tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54876869203374095292024-03-13T02:08:59.929-07:00At Home He's A TouristAaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-44745328935667202802015-12-31T20:06:00.001-08:002015-12-31T20:06:12.922-08:00Most Listened to in the 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">1. The Cramps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">2. The The</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">3. The Beatles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">4. Deerhoof</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">5. Low</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">6. FFS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">7. The Smiths</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">8. Sleater-Kinney</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">9. Morrissey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">10. The KLF</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">11. The Fall</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">12. Sparks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">13. Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">14. Carl Perkins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">15. PJ Harvey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">16. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">17. The Future Sound of London</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">18. Charlie Feathers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">19. Chevel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">20. Elvis Presley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">20. Lillie Mae Rische</span><br />
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-46161815285038764732015-12-30T17:28:00.000-08:002015-12-30T17:28:44.574-08:00recent paintings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfwMox5VSrqgvjjJ-O9OU2YVbqodPgbdNr2EPJ0_n2BRqkxb_0I8X2dAbcaDV7QJBPSs3zzDE4wuvnIfoKFrZN0PdizffTIy40iKXcEvQpMVz3vtKqwyJbxFgFzWctsO-nB2t-cHOcrM/s1600/IMG_2757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfwMox5VSrqgvjjJ-O9OU2YVbqodPgbdNr2EPJ0_n2BRqkxb_0I8X2dAbcaDV7QJBPSs3zzDE4wuvnIfoKFrZN0PdizffTIy40iKXcEvQpMVz3vtKqwyJbxFgFzWctsO-nB2t-cHOcrM/s640/IMG_2757.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-80971680033494415782015-12-30T13:18:00.003-08:002015-12-30T13:18:58.339-08:00Music For Morons 36: Technical Solstice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="85" id="ei7876662" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://astilley.podomatic.com/embed/frame/posting/2015-12-22T19_58_00-08_00?json_url=http%3A%2F%2Fastilley.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2015-12-22T19_58_00-08_00%3Fcolor%3D43bee7%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26facebook%3Dtrue%26height%3D85%26width%3D440%26minicast%3Dfalse%26objembed%3D0&notb=1" width="440"></iframe><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">00:00 AquaSonic - ??? </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">03:48 Görkem Şen - Yaybahar </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">08:11 Glenn Kotche - Anomaly: Mvt. III </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">12:00 Russell Haswell - Heavy Handed Sunset (Autechre 'Conformity Version') </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">15:07 ADR - Favicon </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">16:20 Matmos - Ultimate Care II excerpt eight </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">20:10 Matt Nolan - Björk's Gameleste - the making of </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">22:18 Marilyn Donadt - The Wing Sound Sculpture Solo </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">25:07 Chas Smith sounds </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">30:28 completion</span></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-80965157810336705742015-12-30T13:17:00.001-08:002015-12-30T13:17:31.376-08:00Music For Morons 35: A Central Part Of Your Mind's Landscape<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="85" id="ei7857995" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://astilley.podomatic.com/embed/frame/posting/2015-12-08T08_16_35-08_00?json_url=http%3A%2F%2Fastilley.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2015-12-08T08_16_35-08_00%3Fcolor%3D43bee7%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26facebook%3Dtrue%26height%3D85%26width%3D440%26minicast%3Dfalse%26objembed%3D0&notb=1" width="440"></iframe><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">00:00 Orphx - Cut Through </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">03:17 Slag Boom Van Loon - Butch (Tipper Remix) </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">04:36 Foetus - How To Vibrate (Mike Patton Remix) </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">07:42 The Soft Pink Truth - What's a Computer? </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">08:52 Elizabethan Collar - 08 </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">10:11 