While I contemplate buying the 3 disc edition of “Volta”, Bjork releases a fantastic video for “Wanderlust” which will be released in a limited edition single where you can view it with 3D goggles to get the full effect. Well I’ve not 3D goggles but its an amazing masterpiece of artistic excellence and I’ve watched it several times now and am still wowed. See it here
Archive for March, 2008
Bjork’s “Wanderlust” PV Released
Joe Hisaishi Unveils New Concert
Long time Studio Ghibli scorer Joe Hisaishi has announced he will be having a concert performed by a 200 piece orchestra and a 400 member chorus! Such a large scale performance is down to a celebration of 25 years of Studio Ghibli and the collaboration of Hisaishi and Hayao Miyazaki. Let’s hope this gets a DVD release please!
Faun Release Their First “Live CD”
The ever beautiful music of Faun has finally made its way to a live CD. Their first release since their newly appointed second female Sandra took over from lisa is entitled “Faun & the Pagan music Festive” see’s other bands playing live too it seems and is more of an overview of the festival that sees them take centre stage. It was released Friday and I shall be making an order for it soon! The new tour for Faun kicked off this weekend too and judging by the pictures and reviews it was a great show to have been at. We wish all the best to Faun’s new recruit and hope the team go from strength to strength.
Ayumi Hamasaki’s Reissues Go Down Today!
Anybody trying to get Ayu’s dvd reissues may run into trouble. I just tried to get mine today (the reissues come off sale on the 31st of March) and I was refused from cdjapan who stated the reissues are no longer on sale! Prehaps some other websites will still be doing them but as I don’t generally shop elsewhere that’s me probably done. Naughty naughty!
Shiina Ringo – Heisei Fuzuko Review
Shiina Ringo never sits still. This her fifth album puts her firmly in a jazz/rock genre but then again doesn’t at the same time! “Heisei Fuzuko” (featuring a fantastic front cover) gives us some old songs reworked and a few new ones for good measure.
The album opens in grand style with “Gamble” which has so many instruments thrown together. Brass, strings and a full rock band all going together. It’s like an orchestrated stadium rock song and a fantastic song. This is followed up by “Stem” which is a smoky jazz club number sung in English sounding nothing like its original (which I prefer).
“Confusion (Terra Ver.)” then gives us a cabaret styled song. Fast, snazzy and at the kind of ambience that makes you want to shimmy sideways with your hands jiggling from side to side. Different but joyous. “”First Love” Singer” then mixes a beautiful string arrangement with ambient percussive noises for a surreal and oddly eerie song that I enjoy more with each listen.
Out comes the old 70′s dancers for “Papaya Mango” for people to mamba around to before the reworked “Consciously” works well but again doesn’t have the same feel or power of the original – more like a set finisher for Engelbert Humperdink Shiina style.
“Le Salle De Bain” is a remake (Yokushitsu) the works again not as well as the original (this version is much slower) before “Camouflage” again starts the sneak jazzed up madness again. “Poltergeists” is a beautiful waltz that works just as well as the original while “Temporary Virgin” has Shiina singing in english to a French styled playful string arrangement.
“Courtesan” then shifts completely to an electronic song with bleeps, bumps, beats and echoing vocals. It’s a bit jarring but the orchestra joins in for a big finale.
“Scar” is an achingly beautiful and poignant piano led song which breaks out into a big climax in the second half with Shiina hauling every instrument possible back in. The album finishes on the playful “Memory” sounding like a cross between a children’s song and a closing track to a Disney film.
To say the shift from rock to jazz doesn’t influence my review would be lying. I struggle with jazz. The fact I can make it through a listen is a compliment. The reworked songs do not work for me and pale in comparison to the originals although its nice to have them all the same. The album has grown a bit on me over time but if you’re looking for rock out anthems like her previous works, do not look here.
Joanna Newsom – Ys Street Band Review
Joanna doesn’t seem to write short songs these days! After Ys’ epic suites Joanna returned with her live band to record a 3 song EP that clocks in over twenty minutes!
New song “Colleen” is intricate and beautiful with the harp, banjo, accordion and human drums all enveloping you up. There is some serious musical talent on some of the complex hooks and this makes it folksy heaven.
