Major league

It’s been quite sometime since i’ve written a blog. Long time spent re-thinking, and getting terms with teenage demons really. Sometimes i really think the idea of a seven cycle really is true; both body and mind goes through these sesmic shifts that your soul tries to keep up with. How you see everything just changes, or rather i feel an urgent need to change.

Im now listening to Rush’s permanent waves, which is fantastic because it doesn’t sound dripping with wanker, but some seriously far out song writing. I remember getting it at cash converters, it was inside the vinyl sleeve for Rush’s other album, Signals. For 50 cents, i went home took out the record and realised that it was Permanent waves, one million times better that their synth-soaked signals. It also helped me forget the prog-emo-alternative-wanker Coheed and cambria, i admit that i liked C&C’s debut though. My God my sweat drenched feet smell like chicken.

Well, personal musical obsessions aside, Winterhalter will be playing a show this saturday for a Lasalle event. Last week, i watched a few bands at *scape’s weekend trip, i watched two bands only in fact. King Kong Jane, amazingly sounded like Faith no more without the Mike Patton, maybe its because of rumours of FNM’s reformation that I made the comparison. I also watched Caracal, which was fantastic. Honestly Caracal has improved over the years, and are making perfect songs that sway musically and lyrically. The crowd there, unfortunately, was made up of the same faces that I’ve seen from Baybeats and whatever show that i went long time ago. Either that, or some of them grew out their hair long enough to earn their stripes in style.Well, i left the show feeling abit scared, after all, it’s been a year since ive performed infront of people.

The show this Saturday, will feature visuals by two final year Lasalle students. One of them was at our first jam session that we had in a long while, taking some photos and basically “getting to know us better”. Im pretty nervous about what visuals they will choose, not that im super sensitive about them, but it affects the performance. Still, in true Winterhalter fashion, we don’t give a shit, and it adds to the excitement or the moment when we are mid way into a song. The unexpected does yield unexpected results naturally, and whatever artistic aspirations at the moment will complete that, for a most shitty show (hahah all natural shit).

Winterhalter will be playing along Plain Sunset and Kate of kale, and will be given the same special visual treatment. Honestly, I really think its going to be exciting, both bands have no clue as to what visuals will be there. (ahh neil diamond’s sweet carolline….) I don’t have a clue, what the show will turn out really. I really feel that the people there will not be able to predict what it will be like, like the bands, we’re all going to turn up just to see how it goes. Pretty tricky premise to (be) entertained, especially for a rock show honestly. I pray that the people who are doing the visuals do see that happening, even now before the event.

I’ll post up photos of the show, when they are done. Oh ya, i totally forgot to get DVD-rs to record the show. I always make it a point to have some visual/movie documentation, afterall this is the youtube era, flickr was so 2000.

I admit that i’ve been pretty dry in the song writing department, rather i’ve been too lazy to record anything. The little songs in my head have been trying to get out, but some strange fred flinstone disease seems to be infecting me testicles first. I’m going to start uploading songs that i’ve recorded going back to the Fostex 4 track days under the Winterhalter tab here on this blog. Im not doing it out of vanity or anything, but to just let anyone who’e interested and needs to be entertained aurally (shit rock-wise), after listening to indie music like mercury award winners Franz ferdinand, international indie stars Coldplay, and lady GAGA (pop music about an underground lifestyle). After i’ve uploaded them, then maybe i’ll start going back to making little songs. Sometimes I wish i could be like Neil Diamond.

Thanks  Elias, for still listening to the songs that i made up long time ago. I was listening to it last night and wasn’t overwhelmed by nostalgia but shocked, more like a mirror. If you read this, try sending me me the tracklisting and i’ll post it here for everyone to stare at.

Here are some great albums i really like now, in case you’re wondering (ermmm…)

The Fall – Slates

Wonderful (and Frightening) hypno-punk-words on speed rock and roll. “An Older Lover” and ” Leave the Capitol” is GREAT. Seriously, Ian Curtis? How about Mad Mark?

Brian Wilson – Imagination

The beach boys? “That lucky old son”, made real magic on his second solo album that i feel is his best on par with Beach boys psych as pop.

Laurie Anderson – Strange Angels

Mrs. Lou Reed’s pop entry from the end of the 80’s is beautiful. Spoken word poetry and beautiful singing that reaches Elizabeth Fraser’s billowy heights.

The Verlaines – Juvenlia

Great intelligent, ballsy, and timeless jangle punk-pop. My first entry into the mysterious Dunedin Verlaines sound!

