More reviews of The Black Wood

The Stumps (myspace) latest CD The Black Wood (Last Visible Dog link) has picked up a couple more good reviews at AnimalPsi and Foxy Digitalis.

Despite the decidedly self-deprecating title (reified through the arboreal sub-title and booklet art), the work of The Stumps is rather cerebral, quite elevated psychedelia with no overt hints of humor [...] all untitled pieces populating a spectrum from pure guitar-derived drone pieces to scuzzy, austere garage-psych in classic NZ style. Tracks are a technicality, for the most part, as the dark shimmer of the opening drone transitions into a krautrock free-fall in the final third of the second, picking up to Faustian thrust in the third. [...] The ambient conversation and wayward percussion of track four contradict nicely the deep lapses of dark ambience found, for example, on the 12 minute track which follows, a subterrestrial bisection where guitars writhe and glisten in the rich soil of electronic ether. A wrenched, white-jazz bombast cuts the effect briefly, then again in earnest as the band returns gear to the guitars and kit travails of before; squealing electronics are used throughout, stabbing an additional plane of sharp static to the mix. [...] Recommended.

-- AnimalPsi (read the full review)

Upon entering into “The Black Wood” one will initially find navigation hard to manage, as sounds appear from long distances, erupt and dissipate back into the dark abyss from which they sprang. Imagine echoing reverberations bouncing off the burnt out husks of trees tease the mind conjures images of what may or may not be laying in wait for you… then suddenly the dark feelings dissipate as a gentle rain begins to fall. But as the last rays of light leave and complete darkness takes over, the sounds shift their tone, implicating a rising danger moving closer towards you. Finally, when the drumming begins you know you must find your way out of this place … and when your pace quickens, everything erupts into a head-on chase, accompanied by heavy drum and bass interplay through which a reverb-drenched guitar weaves chaos in and out of the mix..

Essentially the first three tracks of this recording would make quite a memorable soundtrack to some form of horror film or ghost tale. In many ways, this suite offers similar feelings that arise while listening to Tetsuya Ohashi’s soundtrack to Kaneto Shindo’s “Onibaba.” The sense of juxtaposition of very spatially oriented arrangements with very structured interludes, presents a high level of tension that manages to find its way to a wonderful and very satisfying resolution with the close of the third movement. [...] 8/10

-- Cory Card, Foxy Digitalis (read the full review)

Thank you to our reviewers, we're glad you like the record.

PS. Though Cory Card and I both write for Foxy Digitalis, he is not under any compulsion to write nice things about my band.

Kiwi T-Shirts

This is really, really good news.

I was affeared that the Kiwi T-Shirts shop had vanished forever from Wellington when it moved from its previous location on the corner of Chews Lane and Willis Street (for the "massive" Chews Lane project).

About a month ago I went hunting for it at its purported new location -- 27 Manners Street, according to the whitepages. It was nowhere to be found. "Oh noes" wailed I -- fearing the worst -- to anyone who would listen, "how'm I gonna make my one-off slogan art tee-shirts now?" (Galleryhag)

But riding past the location in a bus, yesterday, all my fears evaporated upon spying the new signage, and Kiwi T-Shirts man in the window, hanging up the good ol' trusty "print goofy images of your nephews and nieces on mousepads and white shirts" shop stock.

First up out of the blocks at the new location is gonna be...

WHAT WLD
CARAVAGGIO
DO ?

... I think...

Mystery Monday: *j ****w

(Congrats to "Kate's Dad" for correctly identifying the previous mystery as being Johnny B '77 by Jack Bruce from his 1977 album of surprising goodness, How's Tricks.)

A new regular feature showcasing mysterious tunes that take my fancy, juxtaposed with mysterious results from Google Image Search. Listen up, clickety-click and go where the web takes you...

Prizes will be awarded if you can tell me what/who the track is.

And if you are a maker of mysteries and would like to contribute to this feature, contact me offline to organise stuff.

Friday Farce: Travelling Riverside Blues

(dammit I forgot to hit "publish" on this one -- that'll teach me to blog drunk)

Travelling Riverside Blues is a blues song written and recorded in Dallas, Texas by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Johnson's June 20, 1937 recording has a typical 12 bar blues structure, played on a single guitar tuned to open G, with a slide. It was first released on the 1961 compilation LP King of the Delta Blues Singers. The song has proved popular with more recent blues musicians.

(God bless Wikipedia).

Robert Johnson - Travelling Riverside Blues (2.43 MB mp3: right-click and Save As to download; play using the handy little embedded player below)

Led Zeppelin recorded a version of the song at the BBC studios in 1969, but it was quite different from the original, and it's more a tribute to Robert Johnson than a cover. The song showcases a riff by Jimmy Page (also in open G tuning), and in the lyrics Robert Plant quotes many Robert Johnson songs, such as "She studies evil all the time", from Kind Hearted Woman Blues, and "Why don't you come on in my kitchen", from Come on in My Kitchen (which is heard during the song's solo).

