Monthly Archives: November 2009

Mi Disertación – Presentación Del Libro “Once”

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(Click here for the English version of this post)

Quiero compartir con ustedes las palabras que les dirigí al público  en la presentación de mi libro, “Once”, el pasado viernes 13 de noviembre. Fue muy emocionante, y espero que los que no pudieron estar allí ese día a través de esto puedan sentir aunque sea parte de esa emoción.

Once

Once

” Siempre he pensado que hay demasiadas palabras en el mundo. Si pudiésemos deshacernos de algunas de ellas, o si por lo menos pudiésemos desprenderles el significado – que hablar de “amor” no implicara hablar de esto o de eso, que hablar de “penitencia” no implicara hablar de aquello, que hablar de “causalidad” no implicara hablar de lo otro… si se pudiera hacer eso, la vida sería mucho más accidentada, y mucho más sencilla.

El hecho es que las palabras tienen un peso enorme, y un poder ofensivo que muchas veces ni siquiera nos podemos imaginar. Basta una sola palabra para hacernos o deshacernos. Una palabra. E imagínense el efecto que puede tener una frase. “Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente”, por ejemplo. Eso no es verdad, pero lo aceptamos como si lo fuera. Las frases se afianzan en el inconciente colectivo hasta que las aceptamos sin siquiera pensárnoslo dos veces.

Eso ocurre porque en la vida siempre es más fácil aceptar una verdad que ya nos da alguien en vez de buscar una verdad por nosotros mismos. Pienso que esto pasa porque el proceso de búsqueda de la verdad siempre es un proceso interno, y las personas (por más que digamos lo contrario) somos reacias a mirar en nuestro interior. Tenemos demasiado temor a encontrar cosas malas. Nuestra visión interior no termina siendo otra cosa que una mirada externa que afianzamos en nosotros. Es decir, solo cuando el otro nos dice que somos buenos es cuando consideramos que lo somos.

La realidad es que si miramos dentro vamos a encontrar tantas cosas malas como cosas buenas, pero necesariamente vamos a enfatizar aquellas cosas que son malas. Lo hacemos por naturaleza. Si las personas exagerásemos nuestras alegrías como exageramos nuestras tristezas, nuestros problemas perderían importancia. Continue reading →

Nonsuch (XTC) – Album Review

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Nonsuch Was First Issued In 1992

Nonsuch Was First Issued In 1992

Nonsuch is a quintessential XTC album in all the good and bad aspects. It is an elegant and refined collection that engages our brains and lifts shadows off our dreams (IE the good aspects), and it is also an album that fared abysmally when released (IE the bad aspect). The good aspects are a merit of the band, and the bad aspect that was mentioned is attributable to the buying public and its limited sight. What makes it all the more aggravating is that the album is nothing short of masterful, and its mastery is nothing short of awe-inspiring. John Alroy cites Andy’s poetic skills, and it is hard to disagree with that. But it must be mentioned that Colin does not necessarily lag behind here – alright, a song like “The Smartest Monkey” could do with a better lyric, but the rest are up there with his best work: “My Bird Performs” is a great “happy with my lot” song, and “Bungalow” is amazing in the way it grows. While my favorite songs of his are the ones found within “Oranges & Lemons“, you can count Nonsuch as the second best.

Andy’s best moments here include “Rook” (a song he has defined as his most personal ever), the gorgeous “Wrapped In Grey” (a fitting epitaph for the band in hindsight) and “Then She Appeared”, a composition that employ an alliterative title to excellent effect.

The album opens with the MTV-popular “The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead”, a song that some of you might also be familiar with since it was covered by the Crash Test Dummies for the movie “Dumb & Dumber”. They did it satisfactorily enough, and in case you are yet to sample XTC’s version here is the video:

Besides, the CD includes the mildly-successful “Dear Madam Barnum” (yet another character sketch, and yet another compelling one) and “The Disappointed” (which was chosen as a single). “The Disappointed” in particular is a very refined song, and if the album did not include “Wrapped In Grey” it would be the record’s definitive lyrical high point.

