paul simon (paul simon)
This was Paul Simon's first solo album. I like it, it's pleasant. Mostly acoustic. Paul's voice is beautiful, one of my favorite singing voices. Nice instrumentation, good melodies, pretty cool lyrics (though I didn't listen to the lyrics too closely, as usual.) Overall I found the second half of the album not quite as strong as the first half. Still a generally nice, warm, pretty album.
"Mother and Child Reunion," one of the first times a white singer experiments with reggae- as other reviews have mentioned, an early hint of Simon's interest in world music. A chill, uplifting beat. This song reminds me of my own mother. "Duncan" is one of my favorites. Lovely, a rolling story song. The flute really makes the song, I love the flute. "Run that Body Down" is wonderful, kinda slow, a tiny hint of… I don't know how to put it. A little bluesy. An indoor song. "Armistice Day" grows and changes in some cool, interesting ways- starts slow and relaxed, hits an uptempo stride near the end. "Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard" is uptempo, catchy, charming. It makes me think of Washington Heights in the summertime. The second half of the album is mostly chill, calm, acoustic, charming but not anything that captures my attention. "Paranoid Blues" is probably my favorite of the second-half songs. Fun, nice tune. "Papa Hobo" is not one of my favorites (I mean, it's still okay), but I loved a lot of the lyrical moments in that song. "Hobo's Blues" is a charming, uptempo, delightful little instrumental.
Nice work.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
exhibit #2
19th and early 20th Century European Paintings and Sculpture, Metropolitan Museum of Art
This is a relatively new wing. I've spent the entire month making periodic visits to study and record my observations on each room in this wing of the museum.
Arranged approximately by chronology (this entry will undergo a lot of edits over time.)
• (hallway) Henri Regnault- good painter, killed in the Franco-Prussian War… always fascinating when art history and world history intersect. I am a real sucker for a painting that conveys a soft yearning- Merle’s Falling Leaves, Allegory of Autumn and Lefebvre’s Graziella both capture that emotion. Both works were owned by Catherine Lorillard Wolfe, a famed collector (with great taste!) Gerome’s Pygmalion and Galatea- love it. Sappy classicism, but I love it. This painting was executed from multiple angles, could be fun to look at the other incarnations of this work. The near-black bronze of Rodin’s figures draws such a beautiful contrast with the marble sculptures of antiquity. I like Chavannes. There’s a Gauginesque flatness in his work, with a soft, lovely pastel palette and a historical scale. I imagine that he’s known as an artist who took impressionist principles to make Salon-acceptable work. I’ve always admired Rodin’s bust of Chavannes. Truly does capture the elegance and authority of that mythic French gentleman/artist ideal. Rodin’s The Bronze Age- I Love it. Striking, moving, astonishing realism that bursts with quiet passion. Barye- phenomenal sculptor of animals and conflict. Meisonner’s 1807, Friedland- fantastic picture of Napoleon’s victory, the emotional surge of those cavalry saluting him with their blades in the air. Bastien-Lepage’s Joan of Arc- intricate, moving, dazzlingly blue and green color. Pierre Auguste Cot- I am an unabashed romantic, a real sucker, for this guy. Something about really big, vaguely enigmatic and mysterious portraits of romance really capture my imagination. Springtime is delightful, and The Storm- something about the effortlessly tender intimacy in the two figures, it has always touched my sentimental side.
• Lots of Delacroix, Ingres in this room. Early-mid 1800s. Mostly portraits. I like Girodet’s Madame Reizet, she absolutely glows. Ingres’ portraits of the LeBlancs are spectacular, brilliant textural detail, the warm glow of a benefactor. It’s interesting how the social relationship changes- how the esteemed merchant, granting favors to the artist, now owes his immortality to that painter. Christ Asleep during the Tempest, as a picture is dark and moving, but the concept is unintentionally hilarious. The Natchez is a pretty picture, lovely, dark palette, and culturally/historically pretty fascinating, as a French portrayal of an idyllic America that no longer exists.
• Grand landscape paintings. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the really vast landscape paintings. It’s the sense of history, feeling a connection to the New York of the mid 1800s, when it was common to experience nature and foreign countries mainly by these oil paintings. Turner’s The Grand Canal, Venice is magnificent, especially the water- he absolutely captures the city’s unique glow. Leighton’s Lachrymae is an intriguing, melancholy work. Tischbein’s The Children of Martin Anton Heckscher = Baby Beatles! Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds - not my favorite, but it’s an interesting composition, with the rugged nature of the foreground giving way to the ornate cathedral in the background. Gericault’s Evening- gorgeous, soft, glowing color. Green, pink, blue. The buildings in the background look particularly modern, flat simple geometric shapes. I Really like JMW Turner, I regret not studying his big exhibit last year more closely. The Whale Ship is poignant- near the end of his life, the painter makes fuzzier, fading work- but it’s also a strikingly modern piece, and a Rauschenberg palette to boot.
• Mainly smallish medium oil sketches. Koch’s Heroic Landscape with Rainbow- even the title explodes with clichés, but I’ll forgive it because the color and rich detail are striking. First time I’ve ever seen goat’s balls in a painting, much less a heroic painting. Bouton’s Gothic Chapel is a haunting, sublimely mysterious little work. The glow at the top, the darkness in the distance. Montessey’s Pope Gregory XVI visiting the Church of San Benedetto evokes memories of trips to Italy, tours of dark and ornate cathedrals.
• Dozens of tiny oil landscapes. Not really my thing. Michallon’s View of Chatenay evokes summer memories of Tuscany. I like Michallon’s Waterfall at Mont-Dore, the beautiful lushness of the forest and its colors. Otherwise, eh. Beautiful, well made, but I’m not in love with this room.
• Again, mostly small landscapes, with some big ones mixed in. I like Gaertner- splendidly intricate pictures of a bygone era. His Parochialstrasse in Berlin- absolutely fascinating, precise picture of the skinny backstreets of old Europe. I really like JC Dahl- dark, beautiful, intense landscapes. The Eruption of Vesuvius is cool, and god damn, Copenhagen Harbor by Moonlight- rich, dark, beautiful.
• Corot- I don’t really like his colors. Hagar in the Wilderness and The Burning of Sodom are interesting. Some of his modest village landscapes are pretty. Overall I’m not a fan.
• 1850s portraits and scenes, not really what I’m in to. Winterhalter’s Florinda is graceful, impressively scaled and beautifully lit. Cabanel seems to be a very cool artist, I’d like to learn more about him. His Birth of Venus is a Salon style masterpiece, and Echo combines both classical beauty and a lonely, compelling darkness.
• European vision of North Africa, that’s the theme of this room. Gerome’s The Alma- interesting, provocative little picture, certainly reflects the sexual mystery and intrigue of European projections of this region. Gerome paints very cleanly, and he appears to be the leading painter of the Orientalist style. Gerome’s Tiger and Cubs is very cool- the dark, mysterious cave setting really makes it.
• Courbet- I like his hunting scenes. The rich, dark color, the well rendered animals, the quiet intensity of death. After the Hunt is my favorite picture in this room. Young Ladies of the Village, one of his more famous works. The 3 well dressed, ugly women in that vast valley landscape- pretty funny (especially reading the hyperventilating response of critics) and I can appreciate it, even though I’m not in love with it. Recurring theme seems to be, he’s intent on realism in his physical portrayals, but he finds humor or scandal or intrigue in blatantly false narrative elements/ inconsistencies. Rosa Bonheur's the Horse Fair-apparently a resoundingly applauded work. It is dashing, sure, and the scale is impressive. There are flashes of motion in it that I really like, but generally I’m feelin ‘eh’ about this one.
• There’s an intriguing, recurring hint of… weirdness, sadness, subtle ugliness in Manet’s full body portraits. the flat, pasty way he paints faces. Particularly Mademoiselle V in the Costume of an Espada- she looks caught off guard. And the stark cold strangeness of Young Lady in 1866 seems to be a rebuttal/ counterpoint to the glamorous, scandalous women of the Gilded Age portrait gallery. These could be early Arbus photos. Wow- the hallucinogenically rich color of Manet’s Fishing- not like anything I’ve seen. Interestingly, seems to be based on a work by Rubens. Degas has a few charming portraits of elegant old women. I really like Couture’s Soap Bubbles- beautifully intricate texture, with a handsome day dreaming young subject.
• Mainly scenes of peasant life. 1860s, 1870s. Breton’s The Weeders, peasant women working diligently in the glow of twilight, is the prettiest and most noteworthy picture in this room.
• The Tub (Degas) is a very sexy and intimate sculpture; this gallery is small, intimate portraits and domestic images of bathing girls. Degas really liked girls. Altogether I’m not a big fan of this gallery. Toulouse-Latrec’s The Englishman at Moulin Rouge captures an interesting social interaction (and more broadly, a cultural moment) between a gentleman and two ladies.
• Degas- dancers are more interesting than the bathers. Probably because bathers are solitary, while the dancers are socially engaged. I particularly like The Rehearsal Onstage and the charcoal Two Dancers (1879).
• Degas- The Little Fourteen Year Old Dancer is a magnificent figure- in her poise, the youthfulness, the confidence, the anticipation of movement yet to begin- in this one work Degas’ fascination with dancers is perfectly expressed to the viewer. (Interesting historical note: Manet and Degas were rivals.) The Dance Class (1874) is an impressive, well constructed work.
• A full room of small Degas bronzes. Wonderful horses, bathers and dancers. I have no particular comment. They’re nice. It’s pretty fascinating that he made these just for his private interest, like sketches.
• An astonishing room. Huge canvasses of beautiful and wealthy people from the Gilded Age. Many earlier galleries focused on a pastoral theme; this room is all about interiors, social scenes, families. Sargent’s The Wyndham Sisters is gorgeous. Boldini’s Consuelo Vanderbilt and her son is absolutely striking, and the woman is stunningly beautiful. LeRolle’s The Organ Rehearsal is not particularly pretty, but the imposing scale and the sense of the moment lends it a lot of appeal. There’s a pair of landscapes, they’re both amazing. Harpsignies’ Moonrise and Kundzhi’s Red Sunset on the Dnieper. Altogether a fantastic room.
