From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V9 #363 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Sunday, December 10 2000 Volume 09 : Number 363 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Top Ten Rock & Classical Lists! [The Great Quail ] grant lee hitchcock on spin.com [drop the holupki ] Re: Top Ten Rock & Classical Lists! [Eb ] y2k top ten ["Andrew D. Simchik" ] some robyn tabbery... [Mark_Gloster@3com.com] Re: y2k top ten [Eb ] Re: Tabs, Lyrics, Chords.... [guinevere liberty ] geek question [Eb ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 15:48:13 -0500 From: The Great Quail Subject: Top Ten Rock & Classical Lists! Yaaaay! It's the time of the year where I get to play "Pretend Record Critic!" So for your amusement, here are my "top ten" lists, even though the classical sections only get "top five" lists. And yes, they are annotated pretentiously! And what's more, I have them all online here: http://www.rpg.net/quail/raves.html With links to Amazon.com, etc., where interested parties may download sound samples. Yes, I actually labor under the delusion that someone occasionally may care about what I feel is my third favorite new opera, and that someone may actually want to *hear* a sample.... I know this is pure delusion, but it gives me excuse to write this stuff. (Besides, I set up all my beanie babies as my imaginary audience, and they have come to value all my opinions.) Here we go, my annual exercise in self-indulgence: Top Ten Rock/Pop CDs of 2000: 1. Silence is Sexy, Einst|rzende Neubauten. An excellent CD in every way -- each track builds on the preceding one, and thematically they cover all the ground of Tabula Rasa and then some, moving from classic industrial complexities of "Redukt" to the gorgeous soundscapes of "Heaven." I find it a shame that EN still get pigeon-holed as an "industrial" group -- these guys have been new music pioneers all their lives, and are still evolving! 2. Kid A, Radiohead. A Feg described this as OK Computer with the spine pulled out, and I think that's not a half bad description -- though I would add that the corpus has been injected with some pretty surreal painkillers, and has had its circulation system hooked up to a spacerock pump borrowed from Pink Floyd's Saucer -- still quite full of secrets. Ghostly, unnerving, dream-like and filled with surprises the more you listen, I'm just glad major bands are still making this kind of music! 3. All That You Can't Leave Behind, U2. U2's first album of the millennium them in a retrograde direction, forsaking electronica for a measured re-working of their entire career. While I admit to missing the breathless flash of Pop, the experimental vibe of Zooropa, and the bittersweet crunch of Achtung Baby, it is certainly good to hear the lads return to the roots of basic songwriting, and even capturing some of the hopeful innocence that illuminates so many of Bono's early lyrics. Call it a post-electronica Rattle & Hum with a lot more honesty and humility. 4. Gung Ho, Patti Smith. The Coolest Woman on Earth returns with a perfect "late Patti Smith" album -- tight rock tracks at the beginning, loosening up into poetic epics as the disc unfolds. Gung Ho is thematically interesting as well, dwelling on misperceptions, illusions, and nationalism in a way that never seems pedantic, and is miles away from either "political correctness" or establishment truths. 5. Punishing Kiss, Ute Lemper. Ah. Add my favorite Cabaret and art-music singer to the likes of Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Nick Cave Philip Glass.... Stir for a while, and then pop in the refrigerator. Emotionally intense, theatrical, and eclectic, this CD only really gels after a few listens -- and then it proves to be tasty indeed. (How's that for a cheesy rock-critic extended metaphor?) 6. A Star for Bram, Robyn Hitchcock. Though billed as "out-takes" from 1999's Jewels for Sophia, this CD is really another Robyn disc in its own right, and possesses a very similar sound to Jewels. It also includes "Adoration of the Cities," my favorite of Robyn's recent songs. 7. The ConstruKCtion of Light, King Crimson. While not as good as THRAK, this CD is still a worthy KC disc, filled with some pretty aggressive riffs and their usual tight musicianship. The absence of Levin and Bruford is felt, however, and I must confess I miss some of the more gentle pieces that added the heart to their last few discs. 