“Calm, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie” is a redo of the song from her début album with harp and guitar and is nicely done with male backing vocals.
The EP closes with a 13 minute rendition of “Cosmia”. Taking away the strings from this climactic song may have worried some but the placement of guitars, banjos, accordions and most importantly smashing drum thunders really up the ante. I’m still not sure which version I like best and I think that’s recommendation enough.
Not life changing, only one new song and Joanna’s voice will continue to divide listeners (although its not so outrageous here) this EP is a must for all Newsom fans but if you’re new to her perhaps start elsewhere first.
Beth Orton New Album?
Beth Orton, out of the spotlight for a while since her excellent 4th album “Comfort in Strangers” has got her first gig in ages on the 30th of March. Could it mean a new album on the horizon? No confirmation of anything yet but Beth is pretty consistent and we’d like another single name to rival “Shopping Trolley”!
Utada Hikaru – “Celebrate” and “Fight The Blues” Live
While I await Utada Hikaru’s latest album to reach my doorstep, I have found two new album songs performed live on Music Lovers. They are “Celebrate” complete with maraca’s and “Fight the Blues“. Both of which sound like more commercialised Ultra Blue songs. Sounds like a another fantastic album from Hikki then!
Nina Nastasia – Run To Ruin Review
Nina’s eerie minimal music reaches dizzy heights with her third album “Run To Ruin”. Despite only having 8 tracks and clocking in very quickly (half an hour) it completely immerses you in a world of tragedy, afterthought and observation all whilst clinging onto life itself.
“We Never Talked” gently scrapes your brain like a psychological horror movie with its ingenuous sting arrangements. “I Say That I Will Go” brings in more instruments slowly enveloping a disturbing climax of distuned strings, drum rolls and hammered dulcimers. “Regrets” almost has a real pace to it with its dysfunctional percussive sounds but the complete breakdown of the chorus with Nina’s high whaling vocals really make the song a treat.
“You Her and Me” is a beautiful narrative story ever plodding along in a folksy depressive mood before the only real single material “Superstar” gives us the only normal styled song on the album which is refreshing with actual chords, choruses and bridges. “The Body” is like a prayer, sung at high pitch with no real form to it and is clever in that its light and fluffy but serious at the same time.
My favourite track is “On Teasing”. It’s so vicious and dramatic like a b-movie on anti-depressants. It builds and builds to a fantastic finish and the lyrics are fantastic. If you wish to get into Nina you can do no wrong by starting here. The closer “While We Talk” is the twin to the opener, slowly fading away into echoes, eerily festering in your brain until the next listen.
I find this album so cleverly dark and humorous at the same time I find it always up in my favourites and while it may be an acquired alternative folk taste, if you like her you’ll love this album.
Bic Runga – Live Vault
Today’s live vault comes from New Zealand beauty Bic Runga who is very successful there but less known elsewhere. Her perfectly silky vocals and elegant songs make her stage presence magical. Here’s “Bursting Through” from her debut album “Drive”
Hiroki Kikuta – Lost Files Review
Hiroki Kikuta had seemingly dissolved into thin air for a long time in the world of VGM – I personally hadn’t heard of anything high profiled since “Koudelka” back in 1998. I shame for me as I had always enjoyed his works. However in 2006 he quietly released “Lost Files”, a collection of unused songs he and written that were never placed in games or released on a soundtrack.
“Mona Lisa Overdrive” opens up with Hiroki clearly stuck in the early 1990′s synth mood, setting the mood for the album. In a very typical arcade sound, its a clunky and offbeat electronica rush that is slightly confusing and doesn’t really make sense. However “Newromancer” is a classic song sounding like it should have been used on something like Outtrun! A lead electronic guitar gives the main theme with overactive oragns giving us all the action hamming up in the background. Great stuff. “Burning Chrome” sounds like it came from “Soukaigi” only it once again is synthesized not instrumented but again is a very good track which some fun tweaks to it. “Catch A Falling Star” sounds like a Mega Drive era song which strangely plays a happy quirky song but seemingly all in minor chords because its cleverly off kilter all the time. “Oceanic” closes the first section of tracks with a beautiful crystallised melody quite reminiscent of “Seiken Densetsu” crossed with “Shadow of the Beast”!
