07.21.09
Posted in music at by mountzionryan
The first Icelandic musician I liked wasn’t Björk. In all honesty I’m still not really familiar with her work. No, the first Icelandic musician to hit my radar was Sigur Rós. Namely their song Starálfur from the The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Soundtrack. Oddly enough this coincided with my facination with Iceland in general.
Calling out all the music from particular country is somewhat silly. I mean, what is common in ‘American Music?’ Johnny Cash, Brittney Spears, and Philip Glass? But as I listen to it, much Icelandic music shares a sense of magic and wonder, even if I can’t understand what their singing about.
So here a collection of
Icelandic Music
Sigur Rós
Ágaetis Byrjun (1999) All of their albums are great, but this is where you should start. This is the album that had Pitchfork claim that “they are the first vital band of the 21st Century.”
My favorite is “Staralfur” or “Ágaetis Byrjun”.
múm
Summer Make Good (2004) After the ethereal quality of Sigur Ros, múm has a rougher, more urban sound, but they could definitely sit in the same rotation. Call it experiemental, electronica, or glitch, I don’t know and don’t really care.
Check out “Weeping Rock, Rock” and “Nightly Cares”.
Ólöf Arnalds
Við og við (2007) Ms. Arnalds was/is a member of múm, but her debut album bears almost no resemblence. She sings in Icelandic, so I can’t help with what the songs mean, but they are fantastic. [I previously featured Ólöf Arnalds in MFMF Around World 5 Albums, which I will now shamelessly copy] Ms. Arnalds is Icelandic and perpetuates the notion that Icelandic musicians are weird (Sigur Rós, Björk, Múm). These lovely minimalist folk songs are almost always just her voice and her spectacular finger picking (guiter and charango).
I really can’t pick one or two favorite tracks, but here’s some samples from YouTube. “Klara” , “Vittu Af Me´r” or “Í Nýju Húsi”.
Lay Low
Farewell Good Night’s Sleep (2009) Lay Low is the stage name of Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir. (So we’ll call her Lay Low, alright?) The songs are a country/folk/blues/jazz managerie. She has some of the breathy voice of Ólöf Arnalds or Björk, but I put Lay Low in the same category as Loretta Lyne or Patsy Cline.
Lend your ear to “By and By” and “Last Time Around”.
Seabear and Sin Fang Bous
The Ghost That Carried Us Away (2007)
Clangour (2009)
I debated about putting these two together because Sin Fang Bous is the solo project of Seabear frontman Sindri Mar Sigfusson. It might be folk-pop with glitch thrown in for good measure. Seabear/Sin Fang Bous is Iceland’s answer to Sufjan Stevens and frankly I think I prefer the former. Sin fang Bous also sounds similar to Radical Face (an American one-man group I’d call folk-pop/glitch).
For Seabear check out “Seashell”, “Arms” (here’s a live version which is really nice) and “Hands Remember”
Sin Fang Bous shines on “Clangour and Flutes”, “Advent in ives garden” and Sinkership. (I couldn’t find a video but it’s my favorite track.)
Sprengjuhöllin
Bestu Kveðjur (2008) & Sprengjuhöllin (2008) Another double-shot here. First of all sprengjuhöllin translates as “Palace of Explosions”–which is just awesome. Sprengjuhöllin has tastes of 60s pop, psychedelic rock, and I maybe a hint of New Wave from time to time. Several songs remind me of the Beatles. The Self titled album has a roungh sound (in a good way) but suffers from being all over the place stylistically. Bestu Kveðjur, on the other hand, is more focused, more ambitious, and more produced. Sprengjuhöllin smashes the fairy/nature/trippy stereotype of Icelandic music. They ROCK.
Highlights from Sprengjuhöllin include “Worry Til Spring” (the only song in English), “Glúmur”. I couldn’t find more decent videos, check out the samples linked above. These guys are great.
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05.07.09
Posted in hobbies, music at by mountzionryan
Jenny suggested I do an edition of MFMF of “Music that makes us happy.” I like the sound of that. Spring time is always a time when my mind turns to upbeat happy songs. I look forward to crusing home with the windows down, the sun warming my arm and the wind in my…scalp.
I am going to try to avoid repeating songs or albums, but you’ll find at leat two previosuly mentioned artists listed here again. Take that as a double recommendation.
