I won’t shiver in the cold
I won’t let the shadows take their toll
I won’t cover my head in the dark
And I won’t forget you when we part

Collapse the Light Into Earth

-Porcupine Tree

Benvolguts amics,

Ja hi tornem a ser! Avui a les 22:00 h podreu escoltar La Pedalera que, com sempre, vindrà carregat de bona música. A continuació teniu les raons per les quals no us podeu perdre el programa d’aquesta nit. Son aquestes:

- Entrevista: aquesta nit tenim el plaer d’entrevistar a Dani Flaco. L’artista de Bellvitge ens parlarà, entre moltes altres coses, del concert que donarà el pròxim divendres al Casino de Vic.

- Do it yourself: amb grups com Nofx, Minor Threat o Fugazi; l’Iris Palou ens farà un recorregut que va del punk al hardcore a més a més de parlar-nos del moviment straight edge.

- Mes enllà del so: avui en Ramón Castro ve ben carregat. Ens parlarà del disc Imperfectos de Manolo Tarancón. Un altre disc serà l’anomenat Cartografias de José Ignacio Lapido. I també ens parlarà de la nova promesa del rock madrileny, Vikxie.

- Eclipsa: avui l’Ester Ferre trencarà un pel amb la tònica a la que ens tenia acostumats i ens portarà una crònica del concert al que va assistir aquest dissabte. I entre els molts concerts que es van fer dissabte… a quin creieu que va anar? Doncs a Depeche Mode.

- A banda: en Zeus Díaz ens portarà també una crònica d’una banda espectacular, els Porcupine Tree. Després d’això ens parlarà de Poncho K.

- Agenda: avui l’actualitat musical, de la mà de Jordi Gonzàlez, passa per El niño de la hipoteca, Maria Rodés, Alex Guideón, Las Furias i El Bicho.

- Top 5: el rànquing format per les maquetes d’artistes i bandes que mica en mica anem rebent a La Pedalera.

Com cada setmana us recordem que també ens podeu escoltar per Internet mitjançant el següent enllaç.

http://kara.fast-serv.com:8700/listen.pls

Sintonitzeu amb nosaltres!

La Pedalera
Miquel Cornellà

Alors Voilà!!

Notre surprise c’était un concert! Nous sommes allé voir le groupe de Porcupine tree!!

Jajaja le concert était à montjuic, dans la montagne.

Mais ça valais vraiment la peine! C’était génial!

Con una sala rozando el lleno , y un público entregado de principio a fin , Porcupine Tree ofrecieron un concierto acojonante , dividido en dos partes , presentando en la primera The Incident su último trabajo que en directo gana en dinamismo y contundencia , y en la segunda haciendo un repaso de su ya larga carrera. Tras un mensaje que nos avisaba que estaba prohibido grabar (JA) , hacer fotos (JAJA!) y fumar (JUAJUAJUA!) los Tree , arropados por un montaje escénico muy sobrio pero muy efectivo y con proyecciones que te freían el cerebro sin necesidad de droga alguna, tocaron de principio a fin la suite que da título a su último trabajo , que ya digo gana en directo siendo más orgánica y menos fría que en estudio. Con un Steven Wilson pletórico a la voz y guitarra ( y que guitarrones!) y un Gavin Harrison a la batería derrochando maestría , secundados por el resto del grupo consiguieron de principio a fin trasladar esas atmósferas tan increibles que consiguen en estudio al directo y ayudados por un sonido aplastante, repasaron sus canciones más emblemáticas en una segunda mitad de concierto soberbia, destacando Lazarus y Trains, aunque ofrecieron una buena muestra de su fondo de catálogo . Geniales sin más.

P.D. Resulta que había “patrullas” peinando la sala en busca de grabadoras, bajando el móvil al que se atrevía a apuntar al escenario con el , y pidiendo amablemente que apagaras el cigarro si estabas fumando…increible pero cierto…aunque yo se de alguien que tiene una copia del concierto y no me gusta señalar…

Ogni anno me ne vengo fuori con una compilation estiva per i miei conoscenti, una sorta di tradizione che continua dai tempi del liceo. Le compilation sono piccole creature d’amore, veri e propri omaggi a quegli artisti la cui musica diventa, giorno dopo giorno, ascolto dopo ascolto, la colonna sonora delle nostre vite.

Grazie a queta pratica (fare compilation, cassette, cd o anche semplici playlist) attraverso gli anni ho fatto conoscere moltissimi artisti a svariate persone, che poi si sono trovate anche a comprare dischi o ad andare ai concerti di questi musicisti. Di nuovo la domanda sorge spontanea; quanto realmente danneggia un musicista la cultura del file-sharing?

E comunque bisogna sempre guardare avanti, come ci dice Chris in questo brillante intervento su youtube. La grande opportunitá per gli artisti di slegarsi dalle logiche di mercato e dalle regole imposte dall’industria discografica sta proprio nel trovare alternative alla vendita del prodotto/disco.

Anche i Radiohead, che in una recente intervista affermavano che non avrebbero piú rilasciato un disco, non hanno annunciato la loro fine ma un nuovo inizio, come poi ha spiegato Colin Greenwood in un susseguente intervento. Gli artisti devono pensare le loro opere all’interno delle nuove culture tecnologiche e sociali. Il formato cd é ormai obsoleto. Un musicista oggi ha l’opportunitá di presentare i propri lavori sotto moltissime nuove forme, grazie soprattutto a internet.

Questa qui sotto é la mia compilation proposta per l’inverno. La tracklist é un semplice consiglio d’ascolto, ma guarda caso sono riuscito a trovarla da qualche parte in rete, perció se vi va di scaricarla, accomodatevi: http://is.gd/52rS9

Buon ascolto a tutti!!

THE COLONY COMPILATION
Winter 2010

01 – BIG ELF – Money is pure evil
02 – WOLFMOTHER – New Moon Rising
03 – PORCUPINE TREE – Time Flies
04 – DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA – Balrog Boogie
05 – JOHN ZORN – Miller’s Crake
06 – THE MARS VOLTA – Copernicus
07 – PINK MARTINI – And Then You’re Gone
08 – THE DEAR HUNTER – The Poison Woman
09 – NORAH JONES – Even Though
10 – TRANSATLANTIC – The wind blew them all away
11 – JULLIETTE LEWIS – Fantasy Bar
12 – TORI AMOS – Snow Angel
13 – BEARDFISH – Destined_solitaire
14 – ALICE – Island

Picture by Willoclick

FONTE: http://colonyofslippermen.wordpress.com/

Ogni anno me ne vengo fuori con una compilation estiva per i miei conoscenti, una sorta di tradizione che continua dai tempi del liceo. Le compilation sono piccole creature d’amore, veri e propri omaggi a quegli artisti la cui musica diventa, giorno dopo giorno, ascolto dopo ascolto, la colonna sonora delle nostre vite.

Grazie a queta pratica (fare compilation, cassette, cd o anche semplici playlist) attraverso gli anni ho fatto conoscere moltissimi artisti a svariate persone, che poi si sono trovate anche a comprare dischi o ad andare ai concerti di questi musicisti. Di nuovo la domanda sorge spontanea; quanto realmente danneggia un musicista la cultura del file-sharing?

E comunque bisogna sempre guardare avanti, come ci dice Chris in questo brillante intervento su youtube. La grande opportunitá per gli artisti di slegarsi dalle logiche di mercato e dalle regole imposte dall’industria discografica sta proprio nel trovare alternative alla vendita del prodotto/disco.

Anche i Radiohead, che in una recente intervista affermavano che non avrebbero piú rilasciato un disco, non hanno annunciato la loro fine ma un nuovo inizio, come poi ha spiegato Colin Greenwood in un susseguente intervento. Gli artisti devono pensare le loro opere all’interno delle nuove culture tecnologiche e sociali. Il formato cd é ormai obsoleto. Un musicista oggi ha l’opportunitá di presentare i propri lavori sotto moltissime nuove forme, grazie soprattutto a internet.

Questa qui sotto é la mia compilation proposta per l’inverno. La tracklist é un semplice consiglio d’ascolto, ma guarda caso sono riuscito a trovarla da qualche parte in rete, perció se vi va di scaricarla, accomodatevi: http://is.gd/52rS9

Buon ascolto a tutti!!

THE COLONY COMPILATION
Winter 2010

01 – BIG ELF – Money is pure evil
02 – WOLFMOTHER – New Moon Rising
03 – PORCUPINE TREE – Time Flies
04 – DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA – Balrog Boogie
05 – JOHN ZORN – Miller’s Crake
06 – THE MARS VOLTA – Copernicus
07 – PINK MARTINI – And Then You’re Gone
08 – THE DEAR HUNTER – The Poison Woman
09 – NORAH JONES – Even Though
10 – TRANSATLANTIC – The wind blew them all away
11 – JULLIETTE LEWIS – Fantasy Bar
12 – TORI AMOS – Snow Angel
13 – BEARDFISH – Destined_solitaire
14 – ALICE – Island

Picture by Willoclick

Cheguei agora do concerto dos Porcupine Tree, espectáculo que valeu bem o preço do bilhete (não sei, pelo ponto de vista de cada um, se 25€ parece caro ou barato) e pelo qual até pagaria mais.

