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I heard a report on the news this morning where scientists and researchers have been able to determine the exact point at which the romantic sizzle departs a marriage--when wedded bliss moves from lust into complacency (or something similar).
Two and a half years. That's all we get, the number crunchers have determined.
Yet, a part of me feels wed to each and every LP among the hundreds and hundreds on my shelves. Sooo, lemme see here...just quickly crunching some numbers here myself...carry the one...
Huh. So, if my numbers here are accurate, I should still be feeling butterflies for the next 2,000 years.
Anyone see that Call for Contributors we posted a number of days ago? With more hands on deck, we'd love to be posting lengthier reviews per the one below which first appeared on the new defunct Stylus. And its reappearance here today is pertinent, indeed...
The Sound/The BBC Recordings/Renascent, 2004/A- Paint me with a bucketful of wow and post me to the BBC! They deserve much love for their seemingly unending archive of excellence. ‘BBC session’ is practically a hallmark for musical lushness, and it’s comforting to have such things to cling to in today’s mixed-up, crazy world of scientific haircare products and pot noodles. Also deserving of a complimentary fruit-basket of joy are the good people at Renascent, who’ve been busying themselves championing the cause of rather marvellous ‘missing from 80’s namechecks, presumed rubbish’ band The Sound; in the form of various re-releases. Of which this is another one. Of them. Except not quite (unless you taped the original broadcasts, or something.)
As a rather cheap and cheerful method of aligning your musical compass with The Sound’s .. err.. sound; try to imagine this hypothetical house of harmony. Echo and the Bunnymen live on the roof, Joy Division lurk in the reverb-heavy basement, The Cure pop around for tea sometimes and The Sound sit in the living room with the curtains closed wondering if they could convince the others into helping them sort the garden out a bit. The garden of black roses, obviously. Capable of oppressive gloom and fiery beauty in equal measure, this double-cd compilation captures the band at their intense best throughout two early BBC sessions and two separate ‘In Concert’ performances.
I’ve always felt that BBC sessions exist in a curious half-lit twilight world, floating in the space between carefully nurtured album tracks and full-on live gigs. In this world everything is played with a touch more urgency than normal, but retains clarity in a way that only a web of cunningly placed microphones can. Although no doubt present, the producer doesn’t have time to flap around the studio wondering if the snare drum should have undetectable amounts of reverb added to it; preventing him from gradually bleeding all life from the record until it is nothing but an empty husk. An empty husk riddled with crap tunes.
Such measured spontaneity (if such a concept can exist) is evident as The Sound blast through a couple of sessions that showcase tracks from stand-out albums Jeopardy and From the Lions Mouth. Everything sounds wonderfully raw, forever hinting at being dangerously close to spilling over without ever actually doing so - even when shards of guitar fiercely explode across a track, dragging (and I could almost choose anything here) “Heartland” and “Jeopardy” into stratospheres of greatness. Where I believe they are still orbiting. The closer, “New Dark Age”, is a brooding epic of a track; towering drumming, pseudo-apocalyptic vocals and a jagged guitar line that suggests the end times may be greeting us sooner than we think. Possibly with a sandwich and a cheeky wink. But probably not.
After a brief DJ-tastic introduction by Pete Drummond (suddenly, all those Smashey and Nicey sketches make so much more sense) everything properly kicks off again on the ‘In Concert’ cd. There’s a certain degree of repetition here as the first show covers similar ground to the ‘sessions’ disc. However, this matters less than it might due to the suitably different live setting and the continued excellence of performance from all concerned. The lively “Winning” appears as a handy reminder that The Sound were by no means perpetually bleak; a declaration that brightness can always be reached beyond the shadows.
