From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V4 #311 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Wednesday, September 9 1998 Volume 04 : Number 311 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter [Old Spice ] Re: the henrys [Old Spice ] Cowboy Junkies NYC ticket for sale/Middlescence [Rachel Kramer Bussel ] Re: Hi, I'm New! [Old Spice ] Ashley Maher gigs in LA! ["Anthony Kosky" ] a different view on Happy ["J." Wermont ] Re: Tower record signing???? [Mark Lowry ] this week's new releases [meredith ] Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter [pauly on the shore ] Re: a different view on Happy [meredith ] Re: a different view on Happy ["Robert Lovejoy" ] kat devlin sings the songs of kate bush [meredith ] Re: a different view on Happy ["Jeffrey C. Burka" ] Re: a different view on Happy [Steve VanDevender ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 08:29:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Old Spice Subject: Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter Thanks, Riphug, for passing this along, but I have a feeling it was unnecessary. I have been personally, all unbeknownstlike, subscribed to this Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter, despite my attempts to be removed. I suspect my desire to be so subscribed was erroneously inferred from my presence on Ecto. If this is indeed the case, then I imagine we _all_ received the original of this post. Or have I conclusion-jumped again? Anyone? - --charley _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 08:48:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Old Spice Subject: Re: the henrys - ---queen of carrot flowers wrote: > > I was way ecstatic when woj's post about M2OH playing with the Henrys came > through my inbox (which, given his usual round of annoyed posts on > precious-things, is no mean feat). Of course, though, this show has to > take place on the same night as the Bob Mould show at IRving Plaza that I > have tickets to. Grrrr. I love Bob Mould, and I would pay a lot to see him live again. But I urge you, Chelsea, to give the tickets away and make the M2OH appearance the focal point of your immediate future. I could not possibly urge you too strongly not to miss this chance for this rare sighting. I could set aside a week to write this, enlisting every possible lexicographical resource, entirely exhausting the language’s stores of superlatives and absolutes, and it would be as free of hyperbole as a description of the universe’s breadth or of love’s depth. For anyone who has the means and geographical fortune to get to this show to be anywhere else that night would quite simply be wrong; a mistake that would, if there is any justice in this world, hound you to your grave and haunt you beyond. Tell her I said hi. - --charley (Actually, if anyone who is planning to go would be so kind as to slip her a message for me--her phone number has changed since I last talked to her--I’d be eternally grateful.) _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 12:21:50 -0400 (EDT) From: Rachel Kramer Bussel Subject: Cowboy Junkies NYC ticket for sale/Middlescence I have one extra ticket (possibly two but then I couldn't go!) to sell for the Cowboy Junkies show in NYC at the Beacon Theater on Friday, Sept. 18. It's $40 so if you're interested please email me at rkb200@is5.nyu.edu Magnet Magazine has an ad for a new Amy Rigby album called Middlescence and it's out on Koch records (www.kochint.com) and it says Middlescence (n.): Time of life between arrested development and hard-won maturity. Has anyone heard this or know when it's released? I guess I could go to that website but I'm feeling lazy. I'd heard rumors of a new album but nothing definite. Well, that's good news...I think she's playing the Bottom Line soon too. :) Rachel rkb200@is5.nyu.edu "you only live a day but it's brilliant anyway" -- elliott smith - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- my Mary Lou Lord page is at http://pages.nyu.edu/~rkb200/ To join the Mary Lou Lord mailing list, email Majordomo@smoe.org with ONLY "subscribe jinglejangle" OR "subscribe jinglejangle-digest" in the BODY. For info on my zine I'M NOT WAITING go to http://pages.nyu.edu/~rkb200/zine.