Locust - Your Selfish Ways

I just found this clip from French TV in 1998.

I still regret not seeing Mark Van Hoen play Mutek.

Lest we baguette

Suddenly I'm home after a bit drinking with my roommates. I realize this is raw and uncouth however I quite like it. I'm Listening to the FIRE ENGINES wondering why more people haven't heard of the genius that is the this band from Scotland. I will endevour to do my best to remedy this situation. (for give the grammar and misspellings) as if it were a remedy for past transgressions i hope for the future as manic impressions linger on and the truth comes fast and hard into this reality I look for consequence I wish i was in in Montreal for the summer to bask in the sun and enjoy the onslaught of music that the Quebecquois succumb to in such a fashion. I want to see the rest of Canada but Montreal has so much to offer its hard to give up. I work and I life towards this point.

The Passions -- video for the weekend

I'm in love with a German Film Star

It Seems

I never have time for this any more. I'd actually set aside some time this morning for this express purpose but now things have changed yet again. I'll have to look at this after work. I can't bear to have people looking over my shoulder while I am typing. Its too much. Needless to say, I want to get into so many issues that have been on my mind of late. I've had several busy weekends, I don't see the activity subsiding any time soon.

RASTER-NOTON SHOWCASE tonight in Cambridge, Massachusetts

from the e-mail:

**Thursday, May 15, 2008**

Non-Event, Basstown, and the Goethe-Institüt Boston present

RASTER-NOTON SHOWCASE

with SIGNAL + solo sets by
ALVA NOTO, FRANK BRETSCHNEIDER, and BYETONE

Middlesex Lounge
315 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA
(617) 868-MSEX
Doors: 9pm, Show: 10pm
21+ / Admission: $10

SIGNAL is a Raster-Noton supergroup, featuring Carsten Nicolai
(aka Alva Noto), Olaf Bender (aka Byetone), and Frank Bretschneider.
The trio performs intense, hypnotic music to a spectacular backdrop
of graphical information that reveals the complex geometry of the
sounds in play. Most of their sound sources are taken from a huge
memory bank of music from long jamming sessions dating from the early
days of Raster-Noton. These are processed and folded into a taut
and energetic web of rhythmic clicks, bristling static,
and deep bass pulses that are unexpectedly sensuous and undeniably
funky. Their most recent album, Robotron, was released in 2007 on
Raster-Noton. This will be SIGNAL's Boston debut.

mp3 of Signal, Robotron:
http://www.raster-noton.net/download/rn-69_robotron/02_Ermafa.mp3

Video of Signal Live in Copenhagen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2kyrrtVy_c

Musician and visual artist CARSTEN NICOLAI (aka ALVA NOTO) works
in the transitional area between art and science. In his intensely
dynamic work, Nicolai plays with the rules of physicality. Clicks
and glitches are not used as ornamental additions, but make up the
essential elements of the work, which is often structured around
the rhythmic grooves of hip-hop and R&B. Nicolai has performed in
many of the world's most prestigious spaces including The Guggenheim,
MOMA SF, MOMA Oxford, NTT Tokyo, Tate Modern, and Venice Biennial.
His latest album, unitxt, will be out this summer on Raster-Noton.
This will be Nicolai's Boston debut. Website: http://www.alvanoto.com

FRANK BRETSCHNEIDER is a founding member of Raster-Noton and one
of the pioneering figures in ultra minimal post techno. Using the
most basic sound sources (sine waves and white noise), Bretschneider
creates minimal, flowing pieces with delicate textures and complex
rhythmic patterns. Described as "abstract analogue pointilism,"
"ambience for spaceports," and "hypnotic echochamber pulsebeat,"
Bretschneider's subtle and detailed music is echoed by his visuals:
perfect translations of the qualities found in music into visual
phenomena. His most recent album, Rhythm, was named one of The Wire
magazine's Top 50 Records of 2007. Website: http://www.frankbretschneider.de

Video of Frank Bretschneider Live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rb9IGRaOF4&feature=related

OLAF BENDER (aka BYETONE) is a founding member of the Raster-Noton
label, as well as its lead designer. Bender creates his music digitally,
assembling sine tones into complex sound fabrics of deep sub-bass
and rhythmic clicks and crackles. He creates abstract animations to
support his abstract music —transforming the rhythm of the music into
a graphic equivalent, which he controls in real time. His new album,
D.O.A.T. (Death of a Typographer), is due out this summer on Raster-Noton.