8. Fold Your Hands Child You Walk Like a Peasant, Belle and Sebastian. This has been making my last months very pleasant with lovely harmonies, clever melodies, and slightly twisted lyrics. 9. American III: Solitary Man, Johnny Cash. Another collection of rough diamonds from the Cash & Rubin Project. Worth the price alone for Cash's cover of U2's "One," stripped now of Bono's soaring, pleading quality and invested with all that bitter weariness cragging my favorite voice in the world. 10. You're the One, Paul Simon. At long last Paul Simon releases another studio album! Another work in the vein of Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints, this CD has less World-music influences but the same essential feel -- rapid-fire lyrics, wry observations made mid-song ("I don't know, maybe that's a waste of angels..."), and very insightful commentary about the ups and downs of modern life. Honorable mentions: Silver and Gold, Neil Young. An almost all-acoustic disc of soulful, simple songs, this disc soothes my soul and achieves a genuine sense of innocence. The Secret Language of Birds, Ian Anderson. This is the album I have been wanting Jethro Tull to make for years! All acoustic, with some exotic instrumentation and some solid lyrics, this introspective album strikes a perfect balance between "Celtic folk" Tull and "World Traveler" Tull. Farmhouse, Phish. Phish continues their trend in making more traditional, folk-influenced albums. Though I miss the heady days of Junta and Rift, this is still a work with some strong tunes and a lot of room for live improvisation. Ecstasy, Lou Reed. Lou Reed's best since New York has him sounding a bit less happy at the world than he has lately. I have to admit, this is how I like Lou Reed -- an angry, cranky poet searching for beauty in the gutters of life. Other Honorable Mentions: Sailing to Philadelphia, by Mark Knopfler; Bloodflowers, by The Cure; Million Dollar Hotel, U2. Favorite "Premiere" Classical CDs of 1999: 1. Sur Incises, Pierre Boulez. (Pierre Boulez; Ensemble InterContemporain.) I could open this with any number of superlatives, intellectual witticisms, or heartfelt accolades, but all I can think of is this -- Boulez is in his seventies, and still making music that's just fucking incredible. The title piece, "Sur Incises," is scored for three pianos, three harps and a trio of percussive devices. Halfway intended to express the "inner life" of a piano, it is a rollicking bit of intricate mayhem mixed with some wonderfully intimate moments of gentle silence. The earlier "Messagesquisse," is scored for seven cellos, and is remarkable for its rhythmic drive; while "Anthhmes 2" is another fine example of his work using electronics to expand the acoustic space. An excellent introduction to Boulez, the music is complex, interesting, diverse, and quite listenable. 2. Flux, Erkki-Sven T||r (Dennis Russell Davies; Elektra Nonesuch.) T||r is a young Estonian composer who counts King Crimson as an influence and sounds exactly like his famous compatriot Arvo Pdrt does not. Sven-T||r is aggressively original, and his music has a restless energy that overcomes all classifications and labels. "Symphony No. 3" is a powerful piece that assembles itself slowly from chaos and then whirs into a breathless journey through interacting musical ideas, a cornucopia of opposing forces, strange harmonies, and returning modulations. It is followed by a cello concerto that almost sounds like a coda to the Symphony, with the cello acting as a solo voice slowly coming to terms with the dense thickets surrounding it. The final piece -- "Lighthouse" -- is an homage to Bach, a work for string orchestra that allows its modern idiom to be illuminated and fertilized by periodic flashes from the Baroque past. 3. Symphony No. 3, Philip Glass. (Dennis Russell Davies; Elektra Nonesuch.) Scored for 19 strings, the Third Symphony is a beautiful and gripping piece that takes some unusual turns. It begins in dark tension, chugging along until it soars off into a swooping movement shimmering with pizzicato; then enters a lovely ten-minute chaconne, finally ending in a whirling, satisfying conclusion. The disc is rounded out by older works that had yet to be released -- two interludes from The CIVIL WarS, the Mechanical Ballet from The Voyage, and Glass' celebration of the Michelson-Morley experiment, The Light. 