“My Big Nurse” – David Byrne and Brian Eno (download) (buy)
This was supposed to have run this month, but it somehow disappeared in my editor’s inbox.
DAVID BYRNE and BRIAN ENO
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
(self-released)
We’ve been living in David Byrne and Brian Eno’s world for so long that their rekindled relationship–28 years dormant before the new Everything That Happens Will Happen Today–shouldn’t be too surprising. But, being their world–their ideas about rhythm and aesthetics formed in the crucible of the late ’70s Talking Heads, and now well-institutionalized by indie-punx, hippies, and pop fascists alike–it’s all a bit less shocking this go-round. Indeed, the two aren’t overly ambitious, either, the simple changes of “Wanted For Life” and “Strange Overtones” recalling the twang-enhanced Heads of True Stories. (“These beats are 20 years old,” Byrne admits on the latter tune.)
Written as a cross-Atlantic collaboration behind the concept of “electronic gospel”–Eno on backing tracks, Byrne on vocals–the producer’s work truly improves in higher resolution than mp3s allow, worn synth swells blossoming into holographic depth. Regardless, the two succeed best at being graceful, including the lullaby-like title track and the C&W sunset gallop of “My Big Nurse.” “A million kinds of possibilities for dancing on this lazy afternoon,” Byrne sings before a right lovely organ figure trickles by, an ethereal burst of vintage Eno, as recognizable as a Frippertronic guitar cloud on Another Green World.
It is not a perfect union. When the music slips uptempo, such as “I Feel My Stuff,” one can almost hear quotation marks appearing around the grooves–the implications of music to dance to, rather than the act itself. But, concepts be damned, Byrne himself is in marvelous form, lyrically and vocally, having evolved into a powerful singer in his post-Heads years. The future is here. And it sounds remarkably like music.
Articles/profiles:
Mr. Wouters’ Machines: Dutch artist Xelor (Paste)
Catching Up With: Alex Holdridge, director of In Search of a Midnight Kiss (Paste)
Albums:
In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic – Kasai Allstars (Village Voice)
The Fall Apartment – Brad Barr (Relix)
Radiolarians 1 and Zebos: Book of Angels, v. 11 – Medeski, Martin, and Wood (Relix)
Such Fun – Annuals (Paste)
Me and Armini – Emiliana Torrini (Paste)
Dirty Laundry/More Dirty Laundry – v/a (Paste)
Brazil Classics at 20: Anti-Aging Solutions Revealed – v/a (Paste)
Droppin’ Science: Greatest Beats from the Blue Note Labs – v/a (Paste)
Only By the Night – Kings of Leon (Paste)
Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails – The Baseball Project (JamBands.com)
Live:
Willie Nelson at Radio City Music Hall, 25 September 2008 (Village Voice blog)
Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise at Knitting Factory, 12 October 2008 (Village Voice blog)
Movies:
The Holy Modal Rounders… Bound to Lose (Paste)
Happy-Go-Lucky (Paste)
Book:
The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art by Don Thompson (San Francisco Chronicle)
In print:
o Paste #47 (Violence issue): album reviews of Emiliana Torrini, Kings of Leon (Dischord), movie review of Happy-Go-Lucky, Patti Smith: Dream of Life, DVD review of Phish: Walnut Creek
o November Relix (The Clash cover): album reviews of Medeski, Martin and Wood, Brad Barr, Jolie Holland, DVD review of Cornelius.
Listen here.
Detailed playlist.
