Who’d have thought Kate is now 50! Her music is still gold and shiny and here’s to a new year with perhaps a little bit or writing and recording please Kate? 
Archive for July, 2008
Happy 50th Birthday Kate Bush!!!
Ayumi Hamasaki – CD Japan Present Campaign
CD Japan is a great site to order VGM and Japanese artist’s music and with Ayu’s 10th Anniversary release they’ve got a new present giveaway. If you pre-order her new singles collection you’ll be entered into a prize draw. A list of the prizes are below:
Campaign Presents:
A Prize: Original Jigsaw Puzzle (2 People)
B Prize: Original Mirror (6 People)
C Prize: Original Mini Towel (6 People)
D Prize: 43-Design Complete Magnet Set (86 People)
E Prize: Original Large Poster (50 People)
F Prize: 10th Anniversary A-Mark Sticker (100 People)
A jigsaw?! Random!
Deborah Henson-Conant – New Musical
She’s at it again! Deborah is back with a new show that’ll be lasting for two weeks at Central Square Theatre, MA starting on the 13th of August. The show will be entitled “What the Hell are you doing in the waiting room for Heaven?” More one-woman band fun, drama and story telling will be abound!
Live Vault – Yasmin Levy
This weeks Live vault comes from Spanish/Latin/Arabic crossover artist Yasmin Levy. Spanish guitars and ethnic percussion combined with Yasmin’s rich, deep and flowing voice make for an intoxicating concoction. This is taken from her latest album “Mano Suave” and is called “Irme Karo”
Gackt – Returns With “Nine”
Gackt returns to the musical plains with an excellent sounding live boxset called “Nine”. I’m new to Gackt to be honest, although I’ve got a few of his albums currently on order – this sounds like a dedicated fan’s wet dream!
“Nine” includes 13 (!) CD’s of live performances throughout his career starting on the 2000 “MARS” tour going through to 2006 “Training Days Drug Party”. Also included is a DVD of unreleased songs and mixed footage from various gigs.
Bonus features include mini leaflets from each tour.
Sounds like quite a collection and is due out 15th of October
Live Vault – Lamb
This weeks Live Vault comes from English duo Lamb. Criminally underrated and responsible for making some of most emotive club orientated music ever made. Here is probably their best known track “Gorecki” live with a full band. Fantastic and moving. We miss they’d make some more music please and get back together!
Ayumi Hamasaki – Mass Singles Collection Release!
Ayu is never off the release calender and this time she hits back with “A Complete ~All Singles~” which is to include all 43 singles from “Poker Face” to “Mirrorcle World”. All songs are said to be remastered too! Also onboard in a new version of “Who…”! All sounds like great fun!
What’s more is that the first edition will come with a bonus DVD showing 10 tracks from a fan club only concert “Limited TA Live Tour” and unreleased bits from the A-Nation Tours too. All this and a 48 page booklet. Why doesn’t anyone in the western world do this for there fans? Release date is set for10th of September!
Beth Orton Reissues “Trailer Park”
Beth Orton bounces back after a quiet spell with the announcement of a reissue of Trailer Park, her début album. What’s best is that it will contain a host of b-sides from the era on a second disc! The track listing is shown below and although some of the songs have already been released on her best of album, there’s still some new stuff to be had. She’ll be promoting this with a one off gig at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on the 13th of September.
Trailer Park Bonus Disc Details:
01 Safety
02 It’s Not The Spotlight
03 Galaxy of Emptiness [live]
04 Pedestal
05 Touch Me With Your Love [instrumental]
06 It’s This I Am Find
07 Bullet
08 Best Bit [early version]
09 Best Bit
10 Skimming Stone
11 Dolphins [feat. Terry Callier]
12 Lean On Me [feat. Terry Callier]
13 I Love How You Love Me
Tori Amos Bootlegs To Get International Release
If you’ve not been living in America (like me), you must be feeling the pain I have being unable to get Tori’s Bootlegs from the American Doll Posse tour. Well thankfully that’s all over with. On the 5th August Itunes will give an International release of them so we’ll finally be able to get these wonders at last! The USA release however is today! Also the new book “Comic Book Tattoo” gets a Limited Edition release at a signing today in LA. You lucky, lucky Americans!