Frontman Adrian Borland is in outstanding vocal form; expressing restraint where necessary, but equally inclined to let fly with a passionate, tormented ire that acts as the perfect mirror for his expressive guitar work. This disquiet becomes increasingly noticeable on the concluding segment of live tracks, taken from a much later performance in 1985. As Sound drummer Mike Dudley states in the sleeve notes ‘It’s not a comfortable listen,’ especially in view of Borland’s tragic suicide. Although feeling slightly voyeuristic to hear, the sad reality of his troubled state lends an undeniable edge to already powerful tracks like “Missiles.” Repeated and increasingly desperate cries of ‘who the hell makes those missiles?’ leave a poignant and lasting impression. When “Burning Part of Me” is introduced as ‘.. a song about the only real way out,’ it delivers a chill.
The BBC Recordings find The Sound at the peak of their collective talents, performing some of their very best material. I have the handy excuse of not being born when they first appeared and thus shoulder no guilt for their subsequent underexposure, but it’s time for the rest of the world to make amends; beginning with suitable recognition for this fine record. (Reviewed by: Peter Parrish)
It definitely bears repeating that the entire catalog by The Sound (minus yesterday's 'Lion's Mouth') are currently available via our friends at Renascent. As such, these will only be posted for a very short time...
Sometimes 4 stars in Uncut and 4 stars in Italian Rolling Stone don't tell the full tale. And oddly, it could have been their list of influences on Hollowblue's myspace that got me thinking, "Ok, they get it." Hell, they namecheck David Sylvian...
We chatted with Hollowblue's vocalist Gianluca Sorace before the holidays and as such, Hollowblue is our very first 'First Date' for 2009:
"Hollowblue is an Italian band formed at the end of 2003. We released two albums: the first ep "What you left behind" (Suiteside Records), containing "Io bevo" with the UK singer Anthony Reynolds, and "Stars are crashing (in my backyard)" (Midfinger Records/Warner Chappell) - containing the song "First Avenue" with Dan Fante (American writer, son of John Fante, with whom we also toured and are preparing an entire album of music and poetry). "Stars are crashing" has been recently nominated as one of the best Italian indie debuts.
The band is Gianluca Maria Sorace vocals, guitars and piano, Marco Calderisi guitars, Giancarlo Russo bass, Federico Moi drums and Ellie Young cello and piano.
Probably because I'm not twenty, probably because I like when things are not so perfect... I prefer, when it's possible, to listen to my favourite albums on the record player at home. Of course the possibilities of mp3, cd-r and everything around all this are grandiose but I love the smell of the cardboard, the sound of the scratches and the pause between the A and the B side. I think it's more human, more natural.
I've got about 300 vinyls (about 100 of them are Bowie albums) and it's a pleasure to see them with their big artworks. I like that they take up a big space at home. I hope we could release our next albums also in that form."
Fans of Portishead, Elbow, and even The Bathers take note--this is some gorgeous stuff. Perfect for that last night with a candle or seven.
Threw himself under a train, poor Adrian did. And while it might be unfair to mention that up front, I've discovered 95% of his music with that knowledge in mind. Why is it that the most creative of us are so self-destructive?
Yesterday's live tracks we're from 1985...did they sound dated to you? Maybe in the snare tone and some of the keyboard washes, but otherwise...man, that's what I need. Pure literate punk energy.
Brittle Heaven has been on our Links List since the inception of this blog and does a far better service to Adrian's history and memory than a week of posts could ever do. I urge you to give 'er a click while we concentrate briefly on the music...
...which is fine spot to reiterate that Renascent, those guys down there on the left in blue, have an exceptional catalog of releases by Adrian's band The Sound (alas just on CD). I pestered THEM to come aboard TVD and we're damn proud to see their fine efforts highlighted here.
Trouser Press called 'From the Lions Mouth' "bright, dramatic and sometimes powerful. A riveting LP — the group's best." We'd be hard pressed to disagree.
Sales of LPs have more than doubled online and are regaining overall market share.
Audiophiles have long argued that vinyl records offer better sound quality compared to CDs or MP3s, but their stoic loyalty in the face of change was seen as little more than nostalgia over the 25 years digital recordings has dominated the music industry. In recent years, however, sales of LPs -- that's short for long-playing records -- have more than doubled online and are regaining overall market share, thanks to new converts looking for more than they can find in an MP3 selling for 99 cents online.