Há um ano atrás, ou um pouco mais do que isso, comecei a ouvir os Porcupine Tree, e fiquei com o desejo de ir ao concerto que deram cá por essa altura. Porque eu sou estúpida (ou porque Deus não quis!!) acabei por não ir e, eventualmente, comecei a ouvir cada vez mais música e deixei esta banda esquecida na minha memória. Como tal, foi com muita alegria que fiquei a saber que os Porcupine voltariam aqui ao Sá da Bandeira e eu teria a minha segunda oportunidade!

Seja defeito ou qualidade, o facto é que eu tenho sempre alguma coisa a dizer, mesmo que seja uma grande parvoíce (pelo menos online).

A abrir para os Porcupine, estiveram os Stick Men, um grupo americano de que nunca ouvira falar, mas cuja actuação adorei assistir. Têm instrumentos invulgares, música boa e relevante e, acima de tudo, presença em palco. Poucos foram os momentos vocais, mas também não se sentiu a falta. Apreciei a grande salada de sopas e soops, e soops e sopas; foi um momento engraçado, que serviu para consolidar uma ligação com a audiência – deixa-nos interessados. Nesta primeira actuação só tenho a reclamar sobre o esquema de luzes, que estava horrível – acentuava sempre o que não devia!

Para o concerto dos Porcupine Tree, tenho que dizer, a iluminação esteve muito, muito melhor. Não que isso interesse de verdade porque, fosse o concerto completamente às escuras, eu adoraria também, sem dúvida. Tocaram, se não me engano, durante mais de duas horas, tendo feito um intervalo de dez minutos certos.

Tenho para mim que nós, portugueses, povo barulhento por defeito, estamos a ficar muito preguiçosos, até no entretenimento… Já pouco nos esforçamos para pedir um encore. Mas quem nos pode censurar? Para quê gritarmos e saltarmos e batermos os pés para implorar por uma coisa que já sabemos ir acontecer? Já ninguém finge, como é devido! Posso estar enganada (como acontece com muito – pouca – frequência), mas penso que fizemos mais barulho quando ele anunciou que iam tocar a Lazarus do que quando deveriamos estar a chamá-los de volta ao palco… Não há mal, não é importante – ninguém quer saber.

É preciso dizer que quando saí de casa, as minhas expectativas não eram altas. Isto porque, ultimamente, embora tenha gostado de todos os concertos a que fui, tem sempre faltado qualquer coisa, não sei bem (ou mal) o quê. No entanto, posso dizer que, para mim, não faltou nada neste concerto: Adorei! Além disso, gosto do sentido de humor do vocalista – é um tipo de humor que me é familiar, que compreendo bem.

Outra coisa que tenho que escrever: este foi o primeiro espectáculo que vi no Teatro Sá da Bandeira. É uma sala relativamente pequena e, talvez por isso, tenha gostado tanto. É bem verdade, penso, que as dimensões do local têm tanto ou mais influência no ambiente, ou atmosfera, que se cria…

Resumindo e concluindo, tenho uma afirmação, um desejo e uma questão: para mim, não havia forma melhor de passar a noite de sábado, que eles voltem sempre que quiserem e porque raio parei de ouvir Porcupine Tree?

Il saluto di Wilson e soci a fine concerto

Dopo una lunga assenza da questo blog, che ho trascurato colpevolmente, rieccomi qui! L’occasione è la mia trasferta in terra padovana per la 4a tappa italiana di uno dei miei gruppi preferiti: i Porcupine Tree.
Sabato 8 novembre, io e il buon vecchio Simone siamo partiti in direzione Padova, verso il “Grande Teatro”. Ma che posto è questo? Da dove spunta fuori? Un luogo che non conoscevamo; un nome che solo di recente era apparso in mezzo alle abituali sedi dei concerti in Italia. In effetti si tratta di un teatro tenda di nuova costruzione, creato per ospitare concerti, cabaret e altro. Addirittura il live della band inglese è stato il primo evento ad essere presentato in questa struttura. Non è un posto molto carino, ma mi è sembrato abbastanza funzionale.
Dicevamo… serata di debutto per la struttura, forse anche per questo motivo l’acustica non era proprio al top, soprattutto durante l’esibizione dei Demians, band francese che ha aperto la serata. I suoni erano molto impastati, fatto che mi ha impedito di farmi un’idea sulla musica del trio d’oltralpe, su quali quindi non mi pronuncio.
I suoni erano decisamente migliori durante la performance dei “porcospini”. Fortunatamente il gruppo dimostra la sua bravura anche nel gestire in modo autonomo i suoni in un luogo acusticamente non adeguato.
Ma parliamo del concerto: inizio alla grande con l’esecuzione integrale della nuova suite “The Incident” (50 minuti!); io ho apprezzato fin da subito il nuovo CD e dal vivo rende molto bene, grazie anche alle immagini proiettate in fondo al palco in sintonia con la musica. Si tratta di animazioni realizzate dal regista Lasse Hoile da parecchio tempo partner artistico di Steven Wilson.
Alla fine della prima parte la band si prende una pausa di 10 minuti, scandita da un conto alla rovescia proiettato sullo schermo. Puntuali, allo scadere, i nostri ritornano sul palco per dare inizio alla seconda parte.
Il secondo set non mi è piaciuto del tutto, anche perché composto da brani che non annovero tra i miei preferiti; il mio è naturalmente un giudizio puramente soggettivo, infatti l’esecuzione è stata pressoché perfetta. Non mi è piaciuta in particolar modo l’esecuzione parziale di Russia On Ice, questa sì tra le mie favorite, interrotta a metà e male attaccata (non era certamente un medley) alla parte centrale di Anesthetize. Sul finale un altro brano tratto dal secondo CD di “The Incident”, Bonnie the Cat. Poi l’uscita di rito prima di rientrare per i bis. Ma ecco qui di seguito la lista dei brani.

set 1:
The Incident

set 2:
Start Of Something Beautiful
Russia On Ice + Pills I’m Taking (ossia la parte centrale di Anesthetize)
Stars Die
Strip The Soul + .3
Normal
Way Out Of Here
Bonnie the cat

bis:
The Sound Of Muzak
Trains

Ma parliamo un po’ dei musicisti. Steven Wilson in grande forma, la solita faccia “da sberle”, ma anche qualche sorriso. Gavin Harrison impressionante, non più “solo tecnica” come in passato, ma pienamente inserito nel tessuto musicale della band. Colin Edwin sempre puntuale ma con una espressione facciale rimasta immutata per tutta la serata. Richard Barbieri apparentemente sullo sfondo (ci abbiamo anche scherzato su) ma in realtà tessitore di tappeti sonori, in evidenza soprattutto durante “The Incident”. Infine il quinto uomo, John Wesley, presente solo dal vivo ma sempre più membro effettivo, mostrando un affiatamento perfetto con gli altri, la sua chitarra spesso era all’altezza di quella di Wilson. Wilson che a fine concerto, abbandonando il palco, saluta tutti “brandendo” (o forse dovrei dire “brindando”?) un bicchiere di vino rosso.

L'omone delle pulizie

Per concludere una curiosità: durante il cambio gruppo abbiamo osservato divertiti un “omone delle pulizie” aggirarsi impacciato sul palco; armato di aspirapolvere si preoccupava di rimuovere dal palco ogni genere di scheggia che potesse arrecare danno a Steven Wilson, che come di consuetudine suona a piedi nudi.
Se volete approfondire qui sotto trovate una “camionata” di link. Vi saluto.

————–
Grande Teatro di Padova
Demians
Foto | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Una intervista a Wilson prima del concerto
Lasse Holie
Il blog ufficiale del Tour
E naturalmente il sito ufficiale dei Porcupine Tree

The progressive rock community is a bit like a cult. We’re always looking for new members to indoctrinate with our absurd rules and customs, but we’re also totally cool with simply calling you a heretic and setting you on fire if you don’t want to drink the kool aid. Thus every new band that introduces itself to the public is subjected to this trial by prog, and depending on their music, image, and various intangibles that no one really discusses but we all innately agree upon some how, the band is either forcibly branded with the prog label like cattle or they’re condemned as a source of musical decay, an inferior strand of musical DNA in the progressive master race.

