CD REVIEW: "Aufheben" by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
NASA / A Recordings |
"Aufheben" by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
|
– /
By Andrew W.
Griffin
Red
Dirt Report, editor
Posted: June 25, 2012
CD REVIEW:
The
Brian Jonestown Massacre – Aufheben (A
Recordings) 2012
Hypnotic and trance-enducing, the latest album from
Anton Newcombe’s quirky, psychedelic rock collective, the
ever-esoteric-and-interesting Brian Jonestown Massacre, titled Aufheben (Hegel says it means something
like the “result of interaction between thesis and antithesis” … deep, man),
gets off to a particularly good start with “Panic in Babylon,” a bit of Middle
Eastern-flavored rock that Brian Jones himself would have definitely enjoyed,
were he here with us today.
Newcombe, we should note, has reunited with founding
member Matt Hollywood, the guitarist we last saw leaving a gig in a huff in the
brilliant 2004 BJM/Dandy Warhols documentary Dig! (Coincidentally, the new Dandy Warhols disc, This Machine, was just released as
well). Will Carruthers (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized) also makes an appearance
here. Newcombe is in good company on this latest musical outing.
With Aufheben,
the follow-up to 2010’s Who Killed Sgt.
Pepper?, Newcombe and co. seem to be in comfortable territory – territory trod
in their early years when they garnered a pretty rabid following for revisiting
Sixties-styled excess musically and otherwise.
The track “Viholliseni maalla” has a dreamy,
atmospheric European vibe about it (Newcombe is now based in Berlin, Germany)
while “Illuminomi” is in the same vein albeit a bit punchier.
The druggy hazy psychedelic groove BJM is famous for
is full form on “I Want to Hold Your Other Hand” while the classical Indian
instrument, the beloved sitar, (one of Newcombe’s best quotes in Dig! was “You f*cking broke my sitar, mother*cker!”)
accompanied by flute and drums really take you on a trip on the song “Face Down
on the Moon.” This is one of my favorite tracks on the song (glad Anton got his
sitar repaired!).
“The Clouds Are Lies” continues to take listeners
into familiar-yet-ethereal musical territory while “Stairway To The Best Party
In the Universe” swipes the opening sitar-chords on The Rolling Stones’ “Paint
It Black,” ever so gently. This song is probably one of the closest examples of
a new Brian Jonestown Massacre song that could have actually been recorded in
1967 via an Anton Newcombe-crafted time machine or included on the Psych-Out soundtrack, nestled next to
some Strawberry Alarm Clock hallucination. More grooviness.
The last three songs – “Seven Kinds of Wonderful,” “Waking
Up to Hand Grenades” and “Blue Order / New Monday” – bookend Aufheben quite nicely, starting off with
the Renaissance Faire treacle of “Waking Up …,” which quickly takes off in a
rockier direction, and that last track, “Blue Order/New Monday” which embraces
the inner journey as much as the outer journey.
Oh, and the album cover? It’s the famous “Pioneer
plaques” that were attached to the 1972 Pioneer
10 and 1973 Pioneer 11
spacecraft. It’s humankind’s message to the universe. I think that was part of
the message Anton Newcombe is trying to convey through his increasingly timeless
music. Bravo, Brian Jonestown Massacre!
Copyright
2012 Red Dirt Report
tonight's concert: was fun! - thanks.
Malmö, Sweden
Bandet vinglar fram i absolut harmoni
De senaste åren har orientaliska flöjter i allmänhet,
och de orientaliska flöjter som Brian Jones spelade in på 60-talet i
synnerhet, återigen dykt upp i nostalgisk västerländsk rockmusik.
Självklart hörs de också på den senaste skivan från just Brian Jonestown Massacre, bandet som är döpt som en makaber ordlek med den gamle Rolling Stones-gitarristens namn. Skivan, Aufheben, handlar enligt den fasta medlemmen Anton Newcombe (ett 40-tal musiker har passerat genom hans band sen början på 90-talet) på ett vagt sätt om jordens undergång.
Newcombe bär uppenbarligen på både visioner och galenskap. Och är uppenbarligen oförmögen att själv avgöra vilket som är vilket.
Den bristen brukar göra The Brian Jonestown Massacres konserter till
ett publikfriande äventyr. Och trots att vinterjackan funkar bra utanför
är cementgolvet inne på det slutsålda Strand fuktigt av kondenserad
svett. Men ikväll är Brian Jonestown Massacre på gott humör och inleder
konserten på klassiskt sätt: med karaktäristiskt brusig 60-talsrock. En
positiv Newcombe i spetsen gör att de framstår som ett värdigt åldrande
The Jesus And Mary Chain, minus nihilismen.
Låtarna är korta och sött icke-koncisa, och ofta räcker det med ett välbekant tamburinintro eller lite tankspritt gitarrskrammel för att ett hundratal svettiga handflator ska åka upp i luften. Under Anemone flyter en man runt på publikens händer och en flicka med stora fredstecken dinglande från öronen ser konserten sittande på någons axlar.
De sju personerna i bandet är inte opåverkade. Som en salongsberusad girlgroup vinglar de fram genom spelningen i absolut harmoni. I Straight up and down – när kören från Rolling Stones Sympathy for the devil blandas med refrängen från The Beatles Hey Jude – kastar sig även Newcombe, kallad ”Hitler” av medlemmarna i hans första band, på rygg ut i publiken. Och till sist blir också han, om än bara fysiskt, en i mängden.
