alizee

thanks goes to justin to letting me know about alizee. last time i was checking out current french pop i was into yelle and ludivine saginer, dont know how i missed alizee.

Forough Farrokhzad's "The House is Black"

this is one of the most beautiful short films i've ever seen, and it deserves better viewing than youtube, but i'm glad it's been uploaded regardless. farrokhzad only made one film (she's a poet), based on her trip to a leper colony in iran. expect some startling images in this one...

Thinking of the Mighty Jack Rose

The first snowfall of this winter.

I was coming from my studio in kensington on the el towards 69th street and the train exited the tunnel at 46th street. My recently acquired cell phone rang and it was my best friend Chris. He said I have bad news and literally as he told me the snow began to fall. Big, fluffy, beautiful flakes around 3 pm on the 5th of december, the first snowfall this winter and Jack Rose is gone. Chris and I only spoke for a stop or two and then I rode the rest of the way looking out the window thinking of Jack. The snowfall held fast while I transferred to a trolley and even when I walked the few blocks to the house. I was in a trance really absolutely stunned that the mighty Jack Rose was gone.

I often joke that i have the musical taste of a 15 year old girl (from the valley circa 1982, manchester/glasgow 1985-89, or even new jersey circa 1997-2007) yet that is only partially true. I do have a wider fondness for music due in part to my close friends Chris Smith, Jack Sloss, Steve Gunn, Dan Murphy and many others whose own musical obsessions have tipped me to varying corners of sound. That is how I got to know the music of Jack Rose. I went to see him play numerous times, at first because friends were appearing on bills with him, yet quickly realized he was the main draw. I remember fondly sitting on a floor in a bookshop just watching his nimble fingers so effortlessly coaxing the most beautiful music.

This summer I got to hang out with Jack and eat his delicious pizza at a real record head party. Chris set his tube amp system up and everyone gathered around to hear the great sounds. There were alot friends their so even I got to play three songs like everyone else. I started with Marianne Faithfull's 'Easy in the City' and Harmonica Dan remarked that he had bought an autographed copy for super cheap that very morning and I told him I had bought this exact record from record exchange years ago. This was days after Michael Jackson died so I of course went next to 'Billie Jean' (also Thriller is an amazing sounding record) and Jack Rose immediately left the room. He was so mad I played Michael Jackson, but it was funny. It was totally cool, it was just that he had his standards and Thriller was not under consideration. Jack would probably hate for me to be talking about him alongside Michael jackson but I am going to anyway. They both were immensely talented, driven, complex and yes, kind people taken from the Earth far far too soon. Jack Rose was the coolest dude, a tough yet tender comrade. I was able to talk to him about my work and he sought me out at shows to say hi. I saw him last a week or so ago when he was DJing and he seemed so great. It is so terrible that he is gone, he was an inspiration and friend to so many and a dear dear husband to Laurie. I am so shocked and saddened that I won't get to see him again.

Mixtapes: Best of November Downloads.

download

Part 1. Songs by:

3 1_2 Stempelkissen
Aekie
Alessandro Brugnolini
AZARI & III
Baciotti
Bamboo
Bipolar Bear
David Mitchell
Deckchairs Overboard
DEN HAAN
Dieter Moebius
Dinosaurs With Horns
Ebaahi
Ela Eis
Faltermeyer, Harold
Fleetwood Mac
France Gall



download

Part 2. Songs by:

Frank Chickens
Frederic Mirage
Gabi Delgado
Gee Mr Tracy
Geneva jacuzzi
Greg Hale Jones
Jean-Yves Labat
Joel Van Droogen Broeck
John Cooper Clarke
Kalambo Hit Parade
Kha-Ym
King Kong Ding Dong
Krikor And The Dead Hillbillie
Kulkija
Kunst-Stoff
Library/ Rouge
Lio



download

Part 3. Songs by:

Maxayn
Metsamorfeus
Mincemeat Or Tenspeed
Oneohtrix Point Never
Oronzo De Filippi
Ortolani, Riz
Regulars
Sesame Street
Shadia
Shawnna
Space Art
Squeeze
Strangulated Beatoffs
Sutterlin
The Dead C
The Honeymoon Killers
The Particles
Turzi
Vitamin Wig C
vnc

I haven't put any music up in a while, so this should last for a minute....

thx to favorite blogs:

Mutant Sounds
20 Jazz Funk Greats
Lovefingers
Egg City Radio
Blow-up Doll
Fantasmi Macchina
8 Bit Peoples
Awesome Tapes From Africa
Death Wears White Socks

who can resist a man with an accent?