From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V5 #408 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Monday, December 13 1999 Volume 05 : Number 408 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Map Music Show (fwd) [Damon des Jumeaux ] friday, not thursday! [Damon des Jumeaux ] Kym Brown has good news! [John Drummond ] kris delmhorst [meredith ] Re: Map Music Show (fwd) [Neile Graham ] Re: Map Music Show (fwd) ["Neil K. Guy" ] 1999: The Year In Review [meredith ] INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille [meredith ] 1999 [joann.whetsell@oberlin.edu (JoAnn Whetsell)] Re: INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille [FAMarcus@aol.com] Re: INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille [meredith Subject: Map Music Show (fwd) hi! i'm not sure if neile has already posted this (i've been pretty behind on ecto lately.. *again* :P ) so, if so, sorry for the duplication... unfortunately i won't be able to make it myself... hopefully someone else in the area can make it and report! :) btw, i have some new live kym brown recordings which will hopefully be available sometime soon, from her show at the starfish room this thursday. i really have run out of hard drive space, though, so i need to go pick up a new drive first... i'm also hoping i can somehow filter out the snippets of laur and myself shouting instructions at each other... ;) - -damon Damon Harper des Jumeaux _/\_ "The opposite of war isn't damon@jumeaux.bc.ca __\ /__ peace... it's creation!" Les Jums: jumeaux@jumeaux.bc.ca \ / http://www.jumeaux.bc.ca/damon/ |/||\| - Mark, from Rent - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 10:05:40 -0800 From: Robert Shea To: Damon des Jumeaux Subject: Map Music Show Hi Damon, can you post something about our commodore show to the ectophiles list? Both acts have amazing female vocalists, Cooldown with Miss Benny and now Pilgrims of The Mind who is working with Victoria Jazz singer Sara Marreiros, they're rehearsing new material for the show this week (see other email). Thanks and hope to see you there! Robert ++++++ Map Music, Special Blend (Planet Aaj 96.1FM) and Bliss present An Evening of Live Electroniculture COOLDOWN featuring MISS BENNY ³...a sensuous mix of funk, hip hop and lounge-flavoured rhythms with deftly crafted beats and stunning vocals...² and PILGRIMS OF THE MIND ³...deliciously eclectic, soulful and sexy, Stéphane¹s live sets are irresistibly groovy and infectuous... ² with deejays: Luke McKeehan (Nordic Trax, Sonar) Leanne (girlonwax.com, Nordic Trax) Otaku Visuals by Urban Thursday, December 16, 1999 at the new COMMODORE BALLROOM 868 Granville Street Vancouver Doors at 9PM Tickets $10 in advance plus s/c (more at the door) at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 604-280-4444 or on the web at http://www.ticketmaster.ca Also at The Colony (662-7982) 953 Nicola, West End and Bassix (689-7734) 217 W. Hastings, Vancouver email for more info: info@mapmusic.com visit our website at http://www.mapmusic.com for all the goodies Tune into Special Blend with Tosca Rulli Wednesdays at midnite on Planet Aaj Radio 96.1FM (cable 89.3) for the Indiemix Spotlight: Dec01 - Pilgrims Of The Mind Guest Mix Dec08 - Miss Benny from Cooldown spotlight Listen on the web at http://www.planetaaj.com Visit Bliss - http://www.blissforwomen.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 11:36:52 -0800 (PST) From: Damon des Jumeaux Subject: friday, not thursday! just a minor correction to my last post... kym's concert was this past friday, not thursday. my first strata council meeting was on thursday, but that's hardly the same thing. :P - -damon Damon Harper des Jumeaux _/\_ "God goes up the chimney, like damon@jumeaux.bc.ca __\ /__ childhood Santa Claus..." Les Jums: jumeaux@jumeaux.bc.ca \ / http://www.jumeaux.bc.ca/damon/ |/||\| - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 14:25:26 -0800 (PST) From: John Drummond Subject: Kym Brown has good news! > just a minor correction to my last post... kym's > concert was this past friday, not thursday. ...and she thought it went really well, here's some news from her: "[W]e delivered a killer show!!! i felt the most relaxed and empowered ever! It was super fun and the crowd loved us!! Also, some industry folk were there who are now interested in helping out ,so that's a bonus!!! Did I mention that the New Music West Festival (Vancouver's festival like SXSW or CMJ) is using me as their poster girl?! that means that all ads all literature all program guides will bear my name and photo. Pretty good promo huh! I'm pleased about it! the best part about it is that they found my photo on an internet magazine and contacted me about it, now that's cool!" Aww! Our little girl's growing up! *weep/smile* I'm so damn thrilled that Kym is starting to get some real attention. That's BRILLIANT! *grin* John ===== "However, for all you S&M fans out there, fill your jodhpurs with whatever tickles your fancy, xoxo." - - Kym Brown __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one place. Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 17:23:24 -0500 From: meredith Subject: kris delmhorst Hi! Last night Kris Delmhorst played at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport. It was a benefit show for WPKN, and it was a lot of fun. I got to work the merchandise table and sold a *lot* of CDs for her. Opening was a local group called The Grapes Of Vaudevillian Fantasy, which aside from winning an award in my mind for having a really cool band name, was a fun opener. I'd never have imagined an entire band (drums, keys, guitar, bass, singer) could fit on the tiny stage, but there they were. They're a jazz/blues/swing outfit with a bit of rockabilly mixed in. The guitarist, who also sang on a few songs not only looked just like Ringo Starr but sounded like him too. Fortunately, the main vocalist was much better. She could've used a bit of a stronger voice, but for the most part she was able to deftly handle the material (especially on their rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'"), and on occasion she sounded a lot like Jewel. Kris Delmhorst was just as sweet, engaging, and wonderful as the last time I saw her earlier in the year. She played most of the songs off her album _Appetite_, as well as a great cover of Gillian Welch's "Tear My Still House Down" and a few really good new songs. She's one of the dime-a-dozen Boston singer/songwriters, but there's just something about her that sets her apart from the teeming throng, that I can't quite put my finger on. Her lyrics aren't knock-you-down amazing, but they are a step above some of the pedestrian verses a lot of people are writing nowadays. Her voice isn't the best in the world, but it's perfectly listenable and does the job (she sounds a lot like Dar Williams, in fact). She's also not the world's greatest guitar player, but then again I've seen *lots* of folkies who could take lessons from her. I think it's just the factor of her personality. She's completely comfortable on stage, telling funny stories about the songs with a certain self-deprecating edge, and immediately bringing the audience onto her side. She got a great response from the crowd, and as I said she sold a lot of CDs (including 10 to just one guy!). I had the opportunity to chat with her a bit afterwards too, and she's a genuinely nice person to boot. I'm sure she'll be back at the Cafe again soon. That's the last thing on my musical calendar until New Year's Eve ... amazing. +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 14:33:10 -0800 From: Neile Graham Subject: Re: Map Music Show (fwd) Hi, all-- I did mention it, but but what I didn't mention is that if there is a Vancouver ectophile who would like to review this show for the Ectophiles' Guide we can get you a pass. Anyone interested? - --Neile At 11:34 AM -0800 12/12/99, Damon des Jumeaux wrote: >hi! i'm not sure if neile has already posted this (i've been pretty >behind on ecto lately.. *again* :P ) so, if so, sorry for the >duplication... > >unfortunately i won't be able to make it myself... hopefully someone else >in the area can make it and report! :) > >btw, i have some new live kym brown recordings which will hopefully be >available sometime soon, from her show at the starfish room this thursday. >i really have run out of hard drive space, though, so i need to go pick up >a new drive first... i'm also hoping i can somehow filter out the >snippets of laur and myself shouting instructions at each other... ;) > >-damon > >Damon Harper des Jumeaux _/\_ "The opposite of war isn't >damon@jumeaux.bc.ca __\ /__ peace... it's creation!" >Les Jums: jumeaux@jumeaux.bc.ca \ / >http://www.jumeaux.bc.ca/damon/ |/||\| - Mark, from Rent > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 10:05:40 -0800 >From: Robert Shea >To: Damon des Jumeaux >Subject: Map Music Show > >Hi Damon, can you post something about our commodore show to the ectophiles >list? Both acts have amazing female vocalists, Cooldown with Miss Benny and >now Pilgrims of The Mind who is working with Victoria Jazz singer Sara >Marreiros, they're rehearsing new material for the show this week (see other >email). > >Thanks and hope to see you there! > >Robert >++++++ > > >Map Music, Special Blend (Planet Aaj 96.1FM) >and Bliss > >present > >An Evening of Live Electroniculture > >COOLDOWN featuring MISS BENNY >„...a sensuous mix of funk, hip hop and lounge-flavoured >rhythms with deftly crafted beats and stunning vocals...¾ > >and > >PILGRIMS OF THE MIND >„...deliciously eclectic, soulful and sexy, StÈphane¼s live >sets are irresistibly groovy and infectuous... ¾ > >with deejays: >Luke McKeehan (Nordic Trax, Sonar) >Leanne (girlonwax.com, Nordic Trax) >Otaku > >Visuals by Urban > >Thursday, December 16, 1999 > >at the new >COMMODORE BALLROOM >868 Granville Street >Vancouver > >Doors at 9PM > >Tickets $10 in advance plus s/c (more at the door) >at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 604-280-4444 or >on the web at http://www.ticketmaster.ca >Also at The Colony (662-7982) 953 Nicola, West End >and Bassix (689-7734) 217 W. Hastings, Vancouver > >email for more info: info@mapmusic.com >visit our website at http://www.mapmusic.com for all the goodies > >Tune into Special Blend with Tosca Rulli Wednesdays at midnite on Planet Aaj >Radio 96.1FM (cable 89.3) for the Indiemix Spotlight: >Dec01 - Pilgrims Of The Mind Guest Mix >Dec08 - Miss Benny from Cooldown spotlight >Listen on the web at http://www.planetaaj.com > >Visit Bliss - http://www.blissforwomen.