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Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Thursday, 25 December 2008
The Best Of 2008 (and Merry Christmas)
Movement (Collector's Edition)
02 JOY DIVISION - The Best Of Joy Division
03 GABRIELLES WISH - Live
04 ELIO E LE STORIE TESE - Studentessi
05 A CERTAIN RATIO - Mind Made Up
06 GLI ANTONIO BENASSI - Parma Parallela
07 SECTION 25 - Are XXX
08 SKARNEMURTA - Dirty Swing: L'Aperitivo
09 BLAKE/E/E/E - Border Radio
10 THE BREEDERS - Mountain Battles
11 OFFLAGA DISCO PAX - Bachelite
12 VARIOUS ARTISTS - Il Dono
13 KALEVALA - Promo 2008
14 STEFANO PILIA - Action Silence Prayers
15 THE CHARLATANS - You Cross My Path
The best of 2007 saw New Order at number 1 and Joy Division at number 2. The best of 2008 is no different, those dear old bastards have made their way to the top once again with yet another useless, but ultimately precious reissue/best of. While Joy Division's collectors editions added concert recordings, New Order's add all the non-album singles and b-sides. Movement is of particular interest for those who haven't been avid completists so far because it finally rediscovers a gem which has remained hidden in their discography. The real Mesh (the track which has been titled Mesh until 2002 was actually a mis-labelled Cries And Whispers) which had appeared on CD so far only on the 1981-82 US compilation. One of their best songs ever. And there are all those versions of Ceremony, Temptation etc. you might have missed until now. Now you have no excuse. Yet another best of Joy Division, but better compiled than Permanent, and hey, it's been 13 years since that compilation, so they have an excuse for this release, after all.
Gabrielles Wish brought us their first Live album since Live And Bobbins, and hey, it's been 11 years, so they have an excuse for this release, after all.
Elio E Le Storie Tese came back after five years and it was well worth the wait. Yet another masterpiece from this Italian band making unique sophisticated pop matched by funny but extremely intelligent lyrics. An unlikely clash between Steely Dan and Monty Python if you wish, but it works, it really does.
A much needed comeback comes from A Certain Ratio, we had to wait 11 years for this great album which rediscovers Factory sounds lost ages ago and includes songs like Starlight, one of their best ever.
Antonio Benassi is a legend in Parma, leader of underground veterans Le Borchie, he has been around for decades and finally releases his first proper album with a great band carrying his name. Sort of local Elio E Le Storie Tese, slightly more trad rock oriented but also slightly funnier. The title track is already an anthem in the town.
Section 25 came back last year, and this year have celebrated their 30 years with a compilation of Peel sessions and demos available for free download for a limited time. Nice to have another Factory band in the Top 10.
Skarnemurta released a wonderful EP heading the fans to their new direction, evolving their trademark sound to a Dirty Swing. Listen and get what it means.
I think I'll remember 2008 as the year I saw Massimo Volume coming back, six years after their split, with a hugely successful tour. We can hope for a new album next year, meanwhile last year we had the debut album by guitarist Egle Sommacal and a welcome CD reissue of his first band, Detriti. This year we have the debut of the band of former guitarist Marcella Riccardi, Blake/e/e/e. If you think the name is weird, wait for the music, which is also really inventive and emotional. What? A debut album in my chart! I know the artist has been around for ages, but at least this band has made a debut and it's fresh music, so let's get content with this.
It's unlikely we can wait for a new album by the Pixies, but at least we've had the welcome comeback of The Breeders with a small gem of rough and psychedelic post-country.
People had high expectations for Offlaga Disco Pax after their acclaimed debut. It was impossible for the follow-up to match it, but it's still a great album.
Il Dono is a tribute to Diaframma made by some other important bands of the Italian alternative scene like Marlene Kuntz and Santo Niente, but also promising emerging bands like Magnolia and Oshinoko Bunker Orchestra.
Kalevala have warmed up their ever growing audience for their next album with an excellent EP of great celtic folk metal. I know it doesn't sound really credible, after all the crap released under that tag by other bands, but Kalevala are different, they are really talented and make you believe that great music can be done that way as well.
Speaking of talent, Stefano Pilia is the new second guitarist of Massimo Volume, he is a precious addition to their sound and has a solo career as well releasing guitar ambient soundscapes.
The Charlatans have released one of their best albums, if not their best at all (less retro, more groovy)... for free!
Finally a mention for a band which would have definitely made the Top 5 in 2007 if I hadn't discovered them only this year. We haven't heard shoegazing as good as Airiel's since the glorious days of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Swervedriver at Creation. Less ethereal than their British influences, and with a stronger rhythm section, but still extremely emotional, this band from Chicago floods an ocean of sound in your ears. And you want more and more. Many bands try do something like this, but get nowhere near.
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009, time is short to save this decade from being the worst ever since rock'n'roll was invented, let's hope more new bands will do some effort, and that we'll be able to discover them in time... let's keep an ear for those youngsters struggling on MySpace... suggestions by streaming music sites like Last.FM might be useful as well... that's how I discovered Airiel...
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Mick on Facebook
I've always had doubts about joining Facebook.
I don't like that you have, unlike MySpace, to join before seeing profiles.
I don't like that if you don't know already one member at least, you can't know anyone else.
I've been on the web since the mid-nineties, and I've always liked how it's open and interactive, I don't like anything putting barriers between contents or people.
This said, since everyone is already there, I just had to try.
