Neil Young’s divine 'noise'

 Wikipedia

What is it like for a rock musician to go through the seventh decade of their life? Well, if that musician is Neil Young, who turned 66 this month, it must be nothing short of fascinating. His career as an outstanding singer/songwriter and guitar player spans over forty years, thirty three studio albums, fourteen live albums and numerous other projects, effectively connecting the 1960s to grunge and the present. In short, he is a living legend. What else would it take for one to rest on their laurels? Neil Young, however, never did that.

I have admired and followed his work throughout the years, and yet I was once more surprised by his most recent album Le Noise, released in September 2010. And I haven’t stopped playing it since. The album includes some of Neil Young’s most elegantly crafted acoustic moments, in the vein of Heart of Gold, among many of his most fierce and impressive guitar riffs,  along the lines of Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black). Both aspects are paradigmatic of the quality and integrity of a gifted and restless musician who hasn’t stopped experimenting and isn’t afraid to take risks. 

NEIL YOUNG "LE NOISE" from galys on Vimeo.

Le Noise consists of eight compositions based solely on Neil Young’s voice and guitar, and is an unusual album in that the directness and bareness of the musical setting encompass a particularly rich and complex artistic content. The melodies are evocative just as the rhythms are intense, and they spread out through haunting sonic environments, aided by Daniel Lanois’ production. Neil Young sings as if there is no tomorrow; the passion and the elegance of his performance highlight the strength of the compositions and their lyrical content. His notes on the acoustic guitar come across like delicate drops of rain, while his electric guitar takes the album over by putting forward dense layers of thunderous distortion. 

The end result is unmatched intimacy and emotional expressiveness. Le Noise is an inventive album by an accomplished musician who knows that becoming a legend is not an end in itself; it is always the next unpredictable and amazing step that matters the most. 

 

Those whirlpools of tumultuous emotion: the extraordinary Virginia Woolf

Portrait by George Charles Beresford  Wikipedia

Virginia Woolf was a landmark writer; Mrs Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own are characteristic examples of the quality of her fiction and nonfiction respectively. They also happen to be two of my favorite books of all time. But if I was to choose only one quote, it is to Flush: A Biography that I would turn to. Brilliantly situated between fiction and nonfiction, this is a biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s cocker spaniel. It is also an insightful portrayal of the female artist whom the dog loves, and a highly imaginative interpretation of the bond between them; a rare gem in every respect.

It so happened that I discovered a copy of the first edition of this book, published by Hogarth Press in 1933, in my local library. This was about ten years ago, and I was going through a transitional phase of my life, as one does when decisions need to be made and difficulties have to be dealt with. The following quote was illuminating; and yes, pulling oneself up is hard work, just as it is immensely empowering, because nothing is worth more than a smile regained; it may as well be the brightest ever.

And as he lay there, exiled, on the carpet, he went through one of those whirlpools of tumultuous emotion in which the soul is either dashed upon the rocks and splintered or, finding some tuft of foothold, slowly and painfully pulls itself up, regains dry land, and at last emerges on top of a ruined universe to survey a world created afresh on a different plan. Which was it to be – destruction or reconstruction? That was the question.

1933, pp. 66-67

For my life and the stars creation: a Paradise Lost retrospective

Athens, Fuzz Club, 19.03.2011

In an older interview guitarist Greg Mackintosh had said that “when you’re on tour, the good days are very good and the bad days are very bad.” In this light, the day mentioned above must have been a great one for Paradise Lost; and their concert sparked a wider discussion, which is where this post stemmed from.  As a result of the band’s long carrier and varied releases, the era during which one becomes familiar with their music matters considerably; and thus it is only fair to say that my relationship with Paradise Lost was shaped by the Icon album, and the musical direction it introduced.

Paradise Lost established themselves as pioneers of the underground doom metal scene in Britain with their first two albums (Lost Paradise, 1990, Gothic, 1991), and in 1992 they moved from the small independent label Peaceville to the relatively bigger Music for Nations to release their third effort Shades of God. This album included the single As I die, which combined a strong melody, a rather fierce rhythm, and relatively ‘clean’ vocals, thus signaling, more than any other of their efforts until then, the different sound which was soon to emerge. 