Självklart hörs de också på den senaste skivan från just Brian Jonestown Massacre, bandet som är döpt som en makaber ordlek med den gamle Rolling Stones-gitarristens namn. Skivan, Aufheben, handlar enligt den fasta medlemmen Anton Newcombe (ett 40-tal musiker har passerat genom hans band sen början på 90-talet) på ett vagt sätt om jordens undergång.
Newcombe bär uppenbarligen på både visioner och galenskap. Och är uppenbarligen oförmögen att själv avgöra vilket som är vilket.
Låtarna är korta och sött icke-koncisa, och ofta räcker det med ett välbekant tamburinintro eller lite tankspritt gitarrskrammel för att ett hundratal svettiga handflator ska åka upp i luften. Under Anemone flyter en man runt på publikens händer och en flicka med stora fredstecken dinglande från öronen ser konserten sittande på någons axlar.
De sju personerna i bandet är inte opåverkade. Som en salongsberusad girlgroup vinglar de fram genom spelningen i absolut harmoni. I Straight up and down – när kören från Rolling Stones Sympathy for the devil blandas med refrängen från The Beatles Hey Jude – kastar sig även Newcombe, kallad ”Hitler” av medlemmarna i hans första band, på rygg ut i publiken. Och till sist blir också han, om än bara fysiskt, en i mängden.
Fler kommentarer 0
Läsarnas snittbetyg
2 betyg med 5 i snittLOS WITCHES DU NORDE
very cool of debaser to have this hanging up.
Skulle jeg lytte til skabsbøssen Simon Cowell?
Anton Newcombe er den arrige, men geniale frontmand i Brian Jonestown Massacre
20:30, 24. jun 2012
| Thorleif Ravnbak
Det er hævet over enhver tvivl, at Anton Newcombe og hans rockkollektiv Brian Jonestown Massacre er et af de mest velspillende bands. Nogensinde.
Men de nok de færreste, der kender bandet eller manden bag det. Det skyldes, at Anton Newcombe altid har gået sine egne vegne. Det er veldokumenteret, at han har været oppe at slås med bandmedlemmer og publikum ved flere lejligheder, har tåget rundt på blanding af sprut og stoffer og derudover skræmt alle store pladsselskaber væk - til trods for en konstant hype om musikken.
Kun musikken tæller
For Newcombe er det kun musikken, der tæller. Og han giver ikke en fløjtende fis for tidens store reality-tv trend, hvor stjerner skal findes i X Factor-udsendelser.
- Hvorfor skulle jeg lade en skabsbøsse som Simon Cowell (idemanden bag bl.a. X Factor, red) eller Steven Tyler (forsanger i Aerosmith, red) som laver musik der er SÅ dårlig, at det trodser en hver beskrivelse, fortælle mig hvordan jeg skal lyde, siger Anton Newcombe, da jeg møder ham før bandets koncert i Amager Bio. Han mener alle bør holde sig langt væk fra den slags.
I det hele taget er der ikke mange i musikbranchen, der har Anton Newcombes respekt. Han siger han hader (og jeg tror på ham) rappere og bands som for eksempel Black Eyed Peas, som han beskylder for at spille playback til alle koncerter.
- De render bare rundt og råber yo! yo! og mimer til sangene. Det er sandt - jeg har set det selv, siger Newcombe i en timelang svada, hvor stort set ingen går ram forbi.
Foragt for stjernerne
For Newcombe handler musik om leg og glæde ved at eksperimentere. Han foragter det billede af musikstjerner, som han mener medier og pladebranchen skaber. At det handler om at stå på en scene og sige: Se hvor god og rig jeg er.
- Hvad fanden bilder P. Diddy sig ind, når han drikker champagne til 7500 dollars på et natklub, spørger han retorisk.
Da jeg ankommer til Amager Bio er lydprøven i gang. Interviewet er aftalt over Twitter og jeg får at vide, jeg skal vente til efter lydprøven. De fleste lydprøver er kedsommelige, en triviel gennemgang af alle instrumenter. Sådan er det ikke med Brian Jonestown Massacre.
Står med ryggen til publikum
Prøven varer langt over en time, hvor Anton Newcombe er på scenen hele tiden, mens de andre bandmedlemmer defilerer rundt og drikker øl og kaffe. Efterhånden samles bandet på scenen og spiller det ene nummer efter det andet. De hygger sig - laver gas med at råbe 'Hello Copenhaaagen'. Sammenspillet er sublimt mellem den fire (!) faste guitarister. Og det minder langt mere om en koncert end en lydprøve.
- Når jeg spiller musik, så prøver jeg at skabe et kunstnerisk rum, hvor der kun er musikken, forklarer Anton Newcombe. Han siger han er ligeglad med om der er 40 eller 40.000 til koncerterne.
- Det er også derfor du ikke ser mig stå i midten. Jeg har også tit ryggen til publikum, siger Anton Newcombe.
Gemmer sig på scenen
Under koncerten i Amager Bio taler bandet ikke mellem sangene. Den løsslupne stemning fra prøven er væk. Der er ikke noget med at få publikum til at synge med, og Anton Newcombe står helt til venstre på scenen og gemmer sig. Hans halvlange, fedtede hår dækker ansigtet og han fremstår nærmest som et sort spøgelse på scenen.