• 2 decent landscapes, and five stately full-body portraits. Gilded Age. I love Sargent’s Lady with the Rose, she’s got a beautiful face (she kindof looks like a modern, fatigued RomCom heroine) and I like the, as the Met describes it, “monochromatic palette.” Madame X is the star of this room. She’s striking, sexy, pale, a little weird I can definitely see where the controversy comes from. She’s definitely not inoffensively beautiful like the Lady with the Rose.
• Monet- earlier period, a little more conventional. Garden at Sainte Adresse is very beautiful and captures a fascinatingly vivid sense of “affluent domesticity,” as the placard says. This gallery is generally lovely Monet leisure paintings. I really like the Manet tableau- The Monet Family in their Garden at Argenteuil. Manet’s Boating is beautiful- I’m a sucker for the sea.
• Monet, the Path Through the Irises- powerful gold and green color. Lovely violet accents of irises. Toulouse-Latrec- cool stuff. The frankness of Woman Before a Mirror is fascinating. In a way he turns the mirror on us. “Here I am,” the woman says. “This is what you call art.” Toulouse Latrec’s work should be appropriated and recast by a good contemporary artist. Vuillard’s The Album is cool and different, it looks like it could be an urban outfitters design.
• Monet’s still lifes are interesting because they seem to reach a level of specificity greater than his landscapes. Not to detract from the landscapes- they are beautiful. Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies is particularly vivid and lovely. The painterly minimalism- a canvas that appears white but clearly demonstrates a tone, a mood, a season- of Ice Floes is gorgeous; it puts Moma’s minimalists to shame. His more abstract, late period water lilies are cool, but not my favorites. In a way they evoke his encroaching blindness- the broader, darker, less defined forms, still beautiful but struggling to be understood.
• Renoir’s The Daughters of Catulle Mendes is quite lovely. This is a perfectly nice gallery but nothing in particular really strikes me. Monet, Manet and others. Latour- very specific still lifes.
• Sisley- pretty clean landscapes. Not really breathtaking. Renoir's In the Meadow- astonishingly dreamy. A Young Girl with Daisies- very pretty and frankly, great breasts. Renoir’s By the Seashore features one of the very prettiest Impressionist girls. Ah, and it turns out Renoir married her! Aline Charigot (and apparently she’s the Young Girl with Daisies, too). Renoir’s finest work is his portraits. Madame Georges Charpentier and her Children is a lovely, fascinatingly intricate picture of home life for a particular class and era.
• Cezanne- Madame Cezanne in the Conservatory is nice. A smooth prettiness. His still lifes with apples are genuinely prettier and more interesting than his portraits and landscapes. Generically nice but I guess Cezanne lacks a certain boldness or uniqueness. I’m not really excited by the works in this gallery. I guess I like work with thicker paint, brighter color, more vivid texture.
• Paul Gaugin- bright, flat color, calm n’ sexy Tahitian women. Seurat's work I generally find a little bit boring. Van Gogh’s La Berceuse- a good example of a work that, formally, looks a little cheap and awkward, but it’s saved by beautiful use of color.
• Seurat’s term of choice for ‘pointillism’ was ‘divisionism.’ Signac- an even more precise Pointillist, it’s like tiny rectangles of color. I like it. La Bonne-Mere. I really like Seurat’s Circus Sideshow. I love certain works that evoke certain cultural pasts. I find the dark palette beautiful, more interesting than the bland daylight of his tranquil landscapes. Van Gogh’s Oleanders- pretty beautiful. I really like Henri Rousseau, he makes me think of colonial history and also my own childhood. His simplicity belies dark themes of conquest and danger.
• Camille Pissaro- Mostly landscapes, lovely mix of urban and rural. Two Young Women is astonishing. Soft, gorgeous color, amazing texture. Poplars, Eragny- man, you can smell the grass. You can feel the sun. Soft, pointillist, impressionist.
• Love the rich, spectacular color of Derain’s Fishing Boats, Collioure. There’s an influence of pointillism but not pure pointillism. I need to learn more about Derain. I love his Lucien Gilbert- the clear, firm lines, the color, the sense of moment, of conversation. The Blind Man’s Meal- a dark and poignant classic, it glows with sadness. I enjoy Picasso’s blue period. There’s less to say about this gallery than I anticipated- the Picasso classics are classics, they’re just plain good, no visceral excitement though. I enjoy the mix of gray and pale pink and the fragile grace in The Actor. Mattisse’s Nono Lebasque- love it. Simple, bright color, beautifully simple line. Her beauty shines through a charmingly simple medium. Head of a Woman (1903)- Beautiful, sensuous and charming. It’s a break from the sadness within the blue period.
• My goodness, the Wisteria Room- rich, beautiful rosewood, beautiful pastel pointillist murals of herons and peacocks in orange, blue, violet, white. Gorgeous, fascinating room. Redon: a lovely painter of flowers, especially Bouquet of Flowers (Pink Background).
• Klimt’s Mäda Primavesi is another one of the prettiest girls in Impressionist painting. Ensor’s Banquet of the Starved is a weird, funny/scary work, made even more jarring by the incongruously bright, sarcastic palette. A fascinatingly grotesque work. I really like Redon- especially Pandora, a beautiful, intricate, hip work- this could be a contemporary design, it would make sense if I saw it at urban outfitters. I can’t really describe it justly, but it’s fantastic. As far as still lifes go, I really like Duncan Grant’s The Coffee Pot.
• Bonnard- The Terrace at Vernon - lovely, imaginative use of color. I love Vuillard’s Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson. Dense, intricate, beautifully colored and textured. I also like The Green Blouse- Bonnard seems to specialize in dreamily colored, intimate domestic scenes.
This is a relatively new wing. I've spent the entire month making periodic visits to study and record my observations on each room in this wing of the museum.
Arranged approximately by chronology (this entry will undergo a lot of edits over time.)
• (hallway) Henri Regnault- good painter, killed in the Franco-Prussian War… always fascinating when art history and world history intersect. I am a real sucker for a painting that conveys a soft yearning- Merle’s Falling Leaves, Allegory of Autumn and Lefebvre’s Graziella both capture that emotion. Both works were owned by Catherine Lorillard Wolfe, a famed collector (with great taste!) Gerome’s Pygmalion and Galatea- love it. Sappy classicism, but I love it. This painting was executed from multiple angles, could be fun to look at the other incarnations of this work. The near-black bronze of Rodin’s figures draws such a beautiful contrast with the marble sculptures of antiquity. I like Chavannes. There’s a Gauginesque flatness in his work, with a soft, lovely pastel palette and a historical scale. I imagine that he’s known as an artist who took impressionist principles to make Salon-acceptable work. I’ve always admired Rodin’s bust of Chavannes. Truly does capture the elegance and authority of that mythic French gentleman/artist ideal. Rodin’s The Bronze Age- I Love it. Striking, moving, astonishing realism that bursts with quiet passion. Barye- phenomenal sculptor of animals and conflict. Meisonner’s 1807, Friedland- fantastic picture of Napoleon’s victory, the emotional surge of those cavalry saluting him with their blades in the air. Bastien-Lepage’s Joan of Arc- intricate, moving, dazzlingly blue and green color. Pierre Auguste Cot- I am an unabashed romantic, a real sucker, for this guy. Something about really big, vaguely enigmatic and mysterious portraits of romance really capture my imagination. Springtime is delightful, and The Storm- something about the effortlessly tender intimacy in the two figures, it has always touched my sentimental side.
+Hugues+Merle-Falling+leaves,+allegory+of+autumn+(New.JPG){kind=link}
• Lots of Delacroix, Ingres in this room. Early-mid 1800s. Mostly portraits. I like Girodet’s Madame Reizet, she absolutely glows. Ingres’ portraits of the LeBlancs are spectacular, brilliant textural detail, the warm glow of a benefactor. It’s interesting how the social relationship changes- how the esteemed merchant, granting favors to the artist, now owes his immortality to that painter. Christ Asleep during the Tempest, as a picture is dark and moving, but the concept is unintentionally hilarious. The Natchez is a pretty picture, lovely, dark palette, and culturally/historically pretty fascinating, as a French portrayal of an idyllic America that no longer exists.
• Grand landscape paintings. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the really vast landscape paintings. It’s the sense of history, feeling a connection to the New York of the mid 1800s, when it was common to experience nature and foreign countries mainly by these oil paintings. Turner’s The Grand Canal, Venice is magnificent, especially the water- he absolutely captures the city’s unique glow. Leighton’s Lachrymae is an intriguing, melancholy work. Tischbein’s The Children of Martin Anton Heckscher = Baby Beatles! Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds - not my favorite, but it’s an interesting composition, with the rugged nature of the foreground giving way to the ornate cathedral in the background. Gericault’s Evening- gorgeous, soft, glowing color. Green, pink, blue. The buildings in the background look particularly modern, flat simple geometric shapes. I Really like JMW Turner, I regret not studying his big exhibit last year more closely. The Whale Ship is poignant- near the end of his life, the painter makes fuzzier, fading work- but it’s also a strikingly modern piece, and a Rauschenberg palette to boot.
• Mainly smallish medium oil sketches. Koch’s Heroic Landscape with Rainbow- even the title explodes with clichés, but I’ll forgive it because the color and rich detail are striking. First time I’ve ever seen goat’s balls in a painting, much less a heroic painting. Bouton’s Gothic Chapel is a haunting, sublimely mysterious little work. The glow at the top, the darkness in the distance. Montessey’s Pope Gregory XVI visiting the Church of San Benedetto evokes memories of trips to Italy, tours of dark and ornate cathedrals.
