Songs to the sirens

bon je suis desolé pour la forme je debute..
c’est au cours d’une conversation avec une amatrice americaine de wedding, je lui demande ce qu’elle fais, et elle me repond, essentiellement du violon dans un nombre de groupe absolument ridicule… je lui demande lesquels et effectivement la liste et longue, mais parmis ses préférrés, elle me cite celui ci et je tombe de ma chaise en ecoutant ce titre

melange detonnant de klezmer et de sixteen horsepower me semble t il….
le chanteur fait egalement de très belles peintures a voir dans la section artwork de leur site

le site du groupe: painted saints

Everything has an end and a beginning. In between there is the ever changing. Like the movement of heavenly bodies, everything is cyclical with an end an a beginning, yet everlasting. So is folks music. Like any idea it is being deconstructed, reconstructed, and reinterpretated, achieving new forms out of the ashes of the old one. “death as it shook you // you gave it a fool’s look // you said I am an empty page to you. .. we began to burn away”. The old one burns to start a new cycle. New year is about to begin. New hope.

“Deconstructing Folk”

01. Kemialliset Ystävät : planetta kaukainen , Kellari Juniversumi (Fonal, 2002)
02. Kemialliset Ystävät : taivas ja meri , Kellari Juniversumi (Fonal, 2002)
03. Sun Ra : Of Heavenly Things , The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. 1 (ESP, 1965)
04. Songs Ohia : The Body Burned Away , ghost tropic (secretly canadian, 2000)
05. David dunn : Insects and Birds , Why do Whales and Children Sing?: A Guide to Listening in Nature (EarthEar)
06. Clem Snide : Moment In The Sun , The Ghost Of Fashion (SpinArt/Cooking Vinyl, 2001)

See also: jun. 8 entry
image credit: muller, andipantz, hurleygurley, jurvetson

Second in a series of end of year list. This is a two parts list, an afternoon and an evening list containing various files gathered in the past weeks, creating a snapshoot of folks/accoustic music at the end of 2005. At another level it is a stack of audio polariod, trying to preserve the little stories people tell through their music. Hopefully it will be an interesting time capsule to hear later on. The first list has a softer, warmer tone, while the second one is twirly angst.

“Two Dollar Shoes”

01. Jeff_in_Paris : 01 open instru , (2002)
02. Rosie Thomas : Two Dollar Shoes , When We Were Small (Sub Pop, 2002)
03. Bart Davenport : Clara , Maroon Cocoon (Antenna Farm, 2005)
04. Jenny Elizabeth Jones : Blue , (2005)
05. Deerpark : Anabelle’s Mother , It made her look Spidery (Deerpark, 2003)

“Four Letters and a Purpose”

01. Adam Gnade : Dance to the War , Run, Hide, Retreat, Surrender (Loud and Clear Records, 2005)
02. The Dead Science : Gamma Knife , Bird Bones in the Bughouse (Absolutely Kosher, 2004)
03. Matt Callahan : Deep Down , A Wild Bouquet (brokenarrowrecords, 2005)
04. mrbungle : Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren (1) , (2002)
05. The Dead Science : Threnody , Submariner (Absolutely Kosher, 2003)
06. Cheval De Frise : Bora Lustral , fresques sur les parois secrètes du crâne (RuminanCe, 2003)
07. berg sans nipple : dilate in rythm , Form of… (Prohibited records, 2003)

image credit : aqui-ali, benzadrine, markstranquist, kyoto-photo, WallaceJames

A sucessfull experiment bounds to go unrecognized. That’s what I call The Dead Science. This group will break hearts while the public are too enamored with familiar styles fed by the mainstream music publication, such as pop punk, cheesy rock and prepackaged hip-hop. TDS accoustic free jazz bass and precission rythm section are too unsentimentally beautiful and won’t go mainstream anytime soon.

The industry aside, the dead science is the other side of currently in rage ‘psych folks’. A movement characterised by deep knowledge of previous masterpieces, application of dream like lyrics and vocalisations and oversize instrumentation skill. The dead science can be seen as the electric version of Devendra bernhard/Joanna Newsom experiment approached from different musical angle, post rock and free Jazz. They are Xiu-xiu evolutionary progression, with far more competent rythm section, accoustic bass sans synth. The result could very well be what Tim Buckley would have been after Starsailor, had he known how to incorporate free jazz into rock and the skill to execute complex rythm. A dream of conceptual satisfaction many have tried and failed, but then again almost 30 years has passed.