To be fair, progressive rock is not unique in this process. Most niche music genres have their own methods for including or excluding new artists. I do feel though that prog community is exceptional in the sheer scope of artists it’s willing to try to associate the prog tag with. Hip hop, blue grass, jazz, metal, techno, trance, industrial, R&B, basically any genre with the work ‘rock’ in it, classical, hardcore, emo, punk, alternative, I honestly can’t think of a genre that doesn’t have at least one band in it that at some point didn’t also get slapped with a ‘progressive rock’ tag. We’re like the super spoiled kids no one likes in elementary school who invite the entire grade to their birthday party. We don’t actually have many friends ourselves, so we force as many people to be involved with us as possible to make it look like we’re popular. (and HOLY SHIT if you brought a gift we don’t like, you can kiss your turn on that kick-ass moon bounce goodbye).

So today I’m going to look at some of the bands making an impact in popular music and I’ll be asking the all important question, “will it prog?” Is this a band that music nerds are going to claim as their own, a savior of ‘real’ music for the masses, or shun as yet another cancer slowly crushing the vital organs of popular music? (note: according to progressive rock fans, popular music has had terminal cancer for about 40 years now).

Them Crooked Vultures: Super groups almost automatically always get recruited by the prog army. By nature, super groups are pretentious (Hey, I’m an awesome musician, screw my band, I only want to work with other awesome musicians) so the ground is fertile for a pompous progressive rock view point. Also, the odds prog infestation increase exponentially for every member of a classic rock group involved in the project(in this case, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin).

Result: IT WILL PROG. It will prog hard. I will say that, to me, the music I’ve heard from this band sounds like a more straight forward Queens of the Stone Age than anything actually stereotypically progressive rock. How the music actually sounds doesn’t matter though, they’ll be assimilated by the end of the year, unless they sign some kind of exclusive deal with Target, in which case a hit will be put out for Dave Grohl.

Phoenix: A band growing in popularity with hipsters and people who want to be hipsters. You’ve probably heard a song of there’s in a commercial without realizing it, so your opinion of the 2010 Cadillac RX is no doubt linked directly to that of the band. They’re French, and France is basically the lamest country in Europe when it comes to Progressive rock for some reason. Lamer than Sweeden. Seriously.

Result: IT WILL NOT PROG. No question here. It’s not the immediate corporate shilling (For instance Porcupine Tree has been played on MTV multiple times) or even the hipster association (see: The Decemberists). What it comes down to is that France is the only place in the world that can out-pretentious progressive rock fans. At least that’s one battle they can claim they’ve won.

Cage the Elephant: Cage the Elephant reminds me of Sublime, replacing the southern California influences and replacing them with Kentucky drawl. Their popularity has been steadily growing since they played some big festivals (Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo), tv spots (Letterman), stuck their big single up for free on iTunes, and lent it as an opening theme for a videogame. They also look like they haven’t come out of their parent’s garage in 10 years, making them ripe for the prog-ing.

Result: IT WILL NOT PROG. The music is just too generic to catch the attention of the public, and I keep finding reports of emotionless, sloppy live shows, something prog fans will NOT tolerate. They ARE being tolerated by the jam band and festival scene apparently, so the hippies can have them!

Passion Pit: Another hipster band, using heavy doses of electronics and synths to cover up the actual guitar/bass/drums being used on stage (simple formula: acoustic guitar and sounds controlled with a keyboard or iPhone=hipster. Drums and bass that aren’t produced by a computer=not hipster). Those traditional instruments are actually there though, I swear. Also, I get the feeling that I’m listening to rejected and remixed Sesame Street tunes listening to their material. This is not a criticism.

Result: IT WILL PROG. Their vocalist sings like his balls got ripped off. Automatically this lands them in progressive rock territory. Also, with lyrics like ‘Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair’ I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been stealing their lyrics from the same book of stories and rhymes that most early 70’s progressive rock groups were using.

Hopefully you learned something by looking into this crystal ball. Progressive rock has the ability to sneak up and steal your favorite bands when you aren’t looking, so be on your guard, lest you wake up and find that all of your music has been progged during the night.

Utwory: All Sweet Things; Beautiful Songs You Should Know; Pigeon Drummer; Truenorth; Wherever There Is Light; Song of the Surf; Streaming; Mixtaped

Wykonawcy: Tim Bowness – wokale, melotron, piano, programowanie; Steven Wilson – piano, gitary, bas, instrumenty klawiszowe, programowanie, wokale;

Wydawca: K-Scope

Rok wydania: 2008

Data napisania recenzji: 01.08.08

Subiektywna ocena (od 1 do 10): 9

Zdążyliśmy się już nieco zatęsknić za najbardziej efemerycznym ostatnimi czasy projektem Stevena Wilsona i Tima Bownessa. Od ostatniego wspólnego albumu “Together We’re Stranger” minęło w prawdzie aż 5 lat, ale w międzyczasie Wilson uraczył nas dwiema studyjnymi płytami Porcupine Tree, kolejną płytą Blackfield, a sam Bowness solowym albumem “My Hotel Year” i tajemniczym projektem Darkroom i płytą “Daylight“. Pod szyldem No-Man wyszła tylko składanka “All the Blue Changes…”.  Tymczasem wyrosła dodatkowo konkurencja w postaci włoskiego projektu Nosound, który swoimi płytami “Sol29” i “Lightdark” zauroczył sporą część fanów tego melancholijnego progresu spod znaku No-Man właśnie.

Po ostatniej mimo wszystko słabszej płycie miałem obawy przed zetknięciem się z nową propozycją panów Bownessa i Wilsona. Jednakże już otwierający całość utwór “All Sweet Things” rozwiewa wszelkie wątpliwości. Pianino, gitara akustyczna, w tle od pewnego momentu melotron i znów chwytające za gardło wokalizy jak za pięknych czasów “Flowermouth“. W kolejnym utworze znów prócz gitary akustycznej, w tle tęsknie pobrzmiewa wiolonczela. Zdecydowanie na plus tej płycie zaliczyć trzeba powrót do akustycznych instrumentów kosztem elektroniki. Prawdziwa niespodzianka czeka nas dopiero przy kompozycji numer trzy: “Pigeon Drummer“, niepokojący klawiszowy wstęp prowadzi do perkusyjnego łomotu o industrialnej posmaku, brzmi to troszkę jak wczesny Godflesh przybrany w progresywne barwy. Zaskakujący i szalenie interesujący kawałek. Zaraz po nim następuje opus magnum tej płyty – kompozycja “Truenorth“. Przepięknie zarysowana melodia, senna, nieco lynchowska atmosfera i do tego niesamowite emocje. Jedna z najlepszych kompozycji Wilsona w ogóle z ciekawie wykorzystanym melotronem,  fletem i instrumentami smyczkowymi.

“Wherever There Is Light” i “Streaming” zbliżają się mocno do poprzedniej płyty, nasycone pasażami instrumentów klawiszowych, z unoszącym się nad nimi wokalami, wśród wszechogarniającej nostalgii. Kończący całość “Mixtaped” to próba ascetycznego podejścia do fenomenu No-Man, troszkę atmosferą przypominająca “Blemish” Davida Sylviana, ale wciąż na wskroś przesiąknięta muzycznym charakterem panów Wilsona/Bownessa.

Warto było czekać te 5 lat, “Schoolyard Ghosts” to płyta nieprzeciętna i można spokojnie zaryzykować stwierdzenie, że to obok “Flowermouth” najlepsza płyta w historii duetu. Niezwykła to mikstura przeszywającego piękna, elektronicznych eksperymentów, sennej atmosfery i mimo wszystko niespodzianek, kryjących w dobrze znanej recepturze.

Tomek „BlaKcThrone” JAŁUKOWICZ

In generale non sono il tipo di persona che va a vedere lo stesso gruppo più di una volta, salvo specifici casi: come quello dei Dark Tranquillity, che guarda caso erano il gruppo preferito di Psyche e che credo di aver visto qualcosa come cinque volte. Ma dato che i soldi scarseggiano sempre e i gruppi che varrebbe la pena di vedere sono virtualmente infiniti, non è opportuno insistere sempre sulla stessa band, finendo in tal modo per trascurare altre formazioni sicuramente meritevoli.

Nel caso dei Porcupine Tree sono invece alla mia terza data, e questo va al di là del fatto che si tratta – come ho già detto e ripetuto – di una delle mie band preferite. Al mio primo concerto della prog band inglese (19/09/06) ci ero andato quasi per caso, conoscendo per giunta il solo album “In Absentia”; in seguito a quella data ho avuto modo di ascoltare e apprezzare molti altri dischi dei PT, così mi è sembrato naturale tornarli a vedere un anno dopo (18/11/07), anche perché c’erano i miei amati Anathema come opening-act; purtroppo quella sera Psyche è stata colpita da un malore all’inizio della performance di Wilson e soci, così abbiamo dovuto allontanarci subito dall’agognata prima fila e in seguito abbiamo saggiamente deciso di lasciare l’Alcatraz prima della fine del concerto. Fatto sta che senz’altro me la meritavo una terza opportunità.