• Dozens of tiny oil landscapes. Not really my thing. Michallon’s View of Chatenay evokes summer memories of Tuscany. I like Michallon’s Waterfall at Mont-Dore, the beautiful lushness of the forest and its colors. Otherwise, eh. Beautiful, well made, but I’m not in love with this room.
• Again, mostly small landscapes, with some big ones mixed in. I like Gaertner- splendidly intricate pictures of a bygone era. His Parochialstrasse in Berlin- absolutely fascinating, precise picture of the skinny backstreets of old Europe. I really like JC Dahl- dark, beautiful, intense landscapes. The Eruption of Vesuvius is cool, and god damn, Copenhagen Harbor by Moonlight- rich, dark, beautiful.
• Corot- I don’t really like his colors. Hagar in the Wilderness and The Burning of Sodom are interesting. Some of his modest village landscapes are pretty. Overall I’m not a fan.
• 1850s portraits and scenes, not really what I’m in to. Winterhalter’s Florinda is graceful, impressively scaled and beautifully lit. Cabanel seems to be a very cool artist, I’d like to learn more about him. His Birth of Venus is a Salon style masterpiece, and Echo combines both classical beauty and a lonely, compelling darkness.
• European vision of North Africa, that’s the theme of this room. Gerome’s The Alma- interesting, provocative little picture, certainly reflects the sexual mystery and intrigue of European projections of this region. Gerome paints very cleanly, and he appears to be the leading painter of the Orientalist style. Gerome’s Tiger and Cubs is very cool- the dark, mysterious cave setting really makes it.
• Courbet- I like his hunting scenes. The rich, dark color, the well rendered animals, the quiet intensity of death. After the Hunt is my favorite picture in this room. Young Ladies of the Village, one of his more famous works. The 3 well dressed, ugly women in that vast valley landscape- pretty funny (especially reading the hyperventilating response of critics) and I can appreciate it, even though I’m not in love with it. Recurring theme seems to be, he’s intent on realism in his physical portrayals, but he finds humor or scandal or intrigue in blatantly false narrative elements/ inconsistencies. Rosa Bonheur's the Horse Fair-apparently a resoundingly applauded work. It is dashing, sure, and the scale is impressive. There are flashes of motion in it that I really like, but generally I’m feelin ‘eh’ about this one.
• There’s an intriguing, recurring hint of… weirdness, sadness, subtle ugliness in Manet’s full body portraits. the flat, pasty way he paints faces. Particularly Mademoiselle V in the Costume of an Espada- she looks caught off guard. And the stark cold strangeness of Young Lady in 1866 seems to be a rebuttal/ counterpoint to the glamorous, scandalous women of the Gilded Age portrait gallery. These could be early Arbus photos. Wow- the hallucinogenically rich color of Manet’s Fishing- not like anything I’ve seen. Interestingly, seems to be based on a work by Rubens. Degas has a few charming portraits of elegant old women. I really like Couture’s Soap Bubbles- beautifully intricate texture, with a handsome day dreaming young subject.
• Mainly scenes of peasant life. 1860s, 1870s. Breton’s The Weeders, peasant women working diligently in the glow of twilight, is the prettiest and most noteworthy picture in this room.
• The Tub (Degas) is a very sexy and intimate sculpture; this gallery is small, intimate portraits and domestic images of bathing girls. Degas really liked girls. Altogether I’m not a big fan of this gallery. Toulouse-Latrec’s The Englishman at Moulin Rouge captures an interesting social interaction (and more broadly, a cultural moment) between a gentleman and two ladies.
• Degas- dancers are more interesting than the bathers. Probably because bathers are solitary, while the dancers are socially engaged. I particularly like The Rehearsal Onstage and the charcoal Two Dancers (1879).
• Degas- The Little Fourteen Year Old Dancer is a magnificent figure- in her poise, the youthfulness, the confidence, the anticipation of movement yet to begin- in this one work Degas’ fascination with dancers is perfectly expressed to the viewer. (Interesting historical note: Manet and Degas were rivals.) The Dance Class (1874) is an impressive, well constructed work.
• A full room of small Degas bronzes. Wonderful horses, bathers and dancers. I have no particular comment. They’re nice. It’s pretty fascinating that he made these just for his private interest, like sketches.
• An astonishing room. Huge canvasses of beautiful and wealthy people from the Gilded Age. Many earlier galleries focused on a pastoral theme; this room is all about interiors, social scenes, families. Sargent’s The Wyndham Sisters is gorgeous. Boldini’s Consuelo Vanderbilt and her son is absolutely striking, and the woman is stunningly beautiful. LeRolle’s The Organ Rehearsal is not particularly pretty, but the imposing scale and the sense of the moment lends it a lot of appeal. There’s a pair of landscapes, they’re both amazing. Harpsignies’ Moonrise and Kundzhi’s Red Sunset on the Dnieper. Altogether a fantastic room.
• 2 decent landscapes, and five stately full-body portraits. Gilded Age. I love Sargent’s Lady with the Rose, she’s got a beautiful face (she kindof looks like a modern, fatigued RomCom heroine) and I like the, as the Met describes it, “monochromatic palette.” Madame X is the star of this room. She’s striking, sexy, pale, a little weird I can definitely see where the controversy comes from. She’s definitely not inoffensively beautiful like the Lady with the Rose.
• Monet- earlier period, a little more conventional. Garden at Sainte Adresse is very beautiful and captures a fascinatingly vivid sense of “affluent domesticity,” as the placard says. This gallery is generally lovely Monet leisure paintings. I really like the Manet tableau- The Monet Family in their Garden at Argenteuil. Manet’s Boating is beautiful- I’m a sucker for the sea.
• Monet, the Path Through the Irises- powerful gold and green color. Lovely violet accents of irises. Toulouse-Latrec- cool stuff. The frankness of Woman Before a Mirror is fascinating. In a way he turns the mirror on us. “Here I am,” the woman says. “This is what you call art.” Toulouse Latrec’s work should be appropriated and recast by a good contemporary artist. Vuillard’s The Album is cool and different, it looks like it could be an urban outfitters design.
• Monet’s still lifes are interesting because they seem to reach a level of specificity greater than his landscapes. Not to detract from the landscapes- they are beautiful. Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies is particularly vivid and lovely. The painterly minimalism- a canvas that appears white but clearly demonstrates a tone, a mood, a season- of Ice Floes is gorgeous; it puts Moma’s minimalists to shame. His more abstract, late period water lilies are cool, but not my favorites. In a way they evoke his encroaching blindness- the broader, darker, less defined forms, still beautiful but struggling to be understood.
• Renoir’s The Daughters of Catulle Mendes is quite lovely. This is a perfectly nice gallery but nothing in particular really strikes me. Monet, Manet and others. Latour- very specific still lifes.
• Sisley- pretty clean landscapes. Not really breathtaking. Renoir's In the Meadow- astonishingly dreamy. A Young Girl with Daisies- very pretty and frankly, great breasts. Renoir’s By the Seashore features one of the very prettiest Impressionist girls. Ah, and it turns out Renoir married her! Aline Charigot (and apparently she’s the Young Girl with Daisies, too). Renoir’s finest work is his portraits. Madame Georges Charpentier and her Children is a lovely, fascinatingly intricate picture of home life for a particular class and era.
• Cezanne- Madame Cezanne in the Conservatory is nice. A smooth prettiness. His still lifes with apples are genuinely prettier and more interesting than his portraits and landscapes. Generically nice but I guess Cezanne lacks a certain boldness or uniqueness. I’m not really excited by the works in this gallery. I guess I like work with thicker paint, brighter color, more vivid texture.
• Paul Gaugin- bright, flat color, calm n’ sexy Tahitian women. Seurat's work I generally find a little bit boring. Van Gogh’s La Berceuse- a good example of a work that, formally, looks a little cheap and awkward, but it’s saved by beautiful use of color.
• Seurat’s term of choice for ‘pointillism’ was ‘divisionism.’ Signac- an even more precise Pointillist, it’s like tiny rectangles of color. I like it. La Bonne-Mere. I really like Seurat’s Circus Sideshow. I love certain works that evoke certain cultural pasts. I find the dark palette beautiful, more interesting than the bland daylight of his tranquil landscapes. Van Gogh’s Oleanders- pretty beautiful. I really like Henri Rousseau, he makes me think of colonial history and also my own childhood. His simplicity belies dark themes of conquest and danger.
• Camille Pissaro- Mostly landscapes, lovely mix of urban and rural. Two Young Women is astonishing. Soft, gorgeous color, amazing texture. Poplars, Eragny- man, you can smell the grass. You can feel the sun. Soft, pointillist, impressionist.
• Love the rich, spectacular color of Derain’s Fishing Boats, Collioure. There’s an influence of pointillism but not pure pointillism. I need to learn more about Derain. I love his Lucien Gilbert- the clear, firm lines, the color, the sense of moment, of conversation. The Blind Man’s Meal- a dark and poignant classic, it glows with sadness. I enjoy Picasso’s blue period. There’s less to say about this gallery than I anticipated- the Picasso classics are classics, they’re just plain good, no visceral excitement though. I enjoy the mix of gray and pale pink and the fragile grace in The Actor. Mattisse’s Nono Lebasque- love it. Simple, bright color, beautifully simple line. Her beauty shines through a charmingly simple medium. Head of a Woman (1903)- Beautiful, sensuous and charming. It’s a break from the sadness within the blue period.
• My goodness, the Wisteria Room- rich, beautiful rosewood, beautiful pastel pointillist murals of herons and peacocks in orange, blue, violet, white. Gorgeous, fascinating room. Redon: a lovely painter of flowers, especially Bouquet of Flowers (Pink Background).
• Klimt’s Mäda Primavesi is another one of the prettiest girls in Impressionist painting. Ensor’s Banquet of the Starved is a weird, funny/scary work, made even more jarring by the incongruously bright, sarcastic palette. A fascinatingly grotesque work. I really like Redon- especially Pandora, a beautiful, intricate, hip work- this could be a contemporary design, it would make sense if I saw it at urban outfitters. I can’t really describe it justly, but it’s fantastic. As far as still lifes go, I really like Duncan Grant’s The Coffee Pot.