So, At her request, and in dedication to her continued healing, I present a collection of
Happy Songs
Rusted Root
When I Woke (1994) Sometime in 1994 I walked into Cat’s Music in Oak Ridge and heard this tribal, dancable music played with infectious enthusiasm. Every track I heard made me want to dance. In awe I asked what it was. It was one of the few times hearing the music played in a music store demended I buy it. And buy it I did. Listen to Rusted Root and try not to dance, or at least smile and bob your head.
Check out "Send me on my way" should be familiar for appearing in several movies. If it doesn’t make you want to get up and dance, you should call your doctor and schedule a cynicectomy. Also “Laugh as the Sun” (I claim no responsibility for the goofy pic.
Matisyahu
Youth (2006)Matisyahu is a hasidic jew who sings hip-hop influenced reggae. And has a Facebook page. His jewishness, the beard, black clothes and hat, is not a gag. It is real. I really like his upbeat lyrics and rapid-fire rapping.
Check out “Time of Your Song” and “King Without A Crown”
The Beatles
White Album (1968) Is any intro I could write neccesary? I thought not. This list wouldn’t be complete without a little Beatles.
The Happiest Beatles Song on the White Album is surely “Ob-La-Di” and from Sgt Pepper’s, how about “A Little help From My Friends” (let’s hear it for Ringo!).
Erin McKeown
Sing You Sinners (2007) I’ve mentioned her album Grand in my very first installment. I just love her voice. This album is a kind of homage to the American Songook. Some classics and some original.
Check out "Rhode Island Is Famous For You" (let’s hear it for the Tents!)and "If You A Viper" and “Melody”. I do love her voice.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Long Walk To Freedom (2006)Made famous by their participation on Paul Simon’s Graceland, Ladysmith Black Mambazo really shines more without Simon. Beautiful harmonies, melodic chants, and a vibrabt sound that can’t be repressed.
Check out "Hello My Baby" and "Amazing Grace/Nearer My God to thee" “Amazing Grace” is somewhat predictable, but Nearer My God” (at 1:20) is genius. Also check out “King of Kings”.
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Facing Future (1993) Beloved Hawaiian musician, known to his fans as Brudda Iz, has the voice of an angel. You’ll likely recognize one of these songs from TV commercials, shows, etc. To quote the Amazon review, “To gauge the magnitude of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s popularity in his native Hawaii, consider this: following his death in 1997 (at age 38, attributed to his profound obesity), Kamakawiwo’ole’s body lay in state in the state capitol, only the second person to receive such an honor.”
Check out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” (Sorry Judy Garland and Louis Armstrong, Brudda Iz owns these songs now.) Also “‘Ama’ama”.
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04.03.09
Posted in music at by mountzionryan
From the beginning I tried to format MFMF like it was a radio show playlist. Each edition would have a theme, and as much as possible, the order of the samples would make sense (at least to me).
While I am not out of ideas for themes, I thought I’d do an easier MFMF this week.
I have a pretty diverse (and often eclectic) taste in music and can honestly say there is almost no genre I don’t have some interest in. Composer Peter Schickele’s weekly radio show, Schickele Mix, was "Dedicated to the Proposition that All Musics are Created Equal," citing the Duke Ellington quote that, "if it sounds good, it is good." This is also my musical philosophy.
So here is a collection of
Pot Luck
Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper
Bo-Day-Shus!!! (1987) If you don’t know about Mojo Nixon, don’t buy another second of music until you rectify this heresy. Mojo Nixon and sideman (washboard player!) Skid Roper were wild, rebellious, brazen, irreverant, gonzo, rockabilly prophets. Like other comedic musicians, many songs could be dismissed as novelties if not for their honest skill. I could say more, but I’ll let their music speak for itself. Be sure and check out "Positively Bodies Parking Lot" and "Wide Open" for examples of great songs with less goofiness (sorry no YouTube samples for those two).
Check out "Elvis is Everywhere" and “Don’t Want No Foo-Foo Haircut On My Head” .
The Mountain Goats
The Sunset Tree (2005) and Get Lonely (2006)The Mountain Goats is actually John Darnielle and whomever is backing him. Darnielle started making lo-fi cassettes on his boom box and slowly built a reputation on his incredible songwriting. Like other singer-songwriters, his voice is an acquired taste. Give it a try and listen to his lyrics. One of my favorite lines is "I think I hear angels in my ears/ like marbles being thrown against a mirror."
