Artist: Couch
Album: Fantasy
Released in: 2000
File under: Unexpected
The Dishes Project has been on a long hiatus, and partially that's because I didn't want to listen to the next CD in line. I vaguely remembered that Couch were some early project of Kieran Hebden and that I didn't care for the album. False on both counts, although perhaps my taste has merely changed (matured?) with respect to the latter.
The name of Kieran Hebden's early project is Fridge (I was close), and this album is excellent. It's post-rock done very well, with the right balance of interesting sound textures, melodic elements and motif repetition. Post-rock = bands that use the instruments of rock (in this case, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards) but without rock/pop song structure. Post-rock bands vary in how much they end up sounding like electronica (in developing and repeating themes) and/or jazz (in noodling around). Fantasy is more on the electronica end and also encroaches somewhat on shoegaze, especially in the final track Gegen Den. The stand-out tracks are the gently propulsive opener Ich Bei Davor, guitar-heavy (in a good way) Control, and the contemplative Nah Dran. Ich Bei Davor and Nah Dran are available at my blip.fm profile if you want to take a listen.
As some of the song titles suggest, Couch is a German band. The keyboard player, Stefanie Boehm, turns out to be half of Ms. John Soda -- a band on Morr that I like. So perhaps I was bound to be a fan of this album, but it seems fortuitous that The Dishes Project has restarted with such a pleasant surprise.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Interlude : Mix
I recently created a mix for my friend L.K. She was interested in hearing some minimalist classical music, but the mix ended up more of a meditation on modern electronica (and, to a small degree, how modern electronica is influenced by minimalist classical music). I made it late on a Tuesday night, when my brain was all relaxed and fuzzy. Sometimes mixes turn out better the less you think about them, and I like this one a lot. Enjoy: Mix for L
Return of the Dishes
It's been nearly two years since I last wrote for the Dishes Project. For those of you who may be newcomers, I started this blog for two reasons:
1) I was washing a lot of dishes, and found it boring
2) I have a lot of CDs and I don't listen to enough of them
I decided to solve these two problems at the same time by listening to all my CDs alphabetically, one CD per dish-washing session. I then posted reviews, comments, rants, anecdotes, etc.
Nowadays, I have a dishwasher, so Problem (1) is no longer applicable. However, Problem (2) remains, and the more time passes, the more I forget the stories behind all the music that I own. So, I've decided to restart the project. I'm going to aim for two CDs a week, and we'll see how far I get!
NB: the ugly red boxes in the old posts used to be links to individual tracks that I uploaded to a kinda crap site called imeem. I think I will use blip.fm henceforth, unless anyone has a better suggestion.
1) I was washing a lot of dishes, and found it boring
2) I have a lot of CDs and I don't listen to enough of them
I decided to solve these two problems at the same time by listening to all my CDs alphabetically, one CD per dish-washing session. I then posted reviews, comments, rants, anecdotes, etc.
Nowadays, I have a dishwasher, so Problem (1) is no longer applicable. However, Problem (2) remains, and the more time passes, the more I forget the stories behind all the music that I own. So, I've decided to restart the project. I'm going to aim for two CDs a week, and we'll see how far I get!
NB: the ugly red boxes in the old posts used to be links to individual tracks that I uploaded to a kinda crap site called imeem. I think I will use blip.fm henceforth, unless anyone has a better suggestion.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Moving = Insanity
We here at the Dishes Project normally stick to music-related/inspired content. However, the last couple of days have been so insane that they require some commemoration.
Backstory: I moved across the country -- sold all furniture, shipped all worthwhile possessions (clothes, books) and got rid of the rest. I had help (thanks Mr. R.!) but the last day was still utterly exhausting. My move-out date was Wednesday, which is where our story begins....
Play-by-Play:
7/8/09, 7:30 am: Wake up time
8:30-10:30: Retrieved moving van from San Jose airport
10:30-12pm: Disassembled various furniture items, emptied apartment storage area
12-1: Went to recycling center and gave them mattress, cardboard boxes from storage area
I was so happy to get rid of the mattress in a legal way... but it took a lot of time.