Formed in Seattle around 2000, the dead science is Jherek Bischoff (bass), Nick Tamburro (drums) and Sam Mickens (guitar, vocals). Their live shows are mainly confined in pacific northwest. Their latest album is ‘Frost Giant’.

The Dead Science : Threnody , Submariner (Absolutely Kosher, 2003)
The Dead Science : Ossuary , Bird Bones in the Bughouse (Absolutely Kosher, 2004)
The Dead Science : drrrty magneto , Frost Giant (Absolutely Kosher, 2005)

image credit: The dead science

Tuesday Lunch music. And blame another-record Paris bureau for this disaster. Their sense of humor is a bit too big for the planet to handle. They’ll get in trouble soon enough. I mean check out the music selection. What is that? is it electronic? Samba? Is it IDM? And what’s with accordeon fetish? Hey wait, Ravi Coltrane is in there. More bread please I am hungry.

Happy Lunch everybody!

“Lunch No.2″

01. Br. Cleve & His Lush Orchestra : Shaken Not Stirred , Two Zombies Later (comfortstand.com, 2003)
02. Nara Leão : Suíte dos pescadores , O Canto Livre De Nara (Philips, 1965)
03. os tron : emotional needs sound sources , only visiting this planet (kracfive records, 2002)
04. Ravi Coltrane : Search for Peace , Moving Pictures CD (RCA Victor Records (USA), 1998)
05. Eric & Ryan Kilkenny : Bongo Avenger , Two Zombies Later (comfortstand.com, 2003)

Image credit : rentahamster, sonia10, rizzi, presley_m, jam_session

Ages ago, in 2001 actually, Lawrence Lewis created a new class of copyright that artist can use as an alternative to industry’s copyright scheme. Analogous to GnuLicense spirit to build upon and share, Creative Common was written and let loose on the net. Four years down the road, it blooms and thrives. As of now there are several creative common databases that people can use and contribute. Musique-libre.org is one of them. It is based in french and primarily serves french upcoming artists.

This small list below represent popular picks in ‘Chanson Francophon’ category. I hope you enjoy these cool works. It’s time to seriously consider an alternative of ‘media industry’ music distribution. So there you have it. Contribute and share. Support artists.

“musique-libre.org”

01. delgarma : mon arbre , Mon arbre (self published, 2005)
02. delgarma : boradumhet , Mon arbre (self published, 2005)
03. sam : la grande roue , la grande roue (self published, 2005)
04. XeMa : Irremplaçable , 1ères Prises (self published, 2005)
05. ALéATOIRE : La vieille Europe , La Vieille Europe (self published, 2005)
06. Ehma : Antigone et Créon , Les Temps modernes (self published, 2005)

see also: musique-libre.org, Creative Commons

This one is a new year present for everybody who hasn’t discovered her yet. Her music is truely special. A sweet sorrow tune composed of thousands shades of memories, one can pick just about any style of music in her album. Jazz, blues, klezmer, modern, you name it. It’s as if Django Reinhardt has woken up, swallowed the entire encyclopedia of music and then decide to play. In this album Jenny Scheinman is leading a group consisting of Bill Frisell, Ron Miles, and more. The result is a music that fits anywhere and anytime. Beautiful and magnificently touching. A classic. She is going places with her talent. If not, it’s the world’s failing.

Jenny Scheinman : The Frog threw His Head Back and Laughed
Jenny Scheinman : Song of the Open Road

see also : cryptogramophone
image credit : jennyscheinman.com

image credit: darin clisby , eye catcher , naccerato

le label 5khzrecords, un collectif/label bruxellois à géométrie variable nous souhaite un joyeux noel avec cette version revisitée de couperin.

christmas

pour découvrir d’autres morceaux de ce collectif allumé.
5 khz records

à mon tour de vous offrir un cadeau avec ce ep-6 titres intitulé “for christmas” dans une veine plus sacrée.

for christmas

This is s1 list, first in a series of three end of year lists containing ambient, experimental and modern pieces. In by gone time, a shaman functioned as a guide and healer. The shaman described future path, explaining dream and past and stitching together a seeker’s loose memories, faded thought nudged forward. A Shaman facilitated this process. This list tries to create that in a series of ambient pieces through delicate patterns. The songs nudge images out of our own thought, slowly guiding them into awareness like a shaman. But whether that goal is reachable or not, the ambient works in this list are nice in itself. Enjoy.