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 11:58:00 -0400 (EDT) From: "jeffrey c. burka" Subject: Re: Cowboy Junkies NYC ticket for sale/Middlescence On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Rachel Kramer Bussel wrote: > I have one extra ticket (possibly two but then I couldn't go!) to sell for > the Cowboy Junkies show in NYC at the Beacon Theater on Friday, Sept. 18. > It's $40 so if you're interested please email me at rkb200@is5.nyu.edu I hate to ask a stupid question, and I have *nothing* against the Cowboy Junkies, but when the hell did non-festival concerts start costing $40?! Even in NYC, that seems outrageous. Am I missing something? jeff ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 13:42:24 EDT From: Riphug@aol.com Subject: Re: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter In a message dated 9/8/98 11:33:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time, lissener@yahoo.com writes: << I have been personally, all unbeknownstlike, subscribed to this Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter, despite my attempts to be removed. I suspect my desire to be so subscribed was erroneously inferred from my presence on Ecto. If this is indeed the case, then I imagine we _all_ received the original of this post. >> Yeah, I kind of wondered about that and hesitated....but decided to go ahead and forward it just this once. Sorry about that. Jill :D ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 14:56:39 -0400 (EDT) From: Rachel Kramer Bussel Subject: Re: Cowboy Junkies NYC ticket for sale/Middlescence On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, jeffrey c. burka wrote: > I hate to ask a stupid question, and I have *nothing* against the Cowboy > Junkies, but when the hell did non-festival concerts start costing $40?! > Even in NYC, that seems outrageous. It IS outrageous, especially for that venue, and that's why I'm trying to unload the tickets. At this point I'm not sure I even want to go myself but anyway I need to sell this extra ticket. Over the Rhine is opening if that tempts anyone...also there were some Ticketmaster fees but still the main price of the ticket was around $33 or something like that so with all the fees it was $85 for 2 tickets. Insane, I agree, but it's not every day I get to hear Margo's lovely voice... :) Rachel ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 15:48:21 -0500 From: Eponine Subject: Hi, I'm New! Hi All, I'm new to this mailing list. Anyway I see Happy has a lot of releases. I've ordered the new one, 'Many Worlds Are Born Tonight' and 'The Keep', which I understand is a compilation, but I haven't received them yet, and I don't know which other ones to get. So I ask you, her most devoted fans: which is/are her best? Naturally, I expect there to be disagreement - in fact, I am hoping for it, all the better to get some diversity of opinions and a better grasp of Happy's music. Thanx in advance for any feedback. Regards, Eponine ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 14:35:12 -0700 (PDT) From: Old Spice Subject: Re: Hi, I'm New! - ---Eponine wrote: > > Hi All, > > I'm new to this mailing list. Welcome. The more the merrier. I think it's your turn to buy pizza. We all like anchovies and pineapple. > Anyway I see Happy has a lot of releases. > > I've ordered the new one, 'Many Worlds Are Born Tonight' and 'The Keep', > which I understand is a compilation, but I haven't received them yet, > and I don't know which other ones to get. > > So I ask you, her most devoted fans: which is/are her best? It's almost easier to answer that question when it's asked by someone who hasn't ordered _any_ yet. The two you've ordered are actually a good start, if a challenging one: they're really at opposite ends of Happy's stylistic spectrum, in my opinion. So my own _personal_ answer on what to buy next would really depend on which one of those two you like more. > Naturally, I expect there to be disagreement - in fact, I am hoping for > it, all the better to get some diversity of opinions and a better grasp > of Happy's music. Nope, we never disagree. It's almost spooky. We all feel exactly the same about everything. After all, how likely is it to find 190-something people who all love anchovy and pineapple pizza? (Though some of us prefer a grid cut to a radial.) > > Thanx in advance for any feedback. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! You're welcome. > > Regards, > > Eponine - --Charley _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 16:02:14 -0700 From: "Anthony Kosky" Subject: Ashley Maher gigs in LA! Ashley Maher is performing to gigs in the Los Angeles area in the near future. The first is on Sat 12th Sept (i.e. this Saturday) at Borders Books in West Hollywood at 8pm. The second is on 1st October at Luna Park, also in West Hollywood (I don't know the time yet). For those who haven't heard her music before, Ashley is a singer/songerwriter who's music seemlessly blends African, Latin, jazz and folk influences with beautiful vocal arrangements and thoughtful lyrics. These shows are a must-see for anyone in the area or who can possible get to them. The details for the two concerts that I have so far are: 12th Sept., 8pm Borders Books, 330 La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048. 