Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Molested In Train Japan
Top albums 2009
I realize that I forgot to mention here the publication of the Blogothèque the annotated list of my 10 albums of 2009 , embellished with some considerations whining about how the strodur Laif, which prevents me from listening to so many records I like or that I had become accustomed.
For information, the text of this letter is reproduced below:
2009, retrospective introspection
For months I can not find the time to buy all new discs out, obsession with the discovery that was even the ordinary of my hobbies there are two or three years. Gradually, I feel that music has lost me some of its importance and has become at best a hobby casual. On my scale, I also bought some new features this year and I think well have listened to any album downloaded (legally or not).
Worse, the decline of my "brain time available" made me cautious, reluctant to take risks by leaving my comfort zone, and I am often left out of new faces, preferring to focus on sound values, these artists I know in advance that they will keep their promises.
This lack of time also made me look even more willing than usual to immediate pleasures of pop music (very good bill this year, for example, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Dizzee Rascal, Calvin Harris, Lily Allen or the Black-Eyed Peas) longer than those in the mouth, music that I call it more marginal, failing to find a more appropriate term, although the album of Pan Sonic & Keiji Haino, David Sylvian and Sunn O))) I have confirmed in their own way that I could still occasionally immerse myself with delight music steeper.
The combination of these two trends has resulted in my favorite albums this year have mostly been the work of pop artists I love and am a long time.
Pet Shop Boys - Yes
After the excellent Fundamental, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe confirm their return to the spotlight with an album produced by Xenomania, the Rolls-Royce production of British pop in the XXI century (Girls Aloud Rachel Stevens, Annie, etc..). I have already written extensively on this album. I will just add here that The Way It Used To Be held until December its status track of the year.
Nits - Strawberry Wood
A title in the form of transparent homage to the Beatles (Norwegian Fields) and a return to the heights of air or Giant Normal Dwarf Ting, where Henk Hofstede, Rob Kloet and Robert Jan Stipe shackle with disconcerting ease of perfect pop songs. The two concerts I attended were definitely my two favorite memories live in the year, and it is not Roma who contradict me.
Pierre Lapointe - Feelings human
It was clear to me that Pierre Lapointe (Patrick Wolf Quebecois) could never quite find the breathtaking peaks of his second album The Forest of Evil Ones. I was therefore not surprised at first to be a little disappointed stay on my hunger. Then, as and when the plays, I am attached to these songs, a bit less immediate, but gradually managed to get out of the shadow of imposing their elders.
Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor
The last time we heard of him, Patrick Wolf (the Pierre Lapointe English) was on the brink of annihilation artistic forced to promote nauseum his disappointing third album, released by Staff anxious to return its investment faster. The concerts of this tour left me the impression of a singer at the end roll, for whom music had become an insurmountable chore. This new album is probably for me the best surprise of the year. Patrick will find abundant inspiration from his first two discs, channeled by a science of production and arrangements that had sometimes been lacking in the past. A song like Vulture (coproduced with Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot) is a bombinette as he did most recorded since Bloodbeat. That said, the clip is recommended for all susceptible persons, I propose instead to listen Damaris, a song which, in a more conventional kind, is just as exciting.
frYars - Dark Young Hearts
Like its predecessor, this album is the work of a multi-instrumentalist vingtenaires English at the border between electronics and acoustics, and was funded through Bandstocks, the site allows fans to become shareholders of the albums of their favorite artist. For a long time that the blogosphere was buzzing with rumors pop flattering frYars aka Ben Garrett and if this album does not fully confirms all the promise of self-produced EP released earlier, it nevertheless revealed as many intriguing and quirky songs such as Eyes are Olive, The Ides or Benedict Arnold.
A-Ha - Foot Of The Mountain
Does it still make sense to talk about A-Ha in 2010? Even those who are willing to admit that it ever made sense can not but ask. Despite the mocking laughter of my family, most of my friends and people who read me here, I say yes. First, because this is the last year of the group, who announced his separation future a few weeks ago. Then the challenge because they are launched to re-record an album of synth-pop, the kind that had their glory in the second half of the 80 was a success beyond all my expectations.
Soap & Skin - Lovetune for vacuum
Young Austrian 19 years, Anja Plaschg recorded his first album in 4 years, mostly at home. Each piece has been thoroughly pondered, reworked, which probably explains the sense of control, sometimes terrifying, it releases. Located somewhere between Sigur Ros, Kate Bush, Wim Mertens and Faun Fables by location and benefiting from the contribution of Fennesz, these songs require a severe atmosphere of contemplation which, though totally devoid of humor, never becomes pretentious or ponderous .
Annie - Do not stop
Anniemal, the first album of the Norwegian left me on my hunger, unable quite to me to justify the enthusiasm that seemed to arise around (and was essentially based on the fact she did not pop and Britney or Christina or name). This second album, by contrast, is a kind of masterpiece, like he could be a few years ago Come And Get It by Rachel Stevens. It includes the leg by Richard X (mentor already present on the previous one) and decidedly ubiquitous composers-producers Xenomania.
