On Friday evening, I visited the press opening of Bodies in Amsterdam at Beurs van Berlage. Seeing as I don’t actually have to review things in the newspaper, just preview them, here are some very loose impressions.

In case you’ve somehow never heard of it, the general idea is to find some dead bodies, preferably from China, ask as few questions about their background as possible, slice them, dice them, and hang them out to teach us how the human body works.

Getting straight to the point, I felt the exhibition was fairly interesting, but upon leaving, I didn’t feel like I was going home with a whole new understanding of how the human body works. They obviously intend it to be educational, and it’s undoubtedly very visual, but I don’t think you’re going to learn a great deal more about human biology without a lot more literature. Maybe the audio tour is much more revealing, and they did have some ‘experts’ on hand in a couple of room, but from what I saw, everyone was steering clear of them. At least all the information is presented in Dutch and English. It was just unfortunate that on all the main boards, the English text was literally round the back and virtually unlit, although the benefit of that was they weren’t crowded, so you could get in to read them.

Personally, I wasn’t shocked by any of it. There seems to be an aura of suspense around the exhibition and some people did look genuinely nervous walking into the building. I was actually more surprised by how unreal the bodies looked, and because they weren’t encased in glass, I had initially thought the bodies in the opening room were just models. It’s nice that you can get so up close to them, and many people really were, almost prodding them. But it’s weird that any curious little kid can escape the clutches of their parents and go pulling on real tendons or nerves before anyone stops them.

The reason why I wasn’t particularly shocked by it was that the ‘model quality’ made it all seem very inert to me. Previously I had watched a four-part documentary by mad German Gunther von Hagens, and having seen someone dissecting a real body on TV is a bit more intense than standing next to the treated parts. For example, the case containing a complete layer of skin was really freaking some people out, but it’s much more disturbing to watch it being peeled off in the first place.

The bits I probably enjoyed most were the room showing the arteries in various body parts, and also the foetuses. The latter comes with a warning, and I can see why some would be sensitive to it, but there’s nothing abominable in there. In fact, I probably found this to be the most educational room in the exhibition, as you really get a sense of foetal development–much more so than looking at photos in a book.

So it was good in a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ way, because it is a pretty unique opportunity to learn more about ourselves and how fragile life can be. But if I was paying the €20 entrance fee, I wouldn’t have been so enthused. It does seem overly pricey for an exhibition you can do in an hour. Then consider they’re shifting t-shirts and memorabilia at similarly high prices, and it does make you wonder where exactly the profits all go (statements about donations to medical research seem kind of vague).

On 19 December at Paradiso, the organisation/indie promoter Subbacultcha! celebrates its second birthday with a huge party and lots of live music. I’m starting to get the impression everyone is invited to play as the line-up just keeps growing. Here’s just a selection of artists who currently have their name down: T-99, About, Ghost Trucker, The Bent Moustache, Zoppo, Blues Brother Castro, Hospital Bombers, David Gilmour Girls, The Ik Jan Cremers, Lucky Fonz III, Aux Raus, zZz, Oops-A-Daisies, The Pedro Delgados and Scram C Baby.

It’s still a few weeks off, but what I like is that to mark the occasion, Subbacultcha! has put together an mp3 compilation containing 13 of the bands (with downloadable artwork too). Handy for locals looking to grab rare tracks by bands they might have missed so far, and excellent for anyone further afield looking to catch a glimpse into the inner underground of the Dutch/Amsterdam indie scene.

You can download the compilation here.

Yes, I conceded to that long ago, but there’s a little tour going on just now that I thought I would mention. Called ‘Girls Do It Better’, it features Californian indie pop band The Ian Fays and new Dutch band The Cuties (from Spijkenisse and Rotterdam).

Dates are:

30 Nov - 013, Tilburg
1 Dec - Merleyn, Nijmegen
2 Dec - De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam

Both bands then go their separate ways. But the thing is, a few weeks ago Stereo compiled an mp3 compilation of female music in tribute to this tour. Titled Stop Staring At My Tits, it features the bands above, as well as others like Neko Case and Erase Errata.

mp3: Nightmares

website: http://www.aereogramme.co.uk (designed and ruined by me, until Chemikal Underground bother to make them a real site. well I’ve gotta promote it. it’s not like I’m getting the lifetime supply of free t-shirts or DS games I was promised)

Yes, my third Aereogramme post in recent times, but this one comes with actual music.

