album #97

there's a riot goin' on (sly and the family stone)

Nice. It's a nice, deep, low, fuzzy, dark funk record. An ambient funk sound. Many of the songs start in a nice, melodic, distinct moment of pop, and then glide towards less distinct funk jams. This is a mood album, a nice, low funk mood. My favorite track is "Family Affair," some other good ones are "(You Caught Me) Smilin'" and the casually cheerful, vintage coke commercial "Runnin' Away." Many of the tracks are cool but boring, to be honest. I mean, it's good as a funk record, the reputation of the record obviously is tremendous, but I'm not in love with it as music itself.

album #96

another green world (brian eno)

Eno intrigues me, because I don't really know much about his solo career, but I do know that he's highly regarded for his collaborations with musicians I love, like Bowie and Talking Heads. That said, I wasn't in love with this album. It never turned me off, it was just so minimalistic. The only standouts are "Everything Merges With The Night," very pretty piano, nice vocals- there's a sense of cinematic casualness to this one, sweetly quiet, contemplative wintertime. And the other standout, my favorite, "I'll Come Running," which feels like it could be a Bowie song- a nice rhythm to it, fun lyrics, the piano tinkling nicely; this is the only song that feels like it has a direction, the rest seem to exist in a mild sonic statism.

Cool sounds, cool synths, the way he changes sounds, it's all interesting. But that's all it is. Interesting, cool. Rarely fully engaging. (That said, I still think I'll give him a chance, especially on his allegedly less-minimalistic earlier albums).

album #95

daydream nation (sonic youth)

"Declarative" is the word that comes to mind after listening to this album… every track bursts with confidence and force. It's a very distinct style that I'm trying to phrase… youthful, revolutionary, urgent but too cool to preach. I really like the vocal stylings of Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon… not really singing so much as confidently declaring their lyrics. The closest parallel I can think of is Pavement… that assertive, distinctly 90's rock n' roll sound, with cool, smart lyrics.

Most of this record, although good, didn't stand out for me. Just three tracks that I particularly loved- "Teenage Riot," a great opener, perfectly driven melodic guitars, a true sense of promise. "Hey Toni" is solid- the clanging sparkle of guitars is what I really love in this one. And "Candle" is an instant favorite- melodic, nicely paced- it sounds like the single.

This is a record that may be more exciting to hear one track at a time, rather than as an album… as an album, I got a little used to their style… bored is unfair, but it's more like, I just couldn't hear it as anything but background music. But for instance, right now I'm just listening to "Eric's Trip," not even one of my favorites, but on it's own, full of energy, drama, great guitars, great lyrics… and maybe every track is this exciting, just one-on-one.

album #94

endtroducing (dj shadow)

This is the music that I wanted Portishead to be… mysterious, fuzzy, hip, dark, ambient cool. Even the artist's name, DJ Shadow, fits with the theme of the music… the whole thing is an elusive, melodic, haze of hip-hop collage. These are also some of the best named songs I've listened to- "Building Steam with a Grain Of" carries an industrial intensity with a pretty melody; "Stem, Long Stem" is a long, narrow, slow song; "Mutual Slump" has got a hint of darkness, aggression, defeat in it; "Changeling" has a glowing touch of sci-fi mystique; and one of the tracks that I especially liked, "Midnight in a Perfect World," is sexy, spacy, hollow, ambient… a night of mystery and luxury, in slow motion. I wrote that description before I even noticed the title, that's how perfectly the title matches the mood.

Ultimately this is a cool album; if I'm in a coffee shop at midnight and I hear this music playing, I know that I'm living in a cool moment. But I think I may have overheard this album a little bit… the novelty and strangeness wore off for me a little, and I'm not sure I love this type of music enough to draw deeper into the meaning or the sound of it.

I tend to think of a lot of cultural experiences (reading certain books, hearing certain albums) as a 3-step process of discovery… from a distance, at the start, it seems pretty cool… then you're in it, and it's difficult and exhausting, the novelty worn off but the work still ahead of you… but after enough study and mastering, there's a renewed richness, understanding of the experience, and you love it even more than you did initially. My feeling is that I loved this record through the first stage, but now I'm in the second stage- where it sounds good, it's cool, but I'm not in love with it- and I don't think I have the discipline or the inclination to listen/examine my way towards the third stage. It's a good, cool listen, I like it, and I'd like to hear more of DJ Shadow, but I don't think I'll fully fall in love with this one.

album #93

closer (joy division)

I liked this record a lot, more than I expected to. Based on my general sense of Joy Division, I expected this album to be droning, dreary and sad- and even though it's definitely dark, and certainly 'ambient' (the PC term for droning, it seems), this was still a musically rich, interesting, increasingly satisfying listen.

The general tone is one of dark, driven ambience, and despite a unity of tone, most of the tracks stand out in unique, interesting ways. "Atrocity Exhibition" is a great opener, with every element of the music sharing focus… the low bass leading the melody; the pitter-patter of drums contributing a dark, particularly catchy rhythm; scratchy, industrial guitars that, although engaging, seem to exist independently of the rest of the song, restlessly thrashing around in the background; and intriguing lyrics sung in that low, iconic Ian Curtis sing/monotone. It's one of the most engaging, most complete tracks on the album, a thoroughly compelling opener. "Isolation" crackles with high, brisk, catchy synth, much moreso than any other track on the album. The middle of the album mostly amounts to different shades of the central tone; my particular favorite of these tracks is "A Means to An End," with a great rhythm, low and dark, and that startlingly intriguing lament, 'I put my trust in you.' And then I love the closing track, "Decades"… a gasping, coughing rhythm, with a high synth, sometimes peppered, sometimes glowing, sometimes jagged… this song has special resonance for me, because it's the track that played along with grainy, haunting black and white footage of Ian dancing, at an exhibit at the Guggenheim. That visual, that moment, has always captured the sadness and the mystery of Joy Division for me. Lastly, as far as the individual songs go, I want to emphasize that even the tracks I didn't write about were good and interesting, and it's all worth a relisten.

Something that truly surprised me about this record is just how modern it is, how inventive… that post-punk, synthetic, rock/ambient sound, it's really pretty awesome. Joy Division is one of those bands that almost perfectly defines the inventive spirit of that 1979/1980 renaissance, a musical timeframe that increasingly draws my curiosity. Anyway, even though I knew they were so revered, I guess I assumed that their work would be super flat, pitch black and droning… it's not like they're bouncing off the walls, but there's indisputably an energy and a spirit in the music that's absolutely captivating, and it just plain sounds better than I would have guessed. I need to hear more of them.

album #92

kala (m.i.a.)

This is a pretty badass record. Pretty thrilling sounds- worldly, hostile, eclectic, political hip hop. According to wikipedia, M.I.A. summed this record up as, "shapes, colours, Africa, street, power, bitch, nu world, and brave." Pretty much, yeah.

A lot of the tracks stand out… "Bird Flu"- intense, tropical, with some great lyrics ("when I get fat I'm gon' pop me out some leaders", "village got on the phone, said the street's comin to town"- the collision of third world village and consumer culture/hip hop… just a cool, intriguing lyric)… "Boyz," a bold single, love the sexy aggression and the chanting; "Jimmy," the lush disco ballad; "$20"… so fucking heavy. Such a heavy, intense song, with brilliantly political, fierce lyrics. "The Turn"… there's something very appealing about this one- an intrigue, a melodic plaintiveness… like a torch song at a jazz club, but according to the rules of MIA's world. "Paper Planes," the breakout single, hot, fun, intense, catchy as hell- it's the closest thing to a standard, ghetto bragadoccio American rap track. And "Come Around," another big single, closes out the record.

Every single track is memorable, distinctive, and assertive. It's a forceful record. Sometimes I like her voice, the slightest sneer of Britishness; other times her flat drone turns me off (though other times this carelessness brings a sultry, ugly power to what she says; and other times it creates just an interesting contrast with the kaleidoscopic energy of the music.)

Overall I don't Love it, but I like it a good deal, one of the best lyrical records I've listened to lately, and fun to write about it, no doubt.

album #91

bee thousand (guided by voices)

I really enjoyed this one, it's one of my favorites in a while. This album feels like a secret treasure… I can tell just in the sound of it that this was a big, influential album, underground. There's the fuzzy sound (an inescapable phrase in other reviews- "lo-fi pop"), funny, interesting lyrics, short, disparate songs that fit together in perfect harmony… this is absolutely an example of an album I enjoy more as an album, rather than the songs individually.

This songs on this album seem to emerge from a mysterious otherworld… there's a distance in that lo-fi sound, the way each song begins and ends so differently from the others, hurtling inward and fading away from spaces unknown. "Gold Star for Robot Boy" is one of the tracks that especially evokes this feeling.

There are so many cool, distinct tracks on this one. "Tractor Rape Chain" is the masterpiece… when that song emerges from the indie fuzz of the first two tracks, it truly feels like a revelation. Beautiful, urgent melody (same with the lyrics), and the chorus that evokes (and surely influenced) the high, echoed, barking vocal rhythms of the Shins. "I Am A Scientist" is another classic, nice low guitar, a lovely sing-song melody with smart, interesting lyrics. "Peep-hole" is nice and weird- funny, strange lyrics, a strange, high-lilting sound in the guitars and vocals. "Hot Freaks" wallows in a cool, smooth, sultry low-ness (Louis XIV-esque), and "Echos Myron" definitely reminds me of something Chris would play… maybe a sweeter version of a Pixies song or an influence on Weezer, with the upbeat pop sound and the high harmonies.

Very cool record, and pretty brief. Good one to relisten to now and then, and I'd love to hear more of their catalogue.

album #90

summerteeth (wilco)

This is my favorite Wilco album that I've heard. It has a much stronger energy than the other albums I've heard… less musty, creaky, experimental than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, not nearly as tentative or slow as Sky Blue Sky. Just a series of strongly driven, well played, fun songs- the most noticeable difference coming in the hardness, the loudness of the electric guitars. Easily the most relistenable Wilco record I've heard.

