31.12.08

RIAA Appeal Denied in Copyright violation

A federal judge is denying the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) request to appeal his decision granting a retrial in the RIAA’s only file sharing case to go to trial.

The U.S. District Judge, Michael Davis, of Minnesota, declared a mistrial in the Jammie Thomas case, months ago, and nullified the jury’s $222,000 award against the Minnesota woman for sharing 24 songs on the Kazaa network. The RIAA tried to appeal; a motion the judge rejected for the same reason he declared a mistrial.

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30.12.08

MTV New Year’s Resolution: Layoffs and Cutbacks

MTV UK, part of Viacom’s MTV Networks division, is to cut up to 80 jobs - around 10% of its workforce - as part of Viacom’s global plan to save $250m in 2009.

This is predictable after Viacom announced 850 worldwide layoffs earlier this month, and regional detail has surfaced through Guardian.co.uk, on what, for many media workers, is the big New Year’s resolution.

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27.12.08

Facebook Bans Project Playlist Widget

Social network Facebook banned Project Playlist on Tuesday, just days after MySpace also removed the fast-growing music-sharing startup over a copyright infringement scare.

Facebook has removed the Project Playlist app from Facebook and all embedded playlists from user profiles. The company said in a statement that it hopes Project Playlist can come to an agreement with the labels so the app can return to the website.

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23.12.08

Arcade Fire Scores Movie Soundtrack

Arcade Fire has written the score for Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly’s new film The Box.

Frontman Win Butler told Pitchfork: “It’s kind of Hitchcocky, movie, orchestral, Mellotron stuff. It’s instrumental music. No songs. It’s interesting.”

“We didn’t really think we were going to do the whole thing, and then it just kind of was easier once we got in… It has so much to do with the editing, and your job is just to help the director. It’s a very different experience.”

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Warner Music Pulls Videos off YouTube

On Saturday, Warner Music Group ordered Google, the present owner of YouTube, to remove from its site all music videos by its artists, after licensing negotiations broke down the previous day.

Warner said: “We simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels and publishers for the value they provide,” reports Reuters.

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21.12.08

Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Moby to Star in Vampire film

Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and Moby are among the musicians set to star in a new vampire film called ‘Suck’, reports The Guardian.

Slated to be a vehicle for comparison between the music industry and blood-sucking, the movie also is rumored to be ridiculous. Moby plays character Beef Bellows, lead singer for the band Secretaries Of Steak, and has 45 “important” words before getting eaten.

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19.12.08

‘iTax’ to hit iPod users in New York

If you’re in New York and happen to own an iPod, count on paying an ‘iTax‘ for every song you download.

The Guardian reports that Governor David Paterson has slapped a 4% tax on “digitally delivered entertainment services” next year to help tackle the financial crisis. Music, video and e-books will be hit with higher taxes as part of a larger effort to close the state’s $15.4bn budget gap.

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18.12.08

Brian Eno Composes Score for Peter Jackson’s New Movie

Brian Eno has reportedly signed on to do the score for the new Peter Jackson film, an adaptation of the Alice Sebold’s novel Lovely Bones, starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, and Saoirse Ronan.

The film is mostly set in heaven, so it’s plausible that Eno was brought on for those scenes, to provide his renowned expertise in creating sound.

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17.12.08

Weezer Releases Christmas Songs intended for iPhone

Weezer plans to digitally distribute six Christmas songs that were originally recorded for the iPhone app ‘Tap Tap Revenge Christmas With Weezer‘.

Although the tracks were recorded specifically for the application, high demand from non-iPhone users has prompted the band to make the songs available for purchase online. Christmas With Weezer is here on iTunes and here through Amazon.

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16.12.08

Axl Rose Publishes Open Letter

In an open letter to Guns N’ Roses fans about his band’s latest album, Axl Rose responded to criticism that claimed “Chinese Democracy” is a self-centered effort and hinted at future projects.

“I didn’t make a solo record,” he claimed. “A solo record would be completely different than this and probably much more instrumental.

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Noripcord's Top 50 Albums of 2008 (Part Two)

I wrote about Jamie Lidell's newest album Jim. Check it out!

Here's the full list

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15.12.08

Interview with The Faint

Joel Petersen of Omaha, Nebraska, guitarist, bassist and keyboardist for The Faint answered some questions about the band’s current tour and newest album Fasciination. Petersen also is Broken Spindles, for which he writes music for between touring with The Faint.

