After getting Di at work at 9, having a drink, going from a vegan place to another, arriving to the 13th Note late and missed Red Heat, which is certainly really sad.
Boo-boo, life is not easy.
Well, anyway, we can start:
Golden Grrrls
To keep it short:
[ (cute Flipper + early Happy Flowers drones + acid-liquid Helios Creed guitars) x morbid Beat Happening ] + the-coolest-drummer-in-the-world-since-Tobi-Vail = Golden Grrrls.
For a longer development, you have to add an intensity of out-of-the-world hyper active kids lost in massive, hypnotic blocks of noise. With hesitant, yet poppy, small voices, an adorable Lo-Fi/DIY/cassette culture/amateurism edge and a between songs longer than the songs themself.
So, they are currently the best band in the world, shortly surpass by the "Jonathan Richman, frontman of a TVP composed of members of Pastels, Song For Children era" that are Boredom Boys.
For the rest, they are a fucking brilliant and cute band playing a pure panda & kitten music.
La La Vasquez
Oh! Raincoats' Odychape in a folky gothic Residents' Fingerprince mood!
Errr... No, that's the Next Big Thing of the DIY indie scene. Hello La La Vasquez.
What's better than 3 girls playing with a fake innocence? (Ok, Bikini Kill). But, also 3 girls on acid playing with a fake innocence.
When, on records, La La Vasquez give an absurd (from absurdity, not an other word for "shit") version of the Marine Girls, on stage, they give an almost-arid abstract version of it.
On the simple base drums + bass and eerie double vocals of an amateurish Shangri-Las, the guitar fly above and launch dive attacks of groups of notes, almost unrelated to the rest.
Which give:
La La Vasquez = Illyushin IL-2 on a scout girls fire camp.
OK, the fact that the drummer was sick to death during the gig didn't help, I guess.
But, at the end, I rather liked it. They got for them this weird practice of psych-vocal on thin and un-deep sound. They're really cool, honestly.
Hum, what else? Oh yeah, on their cover of Blue Monday, the Tchak-Tchak-Tchak of the beginning remplaced by a Paf-Paf-Paf of cymbals. That made me laugh a lot. But I'm really childish. (and I mean, REALLY)
Last thing, the drummer, before her gig was taking pictures with a one-time camera. That's make them even cooler.
Last trio of girls of the night *: Brilliant Colors
The Ramones is obviously the cliché of any band playing fast and noisy pop, so I guess I have to name-drop it in the case of Brillant Colors. So I drop it:
RAMONES
Well, honestly, despite the brillant "We've got 15 minutes left, let's do 14 songs!", they reminded me more of a punchy Amen Dunes because of the strange echo vocals and of the Sterling Morrison solos style, which is always a good thing.
And Shop Assistants.
They actually don't sound or even look like it, it just get stuck in my head: Shop Assistants. I really don't know why, maybe the semi-punk, fast pulsation, in-your-head -without the ordinary macho pose of it- feeling they give to all their song. And the girls vocal as well.
Once again, really good, feeling even a bit more professional than the others (OMG, a band who don't do any false starts!).
All those beautiful red and blurry pics by Di on her non-working mobile phone.
* Two things: 1) I know there's a guy in Golden Grrls 2) about the 3-girls bands: I am sure it's actually significant and that I could build a whole bullshit theory about that. But not now, I don't feel concentrate enough. You should ask Ian Svenonius, I'm sure he've got something to say about it.
The point is the 3-girls garage/indie pop group has emerge from those last errr, let's say 3 years as a real archetype (like, before that, the 4 skinny guys doing dance-punk or the 2 Vice-type guy + 1 part-time American Apparel model doing forgettable synth-pop) in the underground field. Or something like that.
That's remind me a discussion some years ago with a friend about what could come after the noisy post-whatever wave of 2005-2008 and we agreed about a wave of rather melodic and direct bands like the 80's C-86 style bands could have been after all the post-punk and industrial experiment. We wasn't that far with all those pop-punk band, finally.
And, yes,I've got some really interesting discussion with my friends.