Tidligere i karrieren har han diskuteret højlydt med publikum, hvis han ikke lige frem har været oppe at slås med dem. Ved gruppens Roskilde koncert i 2008 forlod bandet scenen i vrede, da der blev kastet noget på scenen. Det var også den gang, hvor Newcombe som en hver rock n'roller med respekt for sig selv drak en liter vodka om dagen.
I dag er han clean, afholdsmand og fremstår rolig og fattet. Hans komprimisløse tilgang til musikken gælder også hans indstilling til livet.
- Jeg flyttede til New York. Som man siger 'If you make it there, You make it anywhere' (citat fra Frank Sinatras 'New York, New York'). Bullshit. Det var helt forfærdeligt. Alle de der Manhattan-typer, der går rundt i deres egen bobleverden, fortæller Newcombe.
Bor i Berlin
Derfor tog han i første omgang til Island og bor i dag i Berlin, i den hippe del af det gamle Østberlin. Han befinder sig godt i Nordeuropa fortæller han, især i Berlin hvor han får lov at være i fred. Han mener amerikanere er fucked up, hjernevasket af selskaber og myndighederne. Alting er mere afslappet i Tyskland og den nordlige del af Europa.
- Undskyld, jeg er så sur. Hvad var det egentlig du spurgte om?, slutter Anton Newcombe, der har talt nonstop i 50 minutter.
P.S. Her kunne jeg have skrevet, at koncerten var aldelse fremragende og til seks stjerner, men jeg er jo ikke koncertanmelder, så det vil jeg undlade.
- Carsten L. for tre dage sidenHvem i hede hule h..... er Brian Jonestown Massacre og Anton Newcombe?
Jeg ved at Simon Cowell, Steven Tyler og Justin Bieber er succesfulde. Hvem Anton Newcombe er forbliver formentlig uinteressant og ligegyldigt! (Ligesom Thorleif Ravnbak)-
Finn R. for tre dage sidenDet er muligt at Simon Kobjælde er succesfuld, men det ændrer jo ikke på at x-factor er noget gedigent lort.
Og Justin Bibber.........ohh dont get me started`.-
Morten M. for tre dage sidenJeg er satme træt af musikanmeldere der sabler alt musik ned som er bare en lille smule populært og som måske har mere en 1000 fans , hvis det har det så er det noget lort i anmelderens øjne.
Hvis en musik anmelder skal kunne lide musik i dag skal man enten synge som en islandsk kastereret teenager med kønsforvirring eller en narkoman fra liverpool der har lært at synge på et afvænningscenter.
Hvem fanden har bestemt at musik ingen lytter til er godt og det alle hører er noget lort ??? -
K A. for to dage sidenANER ikke hvem han er, men han kan ikke modsige at ham Cowell scorer kassen big time på musikken, en rigtig business man.
Men hvis han påstår at Cowell er homo, så skulle han kikke lidt på sig selv og hans fimsede Bieber wanna be udseende og fedtede lange hår. . -
K A. for to dage sidenHAHA, er dette musik....
HAHAHA.....iog hvem kalder han bøsse.
Dette er dagens bedste griner....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-9dHxlTbv0
-
-
Lars R. for tre dage sidenVed Du det ikke er du gået glip af fed musik
så det -
Kenneth T. for tre dage sidenCarsten L.
Prøv at udforske lidt nyt musik engang imellem. Så vil du blive overrasket.
Justin Bieber og Simon Cowell succesfulde? Muligvis i en meget ligegyldig verden.......-
K A. for to dage sidenKenneth...succesfuld i en ligegyldig verden ?? Det er åbenbart den type musik som rigtig mange gerne vil betale for at høre, så hvordan kan du kalde det ligegyldigt ? Måske er din kommentar ligegyldig.
-
-
The D. for tre dage sidenMon ikke hans mor har plejet omgang med Johnny Madsen....
-
Ralph R. for to dage sidenHvem er Carsten L.
-
Jesper Mikael S. for to dage sidenOK, Johnny Madsen har en uægte søn i England ! De rockmusikere.........
-
Hakon N. for to dage sidendet er kun bøsser ikke kender
-
-
Emil A. for tre dage sidenOk....kender ikke bandet, men måtte lige høre det på youtube.....LOL
Hold dog kæft....det er godt nok noget outdated lortemusik imo.-
Lars R. for tre dage sidenjo men alle kan jo ikke lyttet til Bubber konstant
så hellere outdated musik-
Emil A. for to dage siden....der er vist flere muligheder, ikke?
-
-
-
Annonce
-
Jesper M. for tre dage sidenHan ligner en ung Peter A.G (Har hellere aldrig hørt om ham)
-
Lars R. for tre dage sidenog hvor vil du hen med det
Du ligner supermand men er det ikke
Hvor i mod han mere er det-
Benjamin O. for tre dage sidenja ja du kan tydeligvis godt li bandet... eller også vil du bare virke hip og updated. men det ændre ikke på at det er noget mærkeligt møg som kun nogle kan li. lige som det heller ikke er alle der kan li jodle birge.eller dorthe kollo. men ligefrem at sammenligne en der ligner en ærketype på en pedo-fætter med supermand. eller som du siger " mere end det" siger lidt om din verden. men dig om det. nogen har smag. og andre er sære. og dig om det :-D
-
-
Erik B. for tre dage sidenHar du heller ikke hørt om Peter A.G.? Han er ellers både kendt og succesfuld, og var i mange år forsanger i Gnags, et af landets mest kendte og succesfulde bands.