The album is available for digital download at their homepage. The full interview is after the break!

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Sex Pistols Consider Recording New Album in 2009

Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock said in an interview with The Quietus that there is a possibility the band will record a new album in 2009.

“The Sex Pistols? We’ve done our bit this year…we’ll meet again in the New Year and see what we want to do,” he explained.

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Noripcord's Top 50 Albums of 2008 (Part One)

I wrote about Flight of the Conchords, Kaki King, and Autechre on this first part of Noripcord's Top 50 albums of 2008.

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12.12.08

Warner Music Vice-President Seymour Stein admits “We blew it”

Seymour Stein, Vice-President at Warner Music Group and founder of Sire Records, from the Globe and Mail (via Coolfer).

“We blew it. The first major music labels were all phonograph manufacturers, but by the time the Beatles came along, most companies were no longer involved in the hardware. Had we remained in control of the hardware, we wouldn’t be hurting as much as we are now. And the iPod would be ours.”

What? The major labels controlling music hardware?

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The Faint live at Lux, Lisbon

View this review at Noripcord.comThe Faint's latest tour promoting the new album "Fasciination" allowed for a stop at the high profile Lux disco in downtown Lisbon, Portugal on December 4th. With a wide repertoire, spanning almost a decade of hit albums, The Faint smashed even the highest expectations, with non-stop electronic dance rhythms and faithful presentation of their studio quality tracks.

Obvious right away was the LED display behind the stage, always flashing synchronized patterns along with the music. As soon as the floor was packed and chanting, The Faint ripped into their first song, Agenda Suicide, from the 2001 album "Danse Macabre". The band was tightly knitted, the bass was deep, dancing was instantaneous.

Vocalist Todd Fink was almost creepy, giving off an air of eccentricity with a pair of goggles and what resembled a lab coat. Retro dance beats from Clark Baechle are punctuated by electronic leads by Jacob Thiele, which give a playful touch to the heavier guitar and bass. Dapose and Joel Petersen combined efforts to produce a rock solid bass/guitar chord progression. After Drop Kick The Punks, from the 2004 album "Wet From Birth", and Take me to the Hospital from "Saddle Creek 50", a compilation in 2003, The Faint presented their newest album and tour focus "Fasciination", released in August 2008. The likeness to the album sound-quality was impressive, credit must be given to the technicians.

Even more interesting was the effect of Dapose and Joel Petersen trading instruments the whole concert. Dapose from bass to guitar, Joel from guitar, to bass and then keyboards. Quite the multi-instrumentalists. Forever Growing Centipedes, Psycho, Get Seduced and The Geeks Were Right stood out for as highlights from the new album. It was a treat to hear Worked Up So Sexual from "Black Wave Arcade", the first album that used their characteristic synth keyboards.

There's nothing betten than grinding electronic distortion, danceable beats, and memorable tracks. The Faint delivered on all three, cohesively, and delighted eardrums with perfect equalization to boot! Highly recommended if they're in your town, and of course, the CD is available digitally on their website.

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11.12.08

U.S. Government Sues Sony Music

The U.S. Government sued Sony Music Entertainment on Wednesday, claiming that Sony accepted registrations on its Websites from under-13 users, without parental consent. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

The music company’s public relations representative has not commented, but the civil suit said Sony Music was in violation of the children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which is enforced by the Federal Trade Comission. Furthermore, the lawsuit said documentation on Sony Music’s Website did not disclose how it collected and used registration information.

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10.12.08

Chris Martin answers to Satriani’s accusations

Coldplay vocalist, Chris Martin, commented for the first time about Joe Satriani’s plagiarism accusations. The guitarist has sued the band, claiming that Coldplay’s single “Viva La Vida” is a song of his own from 2004, originally entitled “If I Could Fly“.

In an inteview with NME, Chris Martin expressed his state of mind, “I do feel a bit upset about it because I wrote the song. But, you know, these things happen.”

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Trent Reznor fed up with label, changes tour plans

“Forgive me for having a Kanye West moment”, writes Trent Reznor on the Nine Inch Nails website, also announcing a pause in live performances with the band.