We are then presented with a ten minute epic “Something Wicked on the Way” which opens like a cheesy 1980′s synth-pop song and stays that way slowly evolving its way through with different verses but coming back to the same chorus. Its a nice song but it is indeed a tad too long. It does make you a happy bunny though if you like synth music. “A Long Trip To Teatime” is another happy track using the same synth set again which reminds me of traditional arcade music. If you do not enjoy those sounds then sadly this CD is not for you at all. “Knight Moves” is more of a battle piece with heavy percussion and bass and not a lot else until a very funky piano riff kicks in. “The Einstein Intersection” is another weird track using brass stabs as a large part of the arrangement which completely throws the rest of the complex track out of proportion. The basis of the track is good indeed, if not called “Seiken Densetsu” era music but the brass stabs just jump from nowhere! Maybe it will grow one me… “A Scanner Darkly” gives a small Arabian tinge to the music with rolling adagios throughout before unexpectedly “A Small, Good Thing” gives us an acoustic guitar led track – the first real slow track of the album and its much needed too even if there’s not much to it, its still a nice simply melody.
Phase three of the soundtrack is a six-track flowing piece. Each section is called “Tenryo-to Kitan” followed by its part number. The synths are now updated to pretty much “Soukaigi” level. The opening part is very typical of the game actually and suddenly the album leaps into a new higher level after the early tracks were good but nothing special. Part 2 is a fun sneaking song by the sounds of it with some funky bass and electric piano. Part 3 sounds like a percussive heavy battle track with some vocal ad-libs thrown in for good measure and reminds me slightly of his “Koudelka” battle works. Part 4 is an excellent work of giving scope with not many instruments. It reminds me a bit of the “Chrono Trigger” arrangements for some reason – the same beats and jazz workings. Part 5 is another fast paced piano led battle track before Part 6 gives us a beautiful stadium rock finale to the section – a song that really uplifts you.
The final track of the section is “The King to Elflands Daughter” where we have what seems a very up to date synthed track. It’s elegant harps, strings and flutes backed by big percussive thuds are really quite something and I’d actually say this is my favourite track from the CD.
Hiroki Kikuta’s “Lost Files” face a similar problem as albums such as “F.F.Mix” does. They are unreleased track compilations and marketed as never-before-heard-gems. While some of the tracks are very good it must be said, a few of the earlier tracks on the album are let down because of the synth work chosen. I am a huge fan of very early VGM however I think the songs here could have benefited from being upgraded to today’s standard of musical genius. Sometimes the cymbal crashes just hiss too much over the main tune, or the ambient pads are too harsh to be calming. If they were unreleased tracks, we’d have never known if they’d been upgraded! However it has whet my appetite for more Kikuta and I hope we hear more from him soon – his latest track, the final on this album, is a corker.
Yoshitaka Hirota – Shadow Hearts Arranged: NDE
Shadow Hearts Arranged Tracks: Near Death Experience had me slightly worried when it was announced. I had enjoyed two superb soundtracks and I couldn’t really see how Yoshitaka Hirota, Yasunori Mitsuda, Kenji Ito & Tomoko Ito would be able to re-arrange these priceless tracks into something shockingly different. However in true Shadow Hearts fashion the arrangements you’re used to aren’t going to be what appears on this album
“Near Death Experience – Muddy Water Edit” is as close to the easiest rock arrangement you’ll get. The acoustic orientated guitars power in at high speed and the percussion follows with some intricate details between the two playing out through an energetic and exhilarating piece that will get your heart pumping. Kyoko Koshikawa’s vocal treats from Shadow Hearts 1 also return to give the song a helping hand. Yet still much is familiar as you can hear much of the original song samples playing throughout and it’s this that sets Shadow Hearts Arrangements very much apart from the rest. “Astraroth – 8-minute Note Mix”, which doesn’t last 8 minutes may I add, builds on that notion with using the vocal samples and the haunting bell arrangements from the original and building them up to a fabulous climax to what is a very well thought out arrangement. I especially like the inclusion of acoustic guitars once again which finishes off the fuller sound of the piece.
