The One & Only Official Music Geeks' Thread

[J.C.]

And now for some tremendously important news. Yesterday evening Amsterdam's hottest band that never gets out of the rehearsal room, the formidable Fucking Assholes, have democratically decided to change their name. The name change marks a new step in their career: they recently forced themselves to get their set of punk and indie covers figured out by booking their first ever gig in an as yet unconfirmed venue in the North-Holland province, in early 2006. It will be a very exclusive concert (guestlist only!). The band will invite all the people who will not have the courage to say 'no'.

Anyway: today's big news is that The Fucking Assholes are now...

Ze Germans!!

Spread the word.

K.

Great name for a band! :xyxthumbs: Does this mean that TAFKATFA will now play covers of songs by Madonna 'wiz ze big boobies' and, of course, Lionel Richie's beautiful 'Allo? ;)

[DanK]

Update to my fav CD list of the year...
Just purchased the CD from Aus Rocks best new thing around "Wolfmother". The debut is a bloody great mix of old fashion rock/metal. Think Ozzy/Black Sabbeth, add Led Zeppelin, with a slight nod to The White Stripes (who are a led zeppeling rip-off anyway) and you are halfway there.

Its a total rip off but for some reason it totally works. Not sure if you can get this out of Aus/NZ, but if you even have a slight liking for this style of music. Its f*cking awsome...After all the depressing/dark music I normally listen to I actually forgot how much fun it is to listen to great riffs. Jet were given the title of next big thing in Aus Rock, but these guys knock em flat!

Anyway (shit this sounds like an ad)...my 2 cents.

(Oh yeah...and this hasn't just been done by The Darkness...this is actually good).

[Kowalczyk]

It's 'end of year list' time for Holland's music critics as well. Here's my list!

1. Illinois – Sufjan Stevens (Rough Trade/Konkurrent)
2. You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand (Domino/Munich)
3. Funeral - The Arcade Fire (Rough Trade/Konkurrent)
4. Guero – Beck (Geffen/Universal)
5. Demon Days – Gorillaz (Parlophone/Virgin EMI)
6. LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Virgin EMI)
7. Employment – Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique/Universal)
8. I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning – Bright Eyes (Saddle Creek/Munich)
9. Dagen van gras, dagen van stro – Spinvis (Excelsior/V2)
10. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers (Heavenly/Virgin EMI)

2005 was an absolutely fantastic music year, so that many great albums did not even make it to my top 10... Quasimoto, Kanye West, Roots Manuva, Common, M.I.A, The White Stripes, Maxïmo Park, Nels Andrews and The Decemberists, to name but a few.

K.

[bryan]

The Duke Spirit (Cuts Across the Land) wins for me, er, hands down. :worshippy:

I'll come up with a list later.

[SE6Ajacied]

9. Dagen van gras, dagen van stro – Spinvis (Excelsior/V2)
K.

Ko, we've had this discussion before I know. Good to see at least one Dutch language band has made your list.

My Sigur Ros CD has just arrived. I'm listening over the PC as I'm typing this. Pretty conceptual stuff but I like it so far :xyxthumbs:

[DanK]

It's 'end of year list' time for Holland's music critics as well. Here's my list!

1. Illinois – Sufjan Stevens (Rough Trade/Konkurrent)
2. You Could Have It So Much Better - Franz Ferdinand (Domino/Munich)
3. Funeral - The Arcade Fire (Rough Trade/Konkurrent)
4. Guero – Beck (Geffen/Universal)
5. Demon Days – Gorillaz (Parlophone/Virgin EMI)
6. LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem (DFA/Virgin EMI)
7. Employment – Kaiser Chiefs (B-Unique/Universal)
8. I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning – Bright Eyes (Saddle Creek/Munich)
9. Dagen van gras, dagen van stro – Spinvis (Excelsior/V2)
10. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers (Heavenly/Virgin EMI)

2005 was an absolutely fantastic music year, so that many great albums did not even make it to my top 10... Quasimoto, Kanye West, Roots Manuva, Common, M.I.A, The White Stripes, Maxïmo Park, Nels Andrews and The Decemberists, to name but a few.