The opening track, "Can't Stand It," instantly won me over with that dramatic riff at the top… just instantly establishing a tone of drama and authority. "ELT" is my favorite (for now- they're all pretty good in their own way, and I feel like my preferences will evolve) of the other upbeat, guitar-and-driven harmony tracks. "When You Wake Up Feeling Old" is my favorite of the slower songs… sweet jangle of the guitar, an endearing twinkle of the piano, and a sense of uplift. And "Summer Teeth" is a pretty masterful track- that upbeat pop, the intriguing lyrics, the guitar sound with some flashes of that experimental energy. A good track, worth relistening and reexamining.

I had almost given up on this band, or at least gotten bored with going to their albums for review material, but this one really won me over, right off the bat. Good one guys!

album #89

still night, still light (au revoir simone)

This is a thoroughly mild, cool album. More than most of what I've listened to this year, this makes me think of dancing at a house party where I feel a little out of place, a little out-cooled. Sexy, indie Brooklyn hipsterdom, that's what this record sounds like. One of the songs is even about breaking up with a guy and (very sincerely, empathetically) asking him to move on… the sort of song that, of course, an impossibly cool, attractive girl (such as the girls of ARS) would write. I don't mean to sound defensive or cliquish… it's just what the music makes me think of.

This is a nice record, they have a pretty sound… the soft vocals, the twinkling synths. But I never really loved it. In fact, this record is probably one of the most mild I've heard all year- I like everything, I dislike pretty much nothing, I strongly like pretty much nothing. It flies hard and narrow into the 'okay' zone. "Another Likely Story" is nice, and I like "Anywhere You Looked"- this sounds like the song I'd dance to if I saw these guys in person, didn't love it, but tried to convince myself I did, and was thus dancing/jamming when they played this. It kinda reminds me of being a sophomore and knowing only that I wanted to be cooler, without being sure what would get me there.

The one Au Revoir Simone track I really loved was "Through the Backyards of our Neighbors"- just a beautiful track. But that's not on this record. I'll have to find the album with that song and see if I like it better than this one.

album #88

all hour cymbals (yeasayer)

I don't love it, but I like it. I almost wonder if I listened to this album too much- if the experimental boldness wore off on me and I realized that I just wasn't super in-love with a lot of the melodies. Much of the second half of the album is a little slow for my tastes, although the first half starts pretty strong. There are highlights, there's some cool stuff, from a creative perspective I definitely appreciate this record, but I think I've listened a little too much to love it.

The clearest influences here are Bowie, Eno and TV on the Radio- that interest in sound, rhythm, vocals that swing from low serenades to stirring tribal choruses. Even when the tracks are a little boring, there's a thick field of sound to each song- buzzing, lush, busy sound. Some standout tracks: "Wait for the Summer," my favorite- an almost cinematic sense of drama, a lovely eastern influence, and a truly beautiful wave of choral "la's" near the end. "2080" sounds a lot like TVOTR or (at the beginning) the Smiths- an tense guitar, a beautiful swell of vocals. I instantly liked "Forgiveness"- very weird, heavily synthesized sounds, strange, shitfting pace, great rhythyms with a somewhat tribal, choral feeling in the vocals. And "Red Cave" ends the album on a high note, a spiritual almost.

In fact, looking back on it, that seems to be the common thread of the album- something spiritual to it, each track is like an invocation, a holy tribal chant, rich with interesting, strange patterns of sound. The element that separates my favorites is the richness or interestingness of the melody.

album #87

night falls over kortedala (jens lekman)

This is a fun album. Very lush. Overall I'd say the positives and the negatives both come out of the syrupyness of this record- incredibly sweet, lush melodies and confessional, emotionally expressive lyrics- but sometimes pushing the envelope, a little too sweet, a little too busy. Jens has a fun sound on this record, a sort of 1970s European/Disco retro sound- flutes, strings, high brass- with that perfectly clear, warm voice.

The second half of the record is charming and okay, but the first half really unleashes a powerful string of fun, poppy, successful songs, rich with sound. After a pleasant but imposingly melodramatic first track, the meat of the album follows- "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar," a fun, upbeat track driven by the brass; "The Opposite of Hallelujah," perfectly charming; "A Postcard to Nina," a cute track with a lovely balance of romantic ballad, comedy, and the upbeat swing of a brassy chorus; "Into Eternity," a sweet, lovely, fun ballad; and "I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You," perhaps my favorite track on the album, very pretty, that dancingly upbeat piano, a striking contrast to the vocals. “I'm so sorry I couldn't love you enough…" damn.

After that row the songs maintain their lushness and general tenor, but they just don't engage me at quite the same level. I did enjoy the late track, "Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig," fun vocal styles, a fun beat, altogether just arranged well.

Although the busy, upbeat tracks are a lot of fun, there's something about the slightly simpler, melodic sadness of "I am Leaving You…" and "…Hallelujah" that appeals to me, and I recall hearing at least one other Lekman song in that vein, and I'd be interested to hear if he's made other records that approach more of that sound.

album #86

led zeppelin iv (led zeppelin)

Funny thing about this record- many months ago I wrote a pretty smart, interesting review, which I lost because of an internet flub, which made me so furious that I ended up (accidentally) breaking my computer. It's not like this has left any lingering emotional issue, but it has put me in the mood to not write or think about this album for very long. A neutral negative vibe.

The first half are mostly pretty huge, famous songs, but I generally preferred the second half. I like their heavy, loud sound. This is a group that really thrives on rhythm- often the sounds of the drum and the bass are just as interesting to listen to as the vocals or the guitars. Generally I'd say the vocals are my least favorite aspect of the work, but I'm okay with them because they fit the tenor of the music. That's probably the main thing about Zeppelin, as far as I understand them- that harmony of the individual parts, the nice unity of the various elements.

Favorite tracks: the chain-gang heaviness of "When the Levee Breaks"- damn, that's a dusty song. "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Four Sticks" both have a good sound to them, the former more upbeat, the latter more driven. "Rock & Roll" is a fun one too, and of course "Stairway to Heaven" has a good sound to it. But my favorites are really those first three.

Good, heavy, rhythmic sound. I wouldn't mind hearing more of their work.

album #85

everybody (the sea and cake)

I instantly loved this album. So many great melodies, in that casually sweet Sea and Cake style. Pleasant, pretty listening, but there's still a punch to a lot of it, it feels more direct somehow than The Fawn, in a way that I like.

"Up On Crutches" opens the album with a great surge of dramatic pop energy- about as dramatic as this sighing, mellow band gets. "Too Strong" immediately follows, probably my favorite song on the record. A jangling, glowing stroll of a song, great melody. I still enjoy "Coconut," a sweetly calm, driven, chill song that takes me back to the '08 campaign season- the song that made me get the album. In fact, this qualifies as a successful example of a record that I really enjoy beyond my initial favorite track- I haven't always been so lucky this year.

The second half of the record is a little less distinct, but still has some winners. "Exact to Me" is just plain good, and "Introducting" wins me over with just the slightest, sweetest shrug of a guitar riff.

Altogether this is totally my type of band and I'll probably check out at least one or two more of their records.

album #84

the fawn (the sea and cake)

I like these guys, a good deal. Very chill music… sweetly melodic, laid back, interior pop with a touch of jazz. They're jams, really. Subdued, melodic jams. Sometimes they blur together a little- there is such a consistent, subdued tone that one has to really focus in and listen to recognize the lovely, intricate differences from piece to piece- without that focus, the album flows together as nondescript, pleasant background music.

About half the tracks, after several listens, have still not ascended from the level of nondescript and pleasant… there are songs that I simply don't remember how they sound, they're just nice. In general, the tracks I enjoyed maintained that gently driven, rhythmic, melodic pace, but they found a hook or a movement to take things to a really nice place… for instance, "Sporting Life" has this endearing touch of high synth to really lock a nice sound into place (really reminds me of the Postal Service), and "Bird and Flag" is driven by a nice, crisp, light guitar (at the start, it really sounds like the Smiths). My very favorites are "The Ravine," this beautifully relaxed yet driven song, a quiet sense of magic or discovery in the movement of the music; and "Civilise," which somehow carries in its sound the plaintive warmth of a 90's love song, with a rich jazz influence.

album #83

never for ever (kate bush)

I really liked this one a lot. Certainly more than Hounds of Love, and possibly more than The Kick Inside.

The songs can get startlingly dark- two of my favorites, "Babooshka" and "The Wedding List" deal with infidelity and a pretty intense revenge killing, respectively. In addition to those two, my favorites: the gentle, dreamy ramble of "Delius," the musicalesque "Blow Away (for Bill)," and perhaps my favorite Kate Bush song, the wistful, slow-yet-catchy "Army Dreamers."

It's altogether that classic Kate Bush formula- dreamy, melodramatic, nice intersections of pop and a vaguely operatic frailty. Her music always makes me picture a foggy English dreamworld. And her best stuff is invariably pretty darn catchy. In my year-long search for 'my' Kate Bush album, this probably will stand as the winner.

album #82

sky blue sky (wilco)

This is a pleasant album. Chill. There's a real bluesy energy to it as well- a nice mix of mellow, melodic songs, and more searing, bluesy laments ("You Are My Face," "Side With The Seeds," "Hate it Here.") Everything is generally good, but I'm not in love with much of it. There's a nice, throwback vibe to it, something '70s about that low key, folk rock sound.

Two standout tracks: "Impossible Germany," with a very sweet, tight, melodic guitar driving a generally nice, low key, lovely song. And my favorite, "Leave Me (Like You Found Me)," a really beautiful, sad, sweet song, driven by lovely piano and a light, mournful twinge of guitar.

