Haha, VICTORY!

Pop Music Too Loud and All Sounds the Same: Official

A team led by artificial intelligence specialist Joan Serra at the Spanish National Research Council ran music from the last 50 years through some complex algorithms and found that pop songs have become intrinsically louder and more bland in terms of the chords, melodies and types of sound used.
  
This is from Reuters, not the Onion, so I now have no shame in requesting that you please vacate my literal and figurative area of aesthetic and recreational space, planted with durable things, subject to weed, pest control, and practices aimed at its maintenance, and regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length. NOW.

Worst Album Covers of All Time

And in keeping with the visual theme...

A. A. Bondy at Cafe du Nord, 1.20.2010







































While Bondy isn't much for stage presence -- his banter was limited (and though sincere, quite awkward) and he kept lowering the lights until the entire stage was black with a tinge of red -- it really didn't matter. His dreamlike, heartfelt lyrics, soulful delivery, and sweet melodies punctuated with big Neil Young-esque chords (on one of two Sunburst guitars) didn't need any additional accoutrement.

I'd been waiting for the show to buy his first album on vinyl, American Hearts, and my friend bought the second (When The Devil's Loose, which made my tops for 2009), and both Bondy and his merch/roadie/sound/lighting guy were just sweet as pie and pleased as punch, thanking us for supporting the show and the records. Good people.

What a lovely way to end a rainy San Francisco night where earlier we actually got into the Monk's Kettle right away, and tucked into creamy mac and cheese and Fuller's London Porter on nitro tap. Yum!

I can't get enough of this:



Just ordered A. A. Bondy's second album on Fat Possum, When The Devil's Loose, from my local joint, Amoeba Records.

BTW, it's the holidays -- a good time to remind folks to give their local record stores some love.

My new obsession, P.O.S., covers Pearl Jam:



Just got his latest album, Never Better, on limited edition clear vinyl. Fierce.

Also picked up Bat for Lashes' new album, Two Suns. I'm really more partial to her first album, Fur and Gold, but that is not to say the latest album disappoints. It's just a little more disco!

BTW, I must say that I LOVE vinyl that comes with a free digital download card. One of the best things about the 21st century, yo.

The only way I can lure Trevor into thrift store shopping with me:

At long last! Here is my Japan fashion, shopping/trends, and wackness report -- smallish, but fresh!

1) Vinyl Vinyl Vinyl

First and foremost, *surprise!* I did some serious damage at the record shops.

I picked up too many records to list, but some of my prizes include: Public Enemy's Fear of A Black Planet, Portishead's Dummy (with postcard insert to join their fan club), Beastie Boys' Check Your Head, Gang of Four's Entertainment, Sun Ra's The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Killing Joke's What's This For...!, a 4AD copy of The Birthday Party's Prayers on Fire, The Creatures' Boomerang, a plethora of Pogues records, and an Italian pressing of Nino Rota's soundtrack to Fellini's 8 1/2.

All in all, I bought about 50 records and only dropped a little over $200 -- meaning I bought plenty of those records for under 500 yen ($5)! And this was after sadly finding my regular downtown haunts picked over pretty thoroughly. But I discovered a place where I cleaned up, at a fraction of the cost of the Shibuya and Shinjuku shops. Sorry, I'm not telling where!

I do, however, want to pimp this really small but lovingly cared for record shop in Shimokitazawa, where I picked up my Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones and Sun Ra record:



















2) Fashion report

Japan, land of Lolitas, Fruits, and people dressed as anime characters, can get a little overwhelming. What are the real people wearing?

The three biggest things I noticed this time around:

-- Weaves. OMG, they were everywhere!

-- Tights. Specifically, day-glo, bright/deep jewel tone, or patterned tights with knee high (and often hooker-esqe) boots and those infernal and unwilling-to-die formal shorts. I am not into high-heeled boots, and I will NOT wear formal shorts, but I did snatch up plenty of bright tights on Takeshita-dori.

-- Russian-style furry hats. I think 90 percent of the female population under 40 in Japan owns something that could be placed in this category. And hey, I wanted mine! But while I loved the look on Japanese women, I just didn't feel like I could pull off the volume. So, I compromised:



















But no matter what the trend, the classics still endure...















3) Drink trends

Always killer food in Japan, and delicious Japanese Coca-Cola (I believe sweetened with stevia), but many drinks have lacked in days past. Not so this trip.

