Did you watch the Grammys? I didn't. It's probably better not to talk about it. So, let's just pretend like it didn't happen. Okay, see ya later.
February 4, 2010
January 30, 2010
In b flat
One of the best things on the Internet, in b flat takes a few simple elements and let's you manipulate it into something beautiful. As a fan of ambient music, it's useful to be able to share with non-fans something that takes the essence of the genre and puts it into a more approachable and understandable form.
http://inbflat.net/
January 27, 2010
January 25, 2010
Figures and meanings
With indie darling/nemesis Vampire Weekend scoring a Billboard #1, it seemed like a good time as any to show some stats. As much talk there's been about the wells drying up in the music industry, it's nice to see that the indies are still selling a substantial amount of records.
Pitchfork Top 10 Albums [of 2009], In US Sales
1. Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion 131k
2. Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca 48k
3. the xx xx 35k
4. The Flaming Lips Embryonic 75k (estimate)
5. Raekwon Only Built For Cuban Linx Part II 141k
6. Grizzly Bear Veckatimest 132k
7. Bat For Lashes Two Suns 36k
8. Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix 205k
9. Fever Ray Fever Ray 23k
10. Girls Album 19k
Admittedly, one would hope that the "best" records of the year would do well. Some of these figures are still somewhat surprising, though: the xx have been getting a lot of positive press, but outside of that critical acclaim I had no idea that they could sell quite that many records; Phoenix's figure is staggering, especially considering that they played a (much too tiny) 400-person venue when they came through DC.
I wonder if this is also a sign that claims of the death of the album are exaggerated. It would make sense that consumers are more likely to buy an album that is not merely a vehicle for a few singles filled out with throwaways. I think it's safe to say that all of the albums in the list above should be considered complete album works and I believe that fans have responded by spending the money for the complete thing.
So does this mean that indie is going mainstream? Well, yes (and that should not really be surprising), but that doesn't have the connotation that it used to. Unlike earlier "sell-out" scenarios in which a band was clearly gunning for mainstream success, these bands have achieved wider acclaim by simply doing what they do, without any apparent compromise of aesthetic values or creative control. This may be due to wider online coverage, changing tastes, or a combination of the two. Regardless, it's exciting that people seem to actually care about what they're listening to and about the musicians who are making it.
Stats via Fluxblogtumblrlog
January 19, 2010
The red tape
For those of you who want to make IRS jokes, this is from the materials in a class about nonprofits:
Completed [Form 1023] exemption applications must be submitted to a central IRS location in Cincinnati, Ohio (the office is actually in Covington, Kentucky). If an application raises unique or unsettled issues, the case may be referred to the IRS National Office in Washington, D.C.
A vast brain
Two nice songs with the same general structure. Both kick off with something pleasant, chiming guitars or all-American strums, before sliding into a hazy, distant-sounding recording of talking. One of the things I like about these songs together is that the more traditional song transitions to a discussion about space while the more experimental one moves into what sounds like a preacher, reversing the expected roles. In both cases, the added element brings music back to a mundane reality while simultaneously recontextualizing it by turning talking back into music.
Bibio - Haikuesque (When She Laughs)
The Archivist - Jeremiah (The Archivist)
January 15, 2010
January 5, 2010
Null set
I've been trying to put together my own best albums of the decade list and this is the progress I've made so far:
I'll get an actual list together soon. There are a ton of albums to choose from, which means that I've expanded what I had from a manageable 25 to god knows how many. What has been nice, though, is the opportunity that this has given me to go back and revisit a lot of the great albums that I had lost track of. To me, that's the real purpose of this list, since it's not really worth much otherwise.
December 22, 2009
A gentleman rhymer
I really don't know what to make of this. On one hand: he seems nice, sounds pretty good, says "out" in a particularly funny way. On the other hand: what the what? Decide for yourself:
December 21, 2009
From great heights
The video for Boards of Canada's "Dayvan Cowboy" has been one of my favorites since I first saw it. It's an intriguing video with what I suppose you could call a loose plotline. Still, it manages to retain an easy calm that perfectly complements BoC's music.
It wasn't until recently that I found out what was actually going on in the video. It's fairly obvious that somebody couldn't parachute into the ocean and get right on a surfboard, but there are precious little clues as to the source of the individual parts. What I stumbled across recently is that the guy who starts the video off is Joseph Kittinger, and he isn't just jumping out of a balloon high up in the air, he's actually jumping out of a balloon into space. Here's the video and a short clip about the jump:
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