“In Pumpkins logic, if you’re going to make people wait for six minutes for the payoff, the money shot better be good. Ultimately, this became the musical statement of the album. The drum take is one of Jimmy’s crowning achievements. It’s worth the price of admission. Lyrically, the song reflects the decision I made when we were in Scottsdale to stop watching all network or cable news. I noticed the effect that had on me–I stopped being afraid. In general, I’m not afraid of getting on the stage in front of 60,000 people, so why should I be afraid of a plane crashing into my house? I was trying to wrap my head around the way we’re being force-fed a level of paranoia. It’s a personal reflection on what it all means. The ‘revolution’ in the lyrics isn’t the revolution of picking up a gun. That’s never worked, and it never will work. Jesus was right.”
Billy Corgan - commenting on the song United States
As I finished the last page of Sin City Volume 1: The Hard Goodbye, I sat there and saw Marv's face staring at me, dead in an electric chair, yet still seemed alive. In fact there are so many times throughout this series where Marv should have been killed, but wasn't. The guy would not die! I really liked Marv. He was hell-bent on getting revenge for Goldie. Who's Goldie, you are wondering? She's a hooker who showed him kindness before she was killed, a kindness that Marv never felt before. So when he finds out she's been killed and he's been framed for the murder, he goes on a mission to bring justice in memory of her. And he will do it no matter what comes his way. Nothing can stop him. Nothing. Not the corrupt cops, not a vicious dog, not a twisted cannibalistic fuck and his priest friend. And toward the end it seemed not even an electric chair, which turned out to be the only thing that would finish him. What a great story in which a guy seeks justice for a murdered girl who most of the characters brush off as a "worthless whore"..
I would have never known about Danielson if it had not been for Sufjan Stevens. And ironically, if there were no Danielson, there would be no Sufjan (musically speaking). I just watched a good movie/documentary over the weekend about Danielson Famile called Danielson: a Family Movie. It follows the siblings' story from their beginning when Daniel Smith was in Rutgers University, to the indie icons they (and Sufjan) have become. In the movie, you travel with them to various shows and get to see parts of their performances, along with fans who really dig the music but can't quite figure out the band. Included also are narratives by the band members, interviews, and home video clips giving a close look as to what moves this creative monster of a band known as Danielson.
And if you're still not interested, just see it to watch a band perform on stage with matching nurse uniforms. It doesn't get any cooler than that.
Never heard of this band before. Out of the blue I got an email about them, and I decided to check out their album Our Earthly Pleasures. One distinct feature is the thick British accent in the singer's voice. You know how when some musicians from Britain sing, they lose their accent (i.e. Elton John, Sting, etc)? Not Maximo Park. Take a listen and you'll get a full dose of some jolly good Brit accents. Of course the accent is not the only thing worth checking out. But it does feel like your listening to a real Brit rock band. Add in hyperactive pop/punk background music, and you have a group that seems like they could give bands like Franz Ferdinand some competition.
Last night marked the third time I saw Mute Math live in NYC, and the first time for Eisley. If you weren't aware, Eisley has been opening up for Mute Math on their current tour. Although Eisley is an opening act this time, they could easily have headlined their own tour.
First off, the girls' harmony in the songs is hypnotizing. If you heard their album, you know what I mean. But hearing them live, their voices get magnified and you just get taken away by each song. Take Many Funerals for example. A great song. There's something about the part in the song when they sing "Rain, rain dowwnnnnn..." that gives you a high. And I only had one beer last night, so I knew it must have been the music that had me buzzed. (I'm wondering, since their music provides a natural high, a more fitting tag for their show could be "Get High With Eisley!" I should get that copyrighted.) Anyway, as I was saying about the show. It was amazing.
Throughout their set they played some other tracks from their latest album Combinations, as well as some older songs that I wasn't familiar with. But after hearing them I will now make it a point to check them out. Then came their closing song Invasion. They couldn't have picked a better song to close with.
After their set, Mute Math came on. Put it this way, my ears are still ringing fifteen hours after the show ended. Loud, chaotic, energetic. Everything you'd expect from one of the best bands out there.