I was actually going to write it last night, but it’s just as well I didn’t, as the song (hosted by Pitchdork) got pulled today at the request of Chemikal Underground. Yesterday it was ‘Barriers’, which is due to be released as a 7″ single in January, so they weren’t so keen on it being up for free. I don’t think I’ve heard the finished version of ‘Barriers’ yet–and I can’t remember if I have an older acoustic version–but I do know the initial comments were a tad sarky/uncalled for: ‘it seems Aereogramme are headed into dangerous Coldplay/Snow Patrol waters. It’s a sprawling legato, lushly orchestrated and romantic, without a hint of menace.’ Anyway, I’m really too old to feel bothered by anything I read on a webzine.

On the whole I’m grateful that Pitchdork are taking the time to host an exclusive mp3 of a band I love. And getting back to the point, the song available today is ‘Nightmares’; a song that I’ve loved for quite some time in its acoustic form, and it’s fascinating to hear it come to life with a full band. There are lots of strings, lots of mood, and lots of lyrical hope. I’ve been good so far and haven’t been listening to mp3s of the album (My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go), but of the little bits I have heard, and from all I’ve read, I know this track is fairly representative of their current direction. And I also know that Craig’s voice has really come out of its shell this time round, coming to the very front of the mix and sounding stronger than ever, which must be reassuring having lost most touring opportunities last year through vocal problems.

Undoubtedly I’ll be revisiting Aereogramme again over the next couple of months, because as the tag says, they are one of my favourite bands. I hope my enthusiasm encourages you to check them out (or give them another go).

Ah, my hairy darlings have finally announced a new tour for the release of their album My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go. I have seen Aereogramme many, many times in the past, but it’s been a long time since the last occasion so I’m quite excited. They already played London last week, and I had to be rational and stay home to work. Anyway…

All dates in February 2007:
Sun 4th, UK, Leeds, Josephs Well
Mon 5th, UK, Manchester, Night & Day
Tue 6th, UK, London, 93 Feet East
Wed 7th, UK, Southampton, Joiners
Thu 8th, UK, Oxford, Zodiac
Sat 10th, UK, Nottingham, Social
Sun 11th, UK, Birmingham, Bar Academy
Mon 12th, UK, Glasgow, Classic Grand
Wed 14th, Belgium, Brussels, vk club
Thu 15th, Holland, Hertogenbosch, W2-concertzaal
Fri 16th, Holland, Groningen, Vera
Sat 17th, Holland, Haarlem, Patronaat
Mon 19th, Germany, München, Backstage Werk
Tue 20th , Germany, Nuernberg, Hirsch
Wed 21st, Germany, Frankfurt, Batschkapp
Thu 22nd, Germany, Bochum, Zeche
Fri 23rd, Germany, Berlin, Postbahnhof
Sun 25th, Germany, Hamburg, Markthalle
Mon 26th, Germany, Cologne, Buergerhaus Stollwerck
Tue 27th, Germany, Saarbruecken, Garage
Wed 28th, Germany, Karlsruhe, Substage
(and all written out by guitarist Iain, so they’re probably spelled wrong)

mp3: Wet and Rusting

website:  http://www.menomena.com

I love Menomena at the moment. It’s a big musical crush actually. Sure, I only caught the end of the I Am the Fun Blame Monster! buzz in 2003/2004 when some nice people I know were listing it as an end of year favourite. But I was right in there for Under An Hour, the pretty instrumental triptych recorded in collaboration with Portland dance group Monster Squad. I’m listening to that as I type, and it’s reminding me of a Yann Tiersen idea being modernised by Cornelius.

