V02I10 - 03071999
Due to the Current 93 and Christoph Heemann of HNAS concert this week, this issue will be a little bit brief on content from the usual editors.
CHANGE IN PLANS
Brainwashed Recordings release #002 is now going to have the A side of a NEW song from Edward Ka-Spel called "Share the Day" instead of "Lilith's Daughter '99" as previously planend.
One of the most important film directors of our time died in his home in London today, cause of death is still yet unannounced. Kubrick was responsable for such timeless greats like Spartacus, Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Full Metal Jacket. After twelve years of being out of the spotlight, he was working on a film "Eyes Wide Shut" which is currently in the editing stages and should be ready for release shortly. He will surely be missed.
IN BRIEF
Without missing a note it seems, the Montreal enigma known as godspeed you black emperor! bring us a 30 minute two-track ep. The quiet unrest starts in Moya, an unpredictable emotional piece rises from the quiet strings, builds into a driving pace where everybody has their place. From a whisper to a scream this band pushes forth in every dynamic imaginable. The second track, 'Blaise Bailey Finnegan III' brings us a popular favorite from the previous record. In this one, our poet is describing the problems with America and his own problems with the law. A dark disturbing dialogue, uneasy, chilling, yet beautiful and intriguing like a sunny Montreal winter day covered in snow. Once again, the build is incredible, the instrumentation flows perfectly, and the melodies are completely non-cliche. Out on Tuesday of this week, this is a steal for the ep. price. Demand your local stores to carry this one and pray they come back to tour your town. - Jon Whitney/Carter Adams
TIM HAGANS "ANIMATION/IMAGINATION"
A few people I know have balked at me when I tell them that I think
this album is the 90's "Bitches Brew." I'm sure many more will scoff
upon reading that, but it's true. Over the past ten years or so, many
trumpeters, such as Ben Neill or Rhys Chatham, have been mixing jazz
forms with electronic soundscapes, trying to recapture the energy and
individualism Miles had on his fusion masterpiece. But it takes more
than just using the tools of jazz to make a new jazz fusion, though.
Trumpeter Hagans is doing more than hiding behind a wall of effects, or
playing down to or shying away from the electronic beats that litter
this album. With a standard jazz trio line-up that features trumpet,
bass, and drums, augmented with various DJ's and electro-noisemakers,
Hagans and company create a true fusion between high-energy melodic
improv and all forms of current electronic music (electro-dub, drum n'
bass, hip-hop). From the opening track (wittily titled "The Original
Drum And Bass") on through to the end, this album continues to peak. On
"Are You Threatening Me?", a programmed breakbeat challenges the drummer
to keep up, while the bass and horns are sampled and bounced back into
the mix live. It's not all Hagans' trio who is doing the adjusting,
though: on "French Girl", a noir-ish classic Blue Note tune, electronics
pilot Scott Kinsey does his best to make his out-of-this world synths
sound like the best late-night bar piano. It's almost unbearable to hear
the Cd player come to a stop when it's finished, but you don't feel too
bad, because music this great makes it easy to get up and press play
again. Buy this album now, before you feel like you're jumping on the
bandwagon when The Wire lists it in their top albums for '99!
- Jason Olariu, guest contributor
STEVE REICH REMIXED
I suppose it was only a matter of time until American minimalist
composer Steve Reich found himself shoved into the somewhat
dubious "godfathers of electronica" club. After all, his early tape
loop works "Come Out" and "It's Gonna Rain" can be viewed in
some ways as primitive precursors to the remixes and turntable
experiments of today's electronic music, and he has been noted by
many current artists as both an influence and a sample source. So
here we have the ubiquitous remix album, featuring material from
throughout Reich's 30-plus year career - including the pieces
mentioned above - reworked by a well chosen variety of current
electronic artists. Especially nice are the hypnotically stuttering
"Proverb" by Nobukazu Takemura, the dark beauty of "Come
Out" by Ken Ishii, and the absolutely stunning "Megamix", a nine
and a half minute ethereal epic by Tranquility Bass that'll send
shivers down your spine. In fact, all of the artists and DJs involved
- including Coldcut, Howie B, Andrea Parker, Mantronik, D*Note
and DJ Spooky - provide some great moments, with the resulting
whole being a worthy tribute to Reich and his legacy of sound
sculpture.