Nervous Cop - Nuflesh, Old Thirst </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">11:43 Olaibi - New Rain </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">13:17 Matthew Dear - Juice </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">16:08 OOIOO - Gamel Kamasu </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">18:48 The Future Sound Of London - Her Face Forms In Summertime </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">20:38 Lucy - Catch Twenty Two (Shapednoise Remix) </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">25:07 Rrose - Waterfall </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">29:54 Slag Boom Van Loon - Butch (Tipper Remix) </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">31:50 Orphx - Cut Through </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">35:22 completion</span></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-90656731665680785062015-10-19T12:14:00.001-07:002015-10-19T13:38:46.672-07:00Music For Morons 34: Immanentize The Eschaton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="180" src="https://www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?embed_type=widget_standard&embed_uuid=6e5b707c-bb0a-4808-9bf2-338eec0de6a8&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2FMusicForMorons%2F34-immanentize-the-eschaton%2F&hide_cover=1&hide_tracklist=1&replace=0" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">00:00 Chevel - Comb </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">03:55 Holly Herndon - DAO </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">07:24 Dasha Rush - Antares </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">11:20 The KLF - Madruga Eterna </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">15:46 Eschaton - Age of Iron </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">22:44 Speedy J - Hayfever </span><br style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">24:52 completion</span></span></div>
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-6851449398762228542015-04-26T19:48:00.000-07:002015-04-26T19:48:19.290-07:00Kurt Vonnegut's Novels Rated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKlwk_U9rO_R6UKgZ0A67-EOcZ5KU33ebbR4LVVmEsTxciCdeTn4F1Cr5wmrAkxazGu-3Jaf_uqn8cgGd0jO095jrtgaFWWY2RPDJ-yWNZ-3CfZyCDCaDm_z2TtFU3syBqi-estp9Tdo/s1600/vonnegut.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKlwk_U9rO_R6UKgZ0A67-EOcZ5KU33ebbR4LVVmEsTxciCdeTn4F1Cr5wmrAkxazGu-3Jaf_uqn8cgGd0jO095jrtgaFWWY2RPDJ-yWNZ-3CfZyCDCaDm_z2TtFU3syBqi-estp9Tdo/s1600/vonnegut.png" /></a></div>
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After three years, I've finished re-reading Vonnegut's 14 novels in chronological order. It's pretty silly to rate novels (or anything else) with numbers, but the numbers aren't to do with technical, objective literary merits, just my attempt to reflect how much they did or did not resonate with me.</div>
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-28824838488849544102015-04-26T19:38:00.002-07:002015-04-26T19:38:42.697-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Timequake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOG_zDtyZlfJiV35D2FWey9A5q6_BPrAAafSljI-D0I8UqSLBMznwXRYQsFYxACLLRyeg9pEnxjeVviPeMIhsa5Lv2E74YgTIOYDCNRbvEdQqPvxaG9cy7aSpWaVDQAk-lof_SMp9s_zE/s1600/Timequake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOG_zDtyZlfJiV35D2FWey9A5q6_BPrAAafSljI-D0I8UqSLBMznwXRYQsFYxACLLRyeg9pEnxjeVviPeMIhsa5Lv2E74YgTIOYDCNRbvEdQqPvxaG9cy7aSpWaVDQAk-lof_SMp9s_zE/s1600/Timequake.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Timequake </i>(1997)<br />
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My memory of reading <i>Timequake</i> 15 years ago was that it was a disappointing, disjointed final novel for Vonnegut, so I wasn't looking forward to re-reading it that much. What a difference a changed head space can make. It's not even a pure novel but more like a wizened old man's greatest life lessons, beliefs, jokes, and tragedies distilled into a final love/hate letter to the world. There is also half a novel woven in that involves a "timequake" that rewinds time 10 years and everyone is forced to live those years over again in exactly the same way. That part is great too, but the book is a true treasure for the parts in which Vonnegut is just talking to the reader like a friend. Seemingly every page contains a striking and/or hilarious passage, and it is a more than worthy end cap to Vonnegut's incredible string of novels published between 1952 and 1997.<br />
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9.2/10</div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-30956133703285824512015-04-18T09:55:00.001-07:002015-04-18T09:55:34.471-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Galapagos, Bluebeard, and Hocus Pocus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Galapagos</i> (1985)<br />
