Music Back in 2002, when I was commuting to Manchester and back for the job at the RBS call centre, I began a series on this blog called Travels with Matsui in which I'd listen to an album I'd usually borrowed from the city centre library which was near work, listen to it on the train ride home, on a Matsui portable cd player and then write a review with a particular structure. Beginning with Britney's Baby One More Time, it's a series which lasted all of about nine posts, only about six of them fulfilling the initial promise and premise. It's also a project I entirely forgot about last year when the annual review was about projects, so I thought I'd cover it this year instead. The conditions are almost exactly the same, except that I'm sitting at a desk rather than a train, the Matsui cd player is long gone and replaced with Spotify and the choice has been made by listeners of that music service since I'm going to be writing about the track that is, at time of writing (which was a couple of weeks ago) the most listened to on the service in the UK. It's ...
Bastille - Of The Night
What? The Wikipedia tells me (and you now) Bastille "are an English rock band formed in London in 2010. Bastille began as a solo project by singer-songwriter Dan Smith, who later decided to form a band. The four-piece consists of members Daniel Smith, Chris Wood, William Farquarson and Kyle Simmons. The name of the band derives from Bastille Day – an event celebrated on Daniel Smith's birthday, 14 July." The only reason I've heard of them is from hearing them mentioned in the NOW advert which features incessantly whenever you watched the VEVO YouTube channel on a television during the Summer for what having done some "research" turns out to be Pompeii. I know nothing about contemporary music. I only know that Lily Allen sings the music on the John Lewis advert because she sent me an email about it. Or her PR did. The one with the animals. I get a lot of emails from PRs about music. Let this be a lesson to them. I quite like Pompeii. Or I think I do. Or it could simply that having heard the same thirty seconds on the NOW advert, I've been subconsciously convinced I do. They also have a song called Laura Palmer which I'm less impressed with because it doesn't seem to have much to do with Twin Peaks.
First impressions? That we now live in the world where Corona's Rhythm of the Night, I song which I didn't really understand when it was released because I was still listening to Debbie Gibson tunes and shit and now recognise as a minor masterpiece of Eurodance, has two relatively popular cover versions. One, by Eurovision's Cascada sounds like it's by Eurovision's Cascada. This other doesn't exactly begin well with its too posh pronunciation of "dancer" ("dorncer"), uncertain baseline and listless vocals. But the methodology is different. The Corona is designed as a dancefloor filler. This sounds more like the kind of thing people in cars might listen to whilst riding around the city after the clubs have shut and the night's over. There's a nihilistic quality which the promo director has latched on to with some visuals that presumably mean it's banned from the daytime music stations, not that such things matter in the digital age.
Touched? Not especially. At most this feels like a b-side and I can't understand exactly why it's quite so popular, but like I said, I don't know anything about music, but having heard it a couple of times for the purposes of writing this, I'm not especially interested in listening to it again.
Lasting impressions? That I wish it was a cover version of DeBarge's Rhythm of the Night. That would have been quite something in this style.
Keep, dump or sell? Sell. Something this popular is bound to have a resale value. Except of course I streamed it so I don't own it anyway. Oh and no one buys anything like this second hand any more.
Showing posts with label Travels with Matsui. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travels with Matsui. Show all posts
Music There have been a number of mean spirited reviews accompanying the release of Norah Jones' second proper album Feels Like Home. The Guardian gave it a solitary star and the nitwits on Radio Four's Saturday Review variously described how it sent them into a coma and or cheesed them off because it isn't as innovative as rap music. I refused to review her first piece on the grounds that it was perfect and I'm going to do the same here ...
Travels with Matsui
[Because some music is so good it's beyond review. If you like real music at all you'll like this.]
