Lovely Lady and The Mesmerizing Piano

Occasionally I hear my friends complain that I like to listen to the females who ride the piano bench too much.
(As in the singer-songwriter women, who excel in expressing their souls by the grand piano.)
Oh well. I just tend to like good music, be it the piano-ladies or something else. And I am well-aware of being   blatantly subjective, no apologies there.
I was eager to hear the sounds from her new up-coming album, which seems promising.
The music is definitely going darker, faster, rhythmic, industrial and techno-bubblier. Which is exactly the kind of audio-smoothie this girl likes to hear on her iPod. As usual, her Slavic roots can be heard in the undertones, as well.

Her new album, "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats" comes out at the end of May.

Lovely Lady and The Mesmerizing Piano

Shades of Bliss

"It was a dark and stormy night..." Poor Snoopy, he never did get to finish his great masterpiece.

Attempts at writing the great classic aside, these nights of November certainly are dim and gloomy. While dreaming of the utopian teleporter-trip straight to Arcadia of nectars, endless sunshine and coconuts, a girl must make do with fave books, company of lovely friends and some enchanting music.
This latest jewel of a find is from Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions. Does the voice seem familiar? It should, as she is the lead singer of "Mazzy Star", a cult band that is finally returning from a long hiatus, and releasing new material next year. But while waiting for that, we have charming Ms. Sandoval.

Shades of Bliss

How Does Chernobyl Sound like?

In the midst of sad and tragic occurrences happening in Japan right now, people have remembered another old incident involving radiation and nuclear plants. Namely, April 26, 1986 and Chernobyl. 25 years have passed, and now the once dead ghost town seems to be puzzling with journalists, extreme travelers and well, nature. In 1986, the reactor of Chernobyl nuclear power plant (80 miles north of Kiev) exploded and spew out enough radioactivity to make up Hiroshima bombing 100 times over. Nature recovered, albeit barely. Strange deformities and tumors are abundant and visible on the fauna of the area, yet, they strive and exist.

The remains of the evil reactor were covered with a concrete sarcophagus 25 years ago- but it is slowly caving in and needs to be replaced. The poisonous mix of radioactive isotopes underneath the crumbling covering is still alive and well for the next 24 000 years. This certainly gives chills when thinking about the situation in Japan.

Sound artist Peter Cusack has recorded the sound scape of Chernobyl in 2006, and his recordings give hope for the once barren and sterile land. I highly recommend listening to his otherwork as well, like the sounds of the Azerbaijan oil fields. All Cusack´s recordings involve areas of environmental damage.

How Does Chernobyl Sound like?

Scientology and The Road to Freedom

Religion is a sensitive topic. The ones with strong beliefs on its power are always eager to defend its importance for our existence. How can one be human without spiritual guidance, a system that molds our choices and provides safety from lingering fears on pure arbitrariness in the universe? For some of us, atheism is simply absurd. Spiritual vacuum is feared, condemned and it can even be considered a morally questionable representation of the character at large.

 I do recognize the feeling of shelter religion brings, it is easier to live with someone/something giving straight  answers to everything (no matter how correct they are). There is no uncertainty or questioning of choices: things are, as given. It is a matter of placing your ultimate trust in the hands of someone, and something. This trust can be easily exploited, however.

When there is demand, there is supply. A friend of mine had an intriguing encounter with this specific church in the past. Well-dressed, well-spoken woman on the streets of Brighton offers a free personality test. After the test (which in its complexity was nothing but random general questions of nothing important) the results were given. No surprises there, the need for help was regarded as immediate. My friend was apparently "in dire emotional stress and going nowhere" without intervention. Relief would come in the form of dianetics. And countless courses, I assume.  Without going into specifics of Scientology, as I suspect most of us have heard the stories on thetans, aliens, suppressive persons, auditing and the perils of modern psychiatry, I present some hip music by the church of Scientology.

In 1986, Scientology put out an album of songs created by no other that the great L. Ron Hubbard himself.
The lyrics are exactly what one would imagine, preaching the ARC triangle, devils of psychiatry etc. This is "the Road to Freedom" , indeed.

Scientology and The Road to Freedom

"I´ve been careless with a Delicate Man"

While waiting for some new material from our fabulous miss Fiona Apple, let´s see some of her older classics. "Criminal" from her 1996 album "Tidal" is considered by many to be her greatest, and did receive a Grammy-award. (While accepting the award, she gave her famous "don´t model yourself after what we say" -speech)
The music video, directed by Mark Romanek, was controversial, and raised concerns over exploiting Apple. Although she was 19-years-old at the time, she looked years younger, to the point where the music video was judged borderline child pornography. The whole early image of Fiona Apple teased the public with "a malnourished, depressed Lolita" -denotations, with or without her blessing.