1. Håkan Hellström - Ett Kolikbarns Bekännelser (2005)
So here we go again, this Swedish guy with a strange name singing in Swedish. I know it's boring for you 'cause you will never understand it. But for me he is still the best. And when I started to make this list I wanted to put all of his albums on the top, but then I was thinking it would be quite boring so I limited myself to only one. And I just took the first one that came to my mind otherwise it would be too hard to decide (which I did with all the rest of the albums and songs, I'm terrible when it comes to choose something). This album include some of my absolutely fav songs; Jag har varit i alla städer (I've been to every city), which is the first song on the album and it's so powerful, Hurricane Gilbert, I most admit that I'm almost crying every time I hear it and I'm sure I'm not the only one with tears in my eyes, Dom kommer kliva på dig igen (They will stand on you again), En midsommarnattsdröm (A midsummer nights dream.) The album is just very touching and amazing. I don't know how to describe the feelings and how much I love Håkan and how important his music been in my life. I guess I just have to say thank you and go to the next one before I'm getting to sentimental. And I'm sure if you check in any Swedish music paper they will at least list one of his albums, I promise.
2. Belle & Sebastian - Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant (2000)
I'm not sure if I can call this an actual album since it's a collection of songs. But who cares? It's still amazing. I mean listen to Black cab, Julie, Maple leaves (7inch version), Pocketful of money, A man walks into the bar, A sweet summer's night on Hammer Hill, I saw her in the anti war demonstration. Listen to the whole album, listen to the cute melodies, the instruments, listen to his voice, the lyrics and you will smile, you will love it and you will feel happy (even if it sad as well). 'Cause that's Jens, happiness. Jens Lekman's music is beautiful and he even holds your hair when you're vomiting at the Christmas party. He is beautiful. And this album contains a mix of his best tracks ever.
4. Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Twinkle Echo (2003)
5. Chain And The Gang - Down With Liberty, Up With Chains! (2009)
There's a group on facebook called "Everything Ian Svenonius touch is gold". I might even say; Ian Svenonius is gold. Play the a-side (and then the b-side of course) and read the introduction on the back; Chain and the gang says they're tired of liberty, tired of being free, they say "if this is 'freedom' then lock me up and throw away the key". Svenonius is talking about our life style, our society and our world today. Something highly current, something people are blind for surrendered with fast food, class struggle, environmental destruction, materialism etc. His songs contains all of this and much more. Listen to the songs Chain Gang theme (I see progress), What is a dollar?, Interview with Chain gang and Deathbed confession and you will hear it. It's more than simple songs, it's brilliant. Chain me and throw away the key, please!
6. The Pastels & Tenniscoats - Two Sunsets (2009)
First time I heard the songs from Two sunsets was live at Stereo in Glasgow (sept -09). And it just blowed me away. When we later bought a new turntable and could actually listen to the sign copy we own, it was just magic. The collaboration between the Glaswegian and the Japanese band is a perfect match. It's cute, gentle and lovely. It feels like The Pastels starts to grow up more and more and turn into something beautiful (even if I still love all the old songs). The b-side is with no doubt my fav side, starting with About you and contains songs like Mou mou rainbow and the sweet voices of Stephen, Katrina and Saya. This album is magic live and on record and a keeper in the record collection.
7. Stereolab - Chemical Chords (2008)
Stereolab is a quite "new" band for me (told you I discovered music 10 years after everyone else) and one of the first songs I every heard by them was Valley hi! The song was on one of the best compilation I ever got (thank you Ym!) and I have since then never been able to stop listen to it. (In fact I have to listen to it right now!) It's just such a perfect song. I mean just listen to it and if you don't get it, well then you're stupid. One day I will learn french so I can sing it. Anyway, the album is fantastic, but of course Valley hi! is the best one and make it worth to listen to it again and again and again. I mean just put it on and listen to the first song and you just get catch. It's just great to see that a band after like 20 years still can do a perfect song and a perfect album.
8. The Gentle Waves - Swansongs For You (2000)
This is in my opinion the best solo album by Isobel Campell. It reminds me of an early B&S. Sweet voice and heart breaking melodies. It's a quite short album. But it still contains so much. For the 36 min Campell invites you to listen, you just get the impression that she's a genius. My fav track is Loretta Young, it's an amazing song, followed by the last track on the album; There was magic, then...
This album is magic.
9. Le Tigre - Feminist Sweepstakes (2001)
Even if Le Tigre formed around 10 years after the first Riot Grrrls band in US they're still an important part of the movement. And even if they more or less split as a band they will always be inspiring and a band I will remember. I love the voice of Kathleen Hanna, the guitars and the lyrics. My fav track is without any doubts FYR. It's such a powerful song that always make you feel strong and like "fuck this shit".
10. Elliott Smith - Figure 8 (2000)
Elliott Smith is a musician I've been loving for a long time now. And even if Figure 8 isn't my fav album by him, it's still an album worth putting on the top. It's quite a typical sad album by Mr Smith, but still an amazing one. My fav track on the album is Son of Sam, just listen to the intro, it's worth to die for.