But .... most of the negative reviews I have read seem to be pointing towards what isn't here rather than what is. I read one piece (online I think) by a writer whose only reason for not liking it was that Jones doesn't write all her own material. But this is a genre in which that's never essential. She's also grouped in with Dido as an example of the softening of musical taste, a blanding out if you like. Which is a fine interpretation if you're stupid enough not to notice that they're completely different types of music. Also why is it wrong that a country/blues fusion record should turn up at number one in the charts and have a crossover appeal which attracts people like me and people like you, and feature the only Dolly Parton performance it's OK to love? I haven't heard either camp complaining so why are they, as though its a Hooked on Classics attempt at accessibility? Yes, it's not profound. It's not going to change the world. It is musical comfort food, as reaffirming as a cappuccino or chocolate fudge cake and the perfect thing for winding down to. And that is OK, especially and I hate to remind, in days like these...
Travels with Matsui
[Because some music is so good it's beyond review. If you like real music at all you'll like this.]
But .... most of the negative reviews I have read seem to be pointing towards what isn't here rather than what is. I read one piece (online I think) by a writer whose only reason for not liking it was that Jones doesn't write all her own material. But this is a genre in which that's never essential. She's also grouped in with Dido as an example of the softening of musical taste, a blanding out if you like. Which is a fine interpretation if you're stupid enough not to notice that they're completely different types of music. Also why is it wrong that a country/blues fusion record should turn up at number one in the charts and have a crossover appeal which attracts people like me and people like you, and feature the only Dolly Parton performance it's OK to love? I haven't heard either camp complaining so why are they, as though its a Hooked on Classics attempt at accessibility? Yes, it's not profound. It's not going to change the world. It is musical comfort food, as reaffirming as a cappuccino or chocolate fudge cake and the perfect thing for winding down to. And that is OK, especially and I hate to remind, in days like these...
Travels with Matsui 'Hanging Around' -- Gemma Hayes
What? Another lost cause? I hope not. When I told my Mother that I'd bought this single, and that there only seemed to be ten copies in the shop, she suggested that they should have taken my name and address so that the singer could personally send me a thank you note for the support. Considering my choice last week, Bellefire stormed in at, well, number 18. I don't see this one charting at all, which is a shame as its a luminous piece of guitar rock. She's from Lymeric in Ireland although sound is pure American highroad ... On her website, Hayes descibes the impitous for the song:
First Impressions? The video (which features on the single) is another in the female singer-songwriter-in-a-loft genre (see Dido's 'Thank you' and Natalie Imbruglia's 'Torn'). She's an extremely attractive girl, but for once this doesn't get in the way of the music. She's selling a dream herself -- that she's singing only two you and it works. Watching her pick up her guitar at the outset made my heart stop.
Moved? Oh yes. This is Sheryl Crow before the stadiums got in the way. The kind of music I wished I'd find at 'The Picket' in Liverpool on a Friday instead of three interchangable bands all playing Oasis covers. She's not in the business of telling a story, more a matter of impressions. It's about killing time until you fulfill the next dream.
Lasing impressions Again, I do hope she'll have some success. I'm not sure it is significantly different to what has gone before, but it's certainly another antidote to the rest of the singles released this week.
Keep, sell or dump? Keep. Then buy the album. I'm sorry, but I'm beside myself.
What? Another lost cause? I hope not. When I told my Mother that I'd bought this single, and that there only seemed to be ten copies in the shop, she suggested that they should have taken my name and address so that the singer could personally send me a thank you note for the support. Considering my choice last week, Bellefire stormed in at, well, number 18. I don't see this one charting at all, which is a shame as its a luminous piece of guitar rock. She's from Lymeric in Ireland although sound is pure American highroad ... On her website, Hayes descibes the impitous for the song:
"It's kind of about wanting to be in love with this person, wanting a house, being really chilled, and how life would be rosy from then on. And you get there but everything you wanted just makes you feel bored. It's about that uneasy feeling of having everything here, but I'm still not fucking happy'."
First Impressions? The video (which features on the single) is another in the female singer-songwriter-in-a-loft genre (see Dido's 'Thank you' and Natalie Imbruglia's 'Torn'). She's an extremely attractive girl, but for once this doesn't get in the way of the music. She's selling a dream herself -- that she's singing only two you and it works. Watching her pick up her guitar at the outset made my heart stop.