Led Zeppelin - Travelling Riverside Blues (2.24 MB mp3)

Despite being broadcast on the BBC several days after it was recorded, it never appeared on any of the band's official albums; the recording remained virtually unknown until appearing on disc 1 of the Led Zeppelin Box Set about 1990 or so (it has subsequently turned up on the Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions album, and on the expanded Coda album from the Complete Studio Recordings box set).



...which is a crying shame, because it's a brilliant track. I remember hearing it for the first time on Pirate FM about 1990 and being absolutely floored by it.

Puke!

Billy Idol - Happy Holidays (2006)

Someone fucken kill me now.

Resurrecting history pt. 2

Late January, 2005
Operational HQ, Urewera National Park

It's meal time at the base in the heart of the forest, but Tame Iti is upset and rather off his food. He has changed into his coat of many colours*, and is far more interested in talking radical politics than eating. On the table between them is a ceremonial meal of roasted meat; the ritual sacrament is known as The long arm of the law. The DragoAngel of Attractive Home Lighting Solutions is pestering Tame Iti to tell him if he's going to eat his share of the food, and if not, can he have it. Tame Iti is talking about Eldridge Cleaver, and paying no attention. Now the DragoAngel is paying no attention either, he is humming softly. Beneath his breath he is singing along to the song playing on the radio...

What is happening to my skin?
Where is that protection that I needed?
Air can hurt you too
Air can hurt you too
Some people say not to worry about the air
Some people don't know shit about the...
Air... Air...
It can break your heart

* This is how Tame Iti, ever the prankster, refers his camouflage casual wear.

The Killer

My friends, when you've reached the end of yourself and you feel there's nowhere left to turn, may I present to you: The Killer

This one is based on a classic dry martini, but takes your brain into other dimensions by using very strong spirits and making it as dry as possible. You are prevented from being knocked out instantly only by the lemon garnish, which keeps everything nicely grounded.

90 ml (3 oz) Tanqueray 10
15 ml (1/2 oz) French vermouth, dry (Noilly Prat)
5 ml (1 tsp) exceptional quality absinthe
fresh lemon peel

Chill a martini glass. Chill it properly - we're talking ice + water in the glass, sitting for 15 minutes. Place to one side.

In a martini mixing glass (or cocktail shaker), add the vermouth over a couple of handfuls of ice (cracked + cubes makes a good combo) and stir with a long-handled mixing spoon. Discard the vermouth. Over the ice add the gin, and again thoroughly stir with the spoon.

Discard the ice and water from the chilled martini glass. Rinse the glass with the absinthe, and and then discard. Strain the gin into the glass.

Make the garnish by cutting a couple of strips of lemon peel, squeezing them over the drink -- spraying everything with lemon oil -- and then dumping them in the glass.

Notes:
1. All liquid measures based on the rough equivalency that 1 single measure = 30 ml = 1 (liquid) oz.

My new favourite blog: Shirley the Great

Shirley The Great: Shirley Shirley bo Burley, Banana Fana mo Murley, Fee fi fo Furley, Shirrrleeeee!!

Two sample posts:

Chillax
Oh sweet baby Jesus, I think my cafeteria cooks with laxatives... (ouch)

Fork You
omg, I'm so hungover that I almost started eating my lunch with a pen.


I bleeve my work here is done.

The album of a The Sneak

Remember The Sneak? (I know, I know... how you could ever forget!)

Anyways, the other night I was 'round at The Sneak's house, drinking all her vodka and coke, and I took some photos. Today I made an album of a The Sneak on a The Catbook:

Mystery Monday: ***k ****e

(Can we have Mystery Monday on Tuesday? I say yes we can! Especially since yesterday was a public holiday -- more about that soon.)

A new regular feature showcasing mysterious tunes that take my fancy, juxtaposed with mysterious results from Google Image Search. Listen up, clickety-click and go where the web takes you...

Prizes will be awarded if you can tell me what/who the track is.

And if you are a maker of mysteries and would like to contribute to this feature, contact me offline to organise stuff.

Button bling

Ooooh I got my order from aQuarius Records today... and with it... some new tUMULt buttons (Sorry for blurry, hands shaking):

Click on the logo, check out their site.. it's.. unusual.

Where are they now: Dominic Bowden edition

Next Great American Band @ Neverending Rainbow.

Dominic Bowden... who "is much less insufferable than Ryan Seacrest actually".

My new favourite blog: Robyns Secret Passage

Robyn lives in Auckland at the base of a volcano:


(that's not a volcano per se, just some lovely swirly lanterns.)

"Sometimes I talk about internetty and pop culturey and writerly things, like at the National Young Writers Festival, The Great Blend and Radio NZ National.

You can see my photos at Flickr, and I even have an IMDB profile."

Robyn's stuff is fast and streetwise and funny, and if you have the chance I recommend you browse the archives -- just be careful you don't lose an afternoon in there.

...

Robyn has graciously accepted my invitation to join my Drinking Buddies over there on the right.

Resurrecting history pt. 1

January 16, 2005
Tauaarau Marae, Ruatoki
Tame Iti, wearing what appeared to be a skirt, a trooper’s cap and a FREE TAME ITI tee-shirt (or is that t-shirt, one can never remember), discharges a double-barrelled shotgun into the New Zealand flag. He then calls in his air support -- the DragoAngel of Attractive Home Lighting Solutions -- which arrives, swoops down and lifts Iti into the sky, allowing him to reload and get in another couple of good shots at the destroyed flag. The DragoAngel then whisks Tame Iti away to their base deep in the Ureweras.

