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Gareth Dickson – Quite A Way Away – UPDATED Happy Easters Video

CD 43:24 – 12K1070 – 12k Records

http://www.12k.com/ & http://www.garethdickson.com/

1) Adrenaline, 2) Noon, 3) Get Together, 4) Quite A Way Away, 5) This Is The Kiss, 6) Happy Easters, 7) Nunca Jamas (Never Ever), 8) Jonah

More beautiful music to disappear into, discovered this time by an association with a record label that I have quickly come to admire a great deal, 12k. There is quite a story behind this album by Gareth Dickson and it is told best, right here:

http://www.12k.com/index.php/site/releases/quite_a_way_away/

The comparisons to the sound, the voice and the music are immediate: Nick Drake, Bert Jansch and others, yet there are some distinct differences, some technological and some musical. I speculate that some of the tunings and picking are similar to techniques used by Nick Drake (whose work I am far more familiar with), but there are similarities to another guitarist I admire a great deal, Anthony Phillips (Geese and the Ghost, many others, and collaborations with Harry Williamson: Tarka & Gypsy Suite).

With the exception of instrumental piece Happy Easters, each song starts with an extended introduction on the guitar. It sets the mood, the color, space and even establishes a sonic incantation for the coming lyrics (much of which are of love, longing and searching).

Noon

The recordings have incredible depth (considering they are classified as “lo-fi”). I’m not sure how the album was engineered, processed or mic’ed, but there are some guitar sound similarities to Neil Young’s recent album Le Noise that was produced and engineered by Daniel Lanois. In Quite A Way Away the guitar sounds as an orchestra (whether strings are muted or being played at their fullest at the heart of the guitar). The instrumentation is as stark as Nick Drake’s Pink Moon yet the sound is as full as Five Leaves Left or Bryter Layter—so wonderful to hear.

Happy Easters, to me, is very strongly reminiscent of the acoustic sections of Anthony Phillips’ Scottish Suite as well as other pieces from his second Private Parts and Pieces series of albums. Quite fitting, since Gareth Dickson is originally from Glasgow, Scotland, and his voice also reveals his roots elsewhere on the album.

Happy Easters

This is not an album of songs with guitar accompaniment nor is it a guitar album with vocals. Gareth Dickson combines both and reaches into the sonorous depths to create a passionate, deeply emotional and soulful music.

Links to other song samples here: http://soundcloud.com/gareth-dickson

Posted by wajobu | March 4, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: 12k, Ambient, Anthony Phillips, Bert Jansch, Electronica, Gareth Dickson, Guitar, Instrumental, Music, Nick Drake, Taylor Deupree, Vocal | Leave a comment

Lambchop – Mr. M – UPDATED

Merge Records – MRG 434 (CD & LP Versions)

More information and available at: http://www.mergerecords.com/artists/lambchop

CD: Tracks 1) If not I’ll just die, 2) 2B2, 3) Gone tomorrow, 4) Mr. Met, 5) Gar, 6) Nice without mercy, 7) Buttons, 8) The good life (is wasted), 9) Kind of, 10) Betty’s Overture, 11) Never my love

Note: Double LP version has 3 sides with the 11 tracks of the CD and a 4^th side with 4 additional tracks, “Guess I’m dumb” and three remixes of selected tracks noted above.

Album is dedicated to: James Victor Chesnutt

Kurt Wagner is a humble and interesting character (and from what I have read) a former flooring contractor, now artist, painter, musician, songwriter…and…human, with all the flaws, working through life in his marvelous songwriting.