Coffee in the late 90s and early 00s commonly used to be served already sweetened and creamed; you had to order "American kohii" to get an unadorned cuppa. But since Starbucks crashed the scene a few years ago, coffee is gaining prominence, and getting better every time I visit.

This was an "American kohii" I ordered in an independent cafe in Asakusa. What I got was an Americano. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Beautiful!



















And another thing: in 2004, you couldn't get a good glass of whiskey to save your life. And while there were plenty of swank bars, the nice ones were prohibitively expensive and the cheap ones were...atmospherically challenged. But just a couple of weeks ago, in Osaka, I went to a daytime cafe/nighttime whiskey bar chain called Pronto, where I had a glass of 12 year-old McCallan for $6. They also had quite a few other high quality bourbons and scotches for around $6-8 a glass. Very reasonable.

My friends and I also happened upon a bar in Kichijoji called Funny Fly, where we were treated to more reasonably priced, medium to high-end whiskey in a tiny, dark, smoky, jazz-laden slip of a space.

We also got the fancy ice cube treatment I've been hearing so much about:















Apparently, there are swank places that actually hand-carve their ice cubes into the oversized faceted ball shape you see above, but here's a tip: I found trays that make these cool ice cubes all over the 100 yen shops. Must pick one up next time.

4) Social dynamics

Japan is changing. Slowly, painfully, for better or for worse -- but it is changing.

It shocked me that I saw a significant amount of obese Japanese. Not overweight, but obese. Chalk it up to all that great cheap whiskey and delcious ramen, as well as a country where fast food is becoming a mainstay and portions are getting bigger.

I was also shocked to see rampant hand-holding. This practice, that Trevor and I engage in like it's going out of style, made Japanese we know uncomfortable just a few years ago. But this time in Japan, I even saw a middle-aged salaryman and housewife couple holding hands! Awww, labu labu.

The dog-as-accessory seems to be gaining as a practice too. There were so many little dogs being paraded around Tokyo, with their little dog outfits. Little dog outfit shops were taking up space in every corner of the city.

One can, however, take this too far:



















This is a big dog. Little dogs are bred to suffer the indignities of wearing tiny hats, sweatshirts, and leg warmers; big, strapping, working dogs like this one should not be dressed up like clowns. Look into his eyes -- he wants me to save him.

Last but not least, no post about Japan and its awesomeness would be complete without a bit on the Japanese toilet. My love of the Japanese toilet is well-documented. But while I have extolled the virtues of the Japanese toilet for some time, I haven't shown what makes it so wonderful until now. Courtesy of the Narita International Airport, here is the Japanese toilet, in English!

Darlings, I completely forgot to write a little about what I picked up thrifting in oh-so-tweaktastic rural Sacto over the weekend.

In addition to a gorgeous orange pashmina, a vintage Fiestaware plate, and a white bat wing top, among other notable goodies, I picked up 16 records. Pristine! Everything from Led Zeppelin to Erasure to Guns and Roses. So many good things I could've sold that I passed up too -- original Cream and Moody Blues vinyl being the most memorable. Someone got rid of someone's record stash, and it was both sad and glorious. I hope the rest of the lot went to good homes.

And everything, oh so cheap! I remember the days when you could regularly buy quality vintage clothes and kitchenware for next to nothing at the thrift stores, and you didn't have to run all over town hitting all the shops either. Now it's just ridiculous. I just saw a spread on Jennifer Jason Leigh in Elle magazine, and she was wearing a Nirvana shirt (that my husband had in high school) from a high end vintage shop in New York that shall remain nameless. $178. Please. And thanks to eBay, things like Fiestaware are so hard to find anymore; when you do it's an arm and leg. But in Sacto? 49 cents baby.

My two fave finds:

Frye vintage cowboy boots, $10:
























Robbe vintage ski jacket, $3.25. So cute:
























Detail on the sweet accent and lining:















Yes, I'll be back, Sacramento, and soon.

1) I just bought tickets to see Final Fantasy at The Independent in October. I am stoked!

On a seemingly unrelated note...

2) ...this weekend I picked up the brand spankin' new, 180 gram vinyl reissue of John Cale's 1973 album Paris 1919. This is another goodun from the excellent folks at 4 Men With Beards, who caused many a flurry of excitement when they recently reissued PIL's Metal Box.