-
-
Mike H. for tre dage sidenJeg ved ikke hvem Brian Jonestown Massacre, men forsangeren har sikkert engang været til casting hos Simon Cowell, og nu er han fornærmet efter Simon fortalte ham nogle sandheder.....
-
Lars R. for tre dage sidenHan behøves ikke at gå til casting hos nogen
kvali' musik er det band han spiller i-
Morten M. for tre dage sidenHvis du kalder det kvali musik så er du sgu godt nok forvirret.. Nu har jeg lige hørt 4 ½ nummer på Youtube og jeg er overhovedet ikke imponeret.. De lyder jo som en hul i hækken udgave af steppenwolf og Oasis blandet sammen med slatne guitar strenge og syge forstærkere.. Hvis det virkelig var super kvali musik var de sgu nok lidt mere populære end de er.
-
Mikkel G. for tre dage sidenJeg må altså give Morten M ret - der er ikke noget specielt over det musik i mine øjne. Jeg synes det er fint nok at man forholder sig kritisk til musik, men det virker lidt påtaget at alle andre end ham selv er fucked.... amerikanere, andre bands, simon cowell etc etc. Det bliver lidt trættende at læse om i længden. Og at skride fra en koncert, er i min optik (spiller selv musik) fuldstændig utilgiveligt - der er jo folk der spenderer tusindvis af kroner på en roskilde billet for (måske) blandt andet, at se hans band, og så får de primadonna nykker og skrider... gud fader bevares
-
Kristoffer H. for 18 timer siden@Lars R. læs følgende, det er så spot on!
http://www.badsoundsmagazine.com/article/brian-jonestown-massacre-gig-review/
-
-
-
Mikkel I. for tre dage siden@Carsten L: Selvom DU ikke ved hvem det er, så er det da ikke sikkert, at det er uinteressant og ligegyldigt! Måske for dig (du er måske også mere X-faktor segmentet?), så fred være med det, men drop genereliseringen, tak.
@Emil A: Fedt, at du har fået hørt ALT hvad de har lavet! Og så på youtube, som er kendt for virkelig god lyd og billedkvalitet! Fint, at du dog er så fornuftig, at du tilføjer imo. Det er nemlig det det handler om; Alle har ret til, at ytre sig om musik de ikke bryder sig om. Genereliseringen er forfærdelig eks; ALT heavy(eller andet) er noget larm og dårligt. Nej! DU kan ikke lide det, så sluk for det!-
Henrik S. for tre dage sidenHørt hørt!
-
Mike L. for to dage sidenHmm jeg har ikke lige hørt dette band, men jeg kan altså heller ikke nævne de sidste par vindere af x factor osv. Da jeg heller ikke ser det. Men jeg har nu stadig en bred musik smag og hører tit de "mindre fisk" da de tit har en ægthed som de mere populære bands eller solister ikke kan konkurrere imod!
-
Emil A. for to dage sidenMikkel L
LOL.....hvis man skal høre alt fra et band, for at finde noget man måske kan acceptere, så ser det godt nok skidt ud.
Lydkvalitet gør ikke musikken helt anderledes, men nice try!
Hver sin smag.........lev med det. -
Kristoffer H. for 18 timer siden
-
-
John B. for tre dage sidenHvem fanden er Thorleif Ravnbak?
-
Store H. for tre dage sidenKendte dem ikke, men så lyttede jeg lidt til det. Det er da super chill
-
Flemming H. for tre dage sidenHvad har en hestepige med Justin Bieber at gøre. Det var da en mærkelig kommentar.
-
Lasse K. for tre dage sidenDu har vist ikke fulgt med på eb.dk den sidste tid :-)
-
Mike L. for to dage sidenHahaha så Lasse, du sammenligne ALLE hestepiger med de enkelte stykker der blev nævnt i artiklen dengang?
Du har ikke det store overblik over hvor mange mennesker der er på denne jord kan jeg forstå. -
Lasse K. for to dage sidenNææh.. såmænd ikke.. men eftersom det er en artikel på ekstrabladet og der netop har været de andre artikler er det vel indlysende for enhver, at det er det journalisten hentyder til?
-
-
-
Kristoffer H. for tre dage sidenThorleif er sikkert hipster-typen der blev fan af BJM efter at have set 'DIG!' og bare syntes at Anton var crazy på den übercoole måde....og nu mener at han skal udbrede kendskabet til dette åh-så-ukendte men åh-så-geniale band. For det første, så er BJM/Anton kendt i brede rock-kredse, og for det andet så er de/han - undskyld mig - ikke i nærheden af at være geniale. Anton Newcombe er rigtignok exentrisk, men derfor behøver man ingenlunde ophøje ham til en gud - som hipster-Thorleif & hans venner har for vane.
"Det er hævet over enhver tvivl, at Anton Newcombe og hans rockkollektiv Brian Jonestown Massacre er et af de mest velspillende bands. Nogensinde"
Give me a break! Hvor gammel er du!?-
Morten M. for tre dage sidenSuper kommentar !!
-
Mikkel G. for tre dage sidenTotalt nice kommentar... alle ved selvfølgelig at det mest velspillende band er Dream Theater :D
-
-
Brian H. for tre dage sidenKedelig musik
-
Kenneth T. for tre dage sidenHan minder lidt om en af de der teenage-metallere som ikke rigtig er kommet over det der "Jeg er kun ægte rock'n'roll hvis jeg skider på alt hvad der er mainstream, uanset om det er godt eller ej, og lader mit hår blive langt og fedtet!"..