1st Oct. Luna Park, 665 North Robertson Blvd. West Hollywood, CA. I'll confirm the details as soon as I can. More information about Ashley, included real-audio samples from her current album, can be found at http://www.rahul.net/hrmusic/ashley/ashley.html - -Anthony ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 16:31:42 -0700 (PDT) From: "J." Wermont Subject: a different view on Happy Charley wrote: > Nope, we never disagree. It's almost spooky. We all feel exactly the > same about everything. After all, how likely is it to find > 190-something people who all love anchovy and pineapple pizza? Hmm... in spite of the tongue-in-cheek intent of this post, I have to say that there's more than a grain of truth in what you're saying. OK, maybe people don't all agree on *everything* - on every little detail - but there's a strong consensus along the backbone of the regular posters here, as to what is good ecto music and what isn't. And it seems to center mostly on very cerebral songwriter/performers such as Happy, Kate, Jane, Laurie Anderson, etc. These are performers who focus heavily on technique and innovation, on art and style - rather than, necessarily, on emotion. I first discovered ecto 4 years ago, in the form of the the alt.music.ecto newsgroup on Usenet (or was it rec.music.ecto? it's been a while). I was so excited when I found it, because at the time I thought I was the only person on the planet who loved Sam Phillips and Kristen Hall. And here was this whole group of people who were talking about them! And about Sarah McLachlan, who was starting to get better known but still wasn't a household name (I'd been a fan of hers since buying Solace in '92, and didn't know anyone else who liked her). And they were also talking about the Indigo Girls! The Story! Patty Larkin! Suzanne Vega! Tracy Chapman! Wow, all my favorites. And then I was introduced to some new (to me) artists, eg, Ani DiFranco and Paula Cole, both of whom I was delighted with. So it was with anticipation that I bought a tape by Happy Rhodes (Rhodesongs I), since the newsgroup was at least nominally about her. I figured that if people were into all these other singers I liked so much, I would probably like Happy a lot, too. But unfortunately, I was quite disappointed in the tape. Frankly, I was surprised at how sterile and passionless she sounded. Technically brilliant, without a doubt, and possessed of an astonishing range. But cold. It was like being in a room full of conceptual, geometric modern art when I longed for warm, colorful fabric sculptures, or like eating a beautifully presented, no-fat/no-salt/no-sugar Nouvelle Cuisine meal instead of a hearty stew. I felt still hungry after listening. It was all very pretty and "interesting," but it didn't make me *feel*. And it seems that most of the performers (with exceptions) who are considered ecto goddesses have a similar remoteness - at least, that's how they sound to me. I have in fact discovered quite a few new artists because of this list: Jen Trynin, Chantal Kreviazuk, Lauren Cristy, Loreena McKennitt, Maggie Estep, Ivy, Juned - among others. But these folks aren't generally in most people's pantheons (except maybe Loreena), and they aren't the singers that ecto's most devoted core group of posters tend to talk about. I heard about them from what might be termed the "fringes" of ecto - people who pass through, or don't post that often, who don't know other list members personally (I don't - at least not through this list) and attend concerts with them. So what's my point here? I guess this rambling collection of thoughts is another one of those "what is ecto?" posts. I had one idea of what "ecto music" was back in '94 when I first discovered the newsgroup - a type of warm, melodic and passionate music by women, that I also loved. Now I have a different idea of what the genre generally means - - and it's not the music I listen to. I still find folks here who share musical tastes with me (mine's pretty much all over the place so there's lots of room for intersection), and I'm continuing to find new artists from the posts here, so I ain't leaving. But I do have a distinct feeling that there's a core sensibility, that which places art and technique over emotion, about which there *is* quite a lot of agreement. So I figured it might be good to weigh in with a different point of view, especially about Happy, in order to give the newbie (I'm sorry, I can't remember your name) the diversity s/he asked for. Joyce ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 20:38:19 -0500 From: Mark Lowry Subject: Re: Tower record signing???? Xenu's Sister wrote: > I'd be interested to know who Mark's friend