Even Better Than The Real Thing? Or "Authenticity..."

For those who don't know me, I like record reviews. I don't think they should dictate anyone's taste, but I find them interesting to read. Anyway, I was reading a review of one of my new favourite records- "The Creek Drank the Cradle" by Iron & Wine, and the second paragraph went like this...

"Not so for Sam "Jim" Beam. He makes bare-bones music that constantly nods to musical periods long since passed, perhaps the earliest being the 1920s of Blind Lemon Jefferson. In short, Beam makes roots music with southern themes, though to end there would do him a disservice. But now knowing this, you may be wondering: What are his qualifications? Is this guy authentic?"

The writer (Ryan Kearney, of pitchfork.com - in case you couldn't tell) then goes on to decide that actually, he is "authentic" and it is a good album after all- a sentiment that I heartily agree with, but that's not the point.

The point is, does authenticity really matter? What does it even mean? I don't think I am authentic- a British, slightly middle-class, soon-to-be music student who writes slightly angsty folk-pop - but does this mean my music sucks? Even when my music does suck (which, to be fair, it definitely does sometimes), I'm pretty sure that isn't the reason.

Don't get me wrong- I am all for honesty in music, and I seriously dislike pretentiousness. Absolutely. But does "authenticity" mean that only Americans are allowed to play banjos? Or that only kids are allowed to use kiddy musical instruments? Plenty of British indie-alt-folk-whatever acts would disagree with the former, and er- Sigur Ros would disagree with the latter. I know, a slightly less effective piece of rhetoric there, but you get the idea.

My point is this- I believe that if music is "good"- if it appeals to my taste in lyrics, musicality, content, whatever, then surely it is "good," regardless of how "authentic" the artist is.

Do you agree?

Lyrics

Well, it really has been too long. Sorry, folks. I'm hoping to get back into the habit of regular posts, but it may just be wishful thinking. This will have to do for now, anyway.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about lyrics, and why they mean so much to me, yet so little to some people. I should probably point out that I don't think this makes me a "better" music listener than anyone else- I just think everyone enjoys music differently, and I am very interested to know what all you people think.

So, my question would be this- what makes a good lyric? To me, good music (whether it has lyrics or not) has to move me in some way; make me feel something from the writer- whether it is joy, sadness, pain, anger, indignation, love, awe, happiness, escapism, or any other of the infinite number of emotions humans have the capacity to feel. And I think the same applies to lyrics. If you're not trying to say something, or even just express some sort of emotion, I don't want to hear it. Harsh? Probably. But I can't help it- if I can't see a bit of your soul, then I'm not interested in your lyrics. How sadistic.

Anyway. What do you think? How much do you care about lyrics? And what makes lyrics good? And what are your favourites? Let's get a real discussion on the go. This would make me happy.

Oooooh Vienna....

Good evening all...

Well, here I am, blogging from the other side of Europe. Lovely place, but I can't lie- struggling with the language/finding things to fill my life is. I miss all the friends and music at home. Having said that, being less busy has given me an opportunity to work on my own stuff, the end result of which will be RELEASED (like, a real single!!) in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!!

So, with little else to talk about, I think it's time to catch up on my favourite records of recent weeks...

Hugely overblown artwork? Lyrics concerning superpowers, "Eurasia" and the oddest conspiracy theories you've ever heard? A three-part symphony called "Exogenesis"? Yep, it could only be the noe-alt-prog-classic-rock extravaganza that is the new album The Resistance by Muse.

There are basically only two bands in the world that can make this level of OTT work, and the other are in the process of touring the world in a giant claw. But, as well as just being MASSIVE, this album has some genuinely beautiful, even heartbreaking moments. The (fully orchestrated, of course) "Symphony" is definitely the highlight, but the rest of the album is still way up there with the best of the year, if not the decade.

• Key tracks: "Resistance," "Undisclosed Desires" (LIVE VIDEO: slap bass, keytar and questionable lyric-remembering included!), "I Belong To You / Mon Cœur S'ouvre À Ta Voix"
• Best moment: Hmm, hard to decide. If I'm pushed, I have to be biased- the drum fill at 3:57 of "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)"

A very different, but equally incredible record which I recently bought (on a great tip from this fellow blogger) is Sufjan Stevens' 2005 album Illinoise. Part of his ambitious (and as yet uncompleted) 50 states album project, this is an incredible work which, as with a lot of his material, manages to relate poetic writing about geographic locations with deep, spiritual insights into life, death, love and emotions.

However, the sheer breadth of musicality in his composition is incredible- mixing elements of acoustic, folk, indie, showtunes and orchestral music into an incredible finished product. I think notorious reviewer Robert Christgau puts it perfectly when he says "...this album radiates positive energy, and in today's alt, that's a precious thing."

