Barenaked Ladies’ “What A Good Boy” (Video)

I have begun writing the final book in the trilogy I started in 2009 with “Once”, and that saw the release of “Ten” just last year.

This time around, it is a book of short stories.

I am blogging about this new book extensively in the months to come (it is being published on the 2nd of December – the day I’m becoming 32).

What I want to share with you today is the song that is firing me up to write the main story of the whole book. It is a song by Canadian linchpins Barenaked Ladies, and it is found on their debut album, “Gordon”. I’m also listening to Soul Asylum a lot – I’ve just got the band’s full discography.

Stay tuned for more updates…

Month In Review – November 2010

One year after having issued my first book of poetry (“Once”) I have now released a new volume: “Ten”. Which is just suitable, especially when you take into account that “Ten” is the prequel to “Once”, and that the events described there happen one year before the events described on “Once”. Both books have been published by Rumbo Editorial.

I have obviously posted some poems from the book (here and here), along with a handful of pictures. I am posting plenty more soon.

As far as additions to the blog are concerned, the inclusion of Radiohead to the list of featured artists has been a significant one. You can read the general introduction here, and then what I have to say about “Pablo Honey” here.

The startups I wrote about during the month included TuneCrank, Bud To Bud and Durocast. And both Bryce Clemmer and Elliot Swan from Durocast found the time to sit down for an interview, too.

On December I hope to review a lot of Uruguayan acts, both signed and unsigned. That will be a great way to send off the year!

“Ten” Was Published Yesterday

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"Ten" Is The Prequel To "Once". Both Books Have Been Published By Rumbo Editorial.

Yesterday I published my second book of lyric poetry. The launch event was a very touching moment, with lots of old and new friend in attendance along with my family and people that I did not know until yesterday, and who attended the event on strength of the announcements that were made on local radio.

The book is named “Ten”, and it is the prequel to “Once”, the one I published last year. The books (which have been published by Rumbo Editorial) are interconnected in many senses. For example, the pictures you can see on “Ten” are the ones that illustrate “Once”, and vice versa.

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"Ten" & "Once" Side To Side.

My good friends Marcelo Otamendi, Dinorah Santomauro, Erika Mayssa Bassi and Mario Paz played a selection of lyrics from “Once”, along with their very own compositions.

I thank everybody for being there in such an important day. Now, the day after the event, the one phrase that defines how I feel is the one sung by Ben Lee on his song “Love Me Like The World Is Ending”:

It is the first day of the future…

Thanks, everybody.

Some Poems From “Ten”

My Second Book Of Lyric Poetry, “Ten” Is Being Released One Year To The Date In Which I Published “Once”.

My Second Book Of Lyric Poetry, “Ten” Is Being Released One Year To The Date In Which I Published “Once”.

Tomorrow I am releasing my second book of lyric poetry. It is named “Ten”, and it is entirely in English.

It is the companion book to “Once”, the book I published around this time last year. The events described in “Ten” take place one year before the ones set down in “Once”.

Expect plenty more posts about these two books. In the meantime, I would like to share some poems from “Ten” with you.

Enjoy!

Dance Across The Moonlight

There’s a cessation in my heart I seem to eternize
And there’s an eternity I can never realize
And I move across the silence that keeps me company
And you dance across the moonlight arisen in the sea

And I close my eyes to see you

There’s a question in my heart I seem to perpetuate
And there’s a perpetuation I can never abate
And I move across the silence winged by celerity
And you dance across the moonlight arisen in the sea

And I close my eyes to see you

There’s a disunity in my heart I seem to prolong
And there’s a prolongation I can never bear along
And I move across the silence that binds you close to me
And you dance across the moonlight arisen in the sea

And I close my eyes to see you

Here

Chasing meretricious rainbows I came in here
Knowing there was no promise to reclaim in here
Embosoming the shame in here
Within my devotion
Just like an emotion

That I never bothered to restrain or impede
And what you never expressed was all I would heed

Chasing deleterious dreams I strolled in here
Knowing I would regret it all I bowled in here
Treasuring the fool’s gold in here
Reinforced by the thrill
Of pleonasms shrill

That I never bothered to restrain or impede
And what you never expressed was all I would heed

And I simply thought of you without thinking twice
And what you never gave was all that would suffice Continue reading

Month In Review – July 2010

The coverage of the Uruguayan independent artist Soundays turned to be one of the best posts ever since the blog started. And I also finally wrote about RostbiF, one of the bands I actually collaborate with. Don’t forget to read the interview, too.