“Shaman Dance”

01. Terre Thaemlitz : Ai No Bakudan (Screech Remix) , Lovebomb/Ai No Bakudan (Comatonse Recordings, 2005)
02. Delphine Dora : chamanic saraband , (for christmas, 2005)
03: BrothomStates : Whind , Kobn-Tich-Ey ( Brothomstates, 1998)
04. Thomas Oboe Lee : Morango … almost a tango , Morango… Almost a Tango (Koch Int’l Classics, 2002)
05. Delphine Dora : cellar fire , (for christmas, 2005, with Valérie aka Half Asleep)
06. Soma Sonic : Crazy Moon , Future (Sonic Images, 2000)

image credit : Lenny & Meriel’s, mrfranz, GustavoG, antimethod, eyecatcher

Every so often I found a free jazz group that I want to listen for hours. Tri-cornered Ten Show is one of them. Granted I am no jazz expert, hence my delight when tri-cornered tent shows no harsh brass section that can meld mind faster than acid overdoze. But what’s wrong with mellower experimental Jazz? One John Zorn or Anthony Braxton is enough. At any rate, check out tcts, if you enjoy different soundscape beyond the usual psych rock/folks. They are quite trippy and enjoyable. (if that is the right word)

Tri-Cornered Tent Show : A frozen fish fiend facial
Tri-Cornered Tent Show : The Halls of Ancient Kadath
Tri-Cornered Tent Show : Incantation of Computation

image credit: tcts

Tuesday lunch update. I couldn’t find anything good on radio the other day when I wanted music instead of chatting or ambient sound. So, directly from another-record global headquarter luncheonette hall, here is lunch music. (It’s probably the only thing consumable from the menu too. Don’t try the muffin. You’ve been warned.) Today’s choice: a delicious opening of sound collage and film music, followed by standard blog fare. Closed with mouth watering west coast indies rarities. They are tasty, as it should. Another-records knows indies accoustic. Hopefully, we will go to better lunch place next time. I’ve heard ‘another-record’ L.A and Brussel bureaus have better food. To be honest, the global headquarter needs a new chef.

Stay tune, enjoy and happy lunch. Drop your lunch message.

“Lunch No.1″

01. Tipsy : Kitty’s Daydream , Two Zombies Later (comfortstand.com, 2003)
02. Gabriel “Naim” Amor : Le Wepler , Soundtracks (FILMguerrero, 2001)
03. The Tami Show : Hell is other people , Blue in Green (The Tami Show, 2005)
04. The Geraldine Fibbers : Fancy , What Part of ‘Get Thee Gone’ Don’t You Understand? (Sympathy 4 the R.I., 1997)
05. Tanya Donelly : Last Rain (demo) , unreleased (web only).

image credit: Stephanie, Stephanie

Music landscape changes all time as new sound enters. In the mid 90’s math rock and post rock make themselves known. Steve Albini introduces his angular guitar playing and Slint publishes ‘Spiderland’, their second album. To then Led zeppelin - nirvana dominated rock scene, Shellac and Slint display larger dynamic, angular and epic soundscape. It was fresh. But slowly math rock and post-rock reach ornate and oversize sound. At cannonical peak works, they are either hyper active manic guitar playing or sedate textureless hallucination. This condition start to alienieate average listener. Shellac fan base for instance is not mainstream despite Albini’s influence. Math rock development in Shellac - Jesus Lizard - Don Cab/Bellini and Postrock Slint - Tortoise - Goodspeed - Explosion in the Sky are ripe for new phase.