I came to Lambchop’s work relatively late (through a lateral association with Vic Chesnutt, Mark Linkous and F. M. Cornog’s works) about 5 years ago when I first heard “The Daily Growl” from the 2002 album “Is a Woman”. I was immediately rapt with the music, instrumentation and the stream-of-consciousness lyrics (coming from a man who sounds like a reluctant singer). In that song alone, I felt and heard a deep inner beauty and from there I immediately acquired as many of Lambchop’s recordings I could get my hands on, back to their first in 1994 “I Hope You’re Sitting Down/Jack’s Tulips”. At times, Wagner’s song lyrics seem to have little relation to the apparent subject matter of a given song, or they form the basis for the emotion being expressed (with distracted interjections), and at times the lyrics form a connective thread for the music (like the song “Paperback Bible” from the 2006 album “Damaged”, which I have read is a transcript from a local Nashville radio station broadcast set to music).

Lambchop’s music is neither country nor folk, nor is it rock or alternative. It’s rather indescribable, yet it is often introspective and has a strong sense of a given moment, emotion or place. “Mr. M” is the eleventh studio album by Lambchop (a collective of musicians centered on Kurt Wagner). The band is a core of familiar players: Scott Martin (drums), Matt Swanson (bass), Ryan Norris (guitar and organ), William Tyler (guitar) with guests (original co-founder) Jonathan Marx (credited with “noises”), Cortney Tidwell (vocals and collaborator on their KORT project) and others (see link to Merge Records above).

Gone Tomorrow (official video):

2B2 (official video):

Apparently, for a time Wagner considered not recording again until he was convinced by friends (including producer Mark Nevers) to go back into the studio. Wagner was painting and doing other things prior to writing the songs and working on the recording (the album was recorded from 2009 to 2011). Wagner’s paintings form the basis for the album’s artwork, from a series of black and white (heavy brush stroke) paintings entitled “Beautillion Militaire 2000”. “Mr. M”, while another in the canon of rather quiet and contemplative works by Lambchop, is an appropriate and loving tribute to Vic Chesnutt.

In this work the lyrics vary from literal heartbreak to ironic wordplay and at times are layered with references to song arrangements having an effect (in real time) on Wagner, random thoughts, daily routines and things as mundane (yet real) as a coffee maker or trash on the motorway. The instrumental “Gar” is a gorgeous and timeless interlude at the heart of the album, beautifully arranged with strings, woodwinds and Cortney Tidwell’s harmonic layered vocals. “The Good Life” is reminiscent of Johnny Cash’s works of self-examination. In some ways this album has a similar spirit of introspection and sound to Nick Drake’s “Bryter Layter”—another album of observations, hope, dreams and deep reflections. Some may say that “Mr. M” is rather sleepy, but I think it’s a soul-cleansing meditation with many layers of symbolism to be discovered and understood as one listens more. The strings and woodwinds arrangements are just right (similar to Robert Kirby’s on Drake’s “Bryter Layter”).

I am thankful that Kurt Wagner and Lambchop decided to make music again.

Posted by wajobu | March 1, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Alternative Country, Cortney Tidwell, Country, East River Pipe, FM Cornog, Fred Cornog, Kurt Wagner, Lambchop, Mark Linkous, Merge Records, Music, Nashville, Sparklehorse, Vic Chesnutt, Vocal | 1 Comment

shangrila – Film and Original Soundtrack

First, I am a layperson when it comes to my analysis of this film and second, it is the product of my elder son (yet trying to remain objective), but this is a brief overview of the film and its meanings and symbolism. It is important to note that some might interpret this film differently and might say that I am completely off-base.

The collaborator is musician Danny Cohen (and Easton Gruber), from Chicago who developed a score for the film based on a summary of what the film was about and the proposed direction for the narrative. The score was to be reminiscent of the Chinese culture, yet modern in instrumentation. There were many versions of the film (shorter versions and trailers), but the film and soundtrack are inseparable and they tell a common story. There are many parts to the film, overlapping themes, overtones, political commentary and film theory that I cannot begin to understand. Color also has symbolism. In the broadest sense, this film has three parts: meditation, transition (with free-style voiceover) and a lucid dream.

shangrila link (video below): https://vimeo.com/36822506

https://vimeo.com/36822506

I encourage viewing in full screen mode with headphones or higher quality speakers.