• Bonnard- The Terrace at Vernon - lovely, imaginative use of color. I love Vuillard’s Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson. Dense, intricate, beautifully colored and textured. I also like The Green Blouse- Bonnard seems to specialize in dreamily colored, intimate domestic scenes.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
album #23
merriweather post pavilion (animal collective)
It's funny, I think the main thing I learned from this album is that I am nowhere near the rock snobbery of some of my friends (not that I ever thought I was.) I have friends who are passionately fans of this album, and one friend who absolutely hates it. I come down feeling, "good, likable, interesting, but kinda redundant."
This is a band that I've avoided in the past- Katie played me like one, or maybe half of one of their tracks, years ago, and I was like, "eh, not interested" and have held to that opinion since then. But hey, this year is all about education. There's no doubt though, that to understand the arguments my friends have had, I'll need to listen to some of their earlier work, because it's all about the context of how their sound has evolved. The pro's say it's getting more ambitious, the anti's say it's getting less innovative.
Anyway, my own thoughts on this album: it's a really interesting sound. It's hard to imagine this sound existing in a studio or on a stage- it all seems to float in its own galaxy. The album opens strong with two tracks I can really get into. "In the Flowers" has this squeal, this hum of mystery to it. "My Girls" has a tightness to it- a little repetitive, but it sounds like a great, unconventional dance track. I love the chorus of "Summertime Clothes"- 'I want to walk around with you!'- such an exciting and yet sweetly naive invitation. Really does make me think of summertime clothes. One of my favorite tracks, I think. "Bluish" eventually finds a really nice melody, it has this affectionate 80s hum. I really like that one. "No More Runnin" is good, and "The Brothersport" is a really fun closer, it's got a bigness and fastness, tribal energy going on there.
I get a little impatient with it, though- there are slices of most songs that I like, but often the song as a whole gets a little too redundant or cloudy. Altogether I like this sound but I'm not sure I love it. Good moments though, good songs, and very well produced- I lean more towards like than dislike, overall. My tastes lean towards cleaner pop. Anyway, cool stuff.
It's funny, I think the main thing I learned from this album is that I am nowhere near the rock snobbery of some of my friends (not that I ever thought I was.) I have friends who are passionately fans of this album, and one friend who absolutely hates it. I come down feeling, "good, likable, interesting, but kinda redundant."
This is a band that I've avoided in the past- Katie played me like one, or maybe half of one of their tracks, years ago, and I was like, "eh, not interested" and have held to that opinion since then. But hey, this year is all about education. There's no doubt though, that to understand the arguments my friends have had, I'll need to listen to some of their earlier work, because it's all about the context of how their sound has evolved. The pro's say it's getting more ambitious, the anti's say it's getting less innovative.
Anyway, my own thoughts on this album: it's a really interesting sound. It's hard to imagine this sound existing in a studio or on a stage- it all seems to float in its own galaxy. The album opens strong with two tracks I can really get into. "In the Flowers" has this squeal, this hum of mystery to it. "My Girls" has a tightness to it- a little repetitive, but it sounds like a great, unconventional dance track. I love the chorus of "Summertime Clothes"- 'I want to walk around with you!'- such an exciting and yet sweetly naive invitation. Really does make me think of summertime clothes. One of my favorite tracks, I think. "Bluish" eventually finds a really nice melody, it has this affectionate 80s hum. I really like that one. "No More Runnin" is good, and "The Brothersport" is a really fun closer, it's got a bigness and fastness, tribal energy going on there.
I get a little impatient with it, though- there are slices of most songs that I like, but often the song as a whole gets a little too redundant or cloudy. Altogether I like this sound but I'm not sure I love it. Good moments though, good songs, and very well produced- I lean more towards like than dislike, overall. My tastes lean towards cleaner pop. Anyway, cool stuff.
Monday, February 23, 2009
album #22
get guilty (a.c. newman)
The New Pornographers are my favorite band and I almost automatically love any project that extends from their collective- Destroyer, Immaculate Machine, and the solo career of A.C. Newman, their driving force. This is Newman's second solo album. He's one of the era's best pop craftsmen. He simply knows how to put together good pop songs, like almost nobody else. His solo work always feels a little more delicate, a little airier- more Canadian- than his New Pornographers work. The instrumentation is less aggressive, less rocking. It's terrific autumn music.
This is a pretty consistent album, it's hard to point to favorites, because it's all pretty good. "The Heartbreak Rides" really grew on me- it simmers softly, tenderly, and then eventually breaks into some fine instrumental flourishes. "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer" is nice and tightly wound, crisp acoustic guitar and rhythm. "Prophets" is a really good one, very pretty and quickish. I could see it working as a New Pornographers song, which is the highest compliment I would give. After that strong series, the next few songs are a little less engaging, then it picks up again in the final third of the album. "Changeling" is a good one, I liked it instantly, but it might have an expiration date… I already find myself liking it a little less than my other faves. "Elemental" is good. "Young Atlantis" is hard to describe, it's really really good. He draws some really beautiful instruments, sets a mood of pure Discovery with that song. And I like the closer, "All of My Days and All of My Days Off." It's got a good anthemic vibe.
Altogether I admired the consistency and I liked this album, but I think I liked The Slow Wonder, his first work, more. I just love some of the highs he hits with more powerful instrumentation, in his first album. Every song here is charmingly structured, but I can’t love any of them the way I love “On the Table” or “Miracle Drug.”
The New Pornographers are my favorite band and I almost automatically love any project that extends from their collective- Destroyer, Immaculate Machine, and the solo career of A.C. Newman, their driving force. This is Newman's second solo album. He's one of the era's best pop craftsmen. He simply knows how to put together good pop songs, like almost nobody else. His solo work always feels a little more delicate, a little airier- more Canadian- than his New Pornographers work. The instrumentation is less aggressive, less rocking. It's terrific autumn music.
This is a pretty consistent album, it's hard to point to favorites, because it's all pretty good. "The Heartbreak Rides" really grew on me- it simmers softly, tenderly, and then eventually breaks into some fine instrumental flourishes. "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer" is nice and tightly wound, crisp acoustic guitar and rhythm. "Prophets" is a really good one, very pretty and quickish. I could see it working as a New Pornographers song, which is the highest compliment I would give. After that strong series, the next few songs are a little less engaging, then it picks up again in the final third of the album. "Changeling" is a good one, I liked it instantly, but it might have an expiration date… I already find myself liking it a little less than my other faves. "Elemental" is good. "Young Atlantis" is hard to describe, it's really really good. He draws some really beautiful instruments, sets a mood of pure Discovery with that song. And I like the closer, "All of My Days and All of My Days Off." It's got a good anthemic vibe.
Altogether I admired the consistency and I liked this album, but I think I liked The Slow Wonder, his first work, more. I just love some of the highs he hits with more powerful instrumentation, in his first album. Every song here is charmingly structured, but I can’t love any of them the way I love “On the Table” or “Miracle Drug.”
Saturday, February 21, 2009
book # 2
White Noise (Don DeLillo)
This review is a good place to look, to capture the main themes and synopsis (I found it kinda funny/annoying, the way that review eventually devolves into a summary of the whole plot).
My general feelings… a good read. The first section is probably my favorite. Hitler Studies is hilarious. The overall tone of the book- the anxiety, artifice, deadened American soul, the gnawing loneliness of consumer culture- thought it was very well rendered, very funny. There are countless moments throughout this book where the foolishness or sadness of modern American consumer culture gets perfectly, brilliantly skewered. So as far as those satirical themes go, I really liked it. The other central theme of the book, death, I found somewhat boring and annoying after a while. It rang a little hollow, because personally, I find death interesting, I certainly don't look forward to it, but I absolutely don't relate to a relentless, obsessive fear of it; so I had trouble feeling empathy for the characters as much when they got into that territory.
That might be the key difference between satire and absurdism; satire's only funny or moving when it's true. So because I personally feel there's truth in that consumerist blankness (I've lived it and witnessed it), it delights me; but the obsession with death- maybe when I'm older, but it simply doesn't torment me the way it does Jack or Babette, so as a reader it just doesn't connect.
Speaking of, Babette's an annoying character. Sweet intentioned but kinda dumb and anxious. NO THANKS!
In general this struck me as a precursor to all those Wes Andersen films. This book was written in 1985- imagine this family reuniting in 2005, with their quirky anxieties and philosophies and general relationship with consumerism and artifice intact. The screenplay writes itself. I've never seen Royal Tenenbaums, but I bet that film and the reunion would draw some striking similarities.
Personal favorites/ highlights: Jack & Murray's Hitler/Elvis lecture… any conversation between Jack and Heinrich, rich with philosophy and funny conflict- Heinrich in general is full of great ideas/observations… "that is the point of Babette"- an intriguing moment when the line between person and advertised product truly blurs… Simuvac and the use of the actual event to rehearse the simulation (brilliant)… Murray generally comes up with these great, funny, fascinating theories (it's as if DeLillo predicts the age of Klosterman)… the shocking confrontation in the motel… I Loved the people who survive the near-plane crash, the astonishing emotional swings of terror and elation and exhaustion, and then Denise thinks, 'but there are no news cameras- they went through all that for nothing'- this episode struck me as the best capture of the book's central themes.
A good read, rich with quietly funny, honest ideas and observations. I found some of the themes exhausting, but it would be worth it to reread the first segment and a few select chapters/passages, if I ever pick it up again in the future.
This review is a good place to look, to capture the main themes and synopsis (I found it kinda funny/annoying, the way that review eventually devolves into a summary of the whole plot).