Aggiungerei inoltre un particolare piuttosto rilevante: il bello dei concerti dei Porcupine Tree è che davvero non hai idea di che cosa suoneranno. Non sono una di quelle band che sul palco ti portano sempre il loro greatest hits, riveduto e corretto col passare degli anni ma sempre grossomodo stabile. Con i PT ogni singola canzone pubblicata negli ultimi diciott’anni è potenzialmente inseribile in scaletta, cosa che rende in un certo senso unica ciascuna delle loro performance: nella data milanese del 2007 avevano estratto dalla manica due b-side semisconosciute (Half-Light e Drown with Me) e l’anno prima, addirittura, avevano passato la prima ora di concerto suonando unicamente materiale inedito, materiale che sarebbe poi confluito nell’album “Fear of a Blank Planet”. 

Quella di Milano è la prima delle quattro date italiane del tour di supporto all’ultimo album “The Incident”, uscito il 18 settembre per la Roadrunner Records (e che spero di riuscire a recensire entro fine anno).

Specialmente in questi ultimi anni, Wilson e soci hanno ampliato decisamente la loro base di fan, essendo i PT una band apprezzata sia per l’aspetto prog, sia per le inflessioni metal, sia per le ballad sognanti e malinconiche. Il che significa che i loro concerti sono stranamente popolati tanto da giovanotti imberbi con le magliette dei Meshuggah quanto da dark ladies di ogni sorta e, naturalmente, veterani del prog.

Come volevasi dimostrare, infatti, l’Alcatraz è gremito da subito, e io, che ho passato un’ora e mezza a bestemmiare alacremente in mezzo al traffico cittadino, arrivando in loco appena un quarto d’ora dopo l’apertura dei cancelli, mi sono dovuto accontentare di una comunque dignitosa terza fila.

Non mi soffermerò molto sulla band di supporto, il trio francese dei Demians, che non mi ha granché entusiasmato. Prog? Psichedelici? Sì, forse un po’. Ma si tratta per lo più di divagazioni innestate su uno sfondo rock che, per riffing e impostazione vocale, mi ha ricordato molto i Creed, solo con molte più tastiere campionate. I ragazzi s’impegnano, si sforzano di essere originali e bisogna riconoscerglielo, ma a mio parere non sono molto ispirati; buono comunque il brano di chiusura, The Perfect Symmetry.

Conclusa la mezz’oretta dei Demians compaiono subito i roadie, che spazzano via ogni ricordo del gruppo spalla portando alla luce il portentoso drum kit di Gavin Harrison e l’angolo giochi di Richard Barbieri (tastiere, synth, MacBook). Pochi minuti dopo desta notevole curiosità la comparsa di un grosso aspirapolvere, che un roadie porta a spasso per tutto il palco con apparente disinvoltura, ripulendo coscienziosamente ogni remoto angolino… eh già, il nostro amico Steven non ha ancora perso l’abitudine di suonare a piedi nudi!

In perfetto orario la band sale sul palco e, nella preminente oscurità, attacca con la intro “Occam’s Razor” e subito dopo con la coinvolgente “The Blind House”, i primi due movimenti della lunga suite che dà il titolo all’ultimo album. Steven Wilson, nella prima pausa disponibile, saluta l’audience spiegando che la prima metà del concerto sarà costituita dalla riproposizione integrale dei 55 minuti di The Incident (cosa che quel chiacchierone antipatico dietro di me aveva già svelato qualche minuto prima… e io che mi ero astenuto tutto il tempo dal guardare le scalette degli altri concerti per non rovinarmi la sorpresa!).

Ormai conscio del mio destino, mi rassegno a questa prima parte non esageratamente esaltante (non ho amato particolarmente il loro ultimo album) dividendo la mia attenzione tra la band, che esegue in maniera impeccabile e con una grande raffinatezza sonora i quattordici movimenti di The Incident, e lo schermo che trasmette le enigmatiche creazioni del film-maker danese Lasse Holle, il cui stile a tratti assomiglia terribilmente a quello dei primi video dei Tool.

La prima parte della suite, come tipo di sonorità e attitudine del pubblico, si addice più a un auditorium che a una discoteca rock, salvo alcuni passaggi come il ritornello (osceno) di “Drawing the Line” e il finale di “The Incident”. Ma con la bellissima “Time Flies” il concerto inizia finalmente a decollare e la seconda parte, più ruvida, ha una resa live superiore, anche grazie alle peripezie balistiche di Gavin Harrison, tributario di numerose ovazioni personali. È invece curioso vedere come nel corso della suite Wilson cambi chitarra in media ogni tre minuti, mentre John Wesley – che ha una pedaliera grossa quanto la mia scrivania – mantenga la stessa fino alla fine della prima parte, cambiandola solo per la conclusiva “I Drive the Hearse”, dove è investito del compito di eseguire lo struggente solo conclusivo.

(Fotografia di Max Murgia – Loudvision.)

Dopo dieci minuti dieci di pausa (con tanto di conto alla rovescia sullo schermo) la band ritorna sul palco, ed è subito l’inizio di qualcosa di bellissimo: non lo dico solo per parafrasare il titolo del brano che apre la seconda parte del concerto, quanto perché bellissimo lo è stato per davvero, grazie alla qualità delle canzoni proposte e alle due “sorprese” riservate nella scaletta. La prima – che per l’emozione mi fa venire i brividi, e a momenti le lacrime agli occhi – è l’iperdepressa Russia on Ice, a cui viene agganciata la devastante sezione centrale di Anesthetize (che, a quanto apprendo dalla scaletta, viene chiamata confidenzialmente Pills I’m Taking). La seconda è la malinconica Stars Die, un singolo coevo all’uscita di “The Sky Moves Sideways” (1995) e a quanto pare mai proposto in Italia, dove i PT hanno iniziato a esibirsi a partire dal 1997. A tal proposito, introducendo questo brano, Steven Wilson ha domandato se qualcuno del pubblico fosse presente all’epoca dei primi concerti italiani, ma il boato della platea sembra un po’ troppo forte per il quattrocchi scalzo. «Questo non è possibile», commenta Wilson, «me le ricordo quelle serate piovose a Milano con trenta persone di numero…».

In questa seconda frazione di concerto, insieme al repertorio, è cambiato anche il tipo di risposta del pubblico, che se nella prima parte restava in muta ammirazione (spero non fosse noia) come davanti a ogni spettacolo prog che si rispetti, nella seconda si è decisamente scatenato. Dopo una bella accoppiata di classici recenti, la band annuncia l’ultimo brano: ma quando parte Bonnie the Cat è evidente che non fanno sul serio, perché non esiste canzone più fredda e anti-catartica di quella. Infatti, dopo un paio di minuti di buio con i roadie che trafficano sul palco, Wilson e soci ritornano alla ribalta con un’ultima doppietta tratta dal celebrato “In Absentia”: The Sound of Muzak e Trains.

Quest’ultima, in particolare, viene presentata in modo piuttosto enigmatico da Steven Wilson, che sostiene come gli ingredienti di un buon concerto siano “music, magic and comedy”. L’enigma si chiarisce nella pausa centrale di Trains quando, dopo un ottimo brano (music) e un emozionante refrain cantato ad alta voce dal pubblico (magic) arriva il momento della comedy, con Gavin Harrison che emerge da dietro la batteria improvvisandosi giocoliere per qualche secondo. E l’ilarità continua subito dopo con la presentazione del resto della band. Richard “io con gli occhiali da sole ci vado anche a dormire” Barbieri viene presentato dicendo: «È di origine italiana, sapete?». Poi è la volta di John Wesley, «direttamente dagli Stati Uniti», e parte un breve sample di Born in the USA di Bruce Springsteen. Il giro si conclude con il buon Colin Edwin che, benché nato a Melbourne, è a tutti gli effetti «inglese di Hemel Hempstead», e parte il tema di Another One Bites the Dust dei Queen. Un ultimo ritornello, un finale carico di gioia, un mare di applausi e inchini per un concerto davvero strepitoso ed emozionante.

In generale non sono il tipo di persona che va a vedere lo stesso gruppo più di una volta. Ma dato che in questo caso ho già fatto un’eccezione, e solo il cielo sa quanto ne sia valsa la pena, chissà mai che con i Porcupine Tree non possa capitare di nuovo… 

Una premessa per quanto riguarda il video. Nella mia vita ho compiuto e compio tuttora svariati atti di pirateria, ma ho sempre fatto delle distinzioni. E se una band che rispetto mi chiede ripetutamente di non scattare foto o fare riprese durante i suoi concerti, io non solo non faccio niente del genere, ma mi astengo dal pubblicare ciò che altri hanno ripreso contravvenendo a questa regola. Quindi, piuttosto che andare a scartabellare su YouTube per proporvi qualcosa dello specifico concerto di Milano, vi propongo una bella versione di The Start of Something Beautiful tratta dal dvd live del 2005 “Arriving Somewhere…”.

SETLIST

PARTE 1: The Incident (l’intera suite, da “The Incident”, 2009)

PARTE 2: The Start of Something Beautiful (da “Deadwing”, 2005) – Russia on Ice (prima parte, da “Lightbulb Sun”, 2000) – Anesthetize (sezione centrale, da “Fear of a Blank Planet”, 2007) – Stars Die (singolo, 1995) – Way Out of Here (da “Fear of a Blank Planet”, 2007) – Normal (da “Nil Recurring”, EP, 2007) – Bonnie the Cat (da “The Incident”, 2009)

ENCORES: The Sound of Muzak, Trains (entrambe da “In Absentia”, 2002)

FORMAZIONE

Steven Wilson (voce, chitarra, tastiere) – Richard Barbieri (tastiere, sintetizzatore) – Colin Edwin (basso) – Gavin Harrison (batteria) – John Wesley (chitarra, cori)

Banda da Semana:  Porcupine Tree

A Banda de Hoje foi formada em 1987 como um projeto solo do vocalista e guitarrista Steven Wilson na Inglaterra. A Banda é classificada pelos fãs como Rock Progressico.

É formada por Steven Wilson (Voz e guitarra), Richard Barbieri (Teclado), Colin Edwin (Baixo), Gavin Harrison (Bateria) e John Wesley (guitarra). O último não participa das gravações, apenas das apresentações ao vivo.

Seu primeiro albúm lançado, intitulado ”On the Sunday of Life”, foi a junção de duas fitas que continham gravações de Wilson. Em 1996 a banda lança o considerado album mais refinado musicalmente, chamado ”Signify”

A melhor formação do Porcupine Tree se confirmou em 2002, com a entrada de Gavin Harrison na bateria. Essa formação rendeu o albúm ”In Absentia”, contendo um som mais pesado.

O álbum ”Dead Wing” , que considero o melhor da banda e foi lançado no início de 2005, teve venda total aproximada em 500 mil cópias. Foi a consagração da banda.

O mais recente trabalho se chama ”Fear of a Blank Planet”, muito aclamado pela mídia e até concorreu ao Grammy para ”Melhor albúm em Sorround Som”.

Dexo vocês com dois vídeos: o primeira da música ”Blackest Eyes”, do albúm ”In Absentia”, e o segundo da música ”Fear of  a Blank Planet” do Albúm homônimo de 2007.

Well, thanks to a certain bigwig, I got off of my duff to make a mix CD for his round robin dealio.  No major theme this time like prior mixes… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2009).

{If you aren’t part of the round robin and want a CD, contact me.  If you’re local, even better. I’ll get ‘em out around Thanksgiving.}

The following songs were put on the mix CD from lossless sources for promotional purposes only (read: free direct market advertising to people who decidedly love music).  Most of the artists on this compilation are independent (put out the music themselves) or signed to smaller, independent labels.  If you like what you hear, check out their music / support them with your wallet if you are able.  The artists’ Webpage, MyFace & Spacebook (whether official or not), and Amazon links are available for each song below.  I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.

PDF front liner is available HERE (designed to print double-sided).

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01 Nellie McKay “Do Do Do” from Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day
Well, the person who got this round robin going (Brad) was a direct influence in me getting into Nellie McKay back when Get Away From Me came out.  I’ve been a fan ever since.  I think GAFM is my favorite of hers, but she’s still quite consistently entertaining to me.  Her latest album is a tribute to the late great Doris Day.  It’s missing some of Nellie’s sly wit, but is definitely fitting in her “I wish I was born in another era” wishes.  The album art is 135% fitting for Nellie, too.  Perfect choice!

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02 John Zorn “Miller’s Crake” from O’o
I could have put on some more skwoky Zorn, but I opted for a more accessible number.  John Zorn is prolific, but this was actually a slow year – I only count six Zorn-related releases.  O’o is twelve lyrical and adventurous instrumentals combining world music, surf, exotica, soundtracks, easy listening, and minimalism dedicated to twelve different birds (Chippy’s artwork is amazing).  “Miller’s Crake” is a delightful Guaraldi-esque jaunt from the band that came out of the Electric Masada / The Gift / The Dreamers sessions: Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, Kenny Wollesen, Trevor Dunn, Joey Baron, and Cyro Baptista.

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03 Extra Golden “Gimakiny Akia” from Thank You Very Quickly Vol 3
I was planning on going to Eugene Celebration anyway, but I got a call from a friend who suggested that we meet and definitely go to see Extra Golden.  Um, OK, sure.  Then I saw them, and wow… fuuuuun.  I love African music, but sometimes it’s gets all too similar unless you do something fun (a la Fela Kuti, Antibalas, etc).  Well, Extra Golden are half Kenyan and half American (which I guess is the “something fun” part?  I don’t know).  They fuse some great jam-rock with Kenyan beats* and singing… great stuff.  Fantastic live show, too. *-Though, coincidentally, not so much Kenyan beats on this track.  Yeah, sorry.

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04 Ember Swift “Hollowed Bones 空骨” from Lentic :: 子玉
Ember Swift (yes, her real name) is finally starting to head in a new direction.  I mean, I dig her a lot, but her past albums have been slightly derivative of Ani DiFranco (with maybe a little more adventurism).  She’s from Canada, but has spent time living in China recently.  In fact, I think she’s still living there (don’t quote me on that)… that culture has definitely had an impact on her music.

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05 Works Progress Administration / Glen Phillips “Rise Up” from Works Progress Administration
This song first showed up on the Concert to End Slavery compilation as a Glen Phillips solo song.  It’s my favorite from WPA, but it’s not very representative of the album.  The album is more folky / americana via the heavy influence of Sean & Sara Watkins from Nickelcreek and Luke Bulla (from Lyle Lovett’s band).

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06 Madeleine Peyroux “Damn the Circumstances” from Bare Bones
I am usually not a fan of vocal jazz… it’s usually too full of schlock, if you ask me.  Well, Madeleine’s smoky voice overrides that generalism for me.  She’s a fantastic vocalist, a throwback to the golden era of jazz vocalists.  This album is her first of non-covers.  All original, either written solo or co-written, Bare Bones moves her from a “fantastic standards” singer to bringing vocal jazz back into fresh territory.

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07 dredg “Gathering Pebbles” from The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
dredg is one of my favorite bands now.  2005’s Catch Without Arms floored me, and I was eagerly awaiting the follow-up.  It took too long (4 years), but it was well worth it.  The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion is by far my favorite album this year.  It was inspired by Salmon Rushdie’s essay “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the Sixth Billionth Citizen.”  In fact, this past fall, dredg and Salmon did a joint show that was captured by Spin magazine.

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08 Porcupine Tree “Flicker” from The Incident
The best progressive rock band around, Porcupine Tree’s The Incident is a 55-minute epic concept album/song.  “Flicker” is actually a session b-side from the 2nd disc from the collection.  I got a chance to see Porcupine Tree this September, and Steven Wilson & Co delivered the impeccable studio sound to the stage.  It’s almost magic.

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09 O.S.I. “Terminal” from Blood
I really like this 3rd record by O.S.I. (formerly know as the Office of Strategic Influence).  O.S.I. is a joint collaboration of Chroma Key’s Kevin Moore and Fates Warning’s Jim Matheos.  Most of Blood is heavier progressive rock, but I tend to like the more Chroma Key-esque tracks like “Terminal.”  The album has guests Gavin Harrison (of Porcupine Tree) on drums, Mikael Åkerfeldt (of Opeth) on vocals for one track, and Tim Bowness (or No-Man) on vocals for one track as well. The 2nd disc also features a Kevin Moore-sung, rockin’ tribute to Elliott Smith (“Christian Brothers”).

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10 900X “The Black Beach” from Library Catalog Music Series: Music For Lubbock, 1980
Sufjan Steven’s label Asthmatic Kitty is really becoming a favorite.  They host music by Sufjan, My Brightest Diamond, Fol Chen, Osso, and now the excellent experimentation from the various Library Catalog Music Series artists.  The 900X release is my favorite of the six releases so far.  I received the high quality mp3s from the record label for free, and I loved it so much that I bought it on vinyl.

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11 Chali 2Na featuring Talib Kweli “Lock Sh*t Down” from Fish Outta Water
I’m still sad that Jurassic 5 broke up, but now we get albums from Portable Payback (Marc7 & Soup), Cut Chemist, DJ Nu Mark, Akil the MC, and, of course, Chali 2Na (my favorite from the group).  Chali’s got that deep booming voice that makes you pay attention.  This song’s lyrics (and video) are kinda cheesy, IMO, but it still features some nice flow from the “lyrical manphibian.”

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12 Peter Mulvey “Vlad the Astrophysicist” from Letters From a Flying Machine
Storytelling has always been a fantastic part of Peter’s live shows.  Nine years ago, when his first niece was born, Peter got into the habit of writing physical letters to his nieces and nephews (now 17 kids in total).  This album is interspersed with spoken word letters and new music.  I think it’s his strongest album since 2000’s The Trouble With Poets.  I like a lot of different music, but with that being said, I think Peter is by far my favorite singer-songwriter.  Support indie music!

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13 David Bazan “Curse Your Branches” from Curse Your Branches
I wanted to put on “Hard to Be,” but due to space limitations, I went for a shorter song.  This is David’s first full-length solo album since disbanding the indie rock band Pedro the Lion.  PTL was really David’s thing anyway; so him disbanding the band isn’t that big of a deal, if you ask me.  This album also marks his first decided move away from the “religious guy” things into the “heavily agnostic thing” (kudos to him, from me at least).  This album is peppered with his thoughts and doubts of his religious upbringing – even moreso than in his prior Pedro days.  It very well called a “breakup letter to God” by some.

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14 John Zorn “Novato” from Alhambra Love Songs
Alhambra Love Songs is a set of 11 songs that are an eclectic homage to San Francisco Bay area musicians.  This particular song is dedicated to Mike Patton (and, no, that’s not why I picked it).  The album is played by pianist Rob Burger, bassist Greg Cohen, and drummer Ben Perowsky – and also falls into the “more accessible” John Zorn camp.

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15 Wussy “Little Paper Birds” from Wussy
This little band that could from Cincinnati is getting some good buzz in major publications (I know Spin has featured them several times).  I went to college with their female lead singer, Lisa Walker, and remember when she did a more folky thing.  I think Wussy’s sound suits her well (and vice versa).  Anyway, this is their third record, and features some great songs from both Lisa and Ass Ponys’ Chuck Cleaver.

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16 The Dead Kenny G’s “Birther Blues” from Bewildered Herd
Prior to moving to the PacNW, I had heard of saxophonist Skerik via John Zorn and other avant-garde connections.  I never got to hear him until I moved here and saw him at Sam Bond’s.  He seems to be down here in Eugene every other month or so, in different band incarnations.  The Dead Kenny G’s features Skerik on tenor sax & pianos, Mike Dillon on drums (who I recently saw drum with Ani DiFranco), and Brad Houser on bass & baritone sax.

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17 Ikue Mori “Redeye Skimmer” from Class Insecta
Ikue Mori is an interesting instrumentalist.  She mostly utilizes a laptop, and I saw her play live with Ellery Eskelin & Jim Black in NYC in 2007 and was wowed by the improvisational nature of her craft.  Most of her albums are more avant-garde.  She has one album that I’d consider to be much more accessible (1995’s Painted Desert on Japan’s DIY/Avant label).  Class Insecta is also more accessible than most of her work.  I suppose if you like well composed, electronic music dedicated to insect species, it’s for you!

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Let me know what you think…

unfortunately missing (due to space or flow limitations, or that I simply didn’t get them in the mail yet): pop from Regina Spektor, Zero 7 & the Swell Season; jazz from Dave Douglas’ Brass Ecstasy and A Single Sky, Masada Quintet + Lovano, and The Fantastic Terrific Munkle; comedy from Flight of the Conchords; and some metal Ahleuchatistas, Megadeth, Isis, Dream Theater, Puscifer, Tides From Nebula & Alice in Chains.  Oh well, those may make it on my “favorite albums” of 2009 list.

~Dan – np: Puscifer – C is For…

there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available

Most of good albums for 2009 are already out. I’ve compiled the traditional top 10 list for this year. Any album that is still coming out i doubt will figure in this list since 2009 was such a great year for music compared with 2008.

Please feel free to comment if you think some album in your opinion is missing. I didn’t make the review for all of them because I didn’t want to post too much crap, if you want a specific review in this list let me know.

Total list i listened to was 146 albums for this year, this is the top 10.

1. Riverside – Anno Domini High Definition

Riverside comes back with a the first album of a new trilogy. New sounds, cohesive music changes, innovative and fresh music. Riverside have composed an album which is a perfect reflection of our times. An offering full of symbolism starting with the fact that the title of their fourth release consists of four words and that the album is precisely 44:44 minutes long and an intelligent take on current reality. Anno Domini High Definition is not a concept album in the classic sense, although it features a central theme and a haunting message. “It’s an album about people who know they need to speed up or they’ll get left behind”

2. Porcupine Tree – The Incident

London’s legendary Porcupine tree 10th studio album. Takes the listener on a thrilling audio journey. In turns haunting, desolate, hypnotic and euphoric, its centre-piece is the title track: a stunning 55-minute musical statement that breaks down into 14 separate and often diverse (though interlinked) vignettes. Not the best work of the band but still whatever Porcupine Tree delivers is above anything out in the market. Excellent sound mixing and supreme recording quality.

3.  Mastodon – Crack the Skye

Mastodon has taken hold of the leadership of the New Wave of Progressive Heavy Metal. Crack The Skye, its fourth original studio album, mines subject matter from czarist Russia and astral travel to out-of-body experiences and Stephen Hawking’s theories on wormholes for an unrepentantly heavy aural assault that will shake the heavens. Some personal songs for the band members and really really impressive guitar riffs make this the third on the list for 2009.

4.  Dream Theater – Black Clouds and Silver Linings

Black Clouds & Silver Linings marks another milestone on Dream Theater’s iconoclastic musical journey, which began two and a half decades ago and now encompasses a hugely impressive body of music that’s established the durable progressive metal outfit as a one-of-a-kind creative force with a fiercely devoted international fan base. The new album – produced by band members Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci, who also serve as the group’s main lyricists – offers a vibrant manifestation of the world-class musicianship, vivid lyrical scenarios and ambitious, multi-leveled compositions that have established Dream Theater as a uniquely compelling creative force.

5. Transatlantic – The Whirlwind

A nice surprise in a year full of nice surprises! Not bad at all! I have to sayI was never a big fan of Transatlantic. Not that they were bad, no way. I have both their first albums and I think they are quite good. But I felt something was missing even if their sound had most of what a prog fan wanted: great musicanship, good songwriting, good production and the right influences (meaning symphonic rock of the 70´s). But it lacked a kind of spark. Besides, Neal Morse was clearly the main protagonist on those CDs, making them sound a bit too much like Spock´s Beard (never one of my favorite bands).Well, I´m glad to say that with The Whirldwind they finally made the album we were all waiting for when we heard those musicians were assembling a group. The record drips with the power and conviction that lacked on the previous CDs. And Roine Stolt definitly takes the spotlight here much of the time. Now the band sounds fully like a band. Peter Trewavas is playing some of the heaviest bass in his career (much in the vein of the great Chris Squire), while Mike Portnoy shows he is a truly prog drummer. Best Transatlantic CD to date! The one the finally fulfilled the great expectations of having such extraordinaire musicians doing something as a group.

6.  Lamb of God – Wrath

Wrath is inspired by and based on the 10 plagues from the book of Exodus. After the reflective Sacrament (2006), a deeply personal album that found Blythe exorcising his personal demons, Wrath turns its lyrical focus outward, and returns to more of the breakneck riffing that characterized the band’s early material. A more “raw” sound that revives the metal genre with this excelent release from the pure american metal band, Lamb of God. As always, the musicianship is top notch here, especially the guitar playing, and of course, the drums. I consider Chris Adler to be the druming act that nowadays defies genre.

7.  The mars Volta – Octahedron

Hailed by The New Yorker as ‘perhaps the most musically adventurous act currently signed to a major label’ and by Rolling Stone as 2008’s Best Prog-Rock Band, The Mars Volta makes its Warner Bros. debut with Octahedron, the highly acclaimed group’s fifth studio album. Compared to last year Bedlam in goliath this is a completely different approach from the band to a more acoutic music development. Beautifully constructed, with nice melodic sections accross all the album.
My number one complaint (and there were very few of them) about The Bedlam in Goliath is that the band never took a moment to relax on that album. With every song being fast paced and loud I longed for those moments on a Volta record where I could take a breather before the next relentless thirteen minute prog rock latin jazz head bopping track would begin. Octahedron is the Ying to that albums Yang. I for one welcome a much slower album that builds to a more meaningful and impactful conclusion.

8.  Sonata Arctica – The Days of Grays

I wasn’t really sure if the finish Sonata Arctica would even make the top 10 this year on the first few listens to the album. However The Days of Grays is a nice consolidation of what Sonata Arctica has done on the past few years. With inventive and accurate musicianship the have managed to place all the pieces of the jigsaw together and make a nice mix of (Silence / Winterheart’s Guild) and ( Reckoning Night / Unia ) which were two different eras in the band’s history. Now the’ve returned more to their roots but seems like after passing through the Reckoning /Unia era they have brought back with them the best of that musical approach to the traditional speedy that is more like the early days that made them known worldwide.

9.  The Dear Hunter – Act III: Life and death

Following up where Act II left off Act III is more melodic record with the heavy parts heavier, and the soft parts more serene. Set in a WWI era, “Act III” documents the metamorphosis of a fictional central character as he makes the transition from innocence to impurity. This is heavily produced, highly emotional crossover-prog-rock. A lot of it plays like old time show tunes, or like Broadway musical tunes. There are multilayered harmonies (gorgeous), punctuating horns, and soaring string arrangements, alongside inventive guitar and keyboard parts. The Dear Hunter has been one of the underground bands that deserve more attention due of the crescent quality of their music along with every release. Act III beign the best so far that the band has released.