mp3 of Olaf Bender, "Plastic Star":
http://www.raster-noton.net/download/rn-81_plasticstar/plasticstar_original.mp3

Links:
Raster-Noton: http://www.raster-noton.de
Basstown: http://basstown.blogspot.com/
Goethe-Institüt Boston: http://www.goethe.de/boston
LEF Foundation: http://www.lef-foundation.org/

Non-Event concerts are supported in part by a grant from the
LEF Foundation.

playlist - "off the cuff" wzbc - May 2, 2008

George ""off the cuff"" (NCP) May 2nd 2008, 7.00PM to 10.00PM

Played Artist Song Disk Year Label Note

7:04PM Arbol you travelled my heart inside out you travelled my heart inside out 2008 Lejos Discos
7:11PM Rothko Zurich Trains Bucolique Vol. 01 Arbouse
7:19PM Dorit Chrysler Sweden Monika Barchen: Songs for Bruno, Knut & Tom Monika Enterprise URL EMAIL
7:20PM The Radio Dept It's Personal Pet Grief 2006 Labrador
7:23PM Gas 1 Nah und Fern (Disk 1) 2008 Kompakt URL from 1996 first album
7:33PM Our Sleepless Forest Nomads The Wire Tapper 19 2008 Wire
7:38PM Snorkel The Conversation (Edit) The Wire Tapper 19
7:41PM Opto 5.10 am 2nd 2004 hobby industries
7:46PM David Kristian + Ryosuke Aioke 10 ghost storeys 2006 Cocosolidciti
7:58PM The Field over the ice From Here We Go Sublime 2007 Kompakt
8:14PM Gas 5 Nah und Fern (Disk 2) "Zauberberg" 2008 Kompakt from 1997 second album
8:15PM Mark Van Hoen Canyon of Descent Canyon of Descent unreleased mix
8:18PM Markus Guentner Altocomulus Opacus Pop Ambient 2007 Kompakt
8:27PM Main Maelstrom (K-RAA-K)3 Festival 2002 2002 (K-RAA-K)3
8:33PM Wim Mertens Shot One Shot and Echo 1992 Les Disques Du Crepuscule
8:38PM Les Hurleurs Il y a des jours Blottie 2003
8:41PM July Skies The Weather Clock The Weather Clock (EP) 2008 make mine music
8:47PM Lawrence Weiner Where it came from Fruit of the Original Sin (Expanded Edition) 1981 LTM
8:51PM Milenasong Streicheln Monika Barchen: Songs for Bruno, Knut & Tom 2008 Monika Enterprise
8:57PM Ghislain Poirier It's a War War War No Ground Under 2007 Ninja Tune
9:01PM Howie B Five Days Freezone 3 1996 SSR
9:07PM Gas 6 Nah und Fern (Disk 3) Konigtsforst 2008 Kompakt from 1998 third album
9:17PM Harold Budd Little Heart Avalon Sutra 2004 samadhisound
9:25PM Nine Horses birds sing for their lives Money For All 2006 samadhisound
9:32PM Gas 7 Nah und Fern (Disk 4) POP 2008 Kompakt from 2000 forth album
9:48PM The Berg Sans Nipple Melt Catalogue 2002 2002 Catalogue Records
9:56PM Richard Pinhas Iceland So Young But So Cold 2004 Tigersushi

