Comments on: I want my ADD: Very short album reviews http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168 The daily organ of the Northeast Corridor Social Club Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:32:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Great Whatsit » Bang a gong http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-43573 The Great Whatsit » Bang a gong Mon, 04 Jun 2007 07:05:41 +0000 http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-43573 [...] Bang on a Can, which was founded by a trio of maverick Yale-trained composers in the late-80s, obviously has the admirable agenda of bridging rock or pop sensibilities with the world of high contemporary composition. (Their label, Cantaloupe, for example, is responsible for Alarm Will Sound’s Aphex Twin orchestral “covers” album, which I reviewed way back when on this site.) Drawing on folks like Yo La Tengo and Thurston Moore — or, this year, Juana Molina — suggests a desire to attract some of the unwashed energy that flooded the seaport the other night and train it to recognize affinities in the kind of contemporary composition that usually doesn’t set foot outside the uptown concert halls. It’s an admirable goal, one that younger classical music critics like Alex Ross have been pushing both sides toward for years; maybe it’s time to move past old warhorses like Sonic Youth and YLT and get the 15-year-olds out with Brooklyn’s newer bands. Would Animal Collective be up to the challenge? [...] [...] Bang on a Can, which was founded by a trio of maverick Yale-trained composers in the late-80s, obviously has the admirable agenda of bridging rock or pop sensibilities with the world of high contemporary composition. (Their label, Cantaloupe, for example, is responsible for Alarm Will Sound’s Aphex Twin orchestral “covers” album, which I reviewed way back when on this site.) Drawing on folks like Yo La Tengo and Thurston Moore — or, this year, Juana Molina — suggests a desire to attract some of the unwashed energy that flooded the seaport the other night and train it to recognize affinities in the kind of contemporary composition that usually doesn’t set foot outside the uptown concert halls. It’s an admirable goal, one that younger classical music critics like Alex Ross have been pushing both sides toward for years; maybe it’s time to move past old warhorses like Sonic Youth and YLT and get the 15-year-olds out with Brooklyn’s newer bands. Would Animal Collective be up to the challenge? [...]

]]> By: The Great Whatsit » Year in review: The best of TGW 2006 http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-14675 The Great Whatsit » Year in review: The best of TGW 2006 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:15:03 +0000 http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-14675 [...] Dave B on indoor heating Rachel Berkowitz on The Duke Spirit Lisa Parrish on Norah Vincent, Self-Made Man [...] [...] Dave B on indoor heating Rachel Berkowitz on The Duke Spirit Lisa Parrish on Norah Vincent, Self-Made Man [...]

]]> By: Bryan Waterman http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-263 Bryan Waterman Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:29:02 +0000 http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-263 Hey Robyn. I wouldn't call it a tribute album -- more like what happens when Brad Mehldau plays Radiohead tunes: not so much a cover as a new arrangement for different instrumentation. Imagine 22-piece orchestra w/ some vocals playing music originally written as electronica. I got Devics and Electric President based on <a href="http://music.diskobox.net/" rel="nofollow">your write-ups</a> and like them both -- especially Devics. Thanks! Hey Robyn. I wouldn’t call it a tribute album — more like what happens when Brad Mehldau plays Radiohead tunes: not so much a cover as a new arrangement for different instrumentation. Imagine 22-piece orchestra w/ some vocals playing music originally written as electronica.

I got Devics and Electric President based on your write-ups and like them both — especially Devics. Thanks!

]]> By: Robyn http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-262 Robyn Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:06:18 +0000 http://www.greatwhatsit.com/archives/168#comment-262 Thanks for pointing out the Acoustica album! I never get tribute albums, but this one sounds good. I lost interest in Aphex Twin after Drukqs. :\ Thanks for pointing out the Acoustica album! I never get tribute albums, but this one sounds good. I lost interest in Aphex Twin after Drukqs. :\

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