The breadth and depth of music available now with online music streaming is remarkable and this week’s selections embrace it. As a long time listener beginning with the days where the 33 ⅓ album was practically the only way to obtain music to own, the fact that so much music is created without having the need to be in a recording studio that cost thousands of dollars a day to use, without having to physically press and distribute billions of pounds of a carbon based material, and without needing to spend tremendous amounts of funds to get the word out clearly has benefited us. In fact, there are so many offerings, it feels like only a fraction is discovered. It truly is wondrous. None of the downside possibilities, such as limited selection and lack of compensation for artists, have materialized.
In the same vein, I need to comment about Twitter and the new era brought on the social media scene by the Elon Musk takeover of the platform. With Musk opening up the platform to the more unsavory side and removing many of the software developers responsible for the content and security, it’s future is in question. For me, it hasn’t been as trematic because I’ve used Lists that selects whom I see in tweets and can easily remove any offending posts or people that are toxic. Plus, it keeps the ads at bay.
That said, I did decide to set up a Mastodon account that has certain advantages over Twitter in terms of having a real dialogue with other people that aren’t into a flame throwing contest. As more and more attempt to move to a platform away from the Twitter dumpster fire, It will become my go-to site. It isn’t yet because Twitter had been my favorite to find out topical immediate news that hasn’t had a chance to be written on another media web posting. Plus, the sports people are still using Twitter as if nothing has changed.
We’ve had a good ten years of reasonably good interactions on Twitter that only started to degrade with the Trump invasion that decided to throw respect out the window. In Internet terms, that’s practically a lifetime. Many bemoan the fact that the golden era of Twitter is collapsing and that many respected users are fleeing the sinking ship for other places. That’s not a bad thing because change is always eminent, especially with the Internet. I’m prepared to embrace it even with the disruption it causes. If Musk wants to turn it into Truth Social and allow a certain mindset to dominate the landscape, it’s his money and he is free to do so. I’m hoping that given a few months down the road, all the contacts I had before are happily somewhere else and thriving.
Best of the Week
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The Finn Brothers - Everyone Is Here
2004 12 tracks (45:48)
I forgot how good the Finn brothers were at crafting smart tuneful 4-minute masterpieces. Right away with the first track, the lovely “Won’t Give In” it’s like they never left the realm created during the 80’s Crowded House days. They may not have an overarching statement to give that brings world peace, but with songs this strong, who cares? And it’s not like each song is a chart topper but every song is worthy to listen to again. The engaging short song is a hard thing to create and only a handful of people have been able to do it over time, that is something that needs to be given respect and reverence. All hail the Finns’.
Blue Man Group - Audio
1999 14 tracks (57:39)
On an absolute whim, I looked up Blue Man Group on the web and there are a few videos on YouTube with the troup doing their act. If you don’t know what it is, it’s three people with faces and hands in some kind of blue material pounding out rhythms (for the most part) using a variety of odd self-made devices. Their act is primarily visual, but with the aid of a partial band - guitar, drums, and bass players - they weave their sounds in a highly energetic light and dance show. The thing is, the music is good, even though it gets a little lost in the presentation. As it turns out, there are some album releases, which obviously removes the visuals. This was the first album and I find the heavily laden polyrhythmic music highly infectious and can indeed stand on its own. One of the tracks, “Drumbone” uses a special plastic tube that attenuates the tone of the rhythms as the Blue people slide the pieces back and forth. As you can see if you look it up on YouTube, it looks like a lab experiment in physics class. The album is filled with other gizmos, I’m sure. It’s a lot of fun and highly enjoyable.
Interesting Finds
Muse - Will of the People
2022 10 tracks (37:40)
Muse has always had a variety of ways to play their sound, whether it’s spiraling chorus’, screeching howls, sweeping melodic chants, and hard metal punches. Want Queen like vocals? Try “Compliance”. Medieval chants like “Knights of Cydonia”? “Won’t Stand Down is for you. All the songs are about some form of oppression, societal angst, political intrigue, and personal failures. Still, it’s a strong performance worthy of a listen or two. Just don’t let the last song “We Are Fucking Fucked” get you down.
Ludovico Einaudi - Divenire
2006 13 tracks (1:22:00)
Einaudi is an Italian legend in music with a range that spans many genres. This album is one of the well-regarded issues, but it is not pop or rock. He plays nice easy listening songs using a piano, often with symphonic accompaniment. The closest comparison would be George Winston, the new age piano artist with Windham Hill Records of the 80’s and 90’s. It’s fine, suitable for a cold gray day holding a steaming cup of coffee in your hands, eyes closed, practically lulling you asleep. For more energy, I’d advise Einaudi’s most recent EP issue “Reimagined, Vol 2”.
Editors - EBM
2022 9 tracks (53:00)
High energy electronic dance music (EBM stands for Electronic Body Movement, I guess) from long time and highly successful group Editors. Like much of the music from this genre, it features synthesized keyboards and drumming equipment with harmonized vocals seemingly all moving at the speed of light. Luckily, most of the tunes are catchy, bouncy, and infectious enough to raise the dead (or just the inebriated). It’s okay throwing it in a mix of somber morose metal music just to caffeinate the tracklist a little bit. A continuous dose can be problematic, even from one of the best groups to deliver it.
The Chemical Brothers - No Geography
2019 10 tracks (46:50)
If electronic sampling is your jive, this will be too. A number of electronic based music suggestions popped up after playing the Blue Man Group album listed at the top. But, this is far removed from them thematically and sonically. Each track runs into each other, creating a stream of conscious environment that you’d expect from a rave party. Less than a series of songs, they are a series of tempos that are quite similar. It reminded me of the days of old during the disco phase of pop music. Originality didn’t matter, only a consistent dance beat. For that reason, none of the tracks provided a lasting impression.
Forgettable
Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp - 18
2022 13 tracks (55:18)
This started out with promise before turning rather odd. With the involvement of the mercurial Johnny Depp, who da thunk? “Midnight Walker” is the first tune with a classic exhibition of Jeff Beck’s fine soaring guitar mastery. Even the next song, “The Death and Resurrection Show” is an interesting mix of Oingo Boingo style production, Jeff Beck’s killer riffs, and Depp’s mechanized vocals. By the time it gets to the arcane “Sad Motherfuckin’ Parade”, the wheels start to fall off. Oddly, Depp has an interesting style and plays a variety of instruments, but can’t choose and stick with a style. Beck should have been asking what the hell got him into this project and stopped it.
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