indie rock playlists

For indie rock enthusiastics, music omnivores and anti-copyright fiends (who download an inordinate amount of stuff for pastime and/or just for the kick of it, ye know who you are ;-) – here’s the latest goodie (that the very slow me found not long ago). Click and you shall find bittorrent links to several large (by 'large' I mean LARGE) indie rock playlists, compiled monthly by some generous soul(s) of interesting, fun tastes. Enjoy!

Spangle Call Lilli Line

Profile
Spangle Call Lilli Line are (from left to right) :
Ken Fujita (guitar), Kiyoaki Sasahara (guitar) & Kana Otsubo (vocal, keyboard)

Links
Official website >> Lilliline.com
Fansite >> SCLL @Keikaku.net
Interview >> Interview by Japan Live (in Eng)
last FM. entry >> here

My selection, download here
3 tracks included: Nano, Veek, piano

Spangle Call Lilli Line (SCLL for short) is another independent Japanese band I discovered while searching for artists similar to Love Psychedelico. In fact, they resemble little to LP although both are tagged 'Rock'. You can read from the above two links. The interview is especially helpful, at least for me, in understanding their style which comes to be what it is, amorphously abstract and experimental. Imagine three art students coming together to make music, assuming (without openly questioning) each other's music taste to be decent and mildly compatible. Without an ounce of knowledge as which direction to go, no concept, no predefined genres, they started experimenting instinctively in a way not too far from playing with clay and happy with the final shape be it a jar or a mug.

I'm not saying they're not serious musicians (although all of them have 2nd jobs other than making music). Most of the songs were composed by the vocalist Kana Otsubo whose voice is similar to 'Lily Chou Chou' (Salyu), wispy and soft. My impression is that Otsubo relies on fragments of images to lead a tune. Even the lyrics are fragmented and make little sense even to native Japanese, according to the interview. As a result their music is most impressionistic and spontaneous, like filtering out your memories as if pulling thought threads and knitting them into a loose drawing. You don't care much about stanza. Flowing stream doesn't have a structure and you just drift along with their melody. The arrangement tends to be minimalistic and repetitive, but melodious.

Discography (a summary)
+Album+
since (2006.10.25) - best collection
FOR INSTALLATION (2005.6.29)
Trace (2005.4.20)
or (2003.6.11)
Nanae (2002.11.10)
Spangle call Lilli line (2001.3.25)

+Single+
Nano (2003.4.12)

+DVD+
68 SCLL

I haven't sampled enough songs to pass further comments. My current favourite is 'Veek', 'Piano' and 'Nano'. Veek is my fav of fav. The entry music reminds me of the ending tune used in 'Paranoia Agent' (White Hill - Maromi's theme), that string pluckering sound mixed with electronica whistle foreshadows a free atmosphere. I was listening to it at midnight, walking alone on an empty street damp from a day's snow. Neon lights repaint everything. White snow, black asphalt, green shrubs, they all give up their colours for the night. And listening to Veek while watching the fading of a day is utterly comforting. I love Kana's voice.

Here're some tubies you can watch (not much to SEE, so just listen)

Nano


U-lite

Musicovery

Chanced upon this piece of goodie from folkfurieuse’s blog. In a nutshell it’s an interactive webRadio that picks music for you based on your mood, energy, and the genres and eras of your choosing. Pretty fun to toy around with, streams fast too…and I am settling on Dark and Calm for now…= d

Aoi Teshima

For general information, refer
Aoi Teshima @Wiki.theppn
Aoi Teshima Official Website (Japanese)

Here are 3 sample tracks I selected, download here
1. Therru no Uta (Song of Therru)
2. Ryuu (Dragon)
3. Kishi wo Hanareru Hi (The day I left the shore)


Aoi Teshima (手嶌葵), a low profile singer famous for her hit single 'Therru no Uta', the theme song of Ghibli animation 'Gedo Senki' directed by Goro Miyazaki, recently released her 2nd album 'Haru no Kashuu'. There isn't much information on the net about this singer and I doubt there ever will be given she's neither rock nor mainstream pop, in fact nothing that'll make her a central figure in the commerical world. Teshima is in essence a shy and humble choir girl whose unobtrusive voice soothes your senses and reminds you of our love for nature, for the pure and for love itself.