My general feelings… a good read. The first section is probably my favorite. Hitler Studies is hilarious. The overall tone of the book- the anxiety, artifice, deadened American soul, the gnawing loneliness of consumer culture- thought it was very well rendered, very funny. There are countless moments throughout this book where the foolishness or sadness of modern American consumer culture gets perfectly, brilliantly skewered. So as far as those satirical themes go, I really liked it. The other central theme of the book, death, I found somewhat boring and annoying after a while. It rang a little hollow, because personally, I find death interesting, I certainly don't look forward to it, but I absolutely don't relate to a relentless, obsessive fear of it; so I had trouble feeling empathy for the characters as much when they got into that territory.
That might be the key difference between satire and absurdism; satire's only funny or moving when it's true. So because I personally feel there's truth in that consumerist blankness (I've lived it and witnessed it), it delights me; but the obsession with death- maybe when I'm older, but it simply doesn't torment me the way it does Jack or Babette, so as a reader it just doesn't connect.
Speaking of, Babette's an annoying character. Sweet intentioned but kinda dumb and anxious. NO THANKS!
In general this struck me as a precursor to all those Wes Andersen films. This book was written in 1985- imagine this family reuniting in 2005, with their quirky anxieties and philosophies and general relationship with consumerism and artifice intact. The screenplay writes itself. I've never seen Royal Tenenbaums, but I bet that film and the reunion would draw some striking similarities.
Personal favorites/ highlights: Jack & Murray's Hitler/Elvis lecture… any conversation between Jack and Heinrich, rich with philosophy and funny conflict- Heinrich in general is full of great ideas/observations… "that is the point of Babette"- an intriguing moment when the line between person and advertised product truly blurs… Simuvac and the use of the actual event to rehearse the simulation (brilliant)… Murray generally comes up with these great, funny, fascinating theories (it's as if DeLillo predicts the age of Klosterman)… the shocking confrontation in the motel… I Loved the people who survive the near-plane crash, the astonishing emotional swings of terror and elation and exhaustion, and then Denise thinks, 'but there are no news cameras- they went through all that for nothing'- this episode struck me as the best capture of the book's central themes.
A good read, rich with quietly funny, honest ideas and observations. I found some of the themes exhausting, but it would be worth it to reread the first segment and a few select chapters/passages, if I ever pick it up again in the future.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
album #21
exile on main street (the rolling stones)
I'm not really a fan of this album, and I couldn't figure out why it is so resoundingly heralded until I read a few reviews. The fact of its production is interesting- they made this record in pretty isolated circumstances, in the south of France, at the tail end of a very turbulent period. The record itself is a lot of rambly, honky tonk, country blues and soul influences. If you're into that sort of thing, it's pretty cool. I'm not unanimously opposed to this sort of music (I was tempted to write "they evoke the music of the american south really well, but hey, fuck the american south" until I remembered that just yesterday I was in love with a jenny lewis alt-country song.) I just was not into it too much here.
There's an anti-Stones bias amid some of my most trusted music friends, so I struggled to overcome that while listening. I'm not sure if I totally managed to avoid their bias. Here's the thing: I Like the Rolling Stones, I like the thick attitude of Mick's voice, I like when they're big and rocking and cocky. But their country stuff just bores me. It's like any good country record- I can respect it but I'm not excited for it.
Whenever they come closest to that patented Rolling Stones rock sound, that's when I liked the album most. "Rocks Off" kicks ass, it's So much better than the rest of the album. Great, bursting trumpets really seal the deal with that song. "Loving Cup" is also fantastic- this desperately lustful, almost angry, southern plea. Those are my two favorites. "Happy," apparently the work of Keith Richards and some studio musicians, is a fun, uptempo number, it was my third favorite. There's a heaviness to "Ventilator Blues" that I really like, a good, strong song. Makes me think of the sun- just a really hot, heavy, dusty day. Out of all their blatantly country/bluesy songs, "Stop Breaking Down" stood out as a pretty good, listenable one.
Those are the songs I'll keep in mind and will look forward to listening to again. The rest of it ranged from good to dullsville- like, they developed a kinda cool sound with this record, sure, but not a sound I'm super into.
I find it hard to believe that they've never released a better record. I'm sure that at Least they've released a better record for my tastes. I look forward to finding it.
I'm not really a fan of this album, and I couldn't figure out why it is so resoundingly heralded until I read a few reviews. The fact of its production is interesting- they made this record in pretty isolated circumstances, in the south of France, at the tail end of a very turbulent period. The record itself is a lot of rambly, honky tonk, country blues and soul influences. If you're into that sort of thing, it's pretty cool. I'm not unanimously opposed to this sort of music (I was tempted to write "they evoke the music of the american south really well, but hey, fuck the american south" until I remembered that just yesterday I was in love with a jenny lewis alt-country song.) I just was not into it too much here.
There's an anti-Stones bias amid some of my most trusted music friends, so I struggled to overcome that while listening. I'm not sure if I totally managed to avoid their bias. Here's the thing: I Like the Rolling Stones, I like the thick attitude of Mick's voice, I like when they're big and rocking and cocky. But their country stuff just bores me. It's like any good country record- I can respect it but I'm not excited for it.
Whenever they come closest to that patented Rolling Stones rock sound, that's when I liked the album most. "Rocks Off" kicks ass, it's So much better than the rest of the album. Great, bursting trumpets really seal the deal with that song. "Loving Cup" is also fantastic- this desperately lustful, almost angry, southern plea. Those are my two favorites. "Happy," apparently the work of Keith Richards and some studio musicians, is a fun, uptempo number, it was my third favorite. There's a heaviness to "Ventilator Blues" that I really like, a good, strong song. Makes me think of the sun- just a really hot, heavy, dusty day. Out of all their blatantly country/bluesy songs, "Stop Breaking Down" stood out as a pretty good, listenable one.
Those are the songs I'll keep in mind and will look forward to listening to again. The rest of it ranged from good to dullsville- like, they developed a kinda cool sound with this record, sure, but not a sound I'm super into.
I find it hard to believe that they've never released a better record. I'm sure that at Least they've released a better record for my tastes. I look forward to finding it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
album #20
thriller (michael jackson)
There's not much to say about this album. Every individual track is perfect pop. That's all there is to it. An interesting mix of compellingly dark tracks and straight up romantic tracks. That great, high, clear, emotional voice, at the center of a nice pop/r&b musical swirl. Simply fun, great listening from start to finish. Almost every track I've heard my entire life already, so it's hard to judge them. Out of the ones I havent heard before- "Baby Be Mine"… maybe my favorite track on the whole album. Funky, pop, they've got those trumpets- a pleasant reminder of his Off the Wall stuff, which I loved. "Human Nature"… pretty good one, I liked it a lot. Slower and thoughtful and soft, in a way that I liked. "The Lady of my Life"… eh, I guess this one is a step behind the rest, in terms of my affection. Just a little too slow, ballady. Every other track is a legendary single and I love all of them, to one degree or another. Surprisingly, "Thriller," a classic track, might be one of my less favorites- maybe simply due to overexposure. "Pretty Young Thing" grew on me a whole lot in a short amount of time. Such a great, uptempo, affectionate pop/dance song. "The Girl is Mine" has gotten some disses from critics I've read, but look, Michael's voice plus Paul's voice… that song's gonna be enjoyable, even if it's not a killer. And of course in the middle of the lineup, "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"- they're about equally good in my book. Classic, heavy, great tracks. And, I might as well mention every single track: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a kickass opener. Fast, frantic, scary, exhilarating lyrically and musically. I love it sitting on the couch, and I LOVE it dancing.
Lastly, I have to say that- I was working on some artwork while I listened to this track, and this is great 'listen while you work' music. There are several different emotional moods from song to song- it makes for good, varied listening.
I like this album instantly. That's what makes it a pop masterpiece.
There's not much to say about this album. Every individual track is perfect pop. That's all there is to it. An interesting mix of compellingly dark tracks and straight up romantic tracks. That great, high, clear, emotional voice, at the center of a nice pop/r&b musical swirl. Simply fun, great listening from start to finish. Almost every track I've heard my entire life already, so it's hard to judge them. Out of the ones I havent heard before- "Baby Be Mine"… maybe my favorite track on the whole album. Funky, pop, they've got those trumpets- a pleasant reminder of his Off the Wall stuff, which I loved. "Human Nature"… pretty good one, I liked it a lot. Slower and thoughtful and soft, in a way that I liked. "The Lady of my Life"… eh, I guess this one is a step behind the rest, in terms of my affection. Just a little too slow, ballady. Every other track is a legendary single and I love all of them, to one degree or another. Surprisingly, "Thriller," a classic track, might be one of my less favorites- maybe simply due to overexposure. "Pretty Young Thing" grew on me a whole lot in a short amount of time. Such a great, uptempo, affectionate pop/dance song. "The Girl is Mine" has gotten some disses from critics I've read, but look, Michael's voice plus Paul's voice… that song's gonna be enjoyable, even if it's not a killer. And of course in the middle of the lineup, "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"- they're about equally good in my book. Classic, heavy, great tracks. And, I might as well mention every single track: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a kickass opener. Fast, frantic, scary, exhilarating lyrically and musically. I love it sitting on the couch, and I LOVE it dancing.
Lastly, I have to say that- I was working on some artwork while I listened to this track, and this is great 'listen while you work' music. There are several different emotional moods from song to song- it makes for good, varied listening.
I like this album instantly. That's what makes it a pop masterpiece.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
album #19
the kick inside (kate bush)
I've listened pretty much only to Kate Bush the past few days, this album and several singles. This was her debut album, from 1978. There are the tracks with the typical rock/piano sound with a little synth, and other songs that are… I don't really know what adjectives are best for her music, I guess I'll go with 'baroque'- lots of old instruments- strings, harpsichord, more tender piano. Her voice is pretty diverse, ranging from operatic to quirky-squeaky. This album definitely feels like a creature of the late 70's, it makes me think of Heart (to the extent that I know Heart). I didn't listen to the lyrics too closely, but there seems to be a fair amount going on about love and womanhood.