In the post, which already has a couple thousand comments, Trent Reznor criticizes the record industry. According to Reznor, the label impeded him from filming his latest tour in 3D.

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9.12.08

Coldplay ignores Joe Satriani’s charges of plagiarism

Joe Satriani commented, for the first time, on suing Coldplay for allegedly plagiarizing his song “If I could Fly”.

In an interview for Music Radar, Satriani clarifies that he only is taking the case to court because, at this point, Coldplay has ignored him.

Full article at Beatcrave.com...

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8.12.08

Grammys fail to capture TV audiences

The Grammy Awards nominations announcement on December 3rd this year was made into a fully-fledged TV production, supposedly to garner more sales for the music industry. However, reports from Nielsen Media Research show that the “Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” telecast on CBS was anything but the ratings chart topper expected.

Full article at Beatcrave.com...

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Cover art blocked on Wikipedia by EU and UK governments

Wikipedia administrators noticed a sudden surge in edits on December 4th from content filters of at least 6 major UK Internet Services. As of Sunday morning, British web surfers were unable to view the encyclopedia’s article on the mid-1970’s Scorpions album Virgin Killer. The album’s cover art was flagged as ‘child pornography’ by theInternet Watch Foundation, which is funded by the EU and the UK government, and has the support of many ISPs and online institutions in the UK.

Read more at Beatcrave.com...

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5.12.08

Warner Music Pushing Music Tax For Universities

Warner Music is pushing the concept of a “blanket license” for file sharing. Their objective is to get all ISPs to tax everyone’s Internet access, pool the money for the recording industry and then let people share files freely. It’s an “agreement not to sue”, which would allow the industry to sit back lazily and fill their pockets with cash.

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Joe Satriani Accuses Coldplay of Stealing

This week Joe Satriani filed suit against Coldplay, claiming that their title song “Viva La Vida” was plagiarized from an instrumental he composed in 2004, entitled “If I could Fly.”

Read More at Beatcrave.com...

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Sonic Youth and Led Zeppelin Bassist Together on stage

To celebrate the 90th birthday of choreographer Merce Cunningham, Sonic Youth and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin will be performing together live for a multimedia composition from director Takehisa Kosugi, which will be taken on stage in April, by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

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28.11.08

Bob Dylan Elizabeth 2008

View this review at Collectorsmusicreviews.com

It’s difficult, or near impossible, to say anything new about Bob Dylan. He’s been reviewed and praised by many people throughout his illustrious career; The Times they are a Changing’? I’ve heard that one before. Nevertheless, one cannot help but enter a state of awe when listening to his work. In Elizabeth 2008, Dylan freshens up his style, while keeping the profound significance of the chronicle and storytelling lyrics.

After Dylan, everything changed in pop music and rock and roll. Suddenly the songs are stories, and they illustrate emotions just as well as theatre, cinema, literature or any other so-called “high art”. What made a nasal-voiced musician with mediocre playing skills become a legend? His Lyrics. Yes, capitalized. They have inspired a political group (“The Weatherman”), a national Canadian festival (“Winterlude”), been the subject of entire theses and placed amongst T.S. Eliot, John Keats and Alfred Tennyson.

In Elizabeth 2008, Dylan gives us classic songs like Mr. Tambourine Man and Like a Rollin’ Stone with new vocal metrics. Some of the songs, if it weren’t for the rock solid band behind him, wouldn’t even be recognizable. Over the years his voice has evolved from the nasal whine to a throaty half-growl, somewhat like Tom Waits. The performance is magical; it keeps the listener guessing, even though we’ve heard the songs so many times. Rather like how João Gilberto plays his standards while mixing up vocal metrics.

The live performance in Indiana is a must for Bob Dylan fans. He keeps the music real, and performs beautifully, making it a great addition to any Classic Collection.

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27.11.08

Quiet Criticism Forums Are Up

Hello readers, the Quiet Criticism Forums are now available for open discussion on Music, Movies and Journalism.

There's a link on the right column, happy posting!

Quiet Criticism Forums

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26.11.08

20.11.08

Elephant9 Dodovoodoo

View this review at Noripcord.com

Elephant9, the newest Norwegian revelation and an amazing power trio, has come into the spotlight with their debut album Dodovoodoo, released in June 2008. With Ståle Storløkken on keyboards, bassist Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen and Torstein Lofthus on drums, the group is tight, allowing the listener to bathe in their unity while taking progressive jazz to modern neighborhoods.

