From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V7 #274 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Wednesday, September 26 2001 Volume 07 : Number 274 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: ecto-digest V7 #273 [Irvin Lin ] Closing songs [adamk@zoom.co.uk] Re: ecto everywhere [Filicat ] for trade/sale and musings [anna maria "stjärnell" ] Beth Orton [Ian Clysdale ] Sigur Ros tonight at 930 Club in DC [Craig Gidney ] Re: Beth Orton [Irvin Lin ] Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos, Sparklehorse ["Emily Perkins" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 00:20:09 -0700 From: Irvin Lin Subject: Re: ecto-digest V7 #273 >  > > np: Vegas - the chemical brothers > > and while I'm correcting myself, that's "the crystal method". (Two bands I hadn't heard > before and conceptually couldn't tell apart. Now that I have one to listen to, I don't seem to > be any closer to telling them apart!) i actually am not overly familiar with THE CRYSTAL METHOD's stuff, but i do credit the CHEMICAL BROTHERS with their excellent choice of ecto friendly guest vocalists (BETH ORTON, HOPE SANDOVAL, BERNARD SUMNER - okay that last one isn't really ecto friendly, but whatever, i do love NEW ORDER). being a huge BETH ORTON fan, i have tracked down and enjoyed the collaborations that she has down with THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS... on other note, lately i have been really enamored with the new GARBAGE. the lead single ANDROGONY is great, but the rest of the album is just tasty as well. definitely a bit of a departure, some of the songs are a nod to the 60's girl group sounds updated a bit. very nice and radio friendly, i am sure it will be huge once it gets commercial release. irvin np. A CAMP. NINA PEARSON from the CARDIGANS sounds fab solo. i remember coming across a small 3" single that NINA PEARSON had put out in taiwan years ago before THE CARDIGANS had hit is big with LOVEFOOL. i have always regretted not picking up. now i know what she sounds like without the CARDIGANS behind her.... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 08:39:26 +0100 (BST) From: adamk@zoom.co.uk Subject: Closing songs The last song on an album is almost as important as the first. It has to sign off all that has gone before, sum it up and wave goodbye. It has to leave you feeling uplifted, complete, and sad as the last notes fade into the headphones. This thought occurred to me as I listened to the jonathan inc album, "waiting for morning", where they manage to cram in not just one perfect fade-out song, but two. In a row. Kind of unfortunate, but I guess it means you can have alternate endings: the whistful diminuendo of "tired to stay" or the grand sailing into the sunset of "disappointed". Either are classics among closing tracks. And I've been trying to think of others: Mary Margaret O'Hara's "You Will be loved again" springs to mind, as it's always reminded me of a late-night bar, the cabaret over, just the singer and the bass player left in a single spotlight. "We float" from PJ's last album (although the hidden track kind of undermines that). The last, unnamed track on REM's "Green". The prog rockers used to get it right -- one of my fave fade-out songs of all time is Genesis' "Afterglow" from their "Wind and Wuthering", that soars off into the distance in a glorious blaze of harmonies and regret. One of the all-time, underrated greats in this field is Phil Ochs' "No More Songs". The final song on his last studio album, it turned out to be the last original material he recorded, the title says it all, and oit's just a beautifully sad, bitter-sweet song of resignation and farewell, made more potent by the circumstances (Phil killed himself a few years later). I know there are hundreds more out there, but haven't scoured my collection for a list. Any suggestions? adamk Get your own zoom email - click here - http://www.zoom.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 01:33:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Filicat Subject: Re: ecto everywhere Jeff burka'd: > Filicat sez: > > If any of you picked up "O Seasons O Castles" and weren't > > especially taken by it, please do try and listen to "Jet" > > Unless you're like me and you thought _O Seasons O Castles_ was > mindboggling but found _Jet_ to be a disappointment by comparison. Yus, I've heard people say this before :) In fact it was prolly you the last time I mentioned it :) :) I just wanted to encourage people who didn't think they'd like "Jet" much to give it a try -- I ignored it for a long time for that reason, and utterly loved it when I finally picked it up. Neile enthused: > > Sam Brown's "43 Minutes" > > Yes, yes, yes. Her other albums only hint at what she can do > and does in _43 Minutes_. It's really, really emotional and > beautiful. Neile, do you have any singles