For the most part I'm really, really loving what I hear of Kate Bush. I barely knew her catalogue before, but I listened to a whole lot of her singles and I loved a whole lot of them. This album grew on me slowly, but my general impression is that it's pretty lovely. It's very feminine music, not in a pejorative way. Sweet, slow, plaintive in several tracks. Plenty of catchiness as well. There's also undeniably a cheesiness in a few of the tracks (a natural side effect of an artist who is unapologetically, proudly weird)- it's the sort of music that I really like but would feel mildly embarrassed to listen to around my roommates.
"Wuthering Heights" I love- So, so different. Squeaky, operatic, but god, such a knockout hook in the chorus. "Saxophone Song" has got some ridiculous lyrics in there, but I really really like it, when she sings "it's in me" with that yearning urgency, I absolutely love it. "Oh to be in Love" is catchy, and it's a fine example of her effortless slides between a, musical-theatre, operatic voice, and those really strong pop-rock hooks she hits in the chorus. Hm, even as I type it, that strikes me as the best way to summarize her formula on this album. Winding, delicate verses, with choruses that hit the hooks really well. "Them Heavy People" reminds me of a very particular type of music and I don't know what to call it. I guess, pop rock with a hint of reggae influence. But Lennon's 'Living on Borrowed Time' is the same style. Not sure what to call it, but Kate rocks it on that track. And "The Kick Inside" is a beautiful, beautiful closing track. She has a few numbers on this album that are, a little slower, more ballad types, and the closer is the absolute best among those tracks.
"The man with the child in his eyes" is not one of my favorites, but I wanted to mention it because it's just interesting how much it sounds like it could be a solo McCartney song. "Kite" is memorably funky. Not one of my favorites, but really cool music, a different kind of sound there. Sort of Elton John influence.
Altogether I really liked this album, there was some great stuff on here, and I'm looking forward to hearing some more of her albums. I have a feeling that, although this one is good, somewhere out there she's made an album that I would absolutely Love.
I've listened pretty much only to Kate Bush the past few days, this album and several singles. This was her debut album, from 1978. There are the tracks with the typical rock/piano sound with a little synth, and other songs that are… I don't really know what adjectives are best for her music, I guess I'll go with 'baroque'- lots of old instruments- strings, harpsichord, more tender piano. Her voice is pretty diverse, ranging from operatic to quirky-squeaky. This album definitely feels like a creature of the late 70's, it makes me think of Heart (to the extent that I know Heart). I didn't listen to the lyrics too closely, but there seems to be a fair amount going on about love and womanhood.
For the most part I'm really, really loving what I hear of Kate Bush. I barely knew her catalogue before, but I listened to a whole lot of her singles and I loved a whole lot of them. This album grew on me slowly, but my general impression is that it's pretty lovely. It's very feminine music, not in a pejorative way. Sweet, slow, plaintive in several tracks. Plenty of catchiness as well. There's also undeniably a cheesiness in a few of the tracks (a natural side effect of an artist who is unapologetically, proudly weird)- it's the sort of music that I really like but would feel mildly embarrassed to listen to around my roommates.
"Wuthering Heights" I love- So, so different. Squeaky, operatic, but god, such a knockout hook in the chorus. "Saxophone Song" has got some ridiculous lyrics in there, but I really really like it, when she sings "it's in me" with that yearning urgency, I absolutely love it. "Oh to be in Love" is catchy, and it's a fine example of her effortless slides between a, musical-theatre, operatic voice, and those really strong pop-rock hooks she hits in the chorus. Hm, even as I type it, that strikes me as the best way to summarize her formula on this album. Winding, delicate verses, with choruses that hit the hooks really well. "Them Heavy People" reminds me of a very particular type of music and I don't know what to call it. I guess, pop rock with a hint of reggae influence. But Lennon's 'Living on Borrowed Time' is the same style. Not sure what to call it, but Kate rocks it on that track. And "The Kick Inside" is a beautiful, beautiful closing track. She has a few numbers on this album that are, a little slower, more ballad types, and the closer is the absolute best among those tracks.
"The man with the child in his eyes" is not one of my favorites, but I wanted to mention it because it's just interesting how much it sounds like it could be a solo McCartney song. "Kite" is memorably funky. Not one of my favorites, but really cool music, a different kind of sound there. Sort of Elton John influence.
Altogether I really liked this album, there was some great stuff on here, and I'm looking forward to hearing some more of her albums. I have a feeling that, although this one is good, somewhere out there she's made an album that I would absolutely Love.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
album #18
pet sounds (the beach boys)
First few times I listened to this album, I was a little worried- "what is wrong with me? how do I not like this?" the reputation of this album is so overwhelming, I'd looked forward to hearing it, but then almost none of it stood out. After many, many listens I can appreciate it in many ways, but it's still not quite as brilliant or engaging as I had expected.
The most compelling aspects of this album:
• the lyrics often get starkly biographical… there's a really interesting sense of thinly-veiled self critique. "I had to prove that I could make it alone now, but that's not me," for instance, or "I know so many people who think they can do it alone," or "I guess I just wasn't made for these times." The lyrics alternate between love songs and a lot, a Lot of lyrics (generally sad) that seem like they're really about something else. Another example: "this is the worst trip I've ever been on."
• the vocal harmonies are brilliantly, beautifully complex. That particular talent is probably one of the Beach Boys' most lasting legacies. Every single track is amazing in this respect, but "God Only Knows" and "Sloop John B" are especially so.
• the music is pretty intricate- lots of cool, unusual, and lovely instruments; I had a breakthrough moment on a recent listen when I tried to really listen to the rhythm section, and suddenly I started focusing on hearing different instruments in the background, and there's just a lot going on.
The songs themselves, however, don't totally add up to satisfying slices. A lot of them just aren't my taste, I guess. Or rather- nothing was bad, it's just that I anticipated pure Greatness and a lot of it was more, 'good.' But I guess that's the difference between a great album and a great collection of songs- the sense of wholeness rather than the sum of parts. Subtle but important difference.
My personal favorite songs: "That's Not Me" is amazing. I Love it. The strikingly honest, reflective lyrics; a really brilliant match of song to message- the song moves and stretches and dreams the same way the lyrics do. And it transforms, the verse to chorus changes really feel like transformations. "Wouldn't it be Nice" is a classic, especially those opening bells- one of the most famous album openings in music history. "Caroline No" is really lovely and intricate. The instrumentals are nice, "Let's Go Away for a While" I like a little more, there's a sense of movement and romance in it. "I Just Wasn't Made for these Times" is first among an army of 'pretty goods.'
This one definitely is good for some more listens in the future- not because I love the individual melodies and songs, but because really absorbing that instrumentation could be worth it. A fine, impressive work, not the favorite I expected, but nonetheless a very special album.
First few times I listened to this album, I was a little worried- "what is wrong with me? how do I not like this?" the reputation of this album is so overwhelming, I'd looked forward to hearing it, but then almost none of it stood out. After many, many listens I can appreciate it in many ways, but it's still not quite as brilliant or engaging as I had expected.
The most compelling aspects of this album:
• the lyrics often get starkly biographical… there's a really interesting sense of thinly-veiled self critique. "I had to prove that I could make it alone now, but that's not me," for instance, or "I know so many people who think they can do it alone," or "I guess I just wasn't made for these times." The lyrics alternate between love songs and a lot, a Lot of lyrics (generally sad) that seem like they're really about something else. Another example: "this is the worst trip I've ever been on."
• the vocal harmonies are brilliantly, beautifully complex. That particular talent is probably one of the Beach Boys' most lasting legacies. Every single track is amazing in this respect, but "God Only Knows" and "Sloop John B" are especially so.
• the music is pretty intricate- lots of cool, unusual, and lovely instruments; I had a breakthrough moment on a recent listen when I tried to really listen to the rhythm section, and suddenly I started focusing on hearing different instruments in the background, and there's just a lot going on.
The songs themselves, however, don't totally add up to satisfying slices. A lot of them just aren't my taste, I guess. Or rather- nothing was bad, it's just that I anticipated pure Greatness and a lot of it was more, 'good.' But I guess that's the difference between a great album and a great collection of songs- the sense of wholeness rather than the sum of parts. Subtle but important difference.
My personal favorite songs: "That's Not Me" is amazing. I Love it. The strikingly honest, reflective lyrics; a really brilliant match of song to message- the song moves and stretches and dreams the same way the lyrics do. And it transforms, the verse to chorus changes really feel like transformations. "Wouldn't it be Nice" is a classic, especially those opening bells- one of the most famous album openings in music history. "Caroline No" is really lovely and intricate. The instrumentals are nice, "Let's Go Away for a While" I like a little more, there's a sense of movement and romance in it. "I Just Wasn't Made for these Times" is first among an army of 'pretty goods.'
This one definitely is good for some more listens in the future- not because I love the individual melodies and songs, but because really absorbing that instrumentation could be worth it. A fine, impressive work, not the favorite I expected, but nonetheless a very special album.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
book # 1
Candide (Voltaire)
Among my various 2009 self-enrichment projects, reading books has taken the backseat so far this year. I just have the worst time staying focused on them, sometimes. Anyway, Candide was my first real effort to sit down and read, and it was very rewarding. Generally I think there are two big categories of books/reading I like- politics/history/news, and light, smart satire. Candide fits perfectly into the latter category.
I expected this book to be "200 years ago" funny- but it is hilarious today. The comedy comes on a few different levels- it's vicious satire, ridiculing political, religious, social conventions at every opportunity. It's a great parody of classic romantic adventure stories (especially the cartoonishly handy, virtuous sidekick Cacambo, the ridiculous coincidences that reunite Candide with people he knows at every turn, and the particular sequence of heroically murdering the Jew and the Inquisitor and taking Cunegonde.) It's also amusingly blunt, shockingly profane at points, and also applies weirdness and dryly phrased hyperbole to fine effect.