K.

You hit it on the head. Was a great year for music. I could have easily picked 15 CDs (7 of your list I could have put in mine). on Kanye. I am not a hip-hop fan at all, although my mate just cant get enough and he got me listening to some, but I must say Kanye's CD is pretty good. Another (although not quite hip-hop, more soul), would be John Legend. Great CD.

I must admit, I am a big White Stripes fan, but their last didn't quite cut if for me. Good but not great. I starting to think Jack White is just Robert Plant in disguise. They are sounding more and more like Led Zeppelin each CD...but thats OK, I love the Zeps too
:headbang:

My Sigur Ros CD has just arrived. I'm listening over the PC as I'm typing this. Pretty conceptual stuff but I like it so far :xyxthumbs:

Great purchase. Give this one constant playing for a few weeks and it will be hard to put away. Grows and grows on you. In terms of individual songs, not their strongest, but as a whole CD its truly amazing to listen to.

[raymon]

great, a top 10 list.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (thanks to Ko who made me a Sufjan addict!)
2. Mars Volta - Frances the Mute
3. Coldplay - X/Y
4. System of a Down - Mesmerize
5. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam (hard to admit, but I love his music )
6. Gorillaz - Demon Days
7. The Killers - Hot Fuss (2004 or 2005??)
8. Audioslave - Out of Exile
9. Chemical Brothers - Push the Button
10. The Subways - Young for Eternity

[bryan]

Stevens still has another 49 albums to make, right?

[Marijn]

great, a top 10 list.

Yeah, pretty cool.

1. Gorillaz - Demon Days
2. Beck - Guero
3. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
5. Jamie Lidell - Multiply
6. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
7. Queens of The Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze
8. Eels - Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
9. The Kills - No Wow
10. The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
11. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
12. dEUS - Pocket Revolution
13. Vitalic - OK Cowboy
14. M.I.A. - Arular

Sorry, just had to add those last four

[Marijn]

9. Dagen van gras, dagen van stro – Spinvis (Excelsior/V2)

Wow, you´re quite fast with this one. Heard it just one time, so haven´t really got an opinion ready. But I guess it´s worth the listening when it´s already in your top 10 2005?

[roche]

Ko,

Saw that Matisyahu was in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Did you have a chance to see the show? He's got a very interesting story and his music is starting to get some radio airplay here in the States.

He'll be here in DC on Christmas night and I'm thinking of heading out to see him.

[DanK]

OK if we are doing 10 then I'll add some more...
1. Antony and The Johnsons - I am a bird now
2. Beck - Guero
3. Sigur Ros - Takk...
4. Ryan Adams - Jacksonville City Nights
5. Bright Eyes - Im wide awake its morning
6. Jose Gonzales - Veneer
7. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
8. Crooked Fingers - Dignity & Shame
9. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
10. Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright

I actually would have Hayden - Elk-lake Serenade at # 2, but technically this was last year in Aus (be it towards the end).

Also honourable mention to Gorillaz - Demon Days, Kanye West - Late registration, Ryan Adams - Cold Roses 1 & 2.

Best Cover to Gorillaz - dont know why this just looks cool & Wolfmother (just for being "old school").

Also still 1 month to go and another Ryan Adams CD on the way... :headbang:

[Blind3]

X is back on the road! Can't wait. Exene Cervenka, John Doe,DJ Bonebrake,et. al. Definitely a good year for music . But then, every year is, if you just scrape below the THIS YEAR'S MODEL hype. Just caught up with the Dead Kennedy's , minus Jello Biafra, and Jello solo with The Melvins.Punk ,er post-punk, not dead. Merely older.

[Blind3]

Listening to lots of great bands thanks to this thread and the joy that is satellite radio.Thanks all!! Second, I know I'm years behind the times,but there's a veritable plethora of good Scandanavian bands out there. Hives,Sahara Hotnights,The Raveonettes, Hawaii Mudbombers, The Caesars...to name but 5 on my must play daily list. :xyxthumbs:

[Per]

You got a few good ones there. I never really liked Ceasars though.

I'm a sucker for the Kills right now.

WACKA WACKA!