Fusing rock sensibility with experience and technique, they create a genuine dynamic improvisational groove. Storløkken maintains the 60’s and 70’s keyboard style and adds to Lofthus’ ever changing drum composition. We might be inclined to forgo jazz for its complexity… however; the title track Dodovoodoo grips our attention, keeping a high pace with rock rhythms and pure jam.

Storløkken’s Hammond organ is reminiscent of Weather Reports’ Joe Zawinul, with an almost abrasive Fender Rhodes sound. Considered to be one of Norway’s leading improvising keyboardists, collaborator in groups Supersilent and Box, he is undoubtedly the protagonist in Elephant9. Lofthus is relentless. One of the surviving members of Shining, free improv dominates his playing and everything is possible. Ranging from funk to rock to drum and bass, he rarely lets the energy decrease with what seems to be constant soloing during their psychedelic cacophony.

While the album is quite vigorous, we get to see all sides of the equation. Hymne brings a soft ambience to the album, allowing the listener to let down their guard, only to kick the levels up with Misdirection, a reference to Zawinul’s “Directions”. The references continue with Doctor Honoris Causa and Directions, contributing to their outer space feel and free jazz mantra.

The result is a fascinating, yet an easy-to-listen-to album, playable in the background, yet nagging in its head bobbing groove. Jazz enthusiasts will consider it to be a candidate for the best release in 2008, and non-jazz listeners can get into the genre easily with its modern take on old standards. An exemplary addition to any collection, Elephant9 dazzles with its unique take on musical density while maintaining a healthy amount of rock sensibility. You should purchase here.

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14.11.08

Guru Jazzmatazz

View this review at Noripcord.com

ARENA LOUNGE, LISBON CASINO - The expectant crowd is sitting at rotating tables on a huge version of a mechanical merry-go-round which rotates around a center. Guru and the 7 Grand Players enter the podium to raucous applause, starting off with a smooth introductory jazz hip hop beat and presentation by producer Solar.
The album series Jazzmatazz has four albums. Starting with Vol. 1 in 1993, Guru made the leap from hip hop to jazz, and with the collaboration of jazz artists was able to fuse the jazz sonority with beats. The setup before me is comprised of a CDJ turntable manned by DJ DooWop, a piano synthesizer, soprano saxophone, guitar and flute all played by David Scott, Brownman on the trumpet and, of course, MC's Guru and Superproducer Solar.

No Time to Play
follows with a reference to earlier collaborator Donald Byrd before Loungin kicks off. Between songs there's always an emphasis on crowd participation. Guru gets the crowd to scream "New York!" and "The Real Hip-Hop!" in unison, bringing the energy levels to alpine heights. When questioned about the jazz influence of their music, DJ DooWop credited MC Solar on the production of the album and technical aspects of composition. The instrumental is truly remarkable; obviously a tremendous amount of time was put into the chord progression, solos, beats from the turntable and dynamics. In your face lyrics, clear messages, soothing jazz and funky beats.

Infectious and incisive, the MC's move into political ground, declaring "Feed the hungry, house the poor, save the babies, stop the war."
When I asked if he participated in the United States 2008 election, DJ DooWop responded "Of course I did!"

Guru is half of the hip hop group Gang Starr, with DJ Premier, he produced most of his Jazzmatazz and Gang Starr tracks. He founded the label 7 Grand with producer Solar and released Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip-Hop Jazz Messenger: Back To The Future in 2007. While I was used to listening to Jazzmatazz albums on relaxed afternoons, the performance was unexpectedly a high energy, impressive, two-hour riot.

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8.11.08

Lou Reed - Ghost Stories (AS 150)

View this review at Collectorsmusicreviews.com

Lou Reed, the statesman of rock, rips up the stage with his contained personality in Ghost Stories. Live recordings from the 70’s and 80’s give a more in-depth view of the power and simplicity of Reed’s music, rather than dwelling on controversies and personal life.

Guitarist and song-writer for The Velvet Underground in the late 1960’s, Reed quickly ascended to godlike status with a stream of almost yearly albums from the 70’s to present times. He is known to be a difficult character, refusing his role as one of the most influential rock artists of all time on many occasions, particularly as the creator of punk rock. He has performed and recorded with many famous musicians like David Bowie, Ornette Coleman and The Who.

