forbidden lie$

yes correct there is a dollar sign in the title instead of an s
presumedly because this film is basically about the lies behind the book
called forbidden love written by norma khouri
about honour killings in her native jordan
and in particular the killing of a friend of hers at the hands of her father and brothers
for daring to fall in love with a man from another religious background
the book was pretty well an instant best seller and so many dollars would have changed hands
the author has settled in australia and so there was a furore here
when after being lauded and awarded with various literary prizes
some sharp investigative journalist work by malcolm knox questioned the truth
and ironically he himself was awarded some prizes for his work
so the premise of this film is a focus on the investigation
of determining how much truth is in the book
so the film takes on the style of a current affairs show
except that clocking in at over 2 hours it's a very long story
the film starts out assuming the presumption of innocence
and gives us the condensed version of what happens in the book
leading through to the success of the book and the way it has resonated
including as an example a rather cloying song written about dalia
who is the authors murdered friend
it's about there that i started squirming in my seat
and just in the nick of time the film does a big about-turn
a number of cynics are then introduced and tell their story
which sees the author discredited by one after another
it seems the lady is actually a u s based con artist with a history
not to mention a husband with a shady manner and past
it is suggested they are in australia to escape the gaze of the fbi
in an unusual piece of film-making the director turns the camera on herself
and travels to jordan with the author to verify or at least find some facts
but that all ends in a farce as one supposed fact after another evaporates
at about this point my feeling was that the point had been made
and the film could have easily been wrapped up there
but someone it seemed to me was out for revenge
and the character assassination continued on...and on...
we kept going back to people who had already made their point
and bad-mouthed, chain-smoking norma khouri does herself no favours
it actually occurred to me that maybe this had been intended as a mini-series
maybe a series of segments on a current affairs show
where the law hasn't passed any judgement but the producers sure have
norma khouri's argument is that all she intended
was to expose the issue of honour killings in jordan
but even the extent of that is discredited
get the impression revenge has been had
don't mess with the literary world
me - cross that book off the must read list
that makes a double negative

afro-beat (nigeria)

and continuing where we left off on this process
50 rhythms of the world read and repeated from songlines magazine
now in the process of selecting a youtube posting for each style
so far, so good i think with 2 short clips to very well demonstrate adi-talam and axe
tonight it's the turn of afro-beat
has to be the master exponent and inventor himself - fela kuti (rip)
as quoted by songlines magazine
nowhere in african music can the cross-pollination with black american rhythms be heard more thrillingly than in the sound of fela kuti
after briefly moving to the u s in 1969, he returned to lagos in the early 70's to create afro-beat
a mighty simmering stew of african rhythms, call-and-response vocals, brooding horns, jazz flavours
and a funk outrageous enough to make james brown blush
i've already also had a rave about one of his live concert dvds
closest i have ever got to this style is seeing his son femi
playing at womadelaide this year with his band the positive force
appearantly he has inherited his father's spirit and is propelling the music forward
he was certainly a powerful force on stage
won the crowd over with his stage show and his bands superb musicianship
it was a memorable night and up there with the best of them
as for his dad fela well he kind of scares me
there's intent in those there eyes
and an authority on stage like no other
he would have been an utterly demanding chap to work for
but his music is very infectious and almost hypnotic
in this little clip we hear him talk about his political aspirations
and some footage of him running for president of nigeria (twice)
please ignore the credits for some film at the beginning
but stick around for the music - afro-beat style
(2 of 50)

adi-talam (south india)

late night sunday seems an appropriate time
to mention another of the 50 music styles currently under investigation
quoting songlines magazine about the traditional indian style of adi-talam
south indian rhythms are not for the arithmetically challenged
their sheer mental agility, once you follow it, thrills as much as the playing techniques
just try drumming fives and sevens while speaking syllables in the basic adi talam cycle of eight
solos are more important than in the north, centred on a vast repertoire of short compositions
the double ended mridangam is the principle drum
spectacularly supported by the big clay pot, ghatam
and the tambourine-like kanjira
i did a youtube search for the recommended artist named vikku vanayakram
and came up with some interesting and rather esoteric pieces
that totally reminded me of late night at womadelaide after a full day's music
it has become a tradition for me there to search out what turns out to be this style
lay on the grass in the warm night in the adelaide botanic gardens
completely sated on a day of stunning music, healthy food and usually a red wine or 2
and then let this trance-like music complete the transition to sleep-time
the short piece included here has a number of interesting components
it is performed by the afore-mentioned adi-talam master vikku vanayakram
here he is playing the ghatam - the clay-pot instrument also mentioned by songlines
the tune is titled vande mataram which is the national song of india
and this very small and nationalistic excerpt has a sponsor's message at the end
that i suspect is meant seriously but provides a giggle anyway
(1 of 50)

the jammed

there seems to be something going on with australian films
i don't think i am alone in thinking that generally speaking
a typical australian film has been 1 of 2 things
proudly revelling in the australian way of life
and the larrikin nature of it's new inhabitants
or going in the complete other direction and taking on the world
and making films that are essentially un-australian
i've missed the dramas based in australia with a real feel
but lately my eyes have been opened to such films
noise, the home song stories, romulus my father would be examples
then this one quietly snuck up on me
i had seen very little press or promotion about it
and according to the movie show website
it lacks the financial backing to make that kind of splash
david and margaret both gave it 4 stars so that was enough for me
prudish me at first baulked at the idea of witnessing forced asian prostitution
only because i find it quite depressing to be reminded of this dark side of our society
but the reviews promised a very good story around that
the central character is ashley hudson played by veronica sywak
who is an attractive young lady who has a good heart
that basically finds her life spiralling down a slippery slide
as she finds it impossible to say no to people who ask her for help
this is one of the many truths i liked about this film
you find yourself agreeing with her decisions to assist
so her story is believable but also worrying as her cosy life
seems to unravel so easily just because of her caring personality
2 asian and 1 european girls are the trio of prostitutes she comes into contact with
all victims of people-smuggling and forced to work for nothing
the various scenes in and around the brothel where they work
are also very believable as the director takes a shot at the turning of a blind eye
by established society at that which is under their noses and lining their pockets
a similar point was made by the pimp on forcing his latest girl to work
australians don't care about you he screams when she threatens to call the police
they lock people in detention centres, throw them on razor wire and hold them with no charges
there seems to be a lot of truth in this film
there's also some violence but for me it's the most disturbing kind
when you can actually almost feel the knife go in and the pain of a slow death
and that was one of the brothels owners at the hands of a prostitute
so not even someone you had any empathy with
there's some stunning city shots and mixing of colours and focus
the soundtrack is also particularly effective
all in all a very good film
shame it won't be around for long

music of the world u to z

the last part in this long drawn-out process
copying word for word text from a songlines magazine
stating the 50 rhythms of the world - according to them of course
very informative, educational, and inviting - me wants more

vallenato (colombia)
the accordian kings of vallenato are crowned annually at colombia's festival of vallenato legends in the mountain town of valledupar where vallenato was born the original troubadours were accompanied on gaitas (indian flutes) guacharacas (bamboo scrapers) and cajas (african drums) playing son and paseo in 2/4 and merengue and puya in 6/8 time modern masters like alfredo gutierrez and lisandro meza race accordian arpeggios against singing basslines and cavorting guacharacas

songlines recommends clasicos de la provincia by carlos vives
esne notes a real rave about this album including a 'brilliant classic' tune called pedazo de acordion

