Released on 14 March 2011, this date written as 3,14 comprises the first three digits of the number Pi. The second track, “Mathematics”, refers to “Euler’s identity” known as the mathematical poem and the trio consisted of Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton and Guy Evansin moved on to a new label, Esoteric Records. I have to admit, I missed the previous two albums – “Present” (2005) and “Trisector” (2008) – meantime, David Jackson quit the band after releasing “Present”, but Hammill, Banton and Evansin seems to feel quite alright together and the new set of 13 tracks sounds strong as the good old stuffs, but strangely also refreshing.
When I was absolutely convinced that the actual British scene is consisted exclusively by a bunch of kids with stupid haircuts, sponsored clothing and complete lack of inspiration, this old guys showed me otherwise. Perhaps “A Grounding in Numbers” is not another “H to He, Who Am the Only One” and actually I miss Jackson’s saxophone and flute, but the new material is a nice trip back to the 70s, but still looking forward. Read more Van Der Graaf Generator – A Grounding in Numbers (2011)
The Purple Queens
I can smell the sunshine, spring is here again. It’s refreshing to throw away the neckerchief, the heavy overcoat and enjoy a little bit of freedom, anyway, at least some kind of illusion of it. I took this pictures back in 2009 in the backyard of a nice and quiet church near to the central railway station in the heart of Bucharest.
Magnolia is an ancient genus. Having evolved before bees appeared, the flowers developed to encourage pollination by beetles. Fossilised specimens of M. acuminata have been found dating to 20 million years ago, and of plants identifiably belonging to the Magnoliaceae dating to 95 million years ago.
Magnolia figo is also called “Purple Queen”. Read more The Purple Queens
10 best albums of 2010
2010, musically speaking, it wasn’t a year of crisis, the music industry seems to be trying to cover excessive losses due to piracy by the avalanche of products brought to the market. I do not know how effective this approach is, but I know that in 2010 I wrote about over 300 albums and listened, well, many more. And this trend keeps rising this year.
In April I discovered the album “Blackjazz” by the Norwegian Shining and till “Ipsissimus” of Zorn/Moonchild in October I was firmly convinced that it is the album of the year. That does not mean that at the time between were not materials worth to mention. There were plenty. The quantity floods of products to the market fortunately didn’t buried for good the quality products. Yet.
10 titles, however, is frustratingly few to be fair. Some good titles are left out of this so-called classification, sorry guys, I love and respect all of you! I put this 10 titles in alphabetical order because all of them deserves maximum attention. Well, I do not make my “critics choice” with one eye on Billboard and the other one on eMpTyV, but what the hell?! I still believe that music is more than an accessory of the business that grew out from it. Music is not only for legs or ears, but for soul.
Adevăratul portret al lui Dumnezeu
Adevăratul portret al lui Dumnezeu este un mister la fel de mare ca adevăratul său nume.
Căutările omului sunt la fel de misterioase ca şi căile Domnului… Imagini şi text AICI. 🙂
Byron – Perfect (2011)
Candid. Într-un singur cuvânt cam asta aş spune despre colecţia de prelucrări (cover-uri) (semi) acustice al celor din Byron. Este revigorant, viu cum băieţii amestecă şarmante sonorităţi Jazz cu segvenţe Rock moderne fără să intre în capcanele Indie. 16 piese selectate cu grijă şi reambalate cu bun simţ şi bun gust, “chestie” absentă cu desăvârşire din peisajul modern, mai ales din cel autohton.
În 2007 m-am aruncat cu poftă pe albumul “Forbidden Drama” şi acel disc privit şi cu detaşarea din urmă acum, a fost semnalul că şi-n România se poate face muzică non-mainstream. Mi-a plăcut acel disc pentru nuanţele sale A Perfect Circle şi speram ca trupa să o calce chiar mai spre Tool. N-a fost să fie, Dan Byron a gândid în altă direcţie evoluţia, “A Kind of Alchemy” din 2009 cumva a intrat fix în capcana mainstream, în ciuda infuziilor Blues, Soul şi Funk, discul a cotit-o în zona Indie, înfundătură inevitabilă în opinia mea, o fi “cool”, o fi la modă, o fi în trend, dar e o cutie în care n-ai loc de întors. Read more Byron – Perfect (2011)
Mick Jagger – She’s The Boss (1985)
Did Jagger felt himself lonely at the top back in 85? It’s hard to believe while Jagger gathered around him an extended gang of musicians like this: the prolific Bill Laswell on bass guitar and synthesizer; Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Eddie Martinez, Nile Rodgers and G. E. Smith on guitars; also on bass guitar he had Bernard Edwards, Colin Hodgkinson and Robbie Shakespeare; playing keyboards, synthesizers, organ and piano there was Herbie Hancock, Jan Hammer, Guy Fletcher, Wally Badarou, Ron Magness, Chuck Leavell and Robert Sabino; on drums were pumping Sly Dunbar, Steve Ferrone , Anton Fig, Michael Shrieve and Tony Thompson and Ray Cooper, Anton Fier and Daniel Ponce delivered percussion while Aïyb Dieng played the shaker. Lenny Pickett played on the saxophone and Bernard Fowler, Fonzi Thornton and Alfa Pickett sung backing vocals. Sir Michael Philip Jagger got half a life? It’s even harder to believe, Jagger took at least double share of everything he could get. And I really and literally mean everything. Read more Mick Jagger – She’s The Boss (1985)
Midnight Oil – Diesel And Dust (1987)
“The time has come/To say fair’s fair/To pay the rent/To pay our share/The time has come/A fact’s a fact/It belongs to them/Let’s give it back/How can we dance when our earth is turning/How do we sleep while our beds are burning”. Well, if you didn’t sung this song ever, if you don’t memorized this lyrics long time ago, really man, where do you lived? And even if we’re in 2011 everything is still goddamn actual. I can go further with “Put down that weapon or we’ll all be gone/You can’t hide nowhere with the torchlight on/And it happens to be an emergency/Some things aren’t meant to be/Some things don’t come for free” or “Your dreamworld is just about to end” and Peter Garrett seems to had back than a magic crystal ball.