Which, while a fetching prize, is not in my grubby little hands, but Paris 1919 is, and...

3) ...not only is one of my blog sidebar namesakes on this album, but the title track is one of my favorite John Cale songs ever. Yummier on warm, delicious vinyl -- curled up on the couch with tea or in the kitchen making something exquisite on a rainy Sunday afternoon required.

Leading me to the fact that...

4) ...Final Fantasy does a equally beautiful cover of this lovely gem, which I am very excited to see live in just a couple of months.

My conclusion?

5) Life is good!

For the uninitiated:

Paris 1919 by John Cale.

Paris 1919 covered by Owen Pallett (AKA Final Fantasy):

Aww yeah, this is the best thing I’ve seen all day.


















Sigh. If only. Coupled with my love for nacho cheese I'd be that much closer to becoming Human Bender.

In keeping with the theme, I read that someone in Japan is leaving 10,000 yen notes (about $80 US) in public restrooms across the country. The only caveat? “One per person.”

Only in Japan. I bet it’s happening too. People are just so rule-abiding and trusting there that often Japanese just don't bother with the checks and balances that are de rigeur in the West. I was once admitted to an exclusive fan club meet and greet/soundcheck for a band without ever having to show the special ticket required for access, even when entering the barricaded waiting area. Meanwhile, hundreds of rabid regular old ticket holding fans (some crying!) waited, ever honest, outside the barricade. Wild.

For the curious, I did have a golden ticket, honest. It was just in transit, and I swear I thought I would be stopped so I could explain and maybe get in later when the ticket actually arrived.

Anyway, to wrap up all this talk of dirty business -- while I love both Joy Division and collecting vinyl as much as the next nutjob, the spending of over $1500 US for a Joy Division 7" must regrettably be filed under something else you find in a lavatory.

NP: The collaboration between American metal band Sunn O))) and Japanese noise band Boris, Altar. Currently, Sinking Belle.

Trevor picked this up on limited edition vinyl whilst we were holidaying in Santa Cruz. Not what I expected. Dreamy yet also solid and earthy -- tactile even -- and beautifully textured. This is metal I could get used to.

I forgot to mention some of my best spoils procured whilst in Nihon.

At an antiques fair in Saitama, I found this gorgeous little piece of black resin goodness:















I've loved vintage jewelry since I was in high school and began prowling the antique shops and thrift stores for rhinestones, bakelite, and ivory, but lately I've been really getting into black resin jewelry, and it is in no small way the fault of Favor in Oakland. They make their own beads from vintage molds, and the results are marvelous. The hubby sealed my fate with a black resin bead necklace from Favor last year, so, you understand, I had to have this pretty little thing for my collection as well.

In my last post I numbered some of my most fun experiences while in Nihon, and of course it goes without saying that I went record shopping and that is always at the top of my list. While I didn’t pick up much Japanese vinyl this time around, I did come away with some very cool stuff.

My fave vinyl, all nothing super special to anyone but me (spread out alongside my stack o’ other records bought this time around):















That ‘Holiday in Cambodia’ 12-inch is my prize. It is a French copy, released through Cherry Red in the UK. I’ve never even seen one over here. The Smiths ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ single is Rough Trade Japan, and the Meat is Murder vinyl is Rough Trade UK, Rough81. I also picked up my favorite New Order album, Power, Corruption, and Lies, on Factory, Fact75. Sadly, the New Order single ‘Thieves Like Us’ isn’t Factory, but Columbia Records Japan. Still cool though.

The stack to the right includes the Beastie Boys EP on top (for 100 yen!) and a bunch of other stuff -- mostly UK but also Japanese –- ranging from Juana Molina and Sean Lennon to KMFDM, My Bloody Valentine, Gary Numan, and Wu-Tang. Only found one Bauhaus 12-inch I was in need of this time around, but I did pick up 2 NIN vinyl (at the urging of the NIN fans about) because they are supposedly very hard to find.

And of course, all of the records are as mint as the day they were brought into this world. I LOVE buying vinyl in Japan!

Speaking of Bauhaus – a very frank little birdie flying within the Peter Murphy galaxy shared a bit of information with me about the new Bauhaus album that has been rumored since last summer, but of which there has been not one public peep despite the introduction of two new songs last year.