Particularly hilarious or compelling passages, worth revisiting: poignant philosophy about holding on to lives we hate in ch 12; funny descriptions of Don Fernando in ch 13; ch 16-18 in the new world are particularly excellent- the hilarious stuff with the apes and the women, Cacambo's ridiculous usefulness, and the very thought provoking experience in El Dorado; the encounter with the slave in ch 19 is definitely memorable; ch 22 skewers contemporary France and European mores very well; the execution of the admiral in ch 23 definitely stands out; signor pococurante in ch 25 is a pretty interesting character with an well argued, cynical philosophy; ch 29, when candide initially realizes that he is not attracted to cunegonde anymore, but has to awkwardly act like he still does, is hilarious; and the resolution in ch 30 is generally interesting and worth examining.
And some more great things: the post-earthquake auto da fe (public torture), religiously assumed to stave off earthquakes, is immediately followed by a second, brutal earthquake. Pangloss' proud line near the end, "Of course I won't change my mind, I'm a Philosopher!" Jacques the Anabaptist saves a drowning man, then falls into the sea himself and is not helped, left to drown; this brutish sailor who lets him die is one of the only survivors. Candide earns command of an infantry unit just because he performs the drill well. The fact that Pangloss' philosophy in ch 1 seems perfectly suited to defend and explain every aspect of his patron, the Baron's power. All sorts of mundanely noted, vicious ridicule throughout the book.
This was a very smart and funny book, and the edition I read had a lot of pretty enlightening footnotes, which I only started reading through around chapter 20 or so, so there's a great opportunity to reread this book and learn even more about Voltaire's intentions and his targets.
Among my various 2009 self-enrichment projects, reading books has taken the backseat so far this year. I just have the worst time staying focused on them, sometimes. Anyway, Candide was my first real effort to sit down and read, and it was very rewarding. Generally I think there are two big categories of books/reading I like- politics/history/news, and light, smart satire. Candide fits perfectly into the latter category.
I expected this book to be "200 years ago" funny- but it is hilarious today. The comedy comes on a few different levels- it's vicious satire, ridiculing political, religious, social conventions at every opportunity. It's a great parody of classic romantic adventure stories (especially the cartoonishly handy, virtuous sidekick Cacambo, the ridiculous coincidences that reunite Candide with people he knows at every turn, and the particular sequence of heroically murdering the Jew and the Inquisitor and taking Cunegonde.) It's also amusingly blunt, shockingly profane at points, and also applies weirdness and dryly phrased hyperbole to fine effect.
Particularly hilarious or compelling passages, worth revisiting: poignant philosophy about holding on to lives we hate in ch 12; funny descriptions of Don Fernando in ch 13; ch 16-18 in the new world are particularly excellent- the hilarious stuff with the apes and the women, Cacambo's ridiculous usefulness, and the very thought provoking experience in El Dorado; the encounter with the slave in ch 19 is definitely memorable; ch 22 skewers contemporary France and European mores very well; the execution of the admiral in ch 23 definitely stands out; signor pococurante in ch 25 is a pretty interesting character with an well argued, cynical philosophy; ch 29, when candide initially realizes that he is not attracted to cunegonde anymore, but has to awkwardly act like he still does, is hilarious; and the resolution in ch 30 is generally interesting and worth examining.
And some more great things: the post-earthquake auto da fe (public torture), religiously assumed to stave off earthquakes, is immediately followed by a second, brutal earthquake. Pangloss' proud line near the end, "Of course I won't change my mind, I'm a Philosopher!" Jacques the Anabaptist saves a drowning man, then falls into the sea himself and is not helped, left to drown; this brutish sailor who lets him die is one of the only survivors. Candide earns command of an infantry unit just because he performs the drill well. The fact that Pangloss' philosophy in ch 1 seems perfectly suited to defend and explain every aspect of his patron, the Baron's power. All sorts of mundanely noted, vicious ridicule throughout the book.
This was a very smart and funny book, and the edition I read had a lot of pretty enlightening footnotes, which I only started reading through around chapter 20 or so, so there's a great opportunity to reread this book and learn even more about Voltaire's intentions and his targets.
album #17
nevermind (nirvana)
There's not too much to say about this album, it's all been said before. Brought alternative rock into the mainstream, revolutionary effect on music, anthems for generation x. Of the albums I've listened to this year, this one had the most 'tracks that I've already heard my entire life' in there.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is obviously a classic, and it's a great song. "In Bloom" was interesting because, I originally thought that song was written as a critique of the band's mainstream, ignorant fans, After they had already become huge superstars- but this was on their breakthrough album, so I guess Kurt already felt this way (or maybe the song just doesn't fit the interpretation I've always stood by.) I can definitely recognize the Pixies influence, the alternations between the big, fast aggressive numbers and the slower, more pensive songs. The fast songs, I don't love them, but they're fun because I can absolutely picture them being played at any little grunge rock concert, like at the Duck Pond or something. Those fast songs make me think of moshpits and small sweaty venues, Nirvana on their way up, banging around the local scene. "Breed" is probably my favorite among the noisy, aggressive songs. "Polly" is probably my overall favorite out of the songs that I hadn't already known all my life- it's slow, low, simple, melodic. "Come As You Are" and "Lithium" are about equally good in my book, with the latter a slight favorite. "On a Plain" is one of my favorites. And "Drain" is a song that, I haven't yet concluded if I'd rate it "okay" or "great," it's worthy of a few more listens.
Good, simple melodies, dark lyrics, and of course a lot of history and significance in this one. It's a good reminder that, at the heart of Nirvana's revolutionary effect on music, maybe the look and the noise grabbed headlines, but the soul of it is that Kurt Cobain wrote really good melodies and relatable lyrics. That's what made the impact possible. I'm not in love with grunge, and I'm not sure if there was a particular track that I Loved, but without a doubt it's a well made, interesting and appreciable album.
There's not too much to say about this album, it's all been said before. Brought alternative rock into the mainstream, revolutionary effect on music, anthems for generation x. Of the albums I've listened to this year, this one had the most 'tracks that I've already heard my entire life' in there.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is obviously a classic, and it's a great song. "In Bloom" was interesting because, I originally thought that song was written as a critique of the band's mainstream, ignorant fans, After they had already become huge superstars- but this was on their breakthrough album, so I guess Kurt already felt this way (or maybe the song just doesn't fit the interpretation I've always stood by.) I can definitely recognize the Pixies influence, the alternations between the big, fast aggressive numbers and the slower, more pensive songs. The fast songs, I don't love them, but they're fun because I can absolutely picture them being played at any little grunge rock concert, like at the Duck Pond or something. Those fast songs make me think of moshpits and small sweaty venues, Nirvana on their way up, banging around the local scene. "Breed" is probably my favorite among the noisy, aggressive songs. "Polly" is probably my overall favorite out of the songs that I hadn't already known all my life- it's slow, low, simple, melodic. "Come As You Are" and "Lithium" are about equally good in my book, with the latter a slight favorite. "On a Plain" is one of my favorites. And "Drain" is a song that, I haven't yet concluded if I'd rate it "okay" or "great," it's worthy of a few more listens.
Good, simple melodies, dark lyrics, and of course a lot of history and significance in this one. It's a good reminder that, at the heart of Nirvana's revolutionary effect on music, maybe the look and the noise grabbed headlines, but the soul of it is that Kurt Cobain wrote really good melodies and relatable lyrics. That's what made the impact possible. I'm not in love with grunge, and I'm not sure if there was a particular track that I Loved, but without a doubt it's a well made, interesting and appreciable album.
Monday, February 9, 2009
album #16
tha carter III (lil wayne)
Lil Wayne is huge this year, I gotta be honest, I don't think I'd even heard of him two or three weeks ago. But apparently he's been a big deal all year. Of all the albums I've listened to this year, this one is the most contemporary. And it's a long one, like an hour twenty minutes, so it's been a little difficult- not in a bad way, just in a, high-commitment way- to really listen to and digest.
He's got an interesting voice- southern, a guttural rasp. There's definitely some dumb rap cliches all over the album, and some of his most ubiquitous songs, like "Lollipop" and "A Milli" are the most cliche'd of all. On the other hand, there are some wonderful things here- "Phone Home" is just so sublimely Weird- it's not even one of my favorites, but it's just so awesomely Weird. My favorite tracks, of course, are the ones that get the most melodic and/or more poignant and/or most interesting. "Comfortable" is lush, sensual, excellently produced by Kanye. "Mrs. Officer" is funny, sexy, and has a great, melodic hook. "Tie My Hands," with a focus on Katrina, is quite poignant, and it's got a beautiful, soulful vibe. "Please Don't Shoot Me Down" is similarly lovely and interesting- Obama, JFK, MLK samples, and I'm a sucker for that of course. Also I really enjoyed the simple, well-played pattern of "Dr. Carter" and the humor on that track. On top of the fairly high number of hooky, melodic, cool tracks, I gotta credit Lil Wayne for having a fair dose of really fun, playful, snarky lyrics. In between the typical cliches, there's a lot of fun, a lot of cleverness. Also, the rant in "Don't Get It" is pretty smart and funny.
I generally liked it, I gotta say though- Jay-Z shows up on one of the tracks, and it was just an abrupt reminder that- damn, Lil Wayne is okay, but Jay-Z is the fucking King. Now That's a guy that I need to hear some more.
Lil Wayne is huge this year, I gotta be honest, I don't think I'd even heard of him two or three weeks ago. But apparently he's been a big deal all year. Of all the albums I've listened to this year, this one is the most contemporary. And it's a long one, like an hour twenty minutes, so it's been a little difficult- not in a bad way, just in a, high-commitment way- to really listen to and digest.