Angry headache

ok. i haven’t written in this blog for some time. I think its time that i should update stuff and entries, because im going for a holiday next week to japan and thought that i could post some pics and like write these witty anecdotes about wonderful cultural things and like what i ate all in true Singaporean blogger vomit style.

I’ll be going to Tokyo, Yokohama and some other japanese places thanks to a wonderful package tour off Dynasty tours. Which really is great because we paid for a tour holiday which has a tour guide that speaks chinese, which defeats the purpose of going on a tour group. The tour group will be about 26 people strong mainly consisting of couples. Honestly, no one i know now, around my age would fucking go on a tour group thingie unless they’re really wierd.

Ok, why am i bitching u might be asking. Isn’t is good enough that my mother’s paying for this holiday? I mean im still unemployed and jacking off like a true blue bum. Well, the fact is that. Im going with my mum and sis. ta-dah. nuff said. After surviving one month going in USA with girls is enuff to make me go gay.

So please, im just going to go there, shut the fuck up and relax. really.

Anyway, music writing stuff, ya ya. hhmm…. i just read this blog that’s maintained by some friend of mine. In one entry, i saw the most fucking stupid thing in the world since wearing buttons on your jeans, Post rock mixes. I know everybody wants to rule the world, some people just love music so much they write about it (that’s ok really in the end individual opinions will end up in the same teenage culture wasteland) but mixes, that’s so dumb really. Taping together songs, shuffle mode, or something. I’ve pretty much given up going to discos and all, oh ya, and talk about my friend’s new favourite watering hole where you can be yourself and party like its 1999, Butter Factory. From brazil to the south africa, iceland and how ever and whatever you comprehend the term “global phenonoma”, This fucking indie shit culture is making me so sick. Snotty intellectuals bred on haruka murakami (oh you read that too?) and their strange circular arguments on what’s cool and what’s not (its not exclusive to retro) Oh ya, emo’s out.

sigh. ok about music. i shouldnt write about cutural angst like that really, because after all, i do think that i belong more or less loosely to that really. Cept that i dont really do anything at all.

Well, i think that just basically trying to think of the words to feed off anger, made me less angry, then i would have found the exact way to express way. I guess it is in finding that we actually get off more, so perverts stop getting your rocks off to Porn and start cruising girls more.

About that blog i mentioned, well, the reason why ive stopped doing entries about albums is because i cant believe how convicted that person about his “reviews”. Its not that he believes its authoratative, or that its very well informed, or that he has used the right stuff to tell the reader what the music is about. Well, i mean his reviews are reviews, in a facial cream and toothpaste review sense. Totally fucked up and sanitized. Is this how rock music is supposed to be like. Oh ya and its supposed to tell u something new as well, about this band and why its place in rock and rolling. i must also mention his fucking fetish for post rock which is vomit inducing as he tries to curl his tongue over how the music makes him feel good, might as well write about which porn star turns him on and how, at least he’s honest.

Ok, im now listening to My bloody valentine’s loveless, i got it on nice limited edition 180gm vinyl, 836/1000 numbered. It sounds great. I also read about some of the complaints that some people have about MBV’s new tour. Firstly, that the vocals were too soft. Next, that it was too loud. And also that the last “you made me realise” noise jam was not noisy enough. Ok, i love MBV like mad, i wish that if i killed camera obscura when they come over that i would be given a chance to see MBV live. Still i do not believe in the infalliable nature of MBV’s music, some loose bolts here and there definately. Come on, indie kids and post rock kids, the vocals are already soft on the albums, and they are loud didnt u read about it in your rock literary pursuits or were too busy finding morrissey’s lyrics and studying them.

you know what im so fucking pissed really.

here are some great albums you should check out.

big black’s songs about fucking. classic cover. classic classic. sad thing is that my copy’s on vinyl and lacks the cheap trick cover he’s a whore. also classic. this album is up there with led zeppelin and nine inch nails. Any one who makes his guitar sound like that is king. find it download this.

moonshake’s eva luna is a wonderful record, which takes a few spins really to grasp and dig thru. slightly cluttered by dub-centric riddims, it all starts coming together as a fucking pissed off Public image limited meets pissed off sonic youth thing. Good for your ears and good for your soul.

