SOUNDTRACK: FANTÔMAS-Suspended Animation (2005).
If you know Fantômas, then you know what you’re in for. If you don’t, well, it’s a surprise!
Fantômas are the brain child of Mike Patton (Mr Bungle-era more than Faith No More with help from Buzz Osborne from The Melvins and Dave Lombardo from Slayer). Suspended Animation is designed as a soundtrack to April, 2005. There are thirty tracks, and each one corresponds to a calendar page. The limited edition (which is apparently still in print as I got one last month) is a calendar with art by Yoshitomo Nara. Nara’s work combines cuteness and menace, just like the CD.
A piece by Nara
Although, really the CD is more menace than cute.
This disc seems to combine Patton’s favorite things: cartoon music (many ‘toons are sampled here), death metal, short sharp blasts of noise and his fascinating vocal deliveries.
This write-up makes the disc sound very intriguing, but before you rush out to check it out, do know what you’re in for: short, noisy blasts of utter chaos. It is not for the weak of heart or the queasy of stomach (or for the lover of melody). It’s not even a case of , oh the songs are short, the next one will come along soon. While there is diversity, it’s diverse within it’s own little world. Of noise!
Be afraid. But if you’re still interested after that caveat, then by all means check it out, if only for the calendar!
[READ: August 23, 2009] Where the Wild Things Are/”Max at Sea”
Because of Dave Egger’s story “Max at Sea” (which is basically a retelling of Where the Wild Things Are I felt I needed to re-read the original. So thank you Dave Eggers for that.
The original is a fun story which seems to be more visually based than word based. The drawings are sublime and indeed there are several pgaes with no words at all. And, so, the filmmakers’ question remains: how to you make a film out of a 48-page book, many of which don’t even have words? Stills from the movie do look pretty awesome.
And thus, Dave Eggers’ story was born.
I’m not actually going to reveiw Where the Wild Things Are, because, well, it’s a classic, and it’s awesome. What more can I say about it? But I did want to reevaluate Egger’s piece having re-read Sendak’s.
It is quite clear that Eggers is in no way trying to re-write the story. He has fleshed out a lot of details that are absent from the original (which the original in now way needs, but again, if you’re going to make a film, you need some kind of backstory). (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-TV Shit (1993).
This is a funny little addition to the SY catalog. It is essentially four covers of a song by Youth Brigade called “No Song II” (which is from Dischord records, Possible EP 
SOUNDTRACK: SONIC YOUTH-Washing Machine (1995).
After the short blasts and diverse collection fo songs on Experimental Jet Set Trash and No Star, Washing Machine sounds like almost a different band. For although there are a few shorter pieces here, they also give us the 9 minute title track and the, brace yourself, almost 20 minute “The Diamond Sea.”
SOUNDTRACK: Living with Music: A Playlist by Joshua Ferris (New York Times September 19 2007).
While searching for Joshua Ferris (see below) I came across this playlist from The New York Times. While I don’t agree with everything on the list, indeed, I haven’t heard of about half of the songs, I was delighted by several of his selections: Neutral Milk Hotel, Pearl Jam, and of course, Godspeed! You Black Emperor. I also really enjoy the unusual Pink Floyd selection, too (Meddle being a favorite album of mine).
SOUNDTRACK: FRIGHTENED RABBIT-Midnight Organ Fight (2008).
My friend Jarrett introduced me to this band. He rather casually called it his favorite album of the year, so I figured it was worth checking out.
SOUNDTRACK–SONIC YOUTH-Sonic Youth (1982).
A new Sonic Youth disc (The Eternal) just came out which seemed like a perfect reason to go back and sift through their old discs as well. And like Hüsker Dü, they were also on 
SOUNDTRACK: HÜSKER DÜ-Candy Apple Grey (1986).
This disc seems to be universally panned as the worst Hüsker Dü disc (meaning it only gets 4 stars instead of 5) and yet I disagree. Perhaps it’s because it was the second disc of theirs that I had heard and so it has always been more familiar, or maybe it’s because I think the sounds is fuller.
SOUNDTRACK: HÜSKER DÜ-Flip Your Wig (1985).
Here’s where Hüsker Dü dropped most of the pretense that they didn’t write the catchiest songs ever. And, if this had been released in the mid 90s it would have been an enormous hit. Or for that matter, if this had been released on Warner Brothers as it was meant to be instead of SST, Hüsker Dü would probably be a more familiar name (and of course no one would love them as much).
SOUNDTRACK: MOXY FRÜVOUS-Live Noise (1998).
Live albums usually work as a “best of” and so, with Live Noise you get the crème de la crème of the Früvous catalog. But, more than that, Früvous were amazing live. I had the opportunity to see them once, and it was a fantastic show.
I Just Read About That... 