The first song I heard is none other than 'Therru no Uta'. It's a simple folk song with minimal arrangement, a wise choice as the prose style lyrics delivered in a pure voice deserve more attention and its gentle sadness is distilled in the silence of melody. There is a small universe and vibrant dimension in her voice, which is like a string that quavers at the end of each note, sending out ripples spreading into a far more spacious world than the sky the eagle roams (as what's depicted in the song). It's a strangely comfortable voice that doesn't put stress on any particular syllable but elevates your imagination and evokes images of peace. For 'Therru no Uta', I see ruins of a lost generation resting silently under eagle's wings and a grassland swinging with low clouds.

Her second album 'Haru no Kasshu' is the exact same skin as her debut album 'Gedo Senki Kasshu', which includes ballads and folk songs. Technically speaking you'd wonder what's so special about her as a singer per se? There're probably thousands of choir girls like her who just don't have the chance and luck to be chosen by Suzuki (producer of Ghibli). But there she is singing what she likes, touching many heartstrings with her humbleness and genuine love for nature. You can't hate her. Grins =D (What kinda review is this -.-!! Sorry but you'll have to buy it.)


DISCOGRAPHY
Singles: Therru no Uta (06 June 07)
Albums: Gedo Senki Kashuu (06 July 12) & Haru no Kashuu (06 Feb 07)



Live performance of Kishi wo Hanareru Hi (The day I left the shore)

new radio up!

I finally got our own radio up and running (YAY!!), almost a year after we said we would! Still building the playlist, so many items I wish to cram in and dish out....meanwhile I'm taking down the sidebar listing and archive it here.

::Previously Featured & Highlights::

(click for pop-up radioblogs)
7. noir, robert post, keren ann (again), rufus wainwright (again), keane, various OSTs
6. the mamas and the papas, laurie andersen, bjork, this mortal coil, laura fygi
5. U2, radiohead, moulin rouge, guns n' roses
4. yann tiersen, keren ann, alanis morissette, damien rice, gabriel yared
3. stan getz, sting, bic runga
2. anggun, simon & garfunkel
1. rufus wainwright, pink floyd, nirvana

Love Psychedelico singles review (in Chinese)

Randomly read some pretty interesting review (and background information) of two LP singles, don't agree entirely, but am a keeping a copy here. Translation? Maybe later..

8th single - My Last Fight (Nov '03)

1. My Last Fight
2. Fleeing Star
3. Dreamer

　撰文：小野田雄 (Yu Onoda)
　　LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 究竟是什麼？ 對於 2003 年的 Kumi 和 Naoki 兩人來說，這是一個十分重要的問題。他們在 2002 年舉辦了兩場日本全國巡迴演出，讓大家共同目睹他們正以現場樂團的形式持續成長茁壯著，而他們的樂風也在這時發生了變化。他們似乎是想要將重心轉移至現場演出上，並採取一種更直接的途徑，但這樣的嘗試最後卻無疾而終。最後，完成初夏的三場演出之後，他們與主流音樂巿場正式決裂，為的是要回答這個問題：「LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 究竟是什麼？」
　　因此，讓我們仔細想想，LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 一直以來究竟是何種類型的團體。他們過去發表的音樂屬於搖滾樂團類型，然而他們並不是樂團，而是二重唱。此外，就算他們走的是搖滾樂團路線，有時他們的音樂卻是數位音樂，常在一個以抽象概念為基礎的音軌上進行繁複的迭床架屋工作。為了在自己的音樂中呈現這樣的創意和影像，他們必須讓自己的心智保持在無壓力的狀態，值此同時，他們對自我的認知也開始逐漸模糊。
　　然而，經過一再反覆的試誤過程，Kumi 和 Naoki 終於在『My last fight』一曲中找到了「LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 究竟是什麼」這個問題的答案。 他們成功地讓自己原本的虛擬影像更加真實，並為自己的音樂注入了更多的深度、色彩以及獨特的樂句組合。他們的音樂足以和畢卡索或 Jackson Pollock 的繪畫相提並論。強調旋律的樂曲輕柔地搖晃著聆聽者的感受，而不斷重覆的舞曲節奏則刺激著聆聽者的感官和精神。 這首歌已儼然成為 LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 的全新身份表徵。 據我所知，這張單曲專輯的製作過程為他們帶來了無比的樂趣，而這首歌則是在相當放鬆、毫無壓力的情況下製作完成的。最重要的是，這三首歌將在您的心中縈繞不已，並讓您得以窺見 LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 的靈魂深處。