Moved? Oh yes. This is Sheryl Crow before the stadiums got in the way. The kind of music I wished I'd find at 'The Picket' in Liverpool on a Friday instead of three interchangable bands all playing Oasis covers. She's not in the business of telling a story, more a matter of impressions. It's about killing time until you fulfill the next dream.
Lasing impressions Again, I do hope she'll have some success. I'm not sure it is significantly different to what has gone before, but it's certainly another antidote to the rest of the singles released this week.
Keep, sell or dump? Keep. Then buy the album. I'm sorry, but I'm beside myself.
Travels With Matsui
'Soak Up The Sun' Sheryl Crow
What? I've had on my wall since university a poster of Sheryl Crow I bought at a college sale. She's very young, perhaps it was taken at the time of her first album (not the one which was released, the one before), and in her summery dress and she actually looks like Tori Amos. She's up there now looking nothing like the singer who's on her fifth (sixth) album. She's one of the few musicians for whom I would buy anything they release as soon as it appearded (Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple amongth the others). She's one of the few who's songs I can sing loud and in tune ... this is her first single for some time, from her album 'C'mon, 'c'mon' (loves the greatest thing we've had ... ooh sorry .. that was Blur).
First impressions? Sounds at first like the opening bars of the theme to the film 'WarGames' (Greetings Professor Falcon) before slipping into something a bit more traditional. This synthesises everything she's learnt from Eric Clapton and The Dixie Chicks and produces something much more accessible. Oh and the singer looks fanastic on the cover in that T-shirt. Just perfect for the 'How old d'ya think she is?' quiz...
Moved? Like any great music I suppose, this sounds like I've been listening to it for years (Pulp and REM have that style as well). In fact it sounds like it could slot happily onto 'Tuesday Night Music Club'.
Lasting impressions Once it slots into the album, I'm going to be singing this for years. As always with Sheryl, the chorus is incredibly catchy, although I'm not sure it's getting the radio play (please prove me wrong someone).
Keep, sell, dump? I tend to keep singles anyway so not much of a choice. The non-album tracks are equally resonant, although for some reason they sound a lot like Jewel -- which is odd as Jewel is sound increasingly like Crow. So keep and recommend. Especially since I invested in CDs 1 & 2.
'Soak Up The Sun' Sheryl Crow
What? I've had on my wall since university a poster of Sheryl Crow I bought at a college sale. She's very young, perhaps it was taken at the time of her first album (not the one which was released, the one before), and in her summery dress and she actually looks like Tori Amos. She's up there now looking nothing like the singer who's on her fifth (sixth) album. She's one of the few musicians for whom I would buy anything they release as soon as it appearded (Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple amongth the others). She's one of the few who's songs I can sing loud and in tune ... this is her first single for some time, from her album 'C'mon, 'c'mon' (loves the greatest thing we've had ... ooh sorry .. that was Blur).
First impressions? Sounds at first like the opening bars of the theme to the film 'WarGames' (Greetings Professor Falcon) before slipping into something a bit more traditional. This synthesises everything she's learnt from Eric Clapton and The Dixie Chicks and produces something much more accessible. Oh and the singer looks fanastic on the cover in that T-shirt. Just perfect for the 'How old d'ya think she is?' quiz...
Moved? Like any great music I suppose, this sounds like I've been listening to it for years (Pulp and REM have that style as well). In fact it sounds like it could slot happily onto 'Tuesday Night Music Club'.
Lasting impressions Once it slots into the album, I'm going to be singing this for years. As always with Sheryl, the chorus is incredibly catchy, although I'm not sure it's getting the radio play (please prove me wrong someone).
Keep, sell, dump? I tend to keep singles anyway so not much of a choice. The non-album tracks are equally resonant, although for some reason they sound a lot like Jewel -- which is odd as Jewel is sound increasingly like Crow. So keep and recommend. Especially since I invested in CDs 1 & 2.