1-2:30: Met with former professor to retrieve library books, went to campus and cleaned out office, returned library book, ate lunch
He could only find one of the library books...
2:30-3:30: Gave dresser to Mr. W. and fan to Ms. F., removed seat from moving van, carried bed, microwave, dresser, multi-drawered office organizer, mirror and end table to van
3:30ish-5ish: Went to Public Storage, set up storage unit, unloaded all furniture into storage unit
Furniture Count: 7 pieces, including mattress
5-6:30ish: Loaded van with futon (frame and mattress), Ikea chair, bike rack, and bookcase and delivered to Mr. N. on campus
6:30-7:30ish: Loaded van with couch and filing cabinet with help of Mr. H., delivered couch to Mr. H.
Furniture Count: 15 pieces
7:30-8:30ish: Gave floor lamp to random person, loaded van with large bookcase, small bookcase and TV, delivered the previous to Mr. T.
8:30-9:30ish: Took more furniture to storage unit before it closed (desk, bookcase, printer), deposited check, checked in at hotel, ate dinner
Furniture Count: 21 pieces
9:30-10:30ish: cleaned out car, sold car to Mr. T.!
10:30-11: shipped two last boxes, retrieved shelves accidentally given to Mr. T.
11-1:15ish: cleaned remaining stuff out of apartment, packed multiple suitcases
There was so much stuff to be gotten rid of: misc unclaimed furniture and household goods, food, plants, gah.
1:30-3:15am: cleaned apartment, loaded van with vacuum cleaner, garbage cans, misc small lamps, filing storage bins, toaster, box of kitchen goods, standing lamp, returned keys
3:15-3:45am: delivered standing lamp to Mr. T., went to hotel, crashed
The standing lamp had to be last since we wouldn't have been able to see without it... no overhead lighting in most rooms of the old apartment.
Total Furniture: 25 pieces or so in approximately 12 hours (garbage cans+ lamp + bins = 1 piece, toaster + box = 1 piece)
----------------
7/9/09, 5:15am: wake-up time after 1.5 hours of sleep! gotta get to the storage unit again before leaving SC
6-6:20: went to storage unit, unloaded all items which had been loaded at the end of the previous night
Very bleary-eyed...
6:20-7:30: breakfast (thank you Hampton Inn), got gas for moving van, drove moving van to San Jose airport and returned it
8am Pacific time to 8:30 pm Eastern time: in airports (San Jose, Reno, Las Vegas, Baltimore), on planes (reading Breaking Dawn), wrangling four suitcases, riding on courtesy shuttles
9 pm: Finally in Lutherville, watched Ghost World for no reason, crashed
-----
Insanity.
Backstory: I moved across the country -- sold all furniture, shipped all worthwhile possessions (clothes, books) and got rid of the rest. I had help (thanks Mr. R.!) but the last day was still utterly exhausting. My move-out date was Wednesday, which is where our story begins....
Play-by-Play:
7/8/09, 7:30 am: Wake up time
8:30-10:30: Retrieved moving van from San Jose airport
10:30-12pm: Disassembled various furniture items, emptied apartment storage area
12-1: Went to recycling center and gave them mattress, cardboard boxes from storage area
I was so happy to get rid of the mattress in a legal way... but it took a lot of time.
1-2:30: Met with former professor to retrieve library books, went to campus and cleaned out office, returned library book, ate lunch
He could only find one of the library books...
2:30-3:30: Gave dresser to Mr. W. and fan to Ms. F., removed seat from moving van, carried bed, microwave, dresser, multi-drawered office organizer, mirror and end table to van
3:30ish-5ish: Went to Public Storage, set up storage unit, unloaded all furniture into storage unit
Furniture Count: 7 pieces, including mattress
5-6:30ish: Loaded van with futon (frame and mattress), Ikea chair, bike rack, and bookcase and delivered to Mr. N. on campus
6:30-7:30ish: Loaded van with couch and filing cabinet with help of Mr. H., delivered couch to Mr. H.
