Music, Technology and Life in the so-called future.
Ok, not really the style of music I normaly do, but Kristian is a friend of mine, and I provided some sound design for the current album, ‘Shape of the Exterior’, as well as a remix on his prior CD ‘Killed by Computers’. Its all great stuff, and you should go buy it right now!!
http://www.the-evolutionaries.com/commerce.php
Little time for music lately I am afraid. Its really gnawing at me that this is the time of year that I am simultaneously the most creative and the most busy. Stress at work and stress from the impending move has me feeling somewhat choked creatively. I just want to go home and play video games every night and get away from anything resembling ‘work’.
The new studio space is going to be great though. The one thing I need to figure out is how to manage with the very thick green carpet on the floor. keyboard stands dont like think carpet, and wheeled racks and such wont move so well. Ill figure it out though. This will be *my* house, so Ive got a little more latitude for improvements.
I havng really splurged on buying new music in a while (yeah..I know…and I call myself a musician..), but last week I got 4 CD’s long on my wishlist. Looking at the list, I realize it looks like some kinda Depeche Mode solo binge…plus NIN. wierd..but thats just how the shopping cart loaded up. Ive only listened to 3 of them so far in detail, but here are my quickie impressions:
David Gahan: Paper Monster
A very good first time solo effort. Not the most earth shattering, life changing of pop records, but it shows that Gahan has promis and does actually have a shot at a career on his own. It is definitely *not* a depeche mode record, and I am very glad of that. I am eager to here how he follows it up.
Recoil: subhuman
Let me start by saying that I *love* recoil. Unsound Methods (and to a lesser extent liquid) give me chills to this very day. They are the gold standard in electronic music IMHO. It is this fact that makes subhuman so disappointing. I mean..its just bad. Maybe I need to listen to it a few more times, but I just cant listen to the male vox on this record, and they are on every other song. The lyrics are bad, the voice is bad, and I dare say I dont really find the musical backgrounds very compelling either. Something is just *wrong* with this album. The female vox tracks have more promise, but the whole album sounds kinda half assed – like Alan Wilder couldnt find his center on what exactly he wanted to do. This album is so far very disappointing.
Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero.
two word review: FUCKING AWESOME. Enough said.
Ill review the final one, Martin L. Gore’s Counterfiet 2 after I give it a listen when I am not about to fall asleep. What I heard before I drifted was very promising, but I was to tired for critical listening.
Sold the house, bought a V-Synth GT and getting ready to put an offer in on a new house. Not much time for music production at the moment, but such is life. When I am settled in the new digs, I think I am going to have a wonderful new space to create in. If we get the house we want, Ill at last be able to set up a proper mixing space with proper accoustic treatments and aesthetics. I am really looking forward to that.
With the auctions completed, the items shipped, and the check for that domain sale on the way, I decided to splurge:
I got a pretty good deal from my guy at GC on it. Hopefully it will get here before next weekend.
I also helped out a friend in need of cash by taking a Yamaha TG77 and Kawai XD-5 off his hands (he didnt want to just borrow money from people so he sold off a bunch of his excess gear).
The studio is getting a little big of a re-arrangement too. Ill post up pictures (because I am so sure you really care) when its done.