zikr (syria)
zikr isn't strictly speaking a rhythm, but a sufi rhythmic ritual meaning literally 'ecovation' (of god)
that's found across the middle east after prayers and recitations
the zikr proper begins and participants get to their feet and chant as they sway backwards and forwards
to a thundering background of drums which have been primed over hot charcoals often reaching a state of ecstasy

songlines recommends aleppian sufi trance by ensemble al kindi and sheikhhabboush
esne notes a note also that this disc contains a zihr on disc 1 of 25 minutes which builds to a 'terrific climax'

zouk (guadeloupe)
in french creole a zouk is both a party and the brightly rhythmic dance music
which originated in martinique and guadeloupe
launched in 1978 by kassav, zouk now includes electro-zouk, zouk-love and brazilian lambada-zouk
but the guadeloupian founders constructed it with compass-style electric guitars, soca horns and earthy gwo ka drums
and graceful cadence rhythms defined by their debut album love and ka dance
imitators included the violin-based malavoi and electronic zouk machine
today, zouk exists from cape verde to singapore
and new-wave djs abd rappers co-exist with veterans
like ex-kassav vocalist jocelyn beroard

songlines recommends majestik zouk by kassav
esne notes complete and utter ignorance about zouk but wanting to hear all about it

that's it folk(s) - the a-z of 50 music rhythms according to songlines magazine
now to do some more intense research of each style - should be fun

music of the world t

coming up to the conclusion of this very interesting exercise
quoting verbatim from songlines magazine of jul/aug 2006
documenting 50 rhythms of the world

taiko (japan)

nobody really knows its true origins
but it is believed taiko has been part of japanese culture since 600ad
the thunderous drums have been used in temples
traditional theatre, warfare and japan's summer matsuri festivals
traditionally taiko, which vary from handheld tambours to the giant odaiko were solo instruments
but since the 1950's they have been played in troupes which has led to a musical innovation
the father of modern taiko was a jazz musician daihachi oguchi
who was the first to combine different types of drum and overlapping rhythms
to create the exciting modern ensemble style

songlines recommends best of kodo volume 1 by kodo
esne notes memories of taikoz an australian/japanese ensemble presenting a thunderous set at womadelaide

tango (argentina)
the dance groove of buenos aires lowlifers was given glamour by carlos gardel and virtuosity by bandoneon supremo anibal troilo but is was bespectacled pianist osvaldo pugliese who emphasised the strident beat of the dos por cuatro (or 2/4) as argentinians call tango his 60-odd year career bridged the golden age and the evolutionary explorations of astor piazzolla last year beunos aires tangueros dedicated the whole year to pugliese born 1905 died 1995

songlines recommends ballando tango by osvaldo pugliese (all instrumental)
esne notes surely the direct descendants of pugliese would be the gotan project

tango (serbia)
the tango may have been born in beunos aires but it very soon found adoptive homes in paris, berlin, russia, finland and turkey it's the only dance we've chosen to feature twice (songlines) to reflect the extensive tango diaspora

songlines recommends the last balkan tango by boris kovac and ladaaba orchestra
esne notes this album depicts the demise of yugoslavia as a dance of death with dark sax and clarinet-let tangos

teental (north india) it means a 16-beat cycle - that's 4/4 but there's nothing square about the flying fingers ingenious cross-rhythms, competitive exchanges and frantic build-ups that feature in this most popular of north indian structures all classical music operates within cycles of various lengths which are easiest to follow in percussion the tabla being the dominant instrument performers often recite their compositions in rapid bursts of syllables before playing them and traditionally the bowed sarangi accompanies a solo recital
songlines recommends memorable tabla duet by ustad alla rakha and zakir hussain
esne notes i'm sure i saw this father-son duo at womadelaide - total experts as far as i could tell

township jive (south africa) is it a rhythm, a genre or simply a way of life in downtown soweto? whatever the definition, from the pennywhistle of spokes mashiyane to the jazz-influenced swing of hugh masekala township jive became the dominant beat of south africa in the 50's and in a myriad of off-shoots and variations remained a resilient and uplifting response to adversity during the apartheid era

songlines recommends hope by hugh masekela
esne notes paul simon's graceland concert surely took township jive into the mainstream

next part v-z and the conclusion of this (not) little exercise

music of the world s part 2

songlines magazine published a fascinating article in jul/aug edition of 2006
50 rhythms of the world itemised and summarised
now up to the s's

sama'ai (middle east)
though the name originally comes from turkish (saz semai) the development and refinement of this mecurial 10/8 pattern with strong beats on 1, 3, 6, 8, 9 and 10 is steeped in the arab classical tradition the way in which a player interprets this during a taqsim (solo improvisation) is an acid test of musicianship too heavy an emphasis on the strong beats and the piece becomes leaden too light a touch and the inner pulse is lost

songlines recommends the road to baghdad by ahmed mukhtar
esne notes lack of exposure to this one so more investigation required

samba (brazil)
samba was created by bahian emigres in rio de janeiro at the beginning of the 20th century
capeiristas, practitioners of the afro-brazilian religion of candomble
and festival troupes all brought their musical styles together
when they fused with portuguese instruments samba was born
like most brazilian rhythms, samba is in 2/4 and is driven by a deep pounding surdo drum
with an overlaying syncopated 'rat-a-tat' from a chorus of timbales
it remains at the heart of the music of rio's carnaval

songlines recommends da vile isabel by martinho da vila
esne notes another brazilian style that will need further investigation

ska (jamaica)
sixties jamaican dance music, ska, has a jerky, see-sawing beat and matching 'shanking' dance the underlying shuffling rhythm derives from the mento folk style and shares calypso's catchy lilt milly small's 1964 ska-pop hit 'my boy lollipop' coincided with the more musically sophisticated former jazz and r&b bands whose classics were recorded in the kingston sound system studios coxsone dodd immortalised the magnificent skatalites prince buster brought ska to london inspiring the two-tone ska of madness and the specials

songlines recommends guns of navarone by the skatalites
esne notes damn - had forgotten about the lollipop song - now resurrected in the memory

soukous (dr congo) in the west it is still referred to as soukous music but it's really just modern congolese music a hybrid of classic old congo rumba with sumptuous vocal harmonies and multiple interwoven guitars and the faster sebene section of the song where the guitars let rip underneath vocal animations that encourage the sexy swivel-hipped movements of the dancers
songlines recommends haut de gamme by koffi olomide
esne notes they also state that this chap is africa's largest selling contemporary vocalist

