It has definitely been a week. One of those long ones. Heck, it’s not even over yet.
The whole thing has been kind of fuzzy, but there have been a few bright spots. Most significantly, the question has been posed: “What is the most the most beautiful thing you’ve experienced this week?”
During the shows, Michael Stipe refers to the live rehearsals as “experiments in terror.” Of course, you want to laugh that off. C’mon, you can’t play live? Really?
Well, they pulled some very old material as well as a bunch of new songs (which ended up on Accelerate). The result is one very fine live album.
I have to admit that my first experience with the music of Devendra Banhart was not a good one. Looking back at it, it’s a little difficult for me to understand. I mean, I love people like Captain Beefheart and Bjork. Compared to them Banhart really isn’t that weird.
But the weird factor is no longer the point. Bnhart, one of the leaders of the “freak folk” movement, has put out a great new record.
This week the topic is time travel. Yeah, that’s kind of geeky for me, but it just sort of happened, like most of life.
So the quest is this: If you could go back and start over in your youth, would you?
Wow. I guess I had sort of forgotten just how ugly things looked before the surgery.
Before:
After:
This release is by far the weirdest thing you’re likely to hear coming from a major label this year. Maybe any year.
I spent a lot of time trying to nail down an adjective that fairly describes the overall sound of Embryonic. After much listening and pondering, there was success. The Word? Itchy.
I walked out of the house this morning and the car was covered with a very thin layer of light, cottony snow. It seems a little early for this stuff, but it sure is beautiful.
This photo was taken from our kitchen window looking out across the courtyard. The snow patterns on that wall of granite (and statue) can be quite amazing…just not this early!!!
I have to say — and this is completely unrelated to today’s essay — this record sounds fantastic. Every bit as fresh as the day it came out. Joe’s one of the best song writers out there, no doubt.
OK, so today we have a little bit of a rant involving the whole new vs. old media thing.
First of all, I’m not really complaining. Dr. Clingler has done a fantastic job with my wrist. Someday, it will mostly work again.
This is a photo from yesterday morning. I had to initial my arm, and so did the doctor. Surely there’s some legal case that made this peculiar activity a pre-surgical requirement.
All I know is that it made me chuckle…and that was before the demerol.
Yes, it’s a book. I want you to be open-minded and listen to a book. Riffle through its pages and perceive the music in that sound.
OK, not really.
I picked some music from the mighty UbuWeb as an example of somewhat difficult listening. There’s a reason though!
Read the full Friday Morning Listen at BlogCritics.