4. Aura/Engine, Magnus Lindberg. (Oliver Knussen; DG 20/21.) Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg makes musical machines; his large compositions interlock the orchestra with complex cycles of sounds, turning it into a musical juggernaut that can be almost overwhelming. This disc is a perfect example of this style of writing -- "Aura" is huge, overpowering, a sweeping wall of fluttering musical vortices that convey a profound sense of emotional intensity. "Engine," while smaller and more concerned with counterpoint, is no less powerful, a virtuoso piece that was spawned by his work in computer technology. Oh, and Linberg looks pretty cool, too. All composers should look this intense. 5. Passion Wheels, Christopher Rouse. (Martin Alsop, Koch.) Rouse is one of the greatest living American composers -- endlessly inventive, he can channel the most intense emotions from a seemingly endless well of talent, blending postmodern eclecticism with a near-shocking level of raw primitivism. (He is often compared to Shostokovich in this regard.) Passion Wheels, while not representative of his best work -- when will his amazing piano concerto be recorded? -- is still a good showcase for his talents in general, from the savage percussion pieces named for Polynesian and Voodoo gods, to the soaring "circular" meditation on the Crucifixion that gives the disc its title. Favorite "General" Classical CDs of 2000 (CDs with no new compositions): 1. Shostakovich String Quartets, Dmitri Shostakovich. (Emerson String Quartet; DG.) In a word, Brilliant. The Emerson brings out every ounce of drama, sorrow, and passion in Shostakovich's amazing cycle of quartets, perhaps the greatest string quartets since Beethoven's. This is simply an essential set in every way. 2. Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jisus, Olivier Messiaen (Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Teldec.) I cannot praise this set of twenty piano pieces more highly. Played to perfection by Pierre-Laurent Aimard, these pieces are simply amazing, at times thorny and shocking, at times filled with playful energy, and at other times hushes with sublime beauty. The kind of release I just leave in the CD player. 3. I Hear the Water Dreaming, Toru Takemitsu. (Andrew Davis; DG 20/21.) The late Takemitsu was one of the twentieth-century's most original composers, an innovative artist who combined classical forms with jazz, Asian music, and a profound sense of the natural rhythms of life. This is a superb collection of Takemitsu's work, a series of gentle compositions that revolve around natural themes and highlight both the guitar and flute. While this description may invite unfortunate comparisons to New Age music, the works on this disc shimmer with a hushed sense of awe, and unfold with an organic beauty that truly is both spiritual and deeply tranquil -- far from the harmless, soporific pabulum one might expect from the Narada-like title. 4. Penderecki Series Vol 1-3, Krzysztof Penderecki. (Antoni Wit; Naxos.) The fact that a label is releasing the complete symphonic works of Penderecki is pretty astonishing in itself -- but that it's Naxos, a budget label, and that they are this good -- that's almost too much to hope for! This series collects Penderecki's Symphonies, as well as a few other smaller pieces such as Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. Not for the faint-hearted -- there's a reason Kubrick used Penderecki so often in The Shining -- these works are nevertheless a striking response to the chaos and beauty of modern life. Tragic, harrowing, mystical, quietly beautiful; the music of Penderecki speaks from the entire body; the head, the heart, the very nervous system itself.... 