Neil Young--The Archives--Volume 1

Neil Young is massive, physically and artistically. The greatest songwriters in history seem to orbit a secret realm, especially when they are still alive. They escape genres, and ultimately they elude the mainstream. In my personal opinion Young hasn't released a notable album since Prairie Wind. Of course people will disagree with that statement, but when an artist has claimed part of the 20th century cannon, as Neil has, and they continue to release albums consistently each year, then listeners are naturally inclined to narrow their vision. In fact, artists as rare as Young and Dillon, have a dual existence, as bootlegs, unreleased material, and live recordings are issued or re-issued concurrently with their latest efforts. Ergo The Archives Volume 1. There is such a thing as an inconsistent Neil Young (example: Everybody's Rockin'), but his first seven or so albums are infallible. Volume 1 spans these glory days (1963-1972), it's impeccably curated, though some fans will feel that there are too many versions of "Down By The River", still others will complain that there are too few. For the most part, anyone who associates Neil Young with true genius, will wonder how they got on without this document of his music for so long. The box-set comes with 45's and 10 DVD'S, and apparently it regenerates itself with new material via the website. It also has the power to cure a hangover.

The Black Dog ~ Music For Real Airports

There are some preconceived notions about ambient music. One of them being that the listener must devote a significant amount of time to enjoy it. Another being that an ambient composition must be experienced in its entirety in order to be properly appreciated.

I am not in disagreement with either of these presumptions.

However, this is not a work of ambient music.

Music For Real Airports utilizes its title as a send-up of Eno's early classic, but the core ingredients are ideologically different. The eras that separate the two albums have also contributed fundamentally to the marked divergence, both in terms of the modernization of music and of airports.

The Black Dog might have more aptly titled this Music For Airports: A 20th Century Sequel, since it seems to take on the anxieties and the sublime spaciousness that air-travel has come to symbolize over the past ten years.

It's almost as though The Black Dog were hired as architects to renovate the already remarkable 1978 Eno original. The way a major airport is renovated. Existing in the same space, with the same runways, and a redeveloped terminal, which holds the same echoes.

I want to get excited over this album. The layered synth and the beats come through with impeccable timing on the first track "Burnt Sienna". Though the album sags a bit in the middle, when at one point I wondered if I was listening to new age music on a cassette-tape, as I walked through a concrete tunnel, with vehicles driving overhead.

In any case, the three or four songs after "Burnt Sienna" involve a good deal of naval gazing and less shoegazing than I had hoped for. Though song four: "Soft Color People" seems to make up for lost time with its gentle guitar plucking over a landscape of fuzzy optimism.

The song "Gaberdine" is quite nice.

I can see myself inclined to pay $13
for the used Lp in a couple of years.

The Fall -- Your Future Our Clutter

I got all excited last night because I heard Deerhunter's cover of
"Who Makes The Nazi's".
For some reason I expected this album would blow my mind the
same way that Hex Enduction Hour did or the song "Chicago Now".

The last fifteen Fall albums have followed a formula: opening hooks,
redundant jams, and the softer Mark E. Smith Ballads falling somewhere
in the middle.

Listening to this album oddly reminded me of propaganda,
"Your Future Our Clutter"
"Our Future Your Clutter"

Aidan Baker's Liminoid/Lifeforms

Doesn't this just sound like the most pretentious Aidan Baker album to date?

I'm currently on "Liminoid III", a 27 minute track which is surprisingly only the second longest on this 4 song, 2 1/2 hour album. And though I fancy myself an Aidan Baker/Nadja enthusiast, I wonder every now and then if Baker isn't overproducing.

In fact I cannot remember a month going by recently when I haven't heard of an Aidan Baker related title or some varied collaboration involving him. The best one being his Fantasma Parastasie with Tim Hecker, and his personal achievemets falling somewhere between the earlier Nadja albums. There was of course that diabolical covers record When I See The Sun..

I suppose this album is not an underachievement, though I always found 90% of his solo stuff superfluous. I'd sooner buy the Touched double LP.

Also his Split with Noveller is a nice listen.

Bill Callahan -- Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

"The Wind And The Dove", that is the fourth song on this record, I have just listened to four songs of this album (which I thankfully didn't buy), and I am criminally bored with it. What happened to you Mr. Smog? Do you mind if I call you that? Mr. Callahan, you are taking yourself too seriously and this album is drowning in the adult-contemporary. The very genre that you sought to undermine in your tape-hiss riddled career. Firstly, I am disappointed in the over-production of this record, secondly I am disappointed in Mr. Callahan's career post Smog. I am now on the sixth song, it is a throwback to his better, older, Smog stuff. It carries a country swayed rhythm, though "My Bird" already seems about three minutes too long. Mr. Callahan could retire tomorrow and I would still consider him to be a great musician, but if he keeps on making sub-standard, opera inspired, over-indulgent junk like this I would hesitate to buy another one.

IRM Gainsbourg and Beck

So that this blog doesn't get pigeonholed as exclusive to the remotely unlistennable and inaccesible, I'll review the new Chalotte Gainbourg album IRM here. Sure it's a pop record but it is a damn fine pop record and I'm confident that many music editorials will be scrambling to include it on their year end lists. After hearing the title track I was a bit confused, sure it was good, an understated hommage to Broadcast perhaps, I was never sold on Beck's musiciaship, he existed outside the relm of my contemporary interests, but here with Gainsbourg he shines. Her voice is unexceptional, but it works well over these fourteen varied tracks, of which almost every one is a fascinating pop-diamond. The listenability of this record is unsurpassed, remaining sleekly approachable while maintaining that euro-chic strangeness, especially on songs like 'Heaven Can Wait' or 'Grenwich Mean Time'. Though I don't own any of his records I'm convinced of Beck's experience here as he takes risks with Gainsbourg I think he would avoid on his own albums, somehow pulling off things like the T-Rex-esque track 'Dandelion'.

A good year for Charlotte Gainsbourg! Let's hope she doesn't become a Scientologist.

IRM > Antichrist.