U2 & Negativland

Last night I saw U2 playing for Obama. Next to me on the couch was a friend who is a big fan. For me U2 was also pretty important when I was a teenager. My first 12" was "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Although I have always been slightly irritated by Bono's Jesus wannabee behavior their music did mean a lot to me, especially the Joshua Tree album. Recently someone was telling me how U2 is now supporting arts in Ireland. There is also a darker side to U2 when it comes to art (this is old news, but hey, this is a blog, not the New York Times). Island Records tried to sue the hell out of Negativeland when they made their U2 track. Here is one of the Negativeland members with their story:

http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LB/0511/Negativland_5.mp3


It should be said mabey to be fair that it was Island and not U2 itself who did the sueing, but hey, they could have stopped it if they really wanted to. Negativeland are now my heroes, not Bono and his mates.

RIP: a remix manifesto

"RIP: a remix manifesto" is a very interesting film from Brett Gaylor, hope I can see it soon:

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=9oar9glUCL0

It is a documentary about Girl Talk, a "Mash up" artist (not a DJ) and about the changing copyright situation. The film itself is mash up; made out of contributions of many different people. Mash up, remix, sample, cut, copy and paste: its all fair game as far as I am concerned. Creativity cannot be limited by the ridiculous pressures, regulations and lobby's from the music industry mafia, who is not interested in music, art or beauty but in only in money. There was no problem when everyone had to buy their LP collection again on CD...the music industry should adapt or die.

New Year wishes

Following up on Jim's theme of last years disappointments here is something else: my wishlist for 2009, what bands / artists would I like to see releasing a brilliant album:

- Battles; one of my favs at the moment
http://www.myspace.com/battlestheband

- Panda Bear, crazy frontman of schizo band animal collective
http://www.myspace.com/rippityrippity

- D'Angelo; I guess that will never happen..if only, my favorite R&B artist

- Dr Who Dat - Since I got the album Beat Journey from my sister I was hooked, very creative instrumental hiphop

http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?a=11296



- Portishead; because I was digging their last album

Best concert of 2008: Sigur Ros, Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam, November 17 2008

You let me down, baby!

The great Chicago (WBEZ) radio program Sound Opinions has an annual Thanksgiving "Turkey Shoot" show- i.e. bands and albums that have dispaointed them in the past year:

http://www.soundopinions.org/shownotes/2008/112808/shownotes.html

Loving lists as I do, I though this would be a great idea for us to list our biggest recent dissapointments. Here are mine, looking forward to seeing yours:

1. Skeletal Lamping - Of Montreal. Of Montreal is one of the band's I've been the most excited about in a while. Fun, talent, wit, brilliant song-writing and extreme silliness. However, being too clever for their own good has always been a potential flaw with this band - and in this case it proves fatal. Too much of evrything - tempo changes, interludes, effects, nerd-sex one liners, geek pimpin' - all stuff that they've used brilliantly in the past, but here it distracts from the actual music. It's still all about the songs - remember? I had thought this bad got that.

2. Stay Positive - The Hold Steady. I really don't have anything bad to say about this album. they're still a great band and this is a fair album. I guess it's just a huge dissapointment to me compared to Boys and Girls of America. This album is fine - it just lacks majic. I just can't get into it.

3. Evolver - John Legend. Just when you though John legend was going to be the messiah to lead R&B back to the promised land of creativity, talent and soul, he goes to sleep. This album is booooooooooring and over-produced. 

4. Chinese Democracy - Guns N’ Roses. Not that I expected it to be good, but I thought just maybe... ah, no! Street of Dreams may be the worse rock song ever. 

Best of '08: My faves

My three favorite albums of the year:

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes 
At Mount Zoomer - Wolf Parade

Dig lazarus, Dig - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

My other faves in no particular order:

Jim - Jamie Lidell
The Stand Ins - Okkervil River
Carried to Dust - Calexico (I think they are trying to take the title of best active band away from Wilco)

Oracular Spectacular - MGMT 
Third - Portishead
Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power
Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
Erykah Badu - Amerykah, Part 1

Bake Sale - Cool Kids

Modern Guilt - Beck

Real Animal - Alejandro Escovedo

Earth To The Dandy Warhols - The Dandy Warhols

The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today- David Byrne & Brian Eno

Chemical Chords - Stereolab

Dear Science - TV on the Radio

Everywhere at Once - Lyrics Born

Real Emotional Trash - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Consolers Of the Lonely - The Raconteurs

Honorable mentions: I guess I'll call R.E.M.'s Accelerate an honorable mention. I really enjoyed it - and I'm so glad they're back to making rock and roll music after years of boring mush - but it didn't stay with me long. Despite some of the most ridulous lyrics I've heard since re-reading my high school love letters, I liked Flock by Bell X1. The Way I See It by Rapheal Saadiq and Santogold's self titled albums were really nice. She & Him Volume One had disaster written all over it - but it wasn't. In fact, it's a great album. Priscilla Ahn's A Good Day was a good, simple and sweet debut.