• Key tracks: Personally, the opener "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois" is a favourite, along with "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" and "Come On! Feel The Illinoise!"
• Best moment: The beautiful counterpoint vocals in the gorgeous, cinematic bridge of "The Predatory Wasp."

So I hope some of you have enjoyed my ramblings for one day. Hopefully now we are settled in our new home, blogging can be a bit more frequent. Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think of these albums, or if you have anything that you think I need to listen to- I'm open to everything!! Almost.

Persilands '09

Well, as promised, here is my version of Persilands '09. Do enjoy...

This year, I was lucky enough to play the gig with two fantastic amateur bands- the Carlops Jazz Band (playing keys) and the Biggar Big Band (drums). Logistically, this was all a bit of a challenge for the Carlops band, considering how much gear we actually own, plus the fact that EUan had been nominated as "drumkit bitch" for the gig. (Apologies, couldn't think of a better term. Any ideas, please let me know...) This meant that his whole kit had to be brought along. Plus my snare and cymbals (obeying drummer etiquette). Plus lots of other things. Have a look...

Yep, that's the back seat. Anyway, so that happened, we were running late of course, but eventually we got there.

After a huge and unhelpful amount of faffing around (not that it was entirely unexpected...) and a late tenor player, we did manage to get a soundcheck. But then, the foldback didn't work, we started late, and ended up having to cut some numbers with the Carlopettes (our esteemed backing singers). No-one was really happy with this, which was unfortunate because it really somewhat spoilt what was actually a very good set. Nevermind, though... I think general consensus (read: my opinion) was that there was nothing we could've really done to avoid it.

So, that was that. Next up, Kings Of Cheeze. I know I've mentioned them many times before, but these guys really are something to watch. Absolutely off-the-wall, incredibly engaging and probably slightly demented. What more could you want? (By the way, apologies for the poor picture quality. T-Mobile G1 camera really not very good.)

I don't really have the space to talk about all the acts here, plus I didn't take that many photos, but it was great to have a bit of a mix. Floozie Soo played a great set, special kudos to the multi-talented Dave Ford on saxes, trumpet, bass and bassax (that's sax and bass at the same time. That means simultaneously. No joke.) Singer/songwriter Adam Holmes also played a more chilled-out, folksy set, which was a great contrast to the Biggar Big Band who followed him.

"Oh wait, that means me on the drums. Man, should probably set up the kit. Aah, where is my music? Aah, where is my stool? Seriously, guys, I need a drum stool!! Crap, that tom won't fit there. Better move it. Dammit, dropped the music again." Etc...

Anyway, so that was how it went. Eventually I did set up the kit, and we played the set. Nothing too remarkable, seemed to go really well. Couple of dodgy endings- it's actually very difficult to tackle pauses, rubato and slow-downs without an official "conductor." But all in all, very very good fun. Personal favourite is an arrangement of "Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" which has the most awesome drum set-ups ever. Completely predictable to anyone familiar with the genre, but still extremely effective. And fun to play.

So Persilands '09 was indeed a success. Musically, fantastic, but the best thing for me was being able to leave with a renewed passion for local music. There is so much going on. But possibly even better than that was the sense of community that gets built up around local musicians. There is something special about music- it really does bring people together. So many times on Sunday, I was struck by the sheer randomness of some of the people I was talking to. What I mean is that, if it weren't for the local music scene, there would be absolutely no way of me being able to get to know these awesome people- people from incredibly different walks of life, all interacting to put on a great gig.

The day finished with lots of driving to and from the venue, and meeting up (and not managing to meet up...) with musicians in pubs. I got home, brain mushed up through a combination of beer and tiredness, at about 11.30- exactly 12 hours after getting there. There's nothing like the feeling when you get into bed after a day like that- a mixture of satisfaction, excitement over future plans, exhiliration, sadness that it's over, and extreme, all-consuming tired-out-ness.

Awesome.

Anyway, I do realise that I write far too much, so I was extra-careful to take a few more photos this time. Enjoy...

Our lovely venue, before the horde.

John embracing his young, feminine and very slightly drunken sides simultaneously.

Euan embracing a plastic cow.

The beat goes round and round...

I'm writing this in bed today. Sums it all up, really!

On Thursday I had a maths exam and then Carlops Jazz Band rehearsal in the evening, followed by a visit to the pub in honour of our singer's return from Arran. On Friday I was back to school, finishing some Music Technology coursework and being treated to Frank Zappa live in Barcelona. I was skeptical, but actually really enjoyed it- his band are uber-tight, phenomenally musical and supremely well-trained. Plus, Zappa's compositions and lyrics are like no other- hilarious, worrying and thought-provoking all in one. [So thanks, James!]