In 2008, 1.88 million vinyl albums were purchased, more than in any other year in the history of Nielsen SoundScan , which began tracking LP sales in 1991. The previous record was in 2000, when 1.5 million LP albums were sold. More than two out of every three vinyl albums bought in 2008 were purchased at an independent music store, according to SoundScan.
Vinyl record sales rose 14% between 2006 and 2007, from 858,000 to 990,000. In contrast, CD sales plummeted over the past three years, from 553.4 million in 2006 to 360.6 million in 2008. MP3 sales grew from 32.6 million to 65.8 million during the same time period, according to SoundScan.
Industry observers say vinyl record sales have skyrocketed because new buyers are discovering the value of owning albums, with their cover art, large liner notes and warm sound.
Direct from the source: "THIS PAST WEEKEND COMMENCED OUR 2nd ANNUAL "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE". To Commemorate the occasion ALL THE LPS THAT WE WERE SELLING FOR ONE DOLLAR WILL BE 2 FOR A DOLLAR. We'll next be open January 9 & 10, our most recent "final days". MUSIC ALERTS: On Friday January 9 "BOX" will play an acoustic set at 7 PM, come check them out... Then on January 10, 2009 "OUR LAST HURRAH!" A Live Performance to Benefit next Fall's (2009) SONIC CIRCUITS Festival, at 7PM on Saturday, Orpheus is proud to present Blue Sausage Infant (alias Chester Hawkins) and a one-shot reunion of legendary DC noise/troublemakers NEW CARROLLTON!. Each attendee who donates the suggested donation amount of $5 will receive 10 FREE Lps valued at half a dollar. So come on down and watch great live music and cash in on some great LP bargains! The new release & re-issue lps that have never been part of the sale are on display, still FULL PRICE. MOST OTHER LPS IN THE STORE ARE 2 FOR ONE DOLLAR. THAT MEANS: if the sticker says it's 99 cents it's 2 for a dollar, if the sticker says it's $9.99, it's 2 for a dollar, if the sticker says it's $29.99 or even more (not likely) it's still 2 for a dollar. Come on in, stack 'em up and buy as much as you can afford, or more, 2 for ONE DOLLAR. Please bring boxes if you need them, we're out. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to those of you who continue to watch this site AND come in to help me divert all this vinyl from my house to yours..."
So, over the hyper-extended break taken here at TVD, there was plenty o' time spent at the neighborhood haunt, the Fox and Hounds. One evening sitting in front of the big window under the neon sign looking out over the patio, my pal John and I got involved in a conversation about graphic design. John's a web design/development instructor at the Corcoran and at Catholic U., and as an Art Director in my 9-5 guise, he had a few questions for me about what I look for in a junior designer's portfolio.
The timing was good for this conversation too as I had hired a very talented junior designer just about a year ago after reviewing literally hundreds of portfolio submissions, at first via an ad posted on craig's list then afterward in person during interviews.
The thing that struck me then that resonated in our conversation was that student and beginning designer's portfolios seem to just lack the basic fundamentals--super solid typography, type and image cohesion, individual flair, and a communications capability. Most seem to be extended classroom exercises at best and very basic stabs at 'just doing it'. Which I understand really...I was there starting from nothing and hoping for the best. Most troubling ultimately though was a basic lack of executing the fundamentals in a professional portfolio...which IS supposed to be your best stuff on display, right?
What seemed to dilute the talent pool we surmised was the computer. We've all got one and with the help of a little design software we're all 'designers' with or without formal instruction or innate talent. Some can get there, some can get close, and it's pretty easy to tell who's got it and who doesn't. The computer seems to say 'yes, you are' as opposed to 'you just haven't earned it yet, baby.'
No surprise then that he topic turned to music and the parallel that can be drawn with the aforementioned. The computer INDEED seems to say 'yes, you are' as opposed to 'you just haven't earned it yet, baby' YET all these young shavers have their on-line MUSIC portfolios on-display, via Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, or any other shortcut subsequently made worse by the plethora of bloggers (ding!) in search of content who, in the end, champion acts that barely merit the title of 'beginner.'