-
Benjamin W. for tre dage siden"Hvorfor skulle jeg lade en skabsbøsse som Simon Cowell (idemanden bag bl.a. X Factor, red) eller Steven Tyler (forsanger i Aerosmith, red) som laver musik der er SÅ dårlig, at det trodser en hver beskrivelse"
Dét omkring Simon Cowell skal ikke gøre mig til dommer overfor men kan ikke se hvad hans seksuelle orientering har med noget at gøre?
Men ja, - Aerosmith der er et af de mest sælgende amerikanske rockbands i historien og har eksisteret i 40 år - ja, det er da klart fordi det er dårlig musik... -
Thomas L. for tre dage sidenDet er fint, at journalisten begynder med en advarsel. Da han var nået til at skrive, at der er tale om det mest velspillende band nogensinde, var jeg ved at stå af. Jeg stod definitivt af, at skribenten ikke kunne stave til "veje", men skrev "vegne".
-
Peter F. for tre dage sidenEnhver har vel sin musiksmag. Ud fra det jeg har hørt på Youtube synes jeg, at Brian Jonestown Massacre er middelmådigt, ensformigt og kedeligt
Så hellere Aerosmith, der er squ da meget mere power på.
Men igen, smag og behag.-
Rasmus O. for tre dage sidenMiddelmådigt... er det ikke lige at sætte dem lidt højere end hvad de er. :)
Kendte dem ikke før her, hørte lidt, og er nu ærgerlig over at jeg lærte deres bekendtskab..
Men tak, nu kender jeg da til et til band jeg skal undgå. De kommer næsten op på siden af Kidd.
-
-
D S. for tre dage sidenHvem er denne Newcombe?
-
Joan S. for tre dage sidenAwwww godt for ham han lige fik nævnt en masse kendiser så han kan få noget opmærksomhed omkring sig, istedet for at blive kendt igennem sin ååh-så-fantastiske musik.. Bleeaah, de bliver sku alle sammen til pengekøer når først de får lidt medvind. Han kan komme igen om nogen år når han har haft lige så mange udsolgte og fede shows som Black eyed peas (men skulle jeg endelig vælge valgte jeg selv No Doubt i stedet).
Han lyder som et gedint røvhul, arrogant tilmed, som TROR han lever for kunsten, men i stedet er han et forfærdeligt menneske på denne jord.-
Erik B. for tre dage sidenI modsætning til dig, der tydeligvis er elskeligheden selv...
-
Christian K. for to dage sidenSyntes black eyed peas er fede, men hvis deres koncerter virkelig er play back....tjah, så ved jeg da hvilke koncerter jeg ikke skal til.
Mht Anton gutten......er det ikke ligesom om man har hørt den sang før?
-
-
Mike S. for tre dage sidenHvorvidt Simon C. er bøsse er vel ligegyldigt og Steven har da uden tvivl forstand på musik. bieber og hanna montana er produkter og har intet med musik at gøre, autotune er ikke et instrument. er ikke ekspert men musik for mig er når jeg kan høre kunstneren går op i sit håndværk, nogen har "gaven" andre har ikke. Mener ikke der er en "opskrift" på god musik, og hvis alle lød ens ville livet være kedeligt og gråt.
-
Mike S. for tre dage sidenlige kommet fra bold på storskærm og det er over min sengetid så i må bære over med..... alt muligt god aften/nat til ALLE
-
Mikkel G. for tre dage siden"autotune er ikke et instrument."
Klasse kommentar! :D
-
-
Kristoffer H. for 18 timer siden
(anyone that puts football in the same artical about music can go fuck themselves)
xxx www xxx
Anton Newcombe raises a myriad of opposing reactions. From those itching to deck the fucker square between the eyes, to those who hover on magic carpets chasing his aura. On the latest album, Aufheben, they take a large step sideways from "My Bloody Underground" and, in part, to "Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?". Both previous records (along with a couple of EP's that fans probably realized came out) seemed to fall squarely in the middle category of reviews. Neither were earth-shattering, yet neither would send BJM plummeting to the bottom rungs of the psychedelic rock ladder. Aufheben reclaims their position as one of the better bands that came out of the United States in the late 90's. With swerving anthems, drug-infused helter-skelter harmonies, drony repetitive songs that fill the room and keep going long after the lights have gone out, and miraculous pop-songs.
The only problem is, we've been here before.
Just like their DIG! counter-parts the Dandy Warhols did on their latest album This Machine-- attempting to steer the ship back to what made them credible ten years ago-- with it comes the ominous sense that both bands embarked on journeys to discover new styles, when they probably should have just stayed where they were and released less albums so nobody got bored.
The mad maestro himself has always had a soft spot for sitars, stringed instruments resembling sitars, keyboards that sound remotely like sitars, in fact, pretty much anything with that distinct indian twaaaaaang to it lies buried in the background of most albums suffusing everything "druggy". His penchants for mystical chords stems from years researching Gurdieff and Angus Maclise's Kathmandu recordings that created wonderful backdrops for Ira Cohen's timeless photographs of the Mylar Chamber. This group of bearded prophets back in the 60's, with this limited output, virtually no promo, have managed to seep into timeless artists scrambling's of songs or artwork. Kudos to those who discover them, even more to the instigators.
