Collections of Colonies of Bees – “Flocks III”
Birds
This track belongs with the grand-daddies of post-rock: GY!BE’s “Storm,” Tarentel’s “Ursa Minor, Ursa Major,” much of Mono’s Walking Cloud, and so on. Their take on the long-form instrumental rock genre is more repetitive and anthemic than Mono’s wandering strains of hard-soft or Godspeed’s tone poems. Warning: the track is 11 minutes long, and you have to listen to the whole thing straight and at great volume. (insound)
The Delfonics – “Delfonics Theme”
La La Means I Love You
Your slow-motion make-out track of the day. The instrumentation on this song (sitar, piano, horn, organ) is just a bonanza.
Ludicrous foppery if not outright witchcraft.
Abe Vigoda – “Wild Heart”
Reviver
This is a strong (but relatively quiet) stretch of an interesting but spotty EP. It reminds me of Remora with its unsure, wavering vocals and repetitive but hypnotic background instrumentation. (insound)
Demme, sir!” exclaimed Titmouse, starting aside with an offended air— “d’ye think I don’t know how to manage a sword? By all that’s tremendous"— and plucking the taper weapon out of its scabbard, he waved it over his head; and throwing himself into the first position — he had latterly paid a good deal of attention to fencing — and with rather an excited air, he went through several of the preliminary movements. ‘Twas a subject for a painter, and exhibited a very striking spectacle — as an instance of power silently concentrated, and ready to be put forth upon an adequate occasion. The tailor and the valet, who stood separate from each other and at a safe and respectful distance from Mr. Titmouse, gazed with silent admiration at him.
One more. That’s pretty much the limit of manliness. Set your sights accordingly.
Plenty of problems with this movie (Temple of Doom) but that is an amazing shot.
Chopin – Etude, Op. 10, No. 7 in C Major
I just love that there are pieces like this. Flighty, rhythmic, and colorful, yet still full of carefully-planned harmonics and counterpoint.
2oz bourbon
½ oz lemon juice, ½ oz orange juice
¾ oz ginger syrup (1:1 simple syrup, ginger juice)
2 shakes angostura bitters
dry shake
peel
top with soda over ice
His self-conceit was so intense, that it consumed every vestige of sense he had about him. He stood in solitary grandeur upon the lofty pillar of his pride, inaccessible to ridicule, and insensible indeed of its approach, like vanity “on a monument smiling at” scorn. Indeed,
“His soul was like a star, and dwelt apart.”
In the progress of society we have dropped the physical part of the business; and instead of punching, scratching, kicking, biting, and knocking down one another, still true to the original principles of our nature, we are all endeavoring to circumvent one another; everybody is trying to take everybody in; the moment that one of us has got together a thing or two, he is pounced on by his neighbor, who in his turn falls a prey to another, and so on in endless succession. We cannot effectually help ourselves, though we are splitting our heads trying to discover devices, by way of laws, to restrain this propensity of our nature: it will not do; we are all overreaching, cheating, swindling, robbing one another, and if necessary, are ready to maim and murder one another in the prosecution of our designs. So it is with nations as with individuals. Truly, truly, we are a precious set.
Rachel’s – On Demeter
Selenography
Give this track a little time and the lengthy intro gives way to beautiful and atmospheric chamber music. I heard Selenography in Barnes & Noble when it came out in 1999 and immediately bought it. The track that I’d heard was “The Mysterious Disappearance of Louis Leprince,” a standout on the album, and at the time I didn’t think the rest of Selenography stood up. I know better now that I’ve heard a bit more contemporary chamber music, though I’ve never listened to much else from Rachel’s. Selenography is about to be reissued as a 2xLP, so now is as good a time as ever to start listening.
This voicemail is now diamonds!
(Let’s try this again)
Wow, that was insane. More Flying Lotus here and here.
Thus were thy arms suddenly held back from behind, just as they were encircling a pretty, plump a pigeon as ever nestled in them with pert and playful confidence, to be plucked! Alas, alas! And didst thou behold the danger to which it was exposed, as it fluttered upward unconsciously into the region where thine affectionate eye detected the keen hawk in deadly poise?
Circulatory System – “Symbols and Maps”
Circulatory System
This band’s first album is one of the deepest and most puzzling albums of all time. While it resembles in some ways the Elephant 6 psych-pop of Olivia Tremor Control, its intense layering and mind-blowing instrumentation (multi-multi-tracking) put it beyond even OTC’s complexity, while better maintaining its musicality. It required a lot of close listening to “get” for me, and I’m still discovering details in it years later. Luckily, there are also moments of easy clarity and beauty, like the dreamy beginning to this track. (cloud recordings)
