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DRAM Post: November 2008

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I apoligize for not posting for several months. Grad school really destroyed me this past semester and I had very very little time to myself, though the thought process never stops. Be on the lookout for some more action to this site in the next few weeks, as I am between semesters.

Recently the people at DRAM were kind enough to ask me to contribute to their site once again, and I am never one to turn something like that down. I decided that my theme this time around would be a look at 20th and 21st century orchestral music.  I hope that you enjoy.

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Music has been written for the orchestra in recent times that could rival any of the old standby “classics” of the Romantic Era, which predominate the programs of orchestras around the country. Concert bills are filled with the same canon of classical works from the 19th century and earlier. With good reason these works continue to show up in programs–they are great works of art, cultural milestones of the evolution of Western music. However, I do not believe this evolution stopped with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. In recent times, numerous works for orchestra have been produced that are often overlooked.

This playlist will explore a few contemporary works that, I feel, could stand up next to the canonical “classics” in a concert program. These are works that audiences may find refreshing, and could have the power to generate renewed interest in the orchestra (and “classical” music in general) as an important cultural phenomenon that has not ceased to be important and vital to our society.

There must be a general interest in keeping the orchestral repertoire alive, as these works were commissioned at some point by an interested party, and committed to a recording in order for preservation. These works do have significant cultural value, and I believe they could each find a comfortable place in the canon of orchestral music. Not only could they ensure a boost towards keeping the culture of contemporary music alive, but they could also satisfy the balance between an audience’s desires for something “familiar” (i.e. not “harsh”) and musical director’s responsibility to promote contemporary music while keeping concert halls full.

Robert Kurka – Symphony No. 2 (1949)

A mostly self-taught composer, Robert Kurka remains largely unknown. This may be due in part to his fairly short life of 37 years, though in spite of this Kurka managed to complete several chamber works, an opera that was premiered by New York City Opera and two symphonies. His Symphony No. 2 shows the composer’s boisterous rhythmic style and an exciting melodic mind.

The three movements are quite balanced in duration, adhering to the typical symphonic fast-slow-fast form. The first movement is an all out assault on the senses from beginning to end. The ensemble is whipped into frenzy at a rapid tempo that remains throughout, with the help of a rambunctious percussion section and blaring brass.

The second movement broadens the scope of the work, including lush harmonic passages that are, in their own way, equally as intense as the first movement, though ostensibly subdued. This is music of many layers, at once is brash and loud, then subtle and gently scored with bright winds accompanied by muted strings.

The conclusion of the work features a brisk melody in the strings that is given a sense of urgency by the forceful timpani. The harmonic language throughout the work is not very far removed from that of the Romantic Era, though Kurka’s shifts in dynamics and his use of angular rhythms places this piece firmly in the 20th century. One could easily envision it as the soundtrack to a film.
In the earlier part of the 20th century, Henry Cowell was well known as a musical experimenter pushing the bounds of all aspects of music. He was at the forefront of a radical new scene that also included Carl Ruggles, Charles Ives and Edgar Varése. His influence continued past his own output, as his many students also began to make waves in the music scene.
This symphony comes from the latter part of Cowell’s compositional output, after he had married Sidney Robertson. A musicologist focused on American folk music, her influence can be heard throughout this work as fiddle tunes and simple melodies are treated as motivic generators throughout, in much the same way that Aaron Copland used them to great effect in Appalachian Spring.

Cowell’s later works are not only influenced by folk music due to the inclusion of these simple tunes. They are also quite a bit simpler harmonically and structurally than his early experiments in rhythm and timbre because of this inclusion. The ensemble called for in Symphony No. 7 also speaks to this aspect of the music, as it is scored only for a “small orchestra” in four movements.
George Perle – Three Movements for Orchestra (1960)

This work by George Perle also sounds distinctly American, but it comes to us by way of the 2nd Viennese School. Large dense pitch collections make the orchestra sound much larger than it is. In contrast to most of the works discussed so far, Perle makes incredible use of silence to accent the more complex passages. The contrast between subtlety and extremely loud riotous passages is used to great effect.

One will notice that this work also includes the use of piano as an orchestral ensemble instrument. The piano adds a spastic element to some of the more subdued phrases, invigorating the rest of the ensemble to take intense action.

There is also an element of Alban Berg at work here, though the orchestration that Perle uses is considerably less forceful; the brass phrases that poke out repeatedly during the second movement are reminiscent of brass section passages in Wozzeck, specifically Act I, scene II. The third movement, much in the same character as the first and second movements, displays Perle’s compositional prowess with an ostinato around which the other instruments wrap themselves. The movement is broken up by a large silence towards the close, where a coda of sorts appears. Sustained pitches are held over a delicately descending line, whereupon the piece is brought to a close.
Leslie Bassett – Variations for Orchestra (1963)

This work holds the distinction of being awarded the 1966 Pulitzer Prize, and it is no small wonder why. This is another example of a new high point in orchestration techniques. Bassett truly gets the most out of the orchestra, treating it as though it is one congruous entity, seamlessly floating through the families of instruments to compare and contrast their timbres. The prime material seems as though it is a living thing forming before us across the entire ensemble. One can easily visualize the score in ensemble’s head as the line flows through an amalgam of registers and textures. This is a work that could easily be programmed with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé as they seem to share a meticulous control of orchestration.

The focus here is really motion, timbre and color concerning treatment of the line, which is never obscured throughout the work. Basset’s Echoes from an Invisible World is another fine example of the composer’s treatment of the orchestra.

