SOUNDTRACK: BORIS-Attention Please (2011).
Attention Please marks a departure from the Heavy Rocks sound, returning to the dream pop sound explored on New Album, but this time, it has elements of noise pop and alternative rock. It features Wata’s vocals on every track.
Attention Please shares the songs “Hope,” “Party Boy” and “Spoon” with New Album
Attention Please shares the tracks “Aileron” with Heavy Rocks, although it is radially different.
New Album shares the tracks “Jackson Head” and “Tu, La La” with Heavy Rocks.
“Attention Please” 5:12 has a pulsing bass and gentle drums that lie under Wata’s whispered sensuous vocals.
“Hope” 3:26 Sounds a lot like the version on New Album, although the synths have been replaced by strings and the sound effects are removed. This song feels more organic but still slick and catchy.
“Party Boy” 3:50 The thumping bass drum and a really buzzy bass give this version a very different sound. There’s almost no synth although the vocals sound pretty much the same. There’s a lot of strange effects that reward headphone listening–when Wata whispers in your ear it might even make you turn your head. Although the song is basically the same, the New Album version is definitely catchier.
“See You Next Week” 3:56 has warping synth sounds that push the song forward as Wata’s whispered vocals come in. The speed of the “percussion” is contrary to the gentle echoing vocals. “Tokyo Wonder Land” 5:42 opens with repeated, high-pitched Huh huh huh and super distorted wild guitar riffs.
On “You” 6:13, it sounds like she’s singing “anatomy” quietly at a whisper (which she obviously isn’t). It’s a slow, smooth song that meanders beautifully.
“Aileron” at 2:01, this is a much abbreviated version from the one on Heavy Rocks. This one is all acoustic with some pretty guitar soloing going underneath the lovely melody. The melody is the same but the whole song is very different.
“Les Paul Custom ‘86” 2:09 has whispered vocals from Wata and the men. There’s guitar washes and a sense of menace but mostly it’s kind of tinny and effects-filled. Its one of the few songs where understanding the words might actually help.
“Spoon” 4:16 For this version, there;s no keyboard notes, just heavy guitar. But that whole shoegaze vibe from Wata’s vocals remains. The only real nod to the other version is the sound of breaking glass at the end of select verses.
“Hand in Hand” 4:30 is quiet and pretty with the tinny guitar and Wata’s gentle soaring vocals.
Between these three discs you get a pretty complete picture of the music of Boris–largely heavy,but always guitar based. They really show off their diversity with this trio.
[READ: July 22, 2015] “Escape from New York”
This was the 2015 New Yorker fiction issue. It featured several stories and several one-page essays from writers I like.
In addition to those essays on Time-Travel it also included this short piece from Zadie Smith.
This story is quite the peculiar one from Smith. It eschews just about everything I think she writes about and focuses on a very unexpected subject.
There is a catastrophe in New York (presumably 9/11 although it could be a fictional disaster). Lead character Michael is trying to coordinate an escape for his friends Elizabeth and Marlon. Now, the accompanying photo was a clue, and anyone with any familiarity with celebrities should recognize those names. I wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence; I assumed it must be. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 