Sweet sweet driving guitar rock. Found this in the used bin at somewhere (heh). Straight ahead american style take on MBV’s pop noise. Nice vocals too.

u know i feel like a total idiot. i put these albums up and shit. i tell you what im going to upload them soon on the next post so that everyone can hear them. hahah..

fruck

Hawknewbie

Ok, so here it goes:

A long time to go say around 10 years ago, i used to hang around toa poyah alot. Ya, i go there after school take the bus 142 from St Andrew’s and visit this CD shop. Its small, with its front entrance adorned with Cantopop and Trance posters. Its gone already btw, it was located near the current Courts. The charm in this shop, was all the wierd CDs you could find; ice-cube, marilyn manson, machine head, slayer eps, sleeper and all that nice rock stuff. There was this band that i heard so much about, Hawkwind, back before wikipedia it was more of a gut feeling to buy a CD from hearsay. I found this strange bootlegish triple disc comp, made out of bootlegs, so think about this a bootleg of a bootleg. Back then there wasn’t like discogs.com or something there was allmusic.com, but internet access was limited to playing X-wing and checking email.

Anyway it was terrible. I chucked it into my disc man, excited and thinking “is this the next new step in my musical journey!”, i admit i bought into the spacerock tag and this was before i actually dug pink floyd’s earlier stuff. The album was shite, the first disc was a bootleg of a bootleg from the “master of the universe” album, terrible sound quality. Next disc was a bootleg of a bootleg from “bring me the head of yuri gagarin”. It was muddy, cassette tape mono, and really unlistenable. All i heard was drums drums drums, so dont and never complain if your paying 2 to 10 dollars more for a remastered or remix reissue. Its worth it. ANd with it, went my interest in Hawkwind.

And so, bands like Times new viking (really great), the ever holy Acid mother’s temple, Spacemen 3, Loop and others were on my playlist. So i thought maybe i should try Hawkwind again. Gramaphone had a 30% off sale for the emi Hawkwind 30-year comp. three discs spanning the entire hawkwind saga. This time, it was it. The whole vibe for Masters of the universe was crazy, 5minutes of hypnotic groove. Oscillators at full blast. This was the hawkwind i imagined and read in magazines!!#@@! The band that i fantasized when i read Michael Moorcock’s Jerry Cornelius and Eldric!! The missing sonic equilvalent of the eternal champion!!

And then on to Space Ritual… amazing! It made Led Zeppelin’s Song remains the Same and Pink Floy’s Ummagunma sound over indulgent! The sheer visercal motorik-like drive and all these spacy tone generator mastubatory is magical. Its a trip that i swear ive made before pre puberty before girls and stuff. I mean just listen to Space is Deep and tell me you dont hear a recording of a band made 30 years ago! I mean ya, so we got pass the 80’s and 90’s and now everything sounds like it was made then (white stripes?) nothing sounds new. IF not listen to Hawkwind’s In search of Space, i really think that the Cooper temple clause were big fans of Hawkwind, with that hard rhythmn and synth washes. rest in peace TCTC. will miss you.

So now im sitting in front of my computer and listening to ELP, another band that tried to get into last time, but i just couldnt sit thru the entire Karn Evil 9 suite and not see the disparity between the Giger cover and the music. Its nice thing this whole music thing really, endless loops and loops into your past and suddenly different points in your life start folding together llike that Sam Neil in Event horizon (screw sunshine, event horizon is the best) Space is deep ya, but really everyone should get into hawkwind. To be in search of space is really to be in search of yourself. yes its all very 2001 space odyssey. i miss the exhilaration of looking at the skies and wondering what its like to travel there. No, there are not fucking X wings or death stars or a nice ambient sigur ros meets orbital kind of soundtrack. Its not HD compatible. its not like solaris where your past like comes back to haunt you. Its just space.

YOUR CAPTAIN IS DEAD

Scratching your ears.

Everything’s still the same, and yes im suffering from post Teenage Textbook OCD. I was supposed to post some photos of my room and shit because i’ve never posted any actual pics of things i own. Which is wierd, because i guess other than leaving all your stupid writing online for others to see, posting pictures would be the final act in true internet narcissicm/ exhibition. So heads up, i’ll be posting pictures of my dog and other things that will make you really feel sorry for me.