I've seen it over and over again the past year exacerbated by the thin talent base that became the fodder for 'Top Ten Lists' in vogue at the end of December. I hesitate to point fingers or name names cuz we're all sweet this a-way...but catch me at happy hour and you can bet your tits I'll have names and nausea to spare.
So in the coming year, JUST the good shit. Only the acts that somehow have got it (or HAD it) and none of the Gang of Four copyists in reverso skinny jeans and ironic hippy beards peddling half-formed or worse, ill-formed compositions on shiny young auto-tuned kids. Unless they KILL of course. (Our tent is big enough.)
This by the way places a heavy burden on our 'First Date' series which returns full-throttle in '09. Our 'Daily Wax' becomes the 'Weekly Wax' as we veer more toward the artists as opposed to singular releases. FINALLY I plan to get to the hundreds of LP's added to the TVD shelves over the course of '08 that will become our 'From The Vaults' series or something similarly named.
We've got vinyl LP giveaways already lined up and there will be plenty more than last year. We've got ticket giveaways already lined up and there will be plenty more than last year. We're ramping up our overall vinyl news coverage. AND we have our exclusive Record Store Day 2009 news and updates...so, we anticipate a major bit of blogging over the course of the year. Your continued indulgence is warmly appreciated.
...which brings me to the very first artist this year and the individual I listened to above all others last year: Adrian Borland and more specifically his band, The Sound.
I've rambled on a bit for one day, so go forward and download the following five from The Sound's live 2-LP set, "In The Hothouse." Close your eyes and imagine this band taking the stage at oh, The Black Cat or The R&R Hotel with this level of energy and passion and song-craft and ask yourselves why we're settling for...oh, ...wait.
What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can't do justice throughout the week? Why, it's condense them right here in our new weekly bulletin board, 'plugs.'
We don't care where you are or what city you're in--if you've got something you wanna promote or think we should be listening to or seeing or reading, this is the place to put it. Got a band? A photo exhibit? DJing some place? A good cause worth promoting? This is the spot for it. (And if you've checked that little widget waaay down there bottom left, this is a global forum, indeed.)
We'll be posting what lands in our in-box right here daily as well as welcoming your tips, and we'll be refreshing it once a week to stay on top of what we're both up to.
So, clue us in right here in the comments section to these posts. Weekly.
I've seen any number of 'Best Of 2008' lists over the past week or so and all have left me scratching my eyes in disbelief. If you're like me and you're worried sick about the state of things--and indie rock in particular--give it some vitriol!
I, you, we spend an inordinate amount of time alone. Think about it. From waking to showering to brushing our teeth, we're alone with our thoughts. From the commute to and from work, or school, or in line at the post office or at the grocery, by and large we're alone with ourselves and the quiet rumblings of our brains ticking along.
I started to take note of something recently in the very first moments of waking up, turning on lights, and brewing the coffee each morning: I had a tune in my head churning over and over. And each morning it was a different one and by the time I actually noticed this was occurring, I ended up whistling and singing whatever song the whole day long.
Then I'd think it was a fluke but like clockwork the next day in the very first moments of waking up, turning on lights, and brewing the coffee, a new tune would make itself known. And it's indiscriminate...the subconscious doesn't stick to an era or a genre and has no taste filter. (For good or bad.) Like, last Friday it was "Carry On My Wayward Son..." and over the weekend it was something else entirely, which to be fair I don't recall, because like a dream, it seems I need to take note of it right away or its gone into the ether.
So, a little experiment while we wind things down here at TVD for the year--I'm going to keep a journal of this phenomena and post the track that makes itself known each morning, from today until January 4, 2009--the day before TVD returns for the year in the hope that we'll end up with a mighty fine 14-track mix my subconscious has DJ'd in a little experiment we're calling: The Subconscious Shuffle.