Travels with Matsui
The Beatles Anthology Vol #2
What? Mid-nineties attempt to re-invigorate interest in the fab four via the release of unused and half-finished versions of well known songs. Which here amounts to three versions of ‘Strawberry Fields’ and a bunch of like tracks from some concert in Blackpool.
First Impressions I’m from Liverpool. It’s The Beatles. Magic? Almost. Like most people I only really know the singles and the opening section of Disc One is loaded with album tracks. There is some temptation to hit the skip button. Or there would be if the music wasn’t so arrecting.
Moved? Oh yes. All over. Most of the versions on here are simple, often Paul or John with a guitar. Everything feels fresh again, stripped of all the bullshit and overpraise which has been heaped upon them. Almost in tears at the terse version of ‘Yesterday’; I can finally hear the lyrics to Penny Lane (there’s a café called ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ now in the spot where the flower seller and I got a bad haircut in that same barbers). ‘I Am The Walrus’ is even stranger and sounds like Oasis (maybe that should be the other war around…)
Lasting Impressions Considering the way the individual musical development of the surviving Beatles, it’s probably a good thing they got out when they did. I imagine much of Paul’s career was him doing all things he couldn’t get away when John was on his shoulder.
Keep, sell, dump? Keep. This is the missing scenes DVD extras for The Beatles whole career.
The Beatles Anthology Vol #2
What? Mid-nineties attempt to re-invigorate interest in the fab four via the release of unused and half-finished versions of well known songs. Which here amounts to three versions of ‘Strawberry Fields’ and a bunch of like tracks from some concert in Blackpool.
First Impressions I’m from Liverpool. It’s The Beatles. Magic? Almost. Like most people I only really know the singles and the opening section of Disc One is loaded with album tracks. There is some temptation to hit the skip button. Or there would be if the music wasn’t so arrecting.
Moved? Oh yes. All over. Most of the versions on here are simple, often Paul or John with a guitar. Everything feels fresh again, stripped of all the bullshit and overpraise which has been heaped upon them. Almost in tears at the terse version of ‘Yesterday’; I can finally hear the lyrics to Penny Lane (there’s a café called ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ now in the spot where the flower seller and I got a bad haircut in that same barbers). ‘I Am The Walrus’ is even stranger and sounds like Oasis (maybe that should be the other war around…)
Lasting Impressions Considering the way the individual musical development of the surviving Beatles, it’s probably a good thing they got out when they did. I imagine much of Paul’s career was him doing all things he couldn’t get away when John was on his shoulder.
Keep, sell, dump? Keep. This is the missing scenes DVD extras for The Beatles whole career.
Travels with Matsui Landler / Jodel / Alphorn im Stadthkeller Luzern
What? It's a CD of music from the Swiss alps I bought at a flea market one Sunday when I was in an ironic mood.
First impressions? That I'd entered a particularly wierd episode of Northern Exposure. This is the kind of music they play under video of dogs doing tricks on ITV funny pet shows.
Touched? Comforted. The troubles of the world drift away as someone yodels about things which don't matter, but somehow feeling like the most important thing ever. 'En Polka fur Dich' in particular reminds me of a fairground I went to when I was a child, all bright lights and happy people.
Lasting impressions? Only what I've said all along. That we British are a grumpy lot and don't seem to be having half as much fun as they are on the continent.
Keep, dump or sell? Keep. I'm playing at the moment and I suddenly feel fresh and in the mood for a swing. Anyone for a dance?
What? It's a CD of music from the Swiss alps I bought at a flea market one Sunday when I was in an ironic mood.
First impressions? That I'd entered a particularly wierd episode of Northern Exposure. This is the kind of music they play under video of dogs doing tricks on ITV funny pet shows.
Touched? Comforted. The troubles of the world drift away as someone yodels about things which don't matter, but somehow feeling like the most important thing ever. 'En Polka fur Dich' in particular reminds me of a fairground I went to when I was a child, all bright lights and happy people.
