At the recommendation of my dearest Luloo I’ve recently tuned into some non-heavy metal music... First off, The xx’s eponymous debut album (2009) that has apparently been received with universal critical acclaim. At first it didn’t blow my mind, but after repeat listening it grew and grew on me. Theirs is very nice, dreamy, alternative pop rock, with hints of new age electronica. Or, to state it differently, it reminds me of Radiohead, Björk, Keren Ann (especially her collaboration with Bang Gang’s Bardi Johannsson), some parts resemble The Cure (circa Seventeen Seconds), with a splash of Bat for Lashes or Feist. To these ears their song “Infinity” is a remake of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” (which you might know from David Lynch’s film Wild at Heart, or from that sexy black and white video in which Isaak is rolling on the beach with fashion top model Helena Christensen). I really had to warm up to this kind of music and, to be true, I have to be in the mood for it, which I’m not always, but it sure does pay off very well.
Next, Charlotte Gainsbourg’s collaboration with Beck, entitled IRM (MRI, of the brain scan, spelled backwards). The album similarly reminds me of Keren Ann plus a dash of The Velvet Underground with Nico, and some Portishead, maybe Radiohead, too... It’s sometimes electric, sometimes acoustic, soft, alternative pop rock. Unfortunately I can’t let go of the fact that Charlotte’s father Serge Gainsbourg is a legend in France, that she would most likely never have been able to release this album without her father’s legacy, because in all honesty, Charlotte cannot really sing ... she sighs and moans (much like her mother Jane Birkin), which is nice, too, but not extraordinarily skillful. After giving it some time to sink in, though, it sure grew on me, too. When I was moving these past few weeks, these albums became my soundtrack and gave me a sense of regained cheer and hope and optimism...
Another critics’ fave is the debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, by Bon Iver (“bon hiver” is French for “good winter”), practically the one-man band of Justin Vernon. This kind of acoustic alternative indie folk rock is definitely not your Music Cricket’s usual cup o’ tea... Yet, I was soon captivated by the tuneful tracks, with remarkable soundscapes in the background here and a beautiful trumpet line there, carefully arranged, especially considering that it was essentially self-produced and recorded in a Wisconsin cabin. There are silent moments where you can practically hear the cracks of the woodwork. “Lump Sum” could almost have been by Radiohead. After making the concerted effort of listen to this music, I was pleasantly rewarded. After just a few days I started humming random bits of melody from “re: Stacks,” “Wolves,” “For Emma” and “Skinny Love.” I can imagine that listening to a song like “Wolves” on a good stereo (to which I don’t have access right now) would be an amazingly powerful, wistfully emotional experience. Thanks Luloo, my love!
[This is a slightly edited version of the original post; BvO - 5/26/10]
Next, Charlotte Gainsbourg’s collaboration with Beck, entitled IRM (MRI, of the brain scan, spelled backwards). The album similarly reminds me of Keren Ann plus a dash of The Velvet Underground with Nico, and some Portishead, maybe Radiohead, too... It’s sometimes electric, sometimes acoustic, soft, alternative pop rock. Unfortunately I can’t let go of the fact that Charlotte’s father Serge Gainsbourg is a legend in France, that she would most likely never have been able to release this album without her father’s legacy, because in all honesty, Charlotte cannot really sing ... she sighs and moans (much like her mother Jane Birkin), which is nice, too, but not extraordinarily skillful. After giving it some time to sink in, though, it sure grew on me, too. When I was moving these past few weeks, these albums became my soundtrack and gave me a sense of regained cheer and hope and optimism...Another critics’ fave is the debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, by Bon Iver (“bon hiver” is French for “good winter”), practically the one-man band of Justin Vernon. This kind of acoustic alternative indie folk rock is definitely not your Music Cricket’s usual cup o’ tea... Yet, I was soon captivated by the tuneful tracks, with remarkable soundscapes in the background here and a beautiful trumpet line there, carefully arranged, especially considering that it was essentially self-produced and recorded in a Wisconsin cabin. There are silent moments where you can practically hear the cracks of the woodwork. “Lump Sum” could almost have been by Radiohead. After making the concerted effort of listen to this music, I was pleasantly rewarded. After just a few days I started humming random bits of melody from “re: Stacks,” “Wolves,” “For Emma” and “Skinny Love.” I can imagine that listening to a song like “Wolves” on a good stereo (to which I don’t have access right now) would be an amazingly powerful, wistfully emotional experience. Thanks Luloo, my love![This is a slightly edited version of the original post; BvO - 5/26/10]
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