Philosophically it was interesting album as well. Near the end I liked these lyrics: "And if the whole world’s singing your songs/ And all of your paintings have been hung/ Just remember what was yours is everyone’s from now on"- the self aware dilemma of the artist giving his product to the world… truly a fascinating and difficult issue, the personal becoming the public.

album #81

red, yellow and blue (born ruffians)

This is a really good album. These guys have a great energy and a sound that feels both unique and vintage. Their signature traits, as I see it, are those tight, rocky, rhythmic strikes of the guitar; the chanting interplay of the vocals. This album really reminds me of those punk/new wave bands of the late 70s, early 80s, like Blondie and Television. The jagged, creative guitars, the nasally vocals, a style that feels somewhat minimalistic but still creative and ambitious.

A lot of good ones on this record. I love the rollicking, sea-chantyesque energy of "Barnacle Goose," the upbeat, straightforward classic rock/bass pulse of "Hummingbird," the lovely vocal interplay in the latter half of "Little GarŸon," the fantastic pulse- slinging, clanging, controlled yet driven- of "Badonkadonkey," the Weezeresque clanging, vaguely subdued, romantic jam of "Foxes Mate for Life," and the inviting, energetic refrain of the finale, "Kurt Vonnegut."

Good listening. Quick, rhythmic, spare but engaging. Fun stuff.

exhibit #5

Kandinsky (the Guggenheim)

I like Kandinsky but it's difficult to write too thoroughly about his work because his abstractions are hard to distinguish by words. His work is less about analysis and more about the instant sensation. I can't remember many of these pieces just by what I wrote about them, but I know I liked them.

[I'll finish adding links later this week]

Near the beginning of the exhibit the Edwin R. Campbell panels are on display- these pieces, from an interior design commission, are on loan from MOMA, and I've seen them and admired them before. They're the pieces most likely to have been seen before, by the casual NYC museum goer- a clever, warm way of introducing the exhibit.

It's mentioned that Kandinsky sought to find freedom from nature, “as in music”… interesting. True. Music creates sounds and rhythms that exist nowhere else in nature- art meanwhile, so much of it is just a reproduction of what we see. “Music could elicit a response without a recognizable subject”… very well phrased. Why do some arts work in this form and others don't? Abstract theatre, after all, is annoying, and abstract writing seems impossible… some arts, to succeed as art, must demonstrate empathy and reflect on the conditions that humans experience. Others are free to roam. What separates them?

Riding Couple- beautiful; rich dark blues, the glowing Russian city in the background.

A few references to the Fauves- who were they, what is this school?

He was pretty spiritual, I didn't know that.

One of his works from 1908/1909 reminds me of Gaugin (Landscape near Murnau with Locomotive)- big, flat, sweetly simple planes of color.

Blue Mountain… love it. Very pretty one. This looks like a transitional phase between his somewhat more literal early works, and his famed abstracts later on- horses, trees, but big, bright, strange color. “This is the time in art when colors stops being descriptive and becomes more about expressing emotion”- tour guide, overheard. I like that analysis.

The canvases are getting bigger, stranger, more beautiful… I thoroughly like “Improvisation 4”- dark blue and greens rules the middle, a glowing, peach sunset sky on the right.

Picture with an Archeron loan from MOMA, a great one.

Some of the improvisations are a little childlike… they're nice, but the colors seem a little less inspired, the lines a little too foggy… Sure he's experimenting, but I like his busier, more deeply colored pieces.

“Theosophical thought”- I like the expression, I get the gist of this concept, but it would be interesting to look up and read into it.

Impressions, improvisations, and compositions… I like Kandisnky's definitions and I wonder how I could apply them to my own artistic endeavors.

Look up Phalanx artist's association, and Gabrielle Munter. (It's interesting to notice that Kandinsky really began focusing on art in his early 30s, and his breakthroughs came in his 40s…)

I like Improvisation 19, a field of purple and blue, with some red and yellow figures in the lower left. Black lines defining the figures.

I like Picture with a Circle- before, the colors seemed pretty but a little amateurish, childlike, like's he's figuring it out. This is the first work where the colors truly blend in a beautiful fog. According to the tour guide, “this is the first non objective painting”- ¨no subject at all- Painting with a Black Arch- fantastic as well. Now we're in a Kandinsky phase that I really like, the oily, foggy, dreamlike blend of color.

Improvisation 27 (Garden of Love I)- not super beautiful in the color (yellowish, brownish, with some blue and red) but blended quite beautifully. According to the time line this piece was originally bought by (somebody influential- Alfred Stieglitz, perhaps?)

I Really love Small Pleasures- beautiful color, beautiful blend… 1911-1914, I love these years.

Sketch II for Composition VII (1913)- absolutely beautiful, bright, dreamy color. “Improvisation 35”- beautiful. WOW- black lines, it's like inverse fireworks. Bright, bold spots of color, with an intricate layer of line drawings bursts on top. Absolutely magnificent… we are really in Knockout territory right now. “Light Picture” is also fantastic.

Painting with Red Spot- awesome.

Interesting… he was highly influenced by the German art world, and forced to leave when WWI began- an artist's life caught in world history!

His 1916, 1917 works start to look a little grayer… perhaps wartime malaise?

He seems to be a figure in the early years of the Russian Revolution (1918-1921). Crazy.

His definitions of shapes are pretty interesting; triangle= active and aggressive, square= peace and calm, circle= spiritual and cosmic. It's true- the triangle will always point in a direction, imply a demand; the square can sit sturdily in place, content. And of course, the circle is unified and unbroken.

I really like Circles on Black, it's like an explosion of the moon. Here in the 1920s we start to see Kandinsky get more linear and angular and geometric- the pure, foggy explosions are now more defined- still abstract, but now with precise, shapes (not meaning precise geometric shapes- but with definable line.)

Kandinsky had such an interesting life… lots of famous artists friends, and interactions/confrontations with all sorts of political/historical currents… he worked with, taught at Gropius' Bauhaus during Germany's lose n' crazy Weimar era… and the Nazis really disliked his work. The Bauhaus closes for good in 1933, when Hitler takes power… fascinating story, I must look into it.

Blue Circle, good one. In the Black Square, super geometric/ abstract. One Center- gorgeous, it looks like a snow globe that predicts the future. “Yellow Red Blue,” “Composition 8”… Ah, I really enjoy “Light”- a smaller canvas but very pretty, a bright aqua sea background, an intricate red/orange instrument in the foreground. I love “Accent in Pink,” the deep purple background, the golden brown diamond, the bright pink circle among a field of darker circles.

His twilight years in Paris… lighter, softer color, biological motifs, experimentations with materials… I like the sand and pigment look, I'm kindof in the mood to try it.

He lived in Nazi occupied Paris- wow. The city was liberated in the last few months of his life, when he was essentially ill and bedridden. What a history!

“Movement I”- beautiful. The constellations of a deep brown night sky. Compellingly intricate. Looks like space, according to a 1970s filmstrip.

“Thirty”- amazing. Chessboard squares of black and white, with symbols that look like the alphabet of an ancient, or alien language (or symbols that Led Zeppelin would use).

“Upward” looks like a 1980s Science textbook cover- and I don't mean that in a derogatory way.

“Around the Circle” looks like the glowing pastel contents of a magic box, emptied on a Billiards table.

I enjoy “Sky Blue”… it's rather whimsical, all these strange, bright creatures, falling/hovering in the sky… it's almost like a parody or a parallel to that Michaelangelo painting of the saint getting torn about by hideous, flying demons.

His final years have a linearity and a whimsy to them. Figures that seem like little amoebas or creatures, floating about, interacting with the work.

Overall- the interactions of his life with political history are utterly compelling, and it's cool that his stylistic evolutions are so distinct. Now I feel like, when I see a Kandisnky, right away I'll know in which phase of his career he painted it, that's how distinct the phases get. A cool, lovely exhibit .

album #80

alligator (the national)

I really like this record, a whole lot. These guys are great lyricists… so many lines that catch this really lovely, hard-to-define boundary between poetically distant and playfully colloquial- "we're run like we're awesome, totally genius"- and the songs are so lovely and well composed. I instantly love the melodic guitar of "Secret Meeting," the controlled energy of "Lit Up," the beautiful, ambiguously upbeat melancholy of "Baby, We'll Be Fine," the beautifully sweet sadness of "City Middle," the low dreaminess of "Geese of Beverly Road, The," the surging passions of "Abel" and "Mr. November." Even the songs that weren't my favorites were very good… and damn! Look at how many I have to list. There are just so many extremely good ones on this record.

Really great album. Versatile melodic beauty and wry, cutting lyrical brilliance, united under a very distinct umbrella of dark, low style.

album #79

grow up and blow away (metric)

I really like this album a lot. It might be cheating that I've included it in this year's project… I listened to this record a lot, summer '07, and so the songs are all pretty familiar. But I figured it's a good one and worth some remarks. I love Emily Haines' voice, the soft, sultry tone. This band often makes me think of late, late nights in downtown New York… a romanticized world of darkness, coolness and mystery. Some favorite songs: "On the Sly," just a perfectly stretched, woeful, pulsing song… the spacey ode to suburban prison, "Parkdale," the dark, sexy rhythm of "The Twist," the high-pitched yearn of "Hardwire." Every song is just plain, cool. Thoroughly enjoyable and listenable all the way through.

album #78

the love below (outkast)

I actually think I prefer Speakerboxxx. Two aspects of The Love Below are particularly appealing… the musical versatility (funk, jazz, rap, soul, instrumental, musical, acoustic and more), and the thematic coherence- it flows together almost as one narrative, the story of this man's love life. It's rather compelling as a soundtrack, as the evolution of a romantic story… the dreamer, the cynic, the plea, the meeting, the sex, the morning after, the serenade, the argument, the breakup- the entire first half of the album all feel like they follow the same story. And then in the latter half it's like experiences with different women- the bitch, the lady, the cougar, the sweetheart and more. Hm. In describing it I'm liking the album more than I did at first. The versatility is really quite engaging and it makes for a good, thoughtful listen.