5. Xenakis, Iannis Xenakis. (Various; Erato.) Architect, mathematician, and author of uncompromisingly prickly works, Xenakis can move around chunks of sound like terms in an equation made out of concrete and brass. This is wonderful 2-CD collection of Xenakis' music, with an emphasis on his harpsichord works, and serves as a very handy introduction to this Greek composer. Favorite Opera/Vocal Classical CDs of 2000: 1. Symphony No. 5, Philip Glass. (Dennis Russell Davies; Elektra Nonesuch.) Don't be misled by the title -- this is not a Symphony, but a full-blown Oratorio, and represents some of the most ambitious work Glass has done in years. Based on a libretto crafted from all the major religions of the world, this magnificent piece is no less than the story of all creation, as told through the journey of the human spirit. It is sweeping and grand, focused and compelling, and resonates with a power and majesty I haven't heard in his work since Akhnaten. 2. Three Sisters, Peter Evtvvs. (Kent Nagano; DG 20/21.) Based on Chekov's play, this work is a surreal and unique version by the Hungarian conductor/composer Peter Evtvvs that casts a trio of male countertenors as the sisters, splits the orchestra into on-and-off stage clusters, and unfolds in a way that bashes linearity on its head. The music itself is drenched with emotional intensity, dark, mocking, and filled with spikes of black humor. 3. Rosa: Death of a Composer, Louis Andriessen & Peter Greenaway. (Reinbert deLeeiuw; Elektra Nonesuch.) This opera makes no sense; but neither do most of Greenaway's films, either. Something about a fictional composer, a series of conspiracies, a Texas whore, and a well-loved horse -- perhaps a little too well loved, a-hem...? Who knows. In any event, it sure is a fun listen, with Andriessen's music forming a lush vehicle to drive Greenaway's surreal tale. (Imagine, if you can, "minimalism meeting Stravinsky" -- thorny, dense, occasionally lovely, sometimes disturbing, always fascinating....)This is not the kind of opera you listen to while dining in fine Italian restaurants.... 4. Wagner Duets: Siegfried & Tristan und Isolde, Richard Wagner. (Placido Domingo & Deborah Voigt; EMI) Domingo does wonders for Wagner. While lacking the pure stamina and enunciation of a classic German Heldentenor, he brings a warmth, a beauty, a sensitivity to the words that no other singer can match. He's recorded complete operas for most of Wagner's heroes, but until now, one could only imagine how he would bring Siegfried and Tristan - -- Wagner's two most demanding roles -- to life. This disc, while in many ways just a teaser, still captures the heart of the roles -- and I mean that literally. No dumb \berkind is Ziggy the Fearless here; both Domingo's Siegfried as well as Tristan are romantic figures overflowing with passion. And no wonder -- Voigt is a revelation herself, lighting Br|nnhilde with a radiant charm, and bringing a loving humanity to Isolde. And best of all, the Tristan und Isolde duet takes an unexpected direction, moving into an echo of the Liebestod: a concert ending Wagner had approved of, long buried until recently uncovered by Daniel Barenboim.... 5. For Sefan Wolpe, Morton Feldman & Stefan Wolpe. (Choir of Saint Ignatius of Antioch; New World Records.) A most unusual pairing -- a few Wolpe art-songs are scattered through the timeless soundscapes of Morton Feldman, ending with the half-hour Feldman piece, "For Stefan Wolpe." It's the aural equivalent of getting a few crunchy nuts in your smooth milk chocolate.... But aside from the novelty of the pairing, the disc is especially remarkable for this final piece, written the year before Feldman's death, in which a chorus and two vibraphones -- kept apart except for at the edges -- slowly evolve in complexity over half an hour of, well, gorgeous droning.... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2000 15:50:16 -0500 From: drop the holupki Subject: grant lee hitchcock on spin.com spin.com's special feature on robyn and grant lee in their "little corner of cyberspace, Spin.Venue" is now available. real player is required. woj ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 15:04:00 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: Top Ten Rock & Classical Lists! Interesting comments, Quail...but you still really need to get over Philip Glass. ;) Eb, who'd like to hear that Ute Lemper album and still thinks Kid A is the emperor's-new-clothes album of the year ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 15:35:20 -0800 From: "Andrew D. Simchik" Subject: y2k top ten I've come to the conclusion that it would be silly for me to make a top ten list, since it's obvious I'm much more narrow in what new music I listen to (no longer having access to WRUR, and spending my CD budget mostly on older stuff I don't have yet) than most of you. Also, I think what I look for in music is somewhat different -- I tend not to take a critical stance and am much more likely to rate highly a record I find warm and inviting to me personally than one that's accomplished and intelligent but leaves me cold. So I'll just list the albums I would have considered contenders in my short and idiosyncratic book, just for an alternate view. I avoid records like Elliott Smith's and Badly Drawn Boy's on instinct...I'm sure they're worthwhile but they're Not My Thing, and at best I will just admire them. Thumbs up: - - The Autumns: In the Russet Gold of This Vain Hour - - Black Box Recorder: The Facts of Life - - The Dandy Warhols: 13 Tales of Urban Bohemia - - Geneva: Weather Underground - - Robyn Hitchcock: A Star for Bram Thumbs sideways: - - Bjork: Selmasongs - - Radiohead: Kid A - - Tahiti 80: Puzzle - - XTC: Wasp Star Thumbs down: - - Babybird: Bugged - - The Cure: Bloodflowers - - Madonna: Music - - PJ Harvey: Songs 'n' Stories 'n' Things - - Placebo: Black Market Music Okay, but Not My Thing: - - Sleater-Kinney: All Hands on the Bad One I guess if I had to make a top ten, I'd kick PJ into the "sideways" box and call it quits, but really even my favorite albums of the year were more about sound and texture than anything substantial. I like the Cure, Madonna, and even Placebo a lot better than I'll ever like Tahiti 80, but their albums were so disappointing in the larger context that they wouldn't have made it. Oh well. Maybe next year. :( Drew - -- Andrew D. Simchik, drew at stormgreen.com http://www.stormgreen.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 15:56:25 -0800 From: Mark_Gloster@3com.com Subject: some robyn tabbery... http://www.fegmania.org/tabs.html FYI, some of the tabs above are, um, er, not perfect; but most give a good approximation of how the songs go. Also, they should not be taken as gospel for lyrics. There is another place that I'm not sure is public that we are glacially trying to put verified tabs. Ross Overbury can point you in its direction. Also, we have a fegtabz maillist and would love to make some progress on more and more hitchtunes and could use your help. I am in favor of heels. Skillets are too heavy and don't make proper evening wear. Oh. There should be food and beverage warnings on JH3's posts. Actually, I don't think it is a good idea to be eating or drinking at all when reading the digest. Too dangerous. Happies, - -Markg ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 16:03:21 -0700 From: Eb Subject: Re: y2k top ten Andrew presumed: >Also, I think what I look for in music is somewhat different -- I tend >not to take a critical stance and am much more likely to rate highly >a record I find warm and inviting to me personally than one that's >accomplished and intelligent but leaves me cold. What makes you think the rest of us push albums which personally "leave us cold"? Eb ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 20:46:59 -0800 (PST) From: guinevere liberty Subject: Re: Tabs, Lyrics, Chords.... - - Thanks! Dont know why I didn't think to check there. I tried some pretty lame version of Glass Hotel ... mybe in a year or two I'll have learned in wel enough to do it some justice! Its great to have Robyn for insiration learning guitar! Cheers! - -- Bayard wrote: > i think this is the best we can offer at the moment: > (by "we" i mean > guitar players and webmasters) > > http://fegmania.org/tabs.html > > There is a listserv being run by rosso@cn.ca - but > he his busy digitally > mastering the Robyn tribute disc at the momnet. > > =b Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 19:15:52 -0700 From: Eb Subject: geek question When you're talking about the throughput of your modem, what's the difference between "Rx activity" and "Tx activity"? Eb pushing geekdom to new heights: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/4656/eie/08artegg.htm ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V9 #363 *******************************