Both of these albums are from the second part of his career, the recorded-in-a-studio-with-other-musicians part.
Check out "Wild Sage " "Broom People " "This Year" .
The Gourds
Shinebox (2001) The Gourds are honky-tonk bluegrass old-time ass-kickers.
Check out "Gin and Juice, pt. 1" "Gin and Juice, pt. 2" "Lower 48" .
Leo Kottke
6- And 12-String Guitar (1971) In all honesty I’ve got to admit that I only heard of Mr. Kottke very recently. A friend and fellow eMusic junkie introduced me. All I know about him is what I’ve heard: One heck of a guitar player.
Check out "From a live show" and "Vaseline Machine Gun".
Janine Jansen
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (2005) Some classical pieces become so overplayed that it’s hard to enjoy them anymore. It takes a damn fine Pachabel’s Canon in D for me to listen up. And that’s exactly what happened when I heard Ms. Jansen’s recording of Vivaldi’s best known work. She has reduced the ensemble to it’s minimum: one player per part. The result is sparse and playful. The dynamics are much greater than the more familiar orchestral recording.
Check out "Winter" and "Summer".
Dan Zanes
Sea Music: A Gathering Of Sea Songs (2004) Since his days as the front man of Del Fuegos in the 1980s, Dan Zanes has made a name for himself creating great children’s music. No mean feat. I believe that like any other subgenre, children’s music must be good music first and for children second. Zanes and friends have done an admirable job. If you have watched any playhouse Disney the last few years you may have seen his mop-haired head singing about going to the beach. This album is not billed as a children’s album, but it is loaded with traditional and less traditional folk songs. My favorite is "All For me Grog" sung in Zanes kitchen with the neighborhood kids.
I found some video samples, but they are really poor. Please check out the samples from the album to get a better idea of the sound. Check out "Strike the Bell" and "All For Me Grog" (sorry for the bad video quality).
A Final Note.
Your feedback is really important to me. I don’t have any way of knowing whether you’re reading this. Even if you don’t want to leave a comment, click the ‘like’ option so I know you were here (of course you should click dislike if that’s the case, either way is fine).
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Posted in music at by mountzionryan
This edition of MFMF is not going to appeal to nearly as many people as previous editions. That’s fine by me. If you don’t like it, I won’t be offended. After all, there’s no accounting for taste.
In academia there are generalists and specialists. A specialist is a small, but deep, lake. He or she knows a great deal about a small area of study. A generalist is a shallow sea that covers a broad spectrum of study, but none very deeply. In my musical knowledge I am akin to the generalist. This is no more apparent than when I talk music with a specialist. The indie rocker will note glaring lacunae in my collection. Likewise, the fan of electronic and ambient music.
I was first introduced to electronica by my Old Testament professor at Berea and it was a revelation. He loaned me a CD by Aphex Twin and one by Orbital. Thanks, Duane! Since then I slowly added to and broadened my collection of ambient/electonica.
My tastes run from the nearly dance-able (Fat Boy Slim or Kraftwerk) to the barely musical (SunnO))). Since I tend to lump all my ambient and electronica together some are almost entirely constructed electronically, while others are played on traditional instruments with little or no electronic manipulation (Stuart Dempster). As before, this is my list. So there.
In this list I am going to focus on what I call Dark Ambient. Dark Ambient embraces music from other genres like Black Metal, Industrial, Electronica, and Noise Music.
A note on the commentary:
I find ambient music much more difficult to describe in useful terms than more traditional music. Terms like evocative, atmospheric, textured, may be good descriptors, but they are too subjective to be of much use. Because of this, my commentary is shorter than usual.
So here is a collection of
Dark Soundscapes
Tod Dockstader and David Lee Myers Bijou(2005). Tod Dockstader, a self-taught composer, was a pioneer in electronic music and Musique Concrète. Most active in the 1960s, he returned to composing in the 2000s with Ariel (2005). Bijou is one of the few recordings that has actually creeped me out. Imagine if you took a noir film and removed all the dialog, keeping only the background sounds. Without any context these sounds become pretty creepy. Bijou is definitely more like audio architecture than what we traditionally call music, but it is an incredible listening experience.