Then last night I went to see the Alyn Cosker Trio plus special guest Tommy Smith at The Lot in Edinburgh. Incidentally, this is the same venue where I saw the awesome calamateur only a few weeks ago. It's rapidly turning in to a favourite, actually- it's very intimate yet somehow still manages not to feel claustrophobic. But more importantly, the performance by the band was incredible... The energy was unbelievable, and watching Alyn Cosker behind the kit is something else- he plays his particular brand of raucous, guitar-based jazz-rock fusion with a raw energy and determination that just isn't often found in the jazz scene. If you ever get the chance, I would highly recommend this band.

This morning it was almost business as usual, forcing my wild music taste and shabby technique upon poor, innocent children. That is, teaching drums at home. Though in actual fact, only three of the usual eight turned up, but considering how mad the rest of the day was going to be, this was probably no bad thing.

Hasty lunch and off to rehearsal number one- Carlops Jazz Band. A miscommunication and general bad luck meant that I had no piano- just the Yamaha DX7. I feel very privileged to be a

ble to play one of these awesome instruments, but it definitely works better on top of a standard elect

ric piano as opposed to being the only comping

instrument. This, coupled with the unfamiliar venue, extra backing singers, hastily organised sound system (read: couldn't hear myself...) and general weekend madness meant that I definitely wasn't up to scratch. However, the set list for tomorrow's gig is pretty well known anyway, so it should be alright...

Anyway, 2 chaotic hours later me and Colin made a dash back to my house to pick up the drums before heading over to Broughton for a Biggar Big Band rehearsal. Being about three times the size of the Carlops band, the arrangements are more complex, but lack improvisation. About 30 seconds into the first number (Glenn Miller's Little Brown Jug), I realised how out of practise I was. Though I recovered, and seemed to get back into the swing of things (no pun intended), only to be caught off guard by the crazy Latin number Donut King [sweet, SWEET communal percussion solo in this one].

Then back home for an equally hasty dinner, teaching one more lesson, then settling down for an hour or so to practise all that BBB stuff I had forgotten how to play...

I also got a chance to play with some new live looping software today - AmbiLoop. Hopefully I will eventually post about this in more detail, and I'm hoping to use it in some solo gigs soon as well. So, all you techy types, keep 'em peeled!

Anyway, all in all, a good, music-filled day. It was great to play with the Biggar guys again, and I had forgotten how fun some of the rep was (Nou's Blue, Just A Gigolo, Donut King are my personal favourites). I would love to post links to videos and recordings of both CJB and BBB, but the sad fact of the matter is that there aren't any!! Maybe this needs sorting out.

But on the plus side, it gives me a good opportunity to plug some gigs:

May 24th (TOMORROW!) - Biggar Little Festival, Persilands

Carlops Jazz Band opening at 2.00pm, Biggar Big Band on later, Kings of Cheeze, Floozie Soo also playing.

Outdoor, barbecue, bar etc. Tickets £10 for the whole afternoon, kids free. Weather should be good!

Persilands farm outside Biggar. Map here.

May 30th, 7.30pm - 'The Amazing Carlops Jazz Band'

Our one and only 'residency,' this is usually the one gig where we sound good...

Tickets £5, kids free, from Rumbling Tams in West Linton.

Carlops Village Hall.

June 20th - 'Carlops Big Party'

Carlops Jazz Band, Dan Glover Band, Kings of Cheeze, Murray Campbell Xplosion, many, many more...

Free entry

Starting at 12.00pm in the Village Hall, then later moving down the road to the pub, for DGB, Bill Lumsden and others, then possibly back up to the hall for a Ceilidh. Should be a day of generally mad, musical, Carlops-style fun, possibly ending up with a bit of a jam session at the end. I know I can't wait! Also the first "official" performance by the Dan Glover Band. Like I haven't already told you this...

Anyway, sorry for the large amounts of "me" in this post, but hey, maybe someone will find it interesting. And what can I say - it makes me happy!

Farewell...

I Told You So...

Ha. Just came across the perfect example of how music reviews can be so, well, different. http://tinyurl.com/ow72wn (don't ask how I came to be looking at this page, just read the blog...)

Take a look at the first review on the page- "A New Day at Midnight is not White Ladder part 2..."

And then Q Magazine, about 6 or 7 lines down: "So is it White Ladder II? In a word, "yes.""

Just goes to show how music can be so many things to different people. And that you should never pay attention to critics. Ever.