UPDATE: Note (to self, as much as anyone), it's TAME Iti, not "Tama Iti". Sheesh.

Is has communizm

I found a piccie of me at Jo Hubris's Russian party a couple of weeks ago.

Usually I look a lot more handsome, though, when I go to parties and stuff.

Bye bye baby, bye bye

One positive aspect of the weekend's local body elections, however, was the dumping from council of Alick Shaw -- scratching a 3+ year itch for this writer.

Piss off, Shaw.

This picture* by Andrew Gorrie appeared both on the front page of Monday's DomPost and online, briefly -- one speculates as to why it has disappeared again -- and if you check the caption you will read "Alick Shaw gives mayor Kerry Prendergast a congratulatory hug".

Really? Could've fooled me.

My attempt to caption this picture would more run along the lines of "Kerry Prendergast, having been rid by the voters of toadie Alick Shaw from council, attempts to disengage herself from his clutches as quickly as humanly possible".

Either way, a charming pic.

The disheartening thing about this is only 21,603 people voted for her to continue as mayor, more than twice the tally of her nearest challenger. I can't tell you Wellington's voting-eligible population (though I bet Tom could), but that's not a lot of people voting.

Grr.

* Note: actually, this pic has been cropped -- the original also showed Prendergast's husband Rex Nicholl shaking his fists in glee, presumably at the prospect of three more years of unfettered money-making urban development.

Crazy Sorry

Sorry for not posting more. Sorry for mixing up the publishing of the last Friday Farce, and Monday Mystery. Sorry for well.. sorry for not having a farce today, either.




Truthfully, it's been a bit hard to concentrate, what with bloody Kerry Prendergast getting another term as mayor of Wellington, and the country being overrun by terrorists.

Yeah.. so..

...

At least go here, there's been another installment by The Commonsense Nihilist to his graphic novel.

Friday Farce: The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire

Unfortunately, I need to keep this brief...

To my left, Nelly. To my right, Tiga. Tiga - Hot in Here (original mix) (3.55 MB mp3)

Mystery Monday: *****t ****p

A new regular feature showcasing mysterious tunes that take my fancy, juxtaposed with mysterious results from Google Image Search. Listen up, clickety-click and go where the web takes you...

Prizes will be awarded if you can tell me what/who the track is.

And if you are a maker of mysteries and would like to contribute to this feature, contact me offline to organise stuff.

We children of zoo station

I wee while ago I finally got around to re-watching Christiane F. (a.k.a. Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo, a.k.a. We Children of Zoo Station) -- and featuring the stunningly beautiful Natja Brunckhorst in the title role as the teenage drug addict/prostitute -- and lots and lots and lots of footage of David Bowie in concert as well as gorgeous Bowie choons on the soundtrack -- and ever since I have been completely obsessed with his 1976 album Station to Station.

Especially after this bit, which I find myself watching over and over:

It's quite patently, ridiculously obvious that this man is a silly man, and kinda cheesy too:

The return of the thin white duke / blowing darts in lovers eyes x several

I mean, what?

But then, look at him. He's a freakin alien. He's a lost little boy. He's a demon lover. He's a chameleon, a changeling, whose appearance alters every-which-way you look at him. He's the Thin White Duke and he's blowing darts in your eyes. And, on the other hand --

Here are you / you drive like a demon / from station to station

is a pretty bloody good line.

So it's also quite obvious to me that as far as I am concerned, if you're talking about the 1970s, David Bowie, and Berlin/Germany -- and to a lesser extent makeup and smoke machines -- that he can bloody well do no wrong whatsoever. And by the way Station To Station, from which the above clip is the title track, is really, really farking good. Despite all it's.. oh.. I dunno.. cocaine-fueled conceit and bizarre lyrical themes and (what very possibly should be awful) "white-boy" funkin' and all that stuff... it's claustrophobic and paranoiac and sociophobic and agrophobic and detached and alien and arcane and it's the hottest thing to come swirling off a platter of crackly black vinyl since the LP reissue of Brett Easton Ellis reading his own short-stories.

David Bowie - Wild is The Wind (3.73 MB mp3: right-click and Save As to download; play using the handy little embedded player below)

And Wild is the Wind is a seriously incredible love-song.

You can 'listen' to the rest of Station To Station here, only be warned that track 3 Word on a Wing is corrupt. But you don't really need track 3. Oh, Station To Station is his album which immediately preceded Low, dontcha know.

So:

[1] from henceforth his "famous Berlin trilogy" or if you will, Low, Heroes and Lodger (allmusic), has become in my eyes his famous Berlin quadrilogy, including on its front-end Station To Station.

[2] I really, really want a David Bowie soundtrack to my life. I'm serious. This is one way I have identified that I can become generally happier with my lot.

...

This is what Natja Brunckhorst looks like these days (above, left).

Or this:

She's alive and well, and writing screenplays and so on (click images to follow links).