Oh i must add today’s episode of En Bloc is fucking classic, i really hope that they release the series on dvd commercially. Everytime i watch the excellent cast of actors do their Singaporean thing, i cant help but feel all teary by their really great performances. The script is good, the “ke-leh-fei”’s are excellent (esp. during Pa’s expose of Chok’s treacherous meeting with the developers. and they all go mad and starts getting violent! Aunties throwing bottles at each other! Uncles at each other’s necks! Its a Grassroots Massacre!) Ok ok i think im getting overexcited… again..

anyway, here are some discs that i managed to find at Cash Converters again:

(oh ya i bought another copy of Rollerskate skinny’s Horsedrawn Wishes. this is the only other time that i bought a additional copy of a CD i already own, the other being Pj & Duncan’s Eternal love)

Yes. I found this at bloody cash converters AMK. its either a blessing or a curse really. It took me quite some time to make out the CD cover because it was cover with loose plastic, sandwiched in between some dance trance comps. Main’s Hydra-Calm is packaged in a jewel case with very minimal artwork, much like the music inside. The album is a compilation of Robert Hampson’s stuff just right after breaking up Loop, it comprises of the ep’s Hydra and Calm and ta-dah, hence the name! Ok, I’ve Loop and some of main’s stuff namely Frimanent and motion pool, the latter was really very much consisted of one main idea and more loose ambient-isms, not very “exciting” in that experimental way. I was quite hesistant at getting this disc, but at $5 and a rare chance to meet Robert Hampson’s Main in Ang Mo Kio, why not!!

At the roaring guitars of the first track Flametracer, i started scratching my head thinking is this a Loop track?! Slowly the trademark drums/guitar groove is treated with washings of reverb drenched guitars and yes, you get fucking hypnotised! The tracks later on are really great, and in my opinion really better than the later Main stuff that’s i’ve heard. Although closer to Loop’s guitar, bass and drums mangling, there is this really distinct ambient vibe that really is rare (seriously i mean ambient really means Lush 99.5 or Post rock stuff now), apart from the usual brian eno comparisons, Main’s Hydra-Calm is really a staple ambient disc. oh ya it has a 20 minute track “thirst” which brings to mind Fripp frippatronics since wave harmonics manipulation, guaranteed to make your fucking room and skull resonate Sunno))) style. This is space rock bliss.

Really, honestly, Band of Susan’s Veil is truly shoegaze american style. From the opening poly rythmn stabs of guitars of Mood Swing to the signal to noise to melody play in the instrumental the last temptation of susan, this guitar is going to make your head swirl. Ok most of the guitars (even the drums!) are really remiscent of Rhys Chatnam’s recordings like Die Donnergotten, with a live drummer. Instead of over dubbing one million guitars to get Rhys Chatnam’s 100 guitars played in unison swirl, Robert Poss opts for tighter arrangements and chorusing effects, which is really great. The interplay is wonderful, if you thought Sonic Youth’s Daydream nation’ guitar work is better than any Dream Theater or Racer Xalbum, u will be impressed by the stuff on this 1993 album. Well, the thing is that most of Band of Susan including Robert Poss, played under Rhys Chatnam in his one million gazillion guitar symphonies, whereas Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo (of sonic youth) played with Glenn Branca, the other harder nosier rought no wave turned classical thrash dude. Its just pretty strange how SY got this big with already reissues and an australian show where they play the entire Daydream nation. Well i do no question the depth and whatever technical ability, but Bands of Susan’s sound just makes me feel really good at that moment, that the guitar is really the best sounding thing in your head. Shoegaze because its really drony and overindulgent but never fails to tickle those hard to reach places (heh!)

I picked this The season’s fire up at borders, using a gift card. I cant say much about this disc but the words. MIND FUCKING. is a pretty good one. Willam hooker (i really never heard this guy before) teams up with Eyvind Kang (YES this one i know!!#@@!) and Bill Horist (this one i also knoooww) in 7 tracks of inciendary improv pieces digging through ragas of noise and strange familiar melodies. William hooker in the liner notes writes “STRUCTURE-FUEL TO THE SCHEME OF DREAMING” I heard this album lying on the floor of my bedroom looking at the ceiling. Well, i did it because i heard that lying on the floor straightens out your back which gravity has twisted and caused spinal problems. Raw, hard and u get Evyind Kang on guitar. mean mean mean. Strange thing is that the only online review of this album labelled this as Psych, i would call it lying down straighten back rock and roll.

Produced by Dave Fridmann, features Mercury Rev’s Grass hopper on noise things.

I loved their other album Speed is dreaming.

First track “a car or a boy” on the album featured the original Mercury Rev madman/ vocalist David baker.

Add some post nirvana Gold at stake, and some commercial artistic urges.

Terrible album. i feel shitty that i got this before reading reviews.

maybe its a grower

i remember when i heard Loveliescrushing, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

i remember when i heard Astrobrite, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

i remember when i heard STAR, suddenly my ears light up, my whole brain lights up like christmas lights. Suddenly it feels like i just finished playing soccer with my school mates, like ive experienced something like never before.

Sometimes i wonder what the hell does Scott Cortez do under his various shoegaze whatever ambient rock genre thang guises really to make things so magical.