A quick, dirty, shameless plug.

So the new project/band/thing has a myspace: www.myspace.com/dangloverband and a youtube: www.youtube.com/dangloverband there is also one solo video up- me singing a new song, though it isn't quite the same without the rest of the band!

Note that I'm still not convinced about the name. Does it sound very egocentric or is it OK? Thought, please!!

Dan

Live music.

OK. You may not believe it. But I am about to write a real blog. Like, a real one. Wish me luck...

So I just got back from a "meeting" with a few guys from the neighbouring village who are organising a gig/mini-festival to take place in June. (The Carlops Big Party, 20th June, all afternoon/evening. Plug over.) They asked me, or more correctly, I managed to wangle for myself, a set for me and my band (apparently now known as The Dan Glover Band. Mixed feelings.) in the evening (7 'o' clock :P) in said pub. Can't wait. No idea who will be playing, no idea what we will play, fully aware that I only get back from Germany three days before, but still can't wait. [NB: Great local band Kings of Cheeze will also be playing - don't miss it!]

The last (and first!) gigs we did as a band were three 'cafe' sets at the Eastgate in Peebles, as part of their fifth birthday celebrations, and we had an interestingly mixed response. Allow me to explain.

The first day was just me switching between acoustic and piano, and Erin singing. We had some friends along, we played songs, people clapped politely in between, nothing special, nothing terrible.

The second day, though we played the same set, had exactly the same set-up, was different... For one, I broke a guitar string about halfway through the set so had to switch to piano, but it was more than that. There was no response- no-one clapped. At all. Now maybe I'm just being ungrateful, but it was kind of disconcerting to have such an incredibly different response to the same set, just the next day. Anyway, long story short, we packed up and left early. Partly embarassment, partly feeling uncomfortable, mostly because there were only so many guitar-based songs that can safely make the transition to solo piano accompaniment.

The last set we did was a Saturday morning. Same place, same set, same gear. A few minor differences: the place was reasonably full (I mean, like a whole 10 people...) and we had Katie playing the piano as well, plus some fans in the audience. But this time, right from the first song (a cover of Flume by Bon Iver, for anyone who cares), something just seemed to click. Everything just felt right. I even plucked up the courage to actually give a brief explanation/introduction to some songs, and I swear that there were even people clapping along at some points. Despite being so small-scale (OK, but in actual fact there were slightly more than 10 people there...), that has to go down as one of my favourite gigs ever. [Afterwards, we went for a celebratory (though short-lived) busking session, just because. Special mention to a Mr. Neil Costley from Edinburgh, who just so happened to have come down from Edinburgh to be our number one favourite customer. Cheers, man!]

Anyway, moving on to the real point(?), it makes me wonder- what gives a gig that special something? What are the ingredients for a good performance? 'Cos I don't think I know.

Maybe live music is an organic thing, maybe how "good" or "bad" a gig is can't really be controlled.

Or maybe it's not up to the performer to decide? Maybe the only people who really know if a gig is "good" or "bad" are the audience?

But then again, having played a fair few gigs myself, there are definitely some that go "right," and some that go "wrong." Playing jazz piano in CJB is a good example- some nights I can't do anything but read the chords- when it gets to my solo, the inspiration just isn't there. But then some nights (Arran!), ideas just come, seemingly without any effort on my part. I'm honestly not meaning to sound cocky, just trying to explain.

So if we define a 'good gig' as being one where 'inspiration flows,' what factors determine 'inspiration?' Surroundings? Rehearsal? Lack of self-consciousness? Mood? Luck? Who knows.

At the end of the day, I suppose that the beauty of music (live music in particular) is that it can't really be broken down into logical concepts.


So unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know exactly what makes a gig go well or not.


But luckily, I don't think we will ever know exactly what makes a gig go well or not.


I hope that makes some sense. Over and out.

-

P.S. I thought it might be nice to give you some interesting links to make up for all that nonsense... So here are three of my personal favourite live performances of all time. There are many more, but these are the only three I can think of right now... Enjoy!

• Rush - Tom Sawyer (Rio de Janeiro, 2002) This makes the list mostly because of the intro. And the riff. Neil Peart's virtuosic drumming perfection coupled with the tighter-than-tight band playing is the icing on the prog-rock-anthem-cake.
• U2 & "New Voices Of Freedom" Gospel Choir - Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Madison Square Gardens, 1987) There is always something incredibly fearsome and special about a passionate gospel choir, but when they are singing a song like this, with this band, it is simply astonishing. I promise that this is the only time I will ever, EVER do this, but to quote a YouTube commenter: "If this does not move you, you might want to check and see if you still have a pulse" 'Nuff said.
• Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (A cappella) A bit of a hidden gem, in my opinion, I think this is the perfect example of an incredible combination of spontaneity, setting and, erm, singing (cringe...) Apparently this was the warm-up to the main "Blogotheque" gig, which is also well worth a watch. Stunning. [Hugely interesting article/background info on the Blogotheque website as well. You can thank me later...]