The album’s closer is “Books Are Burning”. The song is not necessarily hailed as one of Andy’s best moments on record. I think the problem arises from the stellar company that it has in Nonsuch, and from the somehow plain sentiment it conveys – “books are burning/and you know where they burn books people are next”. Personally, I find it a good idea to paint with more colors than one. A song like “The Disappointed” is great, but if you were to apply the same approach time after time it would end up being grating. A direct outlook is more thought-provoking than the long way around when it comes to most people, and I am sure Andy knew that. Continue reading →

MTV Unplugged (10,000 Maniacs) – Album Review

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Natalie Merchant Is Featured On The Cover Of 10,000 Manicas' MTV unplugged Disc

Natalie Merchant Is Featured On The Cover Of 10,000 Manicas' MTV unplugged Disc

This live recording acted as the original Maniacs’ swan song. Natalie Merchant departed after its release, and launched a solo career that started very promisingly. The Maniacs were to continue with viola player Mary Ramsey stepping in for Natalie. The MTV Unplugged disc was to produce the band’s one big hit, namely a cover of “Because The Night” that effectively became their calling card as far as casual listeners were (and are) concerned.

As I think you already know, I usually look askance at live albums. I do love live music, but I don’t enjoy listening to songs recorded live on a disc. Live music entails a communion that is not translated into digital tape. To me, a live album is only any good if you were there that day. It gives you the chance to relive what went down and do it all over again. Others might enjoy it, but enjoying something and being touched by something are two different things. But this particular live disc by the Maniacs is incredible – it is as enjoyable as it is touching. Maybe that is owing to the fact that they were going through the motions when they recorded it. The impending sense of separation might have given them a special cohesiveness that night. The fact is that as the first notes are strummed you feel such a sense of sadness and such a sense of joy that words will never suffice. The first song is “These Are Days”, and Natalie’s voice hints at the power she will unleash all through the concert

The setlist includes many songs from “Our Time In Eden” (“Candy Everybody Wants” is done delectably, and this version of “I’m Not The Man” makes me appreciate the studio take best) and “In My Tribe”. These include a lively “Like The Weather” with the percussion shining like a crazy diamond, and an effective “What’s The Matter Here” – I did never like the song, but Natalie provides such a realized delivery (especially the “and don’t you think/that I won’t use it” part) that it wins me over time and again. Continue reading →

The Juliet Letters (Elvis Costello) – Album Review

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Elvis Costello Posing With The Brodsky Quartet

Elvis Costello Posing With The Brodsky Quartet

It might seem incredible, but it is actually possible to pinpoint the moment Costello’s career went into definitive artistic overdrive. The year was 1993, and he released a full-length CD devoted to chamber music where the instrumental backing was solely provided by the Brodsky Quartet.

Costello learned to write and read music right there and then, and the decade was to be his most adventuresome ever. And believe me, that is quite frankly saying an enormity if we look at his previous output. During the 90s and right into the new millennium he was to release an album of undiluted pop with 60s stalwart Burt Bacharach, a country album (The Delivery Man), an album dominated by ballads (All This Useless Beauty), an orchestrated work named Il Sogno… and the rock and roll albums he did release were not up to his usual standards (When I Was Cruel), as if he had just outgrown the genre. He was to become acquainted with it once again in 2008 with the release of Momofuku. But the previous decade was to be a true creative windmill on the other side of the grass. Continue reading →

Your Last Music – In My Time Of Dying

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YourLastMusic
Name: Your Last Music
URL:  http://www.yourlastmusic.com

Not a single one among us would readily admit it, but those who love music like we do know perfectly well the music we want played when it is our time to go. If we said so aloud shock and acrimony would spread like a wildfire among our loved ones. In a certain (and solid sense) they are absolutely right. There is so much joy in life that just to think about something like that seems a betrayal. But what they fail to understand is that – to people to whom music means so much – a final song is the deepest show of affection. There is nothing morbid about it. Quite the opposite.

This new site made me think about that. Its name is illustrative enough: it lets you decide which songs will be played at your funeral. This is accomplished by creating an account and building up the list of songs you want played. The list will then be mailed to friends and relatives. Alternatively, those of you who are on Facebook (IE, 90 % of people I know) will be able to log in using Facebook Connect and avoid creating an account, which (although hassle-free) might be a bit tedious. Continue reading →

Oranges & Lemons (XTC) – Album Review (Part 2)

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This is Part 2 of the review. Head here for Part 1.

Colin’s contributions to XTC’s 1989 album come in the shape of “King For A Day”, “One Of The Millions” and “Cynical Days”. I must say that – in my opinion – he had never made such a sparkling contribution to an XTC album. “Skylarking” comes pretty close, but if I were hard pressed I would go for “Oranges & Lemons”. It seems to me that the pressure they all underwent during the “Skylarking” sessions enabled Colin to come up with songs he would have kept to himself otherwise. It is as if some barriers had been taken down, and this is specially true of the song “One Of The Millions” – “I never seem to do anything”, “I won’t rock the boat ’cause I’m scared what might happen”… If he is not speaking to his band mates, he is clearly speaking to himself.