Doug Laurent – “Half-Life” Remix Album Review
Half-Life had music? That was the response I got when I told a friend of mine I’d bought the Half-Life Soundtrack! I must admit after I’d listened to the CD I half-wondered the same thing!
Only 4 tracks make up the soundtrack, each one called Half-Life and each one remixed from an original theme composed by Kelly Bailey – whom must be turning in his sleep ten years on from this release.
“Half-Life (Domination Mix Edit)” does very little for me. It’s like an early 1990′s club tune but without the class or the catchy hooks. It just alternates between two chords but does nothing to capatilise on them. “Mindbomb Remix” is much better in its construction, production and progression as a song. It reminds me of Sash, a 1990′s dance king. Good fun, if nothing new.
“Hypnotic Mix” is the seedier side of the cd, sounding like a dirty, grizzly club track, however it does lack a bit of oomph to it. “Domination remix” is the full length version of the first track which makes things a bit more drab but a little more better executed.
It’s a weird CD this one. Its completely inoffensive, but so inoffensive you just don’t notice it. The whole CD could have been made on someone’s first hour playing around with the “E-Jay” products and quite frankly I’ve made better songs from those products myself. While its got more going for it than say the Satan danceathon that was “Acclaims Raving Christmas”, its by no means a master of its trade.
Taro Hakase – “Final Fantasy XII Symphonic Suite” Review
The first real release of Final Fantasy XII music comes courtesy of Taro Hakase whom has apparently not been releasing music for many years and some in the classical world see this as a statement of a comeback. This 5 track single (complete with DVD showing a 3 minute bonus video of game footage) only clocks in at just under 9 minutes. If you thought the FFX-2 singles were small, this ones worse still! So is it a case of quality over quantity?
“Overture” is a rich orchestral arrangement (as they all are) that is very much a scene setter. A nice downbeat melody with some tension and apprehension is left at large but its hardly show stopping. However as these are marked as movements, its how you’d maybe expect it to be. “March of a Wise Man” is a very traditional quick march and good enough but once again is hardly really a heart stopping melody.
However “Road of Hope” really gets the orchestration flowing with all kinds of fun little quirks and an almost American soap opera feel being brought in. The strings and percussion work very well together in harmony and because it takes some 3 minutes to really give you a piece to get into and savour – it sounds so much better for it.
“Romance” too is an extremely beautiful piece with just the ebbs of an orchestrated background to a simple guitar melody until a sorrowfilled yet endearing string section is played out. Its a shame again this piece isnt longer as it deserves to be. It’s seemless transistion to “Road of Hope ~reprise” is a clever and good one, like a lifting of clouds for a passionate climax.
This single is a weird one, its good there’s no denying that at all, yet you can’t help but think the music could have been extended in some way. The need for the single too may well be very limited as since the best movement will be on the FFXII soundtrack. However the first press poster is a bonus if your able to find it now. Difficult review this one, maybe if you are a completest or an avid orchestral fan this will be a worthy addition but for many there’s too little here to be worth while tempting you with.
Sigur Ros – “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust” Review
Sigur Ros has really seemed to garner a lot of publicity and break into a more mainstream music world with their latest album which translates to “With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly”. Being a relative newbie to the band myself, I was excited to be a new fan just in time for an album launch. While nothing is relatively new here, its all put together so well and so distinctly Sigur Ros (albeit with a smile) you can’t help but get sucked in.
“Gobbledigook” opens up with fast paced tom drums thundering to acoustic guitar chords and ab lib vocals. This is defiantly the most straightforward fun song I’ve heard to date from Sigur Ros and is a welcome direction change. It’s so uplifting and enlightening I’ve had it on repeat on most walks to work the last two weeks.
“Inní mér syngur vitleysingur” continues the new uplifting vibe with plenty of vocals, strings and xylophones to keep you going. This song’s tempo is great for a stadium song for everyone to clap to. As ever the build up to the finale is momentous.
“Góðan daginn” is much more the Sigur Ros I’ve gotten to know. Its gentle and subtle guitar and percussion melts over the vocals like a dreamy snowflake falling into the palm of your hand. By track three you already know that you’re in safe hands and you can drift off knowing so. “Við spilum endalaust” brings out the more rockier side of the band with thick bass lines and rising chords getting you ready for a big chorus that delivers. The inclusion of brass here like the second track really boosts the euphoria felt on the choruses.
