Ravers lose sight at Russian laser show By Chris Baldwin
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.
Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.
"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible," Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.
You know, Glowsticks never hurt no one. That's all I'm sayin'.
Here is a reworking of a classic Orbital track Are We Here? I was happy to be able to catch them live before they retired. Anybody care to share their favorite rave tunes?
Dude it's HOT in Miami. That temperature right there is in the SHADE (and don't even mention the humidity...). Now switch up what I mean when I say hot, and add an intro like this...
From the drummer sampled by Madlib and Yesterdays New Quintet... From the band that backed DJ Shadow... Four years in the making, The Heliocentrics' debut album is finally complete. Out There is here.
...And their latest single being amped up with lyrics from Percee P and MF Doom lets you know that Stone Throw's The Heliocentrics are hot.
Jazz has always mingled with hip hop (Guru's Jazzmatazz, Digable Planets, De La Soul, Tribe...) but The Heliocentrics manage to do it without samples (albeit they have some spoken word samples) and quirky English garden references (Doodle Bug? Really? Still one of my favorite albums from the 90's though...). Told you before, will you just listen this time?
And in the same spirit as Ray's Classic Album spotlight posts, you MUST have The Digable Planets' Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) in your music collection. It still sounds great and gets everyone in a good mood. Add dominoes and some beers and... ...you're set.
Quiet Village have just released their amazing debut album 'Silent Movie' (out now on Itunes and May 13th as hard copies) and just like the name implies it's like a soundtrack to an amazing movie that hasn't happened yet. Like other bands like The Avalanches who they remind me of, they mix and match a lot of different elements and samples to form an amazing piece of art. Mostly instrumental you can put this album on and let yourself be transported away to another place and time, from India to a secluded island beach. It's exactly the type of music that lets your mind float away and enjoy the beauty that music can bring. Sure to be a Classic! Highly recommended!!
In 1998Mercury Rev released Deserter's Songs, their most accomplished album and a true modern classic! An amazing work of art filled with fairy tale imagery, gorgeous melodies, strings, lyrics, artwork all wrapped up in 12 beautiful songs. Before this album there were glimpses of Mercury Rev's genius, but it wasn't until Deserter's Songs that they really hit their stride and mass pop stardom.
I first found out about this album in 1999 as I was reading NME's top albums of 1998 and this was sitting pretty as NME's#1 Album of 1998. A pretty amazing achievement for an experimental band who previously was known for being too experimental and loud. I read they got shut out from Lolapalooza one year for being too loud. That from a tour that would routinely feature Industrial Acts like Ministry.
Once I bought this album I instantly feel in love with it and them. Unlike their previous efforts this album was almost all ballads. Beautiful strings, bowed saws, melodies and choruses all as if from a dream or coming directly from heaven itself. For awhile Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips with which they share some history were two of my favorites.
Deserter's Songs was engineered by Dave Fridmann. One of the most gifted engineers on the planet and who is also a member of the band. He was instrumental in putting this amazing album together. He's also been responsible for engineering many other classic albums like the Flaming Lips'The Soft Bulletin' which came out the following year and won many accolades for the Lips as well.
I revisited Deserter's Songs the other day and it's still an amazing piece of work. I love listening to this album at night, it's just a perfect time for music like this. There are so many amazing tracks on this it's hard to choose which ones to put on here. The whole album as a whole is the way to go. You have to listen to it all in one listen to fully appreciate it's brilliance.
The single 'Goddess on a Highway' is probably one of the dancier tracks on here. It has those amazing lyrics in the chorus that proclaim 'when I see your eyes arrive, they explode like two bugs on glass'. Who would ever think to write something like that? But it's perfect, a great track to jam out to in the car and I did so on many occasions.
The Funny Bird which is the track right after Goddess is equally as impressive. The moment around the middle of the song when it almost fully stops and then the drums kick back in ever so gradually and with amazing restraint is specatacular! Still gives me chills.
Then there's plenty others like Tonite it Shows when he's very nostalgic and recalls 'the way you looked, the way we were, the way we met, the way I lit your cigarette' just beautiful stuff.
Holes, Endlessly, Opus 40 all amazing songs as well from a band at their absolute prime and who were able to record it for all of us to enjoy for many years to come.
Gotta thank Mercury Rev for this amazing work of art that reminds me why I love music so. It can take you away from life's problems even for a little while and transports you to another place. The way a great movie can as well. An escape from reality even if just for a short while.
'Bands, those funny little plans that never work out quite right', indeed...