A song which was virtually rewritten for the album was “Merely A Man”. Producer Paul Fox did really like the demo, but it turned out that Andy had written the tune as a wind-up for some music biz executives. Not to let their new (and young) producer down, he rewrote the lyrics and the song ended up being a standout, if only because of  Dave’s thundering performance. Continue reading →

Oranges & Lemons (XTC) – Album Review (Part 1)

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"Oranges & Lemons" Was Released in 1989

"Oranges & Lemons" Was Released in 1989

This was the first XTC album I set my hands on. I bought it used but in mint condition for a completely ridiculous amount of money, something like the equivalent to USD 2. Talk about bargains. Looking back, I can honestly say that this was the perfect introduction I could have had to these impassioned artistic rockers. The album has my favorite XTC song overall (“The Mayor Of Simpleton”), and that song in particular and the album on the whole made me pick up the craft of writing lyrics. I don’t think there is a better indicator of the transcendence a piece of art can have than that.

The record has 15 songs, and in more than a couple of instances it resembles the Dukes more than fleetingly. That is true not only when it comes to compositions like “Garden Of Earthly Delights” but also to the cover art, a happy 60s pastiche that once again showcase Andy’s visual skills.

Three singles were culled from the album: “The Mayor Of Simpleton”, “King For A Day” and “The Loving”. More importantly (and maybe even more uplifting for us fans), the band hit the road again to promote the album. But it is not that they “toured” in a conventional sense. Rather, they did several live radio shows to promote the album. They even played one with an audience of about 250 people, and everybody remarked how much Andy enjoyed it. Good for him. Those of us who are fond of the band admire him as an artist but dearly care for him as a person, and it must have been a touching moment for everybody who was there that day.
Continue reading →

The Dukes Of Stratosphear – General Introduction

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The Dukes Of Stratosphear: The Red Curtain (Colin Moulding), Lord Cornelius Plum (Dave Gregor), EIEI Owen (Ian Gregory) and Sir John Johns (Andy Partridge)

The Dukes Of Stratosphear: The Red Curtain (Colin Moulding), Lord Cornelius Plum (Dave Gregory), EIEI Owen (Ian Gregory) and Sir John Johns (Andy Partridge)

The Dukes Of Stratosphear were a side project of XTC that was started as a joke, and which ended up bringing a fair share of recognition to them. Basically, Andy and producer John Leckie had been hired to helm a record by Christian artist Mary Margaret O’ Hara. For circumstances too hilarious and too long to reproduce here, the pair were sacked hours before their work was to begin. Having had their agendas disrupted, they decided to employ the time on their hands to do some psychedelic recordings under a different moniker. The name “The Dukes Of Stratosphear” had been around for a long time, actually, as it was one of the names which were weighed up before the “I’m in ecs-ta-sy ba-bee!” incident that settled everything down for good.

The drummer for the project was Ian Gregory, Dave’s younger sibling. They all had alternative egos for the sessions – Andy was “Sir John Johns”, Colin was “The Red Curtain”, Dave was “Lord Cornelius Plum” and Ian picked the moniker “E.I.E.I Owen”. For years, the band denied that they were the Dukes, and if you have a look at the credits of “Skylarking” you will see an acknowledgement to “The Dukes of Stratosphear for letting us use their guitars”. Continue reading →

“Once” Was Released Today

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Once

I just got back from the launch of my first book, and I want to thank all the people that did show up. It was incredibly moving and immensely fulfilling. Also, thanks to all who wanted to go and couldn’t do it for any reason or the other – you were there.

I am preparing some posts now about the launch, look forwards to them. In the meantime, these are the three poems that were read at the event today. Look forwards for more poems and the pictures of the event in the next couple of days.

Again – an enormous “thank you” to all the people who managed to be there.

Emilio

Nazarena

Tenues orillas, cielos entreabiertos.
Un cuerpo escindido en la arena.
Palabras de mares en sus ojos muertos.

Vagas espumas en sus labios desiertos.
Ondas carmesí en el agua serena.
Tenues orillas, cielos entreabiertos

que todo presencian, y en los conciertos
trazos del olvido yace Nazarena.
Palabras de mares en sus ojos muertos.

Palabras perdidas en los ojos ciertos
del brillo que ciega una vida plena.
Tenues orillas, cielos entreabiertos,

sus ojos preciosos, sus ojos, sus yertos
albares, sus ojos, su voz, y su pena.
Palabras de mares en sus ojos muertos.

Palabras que dejan mis ojos abiertos.
Palabras que impresionan la escena:
Tenues orillas, cielos entreabiertos.
Palabras de mares en sus ojos muertos.

Continue reading →