John Harbison – Symphony No. 1 (1981)

Though written in 1981, well into Harbison’s career, this four-movement work is brimming over with a barely concealed excitement representing one of his earlier works for orchestra. Harbison has since written three more symphonies, many incidental and chamber works, operas, and he received a Pulitzer Prize.

The first movement, “Drammatico,” presents the listener with a sense of urgency in the ceaseless, though controlled churning of the string section. From the beginning, the dissonance of the brass is pitted against the hushed, solemn tone of the strings.Intermittent bursts from the brass occur more frequently as the first movement closes.

The following movement, “Allegro Sfumato,” finds the interruptions becoming part of one seamless fabric. Thematic material is parceled out amongst the entire orchestra. Ideas are thrown back and forth that seem at once cohesive and disruptive. This movement is short enough that it seems like a short interlude joining the first and third movements.

The apparent calm of the 3rd movement is achieved through a change in the orchestration to a more homogenous, dark color in the lower registers of the ensemble at the beginning that gives way to an eventual contrast produced by the winds and pizzicato strings. The closing fanfare is exuberant and lively, culminating with loud brass and percussion, giving way to the calm where the movement began.

Closing the work, the “Tempo giusto” movement harkens to the exciting and vivacious perpetuum mobile that opened the work. The scoring is a touch more sparse this time through and features more dialogue from the percussion section and the rest of the orchestra. The work, as a whole, has an organic unity in its design through the interplay of timbres within the ensemble. This is truly a lively work for the genre.

Karl Boelter – Dharma for Orchestra (1982)

This single movement work truly explores the concept of the orchestra as a single, unified instrument. One grand line is present throughout, traversing through the timbres of the ensemble very carefully. The work grows in increments, a movement heightened by Boelter’s painstakingly careful orchestration, which seems to join the ensemble through his perception of the similarities and differences in the character of each group of instruments, much the way one would move from one tonality to another. The climax of the piece is heralded through a growing texture of strings that resemble Janacek’s extraordinarily high, lyrical writing in his Sinfonietta. The timpani, underscoring a pointed brass line that eventually gives way to a single bell toll, to initiate the close of the piece. The strings and brass combine, unifying the orchestra from where we began. A final gesture moves from the strings through the piano in a seamless fashion, closing the circle on the unifying idea that drives the work from beginning to end.

Nicolas Roussakis – Fire and Earth and Water and Air (1983)

This work, also a single movement, brings “chaos to order” according to the composer. Aleatoric sections are interrupted by precisely notated motives that are used to describe the four elements. Each element in the piece’s title has a theme that is used first in succession and then concurrently. The composer chose to utilize the overtone series to the 22nd partial, truly showing the natural genesis of the work.

The programmatic considerations for this work were derived from Plato’s writings in “Timaeus,” which describes the creation of the world by God from the four disparate elements. These writings served the composer two-fold, not only becoming the basis of the work but also allowing Mr. Roussakis the ability to explore and express his Greek heritage. What is truly amazing about this piece is not only the clarity of the themes in describing the elements, as one can easily accept how Fire, Water, Earth and Air are represented throughout the piece, but how the aleatoric sections are able to take on a life of their own and still make perfect sense within the composition.

John Duffy – Symphony No. 1: Utah (1989)

Clarity of line and orchestration are also key aspects of this work by John Duffy. Used to a much different end than Leslie Bassett, this symphony is more comparable to the rhythmic drive and writing style of John Adams.

In the first movement, “Gods Wildness” rhythms constantly shift in the foundation of the orchestra while a whirl of woodwinds and strings reach up to the stratosphere overhead. This is contrasted with a lush chorale of brass at the close of the movement. Throughout the movement I am reminded of John Adam’s opera “Nixon in China” Act 1 Scene 2, “Founders Come First, then Profiteers.” This movement shares many similarities in character with that scene.

The slow middle movement entitled “Requiem for Glen Canyon” does not feature the same driving repetitions as the first, but instead picks up from where that movement ended, with lilting rhythms and brass featured prominently. The programmatic effect here is that the low brass and spacious voicing of chords are being used to describe the expanse of Glen Canyon. We are brought immediately to the third and final movement with echoes of Aaron Copland, through Duffy’s seeming use of folk tunes and chords with prominent open fifths in many of the harmonies. The overall effect is the appearance of a multi-movement work that takes elements from other well-known American composers to create a unified work.

Benjamin Boretz – UN for Orchestra (1999)

In Boretz’s work, we find another piece that truly explores the colors and contrasts within the orchestra. From the opening we are presented with a bright color consisting of a combination of strings, brass and percussion that will remain steady throughout the work, forming the backdrop against which the remaining members of the ensemble will continually present contrasting material.

First, the woodwinds present an ever winding, tension-filled line against the constant harmony from the opening. Each time the tension seems as though it will be resolved it only continues to meander further away, growing more dissonant, and higher in register. There is a constant expansion of ideas at work driving the piece forward. The phrases get continually longer, and the tessitura widens continuously. Eventually the woodwinds seem to succumb to the strings and sink into the ensemble, becoming part of their harmonic backdrop, only to be completely exposed at the end.

Aaron Jay Kernis – Sarabanda in Memoriam (2004)

Any piece for string orchestra written after Barber’s Adagio stands the chance of being overshadowed by its famous predecessor. Kernis’ Sarabanda might begin in that shadow, but it emerges to display an original assortment of textural explorations and rhythmic vitality that truly tests all the possibilities of the ensemble.