Loving the new song & video from Neon Neon called 'I Lust U' featuring guest vocals by Cate Le Bon. It's top notch electro-pop and it has those great back and forth male/female vocals I love. Kinda like Postal Service did with 'Nothing Better' or Human League with their Classic 'Don't You Want Me'. Damn good stuff! The whole album is pretty amazing (I Highly Recommend that you go buy Stainless Style right this second!) Gruff Rhys is a genius! Here's the track and the video plus the Postal Service and Human League tracks just for fun.
I'm back. It's been a while guys. Sorry about that. But you know how life is... priorities.
But like Lassie, I'm coming home. So much is going on in the magic city. WMC, duh... it got every single bloggers' (local and not) panties in a rage. I just hope the coverage is not like this years (over) coverage of the SXSW festival. I think I just started ignoring any SXSW post after day 2. And they kept coming even after the festival is over. If people really want to see what it is like, they need to just go there. There is no way that 20 blog articles (with way too many angles of the same lead singer) is going to convey the same feeling as being at a club listening to live music.
Tonight is the Off the Radar 3 year Anniversary party (the party not the blog - same thing but we'll have another party for that). Along with APT, we got Lee Douglas, Jacques Renault and Justin Millerto spin us into a disco frenzy. Details are somewhere in a post below. (UPDATE - Updates are fun. And last night's party was awesome. DFA was in the house. Rub-n-Tug. And the finest crowd on this side of the Atlantic.)
What else is going on... spring is here. Well, in Miami that means the weather, um, stays the same. But I'm sure for everybody else it is a big deal. I guess. It does mean beach weather is coming. Come to think of it, I think that the ocean temperature is the only thing that changes with the seasons here. Yeah I don't go in the water if it is below 80 degrees. No can do, I can't go for that. No. Speaking of ocean temperatures, come to Miami before it disappears!!
Okay, music that is why you're here right? So let me start by saying, "I'm sorry" to anyone who has submitted music in the last, um, month and a half. Let's just say I ran out of hard drive space and have a kinda backlog of music to go through. BUT despair not, I just upgraded my hard drive and now have a ridiculous amount of space. Did I mention that Apple MacBook Pros have teeny screws that are easy to lose on a concrete floor? Renzo helped me find them. I ended up dropping 3 in the course of the upgrade.But the fruits of my labor have been reaped and my Western Digital Scorpio (250 GB if you care) plays nicely with laptop. Did you notice the ridiculously cool wallpaper? Courtesy of KitsuneNoir's (not the French label) Desktop Wallpaper Project. I think somewhere around 20 of Kitsune's favorite artists contributed designs and a new set of wallpaper (computer and iPhone and PSP sizes) is available every Wednesday. (UPDATE: -Bobby from Kitsune Noir just told me there are over 70 artists involved. Well over a year's supply of desktop eye candy.) But I still have not heard any of the new music in my special music listening chamber (aka my car) since it is all sitting on my work computer right now.
Sooooo, instead I'll focus on a duo (they were a trio at one point) from Scotland that go by the name Optimo. They have weekly also called Optimo(full name OptimoEspacio - but nobody calls it that) and also put out various remixes under the Optimo name. (Note to self, too many uses of the word Optimo in close proximity.) Since we are on the subject of the name. It is inspired by the Liquid Liquid release on 99 Records entitled... you guessed it, "Optimo". You can read about 99 Recordshere, the article will do the label better justice that I ever could. It is actually written by JD Twitch which is one half of the current Optimo that I am writing about. The other half is JG Wilkes. Optimo started in 1997, suffice to say, they have quiet an impressive discography of remixes. Colder, Prinzhorn Dance School, PharoaheMonch, The Glimmers, Love Is All, Peter, Bjorn and John (I still play this edit out), Tussle, The Gossip, Franz Ferdinand, Sons And Daughters, Rinocerose... do I have to keep going? The party is every Sunday at The Sub Club from 11pm-3am (WHAT? Sorry, I still am amazed that Miami has probably the most lack liquor licenses in the world...) and the guys are pretty much everywhere else during the week.
MP3: Liquid Liquid - Optimo(YSI)(UPDATE - Just wanna say I think this track kick started the party as soon as Matt Cash dropped it last night.)
So as far as my blogging, though Ray thinks I forgot about the blog, I have not. Just think, quality over quantity. One hit wonders are fun... for a bit. But classics rarely get deleted from the iPod. By the way, did you notice the slick photos I took with my new camera? All in preparation for this little trip I'd like to call JAPAN bitches! Don't forget to send in any suggestions for my trip!
Been on a Pulp kick lately... It happens to me with all my favorite bands (depeche mode, the smiths, the cure, new order, franz ferdinand, the verve, james, postal service, belle and sebastian, figurine, tribeca, pulp, suede, etc...) I usually end coming back and revisiting them from time to time. Isn't it great how memories get attached to music. You hear a track you loved and bam in a flash it can take you right back to that point in your life.