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I unfortunately have waited so long to write down my thoughts on <i>Galapagos</i> that the book is no longer fresh in my mind. I know I enjoyed it, but I also took forever to read it for some reason. The premise, the last humans on earth being stranded on an island and evolving into something else, is a good one and mostly overcomes some sloppy structure that drags in parts.<br />
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7.9/10<br />
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<i>Bluebeard</i> (1987)<br />
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This is one of Vonnegut's most readable and focused novels. Written (like <i>Mother Night</i> and <i>Hocus Pocus</i>) as an autobiography by a fictional character, <i>Bluebeard</i> is the memoirs of abstract expressionist painter Rabo Karabekian who used a type of paint that unexpectedly eroded and fell off the canvases after just a few years. The cast of characters is small and the story straight as an arrow.<br />
<br />8.5/10<br />
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<i>Hocus Pocus</i> (1990)<br />
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This story is like a shotgun blast, with a few pieces hitting the mark and others flying around uselessly. It's the memoirs of Eugene Debs Hartke, Vietnam vet and college professor. The novel is set in the not too distant future with foreign interests having taken over the American economy and things generally going to pot for the country and Hartke personally. An unsatisfying and meandering tale.<br />
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6.4/10</div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-14594989829766547762014-07-07T15:22:00.001-07:002014-07-07T15:22:19.631-07:00The The Albums Rated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-43679673390327166982014-05-21T07:51:00.001-07:002014-05-21T07:51:14.566-07:00Music For Morons 33: Für Jakob Für Immer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">00:00 Freeform - Saigon </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">03:18 Actress - Birdcage </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">04:59 John Cale - Living With You - Laurel Halo Remix </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">10:30 Mouse On Mars - Subnubus </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">14:30 Tim Hecker - Live Room </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">18:09 DJ QBert - Redworm </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">22:19 Liars - Pro Anti Anti </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">25:03 Nearly God - Keep Your Mouth Shut </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">30:27 Taco - Cheek To Cheek </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">35:16 completion</span></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-48119693869578679012013-10-05T19:41:00.001-07:002013-10-05T19:43:49.528-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Deadeye Dick<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Deadeye Dick</i> (1982)<br />
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After suffering a little Vonnegut overload, I took a 15 month break in my re-read of his 14 novels. Sufficiently refreshed, I enjoyed getting back to it with novel #10, <i>Deadeye Dick</i>. We return to Midland City, Ohio (also the setting of <i><a href="http://athometour.blogspot.com/2012/03/vonnegut-in-retrospect-breakfast-of.html" target="_blank">Breakfast of Champions</a></i>), where protagonist Rudy Waltz lives a sad and pitiful life after a childhood accident leaves him emotionally scarred. It's a bit of a downer, but it is a tight story, unlike his previous three novels that sprawl messily.<br />
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7.6/10</div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-60033663855227967112013-02-05T14:55:00.002-08:002013-02-05T14:55:38.990-08:00Music For Morons 31: Things Fall Apart Solstice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">00:00 Holly Herndon - Breathe </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">05:14 Valgeir Sigurðsson - Big Reveal </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">08:52 Tim Hecker & Daniel Lopatin - Whole Earth Tascam </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">13:25 Yellow Swans With John Wiese - Evicted CDR </span></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-68162586697242557632012-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:002012-12-08T09:07:32.930-08:00Rec'd: Holly Herndon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/movement/id572695053"><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white; font-size: large;">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/movement/id572695053</span></a></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-4830582125228322452012-09-22T12:46:00.003-07:002012-09-22T12:46:46.404-07:00Music For Morons 30: Equinox Creep<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="85" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://astilley.podomatic.com/embed/frame/posting/2012-09-22T07_44_52-07_00?json_url=http%3A%2F%2Fastilley.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2012-09-22T07_44_52-07_00%3Fcolor%3D43bee7%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26width%3D440%26height%3D85%26objembed%3D0" width="440"></iframe><br />