I suppose I owe some facts, and seeing as I’ve never studied up on Menomena, here’s the wikipedia summary: ‘Menomena are an experimental rock band from Portland, Oregon, made up of Brent Knopf on guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel; Justin Harris on bass, guitar, baritone sax and alto sax; and Danny Seim on percussion. All members of the band share singing duties.’ Now back to the rambling…

As nice as Under An Hour is, their new material for the album Friend and Foe (out in January) is phenomenal, in my humble opinion. I’m continually bemoaning how much rock music and indie guitar bands in particular are boring me. I’m at an age where I feel like I’ve heard everything already. There are still guitar bands I love more than anything else, but I’m discovering fewer and fewer bands that really blow me away. But then there’s Menomena, who’ve come back out of nowhere and really dazzled me with some rather special pop music that is so interesting and so unpredictable that I sit listening with headphones just guessing at what I’ll hear next. Rhythms shift, instruments cut in and out, piano rolls echo between your ears, little bass runs pulse and ease you into the groove. I’m hugely impressed with all I’ve heard and I want this album to be out now because they make me feel like I can still be surprised by music. And as I slipped in so casually, it’s great pop music too. With so many ideas going on, it could/should be an aural mush, but the orchestration is so perfectly balanced and dancing with melodic hooks that it’s nothing short of pop.

So the song I’ve linked to is being hosted by Barsuk, their new label. ‘Wet and Rusting’ is also the lead track of their new EP, which is currently available. Now, if only they were touring with The Decemberists next year, I’d be extra satisfied.
Buy

mp3: No More

website: http://www.juliedoiron.com

I can rarely be accused of having a posting plan, but I did really want to post this next to the previous entry due to the Eric’s Trip mention. While Muggabears are referencing that ’90s guitar vibe, let’s not forget that Doiron was a real star in Eric’s Trip and her subsequent solo albums. I regularly overlook her, occasionally stumbling across her tracks on my mp3 player, before in turn moving on again. But I do genuinely enjoy her output, so I was happy to see she has a new album, titled Woke Myself Up.

This is a nice sampler too. Atmospheric and melancholic, yet it still drives itself onwards incessantly with simple melody a repetitive groove. Too short though. Without hearing the actual album, it’s tough to know whether this is the complete version or if Jagjaguwar fade out the sample mp3. It doesn’t sound like it’s going to go anywhere else, but still…I want more.

mp3: I’m Coming True
mp3: Sister Now

website: http://www.themuggabears.com

I’ve only listened to this lot a couple of times, but I kinda like it. Enough to post here anyway. I was drawn in by their press release, which truth be told, is pretty rare. See if it works for you:

“The Muggabears are a NYC-by-way-of-Texas trio, and while the Big Apple association may immediately raise a few red flags among the more cynical, The Muggabears have a much more subtle, nuanced, and unique sound to offer than lots of their competition. Combining the jagged guitar chords of Blonde Redhead and Eric’s Trip with the breezy atmospheres of the Beauty Pill and late-period Unwound, this three-song EP is a good teaser for what’s hopefully more intriguing tunes to come.”

I can hear a little bit of the Eric’s Trip, but only a little. Besides they’re a morna band (only relevant if you’re my friend morna). Blonde Redhead? Mmmm, maybe not. It just doesn’t really seem dark and brooding. But yeah, Muggabears…not a bad sound if you’re looking for fuzzy guitars and decent melodic hooks. In 1998 I would have bought this without much consideration.

mp3: Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts - Mushroom Hunting (Live)
mp3: Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts - Blue (Live)
(God Help Me I’m Generous - I’ve even snuck another mp3 below…)
vid: watch the opening sequence of Cowboy Bebop featuring “Tank!”
web: Yoko Kanno Project

If you don’t know about Cowboy Bebop you are an unfortunate soul indeed. Bebop encompasses the holy trinity of perfect anime - perfect anything really: amazing storytelling, amazing animation and amazing music. You walk away not only hot on the characters, but hot on the music too.

Cowboy Bebop was released in 1998, was a single season long, and was made into a feature film (that takes place between the final two episodes). It’s story - the pursuits of a misfit gang of galactic bounty hunters - captivated audiences internationally, and made Bebop one of the most successful anime of all time.

The music was a massive international success, due entirely to the genius of artist Yoko Kanno, who continues to pen for anime, games and films, including the incredibly beautiful soundtrack of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. The opening theme “Tank!” was an international hit, even charting in some unexpected places. If nothing else, you’ve probably heard “Tank!” as in the last three years it has been used in television commercials for high end automobiles.

