I want to take a minute to thank everyone for reading! There's a few of you out there and I'm glad that you took a moment to read my little photography/art/music blog. Now if we could only bring back dancing like this...
The photographer is "fascinated by how death, the most personal finality," can become a media fixation. In this photo, inspired by the Terri Schiavo case—the grueling legal effort by Michael Schiavo to have his wife, Terri, disconnected from life support---the photographer strives to distill the absurdity and "the public obsession with the controversial matters of life and death."
So if you have a min stop by the site and vote for him. I understand I'm a little bias, but some of the other entries are simply perplexing as to why they were chosen.
So I know you've been waiting patiently all week for the much anticipated Iconunited Top 10 albums of 2009. As I mentioned before, and I feel it might be a good time to mention again, that this is my top 10 list and has no baring on what one might consider a definitive list in any one genre/style/group, to simply state, anything was fair game. As it happens it's pretty varied for a short 10 deep list. With that said, lets jump in....
10. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
This hit me at the end of the year as I came across it. It's a fantastic little album that hit me at the right time too. Thus, it made the list. It's listed as an "Alternative" album but I would argue it has more of a folkish vibe to it. Lyrically it's complex and refreshing. Good stuff there. I'm glad it hit the radar before 2009 faded away. official site.
9. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus
Ok. Lets clear this up a bit. It's #9 because this album made everyone's list for "top something" this year and could easily be in any position on this list depending on the day but I had to deduct some points simply because they are on everyone's list and my plug here isn't going help or hurt them. So I don't feel bad putting them at 9 considering the caliber of the album. At the end of the day a solid, feel-good album all around. Good stuff. I mean, this video is totally awesome...I linked to it before too...
"...it's essentially makeout music for cool kids; steely quiet-storm soundscapes that redefine R&B for a generation that loves Aaliyah and the post-everything productions of Timbaland as much as freshly-pressed Hot Chip singles and faded Cure LPs."
Going by that quote I guess I'm not that cool. But that itunes quote makes this music the coolest music out there...I mean, everything that's in between Timbaland, Hot Chip and Cure(!) it's gotta be the only music you need! Apparently it's the cause of hot and wild make out sessions of tweens everywhere too! (where did they get that information?) My take is a bit more mellow, I agree it *is* cool (yea, i said it) but while embodying a ridiculously chill alternative vibe it, here's the tricky part, really doesn't try too hard. So much music out there tries so hard "to be cool" and ultimately fails to be anything close (and sadly fail to become the "makeout album" it could be). Without thinking to hard the first lame band that comes to mind is Nickleback sounds like the Shinedown, that souns like Daughtry that soulds like....you get the idea...that music is all so produced (maybe manufactured is a better word)...while the XX's simple beats might be cast off as produced it's the balance that make it stand apart and ultimately stand apart from said bands above. It's a great balance that makes XX's fairly simple beats and low key lyrics separate them from the other "alternitive" bands out there. You should be warned though, the official site is too cool to load or at least on my computer it is. Oh, and just to make it clear, XX DOES NOT sound like Nickleback, Shinedown or Daughtry, I wouldn't be cought dead with those in my iTunes track list, my ears cannot take that sort of punishment...but they were the first really bad "alternative bands" that came to mind. Onward...
7. Washed Out - Life of Leisure
Great electronic digs here. Sound stuff. I can easily hit chill mode by simply putting it on. The only downside is the album is about 17 and half minutes....too short! Hence the short review...check it out yourself, chill on your own time, it's worth it...boom shake. Ummm....official site?
6. Simeon Ten Holt - Canto Ostinato
Amazing classical compositions. I can't say enough good things about this artist's work. Although, if you're not a fan of say...Philp Glass or Steve Reich you might find only *parts* of this work beautiful (sorry, at this point those are the only two musicians I can think of who closely resemble the sound of Simeon, I might be way off when it comes to capturing the essence of what is going on in Ten Holt's compositions with those artists but...so it goes...). Anyway, mad minimalist music here, none-the-less I happen to find all of it beautiful. The official site looks like it's from the 90s but the music is amazing. Oh and not to be confused with Steve Holt!.
5. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
Awesome. Fantastic dance/electronic music. And probably the inspiration behind one of the coolest modern music videos ever. So cool I had to link to it again. But seriously, the dance thrills going on here will make you want to move. Swoop here for a bit more.
4. Fanfarlo - Reservoir
I believe I heard of them first on npr (I *heart* npr) sometime back but I have been listening to them quite a bit. Again, it comes in on an "alternative" tag but I don't know if they are really all that "alternative". They have that great folk/alternitive cross thing going on. "The Walls Are Coming Down" is a tasty little tune. official site.
3. The American Dollar
"Anything You Synthesize" is an amazing post rock creation. After getting into their work I've heard their compositions on so many commercials. They are like the Album Leaf but not as well known...or maybe they are and I just don't know it. They're Dutch I believe and I have to say, that part of the world, including the nordic countries too, is amazing. I need to spend more time there. On another note, post rock is a genre that is slowly taking over the bulk of my iTunes library. Really good stuff by The American Dollar. official site. There is also this amazing made as a tribute to this song...I don't know if it's the official video or anything but it's super cool...I linked to it before I think...
