Various Artists -- Everything is Illuminated (Picture Soundtrack)
Artist: Various Artists
Title: Everything is Illuminated (Picture Soundtrack)
Year: 2005
Format: CD
Rating (1-10): 9
Owner: Tracy
Acquired: 2007 – Christmas present from my beautiful wife
Keeper: Yes
First of all, if you haven’t seen the movie Everything is Illuminated make sure to put it on your list. It stars Elijah Wood, but to me the real star is Eugene Hutz. Eugene is also the singer of Gogol Bordello. The film is excellent, and I’ll leave it at that. The soundtrack, which is why we have gathered here today, is also excellent. Most of the music is original stuff from Paul Cantelon. Other artists have also contributed songs, with a couple from Gogol Bordello, including “Start Wearing Purple.” I’ve praised that number before. That happens to be the most raucous song on the album. While raucous is usually my thing, I do enjoy the entire soundtrack. I could sit on the couch and just listen to it over and over. I prefer to consume music as primary activity. But let’s say you do your music listening mostly as a secondary activity, say, walking around town with your iPod. Everything is Illuminated would make the experience of running errands a lot more interesting. It’s full of unusual music and often slightly mysterious moods. Pretend you are in the movie.
I don’t like to be at any social function, no matter how casual, without music. Good music. It’s a little obnoxious to bring your own tunes when someone else is hosting, but I gotta do what I gotta do. For the annual Christmas Eve get-down at my folks’ I have packed Christmas with the Rat Pack. And this ain’t the first time. If you have to listen to Christmas music you can’t do better than some classics performed by Dean, Sammy and Frank. And who among your family and friends isn’t going to dig it? Even the packaging on this album is top notch. From the notes:
Forget about Ho Ho Ho and bells that jingle. This Christmas will be strictly… Ring-A-Ding Ding!
This is one quiet and dark album. I am huge PJ Harvey fan, and I just got this album. At first I was disappointed how quiet and low key these songs are, all of them. Drums and percussion are virtually non-existent, and no song rocks out the way PJ always seems to, eventually. But there’s a different kind of power here. According to PJ, see the documentary below, she was determined not to repeat herself. I have probably listened to the entire album 10 times in the last 24 hours and each time it gets better.
White Chalk is being release in a limited edition vinyl version, which tragically I do not have. But the CD is packaged in a more earth-friendly way, similar to a real record, with a cardboard jacket and separate liner. Handsome.
Today’s selection is The Good, The Bad and The Queen by the band that allegedly has no name. But everyone seems to call them GBQ so I’m filing it under “G.” The music is very different than Damon Albarn’s other project, Gorillaz. It’s mostly chilled out. The songs sound like they are from another time, but not dated. There are at least a couple moments that make me think of the Beach Boys. To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to this album for a while after Mary bought it. Then, I saw them perform on Henry Rollins’ show on IFC and it was so strange that I had to check it out. I’m glad I did.
It’s K day! OK, I know, it’s been K day for over a week. But this one is worth waiting for. Klarcnova is an Asheville trio that includes Andy John, our kids’ guitar teacher. Yes, Andy is the guitarist in the band. I just got around to listening to this album about a week ago and it’s all I’ve been playing since. I love the whole thing, including the sweet “naked” production, the excellent playing, and tasty songs. My favorite is probably “Thumbprint.” It’s a spicy Latin jazz number, complete with a fast-tempo jazz odyssey in the middle. Klarcnova is a very eclectic and excellent album. This is one for you Jazzy G.
Happy Cinco de Mayo eve! The only thing better than a Plastilina Mosh album is a Plastilina Mosh double album. And that’s what we have with Tasty + b sides. It’s considered a “best of” of sorts, but a slight majority of the songs on the two discs weren’t on any of the first three albums. On the Tasty disc there are four brand new songs and those alone make it worth the price. I love all of them, but my favorite of that batch is “Nalguita.” You can check that one out at the PMosh MySpace page. It’s too good for words. And what’s with that song at MySpace called “Babasonicos remix”? That’s not on any album I have! Curses!
The b sides disc curiously has a number of songs from previous albums, but it also has some really heavy stuff. “Quiero Mi Pastilla” is a hyper-speed punk piece, and “Purrum Pum Pum” is a metallic dirge. Who would think a chorus of “Purrum Pum Pum” could sound so heavy? I don’t think it means anything, but it sounds cool. I’m surprised most of these weren’t on the other releases. The All Music Guide has a good review of this collection, and short clips of all the songs, if you want to know more. Tasty + b sides is a great place to start if you’re looking to get some of their music.
As usual, the album artwork and packaging are excellent. The jewel case comes in a cover with sketches of the fellas. The booklet has a bunch of great photos, and the front cover pic of a couple kissing in the park is fantastic. It evokes the same emotions as their music. The inside of the back of the jewel case contains the words “Happy Listening.” That’s as much a description of the music as instruction for using it.