And you know what, once inside, I really like it.
I like how it integrates everything on the wall, all the things you write and do everywhere can be reached from the profile. And you can reply to everything as well. It's like the perfect hybrid between a microblog, a chat and a forum, and there are groups for every possible interest which can make you meet other like-minded people.
The paradox is Facebook puts barriers to the outside world, but once you're in, it's all open and interactive. So it's cool after all, you just have to do the effort to join.
You certainly know one person on Facebook.
It's of no use to resist, you will be caught!
My profile
Grandmaster Flash - The Message (free streaming on Jango)
I don't like that you have, unlike MySpace, to join before seeing profiles.
I don't like that if you don't know already one member at least, you can't know anyone else.
I've been on the web since the mid-nineties, and I've always liked how it's open and interactive, I don't like anything putting barriers between contents or people.
This said, since everyone is already there, I just had to try.
And you know what, once inside, I really like it.
I like how it integrates everything on the wall, all the things you write and do everywhere can be reached from the profile. And you can reply to everything as well. It's like the perfect hybrid between a microblog, a chat and a forum, and there are groups for every possible interest which can make you meet other like-minded people.
The paradox is Facebook puts barriers to the outside world, but once you're in, it's all open and interactive. So it's cool after all, you just have to do the effort to join.
You certainly know one person on Facebook.
It's of no use to resist, you will be caught!
My profile
Grandmaster Flash - The Message (free streaming on Jango)
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Jo Squillo - Roulette
Ho visto l'"esibizione" (in playback, ma con una certa grazia) di questo brano in TV, nel 1984. Non ricordavo il titolo del programma, ovviamente. Guardando il video si evince che si chiamava "Sotto Le Stelle", ricordo che era un varietà estivo, perchè l'avevo visto sul vecchio televisore in bianco e nero nella casa di campagna dei miei nonni.
Ricordavo invece la canzone... per poco meno di 25 anni ho ricordato questa canzone...
Nel 1984 avevo 11 anni e sino ad allora il mio rapporto con i media si limitava grosso modo ai cartoni animati. Quella sera d'estate Roulette ha avuto un grosso impatto su di me. Mi era piaciuta, e parecchio, era qualcosa di nuovo per me, apprezzare la musica degli adulti...
I miei amici erano tutti paninari, e così si ascoltava la musica di quel momento: i Duran Duran, ovviamente, ma andavano matti anche per la colonna sonora di Ghostbusters. Loro, io no... a me invece era piaciuta questa canzone strana, commerciale ma raffinata...
Poi ho pensato ad altro, un paio d'anni dopo ho scoperto gli Smiths e tutto è cambiato.
Ho visto anche Jo Squillo sgambettare sul palco di Sanremo insieme a Sabrina Salerno, cantando Siamo Donne... tutt'altra roba rispetto a Roulette, che continuavo a ricordare, anche quando ho comprato i CD dei Pixies e dei My Bloody Valentine.
Ho sempre ricordato questa sorta di canzone numero uno, che probabilmente, inconsciamente, ha influenzato i miei gusti musicali. E' un brano commerciale, basato su un arrangiamento sostanzialmente elettronico, deve avere contribuito a farmi apprezzare i New Order e i Pet Shop Boys dopo un iniziale periodo di rifiuto in cui aderivo ad una specie di stupida ortodossia rock che andava tanto di moda tra i cosiddetti alternativi.
Invece trovo questo brano fortemente alternativo oggi, è qualcosa di completamente estraneo alle logiche commerciali contemporanee o alle tendenze delle scene alternative. Un brandello di storia obliqua, una testimonianza di un momento ben preciso che oggi suona più valida che mai.
Grazie ad internet ho scoperto chi è davvero Jo Squillo.
Componente, a 17 anni, dell'avanguardia punk milanese con le Kandeggina Gang, è riuscita ad emergere solista con un personaggio che somigliava abbastanza alla prima Siouxsie (confrontare Skizzo Skizzo con Carcass).
Nello stesso periodo, a Torino, i Righeira stampavano le prime fanzine punk.
Quasi in parallelo questi artisti si avvicinano gradualmente al pop elettronico, ma senza rinnegare le origini e portando sempre un'indole anticonformista e strumentazioni innovative, che facevano tendenza piuttosto che seguirla.
Artisti come questi, considerati con faciloneria come trash, magari solo perchè semplificavano l'approccio ai testi o alla melodia, vanno completamente rivalutati.
Il problema con Jo Squillo è che in effetti poi si è davvero orientata al trash, anche se non è mai stata un'adesione ingenua, ma mediata, all'universo delle showgirl.
Anche oggi, quando si esibisce, non manca di completare il set con brani del periodo punk scatenando il pogo, anzi, si può dire che il suo pubblico va ai suoi show più per i brani punk che per le hit trash.
In Paranoia, Violentami, e Avventurieri possiamo individuare i brani salienti di un percorso di transizione dal punk all'elettronica che merita non meno rispetto di quello dei Gaznevada. Prima di abbandonare ogni velleità artistica, Jo Squillo pubblica Roulette, questo singolo incredibile, accompagnata dai Kaos del marito Gianni Muciaccia, anche loro ex punk.
Considero tuttora Roulette una bellissima canzone, splendida melodia, ottimo arrangiamento.
Se pensate alla musica commerciale che vedete oggi in TV, soprattutto nei programmi delle reti generaliste, sono sicuro che percepirete immediatamente la differenza qualitativa.
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