Update

Ok, ok, I haven't exactly been reliably blogging, but I do have a life to run. So today will just be one of the usual listening logs/recommendations, but I fully intend to bring you something new soon.

So, with that disclaimer completed, what have I been listening to recently? Oh the beauty of dysfunctional rhetoric. (WARNING: I am attempting to put pictures in today. May fail.)

Hejira by Joni Mitchell is my latest blast from the past, and I'm strangely enjoying it. Probably of more interest if you are a) a Joni fan already, or b) a poet/songwriter, because a lot of emphasis is placed on the lyrics. Nevertheless, this is still worth a listen, the musical interplay between Jaco Pastorius' sublime fretless bass playing and Joni's expressive, almost intellectual vocal delivery giving it a strange sense of lonely wanderlust, a timeless appeal. Though for first time Joni fans, I would recommend Blue or Ladies of the Canyon.

• Key tracks: Coyote, Amelia, Furry Sings The Blues, Hejira.
• Best moment: "Furry Sings The Blues" - the line "He points a bony finger at you, says 'I don't like you'," vocal impersonation included.

My personal "find" (possibly) is the debut album from Damien Rice's ex-backing singer, Lisa Hannigan. Called Sea Sew, it's possibly the most un-Damien Rice-ish record you could imagine. Think Ireland, sea, pubs, knitting (in a cool way), cosiness. All topped off with a genuinely creative band, and that voice. Sublime.

• Key tracks: I Don't Know (awesome live version through the link), Ocean and a Rock, Sea Song, Pistachio (ditto)
  
• Best moment: there really are many. The cheeky, lilting groove of "I Don't Know," the quirky drum machine backing on "Keep It All," but top of the list is "Pistachio," with some of the most weird yet heartfelt and inventive lyric-writing I have heard for while - "Sit down and fire away, I know it's tricky when you're feeling low, when you feel like your feelings have gone the way of a pre-shelled pistachio." Need I say more?
  

Unfortunately, I think I have been too kind recently, so it's time to stop gushing. I was also listening to the new Kings Of Leon album, Only By The Night, and I was genuinely disappointed. There is none of the attitude and musical power of the older albums, just a sense of never quite making the grade, aiming too high and missing. That said, the single cuts are still good- "Use Somebody" is the definitive rock anthem, and "Closer" is inventive, despite being little more than a nice effected bass riff. But the rest of the album is just a mess. Prime examples (IMO) are "Manhattan" and "17," both of which are seemingly formless attempts at accessible grandeur, but really just come off as amateur.

Don't get me wrong, they are a great band, capable of great songwriting (see "Fans," "Red Morning Light" and "Milk") but I'm afraid that this time, in my books at least, they haven't made the grade. Look- they didn't even get a picture... Neh neeh neh neeh neeh.

Soo... There are some music recommendations, perhaps it's time for a real blog some time soon? Though I could do with some ideas for what to blog about... Drop me a comment!!

HOLIDAY!!!

Well, I do have some exciting news today. Tomorrow, I am getting on a plane with my family and we are going to Orlando for two weeks!! Or maybe it's only exciting if you are me... But nevertheless, I will be taking my trusty friend laptop with me, and may even get some blogging done! There must be some kind of music scene in Orlando... So I will keep you posted!

Meanwhile, this week's choice albums:

Day & Age by The Killers is on frequent rotation at the minute, and I'm loving every minute of it! They seem to have perfected the formula - there's a nice mix of the synthy glam-rock leanings of Hot Fuss and the abstract American rock of Sam's Town, but for me it's the new and inventive instrumentation that does it - harpsichord, anyone?

• Key tracks: Losing Touch, This Is Your Life, The World We Live In
• Best moment: Hmm, there are many, but I think it may have to be the brass opening figures on "Losing Touch."

I also backtracked slightly, and had a listen to Because Of The Times, the 2007 album from Kings Of Leon. I have read one review that slated it, basically suggesting that they were trying (and failing) to be the U2 of American rock. And while this is possibly true, the results of the experiment are nothing to be ashamed of - this album oozes attitude and musicality. In my opinion, Because Of The Times is seriously underrated.

• Key Tracks: Knocked Up, McFearless, Fans
• Best moment: The complex yet solid drum groove in "McFearless" (see also: bridge to "My Party.")