- Greg Clow
REVIEW
First of all, the venue was kinda crappy. There were about 25 seats in the front, and all but maybe 5 or 6 were reserved every night -- and if you werent in one of them, you couldnt see too much. However, the sound was good enough that you could stand back, relax and just enjoy what you were hearing, which was wonderful of course. There's no way I could produce a set list, but the set was remarkably similar to the last time they played NYC. Songs like "All This World Makes Great Blood", "The Great and Bloody Bruised Veil of This World", "Calling for Vanished Faces", "The Bloodbells Chime" and "The Inmost Light" were among some of the highlights. No 'Coal Black Smith' or 'This Carnival is Dead and Gone' (which are my 2 favorites) but we were treated to a fantastic rendition of "Beausoliel" with Annie Anxiety on Friday night. I think they started to sing 'Christ and the Pale Queens', but Tibet shook his head no and they stopped. Rose was sorely missed anyway, and that song might've been too lacking without her anyway.
All i have to say about Annie Anxiety is that I could easily spend the rest of my life watching her perform live. She was fabulous. She's definitely found her calling. The highlight of her set was her great sense of humor. She said, "I bet you all like that coil song I do..." (everyone cheers) and then "yeah I was going to sing it, but I figured 'nah, I'll just wait for them to come over here to sing it with me'".. heehee.. RIGHT...
During Saturday night's show there were some technical difficulties during Soft Black Stars (Tibet and Cashmore not appearing as Current 93 this night), but Tibet and company handled it very well and went on to perform beautifully once the problems were fixed. Christoph Heeman was the big shock. I had expected it to be great, but it blew me away. It was the most intense, incredible show.
Now i have to go fill in my Annie Anxiety and Heeman collections because they were such fantastic surprises. As for the limited cd: there is a one track cd with a picture of a frog on it that was limited to 620 copies. They didn't sell them all at the show (I think there were about 150 left at the end of the night) and unfortunately those won't be for sale anyplace after the show. Alison from World Serpent (who is incredibly cool) said that the CDs didnt belong to them so they wouldn't be able to sell them afterwards. They belong to Tibet and he was going to destroy the leftovers. After hearing the song all i can say is I'm SO sorry for all of you that wont get this cd. The song is HILARIOUS and ranks someplace above 'Crowleymass' i think.
And finally, after the pathetic rendition of "happy birthday" that we all sang to Tibet on Friday night, I'd be very surprised if he ever wanted to come back to the US!! - Robin Zebrowski
RELEASES
Natacha Atlas - Gedida CD/LP (Mantra/Beggars Banquet, UK)
Creatures - Say 7"/two CDEPs [mixes by Witchman and Endemic Void] (UK)
Diablatomica - neu.ang MP3-EP [to be made available at No Type website] (No Type, Canada)
Disinformation - Al-Jabr CD [remix album with mixes by Tactile, Jim O'Rourke, Evan Parker, Simon Fisher-Turner and more] (Ash International/Touch, UK)
Eagle Eye Cherry - Permanent Tears two CDEPs [mixes by Red Snapper, Sneaker Pimps & Attica Blues] (Polygram, UK)
Experimental Pop Band - Frozen Head CDEP (Cup of Tea, UK)
Orbital - Style 12"/two CDEPs (ffrr, UK)
Talvin Singh - Vikram The Vampire 12"/CDEP (Island, UK)
Something Wonderful - Ukajin CD (Matsuri, UK)
Source Direct - Exorcise The Demons CD/3xLP (Science/Virgin, UK)
Jimi Tenor - Year of the Apocalypse 12"/CDEP (Warp, UK)
Urban Species - Blanket CD/LP (Talkin' Loud, UK)
TUESDAY
Arovane - Occer/Silicad 7" (City Centre Offices, UK/Germany)
Natacha Atlas - Gedida CD (Beggars Banquet, US)
* Cornelius - FM (Fantasma Mixes) CD [mixes of Cornelius tracks by Coldcut, U.N.K.L.E., Money Mark, High Llamas and more] (Matador, US)
* Cornelius - CM (Cornelius Mixes) CD [mixes by Cornelius of originals by Coldcut, U.N.K.L.E., Money Mark, High Llamas and more] (Matador, US)
Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada 12"/CDEP (Constellation, Canada - Kranky, US)
* Jega - Spectrum CD [to include extra material to original UK release] (Matador, US/Canada)
Roy Montgomery/Chris Heaphy - True CD (Kranky, US)
Gary Numan - Exile Extended CD [ltd to 2500 copies] (Cleopatra, US)
Source Direct - Exorcise The Demons CD (Astralwerks, US - Virgin, Canada)
* Swans - Cop/Greed/Holy Money 2xCD [reissue of first three albums] (Thirsty Ear, US)
Various - Electro Funk Essentials CD (Hipp-O, US)
Velvet Acid Christ - Decipher CDEP (Metropolis, US)
We - The Square Root of Minus One CD/LP (Asphodel, US)
:wumpscut: - Totmacher 2xCDEP (Metropolis, US)
WEDNESDAY
Underworld - Push Upstairs 12"/CDEP [includes Japan-only tracks] (V2, Japan)
David Sylvian - Dead Bees On A Cake CD (Virgin, Japan)
For a more comprehensive release schedule stretching far into the future, please check out the NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.
COMMENT
(RAMBLE)
After being down in NYC for the last few days, I thought I'd bring back some driving tips:
- When on a one way street, stay to the right to allow oncoming traffic to pass.
- Never, ever, stop for a pedestrian unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car.
- The first parking space you see will be the last parking space you see. Grab it.
- Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work.
- Always look both ways when running a red light.
- Never use directional signals when changing lanes. They only warn other drivers to speed up and not let you in.
- Making eye contact revokes your right of way.
- Whenever possible, stop in the middle of a crosswalk to ensure inconveniencing as many pedestrians as possible. And if a pedestrian ahead of you steps into the road, speed up, honk or yell obsceneties loudly and chase him back upon the curb. Pedestrians have no rights.
Subject: web site
Hello, my name is Justin and I run a web design company with my friend, Melissa. We are both 16 and are very into 'new style web design'. We have won numerous design awards, and my partner was actually written up in the Los Angeles Times. We both attend Harvard-Westlake school (a private school on the West Coast) where I have a 3.7 gpa and she has around a 4.2 (and at my school, a 3.7 is like a 5.0 at any other school). We are very interested in doing your web site, and I know that we can make your site the envy of all your competition. We have very reasonable prices. If you are interested, please respond.
While I'm quite impressed by your ingenuity, I have no money to pay you, we don't compete with anybody, and we have a staff who do our own design.
Subject: (none)
Hello, My name is Simon Raymonde from Cocteau Twins. We set up our label Bella Union about 18 months ago. I saw your brainwashed site & thought it looked quite cool.
thanks!! I've listened to your band about 15 years, I think you guys are quite cool too!
OF THE
WEEK
Everybody everywhere is singing and doing the HAMSTER DANCE! Check out www.hamsterdance.com.
CELEBRITY
OF THE
WEEK
Special 2-for-1 deal this week! She co-starred with Michael J. Fox on the long running TV sit-com "Family Ties" and he followed a Michael J. Fox role in "Teen Wolf Two". Other highlights of Jason Bateman's career include TV roles on "Little House on the Prairie", "Silver Spoons", and "Valerie". Other highlights of Justine's career include the film "Satisfaction", a short-lived role on the short-lived series "Men Behaving Badly" and various appearances on TV's "Lois and Clark." Get them together and imagine the wacky antics that would ensue!
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
1 Coil "North".
2 Various "What is Eternal (Middle Pillar Presents)".
3 Diamanda Galas "Malediction and Prayer".
4 Henryk Goreki "Symphony # 3".
5 The Protagonist "a rebours".
6 Low "The Curtain Hits the Cast".
7 In Gowan Ring "Love Charms".
8 Lycia "Cold".
9 Love Spirals Downwards "Flux".
10 Die Form "Duality".
- David, faithful reader from Hayward, CA (near San Jose)
Brainwashed Widgets
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA