Dans un post précédent que vous pouvez retrouver en cliquant ici, une connaissance très approximative de l’oeuvre de Kent m’a fait opposer de manière injuste et caricaturale le rocker énervé de Starshooter des années 70 et le chanteur consensuel d’aujourd’hui.

En réalité, comme le montrait son brillant concert hier 19 novembre 2009 à la Cigale, Kent, depuis ses débuts, a toujours combiné la musique rock, souvent très roots, avec des textes “chanson française de qualité” pur sucre. Goût rare pour les beaux mots, musiques simples et efficaces, soif du contact avec le public, refus permanent de jouer à la star… Kent a enchanté le public avec la complicité de guest-stars présentes sur son dernier album, Panorama (qui, comme ce concert, revisite ses 30 ans de chanson) : Agnès Jaoui, Barbara Carlotti, Arthur H (qui a vraiment le phrasé de son Jacques Higelin de père), Jill Caplan et (avouons-le, c’est pour elle que l’auteur de ce blog avait fait le déplacement !) Suzanne Vega, pour une superbe version de Juste quelqu’un de bien.

Quelqu’un de bien.. Un  qualificatif qui s’applique bien  à Kent !

Ontem estava passando a garota de rosa shocking no telecine cult, e por sinal é um dos meus filmes favoritos! Lembro de quando eu era bem pequena e ele passava sempre na sessão da tarde, porem  para minha tristeza parou de passar, eu passei anos tentando pelo menos alugar esse filme e num achava! Por isso quase morri de felicidade quando vi na programação do telecine!

A garota de rosa shocking conta a história de Andie, a menina pobre, que é toda new wave, não popular, que estuda na  escola de pessoas ricas e tem um crush por um dos  plaboyzinhos da escola! Andie trabalha em uma loja de discos (que tem um poster lindo dos Smiths, com o Morrissey novinho), tem um melhor amigo incrível, engraçadissímo e que gosta dela, o Duckie, e uma amiga mais velha a Iona!

A confusão começa quando Blane, (o playboyzinho que ela gosta), chama ela para sair e tanto os amigos dele, como os amigos dela, não aceitam muito bem o relacionamento dos dois, devido a extrema diferença entre seus mundos!

Além do filme ter um figurino 80’s incrível, ele tem uma trilha sonora de matar!

• • “Pretty In Pink” - The Psychedelic Furs
• “Wouldn’t It Be Good” -  Nik Kershaw
• “What’s It Going To Be” -  Maggie Lee
• “Love” –  John Lennon
• “Round, Round” - Belouis Some
• “Pursuit” – Winston Sharples
• “Rave-Up/Shut-Up” – The Rave-Ups
• “Positively Lost Me”- The Rave-Ups
• “Copacabana (At The Copa)” – Barry Manilow
• “Thieves Like Us” – New Order
• “Elegia” – New Order
• “If You Leave” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
• “Whisper / Touch” – Code Blue
• “Bring On The Dancing Horses” – Echo & The Bunnymen
• “Do Wot You Do” – INXS
• “Shell-Shock” – New Order
• “Try a Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding
• “Cherish” – The Association
• “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” – The Smiths
• “Rudy” – Talk Back
• “Left of Center” – Suzanne Vega
• “Get to Know Ya” – Jesse Johnson

Uma das melhores cenas do filme:

Se você nunca assistiu esse super clássico de 1986, pelo amor assista djá!

La journée de la gentillesse (13 novembre 2009) est l’occasion de s’interroger sur l’étrange métamorphose qui a transformé Kent, l’angry young man du groupe punk Starshooter, en Kent, gentil chanteur consensuel.

Kent a-t-il été victime d’une mutation due à des rayons cosmiques ? Vos avis sont attendus.

Le dernier album de Kent recèle une jolie version de Juste quelqu’un de bien en duo avec Suzanne Vega, qui, elle, mène sa carrière avec une rare constance dans l’élégance et l’exigence musicale…

A découvrir ci-dessous…

… et à comparer avec le même Kent dans une furieuse version live de Betsy party en 1979 !

Earlier this year Mark Linkous (of one of my all-time favourite bands Sparklehorse) and Dangermouse (not the one who’s the greatest secret agent in the world) teamed up to make the album Dark Night of the Soul, which also featured guest vocalists Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips), Nina Persson (The Cardigans, A Camp) & Suzanne Vega among others.

It’s a great album which, due to an ongoing legal disute between Dangermouse and EMI, has unfortunately still not been officially released. If you look hard enough online though you’ll find it

The lyrics of the first song on the album ‘Revenge’ are incredible. I don’t know if they were written by Mark Linkous, Dangermouse or Wayne Coyne (who sings it) but they beautifully articulate how revenge and un-forgiveness can eat away at us if left unchecked:

Revenge

Pain
I guess it’s a matter of sensation
But somehow
You have ways of avoiding it all

In my mind
I have shot you and stabbed you through your heart
I just didn’t understand
The ricochet is the second part

Cause you can’t hide
What you intend
It glows in the dark
Once you’ve sought
The path of revenge
There’s no way to stop
And the more I try to hurt you
The more that it hurts me

Strange
It seems like a character mutation
Though I have all the means
of bringing you fuckers down
I can’t make myself
To destroy upon command
Somehow forgiveness
lets the evil make a loss

No you can’t hide
What you intend
It glows in the dark
Once we become
The thing we dread
There’s no way to stop
And the more I try to hurt you
The more it backfires
The more it backfires
The more that it backfires

Tucked in shirt? Don’t ask why. Just don’t argue anymore.

Ieri am venit de acasa cu ocazie si in drum spre bucuresti omul asculta PROFM unde am fost surprins sa aud niste piesa la care am zis ca trebuie musai sa le pun aici! Iata despre ce era vorba, sau mai bine zis piesel care am reusit sa le notez!

La trop rare Suzanne Vega accompagne Kent sur son nouvel album Panorama, sorti le 12 octobre 2009, pour une belle version de Juste quelqu’un de bien.

Pour ceux qui apprécient modérément l’ex-chanteur de Starshooter tourné crooner et hésiteraient à acheter l’album, la chanson est téléchargeable en single sur Amazon France.

Suzanne Vega sera présente au concert de Kent le 19 novembre à la Cigale. Nous aussi…

Ci-dessous, la vidéo de Juste quelqu’un de bien.

Economic development and arts professionals convened in South Boston last week to explore strategies for harnessing the “creative class” in their communities. The conference, “Art and the Creative Economy,” featured notable speakers presenting examples of how small towns and cities have enhanced their economies by embracing the arts. The term “creative class,” as coined by Richard Florida, describes the class of workers that earn their living from their ideas and not machinery.  These individuals may be artists, designers, scientists, and researchers, to name just a few. As manufacturing leaves more small towns, this “creative class” just may be the economic boon that can make the difference.

The Prizery, a shining example of adaptive reuse for a tobacco warehouse, made a great venue for the conference. Featured speakers included Joy Gieseke, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Joy spoke about the organic growth of Mineral Point’s artist community, emphasizing that it is not an artist commune, but just a town that supports its artists. Today, Mineral Point is a town of 2,600 residents with 17 galleries and 30 artists living in town.

Marian Van Landingham spoke about her involvement with the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria. Her work is an excellent example of how an artist studio and workshop can become a top tourist destination.

The keynote address was given by Mayor Joseph Riley of Charleston. He gave examples of how art has enhanced the renaissance Charleston has experienced since his first term in 1975.

After several more speakers, the day concluded with a bus tour of South Boston and Halifax including a visit to artist Bob Cage’s Sculpture Farm, Parson-Bruce Gallery and Convergence Art Guild. Later that evening, many folks from the conference attended the Suzanne Vega concert held in the Chastain Theater.

DJ Kid Kaio est un dude de Netherlands,  je sais pas pentoute ou sais mais, je sais que ce mec torche!

Space Cowboy Ft. Chelsea Korka – Falling Down (Kid Kaio Remix)

Suzanne Vega – Toms Diner (Kid Kaio Remix)

Photo courtesy of myspace.com/suzannevega

The “Young Folks” of the 1990’s, the catchy humming from “Tom’s Diner” would follow you around a week after you listened to the song.  Suzanne Vega’s song originated as an a cappella track from “Solitude Surrounded” but, luckily, was remixed and rereleased on “Tried and True.”  Vega’s song reminds me of rainy days, but has a similar haunting/bouncy contrast like the analogous PB&J song.  I remember being in my musical infancy and being amazed that they put in real church bells right after Vega sings “…as I’m listening to the bells of the cathedral.”  Clearly I was easily amused.  The original version is included for completeness, but the most recent version is what you’ll recognize.

-charlie

Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner (download)

Peter, Bjorn, & John – Young Folks (download)

Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner (Original) (download)

I am looking forward to this year’s celebration. It will start Saturday and continue through Tuesday for most, lots of employers are giving people Monday off.

With events taking place between the 14th and the 17th, at least one will include remote greetings from President Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, the Dalai Lama and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Saturday’s concert looks like Suzanne Vega, Joan Baez, Renée Fleming and Lou Reed will be playing without Mick Jagger.

Also on Saturday will be a series of debate/discussion organized by Charles University with such figures as Madeleine Albright, Tom Stoppard, Adam Michnik and Bob Geldof in attendance. I have an invite to this one, so here’s hoping I see you there.

Today’s Song Spotlight is “Luka” by Suzanne Vega. This song was popular during the summer of 1987 (for me, the summer before seventh grade). This is one I heard on the radio a lot, and also saw this video on MTV a bit at the time. It’s a song about abuse, and according to the video, one about child abuse. Perhaps it’s the “poppy” sound to it that initially attracted my attention (since I was only 12 at the time), but as the lyrics sank in, I realized just how much of a “message song” this was.