Some favorites: the jazzy, soft but pulsing "Love Hater," the hard-to-assess-because-I've-overheard-it-and-some-of-it-is-way-too-cute-but-it's-still-catchy "Hey Ya!," the jazz fusion instrumental of "My Favorite Things," genuinely one of my favorites.

My main problem with the record is when it gets too cutesy… "God (Interlude)" for instance, is incredibly cloying, way too high schooly precious. Sometimes the quirky lyrics are charming, other times they're eye-rolling. Also, despite their versatility, some of the songs feel slightly dull… I guess that's just expectable when it's such a stuffed record. It's more like, everything's cool and interesting, but there are surprisingly few songs that I absolutely love. Speakerboxxx has more songs that I absolutely love. I feel like this is a good record to listen to a minute of each song, just as a reminder of how interesting and fun each of the songs are, even though I'm not in love with each song.

album #77

speakerboxxx (outkast)

(because this is a double album, I'm reviewing each half separately)

This album is so fucking good. I really really like this a lot. After some preliminary listens, I predict that I might even like Speakerboxxx more than The Love Below.

The opening series of this album is fucking unebelievable, just murderously great. "Ghetto Musick" fucking rocks. "Unhappy" has an amazing, melodic beat- my favorite song on the album,. I like the jazzy glamour of "Bowtie," the brassy spice of "The Rooster." The songs are a little less perfect and a little less creative after those opening shots, but it's still good and listenable. I like the brutality of “Tomb of the Boom.” “Last Call” is pretty good too. Really, every song on the album is good. The very best are near the top, but every rap is memorable and strong. No complaints, except that it maybe runs a little long. Very good and very relistenable, one of my very favorite rap albums I've listened to this year.

album #76

gulag orkestar (beirut)

This is a pleasant album. It's not quite as perfect as Lon Gisland, but still has a lot of loveliness and charm to it. This album has a sense of oldness to it- the song titles alone are like a tour through old Europe. But the oldness is even more evident in the music itself, an undercurrent of wistfulness and weariness. Many of the songs have a somewhat slow, plodding nature, and it takes a while to acclimate to that baroque charm. Some are darkly formal, others are sweetly lolling. Beirut is really at its best when it takes this sweetly weary, wistful tone and matches it to a beautiful hook. "Postcards from Italy" is my favorite- the absolute peak of album comes in the sweet, hopeful, swooning serenade of those trumpets. "Mount Wroclai" follows nicely, a subdued jam. And the closer, "After the Curtain," is really lovely, I like it a whole lot. Marvelously contemplative touch of synth, lovely melody. And "The Bunker" seems like a really nice statement of the album- a nice mix of old world carnival drama and sweet, chanted melody.

album #75

1999 (prince)

Prince definitely has a distinct style. High, pale, squealy synths, airy drum machines, the sexual coo of his voice. This album is really an exhibition of that sound, rather than a particularly compelling record in its own right. None of the songs are super memorable, I didn't really love any of it. Good stuff though.

"1999" is a reliable classic- a fascinating blend of hedonism and apocalypse. "Little Red Corvette" is the best song on the album, sweet, sad and catchy. The rest of the songs are generally long dance tracks, most of them approaching sexuality from different angles- some sultry, some aggressive, some funk, some ballads, and one track that sounds like a sci fi funk nightmare. My opinion on each of these songs varies with more listens, but right now I'd say my favorite is "Lady Cab Driver," which takes that classic Prince sexual energy and matches it with a nice, casual, upbeat funk rhythm. It sounds like an influence on modern R&B.

Altogether this is a good, very Prince-y album; I'm just not particularly in love with his style- the style and the lyrical themes feel just a little bit redundant. It's good to listen to and learn about though, and I'll probably listen to "Purple Rain" soon, since it's considered his truly best record.

album #74

oracular spectacular (mgmt)

This is a stylistically interesting album- some of the songs sound like electronic indie rock anthems; many other tracks strongly evoke various influences and classic musicians- particularly in the vocals. In certain songs the singer adopts the vocal style of Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and CSNY. Other thant that, some standouts: the drippy, anthemic, hedonistic opener, “Time to Pretend,” and the cool, intriguing “Of Moons, Birds and Monsters” which I'm still trying to figure out, in a good way.

The album is generally all right but absolutely maxes out in the middle with back-to-back huge singles. “Electric Feel” is my favorite, the song that introduced me to this band. Sexy, sultry, tropical disco, with a real forcefulness to it. “Kids” immediately follow. An alternate version of this song appears on Climbing to New Lows, but I prefer this version- there's more of a unity, a synthetic surge to it. I remember hearing this one at night, in a car full of friends on a fast highway, and that feels like the ideal circumstance to experience this song.

Overall a good record. I don't think I'd really listen to the album again- those two huge singles are great, the rest of the record can't hold up to them. But there are a few tracks that are certainly worth some more listens, and across the board they're good at their sound.

album #73

climbing to new lows (mgmt)

Good listen. This is their debut record, from a few years back, and it feels like a debut record- it feels like it was made by very young musicians. It's like they're still halfway through the search for their distinct sound, still leaning on influences- that simple '80s synth sound, harkening to Nintendo or, now and then, Depeche Mode.

Some of the tracks are a little too cutesy or too emo for my tastes (e.g. the frustrating case of "Grutu," a spectacular beat undercut by whiny, annoying vocals). However, some of the more mellow tracks are really perfect. "We Don't Care" makes for a smooth, synthetic closer, in parallel to the early, emotive track "We Care" (by the way, is the album supposed to be thematic? It didn't seem to be). My overall favorite song was "Hot Love Drama," a low, sexy groove of a song. "Honey Bunny" is a little obnoxious, lyrically, but the beat is really pleasant. "Money to Burn" has got a similar lowness and sexiness as "Hot Love Drama;" it's a good one but not quite as perfect- that alluring tickle of the synthesizer is missing.

I like them best when they're cool, collected and seductive. I think they drop a lot of the cutesiness and the emo flourishes in their second album, I'm looking forward to hearing it again.

album #72

wolfgang amadeus phoenix (phoenix)

This is a good record. Bright, crackling, fuzzy synth pop. Phoenix is the type of band that seems to make a brand new album within their particular parameters, every time. Honestly, this is the first full album I've heard, but it's definitely different from the singles of theirs I've heard before. It's still their clean pop sound, but brighter and sharper somehow, less of a low groove.

I love the opening tracks, "Lisztomania" and "1901." Things slow down in the middle- there's an instrumental track that's just a little too long and seems to sever the album off of its hot start, forcing a reboot of sorts. The second half carries itself, fortunately. "Lasso," "Countdown" and "Armistice" are highlights among a killer lineup of bright, likable pop songs.

My only criticism is that the singer's voice gets a little annoying now and then… a high bark that feels a little repetitive from track to track. It hits the mark somewhere between yearning and subdued, I can't quite explain. But it's still plenty good, and overall this is still a perfectly fine, listenable album. I have a feeling they've made an album in the past that I'd love even more, I just have to find it.

album #71

at folsom prison (johnny cash)

I loved this record. Cash has one of the best voices in music history, deep, clean, sad, heavy… I'm sure entire theses have been written on it, so I won't belabor the point.

There are three versions of this record, the one I listened to was the 1999 re-release. What I loved about it was Cash's unedited banter with the prisoners… his rapport he has with the prisoners, it makes for one of the most fascinating and engaging aspects of the album. The banter, the teasing, the laughter they share. The way they holler and cheer. And my god, his credibility… song after song about dark, wild, outlaw men, doing what they can or what they must. Consistently compelling lyrics, delivered from that perfect voice, with lots of great country melody. It never felt like an obligation, listening to this record… the whole thing is enjoyable and engaging, not at all the draggy crap I think of when I think of "country." This is pure classic excellence.

There weren't many songs that stand out as favorites- the whole thing flows as a really nice piece. I guess I'd mention "Folsom Prison Blues," "Cocaine Blues," "The Long Black Veil" and "Joe Bean" as being slight favorites, but across the board it really makes for good listening. Altogether a very pleasant surprise.

album #70

innervisions (stevie wonder)

This is a good album, versatile. I like the synth, the funk sounds, and there's a lot of socially conscious lyrics… I guess, my vague impression of Stevie Wonder as an unthreatening boomer musician has really changed after listening to his albums- he speaks pretty honestly and angrily about a lot of issues.

My favorite tracks are the catchy, dark, funky epic "Living for the City," which really transports me to 1970s Harlem. "Higher Ground" is nice and funky, cool lyrics. In general I liked the music a lot, even if I didn't totally love the songs, if that makes sense. A lot of the songs had great melodies and great instruments, they just didn't quite excite me though, but they were very good. Like, if I heard them out of nowhere, in a shuffle, catching me by surprise, I might like them more. I think I liked Songs in the Key of Life a little bit more, although this album was a little more tight and more polished. Good, relistenable record.

album #69

hounds of love (kate bush)

I liked this, didn't love it. I liked The Kick Inside a little bit more, this album seemed a little too produced, too 80's (strange because, admittedly, I usually like stuff like that). Overall there's a tone of darkness and intensity to the record, broken occasionally with some sugary pop. The first half is a row of singles; the second half, a conceptual suite of varied, more experimental tracks.

"Running Up That Hill" is a song I hated as a kid, but I like it now, I like that dark, driven energy. "Hounds of Love" is cool too, I like the suspensful, dramatic tone. I like the upbeat pop energy of "The Big Sky" and particularly "The Morning Fog," a song which closes the darker, stranger second half of the album on a nice upbeat pop swing. "Mother Stands for Comfort" is slow without any drag at all; it's darkly catchy. "Jig of Life" grew on me, I particularly like the intensity of the second half. A pair of songs that I don't love, but I find them certainly interesting enough for relistening: the sweetly contemplative "And Dream of Sheep" and the low, nervy "Under Ice."