that's 42 down and 8 to go
nearly there - then to review and search 'em out

jacam manricks and the mike nock trio

home again....from horrordays....sima masters room
back at the lounge sound in the basement of the seymour centre
absolute best musical snob's venue around town
i wonder if it will get a prize one day
you see we take our music very seriously here
we're hear for the music, the total music and nothing but the music
we even politely agree when asked by the compere to desist from lewd conversation
i saw the mike nock trio in action here mid to late july
with my 2 friends who were a bit startled by the almost total improvisation
me not so much as my ear is turning to that style
they were hugely inventive that night
tonight they are either the backing band for jacam manricks
or maybe he is their guest musician
but most likely as is the case with many of these musicians and their peers
they just decided to get together and make some noise
my immediate impression was of a 4 piece outfit beautifully balanced
it took all of about 10 seconds before i could detect a change with the trio
this time obviously now taking on the dynamic of a quartet
with each of the 4 players equidistant from each other musically
they went from stop to up and running in top gear immediately
it wasn't anywhere near a full house tonight so i was down the front
with a view very much favouring james waples on drums and percussion
he deservedly sits almost centre stage - to the right and fully side-on
i'm finding these days i can spend a lot of time watching drummers
and in this case forget that one of the best upright bass players around is also here
it is always a pleasure to see mike majkowski at work and play
tonight very much assuming the role of the driving force
mike nock is over there in the far-left behind electric and grand pianos
it says a lot about the skills of the aforementioned
when you forget that this world-class pianist is on stage also
then when jacam manricks has his alto sax to his mouth
there's a very rich, full and rewarding noise coming from the stage
one sublime minute or 2 was when mike m used his bow to work the strings
in such a high octave and at such speed as to sound like rapidly flapping wings
i noticed jacam m had taken up his sax and was blowing
though i thought i couldn't hear him
but then noticed his instrument in perfect unison with the bowed bass
so as almost to be drowned out but in fact singing the same song
mike nock did similar aural tricks on the piano
sounding at times like a piano duet all in one
then when he occassionally sang along to himself
you couldn't help but think of his contemporary keith jarrett
with my eyes closed and visualising that performer
i became very aware of the high standard of the music i was hearing
and being up close at a show like this you can very quickly assess
the mood of the musicians during and after a tune has been played
there was lots of smiles and nods and then at the end of each set
a warm embrace or handshake was exchanged
seems they were as entranced by the night
as we were
sublime

some sycophantic stuff

there's a blog that i check out on a daily basis
called the time being
the author being one steven kilbey
lead singer composer bass-player
for the band i admire above all others
the church
hooked into them in the 80's
and still addicted
sad but true
believe it or not
then there was 1 other band
that i thought were as good
a 4 piece from ireland
that are now the biggest thing
since mashed potatoes
churning out the hits in stadiums
while the other lot
just keep producing great music
at last count 19 studio albums
each one as good as the other
but the point of this little meander
the time being is a great read of a blog
today sk wrote a thesis type piece
on the leonard cohen song suzanne
it's a great read
i thought about copying it verbatim here
but i'm not one for ripping
the creative output of any musician
especially one i admire
so here's the link
the time being

prayer for the monks

one of these days i won't be able to stop myself
i'm going to have a real old rant
about all sorts of sadness and silliness
but today i'm going to be very brief
just something that needs to be logged blogged
and hopefully dialogued with someone
there are just too many sad, bad and downright awful things
going on in this sad old world of ours
that only an eternal optimist could dismiss
as being of no great concern
and for the greater good
a struggle of civilisations
the war on terrorism
and lots of other spin
but i think today we have reached a new low
there was a headline on the abc web site tonight
that i stared and thought this is really bad folks
police beat burmese protestors it said
including students and buddhist monks it went on
now it says a lot that these gentle people are out in the first place
in huge numbers to protest the military rule they live under
maybe they knew it would come to this
but please surely we don't need to beat them up
i'm praying with them for a peaceful resolution
what a great example they are giving to the world
solidarity, conviction, peace, prayer, hope
please let the monks be

oil on canvas

subtitled the very best of japan
not the country but the group of the same name
i approached viewing this dvd with some degree of trepidation
for these days i tend to avoid most things 80's in the musical sense
i like to think it is because there is so much great new music about
or maybe as popular opinion would have it the music then was um forgettable
but in fact for me the 80's were quite liberating times musically
most days were spent figuring out which gig to go to that night
distance presented no obstacle and enthusiasm was in abundance
there's a number of musicians i hooked into then
that i still listen out for and keep going back to
not for the sake of nostalgia as i do not subscribe to that
but just because the music now and then is very good
mr david sylvian would be one of a handful from that era
that still gets my undivided attention with every release
so when i stumbled upon this dvd featuring him in his first band
i just had to add it to the collection of 'to be viewed one day'
tonight i fired up the trusty projector, inserted the dvd and observed
the first 7 tracks are promotional videos for the band
number 1 is titled life in tokyo and we witness the band in full glam mode
there's a bunch of very tidily dressed lads with full makeup
a very cool attitude and equally impressive musicianship
in each of the subsequent videos the demeanour is consistent
and the point is made that this was a very eclectic outfit
having a firm handle on both sound and image
it's odd that the dvd extras appear before the main feature
made me think maybe the main show is not that good
we are in the hammersmith odeon in 1983 for a live concert
from memory this must have been one of their final shows
there seems to be a lot going on aurally and visually
and another dimension has been added to the dvd
with a constant stream of amazing photographs of the orient mixed in
the band is very percussive, bassy and as you would expect
has a not unhealthy component of synthesizers and keyboards
david sylvian himself is in out-front solo mode
dressed as sharply as ever and with a lot of close-ups
each tune has a completely different look and feel
and played so confidently and produced so well
it's almost impossible to pick this for a live concert
gentlemen take polaroids is as good as i remembered it
visions of china is full of them and played very strongly
canton is their take on jean michael jarre and more
ghosts is just the best song and done brilliantly here
there's 12 tunes in total making up the concert
me - very pleasantly surprised at the quality of this one
the concert is one that would stand up to repeat play
japan - beautiful country - great band

canton

youtube rules - did i say i am constantly amazed at what you find there
thought i'd take a look around for some material by japan
and lo and behold i stumbled onto this clip
taken directly from the oil on canvas cd/dvd live at hammersmith odeon
recorded in 1983 just prior to the demise of the band
it very well sums up the quality of the concert
great musicianship, extraordinary tunes and excellent production

random tunes part 10

it's been a few weeks since i did the random tune thing
have been doing some not quite random travelling instead
so the effort at maintaining a daily blog posting has taken a bit of a beating
hopefully back into the routine now as i do enjoy the opportunity for a discourse
none less so than when playing the game of listen and remark on iriver tunes
dance with me by willard grant conspiracy
now this is alt.country or americana music at it's best
strummed acoustic guitar and a very melancholy violin lead to band coming in
robert fisher then comes in and sings another one of his lovely, organic tunes
morning comes early across the yard the tv is still warm from a night of serenading
won't you come outside, would you dance with me, what a sight we would be
penda yoro by ali farke toure
from his last studio recording titled savane released posthumously last year
i've read several reviews of the album and there's been some absolute raves about it
i haven't put it into the indispensable category yet but i understand the excitement
the whole thing feels so natural, relaxed, original, cool, african, blues
this one has minimal vocals and a totally infectious beat and superb guitar and kora playing
lumalali limaniga by aurelio martinez
what a fine segue from western african to southern american roots music
this chap performs a style of music known as garifuna
so similar to the previous track in feel, execution, lyrics (no idea really)
i've read somewhere that this is south american blues based music at it's best
but much closer to african blues than american - this being a great example
bad bone by the frames
this is what i said about this tune when i heard the album titled the cost for the first time
the quiet closing track for the album about love gone wrong
lyrically it's about as basic as it gets and the music is only slightly better
pseudo-dramatic, near-mournful, bluesy-wannabe, off-keyingly, dull
so not a good one to end on really
second time around that seems a bit harsh but it's still quite forgettable
easy by the church
the return of those lads most popular (well) from their latest album uninvited...like the clouds
great title for an album from a band that is taken way too much for granted
they just keep on putting out original, contemporary, brilliantly produced albums
this tune is one of their many hits that could have been
proving they can go there with ease and still sound like no other
a passing feeling by elliot smith
totally unfair i know but at times this man and his music reminds me of the beatles
although when i hear this and concentrate it's because it is so like carry that weight
by afore-mentioned group on their abbey road album (i think)
there seems to be a similarlity in the production too - echoey guitars and piano mainly
so sad this man couldn't let the feeling of suicide pass by completely
two twelve by triosk
well since i last encountered triosk in a random tunes segment
i've had the pleasure of seeing them live and what an amazing show it was
laurence pike on drums and percussion was the master of ceremonies
it wouldn't be unfair to suggest his instrument is central to the group
this one is an example of that - complete in this case with electric piano noodling
carolina by m ward
that first song i ever heard by this artist from a compilation i heard many times
a lovely gentle song with the slightest of instrumentation leaving the lyrics to tell the story
he very cleverly uses the geography of the u s of a to relate his feelings
used to feel like california with baby eyes so blue now i feel like carolina i split myself in two
now i'm walking backwards from chicago through washington oh but that ain't enough no you want me to run
shooting star by elliot smith
some would say this is almost psychedelic bordering on metal-ish
again it sort of sounds like the beatles in the later days before they imploded
they say that the album this is from titled from a basement on a hill
was far from finished when he decided life was not worth living any more
but someone knew what they were doing as songs like this seem to sit so well with the man
blackcrow hits shoe shine city by raintree crow
david sylvian can do no wrong as far as i am concerned
he has popped up with strange and various band/brand names over the years
this tune has a very typical slow build, with a very meaty bassline and dominant percussion
builds quite nicely before he himself is there out front with that most distinctive voice
and some typically fine noises pulled from the electric guitar of robert fripp