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<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">00:00 Ciccone Youth - Macbeth</span><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">04:50 Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica (with Limpe Fuchs) [Matmos Edit] </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">07:50 Nosaj Thing ft. Kazu Makino - Eclipse/Blue </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">11:17 Senking - Painbug In My Eye </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">14:23 R.H.Y. Yau - Lick Him When You Are Dead </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">18:30 Loops Haunt - Eagles Fated Pilars </span><br style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">21:21 completion</span></div>
Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-77533941565658822582012-08-21T20:34:00.002-07:002012-08-21T20:34:53.847-07:00are there people who have fun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-67735826650905212052012-06-20T07:49:00.002-07:002012-07-16T16:32:09.876-07:00Music For Morons 29: Long Solstice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">00:00 The The - Electric Moonlight </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">02:20 Walter Schnaffs - I Am Germany </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">05:13 Sonic Youth - (She's In A) Bad Mood </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">10:28 Black Dice - Pigs </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">13:50 Amon Tobin - Lost & Found </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">16:30 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Summertime (Reprise) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #222222; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">18:28 completion</span>
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</div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-64171480033964517332012-06-09T05:49:00.000-07:002012-06-09T05:49:14.199-07:00Morrissey Albums Rated & In Praise Of Southpaw Grammar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I surprised myself with how highly I rated <i>Southpaw Grammar</i>. I've always liked the album, but listening to it with a critical ear with the idea of attaching a number to it gave me a new appreciation for it. It excels as a complete piece, the only Morrissey album for which I'm tempted to break out the cliche "greater than the sum of its parts." All Moz albums have great moments, but a lot of them are terribly uneven. <i>Southpaw Grammar</i> also stands out in striking me as his least personal work. He barely uses the first person lyrically, and the subjects of the songs sound to me like fictional creations, fitting for a literary dude like Moz. I wish he'd do more "story" songs and fewer about his own pathos. Another unique element of <i>Southpaw Grammar</i> is the musicians being allowed to breath and flex their chops. Mozzaball has usually had enjoyable backing bands and composers, but the music is also generally secondary to Morrissey's personality, lyrics and vocals. Not so on <i>Southpaw Grammar, </i>on which music and voice work together as equal partners (sort of like they did in The Smiths). Taken in the context of his solo career, it's a very <i>weird</i> album. It's also a surprisingly great one.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(While listening to all this Morrissey, I put my favorite songs in <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/suedehead6/playlist/3NqDic7SJH6mu5csvCREul" target="_blank">this Spotify playlist</a>.)</span></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-70227906041310080722012-05-29T09:55:00.000-07:002012-05-29T09:58:53.894-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Jailbird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0O1FLNEOHHQNw6QoL98gTrZ1QyV-yMHaK7iIkpO_-LDhS9d8li3Zw4hJL0vIRgdSJ7MGqpRWVO38EO2JmKN1JnLlZzyVjEpHnhxV9bpxUnpFsiLtMzzg_h4OFnPv_nFZMHZHKCCkdA8/s1600/jailbird.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0O1FLNEOHHQNw6QoL98gTrZ1QyV-yMHaK7iIkpO_-LDhS9d8li3Zw4hJL0vIRgdSJ7MGqpRWVO38EO2JmKN1JnLlZzyVjEpHnhxV9bpxUnpFsiLtMzzg_h4OFnPv_nFZMHZHKCCkdA8/s1600/jailbird.JPG" /></a></div>
<i>Jailbird</i> (1976)<br />
<br />
Ugh. I may have reached Vonnegut overload after reading his biography and first eight novels in short order. I had to force myself to get through <i>Jailbird</i>. I honestly cannot tell how much of the struggle was the fault of a poor book or just my head space not being compatible with it. If I pick it up again in a few years, maybe it would strike me as worthy of Vonnegut's catalog. It took me close to three months to finish it, and there would be long periods where I didn't pick it up, and I had a hard time remembering what had already occurred. Now that I've finished it, the story remains murky. There are themes of labor vs. ownership, communism vs. capitalism, the Watergate scandal, the idealism of youth...but little sticks with me. There were a few lines and passages in the book that resonated, and were enough to make the slog worth it in the end. But I'll be taking a little break before diving in to finish the last five Vonnegut novels.<br />