playlist - April 11, 2008

George ""off the cuff"" (NCP) Apr 11th 2008, 7.00PM to 10.00PM

Played Artist Song Disk Year Label Note

7:02PM Drexciya Powers of the Deep Grava 4 2002 Clone
7:08PM David Kristian + Ryosuke Aioke 10 ghost storeys 2006 Cocosolidciti URL
7:23PM Lars Akerlund Volt (Extract) The Wire Tapper 19
7:29PM Mark Van Hoen vessel of light the last flowers from the darkness 1997 Touch URL EMAIL
7:33PM The Field over the ice From Here We Go Sublime 2007 Kompakt URL
7:37PM Tangtype Blank, Lackluster Eyes... Data Takes Over (Wire edit) The Wire Tapper 19 2008 Wire URL
7:45PM Obscure Celebrities Everest (Neue Mischung von KG) Gooom Tracks Vol. 2.5 2004 Gooom Disques URL
7:49PM Virna Lindt The Windmills of your Mind Moving Soundtracks 2008 LTM URL re-issue of Les Disques Du Crepuscule compilation
7:51PM Dorit Chrysler Sweden Monika Barchen: Songs for Bruno, Knut & Tom Monika Enterprise URL EMAIL
7:54PM Opto 5.10 a.m. 2nd 2004 hobby industries URL
8:08PM Arbol you travelled my heart inside out you travelled my heart inside out 2008 Lejos Discos
8:08PM Arbol nomi you travelled my heart inside out 2008 Lejos Discos
8:12PM Michael Rother Erlkoenig Fernwaerme 1981
8:19PM Band Apart O My Beautiful Song EP 1982 Crammed Discs URL
8:27PM Cosy Corner You Only Live Twice Moving Soundtracks LTM URL
8:31PM Barbara Morgenstern Wilderness Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom
8:36PM Yann Tiersen La Rupture Tout Est Calme 1999 Labels URL
8:38PM July Skies The Weather Clock The Weather Clock (EP) 2008 make mine music
8:44PM Penguin Cafe Orchestra the sound of someone you love who's going away and it just doesn't matter music from the penguin cafe 1976 EG Records
8:58PM The Durutti Column A Beautiful Thought (Pt 1) Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL
9:02PM The Durutti Column The Mothers and The Fathers Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL
9:07PM The Durutti Column A Wolf of the Steppes Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL
9:12PM The Durutti Column Interlude Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL
9:16PM The Durutti Column The Title On The Cover Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL
9:20PM Jay-jay Johanson Escape Poison 2004 Labels URL
9:24PM Aaron Martin & Machinefabriek Cello Recycling Cello Recycling/Cello Drowning 2007 Type URL EMAIL
9:36PM Ryuichi Sakamoto War & Peace Chasm 2005 KA'+B
9:41PM Unrecognizable Now between words In a cave or a coma 2008 perhlabel
9:46PM The Durutti Column Lullaby (Live) Treatise on the Steppenwolf 2008 LTM URL

Pelle Carlberg - "I love you, you imbecile!"

I love you, you imbecile!

Its Springtime and this song makes me happy.

recent articles of interest

Highly Recommended article in the new Vanity Fair about Monsanto and Milk Production as described in Sign and Sight:
"In a report that is bursting its sides with information, Donald L. Barlett und James B. Steele describe how the chemical giant Monsanto is using genetically altered seeds and ruthless legal action to bring the American grain market under its control. Now the company has moved on to milk. The company is using legal action and campaigns to fight all farmers who label their milk as free of the Monsanto-owned growth hormone rBGH. "On this issue, the tide may be shifting against Monsanto. Organic dairy products, which don't involve rBGH, are soaring in popularity. Supermarket chains such as Kroger, Publix, and Safeway are embracing them. Some other companies have turned away from rBGH products, including Starbucks, which has banned all milk products from cows treated with rBGH." (related: Organic Valley's FAQ)

Also of note:
Stanley Fish's recent blog entry on the soon to be published book about French Theory in America. (the comments alone range from the ridiculous to the sublime)

Elif Batumann writes in the London Review of Books about the Graphic Novel.

A good article in the Boston Globe about Helmut Lachenmann's music.

And last but not least, Beppe Grillo's blog.

until next time

Absolute Body Control / Wolf Eyes/ Martial Canterel / Carlos Griffoni - April 4th 2008

from the e-mail:
"This Friday, come on out to see a long WIERD evening of frozen cold electronics!!!

WIERD Records NYC and No Fun Fest Productions Present:

Absolute Body Control(1st ever show in the US!) : http://www.dirkivens.com/ , http://www.myspace.com/absolutebodycontrolbelgium
Wolf Eyes(Detroit) : http://www.wolfeyes.net/ , http://www.myspace.com/3801568
Martial Canterel(NYC) : http://www.mcanterel.net/ , http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=312255378
Carlos Giffoni(No Fun Fest/NYC) : http://www.carlosgiffoni.com/ , http://www.myspace.com/carlosgiffoni
DJ Pieter from Wierd Records

Friday April 4th, 2008
The Music Hall of Williamsburg
66 North 6th St., Brooklyn, NY
http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com
Doors 9pm, Show at 10pm, 18+
Tickets available at the Mercury Lounge and Music Hall Of Williamsburg Box Offices, Other Music, and all Ticketmaster locations."