And now, here we have Astrobrite’s Whitenoisesuperstar, which is only available through japanese CD sites like CDjapan, trust me its worth it. While the rest of the “modern indie”/ pitchfork beat! kids are going gah gah over My bloody valentine (well i love MBV really as well, not to the extent of comparing MBV to explosions in the sky that’s wierd!really!), its a wonder why true gems like these just dont get the “cred”, i mean borders has one million copies of Be your own pet’s album on the racks, and why? Because thurston moore like the band and signed them on his Ecastatic peace label. Think about it. halfway across the world. its like that.

Ive learnt to be careful when i start listening to this album on my ipod, it’s relentless. Upon deciding on having Whitenoisesuperstar as your soundtrack, YOU will be smothered all sharp and scathing by this Beautiful ocean of guitar. Its kind like sharp like Brad Laner’s stuff on medicine, the guitar tone eats into your ears and up into your brain. Bliss-noise is what they call this on other sites, but man, its really beautiful. “Dragonfly pinkyfuzz”, pummels earspace with huge sheets of guitar in unison and going off and Scott’s other project bandmate from STAR, Shannon Roberts (you should check her other stuff on CDbaby.com adds vocal bits and all. ACtually, i kinda think that this Astrobrite album’s a little closer to Loveliescrushing stuff, but abit more in your face. “cherryflavorburst” as its name implies is really an explosion of all kinds of sounds, fuzzy guitars and aphex twin drums and hi hats all, its 5 minutes of fucking beauty really, im not high on drugs or anything ok. I guess the lo-fi recording kinda adds to the warmth really, but i mean with music so good really lo-fi or hi-fi, listen to this album. just do really. If you’re like me and scoff everytime that stupid fucking sony ericsson ad with that guy knocking on fruits and shit and like he’s a sound addict or some shit and actually has at one point in their lives listen to feedback live or on record and actually felt something new. Please check this album out. fuck man this album is really great.

im speechless..

Everything is possible!

For those of you who are wondering where to get the Teenage Textbook soundtrack, it can be found very easily at any Cash converters outlet. I know for sure that the ones at Ang Mo kio and Toa payoh. It should set u back 5 bucks, (but strangely, i just made a vist there and i got charged 1.50 per CD at the AMK branch!). In case u dont remember how it looks like, its yellow in colour on the spine (this helps facilitates looking for it in the CD piles there!).

In case you’re looking for the MOVIE. yes. THAT movie u watched with your classmates and had several forgettable re-runs on Channel 5, and also those silly trailers with Mister X(avier)’s voice over going something like “remember when you were 16….”, yes very cheesy.

Anyway, u can find the Movie on VCD at Video Ezy, well my branch at Thomson plaza does carry it. U might be thinking “No no i want the DVD!”, well there arent any that ive seen so far. The plus point is that the VCD comes with a behind the scenes documentary that must’ve been aired back in ‘98 or something on tv. Trust me, the documentary is just as good if not better than the ACTUAL movie. Hosted by Chee Hin Hong aka the lovable Kok Sean, the making of is really full of exciting interviews, revealing puns and whatever tasteless humour that singaporeans then and now are full of. There are also interviews with the cast including Melody Chen, Randall and more dressed in glorious cheesy late 90’s fashion regalia! (oversized hockey shirts with gold rimmed sunglasses. Tongue in cheek shirts. Alot of blusher. Long straight ah beng-ish hair. Too much fringe. Too much Fringe).

Other than the story and blah blah… u should really scare yourself to death with footage of long lost Singaporean Wonders like Planet Hollywood, Celebrities Asia and that stupid bus stop at Marina south. Just watch it and see what other scary things u can see! ) oh ya the border’s counter it just looked different then.

has it been that fucking long?

Electric light orchestra tends to make me feel really happy and spacy kind of like any Yellow magic orchestra record. Strange really.

I must say that the new raveonettes album is really great. I just wish i can see them live. Lust lust lust! is a real wet dream for noisy shoegazers who love to watch Twin peaks, mulholland drive or Inland empire because its dreamy as well. The raveonettes have the right ideas lyrically and musically to make lust lust lust! a modern (non-JAMC copy) masterpiece. sigh

oh ya i just realised. this year is tenth anniversary of the Teenage Textbook movie. No wonder this Randall and Melody were featured in that what’s it called Eunice olsen’s Ellen talk show “Rouge” (remember that stupid silly charlie’s angels production of the same name that was aired on MTV asia, i loved it. the girls. man. i love asian girls. esp when they have Amerikan accent.) I didnt watch that interview with them, but my sis was telling me that they played a clip of the kissing scene from the movie.