DECEMBER 23, 2008: Thin Lizzy - Don't Believe A Word (Mp3) "Don't believe me if I tell you/That I wrote this song for you/There might be some other silly pretty girl/I'm singing it to..."
DECEMBER 24, 2008: Todd Rundgren - Couldn't I Just Tell You? (Mp3) "Couldn't I just tell you the way I feel/I can't keep it bottled up inside/And could we pretend that it's no big deal/And there's really nothing left to hide..."
DECEMBER 25, 2008:
Gene Kelly - The Daughter Of Rosie O'Grady "She's the daughter of Rosie O'Grady/A regular old fashioned girl/She isn't crazy for diamond rings/Silkens and satins and fancy things..."
DECEMBER 27, 2008: The Replacements - Rock 'N' Roll Ghost (Mp3) "No one here to raise a toast/Be my guest and I will be a host/To a rock 'n' roll ghost/To a rock 'n' roll ghost..."
DECEMBER 28, 2008: Laura Nyro - Up on the Roof (Mp3) "When this old world starts getting me down/And people are just too much for me to face..."
DECEMBER 29, 2008: What can I say? Today: nuthin.
DECEMBER 30, 2008: Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone "I get the same old dreams, same time every night/Fall to the ground and I wake up..."
DECEMBER 31, 2008: L.E.O. - Ya Had Me Goin' (Mp3) ...and a cracking tune for your evening's revelry indeed. Play as loud as I heard it in my head this morning. Happy New Year!
JANUARY 1, 2009: Would you believe that I woke this New Year's morning with nothing but the sound of hammering in my head? I bet you would.
JANUARY 3, 2009: Modern English - Blue Waves (Mp3) "I've got the power to stop the blue waves/That way I'm winning and it helps me through the night..."
JANUARY 4, 2009: The Thurl Ravenscroft Singers - If I Didn't Care (Mp3) This was my Dad's favorite song as done by The Ink Spots: "If I didn't care more than words can say/If I didn't care would I feel this way?/If this isn't love then why do I thrill?/And what makes my head go 'round and 'round/While my heart stands still?"
What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can't do justice throughout the week? Why, it's condense them right here in our new weekly bulletin board, 'plugs.'
We don't care where you are or what city you're in--if you've got something you wanna promote or think we should be listening to or seeing or reading, this is the place to put it. Got a band? A photo exhibit? DJing some place? A good cause worth promoting? This is the spot for it. (And if you've checked that little widget waaay down there bottom left, this is a global forum, indeed.)
We'll be posting what lands in our in-box right here daily as well as welcoming your tips, and we'll be refreshing it once a week to stay on top of what we're both up to.
So, clue us in right here in the comments section to these posts. Weekly.
Not only is it the Holiday Season, but it's List Season. Everyone's compiling and posting 'em--the Ten Best This, the Ten Best That. But here at TVD we're thinking that you guys, the folks who stop by each day, are far better judges of what went down this year and what was truly memorable in 2008 rather than the folks whose business it is to sell you on how hip their respective lists are.
So, in the comments, let us have 'em. Give us one or ten or any number of things you thought made '08 special--new releases, reissues, live shows, DVDs, movies...whatever it is that 2008 just might be remembered for.
We're keeping this post perched on top of TVD til '09, so there's plenty of time to chime in--AND we've got some cool vinyl from the TVD archives for the most clever commenter along the way as a way of saying thanks for a more than memorable 2008 from our side of the screen. (And stay tuned, there's already amazing stuff in the works for 2009...)
Even though Record Store Day 2009 is close to four months away, we're more than pleased to take note of some of the early attendees to the dance. And last night came word of a pretty cool spin on what we here call the 12" x 12" canvas: Matador thinks that one savvy graphic designer has what it takes to redesign the cover to Belle and Sebastian's new 'BBC Sessions'--and they're sponsoring the contest to make that happen in celebration of Record Store Day, 2009.