If new soundscape is made of previous works lessons, combining wider styles, higher virtuosity, and novel instrumentation, the post-rock story is not over. In subtle ways, accoustic instruments have infused new work done by artists associated with math rock and post rock. Cheval De Frise, for instance, a math rock group from Bordeaux, France creates an odd line up of accoustic/electric guitars into their Don Caballero like work. ‘II’, from their last album, is a mysterious flamenco like math rock piece, projecting a melancholic acid dream sound with angry jagged guitar, pulsing accoustic fury interspersed with drips of percussians. Slower, Chiyoko Yoshida - drummer and singer for Chicago mysterious band ‘Sweeder’, also associated with June of 44 and Modest Mouse - brushes a songwriter voice over a sea of fuzzy electric, typical of post-rock. It’s gloomy and disorienting, as all her works are. Also from Chicago, Owen - Mike Kinsella who also plays in math rock group such as Cap’n Jazz and American Football - dives deep into songwriting and accoustic. The only trace typical post-rock sound left is a bass string and one stroke of electric guitar distortion. His song transforms into a lyrical accoustic ballad. And finally, Grace Cathedral parks completely fills the canvas with accoustic instruments reducing electric guitar to a mere equal in a lush garden of melancholic but majestic accoustic dreamscape.

The promise of what to come seems very exciting to me.

And thank you Delpine, the coolest gal in town, for helping me find Cheval De Frise. Enjoy the list.

“Accoustic Math Rock”

01. Cheval De Frise : II , la lame du mât (RuminanCe, 2005)
02. Tim Rayborn : Cuando El Rey Nimrod , The Path Beyond (Magnatune, 2003)
03. Chiyoko : Monsters , Cinematic (Boo-The-Cat Records, 2001)
04. Owen : She’s a Thief , I do perceive ( Polyvinyl Records, 2004)
05. Nina Nastasia : This Is What It Is , The Blackened Air (Touch & Go Records, 2002)
06. Grace Cathedral Park : play delicate, desire quiet , In the Evenings of Regret (La Verdad, 2004)

See also : Math Rock, Post-Rock
Image credit: strange_me, Hobo pd, foreversouls

Emission songs to the sirens #4 : durée 30 min env. (42,4 mo)
en téléchargement ici

1. Diamond Caverns : monkey mind
2. Judy Henske & Jerry Yester : Farewell Alderbaran, Farewell Alderbaran (Straight Records, 1968)
3. Buffy Sainte-Marie : the angel, Illuminations, 1968
4. Colin Blunstone : thoughts you are far away, One Year, 1971
5. The Creation : life is just beginning, 1967
6. We the People : st john’s shop, 1967
7. Please : strange ways, 1968
8. Fever Tree : Come with me (rain song), 1968

Collect them all

A l’origine du projet Cinema, on retrouve en fait une moitié de Fante, le quatuor lillois, qu’on avait pu découvrir sur la compilation Sweets for the wild. Mais ne cherchez pas d’autre lien à priori que celui-là, entre 2 univers très différents ; Cinema n’a rien d’un rock-band, et s’apparente plutôt à une bande-son déjantée pour films imaginaires (un peu à la manière de The passengers, le projet Eno/U2 dans les 90’s). Clairement obsédée par le 7ème art donc, la musique de Reivilo et Pacino se nourrit de bidouillages éléctroniques en tous genre, de funk, de pop synthétique, de samples improbables, et elle ignore subtilement les codes habituels du bon goût, sans jamais sombrer dans le kitch. Il suffit de se remérorer certains disques de Prince pour mieux comprendre l’esprit du projet : ni série B, ni blockbuster, juste à part.

Le tout est résolument ludique, comme en témoigne ce morceau de bravoure Collect them all, un parfait single en son genre. A noter que Cinema, projet auto-produit, cherche preneur… Avis aux nababs de passage sur ce forum.

Folks song strength has always been expressing daily life in personal way. Nowhere it is more powerfull then expressing personal grief, anxiety and betrayal during a political turmoil and war. Dylan’s Master of War exemplifies this the best at the height of vietnam war. It calls out the national anxiety and anger for a war with no end and the nation gasps. These artistic sensibilities can still be heard in todays singer songwriter works.

Master of War.