“The Wheel of Fortune – Fortuna” then heads the album off onto the more experimental side. This is a sweeping vocal demonstration set to an ever gathering collection of harps, organs and cymbals. You can recognise the catchy “Icaro” tune that’s given so many forms in these soundtracks at one of its simple yet stunning forms. This followed by the despondent “Never Ending Sadness – Pain Edit” which is just ambience with echoed piano and high pitched string action bleeding its heart over your speakers for you. I haven’t really clicked with this arrangement yet but it doesn’t mean I cannot appreciate that it is still a good piece.
However I have completely connected with “Twilight Street – Ambient Remix”. After hours of the beautiful original version in the game, I must admit I have largely left the original alone but converting it into a heart wrenching piano piece was genius and it works so well. When the other instruments join in at the half way point it may fill your ears with more sound but it’s still very haunting yet somewhat like a new fresh dawn all at the same time. Like a rebirth…
“Ala of Sacrum – Spirit of the Air” is where we do get quite random with galloping horses and near dance drum beats to ambience nothingness and running water that might send you running for the nearest toilet! However this and this discord of vocal shrieks and electric guitars does come together for an interesting if not entirely hooked experience. One for the more left of centre music lovers! “Deep In Coma – minimal work” takes that premise up a step with a Shadow Hearts version of what I’d imagine to be a skeleton nightclub dance anthem! Excellent usage of vocals in this song which purposely strips the song down to its bare bones and sucks all the major instruments out to leave you feeling very cold despite the pace of it all.
“Asian Parafait – Jasmine” rectifies that with a perfect oriental helping of fun and pleasure in an unashamedly bouncy and catchy tune that will stay in your head for hours. I adore the instrumentation on this piece of art and how its been produced to meld together for warmth.
“Grey Memories – Floating Edit” is in a similar vein to “Deep In Coma” and is actually completely different to the original which is quite a daring trial to attempt. Very low-fi and once again sucked out of life, it reminds me of a plague of flies for its bass lines!
“The 3 Karma – Cogito, Ergo, Sun” was one of the songs a lot of people wanted to hear arranged and here we have a beautiful arrangement that starts off quite majestic before the drums pick up with the bells and violins bringing up the tension for a while. Then it all fades away for the grand organ to take over and off we go into what’s the only real dramatic section of the whole arrangement with some excellent workings and interlacing of instrument and sound clips. I think some might be annoyed at its lack of freak-out but I really enjoyed the restraint it carries for most of the song. “Sphere -qu- Sacred Shrine Edit” ends the album with saxophones and tweeting birds amongst ambience and percussive loops – just as ambiguous as the original itself and leaves you surrounded in mystery again.
I really enjoyed these tracks and I would recommend this arranged tracks album to anyone who is slightly bored of the same old arrangements and are looking for a complete escape. However Shadow Hearts as a whole offers that so I wouldn’t stop just at this CD either.
Yasunori Mitsuda – KiRiTe Review
Yasunori Mitsuda is no stranger to celtic influenced music with eastern undertones so with KiRite, an album of music to accompany a 52 page story by Masato Kato (which is provided but is in Japanese so sadly it’s lost on me), Mitsuda once again delves into what he does and knows best.
“Is Kirite Burning Up?” opens the album with an acoustic guitar gently playing to the vocal delights of Eri Kawai. After the beautiful introduction we are treated to a militarian paced celtic charge lead by an electric guitar and echoing vocals. It all reminds me of how I pictured the Chrono Trigger Arranged CD should have been had it not tried to straddle ten genres all at once. An excellent opener and all the instruments are live. “The Market in Volfinor” passes celtic by at the start for a more middle-eastern feel to open with – very Turkish. A whistling intro gives way to beautiful percussive bells and more acoustic guitar chords. Once the drums and violin break
out however it reminds me very tradionally of a typical village theme to a game. However instead of using loops, because the instrumentation is live – the songs can move and flow freely like water and not just do two repetitions and end. This song never sits still and is an amazing piece of composing.
“Promise with Winds ~ Petals’ Whereabouts” sounds like a downtempo rock ballad. Eri Kawai’s vocals shine on this track as she sings with little reverb to distort her unlike the first track. It’s a difficult song to pull off because of the various chord changes in the chorus but the end result is a very pleasing one.
