New David Bowie Video for Valentine's Day

Via Brooklyn Vegan.

The Next Day has remained a favorite of mine so far this year even though the seemingly endless influx of new records has kept it out of the almost-constant rotation it occupied for about a month after its release. This video is an interesting contrast to the previous two from the record, The Stars (Are Out Tonight) and The Next Day in that it's Bowie without any guest stars, going it alone. I'm normally not a fan of seeing the musician perform in the video because those performances are almost always staged, however I think the point here is not to suggest to us that Bowie is playing, but to give him something to do that is congruent to the song while the directors present us with the strange metamorphosis that the icon goes through while on display. I don't know that this 100% does what they wanted it to do, but it definitely doesn't fail either. And with the photography so strong and the art direction so simple but effective we are treated to enough to make this an interesting and enjoyable watch. Of especial beauty to me was the close-up shot of the guitar strings vibrating, the choice of the guitar because it reminds me of Bowie's late 80's rock group Tin Machine, and the way the directors light the radical facial expressions that come over Mr. Bowie as the song, about song shootings, reaches its soft-spoken conclusion.

Jean Michel Jarre's Equinoxe

A few years ago, while working at the bookstore, my good friend David spoke to me about the artist Jean Michel Jarre. I knew I'd heard the name enough to know there was some kind of a 'new age' connotation surrounding it, but not enough that I'd ever had anyone discuss Jarre's work with me, let alone introduce me to it. David is older than me and had a smattering the man's records from back around the time of their release. Based on David's discussion of Jarre I don't know that I'd consider him a fan per se - as an avid scholar and mathematician he seemed more the kind of person that would have been interested in Jarre's work at the time of its release based on the new technology and thought process that went into it. Basically this is synthesizer-composition and probably felt like someone using new technology (at the time) to make the type of compositions formerly performed with strings and woodwinds. During Jarre's heyday (70's/early 80's) this may have been akin to the future meeting the past, or mad futurist fiction meeting Mozart.

Or maybe not. Either way, like it or hate it there's something here. I've always believed that innovation is not always pretty, especially in retrospect. Equinoxe is not a place I can go often, but in the years since I copied the disc from David I've learned there is a very particular mind frame that I am sometimes in where I can hear this the way I'd imagine David first heard it, and that's pretty cool. Another example of time travel via one of the senses.

Just never all of the senses.

David Lynch - Making of The BIg Dream

I've been meaning to post this for a while, however by the time it first came to my attention (via bloody disgusting I believe) it was pulled down, and then I kind of got folded into the complex arrangements of the last two weeks and time and space and new music kind of disappeared. Well, I've resurfaced - somewhat - and now I have to post this. Mr. Lynch continues to be one of the most delightful, inspirational organisms walking the planet today and an artist that, even when horrifying me, still can make me smile. The Big Dream came out today and I've yet to buy it, but I think I will be able to return to normal existence soon and sit down and listen to it. That will make me happy.

New John Frusciante!!!

via Exclaim, whose got a whole lotta information on the new record, Outsides here.

New Jucifer via Brooklyn Vegan

Ahhh Jucifer... I discovered them when I heard the track Amplifier on Chicago's St Xavier University radio station (that's 88.3 if you're licking) back in the early oughts. Amplifier is irresistible 90's pop rock that kinda plays like the girls from Veruca Salt* singing for Nirvana. (though it came out in 2002). Here, in case you haven't heard it, take a moment to indulge:



Anyway, I picked up that record, I Name You Destroyer and the entire thing is just great. Very eclectic approach for a two-piece. Next came a copy of their first record, Calling All cars on the Vegas Strip.

image courtesy of spirit-of-metal.com

 I talked them up to a bunch of friends and took them to see the band at Chicago's Bottom Lounge (in its old location as since I've lived there I believe they've moved). What we saw was totally different then the record. It was... metal. I mean, three-fingers-up-and-two-down rock lock metal. This was totally different then the recorded material I'd heard thus far.

Then I bought the E.P. Lambs and I began to understand.

Since then Jucifer's sound has congealed into a more coherent whole that synthesizes their 'live' sound and the benefits of multi-tracking in the studio. And because of this it's gotten better. Then a brief departure in 2010 with Throned in Blood which, from my few listens to it, stands as an amazing testament to old school, nineties metal. It's good, and once again it's hard to imagine that much sound comes from just two people. Then again, when you see their stage set-up, it begins to make sense.

image courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

Anyway, Brooklyn Vegan ran an article about the forthcoming next album by the band, released next week and entitled за волгой для нас земли нет and I'm excited. Go to the Vegan here to read the full article and see the bizarre album trailer as well.

..........
*Not totally into what the 'Salt did, however their voices combined in a way that was very, very hot.

Chester Whelks interviews Paul Colilli of Simply Saucer...

... I'd never heard Simply Saucer. However, after hearing them and reading the interview, as Chester says, I am an instant convert. Colilli has a new solo record which I've embedded above - go here and you can purchase it on his bandcamp. Read the interview and check out another track that Chester embedded on Joup here.

The Art of Punk: Winston Smith and The Dead Kennedy's Art