This song gained a bit of notoriety, and became a “staple” of pop culture. Apparently, The Lemonheads covered this song in 1990. Which is actually kind of hilarious, because of a reference to “Luka” that appears in a video done by The Lemonheads in 1992. That year, the band covered Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” and for the video, lead singer Evan Dando is wearing a nametag (specifically, one of those that says “HI MY NAME IS” on top of it, and there’s a big white area for someone to write their name). What name does he have written on the nametag? Luka. If you read the first line of lyrics, you’ll understand the humor.

LUKA
Written by Suzanne Vega
(c) 1987 Waifersongs Ltd. / AGF Music Ltd.

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes I think you’ve seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was

I think it’s because I’m clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it’s because I’m crazy
I try not to act too proud
They only hit until you cry
After that you don’t ask why
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore

Yes I think I’m okay
I walked into the door again
Well, if you ask that’s what I’ll say
And it’s not your business anyway
I guess I’d like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown
Just don’t ask me how I am
Just don’t ask me how I am
Just don’t ask me how I am

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes I think you’ve seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble, some kind of fight
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was
Just don’t ask me what it was

They only hit until you cry
After that you don’t ask why
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore
You just don’t argue anymore

Tom’s Diner // DNA featuring Suzanne Vega

When you live in my house, everything equates back to a song.  Somebody is either humming or singing or beat boxing a song in this house.  And damn near every situation that comes up in a conversation gets realated back to a song.  Well, this morning my wife is singing throughout the house.  And todays song happens to be Tom’s Diner.  Havent heard this song in years.  But what I have heard and have used in a mix a few years ago is Daddy’s Little Girl by Nikki D.

Daddy’s Little Girl // Nikki D

My, doesn’t Suzanne look lovely in a sailer suit?

Official video, in a very classic 1990 style. Kind of illustrates the song in literal minded way. Day of Open Hand is a great underrated album, unfairly forgotten. I think the album has a lot of songs that are rather childlike – in a good way. This song is very childlike and evocative to me. I see the album as being very narrative. I often try to construct a narrative from a series of songs – it makes listening to albums more fun. I think it starts off very young and innocent and in the second half becomes more worldly and mature.  That’s just my impression, based on the way the songs make me feel. Not being a musician myself, I do percieve music in terms I can understand. That is visually (that’s why I prefer to listen to good looking musicians), viscerally and in a narrative way, if that makes any sense. I don’t really understand how music works, and I can barely tell what instruments I’m hearing, let alone technical stuff like what key it’s in. So I have a strong emotional response to music, not a rational one as in “Oh wow that’s a great guitar solo, blah blah blah, the trombone player is really great, etc etc”. Does that make sense? Anyway, here, in this case, when I listen to the album I see a very definite story unfold. I won’t tell what that story is. Make your own.

Book Of Dreams
In my book of dreams [X3]

I took your urgent whisper
Stole the arc of a white wing
Rode like foam on the river of pity
Turned its tide to strength
Healed the hole that ripped in living

In my book of dreams [X3]

The spine is bound to last a life
Tough enough to take the pounding
Pages made of days of open hand

In my book of dreams [X3]

Number every page in silver
Underline in magic marker
Take the name of every prisoner
Yours is there my word of honor

I took your urgent whisper
Stole the arc of a white wing
Rode like foam on the river of pity
Healed the hole that ripped in living

weil herbst ist und ich suzanne vega mit herbst verbinde, hab ich mich als begleitung für das heutige sockenpaar (das zudem auch noch herbstlich ist, denn der strang, aus dem es ist, heißt nebelwiesen und ist von dornröschenwolle) entschieden, eine sehr schöne aufnahme von zwei liedern dieser wirklich herausragenden künstlerin zu gehör zu geben:

die socken selber sind in größe 38 und mit 3,25er dafürholz gestrickt und wiegen 82g (ist ja sechsfachwolle). und ich mag sie

Utterly lovely for a Sunday.

Suzanne Vega zaczyna powoli przyzwyczajać Polaków do swoich częstych odwiedzin. Grała u nas 2 lata temu, zagrała znowu 28 lipca w tym samym  miejscu – w Sali Kongresowej. Poprzednim razem fotografowałem ją jeszcze dla onetu, tym razem, jak zwykle, dla Wirtualnej Polski.

Tym razem znów bez szaleństw – skład zaledwie trzyosobowy, ale wystarczający do odtworzenia stonowanych nagrań artystki. Zresztą, co ja się będę rozpisywał – popełniłem, oprócz zdjęć również relację, którą możecie przeczytać w Wirtualnej Polsce. Spragnionych większej ilości materiału zapraszam zatem do klikania w poniższe zdjęcie.

Suzanne Vega w Sali Kongresowej/kliknij na zdjęcie, aby zobaczyć całą galerię

Suzanne Vega w Sali Kongresowej

Suzanne Vega w Sali Kongresowej

Powyższe zdjęcie ilustruje problem, który mają obcokrajowcy z polską wymową .

Suzanne Vega w Sali Kongresowej

Tu z kolei przed symetrycznie rozstawionym zespołem ładnie i całkiem nieświadomie zapozowali koledzy fotografowie.

Fantastisk låt!