Altogether each song has its own interesting elements, its own value, and it's a cool, likable record. I don't know if it worked for me as a whole, though. Or at least, like I said, I liked but didn't love it. I really feel like there's a perfect Kate Bush album out there for me, but I'm still looking.

book #6

Guns, Germs and Steel (Jared Diamond)

Fascinating, fantastic read. As usual, I'll offer the wikipedia page as a good source to handle most of the synopsis/ explanation. Various thoughts the book provoked…

• I really enjoyed the illustrative anecdotes or smaller historical points that Diamond makes… lots of fascinating stories I've never heard before, that helped illustrate his points now and then. Altogether it made for quite a list of things I'd love to read about further. For instance,

The Maori massacre of the Moriori people, Atahaulpa's capture, Charlie Savage, the British Empire's war with New Zealand's Maoris, the Phaistos Disk, the Chimbu tribe's rapid adaption to Western technology, New Zealand's musket wars, Japan's rejection of firearms, the fact that the prelude to the Franco-Prussian war essentially Created Germany, the Wills-Burke expedition, the astonishing isolation of Tasmania, the mysterious disappearance of the Norse colony on Greenland, the McGurrin vs. Taub typing contest in 1888, the extraordinary political fragmentation of New Guinea. Also, I bet the history of failed or forgotten inventions is absolutely fascinating.

• I found his explanation of the archaeological value of linguistics pretty fascinating… that we can trace the evolution of technology and society by what words are held in common by different branches of the same language family (for instance, very many Indo-European languages have a similar word for 'sheep,' implying that this word entered their vocabulary before they started to evolve and divide into different cultures). So the farther back a root word goes, we know that the ancient societies had use for these words- in the Indo-European example, they must have domesticated sheep a particularly long time ago. His other point about archaeological linguistics likewise fascinated me- that we can tell where languages originated, based on where they are most diversified (because this indicates that the language has been spoken there the longest, with the longest time to diverge.)

• His chapter about political organization was one of my favorites, and I'll probably reread it a few times. It's fascinating that gorillas and chimpanzees also live in bands… amazing to think that the earliest stages of our political evolution are, in fact, evolved from those relatives/ancestors. His explanation of the historic ways to justify or enforce a kleptocracy (p. 277) interested me. And the discussion of the underappreciated virtue of order, which centralized society brings- a way of strangers interacting without killing eachother- was pretty fascinating. Also I liked the point about the power of ideology or religion, to give people a reason to die to make the state stronger.

• A few of the facts are just astonishing… to think that the wheel was independently invented in Mesoamerica, and used for toys- and because of geographic barriers, this invention never diffused to the Andes and the llama, to give the Americas wheeled transport. Also, the fact that Madagascar, right off the coast of Africa, was colonized by Austronesians (and also, that Magagascar's animals, having evolved in long isolation, were incredibly distinctive, as if from another world). And that the environmental shift in South Africa- that the Mediterranean climate doesn't allow for the growth of the Bantu's summer rain crops- explains why their civilization did not reach the Cape, and why the British were able to secure their colonial foothold there… a truly astonishing example of environmental factors influencing the political pattern of history.

• He occasionally brings a logical perspective to things that I find really interesting and fresh- for instance, hunter-gathering vs farming was never a conscious choice, it's always about which option was more effective in the environment. Hunter-gatherers had no way of knowing what farming would lead to, they were just trying whichever strategy led best to survival.

• One of my absolute favorite sections was his discussion of, why Europe emerged as the world's master, rather than China or the Fertile Crescent, which shared in the ecological advantages of Eurasia, and were vastly more advanced than Europe for the vast majority of human history. His explanation for the Fertile Crescent- that they “committed ecological suicide” by maintaining food production and development at a rate that the environment could not maintain- is haunting and compelling, and perhaps a story of the world's future. His point about China- that the lack of geographic barriers led to earlier political unification, which allowed China to be ruled by a single despot- and thus, allow technological innovation to be stopped or reversed on the whim of very few people- was also pretty fascinating. So Europe and their culture of smaller states, competition, and innovation emerged because of the numerous geographic barriers which helped split the continent into countless rival cultures. The example of Columbus illustrated this nicely- that he was rejected by the Kings of several different states but eventually found a taker, whereas in China, one rejection would have been the end of it. Altogether I loved, loved his discussion of this subject and will definitely reread it.

• There were certain aspects of the story that I thought were pretty interesting that I wanted to hear more about- like, one of the key points is the diffusion of food production and technology, but I would be interested in hearing more about those interactions- the human stories of diffusion, and of trade, and conquest. Maybe the written record simply doesn't exist. But these interactions with different cultures, I really find fascinating. The scientific explanations are truly fascinating, but, since my interests lie more with human history, I absolutely loved whenever he touched on crucial or surprising experiences in human cultural history, and would like to read a book that spends a little more time examining the titular proximate factors.

album #68

the freewheelin' bob dylan (bob dylan)

My initial reaction was a real sense of disappointment and vague dislike for this album- so slow, so unnecessarily twangy, not nearly as melodically graceful as I expected. And Blonde on Blonde is still my favorite, and I don't know if I'd rank this one above or below Highway 61 Revisited. But anyway, after enough listens, this album finally started to turn away from dislikable and towards admirable, and even a little lovely, if not quite my style.

It definitely sounds like one of those iconic '60s protest folk records. Several of the tracks, lyrically, touch on those protest themes. Some of my favorite songs- "Girl from the North Country" is sweetly contemplative, a little sad, in a perfectly iconic, soundtrack sense. "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," lyrically is one of the most startling and interesting tracks, with a nice, darkly twangy tune. "Oxford Town" is a startling song about racism in the South… truly astonishing- not only a sad and fascinating song, but also a strange historical relic- it's crazy to think of Dylan's music taking place in the same world, at the same time, as the chaotic cruelties of Southern oppression. "Corrina, Corrina" is not a Dylan original, but it's still lovely and I like his version.

I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen to this record again, but it truly did grow on me. A nice, occasionally lovely, acoustic style, and a lot of interesting lyrics and lyrical, historical themes.

album #67

bitte orca (dirty projecters)

This album is rich with a frantic energy. A squealy, squeaky, energetic art pop tone. High pitched guitars, high pitched vocals. Jagged, rocky, and light, delightfully strange. This certainly feels like an album- the individual songs are all right, but the whole is really quite satisfying and fun.

Some of the individual standouts… “Cannibal Resource” builds its energy nicely, capturing this fascinating intersection of steady and crazy- plus it's catchy as hell. “Stillness is the Move” has a very cool sound- vaguely eastern, driven by great female vocals. It's a cool, strange sound. “Useful Chamber” is the song of the album- not necessarily the best, but the most definitive. It grows and branches off in surprising directions- it feels like 3 or 4 songs chopped and pieced together, with that energetic and ultimately awesome titular chant. “No Intention” is one of my favorites, I love the bright tangle of the guitar. And “Remade Horizon” has these imposing, frantic echoing background vocals that I really love. That seems to be one of the defining characteristics of this group- they play vocals off of eachother in frantic, exciting, strange ways.

I didn't always like Dave Longstreth's voice- vaguely squealy and whimpering in this gratingly 'indie-rock' cliche way. But overall I really liked the key elements of this album- the bright guitars, the gorgeous, perfectly strange background vocals, the overall tone of energy and experimentation. Good stuff.

album #66

lon gisland (beirut)

I absolutely love this EP. It's one big, dreamy, eastern European waltz. A romantic wash and swell of eclectic instruments- ukulele, trumpet, accordion, Zach Condon's low voice, and more. Every single song is beautiful and fresh. Each song is carried by its own perfect brass hook, and each conveys a separate angle of this general mood- this vintage, romantic dreaminess, gently touched by a quiet weariness. “Elephant Gun,” “Scenic World,” “Carousels”- these are three perfect songs, each better than the last. Plus the fun instrumental “My Family's Role in the World Revolution” and “The Long Island Sound,” essentially a reprisal of “Elephant Gun.”

This is a perfect demonstration of everything I love about Beirut. 16 minutes of purely the best, no filler.

album #65

veckatimest (grizzly bear)

For the most part this is a rainy day album… there's a quiet vibe of melancholy running throughout, in the lyrics and the melodies. On the surface it's a little bit dull and meandering, but the music gets better with close listening. The music is layered beautifully, especially the raw echo of the guitar and the glowing background vocals. It reminds me almost of the Beach Boys- nice, understated melody brought to life by excellent production.

“Two Weeks” is a masterpiece- beautiful pop bounce to that one. A pattern I've experienced again and again this year, I'll hear the song that makes me want to hear the album, and still love that song but find the rest of the album a little less satisfying- though still good. “Two Weeks” does hint, however, at what the rest of it will be… underneath that bounce, there's a lowness and a sadness to the lyrics. Of course, there are other songs that are pretty strong and lovely, but nothing matches my love for the big single. “Fine For Now” takes a nice bluesy sound and sparks it with this gorgeous, clanging guitar riff- reminds me of Destroyer, the way they can take a bluesy, rambling song and take it to a higher place with one banging guitar sound. “Ready, Able” has a beauty to it that I really like a lot, it's probably my third favorite overall. “While You Wait For the Others” is an exciting, dramatic one, with these cascading background vocals I really love. “I Live With You” is not one of my favorites but I found it startling lyrically, in a pretty interesting way, and also it reminded me of Neon Bible. And the album opens and closes very well, it's very much a unified piece… entering on the exciting, dramatic surge of “Southern Point” and closing on the poignantly delicate “Foreground.”

