Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Sometimes I want to make the new music

I want to make it more interesting than
it is. I strain and hope that it will
be better. People tell me to listen to
Arcade Fire and Stars and Feist and I
strain my temples to make it better.
Then I remember how I did that when I
was young, when we were all looking for
the Beatles of our generation. For
instance I thought a song by Aldo Nova
might be it. I remember listening to
my brother's records and working hard
to make Prism into some kind of Pink
Floyd. Was I ever really bowled over
by Chris de Burgh's Spanish Train and
Other Stories? What is it in me that
bought every Paul McCartney album of
the 80s hoping he'd make something
brilliant. And I'm doing it today, I
am reluctant to believe my first instincts
because my first instincts are cruel.
Perhaps the popular music is only meant
to be eaten like food and then new
music eaten. How often recently have I
listened to Antony and the Johnsons?
And what do I think of the Dresden
Dolls? And what of Vampires of Love?

8 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

there are no beatles anymore, and there's certainly no direction home. the only really epic record I have heard in recent years is neutral milk hotel's "aeroplane over the sea."

rumour is, the singer of that little piece of beauty went mad.

11:37 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jeff Mangum recently made a guest appearance with Olivia Tremor Control at the Bowery, so perhaps the worst has passed.

I am lukewarm when it comes to feist (although I would kill to sing like her) and don't think much of the stars (not big on singers who are actors.. or ones who don't play an instrument... looks horribly awkward) but you should try again with AF. So much soul in those lanky frames.

The Silver Jews' Tanglewood Numbers drops on October 18th. That’s something to look forward too, especially since the studio burned to the ground while it was being mastered, and it was one of maybe 10 masters that were salvaged. That’s the sort of stuff of which legends are made. Adoring has become something precious and personal, which is okay with me. What was so great about the Beatles besides the phenomenon of their mass appeal?

3:37 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what does it matter what plays in the background while you roll on the floor for caribou and laphraoig?

7:04 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

One thing that was great about the Beatles is "She Said, She Said", which is a perfect song, sort of. I find that Arcade Fire are either totally brilliant or totally not. I also agree that Stars are overrated (what's with the fake british accent?), although the first song on the album is pretty amazing. Maybe you will like the Mountain Goats if you haven't heard them. They make very alive sounding music.

11:27 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway.

4:43 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i would recommend other mark kozelek/red house painter music before sun kil moon... "songs for a blue guitar"? i was obsessive about mark kozelek for a period of time so i've thought about this :/

10:34 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sigur Ros.

10:45 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heard some Marjan Mosetich and it was pretty good new music. The local Vampire of Love fresh off the school bus got in the car, heard it and said we're at the centre of the earth. CBC disc Affairs of the Heart. your sister

9:57 p.m.  

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