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5.0/10</div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-79140114612733849052012-05-19T18:10:00.000-07:002012-05-19T18:10:19.972-07:00Radiohead Albums Rated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-6150598603648403202012-05-18T11:42:00.000-07:002012-05-18T11:42:21.614-07:00Birds Flying Away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-33746544349036088312012-04-07T19:09:00.000-07:002012-04-07T19:09:56.503-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Slapstick<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvk6PNV-nXTioTSpcn3ArVTHskKhFt2-OBsJ3uyRvBuhIyOe-oCAeKjOJOTLspxGWwydZ6txrErpleSr-zSm6T4AmXMEMjRn1e86Z0qfiVY6sl_PqTJYr04YG-dA3SrCuxj-b1YgTPn0/s1600/slapstick_book01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvk6PNV-nXTioTSpcn3ArVTHskKhFt2-OBsJ3uyRvBuhIyOe-oCAeKjOJOTLspxGWwydZ6txrErpleSr-zSm6T4AmXMEMjRn1e86Z0qfiVY6sl_PqTJYr04YG-dA3SrCuxj-b1YgTPn0/s1600/slapstick_book01.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Slapstick</i> (1976)<br />
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The man who wrote in 1959 (through a character) that "a purpose of a human life...is to love whoever is around to be loved" writes in the intro to <i>Slapstick</i> that love "does not seem important to me." Vonnegut was mired in a prolonged separation and divorce at this point in his life, so perhaps it is not surprising his opinion of love had degraded. He also says that <i>Slapstick</i> is "the closest I will come to writing an autobiography." It does not read anything like an autobiography to me. Perhaps the most personal element is the relationship of the main character Wilbur Swain and his sister Eliza. When they were together, they were brilliant and happy, and when separated, mediocre and melancholy. I wondered if Vonnegut felt that way about his own sister (who had been dead for 18 years when <i>Slapstick</i> was published).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thesurrealist.co.uk/badge.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thesurrealist.co.uk/badge.gif" /></a>The most interesting part of the book is the creation of a government program to end loneliness in America. Every citizen is issued a new middle name, with resulting groups of around 10,000 persons who share a middle name and are now family. As the parent of two young children, I could get behind the idea of having lots of family caretakers around to share the child-rearing duties as portrayed in the book. In addition to fleshing out this social experiment, the book also features the collapse of the US government and ensuing wars between states. Though there is little science-fiction to be found in <i>Slapstick</i>, it still reads as one of his most inventive/imaginative.<br />
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This is the hardest book to rate so far for me...Anywhere between 6.5-9.0 really, but I'll go with 7.8/10.<br />
<br /></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-69544430552187155992012-04-02T18:46:00.000-07:002012-04-02T18:46:24.712-07:00Vonnegut Kindle Dude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-72097878614578465522012-04-02T16:33:00.002-07:002012-06-09T05:50:33.343-07:00Rec'd: Carrie Brownstein on WTF Podcast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Been on a real Sleater-Kinney/Wild Flag/<i>Portlandia</i> kick, and amazement abounds at the radicality of Ms Carrie Brownstein. That amazement is fortified, strengthened, and reinforced after listening to this delightful conversation between Ms Brownstein and Marc Maron on his WTF podcast. This is somehow the first time I've ever listened to WTF in spite of Maron having tons of interesting guests before. I'll be checking more out after hearing what an engaging conversationalist Maron is.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_267_-_carrie_brownstein#.T3oy2jFX0_E.blogger" target="_blank">WTF Episode 267 - Carrie Brownstein</a></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-33508191552192478642012-03-21T08:27:00.001-07:002012-05-29T09:58:14.944-07:00Vonnegut In Retrospect: Breakfast Of Champions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Breakfast Of Champions</i> (1973)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I recall correctly from Vonnegut biography </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And So It Goes</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Vonnegut struggled mightily with this follow up to his masterpiece </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slaughterhouse-Five</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, going through endless versions and rewrites. Vonnegut acknowledges as much when he introduces a dog at the end of the book and mentions that it had a major role in an earlier version. This struggle comes through in the reading, and not in a good way. Much like </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater</i><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, this book has flashes of brilliance but fails to come together in the whole.