's another one I found which might have a broader audience, Catbird Muxtape

MUXTAPE

2008-03-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Remember the good old days when you had a double cassette recorder and it took hours to make a mix. Here's to memories......... MUXTAPE is a site where you can upload and share your mixtapes. It's super clean and super easy to use. My link should be up on the front page soon, here's a direct link :

FoeWeel MuxTape foeweel.muxtape.com

an atmospheric, ambient, abstract mix made especially for the earphones for long flights. it will take you to an alternate existence. guaranteed. part of the new forward foeweel site....coming soon.

01 Bitcrush - an island, a penninsula
02 Mikkel Metal - Conceal
03 Kangding Ray - _isolation
04 Kiln - Flycatcher
05 Loscil - Rorschach
06 Skyphone - All is Wood
07 Air - Alone in Kyoto
08 Speedy J & µ-Ziq - Poppy Seed (Boards of Canada Remix)
09 Hauschka - Paddington
10 März - The Cricket Song
11 Lars Blek - Tristess

My Method Is Dirty

2008-03-25T18:06:00.001-07:00

I took this picture a few weeks back when I was in the financial district and I believe it's the sign for the Method soap company. I took it with my phone and it has that nice blurry quality.

Claro Intelecto - Gone To The Dogs (Deep, Dub Techno)

Kelpe - Pinch And Flare (Abstract Beats)

Marz - The Cricket Song (Ambient, Abstract)

Last Wednesday, Modeselektor came into town and showed exactly how to be musically progressive while also be entertaining in a live setting. They went on a little after midnight and interspersed with their own songs, they dropped some serious beats that was reminiscent of a Richie Hawtin experience. The place was still packed at 2am when the show was done. People were going off right up to the end. I guess cool kids still do dance, the funky chicken.

Do You Care ?

2008-03-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Photo taken by Chris F

The artist that tagged the piece above, called "City Of Progress. SF. Jaut Cares" also did this piece . A hint of sarcasm ? At first I thought that the child in the picture was, in fact the real Jaut posing as a baby faced little person, but then I realized that it was Chris F's kid, Little D. Yes, the legal first name of this child is LittleD. I guess if he ends up with a career as a hip hop MC, he's already got the name covered. The reason for my confusion was, that I have this supposed actual photo of Jaut, and they do look similar. Look for yourself:

The Real Jaut ? Neck Jowl & Receding Hairline

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Modeselektor is playing tonight at Mighty, here in San Francisco. Finally, after three tries and for whatever reasons, I get to see the madness that is MDSLKTR. If you had to describe their music, I would have to say hip-hop artists masked as techno heads, or vice versa. They've been singled out by Thom Yorke of Radiohead as a favorite. Their mix album Boogybytes Vol. 3, off of Ellen Allien's BPitch Control label, has tracks ranging from Spank Rock, Burial, Flying Lotus, Jean Jacques Perrey & Luke Vibert, and Radiohead. I may just have to wave a hand in the air and ....you know the rest. It should be a good show, even though it's at Mighty.

Here are 2 tracks that are about as different as the 2 pictures above.

Bonobo / Spank Rock - Nightlite [Zero Db Reconstruction] / Far Left [Mochipet Remix] - this is a track off of a promo of Ninja Tune mixes by Darko (of Spank Rock). the mochipet mix is right on, and for some more of his cracked out mixes especially of his mashup/mix of Bump by Spank Rock, check out his XLR8R podcast mix from last year.

Hanne Hukkelberg - The North Wind (Singer Songwriter) - using minimal instrumentation, hukkelberg creates an ideal mood for making break dance moves with just your fingers. the typewriter song.

Your Fortune

2008-03-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

Mark Gardener - Vapour Trail (Acoustic) - a song made famous by gardener's former band, Ride. this song was part of the limited (500 copies) double 7" 45's released by berkeley's KALX for their 45th anniversary last year. The other gem on this 4 song collection is the Talking Heads doing an early version of Stay Hungry. i'll save that one for later.

Spiritualized - Angel Sigh (Peel Session) (Shoegaze) - part of a collection of unreleased and demo material. a nice live version from the late great John Peel show.

Bitcrush - An Island, A Peninsula (Etheral) - dreamy, hallucinogenic, sigur ros-like. the most recent album epilogue in waves is a vast ocean of colors that seem to take over your mind.