1. “U.S. Millie” – Theoretical Girls (from Theoretical Girls anthology)
2. “Frow Show Theme” – MVB
3. “Vo Bate Pa Tu” – Baiano e Os Novos Caetanos (from Baiano e Os Novos Caetanos)
4. “The Saga of Cyrus and Mulgrew” – Garth Hudson (from The Sea to the North)
5. “Kandore Mandore” – Andore Kandore (from ’69 Folk Best compilation)
6. “Untitled” – Jim O’Rourke (from Old News, v. 1 CD-R)
7. “Eleven (It’ll Rain!)” – Skeletons (from Money)
8. “Bomb” – Inara George and Van Dyke Parks (from An Invitation)
9. “On A Brass Bed (In Paradise)” – King Khan and His Shrines (from Mr. Supernatural)
10. “Shake Daddy Shake” – Eula Cooper (from Eccentric Soul: The Tragar and Note Labels compilaiton)
11. “Such A Scene” – The Changes (from First of May EP)
12. “Rory Rides Me Raw” – The Vaselines (from The Way of the Vaselines anthology)
13. “Higher than The End” – Twi the Humble Feather (from Music for Spaceships and Earths)
14. “Namer” – High Places (from High Places)
15. “Green Rain” – Shugo Tokumaru (from Exit)
16. “I’ve Lived on a Dirt Road All My Life” – Manitoba (from Up in Flames)
17. “Tintinnabulations” – The Alps (from Jewelt Spirit CD-R)
18. selections from the Musee Mecanique presents Zelinsky Collection, v. 3
19. “Train Your Child” – Washington Phillips (from I Was Born to Preach the Gospel)
20. “Harvest Moon” – Cassandra Wilson (from New Moon Daughter)
21. “This Is It” – Lothar and the Hand People (from Presenting…)
22. “Birthday Boy” – Ween (from GodWeenSatan: The Oneness)
23. “I’m Not A Young Man Anymore” – Velvet Underground (6 or 7 April 1967 The Gymnasium)
24. “Jam > Ship of Fools” – Grateful Dead (23 June 1974 Jai-Alai Fronton)
25. “Rockin’ Chair” – Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra (from Complete Columbia Recordings anthology)
26. “Sun in Aquarius” – Pharoah Sanders (from Jewels of Thought)
27. “Love” – Yann Tomita (from Doopee Time)
28. “All You Need Is Love” – Steven Bernstein and the Millennial Territory Orchestra (from We Are MTO)
29. “Sad, Sad, Sad” – Arms (from Kids Aflame)
30. “You Win Again” – Elvis Costello (from Charlie Haden: Rambling Boy)
31. “Mississippi (Time Out Of Mind outtake)” – Bob Dylan (from Tell-Tale Signs (Bootleg Series, v. 8) anthology)
32. “Singing to the Sunshine” – Cardinal (from Cardinal)
Lovely Frowsketeers!
Despite–or, perhaps, because of–this topsy-tuvry housing market, the Frow Show has scored some prime corner real estate. Specifically, the bottom right corner of the WFMU programming grid, where I’ll kick it from now through June 2009. Starting this week, I can be heard on Sunday nights/Monday mornings, from 3 am – 6 am EST.
As always, if you don’t happen to be awake during those hours, all episodes are archived almost immediately.
Unfortunately, due to RIAA impositions, I don’t think I’m going to be able to make the show available as a podcast. Drag city.
Should be fun anyway, though. Got some guests & other stuff in the works. Watch here (or listen there) for details.
Product that has expired as product, too good not to mention.
Lothar and the Hand People – Lothar and the Hand People (1968)
I sometimes think I could only download psych LPs from 1968 and never run out. That’s not to say that they’re all really good. Some are mad generic. But Lothar and the Hand People’s self-titled debut is really good. Incredibly catchy (sounds like the Velvets sometimes), plenty weird (theremin, electronics). Top notch.
What Is!? – King Khan and His Shrines (2007)
Likewise, ’68 garage-psych revival bands seem a dime a dozen (or less, if one’s jacking wifi from the neighbors), but pretty much every song on What Is!? is a total winner. The organs are exactly right, the choruses even more so.