***********************
Wierd Records

WZBC - Playlist - March 28 2008 - "Off the Cuff"

"off the cuff" (NCP) with George 03.28.2008 07:00PM to 10:00PM

07:00PM The Field "over the ice" from "From Here We Go Sublime" (CD) on Kompakt
07:04PM Air Liquide "if there was no gravity" from "Red" (CD) on sm:)e records
07:08PM Bertuf "Nebulon Number 3 (remixed by Margo)" from "Goom Tracks Vol 2" on Gooom Disques
07:12PM Arbol "01_29" from "you travelled my heart inside out" on Lejos Discos
07:13PM Arbol "my life is full of rivers and mountains" from "you travelled my heart inside out" on Lejos Discos
07:22PM Cluster "avanti" from "Grosses Wasser" (LP) on Sky
07:23PM David Sylvian "Pollen Path" from "Dead Bees on A Cake" (CD) on Virgin
07:29PM Our Sleepless Forest "Nomads" from "The Wire Tapper 19" on Wire
07:33PM DDamage "Boggle" from "Active Suspension vs Clapping Music"
07:36PM Eglantine Gouzy & Landini "L.A." from "Monika Barchen: Songs for Bruno, Knut & Tom" on Monika Enterprise
07:40PM Snorkel "The Conversation (Edit)" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
07:43PM Ghislain Poirier "It's a War War War" from "No Ground Under" (CD) on Ninja Tune
07:48PM Adrian Sherwood "two versions of the future" from "becoming a cliche" on Real World
07:52PM Desormais "broken images and packets of light" from "Iambrokenandremadeiambroken..." (CD) on intr_version
07:57PM Nico Muhly "Mothertongue - Section 2" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
08:04PM Robert Lippok "The heart of Nuut picked by the Crows of Neu Koeln" from "Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom" on Monika Enterprise
08:08PM Robert Wyatt "A Beautiful Peace" from "Comicopera" (CD) on Domino
08:09PM Dislocation Dance "San Michelle" from "Midnight Shift"
08:14PM Kaffe Matthews "Man Being Butterflies (extract)" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
08:17PM Gabrielle Lazure "Children's Tale" from "From Brussels With Love" on Les Disques Du Crepuscule
08:20PM Dorit Chrysler "Sweden" from "Monika Barchen: Songs for Bruno, Knut & Tom" on Monika Enterprise
08:24PM Illusion of Safety "Wherewithall (For Lauren)" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
08:37PM Arbol "you travelled my heart inside out" from "you travelled my heart inside out" on Lejos Discos
08:38PM Alexei Borisov & Anton Nikkila "Engineer Strepetov's Curve (live excerpt)" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
08:39PM Gudrun Gut "Monika in Polen" from "Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom" on Monika Enterprise
08:44PM Signal "wismut" from "Robotron" (CD) on Raster-noton
08:50PM Funkstorung "I want some fun (w Jay-Jay Johanson)" from "ViceVersa" on !K7
08:57PM Mark Van Hoen "Dark Roads" from "the warmth inside you" on Very Friendly
09:02PM Arbol "nomi" from "you travelled my heart inside out" on Lejos Discos
09:07PM July Skies "Branch Line Summers Fade" from "The Weather Clock" (CD)
09:12PM July Skies "Girl on the Hill" from "The Weather Clock" (CD)
09:16PM July Skies "See Britain By Train" from "The Weather Clock" (CD)
09:19PM Lars Akerlund "Volt (Extract)" from "The Wire Tapper 19"
09:22PM Martial Canterel "Listener Dead" from "Refuge Underneath" on Wierd Records
09:29PM Cluster "Grosses Wasser" from "Grosses Wasser" (LP) on Sky
09:48PM Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie "Snowfall" from "Music from the Film Mysterious Skin"
09:54PM Murmur "Description of the Between" from "Fermata" (CD) on Backporch Revolution

playlist for absent friends (wzbc - March 21 2008)