Furniture Count: 15 pieces
7:30-8:30ish: Gave floor lamp to random person, loaded van with large bookcase, small bookcase and TV, delivered the previous to Mr. T.
8:30-9:30ish: Took more furniture to storage unit before it closed (desk, bookcase, printer), deposited check, checked in at hotel, ate dinner
Furniture Count: 21 pieces
9:30-10:30ish: cleaned out car, sold car to Mr. T.!
10:30-11: shipped two last boxes, retrieved shelves accidentally given to Mr. T.
11-1:15ish: cleaned remaining stuff out of apartment, packed multiple suitcases
There was so much stuff to be gotten rid of: misc unclaimed furniture and household goods, food, plants, gah.
1:30-3:15am: cleaned apartment, loaded van with vacuum cleaner, garbage cans, misc small lamps, filing storage bins, toaster, box of kitchen goods, standing lamp, returned keys
3:15-3:45am: delivered standing lamp to Mr. T., went to hotel, crashed
The standing lamp had to be last since we wouldn't have been able to see without it... no overhead lighting in most rooms of the old apartment.
Total Furniture: 25 pieces or so in approximately 12 hours (garbage cans+ lamp + bins = 1 piece, toaster + box = 1 piece)
----------------
7/9/09, 5:15am: wake-up time after 1.5 hours of sleep! gotta get to the storage unit again before leaving SC
6-6:20: went to storage unit, unloaded all items which had been loaded at the end of the previous night
Very bleary-eyed...
6:20-7:30: breakfast (thank you Hampton Inn), got gas for moving van, drove moving van to San Jose airport and returned it
8am Pacific time to 8:30 pm Eastern time: in airports (San Jose, Reno, Las Vegas, Baltimore), on planes (reading Breaking Dawn), wrangling four suitcases, riding on courtesy shuttles
9 pm: Finally in Lutherville, watched Ghost World for no reason, crashed
-----
Insanity.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Bossa Per Dishes
Artist: Nicola Conte
Album: Bossa Per Due
Released in: 2001
Acid jazz/downtempo/Italian film music from the 60's/sitars/go-go wonderfulness. Recommended for: cocktail parties, secret missions, summertime afternoons, jetting around town on a Vespa. Nicely done, Nicola.
Album: Bossa Per Due
Released in: 2001
Acid jazz/downtempo/Italian film music from the 60's/sitars/go-go wonderfulness. Recommended for: cocktail parties, secret missions, summertime afternoons, jetting around town on a Vespa. Nicely done, Nicola.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Chart
Top Five Artists (week of 6/21-6/28):
1. The Magnetic Fields
2. Dave Brubeck
3. Wye Oak
4. Arovane
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Entirely different from last week.
Dave Brubeck + Arovane = working
Magnetic Fields = I listened to their latest album Distortion again... there are some lovely songs (like Courtesans), but also some novelties that grow quickly old (like Zombie Boy). Not my fave MF album.
Wye Oak = excellent Baltimore band that my sister introduced me to
Yeah Yeah Yeahs = their latest album is great.
1. The Magnetic Fields
2. Dave Brubeck
3. Wye Oak
4. Arovane
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Entirely different from last week.
Dave Brubeck + Arovane = working
Magnetic Fields = I listened to their latest album Distortion again... there are some lovely songs (like Courtesans), but also some novelties that grow quickly old (like Zombie Boy). Not my fave MF album.
Wye Oak = excellent Baltimore band that my sister introduced me to
Yeah Yeah Yeahs = their latest album is great.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Flash Forward
All of the music on the Dishes Project so far was purchased eight to ten years ago -- I don't listen to most of it on a regular basis. As a sampling of what my music taste is now, here are some statistics about what I listen to on iTunes (courtesy of last.fm).*
Top Ten Artists:
1. Dave Brubeck
2. The Magnetic Fields
3. St. Vincent
4. Steely Dan
4. Belle and Sebastian
6. Arovane
7. Apparat
8. The Postmarks
9. Saint Etienne
9. Ladytron
Commentary:
1. I <3 Dave Brubeck, but he wins this little battle only because I ripped a 4XCD compilation of his from the public library awhile back, and often listen to it while working.