Since it seems many kids nowadays have short memories or were too young to even go out when Brit-Pop was king in Miami Nightlife say (98' to 02') or so, before Electroclash then Indie Rock rolled upon us. I thought I'd start doing spotlights on some classic albums and maybe introduce some of them to the younger generation.
One of my favorite 90's Brit-Pop bands of all time was Pulp, fronted by the amazing and enigmatic Jarvis Cocker. Most kids nowadays (in the US at least) probably only know of Pulp's big hits 'Common People' and 'Disco 2000' (both from Different Class).
In my opinion Pulp basically has 3 must have albums. 1994's dance-a-thon 'His 'N' Hers', 1998's more mature 'This is Hardcore' and their critical and commercial peak with 1995's 'Different Class'. It was hard to decide which one to spotlight here, because I love them all, but I figured I'd go with Different Class since it's probably their best all around album. Although I'd still recommend getting all three, especially if you find yourself digging Different Class. All classics! Depending what kinda mood I'm in it'll decide which CD I pop in.
With Different Class Pulp had their biggest hits 'Disco 2000' and 'Common People' which seems to be constantly reaching for a higher peak at a dizzying rate until it's final climactic end. The lyrics deal with class struggles between the have's and have-not's. A consistent theme throughout the album as well as revenge, spying, alienation, drugs (you know the usual teenage/young adulthood issues). The whole album is amazing, not one filler in the bunch! It's one of my favorite all time albums, up there with classics like 'The Queen is Dead' by The Smiths or 'Violator' by Depeche Mode.
Many great tracks to adore here. Besides the big hits there's also I Spy, MisShapes, Monday Morning, Underwear, Sorted for E's and Wizz, Something Changed and many more.. Gotta love the way Jarvis delivers his storytelling lyrics from a whisper one minute to a scream the next.
Here are a few of my favorites from Different Class as well as a couple videos from the time and some newer videos of Jarvis doing a cover of Heaven 17's 'Temptation' at last years NME Awards Show with Beth Ditto from The Gossip, plus a great video from his solo album 'Jarvis' for 'Don't Let Him Waste Your Time'. In it he's a taxi driver running over people whilst giving advice to his passenger. Great one!
Here's to Jarvis reading this and reuniting for a New Pulp album/tour! Even though his solo album had some good stuff they should reunite for one last Pulp album. The last one, 2001's 'We Love Life' was a little weak and uninspired. Definitley not worthy of being the last Pulp album.
When does Across the Universe come out in the theaters? I remember seeing the trailer for it a while back but nothing else. Some info about the soundtrack came out. The track listing has much of the cast doing the singing. (mind you, Joe Cocker and Bono are part of the cast.) And a couple of tracks by The Secret Machines.
Anyways, here we have Fiona Apple covering Across the Universe for the Pleasantville soundtrack. As well as the original. (Shame on you if you don't already have it.)
So I had a craving for Frankie's Pizza. The place has not changed. Neither has the pizza. It's the crust I think. But the sauce is involved in it too. Maybe it is because they already sprinkle Parmesan cheese on it that makes it so good. No it's not the best. I hate to single out one pizza and leave the rest behind. Instead I keep a few favorites around just in case I am in the neighborhood (though Papa Piccolo's is my #1 since I was 7 years old).
Back to Frankie's Pizza. On the radio, Cyndi Lauper was playing (adding the nostalgia). It got me thinking...
Damn, she was good. (So was the pizza of course.) She wasn't manufactured like current pop idols are now (or at least they did a better job of covering it). Had a unique, distinct voice that does not sound tired even after two decades. Started (propagated) fashion trends from the 80s underground. Shocked parents. Attracted teens. Produced some solid classics.
And talk about an iconic album cover.
MP3: All Through the Night(YSI) - This was playing on the radio at Frankie's. MP3: She Bop (Special Dance Mix)(YSI) - Don't freak out, it's just an extended DJ friendly mix of the original with added 80's beats at the beginning and end for mixing into the next track. No headache enducing French electro crunch re-hash by some crazy mid-West kid with an all-over print t-shirt in Day-Glo. No, none of that here.
Do you guys remember watching the FULL video to Goonies R Good Enough? I don't. I mean I remember the song. And vaguely remember trying to record it on the VCR but the entire concept of it (plot line of the movie itself - but with Cyndi's family losing their home...) escapes my mind.
Mono in VCF hail from Tacoma, Washington and are probably one of the best unsigned bands you are likely to hear this year. Their sound is Classic 60's Pop and reminiscent of bands like early Goldfrapp, Nancy Sinatra or maybe even a band with a similar name Mono.
