From the monthly archives: March 2012
Merzbow – Merztronics Rhythm Mix: Early Merzbow that is more experimental percussion than massive noise.
Cheer Accident – Drag You Down: Albeit odd-sounding math-rockie, this is a fairly accessible tune from the Thymme Jones led band.
Quasi – Seven Years Gone: From my favorite Quasi era.
Amon Tobin – Venus in Furs: Really fun remix of the VU classic tune.
The Twilight Singers – She Was Stolen: I’m always lukewarm on Dulli’s songs with TS, but I really have enjoyed Dynamite Steps.
Walt Mink – Subway: Speedy indie band that is fun to return to every now and again.
Butthole Surfers – 22 Going On 23: As I grow older, the Surfers just seem like psychedelic stupidity to me. I wonder if that was always the point of their music and I’m finally catching up.
X – Xclamation: A Japanese metal X, not the more notable punk X. This is kinda corny metal, but Japanese corny metal, which inexplicably somehow makes it a little better.
It seems we caught the blossoms in bloom at just the right time last week. With a second straight year with a bright blue sky on our visit (albeit this year was about 50 degrees warmer), the pinks and reds were highlighted remarkably.
About a week ago, I walked through the nearby trails to see the beginnings of the blooming flowers. This weekend, they blanketed the ground as far as my eyes could see.
The magnificence of the Blue Bells never ceases to amaze me. They go on literally for miles; if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times – it is certainly not an exaggeration to think there must be over one million flowers surrounding the trails.
Tiny friends seem happy with the floral appearance as well.
If you have an itching desire to have the song, “I Only Have Eyes for You,” ingrained in your mind, then I have an event to recommend to you.
Nicole and I parked ourselves on the Jefferson Drive sidewalk above the Hirshhorn sculpture garden about 7:30 last evening in muted anticipation of Song 1, an art project created by Doug Aitken, to be displayed over the round architecture of the museum building. For about 20 minutes prior to arriving at our perching spot, I verbally and mentally rattled off dozens of questions about how the event would unfold: did it display over the entire building…how loud would the music be…would the entire video be visible from one location, or would we have to walk around the building to see different views…was it real video, or animated graphics…how long would it last before it looped…? With cameras obviously pointed at the building and speakers towards the streets (at least answering that the display would, in fact, cover the entire 360 degrees of the building and likely be fairly loud), the projected started shortly after the city-glow dusk had settled with few premeditated onlookers. The Flamingos’ rendition of “I Only Have Eyes for You” started subtly and video started playing as we looked up at the scene under the beautiful DC city-scape.
Before Nicole said the words that were running through my head, I realized just how much David Lynch has, and will likely continue to, influence much of the art we will likely be exposed to over the upcoming decades. Seeing a diverse array of images dance before us with heads cocked at a 30 degree angle under various mixes and covers of what, as the show progressed, was becoming hard to deny the most beautiful song ever recorded, made me think we were standing on the outskirts of a surreal scene that the unique director had devised. Certainly, for the few of us who had stood waiting for the project to begin, watching others stop walking and look up at the sky to see what was being displayed before them, many obviously oblivious to any introduction of the event, was just as fun as the media show itself. I fully expected a Lynch-created speeding car to come and take us all out as we gazed upwards; however, I’m not entirely disappointed that didn’t happen.
If I had passed the video and music inside the Hirshhorn museum itself, displayed on a wall or large screen like many art projects are at any given time, I might have exhibited the patience to watch it for five minutes. But outside, with the spectacle being what it was, Nicole and I stood for one full viewing of the show, leaving only when it started its next loop. Being a remarkably pleasant evening following a day of heavy rain showers (thus causing the water stains on the building in the shots above), we found the show easy to enjoy and a nice, calming way of spending a small part of an evening.
As far as the answers to my questions; well, I’ll leave the ones I didn’t address open-ended. But, there are a few other fun facts that can be found:
The Hirshhorn’s description of the event that made me say things like, “hey, No Age” and “wow, John Doe” (Nicole also said, “hey, Tilda Swinton,” but she said that last night during the event).
The “I Only Have Eyes for You” Wikipedia page, which is kinda interesting in itself.
The Dead Milkmen – Born to Love Volcanos: Random Eight exposing my guilty pleasures.
Terre Thaemlitz (G.R.R.L.) – Turtleneck: Fun, low-beat driven song from G.R.R.L.
Husker Du – Up in the Air: The next-to-last song ever from easily my favorite punk-gone-pop band from the 80′s.
Gustav Holst – The Planets: Mars (Bringer of War): From the very entertaining Doctor Who Proms that somebody across the pond was nice enough to digitize for us Americans.
Velvet Underground – Here She Comes Now: Such a great band.
Merzbow – Untitled (Track 05)From the Last of Analogue Sessions: Catapillar three disk set. Not surprisingly, this is a whole lot louder (like, jump in my seat louder) than the previous VU song.
Cursive – The Recluse: From my favorite Cursive album, The Ugly Organ.
Mission of Burma – Tremolo: Not sure the live recording, The Horrible Truth About Burma truly catches the band at its best. This is little more than a self-indulgent distorted guitar track.
This is a peaceful, pleasant trail I occasionally walk:
This is a bridge on the trail:
You may think, “gee, it would be neat to have a bridge like this one:”
If you are contemplating such a thing, I have news for you:
It ain’t your bridge:
Beware the music choices on the Ides of March!
Merzbow – Fission Dialogue: A very metallic noisy track.
Boom Boom Satellites – Push Eject: From Out Loud, this is truly one of the most unique albums I own, combining multiple genres into one fantastic collection.
Minor Threat – No Reason: Liking the fast and harshness of the Random Eight this morning.
Merzbow – Risa Supersex: Yep, fast and harsh.
Wagon Christ – Vibes: Short but bouncy.
The Books – The Future, Wouldn’t That Be Nice?: After the recent announcement that The Books would be a band no more, it is easy for me to reflect that The Lemon of Pink was easily their most exciting album and, with its lo-fi beats, acoustic instruments, and interesting samples, really a hallmark of the band.
Tricky – Sed Drive: If I were on Name That Tune, I would have lost by guessing Gang of Four on the first few notes.
Rasputina – TrenchMouth: Well, this has just been a neat Random Eight today.
Clare & The Reasons – Kyoto Nights: Soft start to the Random Eight…
Jay Reatard – An Ugly Death: …but quickly getting louder.
No Age – Boy Void: Courtesy of the NYC Tapers.
Sunny Day Real Estate – Round: A band that always defines the sound of the 90′s for me.
Tom Waits – Hang On St. Christopher: Been a while for Tom on the Random Eight, and this is a great tune to break the absence.
Steve Westfield & The Slow Band – Officer Jesus: The Reject Me First album was a great lo-fi find in the day, promoted in part by Lou Barlow’s guest appearance. This song closes out the album with a somewhat silly, drunken manner.
John Zorn – A Shot in the Dark: I Bought Naked City on a whim a few weeks ago. At times it is a bit of that nervous-making crazy jazz that I keep thinking I should like, but I never really get into. At other times, this album is a series of goofy covers, like this one which happens to stir memories of The Pink Panther cartoon.
Lou Reed / John Cale / Nico: The Biggest Loudest, Hairiest Group of All: Goofy live tune.
Boxelder Beetles. I saw a number running around near the budding Blue Bells.
Contemplating Silent Wishes
Contemplating Silent Wishes, the second release from Fertanish, presents minimalist, experimental rhythms and sounds that patiently travel through a complicated and mesmerizing composition.
Zero Zero Three
Stray