The video starts with Apple taking a picture of "us", making us the voyeur of her actions. She knows she is being watched, and thus takes the control of the gaze from us. The space is dim and dark, and the lighting gives an impression of a flashlight being forcefully focused into something morally ambiguous escaping harsh judgment. We should not be watching this, yet we want to. The stuffed animals and beer bottles move into the images and so does a scantily dressed Apple. The scene being played out looks disturbing, yet Apple never gives away the control.  Half-clothed, laid out bodies next to Fiona appear just before she sings "I´ve been a bad, bad girl". The other people remain faceless, plain body parts which are used by the main subject. The idea of an orgy is played with, presented to us as a night gone awry, and the seemingly under-age girl is looking for redemption for her actions. The sin being here is her desires, and hiding in the closet cannot erase sexuality. Apple moves to kitchen tables and begins to undress. By now it is clear that we are not watching a woman, but a "child-woman" still maturing. In her thin and fragile frame she appears uncomfortable, vulnerable and awkward.

The images of a sports car seem at first out of place, until we see Apple trapped and half-naked in the backseat of the car. Someone is taking pictures and video of her, making her an object. She is shown enjoying herself being filmed, yet her body movements suggest there is something more sinister going on. The forbidden sexuality is hidden in closets, bedrooms, showers, bath tubs, pools and cars- yet made visible to the voyeur inside of us, watching her. While she sings " I´ve got to make a play, to make my lover stay, so what would an angel say, the devil wants to know" she admits her guilt and deception for the first time. The final images of the floating dish detergent are an all-too obvious metaphor to be discussed and the video ends with Apple lying on top of sleeping men while turning her gaze away from us, ashamed. Although the lyrics of the song "Criminal" suggest Fiona is on control of the sexual situations laid out for the audience, the visual imagery of the video imply otherwise.

"I´ve been careless with a Delicate Man"

Bitesize Pops : "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"

After my latest grim posting, I figured it is time to lift up the mood. For now.
I have lately been getting into Hunter S. Thompson´s collected writings. My oh my, the man was a serious loose cannon. Constantly in trouble, intoxicated and high whenever and wherever. Kind of like the character of "Hank Moody" in the Showtime series "Californication". The new season? Not convinced, not yet.
It takes a lot to please my taste. So here we go.

Japanese scientists have a party, get drunk, spill the drinks -and by accident find out that the partymix-booze also induces superconductivity. Cheers!

Contrary to popular gossip, Facebook is not shutting down on March 15. Although it would be interesting to see how people would react -yes,  I am looking at you, Face-a-holics. Still eagerly waiting to see what happens with the "alternative" facebooks, such as Diaspora.

Music influences our brain the same way as cocaine. But it has to be our favorite tunes. I knew this. Try as I may, German schlagers won´t do it for me. Even in the dark. Apparently the dopamine level increases (while listening to music) varied from 6-21 % depending on the test subject. Which proves that some of us can get more high than others. Wonderful.

Google co-founder Larry Page buys a $45  million dollar super-yacht, to join his fighter jet. "The adventure boat" can carry a helicopter, but fits only 10 guests. So now you know where to go if he invites your over.

In need of a new hangout? Gaius Baltar´s former  crib is free for taking. Beautiful scenery, ocean front views, 4000 sq.ft., large wrap-around balconies with hot tub. Yes people, that tub. Near Whistler in British Columbia. The rent is only $4350 CAD, which is reduced from the original 4800. Hmm, no takers for this amazing opportunity to live like the man himself? I am suspecting that the beautiful blonde robot does not come with the house, though. Don´t know who Gaius is/was? Then this post is not for you.

In case you have not heard yet, The History Channel killed the highly anticipated eight-part miniseries "The Kennedys". It has been shopped around, but nobody touches it. Why? Because it is the Kennedys, and here is the story on how the family persuaded the network to bury the already filmed product. Great eyeopener for those in the dark on how power works. Even though the family does not have a member in the elective office anymore, after Patrick J. Kennedy, they still have influence. Interestingly it was the women of the family behind the pulling of the plug, as it is the men of that clan who make up all the dirty laundry. Need not go into detail, I think we all know.

PJ Harvey is releasing new stuff on February 25th. I know a lot people still regard her early recording, "Rid of Me" from 1993 the best . I still prefer "Stories from the city, stories from the sea" (2000).

Courtney Love´s erratic, strange, absurd yet entertaining Twitter feed is no more. As I commented on earlier, her bizarre pictures in states of various undress and levels of intoxication have charmed us for quite some time now, but it appears an unfortunate case of a lawsuit stopped this train from moving. Rest in peace, CourtneyLoveuk.

