Filed under: Project Update
(For those of you new to the site, I decided to spend a year studying music for my New Year’s resolution; for my Chinese New Years resolution I’ve decided to blog about my project to add an analytical element to it. You can read more about my project here.)
It’s been a bit over a month and already I feel like my knowledge of music has expanded in unforeseen ways: the business of market music, the workings of the inner ear and the way we feel music with our sense of touch. My awareness of sound has increased, specifically has I write this on the train I’m aware of the squeal of the brakes, the whoosh of the air conditioning, the rustle of newspapers being read, conversations taking place all around the car, and the vibration of the train on the tracks shaking my legs and pen. In a very real way, I’ve stepped through the looking glass and uncovered another world on top of the world in which I’ve existed.
I did have have a bit of a break, which is why there was a week with no blog post. I think I’ve reached my limit in terms of my rate to absorb new music. Plus, when I latch onto an album I really like, like Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back or Girl Talk’s Night Ripper, it becomes difficult to find the time to listen to a new, untested record. My advice, no more than one new album or artist a day, plus, mix it up the medium and genre with live music, documentaries and listening with friends.
What I’ve Been Into:
New Music (for me at least)
Al Green Lay it On Me
Billy Bragg and Wilco Mermaid Avenue
Beck Mellow Gold
Beck Odelay
The Beastie Boys The Mix Up
Girl Talk Night Ripper
The Go! Team Thunder Lightning Strike
Kid Rock Rock ‘n’ Roll Jesus
The Klaxons Xan Valley
Panda Bear Personal Pitch
Tony Ragazzo I Got Picked Up Last Night
Robert Johnson The Complete Collection
The Shivers *This band was playing in the 14th St. orange line subway station, I was totally arrested by their sound, it was like something out of Once*
We versus the Shark Ruin Everything!
Wilco Summer Teeth
On My Nightstand
This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin
Docs
I am Trying to Break Your Heart
Kill Your Idols
No Direction Home
On the Net:
New Scientist Five Great Auditory Illusions *I highly recommend this*
Shout Out Louds live
Art Brut live w/ interview
Filed under: Project Update
Week 2ish.
On My Nightstand:
Mystery Train by Greil Marcus
New Music (for me at least):
Robert Johnson The Complete Collection by Robert Johnson
The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks
Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan
Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan
Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
Online…
Some Bands I was poking around MySpace at: Obviously I’ve heard a couple of songs here and there by these bands, so seemed like a great idea to delve a little deeper, especially since most of them are based here in New York. I mention Vampire Weekend because they are the band that everyone insists on mentioning that they’re listening to. Well, you know what? They aren’t that great. “APunk”’s alright.
Most of these bands didn’t work for me, but that’s okay. It is, perhaps, unfair to base an entire review on a couple of songs on someone’s MySpace page, although shouldn’t that be their best songs? I liked Lightning Bolt and The Muggabears, Panda Bear and Blak Thor knocke
d my socks off.
New Moby
Some Articles I’ve been reading Online
The Grammys are Irrelevant (WWTTD)
Bands You Need to Hear (L Magazine)
Best Music of 2007 (The AV Club)
Videos:
This Bat for Lashes video is the cat’s pajamas-
The thrilling conclusion to this four-year-old interview (I’m not being sarcastic, Bob Dylan is hyper-entertaining to watch in an interview)-
Filed under: Project Update
Today I’m watching “Once” and going to see The Liars at Warsaw, in Brooklyn. Here’s some other stuff I’ve been into since my project started.
Listening:
Funeral, Arcade Fire
Before the Flood, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan
These Times They Are A Changin’, Bob Dylan
Take it From the Man!, The Brian Jonestown Massacre
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, Bruce Springsteen
Untitled, The Byrds
The Liars, The Liars
Time for Heroes, The Libertines
Permanent, Joy Division
In Rainbows, Radiohead
Sky Blue Sky, Wilco
Podcasts from iTunes:
John Lennon: The Rolling Stone Interview
Bob Dylan Podcast: Episode 16 (I’ve got 1-5 on my iTouch right now).
On the Night Stand:
Rick Rubin profile “The Music Man” from New York Times Magazine
Pete Doherty: Man Out of Time from Spin
David Byrne’s Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars from Wired
Chronicles I by Bob Dylan
Born in the USA by Jim Cullen
Viewing:
