EARGASMIC RECORDINGS

Here is my contribution to the latest installment of the Green Monkey Music Project. The theme is "eargasmic" music, basically those blissful recordings that work wonder on your eardrums and create an overwhelming sense of aural euphoria.

The following six songs represent a broad range of what fills my ears with delight and stimulates my higher brain functions. Of course narrowing it down to only six is a painful endeavor, and my selections are a small slice of the many wonderful songs that fill my ears with delight.

I would also recommend that you head over to I, Splotchy and check out some of the entries from the other participants and perhaps bless your ears with something new you may not have head before. OK, here it goes;

Catherine Wheel - "Black Metallic" - This song offers a compelling sensory experience and at the time it came out it foreshadowed a lot of great music to come. There is a muted tone present that results in even the "loud-quiet-loud" moments being less drastic than they would be otherwise and more soothing than perhaps it would have been if produced differently.

Cocteau Twins - "Cherry-Coloured Funk" - I remember many years ago persuading a college classmate to listen to this song on headphones. She had no frame of reference for this sort of music and had a uncharacteristically strong emotional response to it afterwards. She exclaimed rather innocently that it was as if someone was playing the soundtrack to one of those fantastic dreams where you are floating through the sky carelessly. This pretty well sums it up perfectly for me.

Roxy Music - "More Than This" - This is one of the most sublime pop songs ever produced. Bryan Ferry's tempered falsetto is complimented beautifully by the crisp and lush production. It is highly indicative of the romanticism of it's era, though unlike many of it's contemporaries this song maintains a degree of timelessness and still captivates by embracing a genuine sense of yearning.



DeVotchKa - "The Last Beat of My Heart" (2006) - Perhaps this would be a heretical statement to some, but I would be willing to state that this version is much better than the original by Siouxsie & The Banshees. Their is an organic warmth to this version that seems to draw you with a sense of urgency and immediacy that is not as easily identifiable in the original.

Pink Floyd - "Interstellar Overdrive" - This psychedelic instrumental odyssey possesses a dark and foreboding tone that is heavy and at times oppressive. It builds to a thundering crescendo and by the time it is over you do in fact feel like you have embarked on some perilous cosmic journey. I also want to give props to Gordon "the Hippie Bus Driver" who in my adolescent years made me a great mixed tape of Syd Barret era Pink Floyd, which totally blew my mind at the time.

My Bloody Valentine "Only Shallow" - This opening track from the legendary "Loveless" album immediately pulls you into a unique sonic journey. In the context of when it first came out it was a completely irrational and unparalleled sensory experience that held few points of reference. This piece challenges you to throw away the heady need to interpret and draw meaning. It is a dynamic soundscape that only demands that you approach it with the same degree of imagination and openness as put forward by the artists themselves.

LISTING ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS

Recently I have spent countless hours pouring over a wonderful book entitled "1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die" By Tom Moon. In reading it I am struck by the staggering amount of potentially awe inspiring music that I have yet to engage with. On the other hand I am also having fun picking apart some of Moon's picks (or lack therefore in some cases - only 1 Bowie album made the list!)

Moon's official 1000 Recordings To Hear blog is also excellent, and he often posts further information about some of the recordings or related material he references in his book. He also makes recommendations for "next steps" if you like a certain recording, as well as guides for exploring certain genres, such as the recently posted "Five Steps In an Exploration of Jazz". This is a great site to use as a launching pad for further musical exploration (and eventual obsession).

It is a fascinating premise in some respects, as the concept of "essential listening" may not necessarily translate into a list of one's favourite recordings. It is a valid approach to examine what recordings would be considered essential canon, mainly those that are considered to be foundational, influential and need to be experienced to appreciate much of what has come afterwards.

A parallel would be the more common act of identifying the various pieces of literature that are foundational to Western culture or that assist one in grasping the ethos of a certain era. For example, James Joyce's "Ulysses" is justifiably promoted as one of the quintessential Modernist novels, yet despite this there are probably few who would have the tenacity, patience or desire to read through the many dense stream of consciousness passages on a regular basis.

In Moon's exploration of essential music he took a long journey and acknowledged that with some genres he knew little and had to do some exploring first, finding some hidden and perhaps more obscure gems along the way. This is an act of pure love, where the ego inherent in the notion of one's own individual taste is partially stripped away and there is an openness to wonder from a variety of previously unknown sources.

As always, it is a very subjective exercise that is bound to create debate among people who care about music. Though many of the recordings identified have historically received consensus around being essential (i.e. "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys, The Beatles "The White Album") others are slightly suspect (inexplicably a Britney Spears album made the list). Regardless, it is a great catalyst for opening up new doors and I have discovered many recordings that I never knew about that I will hopefully engage with before I shed this mortal coil.