“The Forest of Lapis Lazuli” uses one of my favourite instruments, a hammered dulcimer to lay the background tune out with a guitar while the violins and tin whistles carfully soar the main tune out for everyone. This song could have came straight from Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for its use of more ancient instruments. Similarly it also reminds of the style Mitsuda adopted for “Haka No Niwa”. “The Azure” is another vocal song but this time is a celtic influenced uptempo folk piece. The chorus is particularly catchy. “Scorning Blade” however for the first time takes a darker route in music. Using various ambient percussion and very low tone and low key monk style hummings for the first half before suddenly transforming into a solomn piano piece which aches the heart. A song of two halves and quite unusual at that.
“Upon the Melodies of the Moon” is an accepela version of the main theme heard in several songs which is beautifully presented. “Fated Encounter ~ The Fall of Darkness” now reminds me of the Shadow Hearts Arranged Tracks album (although Kirite came out first) because of the way how the guitar pounds out riff after riff with vocal moanings and piercing bagpipes all competiting for your attention. Previously it reminds me completely of a band called “Secret Garden” and it still does to this day. Another excellent piece again.
“Nocturne” is a beautiful piano and violin piece which gives warmth before “As Autumn Passes Away” ups the pace with an uptempo number with a slightly mysterious but compelling twist to it. “The Snow Howling” is a strange piece – the main violin is very much in the foreground of the speakers but everything seems to be very much distanced and almost in slow motion. Once the drums join the violin it makes more sense as you are giving the effect of a tough stamina reducing journey.”Prayer Tree” is a piano and acoustic guitar led piece with various other instruments making up the percussive line which is nice before “The Name of Our Hope” gives us our final vocal song. Choosing another upbeat song (I assume the
story has a happy ending!) Eri Kowai once again shows her strong vocal talent to what is a full band version of the piano piece from “Scorning Blade” it sounds completely different but you can still hear the link which is great. “Circle of Infinity” is a short piano reprise of the previous track to end a stunning album.
This whole soundtrack is classic Mitsuda. There is not one poor track on this collection and it has quickly become one of my favourite soundtracks. I liken it in style and music composition to “Legaia: Duel Saga” in the way how the songs are written and the instruments used. If you enjoyed that soundtrack – think of an arrangement of that with real instruments and your some way to describing “Kirite”. A superb classic – and a must buy for all music fans.
Sarah McLachlan B-Sides Tracklisting
The tracklistings for the new remix/b-sides cd has surfaced and it’s more of a collaboration set than anything else! Here it is:
1. Ordinary Miracle
2. Blackbird
3. Time After Time (with Cyndi Lauper)
4. River
5. When She Loved Me
6. Don’t Let Go (with Bryan Adams)
7. Just Like Me (with Run DMC)
8. Angel (Live) (with Emmylou Harris)
9. Pills (Live) (with The Perishers)
10. Homeless (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
11. The Rainbow Connection
12. Prayer of St. Francis
13. Unchained Melody
14. Silence (DJ Tiesto ISOS Remix)
Live Vault – Lisa Germano
This week’s live vault is Lisa Germano. Back in the spot light with a re-release of “Lullaby For Liquid Pig” with a bonus disc of demo songs and live performances, I felt it was time to unveil this fragile beauty. This is a two song clip of “In The Maybe World” and “Golden Cities” played on the piano. Lisa is multi instrumental with piano, guitar and violins at his disposal.
Tori Amos Subject In Casualty?!
Ever random appearances on TV for Tori Amos finds an episode of Saturday night TV show “Casualty” entitle an episode “Silent All These Years” and give the main plot line to a girl whom plays the piano and wants to be like Tori! Sadly the girl was being abused by her father and forced to keep it a secret. A first for Tori to be a plot driver in a hospital drama!
Brendan Perry To Release A New Album!