[DanK]

25 Years since Mr John Lennon was killed today. I was only 8 at the time and can remember it clearly. Just like it was yesterday. I can still remember where I was and how numb I felt after hearing my childhood hero had been murdered.

It was definatley a life altering experience. The guy was, no IS a f*cking legend.

Hopefully you are rocking on with the other rock heros up in the sky.... :headbang:

[aveslacker]

IIRC, this image is from the famous Rolling Stone photo shoot he did the day he died (or maybe the day before). In any event, it is from the last batch of pictures ever taken of him. By the legendary Annie Leibovitz. Too bad it has Yoko in it.

[Blind3]

I'll never forget December 8th, 1980. I was at the Spectrum Arena in Philadelphia attending a Bruce Springsteen show.The crowd was totally unaware of the horror unfolding in NYC. We learned of it from Bruce himself. He then played the song "Point Blank" from his latest album at the time,The River. The chill felt then was worse than the winter weather which has now descended on the eastern USA.People lit matches and lighters...a good 15,000 plus... and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.RIP JOHN.THANKS!!

[DanK]

Just purchased the 3rd and final release of the year for Ryan Adams - 29. Wow.

Each album this year has just gotten better and better. Add this in around #2 album of the year.

This one is minus The Cardinals (which is a shame as they are a great band). but this album sees the return of Ethan Johns, who also produced Gold and one of my fav albums ever, Heartbreaker.

So far even the reviewers (who normally bag Ryan - mainly for his personal traits), are on board. one mag putting it as 28th CD of the year and 5 out of 5 in another. Ko, I know you thought his last CD was much stronger than previous releases, have you had a chance to review yet?

What I like about it, its not a first listen CD...definately a grower. Gets better each listen.

[martijn401]

My personal highlights of 2005 in no particular order:


SOAD: Mezmerize
SOAD: Hypnotise
Opeth : Ghost Reveries
QOTSA:Lullabies to Paralyze
Audioslave:Out of Exciles
The Mars Volta:Frances the Mute
U2 Vertigo : Live in Chicago
Ane Brun: Temporary Dive
Meshuggah: Catch 33
Pete Philly & Perquisite :Mindstate

My wish for 2006: new “Toolâ€

[Blind3]

Sleater Kinney's THE WOODS was my fave album of 05.FRANCES THE MUTE was second fave album.

As for concerts, My 22 show 35 day Odyssey following Pearl Jam was amazing . The incredible Coachella Festival( Coldplay, Weezer, Bauhaus, New Order, Gang of Four, M.I.A., Tegan and Sara, Bloc Party, British Sea Power, and about 50 other bands) is second fave.

[carcajou]

Too bad it has Yoko in it.

I couldn't second that more than I do....

[Kowalczyk]

A while ago I bought the new live double cd by France's greatest, the mighty Noir Désir. It's called En Public and most of the stuff on it is of fantastic intensity. At the moment I am totally addicted to the opening track, Si Rien Ne Bouge, which has a very long, creeping intro, then builds up very slowly to a fantastic emotional climax. What a superb song that is.

The original studio version is quite old: it was on the album Du Ciment sous les Plaines (1990). Strangely enough I think the original album version is nothing special: it's too fast and I don't like Cantat's voice in it. It's only the En Public live version that gives me shivers. So if you want to download it and give it a listen: make sure you download the (long!) En Public live version.

Anyway: a request to our Froggies... I would love to know what that song is about. I honestly don't have a clue. If any of you has a couple of minutes at some point, could you translate the lyrics for me?

Here they are.

si rien ne bouge

j’écris toujours
quand la menace
du fond de la cour
grimpe et me glace

regarde la-bas
au bout de mon doigt
si rien ne bouge
le ciel devient rouge

est-ce que je t’ai dis
l’histoire de cet homme
qui voulait tout
des femmes, de l’opium

moralité
il est mort alité
tout passe, tout casse
le joint, le cul lassent

j’te dis encore
que l’hivert est mort
rallonge te tresses
planque tes fesses

quans les amoureux
s’ramassent a la pelle
toutes les feuilles mortes
se marrent entre elles

et il y a des chances que rien n’bouge
il y a des chances que rien n’bouge

ou elle va cette ombre ?
se perdre au loin
sur qu’un grand nombre
n’y verra rien

mon petit feu
j’t embrasse sur les yeux
je quitte l’enveloppe
j’t’aime plus qu’un peu

et il y a des chances que rien n’bouge
il y a des chances que rien n’bouge

Thanks a million.