Lisa Germano - Neighbor Magic
All who are excited qulques years ago years for Emily Haines would do well to rediscover the original on this album, seems quite find the inspiration that enabled him to complete during the 90 my four queens end-of-string-of-horse-label 4AD (Paula Frazer, Lisa Fraser, Lisa Gerrard, Lisa Germano).
Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains
Decked the ugliest bag ever released on 4AD, this album was probably the one I was most surprised to love. A priori nothing here was meant to please me hesitantly and whining, always seeming slightly detuned guitars, lo-fi aesthetic foutraque or anything that made me avoid like the plague the vast majority of American music independant past twenty years. However, I do not know why it works here, probably because of the quality of the compositions, such as the nursery rhyme Lions or the amazing world-music pastiche of Hatari.
I started this post by saying that music this year had been used primarily to fill the silence while I was doing other things, a utility function a priori is not conducive to provoke intense feelings in me, but Listening back to these albums by writing this, I realize that my ability to get excited is intact and that I would only take a little time for me to find the right girl, a little ridiculous but so nice to believe for a moment that a disk is capable of I turn, alter permanently the filter through which I see life and the world. 
I realize that I forgot to mention here the publication of the Blogothèque the annotated list of my 10 albums of 2009 , embellished with some considerations whining about how the strodur Laif, which prevents me from listening to so many records I like or that I had become accustomed.
For information, the text of this letter is reproduced below:
2009, retrospective introspection
For months I can not find the time to buy all new discs out, obsession with the discovery that was even the ordinary of my hobbies there are two or three years. Gradually, I feel that music has lost me some of its importance and has become at best a hobby casual. On my scale, I also bought some new features this year and I think well have listened to any album downloaded (legally or not).
Worse, the decline of my "brain time available" made me cautious, reluctant to take risks by leaving my comfort zone, and I am often left out of new faces, preferring to focus on sound values, these artists I know in advance that they will keep their promises.
This lack of time also made me look even more willing than usual to immediate pleasures of pop music (very good bill this year, for example, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Dizzee Rascal, Calvin Harris, Lily Allen or the Black-Eyed Peas) longer than those in the mouth, music that I call it more marginal, failing to find a more appropriate term, although the album of Pan Sonic & Keiji Haino, David Sylvian and Sunn O))) I have confirmed in their own way that I could still occasionally immerse myself with delight music steeper.
The combination of these two trends has resulted in my favorite albums this year have mostly been the work of pop artists I love and am a long time.
Pet Shop Boys - Yes
After the excellent Fundamental, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe confirm their return to the spotlight with an album produced by Xenomania, the Rolls-Royce production of British pop in the XXI century (Girls Aloud Rachel Stevens, Annie, etc..). I have already written extensively on this album. I will just add here that The Way It Used To Be held until December its status track of the year.
Nits - Strawberry Wood
A title in the form of transparent homage to the Beatles (Norwegian Fields) and a return to the heights of air or Giant Normal Dwarf Ting, where Henk Hofstede, Rob Kloet and Robert Jan Stipe shackle with disconcerting ease of perfect pop songs. The two concerts I attended were definitely my two favorite memories live in the year, and it is not Roma who contradict me.
Pierre Lapointe - Feelings human
It was clear to me that Pierre Lapointe (Patrick Wolf Quebecois) could never quite find the breathtaking peaks of his second album The Forest of Evil Ones. I was therefore not surprised at first to be a little disappointed stay on my hunger. Then, as and when the plays, I am attached to these songs, a bit less immediate, but gradually managed to get out of the shadow of imposing their elders.
Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor
The last time we heard of him, Patrick Wolf (the Pierre Lapointe English) was on the brink of annihilation artistic forced to promote nauseum his disappointing third album, released by Staff anxious to return its investment faster. The concerts of this tour left me the impression of a singer at the end roll, for whom music had become an insurmountable chore. This new album is probably for me the best surprise of the year. Patrick will find abundant inspiration from his first two discs, channeled by a science of production and arrangements that had sometimes been lacking in the past. A song like Vulture (coproduced with Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot) is a bombinette as he did most recorded since Bloodbeat. That said, the clip is recommended for all susceptible persons, I propose instead to listen Damaris, a song which, in a more conventional kind, is just as exciting.
frYars - Dark Young Hearts
Like its predecessor, this album is the work of a multi-instrumentalist vingtenaires English at the border between electronics and acoustics, and was funded through Bandstocks, the site allows fans to become shareholders of the albums of their favorite artist. For a long time that the blogosphere was buzzing with rumors pop flattering frYars aka Ben Garrett and if this album does not fully confirms all the promise of self-produced EP released earlier, it nevertheless revealed as many intriguing and quirky songs such as Eyes are Olive, The Ides or Benedict Arnold.
A-Ha - Foot Of The Mountain
Does it still make sense to talk about A-Ha in 2010? Even those who are willing to admit that it ever made sense can not but ask. Despite the mocking laughter of my family, most of my friends and people who read me here, I say yes. First, because this is the last year of the group, who announced his separation future a few weeks ago. Then the challenge because they are launched to re-record an album of synth-pop, the kind that had their glory in the second half of the 80 was a success beyond all my expectations.