Rather than a scene by scene description, I’ll offer an overview. Red represents China, Communism and deaths caused at the hands of Chinese Government either through oppression of minority cultures (such as the Uyghr culture), population displacement, and the rise of the China as an industrial power. Orange represents Chinese culture and religious heritage. Green is the environment, which is at risk due to industrialization and development (government and private), yet still has a strong presence and importance thanks to its foundations in ancient Chinese culture and identity. Blue is the coming of the darkness, and the transition from natural to artificial. It is a lucid dream of a trip through China and the people and sights encountered (and note how people look away from cameras, as a reaction to the feeling of their being watched by their own government–surveillance). Yet, there is strength in anonymity and hope that it will champion over authoritarianism.

Throughout the film, in particular during the meditation portion, as with Kubrick’s work, central light and symmetry are strong. Various points in the meditation scenes serve as focal points for meditation, such as a blue dot on a shoe or an orange carp in a pond. During the meditation scenes, in many shots, there were thousands of people present, yet from the camera’s point of view, one is alone in the contemplation of the view. Some of the views are memories of other places and the familiarity of a mountainscape in China resembling the Adirondack Mountains in New York State, in America.

Some might note the homage to Apocalypse Now and the wasteland of the riverscape that has been greatly affected by industrialization and pollution from enormous factories–the travesty of the results, yet the beauty of the silence (as it passes from right to left). Also of note is the massive change in the land and rivers as a result of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam (note the drop of the water in the high-walled scene as entire land areas are altered by this project). The water is a river of blood, the blood of millions of Chinese who have given their lives through revolution, relocation, destruction and ethnic oppression.

Throughout the dream there is a mix of visual memories of the Chinese people living in their society, developing an identity, yet remaining anonymous due to their authoritarian surroundings. Gradually the lucid dream of the massive cities, people and surroundings dissolves from reality (with an homage to the film Taxi Driver) into a trip between the Earth (Solaris – Tarkovsky 1972) and the Universe (2001 – Kubrick 1968) as the images of humanity dissolve and fade to white.

I am interested in your interpretations too and hope you enjoy it.

Posted by wajobu | February 24, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ambient, Asia Network, Carleton College, China, Danny Cohen, Drone, Electronica, Josiah Burns, shangrila, Tibet | 2 Comments

In Rotation

Various albums are in rotation here at the moment, with some “classical” recordings (Bernard Herrmann, Aaron Copland and a Karajan rehearsal) on the way from an auction I recently bid on at Polyphony:

http://www.polyphonyrecordings.com/

Printed and online catalogs become available (every two or three months) and Lawrence Jones (the proprietor of Polyphony) conducts auctions as he has since 1978 (reel-to-reel tapes, LPs, books and other items). The recordings are each graded for condition (as well as the covers) and auditioned by Larry, so one can rest assured that they arrive as described and carefully packaged. Larry has many rare items and often entire recording collections become available, like a recent, almost complete collection of Camden label LPs, here:

http://www.polyphonyrecordings.com/camden_gallery.php

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Before anyone thinks I’m listening only to ambient music these days, here’s a brief overview of things moving between turntables and CD players:

Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – In Case The World Changes Its Mind (Live) – fabulous recording!

Van Der Graaf Generator – A Grounding In Numbers – It’s surprisingly good…and gritty.

Drums Between The Bells – Brian Eno and Rick Holland – The piece “Glitch” is remarkable, among others.

Nicholas Szczepanik – Ante Algo Azul – A twelve part suite of recordings along with artwork, custom sleeves and poetry that I am delving into now, fascinating.

Steve Wilson – Grace For Drowning – Excellent

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Luminescent Orchestrii (10″ 4 song vinyl EP)

Elizabeth Fraser – Moses (12″ vinyl EP) – I miss her voice from the days of Cocteau Twins

James Blake – his first eponymous double vinyl LP–really interesting and a (dynamically) challenging recording of great depth. With thanks to my son for getting this for me.