Samples of Bijou can be found on eMusic.
Lustmord and Robert Rich Stalker (1995) Robert Rich and Lustmord are two of the big names in Ambient music. When they combined forces on an album inspired by the Tarkovsky film of the same name the result was more than the sum of their combined talent. Very dark and evocative. Solo efforts by both Lustmord and Robert Rich are worth checking out.
Check out “Elemental Trigger” and “Undulating Terrain”.
Tribes of Neurot Static Migration (1998). Tribes of Neurot are a side project of Neurosis. Very textured with a guitars weaving through much of the tracks.
Samples can be heard at eMusic.
Nigel Ayers, John Everall & Mick Harris Mesmeric Enabling Device (1999) This is another collaborative effort between respected ambient musicians. In general this album is more atmospheric than the others on this list and has similarities to some of Robert Rich’s solo work. Here is a good review.
Pauline Oliveros, Stuart Dempster & Panaiotis Deep Listening (1989) At Fort Worden Washington there is an unused 2 million gallon cistern with a 45 second reverb (now called the Dan Harpole Cistern). The three musicians improvised in this incredible acoustic space. The result is Space Music in a very real sense: the space itself is another instrument.
Here are some samples of Dempster and some students playing in the cistern. Sample 1, Sample 2.
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Posted in music at by mountzionryan
[Music for My Friends is a weekly note where I inflict my musical taste on others.]
This week in MFMF we’re going to take a trip around the world.
The terms “International Music” and “World Music” are pretty USA-centric. Except for stuff we get from the UK, anything from another country is Internation or World music. But if you live in Venezuela, local pop music isn’t “World” it’s Pop. I suppose it has everything to do with the US domination of the music industry both in terms of production and consumption.
Myself, I like music whether it’s oud music from the Nile valley, fiddle tunes from the Breton Coast, or tribal chants from the villages of Ghana. So here is a short selection of non-US music from my collection. I avoided favorites like Sigur Rós, Sepultura, or Gojira because they are popular in the US and (in the case of the latter two) the lyrics are mostly in English.
In fact, other than the non-English lyrics, there’s not much connecting these artists.
Arbitrary? Yes, but it’s my list.
We start in Iceland, go east and south to Serbia, then across the Mediterranean to Egypt. Next we go half-way around the world to China, finally ending in Japan. Some are folksy, some are rock.
So here’s my trip
Around the World in 5 Albums
Ólöf Arnalds: Við og við (2008) Ms. Arnalds is Icelandic and perpetuates the notion that Icelandic musicians are weird (Sigur Rós, Björk, Múm). These lovely minimalist folk songs are almost always just her voice and her spectacular finger picking (guiter and charango). Sung entirely in Icelandic I have no clue what the songs are about (but then I like Sigur Ros and most of there songs are in Hopelandish) but they are quite beautiful. I really can’t pick one or two favorite tracks, but here’s some samples from YouTube. “Klara” , “Vittu Af Me´r” or “Í Nýju Húsi”.
Boban Markovic Orkestar: Boban I Marko (2004). Listening to Gulag Orkestar by Beirut led me to looking into some of Zach Condon’s inspiration. I found this great album by one of the stars of Balkan Brass Band music. It is loud and brassy and sometimes a little messy: it gloriously blats and blasts all over the place. Listen to
“Od Srca (From The Heart)” and “Mere Yaara Dildara”.
Hamza El Din: Escalay: the Water Wheel.(1971) Hamza El Din is the acknowledged master of the Oud (a Middle Eastern fretless lute) and one of the first big names of World music. This album, first issued in 1971 is considered his masterpiece. It is one of a great series, theNonesuch Explorer Series. The stand out track is “Escalay: the Water Wheel.” Part One, Two, and Three.
Yaksa: Fa Fa Fa (2002) Chinese Heavy Metal. I’ll let that sink in. They are self-described as Metalcore, but my recent interest in Metal has taught me that sub-genre distinctions within Metal are fluid and highly subject. Fa Fa Fa is their second album and added some DJ and scratching to the mix that is absent from their other two studio releases.I couldn’t find any decent YouTube videos for Yaksa, but you can sample songs at their MySpace page.