01. Timesbold : Master of War , Masters of War 7 (Zeal Records, 2003)
02. Momus : Hotel Marquis de Sade , Monsters of Love ( Creation, 1990)
03. The Innocence Mission : what a wonderful world , now the day is over (Badman Records, 2004)
04. Boxharp : Church In Calhoun , Tailored Soldier (Absolutely Kosher, 2001)
05. Magnolia Electric Co. : Doing Something Wrong , Hard To Love A Man (Secretly Canadian, 2005)

image credit: danahilliot, Hobo pd, sarrah, Hensdill

The bane of modern choice. In today’s music consumption, we rarely listen to a song without neurotically expecting to hear next one on list. All that, of course, because we can and we have enough music to form a long list. The raise of mp3 makes it worst. Does it mean we should stop being neurotic and listen carefully to one song? Aha, you smarty pants idealist. I for one decide to take the low road and listen to as many songs as I can carry. But with a twist.

What if we organize songs in compelling way, revealing larger theme and musical connection beyond simple random list? So, here I am. Songs to the Sirens has kindly invited me to post my musing. I hope you enjoy my first entry.

Ode à la nuit

Ô Nuit plaisante et sereine,
Viens découvrir à nos yeux
Ton beau char qui se pourmène
Par les campagnes des cieux.
Sors de ta caverne obscure
Dans le saphir éclatant,
Pendant qu’en cette verdure
Je vais ton los racontant.
…
-Siméon-Guillaume de LA ROQUE

“Gentle Night” List

01. Sir Richard Bishop : Hadley , Sir Richard Bishop, Salvador Kali (Revenant, 1998)
02. Bright Eyes : Lua, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (Saddle Creek, 2005)
03. Devendra Banhart : Quetate Luna , Cripple Crow (Xl / Beggars Us Ada, 2005)
04. Puerto Muerto : Grinding Bones, …Your Bloated Corpse Has Washed Ashore (Fire UK, 2005)
05. John Fahey : The Evening Mysteries of Ferry, I Remember Blind Joe Death (Varrick, 1990)
06. Ida : Late Blues , Heart Like a River (Polyvinyl Records , 2005)

Note: some links require you to go through simple registration to obtain mp3 files.
Image credit : Joe Bly

we are now (seated in profile) en téléchargement complet en Creative Commons

On l’attendait fermement, il a eu un peu de retard mais le disque de Valérie est enfin disponible. Le Chef d’Oeuvre de 2005 qui restera un chef d’oeuvre tout court. Abandonnez tout ce que vous faites et écouter attentivement ce disque le soir à la bougie. Mention spéciale au sommet de ce disque, d’invisibles courtisans, assurément la plus belle chanson du monde et au très beau travail de production de Gilles de Lunt qui illumine les morceaux d’une aura particulière. Il faut préciser que c’est le premier disque en France à être commercialisé sous licence Creative Commons, donc c’est une grande première tout à fait exceptionnelle. Je connaissais les premières versions de l’album que Valérie avait enregistrées il y a deux ans, là le disque version finalisée est au-dessus de toutes mes attentes. Valérie nous met par terre et transcende tout…
Merci Valérie et Unique Records pour ce magnifique cadeau de Noel. Magnifique initiative !
Unique Record s’est engagé pour l’avenir de la musique libre. N’hésitez pas à copier le disque, à en parler autour de vous, à l’échanger…et si vous voulez soutenir le label, n’hésitez pas à vous procurer le beau disque. ça sera aussi un très beau cadeau à offrir.

Petit rappel, l’émission avec Valérie est toujours en écoute sur songs to the sirens.

le site d’half asleep
Unique Records

le ep hallonsaft

Sundays in spring

Ces 4 titres, enregistrés au printemps 2004 par Thomas Mery, et publiés par le label online Sundays in Spring (lequel recèle de nombreuses pépites musicales), exercent une emprise totale sur mon cerveau : il y a là quelque chose d’unique, un trouble qu’on aurait traduit en son, une musique dont la matière est la douleur. J’ai vu Thomas en concert à Toulouse, et je ne résiste pas à cette fragilité, ce truc à fleur de peau : ça se passe à un niveau tellement intime, tellement secret, tellement discret.

[notez que Thomas a publié un magnifique vinyl “I matter chez nos amis de Dora Dorovitch (une des meilleurs labels français en ce moment). On trouvera également les enregistrements du groupe Purr, le projet qui l’a fait connaître, publié chez Prohibited, et le premier disque solo A ship, like a ghost, like a cell, publié chez shift-t, avec en prime une vidéo réalisé avec marie Daubert.]