The one artist I added this month was Patti Smith, a key figure in the development of punk music. And like the genre or not, she has some albums that should never be overlooked. Read the general introduction and my review of her debut “Horses” and see if you agree or not with the points I make.

For its part, the startups that were reviewed during this month included SoundzAbound, Mixest and Lystener – the first is an innovative tool for educators, whereas the other two can be used to discover new indie bands and lyrics respectively.  And I also covered a startup named Venossi on the week of its launch – it takes the news feed we all are familiarized with thanks to Facebook, and applies it to the recommendation and discovery of new music. And Kilian Valkhof from Lystener and Barry Starlin from Soundzabound also sat for an interview.

Finally, I was as happy as punch the day I walked into the Uruguayan National Library to discover that some charitable soul had placed “Once” on prominent display. Like a proud father, I tool a zillion pictures. And like any proud father, I got unbearable and wrote a post with the best pictures for you to take a lot at them. I haven’t been flamed yet, so I guess I didn’t get that unbearable…

“Once” On Display At The Uruguayan National Library

Well, this is quite surprising and also immensely fulfilling. “Once” has been put on display at the Uruguayan National Library, and prominently put on display at that. I have no words to thank the person who put it there. I am deeply indebted.

These are some of the pictures that I took. I specially love the ones in which you can read the inventory code that has been added to the book now.

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (1)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (2)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (3)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (4)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (5)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (6)

Once Emilio Perez Miguel (7) Continue reading

Another Couple Of Poems From “Once”

These are a couple of poems from the second chapter of “Once”, the one titled “Dos Idiotas y Un Idiota” [Two Idiots and One Idiot]. It is the chapter in which the train of thought begins following dual pathways.

You can read more poems from “Once” right here and here. And for information on the launch event of the book, look here and here.

I hope you like these poems. If there is anything you want to tell me, use the “Comments” box which is situated at the bottom.

Rocío Y Ella

Comenzaremos por el punto
neutro del trasunto
de una misma comparecencia,
porque estos bifrontismos
son los mismos
imprevistos
entrevistos
hundidos en mi conciencia.

Y el empeño
que no domeño
y que se rehúsa a evanecerse
ha dejado de ser cíclico,
y esto que no puede hacerse
ni más grande ni más pequeño
ahora es algo recíproco.

Parece que el parecido
será restringido
entre este y nuestro estado,
mas las voces que prometen
arremeten
de profeso
sobre eso
que se ha supeditado.

Y el empeño
que no domeño
y que se rehúsa a evanecerse
ha dejado de ser cíclico
y esto que no puede hacerse
ni más grande ni más pequeño
ahora es algo recíproco…

Ella En Colores

Ella en colores más tenues
pacta otro significado.
Otra clase de inflexión.
Otra suerte de complexión
y otro valor ultimado.

Ella en colores más tenues
me acompaña por defecto
y por mi propia elección.
Y perfila mi convicción
como un camino directo,

como un patrón que sin verlo
crea y daña sin deberlo.
Y es demasiado difícil
saberlo o no sin saberlo.

Ella en colores más tenues
que trata de obviar mi pincel.
Eternamente probable
cual sueño inacabable
que yo deposito en tu piel.

Ella en colores más tenues
no espera ni un momento:
llega al punto exacto
y en un único acto
torna lo estático lento

torna su mente en su mente
casi automáticamente,
y es demasiado difícil
quererla o no simplemente. Continue reading

Some Poems From “Once”

I would like to share some more poems from “Once” with you. Remember, you can read another pair here and learn more about the book here and here.

