Cope is one of the few – if not quit the only – British guy who took the path of Krautrock and 
mainly he’s “to blame” for popularizing this gender in UK not only by playing it, but also by his book “Krautrocksampler” (1995). I discovered Cope through his most popular album, “Peggy Suicide” (1991) with a major delay. But Cope is also famous for his prominent role in the Margaret Thatcher Poll Tax Riots, and not at least for his permanent struggle with the Record companies and the music industry, with those he referred to as “greedheads”.
“The JEHOVACOAT Demos”consist of 15 previously unreleased tracks and 5 previously unpublished poems from the Archdrude, all written and recorded throughout 1993 in direct response to having been dropped by Island Records. In the mid-1990s, Cope signed with Rick Rubin’s Def American label, releasing “Autogeddon” (1994) and “20 Mothers” (1995), but he was dropped by the label when he refused to visit the USA. So Cope released the next album, “Interpreter” through Echo Records (1996). Read more Julian Cope – The JEHOVACOAT Demos (2011)
music
The Chemical Brothers – Hanna, soundtrack (2011)
“Hanna” is the latest movie directed by Joe Wright best known previously for 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” and 2007’s “Atonement”. It’s an adventure thriller, filmed in Europe and Morocco. Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, geared to making her the perfect assassin. Cate Blanchett played the role of Marissa Wiegler. Actually I didn’t see the movie, I just read a few words about it. 🙂 But I had the pleasure to listen to its soundtrack written by Thomas Owen Mostyn Rowlands and Edmund John Simons aka Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, sometimes referred to as Chemical Tom and Chemical Ed, better known as The Chemical Brothers. So, this is not really a new album in the line following the intense “Further” released last year, but still, it’s a nice piece of work. We’ve got 20 tracks, some of them being strange sound textures, other real nice constructions of mysterious noises, ravishing synthesizers and twisted rhythms. Read more The Chemical Brothers – Hanna, soundtrack (2011)
The Haunted – Unseen (2011)
This guys from Gothenburg, Sweden managed to came out with the perfect blend of the traditional Melodic Death/Thrash with the modern, straight approach and sound of the later trends. And I’m gonna tell you right from the beginning: “Unseen” it’s another outstanding collection of heavy, consistent songs, all the 12 new tracks are killer ones, crushing constructions of modern metal, the three years passed from their previous material, “Versus”, worth the extended waiting.
Formed in 1996 on the solid foundation of the pioneering band of the Swedish metal scene At the Gates, The Haunted signed to Earache Records and released their debut, self-titled album in 1998. The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen. Read more The Haunted – Unseen (2011)
Van Der Graaf Generator – A Grounding in Numbers (2011)
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)
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)
Nord – Nu mă face să mă ridic la tine! (2009)
[bandcamp album=3084324757 bgcol=050505 linkcol=bb428f size=grande3]
“Utilizările neautorizate ale acestei înregistrări prin copiere, închiriere, împrumut, prezentare publică sau transmisie radio / TV se pedepsesc… e căcat, nu e mă, n-ai treabă, e ok. Toate piesele au fost înregistrate în dormitor la Zoné.” 😀 Şi pot fi descărcate gratuit de pe pagina Bandcamp al artistului.
Ne-am obişnuit să identificăm Hip Hop-ul românesc cu Paraziţii, Puya, etc, dar ca şi-n Rock, există un underground “anonim”, dar cu atât mai viu. Am ascultat Read more Nord – Nu mă face să mă ridic la tine! (2009)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You (2011)
Three years I waited for the second DIOYY? album and now I can breathe realesed: it was worth it. The exuberant energy, the pumping life, their pulse that is entirely lacking in many other products lately, is still there and still alive . Maybe even edgy and crushing. The incendiary mixture of Dance Punk, Indie Rock, New Rave and Synthpop works flawlessly and this time, the boys delivered 10 excellent songs and a perfect album.
Established in Reading in 2006 by James Rushent – vocals, bass guitar, guitar, synthesizers and Dan Coop – synthesizers, the formula was completed with Rob Bloomfield – drums, bass, guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals, and in 2007 the band was joined by Morgan Quaintance – guitar. Their debut album was released in 2008, and “You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into” climbed to number 48 of the British album charts. Read more Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You (2011)