Extra album
Ok, I guess it's not really fair to make an "extra list" with albums. But I couldn't fit all of them on the top 10, so I just had to. There have been too much good music made during these years. So here we go, no specific order, just random and all of them in my heart;
Håkan Hellström - Det Är Så Jag Säger Det, Håkan Hellström - För Sent För Edelweiss, Håkan, Hellström - Nåt Gammalt, Nåt Nytt, Nåt Lånat, Nåt Blått, Håkan Hellström - Luften Bor I Mina Steg, Håkan Hellström - Känn Ingen Sorg För Mig Göteborg, Yann Tiersen - L'absente, The Coral - S/T, Mika Miko - CYSLABF, Mika Miko - 666, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Behind Music, Kings Of Convenience - Riot On Empty Street, José González - Veneer, Jens Lekman - When I said I Wanted To Be Your Dog, Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala, Hello Saferide - Introducing: Hello Saferide, Jeffrey Lewis - City & Eastern Songs, Jeffrey Lewis - 12 Crass Songs, Promise & The Monster - Transparent Knives, The Strokes - Is This It, Franz Ferdinand - S/T, Pens - Hey friend! What you doing, Säkert! - S/T, Frida Hyvönen - Until Death Comes, Broder Daniel - Cruel Town, Kimya Dawson - Remember That I Love You, Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted, Patrick Wolf - Lycanthropy , Patrick Wolf - Wind In The Wire, Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope, Vivian Girls - S/T, The Aislers Set - How I Learned To Write Backwards, The Aislers Set - The Last Match, Beirut - The Flying Club Cup, Beirut - Gulag Orkestar, Arcade fire - Funeral, The Ark - We Are The Ark, The Ark - In Lust We Trust, Calvin Johnson - Before the Dream Faded, John Maus - Songs, Cat power - You Are Free, Bob Hund - Stenåldern Kan Börja, Camera Obscura - Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi, Sufjan Stevens - Illinois, Belle & Sebastian - Storytelling, Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress The Rosie Taylor Project - This City Draws Maps, Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities, Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills, Moneybrother - To Die Alone, The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2, Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks, All Girl Summer Fun Band - S/T, Kaizers Orchestra - Ompa Til Du Dör, Final Fantasy - Has A Good Home, Grantura - In Dreams And Other Stories, Jeremy Jay - A Place Where We Could Go, Jeremy Jay - Airwalker, Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous, Sigur Rós - Takk, The Moldy Peaches - S/T, Partyline - Zombie Terrorist, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Conor Oberst, Coldplay - Parachutes, The Concretes - In Colour, Taken By Trees - East Of Eden, Au Revoir Simone - The Bird Of Music, Butcher Boy - Profit In Your Poetry, Morrissey - You Are The Quarry, God Help The Girl - S/T, Martha Wainwright - S/T, Yo La Tengo - I'm Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass
Song:
Stereolab - Valley hi!
Well, guess I can't really say anything more about this song, everything is already too much.
Mainstream song:
I was about to choose Toploaders Dancing in the moonlight 'cause when it came out 2000 I loved it. But when I actually listen to it now, I was disappointed and it didn't hit me liked it used to. So instead I decided my mind for Beyoncés Crazy in love 'cause the sound is actually amazing. Followed by Britneys Pieces of me 'cause it's the best song Britney ever made.
But ok, some serious talk here; WHY must all this girls with succes ALWAYS have to make a music video that SUCKS? Like no clothes at all, some obscure "sexy dance" with shaking ass and I don't know what. And look at the guys in the video, like Beyoncés with Jay-z dressed in uglytoobighiphopclotheswithanuglycap. And just look at Beyoncé the first minutes in the video. Horrible dressed with red heels and a horrible "dance" that's not even "sexy". I mean come on girls, you can do better. Don't sell yourself like you already been doing. I mean you will anyway sell your records and people will still love you. Just skip the horrible industry and the "sexyness". It just piss me off that artist like Beyoncé just have to grap her ass, lick her fingers and touch her tits during the whole music video 'cause "that's the way it should be". I'm sure she was totally horny and willing to fuck everyone after making that video. Come on people, there's so many other ways to be sexy than the way you have to show it. I mean haven't we already been seeing that kind of stuff for more than 20 years? Please come up with something new. And before anyway will write any crapy comment to this I will just say; you suck and I'm not ugly and/or lesbian and my boyfriend ain't blind. Thank you.
DJ