Please have your say in the “Comments” section below. I would love to have your insight on these compositions.

Corazones De Arena

La razón ahora brilla como una luz menos plena
y todo lo que siento es como un engarce
de palabras no dichas que no podrán pronunciarse
y dibujo corazones en corazones de arena.

Mi alma está vacía por haber estado tan llena
y aún busco matices en estos cuadernos
aún busco recuerdos consumados y eternos
dibujando corazones en corazones de arena.

La voz de lo incontrastable es como una sirena
del alma; me llama, la sigo, jamás percibo:
ya no hay retorno a un punto que no concibo
al dibujar corazones en corazones de arena.

Y tu presencia me abre como quien abre una vena
porque no puedo pedirte lo que ya te pedí
ni que me devuelvas los momentos que nunca te di
dibujando corazones en corazones de arena.

El Puente De Un Suspiro

Si tus ojos son el puerto,
y el cielo que respiro
es el sueño en que despierto
¿Es eso el final del viaje,
o es el puente de un suspiro
que me acerca hacia ti?

Y si el tiempo es un momento
quiero que dure por siempre.
Si sentir es lo que siento
con la voz con que te miro
en el puente de un suspiro
que me acerca hacia ti.

Si pintarte es un color
conduciendo al retiro
que me lleva a tu interior,
¿es eso una partida,
o es el puente de un suspiro
que me acerca hacia ti?

Y si el tiempo es un momento,
quiero que dure por siempre.
Si sentir es lo que siento
con la voz conque te miro
en el puente de un suspiro
me siento cerca de ti. Continue reading

Once – Original Soundtrack Album

Once's Original Soundtrack Album Is Dominated By Glen Hansard's Songs. Marketa Irglova Has Two Sogs In, And The Band "Interference" Sings "Gold"

Once's Original Soundtrack Album Is Dominated By Glen Hansard's Songs. Marketa Irglova Has Two Songs In, And The Band "Interference" (With Glen In Tow) Contributes "Gold"

This new section (Original Soundtrack Albums) should have been added to MusicKO last month. I knew that the first album to be featured had to be the OST to “Once”, arguably the most striking musical I have ever seen. And that was what held me for so long. I have lived with the CD for the past month, trying to convince myself that it is every bit as good or essential as the film. And it is not. It is a fine album. But the movie was more than fine in every sense.

The problem might as well lie in Marketa’s solo songs. “The Hill” is not played fully in the movie. It is used in a very specific scene towards the end, and if you take the scene away you are also taking its weight with it. And “If You Want Me” is completely insipid. It dawns on you that what matters is how the song comes to be (the phenomenal street shot), not the finished song. The impromptu “Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy” is a toss-off, and while it is too short to cross anybody it is irrelevant.

Besides, “Say It To Me Now” is somehow limp if you didn’t watch the scene in the movie, with the camera slowly closing in and the Girl clapping as the shot ends.

Still, the album has its fair share of brilliance. I don’t need to tell you about
“Falling Slowly” because the song speaks for itself. I would kill to get my hands on the Oscar performance. All I could find was the performance embedded above, and the moment when Glen and Marketa get the coveted statues. Notice how they cut poor Marketa off. It is a good thing the host brings her back after the break. You can watch it here. Continue reading

Photos From The Launch Event For “Once”

(Hagan click aquí para leer este artículo en español)

A promise is a promise, there you have the pictures from the launch event for “Once”.

To begin with, publisher Carmen Galusso introduces the ones sitting at the table. Then she talks about the way we worked together up to that date.

Foto Once 1

Secondly, literature teacher Fabián Severo offers up an excellent critical speech. It is the first time that I listen to a qualified person commenting on my book, and I am enthralled as I see which verses and lines he highlights. You can read his full speech here.

Foto Once 2

Continue reading