2. Most of these bands fall into the indie (pop) category: Magnetic Fields, St. Vincent, Belle and Sebastian, The Postmarks, Saint Etienne, arguably Ladytron. A few of these are really among my all time favorite bands (Magnetic Fields, Saint Etienne) but the others are on there because I have the majority of their albums only as mp3s (St. Vincent, Postmarks, Belle and Sebastian, Ladytron).
3. The first set of outliers are Arovane and Apparat, both idm-inspired although Arovane more contemplative and Apparat more propulsive and conventionally-structured. Again, they are on here because they're good music to listen to while working.
4. And then there's the Steely Dan. It is all the more impressive that Steely Dan is up there given that I only have one Steely Dan album (a greatest hits comp). The truth is that there's simply nothing like a little Steely late on a California night when you're feeling bitter and rueful and want to revel in it...
Top Five Artists (week of 6/13-6/20):
1. Goldfrapp
2. Air France
3. Air
4. Tahiti 80
5. Royksopp
No overlap, interestingly (although Goldfrapp are #15 overall). The Air France/Air/Tahiti 80 (all French pop suaveness/goodness) are all from a sunny placid afternoon when I wanted some happy and chill pop to listen to. I've been listening a lot to Royksopp's new album Junior, which is pretty good (especially The Girl and the Robot). I had a Goldfrapp attack earlier this week where I listened to their lastest album a few times (Seventh Tree, beautiful) and also listened to all the remixes of the track A&E that my sister was gracious enough to furnish me with (thanks, sis!).
I'm hoping that the weekly top 5 will continue to be a regularly posted event here on Dishes Project (shout out to postlinguistics for giving me the idea).
*I could use a widget to post these stats permanently along the side of this here blog... but that wouldn't be as fun.
Top Ten Artists:
1. Dave Brubeck
2. The Magnetic Fields
3. St. Vincent
4. Steely Dan
4. Belle and Sebastian
6. Arovane
7. Apparat
8. The Postmarks
9. Saint Etienne
9. Ladytron
Commentary:
1. I <3 Dave Brubeck, but he wins this little battle only because I ripped a 4XCD compilation of his from the public library awhile back, and often listen to it while working.
2. Most of these bands fall into the indie (pop) category: Magnetic Fields, St. Vincent, Belle and Sebastian, The Postmarks, Saint Etienne, arguably Ladytron. A few of these are really among my all time favorite bands (Magnetic Fields, Saint Etienne) but the others are on there because I have the majority of their albums only as mp3s (St. Vincent, Postmarks, Belle and Sebastian, Ladytron).
3. The first set of outliers are Arovane and Apparat, both idm-inspired although Arovane more contemplative and Apparat more propulsive and conventionally-structured. Again, they are on here because they're good music to listen to while working.
4. And then there's the Steely Dan. It is all the more impressive that Steely Dan is up there given that I only have one Steely Dan album (a greatest hits comp). The truth is that there's simply nothing like a little Steely late on a California night when you're feeling bitter and rueful and want to revel in it...
Top Five Artists (week of 6/13-6/20):
1. Goldfrapp
2. Air France
3. Air
4. Tahiti 80
5. Royksopp
No overlap, interestingly (although Goldfrapp are #15 overall). The Air France/Air/Tahiti 80 (all French pop suaveness/goodness) are all from a sunny placid afternoon when I wanted some happy and chill pop to listen to. I've been listening a lot to Royksopp's new album Junior, which is pretty good (especially The Girl and the Robot). I had a Goldfrapp attack earlier this week where I listened to their lastest album a few times (Seventh Tree, beautiful) and also listened to all the remixes of the track A&E that my sister was gracious enough to furnish me with (thanks, sis!).
I'm hoping that the weekly top 5 will continue to be a regularly posted event here on Dishes Project (shout out to postlinguistics for giving me the idea).
*I could use a widget to post these stats permanently along the side of this here blog... but that wouldn't be as fun.
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