confused with Happy Rhodes Well, just returned from a long weekend in NYC, stayed with the aforementioned friend in Brooklyn Heights. I thoroughly chastised him for making me mislead people. He sends his humble apologies for the little scare about the Happy signing at Tower. He doesn't listen to anything but classical/opera, and I had mentioned Happy Rhodes to him over the phone recently, and he saw something about her and Tower. He thought it was a signing, but it was actually a full page Tower ad in NYXs, with her new album pictured on sale, er, something like that. Again, he's *very* sorry. I have started introducing him to Ectostuff. A month ago I sent him *my* copies of _The Sensual World_ (because I think it's Kate's most accessible album, even if it is my least favorite ... I still LOVE it though). I also sent Loreena's _The Mask and Mirror_ and _Little Earthquakes_ (and you know he's a good friend if I loaned that one for a month). He liked the former two, but he absolutely LOVED Tori. So I took those back and left him with _RhodeSongs_ (I think it's a good starter and one that I'm willing to part with for awhile) and Lisa Gerrard's _Duality_ (figured he'd like Loreena and Dead Can Dance given his classical and literary background, plus he likes Celtic and Middle Eastern-sounding stuff). So we'll see. At this point, looks like I'll be doing the October 8 show at the MRTV. My friend will be out of town that weekend, but I have other friends to stay with ... unless the NYC Ectophiles are planning something. Anything? That week will be an Ectodream for me ... Tori's playing Dallas Oct. 4 (anyone going?), and then I'll see Happy four days later!!!! Wow! That's it, Mark n.p. _Little Earthquakes_ (cuz it's been away for a month!) n.r. still catching up on the hometown newspaper since I was gone all weekend, although it's all the stuff I already knew ... the weak ruble, Mark McGwire, more calls for impeachment, storms in the Northeast (which I thought was cool since it lowered the temperature).... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 22:16:32 -0400 From: meredith Subject: this week's new releases Hi! Looks like I got here before Jill for a change ... :) > ******************* > * ICE CD Releases * > ******************* > > *Rock and Pop New Releases* > --------------------------- > -AXIOM - Keepin' It Real (Tommy Boy) > -BABY GOPAL - Gravity Reminds Me (Tommy Boy) > -HANK BALLARD AND THE MIDNIGHTERS - From Love to Tears (includes a > remake of > "Let's Go Again [Where We Went Last Night]") (Pool Party) > -BELLE & SEBASTIAN - The Boy with the Arab Strap (Matador/Capitol) > -BIG TYMERS - How You Luv That Vol. 2 (Cash Money/Universal) > -FRANK BLACK AND THE CATHOLICS - Frank Black and the Catholics > (spinART) > -BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL - As One Aflame Laid Bare By Desire > (Projekt) > -CANNIBUS - Can-I-Bus (clean and explicit versions) (Universal) > -CASSIE - I Realize (Columbia) > -WES CUNNINGHAM - 12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking > (Warner Bros.) > -DADA - Dada (MCA) > -DANCEHALL CRASHERS - Blue Plate Special EP (MCA) > -DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - Who's Got the Gravy? (Jake/Interscope) > -EBELING HUGHES - Transfigured Night (Zero Hour) > -FUCK - Conduct (Matador) > -GOMEZ - Bring It On (Noo Trybe/Virgin) > -THE GRIP WEEDS - This Sound Is in You (Buy or Die) > -HOLE - Celebrity Skin (ICE #137) (DGC) > -JOYDROP - Metasexual (Tommy Boy) > -KAHIMI KARIE - Kahimi Karie (Minty Fresh) > -KID CAPRI - Soundtrack for the Streets (Columbia) > -KING T - Thy Kingdom Come (Aftermath/Interscope) > -KENNY LATTIMORE - From the Soul of Man (ECD) (Columbia) > -MAIN - Firmament III & IV (ambient; two CDs) (Beggars Banquet) > -THE MEDIAEVAL BABES - (w/Katherine Blake, ex-Miranda Sex Garden) > Salvos Nos > (Virgin) > -DJ NABS - In the Lab with: The Live Album (Columbia) > -NOTWIST - Shrink (Zero Hour) > -PANSY DIVISION - Absurd Pop Song Romance (Lookout) > -PLUSH - More You Becomes You (Drag City) > -JESSE POWELL - 'Bout It (Silas/MCA) > -HENRY ROLLINS - Think Tank (two CDs; spoken word) (DreamWorks) > -SOUL IV REAL - Heat (Tommy Boy) > -SPLITSVILLE - Repeater (Big Deal) > -SPOOL - Spool (World Domination) > -ST. ETIENNE - Good Humor (ICE #138) (Sub Pop) > -THE TALIESIN ORCHESTRA - Maiden of Mysteries (Intersound) > -TATA VEGA - Now I See (Quest/Warner Bros.) > -Various Artists - The New Broadway Cast Recording (TVT Soundtrax) > -Various Artists - Outlandos D'Americos (Ark 21) > > *Rock and Pop Reissues* > ----------------------- > -ARGENT - Complete BBC Sessions (Griffin) > -BAUHAUS - Swing the Heartache: The BBC Sessions (ICE #138) (Beggars > Banquet) > -MIKE BLOOMFIELD - Live At the Old Waldorf (ICE #138) (Legacy) > -CHINA CRISIS - Best of (Purple Pyramid) > -JOE COCKER - On Air - BBC Live (Griffin) > -ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - Wembley `78 (Out of the Blue) (Purple > Pyramid) > -HEAVEN 17 - Remixed/Retox/Detox (Cleopatra) > -THE HOLLIES - Live Hits (Legacy) > -SID & MARTY KROFFT - Greatest Hits (Interscope) > -LAKESIDE - Rough Riders, Untouchables and Your Wish Is My Command > (Solar/Right > Stuff) > -MAZE/FRANKIE BEVERLY - Greatest Slow Jams (Right Stuff) > -MC5 - Starship (live from 1968) (Total Energy) > -MILLENCOLIN - Some Old Tunes (Epitaph) > -SEX PISTOLS - The Mini Album (Creativeman Disc) > -FRANK SINATRA - A Swingin' Affair, Come Fly With Me, Songs for > Swingin' > Lovers, Songs for Young Lovers/Swing Easy (Capitol), I Remember > Tommy, Sinatra > and Swingin' Brass and Sinatra & Strings (Reprise) (all ICE #135) > -FRANK SINATRA & COUNT BASIE - It Might as Well Be Swing (ICE #135) > (Reprise) > -PATTY SMYTH - Greatest Hits Featuring Scandal (compilation w/new > tracks) > (Legacy) > -SPOCK'S BEARD - Beware of Darkness and The Light (Metal Blade) > -Various Artists - A Bay Area's Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (Noo > Trybe/Virgin) > -Various Artists - A Modern Day Storytellers (ICE #138) (Beloved) > -Various Artists - A The Perfect Beat Vols. 1-4 (four separate discs) > (Tommy > Boy) > -Original Soundtrack to American Graffiti Soundtrack (MCA) > -Original Soundtrack to Xanadu (w/Olivia Newton-John and ELO) (MCA) > > *Blues Reissues* > ---------------- > -MIKE BLOOMFIELD - At the Old Waldorf (Sony Legacy) > -JOHN MAYALL - Drivin' On/The ABC Years (1975-1982) (MCA) > -Various Artists - Chapter 7: All Men Are Liars (label sampler with > unreleased tracks by T-Model Ford, Hazil Adkins, 20 Miles and Johnny > Farmer) > (Fat Possum) > -Various Artists - One Nation Under the Blues: 1980s (Hip-O) > -WILLIE DIXON - I Think I Have the Blues and What Happened to My Blues > (Classic/Prevue) > > *Country New Releases* > ---------------------- > -VINCE GILL - Breath of Heaven (MCA) > -Various Artists - Tammy Wynette Remembered (featuring Elton John, > George > Jones, Melissa Etheridge, Faith Hill, Wynonna, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya > Tucker > and others) > -Various Artists - Tribute to Tradition (with Patty Loveless, Trace > Adkins, > Joe Diffie, Collin Raye, Mary Chapin Carpenter and more) > (Columbia) > -JOHN BERRY - Better Than a Biscuit (Capitol) > -PINE VALLEY COSMONAUTS - Salute the Majesty of Bob Wills: King of > Western > Swing, Pioneer, Traditionalist, Avant-Gardist, Magician > (Bloodshot) > -THE GRIEVOUS ANGELS - Miles on the Rail (Bloodshot) > > *Country Reissues* > ------------------ > -TAMMY WYNETTE - Super Hits, Vol. 2 (Epic) > > *Jazz New Releases* > ------------------- > -JOE LOVANO - Trio Fascination, Edition One (Blue Note) > -MARCUS PRINTUP - Nocturnal Traces (Blue Note) > -DANILO PEREZ - Central Avenue (Impulse!) > -RACHEL Z - Love Is the Power (GRP) > -ANDY PARSONS AND GENE LEWIN - Fundementia (IGMOD) > -THE CAL COLLINS TRIO WITH KENNY POOLE - S'us Four (J Curve) > -Various Artists - Endless Miles: A Tribute to Miles Davis (N2K) > > *Jazz Reissues* > --------------- > -GEORGE RUSSELL - New York, New York (Impulse!) > -Various Artists - Latin on Impulse! (Impulse!) > -DAVE PELL OCTET - I Had the Craziest Dream (Capitol Jazz) > -NAT KING COLE - Penthouse Serenade (Capitol Jazz) > -SERGE CHALOFF - Blue Serge (Capitol Jazz) > -STAN KENTON - Standards and Silhouettes (Capitol Jazz) > -LOUIS ARMSTRONG - Vanguard Sessions: Best of the Vanguard Years > (Vanguard) > > New and reissued Compact Disc releases are provided by ICE Magazine, a > leader in Compact Disc news. For a taste of the printed publication, > visit ICE On-Line at www.icemagazine.com. > (C) 1998 by Howard Communications, Inc. > > *Information subject to change. +==========================================================================+ | 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: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 23:01:55 -0400 From: pauly on the shore Subject: Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter also sprach Old Spice: > I have been personally, all unbeknownstlike, subscribed to this >Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter, despite my attempts to be removed. I >suspect my desire to be so subscribed was erroneously inferred from my >presence on Ecto. If this is indeed the case, then I imagine we _all_ >received the original of this post. almost right. everyone receives that newsletter because it *is* being posted to ecto, not because you are receiving your own personal copy. you can tell because there is a header in that message -- and every message which comes from ecto -- which says "Sender: owner-ecto@smoe.org". since the hummel people aren't subscribed to ecto, i have to approve the message before it goes through. i've approved it in the past on the assumption that there are folks amongst us who are interested in knowing what ms. hummel is up to (primarily based on her association with cindy lee berryhill and the rest of the coffeehouse crowd). if that assumption is incorrect, i'll happily cease approving those newsletters. woj n.p. rearmament ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 23:08:05 -0400 From: meredith Subject: Re: a different view on Happy Hi! Joyce commented: >And it seems to center mostly on very cerebral songwriter/performers >such as Happy, Kate, Jane, Laurie Anderson, etc. These are performers >who focus heavily on technique and innovation, on art and style - >rather than, necessarily, on emotion. Hmmm.... okay, I'll give you Laurie Anderson. But Kate Bush's music has brought me to tears on several occasions, and Jane Siberry has sent chills up and down my spine more times than I can count. To expand this to other "core" ecto artists: Sarah McLachlan put an incredible amount of emotion into her music in her pre-_Surfacing_ days; Veda Hille's _Here Is A Picture_ has also reduced me to tears ("you are one of us, was his reply" - yack); and what can I say about Tori? She's left me a quaking mess more times than I can count. Every one of those artists has a definite emotional element to their work. >So it was with anticipation that I bought a tape by Happy Rhodes >(Rhodesongs I), since the newsgroup was at least nominally about her. >I figured that if people were into all these other singers I liked so >much, I would probably like Happy a lot, too. But unfortunately, I >was quite disappointed in the tape. Frankly, I was surprised at how >sterile and passionless she sounded. Technically brilliant, without a >doubt, and possessed of an astonishing range. But cold. It was like >being in a room full of conceptual, geometric modern art when I >longed for warm, colorful fabric sculptures, or like eating a >beautifully presented, no-fat/no-salt/no-sugar Nouvelle Cuisine meal >instead of a hearty stew. I felt still hungry after listening. It was >all very pretty and "interesting," but it didn't make me *feel*. Is _Rhodes I_ the only album of Happy's you've heard? If so, then you're missing out on a *lot* of feeling. The loneliness of "Til The Dawn Breaks" ... the longing of "In Hiding" ... and there's lots of feeling in MWABT, at least in what I've experienced of it so far, despite the electronic origins of most of the songs. >And it seems that most of the performers (with exceptions) who are >considered ecto goddesses have a similar remoteness - at least, >that's how they sound to me. I have in fact discovered quite a few >new artists because of this list: Jen Trynin, Chantal Kreviazuk, >Lauren Cristy, Loreena McKennitt, Maggie Estep, Ivy, Juned - among >others. But these folks aren't generally in most people's pantheons >(except maybe Loreena), and they aren't the singers that ecto's most >devoted core group of posters tend to talk about. I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at here. Are you saying that Loreena McKennitt's music, for example, is invested with more emotion than Tori's, or Kate's? >But I do have a >distinct feeling that there's a core sensibility, that which places >art and technique over emotion, about which there *is* quite a lot of >agreement. Wow. I'm not denying that to me "ecto" music contains a lot of art and technique. But placing that over emotion? I don't agree with that at all. The music that I love the most is precisely that which moves me the most. I don't believe that music without an emotional element can move anyone. On paper, the line "there's a god out there, and God I wish it was mine" is just a string of words; but when Susan McKeown delivers it, a world of questioning and wondering accompanies it and it just slays me. Pick anything by Tori - that woman hasn't written an emotionless song in this decade. Or Ingrid Karklins' entire _Red Hand_ album -- I have to be in a very specific mood to listen to it, because it's so evocative it can really affect my entire day if I'm not in the right frame of mind. I guess different people hear wildly different things in the same sets of notes, eh? :) +==========================================================================+ | 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: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 22:07:31 -0400 From: "Robert Lovejoy" Subject: Re: a different view on Happy Joyce writes: > Frankly, I was surprised at how >sterile and passionless she sounded. Technically brilliant, without a >doubt, and possessed