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free will is a theme, with Vonnegut equating humans to machines throughout the book, suggesting we have no choice how we behave and react but are at the mercy of our chemicals. The two </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">protagonists</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> are Dwayne Hoover who has "bad chemicals" and sci-fi author Kilgore Trout who is travelling to Hoover's hometown for an arts festival. We are told early on that once he arrives, Hoover will read one of Trout's stories and it will cause him to go on a violent rampage. The fateful meeting finally arrives after a too-long lead up. Vonnegut inserts himself as a character watching the climax unfold and even interacts with Trout, telling him he is "setting him free," along with all the other characters Vonnegut has used up to this point in his career, meaning he won't be using them in any more stories. (Vonnegut didn't stay true to that promise.) The weird climax is worth the uneven trip to get there, but this is not Vonnegut at his best. You still get lots of Vonnegut doodles and inspired moments like this:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no order in the world around us, we must adapt ourselves to the requirements of chaos instead. It is hard to adapt to chaos, but it can be done. I am living proof of that: It can be done.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7.2/10</span></div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487686920337409529.post-72834817684986583742012-03-15T17:05:00.000-07:002012-03-15T17:52:42.916-07:00The The—Moonbug<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've been marinating in <i><a href="http://www.thethe.com/news/moonbug/" target="_blank">Moonbug</a></i>, the new soundtrack from The The, for several days now. Having not seen the film, I can only review the music on its own terms, which is not ideal since the music was composed primarily to go with images. The movie is a documentary by Nichola Bruce which follows photographer Steve Pyke as he takes portraits of the astronauts who have walked on the moon. NASA footage from the moon missions is also included. Bruce writes in the 76 page book that houses the CD that the movie is "a study of a photographer working" but also "about memory, in different layers...both experienced and imagined."<br />
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Not surprisingly, the music is spacey, but not in any cliche style that term may evoke. No noodling theremins here. Things begin with an enjoyable drums and guitar instrumental. Only when the second track starts with a JFK sample do we start floating in space. A guitar line makes a welcome reappearance on the fourth track, which leads into the strongest piece on <i>Moonbug</i>, "Electric Moonlight." Here some eerie, reverbed percussion is at the forefront, giving some much needed weight to the otherwise airy album. Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't live up to the strong first third. There is little in the way of structure or percussion from here on out, with lots of minimal, electronic whooshing and floating around filling out the album. Matt Johnson makes excellent soundscapes dating way back to his first forays into music such as on the arresting album <i>Burning Blue Soul </i>and on up to his current soundtrack work on <i>Tony</i> and <i>Moonbug</i>. And the soundscapes of <i>Moonbug</i> are indeed enjoyable while you are listening to them. But they are so weightless that they leave little impression after the fact. Johnson of course had to fit the sounds to serve the images, but from a purely musical standpoint, I wish there was more in the vein of "Electric Moonlight" and less of the unsubstantial sound vapors that make up much of <i>Moonbug</i>.<br />
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Still, it is a The The release, so you can expect a rewarding listen, plus Johnson has spared no expense in packaging the disc in a hardback book that features Pyke's astronaut portraits, some stills from the film, and an interesting conversation between Pyke and Johnson.<br />
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6.9/10<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18267299?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="601"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/18267299">Moonbug Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5601544">moonbug the film</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>Aaron Stilleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14781380711982256236noreply@blogger.com0