from the album??? Through a complete fluke, I *finally* managed to get my hands on a CD copy of the "Fear of Life" single a while back. I'd passed it up in favour of a much cheaper cassette copy back when CDs were new and expensive to me, and kicked myself for it ever since. The tracks are: 1. Fear of Life 2. The Tune With No Name #3 3. Rage 4. The Tune With No Name #4 I love all the b-sides, and could make you mp3s if you've not heard them. I'd love to know what the previous two tunes with no name are. hmm... Well I've found a discography at http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Vine/4323/ that says this is the only single from this album, and the other unnamed tunes are from the (fairly extensive) collection of "April Moon" singles. Let me know if you'd like the FoL mp3s (or if I make it down to Seattle within the next three weeks, I could bring you a copy :) I also see that she has another album since "Box" called "Reboot" that was released exactly a year ago! Has anyone heard this?? I would suspect it would be more like "Box" than "43 Minutes" (I believe the latter was greatly inspired by the sad loss of her mother, so it's perhaps unlikely that we'll see another album quite like that from her... and maybe for her sake wouldn't want one), but I haven't been able to get the audio clips; they're streaming real audio format, and might no longer be available after this amount of time :/ It sounds like it's not easy to find. I guess the distributors weren't exactly falling over themselves to get it on shelves :( Have any UK 'philes (or elsewhere, even) had a listen to it? Oh, here's a single mp3 of the latest album's single: http://www.mudhut.co.uk/bands/sambrown/press/In_light_of_all_(radio_edit).MP3 As expected, not quite commercial, but not exactly what I think of as typical ecto fare either. Sounds like Sam's having some fun on the piano, though... :) (Again, "43 Minutes" is very different to this clip.) - -fil ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 03:53:32 -0700 (PDT) From: anna maria "stjärnell" Subject: for trade/sale and musings Hi all.. Have some stuff for sale or trade. Velvet Belly Man with the child in his eyes promo 1 track single 3 dollars Diva Destruction Passions Price Siouxsie-esque goth cd 8 dollars The new Tori album continues to grow on me but I really dont care for her Happiness is warm gun. I prefer the Breeders version. Emm Gryner's covers album is stronger. She has even made stone temple pilots sound good. Louisa John-Krol has a track on a cd with german mag Zillo. It makes me wish I knew more german. Stina Nordenstam's new album is reviewed in uncut but I've not seen a release date for it yet. Heard something about a new album by Bloem de Ligny in the works. Does any dutch etcophile know more? Anna Maria np-Laurie Freelove-Invisible Invisble(thanks Jeff!) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 09:38:52 -0400 From: Ian Clysdale Subject: Beth Orton > i actually am not overly familiar with THE CRYSTAL METHOD's stuff, but i do credit the CHEMICAL > BROTHERS with their excellent choice of ecto friendly guest vocalists (BETH ORTON, HOPE SANDOVAL, > BERNARD SUMNER - okay that last one isn't really ecto friendly, but whatever, i do love NEW ORDER). > being a huge BETH ORTON fan, i have tracked down and enjoyed the collaborations that she has down > with THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS... And speaking of Beth Orton collaborations, I highly recommend the work that she did with Red Snapper. Very funky techno-jazz with her vocals. All told, I much preferred the stuff with Red Snapper to her solo work. I either haven't heard any of her stuff with the Chemical Brothers, or didn't realize it was her - I really only know "Exit Planet Dust" well. (What can I say? It came out in my frosh year.) I do remember noticing Hope Sandoval's name somewhere and saying "Hey Cool." (I wish that I could dig more of the Mazzy Star stuff; some I adore, but a lot of it does absolutely nothing for me. "So tonight that i might see" makes me keep trying to actually *get* more of what they're doing, though.) Haven't heard her new stuff; keep meaning to. ian. (np Wild Strawberries - Heroine) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 08:26:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Craig Gidney Subject: Sigur Ros tonight at 930 Club in DC Is anyone else going to this show? They sound like a cross between Radiohead and Cocteau Twins--an Icelandic dreampop band with majestic male vocals. >>Craig ===== "Tired moons ask higher tides."