Archive for January, 2008|Monthly archive page
Vampire Weekend – s/t
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The debut album from Vampire Weekend seems to have received a lot of attention lately. What’s nice about them is how they mix occasionally African style of playing a rock band’s instruments with indie attitude in ten short and refreshing pop songs. It’s very simple and pretty and unpretentious – you’re probably gonna play it many times over.
The Big Sleep
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The Big Sleep is a classic noir movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauran Bacall based on the eponymous novel. Comparing to what we see in the cinema today, it may even appear too complex and overwhelming to some. But that’s what’s so good about this movie – sharp dialog, lots of details in each scene. I quickly stopped guessing about the plot and let take me on a ride.
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a rich family. Before the complex case is over, he’s seen murders, blackmail, and what might be love.
If that sounds interesting to you, then…
Cat Power – Jukebox
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Jazz in Paris: Oscar Peterson-Stephanie Grappelli Quartet, Vol. 1
This interesting recording from the Jazz in Paris series features Oscar Peterson, pianist, with swing violinist Stephanie Grappelli and his band playing a couple of standards. The one I enjoyed most was Walkin’ my baby home.
The Mars Volta – The Bedlam in Goliath
The new Mars Volta album has leaked! I am a Mars Volta fan and have been listening to this one for the last two days. It is probably their best work since Comatorium. The Bedlam in Goliath is a very dynamic album, packed with so many ideas to keep you just discovering them for quite a while (I still need time with it). Depending on your preferences this may seem like nonsense noise or a delightful burst or delightful rock sound. To me it is so exciting! I feel some magic around this band’s work. Read some facts about the album. There are occasionally traces of a sound that the cover might suggest; also you will hear some strings, a violin playing free jazz and, as expected, plenty rocking riffs with a hypnotising rhythm section.
Fujiko Hemming – Fantasie Impromptu (Troika)
Played by Fujiko Hemming, this album includes a short piece by Chopin, as well as a Piano Concerto by Tchaikovsky. All are performed in collaboration with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Yuri Simonov. The torrent contains FLAC-encoded files, and also includes (unnecessary) mp3 versions of the Tchaikovsky concerto.
The Magnetic Fields – Distortion
The Magnetic Fields bring us this year’s first significant indie album (with a bad cover, I must object). The sound is fuzzy pop with surf-like melodies, humour and playfulness, always backed by a layer of reverbing noise. Well, some songs you love immediately. …California girls…
Blade Runner: The Final Cut
I have never heard about this one before. Turns out it is a brilliant noir science fiction movie, reissued last year on its 25th anniversary. Based on a novel called Do androids dream of electric sheep?, it is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Harrison Ford as a replicant hunter in the dusk of humanity. It took a while for the story to get me interested but it was the dark scenery, rich details and a photographic quality of almost every moment shot which tell this complex story better, at the same time asking questions about the future which we’re creating, that got me hooked from the beginning.
Patti Smith – Land (1975 – 2002)
I have been passively looking for an introduction to Patti Smith’s work for a while, as from what I’ve previously read, I have had an impression that she’s some poetic rock singer/songwriter witha punk attitude, which sounds like the stuff I especially like. That has proved to be true! This is a 2-disc collection of fan favorites (voted on by over 10,000 fans over the Internet), live performances, rare/unreleased works, and demos.
Buena Vista Social Club presents: Luis Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal
An excellent album from the Buena Vista Social Club series – do you need more 
? Mirabal is a trumpet player (here with the complete orchestra of course) and on this album he’s paying a tribute to Arsenio Rodriguez. More details can be found on this allthatjazz review. Music = love.