of an astonishing range. But cold. It was like >being in a room full of conceptual, geometric modern art when I >longed for warm, colorful fabric sculptures, or like eating a >beautifully presented, no-fat/no-salt/no-sugar Nouvelle Cuisine meal >instead of a hearty stew. I felt still hungry after listening. It was >all very pretty and "interesting," but it didn't make me *feel*. Just goes to show how different everyone is! I certainly have no qualms whatsoever about Joyce's tastes and feelings with respect to Happy, but for me it's a full 180! Everyone is different and that's a treasure too few people appreciate. Kudos to Joyce for speaking freely. I needn't bother to add how deeply Happy's music effects me, and how differently I perceive that music, but I am constantly fascinated at the breadth of human perception. I have always hoped that tolerance and compassion would someday (soon) outweigh fear and ignorance. Being exposed to a negative review of Happy here on the ecto list seemed shocking at first, but upon quick reflection I'm delighted Joyce shared her feelings with us. It hurts a little that Joyce doesn't see Happy as I do, but I realize that's a personal thing and worthy of the deepest respect. May we always treasure our differences. Bob L. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 13:24:56 +1100 From: Andrew Fries Subject: Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter In a message "Re: Fwd: Elizabeth Hummel Newsletter" on 08/Sep/1998 23:01:55 pauly on the shore says: > since the hummel people aren't subscribed to ecto, i have to approve the > message before it goes through. i've approved it in the past on the > assumption that there are folks amongst us who are interested in knowing > what ms. hummel is up to (primarily based on her association with cindy lee > berryhill and the rest of the coffeehouse crowd). if that assumption is > incorrect, i'll happily cease approving those newsletters. I think Elizabeth Hummel has just as much right to be represented on Ecto as anyone else - I definitely wouldn't consider your forwarding her info to the list spamming. __________________________________________________ There are two rules for ultimate success in life. 1. Never tell everything you know. http://www.zip.com.au/~afries/hall.html __________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 23:29:39 -0400 From: meredith Subject: kat devlin sings the songs of kate bush Hi! Info on a really cool show coming up in CT: >Kat Devlin will be performing at the Quick Center For The Arts' Wien >Experimental Theatre at Fairfield University on North Benson Road >in Fairfield, CT (a short train-ride from NYC, a couple-hours' car-ride >from Boston). There are two performances, one at 7 p.m. and one at >9 p.m. on Friday 10/2/98 Tickets are $25--and worth every hard-earned >cent (students & seniors half price)--but you should buy them in advance >(the last show I went to was sold out!)--major credit cards accepted. > >For more information or tickets call 203-254-4010. woj and I are definitely going to this, probably the 9 pm show. We saw Kat Devlin's cabaret show "Kat Devlin Sings The Songs Of Kate Bush" a couple summers ago in NYC, and it was really neat. She's a true Katefan, and really makes the songs her own. It's the closest we'll probably ever get to seeing Kate perform live, so hey. If anyone's interested in going and meeting up before the show, let me know - -- someone over on love-hounds is trying to organize a get-together and maybe we can make it a big party. +==========================================================================+ | 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: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 23:38:57 -0400 From: "Jeffrey C. Burka" Subject: Re: a different view on Happy meth sez, in response to Joyce: > Is _Rhodes I_ the only album of Happy's you've heard? If so, then you're > missing out on a *lot* of feeling. It's worth noting here that _Rhodes I_ (if that, indeed, is what Joyce bought; she referenced "Rhodesongs I") was Happy's first release, and was basically recorded between the ages of 17-20, which may have a lot of bearing on the material... That said, I get totally caught up in "Possessed" (one of my all time favorites) and "Given In," amongst others. > The loneliness of "Til The Dawn Breaks" Or "Crystal Orbs" or "Baby Don't Go" or... > ... the longing of "In Hiding" ... and there's lots of feeling in MWABT, at > least in what I've experienced of it so far, despite the electronic origins > of most of the songs. (is this where I comment again on how much I love "Roy" and how poignant it is? ;-) > >And it seems that most of the performers (with exceptions) who are > >considered ecto goddesses have a