Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 11:14:59 -0400
Guillaume Grenier <gollum@videotron.ca> wrote:
quoted 8 lines BTW, I've been disappointed by the record-store listen I spent on >"Hoshi
>BTW, I've been disappointed by the record-store listen I spent on >"Hoshi
>No Koe". The glitch moments seemed less interesting than those
>on "Scope" and the na=EFve melodic tracks seemed crappy compared to what
>can be found on "Child and Magic".
>
>Question for Takemura experts: considering that I like a lot "Child
>and Magic" and "Scope" but didn't like "Funfair" or what I've heard
>of "Hoshi No Koe", what are the chances I'd enjoy the Miyake albums?
As far as the Miyake albums go, I'd have to say that your chances of liking
them are pretty slim-- they're definitely not worth the hefty japanese
import prices, at any rate, although they might be worth picking up used.
Altogether, they're the most tepid thing he's ever done... and I say this as
a big fan of Takemura's music. I haven't really listened to my copies of
these very much at all, they're so boring-- the naive melodies you referred
to have slid here into some very soft cheese. Actually, that's kind of the
texture of the albums: soft cheese. Little or no presence or personality.
What I'd really love to see from him is a collection of his remixes, which,
other than Scope, is usually his strongest work. Can anyone say yo la tengo?
I thought so.
It's troubling to hear the sorry reports of his recent live shows, as I was
planning on springing for the Tortoise show just to see Takemura. In the
original live show I saw of him (opening for O'Rourke, I believe), he had
Aki Tsuyuko in tow playing with keyboards and noises (bopping rather cutely
to what seemed like a fairly impromptu funky bit), and he had a big mess of
wires and equipment that he frantically toggled and switched connections on.
Oh, and I will say that while Hoshi No Koe isn't Takemura's most striking
album, it might be worth a second listen, at least to the first two (long)
tracks. To my ears, they're probably the most mature synthesis of his
various aesthetic hijackings. Whether you decide that's a good thing is
something else altogether. It's gorgeous as ambient music, anyway, in both
tone and progression thereof. Of course, I also like Funfair better than
Child and Magic, so take that as you will. Scope's looking like it's going
to be the best album he'll put out, IMO. Blew me away the first time I heard
it.
Cheers,
Matthew
"It is the pledges that this place makes to me, pledges that cannot be
redeemed, that will confuse me later."
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at
http://explorer.msn.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org
For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org