a blog of found things: words, art, photography, disappointment & hope
“A few times in my life I’ve had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh. I can never make these moments last. I cling to them, but like everything, they fade. I have lived my life on these moments. They pull me back to the present, and I realise that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be…”
So – it’s been a while. Thank you for all the emails regarding the blog. It’s been a hectic few weeks hence the lack of new posts but thought I’d drop by and post a couple of songs that have been sending tingles down my spine the past few weeks, especially ‘Soviets’. They’re from the album ‘Union’ by The Boxer Rebellion. Enjoy.
Like the earlier These New Puritans video? Fancy dropping some cash? Then buy it from Rough Trade because you get a rather nifty exclusive bonus disc with this brilliant Sbtrkt rmx
So – have been very quiet on here of late thanks to my broadband having been down and not being fixed with anything even approaching the vaguest notion of speed by BT.
So I have been consoling myself all week by listening to the staggeringly good new album by These New Puritans. Called, ‘Hidden’ it’s experimental to say the least with the album almost overloading on ambitious effects. Pounding a melon and cream crackers with a hammer to mimic the sound of a human head being smashed and sampling knives being sharpened and B&Q chains sounds all rather overtly aggressive but whilst there is a militaristic backbeat to the album’s percussive elements it doesn’t slam you about the ears – it just sounds very, very driven. With a 13-piece band with woodwinds, pianos and a distinct lack of guitars, oh and a children’s choir and Japanese taiko drums, surely it must be overblown and pretentious and too full of itself to deliver on the promise of such wonderfully eclectic instrumentation? Well, yes – it is slightly pretentious but does it deliver? Oh yes. Yes indeed.
Here’s their latest video and I urge you to go and try the album – it’s unlike anything else in the mainstream you’ll have heard in years. It’s really very, very good.
This week’s music monday is an hour long mix by the co-founder of one of my favourite labels, Type A. It’s an unashamedly ambient compilation and one that’s definitely appreciated more by listening straight through rather than dipping into at various “points” along the way. It may be an hour long but it’s worth 60 minutes of anyone’s time – so dim the lights, puff up your pillow, go grab your duvet and make a little camp on the sofa, press play and be transported somewhere warm and fuzzy…
As a follow up to Corduroy Road (see previous blog entry) here is another album by the brilliant Keith Kenniff (aka Goldmund and here recording under the moniker of Helios.) I’m posting this because it’s a fantastic album for the winter months and I think it’s perfect for snuggling up to when the snow is falling and you feel in need of a bit o warming – a hot toddy/cup of tea/chocolate hob nob/someone or something warm to hold and this little beauty – perfect. Enjoy
So here’s another little bit of pianistic loveliness by Goldmund (who you might remember from a few weeks ago on here.) This was his debut album on the Type A record label and is almost impossible to find on CD (so if anyone out there knows how I can get hold of a copy – drop me a line!) Hope you enjoy it.
memoryhouse 