For a long time I was unable to find the Plastilina Mosh albums I was missing. The first one, Auqamosh, can be especially expensive and I’ve seen listed in numerous online stores for $80(?!). For real. I found Hola Chicuelos used at Secondspin. For this one they moved to EMI Latin. All notes are in Spanish.
Hola Chicuelos is another piece of music greatness from the genius duo. Like the first two it’s stylistically all over the place. I think a few songs made it to the Latin charts. “Peligroso Pop” is maybe the most poignant sounding pop song I’ve ever heard. Now, I don’t have any idea what they are saying. The lyrics could be his grocery list but the total sound kills me. “Garret Club” is sort of like a jazz dance number, with real horns and strings. I love that one too. “Te lo juro por Madonna” is a rocked out tune with a great guitar riff. I believe that one was a hit. Another hit was “Enzo.” After “Peligroso Pop” this is my favorite. It’s mid-tempo, uses a lot of megaphone, some quick rapping (Or is that sportscasting? I can’t tell.), and a great sing along, or at least hum along chorus.
The album art is again quality stuff. The pages show Jonaz and Alejandro in their individual hotel rooms and, well, it’s just funny when you flip through it.
Juan Manuel is the second album by Plastilina Mosh and the first one I bought. It’s named for a good friend of theirs. I stumbled upon it when reading reviews about another Mexican group I was interested at the time, Titan (pronounced tee-tahn). This record is a little less rocked out than their debut but it’s my favorite. With the exception of “Supercombo Electronico” there isn’t much hard rocking here at all. There are some jazzy funk and funky jazz tunes like “Saint Tropez is not Far”, ethereal numbers like “Shampoo”, and plenty of great dance stuff like “Human Disco Ball.” My absolute favorite song is the super-chill, slow tempo, vocoder vocaled “Baretta ’89.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a essentially mellow song that is this exciting.
Also included on this “enhanced CD” is a great video for “Human Disco Ball” depicting the “enchanting story of a boy and his pinball machine.” Like I said yesterday, I’ll get back to the videos later. Another music hero of mine, Money Mark, has a production credit on the record. At first I thought his fingerprints were on everything, but it turns he only did three songs. And great album art is not dead! For one funny tidbit look inside the tabs that hold the CD center. I think that face peeking out may be Juan Manuel himself.
The album is bookended by two beautifully strange instrumentals, “Nordic Laser” and “Good Bye Happy Farm.” The latter ends with the sounds of horse hoofs slowly clip-clopping off into the distance. What could be better than that?
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo this coming Saturday I’m going to spend the week posting about some Mexican musicians who are my favorite band. And I don’t mean my favorite band from Mexico; I mean favorite band, period. Ladies and gentlemen… Plastilina Mosh!
I would like Beck as much as PMosh if he were twice as energetic and half as moody, and the Beastie Boys as much if they were as consistent. There is a connection there, but they are no imitators. They use Spanish and English, and other languages, in the same songs. They play songs in styles ranging from pure hip hop, rock and roll, punk, disco, lounge, noise, stuff I can’t explain or have never heard before, jazzy Stereolab-sounding things, and more. They appear to have no rules other than making good music. All that from only two guys, Alejandro Rosso and Jonás González.
Plastilina Mosh has had some real commercial success, especially in Latin markets. If you’re lucky you can catch one of their videos on MTV3, or MTV “Tr3�?s.” This is the one MTV that actually plays music videos. Isn’t that what MTV2 was for? Or, for that matter the original MTV? Anyhow, even their videos are great. I’ll get back to that later in the week.
Auqamosh is their debut album, but I didn’t get hip to them until their second release, Juan Manuel. My favorites from this one are the slamming rock hip hop opener “Niño Bomba”, “Afroman”, the hit “Monster Truck.”
I was in the local Barnes & Noble the other day when I heard a great acoustic version of Metallica’s “Orion.” I headed straight to the music section where a woman in front of me was already asking about it. The clerk grabbed a copy of Rodrigo y Gabriela and I snatched up the last one. I’ve probably played it 20 times in the last few days. I bought it because of “Orion” but my favorites are the originals, especially “Diablo Rojo.”
This was the first I had heard of Rodrigo y Gabriela, but it turns they’ve been on Letterman, Leno, etc. earlier this year. This record came out late last year in the US. They’re from Mexico City, but have been in Europe for a while. They’re already popular there.
I told a friend yesterday that this album was “the greatest thing ever!” I don’t know if he agrees, but I’m sure he too thinks it’s slamming. They have few, if any stylistic rules, and they have some roots in thrash metal. (Gabriela apparently tired of the “testosteronic” vibe of the metal scene.) So how would I describe it? It’s not Flamenco, but it is rhythmic and energetic. It’s not jazz, they play structured songs. Other than “greatest thing ever” and “slamming” I’ll just add that it’s two people playing acoustic guitars and there is a tasty Latin flavor.
There’s a DVD included with some great live performances where the crowds are going nuts and raising the horns. Also included are interviews, a photo gallery, and a great tutorial where they step through the techniques they use so you can play just like them. Ha!
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