The harmonic richness of the work pays homage to the post-romantic American school of writing from the mid part of the 19th Century. This is not to say that the piece seems dated, on the contrary, the composer breathes new life into the string section. Creative use of form and string techniques help propel the piece perpetually forward. Extended solo sections are underpinned by low, open string pedal tones. Other sections feature duets with a seemingly muted ensemble, placing an aural distance between melody and harmony as if the entire string orchestra has been relocated temporarily offstage.

I feel that this playlist presents a good sampling of American orchestral works from the past 60 years. Each work brings something different to the ensemble, some traditions adhered to, others disregarded in favor of something new. My ultimate hope is that these works, or others like them, would eventually find their way into the concert hall with more frequency. The art of our culture should be represented more, which will show American composers to be well influenced by other musical traditions, but always with their own unique spin. Concert music is a vital part of our society and only through exposure and encouragement will great works, such as these, continue to be produced.

(original article can be found here)

2008, DRAM, music, reviews, thoughts

DRAM playlist from June

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I realized that I only mentioned that I wrote a playlist/blogpost for DRAM (the Directory of Recorded American Music) but I never posted it here. I remembered this when I was asked by them to do another one in October or November. So while I go over there and rifle through all of their recordings trying to figure out what my theme is going to be I have copied and pasted my playlist from June for you to enjoy.

 If you do not have the ability to play these files on the DRAM site (i.e. you are not a student/faculty member at a school that has access) then please let me know. You should still check out their news section, where they keep all the playlists. It is very informative, and there is always something new happening there, as they are pretty much still getting started. They could use the traffic! Support new music!

 

1.)  Charles Ives – “Three Quarter-tone Pieces: III. Chorale” From – The Unknown Ives, Vol. 2 – NWR80618

This first selection may be familiar to many listeners. I believe that music has the power to change lives, and this piece, in particular, remains very close to me, as it led me to pursue the study of new music, and cemented my interest in new American music in particular. During my second semester as an undergraduate student at SUNY Fredonia, Continuum, a new music ensemble performed. The final pieces on the program were the 3 Quartertone pieces for 2 pianos by Charles Ives.  I sat in awe in the concert hall, hearing sounds that I had never heard before. I still remember that concert every time I listen to this work. Throughout this piece, Ives repeatedly hints at the tune “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” but never quite brings the quote to fruition, thwarting the completion of the familiar melody with cascading jazz-like melodic lines interspersed with more cerebral, “serious” music.

2.)  Easley Blackwood – “Suite for Guitar in 15-note Equal Tuning, Op. 33: IV. Gigue (Vivo) From – Blackwood: Microtonal Compositions – CDR018

As a guitarist with a strong interest in new music, this piece struck me as particularly intriguing. Blackwood utilizes a new tuning system, but within the form of a Baroque suite, complete with its familiar rhythms and harmonic motion. The resulting work might sound a bit curious, but it remains easily comprehensible, as the swirling arpeggiated passages and steady, strong bass motion make the alternate tuning scheme less foreign to an ear accustomed to standard 12 note, equal temperament tuning. This juxtaposition works quite well, expanding a familiar form with the introduction of a new tuning.

3.)  Annie Gosfield – “Marked by a Hat” From – EGP: Extreme Guitar Project MO157

Gosfield offers a different take on composing for guitar than Blackwood. She creates a microtonal tuning for Marco Capelli’s 10-stringed “Extreme Guitar” that centers on the pitches E, D, and C, and the quarter tones that surround them. One can hear this tuning spelled out at around 1:43, and at times, it might sound as though the guitar has been specially prepared, though it has not. The unorthodox sounds are actually due to the fact that Gosfield wrote the piece solely for open strings. This choice, combined with Capelli’s unique tremolos and picking techniques gives the instrument an altogether different sound, as though it has been prepared. Evocations of Eastern instruments abound, which makes the unorthodox tuning seem entirely appropriate to the ear. While the many different effects comprise different sections in the composition, there is always a strong dance-like rhythmic sense. This recording is featured on Mode Record’s album, “EGP: Extreme Guitar Project” which features several different composers and as many approaches to composing for the guitar.

4.)  Harry Partch – “San Francisco II” From – Enclosure Two: Harry Partch IN401

Somewhere in between folk music, Americana, and classical music lies Harry Partch. Far ahead of his time and with extremely idiosyncratic demands, it is a wonder that he was able to get as much of his music recorded and performed as he did. For that matter, it is a wonder how Partch conceived of his music at all. His experiments in alternate tuning systems and his fascination with Greek mythology led him to invent many new instruments necessary for performing a panoply of works unlike any other composer before or after him. This work utilizes three guitars played with some type of slide, a flute that enters and quickly bends its pitch, and a cello that is playing a perpetual glissando that may create a very uneasy feeling in the listener. Throughout the work, Partch displays his strong ability as a dramatic large-scale composer by marking off sections of extreme drama with a fantastic interplay of instruments.

5.)  Larry Polansky – “Movement for Andrea Smith (My Funny Valentine for Just String Quartet) From – Larry Polansky – Simple Harmonic Motion ART1011

The differences between equal temperament and just intonation can seem slight to modern ears, but this piece makes good use of bringing out the “grind” in the altered tuning. Mr. Polansky utilizes the string quartet in an interesting way here too. Never do the instruments separate as much as one would typically think of in a “string quartet.” Instead, here the four instruments function more as one, creating an amorphous and otherworldly ambient sound sculpture that encapsulates the sonic landscape of the just intonation system, creating a remarkable, solid, unified tone.