And in 1993 came Icon.  Almost two decades later, the album’s artistic value, the influence it exerted, as well as its significance for the band’s subsequent musical development, are considered to be self-evident. What was going on back then, however, is that the new course taken by Paradise Lost was perceived exactly as such; it was a sonic environment never heard before, so melancholic and at the same time so dynamic, so well thought of and carefully structured, and yet so expressive and emotionally intense. The latter was largely due to Nick Holmes’ astonishing vocals, which set the standard for a whole genre. Christendom and True Belief are characteristic examples of the ways in which the album manifested the band’s evolution.

One of the most interesting aspects of that era was the strong visual content of singles and albums. Dave McKean, one of the most significant and multidimensional contemporary artists, contributed his trademark aesthetic quality, while Stylorouge offered the originality of its graphic design and art direction, and also created Paradise Lost’s classic logo.

 

Dave McKean: As I Die 1992,  Shades of God 1992   Lost Souls Domain

Stylorouge:  Icon 1993,  Seals the Sense 1994    Lost Souls Domain    

Paradise Lost continued to evolve, and gradually began to base their sound on keyboards and entirely ‘clean’ vocals; their 1999 album Host  is  a case in point, which also caused dissatisfaction to a part of their fanbase.  As a result of the band’s inclination to change, various terms have been employed to describe their music: doom metal, gothic rock, as well as synthpop, while vocalist Nick Holmes has sometimes been compared to James Hetfield of Metallica, and other times to Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. 

However, such attempts to define Paradise Lost are irrelevant to their musical output; they are an expression of the need to regulate difference, that is to interpret the band not in their own terms, but in terms of what others happen to know of and/or expect from them. And although views and preferences will inevitably vary, what is certain is that Paradise Lost always took risks in order to do what they wanted. In this respect, it is interesting to note Greg Mackintosh’s reply to the question what is the main issue in every musician’s carrier: “To do what you feel and not what’s expected”.

It is equally important to note that set lists represent all periods, which suggests that the band perceive their work as a whole.  In the meantime, Paradise Lost continued to evolve, and in the recent years they turned again towards metal, still without repeating themselves. Perhaps the exact character of Paradise Lost’s music has never come across as clearly as it did through the interpretation of two tracks from their latest album Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us by the Prague Orchestra.  The end result is determined by the structure of the composition and the orchestration, rather than depends on the use of particular instruments, including electric guitars; and maybe this is exactly the reason why Paradise Lost are able to use the latter so effectively. 

The tree that came back from the dead

I could never imagine a world without trees. Ever since I was a child I was impressed by their shape, this symmetry between the roots which vanish into the ground, and the branches which spread out into the sky. I suppose symbolically they are two directly opposite ways to look at life, and yet a trunk is enough to unite them. I often think that maybe this is the reason why trees live so long.

Three years ago I gave my parents a bonsai tree as a gift. When they went on a holiday, I took care of it along with their other plants, and ever since I continue to do so when I visit them. It is one of the few types of trees that can live in an apartment, and this particular one has taken over most of the balcony. This is because we refused to cut off its roots.

I didn’t know that this is what they do to bonsai trees to keep them small, they cut off one third of the roots and repot them with the same soil, in the same pot. I find it appalling and idiotic, that is to say rather typical of the way humans generally treat the environment. And of course I repotted the tree in a bigger pot with more soil, and its roots, branches, and trunk, grew exponentially. It was very beautiful, and I suppose Treebeard would have been very happy for it.