Lasting impressions? Only what I've said all along. That we British are a grumpy lot and don't seem to be having half as much fun as they are on the continent.
Keep, dump or sell? Keep. I'm playing at the moment and I suddenly feel fresh and in the mood for a swing. Anyone for a dance?
Travels with Matsui Q Best of 2001
What? Every year, Q, the music magazine have a covermount which is supposed to collect together the best music from a particular year -- a sort of anti-NOW album. This year it's been backed up by a large fly-poster marketing campaign.
First impressions The cover is great, a riff of 'The Sims' game featuring prominant music stars and other miscreants (The Hamiltons, Jamie Oliver, Bin Laden). The album begins with a statement, The Strokes 'The Modern Age' -- its big, its loud and it woke me up at 8:50 this morning.
Moved? Oh there is a lot of stirring music on here. The disappointing factor is a lack of familiarity. In the past these CDs have literally included many of the best singles from the stars involved. In the world of this CD, REM are represented by an album track which isn't 'Imitations of Life'. And wither 'Clint Eastwood' from the Gorillaz? But the biggest omission is feminity. The actual magazine makes much sport of women in pop music with interviews with musicians as diverse as Gwen Steffani, Kate Bush and Goldfrappe. Nothing on this this disc. The only woman involved is the guitarist from Ash. The only female voice we hear is a computerised repost at the end of Air's 'How Does It Make You Feel?' It's almost as though this silly rock music isn't something girls would do. Q, what were you thinking?
Lasting impressions? The afformentioned Air track in which a whispering version of Stephen Hawking's computerised voice attempts to come to terms with reality. Worth playing over and over.
Keep, sell or dump? Worth keeping for the Air track. Under normal circumstances, sell....
What? Every year, Q, the music magazine have a covermount which is supposed to collect together the best music from a particular year -- a sort of anti-NOW album. This year it's been backed up by a large fly-poster marketing campaign.
First impressions The cover is great, a riff of 'The Sims' game featuring prominant music stars and other miscreants (The Hamiltons, Jamie Oliver, Bin Laden). The album begins with a statement, The Strokes 'The Modern Age' -- its big, its loud and it woke me up at 8:50 this morning.
Moved? Oh there is a lot of stirring music on here. The disappointing factor is a lack of familiarity. In the past these CDs have literally included many of the best singles from the stars involved. In the world of this CD, REM are represented by an album track which isn't 'Imitations of Life'. And wither 'Clint Eastwood' from the Gorillaz? But the biggest omission is feminity. The actual magazine makes much sport of women in pop music with interviews with musicians as diverse as Gwen Steffani, Kate Bush and Goldfrappe. Nothing on this this disc. The only woman involved is the guitarist from Ash. The only female voice we hear is a computerised repost at the end of Air's 'How Does It Make You Feel?' It's almost as though this silly rock music isn't something girls would do. Q, what were you thinking?
Lasting impressions? The afformentioned Air track in which a whispering version of Stephen Hawking's computerised voice attempts to come to terms with reality. Worth playing over and over.
Keep, sell or dump? Worth keeping for the Air track. Under normal circumstances, sell....
Travels with my Matsui I was actually nervous. My hand wasn't shaking, but I wasn't sweating a little bit. What was I afraid of? I wasn't trying some drug or other. This was only music. But over and over in my head I kept thinking -- 'What led me to this?' But as I placed the silver disc in my portable Matsui CD player, waited for the little LCD display to register, and pressed play I knew this was something I had to do...
...I've known for some time that the moments my ears spent between home and work and back again are wasted. So although my eye glances across things called pages, the oral input is zero. So I've decided to start educating myself with different types of music, each day or for a few days, listening to a CD which I wouldn't otherwise have looked at or paid any mind to, looking for something new to move me.
There won't be a direct route through this -- I won't be starting at the dawn of music and working onwards, and I won't be concentrating on a type of music. It'll perfectly random, on a whim, influenced perhaps by the musings of 'Rolling Stone' magazine and regular readers of my weblog. I'll report back to the weblog with what I find....let's begin...