--Zelda Fitzgerald ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 11:44:12 -0700 From: Irvin Lin Subject: Re: Beth Orton  Ian Clysdale wrote: >  And speaking of Beth Orton collaborations, I highly recommend the work that she did with Red > Snapper. Very funky techno-jazz with her vocals. All told, I much preferred the stuff with Red > Snapper to her solo work. i have actually tried to track this down, but i could never find it in the stores, and i am too lazy to actually order anything online, especially if it is import prices. then i put myself on a CD freeze because my freelance work slowed down. once i develop more of an income, whoo hoo, let me tell you, there are tons of CD's out that i am gettin'!  >  I either haven't heard any of her stuff with the Chemical Brothers, or > didn't realize it was her - I really only know "Exit Planet Dust" well. if you know EXIT PLANET DUST well, then listen to the very last song ALIVE ALONE. that's BETH. also on their album DIG YOUR OWN HOLE, BETH sings on the song WHERE DO I BEGIN. i personally like that song a little better.  > (What can I say? It came out in my frosh year.) I do remember noticing Hope Sandoval's name > somewhere and saying "Hey Cool." (I wish that I could dig more of the Mazzy Star stuff; some I adore, > but a lot of it does absolutely nothing for me. "So tonight that i might see" makes me keep trying to > actually *get* more of what they're doing, though.) Haven't heard her new stuff; keep meaning to. hmm... MAZZY STAR is kinda of an acquire taste. something i think i might have grown out of, since i rarely listen to that stuff anymore. but back i the day i really liked SO TONIGHT I MIGHT SEE the most. SHE HANGS BRIGHTLY is pretty good too, but i never really listen to their third album AMONG MY SWAN. perhaps that is when i started to out grow that whole mellow sleepy sound. i think HOPE also did a couple of songs with JESUS AND MARY CHAIN which i never tracked down, but i have to admit that i was curious since i used to be a huge JAMC fan. HOPE does have a beautiful voice. nowadays i tend to listen to OPAL more than MAZZY STAR's stuff. OPAL was the former band with KENDRA SMITH singing instead of HOPE SANDOVAL. it's more lo fi, not nearly as produced and a little more twangy. that is, when i am listening to that sort of stuff. nowadays i feel my taste has progressed to pop and hip hop. odd... irvin np. actually i am listening to OPAL right now. this email inspired me to drag their EARLY RECORDINGS CD out.... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 13:38:39 -0700 From: "Emily Perkins" Subject: Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos, Sparklehorse I've been looking forward to Songs in Red and Gray for a while--Suzanne's first release of all new material in 5 years--and so far it's not a disappointment. She goes back more to her acoustic roots on this one. It seems somewhat between Solitude Standing and Days of Open Hand, and though I've loved all of her albums in different ways, it's nice to see her lyrics brought more to the forefront again, stripped down from the sound on her last two albums. I've also been listening to Tori Amos' new one, and agree with others' comments about it not progressing beyond a covers album to a concept album. I actually didn't expect it to (hoped it wouldn't, even, as concept albums usually annoy me), but, on the other hand, it's a damn good covers album. Standout tracks for me are Rattlesnakes and Real Men. The track I cringe at and skip is Enjoy the Silence, which interestingly seems to be a favorite with lots of other people. Maybe because of my past life as a Depeche Mode fan? Or maybe because I'm more fond of covers that speed up songs, not slow them down. While picking up Strange Little Girls, I was drawn to Sparklehorse's new one, It's a Wonderful Life. I'd never heard them before but remembered hearing them mentioned here and liked what I heard at the listening station (and, OK, was drawn in by the "limited edition" packaging). Before Suzanne Vega took over my CD player, I'd been listening to this almost constantly. And will probably listen to it again now. The whole album is wonderful--hauntingly beautiful, lush music, with interesting lyrics and appealing vocals from Mark Linkous--and it's helped along with guest appearances by PJ Harvey (who gave a great performance in San Francisco last week), Nina Persson, and Tom Waits. Also, for you New Yorkers, it looks from their Web site as if they have some performances coming up: September 26 - Maxwell's, Hoboken September 27 - Bowery Ballroom, New York September 28 - Warsaw, New York OK, back to work... - -Emily ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 14:07:52 -0700 From: "Emily Perkins" Subject: Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos, Sparklehorse I've been looking forward to Songs in Red and Gray for a while--Suzanne's first release of all new material in 5 years--and so far it's not a disappointment. She goes back more to her acoustic roots on this one. It seems somewhat between Solitude Standing and Days of Open Hand, and though I've loved all of her albums in different ways, it's nice to see her