Yoshida Brothers: Yoshida Brothers, Vol. 2(2004) these Japanese brothers rock the shamisen. I feel a little weird saying that; like some Otaku fanboi, but there you go. There is a strong Kitaro/New Age sound to some of these songs while others have a more punk-folk sound. Actually this may not be their best album, but it is the one I have. Check out “Kodo” and “Mirage (Shinkiro)”.
I could go on, but I’ll save them for other categories.
If you were tagged and don’t want to be, or vice versa, just let me know.
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Posted in music at by mountzionryan
[Music For My Friends (MFMF) is an idea I had after recommending some music to Jenny. I can indulge my pleasure of sharing music with others while strolling through my music collection.]
In this first installment of MFMF the theme is banjos (even if you’re not normally a banjo fan, read on). I got banjo fever a few years ago. It happened like this: I wanted to take up an instrument and thought I’d try mandolin. I was actually more interested in octave mandolins and bouzouki, but I digress. Then something, I forget what, turned me onto a banjo. I spent hours online reading articles, looking at banjos, listening to banjos. I picked out my banjo, a Gold Tone Cripple Creek with an upgrade to planetary tuners and a renaissance head. I printed out pictures and pasted them onto a jar–Dad’s Banjo Jar as it was known at my house–and saved all my pocket change for the eventual purchase. I was obsessed. It has slackened somewhat, but one element of my addiction is still with me…
Everything Sounds Better with Banjos
As I obsessed over banjos I began to realize this Univeral Truth of Banjodom. So here’s some great music that reflect this truth. I’m excluding musicians that fall squarely in the string-band or bluegrass camp, or are obviously influenced by the same.
In no particular order:
Erin McKoewn: Grand (2003). A great album from one of my favorite female vocalists. Her songs are smart and sassy. “Slung-Lo” is in my top 5 Pop songs of all time. But “Born to Hum” is my favorite. A fantastic album that you can sing along with. Also, if you like American Standards you ‘ve got to check out her album, Sing You Sinners (2007).
Great Lake Swimmers: Bodies and Minds (2005) and Onigara(2007). Thoughtful, evocative, and melancholy are descriptors for this Canadian band. While the guitar, banjo, and other instruments are great (and sometimes include crickets in the background) Tony Dekker’s voice is the real star. See especially “Your Rocky Spine” from Onigara and “Various Stages” and “I could Be Nothing” from Bodies and Minds.
Sufjan Stevens: Michigan (2003), Illinois (2005), Songs For Christmas (2006). Witty and often lushly produced (although Songs for Christmas is an exception) Stevens brings together intelligent lyrics and a wide cast of instruments and styles. See especially “For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti” from Michigan, “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” and “Casimir Pulaski Day” from Illinois, and “O come, O come, Emmanuel” and “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” from Songs For Christmas.
Joanna Newsom: : Ys (2006) This critically acclaimed album will either blow you away or leave you scratching your head. Her voice is an acquired taste (a cross between Bjork and a chickadee). When I first got it I listened to it constantly for weeks. And it stayed in my rotation for months. Her haunting and alliterative lyrics remind me of Anglo-Saxon poetry. She eschews traditional rock/pop song structures in favor of something more akin to a sonata or suite. Newsom sings and plays the harp…that’s right a harp. For me the stand-out track is “Only Skin” but they are all amazing (and long). I think I’ll have to add Ms. Newsom back to my heavy rotation now… (Sorry for the lack of links.)
Horse Feathers: Words Are Dead (2006) and House With No Home (2008). This is a new discovery for me. Similar in sound to Great Lake Swimmers, this Portland, OR folk/alt country duo is gentle and melancholy and brutal at the same time. A few songs: “Curs in the Weeds” from House With No Home and “Blood on the Snow” from Words Are Dead.
John Bullard: Bach on the Banjo. Before you snicker, check it out. If you push visions of Earl Scruggs from your mind and just listen the banjo seems well suited to Bach. Seriously.
So there you have it.
I hope MFMF is a project I can write something for every week or so. I’m always looking for new music, so if you have something to recommend, please make a comment.
I’m using the tag feature to let folks know when I post and I’ve only tagged a few people that I think would be interested in my opinions on music (how’s that for vanity!). If you were tagged and don’t want to be or vice versa, let me know.
And finally, if you are interested, I will be happy to tell you about emusic. I’m not a shill, just a happily satisfied user.
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