K.

[carcajou]

Here I go. Note that the translation will only give you an IDEA of what this is about. My translation skills are not good enough to convey all the subtleness of these lyrics (a lot of puns and references)

j’écris toujours
quand la menace
du fond de la cour
grimpe et me glace

I'm still writing
when the menace
from the back of the yard
gets up my spine and gives me the chills

regarde la-bas
au bout de mon doigt
si rien ne bouge
le ciel devient rouge

Look out there
On the tip of my thumb
if nothing's moving
the sky's getting red

est-ce que je t’ai dis
l’histoire de cet homme
qui voulait tout
des femmes, de l’opium

Have I told you
The story of that man
Who wanted everything
Women and opium

moralité
il est mort alité
tout passe, tout casse
le joint, le cul lassent

NOTE :
* Mort alité and moralité sound just the same in French
* le joint, le cul lassent is a pun with "joint de culasse" which is a famous motor engine part in cars, that breaks all the time.

The moral is
That he died in his bed
Everything passes, everything ends up broken
You get fed up with blunts and ass eventually

j’te dis encore
que l’hivert est mort
rallonge te tresses
planque tes fesses

I tell you again
That Winter's dead
Get longer braids
Hide you ass (i.e. get yourself a safe place)

quans les amoureux
s’ramassent a la pelle
toutes les feuilles mortes
se marrent entre elles

NOTE : That's a reference to famous French actor and
singer Yves Montand's song called "Les feuilles mortes". So normally it's the leaves that are shovelled.

When the lovers
Get shovelled
All the dead leaves
Have fun together

NOTE : Here the leaves are having fun at the lovers.

et il y a des chances que rien n’bouge
il y a des chances que rien n’bouge

And fair chances that nothing will change
Fair chances that mothing will change

ou elle va cette ombre ?
se perdre au loin
sur qu’un grand nombre
n’y verra rien

Where is this shadow going ?
She'll get lost in the horizon
Sure enough that most of us
Won't even see it fading

mon petit feu
j’t embrasse sur les yeux
je quitte l’enveloppe
j’t’aime plus qu’un peu

My little fire
I kiss you on the eyes
I'm leaving my shell
I love you more than a little

et il y a des chances que rien n’bouge
il y a des chances que rien n’bouge

And fair chances that nothing will change
Fair chances that mothing will change

Thanks a million.

My pleasure. But still, you have to realize that my translation is pretty litteral, because I'm not accustomed to Noir Désir's universe and my culture has its limits, so I might not be getting all the references.

[Kowalczyk]

Great, man. Thanks! :xyxthumbs:

Now, let's see if we can 'freely' translate it into English rock lyrics!

If Nothing Changess

Lyrics by B. Cantat
Translated by Carcajou
Pretentiously re-phrased by Kowalczyk :D

I am still writing
when a creeping menace
from the back of the yard
sends shivers down my spine

look! there!
on the tip of my thumb
if nothing changes
the skies turn red

did I tell you
the story of that man
who wanted it all
women, drugs

the end of the story
is that he died in his bed
everything ends, fucked up
(this line one I still don't get...: "le joint, le cul lassent", translated as: "you get fed up with blunts and ass eventually". What to do with that one?)

I'll tell you once again
King Winter's dead
grow longer braids
get your ass out of here

when the lovers
get swept out of the streets
all the dead leaves
make fun of them

and fair chance that nothing will change
fair chance that nothing will change

where does this shadow go?
she'll disappear behing the horizon
safe bet no-one of us
will notice she's faded

my little fire
I kiss your eyes
leaving my shell
I love you so much

and fair chance that nothing will change
fair chance that nothing will change

Does this make sense as a 'free' translation, or am I missing some important stuff? Two things I still don't get: the line I mentioned above and the line about the 'braids'...

K.