The music of India has certainly played it's part in Anton's deconstruction of indie pop, but also, his fascination with India has overlapped into his stage performances, clothing, manner of sitting cross-legged in meditation pose while beating a tabla (as witness in a slightly wanky jam BJM did at 2006's SXSW surrounded by girls in stripy shirts and boys in drainpipe jeans lapping all the cosmic rays deep into their Pitchfork minds). He loves playing the villain, and he does a bloody good job of making people hate him.
I digress.
Aufheben opens with the gloriously poppy intro/instrumental "Panic in Babylon". A David Axelrod/Popol Vuh-esque soundscape with indifferent drums and a whiny melody flailing away under the Middle Eastern vibrations overlapping at the helm. "Viholliseni Maalla" could be a Stereolab song if Andy Ramsay was on a shitload of amphetamines. The female vocals opening the album from it's instrumental beginnings into the quasi-Seely/Stereolab fluctuations. "Gaz Hilarant" was probably not the best song to follow "Viholliseni", a weak vibe, lackadaisical vocals, the abilities of Anton are definitely not on display here. It fades in, fades out, and might just as well have not bothered at all. "Illuminoumi" picks up the tempo with a super slick drowning keyboard melody lying beneath the reverb soaked drums and the cluttered/swampy vocals holding it all together. "I Want To Hold Your Other Hand" is where BJM finally return. A classic Anton tune with it's waaa haaay haaay banter and druggy Gallagher vox wrapped around uncluttered arrangements. "Face Down On The Moon" takes a bit too big a pinch from The Incredible String Band for my liking, and the remainder of the songs vary from rather pleasant: "The Clouds Are Nice", to an unmistakably Stones-y riff on "Stairway To The Best Party In The Universe", while "Seven Kinds of Wonderful" sounds like 7 of the album tracks got mixed down to one track.
In the grander scheme of things this record will most likely end up forgotten after a few years, replaced on the shelf by other sound-a-like bands who happen to be more hip or credible in 2014, however, Anton did manage to summon some of his old song writing wit and turn it into a decent album that fans will no doubt get a few good listens out of before hopping onto the latest offering by a band who's name contains a mixture of the following words: Black, White, Neon, Panda, Wolf, Bear, Crystal, Magic or Rainbow.
xxx www xxx
If I ever become a bloated millionaire living on some small island
off Palawan, with huge gardens, hammocks positioned strategically,
chilly bins strewn helter-skelter across the grounds, I would invest
heavily in one of those games where faces pop up and you have to beat
them down with a rubber hammer. Painted on every single one of the
targets would be Joel Gion's face.
Ever since watching DIG! and seeing his fuckface on the cover drenched in the chemical cockiness of a class A wanker, I have wanted to pluck up the courage to urinate on him in public or throw an anvil at his face while he shakes his tambourine like he just don't care. There is possibly no "front-man" on earth who deserves as little credit as him. I honestly wonder why Anton wastes airfare, a bunk in a tour-bus, food, beers, drugs and money to drag his sorry ass all over the world. The reason for it is probably because it spawns write-ups like this. The man likes the taste of danger.
So, understandably, it came as no great surprise to walk into a threadbare crowd at Rockefeller just as the god-awful support band ended ( Emma Acs + The Inbreds, a sort of quasi Danish VU/hippie/Kate Bush/Joanna Newsom compilation of utter wankdom with the added insult of a young Katy Perry looking girl sitting centre stage, legs crossed trying to play the sitar????) and see Joel Gion walk on with his hair under wraps and his trademark bell-end sunglasses lost or broken. He looked alcohol chubby, pale and either off his tits or just being a smug talentless idiot as usual.
I guess when your job is shaking a tambourine for 3 hours every night you gotta make up for lack of purpose with extra lashings of attitude. It always puzzles me intensely how major tours work. Invariably the support band chosen to fill the slot is either friends of the band, shagging one of them, girlfriend of a friend of a friend, or something the label wants to push but has nothing to do with the music of the headliner. In this case, the girl was shacked up with Anton's mate, apparently.
Regardless, it's these kind of bands that make me break out in a rash. So very Danish. No clue whatsoever about music, been shown the right albums by a handful of artists but don't really "get them" and strive to fit into that vein without having an ounce of creativity themselves. Just hum along with boring songs wrapped in lethargic chords, a voice to wake the dead from their slumber only to commit suicide again, and the aforementioned Katy Perry Krishna twangings.
I was relieved that I only caught two songs. Even more relieved to see a TV in the corner showing the England/Italy game. Twenty minutes later after the poor guitar tech had made sure all 289 guitars were tuned to perfectly "hazy", candles were lit to "mysterious", and drummer was satisfied with the state of his snare (not for long) the band walked out to muted cheers. The scattering's of people manifested themselves in front of the stage and the room actually looked semi-full. Joel took front stage. Closing his eyes and just willing someone to punch him. Matt Hollywood was back in the band and looking geeky as hell with his "faded" Star Trek shirt and thick rimmed glasses. 20 seconds into the first song Mr Rudolpher Absalom and Daood Rajkovic bolted for the door. Enough was enough. I stayed for about 45 minutes to try give it a go. This was probably the 4th time seeing them.
Once at SXSW they managed to irritated me with how inane they fumbled along pointlessly trying to sound Indian, another gig in Los Angeles I just managed to catch the last part of the show but then the drummer and musicians were locked in an interesting drone that went on and on but never got boring. Today BJM were intent on playing their "rock" songs. It must have been a delight to most fans. 2 hours plus of hits and misses patched together. Anton was well behaved with his greasy tour-hair covering his face down to his mouth, Ricky and Matt and Joel made up the front row with another 4 members behind exchanging between keys/bass/guitars.