Far, far too long has passed since Brendan Perry’s first solo album since the abandonment of Dead Can Dance. Although we all pray that they will unite and record again, a fate looking a bit more realistic after the excellent reunion tour of 2005, it’s fantastic to hear Brendan intends to release his second album late 2008. Not much is known but a new song has arrived at his myspace page entitled “Utopia” and its everything I’d hoped a Perry song would sound like. I enjoyed “Eye of the Hunter” but I secretly longed for a song that’s more world music orientated and it looks like me may well have it. Listen to “Utopia” here
Pj Harvey – White Chalk Review
PJ Harvey last year turned in what was one of the best 30 minutes of music that occurred in 2007. “White Chalk” was a complete change shifting the emphasis from guitar to piano and with it PJ crafted some of the most simplistic yet haunting songs I’ve heard in a while.
“The Devil” is about as close to her previous music as she gets with the almost b-movie horror sound that comes across. Singing in a whispery high pitched voice, it’s innocence juxtaposes the downbeat drama that surrounds it and makes for compelling listening. “Dear Darkness” showcases the minimal element of the album with great use of male backing vocals to add bass into the song. “Grow Grow Grow” ends the opening trilogy of desperate shril songs in great fashion with PJ’s wailing to discorded notes in an album highlight.
“When Under Ether” signals the more subtle slant of the album. This intricate song was the first single and despite clocking in just over two minutes it packs a hefty punch with a catchy hook. “White Chalk” uses distanced vocals to give an almost sea shanty to the death tone worthy of being the title track while “Broken Harp” is over before it’s begun but has an evil vocal section in the middle which makes up for it.
Into the latter section which picks up the pace for a dash of despair. “Silence” is a stand out with its simple piano and light percussive sound. PJ’s vocals here are fantastic. “Talk To You” slows it down again before “The Piano” takes you in with its harrowing lyrics, dark moments and carefully constructed rising tension making it my favourite on the album. “Before Departure” is the twin of “Dear Darkness” in style. The mesmerizing “The Mountain” concludes with a piano/vocal piece that will have you either shrieking uncontrollably at the top of your voice or teary-eyed with fraught sadness.
Alternative to its core, “White Chalk” isn’t for the faint hearted. Many Harvey fans have hailed it as one of her best so if you are already a fan, you need this yesterday. New fans may do best to start elsewhere and work towards it as it may scare you off from a catalogue of genius that you just need to warm to.
Sarah Slean – The Baroness Review
Sarah Slean returns with new album “The Baroness”, 12 new songs and the long awaited follow up to “Day One”.“Hopeful Hearts” opens with guitars however not pianos although they do join the foray later in the song. Immediately you realise the production and instrumentation of her earlier work is back. There’s no electronic blips and drum loops this time. The opener sounds tragic and dramatic. “Get Home” is a piano led ballad that is soft and warm at the same time with the string arrangments and Sarah’s soaring vocals making it great. “Euphoria” isn’t quite as bouncy as the title suggests but it definitely has rhythm but once again it’s defiantly softer than say “Bank Accounts” although it’s very catchy.
“Goodnight Trouble” is very jazz cabaret in places albeit very heartfelt with some brass adding more layers to the sound pallet. “Notes From The Underground” again shows acoustic guitar, piano and vocals all in harmony with a beautiful chorus.
“Sound of Water/ Change Your Mind” brings a nice change of pace and tone with a rich dark fast paced track which is a real highlight of the album. In contrast “No Place At All” is a quiet, slow ballad sounding like something Vienna Teng would do. “Please Be Good To Me”sounds dreamy but also like a classic 150 year old folk song too. Very beautiful, very familiar. “Willow” follows the same pattern while “So Many Miles” is a nice up-tempo song that could quite easily find regular airplay.
“Shadowland” is a very downbeat track that stands out due to the whispering male voice in the background and the eerie organ playing. The album closes with “Looking For Someone” a beautiful, almost gospel-like piano/vocal track.
This album will be a grower. I’ve played it just the once and I believe the tight, clean, samey production from song to song doesn’t let each song shine but the melodies are there and Sarah’s vocal/musical talent has defiantly not gone away. It just may take a few plays to notice each track individually.
Patrick Wolf Blogs On New Album & DVD!
I must confess I stumbled upon Patrick Wolf about a month ago and he has been my best new discovery of 2008 to date. In his blog he states that a live performance at Shepards Bush will be used for a TV performance and then an extended version will be used for his first DVD set for release in the second half of 2008. He’s also started working on album number 4 so we look forward to that later on too!