Stardust – Willie Nelson (1978)
I’m beginning what I imagine will be a long, fruitful relationship with the music of Willie Nelson. Besides the spare Crazy demos from ’59, this is what’s grabbed me most: Willie doing Tin Pan Alley standards. A stoned sweetness in the cosmic neighborhood of Ray Charles and Jerry Garcia and Richard Manuel (see below). Jah bless.
Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway 1985 – Richard Manuel (rec. 1985, rel. 2002)
Been on a Music From Big Pink lately, fueled heavily by John Niven’s entry in Continuum’s 33 1/3 series, whose central haunt is provided by the late Richard Manuel. Whispering Pines was recorded in a Florida club, six months before Manuel hung himself in a motel room. Played on a cocktail hour synth, the music is as distant and sweet as ever. Love the Ray Charles covers.
In My Own Time – Karen Dalton (1971)
Unfathomable loveliness. Billie Holiday with a banjo. Though Dalton despised the schmaltzed up studio arrangements—she was a Village folkie, after all–I think I love them. Her voice practically calls out for syrupy strings, for redeeming fantasias.
o Michael Lewis buys a mansion.
o Wired profiles Weird Al.
o Big, thinky piece on The Whole Earth Catalogue.
o Stanley Milgrim’s Six Degrees of Seperation theory gets halved.
o Roger Ebert on how to read a movie.
Listen here.
Detailed playlist.
1. “Your Cheatin’ Heart” – James Brown (from Dirty Laundry: The Soul of Black Country comp)
2. “Frow Show Theme” – MVB
3. “Some Clouds Don’t” – Fred Frith (from Cheap at Half the Price)
4. “Slippery People (club version)” – Staple Singers (from Slippery People 12-inch)
5. “1000 Cities Falling (part 1)” – The Sadies (from Favorite Colours)
6. “My Big Nurse” – David Byrne and Brian Eno (from Everything That Happens Will Happen Today)
7. “Unfinished” – Kevin Ayers (from What More Can I Say?)
8. “Wayne Wayne” – R. Stevie Moore (from Nevertheless Optimistic)
9. “Flower Sun Rain” – Boris (from Smile)
10. “Shiokumi Kasatsukashi (Collecting Water)” – Kachikuri Mimasuya (from Victrola Favorites: Artifacts from Bygone Days comp)
11. “Apes Guide to Apes” – The Apes (from Yeti #4 comp)
12. “Iko Iko” – The Dixie Cups/Diplo (from Top Ranking Santogold mix)
13. “Left Behind” – CSS (from Donkey)
14. “September Gurls” – The Bangles (from Different Light)
15. “Halifax” – Hampton Grease Band (from Music To Eat)
16. “Up With People” – Oneida (from Happy New Year)
17. “New Year’s Eve” – Stephan Mathieu and Ekkehard Ehlers (from Heroin)
18. “A Manha Na Praia” – Alps (from III)
19. “Exotique” – Roland Bocquet (from Space Oddities: A Collection of Rare European Library Grooves, 1975-1984 comp)
20. “Free Music No. 1 (Percy Grainger)” – Lydia Kavina (from Spellbound! Original Works for Theremin)
21. “Coloris” – Cornelius (from Coloris OST)
22. “Amok! part 1” – Evan Ziporyn/Gamelan Galak Tika (from Amok!/Tire Fire)
23. “miNd / To Be…” – John Cage (from Mesostic IV)
24. “Hydrophone” – Max Eastley (from New and Rediscovered Musical Instruments)
25. “Love Henry” – Jolie Holland (from The Living and the Dead)
26. “Past Has Not Passed” – James Blackshaw (from Litany of Echoes)
27. “Mornings Made of Gold” – John Biz (from tXXXs demos)
28. “Silver Apples of the Moon (part A)” – Morton Subotnick (from Silver Apples of the Moon/The Wild Bull)
29. “Osorezan” (excerpt) – Geioh Yamashirogumi (from Osorezan/Do No Kembai)
30. “Maremaillette” – A Hawk and a Hacksaw (from A Hawk and a Hacksaw)
31. “Air” – Greg Davis (from Cruling Pond Woods)
32. “Waiting For the Dawn To Break” – The Leapyear (from AUX comp)