Fri Mar 21st 2008 7.00pm–10.00pm
R=listener request. N=music new at the station. L=local music.
Like everything else, times are approximate. Spinitron and this station are not liable for errors or omissions.
7:06PM Biosphere “Spring Fever” from Touch 25 CD COMP (Touch www.touchmusic.org.uk)
7:10PM Arbol “you travelled my heart inside out” (Lejos Discos 2008)
7:17PM Luke Haines “Rock 'n' roll communique No 1” from The Oliver Twist Manifesto
7:19PM Luke Haines “Oliver Twist” from The Oliver Twist Manifesto
7:22PM Luke Haines “Death of Sarah Lucas” from The Oliver Twist Manifesto
7:26PM Luke Haines “never work” from The Oliver Twist Manifesto
7:27PM Pan Sonic “Slovakian Rauta” from Touch 25 CD COMP (Touch www.touchmusic.org.uk 2006)
7:33PM The Durutti Column “Woman” from Someone Else's Party (Artful www.beggars.com)
7:41PM Robert Lippok “The Heart of Nuut picked by the Crows of New Koeln” from Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom (Monika Enterprise www.m-enterprise.de)
7:49PM Arthur Russell “Keeping Up” from Another Thought (Point Music)
7:51PM Ghislain Poirier “Diaspora” from No Ground Under CD ALBUM (Ninja Tune)
7:55PM Adrian Sherwood “two versions of the future” from becoming a cliche (Real World 2006)
7:57PM Brian Eno “This” from Another Day on Earth CD ALBUM
8:04PM Gudrun Gut “Monika in Polen” from Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom (Monika Enterprise www.m-enterprise.de 2007)
8:08PM David Fenech “le bruit des grenouilles” from Compilation BLOKHITON (UBIK)
8:14PM David Grubbs “show me who to love (live)” from (K-RAA-K)3 Festival 2002 CD COMP ((K-RAA-K)3 www.kraak.net 2002)
8:17PM July Skies “Branch Line Summers Fade” from The Weather Clock CD ALBUM
8:18PM July Skies “Girl On The Hill” from The Weather Clock CD ALBUM
8:22PM July Skies “See Britain By Train” from The Weather Clock CD ALBUM
8:27PM Purple Confusion “Return to Nassau” from the sound of the atom splitting CD ALBUM (Gooom www.gooomdisques.com 2002)

8:30PM Martial Canterel “Vichy Girls” from Views Beyond The City Walls (Tarantulla 2007)
8:33PM Vitesse “the saddest day” from A Certain Hostility (Parasol 1999)

8:37PM Arbol “nomi” from you travelled my heart inside out (Lejos Discos 2008)
8:41PM Infantjoy “Ghosts” from With (2006)
8:44PM Gnac “The Arrival of the Fog” (LTM www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk/ltmhome.html 2007)
8:50PM Tuxedomoon “Litebulb Overkill” from Desire CD ALBUM (Ralph 1981)
8:53PM Barbara Morgenstern “Wilderness” from Monika Barchen: songs for bruno, knut & tom
8:59PM Robert Wyatt “Stay Tuned” from Comicopera CD ALBUM (Domino www.dominorecordco.com 2007)
9:02PM Food “red algae” from Molecular Gastronomy CD ALBUM (Rune Grammofon www.runegrammofon.com 2008)
9:15PM Tara Jane O'Neil “This Morning” from in the sun lines CD ALBUM (Quarterstick 2001)
9:18PM The Durutti Column “Please Let Me Sleep” from IDIOT SAVANTS (fullfill 2007)
9:24PM Nine Horses “birds sing for their lives” from Money For All (samadhisound www.samadhisound.com 2006)
9:31PM Mark Van Hoen “Real Love” from Playing with Time CD ALBUM (Apollo 1998)
9:39PM Wim Mertens “multiple 12” from The Fruit of The Original Sin (Crepescule)
9:48PM Desormais “broken images and packets of light” from Iambrokenandremadeiambroken... CD ALBUM (intr_version www.intr-version.com 2003)
9:53PM Dissolve “Sunflower Search Engine” from Third Album for the Sun CD ALBUM (Kranky www.kranky.net 1997)

Steve Is Not Happy --

with respect to Scott McLemee's post.

off for a day of film in Cambridge

On this blustery day I intend to go for a walk about.

From noon on the Boston Underground Film Festival takes over Harvard Square.
I hope to see a large portion of today's films.

I'll let you know.

Tim Haslett RIP

Tim was one of the most knowledgeable and passionate people I have known. He was a very friendly guy, never pretentious and consistently hilarious. He will be missed deeply.

David Day's piece on Tim in the Weekly Dig.
From MSU State News -- Obituary.
A good post at moodmat, one on mudd up!, sQuare Productions, there is also a tribute as detailed on wayneandwax at the Enormous Room.