Soap & Skin - Lovetune for vacuum
Young Austrian 19 years, Anja Plaschg recorded his first album in 4 years, mostly at home. Each piece has been thoroughly pondered, reworked, which probably explains the sense of control, sometimes terrifying, it releases. Located somewhere between Sigur Ros, Kate Bush, Wim Mertens and Faun Fables by location and benefiting from the contribution of Fennesz, these songs require a severe atmosphere of contemplation which, though totally devoid of humor, never becomes pretentious or ponderous .
Annie - Do not stop
Anniemal, the first album of the Norwegian left me on my hunger, unable quite to me to justify the enthusiasm that seemed to arise around (and was essentially based on the fact she did not pop and Britney or Christina or name). This second album, by contrast, is a kind of masterpiece, like he could be a few years ago Come And Get It by Rachel Stevens. It includes the leg by Richard X (mentor already present on the previous one) and decidedly ubiquitous composers-producers Xenomania.
Lisa Germano - Neighbor Magic
All who are excited qulques years ago years for Emily Haines would do well to rediscover the original on this album, seems quite find the inspiration that enabled him to complete during the 90 my four queens end-of-string-of-horse-label 4AD (Paula Frazer, Lisa Fraser, Lisa Gerrard, Lisa Germano).
Tune-Yards - Bird-Brains
Decked the ugliest bag ever released on 4AD, this album was probably the one I was most surprised to love. A priori nothing here was meant to please me hesitantly and whining, always seeming slightly detuned guitars, lo-fi aesthetic foutraque or anything that made me avoid like the plague the vast majority of American music independant past twenty years. However, I do not know why it works here, probably because of the quality of the compositions, such as the nursery rhyme Lions or the amazing world-music pastiche of Hatari.
I started this post by saying that music this year had been used primarily to fill the silence while I was doing other things, a utility function a priori is not conducive to provoke intense feelings in me, but Listening back to these albums by writing this, I realize that my ability to get excited is intact and that I would only take a little time for me to find the right girl, a little ridiculous but so nice to believe for a moment that a disk is capable of I turn, alter permanently the filter through which I see life and the world.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
What's Causing My Cervical Mucus To Lessen
2009 was the year
- where almost all my cult artists have released an album, often very good: Nits have released an album that rivals their finest peaks, Patrick Wolf has released its best album in five years, Pet Shop Boys have returned popular success, even if this album is a tad below the previous. As for Pierre Lapointe, even if it has not quite regained its previous level miraculous album, he proved that there were still a head above his pursuers direct Francophonie. Frankly I see how bad 2010 will compete, even if one expects good things from Lisa Gerrard, Brendan Perry and Elbow .
- where the pop world has rediscovered the love of synths, trance somewhere between the late 90's, electroclash of 2003 and the mid 80s. Lady Gaga, La Roux, Little Boots, Black-Eyed Peas and others were as much reason to be pleased with it (CD 1 of Now 73, for example, is the pure joy of disco).
- where David Guetta replaced the Neptunes and Timbaland as a producer ultimate. I'm not sure we won the exchange, even if I gotta feeling or his duet with Kelly Rowland are undeniably good songs.
- where I started to listen to French music, with a focus on large ancients of Jean Ferrat (which may well become a guilty pleasure) to Alain Souchon, Alain through Bashung .
- I accepted that my presence on the web (here or elsewhere) would be limited. I doubt that 2010 is better, unfortunately. I regret the time I found time each week to post reviews of my shows or my plays and make the rounds of blogs to extract the best nuggets.
Happy New Year to all. 
- where almost all my cult artists have released an album, often very good: Nits have released an album that rivals their finest peaks, Patrick Wolf has released its best album in five years, Pet Shop Boys have returned popular success, even if this album is a tad below the previous. As for Pierre Lapointe, even if it has not quite regained its previous level miraculous album, he proved that there were still a head above his pursuers direct Francophonie. Frankly I see how bad 2010 will compete, even if one expects good things from Lisa Gerrard, Brendan Perry and Elbow .
- where the pop world has rediscovered the love of synths, trance somewhere between the late 90's, electroclash of 2003 and the mid 80s. Lady Gaga, La Roux, Little Boots, Black-Eyed Peas and others were as much reason to be pleased with it (CD 1 of Now 73, for example, is the pure joy of disco).
- where David Guetta replaced the Neptunes and Timbaland as a producer ultimate. I'm not sure we won the exchange, even if I gotta feeling or his duet with Kelly Rowland are undeniably good songs.
- where I started to listen to French music, with a focus on large ancients of Jean Ferrat (which may well become a guilty pleasure) to Alain Souchon, Alain through Bashung .
- I accepted that my presence on the web (here or elsewhere) would be limited. I doubt that 2010 is better, unfortunately. I regret the time I found time each week to post reviews of my shows or my plays and make the rounds of blogs to extract the best nuggets.
Happy New Year to all.
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