6.)  Ben Johnston – “Sonata for Microtonal Piano: Movement II” From – Sound Forms for Piano NWR80203

Like the Ives piece earlier in this playlist, though with only one piano, here Johnston explores microtones on a piano. Unlike the Ives piece, however, this work is in the 12-tone idiom. This second movement in particular is violent in dynamics and rhythm, with the 12 tone compositional technique adding a degree of dissonance to the already harsh sound of the piano. Live performance of this piece is about as rare as they come, so this recording is truly a gem and a gift. Note the reoccurrence of the Ives quote. It appears in the second movement as well as across the entirety of the work. Also effective is the use of extended techniques (i.e. direct play on the strings) that bring out the full array of sounds possible on the instrument, at times evoking the sound of a Japanese Koto. Again, as in the Gosfield, we hear the parallel drawn between altered tunings and Eastern music.

7.)  Ezra Sims – “Concert Piece: Excited” From – Microtonal Music of Ezra Sims CR643

Here we hear the use of microtones in a full ensemble with a computer used to help with the tuning of various chords, as opposed to the solo microtonal works featured earlier in this playlist.  The winds, which make up the majority of the ensemble, are responsible for most of the colorful pitches throughout this work, the microtones from that section of the orchestra heard most clearly. This is the final, fast, movement of Sims’ larger work and I find it simultaneously the most daring use of microtones and the most understated way of incorporating them. It’s daring as it uses an entire orchestra, which is no small feat, yet it remains understated, because this work is not about these “other,” microtonal pitches. Sims simply employs microtones as part of his vocabulary, but not the focus.

8.)  Carter Scholz – “Lattice” From – Carter Scholz – 8 Pieces FP009

This work for electronics is quite different from the others in the list. Similar in effect to the Polansky quartet, this piece has the effect of layers working together to form a single “wall of sound.” The microtones blend in with the total fabric of the work, sometimes causing dissonance and beating against the other layers of sound, and sometimes resulting in a swelled effect pulsating through an ambient space. The resulting timbres feature resonance without any attack preceding it, like the peal of bells, until the lowest octave makes its appearance. In this manner, “Lattice” grows in every dimension throughout its duration, expanding sonically until the end.

9.)  Dean Drummond – “Before the Last Laugh” From – Newband Partch and Drummond IN561

It might seem that microtonal composers start almost completely from scratch, casting off anything and everything of their predecessors, right down to the instruments and notes used to create their works. However, here is a prime example to the contrary. One could say that Drummond picks up where Harry Partch left off, further expanding Harry Partch’s original ideas. Here, Drummond actually utilizes some of Partch’s unique, original instruments, but he has also taken the time to create his own instruments to suit his personal compositional needs. The resultant piece is a combination of alien sounds paired with the familiar. Specifically, Drummond relies heavily on strange percussion and instruments with heavy attacks, while having a flute play much of the prime material. The orchestration in this work is quite colorful and shows off his new instruments well.

10.)  Gloria Coates – “Fragment from Leonardo’s Notebooks, “Fonte di Rimini” From – Gloria Coates NWR80599

The grand drama of this orchestral work begins with sustained string harmonics that quickly grow to a forceful dynamic, the strings consistently demanding the listener’s attention through their incredibly slow and controlled glissandi. The effect created is that of “passing microtones.” It is hard to tell where one pitch ends and another begins, and each infinite pitch seems to be held for so long that one gets disoriented attempting to steady himself on a tonal center. The programmatic insinuations in this piece are endless, bringing to mind bombs dropping or planes cutting across the sky. One may also note that the vocals towards the end of the work, mimicking the string’s glissandi.

2008, music, personal, reviews, thoughts

Monthly Muxtape Madness Vol. 1

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So I decided that I am going to lend my time to yet another page on teh interwebs. Muxtape.com allows users to create a mix tape of up to 12 songs. Who doesn’t remember creating mixes for your friends and family to listen to? I definitely created tons when I was a kid.

Now it is popular with the hipster set as not only a form of nostalgia (hipsters love nostalgia, seeing as how they never want to grow up) but as a way to show everyone how eclectic, strange and indie their taste in music is. That being said, I’m going to start making my own mix and update it, change the tracks periodically (hopefully monthly or so). I’ll blog up little descriptions of each track here and give you a link to the tape. Big surprise, it is http://quartertonality.muxtape.com. Just click on the track you want to start with (

Here is Volume 1:

“Wake Me When It’s Over” is off of Longwave’s 2nd full length album and is quite a change from their first, though it definitely extrapolates off of the influences that they clearly feel strongly about (Television, U2, Radiohead, The Strokes etc…) This is the opening track off of that album and I thought it would make a good opening track here. This song kind of feels like a sunrise anyway, with orange light bouncing off of dust as it flies through the air. Lots of delayed effect on the guitars and atmospherics. Great song

“Get a Shot of the Refrigerator” is typical Stereolab. Sometimes instrumental, sometimes not. Sometimes the lyrics are in French, sometimes English, sometimes both. This is a truly unique band with a very devoted, indie “insider” following. Somewhere between rock and dance music lies Stereolab with their groovy jams and tight ensemble work. “The groop”, as their fans call them are unlike anything you have heard before.