So guys, if your reading this, its been fucking 10 years since u dreamt of JC. Alevels over liao.

There is a scene from the movie where, a reporter is on location at a school when the o level’s results are out. He then asks this student, a boy, how he did for his results. “I didnt do well, but never mind lah, can go poly can go to ite or go and work its ok one!” he replies, the reporter then scratches his head then asks,” Then what about your friends, will you feel left behind?”. The boy suddenly looks down and up, scratches his head then put his index finger on his chin and says, “Oh yarh horh….”.

truly dumb really.

but that is how it really is.

#4 Third Eye Foundation, Blossom, Scanners and Balki

ok, kinda lost track on the entries that were supposed to be done. I was busy “celebrating” my birthday, kinda like just doing nothing. I was just wondering what would happen on my birthday, i’m sorry, but there’s this strange “french film” kind of belief that something out of the ordinary will happen, that’s the most i can do that’s left from childish deluisions of grandueroise that i kinda grew out of thanks to some fuckers (ya fuck your birthday, its a dumb arse date that doesnt mean anything except the fact that you believe strongly in the gregorian calendar which means SHIT across the equator.)

In an attempt to bring back the magic of birthday parties, i had an outing to Home club on thursday night. It was my favourite night, U2 tribute night. Personally the only good U2 album was Zooropa, anything like Boy, October and Joshua tree were ROCK CLASSICS, if the other album you like was Bon jovi’s live in europe or Coldplay (depending on age, and whatever arena rock REALLY means to you.) Oh ya, and the best song is still baby face, straight forward, sexy and bono sounds like someone i can talk to.

So then, the bands played tribute to U2 and hearing The sweetest thing as one of the cover songs was totally wierd. Its not about boyzone and all appearing in the video for it (come on its the MTV age, the song and video is interchangeable), its just, wierd. Anyway, so i had a few drinks, talked to some old friends (well im still bitter about those friends who mattered leaving and shit, talk about “connectivity” on the internet when these fuckheads go “huh?” about your birthday. says alot about what these rug munching prostitutes are made of). Even so it was good really. honestly i enjoyed the time alone with the guys i was with in a Syd barrett and Neil diamond way (no one really likes me like my mum, and im not going to pretend that i dont know).

So happy birthday shaun!

For music f**kery, i just got a copy of Third Eye Foundation’s You Guys Kill Me (1998). Pretty much released during total trip hop overload; after copy cats and Fatboy slim/ crystal method big beat movie trailer soundtracks. It was a pretty big thing this trip hop thing, with the demand for this organic meets electronic reaching FEVER PITCH with radiohead’s KID A (which was not trip hop). I remember going nuts about this buying Tricky albums (pumpkin is a great song which samples Smashing pumpkins), Lamb (WORH JAZZ), Alex Reece (wow is it triphop!) and alot more hip hop beats meets rock transfusions.

You Guys Kill Me, is a great title to an album which is really dark. Dark not in a Mayhem trying to find a power plug in an Caparthian Forest way, but dark in a Depeche mode Alan wilder (RECOIL!!!!!) way, maybe “violator”. With titles like “A galaxy of stars”, “Lions writing the bible” and “An even harder shade of dark”. Main man Matt elliot (who has played with almight Flying Saucer Attack). While there are still outdated shades of the usual triphop/ jungle beats, just like the saving grace of tracey thorn’s voice in everything but the girl, the samples are really amazing. Creating moods with wierd grace all pitchy and slimy, without class and without concern for that artist-wants-to-take-you-somewhere-deep-in-your-hearts thing. Matt elliot really raises the bar for fucking your primal instincts on the track “For all the brothers and sisters”, where he samples sounds of cats meowing like a choir in some back alley feline church, and this goes on for 4 minutes!

There some ambient overtones for the meat of the songs as well, its not all aural chainsaw busting monochrome. On “no dove no convenant”, a rich sheet of strings totally pitchy like pavement puddle ripples is the main theme, even with the outdated Drill and Bass beats (always reminds me of Mu-Ziq and the like still) sounds really scary, like its not just music. The music though instrumental (except the one with the cats choir, where at times sounds really human and freaky.) sound very vocal, the whole mood the album is kinda of like what Godspeed! You black emperor was doing on the first album (and that’s the best album period, before they accidently came up with “post rock”, and then returning triumphant with Yanqui U.X.O) and also like their offshoot band Set fires to flames (which is the best aural art cd experience in the world full stop.) If you find a copy of You Guys Kill Me buy it, its great funeral music, a sleeker and younger tom waits and also symphonic industrial drinking music.