Ghost Stories starts off in Paris at the Olympia Music Hall in 1974, during his Glam Rock period, where he was compared alongside other rock figures like Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper. At the time, plagued by drug abuse, the somewhat monotonic singing of classics like Sally Can’t Dance brings waves of nostalgia and the recognition of the importance of his music for all genres.

Reed has controversial lyrics with extremely mature themes. Perhaps his greatest hit Walk on the Wild Side is about transvestites in Andy Warhol’s factory, drug addiction in How do you think it feels, adultery and prostitution in The Kids, and the self explanatory Heroin. The next live concert with John Cale and Nico in 1972 has a few interviews (in French) and kicks off with Berlin, a song that tells the tale of two addicts in love.

Finally, in Barcelona 1984, I get a peek into a later, perhaps more mature side of Reed’s music, with a complete lineup of classics like Coney Island Baby and Legendary Hearts. This time he sings masterfully, but maybe less authentically. Sometimes I get the feeling there is a touch of irony in his lyrics, posture and singing style.

Lou Reed is undoubtedly one of the true fathers of rock and roll, with his truly orginal mix of blues and ballads. I definitely recommend the DVD to those who aren’t already familiar with his music, for it gives a good scope of his work. For the fans and aficionados, it’s a great addition to any collection, and may provide an interesting view of his live performances without adding any rarities or lost tracks. Pedagogical.

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26.10.08

Bridges, Mules and Orphans - Tom Waits

View this review at Collectorsmusicreviews.com

Sitting down and talking with an artist like Grammy award-winner Tom Waits would be a wondrous experience. I'm sure anybody even remotely aware of his greatness will love the tidbits of wisdom gleaned by David Letterman and Conan O'Brien in Bridges, Mules and Orphans.
Tom Waits has a personal flavour of music that borrows from umpteen styles and movements ranging from blues to jazz to traditional ballads. The music coupled with his gruff voice creates an environment that feels nostalgic, pensive and introspective. Though his music isn't the most complicated, the poetic aspect is the priority, with thick layers of meaning and ambiguity embedded within his lyrics.

I felt the live performances were standard, essentially his most popular songs recorded with excellent sound and video quality. I especially enjoyed his doleful rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" a traditional Australian folk song written in 1985. For those less acquainted with his music, the presentation is an accurate representation of his past and present work. However, in terms of added value, the interviews with the talk show hosts truly give a new perpective of Waits, adding to his persona and gracing fans with personal anecdotes and well spoken retorts.

I think his eccentric views on simpler things and learning experiences are refreshing and somewhat eye-opening. One particular story stuck to my mind where he described a horse that had scraped an image on its wooden door. He thought the scraping looked much like a horse escaping its stable, and had photographs to prove it! To say the least, Waits upstages his hosts instantly, becoming the focus of attention, making the jokes and captivating the audience which contrasts with other interviews by Letterman and O'Brien.

Bridges, Mules and Orphans is the perfect addition to any Tom Waits collection because it brings reassurance to Waits' reputation as a thought provoking fountain of perspicacious knowledge and oracular whimsicality. It is perfect for fans and alluring for those who are keen to learn more about one of Americas greatest songwriters and personalities of today.

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14.10.08

The Bad Plus - Prog (2007)

View this review at Noripcord.com

The newest album Prog from The Bad Plus has been a refreshing week of gleeful auscultation. Reid Anderson, Ethan Iverson and David King are names to remember, for their musical calibre is spread throughout the modern Jazz scene.


Iverson, Anderson and King first played together in 1989, and released their first self-titled album in 2001 after playing only three gigs together. The Bad Plus can be described as post-modern Jazz, or Avant-Garde Jazz, and they characterize themselves as a "collective" that "favors group improvisation over individual solos". Pop and rock are notable influences and they frequently perform and record covers of popular bands like Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Rush, Pixies, Nirvana and David Bowie.

Pianist Ethan Iverson has a classical background and completely overrides the need for vocals or any other melodic instrument. Without losing any versatility, he uses soft harmonies, legato articulation and full chords with the sustain pedal. While soloing, a predominance of running melodies and classically influenced modes permeate the collaborative efforts of Anderson and King. Bassist Reid Anderson is also a composer, and has the sucessful trio Fly with Jeff Ballard and Mark Turner.