“Love and Death” is off of The Stills’ first album. This Canadian band made quite a splash with their first album, only to completely lose me with their second. This album feels nostalgic to me for some reason. It is great in all the right spots. This song has not only a great chorus but a great verse as well. The whole thing fits together very well. I like the interplay and counterpoint between both of the guitars and the way the verses really work towards the choruses to create a seamless texture, similar to the Longwave but a little more overproduced.

“Range Life” is off of the now defunct California outfit Pavement’s absolutely amazing album entitled “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” and features a very loose ensemble with barely tuned guitars creating a song that feels like it is in slow motion. Lead singer Stephen Malkmus’s voice is shaky and somewhere between falsetto and full voiced belting, but it seems like he is trying to keep it quiet. Sarcastic lyrics with a lazy delivery and all genius.

“First Day” is off of Sunderland England’s own The Futureheads first blistering album full of jangly, angular punk songs. The guitars are all over the place in this one darting in and out of the way of each other with the entire gang joining in to sing the chorus. The band builds up faster and faster until it seems like they are going to completely fall apart, the trick is that is when they are at their best, right before everything falls apart.

“My Mathematical Mind” is from Austin, Texas’ own Spoon’s album “Gimme Fiction”. Though that album did not quite do it for me as much as their most recent effort (“Ga ga ga ga ga” from 2007) it still has a few decent tracks on it. This is one of them. The lyrics are almost too brainy and self-absorbed, but they never quite cross the line. The bouncy, hemiola inflected piano line helps give the opening a good swing and the throbbing, present bass propels the song forward while the guitar struggles for air just below Britt Daniel’s soaring vocal.

“Stereo Sanctity” is from Sonic Youth’s album Sister. The group experiments with altered tunings, noise and chaos as part of its aesthetic flawlessly combining the ideals of the post-punk crowd and the downtown music composition scene of Eliot Sharp, Glen Branca and free jazzers like Sun Ra. This song has always been one of my favorites of theirs, very energetic, very noisy. Just plain great.

“Freak Out” by Liars, originally from Australia, then moved to NYC and now based out of Berlin Liars have experimented with each of their albums. This is off of their most recent offering simply called “Liars” which features a whole series of really tight rock songs that are similar in vane to early Sonic Youth, but a little more percussion driven. This album combines elements of all their past efforts and shows them finally focusing in and going out on one clear path. This song brings forward the jangle of a reverb soaked, out of tune guitar and the chant-like approach to singing.

“Your Hand in Mine” by Explosions in the Sky is one of the only examples of music in a rock band format that is truly orchestral in scope. This band, again from Texas, creates grand sonic soundscapes on each of their albums that are usually full of lengthy, developmental structures. This song is one of the most beautiful rock songs I have ever heard. Simple, in E major, utilizing the open strings on the guitar to create a truly moving sound. You can tell that each line was painstakingly put together. The structure of this song is almost mathematical and it is even divided into sections, but they work so well together it is scary.

“Goodbye Ukulele” by Peterborough, Ontario’s The Burning Hell is depressing, yes. It is also a great way to close an album. Singer Matthias Kom bids adieu to each of the instruments in the band one by one and they disappear until he is completely alone with his ukulele. This is one of the only really slow songs that I have ever really liked this much.

I hope I haven’t rambled on too long. I hope you enjoy this mix.

2008, live, music, reviews

Pitchfork Music Festival Day 3

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This is finally it, the end of the festival that I wait all year to go to. Day three didn’t have nearly as many acts that I was excited about performing, which made it the perfect opportunity to check out the record tent and the Flatstock poster fair. I purchased the official pitchfork poster, by Chicago’s own print artist Jay Ryan.  I purchased the new Dirty Projectors album from the Permanent Records booth (they are a record store near my brothers apartment.

The weather for Day 3 was much better, not too hot but the sun did give me a pretty rad sunburn that I was able to showoff for days. It eventually turned into a beautiful farmers tan, which I am still sporting to this day. Anyway, these are the acts I took in on day 3, reviewed in the same, direct to the point, sans bullshit style that I reviewed day 2:

Times New Viking:  Rock. Good, I remember liking them at the time, but I don’t remember them now.

Dirty Projectors: Crazy harmonies, edgy singing, complex songs and guitar parts. Very cerebral. Loved it, my favorite from the weekend. I stood in awe watching them much the same way I stood in awe 2 years ago watching Liars perform.

Boris: Pure metal, loud aggressive and fun. Too bad they had to cut their set short because, apparently, they could not get the power that they required. “Not enough electric power” they said after the drummer jumped into the crowd, crowd-surfed and then they left the stage after about 30 minutes.

HEALTH: Good electronic set. Way better than Fuck Buttons, that’s for sure.

The Apples in Stereo: Great, poppy, retro-tastic set. I really like their songs and their live performance was tight.

King Khan and His Shrines: Zappa + Sun Ra + James Brown = awesome. We were in time to hear the end of his set, which included an army of people on stage, horns, keys, guitars, drums, backup singers etc. and King Khan performed a gospel song about cunnilingus.  He was very detailed.

Les Savy Fav: The most out of control set of the entire weekend. The lead singer walked through the audience, climbed atop everything on stage, had a camera with him so that we could see his point of view. Their set was great, entertaining and energetic. Said lead singer was seen running around the park all day, and the day before was giving out $2 haircuts to anyone that happened to pass by.

M. Ward: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz……..

Spiritualized: Tight set. Great guitar work, though I felt that the singer wasn’t really making an effort to connect with the audience. The rhythm section and backing singers were fantastic though.