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Neile Graham ...... http://www.sff.net/people/neile ....... neile@sff.net Les Semaines: A Weekly Journal . http://www.sff.net/people/neile/semaines The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music ....... http://www.smoe.org/ectoguide ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 15:05:40 -0800 From: "Neil K. Guy" Subject: Re: Map Music Show (fwd) At 2:33 PM -0800 12/12/99, Neile Graham wrote: > I did mention it, but but what I didn't mention is that if there is a > Vancouver ectophile who would like to review this show for the Ectophiles' > Guide we can get you a pass. I'll probably be going either way. Leanne's going to be spinning, and she's groovy. :) - Neil K. - -- t e l a computer consulting + design * Vancouver, BC, Canada phone: (604) 254-0520 * email: tela@tela.bc.ca web: http://www.tela.bc.ca/tela/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 19:23:34 -0500 From: meredith Subject: 1999: The Year In Review Hi! Okay, I guess it's time to do this thing. Even if I do pick something up between now and the end of the month/year/century/millennium I won't have time to properly absorb it anyway, so here we go! THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1999 1.) Emily Bezar, _Four Walls Bending_ Yes, you're reading that right -- in a year when Veda Hille put a new album out, this is still #1 on my list. It's utterly addictive and wonderful. I know the comparisons are endless, but they are certainly apt: this is the album Kate Bush should've put out five years ago. Emily's voice soars and swoops over music that is as much prog as jazz and lush-ecto-ness, and the songs stick in my head for hours (especially the standout track, "Lead"). This one is going to be living in my car for a long time to come. 2.) Veda Hille, _You Do Not Live In This World Alone_ But of course Veda's not going to be too far down on the list. :) I still have problems with the electronics over and underneath the entire album: while Glenn MacDonald's review helped me realize why it's there, that still doesn't mean I like the fact that it is there. But still, this is a great set of songs. Veda has become an adapative songwriter of the highest caliber: the storytelling in "3x Thin" and the setting-to-music of the pulp fiction in "Killzone!" are on a level with anything Kate Bush has ever done (there's that name again :). Bleeps and bloops aside, I love this album, and I know it's going to have staying power. 3.) Tori Amos, _To Venus And Back_ Yeah yeah, we all would've preferred a double live album so we could finally have legal recordings of the live versions of "Mohammed My Friend" and "Father Lucifer" and "Honey" etc. But the one live disc we did get is a great collection, with some pleasant surprises ("Girl"?! "Space Dog"?!?). And, perhaps the biggest surprise of all, the disc of new material is even better than _From The Choirgirl Hotel_. With the exception of "1000 Oceans", which is mercifully the final track (what was she THINKING?!?), there is nary a weak song on the disc. It's great driving music, and it's been living in my car since we got it, which is always a good sign. 4.) Garmarna, _Vengeance_ I was completely addicted to this album for the entire summer. Even though I haven't listened to it in several weeks (way too much other stuff to concentrate on!), I still recognize it as one of the best things I heard all year. The modern marriage of Swedish folk tunes and electronica here is perfect. The sonic textures aptly evoke the frozen land of the songs' origin, and the vocals are hauntingly beautiful. Excellent stuff. 5.) Ani DiFranco, _To The Teeth_ Ani's back!!! This is, to be brief, the best thing she has released since _Not A Pretty Girl_. Now I understand what she was trying to get at in _Little Plastic Castle_ and _Up^6_: here, finally, the folk-jazz-groove elements she's been messing with lately all come together and make sense. There are even two old-time Ani rant songs: "To The Teeth" is a bit too heavy-handed in its completely unsubtle rhetoric, but "Hello Birmingham" is one of the most affecting songs she's ever done, and it slays me every time I hear it. I love the way most of the tracks flow into one another, helping the listener glide along the journey with her. The experiments here, up to and including the wonderful "Freakshow" don't fall on their face, though since I've never been a rap fan Maceo Parker's little bit grew old after the second listen. Still, this is a disc that makes me feel good every time I listen to it. Ani hasn't been able to do that to me in way too long. 6.) Kym Brown, _Pygmalion_ Every year, ecto can be counted on to give me at least one great discovery: this year, Kym was it. This disc has been a constant presence in my car CD wallet since I picked it up in Vancouver. Her lyrics are weird and (mostly) wonderful, and her voice is a great complement to her electronica music. She needs to be much better known than she is - hopefully 2000 will be her year! 7.) Fiona Apple, _When The Pawn..._ I was really surprised by how much I liked this one. Amazingly enough, the single ("Fast As You Can") is actually the best song on the album: I absolutely adore it. The entire disc is strong: Jon Brion's production adds a lot of Aimee Mann touches that fit the music well. Much better than _Tidal_. 