Tuesday, 24 February 2009

re:Verse.

Full of cold, not happy, but it's at the point of 'bearable' (who says a weaker immune system makes us less manly?!).

Fashion now and as Tom knows very well i am the very height of fashion in every sense - especially my turn up jeans which i think is strangely a jazzy thing to do (seen it many a time at clubs I've been to, unless that's a sign of a mid-life crisis creeping in). The Bad Plus even though on their current release tour in America have managed to take time out to perform at Isaac Mizrahi's 2009 fashion line exhibition. I really do hate a lot of the fashion out there today mainly due to the over excessive use of trends and the constant establishment of what is 'in' or 'out', i could go on more and sound very metrosexual and then hastily add I'm not.. but lets avoid that shall we before I'm driven insane by the sound of my nose vibrating like an SI engine turning over.
What is very hip about this show is that it's again reaffirmed to me that those guys are very talented. Briefly summarising one of Ethan's latest posts they wrote 3 compositions to last around the 10 minute procession. Obviously they couldn't have a free jazz progressive jam (to my dismay) but instead are mostly pop, straight forward dance/techno style songs.
Ethan wrote "One Thirty-Three" apparently based on the most common tempo time of techno and electronica music (and by metronome one quaver = 133), but instead takes an approach with ornamentation usually associated with classical music and i swear but one part sounds very similar to the opening of a Kraftwerk song. I'll find that out soon.
Dave my favourite of the composers brought "High Waisted Drifter" and in true style incorporates lots of key signatures, turns of phrases and contrasts very well to the clothes that are shown in the sequence. Finally Reid with "Really Good Attitude", upbeat, boppy, and even though longer than the others pieces it seems they keep the repeated section going to end the thing on a high. If there is such a phrase as a high in fashion with images of models looking like they've just seen Doctor Death and most abstract catwalk shows resembling in close comparison to crumpled up bits of cardboard sticking out in all directions from a fast food restaurant bin surrounded by various attracted insect (for sparkle).
Considering another long tour going on and the fact their next release is promised to be all original material, to compose something as good as them gems is amazing. But hey they're professional musicians, I'm just being too much of an ass kisser come to think of it. Although i write music and it takes me a long time to get it how i want it (AS/A2 Music Technology woo!).
Anyway if you want to watch the video in full, click this link.

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To some delight the other day i managed to buy a copy of 'The Day Of The Triffids' without resorting to Internet sellers and I've just started reading the first few chapters. Again I'll probably do a full review in a month or so but for now here's a quotation i laughed at quite a bit whilst coughing:

"But i certainly was getting the willies - and once you get 'em, they grow. Already they were past the stage where you can shoo them off by whistling or singing to yourself.
It came at last to the straight question: was i more scared of endangering my sight by taking my bandages off, or of staying in the dark with the willies growing every minute."

What can i say i have a sick mind. Thankyou Post-war literature for being so damn English.
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And now a thanks to Uncle Leslie, Dr Les Mustoe our maths lecturer on my university course for today unlike usually sending out problem sheets by email, he instead sent a rather good verse:

Cargoes - John Masefield

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amythysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

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