Trent Reznor is responsible for the score of the upcoming American remake on "The Girl with the dragon tattoo". My interest level for this unholy cooking shot up immediately; I suppose I have shared my opinions on that earlier. I do hope it is better that what he did with "The Social Network". Well, there is always The Downward Spiral, which I love.

For last, let´s see some images from that up-for-grabs house over at Vancouver:

Bitesize Pops : "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"

Overcoming Writer´s Block and John Cage

It´s a familiar feeling. Staring at the blank page, trying to come up with words that would make sense. Sing for me -and hopefully for others, as well. Here is an actual published paper by Dennis Upper: "The Unsuccessful Self-Treatment of a Case of ´Writer´s Block`". The paper´s contents, from 1974, sum up the condition quite nice and neat.

Yes, that´s all folks. Nothing else to see. I assume "the block" got a strong hold on Dennis Upper, who succumbed to the beast. Just in case you missed a critical part of the paper, please read it again, in detail, over here. Reviewer A has very poignant marks on this writing. "Clearly it is the most concise manuscript I have ever seen -yet it contains sufficient detail to allow other investigators to replicate Dr. Upper´s failure."


This piece of scientific work (in all seriousness) reminds me of  "4´33"  by John Cage. If you have not experienced it in person, I highly recommend. Beats  Richard Wagner´s Siegfried, for sure. (Anyone been able to listen to it from beginning to end?)

As an experimental composer, John Cage (1912-1992) was interested in creating a soundworld out of various noises and "coincidences" around us in a modern urban society. In his time, he was either marked as a   talentless fool or a genius. This controversy marks his most famous work, "4´33". Cage used silence in his other works, as well, but never to this extent. Silence, however, is never just plain silence. Watch how the audience slowly becomes aware of being part of the performance themselves. They try to stay still and quiet -but of course there is no such thing. Even the conductor cannot hide behind his baton.Who is the object to be looked at?

Overcoming Writer´s Block and John Cage

You Got a Reaction

Happy new year everyone! Mine started with a minor car crash, hope yours is sliding out a bit better.
Here´s an oldie but a goodie to start 2011 with. White Stripes and Blue Orchid.
And I so want those shoes. The white heels. I can already picture myself wearing those while cleaning the floor. (And let´s leave the story at that. )

Floria Sigismondi makes beautiful imagery in her videos, but darned it, the woman has a fetish over impossible shoes on ladies. I guess we all have our kinks.

You Got a Reaction

Have a Christmas cookie: Julian Assange and the Art of Rap-music

Mr. Assange makes his detour to the world of rap around the 5 minute mark. On the basis of this, I think he should stay on his chosen path of international information archeology. What do you think?

Have a Christmas cookie: Julian Assange and the Art of Rap-music

I´m so Happy I could Bleed

Very rarely does a piece of music get in your veins, like this specimen here. Meet "Warpaint", all-girl band from LA, whose famous fans include actors Billy Zane and the late Heath Ledger. Their debut EP "Excuisite Corpse" came out last year with six haunting, captivating and effortlessly beautiful pieces of musical poetry. The tracks were mixed by John Frusciante, the former Red Hot Chili Peppers -guitarist. The band has been touring with "XX" this autumn, and sold out many concerts in Europe and the US. Don´t need to ask me why. Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman and Jenny Lee Lindberg, keep doing this extraordinary art. Pretty please.

I´m so Happy I could Bleed

Bitesize pops

Tickets for a Steve Martin -event in Miami were refunded . Audience criticized him of being too boring. Or more diplomatically :"the event did not meet the standard of excellence people have come to expect".

Evolutionary psychologist claims that there is scientific data to back up claims on why beautiful people tend to produce more daughters

"I really don´t think it´s about getting laid for him". Vincent Cassel talks about the director of his new hyped-up movie "The Black Swan"

Writer Anne Rice thinks the romance-aspect of "Twilight" is genius, yet placing the vampires on high school is less so...!

PJ Harvey has announced a new album coming up. Hopefully it is better than her last one. Some people argue  that she has not produced anything as brilliant as "Rid of Me" in 1993

Director and all-around artist/auteur David Lynch has ventured into modern blues . Hmm, something tells me this is either way out there or something marvellous.

Apparently mercury turns wetland birds into homosexuals . This will lead to interesting questions about the safety of residue chemicals/metals  in our drinking water...