Hm, I really didn't expect to write that much about this record, but like I said, the music really grows on close listening. Lots of beauty, lots of interesting stuff going on. For pure melodic joy, the rest of the record fades in the glow of “Two Weeks,” but as a well crafted, complete work, it's really pretty good the whole way through.

album #64

marry me (st. vincent)

I really liked this album. St. Vincent is very much a nighttime musician- I feel like this album takes me to my car at night. I like her voice, the way she combines rock and classical instruments, the tone. She writes intimately… except for a few songs that seem like fantasies, most of her songs address just one other person- she often speaks to “you.”

“Now Now” and “Human Racing” are classics that I've loved for years. One of the songs I haven't heard before that I really liked is “Marry Me,” so intimate, sweet and mischevious. “All My Stars” and “Land Mines” are both particularly lovely, suitelike songs that really grow and swell in ways that I really enjoy. And “What Me Worry?' closes the album on a charming, vintage note.

This album had a very European vibe- the romance of it, the way the instruments played with eachother… it felt like an elegant Bohemian fantasy now and then. I liked Actor a little more- it seemed more complex and ambitious to me- but that's perfectly acceptable because Marry Me came first. It's growth!

album #63

actor (st. vincent)

I liked this album so, so much. I love St. Vincent. Annie's voice is beautiful, the lyrics are intriguing, and the music is really fantastic- a fusion of sweet fairy-tale strings and woodwinds and heavier, darker instruments. It's not just the instruments, but the overall tone as well, that fuses and surprises at the intersections of sweet and dark. I've read some about her making of the album- the influence of Disney films, trying to score some of her favorite scenes, and building songs from the beautiful orchestral fragments she came up with… and that's basically the effect of the album.

Everything on the album is either good or great, nothing disappoints. The great tracks… “The Strangers” opens the album with the perfect chemistry of Disney swell and subtle darkness. “Laughing with a Mouth Full of Blood” is sweetly whimsical. “Marrow” is one of the darker, more intense songs and really captures that Disney/darkness duality perfectly… it opens with these beautiful, birdlike flutes, and later this sound recurs with a heavy guitar beat, in a way that I really love. “The Party” alternates between a nice, subdued piano jam and this beautiful refrain. My only complaint- having heard this live, I loved the acapella fade-out, the album version seems a little overproduced when it should be soaring. Speaking of soaring… “Just The Same But Brand New” might be my favorite track. It makes me feel like Iike I'm seeing the stars at night for the first time, millions of them, in a wide open field.

Simply a beautiful, fantastic, compellingly layered album.

album #62

everything that happens will happen today (david byrne and brian eno)

I've been away from the music reviews for about a month now; computer trauma and the general sag of summer kept me away. But I'm gonna work my way back into doing this as a regular part of my week. I'm not gonna write too much about this record because I'm still working the rust out. Anyway…

Generally this was a pleasant record. I maybe listened to it too much, got a little bit sick of it- I find it a little sing-songy in an annoying way, on some tracks. Generally I really enjoyed Byrne's voice and how it interacts with Eno's music. It's also interesting to consider these as separate entities- like, as music that Byrne was given, to write/sing whatever he wanted over it. As Byrne says, there's an interesting vibe of electronic gospel to it- these synthetic compositions with glowing choral arrangements.

“Strange Overtones” is the clear winner- a really beautiful song with a hint of darkness to it, generally just a great, funky sound. Before I heard this album, I remember hearing a song in the theatre that I thought- damn! I Need to find that song!- and I was pretty sure it was from this album, and in retrospect I'm fairly certain it was this song. Other good ones were “Wanted for Life,” which has a really cool attitude to it, and “The Lighthouse,” which really sounds like some sort of prayer from the future.

album #61

london calling (the clash)

I can recognize this album's significance, and I can appreciate it… I'm not in love with this record but there are a lot of parts of it that I really like. London Calling is famous for its integration of a lot of different musical genres- some reggae, some ska, some punk rock, some rockabilly- however, I really dislike many of those genres. Also I'd say that this is the sort of album that, even my favorites started to wear thin after a while. There's indisputably a freshness and an energy to their sound, and this is very appealing- as one critic wrote, it could come out this year and still sound relevant. The album was a little too long for me, and though every song has its moments, there's definitely many that I would have trimmed to make a more listenable record (although the expansiveness and the variety probably makes it stronger as an album).

Some favorites- "London Calling" of course is a classic, I love the heavy, dark energy in this song (even though I find the darkish, barking vocals a little annoying at points); "Lost in the Supermarket" is a lovely, uptempo, melancholy melody with lyrics that I found pretty interesting and followable. "I'm Not Down" has a great energy. The fuzzy, echoing bigness of "The Card Cheat" is pretty lovely and exciting, it certainly sounds like an influence on The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. I enjoy the dark strangeness of "The Guns of Brixton." "The Right Profile" uses strong guitars and brass in a way that I really like- I'm a sucker for brass in rock music. And "Train in Vain" is a masterpiece- beautiful, energetic melody, forceful brass, great lyrics. Probably my favorite overall track, and a fantastic closing number.

Many of the other songs are great and listenable, many others are not. It's the sort of record that makes for good listening, although I don't think I will eagerly seek it out. But there's a lot happening on this album that I can recognize in other bands I've heard this year, other bands I expect to hear this year. It's definitely a good reference point for when I'm listening to more new music this year. Overall I can certainly like a lot of this but it isn't perfectly in line with my tastes.

album #60

ragged wood (fleet foxes)

I listened to this album a whole lot before writing this review. It's a really nice album; having loved Sun Giant so much, I couldn't wait to get to the next Fleet Foxes release. Overall, this album is not as consistently melodically perfect as Sun Giant; there's still a lot of loveliness. But overall, out of my favorite four or five Fleet Foxes tracks, only one came from this album. There's still a Lot of good stuff, nonetheless.

Robin Pecknold has a really beautiful voice- strong and clear, piercing the chilly autumn forest air. This group has really got a lovely sound figured out, a real throwback, acoustic/pop orchestral tone- and vocals that consistently seem to press with a startling forcefulness, a true intensity. Some of my favorites included "Ragged Wood," a real voyage of a song, forceful and ever shifting; "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song," a soulful, solo, acoustic ballad, "Oliver James," a beautiful closer with a sweet acoustic sound played against brilliantly strong, searing vocals; and the masterpiece, "Blue Ridge Mountains"- the first Fleet Foxes song I heard, the one that made me need to hear more, the one that remains my favorite. Simply perfect- lovely acoustics, a beautifully echoing, haunting piano, lovely vocals sang with clarity and passion, an alluringly sad but hopeful melody. On some of the albums I listened to several times, I started skipping the tracks I knew best- but with this record, I could never skip "Blue Ridge Mountains."

This is one of those albums where even the songs I don't mention are lovely and enjoyable. A very good album. I'm gonna have to keep my eye on these guys- they're not perfect for my tastes, but they're without a doubt a really lovely group making really beautiful melodies.

book #5

Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency (Barton Gellman)

Pretty fantastic read. The wikipedia page strikes me as a pretty good guide to the main revelations and most interesting points in the book. Not a complete synopsis, but a good read of the highlights.

General feelings or observations that came to me while reading…
• Bush comes off as an almost sympathetic figure. Particularly in the early chapters, and really throughout, the vibe is that he's a sincere and well-meaning guy, and his flaw is not idiocy or cruelty, but a consistent neglect of the details, taken too easily by the allure of the Big Idea, and (repeatedly) not drawing enough sources before making a key decision.
• In fact, it becomes fascinating and vaguely surreal that the key players in this book- Yoo, Addington, Cheney, etc- are so devoted to the "Unitary Executive" theory, and yet the President they serve is barely the driving force of any of it. It's interesting that he seems so amiable and disinvested in a machine that is obsessed with his very supremacy. Almost like the child of an exceptionally intense stage mother.
• This book also helped clarify for me the whole John C. Yoo issue-I didn't quite understand how he fit into this picture, and why he is spoken of so contemptuously, but now I understand why- the memos he wrote at the Office of Legal Counsel (essentially the supreme court of the executive branch, the arbiter of policy/interpretive/judicial disputes) justified the use of torture, domestic spying, and other abuses of executive power.
• The examination of the interior shape of the administration, the bureaucratic institutions and who mattered, and how they mattered, is all pretty fascinating. It's very interesting watching Cheney install key allies at certain points, how he utilizes his various personnel resources. His influence really was borne of a mastery of the details, a true willingness to dig in the weeds.
• The card he writes to his grandkids is hilarious. Jesus.
• One line near the end that really struck me- and it's a truism, a point made by many of my favorite analysts, but nonetheless still powerful and tragic- "His best hope of vindication appeared to lie in a future no one could want, a future in which all his efforts failed."
• The book takes a pretty diplomatic, respectful view of Cheney. There's no hesitation to point out his dishonesty or his manipulation, but also the book doesn't assign any villainous ulterior motives to him. He clearly is interested in power, but Gellman (and his sources) take the opportunities they're given to assert that Cheney truly thought he was doing what was best, what was necessary for the country's safety. Overall, I found there was generally, perhaps not enough examination of his motives- we know these things he did, but why? What was his driving motivational force; the course that he stuck to so unyieldingly, what made it the course he believed in so deeply? That's the sort of insight that the book comes up a little short on; and almost certainly, of course, because Cheney himself wasn't interviewed. He's simply destined to be shrouded in a certain secrecy.

exhibit #4

John Lennon: The New York City Years (The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex)

This was my first time at the Annex, so this reflection covers the John Lennon special exhibit and the main galleries as well.

The anteroom is covered with silver plates, marking the names of each of the inductees. Overhead the music of an inductee plays for a snippet, and the corresponding name glows. As we get closer to the entrance time, the snippets cut faster and faster, finally reaching that iconic "A Day in the Life" crescendo.

We move to the next room for an introductory film- a montage of images and film clips and quotes, charting the evolution of Rock & Roll. The lights, the music, the images- it really made me tingle. I really liked it.