10.  Maudlin of the Well – Part the Second

Maudlin of the Well’s Part the Second is an almost unbelievable testament to what can happen between a truly talented artist and devoted fans. This album was funded by fan contributions (in fact expanded from a limited record of old ideas to a complete album project integrating new and old material) and then returned to those fans over the internet for free. This alone is so mind-blowingly cool, how music should be, that the album will hold a place in history that I hope becomes a model for what can be when we keep the music as the focus. But the fact is that the result is worthy of its historical place, a modern masterpiece. How all these things aligned seems almost divine. But perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. The love of music will never die. And not just any music would be able to muster this kind of support. Perhaps it was the fuel of that love that made the music as wonderful as it turned out.  Despite being very experimental, melodic themes pass through different parts in classical fashion, moods ebb and flow perfectly, and rhythms evolve from simple to complex without ever announcing their cleverness.

————————

So with this we conclude this years list. Every single album is excellent, hurray for 2009 in music. I just picked them as I like them best. Hope you like the list !!

Some other good recommendations are:

Gazpacho – Tick Tock;
Diablo Swing Orchestra – Sing Along Songs for the damned and delirious;
Between the buried and me – the great misdirect

Doctor-X

Fonte “RockOL“

E’ stato aperto in corso Australia, nell’ex area del Foro Boario, a Padova, il Gran Teatro, arcostruttura (lunga 100 metri e larga 48, con un palcoscenico di 26 metri per 20 e oltre 2000 posti a sedere con platea e tribuna digradanti) che ospiterà per tutta la stagione invernale concerti ed eventi anche a carattere musicale: sulle assi del Gran Teatro tra gli altri sono attesi, nelle prossime settimane, Porcupine Tree, Simple Minds, Claudio Baglioni, Vinicio Capossela, Incognito, Europe, Cristiano De André, Mango e J-Ax. Per il programma completo e aggiornato degli spettacoli è possibile consultare il sito ufficiale della struttura o la sezione Concerti di Rockol ad essa dedicata.

Porcupine Tree - The Incident

VALANCES OF THE DIALECTIC – FREDRIC JAMESON

NEW FROM VERSO

VALENCES OF THE DIALECTIC

BY FREDRIC JAMESON

After half a century exploring dialectical thought, renowned cultural critic Fredric Jameson presents a comprehensive study of a misunderstood yet vital strain in Western philosophy.

The dialectic, the concept of the evolution of an idea through conflicts arising from its inherent contradictions, transformed two centuries of Western philosophy. To Hegel, who dominated nineteenth-century thought, it was a metaphysical system. In the work of Marx, the dialectic became a tool for materialist historical analysis. More recently, the dialectic has come under attack from poststructuralist thinkers such as Deleuze or Laclau and Mouffe.

Jameson brings a theoretical scrutiny to bear on the questions that have arisen in the history of this philosophical tradition, contextualizing the debate in terms of commodification and globalization, and with reference to thinkers such as Rousseau, Lukács, Heidegger, Sartre, Derrida, and Althusser.

Through rigorous examination, Valences of the Dialectic charts a movement toward the innovation of a “spatial” dialectic. Jameson presents a new synthesis of thought that revitalizes dialectical thinking for the twenty-first century.

http://www.amazon.com/Valences-Dialectic-Fredric-Jameson/dp/185984877X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257803840&sr=1-1

Hardback • $49.95 • ISBN 978-1-84467-877-7 • 640 pages
November 2009
Available now in good bookstores and online
Distributed by W.W. Norton: tel. 1800 233 4830
Please submit desk copy requests to clara@versobooks.com

“Fredric Jameson is America’s leading Marxist critic. A prodigiously energetic thinker whose writings sweep majestically from Sophocles to science fiction … One of the great writers of our times, not just one of the most formidably gifted critics and cultural theorists” – Terry Eagleton
“Probably the most important cultural critic writing in English today … It can truly be said that nothing cultural is alien to him.” – Colin MacCabe

FREDRIC JAMESON is the Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at Duke University. His many books include Postmodernism, Brecht and Method, Late Marxism, The Cultural Turn, A Singular Modernity, The Modernist
Papers, Archaeologies of the Future, and The Ideologies of Theory. He was a recipient of the 2008 Holberg International Memorial Prize.

 Links:
   1. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   2. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   3. http://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Papers-Fredric-Jameson/dp/1844670961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257800242&sr=1-1
   4. http://www.amazon.com/Archaeologies-Future-Desire-Science-Fictions/dp/1844675386/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257805858&sr=1-2

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

War letztes Wochenende in Nürnberg. Nebenbei spielten da auch noch Porcupine Tree. In Nürnberg scheint es eine recht zahlreiche Fangemeinde von PT zu geben. Zumindest wurde die Band doch sehr gefeiert. Das Konzert teilte sich in zwei Teile auf. In der ersten Hälfte wurde der erste Teil der neuen Scheibe gespielt. Dann gab es eine Pause. Die Band scheint alt zu werden. Danach nur alte Stücke. Es schien, das auch dem Publikum die älteren Sachen besser zu gefallen als die neue Platte.

Es scheint mir aber so, dass dies mein letztes PT Konzert gewesen ist. Die Durchsage, dass man nicht fotografieren, filmen oder mitschneiden darf, kommt etwa dem gleich wie auf DVDs “Piracy is like stealing”. Die Band will ich wohl alle Möglichkeiten der Vermarktung für sich selbst offen halten. Fans, die Erinnerungen an das Konzert festhalten wollen und das möglicherweise in Form von Bildern oder Videos mit anderen teilen wollen bekommen das untersagt. Abgesehen davon, dass sich Herr Wilson vorher die Bühne saugen lässt, wird die Musik auch zunehmenst langweiliger. Meine Favouriten sind immer noch Up The Downstair und Staicase Infinities. Jetzt mit der neuen Platte gehen die ja ein sehr unpsychedelischen Weg und nähern sich an den breiteren Massenmarkt an. Will sagen, dass die Musik eingänglicher wird.

Trotzdem ist Nürnberg eine Reise wert. Zumindest für die, die sich für die Kultur im Mittelalter interessieren. Gibt da das Germanische Museum, welches mich jetzt nicht so interessiert hat, da die Bilder dort wohl von hochgradig depressiven Menschen gemalt wurden. Überall Blut, Gewalt und mies gelaunte Menschen zu sehen. Sonst noch viel alten Plunder. Alleine in den oberen Stockwerken gibt es moderne Kunst zu sehen; bloß nicht bei dem Kriegsgerät verlaufen. Aber bei weitem nicht so interessant wie das Museum of Modern Art in NY. Hier, in Nürnberg, gibt es ein Bild von Peter Angermann zu sehen. Dieser ist nicht nur durch seine Gemälde, sondern auch durch die Band Normal bekannt. Das Gemälde ist ein gutes Kontrastprogramm zu den Rest des Museums. Ich glaube es heißt “Aus grauer Vorzeit”.

Mentre attendo alla stazione di Vico Equense Paolo e Luigi, una nuvolosa sera di Giovedì 5 novembre 2009, un mio amico incontrato per strada commenta “Uah edda essr nu di’e grupp pe’ fa’ sta tarantell” (che tradotto dal napoletano significa: “Dev’essere un grande gruppo per fare tutto questo”). Beh sì, aveva ragione. Si parte alla volta di Roma, dove giungiamo dopo tre estenuanti ore di viaggio, per giunta contornate da un evento allegorico: un incidente d’auto poco dopo Napoli.

A causa di qualche ritardo accumulato qua e là e soste ad autogrill arriviamo a Roma alle 21.30, parcheggiamo l’auto nel primo buco che ci sembra consono e si parte alla ricerca dell’Atlantico. Dopo dieci minuti lo troviamo, entriamo e cominciamo a occupare posto. Ci prendiamo tutti una birra, e parte un intro di attesa della band. Si spengono le luci, ci siamo. La folla inizia a fischiare appena compaiono le prime ombre che si muovono sul palco e subito parte il primo capitolo dell’album “The Incident”: I. Occam’s Razor. Le luci rimangono ancora spente durante la performance del primo brano, per poi accendersi al capitolo II. The Blind House, ed ecco, si vedono tutti. Lo sguardo cade ovviamente su Steven Wilson, poi si dirige su Colin Edwin, Gavin Harrison, Richard Barbieri e infine, ma non meno importante, John Wesley.

