Beth Orton - The Other Side Of Daybreak

"Daybreaker (Four Tet Remix)" by Beth Orton

"Concrete Sky (Live Acoustic)" by Beth Orton


Beth Orton performed her new song "Conceived” on the Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday January 24. The album, Comfort of Strangers comes out February 6th. She gave a perfect performance last night. I busted out The Other Side Of Daybreak, which has a number of mixes and special versions of earlier work. She can go from zero to sixty quicker than any other artist out there. Astralwerks says the new song produced by Jim O'Rourke (Wilco, Stereolab) and mixed by Michael Brauer "is Beth's most self-assured, accomplished work to date" and I concur. I look forward to hearing the rest of the album soon.

To hear the single, visit Beth Orton at her Astralwerks site. It looks like she will have a new site debuting soon so stay tune for that one.

The Other Side Of Daybreak is available at Amazon

Fridge 3.0

What a fun way to 1) waste away precious hours of the day, 2) feel like e. e. cummings & 3) communicate with the virtual world, all at the same time: Fridge 3.0. To take a screenshot in Mac, press Command-Shift-4 to change the cursor to a cross, which you can click and drag to select an area of the screen to capture in a PICT file saved on the Desktop.

The Aluminum Group - Pedals

"Paperback" by The Aluminum Group

"$35" by The Aluminum Group


I was introduced to The Aluminum Group while still living in Houston in 1995 by a friend who lent me the album Wonder Boy. When I moved to Chicago, I (conveniently) forgot to return it to him. The Aluminum Group reminded me of the British pop group Fraizer Chorus in their wit and coyness. The duo consists of Chicago brothers John and Frank Navin. I hadn't thought about them for a while until I visited Chicago about two years ago. They were performing at the Old Town School of Folk Music t celebrate the release of Happyness and my friend Francine and I snuck in to see them. The show was stunning. They invited a number of guest musicians to perform, often times leaving the stage to their guests alone. The last set of the show consisted of the two brothers performing with their iPod, taking requests from the audience. They reminded me a bit of the humor of The Smother Brothers. If you ever get a chance to see them, you must.


"Paperback" reminded me slightly of the James Frey's A Million Little Pieces controversy that's swirling around right now (Guest Amy Warren sings on this one). Also, be sure to play with their Happy Face designed by Jason Pickleman:





Visit The Aluminum Group for free downloads and funny pictures.

Available at Amazon

Talk Talk - Asides Besides

Happiness is Easy (12" Mix) by Talk Talk

John Cope by Talk Talk

Here I offer two of the most compelling songs by the 80's group Talk Talk. These are later works when the group had begun stripping out the synth-heavy orchestrations and gone much, more percussive. They would later be attributed to influencing a style of music called 'post-rock' in which traditional rock instruments were employed "for non-rock purposes, using guitars as facilitators of timbres and textures rather than riffs and power chords" (The Wired, May 1994)

I had never really paid too much attention to the lyrics, although the vocalizations in these songs are intrigal to the effects they produce. Upon further analysis of the words, a powerful social engagement is revealed by the lyricist. I am not exactly sure what to make of the strong Christian symbology in Happiness is Easy; but, there are several lines that show a skepicism of organized religon and a warning of blind alligence. How apropros.




Happiness Is Easy
(Mark Hollis / Tim Friese-Greene)

Makes you feel much older
Sublime the blind parade
It wrecks me how they justify their acts of war
They assemble, they pray
Take good care of what the priests say
'After death it's so much fun'
Little sheep don't let your feet stray
Happiness is easy
Joy be written upon the earth
And the sky above
Jesus star that shines so bright
Gather us in love
Guilt upon their shoulders
How well the cause evades
Infecting your religions, claiming pacts
It's easy to shoulder the blame
Happiness is easy
Little ships of Galilee
Happiness is easy
Standing on the sea
Happiness is easy
Jesus tried to love us all
Happiness is easy
Be a friend to me
Happiness is easy
Try to teach my children
To recognise excuse before it acts
From love and conviction to pray
Take good care of what the priests say
'After death it's so much fun'
Little sheep don't let your feet stray
Happiness is easy
Little ships of Galilee
Standing on the sea
Jesus tried to love us all
Be a friend to me
Joy be written upon the earth
And the sky above
Jesus star that shines so bright
Gather us in love

John Cope
(Mark Hollis / Tim Friese-Greene)
Weapons at my feet
Some kind of living
Beggar sits to plead
Some kind of giving


Available at Amazon

Jacques Derrida - The Gift of Death

The Gift of Death by Jacques Derrida


So, I have been reading this late work by Jacques Derrida recently. It was recommended to me by Joan whom I studied with at Otis. She said it was the best work by him. I wasn't sure what to expect, but decided to give it a go.