21.02.2011

The most important thing for this tree is humidity, and its watering may be seen as a kind of ritual. One must never let the soil dry out, but too much water is also harmful: in the first case the tree quickly dries up, in the second case it gets sick, its leaves turn yellow and drop off. The ideal is to achieve a steady humidity level, which is why I always water it slowly and in small doses, each dose provided after the previous one has been absorbed, until water begins to come out through the holes in the pot. Apparently the tree likes all that very much, and responds by developing dense layers of leaves. And most of all, it enjoys being sprayed with water, albeit not directly; spraying in the air just above it allows drops of water to fall on its leaves and branches without pressure, just like rain.  

Unfortunately, this tree died in August. It dried up inexplicably. I immediately tried to help it as much as I could, and continued to do so for many days. I watered it, sprayed it, fed it, I even placed the whole pot into a bucket of water. But the tree did not respond. One may suppose that its life cycle was completed, or that it got ill, or whatever. But I kept on trying, regardless of how sad it feels to water a tree which is already dead. As the weeks passed, I gradually stopped going to the balcony. Until the beginning of November; my parents had continued to water it, and noticed that its branches maintained their flexibility.  Still, when I went out in the balcony I could hardly believe my eyes.

05.11.2011

Friends who have seen the tree say that this is exactly why one should never lose hope. And they are right. A bonsai tree may dry up and die in a few days, and this one was dried up for three whole months. One may wonder how on earth did it manage to survive, but trees of course don’t answer questions. On the other hand, these new green leaves multiply every day, and this is actually the best answer anyone could ever have, isn’t it?

Skies, #4

Athens, 30.09.2010

Adele: Someone Like You

I heard that you settled down

That you found a girl and you're married now.
I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you.

Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,"
Yeah.

You know how the time flies
Only yesterday was the time of our lives
We were born and raised
In a summer haze
Bound by the surprise of our glory days

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."

Nothing compares
No worries or cares
Regrets and mistakes
They are memories made.
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead." 

Wind Mills

Wind Mills is a short animated film made by Guillaume Bergère, Guillaume Coudert, Maria Glinyanova, Bruno Guerra, and Charlotte Jammet, at Ecole Georges Méliès. This is the filmmakers’ own summary of their work: 

It is a dead, lightless world, where a little girl, despite her father’s renunciation and despair facing the death of his wife, maintains their dream of building a machine powered by magic winds to fly and reach the sun. 

The film is aesthetically elegant and conceptually strong. It is also exquisite in terms of its cinematic methods of storytelling; composition of the frame, camera movement, editing, and lighting, are effective as well as evocative. Particular reference needs to be made to the remarkable music by Lucie Mayjonade and Olivier Michelot, which also serves as a narrative device. As a result, the film brings a whole new world to life in less than eight minutes, and almost exclusively without the aid of dialogue. 

The best films in the history of cinema had something important to say; their visual language, however groundbreaking and impressive, was not an end in itself, but the means by which meaning was conveyed. And this is the main reason why it is such a pleasure to watch Wind Mills. It is its content that matters the most, and rightly so; after all, isn’t it better to struggle than to resign, to reach for the light than to surrender to despair?

WindMills from Wind Mills on Vimeo.

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Song Of The Month

November may be cold and sad, like a signal that winter is lurking right around the corner. However, November may also provide the chance for inspiration, love, and strong emotions. A bittersweet and sensitive song about that month of the year and the strength it provides people with was created by the Dutch progressive rock band Kingfisher Sky. I have to say that this is my favourite track of their debut album ''Hallway Of Dreams'' released back in 2007. The melodic guitar riffs combined with the charismatic voice of their lead singer, Judith Rijnveld, and the melancholic -yet beautiful- lyrics of the song make it this blog's "song of the month". It definitely deserves it! Enjoy!

On a dark November day it fell upon me

Like a veil of grey there's a longing inside of me
to loose all feeling and break free
Still it keeps coming to me

It's a lot to take in a short amount of time
and there are things I don't want to leave behind
When the leaves are falling, they turn to gold and brown
the arms of November keep me down.

Set me free dark November, let me be dark November

In the heart of darkness it's not easy to feel
so many wounds that won't easily heal
Please read my letter before I go
'cause there are things you really should know