9th single - Fantastic World (Dec '04)

1.Fantastic World
2.Romance

這張單曲專輯的發行時間距離 LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 發行第二張專輯『LOVE PSYCHEDELIC ORCHESTRA』已有兩年又兩個月之久。 這時他們重新返回原點，並終於推出第三張專輯『LOVE PSYCHEDELICO III』。 我們在 2004 年年初訪問 Kumi 和 Naoki 時，他們顯得十分積極且充滿能量，因此我當時就有預感，他們將在 2004 年有一番特別的作為。
　　
　　他們在 2 月份參與了 [Zoku Naniwa Sullivan Show] 的演出，並於 7 月份與新成立的伴奏樂團參加了在橫濱和大阪舉辦的 [Rock Odyssey] 演出。新成立的伴奏樂團成員包括來自 DR. STRANGE LOVE 的 Susumu Osada 和 Takamune Negishi、來自 CORNELIUS 的鼓手 Yuko Araki，以及鍵盤手崛江博久。 同時，他們也在和另一個伴奏樂團 (與來自 GREAT 3 的高桑圭/白根賢一、來自 SKETCH SHOW 的權藤知彥、以及鍵盤手崛江博久共同組成) 為即將於 10 月份展開的巡迴演出進行綵排。 雖然他們如此積極，新專輯和單曲的錄製情況卻不盡如人意。他們一心想要創作出一種只屬於自己的音樂，卻從未訂下發行日期，因為他們想要在一個能讓他們能對成品感到完全滿意的環境中進行錄製工作。因此，在沒有預訂發行日期的情況下，新單曲的發行也就顯得遙遙無期 － 一切全取決於錄音室內的錄製情況。然而，他們終究還是完成了這首創作，這也是為什麼現在我們手中可以握有這張最新單曲專輯 － 『fantastic world』。 他們大約花了 1 個月的時間寫出主打歌，並趁著演出和綵排的空檔完成錄製工作。 他們似乎是在極為放鬆的情況下完成了這首歌的錄製工作，並將他們對音樂的熱情化為現實。我相信他們是在嘗試結合第二張專輯中的「訊息」以及第三張專輯中富有創意的流行樂句，以找出一種能夠傳達「愛」的方式。苦澀的真實感以及如夢似幻的甜美感受共存於這首單曲中，傳達出一種更寬廣的人類大愛；而『romance』一曲則較偏重個人的愛情。將這兩種元素巧妙地結合在一起，並完成這兩首歌的創作，對他們而言是一大挑戰 － 雖然這是他們第一次在如此緊湊的時程下完成的作品。 主打歌具有 LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 慣有的細膩和華麗感。 開頭的吉他樂句停止之後，Kumi 的歌聲便和原聲吉他一同響起。他們的音樂所喚起的情感帶有豐富的色彩和溫度變化。 另一首曲式簡單的歌則是在描述一段悲傷的愛情故事。每個人對每首歌的印象或有不同，以上只是我個人的觀點。 這是 LOVE PSYCHEDELICO 一張和諧、平衡的作品。我不確定哥倫布是否真的說過「地球是圓的」這句話，但這張單曲專輯倒真的是圓的，而它那一再循環的流行樂風確實能夠放諸四海皆準。

Keren Ann

Shrugging off the education/informational-column-writing feeling from the last post…and finally do this long overdue one!