Dinosaur Jr.: I find Dinosaur Jr. really kind of droll. What I did like was the fact that J. Mascis was surrounded by Marshall stacks while he played, and hearing that song that I knew was great, the one with the dudes playing golf around NYC, riding their golf carts all around the city, yeah that one.

I was standing by the other stage Jockying for position for the Spoon set.Spoon: I’m glad that I get to see these guys again. The last time I saw them was at the 2006 Pitchfork Festival, which followed the release of their album “Gimme Fiction” which I am not a big fan of. I thought it was funny that back then the only song of theirs that I knew was “Small Stakes” and now I know all their stuff. They opened their set this year with the song “Small Stakes” and I laughed to myself. Their set was really good and they played a lot of my favorite songs and I was really looking forward to them, the lame thing was the audience.

The audience up front during the Spoon set just stood their, seemingly dazed for their entire set. It was infuriating to me. I was jumping up and down, singing along and really getting into it, but after a time I felt awkward and self-conscious and I stopped and just stood and watched like the rest of them. Attention: concert goers….it’s loud, it’s outside, it’s a rock concert, get animated, move around! Get into the music! Don’t just stand there!

All in all it was a great festival, as usual. I always have a good time at the Pitchfork Music Festival. As before I have included some videos below from that day. I didn’t take too many, my camera has been giving me problems, the battery won’t last long enough to take tons of video anymore.

2008, live, music

Pitchfork Music Festival Day 2

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The weather for the 2nd day of the festival did not start off by looking very promising at all. It looked as if it was going to rain forever and not stop. The thought of spending an entire day soaking wet, probably cold and miserable around a bunch of muddy people was not exactly the most intriguing thing in the world to me, but I was willing to go through with it if it meant that I would get to spend the entire day discovering new music. I had made peace with the fact that sometimes perfect weather just isn’t in the cards.

Now, it is impossible to see all of the performances at Pitchfork, the way that the schedule is set up the Aluminum and Connector stages alternate back and forth all day but the Balance stage is off on the other side of the park and the sets run in syncopation with the other two. So if you wanted to catch anything on the Balance stage (reserved mostly for more electronic acts like Atlas Sound, Fuck Buttons etc. and “less popular” acts like King Kahn and his Shrines) chances are you would have to skip out on some or all of a full performance on one of the main stages.  I did try my best to catch as much as possible. I would now like to sum up my Day 2 experience in as few words as possible. I joked with my brother that I would write “one word” reviews. They won’t be one word, but I am going to boil down my thoughts as simply as possible for each of the bands that I saw this day.

Titus Andronicus: Loud. Many guitars, a lot of noise and lots of energy. It was raining when they played but they didn’t care, and because of that neither did I. I’m keeping my eye on them.

A Hawk and a Handsaw: I actually missed them, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to see them, it was because I was going to be seeing them the next week at the Calgary Folk Fest. I loved them. More on that when I blog about the Calgary Folk Fest in the next couple of days.

Jay Reatard: Punk energy. Numbskull Flying V-guitars and a lot of atitude. Good for a half hour set. Too much schtick, not enough substance. Using metal/glam/punk gimmickry ala FUBAR as some sort of ironic statement. No thanks.

Caribou: When they played “Melody Day” the rain stopped and the sun was shining for the rest of the day. In other words I was standing there in awe and it was absolutely amazing.

Fuck Buttons: You know when you are young and you wander into a Radio Shack and play with everything they have? I was excited for them, and then after 10 minutes I realized they weren’t going to do anything and I left. Fuck Buttons? more like Suck Buttons. Fuck you, thanks for wasting my time, you fucking untalented assholes.

The Ruby Suns: Good songs, I liked them. Performance could have used a little bit more energy, and a bit more instruments being played live, less prerecorded sound. What’s the point of a live performance?

Vampire Weekend: Jimmy Buffet for 20-somethings.

!!!: Great set. They make  you dance. The most the crowd moved the entire weekend was during this set. The first sign of crowd-surfing. I love !!!.

The Hold Steady: Pretty straight forward punk rock with the edge cleaned up a little bit. I liked it. They were definitely all about getting the crowd going. Great polished set.

Atlas Sound: Moving. Ambient. Great.

Jarvis Cocker: He is so British you can hear his accent upon sight. Jarvis Cocker loves to fuck, as is evidenced by the three types of songs that he writes: songs about women he has fucked, songs about women he is fucking,  songs about women that he wishes he had taken the opportunity to fuck. All of these songs were great. Jarvis is a great showman.

Animal Collective: An amazing barrage of new material that held me and the rest of the audience transfixed for over an hour. The sound didn’t stop for their entire set, and I have never experienced an hour and a half go by so quickly. Amazing end to the day. I think Animal Collective should only ever play in the dark. It worked so well in an outdoor festival setting.

That’s my day 2 roundup. I hope you enjoyed it. You will notice the video player below, it contains my videos from this day. Featured in the videos are Titus Andronicus, Animal Collective, !!! and Jarvis Cocker. Tomorrow will wrap up the Pitchfork Festival, day 3.

2008, live, music

Pitchfork Music Festival Day 1

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I guess I owe some sort of apology as it is taking me extremely long to get my videos up from the concerts that I have been to this month. I went to see a lot of shows in a few different places and it has taken me this long to get all my videos and pictures and what not organized on my own computer.