*sigh i miss The sneaker pimps”

Before i was busy buying and like lusting over really expensive lame shit, like guitar pedals, amps and guitars. (gross really), i was listening to music. I was a total music junkie i would come home after school all sweaty and rush to my dad’s cassette’s collection to discover what sound waves can do to a pre pubescent science society and christian fellowship member. Once, i was so obessed over A-ha’s Living daylights, i would like back on the sofa and just listen to it again and again with the lyric sheets in my hand. Back then, they had these extra special rewind button apart from the normal one, it would rewind the cassette back tracking the point where there would be a period of silence, kinda like a CD player. I kinda wore out that button on many albums especially this album:

and this:

I always stared in the cover wondering what the hell was happening to the dude’s face. I kinda got the idea after watching all the UBER VIOLENCE on the cult film SCANNERS (remember? it used to be readily on rental at old VHS rental shops. Please buy me the dvd thanks, my life was destroyed by this movie)

One of the greatest soundtracks that i listened to from the 80’s that i listened in the 90’s without understanding anything. Basically its like a subconscious kind of album. You just enjoy it. The movie was a tad boring though. I prefer Mister stolz in the Fly 2.

I totally was obsessed with this album. I wanted to be jeremy jordan in the right kind of love video (for those interested, look up youtube). I recently saw this album at this bargain CD shop, i admit i felt like life had meaning again.

here’s the video

i totally loved this album, because he was from Blossom, and i had a total crush on her (blossom not joey lawrence) hint hint.. PLEASE RELEASE BLOSSOM ON DVD! it was way cooler then Pipi Longstockings or PUNKY brewster. wait… is blossom Sarah jessica parker!??!??!?! uh oh…

Here’s BLOSSOM!!! i found this on youtube.. shit im going to cry!

and my total favourite tv series that’s not GAY

My introduction to Rock and roll. To be honest i’ll pick the L.A. Guns over Guns and Roses, maybe its because i heard them first. I think its because i like them being upfront especially song titles, for example “Sex ACTION” versus “sweet child of mine”, nuff’ said.

I remember how always hearing about how convent girls like to have like dances to Electric youth and all. My friends, who were older and i had secret crushes on them, used to show me the moves and i’ll try and remember them. Listening to this song on my beat up walkman gives me a chance to taste the joy of seeing them dancing to this song in front of me. SWEET.

Sigh. YA. ok enuff of this. But im serious about the SCanners dvd thing. Rock ON!! MAN!

oh ya, you should check out these find releases that i mentioned. Im serious, these are albums that i can say i grew up with. Did i? (worh so PKDick the moment)

sigh who’s going to do the dance of happiness with me?

#3 Yatsura and The Runaways

Here’s another entry about some albums that really are great and criminaly overlooked.

A few weeks ago, i managed to get a copy of this treasure. Funeral for a friend was playing at far east square, and i was there to kind of hang around. I didnt have a ticket at all, but it was cool to just stand around and look at the concert goers, and also to catch a free peek at bands playing support. I was feeling totally shitty that whole time, i guess i was feeling incredibly outsider and tend to aggravate that situation further. I mean Funeral for a friend, even Rosalyn from Girls aloud and other celebs were there. I kind of took off alone and walked along these people with their stuff all spread out on the floor. Lo and behold, the whole experience of been looked as a concert free loader and total loser just did not match the joy of finding a few jems.

Yatsura’s We are yatsura (1996), were one of those albums that i used to stare at browsing CDs at Tower records. I would pick it up and totally wonder what kind of music would i hear after i pop it into a cd player. I found a copy for 4 dollars and i was really happy when i went back home, did a search on it online and really just felt great. From scotland, it really proves the fact that the scots really had some great bands, other than my current faves, Idlewild (who never seem to make BAD albums at all) you’ve got all the twee bands and many others. Yatsura is truly one of the bands that wouldnt seem out of place on matador, with other lo-fi baggy shirts and pants (hoodie) rock. Slacker and all, its great, all the way from the first track it really brings back the joy of hearing Sonic youth’s first album, where you’ve got childish as fuck verses ( “take your hand and put it in your mouth, grab your tongue and stick it out/ confusion is sex”) , put that together with really wild, drunk ringo starr wild drums all around. amazing stuff. Really putting your head in this album especially under the circumstances which i bought it (BIG EMO BAND vs. LOSER SLACKER) i really felt like i was on top of this shit world, kind of like a musical version of terry gilliam’s brazil.

