Found somewhere on the blogosphere, these are incredible-sounding (though slightly hissy) home recordings David Byrne laid down in 1984 for tracks that would later appear on Talking Heads’ mid-80s masterpiece Little Creatures and its just-aiiight follow-up True Stories. Using what sounds like a Linn drum machine and his guitar, these tracks are bare-bones, but still […]
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NEW JIM O’ROURKE REISSUES OUT THIS MAY
From Drag City’s Press Desk:
On May 20th, Drag City will release two Jim O’Rourke related projects: Tamper, a reissued release of an instrumental, “experimental” CD from 1991 and Mimidokodesuka, a reissue of a Japanese-released CD by the trio Osorezan comprised of Jim O’Rourke, Darin Gray and Chris Corsano.
Osorezan – Mimidokodesuka – DC362.1
Osorezan came about when Jim was given the opportunity to bring some players to Japan to basically do whatever he wanted, but after considering his options, what he chose to do was a “deep roots” project, a return to the kind of music he played before anything else. The very nature of “free jazz/improvisation” means that you are always joining up with other people – and over the years, Jim had participated in plenty of sessions such as these, but had never initiated one of his own.
And so Osorezan was formed! Jim on electric guitar, Darin on contrabass bonded with Chris Corsano who’s blown the free world with his unbridled power, intensely collaborative nature and smooth stickwork behind the kit (he’s also acted as Bjork’s drummer!).
Mimidokodesuka was recorded live at the Pit Inn in Tokyo during a 2005 residency that included sets with alto sax legend Akira Sakata (recordings of which have been released separately and elsewhere). The music appears here pretty much as played, all from the first set. The agreement between players is kinetic and immediate, with everybody playing alternately for each other and to the skies. There’s lots of color and dynamic tension and lots of good awesomeness too!
Tracklisting:
- Form of the Collapse if A Collapse Should Occur
- All We Know So Far
- In Addition
Jim O’Rourke – Tamper – DC362.2
Part two of the multi-part Jim O’Rourke “Old Timing” reissue series is Tamper, from 1991. Tamper is a set of three acoustic instrumental compositions recorded on analogue tape during the final days of the first digital wave (we’re at the end of at least the third wave nowadays), when everyone but a certain young schoolboy in short pants were looking towards CDs and DATs as the things of the future. As both those purely transitory formats fade into obsolescence, Tamper’s analog sound rises again — and even though it comes to you on the frighteningly emaciated CD format, it’s still a reminder of the reward that pure sound before all definition has to offer us.
The spaced-out minimalism of Tamper is as forward-looking today as it was seventeen years ago — and as such; it’s a seminal work in Jim O’Rourke’s catalog. That’s what this reissue series is all about, bringing it all back home to some of the young master’s less-known work. And with Tamper, the goal is to get back to listening to the sound rather than what we expect of it — the literal sound of a piano as opposed to us hearing our expectations regarding the playing of a piano.
As sweet and virginal as all this sounds, we the listener find ourselves straining to hear unvarnished acoustical sound throughout the album — there’s some of that here, but there’s definitely some pixie dust in Jim’s methods. Tamper’s three pieces move quite fluidly along — so much so that you might never consider that they’re actually mapped out in a constant series of crossfades. No particular sound lasts more than 10 or 20 seconds, a process which interprets things in its own mind- (and ear-) bending manner — and gives Tamper a blazed trail all of its own!
Tracklisting:
- Spirits Never Forgive
- He Felt the Patient Memory of a Reluctant Sea
- Ascend though Unspoken Shadow
DAVID BYRNE/BRIAN ENO WORKING ON NEW ALBUM
Stolen from Pitchforkmedia.com:
David Byrne and Brian Eno Working Together Again 
Almost three decades since Brian Eno and David Byrne worked together on Talking Heads records, and 27 years after the original release of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, the pair are collaborating together again.
After performing with Paul Simon April 9 at a Brooklyn Academy of Music event, Byrne told NME.com his current plans include “finishing up a record with Brian Eno, a musician that I worked with 30 years ago. We did a record together of songs, and that’ll come out.” He added, “I’m also working on a collaboration with Fatboy Slim, also songs. I don’t know when that’ll be done, but sometime.”
Byrne expounded upon the new collaboration with Eno to the New York Daily News (via the Daily Swarm): “Brian had written a lot of music but needed some words, which I know how to do. What’s it sound like? Electronic gospel. That’s all I’m saying.”
The Daily Swarm reports that the Byrne/Eno album will come out via Nonesuch before the end of 2008. Also, a joint U.S. tour with a setlist of “at least 40% Eno-era Talking Heads material” is in the works.
For now, the only known show from either artist is Byrne’s appearance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in September. Meanwhile, Byrne is busy worrying about the mortgage crisis and Eno is working with U2. Eno also helped out Coldplay on their forthcoming album.
