Two lots of music today - from opposite ends of the spectrum.
First up is the Bowed Piano Ensemble. I've no idea how I came across them, but they make a beautiful, ethereal noise by, well, bowing piano strings (which are usually hit by padded hammers). Ten people gather round a single grand piano and make this wonderful noise, which sounds more like an orchestra than a single instrument. What's cooler than taking a long-established instrument and turning it into something else entirely?
If that's not to your taste, how about The Breeders? The Byzantine lives of the women at the heart of the band would go on for ever (Kim Deal = ex-Pixies, Tanya Donnelly = ex-Throwing Muses, later Belly then Kelley Deal replaced Donnelly etc. etc.) so I won't. They're been around forever and have done lots of interesting things. Pod was fun pop-punk. Last Splash is my high point, perhaps because the opening bass notes of 'Cannonball' instantly takes me back to the sticky sweaty dancefloors of my late teens (dance fans might recognise it: Prodigy's 'Firestarter' sampled it). It's youth and energy and fun all in one shiny pop package.
Play this very very loud:
After a few years of drug problems, side-projects and the usual stuff, they reformed in the past few years - Title TK is a lo-fi gem, while Mountain Battles is a lovely, rough, fuzzy slab of fun.
And while I'm in the mood: some Veruca Salt
1 comment:
'Last Splash' is your fave? There are a few too many blips on that one for me ('Mad Lucas'...) But 'Title TK' is the bee's knees!
I have a Kim/Kelley acoustic demo of 'Cannonball' somewhere. They laugh all the way through it. And their cover of The Three Degrees' 'Collage'. Do you have 'Fate to Fatal'?
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