From the Matador Matablog: " You’ve worked hard at it… Aping that monochromatic vibe for mixtapes…. Copped the twee girl clutching some Kafka on flyers for your weekly DJ night…. you work hard. You’re never lazy about it.
And now is not the time to let the laziness set in.
We are giving you the once in a lifetime chance to design the front cover image for a limited edition of The BBC Sessions that will be sold in stores nationwide. That’s right, an actual commercial edition of a Belle album (in nostalgic compact disc format) will feature your creative work if the band so deems it worthy."
Full details on the contest can be found right here. And already there are oh, ten that are just perfect. The band chooses the winner too...
What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can't do justice throughout the week? Why, it's condense them right here in our new weekly bulletin board, 'plugs.'
We don't care where you are or what city you're in--if you've got something you wanna promote or think we should be listening to or seeing or reading, this is the place to put it. Got a band? A photo exhibit? DJing some place? A good cause worth promoting? This is the spot for it. (And if you've checked that little widget waaay down there bottom left, this is a global forum, indeed.)
We'll be posting what lands in our in-box right here daily as well as welcoming your tips, and we'll be refreshing it once a week to stay on top of what we're both up to.
So, clue us in right here in the comments section to these posts. Weekly.
Oh, it's a slow moving day over here at TVD HQ, but we're finally up and around. (Barely.) Now, what's the one thing that could get us back on our feet and out the door to do it all over again? Hm. I wonder...?
Pretty cool cover to the '69 Beatles Fanclub Record, huh? Designed by none other than Ringo himself. Who knew?
(Tonight's the TVD Christmas Party. What are the odds at about say, 8:15 or so, that yours truly will be seeing things per Sir Starkey's visual up there?)
Many years ago as a young kid I was prone to fevers. I guess we all were but I seemed to get them more often than not. I recall after one particular episode lying in bed just sweltering while the (black and white!) TV thumped away. Too weak to get up to change the channel (because you had to then, right?) I let 'Hee Haw' and its southern sass rattle my fevered brain.
But something happened...as I was lying there in bed watching Charley Pride croon his way into the Opry...the fever broke! It was like light on/light off. There was a palpable sense of a lifting or cooling of the fever and in one tangible millisecond, I felt a million times better! And as the years went on, every time I'd see Charley Pride, I silently recall his countrified bedside manner that placed a metaphoric cool rag on my blazing brow. (And I'm not making this up - totally true. I felt like I've owed him one for years.)
So yea, I've been feeling kind of crappy this week and the lackluster posts probably give that away. Juuust not feeling Christmassy. And not that she intended it, I'm sure, ...but Juliette just pulled a Charley Pride on me.
Don't believe me? Play 'Overcome' real loud like I just did and try to tell me it's not like someone just opened up the widow real wide and set something free.
And we got her on the record(s) too:
"I heard recently that vinyl is “making a comeback”. I don’t really know what this means but nonetheless it’s reassuring to know that in our digital age, where people’s attention spans are now proven to be getting shorter from so much high paced internet stimulation, that people are trying hold onto a medium from a time when listening to a record was kind of like reading a book. People actually listened to an album from start to finish and contemplated its entirety as opposed to shuffling a mix of songs individually bought on itunes on their ipods. That’s not to say I don’t love technology (the freedom and independence my laptop has given me to create music has changed my life), but I think human beings will always have a need to hold onto beauty. I’ve seen bands now selling their records on vinyl which includes a digital download thingy, and this makes a lot of sense—jewel cases are not beautiful, but records are. Also, the mere fact that they’re so much larger than cds makes them that much more of an experience—that much more of a world you can create as an artist and that much more of a world to get lost in as a consumer. And of course everyone knows they sound better too. I would love to release my records on vinyl and fantasize about it all the time. For now cds are more practical for indie labels, but really all it takes is money--which I’m hoping to have inordinate amounts of someday!"
I heard a report on the news this morning where scientists and researchers have been able to determine the exact point at which the romantic sizzle departs a marriage--when wedded bliss moves from lust into complacency (or something similar).