Dave King, the founding member of The Bad Plus is a rock-solid drummer, and he carries the weight of rock, pop and drum and bass in his own alternative style of playing. He obviously has studied jazz, using complicated breaks and fills that sometimes evolve into a continued rhythm. It's entrancing how he is able to create a dynamic flow with his drumming, increasing intensity deftly along with Iverson. He plays in a legion of other bands, Happy Apple, 12 Rods and Meat Beat Manifesto just to name a few.

Prog gives the continuous experience that I worship in an album, never feeling obliged to change songs, or randomize the playlist. "1980 World Champion" is about ski-jumping; "Thriftstore Jewelry" gives a taste of their Latin clout; "Life on Mars?", though I already liked Seu Jorge's version of David Bowie, was quite pleasing to hear in an instrumental rendition. The Bad Plus has made yet another fantastic album, Prog will make you forget who you are, where you are, and why you exist.


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10.10.08

Glory to the Filmmaker - Takeshi Kitano (2007)

View this review at Noripcord.com

It's a pleasure to peek into the cognitive process of Takeshi Kitano, famous Japanese painter, actor author poet and director, as he jests at his own creativity in Glory to the Filmmaker! In a movie of self-centered analysis and introspection, Kitano delivers a few laughs along with an entirely sarcastic view of himself and film making worldwide.


The comedy pays homage to his life work, and crosses a broad range of filming styles common to Japanese film. There's the gangster movie, manzai comedy, J-horror, samurai sword-fighting, romance and sci-fi, each presented as though they were past ideas that eventually flopped. The persistent gag is a metal/paper dummy used as Kitanos' double in physically jeopardizing scenes. During these scenes the rest of the cast notices who's getting the better treatment while amusingly performing the stunts themselves.

He consistently includes himself in his movies as the main character, and makes further satire of his work by defying the accusation that he only makes movies of one genre, gangster flicks. It is a fact that in his earlier work he mostly portrayed the role of the gangster boss or die-hard Samurai. Consequently, in Glory to the Filmmaker! there is a ridiculous contrast in characters, with unusual roles like a drunken wife-beater, an impotent bodyguard and blind painter. One captivating aspect of his directing is how he makes action seem more authentic. He is known to shoot only one take, so as to take advantage of spontaneous events.

In 2007, the Venice Film Festival introduced a new award: the Glory to the Filmmaker Award, which was named after Kitanos's film. He was also its first recipient. This movie is a perfect introduction to the work of Takeshi Kitano, and sheds light into the way a mind like his works. His filmography is extensive: Zatōichi, Dolls, Violent Cop and Brother are already widely acclaimed masterpieces, and are all highly recommended.

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7.10.08

Buraka Som Sistema - Black Diamond (2008)

View this Review at NoRipcord.com

Buraka Som Sistema appeared out of nowhere two years ago with the EP From Buraka to the World bringing Progressive Kuduro to the underground dance scene in Portugal. Since, they've become a virus, an international phenomenon with a new album Black Diamond out this summer '08. Buraka Som Sistema takes us on a ride through an ethnic myriad of music, from Africa to Brasil to London to Buraca, Amadora, a suburb of Lisbon.


Kuduro has its roots in Angola, and is more specifically a style of dance which evolved into a musical genre. Buraka Som Sistema, from the three electronic producers Lil'John, Riot and Condutor, is best characterized by imagining a techno beat performed by deep african drums and percussion, permeated with electronic glitches and powerful basslines.

Tracks like Kalemba (Wengue Wengue) top the charts, but others give light on how the style arose from traditional African dance. The strength of the drums in New Africas Pt. 2 are enough to make anyone break into spontaneous dance, such is their energetic density. Buraka Som Sistema has achieved new heights with Kuduro, fusing it with Brasilian Baile-Funk (Aqui para Vocês), London Grime (Black Diamond), and various other styles of electronica, all while maintaining a very earthly and authentic sound. The fusion aspect is most interesting, for it appeals to a wider audience and makes the experience more accessible.

Published by Enchufada and Sony BMG, Black Diamond has contributions from M.I.A., DJ Znobia, Saborosa, Puto Prata, Deize Tigrona, Pongo Love and Bruno M, adding to the mix of talented artists and messages delivered.