I found out about them on the Obscure Sound Blog and was blown away.
It's like music from another era. Majestic, grand and beautiful!
Even Jarvis Cocker is a fan! He picked them to open for him when he was in Seattle.
I'm sure it won't be long before these guys are signed and huge! Just check out these three amazing tracks and you will be convinced. A perfect late night soundtrack!
Remember WVUM's Friday retro lunch hour? The exact name of the show escapes me. It was in the mid-90's. This track by the Human League was a staple of the show (they used to close the show every week with The Boomtown Rats' I Hate Mondays). Enjoy an extended mix of the track (Keep Feeling) Fascination. Look out for the extended organ outro.
Me and my girlfriend are out renting movies the other night and she had never seen the Dudley Moore 80's movie Arthur and wanted to see it. I love that movie so we rent it and check it out. As the movie is winding down, it ends with the Arthur Theme song called 'Best That You Can Do' by Christopher Cross. Such a great song! Makes you feel like your on an island vacation somewhere on the white sand beaches of the Bahamas. Away from your problems and just relaxing away with an ice cold Bahama Mama or Corona.
Anyways that song inspired me to do a post on movie theme songs written specifically for movies that I dig. It's funny how some of the real good ones get intrinsically tied with the movie in your head. You hear the song and bang you think of the movie.
Anyways as I'm looking for other tracks to put for the post one of the finalists is 'Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head' which originally was written for the 1969 movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It's a song by Burt Bacharach and was his biggest world wide hit and even won the Oscar that year! You've probably also heard it recently in movies like Spider-Man in that scene were Peter Parker is all happy walking down the street.
Anyways as I go to Wikipedia to read up on Burt I see that he also wrote the music for the Arthur Theme song! What a coincidence.... So instead of putting up cheesy movie tracks that I like I decided to make this a Burt Bacharach post instead and pay tribute to some of his great songs.
Another track of Burts that helped him reach a newer/younger audience was his song 'What the World Needs Now is Love' off of the Austin Powers movie were he's playing the piano on the bus with Austin Powers introducing him while he's on his date. Love that! I hear he uses that Austin Powers intro to start off his shows.
Anyways check out these 3 great tracks by this talented fellow...
Ha just for fun here was one of the cheesy movie songs I was gonna put up! It's the Bee Gee's Grease Theme song that starts off and ends the movie Grease. Love this track and the movie! It takes me back to when I was a kid. They keep playing it on TV lately. Love the cartoon drawings that go along with the song intro too!
When I hear a song played by another DJ that I really like. I hunt. I hunt until I find it. I read about it, the artist, the history, versions of the song. Until I know it.
Tom Zé recently came to light via the Hot Chip DJ Kicks compilation. If you have it, it is the song the segues into My Piano. I knew the version on the comp had been reworked by Hot Chip so I was on a hunt for the original. Considering most of his work was originally release in the 60's and 70's it took a bit.
Luckily David Byrne discovered Tom Zé on a trip to Brasil in the 90's and re-released much of his work as a comp (Brasil Classics Vol. 4 is dedicated solely to Tom Zé) and found it.
Tom Zé was instrumental in the Tropicalia style of music BUT was also know for his experimental instrumentation and creative use of time signatures. Cademar is prime example.
"I don't make art, I make spoken and sung journalism."-- Tom Zé
In 2005, he released an album entitled Estudando o Pagode (Studying People), exploring the historical suppression of women
I was driving with some friends over the weekend and scanning what was on satellite radio and I heard a brief bar of a song that caught by ear before he switched it.
"Go back!"
And that was when I discovered Popcorn by Hot Butter (1972 version). Digging on the internets, I found that this song has a pretty interesting history considering it has been covered over 500 times over the past 30+ years starting in 1969 with the original version by Gershon Kingsley. It is widely considered the first primarily electronic-based piece of music to reach the American popular music charts. Paving the way for other synth-pop bands and increasing the Moog synthesizer's popularity.
Aphex Twin, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, BimSkalaBim, the Boston Pops and Hot Butter have all covered the song. Hot Butter produced the most famous version and was the one that had caught my attention. There was a rumor around the time that it was released that a computer had generated the melody for it.
Because it has been covered so many times, many of the versions are mislabeled. One of the most common versions is attributed to Kraftwerk. It sounds nothing like them and was actually released by the M&H Band. It sounds more like Pet Shop Boys.
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Ravers lose sight at Russian laser show
I was driving with some friends over the weekend and scanning what was on satellite radio and I heard a brief bar of a song that caught by ear before he switched it.