I must admit for the first few minutes I thought perhaps this would turn out to be a decent show. They seemed fresh, not too hung-over, relatively jolly despite their West Coast nonchalance, and eager to play until sunrise. The only problem was that all the songs sounded the same. They refused to jam, ventured rarely into any noisier territory, played every single song at the same tempo and very much the same guitar sounds. The only distinguishing factor in being able to identify a few songs was Anton's vocals. The crowd seemed rather enraptured. Hanging onto every chord, lapping up the sound, chugging Sunday beers.
I found it all a little too one dimensional and admittedly left a couple times to watch football, returned to what sounded like the song that was playing 20 minutes ago, stood at the back, yawned, checked my email, looked up, texted, and pretty much zoned out. Any band who wants to strum along with the same chords and melodies for 2 hours is asking a lot of their audience. The room shed some of its weight at the one hour mark, more as it drove towards an hour and a half... and I can't comment on the end because I had already escaped and was sitting at the bar in Revolver playing Mazzy Star records and writing a note to leave on the Katy Perry Krishna power girl's table when she went out for a cigarette. It simply read: THE SITAR IS HOLY. She read it, but I wonder if she got it.
All photos by Morgan Flament http://www.morganflame.com/
xxx www xxx
Bad Sounds Magazine | Verdens Styggeste Blad Norway's premier alternative music magazine
Primary Content
THE HONEYCOMBE GURU
Aufheben
by The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Released: 05/07/2012 | Label: A Records |
When Brian Jones tried his best to propel the Master Musicians of
Jajouka into the Western consciousness, he only partly succeeded. Sure,
not every hipster with a side-parting this side of Bedford Ave has
probably heard of them or has their Pan Pipes record, however, people
will uncover their influences hidden deep on albums as far spread as
Hector Zazou, Amon Duul II or the latest Brian Jonestown Massacre album.Released: 05/07/2012 | Label: A Records |
Anton Newcombe raises a myriad of opposing reactions. From those itching to deck the fucker square between the eyes, to those who hover on magic carpets chasing his aura. On the latest album, Aufheben, they take a large step sideways from "My Bloody Underground" and, in part, to "Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?". Both previous records (along with a couple of EP's that fans probably realized came out) seemed to fall squarely in the middle category of reviews. Neither were earth-shattering, yet neither would send BJM plummeting to the bottom rungs of the psychedelic rock ladder. Aufheben reclaims their position as one of the better bands that came out of the United States in the late 90's. With swerving anthems, drug-infused helter-skelter harmonies, drony repetitive songs that fill the room and keep going long after the lights have gone out, and miraculous pop-songs.
The only problem is, we've been here before.
Just like their DIG! counter-parts the Dandy Warhols did on their latest album This Machine-- attempting to steer the ship back to what made them credible ten years ago-- with it comes the ominous sense that both bands embarked on journeys to discover new styles, when they probably should have just stayed where they were and released less albums so nobody got bored.
The mad maestro himself has always had a soft spot for sitars, stringed instruments resembling sitars, keyboards that sound remotely like sitars, in fact, pretty much anything with that distinct indian twaaaaaang to it lies buried in the background of most albums suffusing everything "druggy". His penchants for mystical chords stems from years researching Gurdieff and Angus Maclise's Kathmandu recordings that created wonderful backdrops for Ira Cohen's timeless photographs of the Mylar Chamber. This group of bearded prophets back in the 60's, with this limited output, virtually no promo, have managed to seep into timeless artists scrambling's of songs or artwork. Kudos to those who discover them, even more to the instigators.
The music of India has certainly played it's part in Anton's deconstruction of indie pop, but also, his fascination with India has overlapped into his stage performances, clothing, manner of sitting cross-legged in meditation pose while beating a tabla (as witness in a slightly wanky jam BJM did at 2006's SXSW surrounded by girls in stripy shirts and boys in drainpipe jeans lapping all the cosmic rays deep into their Pitchfork minds). He loves playing the villain, and he does a bloody good job of making people hate him.
I digress.
Aufheben opens with the gloriously poppy intro/instrumental "Panic in Babylon". A David Axelrod/Popol Vuh-esque soundscape with indifferent drums and a whiny melody flailing away under the Middle Eastern vibrations overlapping at the helm. "Viholliseni Maalla" could be a Stereolab song if Andy Ramsay was on a shitload of amphetamines. The female vocals opening the album from it's instrumental beginnings into the quasi-Seely/Stereolab fluctuations. "Gaz Hilarant" was probably not the best song to follow "Viholliseni", a weak vibe, lackadaisical vocals, the abilities of Anton are definitely not on display here. It fades in, fades out, and might just as well have not bothered at all. "Illuminoumi" picks up the tempo with a super slick drowning keyboard melody lying beneath the reverb soaked drums and the cluttered/swampy vocals holding it all together. "I Want To Hold Your Other Hand" is where BJM finally return. A classic Anton tune with it's waaa haaay haaay banter and druggy Gallagher vox wrapped around uncluttered arrangements. "Face Down On The Moon" takes a bit too big a pinch from The Incredible String Band for my liking, and the remainder of the songs vary from rather pleasant: "The Clouds Are Nice", to an unmistakably Stones-y riff on "Stairway To The Best Party In The Universe", while "Seven Kinds of Wonderful" sounds like 7 of the album tracks got mixed down to one track.