there you go a very fine mix of tunes for the evening
soon...

easy

i think i'm getting quite addicted to this youtube thing
but that makes sense coz it seems i well and truly have embraced internet 2
where apparantly we use the net to make ourselves celebrities in the bosses lunchtime
where we all have a blog or a facebook or a myspace or a youtube posting
but for people like me who love live music youtube is an amazing resource
tonight i thought i'd look for an act from my last random tunes session
and at random (not) thought i would see if easy by the church was up there
yup sure is - in the form of a road mini-movie as the band traverses the u s of a

the callup

it's one of life's small pleasures when a film continues to resonate
for a day or 2 or more after witnessing it in the big dark theatre
i certainly went on a nice little nostalgia trip with the joe strummer film
not that he needs to be quoted again but bono made one interesting comment
you know...the thing about the clash that really bugs me...is that they should still be with us
i also enjoyed joe strummers implied distaste for that other outfit that predates them
and are currently getting as much satisfaction as you could wish for - financially
there was one tune in the film that i'd forgotten about and is probably my personal favourite
it's just the best tune and the lyrics written in 1977 (ish) are so contemporary
ladeez and gentleymen - the clash - the callup

strummer: the future is unwritten

it's kind of odd to think that 30 years have passed since the clash burst forth
hey i was there i saw them i bought the records i thought they were the best
at least the best punk band that went beyond that and did so much more musically
director julien temple once again at the helm of this film about joe strummer and his music
one of the strengths of the film is that it seems strictly chronological
so it starts out with a quite revealing exposure of his childhood and upbringing
born in turkey as john mellor to a diplomat father and with one slightly older brother
there seems to be no shortage of footage of the young joe as a teenager
as he discovers music and then decides to devote his life to the pursuit of it
puts together his first band called the 101-ers named after a squat they lived in
then in a moment he describes himself as the luckiest break of his life
he is introduced to the other members of the group that is to become the clash
at the time that punk broke forth in london and the rest of england
at this point the film picks up the pace and we are taken along for a great ride
naturally quite a few of the most recognisable tunes are rolled out
for a while i felt we were witnessing one big long video clip
with no holding back on the choppy, cut-up techniques used by music video directors
which i believe is actually julien temples's claim to fame
but this technique suits the subject and the times in this film
there's some very interesting voice-over from joe strummer himself
he had a weekly radio show on bbc highlighting music of the world that comes and goes
there are also comments from friends and acquaintances in all sorts of interesting settings
johnny depp, steve buscemi, matt dillon, martin scorcese and ahem bono all appear
and talk in very reverential terms about the man and the music he made
various partners also make comments in very adoring terms
one thing i picked up on that i thought was a refreshing change
none of these people were introduced with the sub-titles as seen in so many other films of this genre
sort of like well if you don't know who this person is then oh well nevermind
it's not about them and they are not there to add credibility to the film
which they naturally do but they actually seem to talk quite naturally anyway
by the time we are into the middle of the film the band is taking on america
playing in stadiums appearing on talk shows riding in limousines
and unfortunately suffering quite badly for all of that
in one scene we see joe strummer imploring the stadium crowd to give him some attitude
you can sense his frustration at the lack of it
and it's pretty well all downhill from there
my memory (and wiki) tells me that the wheels fell off in 1986
so the later part of the film is devoted to joe strummer as recluse, husband and father
but also a political activist with a social conscience and a generous manner
he eventually finds his way back into music with joe strummer and the mescaleros
until his premature death in 2002 from a congenital heart disease
the final words of the film are from him
telling us that people can do anything
we just need the will to want to change things
a real shame he is no longer with us
we need the likes of him these days
great film

the war on democracy

tonight was the opening night of the latest film from australian john pilger
which apparantly is his first feature film after a career-defining 55 television documentaries
it was a green's party fund-raiser and as such i was happy to be part of the crowd
we had the nsw green party senator kerry nettle speak briefly before the film
she gave us a bit of an insight into the film and had an appropriate dig at our own government
for continuing to support the american government in it's relentless march to global domination
the film opened with the man's name big and bold in the opening credits
and then the man himself is on screen and introducing the subject matter of this his latest film
which is about south and central america and the struggles there against the u s backed dictatorships
no punches are pulled as the u s is described as the (insert word of choice) 'empire'
much of the first part of the film is spent profiling modern day venezuala
there are some contrasting scenes of the homes of the ultra-rich thanks to huge oil revenues
and the multitude of ghetto-like buildings clinging to steep hillsides in and around the capital of caracas
in a similar contrasting fashion jp interviews some of the people of both classes
we very easily laugh at the arrogance and naivety of the elites (we know there is an enemy in their midst)
and then become empathetic to the struggles and grievances of the poor
the trump card for the film is a one on one interview with hugo chavez the hero of venezuala
jp is seen quite a lot on screen and no less so in this interview positively glowing with respect in his pristine suit and tie
a casually dressed hugo chavez jokes about his basic english skills - do you warnt a cip of corfee?
he talks about his own upbringing and vision for his people that is being embraced and supported by the people
we see this vision in action with footage of free education and health care
the film also details the failed coup of 2002 in which a u s backed dictator briefly assumed power
until a revolt by the people and a turning of the military returned chavez to power
as you would expect jp has no access to any leaders of the u s empire or players of significance
so relies on archive footage of past presidents nixon, reagan, and bush 1 and 2
and the laughable response of ex cia operatives to provide the other side of the story
but this becomes no more than entertainment value as the interviewees come across as bumbling idiots
and our interviewer comes across as the white knight merely seeking the truth
the spotlight then shifts to other countries in the 'back yard' of america
guatelama, cuba, san salvador, and nicaragua are not visited but talked about
as evidence of the meddling hand of u s imperalism in previous decades
more time is spent on chile with a quite long historical perspective
featuring the u s backed assassination of salvador allende on september 11, 1973
we learn that chile today is a much more settled and prosperous country
but it is implied that this is because the empire wants it that way for the moment
interestingly there is no mention of new-ish female president michelle bachelet
which seemed to me to be a bit of a gap in proceedings
bolivia however is treated in similar reverence as venezuala with chavez compatriot evo morales in power
in summary i found the film to be informative and well presented
though at times i found myself thinking i was watching a tv documentary on the big screen
but then more stunning footage of slums or plains or mountains would appear
that would be quite diminished in impact on the smaller screen
and the final word...
hugo chavez to john pilger - i see you soon
heroes