"Monday night, March 24, 9pm-1am, music in the spirit of Tim.
If you’re a local DJ type who knew him, come on out and bring a few rekkids Tim woulda liked.
Beat Research
Mondays at the Enormous Room with residents DJ Flack and Wayne and Wax
567 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
9pm to 1am, 21 plus, Free"


A few of Tim's Pazz and Jop lists on the Village Voice site from 2000 , 2002, 2003, 2004
I'd nearly forgotten how much he loved the Pernice Brothers.

There will be a memorial service Friday, March 21st at the Friends Meeting, 5 Long Fellow Park (off Brattle, near Harvard Square) at 3PM.

There has been too much death about lately. I wish it would stop.

UPDATE:
audio tributes start tonight after 5pm on wzbc and Brian Coleman is coming in to do a special show on wzbc from 5-7pm this coming Monday, March 24, 2008.

UPDATE: Benny Blanco's blog has some Hardwired shows archived in his entry about Tim.

the greatest threat to music today

What's the greatest threat to music today?

Radio. Stations only play a tiny fraction of the music that's out there. If they would just open their doors and let all DJs choose their own records, it would encourage musicians to be more inventive.

-- Gary Numan, as interviewed by Laura Barnett in the Guardian UK yesterday.

100% agreement on this one-- luckily i have a show at one of the few radio stations in the United States that lets the DJs do just that. Non Commercial Radio is the only way to go.

new Durutti Column album "sunlight to blue...blue to blackness"

I just noticed Dave Simpson's piece in the Guardian UK's music blogs. Further down in the comments is this link to Hello Citizen blog featuring the attached artwork of the new Durutti Column album. I'd heard about it about a month ago but haven't seen the artwork until now. I think its brilliant, reminiscent of some of Ralph Gibson's work, real high contrast black and white photography. That said, i can't wait to hear the new album. A preview of the tracklisting can be found on the Kooky Disc site.

July Skies - radio - tomorrow night

Tomorrow night from 7-10pm EST (19:00 - 22:00), I finally get my radio show back after a month's absence.

I will devote the second hour of my show to the work of July Skies, especially the new album, The Weather Clock, and The Weather Clock (EP).

Stay Tuned.

the gift she gave to me

the gift she gave to me - its often difficult for me to think of something harder, something explicit and concrete, anyone who has followed my whereabouts for any period of time is all too aware of this. its all sight, all touch, all sense-impressions mixed with abstract thought-- the love of the idea over the reality. the manner in which one frames an event, no matter how ridiculous. as long as it has an over arching purpose, or is explicitly the opposite, strangely all surface, it somehow keeps my interest, it goes beyond any kind of rational inquiry. oh, how i wish it would warm up a bit, so i could go for a long walk without freezing, so i wouldn't feel so housebound all the time. the inquiry continues: i answer with my petty troubles, my upset, my sweet discontent. i keep my body within a certain degree of control, that is my ambition anyway- it probably is as far from the truth as possible. my mind goes away again dreaming. a few moments ago, as I was walking home, i wondered about nostalgia, and whether it is by definition somewhat sugar coated, my inclination is to say no, that would be too sentimental, too kitsch. nostalgia can have an endearing harsher edge. i try to remember the good times, but too often sadness is mixed with joy, too often what i wish for nearly comes true. i can sense when something isn't entirely right, or when it will meet my expectations up to a point. i know i shouldn't force the issue but there are times when, well times when i feel i need to push it just to get answers, just to learn, how to plan my next move, when to persist and when to sit and wait. i am reminded of the silent, color 8mm bits of Alain Tanner's "Dans la ville blanche" (In the white city)-- what a beautiful film.

Rainy Days in New England

I've been listening to the brilliance that is the new July Skies album, The Weather Clock, for the past week and a half. This isn't really a proper review by any means, as I have some work to attend to but can't do much of anything until the disc is over-- its too compelling somehow. At the moment, I could listen to the track "the Girl on the Hill" over and over and over again. It comes at the right point in the album (being track three) it is quite a gift to the listener. As I haven't been doing radio for the past month, I've been lucky enough to see some good friends occasionally. In the meantime, I've spent it reading, listening to music and watching some British tv. Programs I grew up with, like Death of an Expert Witness, the PD James story, with Roy Marsden as Adam Dalgliesh.

The disc is over now. I have to run some errands before the rain starts again.