similar remoteness - at least, > >that's how they sound to me. I have in fact discovered quite a few > >new artists because of this list: Jen Trynin, Chantal Kreviazuk, > >Lauren Cristy, Loreena McKennitt, Maggie Estep, Ivy, Juned - among > >others. But these folks aren't generally in most people's pantheons > >(except maybe Loreena), and they aren't the singers that ecto's most > >devoted core group of posters tend to talk about. Er, Loreena McKennitt was discussed by the core group of posters before there *was* an ecto. But I catch what you're saying. > >But I do have a > >distinct feeling that there's a core sensibility, that which places > >art and technique over emotion, about which there *is* quite a lot of > >agreement. As meth and Bob have said, this is all a matter of opinion; there are clearly plenty of us who pick up plenty of emotion, whether in Happy's material, or in that of any of the other "goddesses." Sarah McLachlan, Tori, and oh, *especially* KaTe, can turn me into an absolute wreck. This isn't a case of technique over emotion; it's a synthesis of the two. Sorry it doesn't work that way for you, but hey, that's what makes the world more interesting, right? > I guess different people hear wildly different things in the same sets of > notes, eh? :) Yeah. That. That's what I meant to say. 'course, meth had already said it. jeff np: the voice in my head saying "yo, idjit, get to bed!" nr: _Meshugah_, Isaac Bashevis Singer (started this a month+ ago, never got around to finishing it. oops.) - -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | moving to jburka@cqi.com -- come say hi | |http://www.cqi.com/~jburka | at the new digs...now up and running! | ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 21:15:08 -0700 (PDT) From: Steve VanDevender Subject: Re: a different view on Happy meredith writes: > Is _Rhodes I_ the only album of Happy's you've heard? If so, then you're > missing out on a *lot* of feeling. Oh, I don't know. I still remember when I first popped in the freshly-arrived tape of _Rhodes I_. I listened through "Rainkeeper" thinking that this was nice, but maybe not as stunning as everyone had been making it out to be. Then "Oh the Drears" came on. Shining through the Casiotone instrumentation were Happy's amazing vocals and an immediate, direct evocation of a childhood memory. I had just returned from a summer camp where I had made a bunch of friends I probably wouldn't see for another year, if ever, and I was back at home in a town were there were very few people indeed who had any common interests with me. I was bummed, and yet I also realized in the back of my mind that I would get over it whether I wanted to or not. "Oh the Drears" brought it all back. I probably wouldn't be the Happy fan I am now if I hadn't had that immediate emotional connection leap out of her music. > I guess different people hear wildly different things in the same sets of > notes, eh? :) I guess. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 00:30:18 EDT From: Riphug@aol.com Subject: Re: this week's new releases In a message dated 9/8/98 10:21:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time, meth@smoe.org writes: << Looks like I got here before Jill for a change ... :) > ******************* > * ICE CD Releases * >> Yeah.....I just didn't see much that I was interested in (self-serving person that I am ).....so I didn't send it out. If you have any recommendations from this week's new releases (other than Black Tape For a Blue Girl), speak up! Jill :D *share the music!* ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 23:39:16 -0500 From: Mark Lowry Subject: Sort of re: a different view on Happy Jeffrey C. Burka wrote: > oh, *especially* KaTe, can turn me into an absolute wreck. Just curious ... why is Kate's name often spelled with an uppercase here on Ecto? I finally figured out what "EWS" means thanks to an earlier posting in which the author parentheticaled it .... guess if you stay with the list for a while you start figuring out the Ectospeak. (Um, or is that e-mailspeak in general?) But, yes, I have to admit that I, too, turn to emotional goo with many a Happy, Tori, Kate, pre-Lilith Sarah (can I get my vote for _Solace_ as fave SM album in here?), et al., song. Among the song's that tear (read both pronunciations) me up: Happy's "Save Our Souls"; Tori's "Sugar," "Little Earthquakes" and "Doughnut Song", which is probably the most emotional Tori song for me, personally. Most of all, I *can not* listen to Kate's "All the Love" without a box of Kleenex around. That's why I never play _The Dreaming_ in my car. It'd prove fatal. Mark n.p. _Little Earthquakes_ still ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V4 #311 **************************