falling slowly

going back to a film seen a few weeks back titled once
which led to the purchase of an album by the frames called the cost
that got loaded into my computer's jukebox of favourite and/or recently bought albums
then transferred to my iriver for mobile music playing
on random play whilst sitting on planes with head buried in a book
sometime over the last few days the song called falling slowly got delivered up
and momentarily had me put down the book and again enjoy the song
which is a highlight of both the film and the band's latest album
included here is the song overlaid on a trailer to the film
but for some reason cannot be embedded but can be viewed as a link to youtube
by clicking on the message that pops up after clicking the play button
'tis a lovely piece of work and features the beautifully profound lines
take this sinking boat and point it home we've still got time
raise your hopeful voice you have a choice you make it now

a thousand splendid suns

i have just completed another 4 days of travel sydney-perth-adelaide-sydney
with the distances involved i had planned an early arrival at the airport on monday
so to have enough time to scour the shelves of the bookshop
and not give up until a book was in hand that registered highly on the curiosity scale
i spotted this one on entry into the shop and came back to it
the author is khaled hosseini who has written one other book called the kite runner
which was one of the victims of my usual ruthless start of year book reading frenzy
that starts in the christmas-new year downtime and lasts as long as i can keep it up
the kite runner is a moving story of 2 boyhood friends from 1970's afghanistan
who are torn apart by war, class differences, ambition and good old family feuding
with this latest title the author has followed a similar theme
though this time based on 2 women and their eventual coming together as friends
again the setting is war-torn afghanistan starting in the 1970's
mariam is the young daughter of a peasant woman who has a very bleak outlook on life
for her own hardships have led her to the conclusion that women are born to suffer
like a compass needle that points north a man's accusing finger always finds a woman
she implores her daughter to always remember this
and as the story of her life unfolds her mothers outlook on life continues to haunt her daughter
it turns out the daughter is actually the result of a liaison with a rich man when her mother worked as a maid
the father is introduced as a kind and generous man who visits miriam on a weekly basis
however an unfortunate set of circumstances sees the father give his daughter away at a very early age
to a large, unkempt and foreboding kabul resident shoe-repairer 30 years her senior
the arranged marriage quickly deteriorates as mariam is forced to wear a burka
and take the subservient role expected of women in a muslim fundamentalist society
as a parallel to this we are introduced to laila who is a neighbour in kabul
living in a house with an educated father and mourning mother
who has seen her 2 sons taken off to war and subsequently killed
the father also has a saying that he passes on to his daughter about his beloved kabul
one could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
which provides the yearning within his daughter to stay close to the city her father loved
while miriams circumstances provide us an insight to the suppressed life of a woman
laila's story is more about the effect of war on everyday people
after she loses her whole family to the war she is taken in by miriam's husband
primarily to provide him with respect amongst his peers to be seen with 2 wives
within time the relationship of mariam and laila changes from forced tolerance to firm friendship
that is centred around the raising of 2 children born into war and severe hardship
so their lives are sometimes very sad and the suffering at times seems relentless
but there are moments of pure joy and the book has a quite balanced happy-sad conclusion
one thing that i found very interesting in my week of travel and reading
was that a number of fellow women travellers and air hostesses commented to me about the book
having already read it and i did also notice it in the laps of several other women passengers
an american lady seated next to me also told me that the kite runner has already been made into a film
so it has hit a chord with women for it is a woman's story though the author is a man
it gave me a very clear and understandable insight into the suffering of women
in both the time of war and at the hands of a big dumb and dogmatic male
the book is very readable and can be consumed quite quickly
while reading it i couldn't help but think it would also make a very telling film
just as the book itself is a very satisfying read

baby you're my light

following on from the last posting re richard hawley's fine new album lady's bridge
late last night i did the semi-regular wander around the youtube site
and as it was fresh in my memory dropped in the words richard hawley into the search engine
i don't know why youtube continues to surprise me with what it throws up
but included in the results was the promotional clip for the single off album number 2
so have included it here for your listening and viewing pleasure
it's a gorgeous song and the video complements the song beautifully

lady's bridge

the much anticipated (by me) new album by english singer-songwriter-guitarist richard hawley
i was handed a copy of his second solo album titled late night final about 5 years ago
it is easily one of my favourite albums and never fails to impress anyone who hears it
he has a deep, rich, melodic voice and timeless, singalong, melancholic songs
his material reminds me of what i heard coming out of the radio in the 60's
i'm talking the crooners not the rockers e.g. dean martin not the rolling stones
but he also has street cred having been a member of the english band pulp
that may well be what gives his music the edge to make it quite contemporary
so for tonight's virgin album spin for the first time ever it's lady's bridge
valentine
you've got to admire this chap's willingness to persevere
it takes about 2 bars of music to know who we are listening to
and then the voice kicks in with his trademark melancholic lyrics
don't need no valentines no no don't need no roses
just take me back in time no no now you're not here any more
but the big difference already is the massive and impressive orchestration
roll river roll
this one tells me why i like him so much as here he sounds like the masterful lambchop
totally unintentional i'm sure but both his vocal delivery and music are similar
in this case the music is allowed to take centre stage between verses
the tune cruises along beautifully with lilting piano and strings coming in and out
conjuring up images of the last couple on the dancefloor
serious
now we're off in rockabilly mode though the title would have to be tongue in cheek
when you are in love all the stars burn bright above
there's a kindness in your eyes there's no darkness in the skies
and it bops along like a tune that could be playing in the happy days cafe jukebox
so so catchy it could be easily be a cover from decades ago
tonight the streets are ours
the first single from the album apparantly and a reminder why he isn't a mega-star
for it is just too obvious a single and something he can churn out endlessly
it's a good enough song and has some great production
the 60's massed female voices as backup are a great touch
but it just lacks that as they say 'wow' factor
lady solitude
get the feeling we are now firmly entrenched in middle-album land
this one is a slower number that is used to show off his superb voice
not much going on musically apart from providing a gentle backing
i'm leaving lady solitude behind me you understand
there's a river flowing away from my door think i'll sail away
and one day baby i will feel no pain
dark road
why am i thinking johnny cash meets nick cave though that does no favours for any of them
a lovely bouncy 4/4 tune with some very nice dirgey guitar work in the middle
and his signature vocal style of hitting the lowest of notes
gets the head bopping away quite effectively
conjures up images of lonely dude out on the road looking for - something
the sea calls
clever use of brushes on cymbals gives a splashing water sound
and the lyrics talk about a journey across the sea
sort of a sailors lament to those that he has to leave behind
as he describes the powerful pull of the ocean
in the background the music very effectively builds and builds
lady's bridge
the title track from this fine album and an ode to a bridge in his home town
this one is a very typical r h tune and showcases his exceptional voice
mixed in is some very nice use of vibraphone and the familiar steel guitar
take me when you go - down to the river, down to the river
i can't forget her - i'll stay forever and watch it flow
i'm looking for someone to find (me)
rockabilly returns - or at least a very fast tune with similar instruments
no mucking around here - rocks along with rapid-fire snare drumming and stand-up bass
another example of a contemporary tune sounding like it could have come from the 60's
which really is his trademark style with no intention i am sure
easily the fastest tune so far but still with very clear vocals
our darkness
starts out as the quiet, slow number of the album
and then builds as the orchestra is re-introduced and takes over
this is a lovely number describing the sharing of darkness with the loved one
through streets and avenues will you come back to your lover
a place for me and you we see it with no other in darkness our darkness
the sun refused to shine
almost spoken like vocals with a female voice shadowing
echoey production with orchestral percussion happening in the background
i don't think i will be the only one to think of leonard cohen vocal style
very inventive instrumentation means we exit the album very naturally
...and hit the repeat play button