In the grander scheme of things this record will most likely end up forgotten after a few years, replaced on the shelf by other sound-a-like bands who happen to be more hip or credible in 2014, however, Anton did manage to summon some of his old song writing wit and turn it into a decent album that fans will no doubt get a few good listens out of before hopping onto the latest offering by a band who's name contains a mixture of the following words: Black, White, Neon, Panda, Wolf, Bear, Crystal, Magic or Rainbow.
xxx www xxx
Bad Sounds Magazine | Verdens Styggeste Blad Norway's premier alternative music magazine
Primary Content
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE GIG REVIEW
Ever since watching DIG! and seeing his fuckface on the cover drenched in the chemical cockiness of a class A wanker, I have wanted to pluck up the courage to urinate on him in public or throw an anvil at his face while he shakes his tambourine like he just don't care. There is possibly no "front-man" on earth who deserves as little credit as him. I honestly wonder why Anton wastes airfare, a bunk in a tour-bus, food, beers, drugs and money to drag his sorry ass all over the world. The reason for it is probably because it spawns write-ups like this. The man likes the taste of danger.
So, understandably, it came as no great surprise to walk into a threadbare crowd at Rockefeller just as the god-awful support band ended ( Emma Acs + The Inbreds, a sort of quasi Danish VU/hippie/Kate Bush/Joanna Newsom compilation of utter wankdom with the added insult of a young Katy Perry looking girl sitting centre stage, legs crossed trying to play the sitar????) and see Joel Gion walk on with his hair under wraps and his trademark bell-end sunglasses lost or broken. He looked alcohol chubby, pale and either off his tits or just being a smug talentless idiot as usual.
I guess when your job is shaking a tambourine for 3 hours every night you gotta make up for lack of purpose with extra lashings of attitude. It always puzzles me intensely how major tours work. Invariably the support band chosen to fill the slot is either friends of the band, shagging one of them, girlfriend of a friend of a friend, or something the label wants to push but has nothing to do with the music of the headliner. In this case, the girl was shacked up with Anton's mate, apparently.
Regardless, it's these kind of bands that make me break out in a rash. So very Danish. No clue whatsoever about music, been shown the right albums by a handful of artists but don't really "get them" and strive to fit into that vein without having an ounce of creativity themselves. Just hum along with boring songs wrapped in lethargic chords, a voice to wake the dead from their slumber only to commit suicide again, and the aforementioned Katy Perry Krishna twangings.
I was relieved that I only caught two songs. Even more relieved to see a TV in the corner showing the England/Italy game. Twenty minutes later after the poor guitar tech had made sure all 289 guitars were tuned to perfectly "hazy", candles were lit to "mysterious", and drummer was satisfied with the state of his snare (not for long) the band walked out to muted cheers. The scattering's of people manifested themselves in front of the stage and the room actually looked semi-full. Joel took front stage. Closing his eyes and just willing someone to punch him. Matt Hollywood was back in the band and looking geeky as hell with his "faded" Star Trek shirt and thick rimmed glasses. 20 seconds into the first song Mr Rudolpher Absalom and Daood Rajkovic bolted for the door. Enough was enough. I stayed for about 45 minutes to try give it a go. This was probably the 4th time seeing them.
Once at SXSW they managed to irritated me with how inane they fumbled along pointlessly trying to sound Indian, another gig in Los Angeles I just managed to catch the last part of the show but then the drummer and musicians were locked in an interesting drone that went on and on but never got boring. Today BJM were intent on playing their "rock" songs. It must have been a delight to most fans. 2 hours plus of hits and misses patched together. Anton was well behaved with his greasy tour-hair covering his face down to his mouth, Ricky and Matt and Joel made up the front row with another 4 members behind exchanging between keys/bass/guitars.
I must admit for the first few minutes I thought perhaps this would turn out to be a decent show. They seemed fresh, not too hung-over, relatively jolly despite their West Coast nonchalance, and eager to play until sunrise. The only problem was that all the songs sounded the same. They refused to jam, ventured rarely into any noisier territory, played every single song at the same tempo and very much the same guitar sounds. The only distinguishing factor in being able to identify a few songs was Anton's vocals. The crowd seemed rather enraptured. Hanging onto every chord, lapping up the sound, chugging Sunday beers.
I found it all a little too one dimensional and admittedly left a couple times to watch football, returned to what sounded like the song that was playing 20 minutes ago, stood at the back, yawned, checked my email, looked up, texted, and pretty much zoned out. Any band who wants to strum along with the same chords and melodies for 2 hours is asking a lot of their audience. The room shed some of its weight at the one hour mark, more as it drove towards an hour and a half... and I can't comment on the end because I had already escaped and was sitting at the bar in Revolver playing Mazzy Star records and writing a note to leave on the Katy Perry Krishna power girl's table when she went out for a cigarette. It simply read: THE SITAR IS HOLY. She read it, but I wonder if she got it.
All photos by Morgan Flament http://www.morganflame.com/
this is really interesting rock art, do you know where it is from?
ReplyDeletelaisse tomber
ReplyDeleteDiscriminating website you possess! This web shop provides high-quality present helping lifts and other accessories. We secret ourselves from "prefabricated in China" tatty lifts but expose our products in cooperation with 3M.
ReplyDeleteSublime website you love! Our website provides as we say in Denmark 'bh uden ryg'. That is an material boob rising which appear the breasts from the top and cannot be seen under a backless set. Invoice it out, as I've proved it and it worked well for me.
ReplyDelete