seriously i want to take this moment to really wonder why every fucking indie kid “likes” sonic youth. Its wierd. The best part’s that they’ve never heard any fucking thing beyond rather ripping. I just dont understand. I admit to being a facebook whore, but how can someone put the almighty Moore, Ronaldo, Gordon and Shelley (occasionally O’rouke) ALongside fucking PARAMORE and like say SONIC YOUTH! there’s nothing more ELECTRIFYING than these composer spiritualists! I admit that i cant remember entire lyrics ( i admit i have memory problems when it comes to lyrics) but i sure as hell remember the VIBE of fucking Catholic block, 100% and like bubble gum and shit. oh well. with that aside… here’s something really GREAT as well

Ok this is not the actual picture of this great fucking album. The Runaway’s Little girl lost is a great compilation of the Joan jett (*slurp*) and Lita Ford’s (*sweat*!) all girl punk rock band. Ya ya, something like the donnas just came to mind, all blonde and looking like deborah harry cloned herself 4 times and tried to do a ramones. GROSS. remember when i they were called The Electrocutes and were on one of those stupid teeenage john hughes films with alicia silver-stoned. This rare 1997 Rhino records compilation had liner notes from an “authority” with all that blah blah historical band nearing break up shit. Best of all it contains their final recordings, with “black leather”, a totally rocking opener penned by Steve Jones for these fine ladies! and What an incredible drummer they’ve got! Tucked cosily, Lita Ford’s delayed lines are so finnnneeeeee, as fine as the picture of Joan jett, all brunette and leather, with a Sex Pistols’ shirt. Rock and roll, this album has a great waltz reading of the beatles’ “eight days a week”, where joan jett sounds so much like NENA on 99 luftballons and Transvision Vamp (i love them soooo muchhh!). Sigh. What a great album. I just cant believe that years ago, i actually believed that the voice of female ANGER was ALANIS MORRISETTE, not saying that all the Runaways or Alanis hereself was about anger, but its that raw rock and roll musical stench that you cant go wrong with. Sigh this album makes me blush and makes me think about samantha fox.

Ok, im on with the program now, with an entry a day. Im so getting the hang of this shit again. More fuckery tomorrow.

#2 REM, Pluramon and Electro Group

Ah. the lush sounds of REM’s Reveal are just great after a day of doing everything bad and good. Terribly underrated and overshadowed by wilder excursions like the flaming lip’s soft bulletin and commercial angst rock. Just as REM revealed their own tribute to high tech brian wilson technicolor sonic vibrations.

I just had supper at meng’s kitchen near my place, and bumped into a certain uncle R, which i try my best to avoid. Over my mee pok, he was going on about how he’s working in Vietnam, teaching music in orphanages; His hole in his stomach that forced him to quit drinking and smoking, basically he has to take a shit regularly to get spill over out; how he had to get a cut sewn up in a vietnam hospital on a bed for dead bodies or something. I didnt say much, the whole time he was telling me about how to get about my career (which i strangely feel no interest in), about how he has been job hopping the past 2 years. Its amazing how convicted he is about his experiences and thoughts, i imagine myself like that, and its pretty scary, not in a hitler way though.

Its also of honorable mention that pluramon’s dream top rock (2003) is a great album, with julee cruise of twin peaks fame on vocals. I admit im a total fanboy sucker for Julee cruise’s first album which has “falling”, the song off twin peaks, but her voice is really great and different from your elizabeth frasers and bjorks flooding the dream rock/ this mortal coil indie niche.

Next up is the amazing new album on clairecords by Electro group called “good technology”, with some of the members from twee shoegaze merchants Rocketship. Its refreshing, in a strange way (not bereft of nostalgia, regretably) that there are actually bands making music like. Each track has a length of about 2 minutes, and comes with heavy fuzzed basslines akin to My bloody valentine Isn’t anything. Its short but way too sweet, even with the usual boy-girl vocals and effects fuckery, its a nice light and very rocking affair. Most reviews dismiss it as the usual run of the mill 90’s revivalist wet dream, but i cannot help resist the pure magic of near math rock dream melo-echolia.

Wow. it feels great writing about albums and shit again, i dont know why but i’ll keep doing it. I have to admit that im warming up to things, feels wierd and rubbery.

Seriously, its great to know as well that the fleeting joys and daysleepers will be coming up with new albums next year. I still have yet to grab a copy (digital or on disc) or Airiel’s battle of sealand, but im not too excited about it.