He's got an interesting voice- southern, a guttural rasp. There's definitely some dumb rap cliches all over the album, and some of his most ubiquitous songs, like "Lollipop" and "A Milli" are the most cliche'd of all. On the other hand, there are some wonderful things here- "Phone Home" is just so sublimely Weird- it's not even one of my favorites, but it's just so awesomely Weird. My favorite tracks, of course, are the ones that get the most melodic and/or more poignant and/or most interesting. "Comfortable" is lush, sensual, excellently produced by Kanye. "Mrs. Officer" is funny, sexy, and has a great, melodic hook. "Tie My Hands," with a focus on Katrina, is quite poignant, and it's got a beautiful, soulful vibe. "Please Don't Shoot Me Down" is similarly lovely and interesting- Obama, JFK, MLK samples, and I'm a sucker for that of course. Also I really enjoyed the simple, well-played pattern of "Dr. Carter" and the humor on that track. On top of the fairly high number of hooky, melodic, cool tracks, I gotta credit Lil Wayne for having a fair dose of really fun, playful, snarky lyrics. In between the typical cliches, there's a lot of fun, a lot of cleverness. Also, the rant in "Don't Get It" is pretty smart and funny.
I generally liked it, I gotta say though- Jay-Z shows up on one of the tracks, and it was just an abrupt reminder that- damn, Lil Wayne is okay, but Jay-Z is the fucking King. Now That's a guy that I need to hear some more.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
album #15
horses (patti smith)
This was a cool album. I'm not in love with it but it grew on me. "Gloria" is a pretty good track, probably the album's defining track. It grows and accelerates from a soft piano place to a great rock number by the end. And of all the albums I've listened to this year, Horses has the most badass opening lyric: 'Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine.' Also, Patti has a great punk voice, clean and snide. Reminded me a lot of Tom Verlaine's voice. I really liked "Birdland," a cool, enigmatic, rambling number, with lovely piano- it begins in this calm, yearning place and eventually surges- it really feels like a bird fighting to fly. "Kimberly" grew on me and might be worth a few more listens to really get into it. "Break it Up" is a fun, rousing number, I really liked that one. And "Land" sounded like it could have been played at Woodstock- it struck me as a little more instrumentally exciting; there's this feeling of a voyage, a psychedelic punk voyage in that song. "Elegie" is a splendidly eerie, haunting closer. Altogether a lot of piano, a lot of rambly, yearning, searing vocals, some good raw punk guitar sound. I should probably look over the lyrics sometime, I didn't listen too closely to the lyrics. I didn't love this album but there were some pretty cool songs. Altogether a solid effort.
This was a cool album. I'm not in love with it but it grew on me. "Gloria" is a pretty good track, probably the album's defining track. It grows and accelerates from a soft piano place to a great rock number by the end. And of all the albums I've listened to this year, Horses has the most badass opening lyric: 'Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine.' Also, Patti has a great punk voice, clean and snide. Reminded me a lot of Tom Verlaine's voice. I really liked "Birdland," a cool, enigmatic, rambling number, with lovely piano- it begins in this calm, yearning place and eventually surges- it really feels like a bird fighting to fly. "Kimberly" grew on me and might be worth a few more listens to really get into it. "Break it Up" is a fun, rousing number, I really liked that one. And "Land" sounded like it could have been played at Woodstock- it struck me as a little more instrumentally exciting; there's this feeling of a voyage, a psychedelic punk voyage in that song. "Elegie" is a splendidly eerie, haunting closer. Altogether a lot of piano, a lot of rambly, yearning, searing vocals, some good raw punk guitar sound. I should probably look over the lyrics sometime, I didn't listen too closely to the lyrics. I didn't love this album but there were some pretty cool songs. Altogether a solid effort.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
album #14
ok computer (radiohead)
I was pleasantly surprised by how melodic this album was. I guess I expected something more overtly, obnoxiously experimental, but for the most part OK Computer is overflowing with really beautiful melodies. "Airbag" is immediately awesome. It immediately evokes this dramatic, transformative mood; the album really introduces itself as a force of change, in just one beautifully dark guitar riff. "Paranoid Android" is fascinatingly diverse, very moody- alternations between aggressive and sad and plaintive. It's the noise of teenagerhood, with a melodic loveliness flowing throughout. "Let Down" is a fine slice of dark, mid 90's pop; "Karma Police" is of course a classic. My other favorite was "Electioneering," which opens fantastically and maintains this vibe of classic alternative rock- a bit of a vintage vibe, something about it, for whatever reason, makes me think of the Smiths.
Atogether a very moody, sad but melodic album. Intense but not as experimentally obnoxious as I had anticipated. There is, however, a lot of intense, draggy sadness. I don’t think I would repeatedly listen to it- this definitely is not fun as a repeat listen album, it drags and it hurts. On the plus side, the melodies are good and it’s an indisputable influence on some of the music that came afterwards- both the big ambient sounds and the aching lyrics.
I was pleasantly surprised by how melodic this album was. I guess I expected something more overtly, obnoxiously experimental, but for the most part OK Computer is overflowing with really beautiful melodies. "Airbag" is immediately awesome. It immediately evokes this dramatic, transformative mood; the album really introduces itself as a force of change, in just one beautifully dark guitar riff. "Paranoid Android" is fascinatingly diverse, very moody- alternations between aggressive and sad and plaintive. It's the noise of teenagerhood, with a melodic loveliness flowing throughout. "Let Down" is a fine slice of dark, mid 90's pop; "Karma Police" is of course a classic. My other favorite was "Electioneering," which opens fantastically and maintains this vibe of classic alternative rock- a bit of a vintage vibe, something about it, for whatever reason, makes me think of the Smiths.
Atogether a very moody, sad but melodic album. Intense but not as experimentally obnoxious as I had anticipated. There is, however, a lot of intense, draggy sadness. I don’t think I would repeatedly listen to it- this definitely is not fun as a repeat listen album, it drags and it hurts. On the plus side, the melodies are good and it’s an indisputable influence on some of the music that came afterwards- both the big ambient sounds and the aching lyrics.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
album #13
dear science (tv on the radio)
TV on the Radio has crafted this very specific sound for themselves- this lush, buzzing fusion of instruments. Their work is always pretty recognizable. This album altogether has a very clean, consistent sound. It's good. I'm not totally in love with it, but it's a work that really holds up over replays. "Halfway Home" opens the album in a really fun, strong place, it's a pretty good opener. "Dancing Choose" is a fast, energetic song and it switches in interesting ways, between the verses, frantic critiques, and the chorus, which is softer and more melodic. The album peaks at the middle with back-to-back spectacular tracks. "Golden Age" is a very cool, funky, fine song. "Family Tree" is haunting, swooning, dreamy and poignant. It's my favorite track. Another track that didn't stand out to me after a few listens, but is beginning to grow on me and could be worth a few more listens, is "Shout Me Out."
Generally a cool, clean album. TV on the Radio's real specialty is absolutely filling each moment with sound- there's always a beautiful, lush buzz of instrumentation in every moment. I don't personally think the songs always add up to individually fun, satisfying slices, but collectively the band makes a beautiful and interesting sound.
TV on the Radio has crafted this very specific sound for themselves- this lush, buzzing fusion of instruments. Their work is always pretty recognizable. This album altogether has a very clean, consistent sound. It's good. I'm not totally in love with it, but it's a work that really holds up over replays. "Halfway Home" opens the album in a really fun, strong place, it's a pretty good opener. "Dancing Choose" is a fast, energetic song and it switches in interesting ways, between the verses, frantic critiques, and the chorus, which is softer and more melodic. The album peaks at the middle with back-to-back spectacular tracks. "Golden Age" is a very cool, funky, fine song. "Family Tree" is haunting, swooning, dreamy and poignant. It's my favorite track. Another track that didn't stand out to me after a few listens, but is beginning to grow on me and could be worth a few more listens, is "Shout Me Out."
Generally a cool, clean album. TV on the Radio's real specialty is absolutely filling each moment with sound- there's always a beautiful, lush buzz of instrumentation in every moment. I don't personally think the songs always add up to individually fun, satisfying slices, but collectively the band makes a beautiful and interesting sound.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
january recap
-$721 +$302 (not including rent)
february goal: $12 spent per day, max. and earnings that equate to $15-20 per day.
Music: 12 albums reviewed.
Museums: 1 visit with full written reflection (other visits, but they don't qualify until there's a full written reflection.)
Fount: 4 pieces (Beatles story, Hell cartoon, Spaghetti illustration, Obama video). Very good!
Paintings: one minor piece completed, progress made on another.
Exercise: 5 workouts. Not nearly enough, but on the other hand, much more than previous months.
Cartoons: 3 packets came back. Very good, but not Excellent, progress on drafting ideas.
Improv: Started a class. 2 performances, both pretty good. Several good rehearsals with new group.
Drawings: the doodle blog is looking like a solid success, keep it up!
Miscellany: posted VISITOR. sketch meeting. DC trip. collected petitions for the theatre.
february targets…
music: 10 albums reviewed
museums: 2 written reflections
fount: 3 pieces published
paintings: 2 significant works completed
exercise: 10 workouts
cartoons: finish drafts of all the december idea file, submit to magazines starting in march
improv: 2 performances, new team debut
drawings: keep it up
february goal: $12 spent per day, max. and earnings that equate to $15-20 per day.
Music: 12 albums reviewed.
Museums: 1 visit with full written reflection (other visits, but they don't qualify until there's a full written reflection.)
Fount: 4 pieces (Beatles story, Hell cartoon, Spaghetti illustration, Obama video). Very good!
Paintings: one minor piece completed, progress made on another.
Exercise: 5 workouts. Not nearly enough, but on the other hand, much more than previous months.
Cartoons: 3 packets came back. Very good, but not Excellent, progress on drafting ideas.
Improv: Started a class. 2 performances, both pretty good. Several good rehearsals with new group.
Drawings: the doodle blog is looking like a solid success, keep it up!
Miscellany: posted VISITOR. sketch meeting. DC trip. collected petitions for the theatre.
february targets…
music: 10 albums reviewed
museums: 2 written reflections
fount: 3 pieces published
paintings: 2 significant works completed
exercise: 10 workouts
cartoons: finish drafts of all the december idea file, submit to magazines starting in march
improv: 2 performances, new team debut
drawings: keep it up
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)