So very quickly, Day 1 of the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park was on July 18, 2008 and, just like last year, was done in association with All Tomorrow’s Parties “Don’t Look Back” which has bands performing (what some consider to be) their landmark albums. This year featured Mission of Burma performing their album “Vs.”, Sebadoh performing “Bubble and Scrape” and Public Enemy with their phenomenal “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”.

I have seen Mission of Burma perform before, at the same venue actually, 2 years ago. Their performance was very good. I only wish that they would have been asked to perform “Signals, Calls and Marches”, which to me is a better and more important album than the somewhat lackluster “Vs.”. Seeing Mission of Burma perform now though brings a certain joy to me. To me it is witnessing a band get its second chance. For anyone that has read Michael Azzerad’s “Our Band Could Be Your Life” they know that Mission of Burma was a fantastic band with a strong following that seemed to be on the fast track to success, the only problem being that they were a little bit too ahead of their time and not quite as “militant” as Black Flag when it came to gouging their path across the United States. They were out there on the East Coast alone and had to face the fact that they had to pack it up.

Luckily for us they are back to performing. They got to skip over the whole part of being good, then bad and then resurfacing with a great album that seems to come out of nowhere. They are the only band that I can think of that went from being heard nowhere but in audiophiles basements to being the old guard of indie-art-rock. I like seeing them perform and I’m glad that they have the opportunity to do it. I still think they are ahead of their time. Their music is jarring and subtle at the same time, I think that people still have a hard time placing it.

Sebadoh is a different story. I have a few of their albums. I can’t manage to ever make it through an entire one in a single sitting. They drag on, and on and on and on. Too sludgy for me. To me it seems that Sebadoh was never really popular even when they were “popular”. Maybe I am missing something, but I have never met anyone that was crazy excited about the opportunity to hear Sebadoh live, and I have never heard Sebadoh talked about at all, let alone in a gleefully optimistic and obsessive way the way that passionate music people get when they hear a band that truly moves them.

Their performance at Pitchfork was just like listening to one of their albums at home for me. I couldn’t make it through the whole thing and I began to think about other things, and just hoped that they would eventually (soon!) get off the damn stage. After a really long time, they finally did, and justice was restored to the world.

Public Enemy was up next.

This would mark only the second time that I have seen a hip-hop act live. The first was GZA last year. The difference being that this year I would be seeing Public Enemy, a group that I am quite familiar with. I remember fondly listening to “Fear of a Black Planet” when I was in 5th grade. It is funny to listen to that now, knowing what the lyrics mean. I still love those albums, they are really great. Watching Chuck D take the stage and rap lines that I used to have memorized was a great, nostalgic feeling. I stood there and wondered why I stopped listening to Public Enemy. I honestly don’t know the answer to that question.

It was an explosive performance. Chuck D can really get a crowd going and Flava Flav is just as crazy as you’d think he is.  They ran through the entire album with a live band and an amazing DJ on stage with them. It was a spectacle. I stood there in awe because when I last heard from those guys I was 10 and I had the chicken pox, and now I am 27. I never thought that I would feel nostalgic at a rap concert, I never even thought I would be at a rap concert. Their messages now are just as important as always. Public Enemy has a lot in common with punk in that the lyrics have a message warning against opression of one form or another. Basically they are saying, “Don’t let anyone hold you down”. They preach love and protest at the same time. Flava Flav reminds us that this can be done while interjecting some humor in all the seriousness.

2008, live, music

Sloan in Buffalo Videos (June 21, 2008)

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So I finally got around to uploading all my videos from the show that I went to in Buffalo 2 months ago. I work slow, also I have been without a cardreader until recently and was unable to get all of the data from my memory cards.

Without any further ado, here are all the videos from Sloan in Buffalo, June 21, 2008:

2008, live, music, reviews, thoughts, Uncategorized

Rush in Toronto (July 9, 2008 Molson Ampitheater)

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Nothing can beat a good arena rock show. It is a totally different experience than seeing a concert at a small venue put on by an act that is only known by a relative few. Not better, not worse, different.

Rush has always been able to play large venues. Their first live album, that came out after their 4th studio effort (the legendary “2112”) was recorded in Massey Hall, which was probably the last time that they played a venue so small. This was the third time that I have seen Rush live, my first time being in 1997 on their “Test for Echo” tour, which I was lucky enough to end up in the front row (don’t ask me how that happened) and then I saw them last year on the “Snakes and Arrows” tour at the same venue, only in the very cheap seats, on the 4th of July. What better way to celebrate American Independence than with 3 Canadians? Those shows and this one had almost the exact same venue: a large, outdoor ampitheater with the partially covered, bowl shaped seating arrangement, pretty common. The view from the lawn seats at the Molson in Toronto is much better than the one I saw them at the first 2 times.

As usual with Geddy Lee and Co. there is no opening band. The show is nearly 3 hours of just Rush, which is enough to satisfy their rabid fans. This being a hometown show for them I was particularly excited about seeing them. It appeared that the band was having a good time too, as this was the most animated I’ve seen them. There usually isn’t too much in-between song banter, but there was a touch this time as Geddy gave us a taste of his “true Canadian accent” with the requisite “eh?” and “give’r” and what have you.

The set contained a pretty good retrospective of their entire career. From memory they played (though not in this order):

Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, The Trees, the first two parts of 2112, Digital Man, Beneath the Wheels (awesome!), Where’s my Thing?, The Larger Bowl, Armor and Sword, One Little Victory, Workin’ them Angels, Ghost of a Chance, Dreamline, Witch Hunt, Limelight (I do remember this was the opener), The Spirit of Radio, and a bunch of others.