My source told me the album is finished and has been for some time, but that Peter isn’t getting along with “the other three” and “the other three” aren’t getting along with Peter (actually, “hate” was the word that was used, but I doubt it is that strong and was just a figure of speech) so the album is not likely to be released until things get patched up. Source also said the album is held up because, “Daniel Ash is an asshole.”

Now, that part may be mere opinion, but it is an opinion that nonetheless made me chuckle when I heard it, if just from the memory of a few friends' first-hand impressions (though certainly many opinions and observations of Peter are not much better).

So, Bauhaus fans got a tour supporting NIN in 2006, where they rolled out two new songs -- as well as heavily chronicled fights between superdivas Peter and Daniel onstage in the UK -- and then nothing. Then David J starts doing his own projects like a madman, all of the “other three” start DJing up a storm, and Peter starts getting his groove on with Sarah Fimm and there's talk of him working on new material. Still no word about Bauhaus. Then I got a little tidbit in a convo with another source close to Bauhaus at the San Francisco Cabaret Oscuro show in February, where I was told the album is done, it is in one band member’s opinion “the best work they’ve ever done,” and that they are just waiting on releasing it because they are to put it out themselves. Then, nothing. Again. Now, finally, some concrete reasons for the awkward silence. And you know, it all does make sense. I think most suspected it too, so the confirmation that it is truly squabble-squabble at the root is not surprising, but still really disappointing.

I guess all the fans can do now is wait -- until Bauhaus can stand each other enough to be all up in each other’s faces again, and/or the take from 2005 and 2006 dries up. Sigh. But, perpetual cynic-optimist that I am, I also hold out hope that the impetus may instead truly be the music, the performance, the audience, and the realization that when they check the egos at the door, together they can be brilliant.

We'll see.

My friend Jon Stich is not only a kickass human being/bookselling god with the quirkiest selection of t-shirtery on this planet, but a mighty fine artist as well. Currently on his website he is showing what can only be described as political porn portraiture. Here's a taste of one of my favorite subhuman pin-ups:


















Jon does some really top-notch work. And he's from La Canada in SoCal, which means he has suffered for his art. From what Jon says about La Canada there are probably no worse places in SoCal other than the IE (sorry Bartletts!) or Bakersfield (no apologies -- everyone I know from there says it sucks). I never knew how to pronounce La Canada until recently, when Jon told me how. Which I felt bad about, until Jon told me that he used to get out of country residency forms regularly when he was in college in California. LOL, I'm not that bad.

By the way, did I tell y'all that I finally got a turntable? I have been searching for a proper one, and decent speakers, for months (after moronically selling my old one when I moved to Japan -- while keeping my vinyl, duh...). I really wanted to get a late 1970s or early 80s model, but I really wasn't ready to drop enough for two tickets to Japan at The Soundwell, as badass as they are. So yesterday, my honey-pie was surfing Craigslist and found a post for a "record player with speakers" for $60. In Mountain View. He calls and the guy is like, yeah sure, it plays perfect. Nothing wrong with it.

Now, I am a big old suspicious skeptic. I wasn't about to drive to Mountain View (a sweaty 45 minutes on the worst freeway in California, the 880, and then a crawl through the joy that is the endless downtown Peninsula ) for a "perfect" record player for $60. But lured by my man's insistence that this guy sounded really nice, and the promise of a trip to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz should it be bunk, I acquiesced.

So, we drove to Mountain View. Go to this guy's house, and we find a pristine, yet behemoth, SoundDesign system circa 1985 with turntable, amplifier, and tape deck encased in a ginormous "wood grain vinyl veneer" fibreboard box with a glass cabinet. It was the size of an efficiency apartment refrigerator! Oh, and ginormous speakers. For $60. The guy bought the system new after he moved out of his parents' house 20 years ago, and he said he pretty much just used the tape deck and the radio. It was no Sony, but there was no way we were going to pass it up.

I don't know how we fit it all in our little Civic, but we managed. When we got home, we pulled all the components out of the narsty fibreboard shell, chucked the shell, and set up the guts in the far side of our studio. Cranked that sucker only up to 3 and did a hallway check -- yep, Trevor could hear In Fear of Fear and make out David J's bass and Peter Murphy's voice in the hallways below and above our apartment. Oh beautiful ginormous speakers! Oh lovely equalizer! But also...boo. So, until we move into a house again, it looks like we're keeping the dial at 2 or lower.