I end with a few of Moon's selections that may be more obscure to some - enjoy!;

Oum Kalthoum (1904-1975) Recognized as the Arab world's most famous and distinguished singer of the 20th century:



Memphis Minnie (1897-1973) - A pioneering female blues singer and guitarist who was popular during the Great Depression and WWII;



Of course I will endeavor to post my own essential recordings list for the edification of others (DISCLAIMER: I'll probably start with 10 recordings, as attempting to compile 1000 would have a negative impact on my family life and would probably take me a few years living as a quasi-hermit to complete).

OOOH... I almost forgot the obligatory closing question - what are some essential recordings from your vantage point?

A DRINK TO US (When We're Both Dead)

My good friend and artist extraordinaire Dave Dyment has recently been involved with a bold creation that he will never see come into fruition. Entitled "A Drink To Us (When We're Both Dead)", Dave has worked in collaboration with the Glendfiddich Distillery in Scotland to create some very fine spirits that will be available for consumption in 100 years.

A person purchasing a bottle now will receive a wooden box, a map of where the barrel is buried and purchase contract that can be passed from person to person over the course of a few generations until the barrel of whiskey (or whatever it is called based on future standards) is ready to be bottled and made available in the year 2108.

In many ways I admire the creative spirit of anyone who designs something that takes time to be fully realized or experienced. It is the perfect antidote to a culture bogged down with cheap, fast production and immediate gratification at the expense of quality.

With Dave's piece he boldly embraces his own mortality and has created something made purely for the enjoyment of others, with a wry wink thrown in from the products creators for good measure. I hope that in 100 years a few people will take delight in these fine spirits and think about the artist and the era from which it emerged .

Even if the final product is not drinkable due to various unforeseen circumstances throughout the next century, the mere fact that someone in the future will be able to trace the story behind this creation makes it well worth it, and I commend Dave for reaching out over time and including some yet to be born person in the pure love of creation!

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMY....

I have been recently honoured with two "Superior Scribbler" awards from two bloggers that I also admire!

The first distinction came from Allison on her blog Flying Buttresses. Allison's words were very kind and I am thrilled to be in correspondence with her. I first got hooked into Allison's blog reading about her adventures living in London, and I am equally riveted by her candid observations as she seeks meaning, connection and good music in the suburbs of Toronto (my old stomping grounds!). Allison is indeed a gem.

The second distinction came from Sean Wraight on his blog Everything is Pop, Pop is Everything. I have recently discovered Sean's blog, and I am truly impressed and awe struck by his ability to exquisitely ruminate on the music and art that he truly has a passion for. He is also officially my favourite source for theme oriented musical playlists. I look forward to checking in regularly for a more refined analysis of pop culture .

Now, time to pass the honours forward;

A shout out to Liberality - not only is she my favourite librarian, but she has sublime taste in music and can wax poetic about the personal & political like no other .

Props to Dean Wormer - he can wield a movie quote like Conan with an axe, cutting through mediocrity with swift assurance and the deadly force of his intellectual curiosity.

Also, my respect goes to Comrade Kevin - his political analysis has been refreshing and insightful over the last year, and I am equally appreciative of his ability to write honestly about his current treatment regiment and related struggles - all the best to you Kevin!

*****

Superior Scribbler Rules and Responsibilities:

*The Rules: Every Superior Scribbler will name 5 other Super Scribblers.If you are named you must link to the author & the name of the blog that gave you the award. Then you must display the adorable award and link to THIS POST, which explains the award. The same post also allows you to add your link. Then they will have a record of all the people who are Super Scribblers!

THE GENTLE ART OF PERSUASION

In celebration of the fact that the GOP is going to get a good old fashioned ass wuppin' tomorrow for being so naughty during the last eight years, I thought I would post another recovered book. This one illustrates nicely one of Dubya's many dubious gifts that he will leave behind as part of his "legacy". It is an inspiring read that will really put a fresh spin on the gentle art of persuasion;


More to come in my own "recovered books" series soon (inspired by Boon Ninja), though there will be no posting tomorrow night for some strange reason. I suppose it is because that interactive electoral map on CNN is so damn mesmerizing that I won't be able to peel myself away from the TV.

The one exception of course will be after Obama's victory speech, where I will jump and sing towards the eternal sky while playing bongos in tandem with Carl Orff's "O Fortuna". I will likely be celebrating in unison with many other folks around the world who may for a moment dare to believe that better days might just be around the corner!