I am familiar, musically, with all of their material, but the names of some of the newer songs I don’t know. I know that they played a lot more newer material, but they did make it a point to play the classics. My friend and I discussed after the show how Rush is in a unique position from other current rock bands. They have managed to be active for 30 years and still are able to go on tour and not be viewed as “dinosaurs” or a museum type act like so many other bands that started at the same time as them. Styx is currently, as far as I’m concerned, a joke and a retrospective tribute band of themselves, as is Journey, Boston, Yes, Jethro Tull and countless others.

Rush is an arena rock band. That is what they do. They have been able to do it without selling their souls, or being overly or stereotypically “commercial”. Instead of letting the term “commercial” define them they choose, so it seems, to define the term for themselves. Throughout all their albums their sounds has evolved, significantly. They started by sounding like a bar band, developed into a prog-art rock band with songs that took up entire sides of albums, then they began creating 5 minute rock tunes that were extremely memorable in their own style. In the 80’s they delved into icy waters by taking a turn towards the realms of adult contemporary music, but then ushered themselves into the 90’s by becoming heavier, and still keeping their edgy sound they left off with 15 years prior. Throughout all this their fans remained with them, and in concert all of these songs can be played back to back seamlessly. They have always been true to themselves and I believe that that is truly shown in their music. There is a reason why they are a long lasting act as well as a top-selling act.

Unfortunately cameras were not allowed in the venue and although I had mine with me I did not remove it from my pocket from fear of it being taken away by a security guard. The videos that I present below are from the July 4, 2007 concert from Darien Lake (near Buffalo) New York.

“What about the voice of Geddy Lee? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy…”

2008, albums, live, music, reviews

Sloan – Buffalo, New York June 21, 2008

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There is always plenty of free music in Buffalo during the summer. They have their famous “Thursday at the Square” concerts which are a hot spot from people from all over, not just Buffalo, to come downtown, get wasted out of their minds while enjoying some free music. There seems to be new festivals popping up all the time in Buffalo and the surrounding areas. Sure, it’s a great thing. I like being outside and I like music, especially if it is free.

The first time I saw Sloan was at one of these fests, so it only seemed fitting that I continue the tradition. This show was part of North Tonawanda’s (suburb of Buffalo) apparently annual Gateway Park Concert Series. Sloan always plays things like this here in Buffalo, which I think kind of cheapens them a little bit, but it certainly opens them up to more people than would come and see them at a club south of the 49th parallel. I just get really territorial about bands that I love, they have never played a bad show that I have seen (except for their Grey Cup pre-game show which was not so good, redeeming quality in that I met my girlfriend there. They got lucky that time). The show this time around Parallel Play album coverwas part of the beginning of their tour for their 9th studio release, “Parallel Play”.

The album is getting a good amount of reviews, and opinion on it is pretty polarized. I, personally, love the album and listen to it often, and that is all that matters to me. The show was interesting, to say the least. All of my complaints with it don’t have anything to do with Sloan, but rather the organizers of it. The website says that the show starts at 5:30 and there was no mention of an opening act. I figured that there would be one, which is no big deal. One opener and then Sloan takes the stage around maybe 7:30, or 8 pm at the latest. It’s a festival type thing and on a weekend and there were no other bands being promoted. It turned out that at 5:30 the first boring local band of 3 (THREE!) for the evening began. In between each of these bands was “giveaways” and stupid radio guy promotion type banter. Sloan did not take the stage until 9 pm, which meant that I had been standing outside waiting for 3 and a half hours before the band that I came to see even took the stage, at which point the skies began to look rather grey.

Sloan played a great set, going through material from the new album as well as tried and true material from their past albums. The show was solid, featuring songs by each of the members. The disappointing fact was that, after all the standing and waiting the weather began to turn not long after they took the stage, and sure enough, just past the halfway point in their set, the skies opened up and it started pouring. Bassist Chris Murphy informed us that they would be going on and everyone was pleased, though the rain proceeded to get worse and after a little over an hour they left the stage.

They returned briefly for a hurried 3 song encore and then the show was over. I can not complain about their performance, it seemed that they were all pretty “on” that night, and had a pretty good mix, which is unusual for outdoor shows. I always love seeing Sloan, and I enjoy their music a great deal, I will certainly go out of my way to see them again. I would much rather see them in Toronto anyway.

I did take quite a bit of video at the show, but I have been quite slow in getting them up to my youtube page. I will do a quick post when I finally do up them. For now, here is a picture of the crowd at the show, taken by touring keyboardist Gregory MacDonald.

The crowd at the Gateway Park show

2008, live, music, news

2008 JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition

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Buffalo, although one of the smaller big cities in the U.S. is still quite an important city for the arts. In the mid 1900’s it stood at the center of the New Music Scene and the University of Buffalo was an important training ground for cutting edge composers. This changed, for the worse, as the new millennium approached, but that doesn’t mean that great things aren’t happening there.

The director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, JoAnn Falletta, one of the leading conductors in the country and one of the only female conductors, not to mention the first, of a major American Orchestra, hosts an annual International Guitar Concerto Competition. Excitement in the area is high as the finals are set for tomorrow. Information can be found here.

This is an important event for guitarists that are just beginning their careers and I feel that Western New York is lucky to be host to a unique event such as this. If you are in the area I would suggest checking it out, or at the very least listening to the finals tomorrow on WNED, the Buffalo classical music station. You can also listen to the performances of all the semi-finalists here.

Better than Pitchfork.