After the film we move to the next room and receive audio guides. My first instinct is, "this is starting to get a little exhaustingly corporate- they're really guiding us through this entire process?" but eventually I realize the audio synchs up to each exhibit, playing the appropriate music as you look at each exhibit. This is a very cool feature- because of course it's great to carry the music with you, it's really the whole point of the gallery.

The beginning of the exhibit features different video screens discussing types of bands throughout history. For instance, their examples of "Art Influenced Rockers"- Velvet Underground… Television… U2… Coldplay. Really ran off the rails there)

After that comes the main course, a chronological gallery of memorabilia. My favorites: James Brown's cape; Madonna's Keith Haring jacket; a 1957 promo headshot of Simon and Gatfunkel as shiny-haired, dorky teen idols, "Tom and Jerry." To think just a few years later, they'd be among the leaders of a new break from that culture… Bruce Springsteen's 1957 Chevy convertible, yellow with airbrushed flames, the car he owned while composing Born to Run. It's so fascinatingly, thoroughly appropriate, as so much of Born to Run is all about trying to capture that magic, the spirit of the 1950's cars, the greasers, the girls, the sweetly naive young toughs.

The next chamber focuses on New York's specific contributions to rock history. Wow- I should listen to Grandmaster Flash. This audio guide's already rewarded me with a new album for my 2009 list. Hypothetically I love the huge Manhattan map, but it's a little dull. Wow, it's pretty cool to see the CBGB awning again… to think I used to live next to this thing. A little moment of reunion. The CBGB artifacts in general are pretty cool; many of them remind me of Rauschenberg combines. "The Bottom Line," a famous club that the landlord, NYU, closed because they couldn't agree on the lease. Hah, oh motherfucking NYU! I loved my years there but it's hilarious how destructive they are to this city's cultural history. Cool seeing David Byrne's big suit. And Jesus, Debbie Harry was so hot. "Rapture" is not as annoying as I thought, or at least it sounds really good right now.

John Lennon: The New York City Years

Before you walk in, there are these adhesive white sheets on the ground. I guess they're to wipe off your feet (the room is all white- one big white space, white carpets, white walls), but my first instinct was, "Yoko's gonna post these as art somewhere- all of these foot prints." Favorites: John's New York City t-shirt. There's a Ringo collage, there's a George collage… no Paul? Random note: their first NYC apartment was on Bank street. It's interesting seeing the original Grapefruit book. I remember looking through mom's copy back home. I'd never heard of the "War is Over" billboard campaign until just now. Yoko looks really hot in this film of her and John hanging out in their soldier outfits. They were a good looking couple. I also enjoy the amusingly strange video of Yoko walking an endless loop of men from a door to the window. Man, that must have been incredible when Lennon joined Elton John onstage at Madison Square Garden- pretty sure it was a surprise appearance, right? I wanna read up about it. MSG November '74. Yoko's season of glass poem is really good. This exhibit has made me like her more. And the brown paper bag of clothes… heartbreaking. An extraordinary place to end this exhibit.

album #59

sun giant (fleet foxes)

This is the shortest music compilation I've listened to this year- an EP of 5 songs, less than 20 minutes long- but oh my God is it good. These songs are simply beautiful- soaring, glowing, timeless melodies. It makes for a gorgeous rediscovery of '60s folk/pop- especially in the interplay and harmonies of the vocals, which evoke the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

"Sun Giant" is a beautiful morning hymn. "Drops in the River" patiently builds and surges beautifully with a quietly forceful passion. "English House" is generally pleasant, and opens especially strong with a beautiful (can't get enough of that adjective with this EP), cascading vocal harmony. "Mykonos" has a generally lovely, wintry sound, and surges unexpectedly with this beautiful, very CSNY-style refrain midway through. "Innocent Sun," although less perfect than the other four tracks, is still pretty pleasant.

It took me a while to start listening to these guys- I generally discount/resent the great works made by people my age- but upon first listen they've completely won me over. Sun Giant was absolutely marvelous, and I'm excited to listen to more of Fleet Foxes.

album #58

in the aeroplane over the sea (neutral milk hotel)

This might be the first album that I've heard all year that I can unabashedly say: I didn't like it. Jeff Mangum's voice is a grating nasal whine and the lyrics, often interestingly weird, slide a little too much into dislikable, off-puttingly weird. It didn't occur to me at first, but unsurprisingly, 2 of my 3 favorite songs are the instrumental tracks- " " and "The Fool." As a guy who cares for melody and instrumentation in my music, I found the acoustic emphasis and the melodic flatness to be pretty unappetizing. There's some nicely strange instrumental flourishes, this vibe of "a carnival in world war two europe," as an av club reviewer put it well. But if I want that sort of musical experience, Beirut does it much more beautifully and lushly.

"The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1" is their breakthrough song, the most famous track on the record and the one that got me interested and excited to hear the rest of the album. The rest of the album just can't match the melodic heights or promising mystique of that first track. It's not like it's a hateable record, but it's just not my cup of tea.

album #57

the kinks are the village green preservation society (the kinks)

I loved this album. The Kinks write such fun, versatile music- within their nice, British, pop rock sensibility, they tackle versatile styles- harpsichord delicacy, country & western, hard rock, bouncy pop… they're just plain good. And the lyrics are so clear- for whatever reason, this band's lyrics hit me in a way that almost no other band's lyrics hit.

Lyrically and musically, this is a fascinating, nicely thematic album- versatile styles with a philosophical consistency- a sense of nostalgia, lost illusions, pining for the past, artifacts resisting change- but still somehow silly, sarcastically dismissive of that past, at the same time. Apparently this album sold poorly when it came out- in the turmoil of late 1968- but time has made it not only hugely popular, but strikingly appropriate… I can't help but think of my father's generation, aged and faded.

"Do You Remember Walter" is my favorite- a really great melody and a heartbreaking story. For somebody like me who spends a lot of time thinking about youth and time, it's really an extraordinarily compelling, sad, small tale. Just the simplest story of yearning, memory and age. So simple and beautiful. "Big Sky" is another huge standout. Sounds like one of the most of-its-time songs on the album, something calmly intense, something revolutionary in its tone. And it reads like a startling rebuttal of the idea of God- I think of people praying to that big sky, but the big sky just doesn't care. It's just the big sky, aloof from our chaos, no savior. "Picture Book" is just a classic, bouncy, delightful pop song with that iconic, oft-borrowed guitar riff- "People Take Pictures of Eachother" makes me think of an outsider watching "Picture Book." I like "Johnny Thunder," a song that really evokes the Who- their background singing, the way the instruments hit, the lyrical story of a socially frustrated, strange boy. "Animal Farm" has got a great, swooning, '60s rock sound. I love the harpsichord elegance, the nostalgia and the smarmy wit of "Village Green," probably my favorite track after "Walter" and "Big Sky."

Anyway, this is the second Kinks album in a row that, upon listening, I found almost every song interesting, unique and listenable. I guess I should start delving even further into their catalogue. They might be my favorite discovery from this yearlong music project.

album #56

microcastle (deerhunter)

This is a good example of an album that really works better as an album than as a collection of songs. Individually, there aren't many of these songs that I love, but collectively the album flows as a really nice, ambient, sonic piece. The album goes through peaks and valleys, the more forceful songs and the more subdued, delicate, intimate tracks. There's a generally consistent tone, which I don't quite know how to describe. Ambient, buzzing, indie rock. It took many, many listens of this album before I could really digest it- I don't know whether that means it's deep, or forgettable.

I love the "Intro"- it really unleashes this wailing, forceful, swooningly melodic sound, and it blends nicely into "Agoraphobia," my favorite track, the reason I wanted to hear the album. Just a great melody there, excellent song. Nothing stands out quite like those songs, but "Little Kids," with its awesome buzzing melody and the bright, hard pluck of the guitar, opens fantastically, and "Nothing Ever Happened" has a great energy and a great sound- okay individually, a strong upswing after several subdued, more contemplative songs.

Almost every song works better in the flow of the piece, than as its own song. This is good, ambient, background music, but other than those first two tracks, nothing I would really go out of my way to hear again- my taste is for stronger, clearer melody. Anyway, it's pretty good.

album #55

the rhumb line (ra ra riot)

I like these guys. Sweet, melodic, instrumentally versatile/driven indie pop music. Much of their catalogue reminds me of Matt Pond P.A.- the tenderness, the melodies, the strings, the tenderly intense tone.

I kindof sensed something, which I did not like, but I'll confess that it didn't strike me as worth mentioning until I checked the avclub's review of this album… The first song, "Ghost Under Rocks," really sets a magnificent, soaring, urgent tone that the rest of the record simply doesn't live up to. That first track is the one that made me want to hear the album- just a passionate, searching, divine song. And the next several songs are just so, milky.

Most of the album is melodically pleasant, as I mentioned. There are three tracks, all nearer the end of the cd- after there's some time to recuperate from the post-Ghost disappointment- that really soar and hit me in a great way. "Too Too Too Fast" is driven with a really nice, vintage synth and distinctly expressive, unleashed singing; "Suspended in Gaffa" is similarly driven by magnificent, ceremonial percussion- there's an elegantly dramatic forcefulness to this song that I am really into. It sounds like a more delicate variation of something Queen would do. "Run My Mouth" finds a lovely cello/guitar melodic interplay that matches my favorite Matt Pond P.A. work.

Four great songs, and the rest is pretty pleasant, if forgettable, background music. A really nice album.

album #54

return to cookie mountain (tv on the radio)

I originally listened to this album two summers ago, but I figured it would be good to reacquaint myself. My overall sense of this album remains the same… it’s well produced, there’s a lot of interesting stuff happening in the backgrounds. This is a fun album to listen to slowly- repeat a song, focus on the details. The buzz, the overlap of instruments, that symphonic sound- and Tunde Adebimpe’s voice, which I can’t even quite describe- I just love his versatility, that Bowiesque bark and howl. Melodically though, the album is a little bit boring. The effect of this record is to reinforce my appreciation for Dear Science, because nothing on Return to Cookie Mountain matches the rich, melodic highs of “Family Tree” or “Golden Age.”