The magic of Kanno’s music lies in her innate ability to compose for pretty much any occasion. In Bebop there is blues, country, jazz, classical, pop and funk. And opera people! HIP OPERA! If you never see any of the films, games or programs her music is in, hunt down her music. It is worth every second.

Here I’ve included two favorites from the vast cornucopia that is the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. There is so much to choose from, I wanted to sample a bit of the fun and a bit of the amazing - not easy when you consider that the music has been released over two separate CD soundtrack releases, a five disc CD boxed set, a film soundtrack CD, and Earth Girls Are Easy: Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts Live CD. The first “Mushroom Hunting” is 1970’s Shaft-style funk, jazz and world music just loaded with fun. The second is one of my all time favorite songs. We’re talking top ten favorite. It is called ‘Blue’, and its more of a rock ballad. With opera. Both are from Earth Girls Are Easy.

I hope you like it.

Buy.

mp3: Stiv Bators - Sonic Reducer
website: www.stivbators.com, stiv at bomp (great photos)

Stiv Bators was a Dead Boy. In Cincinnati, 1975 Stiv and his friends sent out a call for fellow musicians to participate in an Iggy Pop cover band. They called themselves ‘Frankenstein’ and started their infamous live career (by which they would forever be defined) on Halloween. They released a three song EP under this name, and “Sonic Reducer” - a classic, thrash-punk staple - was included. Very soon after that, the band changed its name to ‘The Dead Boys’ and walked into punk rock legend forever. Their live shows enticed the kind of melee that today’s little bands only dream about. They fit into the late 1970’s punk scene like a puzzle piece. They toured with the Damned, and were embraced by the legendary Johnny Thunders of New York Dolls fame. A staple of CBGB’s (the legendary NY club), they came on loud, strong and fast, living under the motto “Fuck art, let’s rock!” - introducing American kids to a sight and sound that had not yet crossed the pond. In 1979, after only two albums (’77’s “Young Loud and Snotty” and ’78’s “We Have Come for Your Children”), several lineups and extensive touring, The Dead Boys broke up.

Stiv would continue to search for an outlet to perform. He recorded a single for Bomp records (that differed completely from his work with the Dead Boys), and in 1980 released Disconnected - his only completed solo effort. In 1981, Sire released the infamous third Dead Boys Album (posthumously entitled Night of the Living Dead Boys), which the band was pressured to record, but was deemed unreleasable due to Bator’s purposely sabotaged lyrics. He rerecorded them and Bomp set the LP loose later that year.

Over the next decade he would record and perform with a myriad of legendary punk and underground musicians, performers and producers, even making an appearance in John Water’s film Polyester. He would form several projects and bands including the Wanderers and the Lords of the New Church. The Wanderers - though having a great sound, and great promise - would never see their sound take off. However, it was the Lords of the New Church that would bring Stiv back to the forefront. Composed of former members of the Barracudas, the Dead Boys, Sham 69 and the Damned, they released three albums, were produced by Miles Copeland and later signed to IRS records - harbingers of the Police and REM. With LOTNC, Bators once again picked up his onstage debauch and violence, even nearly hanging himself to death with his mic cord in 1983.

After the breakup of LOTNC in 1989, Stiv began working on a new solo effort. Unfortunately that project would never come to fruition, as he was killed by a car while standing on a Paris sidewalk. Even his death would become legendary, as he died later in the day due to internal injuries he didn’t feel. It turns out he had a diminished capacity to feel pain. This sort of explains all the weird onstage stuff that often went too far, requiring emergency medical attention and the like.

Included here is a live MP3 of Stiv’s Dead Boys classic “Sonic Reducer”. It’s dedicated to Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer and the Monarch.
Hope you like it.

Buy.

Right, I know I’m typically the one to break gig news, but come on, someone could have given me a heads up that Nine Inch Nails are playing Amsterdam Paradiso on March 21 and 22. Instead I finally get to sleep-in, and wake up to an email announcing it after it’s apparently sold out. Damn.