Ultimately, Kuduro is dance music. Home-listening is fine, but the real experience is live, with hundreds beating their feet in time and MC's chanting the party to even greater insanity. The album makes the blood boil and gives a good idea of what to expect at such an event. It's definitely worth a listen, if only to expand musical horizons and get a taste of other cultures.

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5.10.08

London (2005)

How does it feel to be left by your girlfriend/boyfriend? What is the pain like? Have you ever tried to describe it? Are there different levels of pain? Is mine greater than yours? These are the questions posed by London, and makes for an interesting experience while trying to answer them.


Chris Evans portrays the shat upon boyfriend, who after six months of a break-up, is still having trouble dealing with the emotional pain. The story takes place mostly at his ex-girlfriends' going away party, which he decides to attend uninvited. He installs himself in the bathroom with Jason Stathams' character, a banker and part-time cocaine dealer, and they both consume vast amounts of drugs. We're led along the highs and lows of the relationship through a series of flashbacks and philosophical discussion.

Relationships are tough, they're never perfect. In several flashbacks we see the innocent, trodden boyfriend being a veritable jackass with his girlfriend while arguing on the topic faith/religion, in others we see him spoiling her with expensive gifts, unable to express himself otherwise. The two cocaine-addled minds revolving around this subject culminate in a "who suffers more" battle, which plays out interestingly. In the end, he emerges from the bathroom in an attempt once again to sway his beloved from leaving.

London succeeds in its relationship with the viewer, dealing with a subject most people can identify with. It suffocates the heart, brings waves of nostalgia for those who can relate, and makes an effort to use those cliché phrases we've all lived through. The message isn't uplifting, but in the end, a learning and thoughtful movie.

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4.10.08

João Gilberto - White Album, João Gilberto (1973)

Anybody can recognize "The Girl From Ipanema", - it's a classic. But where did it come from? The Girl from Ipanema is Bossa Nova at its best, its rhythm, its Brasilian undulating sensual melody, but where did it originate, and why have such a fascinating sound?


Pianist Tom Jobim is credited for the composition of most of the classic Bossa Nova standards, but is was João Gilberto who took these standards, and interpreted on the guitar what we now identify as Bossa Nova. By harmonizing the chords on the guitar with the traditional Brazilian Samba rhythm, Gilberto evolved Jobims' compositions and popularized the style.

Gilberto's guitar playing is virtuous, but what really captures me is his voice. He sings with a throaty quality as if he is blowing air from his gut, which produces an intimate close-to-the-microphone sound. It's possible to hear his lips smacking dryly during the pronounciation of certain words, and he has an excellent vocal amplitude, using mostly low-pitched but well chosen notes. This creates the typical sensual, oh-so-attractive to female audiences sound that one instantly connects to the Brazilian people's warmth and the country's paradisical beaches.

This album is fun to compare to his other work, as over the years his performances have become more sensitive and refined. The harmonizations are well thought out (Gilberto is notorious for spending weeks picking out the perfect chord), and byt the time this album was recorded his voice already had that grandfather-like quality. Classics such as "Àguas de Março", "Falsa Baiana" and "Izaura" have amazing sound quality, comparable to todays' recordings.

If you can read Portuguese, or are able to find translations for the lyrics, you'll find that the lyrics complement the embracing sound - try finding accurate translations and read them whilst listening, and it will definitely heighten the pleasure of listening.


João Gilberto has at least ten albums on the market, and is established as the "Father of Bossa Nova" with collaborations from Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque and many others.


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3.10.08

Bonobo - Dial 'M' For Monkey (2003)

Bonobo challenges the chillout industry with some smooth downtempo in Dial 'M' For Monkey, delivering quality tracks like "Noctuary" and "Flutter". This album carries a slow, measured ambience that caresses the soul.


Downtempo (or Downbeat) is a very laid-back style of electronic music, similar to ambient music. It's usually permeated with funky head bobbing rhythms, the stressed beat coinciding with the downtempo e.g. the first and third beat of every measure (a segment of time in musical notation). A counter example could be drum 'n bass or punk rock, where the beat corresponds to the uptempo.