Keren Ann!
Keyword: singer-songwriter, acoustic, folk, Nick Drake-ian (oh which means there need a Drake post…or read last.fm bio for now)
Language: English, French

A mini-bio:

Born 1974 in Israel, Keren Ann is singer-songwriter/producer based largely in Paris, New York and Israel. She began her solo career in 2000 with La biographie de Luka Philipsen, "Luka" in homage to the Suzanne Vega song-- written with and produced by Biolay, who also co-wrote and -produced its follow-up, La disparition (“Disappearance”). In 2003, Not Going Anywhere which includes several songs from La disparition re-sung in English, was her first U.S. release, but the American breakthrough came with its bilingual follow-up, Nolita, named after her neighborhood in lower Manhattan. She also collaborated with Barði Jóhannson of the Icelandic group Bang Gang for the album Lady & Bird. The fifth album, the eponymous Keren Ann, will be released April 23rd, 2007 in Europe and May 8, 2007 in the United States.

(Groans...not another eponymous album! What's so cool with eponymousness besides a fair touch of narcissistic smiles into the mirror? Or maybe eponymous has proven to be always critically acclaimed and commercially successful and thus an auspicious move…Okay I’ll keep the grumbles to me self. Getting that album, eponymous or not!)

Keren’s style takes a lot of influence from folk while blending in elements of rock. One special thing about her is the serenity in her music—it’s not just melodious or soothing—it exudes tranquillity (not the Zen-master kind though), yet underneath her lightly sung, almost dreamlike vocal it goes deeper, takes on brooding tones and sometimes dark turns. Just like what could be said of Nick Drake’s sounds, pretty much the same could be said of Keren’s—gentle, autumnal, intimate, and can be at once so beatific and melancholic.

Besides the addition of English on top of French to sing in, Keren's approach to music has been, IMO, consistently and relentlessly herself through the last four albums. You may hear the changes, the quiet transition from one album to the next, in theme or music arrangement, but it's always her speaking true to you.

Not Going Anywhere was the first album I ever listened to, and remains my favourite. The light nonchalance of her vocal totally belies and sometimes hides the dissecting disillusionment in the lyrics, if you float buoyed by the tunes and don't listen closely. A gem.

A selection of a few tracks from three of her albums may be obtained here (expires arrgh today, should've posted earlier). Ask me to re-send if you are interested.

...And this freakin thing happened

what's wrong with this picture?

Singer-Songwriters

(kicking off with this first...wanted to clump all the artists I wanted to but never got around to rave about under this one...almost. ^6^)

I remember a rather amorphous discussion on singer-songwriters I had with someone I encountered (a Belgian, if it is of any relevance); amorphous because he was constantly straying—jumping—from one point of argument to a next and I was trying—in confusion and quite in vain—to tie up all the points along the way if not actually bring the conversation back to where it started, which was the merits and demerits of singer-songwriters and their music. As a high enthusiastic of many a singer-songwriter of our time, mostly Western but also an emerging crop of Asian artists, I could not (and can’t) find a major intrinsic flaw with the tradition, let alone a reason to shun it, and so I was rather surprised to hear the older man’s preference for non-ss artists. It was probably only indifference towards it, but when he said ‘oh that so-and-so (when I mention some favourite musicians), so you like those singer-songwriters!’ it sounded rather scornful. So I asked him what he liked. He ummed and hmphed and beat around the bush and quantum tunneled through various points, and after a rather tiresome rabbit chase nothing much came out, except for a vague remark somewhere that a singer per se is probably purer and thus better at the craft than someone who so unnecessarily wants to do it all. ???

I mean, what era do you live in, man? Even regular oldtime rock bands pen their own songs! With the perhaps perpetual exception of jazz and blues (which loves to be nostalgic and never stops covering old classics), and then pop (thinkin'...Britney) everywhere else I look I see the brilliant parts of any genre to be singer-songwriters. The whole indie scene is very much them (thanks to technology for once). I think it’s an exceptional gift to be able to write music and interpret and express it all by oneself, and when such artists come along the result is often vivid, sincere, and profoundly moving if one happens to be on the same frequency. For me, to listen to the congruent beats and lyrics that grows out of the contemporary artists through time is an amazing experience of witness, as they sing eloquently or privately, of the world we live in now, personal crises and exultations, or sentiments and small moments of life. Personal is the what feels so special about it, I guess, and so good.

Wikipedia has a pretty nice entry on the evolution of the singer-songwriter tradition, and also a list of singer-songwriters in the world, both focusing primarily on Western countries. (The absent Chinese part has a lot of catching up to do...)