8.) Kristen Hersh, _Sky Motel_ It's not Throwing Muses, but it sure as heck sounds like it. :) Either way, I'm happy to listen. Kristen isn't quite on the same planet as the rest of us, and this is a fun glimpse into her weird and wacky world. 9.) Beth Orton, _Central Reservation_ I almost forgot about this one since it came out early in the year - but it certainly deserves its spot on the list. I found myself motivated to listen to this a lot more than her debut. "Stolen Car" alone is enough to put it on the list - what an incredible song that is. 10.) Kristeen Young, _Enemy_ Even though I don't listen to this much (unless I'm driving home from somewhere late at night and need to be kept awake :), I do recognize it as a really good effort. Kristeen's music can sound same-y after a while, but I don't care -- I love that piano-banging screeching stuff. :) Seeing her perform live has given me more of an appreciation for her recorded material, too. She is just as over-the-top as you would expect from her songs, and she totally cracks me up. Long may she wave! Honorable Mentions: Sarah Slean, _Blue Parade_ If the song selection were a bit stronger (i.e. if there weren't so many slow ballads that sound exactly alike all strung together), this would have been in the top three. Still, though, it's got some great songs on it ("High", "Habit", "Playing Cards With Judas", "Twin Moon"), and Sarah's voice is stunningly beautiful. Jane Siberry, _New York Trilogy_ I haven't had a chance to listen to this a lot, but _Lips_ has been on rotation in the car a lot lately, and I've been familiar with _Child_ since it came out the first time. These were three amazing shows, and I'm happy to finally have a record of all of them on CD. Lamb, _Fear Of Fours_ Seeing Lamb live in Boston really gave me an increased appreciation for this album. It's not something I think to put into the player, though. It's missing that certain something that demands attention. Still, when I do hear it I love it. Songs of the Year (i.e. the songs that refuse to be listened to any less than 3 times in succession): 1.) Garmarna, "Vulture" 2.) Emily Bezar, "Lead" 3.) Veda Hille, "Killzone!" 4.) Beth Orton, "Stolen Car" 5.) Fiona Apple, "Fast As You Can" Disappointment of the Year: Paula Cole, _Amen_ I've listened to this exactly once, and haven't cared for a repeat performance. Best Live Performance of the Year: This one was tough. If I'd been able to pay attention to ectofest maybe that would qualify, but that whole day was a blur so I have no idea. :) Veda Hille and her Skilled and Devoted Band at the Starfish Room, Vancouver, BC, 9/11/99 I flew to Vancouver just to see this show, the CD release party for _You Do Not Live In This World Alone_, and it was definitely worth the trip. The band was tight, the music great, and it was incredible to see Veda in front of her hometown crowd. Thanks, woj. :) Runner-up: Susan Werner at the Bull Run Tavern, Shirley, MA 8/13/99 Susan was *on*, even more than usual, and she gave us two sets of great music and abject hilarity. I was in heaven. Musical Discovery Of The Year: Kym Brown (see above) Believe it or not, there isn't a winner for Musical Aberration this year! That's not bad at all. :) I suppose I could hand out a token award to Britney Spears or something... Coolest Thing That Happened To Me This Year: Getting back in touch with one of my best friends from high school, who had completely dropped off the planet for more than 8 years. I'd given up on ever hearing from her again, and suddenly last January an e-mail from her appeared in my in-box. I stayed with her both times I was in Vancouver this year, and I even brought her to Veda's show and she liked it a lot. I'm still getting over the whole thing - it makes me so happy to know I found her again! No ectofest or live music experience could possibly beat that. :) I'm not even going to consider trying to come up with a "best of the decade" list. Uh-uh, no way. Nope. Never. +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 19:25:32 -0500 From: meredith Subject: INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille Hi! Here are the instructions for joining tomorrow's chat with Veda Hille. Remember, it's at 4 pm Pacific (Vancouver) time, 7 pm Eastern. (It's really not as complicated as it looks. :} - -- Go to Yahoo! chat, at . - -- If you don't already have one, create a Yahoo! chat name. (The one I created for the last chat we did a year and a half ago still works, and amazingly enough I managed to remember my password ... so if you were with us last time and haven't been back since, try the ID you used then. If you don't remember your ID, look at the transcript of that chat at .) - -- Once you've created your name, you will find yourself on the main Chat page. Click on the "Start Chatting" button. - -- This will launch the Chat applet and dump you into a huge generic room. Once it's done loading, in a box on the bottom left of the screen you will see a number of options. Click on "Who's Chatting". - -- When the little dialog box opens up, click on "M". That will give you a list of everyone online whose chat names begin with "M". - -- Enter "meth" in the Search box and click "Search". - -- That will bring you to a short list of chat names beginning with the letters "meth". You should then see my chat name: meth1120. Click on the "GOTO" link next to my name. - -- This will automagically bring you to the private Trajectory room I'll have set up just for the occasion! I'll try to be online and in the room by 3:45/6:45 at the latest. If you have any trouble finding me or getting set up, e-mail me at meth@smoe.org and I'll help you along. Hope to see lots of you there! +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 20:02:46 -0500 (EST) From: joann.whetsell@oberlin.edu (JoAnn Whetsell) Subject: 1999 Just wanted to let you all know that I kept my word and have kept everyone's top 10 lists. Just added Meredith's to the bunch. Also, I think the coolest thing that has happened to me this year was definitely the discovery of ecto. You guys rock my world. The coolest/best/most surprising/scariest thing yet to happen to me this year is graduating from college (and boy, am I counting down the days! Um, I think, SHIT! SEVEN!!!!) JoAnn np: Veda Hille _Path of a Body_ ps: I took a nap this afternoon and dreamed that I was listening to NPR and they were playing the Nields singing "The Water Is Wide" and someone turned off the radio, and I yelled "hey, I was listening to that" but I couldn't find the station again when I went over to the radio. Strange. ************* When you find a bend in the road, go straight When the sign points 'one way', deviate On the path to salvation The world is your creation Saying 'Yes' to you, saying 'Yes' to me -Vanessa Daou "Deviate" *********************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 21:46:45 EST From: FAMarcus@aol.com Subject: Re: INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille In a message dated 12/12/99 7:32:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, meth@smoe.org writes: << Here are the instructions for joining tomorrow's chat with Veda Hille. >> i finally broke down and picked up the cd spine. ive listened to it at least 10 times and i am going to put it back on next week. as a whole its not working for me as i thought it might given the attention on ecto. my question is am i trying the wrong cd? i'd rather not criticize her until i know if there is something better i should be listening to. can someone help? fred ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 21:59:33 -0500 From: meredith Subject: Re: INSTRUCTIONS for Monday's chat with Veda Hille Hi! fred inquired: >i finally broke down and picked up the cd spine. ive listened to it at least >10 times and i am going to put it back on next week. as a whole its not >working for me as i thought it might given the attention on ecto. my >question is am i trying the wrong cd? i'd rather not criticize her until i >know if there is something better i should be listening to. can someone >help? You might want to try _Path Of A Body_. It's quite different from the rest of her work - it's a bit more accessible. It took _Spine_ a really long time to click with me, too. Suddenly one night I was listening to it and everything fell into place and it all made sense (what was that recent mini-thread here about "getting it"?). I'm not saying that will happen with you too, but of all Veda's albums _Spine_ is the one I find myself listening to the least. There are sound samples of all of Veda's albums on her web site, at . You might want to check them out and see if any of the other CDs appeal to you more. Or it could just be that Veda's not for you. That's perfectly understandable, and I might be persuaded not to view it as a character flaw. > > fred > +==========================================================================+ | Meredith Tarr meth@smoe.org | | New Haven, CT USA http://www.smoe.org/~meth | +==========================================================================+ | "things are more beautiful when they're obscure" -- veda hille | | *** TRAJECTORY, the Veda Hille mailing list: *** | | *** http://www.smoe.org/meth/trajectory.html *** | +==========================================================================+ ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V5 #408 **************************