33. “Sunshine Superman” – Donovan (from Sunshine Superman)
34. “Nega (Phonograph Blues)” – Gilberto Gil (from Gilberto Gil (1971))
35. “Political Science” – Randy Newman (from Randy Newman Songbook. v. 1)
36. “No More Use To Me” – Sam and Simon (from Brudders)
37. “Think Small” – Tall Dwarfs (from Fork Songs)
38. “Green Rocky Road” – Karen Dalton (from Green Rocky Road)
39. “Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower” – Grateful Dead (from One From the Vault)
40. “Journey Through the Outer Darkness” – Sun Ra (from Concert For the Comet Kohoutek)
41. “Waiting For Life” – Ron Geesin (from As He Stands)
42. “Yes We Can, pt. 1” – Lee Dorsey (from Holy Cow! The Very Best of Lee Dorsey)
43. “Naval Milk Prison” – Lee Ranaldo (from Maelstrom From Drift)
44. “Le Grand Mouille” – Vincent Gemignani (from Modern Pop Percussion)
45. “No Ke Ano Ahiahi” – Medeski, Martin, and Wood (from Combustication)
46. “Blue Hawaii” – David Byrne (from Big Love: Hymnal OST)
47. “Noh-Miso 6” – Kunihara Akyama (from Obscure Tape Music of Japan, v. 2: Music for Puppet Theatre of HITOMI-ZA comp)
48. “Sea Song” – Robert Wyatt (from Rock Bottom)
49. “Unwound” – Ralph White (from Trash Fish)
50. “All For You” – E.T. Mensah and the Tempos (from All For You)
51. “All The Dirt” – Mike Doughty (from Skittish)
52. “Ragtime Nightingale” – David Boeddinghaus and Craig Ventresco (from Crumb OST)
53. “I Feel Like Going Home” – Yo La Tengo (from I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass)
Yo La Tengo at Maxwell’s
29 September 2008
benefit for Neumann Leather Tenants Association
no keyboards
I Feel Like Going Home
Come On Up (The Young Rascals)
Drug Test
Tears Are In Your Eyes
Stockholm Syndrome
Mr. Tough
Big Day Coming
Time Fades Away (Neil Young)
*(encore)*
You Tore Me Down (Flamin’ Groovies)
Later in my life, in Venice, long after the sun had set, thanks to the imperceptible echo of a last note of light held indefinitely over the canals as though sustained by some optical pedal, I saw the reflections of the palaces unfurled as if for eternity in an even darker velvet ovver the twilight grayness of the water. One of my dreams was the synthesis of what my imagination had often tried to envisage, during my waking hours, of a particular landscape by the sea and its medieval past. In my sleep I saw a Gothic citadel rising from a sea whose waves were frozen still, as in a stained-glass window. An inlet of the sea divided the town in two; the green water came right up to my feet; on the opposite shore it lapped around an Oriental church, and around houses that already existed in the fourteenth century, so that to move across to them would have been to go backwards through the centuries. (The Guermantes Way, 139-40)
“Meet the Mets” (organ version) (download)
The winners of the division pennants and Wild Card slots are determined by the best winning percentage. In mathematical and actual truth, minute fuck-ups and come-from-behind victories in April count exactly as much as they do during these last, fraught weeks in September. It’s an existential thing, all this drama, coming to appreciate emotionally of what every turn of the game really means, statistically speaking.
Watching the Mets unscrew towards statistical insignificance against the Cubs the other night–hopefully not my last Shea outing, though possibly–I returned bitterly pissed off at the Mets for selling off the last week at Shea for some bullshit VH1-type promotion looking back at the decades and therefore not playing “Meet the Mets.” WTF guys?