The Black Keys – El Camino – kicking some rock and roll and blues butt.

Yellow Birds – The Color

Fountains of Wayne – Sky Full of Holes – More finely crafted songs.

Tom Waits – Bad As Me – This album just rips.

Wire – Chairs Missing (revisiting a great album from 1978)

Montt Mardie – Skaizerkite – Really energetic songs (AKA David Olof Peter Pagmar) from Sweden.

The Bruford Tapes – From 1979, a reissued 2 channel FM broadcast by Bill Bruford and band.

Long Way Down – Soundtrack to the African motorcycle adventure taken by Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman.

Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas – His 12th studio album…I’ve only heard excerpts and so far and I’m looking forward to this.

Michael Franks – Time Together (released in the summer of 2011) – some great songs from the humorous “Mice” to the heartfelt farewell to his family’s pup, Flora. Gil Goldstein’s arrangements on this are absolutely magical.

Trombone Shorty – For True – Get your funk on!

Taylor Deupree – his albums Shoals and Northern (on his 12K label), electronic/acoustic explorations, beautifully packaged.

Tomas Phillips + Mari Hiko – Prosa (on M. Ostermeier’s Tench label) – Dynamic recording and imagery.

John Zorn – The Gates of Paradise – inspired by the works of William Blake with John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn and Joey Baron – A really beautiful, lyrical and mysterious work inspired by the mystic.

Martin Schulte (Marat Shibaev) – Silent Stars, Odysseia and Treasure – Atmospheric Techno

bvdub – Then – House, Techno, experimental and ambient

There just isn’t enough time in the day (nor money in the music budget). Anyone else have suggestions?

Posted by wajobu | February 12, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ambient, Bill Bruford, bvdub, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Classical, Drone, Electronica, Fountains of Wayne, Gil Goldstein, Instrumental, James Blake, jazz, john zorn, Leonard Cohen, Martin Schulte, Medeski Scofield Martin Wood, Michael Franks, Music, Nicholas Szczepanik, Polyphony, Progressive, Rock, Steve Wilson, Taylor Deupree, The Black Keys, Tom Waits, Trombone Shorty, Vocal | 2 Comments

Forthcoming Reviews

“Winter Garden”, the new instrumental CD by Eraldo Bernocchi, Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie on the RareNoiseRecords label: http://www.rarenoiserecords.com/ The album is also available at Darla Records: http://darla.com/ This IS a solicited review, but I already owned the recording.

“Beyond the Shrouded Horizon”, Steve Hackett’s new album available on the InsideOut label and through the artist’s website: http://www.hackettsongs.com/

Posted by wajobu | February 8, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: AffordableAudio, Ambient, Daily Audiophile, Darla, Electronica, Eraldo Bernocchi, Genesis, Harold Budd, HifiZine, Instrumental, Progressive, Rock, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Recent work by Monty Adkins and new work by Marcus Fischer

Monty Adkins – Fragile.Flicker.Fragment

In my review below of M. Ostermeier’s latest album, I didn’t note that Marc referred me to the work of Monty Adkins and specifically his recent CD “Fragile.Flicker.Fragment.” This album is a real gem, beautiful electric and acoustic pieces and wonderfully produced and it has been nominated for a Qwartz8 award in the album category in France: http://qwartz.fr/2012/01/24/qwartz-8-categorie-album-cat/ It’s available at Audiobulb Records: http://www.audiobulb.com/

The track “Remnant” has an accompanying video, which is here:

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Marcus Fischer – Collected Dust

Also, I recently became aware of the work of Marcus Fischer (why do I miss all these great artists?). He has a just released CD entitled “Collected Dust”. Please read more about Marcus’s work at his website: http://dust.unrecnow.com/ as well as at Tench Records (sound files here): http://www.tenchrec.com/TCH05.html The CD just arrived yesterday and it’s playing now. A splendid work (also electric and acoustic in a similar vein to Monty Adkins’s work).

Posted by wajobu | February 4, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ambient, Audiobulb, Electronica, Instrumental, Marcus Fischer, Monty Adkins, Music, Tench Records | Leave a comment

M. Ostermeier – The Rules of Another Small World

Tench Records – TCH04 – 37:11

http://www.tenchrec.com/ & http://www.words-on-music.com/mostermeier/

1) Micro Forest Updraft, 2) Streambed Arrangement, 3) Sunlight on My Desk, 4) I Took Out Your Picture, 5) Floorboards, Well-worn, 6) Trickle Down, 7) Fast Darters, 8) Underwater Drifting, 9) Retreating Night, 10) Suspicions, 11) Ngth

I’ll admit it; I was first intrigued with this album because of its cover, images of an abandoned sci-fi pod-style housing project in northern San-Zhr, Taiwan taken by photographer Craig Ferguson. Coincidentally, I had recently purchased the band Should’s sharply crafted album “Like A Fire Without Sound” on the Words on Music label. Little did I realize, but M. (Marc) Ostermeier is also part of Should, along with Tanya Maus & Marc’s brother, Eric. Marc is also co-owner of the Words on Music label. After rather experimental sampled-guitar beginnings in Austin, Texas, Should’s music has evolved into rather direct (and often very catchy), yet introspective, post-rock works sometimes classified as the “shoegazer” genre.

“The Rules of Another Small World” certainly takes some cues from Brian Eno and Harold Budd’s ambient works together and it sounds as if one is exploring the environs of what is depicted on the album’s cover. In contrast to Should’s directness, this is music-on-the-edges of consciousness or the fringe of a dream, with great depth. It evokes, for me, a feeling of having vivid memories without remembering all of the details, yet still being left with strong images, sounds and colors. The album has an almost early-era Kraftwerk beginning, similar to “Kling Klang” from the 1972 album “Kraftwerk 2”. In that work, bells, gongs and chimes of various types start and then drift into a muffled drone of flute, guitar and electric piano.

Audio Tracks “Micro Forest Updraft” & “Underwater Drifting”: the-rules-of-another-small

Ostermeier uses electronic and acoustic instruments (piano and possibly a vibraphone) effectively and melodically throughout with various treatments. There are ambient sounds, real and electronically created. The recording is penetratingly clear and broad, but not overpowering, so the result is a very relaxing and sensuous exploration of an ethereal musical realm. This is music with a direction, not free-form ambient sounds, at all. With each subsequent listen, I hear new things and focus on different parts and counterpoints in the recordings. Marc previously released an equally intriguing album “Chance Reconstruction” TCH01, with another beautifully decorated sleeve of black and white forest images.

TCH01 Chance Reconstruction

Posted by wajobu | February 4, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ambient, Darla, Electronica, Instrumental, M. Ostermeier, Music, Tench Records | Leave a comment

My Online Reviews Currently Appear At…

http://affordableaudio.org/Affordable$$Audio/Current_Issue.html and http://www.hifizine.com/ Stay tuned for additional online locations.

Posted by wajobu | February 3, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: AffordableAudio, Ambient, Audiokarma.org, Daily Audiophile, Darla, Drone, East River Pipe, Electronica, FM Cornog, HifiZine, Instrumental, M. Ostermeier, Marcus Fischer, Merge Records, Monty Adkins, Music, Nicholas Szczepanik, Nick Magnus, Progressive, Robin Guthrie, Rock, Steve Hackett, Tench Records, Vocal, Will Samson | 1 Comment

Review: We Live In Rented Rooms by East River Pipe

My latest music review is here at Affordable Audio (scroll to the bottom of the page): http://affordableaudio.org/Affordable$$Audio/Current_Issue.html

Posted by wajobu | February 2, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: East River Pipe, FM Cornog, Fred Cornog, Merge Records | Leave a comment

On Instrumental Music – Old and New

Teaser: I’m working on a review of “Winter Garden”, the new instrumental CD by Eraldo Bernocchi, Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie on the RareNoiseRecords label.