Britney Spears '...baby one more time'
First Impressions: The title track is madeningly catchy. '...Baby One More Time' is actually atypical of the rest of the album -- it's roots are more rock in origin, although hearing the original having spent a lot of time playing the Travis cover version is quite a shock.
Moved? I had to start somewhere and why not with the antithesis of everything I probably stand for musically? But this journey is to find how much a phrase like that actually means so why not answer a question which has been driving my up the wall for years. What does a Britney Spears album actually sound like? Patchy, with glimpses. This is the musical equivalent of a teen film, although more 'She's All That' than 'Ten Things I Hate About You' It isn't difficult to see why Spears is idolised as this may be the zenith of the genre, certainly better than J-Lo's initial offering and technically better than The Hit Factory's output. Much of the time I find myself reflecting backwards on my youth listening to Debbie Gibson, whose influence hangs over the disc like a mother hen. The highlights are the singles, of course. It's just a pity that some kind of cohesion couldn't have been stretched over the whole fifty minutes. 'Soda Pop' and 'I Will Be There' are pure cornball. Much of the time I switch off, this being noise in the background. I wasn't all that involved in the music. Nothing to strike me, or shock me.
Lasting impressions? The only glimpse of what might have been is the final track 'The Beat Goes On', a rhythmic dance piece, maddenly catchy. If anything I felt nostalgia. I know that if I was a teenager now I'd probably be a bit of a fan and getting the new album for Christmas. Despite outward appearance this is a piece about innocence and naivity -- of simpler teenage emotions. I do miss those.
Keep, sell or dump? Oh dump, except 'The Beat Goes On' -- but that wouldn't work would it?
...I've known for some time that the moments my ears spent between home and work and back again are wasted. So although my eye glances across things called pages, the oral input is zero. So I've decided to start educating myself with different types of music, each day or for a few days, listening to a CD which I wouldn't otherwise have looked at or paid any mind to, looking for something new to move me.
There won't be a direct route through this -- I won't be starting at the dawn of music and working onwards, and I won't be concentrating on a type of music. It'll perfectly random, on a whim, influenced perhaps by the musings of 'Rolling Stone' magazine and regular readers of my weblog. I'll report back to the weblog with what I find....let's begin...
Britney Spears '...baby one more time'
First Impressions: The title track is madeningly catchy. '...Baby One More Time' is actually atypical of the rest of the album -- it's roots are more rock in origin, although hearing the original having spent a lot of time playing the Travis cover version is quite a shock.
Moved? I had to start somewhere and why not with the antithesis of everything I probably stand for musically? But this journey is to find how much a phrase like that actually means so why not answer a question which has been driving my up the wall for years. What does a Britney Spears album actually sound like? Patchy, with glimpses. This is the musical equivalent of a teen film, although more 'She's All That' than 'Ten Things I Hate About You' It isn't difficult to see why Spears is idolised as this may be the zenith of the genre, certainly better than J-Lo's initial offering and technically better than The Hit Factory's output. Much of the time I find myself reflecting backwards on my youth listening to Debbie Gibson, whose influence hangs over the disc like a mother hen. The highlights are the singles, of course. It's just a pity that some kind of cohesion couldn't have been stretched over the whole fifty minutes. 'Soda Pop' and 'I Will Be There' are pure cornball. Much of the time I switch off, this being noise in the background. I wasn't all that involved in the music. Nothing to strike me, or shock me.
Lasting impressions? The only glimpse of what might have been is the final track 'The Beat Goes On', a rhythmic dance piece, maddenly catchy. If anything I felt nostalgia. I know that if I was a teenager now I'd probably be a bit of a fan and getting the new album for Christmas. Despite outward appearance this is a piece about innocence and naivity -- of simpler teenage emotions. I do miss those.
Keep, sell or dump? Oh dump, except 'The Beat Goes On' -- but that wouldn't work would it?
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