Jack White is not happy about his limited-edition recording releases  being sold for hundreds of dollars above their original selling price

Bitesize pops

Gwyneth Paltrow gets the Glee-treatment

When autotuning is used to the max in music production, the end result is something like this.
The incredibly popular "Glee" has dear old Gwynnie guest starring, and as is common practice with the show, everything soundwise is "cleaned" to perfection. At some parts, it is hard to tell whether it is a woman, man or a computer singing. I call it "the Glee treatment".




Here is her recent performance at the Country Music Awards, from which you can get a better glimpse of singing talents, if there is any. I would say average, with difficulties in the higher register(of voice). Nothing outstanding. But she is not known for any music talents, she is an Actress. I am very curious to see the upcoming "Country Strong", which is prepped as her second Oscar winning-movie. To me, she has never seemed as the rough woman from the South singing country. More like the cold and serene English aristocrat  than red-blooded Martina McBride. But a good actor can convincingly portray anything. This will certainly be  a test of talents, if anything.

Gwyneth Paltrow gets the Glee-treatment

Only those who risk going too far, find out how far they can go (Fringe 0305)

The case of madam Courtney Love. If you have not read the extraordinary article about her in "The New York Times", please do so.

I have always been fascinated by this lady. The widow of late Kurt Cobain, singer-songwriter of critically acclaimed "Hole", Golden Globe-nominated actress of "People vs. Larry Flynt" in 1996 and the occasional muse for countless designers, musicians, hipsters and wannabes. It is fair to say, she has had several opportunities over the years; chances that thousands of aspiring artists would kill for. Yet, she can´t quite make it work. wikipedia refers to her as "an occasional actress" and her latest cd, "Nobody´s Daughter" managed to move only  52 000 copies. Albeit it is not the golden era in record sales, but still a long way from what was to be expected.

Her personal problems with drugs and mental disorders are well documented. Recently Love lost custody of her only child, Frances Bean, amidst rumors of mismanaging her daughter´s future inheritance. Courtney is not all quiet about her struggles- the lady tweets alot. I know, because I have had her listed in my Twitter feed, until I could not take the frantically appearing writings that are often impossible to comprehend.

The NY times article starts with Love proudly declaring her new shape, "I am trying to take better care of myself", while attending the screening of a new movie. Later she is found dazed and intoxicated, stumbling naked in the arms of artist Anselm Kiefer. This seems to be the pattern of her life. She gets better and clean, we all cheer- and then comes the inevitable fallout. The cycle has continued since the 90s. Her bizarre episodes entertain us, give us something to ogle and gossip. In this instance, she is the ultimate celebrity for our enjoyment: look at that, money and fame cannot buy happiness.


Courtney´s alleged repeated missteps in clothing choices and plastic surgery are well-documented and pictured. I was somewhat surprised to find out there is an actual website devoted to her whimsically artsy choices: http://whatcourtneyworetoday.com/  Some of the images are sad depictions of a  former grunge queen imitating upper middle class chic. If anything, Courtney is never upper middle class. She is a woman, who wears Narciso Rodriguez, rips it off and shouts F U for us to hear. She is like the anti-Madonna, who we follow not due to her fancy clothes, but what she does while wearing them.

"I speak to you as someone who doesn´t want to be perceived as a trainwreck", she declares to the interviewer in her hotel room, where she has been staying since last year. The room is described as messy, filled with clothes, cigarette buts, junk food and prescription bottles.  By her own admission, she is taking antidepressants, which, combined with alcohol, produce the kind of spaced out states she is often written on.

Prozac, depression and antidepressants became all the fashion to have and talk of in the 90s, with the emergence of books such as "Prozac nation" by Elizabeth Wurzel. Suddenly it was cool to be depressed and be taking medication; having mental issues were associated with creativity and brilliance. But the novelty value of being out of balance did not last long; by 2001 and Winona Ryder´s shoplifting incidence the stigma attached to mental problems began to re-emerge. Winona, the other famous dark and moody actress, was once the poster child for glorified angst and anxiety("Heathers", "Reality Bites"). Now, she was just 30 and found with 7 illegal pain killers in her purse, among them Demerol and Oxycodone. (The video is here )
Clearly, Courtney has missed the fashion trend in this instance, if there ever was one.


Yet, she is likable in the way underdogs often are. Her tales of humble beginnings aside due to her mother being an heiress to the Bausch & Lomb fortunes, she is charismatic in a way people with tremendous challenges behind them are. When she is calm and sober, she talks with a magnetic, quick-witted way about her.




As Simone Beauvoir remained to be always known as "that Sartre´s woman", somehow less genius than her lifepartner, the same was (is?) in danger to happen to Love. There can be destinies far more horrific in life than to be branded as "Cobains widow", yet Courtney is fighting it, trying to make something of her own name again and again.  Regardless of the value of her merits, she doesn´t stop inspiring us. One could argue that the whole look and attitude of teen star Taylor Momsen is taken from Love.