Then we hit the first epic song. Clocking in at 9 minutes, “Festival” takes its time slowly forming spacious keyboard sounds and guitar ambience that revolve around vocals that could rival Lisa Gerrard in emotion. Then half way through the band kick in with thundering drums and bass lines like a manic Celtic dance that grows and grows into a fine frenzy of a finale! Fantastic.
“Með suð í eyrum” gives us piano for the first time as a backbone for this uplifting piece with a quirky drum roll beat that really marches the song onwards and upwards. The piano stays on for “Ára bátur” foe this slow ballad which is joined towards the end by a chorus and orchestra for one of the most beautiful pieces of music you’ll hear in 2008. Worth of any film, soundtrack, singer/songwriter or band. The sheer scale is astounding.
“Illgresi” takes things back to the acoustic guitar for au understated track which stands out for not standing out. It’s nice to have a song with no dramatic kitchen-sink endings no matter how good they are! “Fljótavík” is a warm and sparse track too with a lovely flow to the piano, guitar effects and strings. This is then followed through with “Straumnes”, a two minute warm blanket of music lifted from the previous song but left as a open flowing instrumental.
“All Alright” closes the album with a first for Sigur Ros, an English spoken song! Infused with gentle brass, piano and keyboards the song wades through your conscious until it slips away.
So Sigur Ros certainly doesn’t disappoint. Once again they play on the heart strings and actually have some fun on this album. New fans would do well to start here and old fans will not be disappointed as the same formula hasn’t really changed at all. There’s a bit more joy behind it perhaps? Whatever it is let’s hope it stays for the next album. Contender for album of the year? You Bet!
Jesper Kyd – “Hitman Contracts Soundtrack” Review
Jesper Kyd has performed some excellence in his game soundtracks with some very stirring performances and renditions. “Hitman: Contracts” see’s him return to a series he composed successfully to before however the same cannot be said for this soundtrack.
“White Room & Main Title” open up with electronica beats reminiscent of MGS1 for the PlayStation and James Bond styled underscoring synth strings. Vocal snippets add to the tension in what is an excellently styled piece to open the soundtrack.
“Swat Team” is a strange blend of electronic beats, melodic synths and all kinds of dance fusion tricks of the genre. It works well when all spliced together but lacks punch somehow. “Hong Kong Underground” is an interesting piece in that the same few samples are repeated over and layered on top of each other. The problem being is that it becomes a tad too repetitive and never really breaks out into the potential epic you could envisage.
“Slaughter Club” then gives us a 9 minute low-fi track that slowly but surely envelopes into a dramatic pacey conclusion but you do really have to sit and wait out for it. A few minutes shaved off would have improved the track greatly. “Streets of Hong Kong” could follow the same advise as it seems to get lost in what its trying to become – an ambience piece or a bizarre electronic display. At least the latter track of the two has some kind of melody though.
Once “Double Ballers” arrives you are given the hurry up with a dramatic number which works well but uses the same low key discorded stringed keyboard sound that is used on every single dramatic piece. By now it sounds a bit weary. As a standalone track this track fares better but mixed with the rest of the soundtracks its a bit lost.
“Winter Nights” however is an interesting track of ambience and evasion which is a pleasant surprise with “Weapon Select Beats” sounding almost like a neon Silent Hill piece. “47 Detected” continues ambience and evasion with a quiet but electric sound which is a good piece which “Invader” really gets into with an excellent noiz based piece which is both gritty and dirty.
“Slaughterhouse” is a juxtaposition of distorted percussive noises and thin bass swirls but with no real destination falls flat for being six minutes long, while “Sanitarium” mashes soft ambience with hard hitting boings and dongs which makes for interesting if not entirely successful listening. “Budapest Bath Hotel” finishes off the album with more of the same. The final two tracks enjoyment depends entirely on my mood so I can take them or leave them up at least they try something different.
More of the same can sum up the “Hitman Contracts” soundtrack. It’s repetitive, too low-fi with no kick, gimmick or slice of atmosphere to make sure the route it has taken can lead it all the way to ear-candy. Instead its more of a dull ache in the background that you wish was over so you can return the the grandure of the previous effort. As it is, its far from an awful soundtrack but it just pales in comparison to Hitman 2′s soundtrack and many others in a similar vein. Not Jesper’s finest hour in my opinion.