lyrics brought more to the forefront again, stripped down from the sound on her last two albums. I've also been listening to Tori Amos' new one, and agree with others' comments about it not progressing beyond a covers album to a concept album. I actually didn't expect it to (hoped it wouldn't, even, as concept albums usually annoy me), but, on the other hand, it's a damn good covers album. Standout tracks for me are Rattlesnakes and Real Men. The track I cringe at and skip is Enjoy the Silence, which interestingly seems to be a favorite with lots of other people. Maybe because of my past life as a Depeche Mode fan? Or maybe because I'm more fond of covers that speed up songs, not slow them down. While picking up Strange Little Girls, I was drawn to Sparklehorse's new one, It's a Wonderful Life. I'd never heard them before but remembered hearing them mentioned here and liked what I heard at the listening station (and, OK, was drawn in by the "limited edition" packaging). Before Suzanne Vega took over my CD player, I'd been listening to this almost constantly. And will probably listen to it again now. The whole album is wonderful--hauntingly beautiful, lush music, with interesting lyrics and appealing vocals from Mark Linkous--and it's helped along with guest appearances by PJ Harvey (who gave a great performance in San Francisco last week), Nina Persson, and Tom Waits. Also, for you New Yorkers, it looks from their Web site as if they have some performances coming up: September 26 - Maxwell's, Hoboken September 27 - Bowery Ballroom, New York September 28 - Warsaw, New York OK, back to work... - -Emily ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 07:42:26 +1000 (EST) From: sherlyn@fl.net.au Subject: Richard Gates benefit shows in Boston Hey folks, I don't think I've seen this mentioned here yet. For those of you in Boston there's a series of benefit concerts for bass player Richard Gates. Looks like four concerts in total over the next couple of weeks. The most notable is Friday September 28 at the Somerville Theatre - lineup is Jonatha Brooke, Patty Larkin and Suzanne Vega. http://www.richardgates.net for details... - -sherlyn Sherlyn Koo - sherlyn@fl.net.au "So I promise to grab my soul And leave my ego at the door, I'm gonna open up my eyes..." - Melissa Ferrick ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 18:18:37 -0400 From: Philip David Morgan Subject: Jane Siberry - one brief note A Note From JaneGood Evening, Ectofolk: The latest from Jane Siberry... Londoners, word.... Philip David 9/25/2001 - ----- Original Message ----- From: S H E E B A To: Recipient List Suppressed: Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 2:56 PM Subject: A Note From Jane A note from Jane: Saturday September 22. I am off to London, England for the week for 2 concerts. I am thinking of you all. I am hoping to open the website shortly after my return. See how things feel. And if so, the new CD 'City' will come out on October 12. And some other wonderful things. Hoeing the row. Peace. http://www.janesiberry.com 416.921.1364 416.921.0024 fax Suite 291 - 238 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 1J6 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 20:55:38 -0400 From: Jeff Wasilko Subject: Fwd: [sarahharmer] Sarah on Letterman tonight! (Sept. 25)] >Subject: [sarahharmer] Sarah on Letterman tonight! (Sept. 25) > >From: www.sarahharmer.com >Posted: Sept 24, 2001 >"Sarah is on Late Night with David Letterman on Tuesday, September >25th, 2001 performing Don't Get Your Back Up." > >She isn't listed on Letterman's site, so she was probably a last- >minute addition. Go Sarah! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 23:38:40 -0400 From: Jeff Wasilko Subject: Re: Fwd: [sarahharmer] Sarah on Letterman tonight! (Sept. 25)] On Tue, Sep 25, 2001 at 08:55:38PM -0400, Jeff Wasilko wrote: > >Subject: [sarahharmer] Sarah on Letterman tonight! (Sept. 25) > > > >From: www.sarahharmer.com > >Posted: Sept 24, 2001 > >"Sarah is on Late Night with David Letterman on Tuesday, September > >25th, 2001 performing Don't Get Your Back Up." > > > >She isn't listed on Letterman's site, so she was probably a last- > >minute addition. Go Sarah! Sarah's web site is now saying this has been re-scheduled... - -j ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 23:50:01 -0400 From: Jeff Wasilko Subject: Boston show on Friday 9/28:patty larkin, jonatha brooke, and suzanne vega A friend of mine is picking up tickets for this benefit concert: September 28, 2001 Benefit For Richard Gates [also appearing: Jonatha Brooke and Patty Larkin] Somerville, MA At the Somerville Theatre. Tickets are $25 If you'd like to go, email me ASAP. - -jeff ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 01:01:23 -0400 From: meredith Subject: susan mckeown at fez Hi, Just got back from seeing Susan McKeown and Dorothy Scott