this is a fine album that can and will be listened to repeatedly
and another one that can be recommended with great confidence
for anyone that loves real and many instruments, vocals that can be heard and discerned, and tunes that are varied and memorable
it's a beauty

life gets in the way of living

a song i have heard performed live a couple of times in the last couple of days
it's by up and coming australian country music singer steve ford
i've been flinging myself around the country attending some one day conferences
an annual get together in each state of independent music retailers
night-time is party-time with a dinner and entertainment laid on
courtesy of the big multi-national record companies flogging the latest and greatest
i've been attending these shindigs for a number of years now
which means i have been witness to a lot of latest and greatest acts
the current batch include steve ford who used to be with a country outfit called the flange
they have also laid on a lovely lady by the name of shea fisher
she is all of 19 years of age and it seems has already lived quite a full life
having been born into a rodeo family and travelled extensively throughout australia
as well as picking up some rodeo prizes herself
the other night in sydney we were also entertained by the mcclymonts
who are a trio of sisters whooping it up and singing and playing in harmony
hello are we seeing a pattern emerging here
seems the musicians most likely at the moment are country artists
now excuse me while i splent my veen but i think i can get away with it here
you see i just don't like country music that much at all
i don't want to hear a 19 year old gorgeous looking girl-not-quite-a-woman
singing about the hardships of life to a bunch of middle aged blokes
that seem happy to give their total attention to what could be shania twain's daughter
attention that seems lacking whenever i chance upon the same chaps at any other gig
so you suspect their minds are on things other than the twee music coming our way
note the last song was called cowgirl in my genes (boom boom)
steve ford is a more mature artist and has had some success it seems
but pul-lease i just don't want to hear about an australian bloke loving his chev-ro-let
and complaining that life gets in the way of living complete with an american twang
did someone mention wassisface mr nicole kidman
no but the presenter certainly mentioned the dixie chicks when he introduced the mcclymonts
3 good-looking women playing bass, guitar and electric mandolin
i actually felt sorry for the band that they were so blatantly defined as a clone act
they sang and played with mucho gusto and obvious musical talent
but there was hardly an ounce of originality in their short set
and again the lads in the room seemed to appreciate them and lavished applause
now in a positive note i wish to end this little rant about some country music i love
it's generally called alt.country or sometimes americana
most easily and simplistically defined as a cross between rock music and country
lambchop m ward and calexico i have seen live and have loved the experience
there's many more i have heard recordings of and similarly admire
my feeling is that they lack exposure in this country
seems the emphasis here is on looks and sounds like
rather than substance and originality
rant stops now
over

music of the world s part 1

coming around onto the home straight now of this exercise
of transcribing the 50 rhythms of the world according to songlines magazine
there's already been some interesting discoveries
styles, performers, albums and dvd's of some of the styles already covered
suspect there will be a bit more indulging coming with the ones remaining

salegy (madagascar) madagascar has a great diversity of music but the salegy is universally popular across the island with it's fast 6/8 beat, like many of the contemporary african dance rhythms it's made with a fusion of western instruments and local styles eusebe jaojoby is probably the most popular singer in madagascar and has been the king of salegy since the 70's his band features crooning sax and horns over rippling guitars
songlines recommends malagasy by jaojoby
esne notes this album rated to include one of the greatest dance bands in africa

salsa (cuba) salsa is a trunk-full of rhythms drawn from the afro-cuban traditions and particularly the fundamental son and it's derivatives - brassy guarachas, romantic boleros, guitar-based guajiras and the african percussive guaguancos which remain faithfully authentic, or fully mutated fifties mambo orchestras' arrangements were americanised by young latino new yorkers in the 70's famously for the fania label which became synonymous with salsa but geographical variations include peurto rico's laid back swing and colombia's tropical brightness

songlines recommends live at the red garter by the fania all stars (1968)
esne notes this recommendation was reissued in 2006 so may well be worth getting hold of

son (cuba)
son, grandfather of salsa, is cuba's national music a sensual couple dance, it's timbric blend of afro-cuban and spanish influences involves multiple layers of percussive polyrhythms held together by the key clave time line 1-2 1-2-3 sung verses develop into a second montuno section where the singer improvise lines answered by a band chorus

songlines recommends soul of a nation by sierra maestra
esne notes this outfit is well entrenched on the world music concert circuit

semba (angola) in angola, the word means 'navel' so you can guess the kind of sensuous dance step it describes angolans will proudly tell you that it's the beat that gave birth to brazilian samba and it's easy to hear how characterised by lilting but propulsive rhythms, percolating acoustic guitars fluid, upper-registered bass lines and hypnotic hand-held percussion it also has something in common with other musical styles from portugal's former colonies including the morna of cape verde

songlines recommends maorais by bonga
esne notes that bonga seems to be to semba what cesaria evora is to morna

and that brings up 38 of the 50 styles that are covered
...almost overwhelming

united 93

i didn't have the will power to go and see this film upon release last year
but in light of last week's viewing of the dvd of 11 09 01 september 11
and 21 of the leaders of the free world are tonight my neighbours
i felt the urge to mark the occasion with something of significance
joining the march today would have been a worthy exercise
but it was raining and i had work to do and i left it too late and...and...and...
besides what could possibly upstage the efforts of the chaser team on thursday
apparantly their efforts have made the event more newsworthy than the event itself
high profile lawyer chris murphy wants to defend them when they appear in court on october 4
he says our sense of humour is under attack and needs to be defended
i say we have a watershed moment upon us that will reverberate for years to come
everyone is talking about it and the papers are full of letters defending their actions
if i could bring myself to do it i think talkback radio on monday morning could be very interesting
tonight i decided i really had to follow up on the fine reviews this film had upon release last year
it is largely a re-creation of the events surrounding flight united 93 on september 11 2001
this is the one that crashed into a field into pennsylvania short of it's presumed target of the white house
the film starts out with a fine depiction of life in a busy airport
as we are taken through a lot of the behind the scenes activity of flight control
so in that sense the film seems to take on the feel of a documentary
the scenes are so well set up and recorded that it's easy to forget this is a re-construction
of particular interest is the number of people involved in flight control
many sitting in front of computer screens and resembling the craziness of a stock exchange
on this historical morning we are told there are 4200 flights in the air
we cut between managing this and the preparations for getting united 93 in the air
as passengers leave hotels, arrive at the airport, go through security checks and board the plane
while this is happening clues of the impending disaster start popping up
and the tension also starts to build with some powerful background music
at this point i noticed my own heart rate had been heightened
we see shots off in the distance from newark of one of the towers burning
then as part of flight control we witness the second plane hit it's target
and the reaction of the people we are with is chillingly presented
the bloke in charge has to hold it all together without the strangely absent assistance of the military
soon it becomes apparant that flight 93 has also been hijacked though cannot be contacted
the later part of the film is spent on the plane as the hijackers take over
chaos rules with film-making at it's best depicting the panic of all on board
as order is restored the passengers plot their own re-taking of the plane
which ends in disaster with the plane crashing into the field short of it's target
this film is as good as i had been led to believe
it seems to very deliberately avoid any finger-pointing or stereo-typing
so as such there are no baddies or goodies or heroes or villains
just a lot of people doing their jobs, living their lives, following their convictions
probably a good thing there are no big name actors involved to provide an unnecessary distraction
my heart rate remained high throughout the film and only reduced when it was all over
this film is a fine example of drama meets documentary
go chaser

