During the last days I read Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson once again just to see if this books works to like it did almost 50 years ago. I have to admit that I wasn't impressed that much as in my younger days but the way Thompson wrote is still freaked out. He described the journey of two persons writing about an off-course race in the desert near to Las Vegas. But it is more about using drugs than reporting about the race. Anyway a book worth to be read. While I read this book I remembered Curse Of Lono a band named after another novel by Thompson. Based in London they released a couple of albums and EP's and I don't know if they still active. They wrote songs Mumford And Songs would die for. Always between classic rock with a heavy affinity to Americana and Country. Steppin Out is a song that works to any time and any place to me. Especially Sunday morning with my first cup of coffee.
HVOB (Her Voice Over Boys) is the project by Austrian producers Anna Müller and Paul Wallner and I follow their career since several years and featured them on this blog during these days. Musically the duet moves between Techno and Electronica and HVOB hold her songs rather minimalist and unfold a melancholy atmosphere. A sound by deep basses, reversed electronic music and whispered lyrics generate a subliminal tension which changes a melodious dynamism in a smooth trance. For this song they made a collaboration with Mumford And Son's Winston Marshall which I never expected in this musical field. Music that fits for Sunday mornings and late evening as well.
This year could become only better than the past. And it was. Christiane has stabilised and looks again more optimistically into the future. This also means that from me a lot of load was taken away from m my shoulders. In fact that she still wasn't able to regular work she moved with her girlfriend and their daughter for a few weeks to Sri Lanka to travel around and to recreate. I was still working in an unspectacular life. My brother in law is working as a civilian for the American army. Therefor he has to go often for exercises to the United States. One day he told me that he will combine the next exercise with a few weeks staying with his family. He invited me to join and so I took the chance to explore Florida. It was a wonderful time there spending the day and be a little part of the American way of life. When we had to wanted to check in to the return flight I find out that I have made a mistake in the takeoff day and fly back only one day later. So I sent them back to Germany and I had to decide how to spent the day. I deposit my bag at the airport hotel and went downtown Tampa and bought me a day ticket on the street car. Finally I stranded in Ybor City and it looked awesome. Thus I fancy a classical American town. Split in squares with wide streets and brick buildings, not higher than two floors. Finally I came to the Cuban quarter. There I stopped and bought me a handrolled cigar and swing to bar, listening some Cuban musicians. Not the worst way to spent the last day.
As always - some records I remember which was published this year:
Michael Kiwanuka - Home again: Fantastic voice and great songs
Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes: Spectacular sounds
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange: The new definition of R&B and Hip Hop
The xx - Coexist: Another great record by The xx
Django Django - same: New psychedelic art pop
Mumford and Sons - Babel: Because my brother gave it to me
And these are some songs I remember as well:
This is what I saw, when I went to the movies:
Django Unchained: Tarantino goes western
Lincoln: A movie that shows how politics works
Skyfall: Because Mr. Craig is the best Bond
The Dark Knight Rises: Just a good popcorn movie
With certainty the best record this year was Dexys One Day I'm Going To Soar. We had to wait 27 years until Kevin Rowland released his next masterpiece. I was a huge fan of them since they released their first record Searching for the young soul rebels and I really didn't expected to hear something new again. Kevin takes us with on a musical trip and shows us once more as nicely soul music can be if up-to-date he is interpreted. You can have on this record everything what you can wish. Miraculous and timeless songs musically primes with blowers and string players. And then the songs become by this miraculous voice in the itself still tenderness and longing unite and performed with an unbelievable force. As on her first record one can approach the songs while one allows to work the music on himself or while one argues with the texts. Here speaks a man who has seen during the last years obviously a lot and has experienced. Many of his words sound after age wisdom - but they have incredibly appealed to me. Sometimes comes to me the thought that many of his sentences have arisen from my thoughts.
Hoping that the fucking DCMA doesn't call me to replace these track like they did last week.