Finiti questi primi brani, il signor Wilson ci fa il suo primo annuncio: dopo un “Grazie e buonasera” (detti in italiano), ci informa che la band dedicherà la prima ora dello spettacolo al primo disco del nuovo album, suonando per intero la title-track: The Incident. Prima parte che di certo non manca di momenti fulcro, come l’esecuzione del singolo Time files. Una perfezione dal vivo mai vista prima d’ora. Sul palco dietro la band sono proiettati filmati scenografici per ogni canzone e in alcuni casi, come i singoli, i video veri e propri, suonati in perfetta sincronia. Steven Wilson sul palco non sta mai fermo un minuto, sia per cambiare chitarra da elettrica ad acustica, o per dedicarsi al mellotron.

Terminata la prima parte dello spettacolo, la band annuncia una pausa di dieci minuti scandita da un timer comparso sullo schermo. Finiti questi dieci minuti ricompare la band e inizia a dedicarsi a pezzi dei lavori precedenti. Si riparte con la magnifica The start of something beautiful, ora lo spettacolo si fa più interessante dato che non si sa cosa aspettarsi. Dopo viene eseguita la prima metà della stupenda e orchestrale Russia on ice e senza nemmeno un attimo di pausa, comincia la Part II di Anesthetize, che sicuramente rappresenta il miglior momento della serata con un grande coinvolgimento da parte del pubblico. Momento di pausa, e Steven Wilson annuncia che la band eseguirà un pezzo delle loro prime opere, mai eseguito a Roma prima d’ora. L’aspettativa sale, finché non ci è comunicato il nome della canzone: Stars die, una gran bella sorpresa, anche se qualcuno forse si aspettava Radioactive toy. Andando avanti la band intraprende un medley di canzoni di “In absentia”, che comprende Strip the soul e .3 per poi suonare un outtake da “Fear of a blank planet” ovvero Normal seguita dalla malinconica Way out of here.

La band ci saluta e si spengono le luci, ma è palese che lo spettacolo non sia terminato, di certo non con quella canzone come chiusura, e infatti la band ricompare sul palco e ci propone un duo di chiusura da “In absentia”: The sound of muzak e Trains. Brano di chiusura che è interrotto poi per presentare la band. Non mancano momenti di comicità, come i roadie della band che cacciano i cartelloni con un voto e Richard Barbieri che mette Born in the U.S.A. dopo la presentazione di John Wesley. Dopo qualcuno ha lanciato un pollo di gomma sul palco e il nostro Steven Wilson non si è di certo fatto scappare quest’occasione per ironizzare un po’. Riparte l’ultimo ritornello di Trains, la band saluta tutti, e si spengono le luci.

Tracklist:

Occam’s razor

The blind house

Great expectations

Kneel and disconnect

Drawing the line

The incident

Your unpleasant family

The yellow windows of the evening train

Time files

Degree zero of liberty

Octane twisted

The séance

Circle of manias

I drive the hearse

The start of something beautiful

Russia on ice (Part 1)

Anesthetize (Part 2): “The pills I’m taking”

Stars die

Strip the soul (coda segued into “.3″)

.3 (only second half)

Normal

Way out of here

The sound of muzak

Trains

Oliver Tobyn per Mag-Music

Here we are with another Porcupine Tree album. This monstrous monolith, entitled Fear of a Blank Planet, is another exercise in a one-song sweeping epic about an important part of today’s social psyche. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing the entire thing played live at the Warfield in San Francisco a few years ago, and it’s one of my favorite shows at that venue.

I’ll let main man Steven Wilson break down the idea behind this behemoth album.

“Unfortunately this whole culture we live in promotes this idea that if you’re somehow insignificant then you’re worthless. If you’re somehow not successful, if you’re not popular, if you’re not famous, if you’re not a celebrity, you are somehow worthless. And the only way to become famous if you are that piece of shit on someone’s shoe is to go into a school and blow 25 of your classmates away. Instant fame! That’s fucked up. That’s what’s wrong with the world right now.”

I’m constantly impressed by Wilson’s take on the world, and more impressed that a man decades from his youth is still so connected to the trials and tribulations of today’s kids. But when you discuss the human basics of love, sex, fear, growth, and family, you tend to cover just about everyone.

The album starts of with a bang, giving the most straight-forward down-tuned guitarfest PT has to offer. The lyrics detail the boredom of a teenager, fed up with his sociable friends and their sheep-like quality. Next, “My Ashes” is as close to writing your own eulogy as you can get. The great line of “When my mother and father gave me their problems I accepted them all” always resonated, as you can really feel his anguish being a quiet, sensitive, and respectful son, taking on his family’s problems while attempting to figure out his own bullshit.

The next track, an 18 minute mammoth entitled “Anesthetize”, flows from the slow, piano driven sensibility of the disconnected youth, but deceptively launches into a fantastic near call-and-answer between the vocals and guitars. Here’s a video clip, taken about six minutes into the song, right before the awesome breakdown transformation into the next part of the song.

He tackles MTV and the pharmacy drug induced culture we have. He handles these issues well, not coming off as a prophet or preacher, but as someone that knows what it is like to be told a pill will make you a better person.

The opening stanza of “Sentimental” is brilliant.

I never wanna be old

And I don’t want dependents

It’s no fun to be told

That you can’t blame your parents anymore.

Too much music is obsessed with youth and the idea of growing old is rarely explored, only used when describing death or decay. I enjoy listening to artists that think deeply about the aging process from an emotional standpoint, discussing what is okay and not okay to think when your age hits a certain number.

The final two songs give us the finale of this young masculine emotional roller coaster. Fed up with being asked how school and life is going, he rebels and tries desperately to forget about “her”…going as far as removing her face from pictures anbd running away. He says he’ll forget about her “in a thousand years…or maybe a week.”

The final song, “Sleep Together”, caught me off guard the first time I heard it. After all of that power and emotion, a tune where he basically says let’s do it, let’s get all of our angst out on each other and move on with our lives, it struck me as immature. The music is slightly funky, giving a near Prince/metal vibe to the haunting vocals. The chorus kicks in with “Let’s sleep together right now/Relieve the pressures somehow/Switch off the future right now/Let’s leave forever.”

The more I listen to it, the more I see it in a different view. Remember the end of Fight Club? It’s been out for a decade, so I’m not spoiling anything by saying everything blows up at the end. And when Tyler/Jack is holding hands with Marla, it’s a romantic moment. All the shit and all the pain and everything led up to this very cathartic moment where the world as they knew it was pretty much over (or starting over, depending on how you see it), yet that scene is definitely romantic. The ability to display romance in an otherwise insane universe sometimes empowers the sexual themes, as they are the only source of love or good in a dark environment.

I could write about this band all day, and seeing as how I have another 10 albums or so of theirs to sell, I’ll be back in no time.

Right. My second Blackfield album in two days rounds off their discography. This one is substantially different from the first album, in that it doesn’t sound as much like a bunch of Porcupine Tree outtakes. This is primarily because Aviv Geffen finally woke up and decided it was time to contribute.

More tea, Vicar?

One thing I’ve noticed about Blackfield is that they take garden variety chord-changes and keep them fresh, constantly fiddling about with arrangements, instruments etc. That’s just as well, because this second album is more ‘commercial’ sounding that Blackfield I. Think Third Eye Blind-ish guitars and Radiohead-like arrangements. Don’t take this as a criticism, just as an aesthetic chosen by the artists. There is notably lesser use of acoustic guitars (particularly the scratching sound made on the strings when strumming), and more electric guitars.
It was not until ‘Miss U’ that I first noticed that the song was being sung with an accent. I realized that this was the first time I was able to distinguish between the Wilson and Geffen!! The voices of Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen (yes, he has the same name as Guns’ n’ Roses’ label) are VERY similar. Too similar, according to me. But the accent is welcome, as is Geffen’s greater role in this release, with ‘Miss U’ and ‘Where is my Love’ being standouts.
Compared to the music in the first album, this one is notably less ‘dramatic’ sounding, lacking the motifs that regularly punctuated the first album. This one focuses on smoother and less choppy arrangement. Again, this isn’t a criticism of either album, just an aesthetic. Its evidence of Blackfield wanting to move away from the heavy stylings of Porcupine Tree during its Fear of a Blank Planet era. In fact the distortion guitars are all but absent. Me? I much prefer the first album already.
What I have by way of a general criticism of Blackfield in general and Steven Wilson’s music in general: Its all wonderfully produced and all, but I miss music that is more ‘raw’ and less produced. And less gloomy. By means of further criticism, there are too many mid-tempo songs here.
It’s a good album, but the strings and pianos become hackneyed halfway through, and are not terribly innovative. Yes, that’s it. This album lacks innovation. Compared to the first Blackfield album, I find a curious dearth of attention grabbing innovation here. This is supposed to have proper ‘songs’ and not drone/ambient music. So some motifs are needed. On the other hand, while the first album had the necessary pluck, it had too much of Porcupine Tree in it. A frankenstien of these two albums, I think, would be great. That’s not happening, sadly, so I’ll have to say I prefer the first album. Though quite uninspiring, this generally sounds right.

- El Bajista