Live Vault – Tsukiko Amano
This weeks live vault performance comes from J-Rocker Tsukiko Amano. Due a new album maybe in 2009, she first came to be noticed outside Japan for the hauntingly powerful “Cho” which was used for the game “Fatal Frame 2″ (Or Project Zero 2 if you live in the UK like me!). Here’s “Ningyou” which is a personal favourite of around the same era. It’s excellent to hear a rock singer really able to give it some welly but stay in tune! This is taken from the excellent “Megu ni Aetara” DVD which will be reviewed later on in the year.
Motoi Sakuraba – Releases First “Tales Of…” Arranged CD
Looooong overdue is the release of the first “Tales of…” arrangement CD. Taking only one song from each game, Motoi Sakuraba will be at the helm since he has steered the series most of the way. Do we think rock jazz or rock anthems or traditional orchestral? I think a mixture… Release date is 27/08/08
Patrick Wolf – “Careless Talk” New Song
Patrick Wolf has uploaded a new song onto his myspace page. Entitled “Careless Talk” this is done in a 1950′s style light jazz and kind of reminds me of a less playful “Enchanted”. Clocking in at only 2:15 its short and sweet but doesn’t outstay its welcome. It was released on “The Edge of Love” soundtrack last month.
New Features: A Poll For What You’d Like!
Just a quickie basically. This site is taking off and getting a lot of hits a day. This is really spurring me to make the site better for everyone so I have created a poll and clumsily plopped it on the side bar. Please do take the time to choose any features you’d like to see here and I’ll try my best to add them!
As a side note, I have a couple of interviews in the pipeline so fingers crossed we’ll have your favourite artists popping on here for a good old chat!
Live Vault – Mediaeval Baebes
I’m relatively new the this magical group. Mediaeval Baebes have been around for a while with an ever changing line up but the core of the music is always witchy and powerful. Here’s two fantastic live performances. The first is called “Adam Lay Ibounden” which is a beautiful charming number while “Dringo Bell” is more haunting and hypnotic of the witching hour. Fantastic!
As a bonus here’s a poor sound recording of “Kinderly” but even then the harmonious voices are crystal clear bliss.
Tori Amos – “Me and You” Unreleased Gem
Artists sometimes have some of their best work hidden in b-sides and Tori Amos is one of those artists that seem to have songs almost lost to the general public that should be shown to the world.
“Me and You” was written for the soundtrack of a film called “Hand of Fate” that was never released. Of course songs leak or are recorded at theatres and somehow this song was missed off of “A Piano” but this is probably the best quality that I’ve heard it – a nice gem from 98/99 era of Tori. Enjoy!
Hiroki Kikuta – Secret of Mana + Review
Sometimes people break the mould, do something different, something original, something inspired. Medley’s of songs have always been a staple of video game arrangements, maybe not so much now, but in remixes and arrangements from a decade ago and beyond. However an arrangement that still divides people over 10 years later as much as it probably did back then must be given credit for breaking the mould.
Hiroki Kikuta, an extraordinary talent (severely underrated/underused in today’s VGM world despite making a comeback on his own label) gave us “Secret of Mana +” – a single track arrangement of his Secret of Mana soundtrack that is 50 minutes long!
After an almost space odyssey introduction, the ambience of tweeting birds and beautiful electric keyboards take over and off you will go on a journey. The arrangements of various songs throughout this trip are both beautiful and original. There is real thought into how each piece transitions into the next one and they are all smooth and brilliantly executed.
The originality comes from some excellent use of various household objects around us. Phone key tones bleeps, pinging cash registers, flicked tables, ringing telephones, outside ambience, animal noises… it all lends a hand to create a unique world to have the music housed in.
As for the actual sound, it is very much of its mid 1990′s time. It sounds dated in places but to no extent is it ever really horribly dated. It just helps its unique tone.
I won’t spoil how arrangements are done but they are very true to the originals of the soundtrack, and I think the main criticism of “but you can’t fast forward to your favourite arrangement” is very much missing the whole point of the CD. You have to experience it as a whole piece to appreciate your favourite parts more. Sure on hindsight it would have been nice to keep everything seamless and just insert places to start off on a cd, but this is an artistic cd. It won’t appeal to everyone and its easy to see why, but when an artist goes the whole hog on an idea, its refreshing to see there is no compromise. A daring thing to do in a commercial age and we should all congratulate Kikuta for his uncompromising genius.