the cost

the latest album by the frames and featuring music from the film once
at least according to the sticker gracing the cover of the cd
haven't done this for a while but the exercise is to review while listening
this all follows on from last night's viewing of the film
which has left a lasting impression both musically and emotionally
for it was a lovely film about a boy/girl relationship pre-relationship
not something that i see very often but in this case handled beautifully
the boy in the film is the main singer/guitarist/composer for the frames
and the director apparantly used to play bass guitar for the band
song for someone
he has an almost falsetto voice that seems most comfortable up there
the music is stripped back to bass, drums, electric guitar
lyrics are the strength of this man and his band
hence presumably the inclusion of no less than bob dylan in the fan club
this song moves constantly between quiet singing and the full-on band with some added strings
there's something vaguely familiar about the music or production or....
falling slowly
yup it's a coldplay kind of introduction here then we fall back to man and guitar
this is one of the more memorable tunes from the movie when boy/girl hook up for the first time
a full band production here with an unbelievably catchy and singlong-y chorus
take this sinking boat and point it home we've still got time
raise your hopeful voice you have a choice you've made it now
people get ready
no not the tune we are familiar with of the same name
this starts out as a gentle talk like voice over strummed electric guitar
but then builds and builds to a big chest-beating kind of song
wish i could pin the voice to the one it most reminds me of
i hate to do this but it has to be said that there are links to that other famous irish band
or maybe it's just a irish want to write and perform big dramatic sounding tunes
rise
first impression is of an irish bruce springsteen rallying the people
sometimes we will fall from the light but it shines on us tonight
and together we will rise pass this line that we're crossing here tonight
there's a real pattern emerging now with the music of this band
quiet kind of verses and big choruses with lots of bravado and busy instruments
when your mind's made up
another very memorable tune from the film but given a different production here
bit of a bitter twist to the lyrics with the subject seemingly a dogmatic partner
once again the tune starts out as a quite gentle and calm intro
but then goes up and up in volume, speed and intensity
ending up with the band in maximum noise mode before dropping back to basics
sad songs
electric guitar introduces the tune before handing over to the other instruments
not sure if i'm too enamoured of this one as it is just a bit too obvious
too many sad words make those sad sad songs tra-le-la tra-le-la repeat repeat repeat
guitar and strings brought in for a bit of colour but mostly an album filler
the cost
the title track with a slow, mournful, off-key kind of introduction
and it never really gets further than that except for some big guitar soloing
not that removed from that aforementioned irish and english globe-conquering bands
another album filler really with not too much else to recommend it
true
piano introduced on this one but oh so much like the played cold band
they must hate the comparison but unfortunately it is quite unmistakable
though there is an attempt to mix it up with some female backing voices
and again a gentle opening and building to a big outro
the side you never get to see
quite a pleasant singalong and catchy one with strings to the fore
here he's telling us about the side of his personality that he keeps to himself
another inoffensive tune with lots of high notes being hit and sustained
rocks along quite nicely and induces a bit of head-swaying
bad bone
the quiet closing track for the album about love gone wrong
lyrically it's about as basic as it gets and the music is only slightly better
pseudo-dramatic, near-mournful, bluesy-wannabe, off-keyingly, dull
so not a good one to end on really

oh dear this one has not grabbed me at all except for a couple of tunes
now at least i now know of their music when i see the name up in lights at various places
e.g. on the bill with bob dylan on his never-ending tour
i think i better give it a few more whirls but i'm doubtful
the cost by the frames
sorry guys

once

seems this little film has hit a chord with the film-going public
the warning signs were there when i ventured into the adjacent cd store
and there were people from the previous session queuing up to buy the soundtrack
luckily i took my usual centre row centre screen seat well before the start
and then proceeded to watch quite increduously as the theatre filled up
i've not seen that happen for a long time at any of the films i subscribe to
the action is set in modern day dublin but in fact has a timelessness about it
it could quite easily have been any year in the last 2 or 3 decades
but for the occassional nod to technology e.g. the appearance in one scene of a laptop
otherwise there is it seems a very deliberate attempt to keep it very simple
we don't even learn the names of the 2 main characters
boy is a local dubliner singer/songwriter/guitarist nursing a broken heart
he is either working in his father's vacuum cleaner repair shop
or composing music and busking in the streets of dublin to practice his material
girl is from the czeck republic caring for her daughter and mother and also coping with a broken relationship
she observes him late one night when he is in musical self-indulgent mode
performing one of his own compositions that he dare not play during the day
when the punters are paying and expecting to hear at least something they recognise
she has a broken vacuum cleaner that he offers to repair
and in several funny scenes the vacuum cleaner trails the pair around the dublin streets
in a way reminding us of their connection until a more common bond kicks in
it turns out that girl is also a capable musician in piano player and singer
and it doesn't take too long before their shared love of music comes to the fore
there's a beautiful scene where they are singing and playing together in the local music shop
it is the first duet together and it actually comes across genuinely as totally unrehearsed
we are with boy as he recognises her talent both on the piano and singing
where their common love of music points to the possibility of a deeper love
and from then on we are with them as they explore this possibility
i'm not sure about girl but boy is in real life an accomplished musician
being the lead singer/songwriter for irish group the frames who are championed by bob dylan
so the material that is presented in this film is first rate
and the many times the characters are in song mode are not at all the usual cloying musical afterthoughts
the main part of the film is spent in a studio as the band he has cobbled together record a set of demo songs
and by the end of the weekend all involved including boy/girl have formed some strong bonds
but the love remains unrequited and not even acknowledged though we know it is there
the end comes naturally though not as expected and leaves us wanting more
for we've been taken on (insert irish accent here) a musical journey
that has been satisfying, believable and heart-warming
i heard someone mention on the way out is was like a folky version of the commitments
but i think he might have missed the point as it is more a love story than a musical hoot
though the music is very good and obviously original
judging by the song credits seen at the end of the film
i too was tempted to go next door and buy the soundtrack
but decided first i'm going to find out more about the frames
once - a lovely piece of work

ian moss

it's been a good number of years since i was on the sunshine coast in queensland
came up to brisbane for a one-day conference and through to noosa today for another one
driving up and the signs of continuing development are all there
the instant towns and suburbs the billboards and significantly
the number of places selling rainwater tanks which appears to be a boom industry
most curious place i saw however was a home removal company
which had rows and rows of old houses parked like caravans ready for sale
the sunshine coast it is not at this point in time
they have had lots of rain and serious flooding recently
which probably means at least the rainwater tanks will be full for the long hot summer ahead
the conference i attended today was for a client and chain of music shops
they laid on a special guest performer for the dinner tonight
none other than the living legend of probably the most highly regarded of australia's bands
mr ian moss performed a set in solo mode with just guitar, voice and a p a system
he has a new album out and a quite extensive national tour coming up
his current performance and recording covers songs of the cold chisel days
and some of his own previous material and newer songs and covers
tonight we heard telephone booth, tucker's daughter, saturday night and choir girl
and another new tune titled better day off the latest album
the big climax came with a very willing crowd singalong to bow river
he seems entirely comfortable and totally capable as a solo performer
in this mode his guitar-playing skills come to the fore
and the way he tapped, slapped and knocked on his guitar for percussive effect was particularly impressive
similarly his voice rang loud and clear and hit all the notes with ease
couldn't help but thinking who needs a singer in the band when you have that gift of a voice
i was introduced to the man after the set as he willingly chatted to the audience after his performance
got the impression even after 3 decades or more of australian public adulation
he's a very nice, down-to-earth, humble and seemingly quite shy kind of bloke
the girls of course all loved him and were seen to be swooning
much like the boys really going ga-ga and reliving days gone by
out-doing each other with stories of gigs in odd places
they'll be talking about this one for a few years to come also
ian moss in a cafe in downtown noosa
nice