Of course, I’m hugely wary of spending around €50 on any band, but I’m still under 30 and I still loves to dance to the Nails, as with that glorious night in July 2005 at Glasgow Barrowlands and a rainy field at Glastonbury 2000. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to settle for Kim Wilde on February 22 as an industrial rockin’ substitute. That would be a great garden-friendly gig the day after The Decemberists.

The circumstance has forced me to look further forward into the gig future, rather than the two or three weeks I’m used to with work, and while there’s some absolute crap on the 2007 horizon, it’s nice to note that Built to Spill are booked into Paradiso next May. Long way off though.

mp3: Guided By Voices - (S)mothering and Coaching
web: gbv.com

Song of the day is already overdue. I’m sorry. It’s three a.m. and I’m here to offer you this little gem. It’s by Guided by Voices from their goodbye album Half Smiles of the Decomposed. It’s rather beautiful and self-explanatory. Good night. I’ll post something more interesting soon, I promise.

Buy.

MP3: Julie Ruin - Aerobicide
MP3: Julie Ruin – the Punk Singer

Web: Julie Ruin Factsheet

Julie Ruin is Kathleen Hannah. Kathleen Hannah is an underground icon. As an outspoken feminist activist she wrote (literally) the zine that started what would be known as the riot grrl revolution.

She formed the seminal grrl punk band Bikini Kill in the early 1990’s. Bikini Kill was a confrontational, screaming ball of feminist rage. Listening to a Bikini Kill song is like having the truth screamed at you centimeters from your face, and loving every minute of it. Their albums were released on Kill Rock Stars, propelling the label to the forefront of indie underground.

In 1998, after Bikini called it a day, Kathleen did a few little projects (the Fakes, Helter Skillet) then settled back into her Olympia, WA apartment with a sampler, a drum machine and an 8-track. Fifteen tracks later, she released the album under the name Julie Ruin.

These days Kathleen Hannah is best known as the voice of Le Tigre, the electronic-punk feminist band that has gained massive popularity - even breaking into the mainstream (they have signed to a major label and their songs have been heard in television commercials).

Julie Ruin represents a critical stage in the evolution of Kathleen Hannah. This album is the bridge between what Bikini Kill was and what Le Tigre would soon be.

I hope you like it.

Buy.

(Click here to see an early 1990’s spoken word piece of Kathleen Hannah’s)

mp3: Under the Stars

website: http://www.ghosttrucker.com

And then there was Ghost Trucker, seemingly from out of nowhere. One day I had never heard of them. The next they appeared in my music listings for the newspaper, and they haven’t stopped since, playing radio sessions, club nights, parties, openings, gigs and so on. And fair enough.

Back in that first listing, I think I described them as ‘avant indie pop’ or something after hearing only a brief sample. I haven’t changed my mind too much, though their sound thankfully churns up darkness rather than polite tweeness. Plus they have a fondness for electronics, and technologically, their album The Grand Mystique is a good sounding collection that does lend itself well to parties and openings and radio sessions et al.

The one catch is that Ghost Trucker is the new project of Roald from the band Caesar (not to do the other members a disservice, but he’s the most obvious connection), and I’ve just never gotten into Caesar. That said, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this record. It’s out now on Excelsior Recordings and samples of the first three tracks are also available on their website.

Buy.

mp3: Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here
mp3: Welcome To The Times

website: http://www.65daysofstatic.com/

It’s been ages since I last spoke of 65daysofstatic. I can’t even remember if I reviewed their Motel Mozaique set back in April, which was my highlight of the festival. Anyway, I’ve had their most recent album One Time For All Time for ages, simply because it’s been out for ages in Europe–last autumn was the release date actually.

But it’s only now getting a release in the US, and that means these mp3s are made available for promotion. As their latest blurb says, ‘What if Squarepusher joined a post-hardcore incarnation of Mogwai?’ It sounds like such a cliché, but the fact is, it’s pretty accurate. And I’ve honestly never heard a guitar band include electronics and loops so seamlessly. Even live on stage, the way they mix guitars with technology is just so natural sounding. Anyway, it’s a nice time to revisit them, and I love that first track, which also happens to be the album opener.