Dial 'M' for Monkey makes use of looped jazz riffs and simple yet mesmerizing basslines, always letting the consumer retain more with each listen. In fact, Bonobo is best appreciated in its subtlety and "little" sounds. It's easy to listen to, as it has the tendency to migrate to the back of the mind, but it also has a lot of depth for those who are willing to pay close attention.

Every single track is high quality, one can listen to the album straight through without finding an exception. There is no such thing as the single. I find it hard to encounter other albums with this characteristic, so it's perfect for those times when I don't want to worry about what's next on the playlist.

Need a break from hectic rhythms? Fed up with annoying fast-paced music? Give this album a chance.


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29.9.08

Meeting Resistance (2007)

Here is the truth in Iraq, this is the report on the Iraqui side of the story, this is the documentary we all want to see. Molly Bingham (US) and Steve Connors (UK) were two journalists able to document the opinions and view of eleven Iraqui Resistance fighters in the Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad.



The journalists made sure all the resistors are all anonymous. Usually faceless or out-of-focus on camera. They are presented as nicknames: The Teacher, The Warrior, The Traveler, The Imam, The Wife, The Syrian, The Fugitive, The Local, The Republican Guard, The Lieutenant, and The Professor.

While not going into too much depth into each story, it's important to note the risk involved for these two journalists. Throughout the documentary, there are incidents of shocking violence which depict perfectly how the American soldiers are aggressors, and how their oppresive presence in Iraq has affected negatively the population.

One cannot help but feel sided with the Iraqui people. It makes perfect sense to defend your country against an invading military force. Admittedly at times I was put off by the religious factors of the conflict, because for many Iraquis, religion is their main motivation. For the majority, especially the interviewees, they are waging "Jihad", a religious war, and I find this aspect disputable. However, the religious aspect justifies its importance by ultimately becoming the uniting factor for the resisting population.

The documentary is real. Facts are facts, the American invasion is hated, and the resistance has wide popular support. The resistance is able to fund itself through that support and buy weapons to attack American military targets, all for the purpose of, ironically, liberating Iraq from the oppressors. So now here's the question: why are the American troops still there?

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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)

What's the worst you can imagine? Before the Devil Knows You're Dead is going to challenge it. Through a nasty sequence of coincidences we watch the destruction of several lives, all derived from the characters' own willingness to descend into chaos.


The concept is driven by numerous flashbacks over the plot timeline, which revolves around the robbery of a jewelry store. The viewer is given little pieces of important information over time, with multiple perspectives on the events.

Philip Seymour Hoffman's perfomance as the evil, plotting and ultimately punished character is top notch. The calm decline into insanity of a broken man is represented in a way I've never seen before. Ethan Hawke's character is drawn into the plot for being the brother of the protagonist, and he is able to convey perfectly the frenetic mental perturbation involved. One cannot help but grow emotionally attached to the family of the two brothers, as Albert Finney upstages the rest of the cast as the father figure with an unstable desire for vengeance.

The film is quick-paced, and cuts between scenes are abrupt at times. Although this is understandable in view of the massive amount of information delivered, I felt at times the progression could have been more fluid. The jumping around the timeline felt a little exaggerated at times.

The concept is consistent, the plot is fascinating and I didn't notice two hours go by. I recommend at least a rental, as the replayability of the movie is pretty scarce.

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27.9.08

Ghost in the Shell (1996)

Em Português

This is one of those movies that I want to see more than three times. The narrative is well built, although difficult to understand at first.



The Japanese manga style is renovated, with a Bladerunner-esque dark environment, instead of the cheesy Pokémon style. It's worth to note that Ghost in the Shell was made before The Matrix, so most of the philosophical aspect of "GITS" was pretty new to the mainstream.

The main question in "Ghost in the Shell" is the separation man/machine, and the proper definition of Life. Since the movie is set in the near future, the humans have started to implant cybernetics into their bodies and brains. Both main characters are vestiges of humanity, authentic robots.

The following questions are posed:
- How do we define Life? Is it having a conscience? Can a machine be self-conscious? Maybe organic cell counts have something to do with it.

- What are the rights of a Living Being? Can we give them to a machine?

- In the future, when we have a direct connection from our brains to the internet, how will we defend ourselves against hackers? Will a hacker be able to change/create/erase our memories, in effect plunging us into an alternate reality?

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