This book is amazing. Here is what Publishers Weekly has to say...

French philosopher Derrida stares death in the face in this dense but rewarding inquiry. Beginning with an analysis of an essay on the sacred by Czech philosopher/human rights activist Jan Patocka, Derrida follows the development of moral and ethical responsibility, and the concept of the soul's immortality, in the transition from Platonism to Christianity. He then ponders the self's anticipation of death in sacrifice, war, orgiastic mystery cults, murder and execution, with reference to Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling, Nietzsche, Heidegger's thought (a "constant attempt to separate itself from Christianity") and the biblical story of Abraham's contemplated sacrifice of his son, Isaac, at God's behest. In the most provocative section, Derrida links religious injunctions of sacrifice to the "monotonous complacency" of modern society, which allows tens of millions of children to die of hunger and disease.

I admit that Chapters One (Secrets of European Responsibility) and Two (Beyond: Giving for the Taking, Teaching and Learning to Give, Death) were fairly easy to read and quite enthralling. Concepts dealing with responsibility and European heritage are fully detailed from the originary Heretical Essays in the Philosophy of History by Jan Patočka. But, Chapter Three (Whom to Give to: (Knowing not to Know)) was a stunner. After four rereadings Derrida's subtle deconstruction started to become clearer. It helps to hold two opposing views in mind simultaneously. As for the final Chapter (Tout autre est tout autre), I think ten more readings of it will help. I'll get back to you on how it goes.

In the meanwhile, here is a fantastic essay by Ivan Chvatík titled The Heretical Conception of the European Heritage in the Late Essays of Jan Patočka. Here is Chvatík's abstract of the essay:

In this short piece I am not undertaking to give a full discussion of the whole of Patočka’s ‘heretical’ work. I wish only make clear its most essential core. What, in Patočka’s view, made Europe Europe and what is Europe’s bequest to the world after what Patočka describes as its fall, completed by the two world wars? What should Europe look to conserve in itself if—as seems likely—it would like to once again play a respected role in world events? Is there something which the globalised world should take over from old Europe, or something which it should eschew, if it does not wish history to end and utter decadence to ensue?

New Order - Back To Mine

“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliot

I'm quite sure my commitment to blogging will quickly wane. But, while I'm into it -- or perhaps to get the ball rolling -- I am making my second post. I woke up to rain on the windows. It is officially winter in Los Angeles. And the first thing that entered my mind was this track from Missy Elliot off of the New Order version of the Back To Mine series. Now, don't get me wrong. Actually, I LOVE the rain, but this song is all L.A. summertime.

Guess what? I have for many years been a fan of New Order, but more recently, I have grown to respect them as artists as opposed to pop celebrities -- if they can be called that. Check out the superb playlist from their compilation:


Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band 'Big Eyed Beans From Venus'
Primal Scream 'Higher Than the Sun'
Missy Elliot 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)'
The Velvet Underground 'Venus in Furs'
Doves 'M62 Song'
Roxy Music 'In Every Dream Home a Heartache'
Cat Stevens 'Was Dog a Doughnut?'
Mantronix 'Bassline'
The Groundhogs 'Cherry Red'
Joey Beltram 'Energy Flash'
Donna Summer 'I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley mix)'
Can 'Mushroom'
Rhythim is Rhythim 'The Dance'
Giorgio Vs Talla 2XLC 'E=MC2'


Also, I just bought the Pet Shop Boys Back To Mine, which is a double CD set. You would serve yourself well to check out the whole series at DMC

Tennant/Lowe - Battleship Potemkin

“After all (The Odessa Staircase)” by the Pet Shop Boys and Dresdner Sinfoiker

For a first post I have selected to share with you the track “After all (The Odessa Staircase)” from the recent CD "Battleship Potemkin" by Tennant/Lowe (composers) and the Pet Shop Boys (performers). This score was commissioned for a screening of Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin by Philip Dodd, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. This selection seems to be a synergistic combination of the themes I hope my blog will explore, stated generally: art, music and philosophy.

I have for many years been a fan of PSB, but more recently, I have grown to respect them as artists as opposed to pop celebrities -- if they can be called that. They have collaborated with architect Zaha Hadid and artist Sam Taylor-Wood and Neil Tennant was even on the 1998 Turner Prize jury (the year Chris Ofili won). The selection of Tennant/Lowe to compose a new score for a 1925 silent film about a 1905 Black Sea Russian revolt is fitting. They have quite often played with Soviet imagery and motifs, have espoused socialist views (Neil Tennant studied Socialism) and have a passion for classical music. For more than anyone needs to know about the Pet Shop Boys check out The Introspective Pet Shop Boys FAQ


The orchestration on Battleship Potemkin is by Torsten Rasch and performed by the Dresdner Sinfoniker conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer.


Available at Amazon

Happy New Year