A parting post - Rothko, Radiohead and a poem

Tomorrow, I head to Los Angeles for a weekend of Andrew Bird at the The Orpheum Theatre, Amoeba Music (then I'll have visited all three locations), Buffalo Exchange, good food, and most importantly, solid time away from work and landlock. Hopefully there will be reportage from the battle front, some good vinyl and wardrobe finds, and as always, intellectual and spiritual enlightenment. Or at least some good laughs.

Upon departing, I leave you with a poem I wrote several years ago, the painting which inspired the poem, by one of my favorite artists, Mark Rothko, and two songs from the bonus b-sides disc of Radiohead's recent release, In Rainbows. "Last Flowers" and "4 Minute Warning" are the two most simply constructed songs on the disc and they show how easy it is for Radiohead to write straightforward, beautiful tunes, even if it is their complicated compisitions that give them their most praise. What amazes me about the band is just how great even their b-sides are. Rothko and Radiohead share a cozy place near my soul. Last time I checked, you could find the Rothko original at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Mark Rothko, No. 14, 1960

No. 14, 1960

The docent asked how it made us feel,
A pallette of red, darkness.
"Violence."
"Rage."
"Hate."
Heads bobbed in unison.
Their assumptions soon validated
By the guide's eager gossip,
Your late-life suicide.

As the group's feet echoed
Unenthusiastically into another atrium
I stood, transfixed with warmth,
Alone in the pure passion -
Your painting.

Emotion framed on canvas.
A scraggly, fading rectangle surrounded
By a deep crimson darkness.

Life is simple and messy and pure.

-J.D. Nielsen

Last Flowers
4 Minute Warning

OCTOBER 10 - BEST DAY IN MUSIC FOR 2008!

Radiohead has again proved why they are the greatest band in the world. And by greatest, I mean not only by musical output, but also ingenious guerilla tactics. I recieved an e-mail yesterday from the band's merchandise site, w.a.s.t.e. saying that Radiohead's new album, titled In Rainbows will be released on October 10 -- yeah, that's next week!

I posted recently about how it was looking like an '08 release for the new album, especially because the band was currently label-less. Well, they still are. The band may just throw the record business on its end because they are offering two ways of getting the album, one of which could be for free. If you follow the In Rainbows link above to pre-order the album, you'll find that if you get the digital/downloadable version, you pick the price. That's right, you pay as much or as little as you feel it is worth (or, I would say, are able to at the time). Then, on October 10, you can download the album.

There is also an option though, for what they are calling the discbox version of the album -- which are made to order. This includes two heavy-pressed twelve inches that vinyl geeks like me drool over, as well as CD versions and extra songs not available for download. Oh, and the artwork, which has always been a reason to buy the special edition Radiohead albums. The discbox is running at 40 British pounds, which is pricey (I haven't even converted it yet), but for quality pressed vinyl in basically a box-set, is not too bad.

The band has talked about doing this for a few years, about how they hate sitting on an album for up to six months after it is finished before the world hears it, about being done with "albums" and possibly releasing net only EPs as they finish the songs, etc. Well, they're taking a big risk. Check out Green Plastic, my favorite Radiohead fan site for more details and some excerpts of record industry reaction. Apparently, some are saying, if the best band in the world is going to offer music for free, why would people pay .99 cents for songs by artists who aren't near as good?

Wow, I am excited. Beyond excited. This is like waking up in June and having someone tell you that Christmas is next week. I am giddy and am heading over to the website to order my copy of the discbox right now.

Until then, contain yourself with these oldies-but-goodies from the band:



Talk Show Host
The Trickster
Pearly*

Radiohead sometime in '08; Band of Horses next month

Before the beginning of this year, I was already holding out the #1 spot on my 2007 top ten albums list for the album that I was anticipating most this year. That would be Radiohead's 7th LP, which was slated for release this fall. Well, winter and spring came and went with hardly a whisper of news. Then, last month, rumors abound that the band was in New York mastering the album, but that it wouldn't be released until 2008. Now that has been confirmed at At Ease. Such a bummer, but expected from the lads who will put five years between albums in order to get the sound they want. I doubt we'll have an official date until the band settles on how to release the album, as they have fulfilled their obligations with EMI/Capitol and are currently label-less.

I sometimes think of the Phish documentary Bittersweet Motel, where Trey Anastasio is reading a review that says, in essence, "Phish could urinate into the ears of their fans and they would lap it up happily" and wonder if Radiohead could do the same for me. I'll not lose sleep over the thought. Here's some Radiohead to tide you over, including two live tracks that I hope make it onto the new album (I've been waiting for a proper "Nude" release for almost ten years now). Here's looking to the best album (hopefully) of 2008.

Like Spinning Plates (Live) (from I Might Be Wrong)
Palo Alto (from Airbag/How Am I Driving EP)
4 Minute Warning (6.04.06)

Nude (8.17.06)

In late 2005 I stumbled upon a new band (thanks to links on Iron & Wine's home page) out of Seattle called Band of Horses. They would post demos on their website from the album they were working on and I really got into them. I saw them at Kilby Court a few weeks before their debut hit the shelves. They were fantastic. I didn't know the extent to which they would be recieved by the music community, but figured if the right things happened, they could go big. I also passed as Philip Seymour Hoffman at that show. Some girl came up to me and said "Congratulations on your Oscar" -- this being a week or so after Mr. Hoffman won for his role in Capote -- I thanked her and offered an autograph, but alas, no pen or marker tobe found. It was the third time I had been mistaken for him (the other two were in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival the previous year), so I decided that from then forth, I'd just roll with it and see what happens.

Well, BoH haven't been content with all the laudatory comments and buzz-band worhty hype that came with their 2006 debut Everything All The Time, relocating to bandleader Ben Birdwell's home state of South Carolina and cranking out a follow-up for this year. Cease To Begin is no-doubt one of the year's most anticipated albums for me and from what I've heard so far, it is no let down. It will be released October 9th on Sub Pop. I'm posting two tracks from the forthcoming album. "Lamb On The Lam (In The City)" is my fave -- I'm a sucker for piano-chord driven melodies, while "Is There A Ghost" is right where EATT left off. Also, enjoy a couple of tunes of their debut.

Lamb On The Lam (In The City) (from Cease To Begin)
Is There A Ghost (from Cease To Begin)
The Great Sale Lake (from Everything All The Time)
Funeral (from Everything All The Time)