That said, my favorite tracks were "I was a Lover," which is really defined and carried by that fascinatingly strange, haunting opening sample- as the avclub called it, it "could have been a warped orchestral blast, the mellifluous din of a building collapse, or the mating call of a brontosaurus"- also "Hours," a song with an exciting, stumblingly intense rhythm, and generally a fine example of a TVotR song that mixes their usual background intrigue with a good, interesting melody in the foreground. Also I really enjoyed the dark drive and the intensity of "Blues From Down Here," which also includes particularly varied, cool, squealy/low vocals by Tunde.

Overall I didn't love this record but it's grown on me- I feel like this is one of those albums where the album is a little bit exhausting, but many of the individual songs are good for relistening and studying. The biggest compliment I can give this record is, I want to keep listening to it because I'm still trying to figure it out.

album #53

keep it like a secret (built to spill)

This record was a disappointment, somewhat. My favorite song, I first heard a few months ago- "Carry the Zero," a magnificent, passionate, melodic song with a glowing, cascading guitar sound. That's the song that made me want to hear the album, and I expected the rest of this record to approach that height- I expected to fall in love with this record. Instead, I got a pretty pleasant date from it, but not much more.

I like their general sound- bright, banging guitars, nasally, semishouted vocals, melodic and twisty. But I found most of the songs kinda forgettable. Good, across the board- not unenjoyable. But nothing came at all close to the crackle of that star song. Except for "Temporarily Blind"- that song really put it all together in a way I like, a lot. Strong, melodic guitar lines, lots of different currents and variations that collectively add up to a great song. Also I love the start of "Sidewalk," but it sadly fades eventually into the same unmemorable territory.

Not bad, I will maybe enjoy this album more once I do some more listening, but in general, I wasn't in love with it.

book # 4

The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)

I liked this. A good read. This is the first Hemingway I've read, other than a couple short stories. I like that style- simple and clear, the deeper reading is very open to interpretation. There are the obvious points- Hemingway's elevation of manhood, as mentioned by most of the other reflections I read.

Santiago was a charming character. There was something about "dreaming of the Lions" that really struck a chord with me. It seemed so poignant and sweet and powerful. It seemed startlingly appropriate that Hemingway closes by calling that back- he knows what I was thinking!

An interesting point is that, I always thought that this book was about a struggle- that the great fish was a combatant that the old man triumphs against. But increasingly it becomes clear that the man feels really a love and a brotherhood with the fish. This point is made quite clearly with the discussion of "El Mar" vs "La Mar"- the masculine, combative use as used by other fishermen; and the feminine, as Santiago uses, treating the ocean with affection and understanding. In retrospect it feels so appropriate that this is called The Old Man and the Sea.

The last section is really fascinating, and particularly captivating. When Santiago slays the fish, it feels almost anticlimactic- it really was indeed a long, exhausting, tense struggle, but never that moment of epic confrontation. But upon tying the fish to the side of the skiff, the sadness and poignancy that Santiago had to kill him, it really hits. And then when the sharks come… damn, then it gets both exhilarating and brutal. I also found the epilogue pretty stirring, the fisherman excitedly measuring the skeleton of the marlin, the old man lying in bed, the boy in tears.

There were a few times when I should have stopped and looked up some of the terminology- some of the boat and fishing specifics, I had trouble visualizing.

Some other moments that really caught me:

"I would rather be exact [than lucky]. Then when luck comes you are ready."

beautiful line: "But she can be so cruel and it comes so suddenly and such birds that fly, dipping and hunting, with their small sad voices are made too delicately for the sea."

album #52

third (portishead)

I am not a big fan of this album. Maybe I just need to give it more time, I only listened to it today, a few times. But generally I found it unnerving and mopey. Maybe that's what they're going for. But I didn't like it; in fact, I felt genuinely a little relieved when it was done. Very few of the songs are really memorable, it's pretty much in one ear and out the other. Sorry if that sounds bitter- really, I didn't hate it- but I'm tired.

This record has a cool sound- an eerie, intense, buzzing sound- but the vocals I found frail and anxious and sad to the point of becoming annoying. This is the sort of record that, listening to it one song at a time, I can appreciate the song. But the intensity of the album is exhausting and discouraging. "Silence" is a good example- a nice, anxious, driven beat; it's a good, dark, buzzing jam- until the vocals come in, and then it gets less likable. But overall this song is salvaged, I think. "The Rip" starts acoustic and grows in some cool, electric/synth directions. "Machine Gun," with its brutal industrial sound, grew on me. Individually it's interesting but deep inside an already dreary album, it becomes crushing. And "Nylon Smile" has a pulsing, mysterious energy to it that lends a certain appeal.

Overall: nervy, creepy… not my thing. I liked their first album much much more.

exhibit #3

Picasso: Mosqueteros (Gagosian)

The opening pieces are all pretty magnificent- “L’homme au casque d’or”- white, blue and gold, a stern, imperious, angular face. “Couple”- rich grays and blues, the mosquetero and his woman, the black bird on her arm, a very Guston texture. “Homme a la Pipe”- I love the bright colors, the strong clear lines. Reds, yellows, blues, greens, whites.

The foggier but still rich colors of “Femme nue” are likewise appealing. I wonder why so many of the titles are in French… perhaps Picasso was living in France at this time. The exhibit is mostly portrait themed, variations on the classic Picasso face. The big, sharp, sideways nose, the bright almond eyes. His palette is a little more subtle than his peak works- a lot of gray, some blue, white. I like the blue-gray palette of “Peinte, buste de profil.”

A particularly rich, strong series of works, all next to each other on the wall- “Homme”- love the long, clean angularity of the face. “Portrait de l’homme a l’epee et a la fleur”- bright colors, green, red, yellow, blue and white. The figure seems delightfully childish, a stupid Prince playing on the floor with his sword. “Buste d’homme”- a round, bearded, blue face, noticeably of a different shape and design than most of the other portraits. “Homme assis,” a very nice, gently positive portrait, richly composed in bright blue, maroon and cream.

“Femme assise dans un fauteuil”- beautiful shading, excellent definition. A palette of dark blue, gray, white and a burnt orange/red. Classic Picasso beauty and concern in the woman’s face.

His ink drawings are really nice… There’s a set of six that feel like they’re unfolding on a stage, the brightly lit center stage, the darkness of the audience surrounding. The first drawing is reasonably detailed and clear, depiction of a bull/man in amorous embrace with a nude woman- the others get shadowy and sketchier, until the sixth one, which seems to be the woman dreaming of a King or some other gallant figure. Collectively they feel like the story of a woman, her loves and battles.

Next to these is a set of drawings I really love, a recurring theme of old, very spanish men examining or meeting or illustrating beautiful women. I feel like I’ve seen, if not these particular drawings, ones like them. I remember a lot of Picasso’s minotaur drawings from the Met’s spanish exhibit, about 2 years ago. I really enjoy the fluidity of his line drawings.

“Le baiser” is fantastic. Like puzzle pieces, the PIcasso man and Picasso woman, locked in embrace as they fall back on the bed. There is something forceful, mean in the man’s eyes- something submissively ugly about the woman, but collectively it is still passionate, still romantic and dramatic. Pale gray and yellow skin, thick and vibrant despite the unexciting colors. A dark and gleaming yellow consuming the left side of the canvas. This is my overall favorite work in the exhibit. “Torero”- lovely, bright color and yet somehow sad- the bright figure on the black background, with his ugly, somewhat idiotic face- he is clownish, rather pathetic.

Overall- in many ways, his colors and brush strokes evoke Philip Guston. It’s strangely appropriate that this is in a Chelsea gallery and not a museum- these works come from an era, the late sixties, the early seventies, that I associate more with gallery shows than museum exhibits- it’s somewhat “post museum” work. I wonder how often this work was showed, or if these were mostly in his studio, or sold privately? Hm, well- “Picasso believes that works of art are meaningless unless seen and enjoyed by many people”- the narrator of a film playing in the back corner. He’s directly quoting Picasso, not projecting. Interesting to know.

When I see marks of other artists in these works, I wonder- was Picasso still influencing new artists, or were new artists influencing him? “Buste”- stately, dramatic, a dark yet brightly toned portrait. Imposingly regal and dignified. It would be helpful, interesting to know how representative this exhibit is- as in, are these primarily the works Picasso made in his last years, or are these a selection specifically of the portraits he was making in his last years?

The gallery guide makes a poignant point about his race against death- in a way this helps explain some of the rawer, less complete vision of many of the works. They also make an interesting point about the influence of the old masters on Picasso- the noblemen and gentlemen and mosqueteros throughout the portraiture certainly evoke Rembrandt.

Some of the works feel a little flat, incomplete, but the best are thoroughly beautiful and interesting. My overall favorite is “Le baiser.” I also found his drawings quite impressive and undiminished. The show vaguely reminds me of an athlete past his prime. Collectively less impressive than his best work, but still brilliant in spurts- still able to pull out a masterpiece now and then.

album #51

bachelor no. 2 (aimee mann)

This is an extremely pleasant album. Chill, melodic, altogether lovely. Most of the songs give this vibe of, the weary lover, moving on. Sometimes it veers on sleepy, but generally I liked this album's sound. I listened to it off of youtube but I'd love to get it for itunes and be able to revisit my favorites with ease.

One fault of the music, or maybe of my imagination, is it's hard to think up adjectives or descriptions to differentiate the songs. Generally, the ones I loved can all be described as swellingly melodic. These include "Nothing is Good Enough," my overall favorite "Satellites," the more rocking "Ghost World" and "Susan," and the Portishead-ish, mellow strangeness of "Calling it Quits."

Again, this is the sort of record where even the songs I don't mention are plenty good and listenable. I love Aimee Mann's voice and would happily listen to some more of her work this year.