Three times at night
it only had the taste of my cigarette

screwed minnie mouse est le projet solo de Charlène Darling (aka Charlotte, une jeune demoiselle de 17 ans) qui nous a envoyé ses petites miniatures (on pourrait appeler cela du “walking recording”) enregistrées sur le vif à l’aide d’un dictaphone mp3. Ses petite chansons acapella ont été improvisées et enregistrées en marchant dans les Highlands. C’est beau, c’est frais, c’est spontané. On est ici au coeur de la création, c’est la musique saisie dans son essence même…

patch
pigeon food
d’autres morceaux en téléchargement

Enorme claque à l’écoute des quelques mp3 sur le site de Larkin Grimm, une jeune américaine de Providence qui vient juste de sortir son premier disque sur Secret Eye (label des excellents Spires that in the Sunset Ride, Black Forest/Black Sea, Jodie Dean Marston, Long Live Death…). Sa musique reflète bien les influences rustiques de ses origines appalachiennes. A la première écoute, on a l’impression d’entendre Josephine Foster ou une soeur spirituelle de Jolie Holland en plus barrée. Ce disque peut également évoquer la richesse de Buffy Sainte-Marie période Illuminations ou l’univers lumineux de Linda Perhacs. C’est vrai qu’on a un peu de toutes ses influences dans ce disque. Mais surtout on a affaire à une Grande Artiste à l’univers totalement atypique et à la voix extatique exemplaire….

le site de Larkin Grimm

LIZ (morceau 17 min)

pour se procurer des albums de el-g
le site de el-g

Quand deux fans de Matt Valentine se rencontrent et composent ensemble, voilà ce que ça donne. Cette longue pièce psyché de 17 minutes est une longue envolée blues-space-expé saisissante composée en un week-end. Ca évoque forcément un peu the tower recordings, forcément je ne peux m’empêcher de penser à ça, mais bon ça évoque aussi sûrement pas mal de groupes expérimentaux américains que je ne connais pas. En tout cas, ça faisait longtemps que j’avais pas entendu un truc si free en France ! (si si ils sont français, mais peu importe d’où ils viennent…). Enfin j’adore tout simplement….bénissons les!

En plus d’être un jeune homme fort attachant, Jullian Angel est un songwriter qu’on chérit chez another record et qu’on ne comprend pas qu’il ne soit pas plus connu. Toujours en quête de la mélodie parfaite, il a non seulement le don de composer des classiques à la pelle mais également un talent pour l’écriture. Son prochain album (qui sortira début 2006) s’annonce bel et bien comme un futur classique folk.

Retrouvez ici une émission séquencée en quatre parties avec interview de Jullian qui vient ici nous parler de son nouvel album.

Le site de Jullian Angel
son weblog

(Emission/ part 1: 19′15) — emission pt1
1. Jullian Angel: Farewell melody, Melancholic ecstasy (Another Record- 2003)
2. Jullian Angel: Being part of history, extrait du nouvel album (Another Record-sortie début 2006)
3. Townes van Zandt: second lover song, Our Mother The Mountain (Tomato Records- 1969)
————-
(Emission/part 2: 26′39) —-emission pt2
4. Jullian Angel feat. Valerie (Half asleep): some dead survive, extrait du nouvel album (Another Record-sortie début 2006)
5. The Wedding Soundtrack: Almost anything, extrait du nouvel album (Another Record-sortie début 2006)
6. Jullian Angel: Born on the 7th day, extrait du nouvel album (Another Record-sortie début 2006)
7. Pearls Before Swine: Island Lady, Beautiful Lies You could live in (Reprise RS-1971)
——————-
(Emission/part 3 : 15′18) —-emission pt3
8. Jullian Angel; An everlasting breath, extrait du nouvel album (Another Record-sortie début 2006)
9. Damien Jurado: night out for the downer, On my way to absence (Secretly Canadian-2005)
10. Lee Hazlewood: The night before, Cowboy in Sweden (reed. Smell Like Records-1970)
———————–
(Emission/art 4 : 15′16) —-emission pt4
11. Jullian Angel: Shine, Melancholic ecstasy (Another Record- 2003)
12. Jacques:The orchestra I loved, Two stars (Setanta-2000)