music of the world r

i'm going to complete this little project for the sake of completeness
and apparantly there's something about always finishing what it is you started
so more transcribing of an article from songlines magazine july/august 2006 edition
the article titled 50 rhythms of the world and a brief description of each one

reel (ireland)

the reel is reckoned to have reached ireland towards the end of the 18th century
this rapid 4/4 dance form subsequently became the king of ireland's traditional music
which apart from slow airs consists almost entirely of dance tunes
all incorporated from other parts of europe

songlines recommends gcnoc na grai by noel hill and tony macmahon
esne notes this is not my favourite world music style due to past over-exposure

reggae (caribbean)

the rhythms collectively known as reggae - ska, rocksteady, reggae proper and ragga
first emerged in the early 60's when jamaican musicians started playing r&b boogies and shuffles
with an increasing emphasis on the offbeat - reggae rhythms have been mutating ever since
and provided the raw material for deejay music and dub - the templates for rap and remix culture respectively
and some classic rhythms are endlessly recycled within reggae music itself

songlines recommends downbeat the ruler - killer instrumentals from studio one (various artists)
esne notes also an early over-exposure to reggae but without the subsequent burnout

reggaeton (puerto rico)

reggaeton moves to various latin rhythms and the crucial dembow beat
created by late 90's reggae star shabba ranks from soca, ragga and hip-hop
in panama, el general introduced dembow to his latin-ragga mixes and unwittingly conceived reggaeton
influential bomba mixes by the puerto rican rapper vico c were formally labelled reggaeton and p r it's capital
from there daddy yankee's 2004 hit gasolina with catchy girl choruses and bomba beats propelled it internationally
today's electronic merengues and cumbias, real instruments, gangsta lyrics and erotic dances
including perreo (doggy style) have lured eminem and usher on board

songlines recommends barrio fino by daddy yankee
esne notes that reggaeton seems to have morphed into today's rap (?)

rumba (cuba)

rumba emerged in the ports of matanzas and havana, cuba in the 19th century
among black workers beating rhythms out on anything to hand from boxes to bottles, clave stocks to spoons
while one of them answered by a chorus sang improvised verses about life
it thrived in the patio fiestas of the communal solares, tenements populated by a family per room
sailors took it to cadiz, spain where it was absorbed into flamenco
and to barcelona from whence rumba catalana emerged

songlines recommends noche de la rumba by clave y guaguanco
esne notes this is one that needs definite follow-up

34 down 16 to go and learning a bit along the way
more soon...

after the wedding

i'd seen the trailer for this one and was not really that interested
as far as i could tell the basis of the story was the messy rekindling of a past love
after the wedding of the daughter of the woman to which the man had been invited
seemingly quite innocently by the bride's father - or possibly not so innocently
i seem to have an aversion to films with any kind of love triangle thing happening
but the reviews were kind to this film and my curiosity got the better of me
especially considering an academy award nomination for best foreign language film
jacob played by new danish uber-star mads mikkelson is working in india and drawn back to denmark
to clinch a charity deal offered by the benefactor who unknown to jacob
is his past love's new husband jorgen who extends the invitation to daughter anna's wedding
it is here that recognition of his past love helena occurs and things start getting really interesting
seems the daughter's real father is you-know-who which sets off a chain of emotional unravelling of all involved
director susanne bier has very cleverly held our characters back
so that although there is emotion and anger and accusations and concern
there is also forgiveness and compassion and care and understanding
and involves all the members of the family as they work their way through this situation
and for those hanging out for the fulfillment of the suggested love cheat thing
this comes most unexpectedly and is over before we know it and dispensed with
leaving our characters to come to grips with the emotional turmoil
as the story unfolds and new twists and sub-plots are added
copenhagen and the danish countryside feature quite strongly in the film
which for me gave the film a very fresh and clean feel
the technique of closeup on the eyes seems to suggest that is where the truth lies
as in every scene involving conflict or compassion - bang - in with the closeup
so we get to know the eyes of our actors very well by the end of the film
the other repeat appearance in the film is that of alcohol
there's hardly a scene goes by where someone isn't knocking back a drink or 3
it would be interesting to find out it this is some subtle pro-drink or anti-drink message
or just danish film-making trying to be honest and showing it the way it is
i was very much taken in by this film and found i had empathy with the main 4 characters
there's some quite emotional scenes that found me dabbing at my eyes
and at 2 hours long it is quite a journey
and we never do find out if the husband set the whole thing up
the film opens and closes in india at the orphanage where jacob works
and the first and last scenes in denmark feature the music of the icelandic band sigur ros
one of my favourites so a another big plus
it really is quite a nicely balanced and thoughtful film

11' 09" 01 september 11

tonight i decided i needed to start trawling back through the rental archives
looking for films i had missed seeing on the big screen at the theatre
this is partly because i'm struggling to find films on general release
that match my criteria for films that i will make the effort to watch
i tend to want to avoid the action flick, the rom-com, the endless sequels
the period pieces, nostalgia pieces, animations, the feel-goods, senseless violence
and by and large anything churned out by the hollywood machine
which at any point in time leaves about 5 or 6 that i will try and get to
however sometimes when a film seems in order and anything that appeals is not timed well for me
and as much as i want to continue to support picture theatres
fallback to the hole in the wall seems a fine idea for the nights entertainment
get online, trawl through the available titles, find something, reserve it
walk up the street, put card in slot, retrieve dvd of choice
return via the takeaway food shop and the takeaway wine shop
lights off, projector on, settle in and enjoy the home theatre experience
tonights choice appealed not so much for the need to revisit the scene of the crime
and once again see planes flying into buildings and those buildings subsequently collapsing
but because this film has a very interesting concept
11 short films each exactly 11 minutes and 9 seconds long and encased in 1 frame
hence the title that otherwise seems a bit cryptic or confounding
the films are all low budget and with a loose connection to the day in question
filmed in 2002 and with each director from a different country and culture
there are the names of ken loach, sean penn and alejandro gonzalez inarrito (babel) amongst them
the film is very well set up with each short film introduced with the clever use of graphics
to display a map of the world and highlighting the home country of the next director
and so in keeping with the premise of this film 9 words to describe each of the 11 films

iran - the innocence of children in a crazy adult world
france - deaf mute rediscovers love in the shadow of disaster
egypt - ghost story in heavy handed middle east political analysis
bosnia herzegovina - moving story of ethnic cleansing survivors empathysing with america
burkina faso - tale of bin laden pursuit by west african lads
united kingdom - chilean survivor recalls murder of allende september 11 1973
mexico - minimal visuals of falling bodies over recordings of 9-11
israel - parallel story of the chaos following a suicide bomber
india - muslim woman searches for terrorist son suspect turned hero
united states of america - sean penn directs ernest borgnine's detached widower in manhattan
japan - disturbing portrayal of how war can affect mental health

i'm glad i found this one in the rental shop and not sure how i missed it on general release
there's not much joy, happiness or laughter to be had
but considering the subject matter that makes a lot of sense
it reminded me a lot of babel which is one of my favourite films of recent times
and in fact i think my favourite of the 11 on display is that of the director of babel
where we see the occassional flash of film of people falling from the twin towers
and a multi-layered soundtrack of the recognisable soundbites from the day
leading to a haunting piece of music and the on-screen statement in arabic
complete with english interpretation
does god's light guide us or blind us?
thought-provoking