It’s not fair, rather productive, to compare an apple to a kiwi, neither one band to another, but Midnight Oil was always what R.E.M. never could and never will be. If the uncertain label of “politically correct” is really applicable for any band, I would name Midnight Oil without any hesitation. And they were “Rockly correct” as well. Read more Midnight Oil – Diesel And Dust (1987)
Kreidler – Tank (2011)
While the British scene still suffers the trauma of The Beatles or even worst, uninspired kids are sweating reproducing the riffs of Iron Maiden from the 80s, the originally humorous term of “Krautrock” still bring to the surface interesting products. Bands like the two fraction of Faust released very intense materials lately, “Faust is Last” last year from the group of Jochen Irmler, Lars Paukstat, Steven W. Lobdell, Michael Stoll and Jan Fride and this year Jean-Hervé Péron and Zappi W. Diermaier with contribution from British artists Geraldine Swayne and James Johnston released “Something Dirty”.
Kreidler was founded in 1994 in Dusseldorf and they combines electronic and analog instruments to create a blend of Post Rock with Electronic Music. Maybe their not at the same level of creativity as Tangerine Dream, Faust, Can, Amon Düül II or Ash Ra Tempel, but still, their tenth album is a nice intercourse in the good old Krautrock traditions and holds some interesting moments for the listeners. Read more Kreidler – Tank (2011)
Eva
În Ebraica veche “mesia” şi “şarpe” erau acelaşi cuvânt. Gândiţi-vă. Este posibil ca Eva (“cea vie”) să-l fi scos în fapt pe Adam (“praf”) din întuneric oferindu-i fructul interzis din Copacul Cunoaşterii la îndemnul Salvatorului? Ipoteză periculoasă. Ne răstoarnă toate conceptele şi… prejudecăţile. Nu ştiu dacă lucrurile stau aşa ori ba, ştiu însă că nu pot să fiu atât de tâmpit să exclud oricare posibilitate înainte de a mă pronunţa. Mă tot întreb de ce secole la rând biserica a insistat pe ideea “crede şi nu cerceta”. Ce ne ascund în fapt? Şi de ce? Noul Testament în versiunea sa unanim acceptată este o colecţie de texte selectate şi cenzurate. Clericii au decis ce trebuie şi ce nu trebuie să cunoaştem. Biserica ani de zile a susţinut că Pământul este în centrul universului (şi singura planetă), a afirmat cu vehemenţă că Pământul este plat… Read more Eva
Între bine şi rău
Pentru a determina poziţia unui obiect în spaţiu este nevoie de două puncte de referinţă. În cazul omului aceste două puncte sunt binele şi răul. Suntem educaţi să alegem între bine şi rău, suntem învăţaţi să alegem binele. Dar ce ne facem dacă descoperim că nu există bine şi rău, cele două “lucruri” în fapt sunt unul singur? S-ar creea un dezechilibru? Am fi oare pierduţi?
Între bine şi rău – sau ceea ce presupunem că ar fi binele şi răul – suntem doar noi, singuri, goi, aşa cum nu ne vede nimeni, ba nici noi nu vrem să ne vedem. Avem nevoie de bine şi de rău ca să identificăm în vre-un fel sau este doar sofism şmecher?
Fiecare fiinţă este singulară şi absolut unică. Conceptul de “bine şi rău” ne grupează, ne poziţionează în turmă. Suntem învăţaţi să fim buni şi să fim mai buni. Mai buni decât copilu’ vecinului, mai buni decât colegul de bancă, mai buni decât colegul de muncă. În fapt tot ce suntem învăţaţi şterge şi estompează din tot ceea ce suntem. Read more Între bine şi rău
