Saturday, October 6

As someone that listens to rather, err, "unconventional" music, I often have to be mindful as to how people around me will react to the music I listen to. A lot of music that I listen to basically has "prerequisite" listening (i.e. you should hear *this* band and *this* style of music before exposing yourself to this), and without exposure to those "prerequisites", the music can be irritating or downright painful. As such, I try to be good about what I play while others are around.

My parents drove up to my place last night, to bring me an exercise bike (which I have been waiting on for weeks now) and take me to dinner (w00t). Since they came in a pickup truck, and scurrying around Fresno crammed three-to-a-bench-seat didn't sound like a good idea, we all got into my car instead. And of course, my car = my music. I was nice, though, and just grabbed an Ozric Tentacles disc (Erpland). After dinner, my father inquired (halfway interested) about the CD (well, he just asked "Who's this?", but when he asks any question about music I listen to without appending displeasure to the initial comment, it means he is intrigued (and perhaps even "likes") what is being played).

Today, my best friend from my hometown came to visit me. He wanted to do some shopping in town, so we got into my car and cruised around Fresno. I took Turing Machine's A New Machine For Living and TOOL's Lateralus with us. He had a few kind words for the Turing Machine. When the TOOL came 'round, he commented about how it "sounded mainstream" compared to what he usually hears out of my collection. He enjoyed both discs, so it was all good. But next time, I'm pulling out the Koenjihyakkei. :)

Yes, I am posting in my blog more, again. The reason is basically that I have begun listening to more music than I have been for the last few months. I have resumed my ritual of laying down on my couch and putting on a couple of albums per day. I have some promos from Prete (Progweed.net editor) to listen to and review - currently working on the Edera self-titled demo disc (dramatic prog-metal with an annoying tendency to fill every waking moment with sound - no space to be found). I listened to a Tribes of Neurot album today, too. It's basically industrual/post-rock played by a metal band (Neurosis). Naturally, they have a habit of making their drones a bit "harsher" sounding than someone like, say, Neurot Recordings label-mates Tarentel.

I also found a little "Industrial Primer" article online today. It's not terribly good, but it gave me some bands to check out. I have become increasingly distant from the "prog-centric" musical viewpoint that I held a couple of years ago. Pure symphonic rock does less for me now than it did before - I find the smooth dronings of post-rock to be more "beautiful". Zeuhl still interests me greatly, as does stuff that is "different" (like Azigza). But a Prog Band (tm) is not too likely to get me worked up in a frenzy. A lot of people love La Torre dell'Alchimista, and while I have only heard two songs from their album, there's nothing there that makes me want to rush out and buy it. I do look forward to seeing then at NEARfest 2002... maybe they can win me over there.

Right now, I'm listening to Halloween's Le Festin, which is held by many as one of the better prog-rock albums of 2001. Unfortunately, it's not doing much for me. My biggest complaint would be the same one I hold against the classic French prog band Ange - the music is too centered around vocals, drowning out everything behind it. I do like some of the instrumental passages, though. Maybe it's a grower... I dunno, I keep trying to grow to like Ange, but I keep failing miserably...

Thursday, October 4

Hmm. A subscription to Wire Magazine costs $85 (for 12 issues). Buying it at Tower cost me $6.95.

$6.95 x 12 = $83.40

Of course, a subscription comes with some bonuses (either sampler CDs or four extra issues, buyer's choice). Still, I would think the markdown should be way more than that. I will probably keep buying issues from the newsstand - $83.40 spread out is less of a hit than $85 at once. If I keep really liking the mag, I may subscribe and take the free issues. We'll see. In the meantime, I need to subscribe to Exposé and Audion. THOSE I know I want. Still, I want something that gears less towards progressive rock and more towards the indie/electronic scenes, and Wire would fit that niche nicely.
What should we do today?

Listened to Tortoise's TNT on the way to work/school today. Haven't dug that out in a while, but it re-affirmed why it is still my favorite Tortoise disc.

Later, after classes, I drove around running a few errands, and had Miles Davis's Bitches Brew in the CD player. Actually, the Complete Bitches Brew Sessions, CD #1. You know, I might end up buying the regular 2CD version of that album, despite having the 4CD box set. It's great music to listen to while driving (good jazz/fusion tends to be), but the box packaging is not very convienent for the car. Same with Magma's Trilogie Au Trianon - despite being a compact box, it's still not convienent. I like jewel cases because I can open them up, take the CD out, and put the CD into my car stereo without ever taking my eyes off the road. And here's a safe driving trick: when you have a bunch of CDs in the car and need to find a certain one, just grab one and hold it up next to your view of the road, and glance at it. You can see what it is, and not take your eyes off the road for any longer than you do to glance at your rear-view mirrors and such. If it's not the right one, then put it down and grab the next one. Might take a few tries, but it's MUCH safer than looking down and digging through them and not paying attention to the road. Don't hit me with your car!

Anyway, after all that, I went home. I was tired, and the couch looked inviting. I took this opportunity to listen to Tarantel's From Bone To Satellite. I need to get my booty up to San Francisco and see these guys play live. I missed an opportunity to see them and Zoviet*France (and meet a friend from rec.music.progressive) because my job started that week. But Tarantel is located in SF, so I should get a chance to see them. I wasn't seeing anything while listening to From Bone To Satellite, though, as I dozed off on the couch. When I awoke, I looked at the clock and noticed that my Physics class had already started. Whoops. Oh well, it wasn't an important day of class, so no big deal.

After swinging by my boss's house to pick up her computer (doing some maintenance work on it), I went driving around town. I had Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Gray in the car stereo. Damn, but that's a hell of an album. It's one of the indispensable discs in my collection. I didn't much like it when I first got it, but back then, my notion of "prog" was musical gymnastics a la Dream Theater. Over time, that perception eroded, and the Fates Warning disc was given it's chance to shine. I think I may have told this story here before, but too bad. You get to read it again.

So, while driving in town, listening to Fates, I stopped at Tower Records. I was distraught when I noticed that not even Tortoise were in their "rock" section. I tend to judge music stores by their "indie" stock (after all, you can get Fleetwood Mac CDs anywhere). Well, after not seeing anything at all, I started looking for the jazz section. Maybe they at least had the Art Blakey album I want. Well, I looked and looked, and did not find a jazz section anywhere (despite a number of jazz artists, like Louis Armstrong, appearing in the budget bins). While searching, however, I found an "indie" section to the store. And what do you know, there was the Tortoise and Mogwai, and more. The Sea and Cake, Tarantel, even some prog-metal (Therion, Symphony X, and Zero Hour) were there. Woo! Also some electronic artists like Isis. Lots of San Francisco indie band lovin' (like Tarantel and Neurosis, but no Sleepytime Gorilla Museum... *sigh*). The sections were divided up by genre (rock, industrial, spacerock, metal, etc.) Well, I grabbed the Tarantel (their new album, The Order of Things) as well as a copy of Wire magazine (with the Japanese psych-rock band that I just read about at Pitchfork and downloaded an album of - Acid Mothers Temple). I've wanted to read an issue of Wire for a while now, and since their cover story is a band that I am very freshly interested in, now seemed as good of a time as any.

So I'm home now, listening to Tarantel and opening up the Wire mag.