at Fez in NYC. It was a great show, but of course for Susan that's nothing new. :) I couldn't believe how long it'd been since last she was at Fez - in the middle of a snowstorm in January. Kila was supposed to open, but due to the recent aviation situation they were unable to get into the country for the tour. So Susan and the Chanting House (Lindsey Horner, Alison Miller, and Jon Spurney) started off with 5 songs, then Dorothy Scott took the stage for a small set, then the band came back for a longer set. Dorothy Scott, whom I have talked about here before is the premature reincarnation of Mary Margaret O'Hara, combined with the stage mannerisms of Kristin Hersh on serious amounts of speed. (Several years ago I got a postcard from her announcing some gigs that stated "now medicated for your listening comfort". :) She is an amazing guitar player, and writes lush, layered music overlaid with lyrics that don't really matter, because her voice is so cool. I only have her first EP _Into The Natural_ which came out almost 6 years ago. I've played it to death, and I was delighted to hear that she's got a new full-length CD just about ready for release, and Susan sings backup on several tracks!! Susan sang backup on her final three songs this evening, too (and Jimi Zhivago accompanied on piano). Their voices blended together beautifully. (http://www.dorothyscott.com) Susan and the band, in a word, rocked. The reworked version of "Lowlands", which I immediately dubbed "the Red Rocks Amphitheatre version" was literally stunning: Spurney laid down a wall of sound with his highly-reverbed electric guitar (implementing e-bow when necessary), over which Lindsey bowed his bass and Alison played her bass drum with mallets, and Susan wailed on top of it all. Unbelievable. The rest of the set consisted of some Celtic stuff mixed in with Chanting House standards ("Seven Cold Glories", "Wheels Of The World", "The Chariot") as well as new stuff ("South", and a brand-new song I don't know the title of), and a great rendition of "Who Knows Where The Time Goes". Halfway through the second set, something happened that I know I'll never forget. At the beginning of the show Susan had mentioned that she would be donating $3 from every ticket sold to the fund for the families of the 10 firefighters lost at the firehouse local to Fez, on Great Jones. She had stopped by there before the show to let them know and talked to several of the guys on duty there, and said she'd invited them to come over when they got off duty. While she was introducing "The River", the song she wrote about the conflict in Northern Ireland suddenly from the back of the room there started spirited applause, that quickly spread. Three firefighters had come in, and as soon as everyone realized what was going on they started applauding too, until there was a standing ovation that went on for well over a minute. Finally Susan pointed out an empty table for them, said simply, "I'll do this song of hope" and started playing her song about the end to war and hope for a new day. Some lyrics from "The River": Hope is a river hat flows from these stone walls Into an ocean we have never seen Hope is the one thing we have never lost Though we are tired of the old wars Stave anger in our hearts Stave desolation and loss Why are we divided? Bind us in friendship So rage will never rise again In fair Eire between friends Afterwards, as we drove through town to drop off Chris and Becky Montville we crossed several downtown streets that led right down to Ground Zero. Even with all the rain we've gotten lately, there is still smoke rising from the site, and the lights make the whole sky glow down in that direction. When we headed up the West Side Highway toward home, we were stopped for a few minutes while a convoy of city buses went by carrying the next shift of rescue and recovery workers to the site. Life can appear normal now and then, but all around us are the reminders that we all have a ways to go. I'm glad for music, and the chance tonight to show some firefighters appreciation (even in such an insignificant way as loud applause). Susan mentioned that she is in the process of putting together a benefit concert at Fez for the fund for the local firehouse, which will take place sometime in October. She still has to get performers on board, but some names bandied about were Dorothy Scott, Sloan Wainwright, and Jane Kelly Williams. I'm sure the details will get posted here once they're finalized. ======================================= Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth "an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind" -- mahatma gandhi ======================================= Live At The House O'Muzak House Concert Series http://www.smoe.org/meth/muzak.html ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V7 #274 **************************