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In a recent broadcast of the American Public Media program “On Being”, Krista Tippett was talking with the late Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue who noted, “Music is what language would love to be if it could.” It’s a fascinating interview on what O’Donohue explored throughout his short life (he died at the age of 52 in 2008) and called “the invisible world” and ties to spirituality, mysticism, beauty, and ties to his Irish homeland and history.

http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/inner-landscape-of-beauty/transcript.shtml

While I don’t necessarily think written or spoken language is inferior to music, instrumental works can evoke instantaneous memories or emotions that are often indescribable. Certainly, spoken words or sung lyrics can elevate, or make more familiar, the emotion of a piece, but I have always been fascinated by instrumental music, from early to modern as well as current forms (either as pure electronic or combined acoustic, found-sampled sound coupled with electronic music).

I often return to familiar musicians for new work and to revisit their earlier works. Many long-established artists continue to explore and reinvent themselves. Brian Eno and his many collaborators is an example of such an artist. With the demise of so many traditional record shops (especially in rural and suburban areas), I have found it increasingly difficult to find new music. Time was when I could walk into my local record shop and “Bob” who I had known for years knew my tastes in music, but also knew I was open for new explorations. If I was on the hunt for something new, “Bob” always had great ideas, but now he’s gone.

It has taken me some time, but slowly, I am finding new sources for music (in addition to word-of-mouth from friends), whether it’s direct from independent music labels, music related websites, podcasts or referrals from musicians. I have also found the (almost instant) crowd-sourcing aspect of Twitter to be very helpful for finding legal sources for artist’s works when some outlets are out of stock.

Music comes from unlikely sources too. Recently I was listening to an NPR Heavy Metal (not my usual haunt) genre podcast from NPR’s All Songs Considered, and NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich paused between Metal songs to refer to a young electronic/drone musician from the Chicago area named, Nicholas Szczepanik. The piece that Lars sampled was a short excerpt from NS’s mid-2011 release “Please Stop Loving Me”, a single 48 minute track, a portion of which is here:

please-stop-loving-me-excerpt

Certainly, some people will react differently, but my reaction to “PSLM” was instantaneous and visceral. The layering of the sound, the reaching for something and when almost at the point of contact the music shifts slightly to another layered emotion, feeling or color. Yet, I found the piece incredibly relaxing and comforting despite its density. It took me a few tries to find a CD of the work, but thanks to that instant crowd-sourcing at Twitter, I found a copy in France from: http://www.bassesfrequences.org/ Jerome, the owner of the website, could not have gotten me the CD much faster. “PSLM” is a really remarkable work. I look forward to Nicholas’s forthcoming releases.

Nicholas has two LP releases coming soon (that’s right folks, vinyl) : “The Truth of Transience” available at: http://www.isounderscore.com/ and “We Make Life Sad”, soon to be available at: http://www.mewelesite.be/ (and it looks like the LP will be pressed with clear vinyl).

Posted by wajobu | January 29, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ambient, Drone, Electronica, Eraldo Bernocchi, Harold Budd, Instrumental, Music, Nicholas Szczepanik, Robin Guthrie | Leave a comment

wajobu Independent Music & Equipment Reviews, Forthcoming Music Label & Sounds

Latest

Gareth Dickson – Quite A Way Away – UPDATED Happy Easters Video

Lambchop – Mr. M – UPDATED

shangrila – Film and Original Soundtrack

In Rotation

Forthcoming Reviews

Recent work by Monty Adkins and new work by Marcus Fischer

M. Ostermeier – The Rules of Another Small World

My Online Reviews Currently Appear At…

Review: We Live In Rented Rooms by East River Pipe

On Instrumental Music – Old and New

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