Only those who risk going too far, find out how far they can go (Fringe 0305)

Bitesize pops

Zach Galifianakis shares his view on Mel Gibson

Charlie Sheen went bat-crazy, trashed his room and partied with a hooker . Allegedly. Like a 45-year-old would.

Francis Ford Coppola is planning a horror film with Val Kilmer

The fifty-year-old Birth control pill could soon be replaced with a topical gel, without the side-effects. Allegedly, that is.

Fiona Apple talks about the "challenging" new tracks she is creating for her forthcoming new album

Here is the scoop on the new characters coming to next season of True Blood. Cage fighters and palm readers?

(image via Vanity Fair)

Bitesize pops

The New Willow Smith music video

This has been expected since the first bits of her singing turned up online, and Jay Z could not stay quiet about the wonders of his new 9-year-old protégé.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the girl is just 9_years_old.

But please remember, we are not talking about just any common child: this is the offspring of Will Smith and Jada Smith, the Hollywood powerhouse. Their older child Jayden has already been destined to greatness via the main role in this year´s Karate Kid, and now the younger team member of the Smith-dynasty shows her talents (or whips her hair).

 But of course she did not come up with the song herself, as has been previously suggested. Versions of this song can be found on Youtube, song by people such as Jennifer Lopez. Common music business stuff, recycling the hits until they find a good and promising home.

This is a very clever business move in general. Nowadays it is country and kids´music that sells, the rest is uncertain. Justin Bieber is 16, and getting too old for these markets. A new kid star is golden. With any luck, Willow will whip her hair and rock out hits for a couple of years, and then? She will never have to work again.

The New Willow Smith music video

Fiona Apple and the ode for creativity

Finally the notoriously reclusive yet lovely singer Fiona Apple has emerged from her cave.
Her last studioalbum Extraordinary Machine came out in 2005, after bitter disputes and creative differences with the record label. New material is promised for next year -whether this actually happens, remains to be seen. Apple is known to work slow, and she has stated this to be a frustrating issue for her inner circle.
In this sweet clip she talks about creativity and music. Extra points for the catchy gloves.

Fiona Apple and the ode for creativity

Armless pianist wins China´s got talent

Playing the piano does not come easy for most of us, but imagine doing it with your hands--and well?

Liu Wei just took the grand prize in China´s version of the "(country´s name) Got Talent" reality-tv competition.
Susan Boyle has got nothing in comparison to this skill.


 

Armless pianist wins China´s got talent

Bitesize pops

The row on the upcoming (?) Hobbit-movies is getting ugly. The labor disputes have been taken to the government  level in New Zealand. Now Sam Neill  is involved.

Light drinking is apparently not a risk for the baby. So drink up, pregnant mothers.

Great interview with the elusive Edward Norton

Amy Winehouse claims to have been drink-free for three years now. I´ll have a drink for that.

New theory on Jack the Ripper - a woman

Bitesize pops

Bitesize pops

New category.

James Franco  options the book "The Adderall Diaries: A Memoir of Moods, Masochism and Murder" by Stephen Elliot. He plans to write, produce, direct and maybe star. Remembering his recent sidejob as the mysterious and crazy artist "Franco" in the daily soap show General Hospital, could we determine he has taken an interest to sinister, black chararacters?

Latest addition to the american remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo": Christopher Plummer as  Henrik Vanger

Eminem  returns to the big screen - surprisingly in a erotic drama.

Stephen King explains what vampires should be: boy-toys with big dewy eyes need not apply. Stony killers accepted.

"How to" -recipe of the day. Dexter-inspired blood-slide suckers. Yes, they are edible.

Bitesize pops

Lady next to the Man - Karen Elson

It is tough trying to make it out from the shadows of a more famous spouse. Just ask Simone de Beauvoir. Accomplished writer and philosopher on her own right, but forever known as "that Sartre´s woman".

Karen Elson is by no means without her own merits. Internationally known model and a founding member of a New York- based political cabaret troupe The Citizens Band, she has by far resisted the urge to just lay back and stand by her man. After all, Jack White can surely stay busy for the both of them. And two little kids in the life can be, well, draining to the best of us.

Despite all the expected comparisons to her husband and to the league of other singer-songwriters out there, she recorded an album. The Ghost Who Walks. And it is pretty darned good. Here is a sample:





That red hair. What I would not give to get it. And Jack White too, while we´re at it.

Here is a link for an article about Karen and her music:

paste magazine

Lady next to the Man - Karen Elson