Terribly beautiful music. So beautiful I had to make a small film/video/movie composition (whatever you call the moving images these days) of my own to make/compliment the sound. I didn't do it justice but I think with a little tweaking it will be a nice quiet piece ("quiet piece," sound familiar? It might feature a quiet man...anyway...) The music is that inspirational. I just made my little project it's getting close to being done hopefully it will turn out as beautiful as the music. Bosques de Mi Mente is exceptional stuff. Make sure you stop by the official site to learn more. I can't get enough of the piano and all the the wonderful variances I find within the music...really really wonderful.
And Finaly,
1. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Jacksonville City Nights.
Now, before you jump all over me for being sligly less innovative/groundbreaking/on the thumb of good music with my #1 pick, I should say I happen to love Ryan Adams. So this crowing of #1 was inevitable. I could definitively say that if I was stranded on an island and I could only take three archives (not albums, but archives of an artist, albums never give you enough...) the top three archives would be Guster, Ryan Adams and Frederic Chopin. If it was more than three I'd have too hard of time figuring out what to take but I think I could easily take those three archives and be pretty good while stranded there. Wake up in the morning with my island coffee to Chopin, rock out to Guster while repairing my thatch hut the rain had slightly damaged the night before and then bringing in the evening with Ryan Adams around a campfire grilling tofu (they have tofu when stranded on islands right?). Nice. That would be a good time. Thus, Ryan Adams was bound to get number one (I don't believe Guster and Chopin had 2009 releases). And yes, I totally understand it's pretty much his same old stuff with the country influence amped to the highest degree, but I don't care. It's still good. Plus, if I'm going to listen to country, let it be Ryan Adams.
So there you go. My top 10 of 2009. Love it or hate it that's what it is. I suppose I have to give an honorable mention to Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest because while I haven't fallen head over heels yet I have been stopping by the Grizzly Bear playlist quite a bit more as of lately (thanks to Nate for lead on that one). It's probably going to be one of those, "found in late 09' and *rocked out* to in 10'.
Anyway...
Posts are going to be sparse around the holidays here as travel always ensues and elf like behavior becomes frequent but look for and odd post here and there.
So I am totally in love with the sound of Heinali I cannot remember where I heard them first or even where this alubm came from. I found it on my hard drive and I totally dig it. Their album titled Film Music (El Mar) is both varied and wonderful (note that both of those terms are pretty vauge, you can elaborate on those terms at will...I just got you off to a good start). It has a lot of piano which I always dig.
They describe their sound as:
This is a permanently updating compilation of music for imaginary films, contemporary classical, minimalist works. Most of them are dedicated to the Sea.
But just give it a listen...
And while I was trying to learn a bit more about them (and maybe where this disk came from, did you give it to me?) when I stumbled upon bandcamp. They claim it's "The best home on the web for your band's music." I can't argue with that at all because it was so easy to link to Heinali. I could do it legally and not have to deal with a cheap Youtube video. The bandcamp sharing function/sharing layout is super cool and really clean. Did you see the link above? How awesome is that? Now, I'm sure there's a bunch of sites out there like that but I a) don't know about them and b) found this one first and thus am stoked about it.
Anyway, have a have a good weekend. Wicked cold out there...so bundle up.
I read on the Economist that Andy Warhol's "EIGHT ELVISES" sold for $100 Million Dollars. That's like $12.5 Million per Elvis. Whew...I thought that the recession was still happening. I'm really glad it's over...er...um...
Anyway, I'm going to prefer to watch this because I think it's the funniest thing I'll see all week (it's also had around 10 million hits and 30,000 votes, yea...say that again, 30,000...so it appears that everyone is choosing to ignore these hare times).
This looks like it's going to be crazy/sad/funny/touching/moving/extreme ski filled madness of a movie. Totally stoked for it (or did it come out already? I probably missed it. Thus I'm now going to the internet to find out...). Via the rad blog.
So there isn't a music video for Bosques de mi Mente and I wouldn't think there would be biased on the type of music (although I can think of several cool ideas...) but somebody make a "video" out of the album cover on youtube and that's good enough for me to link to for a little audio delight. I found Bosques de mi Mente via youtube and totally love the sound. I think it's simplicity is a thing of beauty and my ears have been thanking me for listening to it all week.
So on music friday I thought I'd share it here.
The the official site has some English translation on it and you can jump in there to get to know where the sound is coming from a bit better. This(!) is the real kicker though, if you go to the homepage you can download the albums (I guess..) for free(?). You don't need to understand Spanish to learn how to grab em' too. What a wonderful gift. They are posted for all to enjoy (as far as I understand...) and I not only enjoy it, I am in love with them. I'm so thankful to be able to listen to such wonderful music...
Anyway, I hope you have a weekend full of relaxing melody.
I'm feeling a bit lazy on the blogging side. I blame Thanksgiving. Look for some more stuff Wednesday(?)...and yes, this is what some of my family looks like after eating a Thanksgiving meal, classic...I assume mine family was one of many.