Stream: Brian Eno + David Byrne: Various Tracks (Clips) [from the My Life in the Bush of Ghosts LP]
FUNNY, I HAD A DREAM OF GETTING A LAPDANCE FROM KAT VON D. LAST NIGHT…
Not to turn IRT into some kind of TMZ clone or anything, I just thought this was interesting considering the fact that I really did have a dream of getting a lapdance from her last night. Thank you. -Ed.
From TMZ:
TMZ has obtained the photograph in question, a headshot of Kat that reads, “Burn in hell Jewbag.” No one witnessed Kat write the message, but Chris Garver, another tattoo artist on “Miami Ink,” tells TMZ Kat personally handed him the photo.
When Ami, who is Jewish, received the photo, sources tell us he went to TLC and was rebuffed. We’re told after Ami had a lawyer intervene, TLC went to a handwriting analyst who concluded “there is a 99% probability that Kat Von D” wrote the message. In early July 2007, Avi’s lawyer went to TLC with the analysis. They simply sent him a letter back that acknowledged receiving the results and said, “We trust that this information will be kept strictly confidential.”
When contacted about the photo, Ami told TMZ he wasn’t as offended by the photo as he was by the indifference toward it, saying, “What is more devastating to me, and much more shameful is when people ignore something like this for the sake of the money or self-interest. That is the real ‘punch in the gut.’”
TLC gave TMZ this statement: “A publicity photo was brought to the network’s attention eight months ago that contained extraordinarily offensive language. A full investigation was immediately conducted to determine whether anyone associated with the network was involved. Kat vehemently denied authoring the text and after completing the investigation, it was determined that insufficient evidence existed to conclude that she had. Therefore, no disciplinary action was taken. The network always takes these matters seriously and follows what we believe to be an appropriate course of action as dictated by the circumstances and available information.”
Kat’s personal publicist issued this statement: “The recent accusation of a publicity photo of me with offensive and anti-semitic comments and graphics allegedly written by me is completely false and unfounded, and clearly a forgery. This was already proven many months ago to be 100 percent untrue. I always have been, and will continue to be an advocate for tolerance of all races, religions and ways of life.”
But Kat Von D is telling her fans the truth on her MySpace page. In part, her MySpace message says:
“I cannot begin to tell you how disgusted and disappointed i am with the recent rumors that started circulating around town, all of which are COMPLETELY FALSE.
Against the advice of my publicist, agent and others, I have decided to be completely open and honest about the following, because you guys deserve that.”
Apparently, Kat Von D believes that one of her photos (which for some time she gave out to anyone who requested one), got into the wrong hands, saying:
“For those of you that HAVE received signed 8×10’s from me in the past, you can CLEARLY see that this is a slanderous case of FORGERY, FRAUD, and attempt at getting attention.”
And this is likely the last we’ll hear from Kat Von D:
“I am in no way, planning on discussing this topic any further with press, and refuse to feed into this drama. this is what they want, attention. But I have always felt like my MySpace was a place where true fans go, and we can stay connected through my blogs and bulletins. This is why I feel this inclined to let you guys be aware of the truth.”
SPOON ROCK TERMINAL 5 IN NYC
SPOON
Terminal 5 Manhattan
Wednesday, April 9, 2008What should be known as ‘Camel Cigarette Concert-Hall-Ballroom-Place’ provided the forum for a kickass live event this week. Entering the building I had to get past the many neon Camel logos and screens projecting a loop of smoke-more-tobacco infomercials before I could enjoy the surprise pleasure of Handsome Furs opening. While I bemoaned the misfortune of the Walkmen and White Rabbits ducking NYC in the midst of their joint tour, seeing Dan Boeckner on stage got me stoked for Wolf Parade’s upcoming release, Kissing The Beehive. Boeckner brought the raw vocals that hit you in the gut, while spouse Alexei Perry kept up with “minimalist” drums and sample beats. In concert it becomes clear that wifey ain’t pulling her own weight and you knew why they were an opening act. Immediately after their set the hall was consumed with the anxious energy of an impatient crowd. While the speakers played Wolf Parade’s “Modern World ” with Boeckner on vox, Spoon stepped in and lit up the place. All around were people singing along to some great performances of their new songs. The hipster too-cool-to-dance folk and recent-college-grad “I wish this was a frat party” crowd—which have both become barnacles on the Manhattan live scene—were in attendance, but most of the goers were legit fans. Some throwbacks from Telephono and of course the previous opus, Gimme Fiction, were interspersed between almost every track on the new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Played live, the one dead-air track on Ga Ga…, “The Ghost of You Lingers,” was everything it isn’t in the studio: vaporous in its haunt and wholly unnerving. An hour fifteen in, while the brass accompaniments in “The Underdog” hit the crowd with blow-your-hair-back waves of sound, I thought the set had reached its crescendo. But the band played on: at least another eight songs with equal intensity and two two-song encores. The closeout song was “I Turn My Camera On,” one of the better dance-rock jams of recent years. And by then the fake fans had faded and the rest of the lot got down. And so I’ll restate this—a kickass live event. —Michael Montesano