In 2009, Time nominated me for one of the most influential people of the 21st century or something and I met Oprah at that party. And I was like, ‘Hey, people are gonna fucking die in my country. Like, please pay attention.’ And she was like, ‘You’re shit because you were rude to Lady Gaga and I’m not talking to you
It appears to be a sort of political derring do self-help book and it is a pleasure to hear even if it sounds like, well, it sounds a lot like M.I.A. She wrote this when posting the song on Soundcloud: “DEMOCRACY CONVERSATIONS ! TAMILS ARE STILL WAITING! AND NO MY BEATS ARE NOT BETTER WITHOUT MY POLITICX”
M.I.A. And Solange – Webster Hall – May 10th, 2014 – Two of the best musicians around, M.I.A. has reinvented the dance song and is compied so predigiously and often it is ridiculous and Solange is an alt soul master, even if a reportedly nasty piece of work. Days before this gig she beat up Jay Z in an elevator
Solange mentioned both she and M.I.A., with her mind on Sunday no doubt, are both mothers now. Not in a stodgy way, but there was no dramatics this night, no kicking photographs , no attitude. The entire evening was spot on the money, in a terrific place to see a show, with a good looking audience and a sweet temperamental and endless intelligence.
Rhode Island Is Famous For You – Buddy Clark – They don’t make em like Clark any more, he died too young, just 37 in a plane crash, but this is the version of “Rhode Island” you want if you’re looking for one – A
But the chance to see the two women, on the same stage, for the same $45, in a club the size of Webster makes another viewing an absolute must. On a Saturday as well, May 10, as Spring has sprung at Webster Hall: the very definition of a must see is two great performers in a small club.
If I preferred beats to melody, Matangi would be my favorite album of the year. These polyrhythmic beats on beats songs are to EDM what Kanye West is to Hip Hop: they sound nothing else, they sound even wilder than her previous albums.
Home For The Holidays – Perry Como – This one takes me back some eight years where a good friend used to sing this for me every Christmas, it is a sweet song isn’t it? – A
Darkside – Tom Stoppard And Pink Floyd – A radio play that works as a record album that works as a radio with Stoppards rat-a-tat dialogue and concise storytelling. No, it isn’t “The Invention Of Love” but then neither is “The Coast Of Utopia”.
Love Is Love – Hello Steve Reich James Murphy for DFA Remix – David Bowie – Sure, he’s using an idea from Reich, but the way the clapping becomes the beat blows me away every time
M.I.A. – Terminal 5 – November 1st, 2013 – A masterpiece of modern pop with a conscience that puts former contemporaries like Madonna and Lady Gaga into the nostalgia files, while M.I.A. finds the middle ground between beats and beatings.
Slippin And Slidin – Otis Redding – One of the great covers mostly because Redding has one of the great voices, but also because Little Richard was a teen phenom and his original sounds like a pop song, Redding sounds like a soul song – A
When You Sleep – My Bloody Valentine – From their album before last, they owe a sonic debt to JAMC but paid it back years ago and they’ve paid it back in full and here the melodic feedback and close harmonies are a harbinger of sound to come – A
Heavy Metal Heart – Sky Ferreira – The best moment on her amateur hour opening slot for Vampier Weekend a coupla months ago, the album has lots of great moments, and this isn’t even the best – B
Matangi – M.I.A. – This isn’t any better than Vicki Leekx, but it isn’t any worse, and it has “Come Walk With Me”, a potential dance crossover hit and so many beats it’s gonna seriously shake up your life – A
‘ve heard the Eminem and M.I.A. and I love them both, also I’ve heard some of Midlake and I like that a lot as well. Also, Tennis are a real good band and Hellogoodbye are above average emo rockers, Cut Copy are the EDM you love to hate, haven’t heard Luscious Jackson in awhile AND FINALLY… Celine Dion and James Blunt missing Halloween by that much.
The rock and roll world reeled from the death of one of the all time greats Lou Reed and I wrote “this outpouring of affection for Lou Reed: it is like mourning Scrooge if Scrooge had died before he was visited by the ghosts.” though I was pretty upset myself.
Galang – M.I.A. – I would claim it was a highlight of Friday’s gig but so was everything else, instead I’ll claim it is the only the second song with the words “London Calling” in them that’s a masterpiece – A
From the crushing deep pain of extreme pain to the punishing deep pain of success, M.I.A. holds her paranoia like a weapon but she let it drop for 70 minutes and builds her world behind the beatings upon beatings of a place where the third and the first world meets.
1960s classic from the middle class Cilla Black, a sort of London answer to Cilla’s Beatles backed working class girl. This is a classic that bypassed the US but just listen to how it goes down an octave an the denouement. It’s like the voice of doom! – A
(She) – JD Samson And Men – Soundscape of beeps and beats and techno jive experimental dance with repetition in the nix and intoned calls to a female deity – B+
Not only are they pushing a really good new album lousy with sylvian briar, released just last week ,but I’ve seen Of Montreal on stage before and they put on a very very live show. Like a thetarical wallop. Monday at Webster Hall.
Dear Mary – Linda Thompson – A Linda blueprint English folk song to lead of her terrific 2002 album, Linda might take her time but she has never recorded badly and this new one finds her at the peak of her powers – A
